Film students at UNC Wilmington will soon have more graduate opportunities. In Fall 2020, the university will offer an M.F.A. in filmmaking and an M.A. in Film Studies. Applications to both programs are now open.

Filmmaking and Film Studies are the latest additions to the College of Arts and Sciences masters programs.  The university set things in motion in 2015, when the filmmaking M.F.A program was approved. UNCW has expanded that outlook not only for filmmaking, but to film studies as well.

The demand for such programs has only grown in recent years. There were 330 students who majored in film studies in the 2018-2019 academic year alone. Now, those film students have graduate options, as both programs are set to begin in the Fall of 2020.

The Filmmaking M.F.A. is a three-year program that will deal with the practical aspects of cinema production. It will encompass the necessary skills required to develop a movie, such as cinematography, screenwriting, editing, sound design, producing and directing. This program will give students a significant amount of hands-on experiences and allow students the chance to apply those skills in the production of their own movie.

The Film Studies M.A. is a two-year program that will focus on the skills gained in filmmaking to a lesser extent and will instead focus on the critical analysis of film. The program is designed to expose students to the many genres, history and global impact of film. There will be less rigid course requirements, allowing students to explore their personal interests within cinema. UNCW is in a unique position to host this program, as it will be the only one of its kind in North Carolina.

Although cinema is the cornerstone of both masters programs, they are also intended to give students literacy in other areas as well. The knowledge gained from both can be applied to several media types and can help improve student’s writing and publishing skills as well.

Both programs are open to all students, regardless of major. The window to apply opened at the start of this semester, and will close Feb. 15, 2020. Both programs will accept 12 students each year. If you are interested in applying to one of these programs or learning more, you can visit the Film Department’s Master’s site here.