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FS20210

Academic Year 2026/2027

Women's Authorship in American Cinema (FS20210)

Subject:
Film Studies
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
English, Drama & Film
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Martha Shearer
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module explores the many and various ways that women have made movies in the United States. It examines a range of women filmmakers, from women film pioneers in early cinema to prominent contemporary directors, from Marion Wong, Lois Weber and Dorothy Arzner to Greta Gerwig, Kathryn Bigelow and Chloé Zhao. Furthermore, it explores the work not only of women directors but also issues of collaborative and multiple authorship and the authorship and creative labour of women in non-directorial roles. The module provides a grounding in histories and theories of feminism and feminist film scholarship as they relate to film authorship. It interrogates how women’s authorship has been theorised, how women’s authorship challenges dominant theories of film authorship, and how feminist film history has sought to recuperate women’s creative labour. Finally, it explores how women’s films have represented and responded to the changing lives of American women over the course of cinema’s existence.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

● Reflect on and analyse key theoretical debates related to women’s film authorship
● Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of feminist film history and theory
● Demonstrate critical ability to apply theoretical concepts and frameworks
● Critically engage with a range of films across the course of the module

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Novice

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Advanced Beginner

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Not addressed

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Advanced Beginner

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Advanced Beginner

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Not addressed

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Novice

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Not addressed

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Advanced Beginner

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 3

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 1

Reduce inequality within and among countries 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Laboratories

12
Studio

24
Specified Learning Activities

26
Autonomous Student Learning

26
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
lecture, group discussion

AI Not Permitted The use of AI tools is not permitted in this module. Students are expected to engage directly with module materials and activities without the use of AI tools.

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of English, Drama and Film are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This is to promote consistency within and between modules in the same level and discipline.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Sequence analysis - students will choose from a selection of clips from films screened from the module and produce a 1000-word close analysis of its representation of women's creativity. Week 5 Graded No
30
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Final essay - 2000 words. Week 14 Graded No
60
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation in tutorials Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
10
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Written/annotated feedback through Brightspace for written assignments and oral feedback in meetings.

Name Role
Ms Ciara Dempsey Tutor
Cait Murphy Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Film Screening Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 16:00 - 18:50
Autumn Workshop Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Fri 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Workshop Offering 2 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Fri 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Workshop Offering 4 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Fri 11:00 - 11:50
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