Critical Film Analysis
Critical Film Analysis offers intensive analysis of selected films using contemporary critical theories and methods.
Summary
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.53 GPA, 73.7% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Fall 2023: 3.53 GPA, 73.7% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.21 GPA, 47.6% A/AB (n=21 letter grades).
What you’ll be able to do
Identify the formal patterning of mise-en-scene, cinematography, and editing that produces various forms of meaning in a film text
Summarize different approaches to film analysis derived from semiotics, feminism, queer theory, critical race theory, Marxism, and neoformalism
Apply an array of principles and perspectives in close description and analysis of film scenes and sequences
Assess and utilize critical concepts pertinent to methodologies and practices of film analysis
Source: UW Guide
Grade history
↗All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors
Prerequisites
Course map(Junior standing and COM ARTS 350) or declared in Communication Arts MA or PhD
- Junior standing
- COMARTS 350
- declared in Communication Arts MA or PhD
This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Prerequisite text tree
- Any of
- All of
- Junior standing
- COMARTS 350
- declared in Communication Arts MA or PhD
- All of
Professors
Spring 2027No instructors recorded for this selection.
Historical instructors & teaching patterns
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Calendar & sections
Spring 2027Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
|---|
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections.
Meeting source records
No records available.
Student experience
the class
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.53 GPA, 73.7% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Fall 2023: 3.53 GPA, 73.7% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.21 GPA, 47.6% A/AB (n=21 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
No workload feedback recorded.
Topics
- Contemporary critical theories and methods for film analysis.
- Formal patterning of mise-en-scene, cinematography, and editing.
- Semiotics, feminism, queer theory, critical race theory, Marxism, and neoformalism.
Skills
- Identify formal patterning of mise-en-scene, cinematography, and editing to produce meaning in film texts.
- Summarize film analysis approaches derived from semiotics, feminism, queer theory, critical race theory, Marxism, and neoformalism.
- Apply principles and perspectives in close description and analysis of film scenes and sequences.
- Assess and utilize critical concepts pertinent to methodologies and practices of film analysis.
Grades
Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Spring 2027.
Grade distribution · % of letter grades
Grades over time
Through Spring 2026
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.
Sources & history
Catalog & offerings
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Catalog observation history
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
Selected offering source records
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Raw records
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Student reviews
Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Read original reviews
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Grade history
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Model outputs & technical records
LLM outputs across runs
Full model traces
Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
Model & dataset provenance
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"observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
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