Winter 2026
Application Deadline
Feb 1, 2025 1 Month
1 Week
3 Days
Film Studies DSP Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA, United StatesProgram At a Glance
Terms Offered
WinterLanguage
Classes In
Lodging
Department
Film and Media Studies
THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS
ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
The Film and Media Studies domestic study program (DSP) in Los Angeles will introduce opportunities for gaining practical experience with working professionals in creative media arts and related institutions of cultural history. Courses are taught at an instructional center in downtown Los Angeles by faculty and lecturers drawn from local universities and the Dartmouth faculty member affiliated with Film and Media Studies. All three courses will qualify for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major. This program will include rigorous coursework, primary and secondary research in regional facilities, first-hand experiences with a variety of professionals who work in relation to the creative arts and media industries.
Los Angeles is an ideal location for the DSP: a global and cosmopolitan nexus point of the media world, and the center of U.S. media production for over a century. Los Angeles is home to several notable schools in Film and Media Studies, and many of the premiere libraries, archives, and museums important to the study of film and media history.
Please note: International students in F-1 status must select an internship that directly relates to their major, as listed on the Form I-20 at the time of DSP participation, in order to be eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT*) work authorization. F-1 students should contact OVIS with any questions.
*CPT work authorization will be required for students on F-1 Visas who participate in the internship course.
Enrollment Information
About 16 students are selected for the program.
For more information about applying for this program, see our webpage on How to Apply & our FAQs under section 2 (How to Apply: Application)
THE STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Faculty Director
Mark J. Williams Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies Curriculum
FILM | 46.11 | 90:
Introduction to Media Industries Studies
FILM | 47 | 90:
Race and Place in Los Angeles Media
FILM | 80 | 90:
Independent Study (Research Project)*
Prerequisites
A grade of B+ or better in an introductory level course:
FS 1: From Script to Screen
FS 2: Introduction to Television
FS 3: Introduction to Digital Arts and Culture
AND
A higher level course offered by Film and Media Studies faculty.
*CPT work authorization will be required for students on F-1 Visas who participate in FILM 80.
STUDENT LIFE
Students live in shared, self-catered apartments/flats equipped with kitchen facilities for preparing meals. Students should expect to share a bedroom and bathroom with other students. The apartment complex within walking distance of the instructional center where classes will be held. All students committed to this program will complete a housing preference form for shared housing and roommate placements.
There will be assorted day-trips to sights and events of interest across Southern California. Previous excursions included visits to the Getty Museum, an exploration of the downtown LA street art, and lessons on experience design at Disneyland.
For more information, please see the department website.
Financing Your Program
Tuition and Fees
The fees charged by the College for a Dartmouth-sponsored off-campus term of study include regular tuition charges for a term at Dartmouth, service fees, as well as the specific costs established for each off-campus study locale. In many programs, the room and board costs tend to be higher than for a term in Hanover. You can view a budget sheet for each program by clicking on the appropriate term under "Financing Your Program". The cost of transportation to and from the site is the responsibility of the student.
Financial Aid
In order that all qualified Dartmouth undergraduate students may have the opportunity to take part in off-campus programs, the College endeavors to adjust its normal financial aid awards for students already receiving aid. Tuition and expected family contribution for Dartmouth's off-campus programs are the same as for an on-campus term.
Students are responsible for purchasing their own plane tickets and, in many cases, meals. Often, families find that they owe less for billable items for study away terms but will instead use more of their expected family contribution towards indirect costs such as the flight and meals. For help sorting out who pays what and how, contacting the Financial Aid office is often advisable.
Financing your program | Financial Aid | Scholarships | Budgeting & Costs
