Cinema studies students investigate how motion pictures are created, experienced and valued in American culture and around the world. Students in cinema studies work closely with OU faculty to gain a thorough understanding of film history, become acquainted with various critical approaches to the study of film, and receive instruction in elements of film production. The B.A. in Cinema Studies with a specialization in filmmaking is a liberal arts-based B.A. with a solid base in film history and theory and a specialized sequence of filmmaking courses. The broad-based approach gives students hands-on experience with every aspect of narrative, documentary, essay, short-form and experimental filmmaking, from writing scripts, directing and cinematography to editing and post-production effects work. It culminates in an intensive capstone course that enables students to graduate having produced a substantive thesis film project.