Free Cinematic Arts Courses
While free online courses in cinematic arts might not offer college credit, they can be used to help you understand the field better for a degree program, career or just for personal interest.
Tufts University
The free course on film production offered at Tufts University isn't complete, but does provide several resources to teach you about creating films that involve social change. Readings used in the course are listed and must be found independently. Projects required in the original class are included in the syllabus, though the free course doesn't include significant detail, necessary equipment to complete the projects or the opportunity to submit projects for review.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT is a common source for OpenCourseWare, and the school offers many free courses in cinematic arts. The courses may include links to textual resources available online or for purchase, and some provide a few video lectures from the original course. A few courses include project outlines and examples, though these are offered for your own use and can't be submitted for review.
- Philosophy of Film
- Special Topics in Cinematic Storytelling
- Philosophy in Film and Other Media
- Introduction to Video
- Advanced Projects in the Visual Arts: Personal Narrative
- Topics in the Avant-Garde in Literature and Cinema
Free Online Cinematic Arts Courses at a Glance
| Course & School | Program Level | Format | Assignments | Quizzes & Exams | Downloadable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Producing Films for Social Change at Tufts University | Undergraduate | External resources | Yes | No | No |
| Philosophy of Film at MIT | Undergraduate | Text & Video | Yes | No | Yes |
| Special Topics in Cinematic Storytelling | Graduate | External reading resources | Yes | No | Yes |
| Philosophy in Film and Other Media | Undergraduate | Text & Video | Yes | No | Yes |
| Introduction to Video | Undergraduate | External reading resources | Yes | No | Yes |
| Advanced Projects in the Visual Arts: Personal Narrative | Undergraduate | External reading resources | Yes | No | Yes |
| Topics in the Avant-Garde in Literature and Cinema | Undergrad/Graduate | External reading resources & lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
