| Location | Email Address | Program Website |
|---|---|---|
| 224 Centre for Film & Theatre | gradfilm@yorku.ca | yorku.ca/gradstudies/film/ |
The Graduate Program in Film, established in 1980, is the oldest film graduate program in Canada. It is anchored in the first Department of Film established in Canada (1970).
The Graduate Program in Film offers MA and PhD degrees in Cinema & Media Studies, as well as a MFA in Film, which consists of two discrete fields: Production and Screenwriting.
Students can combine their MA or MFA degree with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
All degrees are offered either full-time or part-time.
Admission Requirements
Master of Arts in Cinema & Media Studies Program / Master of Fine Arts in Film Program
| Master of Arts in Cinema & Media Studies Program |
|---|
| To be considered for admission, applicants must have at least a B (second class) standing in an acceptable Honours degree or equivalent. Applicants are expected to submit: - a written statement of interest and major research project/thesis proposal; - a writing sample (see the graduate program website for details); - a résumé/curriculum vitae; - transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions attended; and, - three letters of reference. The program’s admissions committee may invite applicants to an interview. Admission to the program does not include approval of a major research project/thesis project. |
| Master of Fine Arts in Film Program |
|---|
| To be considered for admission, applicants must have at least a B (second class) standing or equivalent. Where applicants have a significant record of professional achievement, they may appeal for admission with a lower academic standing. Applicants are expected to submit: - a written statement of interest and thesis proposal; - a portfolio for Production: a number of moving image film and/or new media works, where the applicant is the main creator/director/ filmmaker/author (see the graduate program website for details). for Screenwriting: written work, e.g., a feature screenplay, or a pilot and bible for a one-hour TV series, or short stories/creative writing/playwriting/new media fiction-based writing that reflects their writing abilities and creativity (see the graduate program website for details); - a résumé/curriculum vitae; - transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions attended; and, - three letters of reference. The program’s admissions committee may invite applicants to an interview. Admission to the program does not include approval of a thesis project. |
Doctor of Philosophy Program in Cinema & Media Studies
Applicants for the PhD degree are considered only after they have been graduate students at a recognized university for at least one year and have been awarded the master’s degree in Cinema and Media Studies (or equivalent program), with at least a B+ average indicating preparation for advanced graduate work in Cinema & Media Studies.
Applicants are expected to submit:
- a written statement of interest and dissertation proposal;
- a writing sample;
- a résumé/curriculum vitae;
- transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions attended; and,
- three letters of reference.
The program’s admissions committee may invite applicants to an interview.
Admission to the program does not include approval of a dissertation project.
Degree Requirements
| Master of Arts in Cinema & Media Studies Program | Master of Fine Arts in Film Program |
|---|---|
| The MA degree may be earned in one of four ways: 1. By completion of 8 half courses and a major research project of 40-50 pages. The majority of students in the Cinema and Media Studies MA are expected to elect this option. 2. By completion of 8 half courses and a research/creation major research project supplemented by a support paper of approximately 20 pages. 3. By completion of 8 half courses and a field placement major research project supplemented by a support paper of approximately 20 pages. 4. By completion of 7 half courses and a thesis (80-100 pages). MA students may be granted permission by the program to pursue a thesis option on the basis of a rigorous and well-structured thesis proposal. Students should consult with the Cinema & Media Studies’ Graduate Program Director in order to determine which model best suits their interests and abilities. Students wishing to complete the degree under option 4 must make certain that they have the supervision in place as well as the research tools to complete a thesis. Required Courses for MA in Cinema and Media Studies Film 6220 3.0: Methods and Research in Cinema & Media Studies Film 6230 3.0: Contemporary Cinema & Media Studies Theory Film 5400 3.0: Graduate Seminar Cinema & Media Studies students are eligible to take some Production and Screenwriting courses, but in all cases must receive the explicit permission of course directors to enroll. Cinema & Media Studies students may normally take up to six graduate credits outside the Film program. Permission is required from the course director, the director of the graduate program in which the course is taken, and the Graduate Program Director of Cinema & Media Studies. All courses must be taken during the full-time residency of five consecutive terms or the part-time residency of ten consecutive terms. | All graduate students earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in production or screenwriting must complete 18 graduate credits (six 3.0 credit courses) and a thesis during their full-time residency of five terms or part-time residency of ten terms. PRODUCTION STUDENTS Required Courses Film 5010 3.0: Production or Film 5080 3.0: Directing Short Narratives Film 5400 3.0: Graduate Seminar SCREENWRITING STUDENTS Required Courses Film 5110 3.0: Screenwriting Film 5130A 3.0: Selected Topics in Screenwriting Film 5400 3.0: Graduate Seminar MFA students must take at least one half (3.0) Cinema & Media Studies graduate-level course, or an equivalent approved by the Graduate Program Director of Cinema & Media Studies. Production students are eligible to take some Screenwriting courses, and Screenwriting students are eligible to take some Production courses, but in all cases must receive the explicit permission of the course directors to enroll. MFA students may normally take up to two half (3.0) courses or one full (6.0) course from outside the Film program. Permission is required from the course director, the director of the graduate program in which the course is taken, and the Graduate Program Director in Film. All courses must be taken during the full-time residency of five consecutive terms or the part-time residency of ten consecutive terms. |
| Program Entry The MA program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term. | Program Entry The MFA program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term. |
| Program Length The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 5 terms. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 5 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 5 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part- time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies. | Program Length The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 5 terms. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 5 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 5 terms of full- time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies. |
Doctor of Philosophy Program in Cinema & Media Studies
Doctoral students must successfully complete 18 graduate credits (six 3.0 credit courses).
Required Courses
Film 7000 3.0: Key Concepts in Cinema and Media Studies
Film 7020 3.0: Advanced Methods and Research in Cinema & Media Studies
Elective Courses
Students may take a maximum of two 3.0 credit courses as electives outside the Program.
No more than two 3.0 credit courses may be independent study courses as approved by the Graduate Program Director.
Doctoral students, while undertaking some of the same required courses as master’s level students, are expected to perform at a much higher level of study on top of the already stated course requirements. There are additional assignments that may take the form of longer, more substantive research papers and essays.
Comprehensive Examination Field Essay
Students are expected to complete all components of the comprehensive exam, followed by an oral examination, normally by the end of the second year of registration.
The objectives of the comprehensive examination are to equip students with the specialized knowledge they need to undertake research for their doctoral dissertation and to prepare and qualify students to teach at the university level.
Comprehensive exams follow FGS regulations governing Graduate Milestone Examinations. Detailed guidelines for the conduct and format of comprehensive examinations are available from the program office. These guidelines may be revised from time to time by the Program Graduate Council.
Dissertation Proposal
Students should normally submit a dissertation proposal, including ethics approval (if applicable), for approval by their dissertation committee, the graduate program, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, no later than two months after completion of the comprehensive examination.
Dissertation and Oral Defence of Dissertation
Dissertations are evaluated by standard Faculty of Graduate Studies’ oral defence procedures. When the supervisory committee is satisfied that a dissertation is ready for oral examination, it sends a signed oral defence examination notification form to the Faculty. The supervisor, working in conjunction with the Graduate Program Director, forms an examination committee according to the standards of the Faculty. A complete copy of the dissertation is sent to all members of the oral examination committee at least four weeks before a scheduled oral defence date.
Program Entry
The PhD program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term.
Program Length
Normal degree completion time for full-time PhD students is 18 terms (6 years). Doctor of Philosophy students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of six terms of full-time registration. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 18 terms (6 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time doctoral student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.