The MA Cinema & Media Studies program is a two-year program where students must complete a thesis as part of their studies.
Program Overview
The master’s program in cinema and media studies is designed to educate students in the diversity of cinematic practices, and their historical and contemporary formats. Through classroom discussion, students will learn how moving pictures shape our perceptions of the world. Our faculty members are renowned experts and specialists in cinema studies. Students will work closely with faculty members as they prepare for a career in cinema and media studies.
Degree Requirements
Students pursuing a master’s degree in cinema and media studies must follow these requirements:
- Enrolled full-time with a one-year residency at UBC
- Complete their program within five years of initial registration
- All students are required to register in successive years of their candidacy, failure to do so will result in the student forfeiting their candidacy
- All students will be assigned an initial supervisor
Those in the MA Cinema and Media Studies program must complete 30 credits following these guidelines:
- 12-credit thesis
- 12 credits of graduate seminars related to film topics: CINE_V 500, 510, 520, 531, 532, 534, 547
- A maximum of 6 credits may be taken at the 300 and 400 level
- Any credits offered outside the Department of Theatre and Film must be approved by the graduate advisor
Admissions
Applications for Fall 2025 open on September 25, 2024 and close on December 1, 2024.
The cinema and media studies master’s program only selects a handful of students each year. For those interested, please follow these application instructions:
- Submit your UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies application
- A copy of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended and are currently enrolled in. If your transcripts are in a language other than English you must also provide a certified translation
- A statement of purpose (500 words) that details:
- Your proposed area of study and its potential contribution to the wider field in which it is situated
- Your academic preparation for the MA program
- How UBC’s MA Cinema and Media Studies program fits your needs and interests
- A recent writing sample that demonstrates the quality of your thinking and writing
- Three letters of recommendation via UBC’s eReference system
- A resume of your academic training
Do not send paper documents or hard copy media to the Department of Theatre and Film. All application material should be sent in with your UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies application.