Cinema & Technocultural Studies (CTS) College of Letters & Science

CTS 040A — Media History 1, Guttenberg to Oppenheimer (4 units)

Course Description: History of Media to 1945, with particular focus on mechanically reproduced mass media technologies including the printing press, the newspaper, photography, cinema, radio and early computing technology. Analysis of inter-related cultural and political topics.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s), Film Viewing 2 hour(s), Extensive Writing.
  • Cross Listing: STS 040A.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

CTS 040B — Media History 2 1945-Present (4 units)

Course Description: History of media from 1945 to present, with particular focus on the development of the computer, digital network and Internet technologies in the context of other media infrastructures like radio, television and satellite networks. Analysis of inter-related cultural/political topics.

Prerequisite(s): CTS 040A.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s), Film Viewing 2 hour(s), Extensive Writing.
  • Cross Listing: STS 040B.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

CTS 116 — Design on Screen (4 units)

Course Description: Analysis of the contribution of outstanding designers for cinema, television and filmed entertainment. Study of diverse aesthetic theories of production design and art direction, costume design, or cinematography. Introductory principles and practice, history.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Film Viewing 3 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 2 time(s) when topic differs.
  • Cross Listing: DRA 116.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Visual Literacy (VL).

CTS 124E — Costume Design for Film (4 units)

Course Description: Theory and practice of the art and business of film costume design. Script analysis, costume research, developing design concepts, budgeting, and current production practices and methods. Execution of designs for period and contemporary films. Viewing of current films.

Prerequisite(s): DRA 024; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Theatre & Dance majors.
  • Cross Listing: DRA 124E.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

CTS 146A — Modern Iranian Cinema (4 units)

Course Description: Iranian cinema of the 20th century in the context of profound cultural and social changes in Iran especially since the Iranian Revolution. Productions by representative directors such as Kiarostami, Makhmalbaf, Bahram Beizaie are included. Knowledge of Persian not required.

Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing, or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Film Viewing 3 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: MSA 131A.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

CTS 146B — Modern South Asia Cinema (4 units)

Course Description: South Asian cinema of last 100 years in the context of cultural, social, and political changes. South Asian history, Independence, Partition, urban life, class, migration, postcolonial identity, diaspora, gender, sexuality, religion, sport, performance, etc.

Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Film Viewing 3 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: MSA 131B, ANT 147.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

CTS 148B — Japanese Literature on Film (4 units)

Course Description: Survey of films based on works of Japanese literature, emphasis on pre-modern and early modern texts. Introduction to major directors of Japan, with a focus on cinematic adaptation. Lectures and readings in English. Films in Japanese with English subtitles.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Film Viewing 3 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: JPN 156.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

CTS 162 — Surveillance Technologies & Social Media (4 units)

Course Description: Study of the ubiquitous presence of CCTV, face recognition software, global tracking systems, biosensors, and data mining practices that have made surveillance part of our daily life. Study boundaries between security and control, information and spying.

Prerequisite(s): TCS 001 or STS 020.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Film Viewing 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Cross Listing: STS 162.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).