Frequently Asked Questions

Below are frequently asked questions from prospective students. If you are a current University of Toronto student with a question, please email the Undergraduate Assistant at cinema.studies@utoronto.ca.

Before gaining admission into the Cinema Studies program, both Domestic and International Students must apply for admission into the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto. The Faculty of Arts & Science determines application deadlines, university admission requirements, and tuition fees. Please visit Future Students

Once students are admitted into the Faculty of Arts & Science, they must meet Cinema Studies program enrolment requirements

The Inbound Exchange office arranges for international students to do a year or one term exchange at the University of Toronto. You will find information about Inbound Exchange at Inbound Visiting Students.

Yes, this is possible. You must first apply through the Faculty of Arts & Science as a Non-Degree Student. More information about the application process and requirements can be found at How to Apply.

If space permits, and after all registered students have had an opportunity to enrol, auditing of courses by either a University of Toronto student or a member of the community may be permitted with the approval of the instructor and the Cinema Studies Institute. Auditors may attend lectures and other class meetings, take part in class discussions, and receive written confirmation of attendance. An auditor will not receive evaluations of participation, and will not be allowed to submit assignments or write tests or examinations. An auditing fee of 40% of the regular Arts & Science course fee may apply. In 2024/25, the auditing fee for a 0.5 credit course is $244.00, and for a 1.0 credit course, the auditing fee is $488.00. For more information, please email the Undergraduate Program Assistant at cinema.studies@utoronto.ca.

The Cinema Studies Institute emphasizes the study of cinema by focusing on film history, film theory, and film analysis. The Institute offers a limited number of courses in production, though many of our students have found our program useful in preparing them for a career in the film industry. Our regularly offered production-based courses are CIN230H1 - The Business of Film, CIN349H1Y - Screenwriting, CIN365H1 - Studies in Cinema and Media Practice, CIN369H1 - Critical Writing on Film, and CIN433Y1 - Sensory Ecologies: Theory and Praxis in Environmental Media Studies.  

You can read about how our alumni have used their degree in Cinema Studies to find careers in the film industry and other creative fields in the following articles:

An edited recording of the 2023 Careers after Cinema Studies event is available on YouTube.

Many of our students pursue film related extracurricular activities at the University of Toronto:

If you would like to pursue a film production program, other post-secondary institutions in Toronto offer such programs of instruction such as York University and Toronto Metropolitan University.

The Cinema Studies Specialist, Major and Minor programs are part of a four-year course of study leading to an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree. Students can study part-time as well, or register as non-degree students and take courses for their own interest.

The Cinema Studies Institute is offering only one online course in 2023/24: CIN460H1S - Cinematic Cities: Berlin & Los Angeles. This is an advanced seminar course and requires CIN105Y1 and CIN201Y1 as prerequisites. We cannot offer more online courses because the Canadian Copyright Act prevents the Cinema Studies Institute from streaming physical media content online unless health and safety requires a shift to remote learning.

Cinema Studies can contribute to a well-rounded degree. Our students have combined a concentration in Cinema Studies with a wide range of programs in other disciplines, including Anthropology, Art, English, History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Psychology, among others. Students have gone on to work in unrelated fields, such as law, have applied their film-specific knowledge to careers as film archivists, journalists, or professors, or have gained employment in film marketing departments for distribution companies or in programming and community outreach positions for film festivals. A degree in Cinema Studies will take you as far as your own creativity allows when you pursue a career. Please read:

An edited recording of the 2023 Careers after Cinema Studies event is available on YouTube.

The University of Toronto also offers tools for career learning and exploration such as Career StartCareer Navigator, and Career & Co-Curricular Learning Network.

Students do watch many films, but they view them analytically and apply what they learn to sustained essay writing. For that reason, developed writing skills are essential to achieving success in Cinema Studies courses.

The Innis Writing Centre provides free personalized, one-on-one instruction from experienced, supportive writing instructors for Cinema Studies assignments. Book an appointment

The English Language Learning Program provides free support for all University of Toronto undergraduates enrolled in the Faculty of Arts & Science. To learn more about their programs, please visit English Language Learning.