Social Documentation Designated Emphasis

Introduction

UC Santa Cruz graduate students enrolled in doctoral programs may obtain a designated emphasis in social documentation as part of their doctoral or master of fine arts degree.

Requirements

Students must meet the following requirements in order to obtain the designated emphasis:

Committee Composition and Departmental Approvals

Secure approval from a member of the Film and Digital Media (FDM) faculty to serve as the adviser for the designated emphasis.

Have one faculty member from the FDM faculty serve on the student’s qualifying examination committee or dissertation committee.

Course Requirements

Successfully complete four graduate courses within the Social Documentation Program curriculum. The courses must be pre-approved by the student's FDM faculty adviser. In most cases, these courses would include SOCD 200, SOCD 202, and two others, but may be adapted to fit the needs of particular students.

Writing, Research and/or Teaching Requirements

Submit a significant piece of documentary work that demonstrates competence in the field of social documentation. This project could consist of a digital video or photography project, or possibly an audio or web-based piece, focused on the student's area of study and thus constituting a parallel investigation into the subject of the Ph.D. or M.F.A. dissertation. In certain circumstances, a documentary project on a subject other than the dissertation could be approved, but generally that would not be the case. The submitted project must meet the approval of the student's FDM faculty adviser.