Film and Digital Media, MFA
Here follows a general outline of the requirements and procedures for successful completion of the MFA in Film & Digital Media. The following are subject to the rules of Baylor’s Graduate School.
General requirements for admission to the Graduate School can be found in the Graduate School Bulletin (see especially the section for prospective graduate students). The minimum requirements for admission to our department’s program are (A) a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and (B) submission of a creative portfolio. This portfolio should include:
- Scripts or film work (which can be submitted as a private streaming link, such as via Vimeo), and the applicant should designate what role he or she performed in the piece(s) in question.
- Transcripts documenting an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale. If the Graduate Program Director and the Admissions Committee in Film & Digital Media believes a student is capable of successful graduate work, the Committee may admit a student with an undergraduate grade point average below 3.0, on the basis of a student’s last two years of work, grades in film courses, or general academic competence.
- A a 400–500-word statement describing their reasons for seeking the MFA.
- Three letters of recommendation from former professors or those familiar with their creative work.
An undergraduate major in film or media is not required for admission to our program, but we prefer that prospective students have at least 24 hours of undergraduate or graduate coursework in film and media. Those deficient in these requirements may be admitted on a probationary basis. Students are also encouraged to take courses in art, theatre, and literature before entering the program.
All documents may be submitted through Baylor’s Slate system by 1 February to the Director of Graduate Studies.
To be fully considered for a departmental assistantship, applicants should submit all required materials by February 1st of each academic year. The final application deadline will be May 1st of each academic year.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Directing Workshop taken 4 times | 12 | |
| Graduate Directing Workshop 1 | ||
| FDM 5376 | Contemporary Film Theory | 3 |
| FDM 5377 | Storytelling in the 21st Century | 3 |
| FDM 5392 | Producing and Practical Production | 3 |
| FDM 5393 | Preproduction Workshop | 3 |
| FDM 5394 | Aesthetics and Techniques of Editing | 3 |
| FDM 5395 | Directing Actors | 3 |
| FDM 5396 | Seminar in Screenwriting | 3 |
| FDM 5691 | Summer Film Production | 6 |
| FDM 5V99 | Thesis (Repeatable, Variable) | 9 |
| Electives | 9 | |
| 5000-LEVEL FDM ELECTIVES | ||
| Internship in Film & Digital Media | ||
| Media Psychology | ||
| Seminar in Film and Electronic Media | ||
| Seminar in Media Aesthetics and Criticism | ||
| Seminar in Corporate Telecommunication | ||
| Graduate Production Workshop | ||
| Problems in Film and Digital Media | ||
| 5000-LEVEL OUTSIDE ELECTIVES | ||
| Seminar in Dramatic Production | ||
| Contemporary Performance Theory | ||
| Dramatic Theory and Criticism | ||
| 4000-LEVEL FDM ELECTIVES | ||
| Diffusion of Innovations | ||
| Digital Media Technologies | ||
| Survey of French Cinema | ||
| Media and Society | ||
| Electronic Culture | ||
| Art and the Moving Image | ||
| Film and Media Theory | ||
| Film Criticism | ||
| Communication and Culture | ||
| Audio Production | ||
| Making the Short Film: Creative | ||
| Advanced Digital Production | ||
| Interactive Media | ||
| Lighting and Cinematography | ||
| Post Production | ||
| Film Directing | ||
| Producing | ||
| Advanced Sound Design | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting | ||
| Topics in Media History | ||
| Topics in Media Management and Technology | ||
| Topics in Media Storytelling | ||
| Topics in National Media | ||
| Topics in Media Production | ||
| Topics in Media Genres | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Cinema | ||
| Research | ||
| Electronic and Film Media Workshop | ||
| Total Hours | 57 | |
- 1
FDM 5391 Graduate Directing Workshop is required for all students in each of their first four Fall/Spring semesters for 12 hours. Students may repeat the course once more in their third year for a total of 15 possible hours of FDM 5391. The content of this course varies depending on the current project each student is working on and what stage of production (preproduction, production, postproduction) that project is in.