Department of English
306 Clemens HallNorth Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-4610
William Solomon, Professor
Chair
Walter Hakala, Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Why study Global Film Studies Minor at UB?
*Not a baccalaureate degree program
The Global Film Minor in the Department of English offers UB undergraduates the opportunity to discover vibrant cinematic traditions and innovations from around the globe. There is no requirement that Global Film minors be English majors; our minors come from all across UB.
Learning Outcomes
Courses in this minor will introduce students to audiovisual analysis, artistic forms, and cultural practices in a range of countries, and novel forms of cinematic storytelling. Students will gauge the impact of new and emerging technologies on contemporary cinema and explore developments in international film production, reception, exhibition, and distribution. It also provides students with a unique perspective on contemporary social and political issues, such as immigration, gender and sexuality, disability, human rights, and climate change. An understanding of global issues and exposure to different cultures through the medium of film will strengthen students’ intercultural communication competence and enhance their ability to participate in our increasingly networked world, thus facilitating the development of their careers in the international marketplace.
The Learning Environment
The central mission of the English department is to offer students a unique learning experience that features small classes, lively discussion with their fellow students, and close working relationships with faculty members. Our curriculum provides opportunities to discover literature and cinema from around the world, to develop as creative writers, and to practice the craft of journalism. In classes of every size (from large lecture courses to seminars, workshops, independent studies and senior thesis projects), at all levels of instruction, whether in the classroom or remote, our goal is to foster the individual growth of our students as readers and writers through critical thinking, class discussion, exploration and experimentation.
About Our Facilities
The home of English Department is Clemens Hall, where students come to meet with faculty advisors and mentors during office hours. The department holds classes in centrally scheduled spaces throughout the campus, which includes traditional classrooms and lecture halls that are amenable to our program’s teaching goals.
About Our Faculty
The faculty consists of nationally and internationally prominent scholars and writers who also take teaching very seriously, including six faculty members who have won the prestigious SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching or have been made Distinguished Teaching Professors. Their interests range from early modern literature to postmodernism and include cultural studies, postcolonialism, psychoanalytic theory, film, gender and sexuality studies, visual studies, poetics, Marxism, documentary, African-American literature, ecocriticism, mythology and much more.
Each semester, the department also offers courses taught by approximately 60 teaching assistants and 20 adjunct instructors.
We welcome students to meet with the director of undergraduate studies (303 Clemens Hall, 716-645-2579) to discuss any aspect of our program (individual courses, major requirements, study abroad, grants, internships and more).
Faculty List Directory
Please visit the English department website for additional information about our faculty.
Career Outlook
The minor might be helpful to students aiming to enter careers in publishing (print- and online-based), teaching, film criticism and filmmaking, audiovisual research and archiving, curating, screenwriting, editing, tourism, advertising, public relations and community outreach.
Academic Advising
New Global Film minors, whether transfer students or continuing students, are invited to schedule a meeting with the director of undergraduate studies to discuss in more detail both the requirements of the major and their individual course of study.
Within the parameters of our general course descriptions (e.g. Studies in the Novel), instructors choose authors, texts, topics and approaches that suit their interests and expertise. More information about particular courses can be found in the Whole English Catalog, found in the English Undergraduate Office, 303 Clemens Hall.
Academic Advising Contact Information
Department of English, Global Film Minor
303 Clemens Hall, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14261
Phone: 716-645-2579
Fax: 716-645-5980
Nicole Lazaro, Undergraduate Secretary, nmlazaro@buffalo.edu
Academic Advising Contact Person
Dr. Tanya Shilina-Conte, Coordinator of the Global Film Studies Minor, tshilina@buffalo.edu
Scholarships and Financial Support
Students in the College of Arts and Sciences may qualify for scholarships and financial support from a number of funding sources, including: