Within the English department, film studies is currently a minor but will transition to a major in the fall of 2014 to accommodate students who are interested in studying film.
This degree encompasses the different techniques of film and explores why they are produced in certain ways.
Film studies introduces students to the critical study of film. The curriculum in film studies provides individuals with the skills to understand and analyze moving images, sound, plot, camera work and other related topics.
Thibodaux native Rosalyn Stilling, double majoring in English literature and art, is interested in film studies because she sees a deeper meaning in movies and television shows. “I think it is another way to encourage people to not take things for face value and to look deeper into why we are presented with things we are given. I think that it’s important for people to be encouraged to look deeper into things rather than turning your brain off when watching a movie.”
According to Fringe Benefits Tax Film and Entertainment, which is the only provider of Louisiana film incentive programs affiliated with a bank, Louisiana has increased in the production of films. In 2013, 53 movies were produced in Louisiana, which is a considerable increase from the past two years.  This information goes along with what Todd Kennedy, assistant professor of English, said about Louisiana turning into Hollywood South.
Kennedy helped create film studies as a minor in the fall of 2013 and has worked towards implementing this as a major in the fall.
He decided to teach it at Nicholls because of today’s incessant desire for visual entertainment, where everything is visual, and because Louisiana is currently the second most popular state for movie production.  
“It was a very popular minor. We noticed that it was attracting not only our own students but a lot of people from the other departments. A lot of people were asking if we had a major for it, so I looked into it and a concentration is the same credit hours as a minor. Now students can major in English with a concentration of film studies,” Kennedy said.
To get the degree in film studies, the interested students would take regular English degree classes and an additional 18 hours of relevant courses to film studies. Some, courses offered by mass communication and art may also count toward the 18 credit hours.
Any willing student can take any of the film studies classes at any time. There is no introductory class that needs to be taken in order to take the 300- or 400-level classes.
The English department accepted this degree into their program because it deals with the study of film, in the same way that the English department studies novels and literature. By nature, the department of mass communication teaches the production of film. However, according to Kennedy, other universities throughout the country place their film studies degree in their English department.
According to Kennedy, only two colleges in Louisiana offer a film studies curriculum. Southeastern offers it as a minor, leaving Nicholls as the only university offering it as a major. He is hoping to bring more students to the English department at Nicholls from different high schools, and he is hoping some people take advantage of this new degree program.
According to Kennedy, a student obtaining a film studies degree can get a more diverse job with the degree such as a teacher, businessman, writer or technical writer, as well as a public relations specialist.