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Master of Fine Arts in Film & Media Arts

Innovative Media with Impact

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Media with Impact

The AU School of Communication MFA in Film and Media Arts prepares you to be a compelling visual storyteller. You will learn the skills you need for a career creating meaningful stories that inform and inspire action in film, video, and game design.

You will concentrate your studies in one of three areas: Documentary, Fiction, or Games and Interactivity. Our program includes courses in media studies, history, and theory that complement the production courses, including those in advanced-level fiction, documentary, scriptwriting, producing, and new media topics. Our students use American University's state-of-the-art film, video, and digital equipment to build skills in film and video production, script writing, computer animation, digital imaging, sound production, and digital media design. You will also take a seminar in teaching philosophy, skills, and techniques that prepare you to teach at the university level. 

Selected
Admissions
Cost & Financial Aid

Admissions

The School of Communication operates on a rolling admissions basis for our graduate programs. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis until programs reach capacity.

While an undergraduate degree in visual media is desirable, applications from candidates who have majored in other fields also will be considered. Your essay demonstrating a serious commitment to a career in this field will be essential, along with the other required application materials. If you have prior experience in visual media, you should submit a portfolio illustrating relevant professional work.

Our Film and Media Arts MFA program is a full-time program, but it can be completed part-time. Students are generally expected to complete the 54-credit-hour program within 36 months. First-year students are required to attend our Film & Media Arts Boot Camp in August before their first semester. Boot Camp teaches you the essential building blocks for production. Focusing on a digital skill set, you will work on practical exercises to get up to speed with equipment and learn about the expectations of the programs in SOC. Substitutions for Boot Camp are possible.

Cost and Financial Assistance

The MFA in Film & Media Arts is a 54 credit program. To estimate the cost of tuition, please see the current cost per credit hour for graduate students.

The School of Communication (SOC) offers graduate students both merit-based and need-based financial aid. Merit awards are administered by the SOC Graduate Admissions Office, while need-based awards are administered by the American University Office of Financial Aid. A number of scholarships are also available for students in the Film and Media Arts program. Additional financial support is available for veterans.

At the Forefront of Visions & Realities

Frame by Frame

Anedra Edwards (SOC/MFA ‘15) took advantage of transformative opportunities at SOC which prepared her to venture into VFX, one of the most dynamic realms within the film industry. As an MFA student, Edwards immersed herself in a curriculum that bridged theoretical knowledge with practical application. From studying film production in Prague to participating in the Center for Environmental Filmmaking's Alaskan filmmaking expedition, her experiences highlight the program’s commitment to providing real-world exposure. This hands-on approach ensures our graduates are not just participants in the industry but innovators and leaders. Edwards' career trajectory, working on everything from Wakanda Forever to the Transformers franchise and the Apple TV+ show The Studio, showcases the breadth of opportunities available to our students upon graduation. 

Documenting Change

Matt Cipollone (SOC/MFA ‘18) stands as a testament to the expansive potential SOC offers to its students. His educational journey was enriched by opportunities that linked classroom learning to tangible industry experience. He participated in a Dean’s Internship at Interface Media Group and worked closely with faculty on their own professional film projects as a credited - and paid - collaborator, activities that highlight the program's emphasis on real-world applicability and professional portfolio developing. Cipollone’s professional path reflects the broad spectrum of opportunities accessible to students within the program. His work tackles significant social themes, emphasizing the role of documentaries in instigating change and awareness. This approach to filmmaking ensures that our graduates are equipped with a profound understanding of their craft and its impact on society.

Storytelling with the Institute for IDEAS

Explore New Realities in Film and Media Arts

The Institute for Immersive Designs, Experiences, Applications, and Stories (IDEAS) at American University is a cutting-edge research center that complements SOC's MFA in Film and Media Arts. Founded by Dr. Krzysztof Pietroszek and a diverse team of faculty, the Institute is dedicated to pioneering research in virtual, augmented, mixed, and extended reality. Students can engage with immersive technologies that push the boundaries of traditional storytelling. The Institute for IDEAS not only provides access to international expertise but also offers state-of-the-art equipment that enhances your ability to create compelling, impactful narratives in film, video, and game design. Here, you'll explore new dimensions of storytelling, preparing you for a future where digital innovation meets narrative excellence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our MA in Film and Production Media is a 36-credit, 24-month program that will help you build a solid professional skill set in film, video, and digital media. You’ll acquire professional competencies in scriptwriting, cinematography, lighting, sound recording, and editing, while also learning the historical, conceptual, and aesthetic foundations and frameworks of the art form and the industry.

Our MFA in Film and Media Arts is a 54-credit, 36-month terminal degree that prepares you to teach at the university level. The focus is more on how meaningful stories are constructed, in an artistic sense, for public knowledge and action. You will also focus your studies in one of three concentrations: Documentary, Fiction, or Games and Interactivity.

The Film & Media Arts division of American University's School of Communication is a leader in visual storytelling and integrating the latest and evolving technologies into production and distribution.

As a result, we are pleased to partner with Apple to provide you with recommendations for your laptop needs. Remember that we have an all-digital tapeless production workflow, which means that the central tool for managing media is your computer. Read about the specific computer requirements for this program.

Applicants with prior experience in visual media, who wish to be considered for a substitution of the required COMM-610 Principles of Video Production and/or COMM-663 Techniques and Aesthetics of Editing courses, should submit a written request illustrating relevant coursework or professional experience. Those requesting a substitution of either or both of these required courses will be required to take and pass an exam. Students granted substitutions for either, or both, of these required courses take advanced coursework in order to fulfill those academic credits. It is up to the discretion of the faculty committee to allow students to proceed to fall courses even if they pass either, or both, of the required bootcamp courses.

The School of Communication offers a number of opportunities for hands-on learning that also allow you to showcase your own work. The Visions Awards celebrate the best in student visual work — documentary, fiction, digital and new media, screenwriting, and photography. Our partnership with the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague helps students develop their skills and portfolios in photography and super 16mm or 35mm film. The Center for Environmental Filmmaking inspires a new generation of filmmakers and media experts committed to using media to drive environmental change. And our Center for Media & Social Impact empowers media that matter as an innovation incubator and research center that creates, studies, and showcases media for social impact.

Still have questions? Check our general admission FAQ or send us an email: GradComm@american.edu