Why study film and media?

The Department of Film and Media Studies unites the inquiry of the academic with the practice and technique of the artist. Scholars and filmmakers work and study together in an environment of mutual encouragement and collegiality.

The affiliation of the Department with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of the Arts reflects a liberal arts perspective towards the study of film and media as well as hands-on production elements. We see film and media as ways of ordering, clarifying, and understanding human experience.

We are humanists, sharing the general goal of discovering and putting into communicable form hypotheses about human beings and the world as they interact with it. We are scholars and practitioners, and our work includes the creation of film and media, teaching, and scholarship. As a result we serve our disciplines, the University, and the surrounding community in our capacities as teachers, scholars, and artists.

Discover how film and media can change your life. In KU Film and Media Studies you’ll find a community that shares your passion for film and media and is dedicated to helping you succeed in today’s changing media landscape. You’ll find your place here within the School of the Arts’ creative community.

The M.A. degree is an academic degrees but students are also expected to complete courses in film and video production. All M.A. students in Film and Media Studies must write a thesis as the culmination of their degree.

Admission to Graduate Studies

An applicant seeking to pursue graduate study in the College may be admitted as either a degree-seeking or non-degree seeking student. Policies and procedures of Graduate Studies govern the process of Graduate admission. These may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.

Please consult the Departments & Programs section of the online catalog for information regarding program-specific admissions criteria and requirements. Special admissions requirements pertain to Interdisciplinary Studies degrees, which may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.

M.A. Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in film and media is an academic degree, but students are expected to complete 3 hours in film and video production. All M.A. students must write a thesis as the culmination of the degree.

To complete the M.A., the student must sustain a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher through 30 graduate credit hours.

Requirements for the M.A. in Film and Media Studies

A total of 30 hours is required. Students will complete 9 credits of Film and Media Studies Core, 3 credits of Production courses, 6 credits of Film and Media electives, 6 credits of non-FMS electives related to their chosen thesis topic and 6 credits of thesis hours.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses		9
FMS 800	Introduction to Graduate Study in Film/Media	3
FMS 862	Survey of Film and Media History	3
FMS 865	Film and Media Theory	3
Production. One graduate level (600 or above) FMS production class in consultation with an advisor.		3
Select 12 hours of courses including: 6 credits of FMS graduate level course at the 600 level or above, 6 credits of non-FMS electives at the 500 level or above.		12
Thesis hours
FMS 899	Master's Thesis	6

At least 50% of coursework for the master’s degree must be taken at the 700 level or above. 

After completion of the thesis, an oral defense must be held before the graduation deadline in consultation with the student's adviser and thesis committee.

All courses should be selected in consultation with the advisor. Please visit the Graduate Studies Policy Library for information regarding additional requirements that may apply.