Continuing Studies Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Certificate in Documentary Studies

Courses Offered for the Upcoming Term

Current and Past Term Courses – Winter / Spring / Summer 2008 Courses

Workshops and Institutes




Overview

Throughout the year in conjunction with Duke Continuing Studies, CDS offers courses, institutes, and workshops for adults who are interested in learning to do their own documentary work. Courses involve instruction in photography, film and video, audio, and writing and include such topics as documentary traditions, techniques, fieldwork theory, and ethics involved in conducting and presenting documentary work. CDS continuing studies courses are separate from the undergraduate curriculum in documentary studies, and certificate program courses do not earn undergraduate university credits.

The cornerstone of the CDS continuing studies program is the Certificate in Documentary Studies. Enrollment in the certificate program is not required for students to take CDS continuing studies courses; however, working toward a certificate provides a more formal process for involvement and for reaching specific goals. No prior educational specialization or expertise is required for enrollment in the program.

Students must complete six courses of sixteen hours each (or ninety-six total hours) and a final project in order to receive the certificate. Four of the six courses are electives; two are mandatory: the introductory Seminar in Documentary Studies, which covers the methods and issues of doing documentary work, and Project Seminar in Documentary Studies, the capstone course of the curriculum, in which students complete and present their final projects.

A student conceivably could take enough courses in one year to satisfy the certificate requirements, but most students find that the program takes longer. Other commitments, such as work or family obligations, and the depth of the final project often make a two-year schedule for completion more realistic.

For more information about workshops, institutes, courses, or the continuing studies certificate program contact April Walton, Learning Outreach Director, at awalton@duke.edu or 919-660-3670.

To see a list of current courses, go to http://cds.aas.duke.edu/courses/constudiescurrentpast.html. You may also click on the links at the top of the page to find information about the certificate and other aspects of Continuing Studies courses.

To register for courses, call Duke Continuing Studies at 919-684-6259 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit the Continuing Studies Web site at: http://www.learnmore.duke.edu/weekend/courses/


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the certificate?
The Certificate in Documentary Studies, offered by the Center for Documentary Studies (CDS) through Duke Continuing Studies, is an open-admissions adult education program for exploring and improving documentary skills and increasing understanding of the issues involved in doing documentary work. The certificate, a non-credit educational option, requires a minimum of six sixteen-hour courses (or the equivalent) and the completion of a final project.

To enroll in the certificate program, no prior educational specialization or expertise is required. Students in the program may chose from a variety of CDS-sponsored courses, offered during the fall, winter, and spring/summer terms. These courses, based in different documentary media, are oriented toward building skills and ideas for planning and completing a final project. They involve instruction in photography, film and video, audio, oral history, and writing that draws upon the basic mission of the Center for Documentary Studies. Course topics include traditions, techniques, fieldwork theory, and ethics involved in conducting and presenting documentary work.

The Certificate in Documentary Studies makes CDS resources available to a broad community in North Carolina. Students may range from those who want to document their own family histories to activists who want to use documentary skills in their efforts to make a difference in their communities, and from experienced documentarians to those who want to get started on their first projects.


Why a certificate?
Through the CDS certificate program, students are able to turn an interest in documentary studies into a more formal pursuit. Earning the certificate shows seriousness of intent and accomplishment in the field.

The certificate program establishes a process for engaging and empowering already motivated people to do the work they care about. Specific project goals, integral to the certificate program, create better opportunities for the successful completion of this work. In addition, certificate students can become part of a vibrant program with interested, supportive colleagues.


How do I earn the certificate?
A total of six courses of sixteen hours each (or ninety-six total hours) are required for the completion of the Certificate in Documentary Studies. Most courses are offered during the evening or on weekends, to accommodate the schedules of working adults. Students are not required to finish the program within a specified period of time.

The certificate requires completion of the Seminar in Documentary Studies, which covers the methods and issues of doing documentary work. It is preferable, though not mandatory, that students take this course in their first year of study.

In addition, students will take at least four classes from a selection of courses in the following general areas: audio, film and video, camera and darkroom techniques, oral history, and community topics. Four electives are required. Students are strongly encouraged to specialize in one particular area of documentary studies and also to take at least one course outside the specialty area. Some students may choose to take more than the required four electives. Students should use these electives to develop and fine-tune a final project on a topic of their choice. Each course should take the student a measurable step closer to finishing a project.

The final project is to be completed during the Project Seminar in Documentary Studies. In this course, the capstone course of the curriculum, students work with a faculty member to complete their final project and bring it before a larger public, perhaps the community in which the student has been working. To enroll, students must have completed at least five previous courses in the documentary studies curriculum, including the Seminar in Documentary Studies. The Project Seminar will be offered only on demand, so students should inform the Learning Outreach Director at CDS of their intent to enroll in this course at least one term prior to its offering.


How does the Certificate in Documentary Studies relate to other Duke educational programs?
Courses for the Certificate in Documentary Studies are separate from the undergraduate curriculum at the Center for Documentary Studies. Certificate program courses do not earn undergraduate university credits. CDS undergraduate courses are taught at Duke University, and typically students in these courses must be full-time students at Duke or other area universities that maintain reciprocal academic credit arrangements with Duke.


How long will the program take?
Conceivably, a student could take enough courses in one year to complete the certificate. However, because most certificate students maintain full-time jobs and because the final project may be quite time-consuming, a more typical scenario for completion would involve about two years of part-time work. To keep the program manageable, the final project should be begun before, and brought to completion during, the Project Seminar. During the seminar, students also will prepare for a public presentation of their project


What about assignments and grading?
To receive credit for a course, students must attend all class sessions. Under special circumstances, students who are absent due to illness or other legitimate excuses may receive credit by doing extra work outside of class. Makeup work and attendance credits are entirely the prerogative of the instructor. Homework assignments should be expected for each course. There are no graded assignments. Credit is given for attendance and for completing the requirements of each course as stated by the instructor. There is one important additional requirement: During the term of the Project Seminar, a student must complete an approved documentary project in order to receive credit for his or her work, and therefore be awarded the certificate.


Do I need equipment?
Students are expected to provide their own equipment when courses require its use. Students in certain CDS courses are granted access (during open lab hours) to the teaching darkroom and the digital editing suite. Darkroom fees (when taking a photography course) are $65 for a four-month term; digital editing suite access is included in the course fee.


What does program cost?
Courses cost approximately $12-$16 per hour spent in the classroom. Typically, a course that meets for eight weeks, two hours per week, will cost a student $195. For many classes, a modest materials fee is also charged. In addition, the certificate program has a one-time enrollment fee of $60. General scholarships are unavailable, but in special circumstances limited assistance may be available for those who demonstrate financial need. Students who are unable to take courses without financial assistance should contact the Learning Outreach Director at CDS.


How do I enroll in the program?
The Certificate in Documentary Studies is offered in cooperation with Duke Continuing Studies. To enroll, a student must apply and be accepted into the program. This requires a $60 enrollment fee and a brief personal statement (75–250 words) describing the student’s background and goals for the program.

Download application form (24 kb)

Send application to:

Certificate in Documentary Studies
Duke University Continuing Studies
Box 90703
Durham, NC 27708-0703
Phone: 919-684-6259










banner image:

Untitled, from the series Raising Helana. Photograph by Lissa Gotwals, from her project for the continuing studies course Final Project Seminar in Documentary Studies. Gotwals's work from this series was published in issue 03 of Blueeyes Magazine.