Film Studies, M.A.

Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Juan Kase

The Department of Film Studies offers a two-year Master of Arts degree in the history, theory, and aesthetics of cinema. Our comprehensive curriculum offers advanced classes in film style, historiography, global cinema, and film production. Students work closely with faculty to develop an individualized course of study that supports their research agenda and leads them to a culminating thesis. Students also complete an applied learning experience, which may involve teaching, festival programming, conference planning, magazine and journal publishing, or professional writing.

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Arts Program in Film Studies are required to submit the following items to the Graduate School before the application can be processed.

An application for graduate admission.
Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate).
A 2-3 page Statement of Purpose that explains the candidate’s educational or professional goals.
An example of the candidate’s academic or critical writing in film studies or a related field.
2-3 letters of recommendation.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae.

An applicant must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (B.S., B.A., or B.F.A.). Submission of the materials above does not guarantee admission to the M.A. program.

All application materials must be received by the published deadline. All interested applicants will be considered for graduate assistantships, which will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Degree Requirements (39 total credit hours)

The program consists of 39 hours, distributed as follows. No more than nine credit hours may be taken from cross-listed 400/500 courses.

FST 500 - Introduction to Film Study and Production Credit Hours: 6
FST 505 - World Cinema Credit Hours: 3
FST 540 - Film Theory Credit Hours: 3
6 hours of FST 569 - Seminar in Film Studies Credit Hours: 3
FST 570 - Historiography Credit Hours: 3
FST 579 - Studies in Film History Credit Hours: 3
FST 589 - Studies in Global Cinema Credit Hours: 3
FST 595 - Thesis I Credit Hours: 3
FST 596 - Thesis II Credit Hours: 3
FST 598 - Applied Learning Credit Hours: 3

Production elective, 3 hours selected from:

FST 501 - Advanced Practicum in Cinematography Credit Hours: 3
FST 510 - Screenwriting Credit Hours: 3
FST 516 - Advanced Practicum in Film Production Credit Hours: 3
FST 518 - Screenwriting II: Writing the Feature Film Credit Hours: 3
FST 519 - Screenwriting III: Film Adaptation Credit Hours: 3
FST 522 - Digital Visual Effects Credit Hours: 3
FST 531 - Editing Credit Hours: 3
FST 535 - Cinematography Credit Hours: 3
FST 536 - Sound Recording and Design Credit Hours: 3
FST 537 - Producing Credit Hours: 3
FST 551 - Directing the Narrative Film Credit Hours: 3
FST 552 - Directing the Documentary Credit Hours: 3
FST 553 - Directing the Experimental Film Credit Hours: 3

Minimum GPA

A minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) must be maintained in graduate course work; a “B” average is required for graduation.

Time Limit

The M.A. in Film Studies program is designed to be completed in two calendar years. All requirements must be completed within five calendar years.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of six credit hours of graduate course credit may be transferred from another regionally accredited institution in partial fulfillment of the M.A. UNCW regulations will be applied in determining the transferability of course credits, and requests for transfer credit must be approved by the M.A. coordinator, the chair of the Department of Film Studies, and the Graduate School.