Television sitcoms of the 1950s, satellite technology and global culture, gender representation in the media, virtual reality, war and cinema, and fandom of the "X-Files" on the Internet are among the topics discussed in Lisa Parks's classes.

"Our students have a chance to shape the world by participating in the expanding media industries, and they are very eager to engage in these issues," says Parks, who enjoys the constant buzz of students in the department's hallways. "I want them to discover the social and political implications of the media in their own lives."

The film studies department's strength is the grounding students receive in history and critical thinking and the exposure to new media areas, observes Parks. "What I find particularly invigorating about this department is the personalized attention undergraduate students receive from senior faculty members."

Even though it is not a production-oriented department, a number of student films have received accolades from Cannes to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.