The Ohio State University Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts

Advising

Advising

Plan Ahead! advising.osu.edu

Carefully planning your coursework is critical to your success as a student. Your advisor can help you make strategic decisions when selecting classes, review your progress toward your degree, provide guidance to help you navigate the university's policies and services, and identify academic and university resources important to your success. Always plan ahead when scheduling an advising appointment, particularly during peak advising times when advisors may be booked several weeks in advance. We recommend you meet with your academic advisor once a semester to keep you on track.

ACADEMIC ADVISING: Book an appointment online at go.osu.edu/oncourse.

The College of Arts and Sciences assigns all of its students an academic advisor. They are here to help you select courses, identify special academic and career opportunities, meet graduation requirements, understand university policies and procedures, and access campus support services. The College of Arts and Sciences Advising website has information on:

  • General Education Requirements
  • Declaring Your Major
  • Degree Planning
  • Course Scheduling
  • Adding/Dropping Courses
  • Honors and Scholars
  • Research Distinction (Research Thesis) & Distinction in the Arts
  • Graduation requirements and deadlines

UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC ADVISORS: 

Emily Carpenter, Academic Advisor for Undergraduate Film

  • Office: 355 Hagerty Hall / (614) 292-8485 / carpenter.438@osu.edu
  • Film Studies Major; Moving-Image Production Pre-Major and Major; Film Studies Minor; Screenwriting Minor; Video Arts minor. 

You can also book an appointment online at go.osu.edu/oncourse.

Ryan Heitkamp, Academic Advisor for Undergraduate Theatre

  • Office: 100 Denny Hall / 614-292-6961 / heitkamp.12@osu.edu
  • Theatre Major; Theatre Minor, Media Production and Analysis Minor; Musical Theatre Minor; Voice Acting Minor

You can also book an appointment online at go.osu.edu/oncourse.

ADVISING WALK-IN HOURS, TFMA:

Advising walk-in hours are held in the TFM Building Advising Office on the fourth floor: room # 451. Please contact your advisor for their availability. 

In addition to an academic advisor, undergraduate majors are encouraged to speak to faculty, who are available for advising undergrads on big-picture questions about career planning, seeking internships, and connecting to theatre and film in the Columbus community. 

Advising Guides

FILM STUDIES BA current advising guide (Film Theory, History, Analysis major): go.osu.edu/FSadvising

MOVING-IMAGE PRODUCTION BA current advising guide (Production major): 

Prior year MIP advising guides:

THEATRE BA current advising guide: go.osu.edu/THadvising

All students should discuss degree requirements and planning with their major Academic Advisor.

Entertainment Design and Technology Minor

The Entertainment Design and Technology Minor supports students who want to apply the skills of their discipline to careers in live events, theatre, and themed entertainment.

Minor Advisor: Brad Steinmetz

Film Studies Minor

The Film Studies Minor allows students to unite classes devoted to the analysis of cinema as a unique art form and as a medium influenced and shaped by related fields such as literature and the visual arts. Students enrolled in the Film Studies minor will gain an understanding of the evolution of cinema, relationships between film and other arts, and international dimensions of the medium.

Minor Advisor: Emily Carpenter

Media Production and Analysis Minor

The Media Production and Analysis Minor provides students with an understanding of the societal impact of contemporary media practices and provides opportunities to develop specific media production skills. Students will both analyze and produce media content for distribution through a variety of means.

Minor Advisor: Jennifer Scott / Ryan Heitkamp

Musical Theatre Minor

The Musical Theatre Minor supports a student’s training and career aspirations in the performance and study of musical theatre.

Minor Advisor: Ryan Heitkamp

Screenwriting Minor

The Screenwriting Minor prepares students to develop original stories, scripts, and screenplays for production as works of moving-image art. This minor integrates creative practice with critical study, developing skills for writing for the screen in a variety of forms: fictional narrative film, experimental film, documentary, animation, television, and/or new media. Students will garner a foundational understanding of film history, theory, and storytelling conventions across media, to hone their distinct voice and gain crucial professional experience for careers in film and television writing.

Minor Advisor: Emily Carpenter

Theatre Minor

The Theatre Minor provides an opportunity for students to extend their knowledge of theatre.

Minor Advisor: Ryan Heitkamp

Video Arts Minor

The Video Arts Minor allows students to explore traditional, alternative, and artistic means of media delivery in a variety of expressive and creative contexts. It will contribute to the development of students who seek to incorporate this medium into traditional art and/or narrative practices as well as those interested in creating experimental artworks that are expressed entirely within the format of video.

Minor Advisor: Emily Carpenter

Voice Acting

The Voice Acting minor supports a student’s training and career aspirations in the performance and study of voicing audiobooks, animation, videogames, podcasts, voiceover, and other recorded voice arts.

Minor Advisor: Ryan Heitkamp

Advising Resources

Honors advisors provide advice on your university Honors Contract. Honors Office counselors can assist you with procedural matters, information about degree requirements, an Honors Thesis, and other special honors opportunities.

See complete Honors Standards at: https://honors-scholars.osu.edu/future-students/honors/standards

Below are links to some common advising matters. Advising and Academic Services provides comprehensive advising information.

  • Declare A Major: Information on when to declare a major, how to declare a major, and what questions you should ask can be found on the College of Arts and Sciences Website.
  • BuckeyeLink: Your academic center for information about your academic record is BuckeyeLink. View the university's schedule of classes, plan a schedule of classes, register, add/drop a class, see your grades, view your class schedule, view your statement including financial aid, print an advising report, get your degree audit report (DARS), request a transcript, access Carmen, and more.
  • Scheduling/Add/Drop: Policies, and processes for all your scheduling questions including registering, adding, and dropping a course.
    • Add a class information - Add
    • Drop a class information - Drop
  • Degree Audit Reporting System/DARS: See how your completed courses satisfy both general and major area course requirements. Access DARS through Buckeye Link, Enrollment and Academic History.
  • Academic Status: Information on academic status, academic dismissal, reinstatement, Freshman Forgiveness, Fresh Start, and more. Students who are struggling in a class are encouraged to discuss their difficulty with the course instructor. Academic advisors are also available for assistance in identifying appropriate resources.
  • Graduation: Ensure you have information on deadlines and policies so that your graduation plans go smoothly.

The "BuckeyeMail for life" email plan was discontinued as of April 2025. Graduating students will have limited access to specific technology systems after graduation for a limited period of time, including email and Carmen. 

See more information about access that ends immediately after graduation or 30 days, 60 days, and 2 years post-graduation at: https://it.osu.edu/help/it-students/technology-access-after-graduation.

Keep us posted on your post-graduation career and personal updates at: https://theatreandfilm.osu.edu/Alumni

We encourage all students to review the health and safety information available through various university offices regularly, as well as the interactive Health and Wellness Resource Guide so you are familiar with the resources available to you in an emergent or stressful situation. 

If you are concerned for your immediate safety or that of others, please call 911, the Ohio State Police Department at 614-292-2121 or the Wexner Medical Center at 614-293-8333.

A brief description of services is included next to each office. Please visit their website for a more comprehensive understanding of the scope of services provided.