phd in film and television production

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Ph.d. in film & digital media.

The Ph.D. program in Film and Digital Media challenges the traditionally conceived borders between creative and critical practice. The program enables potential dialogue between creative practice and theoretical knowledge as related forms of intellectual work and provides the conditions for students to realize a wide range of possible projects, including those that exist across the traditional divides of critical studies and production. Focusing on a diverse range of cultural production that includes cinema, television, video art, and Internet-based media, the Ph.D. program participants interrogate the historical, aesthetic, political, ideological, and technological aspects of these media forms across a range of international contexts, investigating their points of connection and convergence as well as their relationship to broader cultural and historical change. The program thus prepares students for intellectually informed creative practice as well as theoretical and critical production in a range of environments, not limited to traditional academic contexts. 

Integrating critical and creative practice:  

In our research and teaching, we explore the intersections of what have been, or have become, separated modes in our field of media studies: theory and practice. We seek to nurture dialogue between creative practice and scholarly inquiry as related forms of intellectual work.

Working across media: 

Our approach to media studies and media production incorporates a range of technologies and platforms, stressing their historical and intertextual relationships.

Pursuing new modes of social and political engagement: 

Media literacy, broadly defined, is an essential component of participation in our increasingly mediated lives. A new generation of media makers and media interpreters has the power to re-shape the world.

Fostering global cultural citizenship: 

Making and studying media today necessitates a global and historical perspective. By thinking and working across boundaries of nation, culture and identity, we are creating new forms of knowledge and new media forms that respect and investigate differences of race, class, gender, sexuality and nation.

Film and Digital Media Ph.D. Program Learning Outcomes

Students who earn a Ph.D. in Film and Digital Media will gain the skills, knowledge, and understanding that will enable them to:

1. Demonstrate that student’s critical study of media informs the student’s media-making practices 2. Demonstrate knowledge of video and/or digital media production 3. Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills appropriate doctoral work in to the discipline of film and digital media 4. Demonstrate research skills appropriate to doctoral work in the discipline of film and digital media 5. Demonstrate scholarly writing skills appropriate to doctoral work in the discipline of film and digital media

Prospective Applicants:

Candidates must have demonstrated skill in critical, theoretical and historical scholarship, and a demonstrated interest in film, television, video and new media studies. We are particularly interested in candidates with demonstrated experience in some form of artistic production, and an interest in combining creative work with critical and theoretical study. 

Candidates should also be aware that we will prioritize those who, in their application, outline a project or form of work that integrates critical and creative work together in a hybrid form that would be difficult or impossible to pursue in a either a conventional humanities program or a studio or production degree program. The Ph.D. program in Film & Digital Media is designed to provide a platform for the creation of hybrid work that would not be possible to accomplish elsewhere.

For program requirements, please review our  Program Statement

For more information about UCSC applications, consult the  Graduate Division  website and their  Admissions Pages.

Cinema & Media Studies Ph.D.

The Cinema and Media Studies Ph.D. program explores the intricate histories, aesthetics, and cultural impacts of visual media.

The Cinema & Media Studies (CMS) Program at UCLA has played a central role in the development of the field, notably through scholarship grounded in critical theory, cultural studies, close textual analysis, archive-based history, digital and interactive media studies, industry studies, and transnational media studies. The program supports a broad array of critical interests, from the media arts to commercial entertainment, from historical research to contemporary practices, and from formal analysis to the social mapping of media. In the last few years the research profile of the faculty has concentrated on three main areas of research: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity (particularly, Chicana/o, African American/African Diaspora, and Asian), Queer Cinema/Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Critical Theory (particularly, moving image art, aesthetic, affect, computational media, and decolonial).

The Ph.D. program focuses on refining research skills in an individualized study plan, with a mission to produce research of unparalleled quality. Graduates often transition into esteemed teaching and research roles in academic institutions. Backing their research endeavors is the UCLA Library Film & Television Archive, offering vast resources, 35mm classroom screenings, and state-of-the-art digital technology facilities.

World-Class Faculty

Shawn Vancour

Sean Metzger

Chon A. Noriega

Requirements.

The Ph.D. program is intended primarily for students who wish to build a career around excellence in university teaching and research. The Ph.D. program requires successful completion of a minimum of seven core courses and at least seven elective courses (not counting those completed at the masters level) and successful completion of the Intellectual Statement, Third Quarter Review, Sixth Quarter Review, Comprehensive Exam, Prospectus Review, Foreign Language Requirement at level three or higher, and successful submission and defense of the Dissertation.

Year One/Academic Year: Four Core Courses

• FTV 495A Teaching Assistant Training (does not need to be repeated if taken during M.A.)
• FTV 210 Common Course
• FTV 211 Historiography
• FTV 215 Theory and Method
• Academic Progress Report
• Begin taking courses toward language requirement

Year Two: Two Core Courses, Written Exams and Completion of the Ph.D. Study Plan

• FTV 274 Research Design A (Bibliography and Exam Prep)
• FTV 274 Research Design B (Exam Prep with advisors)
• Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam
• FTV 274 Research Design C (Writing the Prospectus)
• Continued progress toward language requirement (must be completed by the end of the 3rd year)
• Prospectus Review

Year Three/Academic Year: Nomination of Doctoral Committee and Advancement to Candidacy

• Advancement to Candidacy/Nomination of Doctoral Committee (Fall Quarter, contingent upon language requirement completion)

Ph.D. PROGRAM REMINDERS

Required During Years One-Three: Six additional graduate seminars, at least five of which must be approved cinema and media studies seminars.

Required During Years One-Three: Language Requirement Courses & Petition . Completion of level 3 language training or higher (as determined by Dissertation Committee) must be provided prior to student Advancement to Candidacy.

Recommended During Years One-Three: Colloquium. Students are encouraged to enroll in or attend Colloquium during all quarters to participate in screenings, research presentations and discussions. May be repeated for credit.

• FTV 212 CMS Colloquium

Year 3 and Beyond: Dissertation Research

• Submit an Academic Progress Report (on a yearly basis)

World-Class Students

Emmelle Israel

Suryansu Guha

Iftin Abshir

• Undergraduate
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• Faculty and Student Resources
• McCormick Screening Room
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• Undergraduate Library
• Film Production Equipment
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Welcome to the Film and Media Studies Ph.D. Program

UC Irvine’s PhD program in Film and Media Studies offers students the opportunity to study and develop original research on film, television, and digital media. Rooted in the Humanities, we focus on interpreting the histories and theories of media and their cultural contexts.

Our curriculum provides a broad foundation in Film and Media Studies while also centering questions of media and power. Our course offerings emphasize post-colonial and decolonial approaches to film and media, queer theory and histories of gender and sexuality, critical race studies, video game studies, and archival research. We seek students who are deeply invested in understanding the perspectives of those who have been pushed to the margins of media technology, industries, and texts and in exploring the relationships between culture, identity, history, and power.

Located near Los Angeles, UC Irvine offers access to the rich cultural offerings and research institutions of Southern California. Students may choose to supplement their Film and Media Studies degree with interdisciplinary graduate certificates in Asian American Studies , Chicano/Latino Studies , Critical Theory , Feminist Studies , Latin American Studies , and/or Visual Studies .

We admit all students, with BAs or MAs, directly into the PhD program in small cohorts with multi-year funding packages. We encourage prospective students to review our faculty profiles and contact the faculty members who work in their potential areas of interest before applying to learn more about their research, teaching, and advising.

Prospective students interested in the Ph.D. Program in Visual Studies, administered by the Department of Art History, can find more information here .

Meet the Film and Media Studies Faculty and learn about their research interests.

The annual admissions deadline is December 1 .

Complete applications will include:

• A Statement of Purpose (1200 words maximum) that describes your research interests and reasons for seeking a PhD. The Statement of Purpose should indicate how your proposed research correlates to our program's emphases and how you will benefit from working with specific core faculty. You can find information about faculty research interests here.  

• A Personal History Statement (1200 word maximum) that describes your educational accomplishments and goals. It is important to communicate whether you have experienced unique or significant opportunities, challenges, and/or obstacles in your pursuit of an education. Please also describe the career paths you plan to pursue after graduation.

• A sample of academic writing that demonstrates original thinking, clear writing and your preparedness to do graduate-level work in film and media studies.

• Length: A minimum of ten pages to a maximum of thirty pages. Any submission longer than the maximum will not be reviewed past the maximum page limit.
• You may submit two pieces of work as long as their combined length does not exceed the page limit.
• In the event you have a longer piece of work to submit, such as a Master's thesis or Undergraduate research paper, please submit a chapter or section of the work within the page restriction.

• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty with whom you have studied.

• Transcripts.

• Results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam for international applicants for whom English is not their primary language.

For academic questions (questions about program requirements, the application review process, funding opportunities, etc.) please contact the Graduate Director, Professor Kristen Hatch ([email protected]). 

For administrative questions (questions about how to apply, paying the application fee, application materials, etc.) please contact the Graduate Coordinator, Amy Fujitani ([email protected]). 

To apply, click here .

Course Requirements

Required Core Courses (6 courses)

FLM&MDA 285A: Film Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285B: Television Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285C: Digital Media and Game Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 286A: Film and Media Studies Historiography.

FLM&MDA 286B: Media/Power/Culture.

FLM&MDA 286C: Critical Approaches to Film and Media Studies.

Elective Courses (7 courses)

FLM&MDA 291: Graduate Seminar in Film and Media Studies. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 292: Graduate Seminar in Film & Media Critical Practice. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 295: Directed Reading. Repeatable as topics vary.

Required Practicums in Film and Media Studies (4 courses)

FLM&MDA 287: Practicum in Pedagogy.

FLM&MDA 288A: Practicum in Professionalization I.

FLM&MDA 288B: Practicum in Professionalization II.

FLM&MDA 288C: Practicum in Professionalization III.

Required Supporting Course (1 course)

FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum.

Students must take three elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining two electives can be taken within or outside the department.

Students entering with a MA may petition to have up to three elective courses waived, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. Students who have had three courses waived must take two elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and one outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining elective can be taken within or outside the department.

During the third through sixth years in the program, students normally enroll in variable-unit courses as follows:

FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination.

FLM&MDA 297: Prospectus Research.

FLM&MDA 299: Dissertation Research.

First-Year Review

Students are required to select and confirm their Primary Advisor by the end of the first year.

At the end of the Spring quarter, the Film and Media Studies faculty will review the performance and progress of each first-year student and provide written evaluation of their work. This evaluation will include an assessment of the student’s ability to complete independent research.

A positive assessment indicates that the student is making good progress.

A cautionary assessment will be accompanied by a description of specific improvements that a student must make in order to advance to candidacy in the third year.

A negative overall assessment will place the student on Academic Conditional Status. Faculty will give written feedback with specific areas for improvement and a timeline for future expectations of academic progress. Students who fail to demonstrate improvement may be recommended for dismissal from the program without a degree.

MA Requirements

All students apply for and are accepted into the doctoral program.

Students who enter the PhD program with a prior graduate degree (MA or beyond) in Film and Media Studies or a related discipline may petition to waive up to three electives, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. These students may also petition to waive the MA exam requirement in recognition of their prior degree; normatively, this will be approved. In these cases, students will not complete the MA exam requirement nor earn a second MA en route to the PhD. Film and Media Studies faculty will determine what graduate degree fields qualify as related disciplines. Students entering with an MFA will typically be required to complete the MA exam unless the Graduate Committee determines that the degree is equivalent to an MA.

Students who have not earned an MA in a relevant field prior to matriculating in the Film and Media Studies PhD program must earn an MA degree as part of the PhD program. The program does not offer a stand-alone or terminal MA, except in instances when a student does not continue in the program toward earning the PhD.

In order to earn the MA degree, the student must

1. Satisfactorily complete six foundational courses (FLM&MDA 285A, FLM&MDA 285B, FLM&MDA 285C, FLM&MDA 286A, FLM&MDA 286B, and FLM&MDA 286C);

2. Satisfactorily compete FLM&MDA 287;

3. Satisfactorily complete seven electives, three of which must be within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside the Department of Film and Media Studies;

4. Pass the MA Exam; and

5. File the necessary paperwork for conferral of degree with Graduate Division.

For the MA exam, the student will revise one seminar paper written while in the program and submit the revised paper before the start of the Spring quarter in their second year of study. 

The requirements for passing the MA exam are as follows:

• The revised paper must present a substantial and original argument;

• It must reflect substantive revision from the original paper, demonstrating additional research and/or reconceptualization and responsiveness to feedback;

• It must demonstrate a command of the relevant literature;

• It must present adequate evidence to support its claims;

• It must be clearly written in an appropriate academic style; and

• It must be formatted according to MLA or Chicago Manual of Style guidelines with proper citation and bibliography.

Ideally, this revised paper will demonstrate promise toward publication and toward the ability to develop a dissertation; however this is not a requirement at the MA stage.

This paper will be evaluated by a 3-person MA committee, which consists of the student’s primary advisor as chair and two additional department faculty members appointed by the Program Director in consultation with the student and the advisor. The MA committee will evaluate the student’s ability to identify a suitable research project and methodology, develop an argument, respond to faculty feedback, and make revisions. The committee will respond with feedback within three weeks of receiving the paper and may ask for a second round of reasonable revisions, to be completed before the end of the term.

The committee will unanimously decide whether the student has passed the MA exam and if they are eligible to proceed toward the PhD, taking into holistic account the exam (revised paper) results, input from the core Film and Media Studies faculty during the First-Year Review, and the student’s progress during the second year of course work. There are four possible determinations:

Positive: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams. This should be the outcome in the majority of cases.

Cautionary: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams but with areas for improvement communicated in writing to the student and advisor. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise outweigh a borderline exam or vice versa. This should be the outcome only in rare or extenuating circumstances.

MA Only: The student will earn the MA degree but is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise do not outweigh a borderline exam.

Negative: The exam is unacceptable. The student will not earn the MA degree and is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams.

Students may revise and resubmit the MA paper one additional time in case of a failure to pass.

By the end of their second year, students will work with their advisor to plan their Examination fields for the following year. No later than the end of Winter in the third year of study, students will establish a 5-person Qualifying Exam Committee, at least 51% of whose members, including the Dissertation Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. At least one committee member must be external to the department.

The student will receive one standardized bibliography and select two specialty field bibliographies on which they will be examined. In the Fall and Winter quarters of the third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination and complete reading the works on these three bibliographies. The three exam areas should serve to help the student define general areas of specialized competence that will aid them in establishing a broad base for the dissertation and in developing college-level courses. Students may not enroll in FLM&MDA 296 until all their other course requirements (with the exception of FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum) have been completed.

The Qualifying Examination will be administered by the Qualifying Exam Committee and will include both a written and an oral component. The written component will consist of at least one question for each Exam bibliography for which the student has completed readings. Students will write at least one essay for each respective Exam. Faculty may offer a range of questions for each bibliography, giving the student a choice of which question(s) to answer. The written component will be offered as a series of three remote exams to be completed within three respective 24-hour periods; questions and responses will be delivered electronically. The oral component of the exam will take place in conjunction with the Prospectus Defense during the Spring quarter of the student’s third year.

Language Requirement 

Students will consult with the program Director and their principal advisor(s) to determine whether they must demonstrate or develop proficiency in a second language for their research. [1] If the program Director and principal advisor(s) determine that proficiency in a second language is required, the student must demonstrate this proficiency prior to advancing to candidacy. In the event a student does not need a second language to conduct doctoral research, they will not be required to demonstrate proficiency in a second language.

If determined to be required, the language requirement may be satisfied by one of the following means:

1. By passing the Film and Media Studies translation exam. A request must be made to the Film and Media Studies Staff within the first two weeks of the quarter the student wishes to take the exam.

2. By completing, with a grade of B or better, a language course at the 2C level or equivalent, with the exception of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which must be completed at the 3C level or equivalent.

3. By attaining a proficiency level of 2C on the Russian Exemption Exam or a proficiency level of 3C on the Chinese Exemption Exam offered by UCI's Academic Testing Center.

4. By petitioning the program. Grounds for a petition might include the student’s being a native speaker in a language other than English or having completed an equivalent language requirement at a different institution. The granting of this petition will remain at the discretion of the Graduate Director, although students dissatisfied with this determination may request the petition be considered by the full faculty. Students who have completed the language requirement at a different institution will need to submit transcripts with the petition. Students will inquire with the Graduate Coordinator to complete a petition.

Dissertation Prospectus and Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy

In the Spring of the student’s third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum and complete a prospectus that identifies the scope, approach, and rationale for their proposed dissertation. The student will present an oral defense of the prospectus to the Qualifying Exam Committee. When the prospectus has been unanimously approved by the Qualifying Exam Committee, the student will be advanced to doctoral candidacy. Students should have taken their preliminary examination, defended their dissertation prospectus, and advanced to doctoral candidacy no later than the end of Spring quarter of their third year. If a student will exceed the 3-year normative time to candidacy, they must petition by Spring quarter of their third year for an exception, presenting an approved plan for timely progress to candidacy.

In the event that a student does not pass the qualifying examination, consistent with UCI policy (Academic Senate Regulation 467) the student will be allowed one repeat attempt of the examination. This repeat examination will occur during the quarter following the initial examination.

Dissertation

The dissertation shall be an original research project of substantial length approved by the Doctoral Committee. Members of the student’s Doctoral Committee are noted on the PhD Form I: Advancement to Candidacy PhD Degree. The committee shall typically consist of the Doctoral Advisor and two additional faculty. At least 51% of the Doctoral Committee, including the Doctoral Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. The remaining members of the Doctoral Committee must satisfy Academic Senate requirements.

Dissertation Defense 

A final examination in the form of an oral defense of the dissertation is required for the PhD. This examination will be supervised by the Doctoral Committee and will be given just prior to the completion of the dissertation. The defense will be open to all members of the academic community. Faculty and graduate students of Film and Media Studies and the Graduate Dean will be given written notice of the date, time, and place of the examination at least five days in advance of the examination.

Time to Degree

The normative time to degree is six years (18 quarters). The first nine quarters are spent in pre-candidacy, the last 9 quarters in candidacy. Normatively, students will complete their course work within the first two years and prepare for and pass the Qualifying Examination and advance to candidacy in the third year. The maximum time to degree is seven years.

[1] Examples of when a second language would likely be necessary include Spanish proficiency for the study of Spanish-language media, Mandarin proficiency for study of media in Mainland China, or the relevant language for a project on non-English language transnational/diasporic media.

All students receive a five-year funding guarantee at admissions. This typically includes a combination of at least one fellowship year and multiple years of Teaching Assistantships. Additional competitive scholarships, fellowships, and summer stipends may also be available.

Students also receive tuition and fee remission, including non-resident (out-of-state or international) tuition during this period. Domestic students coming from outside of California will be expected to establish state residency during their first year; otherwise, they will need to cover their non-resident tuition fees.

TAships may be in Film and Media Studies undergraduate courses or for courses in other Departments or Programs.

Funding beyond the fifth year is not guaranteed, but TAships or other opportunities are often available.

The graduate emphasis in Film and Media Studies prepares students in any M.A., Ph.D., or M.F.A. program to analyze film and media texts, contexts, and industries. The emphasis requires that students complete four seminars, two of which are in the Film and Media Studies PhD core series (FMS 285A-C, FMS 286A-C) and two of which may be Film and Media Studies core or elective seminars (FMS 291, FMS 292, FMS 295).

Students who are currently enrolled in any MA, Ph.D., or M.F.A. program at UCI are eligible for admission to the Graduate Emphasis in Film and Media Studies.

Students who are interested in pursuing the graduate emphasis should contact the Graduate Director to indicate their interest in applying for the emphasis. Application materials include:

• an explanation of how their research and/or teaching will benefit from completing the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis;
• current CV;
• brief letter of approval from the student’s primary advisor or program director;
• names of Film and Media Studies core faculty with whom they have worked or plan to work. Applicants who are not yet acquainted with Film and Media Studies core faculty may name the Graduate Director.

Application

To be considered for the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis, please submit an application . 

Questions? Please contact Amy Fujitani , Graduate Coordinator.

Contact Film and Media Studies

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Film and Media Studies Program

Applying to, and going through, the doctoral program in film and media studies, the 2023-2024 ph.d./master’s application is currently closed., a combined degree.

From start to end, ours is a combined doctoral program.  Whether entering through the Film and Media Studies (FMS) portal or through that of the other department, candidates submit a single application to the Graduate School which then distributes copies to the two relevant admissions committees.  Those committees then consult one another before final selections are made.  Applicants must show background, aptitude, and interest in both disciplines.  In the past dozen years, three to five applicants have been selected annually out of the one hundred or more who apply to FMS in combination with one or another of its ten allied units (African-American Studies, American Studies, Comparative Literature, East Asian Languages and Literatures, English, French, German Languages and Literatures,  History of Art,  Italian Studies, Slavic Languages and Literatures). Matriculation occurs in Fall term only. Please note that African-American Studies, American Studies, History of Art and Slavic Languages and Literatures are not accepting applications during the 2020-2021 application cycle.

At every stage the student’s plans and progress are monitored by two Directors of Graduate Study (DGS).

The first years are dedicated to taking a range of courses and seminars, of which FILM 601 (Films and their Study) and FILM 603 (Film Historiography) must be taken in consecutive Fall terms.  For the other course requirements, please see the page related to the chosen combined program.

In the third–occasionally the fourth–year, the student advances to candidacy, a process that includes passing through four gates: 1) an internal FMS requirement involving foundational texts and films in the discipline, to be completed by October of the third year; 2) a language requirement internal to each distinct combined program; 3) a qualifying examination over several areas or subfields; 4) the presentation and ratification of a dissertation prospectus. For all but the first of these gates, students follow the protocols that FMS has established with each unit.  These generally follow the norms that exist in those units, modified to some extent for combined candidates.  Please see the page on this site that lists the regulations drawn up in relation to each specific Program.

All candidates teach under supervision for at least four terms, generally in years three and four (for History of Art, years two and three).  An additional two terms teaching is guaranteed in the sixth year if the dissertation is demonstrably on track to be completed by the following summer. The expectation is that at least half of the assignments of each candidate will be in FMS and will include one experience as an assistant in FILM 150 (Introduction to Film).

The dissertation is meant to be completed in years five and six. With the assistance of a full year fellowship that may be taken when the candidate and his or her advisor(s) find it most strategic, all students should have graduated after year six, and some have been able to do so a year earlier.  Uniquely, the FMS Program holds an obligatory 60-90 minute “Defense of Method” in the semester preceding the expected deposit of the dissertation.  One DGS, the advisor, and prospective assessors read at least 80% of the projected finished work which is sent them two weeks before this oral event.  The candidate‘s brief presentation of goals and methodology is followed by questions and advice from the faculty to help bring the dissertation to its best form.  In the several months between this defense and final deposit, mistakes in content or style are patched and the dissertation’s framework is strengthened.  Should the work that remains demand more than two semesters, this defense must be repeated. 

The protocols drawn up with each of the ten participating academic units are quite similar to one another, but need to be scrutinized.  Please consult the pertinent pages on this site as well as the website of the other department. Official questions regarding Graduate School policies should be addressed to the assistant or associate dean.  View the Graduate School policies here .

• Film & Media Studies

Film & Media Studies is an interdisciplinary field. Students have the option to apply for admission to one of two tracks within the program: either solely to the PhD in Film & Media Studies or to a combined program track involving one of the following disciplines: African American Studies, American Studies, Comparative Literature, East Asian Languages & Literatures, English, French, German, History of Art, Italian Studies, and Slavic Languages & Literatures. In addition to acquiring a firm grounding in the methods and core material of film and media studies (and, for the combined degree track students, another discipline), all students are expected to coordinate a plan of study involving comprehensive knowledge of one or more areas of specialization.

• Programs of Study
• PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
• Combined PhD
• Film and Media Studies Program
• Film and Media Studies

John MacKay

Director of Graduate Studies

• [email protected]

Katherine Kowalczyk

Departmental Registrar

• [email protected]
• 203-436-4668

Dan Rehberg

Departmental Registrar (Spring 2024)

• [email protected]
• 203-432-0879

Admission Requirements

Standardized testing requirements.

GRE is not accepted.

Program-Specific Application Requirements

A writing sample is required by this program. 

English Language Requirement

TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years.

Combined Degree Program Application Deadline

*The deadline to submit an application to a combined program is always the earlier deadline of the two individual programs, or December 15, whichever comes first.

Academic Information

Combined phd information.

Film & Media Studies offers a combined PhD in conjunction with several other departments and programs including: African American Studies , American Studies , Comparative Literature , English , East Asian Languages and Literatures , French , German , History of Art , Italian Studies , and Slavic Languages and Literatures .

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The Graduate School's academic calendar lists important dates and deadlines related to coursework, registration, financial processes, and milestone events such as graduation.

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https://registration.yale.edu/

Students must register every term in which they are enrolled in the Graduate School. Registration for a given term takes place the semester prior, and so it's important to stay on top of your academic plan. The University Registrar's Office oversees the systems that students use to register. Instructions about how to use those systems and the dates during which registration occurs can be found on their registration website.

Financial Information

Phd stipend & funding.

PhD students at Yale are normally full-funded for a minimum of five years. During that time, our students receive a twelve-month stipend to cover living expenses and a fellowship that covers the full cost of tuition and student healthcare.

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2023-24 edition, film and media studies, ph.d..

The Film and Media Studies Ph.D. program is dedicated to understanding film, television, and digital media texts in relation to questions of power, inequality, and difference. Students are encouraged to think critically about questions of aesthetics, production, and cultural meaning as they manifest in film, television, and digital media both past and present. Students in the Ph.D. program gain a foundation in the humanities-based discipline of Film and Media Studies while also developing innovative research projects that interrogate media in relation to race, gender/sexuality, nation, religion, ability, and other constructions of difference.

Applications for admission are accepted in the fall quarter only. Complete applications include:

• A statement of purpose (1,200 words maximum) that describes research interests and reasons for seeking a Ph.D. The statement of purpose should indicate how proposed research correlates to the program's emphases and how student's benefit from working with core faculty.
• A personal history statement (1,200 words maximum) that describe educational accomplishments and goals. Applicants should communicate whether they have experienced unique or significant opportunities, challenges, and/or obstacles in the pursuit of an education. Applicants should describe the career paths they plan to pursue after graduation.
• A sample of academic writing, approximately 20 pages in length, that demonstrates original thinking and clear writing.
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty with whom the applicants have studied.
• Transcripts.
• Results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam for international applicants for whom English is not their primary language.

View the online application .

For questions about the program or the application process, please email [email protected] .

First-Year Review

Students are required to select and confirm their Primary Advisor by the end of the first year.

At the end of the spring quarter, the Film and Media Studies faculty reviews the performance and progress of each first-year student and provides written evaluation of their work. This evaluation includes an assessment of the student’s ability to complete independent research.

A positive assessment indicates that the student is making good progress.

A cautionary assessment is accompanied by a description of specific improvements that a student must make in order to advance to candidacy in the third year.

A negative overall assessment places the student on Academic Conditional Status. Faculty gives written feedback with specific areas for improvement and a timeline for future expectations of academic progress. Students who fail to demonstrate improvement may be recommended for dismissal from the program without a degree.

MA Requirements

All students apply for and are accepted into the doctoral program.

Students who enter the Ph.D. program with a prior graduate degree (M.A. or beyond) in Film and Media Studies or a related discipline may petition to waive the M.A. exam requirement in recognition of their prior degree; normatively, this is approved. In these cases, students do not complete the M.A. exam requirement nor earn a second M.A. en route to the Ph.D. Film and Media Studies faculty determine what graduate degree fields qualify as related disciplines. Students entering with an M.F.A. typically are required to complete the M.A. exam unless the Graduate Committee determines that the degree is equivalent to an M.A.

Students who have not earned an M.A. in a relevant field prior to matriculating in the Film and Media Studies Ph.D. program must earn an M.A. degree as part of the Ph.D. program. The program does not offer a stand-alone or terminal M.A., except in instances when a student does not continue in the program toward earning the Ph.D.

To earn the M.A. degree, the student must:

• Pass the M.A. Exam
• File the necessary paperwork for conferral of degree with Graduate Division.

For the M.A. exam, the student revises one seminar paper written while in the program and submits the revised paper before the start of the spring quarter in their second year of study.

The requirements for passing the M.A. exam are as follows:

• The revised paper must present a substantive and original argument;
• It must reflect substantial revision from the original paper, demonstrating additional research and/or reconceptualization and responsiveness to feedback;
• It must demonstrate a command of the relevant literature;
• It must present adequate evidence to support its claims;
• It must be clearly written in an appropriate academic style; and
• It must be formatted according to MLA or Chicago Manual of Style guidelines with proper citation and bibliography.

This paper is evaluated by a three-person M.A. committee, which consists of the student’s primary advisor as chair and two additional department faculty members appointed by the Program Director in consultation with the student and the advisor. The committee unanimously decides whether the student has passed the M.A. exam and if they are eligible to proceed toward the Ph.D., taking into holistic account the exam (revised paper) results, input from the core Film and Media Studies faculty during the First-Year Review, and the student’s progress during the second year of course work. There are four possible determinations:

• Positive: The student earns the M.A. and qualifies to continue toward the Ph.D. exams.
• Cautionary: The student earns the M.A. and qualifies to continue toward the Ph.D. exams but with areas for improvement communicated in writing to the student and advisor. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise outweigh a borderline exam or vice versa.
• M.A. Only: The student earns the M.A. but is disqualified from continuing toward the Ph.D. exams. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise do not outweigh a borderline exam.
• Negative: The exam is unacceptable. The student does not earn the M.A. and is disqualified from continuing toward the Ph.D. exams.

Students may revise and resubmit the M.A. paper one additional time in case of a failure to pass.

Language Requirement

Students will consult with the program director and their principal advisor(s) to determine whether they must demonstrate or develop proficiency in a second language for their research. 1 If the program director and principal advisor(s) determine that proficiency in a second language is required, the student must demonstrate this proficiency prior to advancing to candidacy. In the event a student does not need a second language to conduct doctoral research, they are not required to demonstrate proficiency in a second language.

If determined to be required, the language requirement may be satisfied by one of the following means:

• By passing the Film and Media Studies translation exam. A request must be made to the Film and Media Studies staff within the first two weeks of the quarter the student wishes to take the exam.
• By completing, with a grade of B or better, a language course at the 2C level or equivalent, with the exception of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which must be completed at the 3C level or equivalent.
• By attaining a proficiency level of 2C on the Russian Exemption Exam or a proficiency level of 3C on the Chinese Exemption Exam offered by UCI's Academic Testing Center.
• By petitioning the program. Grounds for a petition might include the student’s being a native speaker in a language other than English or having completed an equivalent language requirement at a different institution. The granting of this petition remains at the discretion of the Graduate Director, although students dissatisfied with this determination may request the petition be considered by the full faculty. Students who have completed the language requirement at a different institution need to submit transcripts with the petition. Students inquire with the Graduate Coordinator to complete a petition.

1 Examples of when a second language would likely be necessary include Spanish proficiency for the study of Spanish-language media, Mandarin proficiency for study of media in Mainland China, or the relevant language for a project on non-English language transnational/diasporic media.

Preliminary Examination

By the end of their second year, students work with their advisor to plan their Examination fields for the following year. No later than the end of winter in the third year of study, students establish a three-person Qualifying Exam Committee, at least 51 percent of whose members, including the Dissertation Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies.

The student receives one standardized bibliography and selects two specialty field bibliographies on which they are examined. In the fall and winter quarters of the third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 296 and complete reading the works on these three bibliographies. The three exam areas should serve to help the student define general areas of specialized competence that aid them in establishing a broad base for the dissertation and in developing college-level courses. Students may not enroll in FLM&MDA 296 until all their other course requirements (with the exception of FLM&MDA 298 ) have been completed.

The Qualifying Examination is administered by the Qualifying Exam Committee and includes both a written and an oral component. The written component consists of at least one question for each exam bibliography for which the student has completed readings. Students write at least one essay for each respective exam. Faculty may offer a range of questions for each bibliography, giving the student a choice of which question(s) to answer. The written component is offered as a series of three remote exams to be completed within three respective 24-hour periods; questions and responses are delivered electronically. The oral component of the exam takes place in conjunction with the Prospectus Defense during the spring quarter of the student’s third year.

Dissertation Prospectus and Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy

The student will enroll in FLM&MDA 298 and complete a prospectus that identifies the scope, approach, and rationale for their proposed dissertation. The student presents an oral defense of the prospectus to the Qualifying Exam Committee. When the prospectus has been unanimously approved by the Qualifying Exam Committee, the student is advanced to doctoral candidacy. Students should have taken their preliminary examination, defended their dissertation prospectus, and advanced to doctoral candidacy no later than the end of spring quarter of their third year. If a student exceeds the three-year normative time to candidacy, they must petition by spring quarter of their third year for an exception, presenting an approved plan for timely progress to candidacy.

If a student does not pass the qualifying examination, consistent with UCI policy (Academic Senate Regulation 467) the student will be allowed one repeat attempt of the examination. This repeat examination will occur during the quarter following the initial examination.

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Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies

Contact | Introduction | Admission Requirements | Application  | Program Curriculum | Language Requirements | General Examination | Dissertation | Final Examination  

Use the above links or scroll down for program information.

Students interested in applying for Autumn 2023, please read the following

Message from our director of graduate studies .

Director of Graduate Studies: James Tweedie ( [email protected] )  Graduate Program Advisor: Yuko Mera ( [email protected] )

Introduction

Our five-year Ph.D. program concentrates on scholarship and research as preparation for teaching at the university or college level in cinema and media studies. In addition, Ph.D. students will emerge with:

• ) an interdisciplinary understanding of the field from a humanistic perspective;
• ) the ability to assess and implement diverse pedagogical techniques;
• ) the ability to engage in primary research on a subject of their choosing;
• ) a sense of the role of cinema and media in national identity, globalization, and other forms of transnationalism;
• ) a familiarity with a range of historiographic practices in the field;
• ) an awareness of the importance of media technologies as objects;
• ) recognition of the crucial role of the aesthetic encounter; and
• ) advanced reading knowledge in at least one language other than English.

The faculty  in the Department of Cinema and Media Studies have particular strengths in world cinema; silent-era film; documentary cinema; Chinese cinemas; South Asian cinemas; media technologies; television studies; new media; digital studies; race, gender, and media. For more information see our faculty list .

Admission Requirements

Master of Arts degree in Film Studies, Media Studies, or equivalent background. 

Application

Click here for information on applying to the program.

Program Curriculum

(Enrolled students should consult the graduate student handbook for detailed policies and procedures.) 

See chart below for expected progress through the program. 

Course work

Ph.D. students in Cinema and Media Studies will be trained in the general methods and issues in the field, pedagogical techniques, as well as in various subfields of the discipline. Therefore, students are required to take CMS 525 Pedagogy and CMS 520 Methods and Approaches as well as three of the four core seminars: CMS 570 Media Lab, CMS 571 National Frameworks, CMS 572 Historiography, and CMS 573 Aesthetics. An additional 25 credits of graded coursework at the 500 level are also required. 

Language Requirements

Advanced reading knowledge in one language other than English must be demonstrated before the end of the second year after entry into the program. Language competence is attested either by exams or by completion of satisfactory coursework in the language.

General Examination

The General Examination is normally taken in the Autumn quarter of the third year after enrollment. It consists of both a written and oral component, with emphasis on the latter. 

Dissertation

Dissertation topics can be chosen from a broad range of areas with the field of cinema and media studies. Any member of the graduate faculty appointed in Cinema and Media Studies may supervise a dissertation.

Final Examination

Candidates must defend their dissertation via an oral examination administered by the dissertation committee. 

Sample Progress Chart for the Ph.D.

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The Ph.D. program offers students the opportunity to pursue Cinema and Media Studies through coursework, comprehensive exams, a viva, and a dissertation project. Students are expected to give primary attention to an area of expertise of their choice while training in the broader theoretical, critical, and historical contexts of the chosen field.  

Faculty research specialties include strengths in contemporary cinemas and media culture, one that highlights media and film theory, cult cinema, documentary studies, early cinema, feminist and post-feminist media studies, American, Canadian and European cinemas, television studies, and sound studies. There are particular strengths in contemporary Anglophone cinema and television products and cultures within a global context. Our students occasionally engage with professors and students in our renowned directing, design and film production graduate programs.

We accept up to two students per year, and we strongly urge applicants to consider whether their project matches our faculty’s past expertise or current research interests.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

B.C.’s favourable position as a hub for the international film and media production industry allows opportunities for research topics and case studies not easily available elsewhere.

As a selective boutique program, we provide close mentorship of all accepted students. We are usually able to provide teaching assistant experience to PhD. students in our large first and second year undergraduate courses. At the ABD stage, students may have the opportunity to teach an undergraduate course. Graduate students have the opportunity to work on the film studies journal Cinephile. The Visual Resources Centre provides access to nearly 10,000 DVDs. The Centre for Cinema and Media Studies in the Department occasionally sponsors visiting scholars. UBC has the second largest research library in Canada, including the 30,000 Videomatica collection, a unique resource.

I decided to join UBC primarily due to my, now, supervisor who is an exceptional scholar of media and audience reception. Other secondary reasons were the beautiful scenery of BC, the modern and diverse culture of Vancouver and of course the proposed funding.

Gerrit Krueper

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Master's degree in Cinema Studies, Film Studies or Media Studies.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research focus.

With strengths in contemporary cinemas and media culture, the current faculty offer a program that highlights media and film theory, cult cinema, documentary studies, feminist and post-feminist media studies, American, Canadian and European cinemas, television studies, and sound studies. There are particular strengths in contemporary Anglophone cinema and television products and cultures within a global context.

Research Facilities

UBC Library is the home of the 30,000 plus Videomatica collection recently purchased and catalogued, a unique resource.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding

• 5 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 5 students was $12,140.
• 4 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 4 students was $3,338.
• 2 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 2 students was $1,489.
• 5 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 5 students was $22,582.
• 1 student received external awards valued at $35,000.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

Career options.

We expect graduates to find employment in the teaching sector at both college and university level; in administrative posts for cultural producers, such as for Electronic games, Film and TV production companies; in research positions covering cultural policy development, such as at Creative BC, Telefilm, NFB, or the provincial or federal civil service; in journalism, freelance writing, cinematheque curation management; various posts in the field of marketing communications for both corporations and non-profits.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Brown, William (film-philosophy, digital media, posthumanism, critical race theory)
• Coulthard, Lisa (film theory and violence; film sound and violence, contemporary American and European cinemas, continental philosophy and Lacanian theory)
• Frackman, Kyle (Cinema studies; Media studies (except social media and digital media); Literature and literary studies; Cultural studies; queer studies; German studies; media studies; history of sexuality; sexuality; sexuality studies; East Germany; film; Gender Studies; history of science; literature; Media; Media Types (Radio, Television, Written Press, etc.); Scandinavia)
• Iurascu, Ilinca (Comparative literatures; Theories of cultural studies; Media, visual and digital culture; German literature; Comparative Literature; Cultural Studies; media theory; Media history; critical theory; film studies)
• Johnston, Kirsty (Dramatic literature and theatre history with particular interest in disability arts and intersections between health, disability and performance )
• Karwowska, Bozena (Sexuality, Body and Gender in Nazi Concentration Camps)
• Laird, Colleen (Japanese media and gender studies; Gendered image production, gendered reception, and women in industry; Video games, new media, streaming media, animation (anime), and comics (manga); Paratexts: distribution, exhibition, and production materials; Film theory, genre theory, transnational cinemas and star texts, and feminist and queer theory)
• Liu, Siyuan (twentieth century Chinese theatre and Asian Canadian theatre)
• Malakaj, Ervin (Literature and literary studies; German studies; German Film Studies; German Media Studies; German Media History; Queer Theory and Queer Studies; Feminist and Queer Film Historiography; Critical Pedagogy)
• Marshall, Christopher Warren (Cinema studies; Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Film, television and digital media; Religion and religious studies; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Performance and Theatrical Productions)
• Marshall, Hallie (Performing arts; Ancient Greek Theatre; Arts and Cultural Traditions; Classics; Contemporary British Theatre; Cultural Industries; History of the Book; Literary or Artistic Work Dissemination or Reception Contexts; Performance and Theatrical Productions; Poetry; Reception Studies; Religion, Culture and Space; Theatre; Tony Harrison)
• Mathijs, Ernest (film, alternative cinema, independent cinema, European cinema, horror film, David Cronenberg, film audiences, film festivals, censorship, fantasy film, Lord of the Rings, Film studies)
• Mota, Miguel (Post-1945 British literature, print culture)
• Orbaugh, Sharalyn (modern Japanese culture (literature, film, manga, animation, kamishibai); East Asian women’s issues; anti-racist pegagogy, Japanese narrative and visual culture)
• Rea, Christopher (Chinese literatures; Asian history; Chinese literature; Cinema; Print culture; translation; Humor)
• Santos, Alessandra (Cinema studies; Film, television and digital media; Latin American history; Latin American literatures; Spanish language; Artistic and Literary Analysis Models; Artistic and Literary Theories; Arts and Cultural Traditions; Arts and Technologies; Brazilian Literature and Culture; Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies; Latin American Literatures and Cultures; Modern and Contemporary Literatures and Cultures)
• Scholte, Tom (Theatre, film, and television)
• Smith, Tai (History of art and architecture; Art theory and analysis; Visual theory, visual culture and visual literacy; Arts and Technologies; Economical Contexts; Gender; media theory; Modern and Contemporary Art and Design; Politics of Media and Mediation; Textiles)
• Testa, Carlo (Italian literature, history of cinema, theory/film studies )
• Tomc, Sandra (Nineteenth-century US literature, twentieth- century US entertainment and film, gothic literature and film, screenwriting, affect and psychoanalytic theory, fear and horror, film and image theory)
• Walsh, Shannon (Media arts; Critical identity, ethnic and race studies; Social and cultural anthropology; South Africa; Afropessimism & Critical Race Studies; Documentary; Film Production; Indigenous studies; Environmental justice; Affect Theory)
• Zuo, Mila (Cinema & Media studies; film studies; Contemporary Asian and transnational cinemas; Film philosophy; Acting and performance studies; Star studies; Digital and new media; Critical theories of gender, sexuality, and race and ethnicity)

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies (MA)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Theatre (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Theatre (MA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Film Production (MFA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (MFA)

Further Information

Specialization.

The Cinema and Media Studies research specializes in contemporary cinemas and media culture, cult cinema, documentary studies, feminist and post-feminist media studies and sound studies among many others.

UBC Calendar

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Gabrielle Berry

After completing my Master’s, I decided to stay at UBC to continue to work with my wonderful and supportive supervisor Lisa Coulthard. As a member of the first PhD cohort of the program, the small cohort has led to great connection and comradery, and I am constantly inspired by the incredible...

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Graduate Program: Film & Television

UCLA's Graduate Program in Film & Television offers the following degree(s):

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

With questions not answered here or on the program’s site (above), please contact the program directly.

Film & Television Graduate Program at UCLA 103E East Melnitz Box 951622 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1622

Visit the Film, Television, & Digital Media Department’s faculty roster

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Visit the registrar's site for the Film, Television, & Digital Media Department’s course descriptions

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MAJOR CODE: FILM & TELEVISION

Best PhDs In Film Studies

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Updated May 18, 2023

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To discover more about the nuts and bolts of film, and to accelerate your career, consider a PhD in film studies.

Whether you are drawn to classic silent films or to modern-day cinematic marvels, if you have a desire to pursue film and a passion to create, a PhD in film studies might be the right choice for you.

Pursuing a degree in film studies will prepare you to work in a variety of fields. When you’re just starting out, a bachelor’s or master’s degree will be sufficient to provide you with the necessary background skills and knowledge to break into the industry.

However, as you seek higher-ranking positions in the film industry, you will want to obtain a degree that will provide you with the most advanced level of education. A PhD is considered a terminal degree in film studies. It will allow you to focus on the most in-depth topics in cinematic production, from film criticism to film history.

What kind of film studies degree should you get?

Depending on your career goals, you should find a degree in film studies that will match your aspirations. For example, if you want to teach film, you should look for programs that develop teaching skills. If you want to work in the film industry, you should seek a program that offers a more hands-on approach to the discipline.

A PhD requires a significant amount of work and dedication. If you are pursuing a PhD, there is a great possibility that you are already working in the film industry. Therefore, you need a degree that will mesh with your other life commitments, while at the same time providing you with the high caliber of education your demanding career will require.

Still not sure that a PhD in film studies is the right choice for you? Consider our ranking of the Best Online Colleges and Universities for a detailed look at all of the programs out there.

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How much money do people make with a PhD in film studies?

A PhD in film studies is the highest level of education that you can obtain in this field. Therefore, you can expect to earn a salary that is higher than those earned by individuals who only have undergraduate degrees.

Because this degree will prepare you for work in a wide variety of fields, including those in teaching, television, and production, your average salary will also vary. Most professionals earn an average salary of $61,000, according to Payscale. The highest earners are those that are employed in higher education and have several years of experience.

The average growth rate for these degrees also varies due to the diversity of careers in the industry . If you are working as a film editor, college professor, or camera operator, you may earn a slightly lower salary, but you will always have work – these jobs are growing by a whopping 13 to 15 percent, which is much higher than the national average. If, however, you choose to work as an actor, your pay will be varied and you will experience a lower rate of growth though it still remains well above average.

What can you do with a PhD in film studies?

A PhD in film studies will expose you to a wide variety of career opportunities. You might work in academics, pursuing a scholarly or research-based career, or you could work in the fine arts or film production. Potential career options include those as a cinematographer, film archivist, actor, film producer, college professor, or script supervisor.

Typical employers are generally found in major metropolitan areas, but that’s not always the case. With a degree in film studies, you could work all over the world for major employers like cinemas, independent production companies, large broadcasters, newspapers, or market research companies. Some individuals with PhDs in film studies even go on to work in advertising, multimedia, or public relations.

What are the requirements for a PhD in film studies?

To obtain a PhD in film studies, you will be required to first possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related area. Many individuals enter with prior experience in communications, the fine arts, or teaching. Depending on the school’s admissions policy, you may be required to have a certain GPA as well as satisfactory GRE scores.

Once enrolled, you will develop subject-specific skills in filmmaking and film theory. You will take classes that focus on technical skills like sound recording and camera operation, as well as those that specialize in a certain area, like screenwriting or film journalism.

While all programs will vary in regard to the classes that are required, all programs will help you develop skills in research, critical analysis, and communication. You will learn how to work both independently as well as in a group, and you will also be required to demonstrate resourcefulness and creativity as you approach your studies.

What are the best PhDs in film studies?

Film studies is a unique discipline, and as a result, there is no one best PhD in film studies for everyone. You should find a degree that helps you tailor your studies to your career goal. Because this industry is so diverse, each degree program is equally one-of-a-kind.

However, we do our best to bring to you the most impressive list of the best schools in the country for film studies. To do this, we look for the programs that offer the best-ranked programs in film studies, as determined by academic rigor, reputation among employers, and student satisfaction. We also examine each school’s affordability and retention.

Our list represents the most detailed ranking of PhDs in film studies that you will find. However, we encourage you to learn more about the detailed process we use to determine the best schools by visiting our methodology page .

Before we finalize our list and pass it on to you to review, we make sure it includes only the top schools for film studies. These schools don’t just offer the best programs but are also well-respected in their approach to student success, overall satisfaction, and affordability.

Consider these top five PhDs as you look for the degree in film studies that will help you accelerate your career.

We use trusted sources like the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the data for these schools. CollegeChoice.net is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. from our partners appear among these rankings and are indicated as such.

#1 Best PhDs In Film Studies

Cornell University

• Online + Campus

The Ph.D. in film and video studies program at Cornell University builds advanced competency in film through specialized study. The private university offers competitive doctoral programs in 106 subject areas. Many of the doctoral programs offer online options in addition to on-campus enrollment.

Candidates meet coursework, research, and examination requirements to complete their doctorate. Throughout the program, learners work closely with faculty advisors to craft an original dissertation topic that contributes to the field. The film studies program encourages doctoral students to present their research at academic conferences. The comprehensive program prepares graduates for academic and research careers.

While academically rigorous, learners benefit from flexible enrollment options. Candidates have a great deal of autonomy in pursuing research and professional opportunities. The program's hands-on components train students for careers outside of academia. Prospective applicants can contact the school for more information about the program.

#2 Best PhDs In Film Studies

University of California, Berkeley

• Berkeley, CA

Students in the film and media Ph.D. program at the University of California, Berkeley gain competency in film through specialized, flexible study. The public college features competitive doctoral programs in 99 subject areas. Many of the doctoral programs prioritize flexibility by offering online classes.

Candidates in the film program complete research projects and pass comprehensive examinations. Learners work closely with faculty advisors to propose a dissertation topic and complete original research that contributes to the film field. Outside of the classroom, doctoral students pursue research projects and present at academic conferences. Graduates take on academic and research roles with a doctorate from the university.

During the program, degree-seekers meet graduation requirements in a flexible format. The program provides career and professional support for doctoral candidates. Career workshops and experiential learning opportunities also prepare students for careers outside of academia. Contact the program for more information about the enrollment process and learning formats.

#3 Best PhDs In Film Studies

University of California, Los Angeles

• Los Angeles, CA

The Ph.D. in cinema and media studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles builds advanced competency in film through specialized study. The public college features competitive doctoral programs in 89 subject areas. Many of the doctoral programs offer online options in addition to on-campus enrollment.

Candidates pursuing their film degree complete coursework, comprehensive exams, and research and teaching requirements. Throughout the program, learners meet with faculty advisors to work on an original research project that contributes to the film field. Outside of the classroom, doctoral students pursue research projects and present at academic conferences. These opportunities train graduates for careers in research and academia.

While rigorous, the film program provides unparalleled flexibility through its dual modality. Candidates strengthen their research and career training independently. In addition to academic and research career paths, the program's industry-focused training prepares students for careers outside of academia. Contact the program for more information about the curriculum and application process.

#4 Best PhDs In Film Studies

University of Pittsburgh

• Pittsburgh, PA

The Ph.D. in film and media studies program at the University of Pittsburgh prioritizes flexibility in its advanced film curriculum. Graduate learners choose from 96 doctoral programs at the public institution. Many of the doctoral programs let students take online and on-campus classes.

Candidates in the film program meet coursework, research, and examination requirements. Learners propose, write, and defend a dissertation that contributes original research to the film field. Outside of the classroom, doctoral students conduct independent research and present at conferences. These opportunities train graduates for careers in research and academia.

During the program, degree-seekers meet graduation requirements in a flexible format. Candidates gain professional and research experience independently. The program offers industry-focused training to prepare students for careers outside of academia. Prospective applicants can contact the school to learn more about application deadlines and start dates.

#5 Best PhDs In Film Studies

Yale University

• New Haven, CT

Yale University offers a specialized, flexible route to a doctorate through its film and media studies doctoral program. The private university enrolls degree-seekers in 68 doctoral programs. Many of the doctoral programs offer both in-person and online enrollment options.

Candidates in the film program meet coursework requirements that strengthen research skills. At the conclusion of the program, learners defend their dissertation to demonstrate expertise in the film field. Doctoral students may present their research at academic conferences and gain teaching experience. Graduates pursue careers in academia and research with their degree.

While academically rigorous, the program also prioritizes a flexible learning environment. Candidates benefit from independent research and professional opportunities. In addition to academic and research career paths, the program's industry-focused training prepares students for careers outside of academia. Prospective applicants can contact the school to learn more about application deadlines and start dates.

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Film and Visual Studies

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Harvard has sustained a distinguished tradition of engaging cinema, media, and visual studies. This exciting, vital interdisciplinary program places you at the crossroads of creative and innovative fields of research.

You will experience a dialogue among the expanded field of moving image culture, visual arts, spatial studies, and media studies. You will be at the forefront of pressing research that represents the global future and can make a real difference, among scholars who are often artists and filmmakers, in a program that encourages a mix of artmaking and art-thinking.

The research pursued is at the center of the critical debates of our times. Examples of work published by alumni of the department include “Re-Vision: Moving Images Media, The Self, and Ethical Thought in the 20th Century” and “Land Cinema in the Neoliberal Age.”

Graduates of the program have secured faculty positions at prestigious institutions including Cornell University, UC Santa Cruz, Emerson College, Colgate University, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Others have gone on to start their own businesses and become artists, writers, and curators.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Film and Visual Studies and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies . 

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Film and Visual Studies .

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and must be between 15 to 20 pages, in 12-point font, double-spaced, with normal margins. The writing sample must be an example of critical writing (rather than creative writing) on a subject directly related to film, performance, and/or visual studies. You should not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt or excerpts.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should give the admissions committee a clear sense of your individual interests and strengths. You do not need to indicate precisely what your field of specialization will be, but it is helpful to know something about your aspirations, and how Film and Visual Studies at Harvard might help in attaining these goals.

Strong language background helps to strengthen the application, and students who lack it should be aware that they will need to fill this gap before they can take the general examinations.

While the overall GPA is important, it is more important to have an average of no lower than A- in courses related to film and visual studies or related fields. In addition, if you have not majored in film studies or a related field, it is important to have sufficient background to enter the graduate program.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Film and Visual Studies

See list of Film and Visual Studies faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

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Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies  

The Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) at Harvard offers a graduate program in Film and Visual Studies leading to a PhD.

The Department also offers a secondary field in Film and Visual Studies for students already admitted to PhD programs in other departments in the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The study of film at Harvard functions within the multi-disciplinary examination of audio-visual experience. From Hugo Münsterberg's pathbreaking forays into the psychological reception of moving images and Rudolf Arnheim’s seminal investigations of "visual thinking" to Paul Sachs’s incorporation of film into the academic and curatorial focus of the fine arts at Harvard and Stanley Cavell’s philosophical approaches to the medium, Harvard has sustained a distinguished tradition of engaging cinema and the cultural, visual, spatial, and philosophical questions that it raises. With their emphases on experimentation in the contemporary arts and creative collaboration among practitioners and critics, the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) and the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts provide a singular and unparalleled site for advanced research in Film and Visual Studies. The program aims to foster critical understanding of the interactions between the making of and thinking about film and video, between studio art, performance, and visual culture, and between different arts and pursuits whose objects are audio-visual entities. The Carpenter Center also supports a lively research culture, including the Film and Visual Studies Colloquium and a Film and Visual Studies Workshop for advanced doctoral students, as well as lecture series and exhibitions featuring distinguished artists, filmmakers, and scholars.

Interdisciplinary in its impetus, the program draws on and consolidates course offerings in departments throughout the Faculty of Arts and Sciences which consider film and other arts in all their various countenances and investigate the place of visual arts within a variety of contexts. Graduate students may also take advantage of the significant resources of the Harvard Film Archive (HFA), which houses a vast collection of 16mm and 35mm film prints as well as rare video materials, vintage film posters, photographs, and promotional materials. The HFA furthers the artistic and academic appreciation of moving image media within the Harvard and the New England community, offering a setting where students and faculty can interact with filmmakers and artists. In early 2003, the HFA opened a new Conservation Center that allows the HFA conservator and staff to accession new films as well as to preserve its significant collections of independent, international, and silent films.

Students and faculty in Film and Visual Studies are also eligible to apply to the Harvard Film Study Center for fellowships which are awarded annually in support of original film, video, and photographic projects. Established in 1957, the Film Study Center provides production equipment, post-production facilities, technical support, and funding for nonfiction works that interpret the world through images and sounds. Among the many important films to have been produced at the Film Study Center are John Marshall's The Hunters (1956), Robert Gardner's Forest of Bliss (1985), Irene Lusztig's Reconstruction (2001), Ross McElwee's Bright Leaves (2003), Peter Galison and Robb Moss’s Secrecy (2008), Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor's Sweetgrass (2009), Véréna Paravel and J.P. Sniadecki’s Foreign Parts (2011), Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor’s Leviathan (2013) and De Humani Corporis Fabrica (2022), Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez’s Manakamana (2014), Mati Diop’s Atlantiques (2019), Ernst Karel and Veronika

Kusumaryati’s Expedition Content (2020), and Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós’ Dry Ground Burning (2022).

Images:  Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine  (2005), directed by Peter Tscherkassky, from a print in the collection of the Harvard Film Archive.

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Graduate Contacts

Laura Frahm Director of Graduate Studies 

Emily Amendola Graduate Coordinator Film and Visual Studies Program (617) 495-9720 amendola [at] fas.harvard.edu  

FAQs about the Graduate Program

My native language is not english; do i have to take the an english language proficiency exam.

Adequate  command of spoken and written English  is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers can demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:

• Receiving an undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is the primary language of instruction.*
• Earning a minimum score of 80 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the ...

When is the application deadline for admission to the Ph.D. program in Film and Visual Studies?

December 15, 2023

Where can I obtain an admissions application?

Applications are found on the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website ( https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply ). 

• SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

PhD in Screen Cultures

The Screen Cultures Ph.D. program at Northwestern University is a leading doctoral program that conducts and mentors innovative research in the history, theory, and criticism of film, television, digital, and sound media. Integrating interdisciplinary opportunities both within Northwestern’s Department of Radio/Television/Film and departments across campus, the Screen Cultures program provides an exceptional humanities-based course of study.

Students work with interdisciplinary faculty across Northwestern and Chicago, including internationally known scholars in film, television, digital media, and sound studies. Students may opt to take courses from a variety of disciplines within the School of Communication and the Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, including Sociology, English, German, French and Italian, Art History, Comparative Literature, Music Studies, African American Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Performance Studies, Theatre, and Communication Studies.

In addition to core subjects in the history and theory of film, television, digital, and sound media, students can enroll in specialty seminars with topics such as: Feminist Media Studies; African American cinema; TV, Video, and Media Arts; Postcolonial Cinema, Screen Technologies; Cultural Theory; Media Places; Media and the Environment; the Video Essay; and numerous author and genre courses.

The program attracts visiting speakers and artists through its speaker series and colloquia, exposing students to celebrated researchers and media makers. State-of-the-art production and viewing facilities allow for screenings of the latest media and lively discussions with preeminent scholars.

The rich and rigorous experiences found within the Screen Cultures program will prepare you for the academic job market and mentor you in the art of writing for scholarly publications, while creating exciting intellectual exchange.

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Film & Television Production

• Program Overview

Everywhere you look these days, there are screens that need content. The Division of Film & Television Production teaches students how to make compelling, in-demand content for screens of every size-whether it's IMAX or a hand-held device. At SCA, students quickly become adept at the tools of the trade, from cameras, light kits, and editing software to the newest cutting-edge techniques and technologies that are changing the professional production process.

Our Film & Television Production BFA, BA and MFA program fall under the CIP code: CIP code 50.0602: Cinematography and Film/Video Production.

Trojans represent big at 42nd Annual College Television Awards Straight to Series and 546 Award Profile Read More

Military Doctor turned Trojan Filmmaker Shares Her Journey Nisha Money Alumni Profile Read More

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The iconic actress and filmmakers sits down with SCA Paula Patton Alumni Profile Watch Video

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Diversity Council at SCA Honors Production Student with Award Diversity Awards Program Profile Read More

Student Stories

Liya Yang BA, Film and TV Production '23

Jeremy Lee MacKenzie MFA in Production '20

Adele Biraghi MFA in Film and Television Production '20

Featured Student Work

Clip: ricky's baby, clip: present trauma, clip: the art of a lost trade, clip: futurism & detroit techno, clip: old-e, clip: blackout, clip: new rug, clip: paulie, clip: a different tree, clip: when pigs fly, clip: iman & the light warriors, clip: theory of optimal control, degree programs, undergraduate, bachelor of arts.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinematic Arts, Film & Television Production, equips students with a thorough understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of the moving image. Production courses cover all aspects of filmmaking and promote a collaborative environment for learning the expression of original ideas through film and video.

Bachelor of Fine Arts

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cinematic Arts, Film & Television Production, offers students an intensive production experience with requirements and electives from other School of Cinematic Arts programs, including Cinema & Media Studies, Writing, Animation and Interactive Media. Far more than a technical training, students will learn how to best apply these tools to your own unique vision and do so with the most advanced facilities and equipment in the world.

Masters of Fine Arts

MFA students learn in the most state of the art facilities rivaling the most advanced production companies in the world. You'll hone your talent as a media-maker in six specialties- Producing, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, and Sound-while also learning the newest cutting-edge technologies that are changing the professional production process, preparing you for all future forms of media production.

Contact Information

Film & Television Production USC School of Cinematic Arts University Park, SCA 434 Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211 Phone: 213.740.3317 Fax: 213.740.4013 [email protected]

Master of Arts Media Producing

Become an unstoppable force in the media and entertainment industries..

Fusing creativity and commerce, the next generation of storytellers will master the dynamics of producing as an art form and a business in NYU Tisch’s immersive online master’s in producing program. Our Master of Arts (MA) in Media Producing program is your gateway to honing your skills in identifying, executing, and marketing compelling stories in the exciting world of media, television, and film.

Producing is more than just a profession; it's an art form that demands a global, forward-thinking approach to bring new, compelling stories to the silver screen. Visionary producers guide film, television, and digital media projects from their initial concepts to the red carpet and beyond. From fundraising to casting, selecting the perfect director and crew, scheduling, managing production, post-production, and marketing, our program equips a global cohort with the tools and advanced training to bring your creative vision to life.

The fall 2024 application is closed. The fall 2025 application will open later this September.

Mark your calendar for these information sessions .

MA Media Producing Degree Details

• 100% online on  Smashcut , an innovative learning management system (LMS)
• Financial aid is available for domestic students
• 15-month and 32-credit program designed for working professionals
• Synchronous and asynchronous learning
• Optional curated experience at prestigious film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival

Tailored for working adults, this 15-month journey allows you to collaborate with peers from around the world. Enjoy the flexibility of asynchronous classes and the community of weekly synchronous sessions. Your cohort will connect online from across the globe to learn together and bring their personal experiences and expertise to the virtual classroom. Watch this video for an MA in Media Producing course preview.

MA in Media Producing Course Preview with David Irving

Curriculum highlights.

• Casting and Team Building: Master the art of building a dynamic and tenacious creative team.
• Marketing and Distribution: Catapult your creation to center stage with innovative marketing and distribution expertise.
• Project Management: Leverage the full potential of your resources with deep insights into each role and moving piece in the intricate world of media, film, and television from the breakdown of the script to the completion of principal photography.
• Accounting and Financing: Harness the power of budgeting and scheduling to bring your visions to life and uncover creative fundraising strategies from industry leaders.
• Creative Problem Solving: Become a seasoned problem solver in the surprising world of the film and media industries.
• Cutting-Edge Technology: Explore and analyze the latest technologies in television and film production, including virtual production.

Online Master's in Media Producing FAQ

What is the ma media producing.

Designed for working professionals, the Master of Arts Media Producing is a specialized graduate degree program that focuses on producing as an art form and business profession. Graduate students learn aspects of producing in the film and TV industry, from pitch and development to completed project and distribution.

How long is the Master of Arts in Media Producing program?

This is a 15-month program, with courses offered throughout the year in the fall, spring, and summer. The last fall semester consists of the Thesis class only.

Which courses will I take?

Classes, with the exception of the Thesis, are seven weeks long. View the sequence of courses for the MA in Media Producing Degree here .

Required courses:

• Producing Essentials
• Script Analysis
• Production Management
• Entertainment Business Law
• Creative Fundraising and Deal Making
• Post Production / Marketing and Distribution

Electives (students will select two of the following):

• Media Mavericks
• Festivals and Markets
• New Technologies

Are all of the courses online?

Yes, all courses for this master's degree will be taken remotely and are fully online. Coursework is asynchronous and follows a weekly schedule, allowing students to watch the pre-recorded lessons and participate in crew-based and individual assessment activities. In each class there will be weekly 75-minute synchronous sessions, in which there is a scheduled day and time for a real-time class session or live video meeting with your instructor. All course material and communication will be delivered on the learning management system (LMS).

Will there be any in-person courses or opportunities to study in New York?

This program does not require any on-site courses, activities, or opportunities to study in New York. Students have the opportunity to participate in a curated experience at an industry film festival.

Is there a thesis or final project that is required to complete the program?

Yes, there is a thesis project as part of our master's program. Graduate students will choose to produce a short film, produce a prospectus of a proposed film or television pilot, or write a research paper. All students will be required to present their thesis to a panel of faculty and industry professionals.

What can I do with an MA in Media Producing?

With a master's degree in media producing, you can open doors to various exciting and rewarding opportunities in the media and entertainment industries depending on your career goals. Here are some of the roles and avenues you can pursue with this degree:

• Executive Producer : An executive producer is the head producer who secures financing for a film or TV show, supervises other producers, and ensures projects are completed on-time, within budget, and to brand, artistic, and technical standards. They are usually involved in the finance and business aspect of the project more so than day-to-day production of the film. 
• Television and Film Producer : As the most direct career path, you can become a producer or production manager in the film and video industry. Producers are responsible for overseeing all aspects of a production, from development and budgeting to casting, production, and distribution.
• Production Manager : Specializing in the logistics and planning of film and TV production, production managers handle the business side of producing. They manage the project's business plan which includes budgeting, scheduling, and ensure that everything runs smoothly on set.
• Development Executive : In this role, you'll be involved in identifying and nurturing new project ideas. You'll assess a script, screenplay or initial concept, decide what's worth pursuing, and help develop it into a marketable production.
• Casting Director : Casting directors are responsible for selecting actors for roles in a production. They work closely with producers and directors to find the right talent for each character.
• Distribution and Marketing : With your knowledge of how the industry works, you can work in distribution and marketing, ensuring that films and television shows reach their intended audience. This includes creating a marketing plan, negotiating distribution deals, and more.
• Entertainment Executive : You can pursue high-level positions in entertainment companies or media organizations in a professional environment, such as studio executives or network executives, where you'll make decisions about which projects to fund and bring to life.
• Content Development : Content development professionals are primarily focused on creating new quality content ideas for film, television, or the digital marketplace. They often work closely with writers and directors in the story development process to bring these ideas from conception to reality.
• Independent Filmmaker : Armed with your producing skills, you can venture into the world of independent filmmaking, where you have creative control over your projects be it documentary films, motion pictures, television programs independent feature films. This can involve producing and marketing your films independently.
• Film Festival Programmer : Some graduates may find roles in movie festivals, curating and selecting films for screening, organizing events, and connecting with filmmakers and industry professionals.
• Entrepreneurship : If you have a passion for the industry and a unique business idea, you can start your own media production company, content platform, interactive media, video programs, or related business.
• Media Consultant : You can offer your expertise as a consultant to help others in the industry make informed decisions about their projects from budgeting to creative direction. On the marketing-front, you can provide consultation on strategic content and branded storytelling.

Are there job services or career placement opportunities at the completion of this program?

Students will have access to New York University career development opportunities and resources through the Tisch Office of Career Development and the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development .

Does this program sponsor a U.S. student visa?

No, this program does not offer a sponsored F-1 or J-1 visa as all required coursework takes place online.

Does this program offer Optional Practical Training to international students?

No, this program does not offer Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Which online platform or learning management system (LMS) would I be using for the online courses?

All courses in the program will be delivered through Smashcut , an online learning platform for media-based education. The course content consists of video lecture material, group activities and discussion, one-on-one meetings with the professor, and collaborative projects.

As an online student, will I have access to NYU campus facilities/in-person activities?

Students will have access to NYU digital resources, the NYU VPN, and NYU facilities on campus that are open to all degree students. Students will not have access to Tisch equipment, classrooms, production or post-production laboratories, and NYU facilities abroad.

How much does a master's degree in media producing cost?

Please view the NYU Tisch Graduate Tuition and Other Charges page for information regarding tuition for our MA in Media Producing program.

Admissions FAQ

Do i need to have earned an undergraduate degree to apply for this program.

Yes, you must have earned a Bachelor's degree or higher.

Does my undergraduate degree need to be in producing and/or television and film?

No, we consider applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. We are looking for passionate storytellers.

Do I need to have professional experience in the television and film industry prior to applying?

No, your prior studies or work experience do not need to be in the television and movie industry. Applicants from different academic fields and careers are welcome to apply for this graduate studies program. Stories are needed now more than ever and come from all walks of life.

What are the application requirements?

Visit the MA in Media Producing Admissions Requirements webpage to learn more about the admissions process.

What is the application deadline?

How many students are accepted to this program.

28 students will be accepted to the MA in Media Producing.

Do you offer scholarships or financial aid?

Scholarships are not available for the Master of Arts in Media Producing.

Domestic Students

Students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens who wish to be considered for financial aid must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are encouraged to look for outside sources of aid as well. In addition, most students will also take out loans to cover tuition.

All U.S. applicants who are 1.) accepted and 2.) have filed the FAFSA, will receive a financial aid package from New York University. U.S. applicants are strongly urged to complete the FAFSA by January 15.

International Students

International students are urged to look for outside sources of funding well in advance of the acceptance notice. Please note that non-U.S. citizens do not qualify for US Federal grants and loans, and thereby cannot file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the U.S. government. International students can secure private educational loans from U.S. institutions if they have a cosigner who is a U.S. citizen. If financial aid is an important aspect of your application, don’t overlook funding opportunities from your home country, and from foundations that are internationally based, along with all possible personal, family and local resources.

Visit the Tisch Student Affairs Financial Aid website for more information.

If you have further questions about the Master of Arts Media Producing, please email [email protected] .

Film & Media Studies

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Dissertations

Listed by year of graduation

• Dissertation: " Aluminum Lesbians: Recycling Lesbian Legacy in Classical Hollywood"
• Chair: Mark Lynn Anderson (English)
• Readers: Jules Gill-Peterson (English), Nancy Glazener (English), David Pettersen (French & Italian)
• Dissertation: " Process over Product: Kinesthetic Cinema, Sporting Bodies, and Media Milieux"
• Readers: Randall Halle (German), Adam Lowenstein (English), Neepa Majumdar (English)
• Dissertation: White Design: Engineering the Visualization of Race and Racism in Social Media
• Chair: Jinying Li (English) & Zachary Horton (English)
• Readers: Mark Lynn Anderson (English), Brenton Malin (Communication), Elizabeth Reich (English)
• Dissertation: From Women's Cinema to Women's Horror Cinema: Genre and Gender in the Twenty-First Century
• Chair: Adam Lowenstein (English)
• Readers: Lucy Fischer (English), Neepa Majumdar (English), David Pettersen (French & Italian)
• Dissertation: Soviet Tableau: Cinema and History under Late Socialism (1953-1985)
• Chair:  Nancy Condee  (Slavic)
• Readers:   David Birnbaum  (Slavic),   Randall Halle  (German),  Neepa Majumdar  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English),  Vladimir Padunov  (Slavic),  Dan Morgan  (Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago)
• Dissertation:  Cinema in Fragments: Transmediating Popular Hindi Cinema on Small Screens
• Chair: Neepa Majumdar (English)
• Readers: Nancy Condee (Slavic), Jinying Li (English), Aswin Punathambekar (Communication Studies, University of Michigan), Jennifer Waldron (English)
• Dissertation:  The Interstate Logic: How Networks Change the Cinematic Representation of Time and Space
• Chair:   Lucy Fischer  (English)
• Readers:  Randall Halle  (German),  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English)
• Dissertation:  "Quiet on Set!": Craft Discourse and Below-the-Line Labor in Hollywood, 1919-1985
• Chair:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English)
• Readers:  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English),   Randall Halle  (German), Dana Polan (NYU),  Dan Morgan  (Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago)
• Dissertation:  The Matter of Identity: Digital Media, Television, and Embodied Difference
• Chair:  Jane Feuer  (English)
• Readers:  Brenton J. Malin  (Communication), Jinying Li (English),  Jennifer Waldron  (English)
• Dissertation:  The Rehearsal for Terror: Form, Trauma, and Modern Horror
• Chair:  Marcia Landy  (English)
• Readers:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Dan Morgan  (Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago)
• Dissertation:  FEEL IT ALL AROUND: ART MUSIC VIDEO, ART CINEMA, AND SPECTATORSHIP IN THE STREAMING ERA
• Chair:  Adam Lowenstein  (English)
• Readers:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English),   Randall Halle  (German),   Dan Morgan  (Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago)
• Dissertation:  The Cinematic Animal: Animal Life, Technology, and the Moving Image
• Readers:  Neepa Majumdar  (English),   Adam Lowenstein  (English), Akira Lippit (Cinema & Media Studies, University of Southern California)
• Dissertation:  Sustaining Life During the AIDS Crisis: New Queer Cinema and the Biopic
• Readers:  Lucy Fischer  (English),   Randall Halle  (German),   Marcia Landy  (English)
• Dissertation: Pataphysical Networking: Virtuality, Potentiality and the Experimental Works of the Collège de 'Pataphysique, the Oulipo, and the Mouvement Panique
• Dissertation: "Everything new is born illegal." Historicisizing Rapid Migration through New Media Projects
• Chair: Randall Halle (German)
• Readers: Nancy Condee (Slavic), Sabine von Dirk (German), John B. Lyon (German)
• Dissertation:  Impasse in Multilingual Spaces: Politics of Language and Identity in Contemporary Francophone Contact Zones
• Chair:  David Pettersen  (French & Italian)
• Readers:  Nancy Condee  (Slavic),  Neil Doshi  (French & Italian),  Giuseppina Mecchia  (French & Italian)
• Dissertation:  Press Play: Video Games and the Ludic Quality of Aesthetic Experiences across Media
• Readers:   Randall Halle  (German), Jinying Li (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English),  Dan Morgan  (Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago)
• Dissertation:  Shopping the Look: Hollywood Costume Production and American Fashion Consumption, 1960-1969
• Chair:  Neepa Majumdar  (English)
• Readers:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),  Jane Feuer  (English),  Brenton J. Malin  (Communication)
• Dissertation:  Another Habitat for the Muses: The Poetic Investigations of Mexican Film Criticism, 1896-1968
• Readers:  Neepa Majumdar  (English),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Joshua Lund  (University of Notre Dame)
• Dissertation:  Frame and Finitude: The Aporetic Aesthetics of Alain Resnais's Cinematic Modernism
• Co-Chairs:  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Daniel Morgan  (Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago)
• Readers:  Neepa Majumdar  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English)

Natalie Ryabchikova

• Dissertation: The Flying Fish: Sergei Eisenstein Abroad, 1929-1932.
• Chair: Mark Lynn Anderson (Film)
• Readers: William Chase (History), Nancy Condee (Slavic), Randall Halle  (Film), Vladimir Padunov (Slavic)

Kelly Trimble

• Dissertation:  The Celebrification of Soviet Culture: State Heroes after Stalin, 2017
• Chair: Vladimir Padunov (Slavic)
• Readers: David Birnbaum (Slavic), Nancy Condee (Slavic), Randall Halle (German)
• Dissertation:  A Hidden Light: Judaism, Contemporary Israeli Film, and the Cinematic Experience
• ​Chair:   Lucy Fischer  (English)
• Readers:  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English), Adam Shear  (Religious Studies)
• Dissertation:  Global Russian Cinema in the Digital Age: The Films of Timur Bekmambetov
• ​Chair:   Nancy Condee  (Slavic)
• Readers:  Vladimir Padunov  (Slavic),  Randall Halle  (German),  Daniel Morgan  (Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago)
• Dissertation:  The Flying Fish: Sergei Eisenstein Abroad, 1929-1932
• ​Chair:   Vladimir Padunov  (Slavic)
• Readers:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),  William Chase  (History),  Nancy Condee  (Slavic),  Randall Halle  (German)

Anne Wesserling , Visiting Assistant Professor, University of North Georgia

• Dissertation: Screening Violence: Meditations on Perception in Recent Argentine Literature and Film of the Post-Dictatorship
• Chair: Daniel Balderston  (Hispanic Languages & Literature)
• Readers: John Beverley  (Hispanic Languages & Literature), Gonzalo Lamana  (Hispanic Languages & Literature), Adam Lowenstein  (English)
• Dissertation:  The British War Film, 1939-1980: Culture, History, and Genre
• Readers:  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English),  David Pettersen  (French & Italian)
• Dissertation:  Unseen Femininity: Women in Japanese New Wave Cinema
• Readers:  Nancy Condee  (Slavic),  Marcia Landy  (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English)
• Dissertation: Visualizing the Past: Perestroika Documentary Memory of Stalin-era
• Readers: Nancy Condee (Slavic), David J. Birnbaum  (Slavic), Jeremy Hicks  (Languages, Linguistics, Film)

Gavin M. Hicks

• Disseration: Soccer and Social Identity in Contemporary German Film and Media  
• Readers: John B. Lyon  (German), Sabine von Dirke (German), Clark Muenzer  (German), Gayle Rogers (English)
• Dissertation:  Film Dance, Female Stardom, and the Production of Gender in Popular Hindi Cinema
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English), Ranjani Mazumdar (Cinema Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
• Dissertation:  Overlooking the Evidence: Gender, Genre and the Female Detective in Hollywood Film and Television
• Readers:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Brenton J. Malin  (Communications)

Christopher Nielsen , Educator, Institute for Health and Socioeconomic Policy/National Nurses United

• Dissertation: Narco Realism in Contemporary Mexican and Transnational Narrative, Film, and Online Media
• Chair: Juan Duchesen-Winter (Hispanic Languages & Literature)
• Readers: John Beverley (Hispanic Languages & Literature), Joshua Lund (Hispanic Languages & Literature), Giuseppina Mecchia  (French & Italian)
• Dissertation:  New Korean Cinema: Mourning to Regeneration
• Readers: Kyung Hyun Kim (East Asian Languages and Literatures, University of California, Irvine),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English)
• Dissertation:  “Insubordinate” Looking: Consumerism, Power, Identity, and the Art of Popular (Music) Dance Movies
• Readers:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Randall Halle  (German)
• Dissertation:  Sustaining Feminist Film Cultures: An Institutional History of Women Make Movies
• Readers:   Mark Lynn Anderson  (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English),  Randall Halle  (German Language),  David Pettersen  (French & Italian)

Yvonne Franke , Assistant Professor of German, Midwestern State University

• Dissertation:  The Genres of Europeanization - Moving Towards the "New Heimatfilm"
• Readers: Lucy Fischer (Film), John B. Lyon (German), Sabine von Dirke (German)

Olga Kilmova ,  Visiting Lecturer, University of Pittsburgh

• Dissertation: Soviet Youth Films under Brezhnev: Watching Between the Lines
• Chair: Nancy Condee (Slavic)
• Readers: Vladimir Padunov  (Slavic), David J. Birnbaum  (Slavic), Lucy Fischer  (Communication), Alexander V. Prokhorov (Slavic)
• Dissertation:  The Toy Like Nature: On the History and Theory of Animated Motion
• Chair: Daniel Morgan
• Readers:  Marcia Landy  (English), Mark Lynn Anderson  (English), Scott Bukatman (Film & Media Studies, Stanford University)
• Dissertation:  Cinematic Occupation: Intelligibility, Queerness, and Palestine
• Readers:  Mark Lynn Anderson  (English), Troy Boone  (English), Todd Reeser (French & Italian)

Yahya Laayouni , Assistant Professor of Arabic and French, Bloomsberg University of Pennsylvania

• Dissertation: Redefining Beur Cinema: Constituting Subjectivity through Film
• Co-Chairs: Giuseppina Mecchia  (French and Italian) & Randall Halle  (German)
• Readers: Todd Reeser (French and Italian), Mohammed Bamyeh  (Sociology & Religious Studies), Neil Doshi  (French & Italian)
• Dissertation:  Image to Infinity: Rethinking Description and Detail in the Cinema
• Chair:   Marcia Landy  (English)
• Readers: Troy Boone ,  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English),  Randall Halle  (German)
• Link to professional profile >
• Dissertation:  Screen Combat: Recreating World War II in American Film and Media
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English),  Randall Halle  (German)
• Dissertation:  Modern Kinesis: Motion Picture Technology, Embodiment, and Re-Playability in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twenty-First Centuries
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Giuseppina Mecchia  (French & Italian)
• Dissertation:  Research in the Form of a Spectacle: Godard and the Cinematic Essay
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English)
• Dissertation:  Immaterial Materiality: Collecting in Live-Action Film, Animation, and Digital Games
• Readers:  Marcia Landy  (English),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Randall Halle  (German)
• Dissertation:  Nation, Nostalgia, and Masculinity: Clinton/Spielberg/Hanks
• Readers:  Marcia Landy  (English),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Brent Malin  (Communications)
• Dissertation:  Body Image: Fashioning the Postwar American
• Readers:  Jane Feuer  (English), Marianne Novy (English), Carol Stabile (English, University of Oregon)

Natalia Maria Ramirez-Lopez , 

• Dissertation: MARGINALIDAD Y VIOLENCIA JUVENIL EN MEDELLÍN Y BOGOTÁ: NARRATIVAS LITERARIAS Y FÍMICAS DE LOS AÑOS 80 Y 90 EN COLOMBIA
• Chair: Hermann Herlinghaus  (Latin American Literature, University of Freiburg)
• Readers: Aníbal Perez-Linán (Political Science), Bobby J. Chamberlain  (Hispanic Languages & Literature), Gerald Martin (Hispanic Languages & Literature)

Dawn Seckler , Associate Director of Development, Bridgeway Capital

• Dissertation: Engendering Genre: The Contemporary Russian Buddy Film
• Readers: David MacFadyen (University of California, Los Angeles), Lucy Fischer  (Film), Nancy Condee (Slavic)
• Dissertation:  The Ethnic Turn: Studies in Political Cinema from Brazil and the United States, 1960-2002
• Readers:  Adam Lowenstein  (English), Shalini Puri,  Neepa Majumdar  (English),  John Beverley  (Hispanic)
• Dissertation:  Acting Social: The Cinema of Mike Nichols
• Readers:  Mark Anderson  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English), David Shumway (English, Carnegie Mellon University)
• Dissertation:  Ruins and Riots: Transnational Currents in Mexican Cinema
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  John Beverly  (Hispanic)
• Dissertation:  The Word Made Cinematic: The Representation of Jesus in Cinema
• Readers: Troy Boone ,  Adam Lowenstein  (English), Vernell Lillie (Africana Studies)
• Dissertation:  Fathers of a Still-Born Past: Hindu Empire, Globality, and the Rhetoric of the Trikaal
• Readers: Paul Bové  (English), Ronald Judy  (English),  Nancy Condee  (Slavic)
• Dissertation:  Excavating the Ghetto Action Cycle (1991-1996): A Case Study for a Cycle-Based Approach to Genre Theory
• Readers:  Jane Feuer  (English),  Neepa Majumdar  (English), Paula Massood (Cinema and Media Studies, Brooklyn College, CUNY)
• Dissertation:  "The World Goes One Way and We Go Another": Movement, Migration, and Myths of Irish Cinema
• Readers:  Adam Lowenstein  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English),  Nancy Condee  (Slavic Languages and Literatures)
• Dissertation:  The Writing on the Screen: Images of Text in the German Cinema from 1920-1949
• Readers: Paul Bové  (English),  Lucy Fischer  (English), Linda Shulte-Sasse (German, McAllister College)
• Dissertation:  Mantras of the Metropole: Geo-Televisuality and Contemporary Indian Cinema
• Readers: Paul Bové  (English); Eric Clarke (English);  Colin MacCabe  (English); M. Prasad (Film Theory, Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad)
• Dissertation:  Hollywood Youth Narratives and the Family Values Campaign 1980-1992
• Readers: Troy Boone  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English), Carol Stabile (Communications)
• Dissertation:  Reading Scars: Circumcision as Textual Trope
• Chair: Philip Smith  (English)
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English), Mariolina Salvatori, Greg Goekjian (Portland State University)
• Dissertation:  Dreaming in Crisis: Angels and the Allegorical Imagination in Postwar America
• Chair:  Colin MacCabe  (English)
• Readers: Ronald Judy  (English), Jonathan Arac ,  Nancy Condee  (Slavic)
• Dissertation:  Laying Down the Rules: The American Sports Film Genre From 1872 to 1960
• Readers:  Jane Feuer  (English), Moya Luckett, Carol Stabile (Communications)

Elena Prokhorova

• Dissertation: Fragmented Mythologies: Soviet TV Series of the 1970s
• Readers: Carol Stabile (Communications), Jane Feuer (English and Film), Martin Votruba (Slavic), Nancy Condee (Slavic)
• Dissertation:  Nickels and Dimes: The Movies in a Rampantly American City, 1914-1923
• Readers: Moya Luckett,  Jane Feuer , Gregory Waller (University of Kentucky)
• Dissertation:  As Far As Anyone Knows: Fetishism and the Anti-Televisual Paradoxes of Film Noir
• Readers: Valerie Krips, James Knapp, Henry Krips (Communications)

Alexander Prokhorov , Associate Professor, College of William and Mary

• Dissertation: Inherited Discourse: Stalinist Tropes in Thaw Culture
• Chair: Helena Goscilo (Slavic)
• Readers: Lucy Fischer (Film), Mark Altshuller (Slavic), Nancy Condee (Slavic), Vladimir Padunov (Slavic)
• Dissertation:  “Dig If You Will The Picture”: The Cinematic, the Black Femme, and the Image of Common Sense
• Chair:   Marcia Landy  (English)
• Readers: Paul Bové  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English), Amy Villarejo (Cornell), Wahneema Lubiano (Duke)
• Dissertation:   French Film Criticism, Authorship, and National Culture in the Mirror of John Cassavetes’s Body, His Life, His Work
• Readers:   Marcia Landy  (English), James Knapp
• Dissertation:  In The Shadow of His Language: Language and Feminine Subjectivity in the Cinema
• Chair:   Colin MacCabe  (English)
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English), Lynn Emanuel, Patrizia Lombardo (French and Italian)
• Dissertation:  Being In Control: The Ending Of The Information Age
• Chair: Paul Bové  (English)
• Readers: Jonathan Arac ,  Marcia Landy , Carol Stabile (Communications)
• Dissertation:  The Emergence of Date Rape: Feminism, Theory, Institutional Discourse, and Popular Culture
• Readers: Nancy Glazener  (English),   Lucy Fischer  (English), Carol A. Stabile (Communications)
• Dissertation:  Gender and the Politics and Practices of Representation in Contemporary British Cinema
• Readers: James Knapp,  Marcia Landy  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English), Sabine Hake (German)
• Dissertation:  Telling the Story of AIDS in Popular Culture
• Chair:   Jane Feuer  (English)
• Readers: Eric Clarke (English),  Marcia Landy  (English), Danae Clark (Communications)
• Dissertation:  Technology, the Natural and the Other: The Case of Childbirth Representations in Contemporary Popular Culture
• Readers:  Marcia Landy  (English), Dana Polan, Iris M. Young (Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh)
• Dissertation:  Lesbian Rule:  Cultural Criticism and the Value of Desire
• Readers: Paul Bové  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English), Gayatri Spivak (Columbia)
• Dissertation:  Feminism, Postmodernism, and Science Fiction: Gender and Ways of Thinking Otherwise
• Chair:  Philip Smith
• Readers:  Marica Landy  (English),  Lucy Fischer  (English), Dana Polan, Tamara Horowitz (Philosophy)
• Dissertation:  Camp and the Question of Value
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English), Eric Clarke (English), Janet Staiger (University of Texas–Austin)
• Dissertation:  Culture in a State of Crisis:  A Historical Construction in Cinematic Ideology in India, 1919-75
• Readers: Paul Bové  (English),  Colin MacCabe  (English), Keya Ganguly (Carnegie Mellon University)
• Dissertation:  The Ethics of Transgression: Criticism and Cultural Marginality
• Chair: Paul Bove  (English)
• Readers:   Lucy Fischer  (English),  Marcia Landy  (English), Dana Pollan, Danae Clarke
• Dissertation:  Sally Bowles: Fascism, Female Spectacle, and the Politics of Looking
• Readers:  Marcia Landy  (English), Dana Polan, Sabine Hake (German)

Film and Television

PhD, MPhil Film and Television

The Department of Film and Television offers supervisory expertise in a wide range of subject areas, including classical Hollywood cinema, British cinema, television drama, comedy, animation and documentary.

The department has particular strengths in historical research, audience studies, film theory and aesthetics, and offers the opportunity for practice-based research as well as the traditional written dissertation. Where research proposals span various disciplines, a supervisory team can be assembled across departments and faculties to meet the needs of the project.

Programme structure

MPhil: a standalone, one-year (full-time) research degree. Students will undertake their own research project, concluding in the submission of a 25,000-word dissertation. Students may have the option to audit units from our taught master's programmes if they are relevant to their research.

PhD: a research project undertaken across four years (full-time, minimum period of study three years), culminating in an 80,000-word thesis. As well as having the option to audit taught units, there may be the potential for PhD students to teach units themselves from their second year of study onwards.

The MPhil and PhD are also available via distance learning.

World-leading research

The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK ( Times Higher Education ).

94% of our research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Entry requirements

MPhil: An upper second-class degree or international equivalent. Please note, acceptance will also depend on evidence of your readiness to pursue a research degree.

PhD: A master's qualification, or be working towards a master's qualification, or international equivalent. Applicants without a master's qualification may be considered on an exceptional basis, provided they hold a first-class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent). Applicants with a non-traditional background may be considered provided they can demonstrate substantial equivalent and relevant experience that has prepared them to undertake their proposed course of study.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.

If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our  profile level C.

Further information about  English language requirements and profile levels .

Fees and funding

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.

More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support .

Alumni discount

University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study.  Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.

Funding for 2024/25

The University of Bristol is part of the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWW DTP), which offers studentships . For information on other funding opportunities, including University-funded studentships, please see the Faculty of Arts funding pages .

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.

Career prospects

This programme is particularly well suited to developing a career in higher education, and for work on high-level research and creative projects in the fields of film and television.

Meet our supervisors

The following list shows potential supervisors for this programme. Visit their profiles for details of their research and expertise.

Research groups

There is a lively postgraduate community in the department which runs a film club and shares research through regular research events and presentations of current postgraduate research.

The department has a termly programme of research seminars and public talks, and co-leads a regional research group, Screen Research , which organises workshops on topics across film, television and screen media.

How to apply

Apply via our online application system. For further information, please see the guidance for how to apply on our webpages.

January 2024 start: 1 December 2023 September 2024 start: 1 August 2024 January 2025 start: 1 December 2024

The deadlines for funding applications fall well in advance of these dates. Preliminary contact with staff from the department is welcome at any time of the year. We strongly encourage prospective applicants to contact us early, before submitting an application.

Postgraduate Admissions

Faculty of Arts

School of Arts

Department of Film and Television

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• Television Writing
• Screenwriting
• Social Impact Filmmaking
• Minor in Filmmaking
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We are hosting an Information Session on April 29 at 6:00 PM on Zoom for our TV Writing MFA.  Learn about our one-of-a-kind curriculum and meet faculty and students.  Some new funding available. RSVP at [email protected].  The final application deadline for our MFA in Film and MFA in TV Writing programs for Fall 2024: May 5 for International Applicants, June 1 for Domestic Applicants. 

Application deadline.

New admissions for Fall 2024 have begun. Priority Deadline is March 1, 2024. 

Current tuition is $471/credit for New York State residents and $963 /credit for non-residents. A New York resident who takes a full-time load of four courses for 12 credits would pay $8,596.00 for the semester, exclusive of fees and health insurance.  The current billing rates can be found  here . 

The cost compares favorably to any number of film programs charging twice or three times as much, upward of $50,000 for a single year at some institutions. At ours, the whole MFA degree costs approximately $40,000 for New Yorkers. Unless you are getting a full tuition waiver somewhere, our rates are pretty hard to beat.

Out-of-state residents pay more, so if you are accepted to the program, you should consider establishing residency  in New York State, a process that takes one year. If you're out of state or international, the whole degree is approximately $50,000.

Admission Requirements

This MFA program is intensive, and admission to it is highly selective.  Upon review, finalists may be invited for an on-campus interview. 

Please use Stony Brook Graduate School's Online Application .

You must create an account to start a new application. You can also log in to continue an application after an account has been created.

For admission, the following, in addition to the minimum Graduate School requirements, are required:

1.  A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

2.  Undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0.

3.  Three letters of recommendation.

4. A current resume

5.   A statement of purpose . Describe in a page or two why you are interested in this opportunity, how you would benefit, and what makes you a particularly deserving candidate. Upload this to the Additional Supplemental Materials, personal statement section of the application.

6. Your specialization : Screenwriter/ Television Writer/Director/Producer/Independent Track. (Add this to the bottom of your personal statement.)

Your specialization:   Film or TV Writing MFA.  If Film, specify Screenwriter, Director, Producer or Independent Track.

7. Video Pitch. (Go to Portfolio Instructions and upload Video Pitch to the Digital Portfolio section of the application.)

• All candidates: This is one of the more important elements to your application. You have probably seen people pitching for donations on a crowdsourcing site. In this case, you should pitch us yourself as a candidate. You can mention a project you want to work on, or something  else that is exciting to you but we are interested in who you are as a creative artist/storyteller . The video pitch should be creative, polished, inventive. We want you to win us over here! SUGGESTED LENGTH: 3 MINUTES

8. Directing and Producing Video Samples. (URLs for all video links may be uploaded in the Qualifications section.)

• Directing candidates only (not required for Screenwriting, Television Writing, or Producing candidates): Please include a link (or links) to up to 4 video samples of work to which you made a significant contribution. Be clear about what role you played: producer, writer, director, editor, production designer, cinematographer, etc. You may submit links for more than one piece but the total running time should not exceed 15 minutes. If you submit an excerpt, please describe the full work. Unless you are applying as a cinematographer or production designer, the entirety of your video sample should not be in the format of a professional reel but should also show us the substance of your work. (A reel might accompany another sample). In lieu of video, you may submit up to ten photographs, design samples, or photographs of your artwork.

9. Written materials: (All written materials may be uploaded in the Additional Supplemental Materials section)

Your written material should include:

a. All Candidates: The Scene. Write a short, 2-3-page scene inspired by one of these words that have no English language translation. We prefer a scene with two characters where one character wants something from the other, and that you do NOT explicitly use the word you have chosen .

• Glas wen (Welsh) - A smile that is insincere or mocking. Literally, a blue smile.
• Yuputka (Ulwa) - The phantom sensation of something crawling on your skin.
• Iktsuarpok (Inuit) - You know that feeling of anticipation when you’re waiting for someone to show up at your house and you keep going outside to see if they’re there yet? This is the word for it.

b. All Candidates: The Logline. Write an extended log line or a paragraph describing a project you’d like to realize with us. Attach this logline to the bottom of your scene.

c. Screenwriting, Television Writing, and Directing Candidates: The Writing Sample. Please include a writing sample of up to 10 pages. This can be a complete short film, web episode, play, short story, or an excerpt of a feature screenplay, a television script, a webisode, a sketch or series of sketches.  If you choose to submit an excerpt, please include a few lines describing the full work. 

d. Producing Candidates: The Writing Sample. Please include a writing sample of up to 10 pages, including, critiques, production program notes, and/or literary criticism of a chosen screenplay, excerpts of a film or screenplay you have written, acquired or produced; or a brief statement describing your view of the role of Producing in today’s platform agnostic film industry.

10. Proficiencies. Directing Candidates Only

Please include a list of technical proficiencies in:  camera, lighting, editing, and any related skills at the bottom of your statement of purpose.

UPON ACCEPTANCE BY THE MFA PROGRAM IN FILM

If a student accepted into the M.F.A. program wishes to offer, either for credit toward the degree or for exemption from enrollment in courses required by Stony Brook, analogous courses taken at another university, transcripts and other supporting material must be presented for consideration by the graduate program director before the end of the student’s first semester in the program (see Transfer of Credit from Other Universities).

Robert  Sklar   Diversity  Fellowship In Fall 2024 , we will award a handful of full and partial Graduate and Teaching Assistantships to our incoming students, particularly to those students who can contribute to the diversity of Stony Brook. All applications for full-time study in the Fall term are considered, provided that the application is submitted by December 15, 2023 . These GA/TA awards are extremely competitive.

A full TA/GA offer comes with an academic-year stipend of approximately $23,100, a 15-20 hour/week workload, full tuition waiver and subsidized health insurance. A partial TA/GA offer comes with a 50% tuition remission scholarship, and an academic-year stipend of approximately $11,550, as well as subsidized health insurance and an 8-10 hour/week workload. A 25% GA offer comes with a 25% tuition remission scholarship and an academic-year stipend of approximately $5,775, subsidized health insurance, and a 5-6 hour/week workload. Students in good standing could expect to have their funding renewed for their second year, when they teach film and screenwriting courses to Stony Brook undergraduates.

Recipients of funding offers who can contribute to the diversity of Stony Brook may be additionally eligible for the  Turner Fellowship . Those with outstanding academic promise may be eligible for the  Graduate Council Fellowship . These fellowships award an additional $30,000 over the course of three years to their recipients, along with tuition waiver and stipend.

GRE - Even though the application will ask for it, you do not need GRE scores. In the program drop-down menu, please choose MFA in FILM, and indicate whether you are applying as a part-time or full-time student. 

If a recommender does not want to submit a letter online or doesn’t use email, you may print out a blank recommendation form for him or her to fill out and mail directly to the program.

Electronic official transcripts from any undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended should be sent to the Office of Graduate and Health Sciences Admissions, at  [email protected] . 

or snail-mailed directly to the graduate school:

Stony Brook University Graduate School Office of Admissions and Student Services Old Computer Science Bldg, Room 2401 Stony Brook, NY 11794-4433

For questions, please call Margaret Grigonis at (631) 632-5028

Qualified graduate students without TA/GA funding are encouraged and, in their second year, eligible to apply for teaching artist and administrative jobs as they arise. 

To favor one incoming student over another, by awarding assistantships or prizes, runs counter to our philosophy that we are all in this together, faculty and students alike, struggling with the extraordinarily difficult work of putting words together. If you earn admission to our program, with funding or without, we guarantee that you will be treated with the same respect as any other member of our community.

Then there's your own resourcefulness in defraying the costs of graduate study. Applicants are encouraged to explore opportunities for external funding independent of our program's limited resources. For more information on other types of financial aid, contact the  Office of Student Financial Aid Services  at (631) 632-6840 .  

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For More Information

The fine print about transfer credits, international students, and other admissions arcana is revealed in the  Graduate Bulletin .

Or contact us:

MFA Programs in Film & TV Writing Stony Brook Manhattan Center for Creative Writing & Film  535 Eighth Ave 4th & 5th Floors New York, NY 10018 Phone: ‭(646) 472-2025‬ Fax: (646) 472-2090‬ E-mail:   [email protected]

Radio, Television and Film

Alison eakle, chief content officer for shondaland, will deliver keynote at 2024 moody college graduation.

Alison Eakle, screenwriting alum and Chief Content Officer for Shondaland, will return to The University of Texas at Austin next month to speak to a crowd of thousands of students and their loved ones at the 2024 Moody College of Communication Graduation.

At Shondaland, the production company founded by Shonda Rhimes, Eakle oversees a slate of feature film and television projects for Netflix and ABC and is Co-Executive Producer on such notable series as “Bridgerton,” “Inventing Anna” and “Queen Charlotte.”

She graduated from the Department of Radio-Television-Film in 2006 with a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting.

“My three years at UT were nothing short of life-defining, and while it in no way feels like 18 years since I left, I’m so honored to have this opportunity to share what I’ve learned in that time,” Eakle said. “I’m also always ready to celebrate with my fellow Longhorns, and to celebrate, specifically, a group of people who persevered and pivoted through some of the most challenging years to be in school on record.” 

This year’s graduating class started their college careers in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. “Much was asked of this class, and I cannot believe I get to be a part of this day with them,” Eakle said.

Eakle, who was raised in New Jersey, began her college career studying government at Georgetown University after briefly pursuing a professional acting career as a teen in New York City.

While an undergrad, she was mentored by and studied alongside comedians, writers and performers such as Jonah Nolan, Mike Birbiglia, Nick Kroll, Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling.  This motivated her to return to the arts, taking courses in playwriting, screenwriting and film studies while helping found Georgetown University Television and the campus’s first film festival.

She went on to UT to study screenwriting, a profession she felt she had been preparing for her whole life given the thousands of hours of film and TV she consumed as a kid.

After UT, Eakle launched her career in features at Paramount Pictures, then Paramount Vantage and Columbia Pictures. In 2010, she transitioned to television, helping to start Ellen DeGeneres' company, A Very Good Production.

Eakle joined Shondaland in 2013. The company was founded in 2005 by Rhimes, who is best known as the award-winning writer and Executive Producer of such hit shows as “Grey's Anatomy,” “Scandal,” “How To Get Away With Murder” and “Bridgerton.”

In her role at the production company, Eakle has developed projects for ABC, including “How to Get Away With Murder,” “The Catch,” “For the People and “Station 19.” She was named one of Marie Claire’s 2016 New Guard: America’s 50 Most Influential Women, and an Ojai Fellow as part of CAA’s 2019 Convene.

“We are extremely lucky to have Alison Eakle return to campus to share what she’s learned over her nearly 20-year career in film and television,” Moody College of Communication Dean Rachel Mersey said. “I have been touched by her work, and I know so many of our students and their families and friends have as well. Her extensive experience both working closely with writers and behind the scenes of some of today’s most well-loved series will inspire students as they begin their own communication careers.” 

The 2024 Moody College of Communication Graduation ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. May 10, at the Moody Center. Family and friends of graduates will crowd the arena to watch as about 1,100 students walk the stage. 

The following day, graduates are invited to attend the UT-wide commencement ceremony, which includes the conferring of degrees by President Jay Hartzell, the traditional lighting of the Tower in orange to honor graduates, and a fireworks display. 

For more information, contact:

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In Production: What Black Creators Are Currently Making For TV and Film

Black Hollywood is hard at work.

After months of strikes and uncertain futures for television and film productions, several exciting projects are officially in the works. Whether return collabs from iconic legends or long-awaited sequels to classic franchises – or even exciting mystery projects from creators from other industries – Black creators are hard at work on tomorrow’s classics and cultural staples .

Take a look at some of the exciting projects that are currently in production in Hollywood.

Jay Z’s Roc Nation will reportedly take viewers inside one of the cornerstones of NY Hip Hop culture, the famed Entertainer’s Basketball Classic in Harlem, better known as the Rucker.

The multi-part documentary series will include never-before-seen footage of the annual tournament taking place in NY’s Rucker Park, and will open a new generation’s eyes to the link between basketball, Hip-Hop, and how Harlem helped shape the culture.

Already picking up buzz due to the casting of Ice Spice in her first-ever film role, Spike Lee’s latest joint is a revisit of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 Japanese film by the same name and follows the story of a botched kidnapping and ransom demand that leaves a high-powered businessman in a moral dilemma that puts his fortune at risk.

This film marks the fifth creative collaboration between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington, and also features Academy Award nominee Jeffrey Wright in an as-yet-unspecified role.

A new sequel in the classic zombie apocalypse franchise 28 Days Later is set to go into production in three parts. Candyman (2022) and The Marvels director Nia DaCosta has been tapped to star in the second installment of the trilogy, taking a look at the fallout of the rage virus nearly three decades after the initial worldwide outbreak.

The rapper is collaborating with animated comedy kings Trey Parker and Matt Stone on what one Paramount Film exec calls “one of the funniest and most original scripts we’ve ever read.”

Set to be a live-action comedy, partially produced through Kendrick’s PGLang production imprint, the film will begin filming this summer for a July 4, 2025 release date.

This Peacock miniseries, featuring an A-list cast (Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, Chloe Bailey, Lori Harvey, Clifton Powell and Terrence Howard) dramatizes the real life robbery that took place at a 1970 post-fight party after Muhammad Ali’s comeback match in Atlanta.

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Vice media promotes stu goldstein to newly created business & legal affairs top job, los angeles production struggling post-strike as shoot days down 8.7% in q1, filmla says.

By Erik Pedersen

Erik Pedersen

Managing Editor

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The dual Hollywood strikes are history, but production has been slow to return in Los Angeles , especially for television projects. The city and county’s film office said today that local on-location filming declined by 8.7% the first quarter, recording only 6,823 shoot days from January through March.

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Reality TV production dropped 18.6% in the first quarter to 1,317 shoot days, while location-heavy TV drama production dropped 5.5% and less location-heavy TV comedy production plunged by 51.5%. TV pilots — nearly none of which were made in 2023 — saw a 842.9% rise in quarterly production but yielded just 66 shoot days.

RELATED: Hollywood Contraction: Unscripted TV Business Facing “Crushing” Grim Reality As Fewer Shows Lead To Fewer Jobs

Feature film production bucked the trend, though, rising slightly during Q1 with 634 shoot days to finish 6.6% ahead of the period in 2023.

The film office also blames runaway production, series cancellations and planned reductions in content spend as limiting industry output and work opportunities.

RELATED: Hollywood Contraction: How Writers Are Reacting To Ongoing Industrywide Cost-Cutting

“Since the first week of January, people have called FilmLA to say, ‘I am still looking for work. The phone isn’t ringing. Is the industry back?’” said FilmLA President Paul Audley. “Unfortunately, production is still slow, and things are not as they were.”

He added: “Many who weathered months without access to work and income had hoped filming would return quickly after the holidays. Production didn’t really stabilize until March, meeting our predictions while falling short of our hopes.”

RELATED: Hollywood Contraction Hits Entertainment Executive Jobs: “This Is A Full-Scale Depression”

“Job seekers sometimes ask us how Shoot Days and days spent working on-location are connected to the creation of industry jobs,” FilmLA’s Audley added. “When we dug into the permit data and examined the self-reported number of cast and crew present and working on-location, we found additional evidence of the delayed return to work.”

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‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Producer Bill Kong Aims to Reset Martial Arts Genre With ‘The Furious,’ Directed by Tanigaki Kenji (EXCLUSIVE)

The action thriller, assembling the best of Asia, has started production in Bangkok

By Patrick Frater

Patrick Frater

Asia Bureau Chief

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• ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Producer Bill Kong Aims to Reset Martial Arts Genre With ‘The Furious,’ Directed by Tanigaki Kenji (EXCLUSIVE) 2 days ago
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Bill Kong is cautious, vastly experienced and has an impeccable reputation as a key gateway between Hollywood and China to maintain. He is someone far more likely to deadpan than gush.

So, to hear him getting into high gear with a pitch for his bucket list martial arts movie project “ The Furious ” immediately invites comparison with previous Kong-produced action pictures including Oscar-winner “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Jet Li’s Fearless” or the Zhang Yimou-directed “Hero.”

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(By producing the film without mainland Chinese finance or production partners, it can be made without reference to Chinese censorship considerations at script stage. And Kong expects the finished work to be treated as an import.)

Starting production in Bangkok, Thailand, earlier this week, the English-language action thriller is directed by Japanese stunt director and action choreographer Tanigaki Kenji .

And it boasts a pan-Asian cast headed by China’s Xie Miao, Indonesia’s Joe Taslim (“The Raid: Redemption,” “Star Trek Beyond”), Thailand’s Jeeja Yanin (“Chocolate”), Yang Enyu and Indonesia’s Yayan Ruhian (“Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens,” “The Raid”).

But if the pitch has echoes of other revenge movies, Kong says he is setting the bar far higher. “If we fail, ‘The Furious’ will only be as good as ‘The Raid’ or ‘Taken,’” he says. “We also want the characters to move people.”

There is an industry mission too. “Through this film, I want us to discover the new Yuen Woo-ping, the new Sammo Hung and the new Donnie Yen,” Kong says, referencing the martial arts choreographer who directed “Crouching Tiger,” whose shoes Tanigaki is expected to fill, and to past and present icons of the Asian martial arts genre.

Tanigaki already has impressive credits in Asia, including action work on Soi Cheang’s “Monkey King” and Japanese anime-to live action franchise “Rurouni Kenshin.” Kong now likens Tanigaki to the top names in Hollywood who have made the transition from action and stunts to film directing. “Think what Chad Stahelski was before directing ‘John Wick,’ of ‘Deadpool’s David Leitch or ‘Extraction’s’ Sam Hargraves,” he says. “That’s what Tanigaki is in Asia right now.”

XYZ’s Brown, who says being a part of “The Raid” changed the course of his life, is similarly in awe of Tanigaki. “While people may not know who director Kenji Tanigaki is right now, they’re certainly going to. He’s the best there is, his work is incredibly kinetic while also being incredibly grounded and real,” Brown tells Variety . “People know Bill Kong’s previous martial arts productions for being incredibly beautiful and emotional, but this one? Tanigaki is going to punch the world in the face.”

Tanigaki has been based between Hong Kong and Japan for decades and has worked closely with Donnie Yen. He explains his approach to directing “The Furious” as bringing together multiple different forms of martial arts, a cast of athlete-actors, minimal stunt doubles and CGI and lashings of rehearsal time.

“I’m not interested in making actors who cannot move look as if they can,” Tanigaki says. “Our cast has real skills from different martial arts disciplines. Everything we are doing is going to be practical.”

Tanagaki trained and rehearsed with them in a disused car showroom in inner Bangkok for a month, before heading to locations on the outskirts of the city for the next two and a half months.

“Take the films of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin or Fred Astaire. We are still watching those movies 50 years after they were made,” he adds. “They are classics, that are practical and real. I hope our movie will be able to live on like that.”

Kong says: “Now is the time to make a great Asian action film. We have the people and the motivation. Chad Stahelski follows every Asian action movie and I remember he once told me, ‘You [Asian filmmakers] don’t know your own strengths’.”

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