How to Get a PhD or MFA in Film & Television

Lights, camera…action! Taking the first step toward a PhD or MFA in Film can be daunting. This guide leads you through the process step by step, from focusing your career goals to researching programs to submitting your application. Take the time now to explore the academic options available to you and chart a course to a successful career in film or television.

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Film and television have evolved into a vibrant mode of cultural expression. While traditional arts fight for funding, the motion picture and television industry is registering profits in the billions. Movies brought in $28.1 billion worldwide at the box office in 2008, with 610 films released in the U.S. alone. The motion picture and television industry supports an estimated 2.5 million workers in the U.S., from costume designers to accountants to movie directors.

A PhD or MFA in Film and Television can launch your career in the cinematic arts. Whether you choose to make films or advanced film scholarship, an advanced degree offers a springboard to your future. The action begins with a single step.

A Guide to the PhD and MFA in Film and Television

Film--and eventually television--emerged in the twentieth century as a powerful medium of communication and entertainment. It wasn't until the 1960s and 1970s that film gained a place in the university as an academic discipline. Early institutions such as the AFI Conservatory, established in 1968, pioneered the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Film. Since then, the film and television discipline has become a mainstay of visual arts and media studies schools. Most colleges and universities make a distinction between professional film and television degrees and academic film studies or film theory degrees.

This introduction to graduate film programs covers the basics of graduate film and television programs. You can learn more about film as an academic discipline at WorldWideLearn.com's Guide to College Majors.

PhD or MFA?

The PhD and MFA exist a world apart, and serve radically different career goals.

The PhD in Film is the pinnacle of academic education in film studies or film theory. The degree typically serves students en route to an academic career as a professor, theorist, or film researcher. Courses and the dissertation project focus on original theoretical research that advances the scholarly understanding of film and television.

The MFA in Film and Television, by contrast, is designed to train a new generation of filmmakers in the craft of cinematography and television production. This degree offers applied technical training as well as opportunities for creative development. You may take some courses in film theory, but the emphasis of a campus or online MFA in Film is the practice, not the study, of cinematic arts.

The PhD typically takes four to six years to complete; master's degrees may be completed in half the time, two or three years. A few programs offer a professional practice PhD, which applies academic research as a means of deepening the filmmaking practice. For more information about the distinctions between the two degrees, see WorldWideLearn.com's descriptions master's degrees and Online PhD Degrees and Doctoral Programs.

Specializations

Both PhD and MFA degrees in film and television offer opportunities to specialize in a topic of interest. Let your research ambitions or career goals guide you to the right area of concentration.

Academic degrees feature research specializations in:

  • Film History (European, American, International)
  • Experimental Film
  • Film Theory
  • Documentary or Animated Film
  • Broadcast Media Studies
  • Film Criticism

Professional degrees allow you to focus on particular roles in the filmmaking process. Specializations include:

  • Cinematography
  • Directing
  • Editing
  • Special Effects and Animation
  • Producing
  • Production Design
  • Screenwriting
  • Broadcast Television

You'll find that each program offers a unique take on these standard specializations, reflecting faculty expertise, local resources, and available facilities.

Career Track

Your career track is closely linked to the degree you choose. A PhD in Film and Television prepares you for an academic career advancing original research. Most doctoral degree graduates pursue research and teaching careers at the university level, taking positions as professors. Some find jobs as full-time researchers or media archive librarians.

The MFA and professional practice doctoral degrees prepare you for jobs in the film and television industry. Take an active role in the creation of new films and television products in these positions:

  • Film Producer, Associate Producer
  • Production Manager
  • Editor, Assistant Editor
  • Director of Photography
  • Cinematographer
  • Production Designer
  • Screenwriter
  • Location Manager

Focusing your career ambitions is an essential stage in planning your advanced degree. WorldWideLearn.com's Career Pathways resource offers career planning and assessment tools to help you develop a sense of direction.

How to Apply for the PhD or MFA in Film and Television

Once you have a solid vision of your academic and career goals you're ready to move on to the next stage in the process: applying to programs. The challenge is to find the programs most closely aligned with your interests and ambitions. WorldWideLearn.com offers a range of resources to facilitate this research process.

For a general overview of the application process, consult WorldWideLearn.com's The Insider's College Guide for Working Adults.

Find the Right Graduate Film School

This is the most research-intensive phase of the application process. Finding the right online or offline PhD or MFA program in film takes discipline and focus: each school offers a unique blend of opportunities and resources.

This step-by-step guide takes you through the research process. You'll find links to online resources for each step.

Step One: Develop a List of Accredited Programs

First, cast a wide net. Compile a comprehensive list of colleges, universities, and film schools that offer your degree--a PhD or MFA in Film.

Accreditation. A school's accreditation status offers an important baseline standard for academic quality. Accreditation by an independent authority ensures the value of your degree, and qualifies you for federal financial aid. Independent accrediting agencies assess higher education institutions regularly to validate quality. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of approved accreditation agencies.

Resources. Online directories and accrediting agency websites offer good starting points for your research.

Step Two: Online or Campus Format?

As a future graduate student in film and media studies, you're likely to appreciate the multimedia experience of the online education format. Today's online MFA and PhD programs in film offer an effective simulacrum of the brick-and-mortar classroom. That said, the physical campus still offers advantages, such as access to state-of-the-art technology.

The right delivery format for you will depend on your specialization, career goals, and learning preferences.

Online PhD and MFA degrees offer the benefit of convenience, since they may be pursued asynchronously alongside your other obligations. This work-study multitasking can be a real asset if you are already working in film or television: your job will serve as a perfect laboratory for applying what you learn. Online degrees also expand your program options by taking local access off the table.

Campus-based PhDs and MFAs in Film offer access to on-site resources. This is an especially important consideration for film students. Professional students typically rely on advanced cinematography, film editing, or other state-of-the-art equipment available through campus facilities. Academic students, meanwhile, depend on research facilities such as media libraries. PhD students work closely with a faculty mentor and benefit from access to campus teaching and research assistantships.

Resources. Learn more about online and campus PhD and MFA program formats at WorldWideLearn.com. The Online Degree Programs and Campus Education sections can help you identify schools with the format that suits you best. For campus programs, narrow your search to campus degrees by location.

Step Three: Explore Academic Programs

Academic program research is the heart of your school search. You'll take an in-depth look at the programs on your list to gauge how well they align with your interests and goals.

The following features will give you an idea of a program's approach to the PhD or MFA in Film:

  1. Curriculum and course requirements
  2. Specializations
  3. Faculty expertise or research
  4. Special programs

This list will help you zero in on your perfect program in stages, beginning with the most readily available information, course requirements. Faculty expertise and research areas are the primary factor, since you'll be relying heavily on the mentorship of industry experts or academic thought leaders to guide your own work.

Resources. Online resources and one-on-one conversations offer an efficient two-pronged approach to researching programs.

  • WorldWideLearn.com facilitates your research legwork by matching you with schools that meet your specifications. Fill out an online form indicating your academic program criteria, and representatives of matching schools will contact you to answer specific questions. These counselors may put you in touch with faculty who share your research or artistic interests.
  • School Web sites feature extensive information about program requirements, faculty research interests, links to student or faculty film projects, and more.

Step Four: Evaluate Program Quality

The final vetting process is crucial for doctoral and graduate film students. Beyond the program academics, students rely on a program to provide state-of-the-art facilities, networking opportunities, and career support resources.

Evaluate online and offline PhD and MFA programs in film based on:

  • Reputation and selectivity
  • Facilities and equipment
  • Industry relationships, including internships
  • Networking resources and public events such as student film festivals
  • Career support services (academic or professional)

Rankings offer a good starting point for gauging a school's reputation. Popular ranking publications include:

U.S. News and World Report: Best Graduate Schools in Fine Arts offers a general overview of art schools.

The Princeton Review: Film/Video and Photographic Arts Graduate Schools offers a more focused assessment of graduate film programs, including the online MFA and PhD in Film.

School data offers a picture of career support through job placement statistics, internship opportunities, and corporate recruitment programs.

Admissions counselors can also help you identify available programs and give you guidance about selectivity standards. It's important to find programs within your range as an applicant--but also to aim for the stars. Film practice schools have a reputation for selectivity, with the top programs admitting fewer than ten percent of applicants. But the quality of your work typically speaks louder than your academic record.

Preparing for an MFA or PhD in Film and Television

Once you've narrowed your list down to six to ten schools, you're ready to prepare some applications. Application requirements will vary, especially between the academic film studies program and the applied MFA in Film. The following steps will see you through the application process.

1. Complete Prerequisites

The PhD or MFA program to which you apply may require:

  • A bachelor's degree in film. If you have an undergraduate degree in another field, you may need to supplement your education some basic media arts coursework.
  • A portfolio of your work in film or television.
  • Tests such as the GRE or TOEFL (for international students)

2. Assemble Application Materials

You'll need the following materials to file an application:

  • Undergraduate transcript
  • GRE and TOEFL (if applicable) scores
  • Faculty or professional recommendation letters
  • Personal statement
  • Media portfolio
  • Writing sample (if applicable)

3. Line Up Financial Aid

Your PhD or MFA in Film represents a significant investment of time and money. Fortunately there are a number of funding sources to help you meet the cost of tuition and equipment. Financial aid options include:

  • Academic scholarships
  • Research and teaching assistantships (for the PhD in Film studies)
  • Paid internships or work-study programs (for the MFA in Film and Television)
  • Federal and private loans
  • Research grants

For more information, visit the WorldWideLearn.com resource page on graduate financial aid.

4. Become a Film and Television Insider

You're on your way to becoming a film and television professional. Begin building relationships now by:

  • Reading film journals and blogs such as American Cinematographer (published by the ASC), Creative Planet, Indiewire, Premiere, and Variety
  • Joining professional associations such as the American Film Institute (AFI), American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), and Filmmakers Alliance (FA)
  • Attending film festivals. Major international film festivals include Cannes, Venice, Toronto (TIFF), Berlin, Shanghai, Montreal, Tokyo. Independent festivals are more accessible to students; check out Sundance (greater Salt Lake City), South by Southwest (Austin, TX), Tribeca Film Festival (NYC)
  • Reading guides to academic degree programs such as Introduction to Film Studies (Routledge, 2007) and The Oxford Guide to Film Studies (Oxford UP, 1998)

Whether you decide to take the academic PhD track or the professional online MFA, you're joining an elite group of creative professionals. Both advanced degrees afford you the rare opportunity of learning from the thought leaders and leading lights of the film and television profession.

 

Sources

  • Academy of Art, Motion Pictures and Television Online Programs
  • AFI Conservatory
  • ASC, American Cinematographer
  • The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC)
  • Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design
  • Filmmakers Alliance
  • FilmReference.com, Spectatorship and Academic Film Studies
  • IMDb, List of Film Schools
  • Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
  • National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
  • Oxford University Pulblishing, The Oxford Guide to Film Studies, John Hill and Pamela Church Gibson, eds.
  • The Princeton Review, Film/Video Graduate School Rankings
  • UCLA, Cinema and Media Studies PhD
  • USC School of Cinematic Arts, Film and Television Production Graduate Requirements
  • U.S. Department of Education, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs

Pursue your Film & Television major today…