Film studies is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry devoted to the analysis of the cinematic moving image both as a unique form in its own right and as a medium influenced and shaped by related fields such as literature, the social sciences and the arts. Film studies at Ohio State provides students with the means to understand and make critical judgments about film, the preeminent art form of the twentieth century, and the image-media experiences that inform their lives. Film studies scholars from many departments across the College of Arts and Sciences work together to construct an interdisciplinary exploration of the artistic and socio-historical traditions of this medium.

Traditionally, graduates with a BA in film studies pursue higher education in film studies or media-arts production, distribution, funding, archiving, research, journalism, arts criticism and traditional and non-traditional education at a variety of levels including P-12 education. They have been competitive in graduate school acceptance and in job searches nationally in these areas. Students are also prepared for the kinds of positions requiring critical and information-analytical skills in government, nonprofit organizations and industry that are open to other students majoring in the arts and sciences.