phd in film studies in canada

• Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD)
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The Ph.D. program offers students the opportunity to pursue Cinema and Media Studies through coursework, comprehensive exams, a viva, and a dissertation project. Students are expected to give primary attention to an area of expertise of their choice while training in the broader theoretical, critical, and historical contexts of the chosen field.  

Faculty research specialties include strengths in contemporary cinemas and media culture, one that highlights media and film theory, cult cinema, documentary studies, early cinema, feminist and post-feminist media studies, American, Canadian and European cinemas, television studies, and sound studies. There are particular strengths in contemporary Anglophone cinema and television products and cultures within a global context. Our students occasionally engage with professors and students in our renowned directing, design and film production graduate programs.

We accept up to two students per year, and we strongly urge applicants to consider whether their project matches our faculty’s past expertise or current research interests.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

B.C.’s favourable position as a hub for the international film and media production industry allows opportunities for research topics and case studies not easily available elsewhere.

As a selective boutique program, we provide close mentorship of all accepted students. We are usually able to provide teaching assistant experience to PhD. students in our large first and second year undergraduate courses. At the ABD stage, students may have the opportunity to teach an undergraduate course. Graduate students have the opportunity to work on the film studies journal Cinephile. The Visual Resources Centre provides access to nearly 10,000 DVDs. The Centre for Cinema and Media Studies in the Department occasionally sponsors visiting scholars. UBC has the second largest research library in Canada, including the 30,000 Videomatica collection, a unique resource.

I decided to join UBC primarily due to my, now, supervisor who is an exceptional scholar of media and audience reception. Other secondary reasons were the beautiful scenery of BC, the modern and diverse culture of Vancouver and of course the proposed funding.

Gerrit Krueper

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Master's degree in Cinema Studies, Film Studies or Media Studies.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research focus.

With strengths in contemporary cinemas and media culture, the current faculty offer a program that highlights media and film theory, cult cinema, documentary studies, feminist and post-feminist media studies, American, Canadian and European cinemas, television studies, and sound studies. There are particular strengths in contemporary Anglophone cinema and television products and cultures within a global context.

Research Facilities

UBC Library is the home of the 30,000 plus Videomatica collection recently purchased and catalogued, a unique resource.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding

• 5 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 5 students was $12,140.
• 4 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 4 students was $3,338.
• 2 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 2 students was $1,489.
• 5 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 5 students was $22,582.
• 1 student received external awards valued at $35,000.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

Career options.

We expect graduates to find employment in the teaching sector at both college and university level; in administrative posts for cultural producers, such as for Electronic games, Film and TV production companies; in research positions covering cultural policy development, such as at Creative BC, Telefilm, NFB, or the provincial or federal civil service; in journalism, freelance writing, cinematheque curation management; various posts in the field of marketing communications for both corporations and non-profits.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Brown, William (film-philosophy, digital media, posthumanism, critical race theory)
• Coulthard, Lisa (film theory and violence; film sound and violence, contemporary American and European cinemas, continental philosophy and Lacanian theory)
• Frackman, Kyle (Cinema studies; Media studies (except social media and digital media); Literature and literary studies; Cultural studies; queer studies; German studies; media studies; history of sexuality; sexuality; sexuality studies; East Germany; film; Gender Studies; history of science; literature; Media; Media Types (Radio, Television, Written Press, etc.); Scandinavia)
• Iurascu, Ilinca (Comparative literatures; Theories of cultural studies; Media, visual and digital culture; German literature; Comparative Literature; Cultural Studies; media theory; Media history; critical theory; film studies)
• Johnston, Kirsty (Dramatic literature and theatre history with particular interest in disability arts and intersections between health, disability and performance )
• Karwowska, Bozena (Sexuality, Body and Gender in Nazi Concentration Camps)
• Laird, Colleen (Japanese media and gender studies; Gendered image production, gendered reception, and women in industry; Video games, new media, streaming media, animation (anime), and comics (manga); Paratexts: distribution, exhibition, and production materials; Film theory, genre theory, transnational cinemas and star texts, and feminist and queer theory)
• Liu, Siyuan (twentieth century Chinese theatre and Asian Canadian theatre)
• Malakaj, Ervin (Literature and literary studies; German studies; German Film Studies; German Media Studies; German Media History; Queer Theory and Queer Studies; Feminist and Queer Film Historiography; Critical Pedagogy)
• Marshall, Hallie (Performing arts; Ancient Greek Theatre; Arts and Cultural Traditions; Classics; Contemporary British Theatre; Cultural Industries; History of the Book; Literary or Artistic Work Dissemination or Reception Contexts; Performance and Theatrical Productions; Poetry; Reception Studies; Religion, Culture and Space; Theatre; Tony Harrison)
• Marshall, Toph (Cinema studies; Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Film, television and digital media; Religion and religious studies; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Performance and Theatrical Productions)
• Mathijs, Ernest (film, alternative cinema, independent cinema, European cinema, horror film, David Cronenberg, film audiences, film festivals, censorship, fantasy film, Lord of the Rings, Film studies)
• Mota, Miguel (Post-1945 British literature, print culture)
• Orbaugh, Sharalyn (modern Japanese culture (literature, film, manga, animation, kamishibai); East Asian women’s issues; anti-racist pegagogy, Japanese narrative and visual culture)
• Rea, Christopher (Chinese literatures; Asian history; Chinese literature; Cinema; Print culture; translation; Humor)
• Santos, Alessandra (Cinema studies; Film, television and digital media; Latin American history; Latin American literatures; Spanish language; Artistic and Literary Analysis Models; Artistic and Literary Theories; Arts and Cultural Traditions; Arts and Technologies; Brazilian Literature and Culture; Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies; Latin American Literatures and Cultures; Modern and Contemporary Literatures and Cultures)
• Scholte, Tom (Theatre, film, and television)
• Smith, Tai (History of art and architecture; Art theory and analysis; Visual theory, visual culture and visual literacy; Arts and Technologies; Economical Contexts; Gender; media theory; Modern and Contemporary Art and Design; Politics of Media and Mediation; Textiles)
• Testa, Carlo (Italian literature, history of cinema, theory/film studies )
• Tomc, Sandra (Nineteenth-century US literature, twentieth- century US entertainment and film, gothic literature and film, screenwriting, affect and psychoanalytic theory, fear and horror, film and image theory)
• Walsh, Shannon (Media arts; Critical identity, ethnic and race studies; Social and cultural anthropology; South Africa; Afropessimism & Critical Race Studies; Documentary; Film Production; Indigenous studies; Environmental justice; Affect Theory)
• Zuo, Mila (Cinema & Media studies; film studies; Contemporary Asian and transnational cinemas; Film philosophy; Acting and performance studies; Star studies; Digital and new media; Critical theories of gender, sexuality, and race and ethnicity)

Sample Thesis Submissions

• The dialectical stream : a new media theory of live streaming and its political and social potentials

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies (MA)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Theatre (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Theatre (MA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Film Production (MFA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (MFA)

Further Information

Specialization.

The Cinema and Media Studies research specializes in contemporary cinemas and media culture, cult cinema, documentary studies, feminist and post-feminist media studies and sound studies among many others.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Gabrielle Berry

After completing my Master’s, I decided to stay at UBC to continue to work with my wonderful and supportive supervisor Lisa Coulthard. As a member of the first PhD cohort of the program, the small cohort has led to great connection and comradery, and I am constantly inspired by the incredible...

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Cinema & Media Studies

The PhD in Cinema and Media Studies program offers students the opportunity to pursue their studies through coursework, comprehensive examinations and a doctoral dissertation project.

Program Overview

PhD students will receive training in the broader theoretical, critical and historical contexts of cinema and media studies. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to develop expertise in an area of their choice.

Our faculty research specializes in contemporary cinemas and media culture, cult cinema, documentary studies, feminist and post-feminist media studies and sound studies among many others. Faculty are particularly interested to work with those whose academic interests relate to their own fields of expertise and the broader strengths of the Department of Theatre and Film.

The cinema and media studies PhD program has the following requirements:

PhD students must complete their coursework as follows:

• 6 credits must be CINE_V courses
• 3 credits from any department on a topic related to your area of specialization
• Students who hold an MA degree in another discipline than cinema and media studies may be required to take an additional 12 credits as determined by the Graduate Committee.
• CINE_V 547: Directed Reading ( 3 credits)
• Students are permitted under the Western Deans’ Agreement to take 6 graduate credits at the universities covered by the Agreement (Alberta, Brandon, Calgary, Lethbridge, Manitoba, Northern British Columbia, Regina, Saskatchewan, Simon Fraser, and Victoria). Students interested in pursuing this option should consult with the Graduate Chair and obtain the necessary forms from Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G&PS).
• Students are also encouraged to attend and participate in department workshops and colloquia.

Comprehensive examinations

The comprehensive examination process asks the student to:

• Receive, read and digest tailored bibliographies that persuasively define the field of study in its current state and in its historical development.
• Demonstrate their range of knowledge
• Demonstrate their ability to deploy their knowledge effectively through argumentation, documentation and analysis of primary and secondary sources
• Articulate areas of cinema and media history, theory, and criticism in an integrated fashion.

Doctoral candidates must demonstrate reading knowledge of one language (other than English) relevant to their research area and/or in which there exists a significant body of cinema and media studies criticism. The language requirements must be fulfilled before submission of the dissertation proposal.

The doctoral dissertation must be an original contribution to knowledge in an area selected by the candidate, based upon primary sources. The PhD candidate is strongly advised to select a dissertation topic and research supervisor as early as possible, and to begin work on the dissertation within one of the research seminars.

Applications for Fall 2025 open on September 25, 2024 and close on December 1, 2024. 

The cinema and media studies PhD program only selects a handful of students each year. For those interested, please follow these application instructions:

• Submit your UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies application
• A copy of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended and are currently enrolled in. If your transcripts are in a language other than English you must also provide a certified translation
• Your proposed area of study and its potential contribution to the wider field in which it is situated
• Your academic preparation for the MA program
• How UBC’s PhD cinema and media studies program fits your needs and interests
• A recent writing sample that demonstrates the quality of your thinking and writing
• Three letters of recommendation via UBC’s eReference system
• A resume of your academic training

Quick Links

Film and Media

Phd program.

A completed PhD comprises of coursework, a qualifying exam, development of a syllabus, a proposal defense, and a dissertation, which includes research and writing, and could also include creative practice, curatorial work, community engagement, or pedagogical endeavours. The Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies program is designed to make it possible for students to complete their PhD in four years, consistent with the four-year funding period that the university guarantees.

Admission Requirements

MA or MFA degree from a recognized university in film, media studies, art history or cognate fields (e.g. communication, cultural studies, visual arts, popular culture).

For applicants who do not meet these requirements but have a substantial record of work, training, and education outside of traditional academic tracks, please contact the Graduate Coordinator before applying.  

Funding Packages

The minimum funding guarantee for Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies PhD students is $24,000 per year, throughout years 1-4. The funding package is derived from a combination of internal and external awards (Queen’s Graduate Awards [QGA] and named internal Fellowships, and in most cases Teaching Assistantships (TAs). This funding does not cover all living expenses, but rather covers the tuition and contributes to living expenses. Students must maintain “good academic standing” in their graduate program and make “satisfactory progress” toward the completion of their degree requirements in order to qualify for funding.

Tuition costs are the responsibility of the students. Information about tuition and fees can be found on the University Registrar’s website . Annual enrolment is expected with three semesters of tuition.

External (and internal) awards

All students in the program who qualify must apply for external awards (OGS, SSHRC and other sources). The SCCS Graduate Chair will let you know which internal awards you qualify for, and Queen’s will automatically issue a $5,000 award to incoming PhD students who have won federal government tri-council awards (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC). For more information, see the School of Graduate Studies and Post-Doctoral Affairs (SGSPA) webpages on awards and scholarships  and the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) webpages on Funds & Awards .

Award for Project and Portfolio PhD (PPP) Research

The FAS Award for Project and Portfolio PhD (PPP) Research provides financial support for students pursuing doctoral research who are undertaking a project and/or a portfolio PhD. For a description of the options available to students pursuing a PhD, see the School of Graduate Study information sheet The PhD thesis – Enabling Flexibility .

The PPP Award supports costs directly related to the completion of the degree to a maximum value of $3,000. It is responding to increased student demand for non-traditional, or "alternative" doctoral formats that accommodate different research contributions and applications, new forms of knowledge mobilization, the development of new competencies (i.e. digital, entrepreneurial), and that foster student awareness of the transferable skills acquired in the completion of the doctoral degree. Funded by the FAS at $20,000/year for the first three years, the awards are available to doctoral students who have completed their comprehensive examination (QE & PhD Proposal Defense).

The application deadline is mid-May and the exact date will be listed on the FAS website .

Conference Travel Award

The SGSPA allocates a lump sum of funding for conference travel to each department/program based on a two-year average of student enrolments. Awards must be used to provide financial support for travel, accommodation, food and registration fees associated with a recognized conference (including those held online) at which the student is presenting their own or co-authored paper or poster. Some other conditions apply and the SCCS Student Representative co-ordinates the fund requests. The amount available varies each year and is distributed equitably (on average $600 per student).

Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete 3 Core courses, 2 Option Courses, a qualifying exam (QE), a PhD proposal, and a Dissertation or Project. Students are allowed to take additional courses, upon consultation with their supervisor and the Graduate Chair.

The SOLUS Student Centre is designed to provide you with the tools to manage all of your admission , registration , academic , financial , and personal information/contact details during – and after – your academic career at Queen's.

Find information on how to access and navigate the SOLUS Student Centre here .

Students should consult with their supervisor about course selection. All first-year PhD students must take SCCS 910, 912, and 914. Doctoral students with a Queen's MA in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies need only take 2 option courses, plus SCCS 910. The 2 option courses will be drawn from the list of available courses and determined in consultation with their supervisor and/or the Graduate Chair.

Students cannot self-enrol in courses and are automatically enrolled in core courses SCCS 910, 912, 914, and 999. Students must submit their option course choices to [email protected] and will be sent a reminder in advance of enrolment period. It is the student’s responsibility to check their course enrolment each term in Solus and contact [email protected] with any queries.

Core SCCS courses:

SCCS 910A/B (6.0) Professional Development in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies

SCCS 912 (3.0) Critical and Theoretical Approaches to Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies

SCCS 914 (3.0) Histories and Methodologies of Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies

Option SCCS courses:

SCCS 915 (3.0) Studies in Screen Cultures I

SCCS 918 (3.0) Studies in Screen Cultures II

SCCS 920 (3.0) Media Production Seminar

SCCS 928 (3.0) Critical Curatorial Studies Seminar

SCCS 930 (3.0) Curating in Context

SCCS 940 (3.0) Directed Reading

For detailed descriptions of all SCCS courses visit SCCS Courses .

PhD students may also choose Option Courses from Cultural Studies courses if there are spaces available. Relevant courses may also be found in Art History, Gender Studies, English, and International Development Studies.

CUST PhD Option Courses: CUST 806/3.0; CUST 892/3.0; CUST 816/1.0; CUST 800/3.0; CUST 804/3.0; CUST 807/3.0; CUST 893/3.0; CUST 817/1.0; CUST 815/1.0. For detailed descriptions of Cultural Studies courses visit  Cultural Studies.

Courses outside SCCS require permission from the instructor, the student's supervisor, and the Graduate Chair of SCCS. A completed ACF (Academic Change Form) must be submitted to [email protected] .

Certificate in Media Pedagogies

Training in film, media, and cultural pedagogy is an integral part of the SCCS program. Such training can lead to career paths inside and outside of academia. PhD. students design a course in their area of study as part of their PhD proposal submission, and most students work as teaching assistants/fellows in a variety of courses. We offer a variety of training and support to facilitate these activities through a combination of specific sessions designed by us and offered through SCCS 810/910, and online modules are available from the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Human Rights Office .

After completing the training available, students will receive a Certificate in Media Pedagogies . The certificate is internal to the Department of Film and Media and will not be reflected in a student's transcript.

Annual Progress Review

Each year, by 30 June, PhD students are responsible for submitting an SGS Annual Progress Report (APR) through the SGS Forms portal , detailing their progress since the last report, and plans/objectives for the next year.

This report is required by the School of Graduate Studies and its purpose is three-fold:

1. a source of information regarding your progress.

Your documented achievements (awards/scholarships, milestones accomplished, course grades, publications/presentations, community service etc.) assist us in determining opportunities that may be relevant to bring to your attention (funding, courses, professional development, conferences etc.).

2. a support mechanism for you in various circumstances.

Your documented special circumstances and/or impediments to progress assist us in suggesting positive strategies and in advocating for you for academic consideration, time limit extensions, transfers to part-time/off campus status, supplementary funding, and similar.

3. a goal-setting exercise.

Goal setting, together with your supervisor, for the next academic year helps you to stay on track, and in turn helps the program to support you in this regard.

It also provides SGSPA with information about student publications and conference papers as required by the Queen’s Quality Assurance Policy.

Please note that this report is required in addition to any such requirements related to a student’s funding (e.g. SSHRC Annual Progress Report).

Once the ARP is submitted, the student’s supervisor will review it and add comments; the student will then have a chance to respond to their comments. Finally, the Graduate Chair will review each APR before it is filed with SGSPA. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

Working closely with a supervisor in the development of a research project, thesis, or dissertation is an integral part of graduate degrees and a positive and productive relationship between students and supervisors is essential. To support a strong culture of graduate supervision, the SGSPA has developed a suite of resources for both students and graduate faculty as they navigate the supervision relationship. Underpinning all supervision activities and resources at Queen's is the Queen’s Graduate Supervision Policy .

Progress Through the PhD Program

Throughout all years: 

• Stay in touch with committee.
• Pursue funding opportunities as available.
• Attend pertinent events at Queen's.
• Consult and share work with fellow students.
• Reach out to potential colleagues, audiences, and supporters via conferences, community events, etc.

Selection of Supervisor and Committee

The SCCS Graduate Admissions Committee generally identifies a preliminary supervisor at the application stage. In consultation with the Graduate Chair, the preliminary supervisor assists the student in planning their year 1 Fall and Winter term courses and confirming the supervision the student requires.

During year 1 Winter term, students will revisit the PhD thesis or project they proposed upon application to confirm that what they proposed is how they do in fact wish to proceed or if they want to revise their project. Once the general project is in view, students consult with their supervisor to identify skills, knowledge, or experiences they need in order to do the kind of work they want to do.

If the project has changed significantly, and as long as we have supervisory capacity for the new project, a student can, in consultation with their existing supervisor, switch supervisors. Students must inform [email protected] of any change in supervisor.

All core faculty members in SCCS are eligible to supervise students. Co-supervision is possible in exceptional cases: i.e., if, in consultation with the Graduate Chair, it is decided that the student’s PhD project can only be completed successfully with two supervisors.

Committee Composition

At the start of year 1 Summer term, after revisiting the PhD thesis or project they proposed upon application and confirming their plan with their supervisor, students must, in consultation with their supervisor, invite two other SCCS-affiliated faculty members to serve on their committee. In a situation where a community advisor, and adjunct instructor, or a non-SCCS-faculty member is desired for the committee, the student and supervisor should consult with the Graduate Chair.

By the end of year 1 Summer term in August, the student must submit S CCS PhD Form A Supervisory Committee Composition Notice to [email protected] to confirm the composition of their committee. This committee, barring necessary changes, will be in place for the duration of the program.

If a change in committee composition is necessary, students must resubmit S CCS PhD Form A Supervisory Committee Composition Notice to [email protected] .

Short PhD Proposal and Preparation for the QE

At the end of year 1 Winter term (April or May) students will attend a PhD proposal writing workshop.

Students will then spend the summer developing a short proposal (3000-5000 words) for the entire PhD project. This proposal will include the background, an articulation of a research question/problem/intervention, identifying inquiry methods and output, and provide a breakdown of the elements (in the case of a portfolio) or chapters (in the case of a thesis).

In year 1 Summer term students will also develop a bibliography with 40-50 items. This list will be divided into categories (i.e., different theoretical frameworks, historical/geographical background, methods, relevant filmography, etc.). Students will read and annotate at least 20 items across the various categories. For guidance on annotated bibliographies, students may consult guidelines available from the Queen’s Writing Centre ; the expectation for this purpose is that the annotation on each work should be about 200-300 words in length. In some cases, if the supervisor and student prefer, a literature review can be substituted for the annotations.

At the start of year 2 Fall term (and ideally after all courses have been completed), students will submit their short PhD proposal, bibliography, and 20 annotations to their committee.

The student and committee will then meet during year 2 Fall term to discuss the submitted materials. The committee and the student will discuss the theory and methods and explore content that the student will need to master for the thesis or project. They will check areas needing attention, suggest scholarship and other work the student should read or engage with for the exam, make suggestions on the areas to be focussed on by the QE, and help the student prepare during the time remaining before the exam. At the time of the initial meeting, all parties will also agree a QE start date and a date when the QE exam will be written (10-days from the start date). The QE exam should be taken in year 2 late Fall or early Winter term and the principle is to leave at least two months between the initial meeting the student has with their committee and the QE itself.

The goal of the QE is for the student to feel ready, and to be deemed ready by their committee, to write the full PhD Thesis/Project Proposal, advance to PhD candidacy, and proceed to do the thesis/project.

The QE is not a rough draft of the Thesis/Project Proposal, but rather groundwork for it. The QE paper reviews existing theories/methods and analyzes gaps the student wishes to address with their project, summarizing existing conversations in some of the fields most crucial for their project. Sometimes this may be learning a new area of theory or methodology; other times it may be diving deeper into frameworks or perspectives already somewhat familiar. It might be learning about new material, bodies of art, or fields of activity; or it might be focusing or casting wider from material already familiar. The QE may well engage with some areas of the Thesis/Project in detail rather than addressing the big picture. In the QE students look sideways to analyze what is existing, where in the proposal, students account for their planned original contribution. Ideally, the QE will later be integrated into the thesis either as a theoretical chapter, or throughout the chapters.

Qualifying Exam (QE)

At least ten working days before the agreed-upon QE start date in year 2 Winter term, the student submits to their committee, via email, the final version of an annotated bibliography of at least 30 items (some of which will likely be new since the draft they first submitted to their committee, reflecting priorities agreed upon at the meeting about the Exam Proposal).

The committee then crafts a question or questions for the QE exam, which they send to the student on the mutually agreed-upon QE start date. The general expectation is that the student will write 5000 to 7000 words, not including footnotes. The student will have ten working days from the mutually agreed-upon QE exam start date to complete the QE exam and submit their answer(s) (accommodations can be made in advance for a longer period if work or other responsibilities intervene).

Within ten working days of the student’s deadline for submission of the QE answer(s), each examiner will submit SCCS PhD Form B QE Examiner Report to the supervisor and the supervisor completes their own report. The supervisor determines the QE exam outcome based on a majority of the evaluations and notifies the student, drawing from the examiners’ reports to compile feedback for the student. If the exam is deemed a “pass,” the supervisor records the result on  SCCS PhD Form C QE Result Report and forwards it and a copy of the QE exam paper to [email protected] .

If the student receives a "Revisions required" the supervisor records the result on  SCCS PhD Form C QE Result Report  and submits it, all examiner PhD Form Bs, and a copy of the student's QE essay to [email protected] . The student then has 10 working days to complete the revisions and resubmit their QE, and the same process is followed as above. If the student fails the exam, the student will have one chance to re-write it within the next six months, with the same process followed as above.

Following the QE exam (that is, by the end of year 2 Winter term), the student will start to incorporate the learning from their QE exam into their PhD thesis/project proposal and start to develop an undergraduate syllabus in the area of their specialization.

PhD Proposal

By the beginning of the year 2 Summer term, students will return to their proposal, modify it based on the QE and expand it to its 30-40 page requirement for the PhD proposal defense. They will also annotate another 20 sources from the bibliography/works list. If the project is a Research-Creation project it is recommended to include a sample, experimentation, or a script for what the creative component will look like. The proposal has to include a chapter breakdown/list of portfolio elements and a timeline. If ethics clearance is required, it should be undertaken at the same time (the planning of the project and the ethics clearance are tightly connected when it comes to human participants).

The format of this proposal may vary and is determined in consultation with the supervisor and/or committee, but the general expectation is for a document of 30-40 pages (accompanied by a bibliography, with at least 40 items annotated). The proposal must identify a territory (area/field), a problem, an intervention the student plans to make, as well as the theoretical, methodological, and substantive elements and structure of the dissertation/project. The proposal should include a tentative section about the contributions to knowledge the project will make. All proposals will include a timeline. Projects that require expenditures will include a budget. Well before the proposal defense, students who require or may require ethics clearance do the initial CORE training online and consult with their supervisor and possibly the Unit REB about the appropriate timing for full GREB application. As of January 2020 all supervisors need to take CORE as well and submit their certificate with the student GREB application.

Research-Creation and Curatorial projects (“Project Option”) Proposals

In consultation with the supervisory committee, a Research-Creation or Curatorial Project proposal may integrate artistic production or a curatorial project (see the Guidelines for Research-Creation for more information). If it does, the ratio between the production or project and the written component will be discussed and determined by the committee and the length of the written component will be adjusted accordingly: the production component or curatorial project is not to be considered over and above the written component. All “project option” students will describe in the proposal how they will document their work, and how they conceive the relationship between the project and the written component. Students whose work will involve community collaborators must show that they have identified and communicated with appropriate participants, and they must justify their choice of participants given the theoretical, political, methodological, and practical contexts of their thesis or project.

Dissertation Formats

The dissertation may be designed in one of three formats: Monograph, Manuscript, or Portfolio.

•  A Monograph dissertation is a singular text modeled on the traditional book-length dissertation.

•  A Manuscript dissertation consists of a minimum of three independent essays (published, or determined by the dissertation committee to be publishable) which are set within a larger document that includes introductory and concluding chapters.

•  A Portfolio dissertation consists of multiple components of scholarship based in analytical writing, applied writing, and/or research creation (to be determined by the student and dissertation committee) and presented alongside introductory and concluding writing.

•  A literature review spanning the range of literature cited in the Portfolio components must appear either in the introductory writing or as a separate document.

Dissertations in the SCCS program adhere to Queen’s SGSPA guidelines for each dissertation format.

Undergraduate Syllabus Development

At the end of year 1, through SCCS 910, students will obtain A Certificate in Media Pedagogy.

Alongside the preparation of the PhD proposal in year 2 Winter and Summer terms, the student consults the supervisory committee to set the topic, contents, and instructional setting for the development of a Syllabus in their research area for an Undergraduate course. The syllabus will allow students to practice the transfer of research knowledge to an Undergraduate educational setting. Effort will be made to enable students in years 3-4 to teach the courses they design.

The Syllabus is evaluated according to the following criteria:

The relevance of its topic to the student’s course of study and research programme.

The level of topical knowledge demonstrated by the course design.

The appropriateness of the course content, pedagogy, and learning outcomes for the target audience and level of instruction.

The syllabus must include a narrative rationale addressing each of these factors to the examining committee. The committee may pass the syllabus, or if revisions are requested, the syllabus must be revised and resubmitted within two weeks of its first evaluation. The syllabus should be approved before the end of the second year of study.

Students are welcome to register in a term-long instructional development course SGS 902 .

The syllabus is to be submitted alongside the proposal and discussed in the proposal defense.

PhD Proposal Defense

Before the end of year 2 Summer term, as the PhD thesis or project proposal is approaching completion, the Supervisor schedules the PhD proposal defence, finds a Chair for it (normally the SCCS Graduate Chair; this person conducts the meeting but does not play a role in the evaluation of the PhD proposal) and submits SCCS PhD Form D PhD Proposal Defense Arrangements Notice to [email protected] .

Ten working days prior to the scheduled PhD Proposal defence, the student distributes the PhD proposal to all committee members. The PhD Proposal defence focuses on the relevant theoretical, methodological, and substantive areas germane to the student’s program. The committee assesses the student’s understanding of the discipline, the viability, scope and coherence of the proposal, and the preparedness of the candidate to undertake the proposed thesis or project and offers suggestions for refinements or changes as appropriate. Also, at the PhD Proposal defence, committee members will assess the timeline and (if applicable) budget, and each committee member will clarify what they understand their consultative role to be going forward. Some discussion of plans for the student to share their work in progress (at conferences, exhibitions, etc.) would also be appropriate at this time. The Graduate Chair reports the result of the PhD Proposal defense by submitting SCCS PhD Form E PhD Proposal Defense Report to [email protected] .

If the PhD proposal is deemed insufficient, the student will have one opportunity to re-write the proposal and defend the revision within the next six months.

PhD Candidacy and Doctoral Research

After successfully completing and passing all coursework, completing and passing the QE, developing an Undergraduate Syllabus, and completing a PhD Proposal Defense in years 1 and 2, docotral students are considered to have completed their Comprehensive Examination and   are advanced to candidacy for the PhD (ABD, All But Dissertation) and begin doctoral research in year 3.

During years 3 and 4, students conduct original research and prepare written components and creative projects of the dissertation under the guidance of the supervisor.

After the student advances to candidacy and before a completed dissertation is submitted, the student in consultation with the Supervisor may begin to plan the composition of the Dissertation Examining Committee. Normally the Supervisory Committee members continue onto this committee, although they may withdraw, or the student and Supervisor may choose to ask additional faculty members to serve.

In final form, the Dissertation Examining Committee consists of the Supervisor, two SCCS faculty members, an Internal/External Examiner (from Queen’s University but outside of SCCS) and an External Examiner (from outside of Queen’s University).

Dissertation

General procedures concerning the doctoral dissertation required of all candidates for the PhD are defined in the Graduate Calendar of the University and resources are available on the SGSPA website .

Supervisors will advise on matters of scope, methodology, originality, and structure. For Research-Creation students, see Guidelines for Research-Creation .

Oral Thesis Examination

The supervisor will schedule the Oral Thesis Examination by submitting the Ph.D. Oral Thesis Examination Form . This form outlines the composition of the Thesis Examining Committee and the other details of the thesis examination. The completed and signed form must reach the School of Graduate Studies ( [email protected] ) no later than 25 working days before the tentative examination date.

The candidate must submit one copy of the thesis, to each member of the Thesis Examining Committee including the Chairperson, at least 25 working days in advance of the oral thesis examination. Additionally, a PDF copy of the thesis must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs ( [email protected] ) to be reviewed for formatting. The student will be notified of any required corrections.

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Film and Moving Image Studies (PhD)

Program overview.

The PhD in Film and Moving Image Studies trains the next generation of film scholars in the dominant forms of contemporary visual culture. It expands on the history, philosophy and meanings of the world's cinematic traditions and hones the critical tools with which researchers explore this field, one of the most vibrant in fine arts and humanities. The program deepens students' understanding of cinema and moving image media by drawing on a wide variety of historical and cultural perspectives. Our program fosters interdisciplinarity in both research and teaching, while being deeply rooted in the traditions that have shaped film and media studies. Students are encouraged to research film and moving image practices in different national contexts and periods. Montreal's status as a cultural metropolis provides an exceptional range of film venues, museums, galleries and artist-run centres.

Program structure

Degree requirements, degree requirements.

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.

Please see the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema Courses page for course descriptions.

Film and Moving Image Studies PhD (90 credits)

Admission requirements, admission requirements.

• MA in Film Studies (or cognate field) with a minimum B+ average or GPA of 3.30
• Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions .

Application process

Application deadlines.

Priority will be given to complete applications submitted by the deadline. In some cases, programs may continue to accept applications as long as there is space available.

International students: Considering the waiting period involved in meeting the entry requirements to Canada and Quebec , we strongly encourage international applicants to apply early and submit supporting documents prior to the deadline.

Tuition & funding

Tuition and fees.

Tuition and fees of the program may depend on your student status, among other key factors. Estimate these costs based on the most common situations.

Awards and funding

Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching and research assistantships are offered at the time of admission to most students to allow them to focus on their research and studies. Research and thesis-based students are automatically considered for all entrance graduate awards when they apply to Concordia, provided they meet eligibility criteria. No separate application is required.

The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage you to apply for these awards at the same time you are preparing your application.

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