School of Film
The Ohio University School of Film is dedicated to providing an educational environment of creativity, diversity, and excellence in which talented, motivated, and disciplined students can examine and develop the art and crafts of the motion picture as an art form, as an educational tool, and as a dynamic cultural element in the 21st century.
The School of Film offers two graduate degree programs: the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) and the Master of Arts in Film Studies(M.A.). The M.F.A. program is a professional three-year program of study for talented individuals. Students will study directing, screenwriting, producing, cinematography, editing, and motion picture sound with an in-depth exploration in film history, theory and criticism. The M.F.A. is a terminal degree and is for students who wish to teach at the college or university level. The M.A. program is a two-year program in film scholarship for students planning continued study at the doctoral level or teaching.
The M.F.A. and M.A. programs are designed to allow the entrance of talented students with no formal film training who have demonstrated extensive experience in another medium or academic discipline. While prior achievement in filmmaking, video, or film scholarship is not necessary, acceptance to graduate study in the school requires a major commitment to these areas of study.
Graduate study in the School of Film should not be perceived in terms of a vocational or trade school; technical knowledge and skills are offered as tools to achieve creative conceptual goals. Further, because the film discipline requires full integration and knowledge of related disciplines, all graduate study in film requires a minor area of study outside the school.
The degree programs are supported and augmented by the appointment of an Ohio Eminent Scholar to the faculty, the Athens International Film and Video Festival and OUStuff (the student film festival), visiting artists/teachers, and other aspects of the School and the College of Fine Arts.
M.F.A. Program
The M.F.A. program involves intensive coursework in film production and film scholarship. The program requires 135 hours of graduate study, including a minor in a related discipline, a 15-credit hour second-year production project, and the completion of a creative thesis. You will determine the scope and nature of the thesis with your thesis advisor and the film faculty; a thesis can take the form of: (a) a thesis film or films of any genre, (b) a thesis videotape or group of videotapes, or (c) a feature length screenplay or group of screenplaysYou are required to maintain a 3.0 average in all coursework. Your overall creative and scholastic performance is formally evaluated in three steps: advancement to candidacy, portfolio review, and thesis defense. Failure twice at any stage of the evaluation process will result in denial of further enrollment in the M.F.A. program.
First Year Review
You are evaluated at the end of your third quarter of study. At that time, you are required to have completed 48 hours of coursework and must submit one completed 16mm answer print produced at Ohio University of graduate-level quality and a minimum of one research paper demonstrating graduate-level coursework, writing, and scholarship.Second Year Review
After advancement to candidacy and the completion of a second year of full-time study, you are required to submit a portfolio of creative work completed at Ohio University to the faculty for formal review.Thesis Defense
After completion of the creative thesis, you must successfully defend your thesis before the thesis committee.M.A. Program
The M.A. in film scholarship is a two-year program, designed to prepare students for further study at the doctoral level. The program requires 75 credit hours and a written thesis.Coursework for the program includes film theory and criticism, international film history, contemporary issues in international film, one quarter of film production, and additional courses in film aesthetics and analysis. The program requires completion of a minor area of study in a second language or in international studies for those who already have a second language. The minor area of study is selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.
Final degree requirements include a comprehensive written examination administered during the third quarter of enrollment, evaluated by members of the School of Film faculty. Failure twice at this stage of the evaluation process will result in denial of further enrollment as an M.A. candidate.
Admission
Because certain core courses must be taken in sequence, admission to all graduate programs in the School of Film is restricted to fall enrollment.To apply, you must demonstrate a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for your undergraduate major and a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution. Your undergraduate degree may be in any discipline. Supporting documents required are: (a) a transcript of all undergraduate work; (b) three letters of recommendation; (c) a formal application with fee; (d) a sample of your written work consisting of a paper or papers on any subject--such as a research paper, article, or critical analysis; (e) a 500-word personal essay on your goals in pursuing graduate study in film and the relationship of previous education and experience to these goals; and (f) for M.F.A. applicants only, examples of creative work such as a film, videotape, or portfolio of work from another medium. GRE scores are not required.
Send transcripts, formal application, and fees directly to the Office of Graduate Studies. Your application cannot be processed until the application fee has been received. Send all other materials to the director, School of Film, Ohio University, Lindley Hall, Athens OH 45701-2979. The normal deadline for receipt of applications is January 15.
A limited number of OGS stipends and graduate assistantships are available. While a majority of these awards are given to students who have passed their First Year Review, exceptional students may receive OGS or graduate assistantships during their first year on campus.
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-1000