Can I get a master's in film studies?
August 29, 2011 1:54 PM Subscribe
Can I get a master's in film studies?
I graduated from college in 2005 with a BA in English and have been working in book publishing since then (I'm 28). I would really like to apply to master's programs in film studies this year. Most applications are due in December. Is this a pipe dream?
Some background: in 2008 I applied to five top-tier PhD programs in English. I knew at the time it was a *super* long shot, and I didn't get in, which ended up being a relief - embarking on a seven-year program in a field I was already feeling lukewarm about would have been a bad idea.
Three years later I'm ready to try again, this time a master's in film studies, and this time I'm excited about it. I don't need to apply to top film programs (NYU, USC, ivies), but I would like to go a good school, either in New England (my current home) or the pacific northwest.
Two examples of the kind of program I'm looking for (cinema studies/theory, not production):
* University of Oregon, MA in English with film studies focus
* BU (my alma mater), MFA in Film and Television Studies
As part of the PhD application process in 2008 I took the GRE and got good scores (750V, 720M), which are still usable for another two years. And although I know I can't base my whole application on my undergrad performance six years ago, I graduated summa cum laude and won the English prize. That's something, right?
Here are the two main obstacles as I see them:
* I took only one film class as an undergrad. Since then I've gone the autodidact route and have acquired a solid background in film. I'm confident in my analytical skills and knowledge, I just don't have the film credits to show for it.
* I asked my three favorite professors to write recs for me back in 2008, and I'm nervous about going back to them for more. Also, they're English profs and can't speak specifically to my abilities in film studies.
To solve both problems - gain credits and meet potential new recommenders - I thought about taking night classes. But my budget is very tight, plus there is little selection in the kind of courses that would be even remotely relevant (I've looked literally everywhere). So I've had to rule this out for now.
Given all that, here are my questions:
* Is getting into an MA program this year an impossible goal?
* Is it tacky/unethical/stupid to ask my professors to resubmit the recs they wrote for my PhD application?
* Suggestions for other schools to apply to?
I do know the caveats about going to grad school in the humanities these days - I just want to know if it's possible and how to approach it. Thanks!
I graduated from college in 2005 with a BA in English and have been working in book publishing since then (I'm 28). I would really like to apply to master's programs in film studies this year. Most applications are due in December. Is this a pipe dream?
Some background: in 2008 I applied to five top-tier PhD programs in English. I knew at the time it was a *super* long shot, and I didn't get in, which ended up being a relief - embarking on a seven-year program in a field I was already feeling lukewarm about would have been a bad idea.
Three years later I'm ready to try again, this time a master's in film studies, and this time I'm excited about it. I don't need to apply to top film programs (NYU, USC, ivies), but I would like to go a good school, either in New England (my current home) or the pacific northwest.
Two examples of the kind of program I'm looking for (cinema studies/theory, not production):
* University of Oregon, MA in English with film studies focus
* BU (my alma mater), MFA in Film and Television Studies
As part of the PhD application process in 2008 I took the GRE and got good scores (750V, 720M), which are still usable for another two years. And although I know I can't base my whole application on my undergrad performance six years ago, I graduated summa cum laude and won the English prize. That's something, right?
Here are the two main obstacles as I see them:
* I took only one film class as an undergrad. Since then I've gone the autodidact route and have acquired a solid background in film. I'm confident in my analytical skills and knowledge, I just don't have the film credits to show for it.
* I asked my three favorite professors to write recs for me back in 2008, and I'm nervous about going back to them for more. Also, they're English profs and can't speak specifically to my abilities in film studies.
To solve both problems - gain credits and meet potential new recommenders - I thought about taking night classes. But my budget is very tight, plus there is little selection in the kind of courses that would be even remotely relevant (I've looked literally everywhere). So I've had to rule this out for now.
Given all that, here are my questions:
* Is getting into an MA program this year an impossible goal?
* Is it tacky/unethical/stupid to ask my professors to resubmit the recs they wrote for my PhD application?
* Suggestions for other schools to apply to?
I do know the caveats about going to grad school in the humanities these days - I just want to know if it's possible and how to approach it. Thanks!
So you have some experience in the publishing industry? Have you thought of sorting out a film studies article anthology with a featured editor(s) as your way of making a mark? I think that would pretty much give you an understanding of what film studies is all about.
posted by parmanparman at 2:56 PM on August 29, 2011
posted by parmanparman at 2:56 PM on August 29, 2011
I think the first question you should be asking yourself is WHY you want to get this degree.
If it's because you want to make movies: you should be applying to top programs (NYU, USC, maybe Columbia?). If you don't get into said programs, you should use the money you would have spent on grad school on making movies. Or if you don't have money to go to grad school, you should just go start working in the film industry. It's not all that hard to break into if you're cut out for it. An M.A. from Nowheresville U will do nothing for your career.
If it's because you want to be an academic in the field of film/media studies: what K8t said, though I'm confused about why you're looking for a terminal M.A. If indeed that's what you're after.
posted by Sara C. at 2:56 PM on August 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
If it's because you want to make movies: you should be applying to top programs (NYU, USC, maybe Columbia?). If you don't get into said programs, you should use the money you would have spent on grad school on making movies. Or if you don't have money to go to grad school, you should just go start working in the film industry. It's not all that hard to break into if you're cut out for it. An M.A. from Nowheresville U will do nothing for your career.
If it's because you want to be an academic in the field of film/media studies: what K8t said, though I'm confused about why you're looking for a terminal M.A. If indeed that's what you're after.
posted by Sara C. at 2:56 PM on August 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
I have loads of friends in film and media studies (theory and analysis, not production). Given what they've said in the past, you're a reasonable applicant for an MA/MFA in this field with your current credentials, so long as you bolster them with a very strong personal statement that clearly explains why you want the degree, what experiences have led you to this decision (and your self-study should be fine), and why their program/faculty are a good fit for you.
Regarding Sara C's point about why one would bother going for terminal masters if you want to be an academic: the masters WILL be necessary for entry into a good PhD program in that field. No one I know in the field went straight from undergrad to PhD. Not one.
That being said, one word of warning: one of my closest friends has her MFA from that program at BU. Oh, the horror stories I have heard about that program. Hideous politics amongst the professors there. Complete abandonment of the grad students in favor of paying attention to their little rivalries. She warns people away from that department with a vengeance.
So, finally, one last piece of advice: find a program based on the thesis you want to write, not the geography. Think about what topics excite you when you think of going into this field, and find the faculty that can productively advise you to get that project done. Quite frankly, if you're only excited about doing graduate work in a certain location, you're really not excited enough to bother.
posted by amelioration at 3:17 PM on August 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Regarding Sara C's point about why one would bother going for terminal masters if you want to be an academic: the masters WILL be necessary for entry into a good PhD program in that field. No one I know in the field went straight from undergrad to PhD. Not one.
That being said, one word of warning: one of my closest friends has her MFA from that program at BU. Oh, the horror stories I have heard about that program. Hideous politics amongst the professors there. Complete abandonment of the grad students in favor of paying attention to their little rivalries. She warns people away from that department with a vengeance.
So, finally, one last piece of advice: find a program based on the thesis you want to write, not the geography. Think about what topics excite you when you think of going into this field, and find the faculty that can productively advise you to get that project done. Quite frankly, if you're only excited about doing graduate work in a certain location, you're really not excited enough to bother.
posted by amelioration at 3:17 PM on August 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
This depends on WHY you want this degree. If it's to get into the film industry professionally, it's a waste of time. You absolutely do not need any kind of MA.
If you're interested in a PhD, be warned. It is a very competitive field. If you attend a top tier program for your MA and do amazingly well, it may still take a few tries to get into a PhD program. [I'm not sure if it's because people tend to come to film studies from other disciplines in the humanities, or because there are fewer programs, but it seems like my friends who tried to go on really struggled post-MA.]
Personally, I've wrestled with this issue for 6 years. For me, it's not worth it. My undergrad film professors have all warned me away from film/cinema studies and the expense is a big gamble.
posted by pourtant at 4:45 PM on August 29, 2011
If you're interested in a PhD, be warned. It is a very competitive field. If you attend a top tier program for your MA and do amazingly well, it may still take a few tries to get into a PhD program. [I'm not sure if it's because people tend to come to film studies from other disciplines in the humanities, or because there are fewer programs, but it seems like my friends who tried to go on really struggled post-MA.]
Personally, I've wrestled with this issue for 6 years. For me, it's not worth it. My undergrad film professors have all warned me away from film/cinema studies and the expense is a big gamble.
posted by pourtant at 4:45 PM on August 29, 2011
I have an MA and a Ph.D. in film studies. You can MeMail if you want some more info. I'm really busy over the next week, though, so please don't be troubled if I don't reply right away.
posted by Dr. Wu at 6:47 PM on August 29, 2011
posted by Dr. Wu at 6:47 PM on August 29, 2011
I do not have an MA or a PhD in film studies, but I've spent a lot of time around people who do, have done a lot of reading about the history of the field, and have thought about persuing it myself someday.
It's hard to give you any specific advice (especially about places to consider applying to) without knowing exactly the kind of thing you're interested in, but perhaps these facts will encourage you:
1: Many, many present-day film studies programs grew out of English departments (or are even still part of English departments), like the U of Oregon program you link to or the University of Chicago Department of Cinema and Media Studies. Your background in English absolutely qualifies you to do work in the field. I'm actually sometimes shocked at how close some scholars seem to have stayed to the "analyze the film like a piece of literature" approach - but hey, it works to your benefit!
2: Film studies is still a very new field, as academic fields go. It only really took off in the 1960s (not that there weren't people studying it earlier than that, but that's about when it became "legit"). This means that many of the old, tenured, super-respectable scholars in the field right now got their starts much like you have - studying up on their own, seeing lots and lots of films, and trying to get people to take them and their chosen subjects of inquiry seriously. This means that - in my experience, at least - the field in general is still pretty open to outsiders who haven't "officially" studied anything film-related, as long as they're suitably interested and knowledgable, etc.
posted by bubukaba at 7:46 PM on August 29, 2011
It's hard to give you any specific advice (especially about places to consider applying to) without knowing exactly the kind of thing you're interested in, but perhaps these facts will encourage you:
1: Many, many present-day film studies programs grew out of English departments (or are even still part of English departments), like the U of Oregon program you link to or the University of Chicago Department of Cinema and Media Studies. Your background in English absolutely qualifies you to do work in the field. I'm actually sometimes shocked at how close some scholars seem to have stayed to the "analyze the film like a piece of literature" approach - but hey, it works to your benefit!
2: Film studies is still a very new field, as academic fields go. It only really took off in the 1960s (not that there weren't people studying it earlier than that, but that's about when it became "legit"). This means that many of the old, tenured, super-respectable scholars in the field right now got their starts much like you have - studying up on their own, seeing lots and lots of films, and trying to get people to take them and their chosen subjects of inquiry seriously. This means that - in my experience, at least - the field in general is still pretty open to outsiders who haven't "officially" studied anything film-related, as long as they're suitably interested and knowledgable, etc.
posted by bubukaba at 7:46 PM on August 29, 2011
I'm almost done getting my MA in film studies. Memail for info beyond my "terrible financial decision".
posted by loriginedumonde at 9:47 PM on August 29, 2011
posted by loriginedumonde at 9:47 PM on August 29, 2011
A few things:
1) Come up north!
You might want to consider Canadian MA programs as the affordable option. Film studies is kind of a big deal here, and Concordia, York, Carleton, uToronto and UBC all have decent programs.
Here, a 1 or 2 year program will cost you about C$5-7000/year and TAship packages are around $15000-20000, depending on your grades. A friend of mine with a strong A or A+ average got a $30,000 package from York (one of the more competitive schools). Of course, this kind of funding is rare.
If you're looking for a terminal degree Carleton and uToronto offer an intensive one-year program with a research paper option (50 pages, no defense) and in the case of uToronto, you can skip out on the research altogether and do a summer internship instead. More on the actual value of this, later.
2) Foundational theory stuff
When I was looking into MA Film Studies programs I was told I'd need a strong foundation in film theory, so I actually transferred all my credits from my first degree in Communications and did a second BA in Film Studies, which took two years. I went into debt (I graduated from my first degree completely debt-free, and had paid it myself). But it was so worth it, I loved every minute of class, and it really shaped my critical thinking and writing skills. Many programs offer a qualifying year so that you can learn the wonders of Eisenstein, Bazin, Arnheim, Vertov, Deleuzes, and others (obv there are more theorists but I'm assuming as an English grad you've dabbled in Mulvey and the post-structuralists).
3) Value...?
I have to echo previous comments about the actual value of a Film Studies MA. I was accepted into my alma mater's program but I deferred for a year to pay off some debt, apply for other schools, and consider my options. On the advice of several professors, I have firmly decided against a career in academia and I plan on only applying for schools with no thesis option. This has become a big trend since fewer and fewer graduates are finding their second year useful, unless they actually are pursuing the academic path. The intensive MAs are useful if you're looking to go into film criticism, film festival programming, or other arts administration jobs, but even then.... meeehhhhh, you don't really need it. And I'm saying this as someone who is steadfastly applying for schools and looking forward to rigorous 8 months of film theory and history research. Perhaps you're like me: I'm applying just to see what I get into, what kind of scholarships I qualify for, because I really value the intellectual challenge of film studies and I am willing to dedicate another year to it, but at the end of the day... I want to become a full-time critic and writer. And waiting and waiting for grad school, which will eat up all of my time, has become a fruitless task.
posted by Menomena at 1:38 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
1) Come up north!
You might want to consider Canadian MA programs as the affordable option. Film studies is kind of a big deal here, and Concordia, York, Carleton, uToronto and UBC all have decent programs.
Here, a 1 or 2 year program will cost you about C$5-7000/year and TAship packages are around $15000-20000, depending on your grades. A friend of mine with a strong A or A+ average got a $30,000 package from York (one of the more competitive schools). Of course, this kind of funding is rare.
If you're looking for a terminal degree Carleton and uToronto offer an intensive one-year program with a research paper option (50 pages, no defense) and in the case of uToronto, you can skip out on the research altogether and do a summer internship instead. More on the actual value of this, later.
2) Foundational theory stuff
When I was looking into MA Film Studies programs I was told I'd need a strong foundation in film theory, so I actually transferred all my credits from my first degree in Communications and did a second BA in Film Studies, which took two years. I went into debt (I graduated from my first degree completely debt-free, and had paid it myself). But it was so worth it, I loved every minute of class, and it really shaped my critical thinking and writing skills. Many programs offer a qualifying year so that you can learn the wonders of Eisenstein, Bazin, Arnheim, Vertov, Deleuzes, and others (obv there are more theorists but I'm assuming as an English grad you've dabbled in Mulvey and the post-structuralists).
3) Value...?
I have to echo previous comments about the actual value of a Film Studies MA. I was accepted into my alma mater's program but I deferred for a year to pay off some debt, apply for other schools, and consider my options. On the advice of several professors, I have firmly decided against a career in academia and I plan on only applying for schools with no thesis option. This has become a big trend since fewer and fewer graduates are finding their second year useful, unless they actually are pursuing the academic path. The intensive MAs are useful if you're looking to go into film criticism, film festival programming, or other arts administration jobs, but even then.... meeehhhhh, you don't really need it. And I'm saying this as someone who is steadfastly applying for schools and looking forward to rigorous 8 months of film theory and history research. Perhaps you're like me: I'm applying just to see what I get into, what kind of scholarships I qualify for, because I really value the intellectual challenge of film studies and I am willing to dedicate another year to it, but at the end of the day... I want to become a full-time critic and writer. And waiting and waiting for grad school, which will eat up all of my time, has become a fruitless task.
posted by Menomena at 1:38 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
MA programs are much easier to get into than PhD programs (cuz they make a lot of money for the school) and your BA in English should be fine. Your professors' recs speak to you as a student, not as an aspiring film studies scholar, but since you're just going for an MA, it probably isn't a problem. Ask them.
Film studies is a broad discipline. Can you express what phenomenon you're trying to look at? That will help us help you find some programs that meet your needs. Overall, however, the steps to finding a good match are documented here.
posted by k8t at 2:00 PM on August 29, 2011 [2 favorites]