York University: Graduate Program in Film

The largest and most comprehensive Graduate Program of Film in Canada continues to build on York’s longstanding commitment to deliver innovative and interdisciplinary post-graduate training. Our MA, MFA and PhD programs offer state of the art research and teaching facilities (including two research labs featuring Augmented Reality, 3D, locative media and diverse mobile screen interfaces) distinguished by leading edge creation/research and scholarship by internationally acclaimed faculty.

York’s Graduate Program in Film offers degrees in Cinema and Media Studies (MA and PhD), Production (MFA), Screenwriting (MFA), and Combined MA/MBA in Film.

The CMS MA is a rigorous two-year program involving course work, employment as a teaching assistant, and the completion of either an MA thesis or Major Research Paper (MRP), working with Canada’s largest and most diverse cinema and media studies faculty.

Teaching, publication, and professional academic development are key components of the CMS PhD, a minimum four-year degree. After completing course work and comprehensive exams, students write a research dissertation.

In the MFA program in Film, production students embark on a two-year program, taking courses with our faculty of award-winning filmmakers, and completing a thesis film or digital work.

In Canada’s only dedicated MFA in Screenwriting, students receive training from renowned faculty in all aspects of writing for the screen, including television and cinema.

The Graduate Program in Film encourages rich and dynamic synergies between creative and scholarly research among our Cinema and Media Studies, Production, and Screenwriting students and faculty.

Our students and faculty regularly contribute to Toronto’s lively and diverse film culture through festival programming, curation, symposia, lectures and more. Films by students and faculty regularly appear in the over 100 film festivals that occur each year, including the Toronto International Film Festival, Hot Docs, and Images Festival. The city of Toronto provides students with exceptional opportunities for internships, access to archival and repertory film screenings, museums and galleries, and resources like the Ontario Provincial Archives (now housed on York University campus), and other unique research collections. This along with the fact that Toronto supports Canada’s most important media industry infrastructure makes us the program of choice.

Recent guests at York University include William Boddy, Michel Brault, Thomas Elsaesser, David Gatten, Guy Maddin, Atom Egoyan, Kaja Silverman, Rey Chow, Toby Miller, Hito Steyerl, and Clement Virgo, among many others.

The Graduate Program in Film is accepting applications for Fall 2009. The application deadline has been extended from Jan. 15/09 to Feb. 1/09. Apply now online.