Courses

Media Studies Courses by Term

In each term and curricula section, you will find the courses that satisfy major course requirements, including prerequisites. These lists are created after the Schedule of Classes has been published for the term and before students start enrolling. Keep in mind that the Schedule of Classes is subject to change. If you notice anything that needs to be removed or added to these lists, please let us know by sending an email to mediastudies_advising@berkeley.edu.

Visit the following pages on the Media Studies website when planning your future courses:

See below for a list of Fall 2025 offerings that apply towards the Media Studies major. For a complete list of Fall 2025 course offerings, please visit the Fall 2025 Schedule of Classes. Note that the list below is subject to change.

Students looking for the requirements for the old curriculum can find this information through the following links:

 

Prerequisite Courses

I. American History (Post-Civil War period)

  • History 124A: U.S. from late 19th Century to the Eve of World War II

 

II. American Institutions

  • Political Science 1: Introduction to American Politics
 

III. Introductory Social Sciences and Humanities

  • Anthropology 3AC: Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • Comparative Literature 20A: Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and Philosophy
  • Comparative Literature 20C: Episodes in Literary Cultures: Literature and History
  • Economics 1: Introduction to Economics
  • Economics 2: Introduction to Economics – Lecture Format
  • Psychology 1 or W1: General Psychology
  • Rhetoric 10: Introduction to Practical Reasoning and Critical Analysis of Argument
  • Rhetoric 20: Rhetorical Interpretation
  • Sociology 1: Introduction to Sociology
  • Sociology 3AC: Principles of Sociology
  • Theater 26: Introduction to Performance Studies

 

IV. Introductory Media Studies

  • Media Studies 10: Introduction to Media Studies

 

Core Courses

  • Media Studies 111B: Text and Data Media History
  • Media Studies 112: Media Theories and Processes
  • Media Studies 113: Media and Democracy
  • Media Studies 114: Media and Globalization

 

Elective Courses

Media Studies students must complete five electives total: three electives from your concentration plus two additional upper-division electives from any concentration. For the three concentration electives, students must choose one course from each sub-category of their concentration.


Digital Studies Concentration (DS)

DS.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Data Science C8: Foundations of Data Science (cross-listed with Statistics C8)
  • Demography 180: Social Networks
  • Statistics C8: Foundations of Data Science (cross-listed with Data Science C8)
  • Statistics 20: Introduction to Probability and Statistics


DS.2 Virtual Communities and Social Media Electives

  • Media Studies 104E: History and Development of Online News
  • Sociology 166: Society and Technology
  • Sociology 167/C167: Virtual Communities/Social Media


DS.3 Digital Projects and Digital Storytelling Electives

  • Film and Media 155: Media Technologies
  • Geography C183: Cartographic Representation (cross-listed with NWMEDIA C183)
  • New Media C183: Cartographic Representation (cross-listed with GEOG C183)
  • New Media 201: Questioning New Media
  • New Media C262: Tangible User Interfaces

 

Global Cultural Studies Concentration (GCS)

GCS.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Global Studies 102: Critical Thinking In Global Studies
  • Media Studies 131: Cultural Studies Research Methodology


GCS.2 Visual Culture Electives

  • African American Studies 144: Introduction to Cultural Studies: Black Visual Culture
  • Asian American Studies 171: Asian Americans in Film and Video
  • Chicano Studies 135B: Latino Narrative Film since 1990
  • Film and Media 125: Documentary Forms
  • Film and Media 135: Experimental and Alternative Media Art
  • Film and Media 145: Global Media
  • Film and Media 170: Special Topics in Film
  • Geography C183: Cartographic Representation (cross-listed with NWMEDIA C183)
  • Gender and Women’s Studies 125: Women and Film
  • Korean 186: Introduction to Korean Cinema
  • New Media C183: Cartographic Representation (cross-listed with GEOG C183)
  • Rhetoric 137: Rhetoric of Image
  • Rhetoric 145: Science, Narrative, and Image


GCS.3 Popular Culture Electives

  • American Studies 101/101AC: Examining US Cultures in Time (all topics)
  • American Studies 102/102AC: Examining US Cultures in Place (all topics)
  • English 176: Literature and Popular Culture
  • Sociology 160: Sociology of Culture
  • Sociology 163: Popular Culture

 

Media Law & Policy Concentration (MLP)

MLP.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Economics C3: Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy
  • Political Science 3: Introduction to Empirical Analysis and Quantitative Methods
  • Public Policy 101: Introduction to Public Policy Analysis
  • Sociology 5: Evaluation of Evidence


MLP.2 Institutions Electives

  • German 160B: Politics and Culture in 20th Century Germany: Fascism and Propaganda
  • Media Studies 104E: History and Development of Online News
  • Media Studies 180: Television Studies
  • Media Studies 190: Special Topics: Justice on Screen: Policing in Media, Televised Trials, and the True Crime Genre
  • Political Science 106A: American Politics: Campaign Strategy – Media
  • Sociology 110: Organizations and Social Institutions
  • Undergraduate Business Administration 106: Marketing
  • Undergraduate Business Administration 160: Consumer Insight


MLP.3 Citizenship Electives

  • Anthropology 156A: Politics and Anthropology
  • Political Science 161: Public Opinion, Voting & Participation
  • Sociology 140: Politics and Social Change
     
     

Additional Electives

See Digital Studies, Global Cultural Studies, and Media Law & Policy upper-division electives when selecting two additional upper-division electives from any concentration for the major.

Quicklink: Fall 2025 Schedule of Classes

See below for a list of Summer 2025 offerings that apply towards the Media Studies major. Enrollment information for summer classes can be found on the Berkeley Summer Session Registration website. For a complete list of Summer 2025 course offerings, please visit the Summer 2025 Schedule of Classes. Note that the list below is subject to change.

Students looking for the requirements for the old curriculum can find this information through the following links:

 

Prerequisite Courses

I. American History (Post-Civil War period)

  • History 7B: Introduction to History of the U.S. – Civil War to Present
  • History 131B: Social History of the U.S. – End of Civil War to Global Age

 

II. American Institutions

  • Political Science 1: Introduction to American Politics

 

III. Introductory Social Sciences and Humanities

  • Anthropology 3AC: Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • Economics 1: Introduction to Economics
  • Psychology 1 or W1: General Psychology
  • Sociology 3AC: Principles of Sociology

 

IV. Introductory Media Studies

  • Media Studies 10: Introduction to Media Studies (Online)

 

Core Courses

Media Studies Core Courses are currently not offered in the Summer.


Elective Courses

Media Studies students must complete five electives total: three electives from your concentration plus two additional upper-division electives from any concentration. For the three concentration electives, students must choose one course from each sub-category of their concentration.

*Students can apply up to two upper-division courses from the same outside Department/program across all of their Media Studies electives.*


Digital Studies Concentration (DS)

DS.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Data Science C8: Foundations of Data Science (cross-listed with Statistics C8)
  • Demography 180: Social Networks
  • Statistics C8: Foundations of Data Science (cross-listed with Data Science C8)
  • Statistics 20: Introduction to Probability and Statistics
  • Statistics 21: Introductory Probability and Statistics for Business


DS.2 Virtual Communities and Social Media Electives

  • Journalism 111: Social Media
  • Sociology 167: Virtual Communities/Social Media
  • Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies 118AC: Performance, Television, and Social Media


DS.3 Digital Projects and Digital Storytelling Electives

  • Digital Humanities 150A: Digital Humanities and Archival Design
  • Film and Media 155: Media Technologies
  • Journalism 110: Introduction to Multimedia
  • Journalism 115: Advanced Multimedia
  • Journalism 122: The Future of Visual Storytelling
  • Journalism 124: Data Journalism
  • New Media 151AC: Transforming Tech

 

Global Cultural Studies Concentration (GCS)

GCS.1 Research Methodologies Electives

There are no GCS.1 electives courses being offered Summer 2025.


GCS.2 Visual Culture Electives

  • Chicano Studies 135C: Latino Documentary Film
  • Film and Media 125: Documentary Forms
  • Film and Media 135: Experimental and Alternative Media Art
  • Film and Media 170: Special Topics in Film
  • Film and Media 171: Special Topics in Film Genre
  • Global Studies 100S: Global Societies and Cultures
  • Media Studies 190: U.S. Consumerism: A Critical Study of Marketing Today
  • Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies 118AC: Performance, Television, and Social Media


GCS.3 Popular Culture Electives

  • American Studies 101: Examining US Cultures in Time (all topics)
  • English 176: Literature and Popular Culture
  • Sociology 160: Sociology of Culture

 

Media Law & Policy Concentration (MLP)

MLP.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Environmental Economics C1: Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy
  • Political Science 3/W3: Empirical Analysis and Quantitative Methods
  • Public Policy 101: Introduction to Public Policy Analysis
  • Sociology 5: Evaluation of Evidence


MLP.2 Institutions Electives

  • Film & Media Studies 177: Entertainment Law
  • Interdisciplinary Studies Field Major 100H: Introduction to Media and International Relations
  • Media Studies 190: U.S. Consumerism: A Critical Study of Marketing Today
  • New Media 151AC: Transforming Tech
  • Undergraduate Business Administration 106: Marketing


MLP.3 Citizenship Electives

  • Interdisciplinary Studies Field Major 100I: Consumer Society and Culture
  • Political Science 164A: Political Psychology and Involvement
  • Sociology 141: Social Movements and Political Action

 

Additional Electives

See Digital Studies, Global Cultural Studies, and Media Law & Policy upper-division electives when selecting two additional upper-division electives from any concentration for the major.

Quicklink: Summer 2025 Schedule of Classes.

Prerequisite Courses

I. American History (Post-Civil War period)

  • History 7B: Introduction to History of the U.S. – Civil War to Present

 

II. American Institutions

  • Political Science 1: Introduction to American Politics

 

III. Introductory Social Sciences and Humanities

  • Anthropology 3AC: Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • Economics 1: Introduction to Economics
  • Economics 2: Introduction to Economics – Lecture Format
  • Psychology 1 or W1: General Psychology
  • Psychology 2: Principles of Psychology
  • Rhetoric 20: Rhetorical Interpretation
  • Sociology 1: Introduction to Sociology
  • Sociology 3AC: Principles of Sociology

 

IV. Introductory Media Studies

  • Media Studies W10: Introduction to Media Studies

 

Core Courses

  • Media Studies 111C: Audio-Visual Media History
  • Media Studies 112: Media Theories and Processes
  • Media Studies 113: Media and Democracy
  • Media Studies 114: Media and Globalization


Elective Courses

Media Studies students must complete five electives total: three electives from your concentration plus two additional upper-division electives from any concentration. For the three concentration electives, students must choose one course from each sub-category of their concentration.


Digital Studies Concentration (DS)

DS.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Data Science C8: Foundations of Data Science
  • Media Studies 132: Researching Digital Media: Methods and Methodologies
  • Statistics 20: Introduction to Probability and Statistics


DS.2 Virtual Communities and Social Media Electives

  • Interdisciplinary Studies Field (ISF) 100D: Introduction to Technology, Society, and Culture
  • Interdisciplinary Studies Field (ISF) 100J: The Social Life of Computing
  • Media Studies 165: Internet and Culture
  • Media Studies 168: Cybernetics and Cybercultures: The Psychosocial Impact of Digital Media
  • Sociology 166: Society and Technology
  • Sociology 167: Virtual Communities/Social Media


DS.3 Digital Projects and Digital Storytelling Electives

  • Film and Media 155: Media Technologies
  • Media Studies 190: Digital Storytelling: Crisis, Catastrophe and Speculative Futures
  • New Media 200: History and Theory of New Media
  • New Media C203: Critical Making
  • New Media C265: Interface Aesthetics

 

Global Cultural Studies Concentration (GCS)

GCS.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Gender and Women Studies 101: Doing Feminist Research
  • Global Studies 102: Critical Thinking In Global Studies


GCS.2 Visual Culture Electives

  • Ethnic Studies 122AC: Ethnicity and Race in Contemporary American Films
  • Film and Media 125: Documentary Forms
  • Film and Media 145: Global Media
  • Film and Media 170: Special Topics in Film
  • Film and Media 171: Special Topics in Film Genre
  • Gender and Women’s Studies 126: Film, Feminism, and the Avant-Garde
  • Gender and Women’s Studies C146B: Representations of Sexualities: Queer Visual Culture (cross-listed with LGBT C146B)
  • Global Studies 100S: Global Societies and Cultures
  • Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Studies C146B: Representations of Sexualities: Queer Visual Culture (cross-listed with GWS C146B)
  • Native American Studies 158: Native Americans and the Cinema
  • Rhetoric 139: Rhetoric of Visual Witnessing
  • Scandinavian 115: Studies in Drama and Film: The Films of Ingmar Bergman


GCS.3 Popular Culture Electives

  • American Studies 101: Examining US Cultures in Time (all topics)
  • American Studies 102: Examining US Cultures in Place (all topics)
  • Architecture 179: Design Radicals: Spaces of Bay Area Counterculture
  • Asian American Studies 132/132AC: Islamophobia and Constructing Otherness
  • Comparative Literature 190: Senior Seminar in Comparative Literature: Magazine Cultures
  • English 176: Literature and Popular Culture
  • Korean 109: Korean Language in Popular Media
  • Media Studies 190: Beauty, Fashion, and Media Globalization
  • Rhetoric 171: The Problem of Mass Culture and the Rhetoric of Social Theory
  • Sociology 160: Sociology of Culture
  • Sociology 163: Popular Culture

 

Media Law & Policy Concentration (MLP)

MLP.1 Research Methodologies Electives

  • Media Studies 130: Research Methods in Media Studies
  • Public Policy 101 (4 units): Introduction to Public Policy Analysis
  • Sociology 5 (4 units): Evaluation of Evidence


MLP.2 Institutions Electives

  • Journalism 136: Media Ethics
  • Political Science 106A: American Politics: Campaign Strategy – Media
  • Sociology 110: Organizations and Social Institutions
  • Undergraduate Business Administration 106: Marketing
  • Undergraduate Business Administration 160: Consumer Insight


MLP.3 Citizenship Electives

  • Asian American Studies 132/132AC: Islamophobia and Constructing Otherness
  • Gender and Women’s Studies 132AC: Gender, Race, and Law
  • Interdisciplinary Studies Field Major 100I: Consumer Society and Culture
  • Sociology 140: Politics and Social Change
  • Sociology 141: Social Movements and Political Action

 

Additional Electives

See Digital Studies, Global Cultural Studies, and Media Law & Policy upper-division electives when selecting two additional upper-division electives from any concentration for the major.

Quicklink: Spring 2025 Schedule of Classes

 

Looking for previous semester offerings? Check out the archive of previous courses.