Comparative Media Studies

Photo of graffiti on a wall featuring a woman taking a picture.

Image courtesy of Laurent Gautier on Flickr.


The MIT Comparative Media Studies (CMS) program is committed to the art of thinking across media forms, theoretical domains, cultural contexts, and historical periods. Our work encourages the bridging of theory and practice, as much through course work as through participation in faculty and independent research projects.

The goal of our program is not to replicate existing paradigms, but as an early CMS backer said, to prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist. We consult regularly with leaders in industry, the arts, public policy, journalism, education, and the nonprofit sector, trying to understand contemporary developments, identify job and internship opportunities, and pinpoint skills and knowledge which will help prepare our students for new opportunities.

Our courses are designed to teach students to both make and reflect upon media and in the process, to acquire important skills in team work, leadership, problem solving, collaboration, brainstorming, communications, and project completion, which will prepare them for a broad range of academic and professional careers.

 


Comparative Media Studies Courses

Course # Course Title Level
CMS.309 Transmedia Storytelling: Modern Science Fiction (Spring 2014) Undergraduate
CMS.333 Producing Educational Videos Undergraduate
CMS.590J Computer Games and Simulations for Education and Exploration (Spring 2015) Undergraduate
CMS.600 New Media Literacies Undergraduate
CMS.600 Videogame Theory and Analysis (Fall 2006) Undergraduate
CMS.602 Topics in Comparative Media: American Pro Wrestling Undergraduate
CMS.710J The Anthropology of Sound Undergraduate
CMS.835 Photography and Truth Undergraduate
CMS.840 Shakespeare, Film and Media Undergraduate
CMS.845J Interactive and Non-Linear Narrative: Theory and Practice (Spring 2004) Undergraduate
CMS.871 Media in Cultural Context: Popular Readerships Undergraduate
CMS.871 Media in Cultural Context Undergraduate
CMS.910 Technologies of Humanism Undergraduate
CMS.917J Documenting Culture Undergraduate
CMS.920 Popular Culture and Narrative: Literature, Comics, and Culture Undergraduate
CMS.922 Media Industries and Systems Undergraduate
CMS.930 Media Education and the Marketplace Undergraduate
CMS.935 Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Still Images of a World in Motion Undergraduate
CMS.809 Transmedia Storytelling: Modern Science Fiction (Spring 2014) Graduate
CMS.815 Games for Social Change Graduate
CMS.833 Digital Humanities Graduate
CMS.836J Computer Games and Simulations for Education and Exploration (Spring 2015) Graduate
CMS.841 Introduction to Videogame Studies Graduate
CMS.845J Interactive and Non-Linear Narrative: Theory and Practice (Spring 2006) Graduate
CMS.845 Theory and Practice of Non-linear and Interactive Narrative Graduate
CMS.860 Introduction to Civic Media Graduate
CMS.861 Networked Social Movements: Media & Mobilization Graduate
CMS.864 Game Design (Fall 2010) Graduate
CMS.864 Game Design (Spring 2008) Graduate
CMS.868 Games and Culture Graduate
CMS.874 Asia in the Modern World: Images & Representations Graduate
CMS.880 From Print to Digital: Technologies of the Word, 1450-Present Graduate
CMS.901 Current Debates in Media Graduate
CMS.920 Popular Culture and Narrative: Use and Abuse of the Fairy Tale Graduate
CMS.920 Popular Culture and Narrative: Serial Storytelling Graduate
CMS.920 Popular Narrative: Masterminds Graduate
CMS.995 American Soap Operas Graduate
CMS.998 Videogame Theory and Analysis (Fall 2007) Graduate
CMS.S96 Technopanics: Moral Panics about Technology Graduate

Archived Comparative Media Studies Courses

Some prior versions of courses listed above have been archived in OCW's DSpace@MIT repository for long-term access and preservation. Links to archived prior versions of a course may be found on that course's "Other Versions" tab.

Additionally, the Archived Comparative Media Studies Courses page has links to every archived course from this department.