Offering a BA Degree in Media Studies
and an MFA Program in Film and Video Production
The MFA Program in Film and Video Production at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro admits an incoming class every other year in the Fall of even numbered years.
Our MFA is designed to develop individual artistry--you write, shoot, edit your films--while establishing a foundation in the theory and practice of film and video production. We particularly seek students interested in becoming documentary filmmakers: committed students with broad, humanistic interests who want to tell stories that make a difference. These stories can range from social advocacy to portrait documentaries, nature films to narratives that hybridize fiction and non-fiction. Our MFA is connected to the social science community at UNCG, with interdisciplinary courses in visual sociology, visual history and visual anthropology being offered. Many of our faculty are active documentary filmmakers working in a range of non-fiction genres. The MFA program is built from a committed artistic community of humanistic filmmakers. We seek students from diverse backgrounds, and actively work to admit qualified international students.
The MFA is also an academic credential so the program is grounded in theory, history, and criticism as a basis for developing production skills. We normally admit fifteen to twenty students every other year in the Fall of even numbered years.
Here's what our students say about the MFA program:
"My primary goal is to make films. It's a true passion--I've wanted to do this my whole life. I like the all encompassing curriculum here, and I liked North Carolina, and it looked like a creative atmosphere. . .The faculty are active filmmakers."
"I wondered how I could take my passion for film and apply it to a career path? I felt like the program was more like art school, teaching us how to be authors of our own personal films. As opposed to being molded into work horse, technical experts who's goal is to work in the industry."
"The cost of the program is hands down better that anywhere else in the country. I also felt like people here wanted me to come, as opposesd to some schools that accepted me, then asked for a tuition deposit."
"They told me up front that this is not USC, but that they build a small community of filmmakers with each entering class."
"Most places I have tried to learn film making were limited both in mentors and in equipment. Here, I have access to both, and the standards are high."
Why Study Filmmaking at UNCG?
- Small program with quality teaching
- Emphasis in documentary filmmaking
- Competitive teaching assistantships
- Shoot film and DV
- A community of artists in a livable city
We develop the well rounded film artist: you learn writing, producing, shooting, editing, lighting, and sound. Films produced by MFA students at UNCG have won the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences College Awards, the CINE Golden Eagle, and the Dore Schary Award and numerous regional, national, and international film festivals awards.
The program requires the completion of sixty semester hours, usually completed within six semesters (three years). Applicants submit GRE scores, undergraduate transcripts, a goals statement, and a sample reel of 5-10 minutes for review for admission to the program. Students from any discipline with a strong academic record and evidence of a good visual sense can be admitted with the understanding that they will take such prerequisite work as is deemed necessary. For a complete outline of admission criteria, degree requirements, and curriculum, please see our MFA Degree page.
How to Contact Us
For application materials:
The Graduate School - http://www.uncg.edu/grs/
Program Specific Questions:
Dr. Michael Frierson frierson@uncg.edu (336)-334-5360
Department of Media Studies
205 Brown Building
PO Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
Listed Below Are Some Frequently Asked Questions About Our Program:
Do you admit students every Fall?
We only admit students ever other year in the Fall of even numbered years. Review of the applications for the class entering in the Fall of even numbered years begins on January 15th of that year and continues until the class is filled.
Is there a minimum GRE score for admission?
We do not have a fixed minimum score for the GRE--we look at your total package: your GRE scores, your undergraduate GPA, your reel. But in general, the verbal GRE score is the most important element we look at from the GRE. We do not currently have a minimum GRE or TOEFL score for admission.
When do I take the GRE?
The sooner, the better. We need your scores no later than January 15.
What's the deadline for completing my application to the MFA in Film and Video Production?
The Department's deadline for complete applications is mid January of the even numbered years that we admit students.
Do I need an undergraduate major in the field of film or video?
Often students admitted to the MFA have an undergraduate major in mass media, media studies, media arts or a related discipline. Often students come in with practical experience in the field. Students without appropriate undergraduate or experiential preparation, but who show strong academic and creative promise can apply for admission to the program. Such applicants are frequently admitted but are expected to satisfactorily complete prerequisites in order provide the foundation for their graduate study.
How many students are admitted?
We are a small program. We ordinarily admit fifteen to twenty students every even numbered year.
How do I apply for a scholarship or fellowship?
Every applicant is automatically considered for the available scholarships and fellowships.
Program Specific Admission Materials:
For the MFA in Film and Video, you need to upload additional materials with the electronic application and send a reel directly to the Department of Media Studies:
Personal Statement.(Upload with electronic application.)
In this essay you are asked to engage in a self assessment of your creative abilities. The document--no more than two typed pages--should discuss the general artistic skills that you feel you possess and do not possess. The personal statement should refer to the examples included in your reel that demonstrate specific strengths and weaknesses. You should also cover a brief history of your background experience and a statement of how graduate school fits into your long term professional goals.
Resume (Upload with electronic application.)
Reel (Send to the departmental address below.)
A single film, or a selection of scenes from work that you played a major creative role in: writer, director, producer, camera, editor. The film(s) can be in any genre: documentary, drama, animation, experimental. Please indicate your role using titles or on an enclosed memo. DVD, VHS or DV format.
Send your reel under a separate cover to:
Dr. Michael Frierson
201 Brown Building, UNCG
PO Box 27402-6170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
Office: 336-334-3768
Departmental Office: 336-334-5360
Fax: 336-334-5039