MFA Degree Curriculum

Graduate Committee and Grad Reviews / Major Thesis Advisor / End-of-semester Critiques/ Thesis Presentation:

A presentation of new and ongoing graduate work presented to the student’s Graduate Review committee is required every semester (the exception being the first semester).

Graduate students will be assigned a Major Thesis Advisor upon entry to the program. Graduate students will work with this advisor over the course of the first year but have the option to change to a different advisor for their second (thesis) year.

In their second semester of the first year, graduate students will be assigned a Graduate Review Committee, to be determined by the graduate faculty by the end of their first semester. Selected by the graduate faculty, this committee will be comprised of graduate faculty members that will best serve the graduate students creative research needs.

Graduate students may add additional members from graduate faculty or department faculty/staff to their committee. Adding members from outside the department is also encouraged.

Much like the graduate review, the purpose of End-of-semester critiques is to share one’s creative pursuits with others and open one’s practice to engaged criticism, dialogue, and feedback. These are open critiques in the sense that all faculty and staff are invited, and the exhibiting graduate can invite others from the university and public to attend. These are required for all graduate students and graduate faculty, whether presenting or not.

Graduate students in their first (Fall) semester do not present work at EOS critiques. Graduate students present work during their second (Spring) and third (Fall) semester of study. Third-year graduate students present at fall EOS critiques (their fifth semester).

Upon recommendation of the Major Thesis Advisor and Graduate Review Committee, each student presents a thesis work created while in the program. The screening or exhibition must be open to the public and notices must be distributed in advance of the screening/event. Typically, this presentation is part of a MFA Thesis Screening, held on campus, however alternative sites and methods (installation/exhibition/mixed media) may be explored.

For a more detailed outline of our curriculum requirements and progress through the program follow the button below:

Film MFA Degree Curriculum

Select students can earn a third year of MFA study

Graduates who wish to stay for a third year are encouraged to apply for the third-year residency. The third-year residency affords the graduate study one more year of intensive studio work with access to the Major Thesis Advisor, Graduate Review committee, equipment room, and studio space.

The residency is not funded through TA ship and/or Chancellor Award, and students wishing to enroll for a 3 year must pay for one credit per semester (two credits total) and accompanying fees. However, if awarded the residency, graduate students are guaranteed to teach two courses in the department (or equivalent of two units), providing a source of income and healthcare eligibility.

The director of the graduate program in film will be sending you more information about 3-year options during your second semester of study.