Graduate

The Master of Fine Arts in the Department of Film & Media Arts at the University of Utah is a three-year program designed to develop filmmakers who want to push the boundaries of conventional fictional and documentary storytelling. 

Starting with a comprehensive foundation in the production, criticism, and history of film and media arts, students work closely with faculty committees to design a course of study that meets their creative and professional goals. Our students write, direct, and produce multiple projects over the course of their degrees, and exit the program prepared for careers as independent artists, contract professionals, and film and media teachers.

If you are interested in joining us and want to learn more about what the MFA in Film & Media Arts at the University of Utah may have to offer you, please contact Sarah Sinwell, Director of Graduate Studies.

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) takes three years to complete..

See full requirements in the Graduate Handbook. 

Program

FILM 6010 – INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE STUDIES

FILM 6360 - MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES

FILM 6500 - GRADUATE PRODUCTION I: FUNDAMENTALS AND COLLABORATION

FILM 6501 - GRADUATE PRODUCTION II: WRITING AND DIRECTING

FILM 6502 - GRADUATE PRODUCTION III: SYNTHESIS

FILM 6585 - SECOND YEAR FILM I: PRE-PRODUCTION

FILM 6595 - SECOND YEAR FILM II: PRODUCTION AND POST PRODUCTION

FILM 6590 - THESIS PROJECT (minimum 10 hours)

A PORTFOLIO OF CREATIVE WORK 

A WRITTEN EVALUATION OF THE MFA THESIS PROJECT 

The Department of Film & Media Arts accepts applications for fall admittance. The application deadline is December 31st. However, International Students should submit applications by November 30 to allow for additional processing time.

All applicants must have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university. However, your undergraduate does not need to be in film or a related area to be considered for this program. 

To apply to the MFA in Film & Media Arts, complete the online Graduate School application:

Application Guidelines

For the graduate school application, you will need the following items:

  • Transcripts from all prior higher education institutions you have attended, which you will upload via the online application. If you are accepted to the program you will be required to provide official transcripts directly to the admissions office.

  • In your letter, answer the following prompt:

    What are your personal, creative, and career goals, and how will an M.F.A. degree from University of Utah’s Film and Media Arts Department help you to reach those goals? Who are you as an individual and how do your unique experiences, values, and world views shape who you are as a filmmaker and artistic collaborator? This essay should help us to get to know you beyond your resume and professional accomplishments. Please submit 750 words or less.

  • Enter contact information for three references into the online application portal. The system will automatically send a request to your references for their letter, which they can then upload to the system.

  • In addition to the Graduate School application, you must submit the following to the Department of Film & Media Arts.

    An example of your own work in film or video indicative of your personal creative approach to the medium. Your creative submission should showcase no more than 20 minutes of the best examples of your filmmaking work. At least one complete piece should be included; “reels'' or short excerpts of pieces are not preferred by the committee. You may upload your work or submit a URL link in the application system. Along with your work, please include a separate document describing the medium, date completed, role in the submitted work, and any other relevant information.

If you have questions about the MFA program, please contact:

Sarah Sinwell
Director of Graduate Studies
sarah.sinwell@utah.edu

Graduate students typically receive financial support in the form of teaching assistantships, which enable students to gain valuable instructional experience in a variety of undergraduate Film & Media Arts courses. Teaching assistants receive at least a 75% tuition waiver through the University of Utah’s Graduate School Tuition Benefit Program, in addition to a stipend. Assistantships are awarded for a maximum of six semesters, contingent on satisfactory teaching performance and satisfactory progress toward the degree.

Financial Aid

The University of Utah is a center for scholarship and creativity in science, humanities, and fine arts. Graduate students are essential contributors to the University's mission to educate the individual and to discover, refine, and disseminate knowledge. As one of the oldest universities west of the Mississippi, the U is proud to be Utah’s flagship institution.

Life at the U

  • Salt Lake City is a unique fusion of outdoor beauty and city amenities. Whether you want to ski and rock-climb or participate in a vibrant cultural community, you can find your place here. 

    About Salt Lake City

    Utah Resources from the Office for Equity and Diversity 

  • The University of Utah offers some graduate and family housing on campus. Many graduate students will also find housing in the surrounding neighborhoods. Contact Housing & Residential Education for more information.

  • The University of Utah has an agreement with the UTA that provides students access to TRAX, UTA buses and Frontrunner trains. In order to be eligible for this benefit, an individual must have a valid University of Utah ID Card and be a matriculating student who has paid tuition and associated student fees for the current semester. Contact Commuter Services for more information.

Film Industry & Community In Utah

Utah hosts a vibrant community of film enthusiasts and professionals.  

  • Each January, the largest independent film festival in the United States takes place right here in Utah! The Sundance Film Festival provides a wonderful opportunity for student to be part of the film industry, network, and experience films and media from exciting independent storytellers. Additionally, the Sundance Institute hosts local film screenings and events throughout the year, and many volunteer opportunities are available.

  • The Salt Lake Film Society presents independent and art house films at the Broadway Centre Cinemas and historic Tower theatre in Salt Lake City, as well as offering special community programs and repertory series.

  • MAST, a non-profit program of the Salt Lake Film Society, is a media accelerator studio that empowers artist entrepreneurs. MAST provides labs, competitions, mentorship, networking events, and artist support.

  • The Utah Film Center strives to bring the community together through film. The Center provides free film screenings and events, education programs, artist support, and also hosts two annual film festivals: Damn These Heels, Salt Lake City’s LGBTQ film festival, and Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Children and Youth.

  • The Utah Film Commission markets the state of Utah for film production and promotes local crew and locations. For locals, the UFC provides free listing in their directory, production assistant certification, and funding for local directors and producers.

Screendance Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Screendance at the University of Utah is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Modern Dance Program and the Department of Film & Media Arts. This program provides professional level production courses with state-of-the-art equipment, as well as movement and theory classes. The Certificate requires a two-semester on-site commitment and can also be completed as an additional credential while pursuing a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Dance or in Film & Media Arts.

Screendance as both a practice and an area of theoretical discourse is burgeoning worldwide, as evidenced by the proliferation of Screendance festivals, symposia, conferences and publications. Also known as dance for camera, cine dance, and video dance, this exciting hybrid form, which in the past has been found at the margins of practice in the fields of dance and film, is now taking a central place as an independent art form. Through the advocacy of practitioners and scholars worldwide, the field of Screendance is articulating its richly intertwined art-historical roots as a means to understand present dance, film, digital media and art practices and how they intersect in a complex discourse of ideas about the body on screen.

For more information and program admissions, visit the School of Dance website.