Master of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies

Three courses are required:

1. Introduction to Graduate Studies (CINE 700), which must be taken in the fall of the student’s first year, and Master’s Thesis (CINE 898), which must be taken in the student’s second year (typically the final semester).
2. Students must also take CINE 852 Directed Experience in Film Education, which is our pedagogy course.
3. To complete the 30-unit requirement, students are encouraged to select at least 18 units of Cinema graduate M.A. courses (course numbers 720 - 749 and 820 - 829). The six units of electives may be Cinema graduate courses, or graduate courses outside the Cinema discipline.

In all cases, students are encouraged to discuss their options with a faculty advisor. 

Note: Not all M.A. course options are offered every semester. 

A typical trajectory might look as follows (although this is by no means prescriptive):

First Year

Second Year Required Courses

M.A. Electives

* Not all courses will be offered each semester; please check the School of Cinema schedule information for the relevant semester for availability. You can find course descriptions and details about these courses in the University Bulletin.

Thesis Project

After completing course work in film and media theory and history and criticism, students produce a thesis based on the standard length of an article (25 - 35 pages) in The Journal for Cinema and Media Studies. The thesis process is initiated in the second year in consultation with an adviser. Students intending to use their thesis as a writing sample in an application to doctoral programs can elect to initiate the process at the end of their second semester in the program.

To initiate the process, students must assemble a committee (typically a chair and either one or two other members of the faculty). In fall or spring of the second year, the student enrolls in CINE 898: Master’s Thesis to complete and file the thesis. The student’s thesis committee reviews the thesis before it is approved.

Current and recent thesis projects include:

• "The Conglomeration of Everything: Shifting Animation Production Practices due to Artificial Intelligence" by Alizé Keanu Evans, 2024 (Assistant Professor Mihaela Mihailova, thesis supervisor)
• "Tales in Motion: Archives and Anarchiving in the Media Worlds of George Lucas" by Daniel Felipe Moreno Mendoza, 2024 (Assistant Professor Mihaela Mihailova, thesis supervisor)
• "Locating Process: Jan Bot, Indexical AI, and the Non-Human Act of Documenting" by Maxwell Isaac Starr Oginz, 2023 (Associate Professor Steve Choe, thesis supervisor)
• "Saturn return: On binging timelines and living nightmares" by Lindsay Anne Needels, 2021 (Professor R.L. Rutsky, thesis supervisor)

Advancement to Candidacy

Students must also meet all general University requirements for advancement to candidacy, receive a “B” or better in all required courses for the M.A. degree, and successfully pass their thesis committee review. It is incumbent upon the student to fill out and file all the paperwork required by the Division of Graduate Studies. The Advancement to Candidacy Form is filled out in the first semester of the final year of the program.

Application Procedures

To apply to the M.A. in Cinema and Media Studies, you must complete the Cal State Apply application for graduate admission.

The School of Cinema accepts new M.A. students for the Fall term only. The application opens on October 1. The priority deadline for the M.A. application is February 15, with a secondary deadline of March 31. Applications will be accepted on a space-available basis until May 30.

Please note: you must complete the entire application in order to be considered.

Create your account AND Complete your profile

TIP: Students who will study on an F1/J1 visa must select Non-Resident for U.S. Citizenship Status under your Extended Profile.

Please note: You will only see a list of programs that aligns with your academic degree objective.

Select the Programs to Which You Want to Apply

Narrow your program options using the provided filters.

• Campus: Select “San Francisco State University”
• Location: Select “Main Campus”
• Delivery Format: Select “Face-to-Face”
• Face-to-Face: instruction takes place in a traditional classroom.
• Start Term: Select “fall”

The Online Application is comprised of four sections

Review our TIPS for completing each of these sections.

Personal Information TIPS

• Please provide us with some basic information.
• Fields noted as Optional may be skipped.

Academic History TIPS

• We recommend that you select “I Am Not Adding Any College Transcripts” in the transcript entry field. Instead, please upload copies of your unofficial transcript to the Program Materials section of this application.
• Only use transcript entry to designate current enrollment in a course/semester.
• We recommend that you select “I don't have a GPA to add” in the GPA entry field. The Division of Graduate Studies will calculate your GPA as part of our review.

Supporting Materials TIPS

• For the M.A. in Cinema Studies application, you may opt out of all supporting materials. Select “I Am Not Adding Any Experiences” or “I Am Not Adding Any Achievements” in this section of the application.
• In the Statement of Purpose section, indicate “Uploaded to Program Materials Section”

Program Materials TIPS

• Prepare these documents for upload in advance of application submission
• You may need to resize any scanned PDFs so that you do not exceed the MB limit for each document.

Questions about the application process and materials can be directed to:

• For specific SF State-wide graduate policies: Graduate Studies - Future Students
• For questions about international graduate student requirements: Graduate Studies - International Students
• For questions about tuition and Fees: Graduate Studies - Funding or the Bursar website

Use the Documents tab to upload the following:

1. CV/Resume
   A one to two-page resume or Curriculum Vitae summarizing the applicant's education, awards or recognition, work experience, languages, and special skills.
2. Personal Statement
   Background and Research Interests Statement (four double-spaced pages maximum). Applicants should describe how their past academic work or other experience has prepared them for graduate work and discuss how they plan to develop these (or other) research interests as a graduate student in the M.A. in Cinema and Media Studies program.
3. Unofficial Transcripts
   The Division of Graduate Studies requires you to upload unofficial copies of transcripts from every college or university attended, including study abroad coursework and community college coursework even if transfer credit appears on your degree transcript. Upload all transcripts to the documents section of this application. The Division of Graduate Studies may request official transcripts from you at any time during the application process in order to complete our review. Photographs of documents are not accepted.
4. Writing Sample
   An example of academic writing (6 – 12 pages) that illustrates the applicant’s ability to make and support a thesis as well as familiarity with the scholarly form and expository style. Papers from the film and media disciplines are preferred, but other academic work is acceptable.
5. Additional Unofficial Transcripts

Use the Evaluations tab to:

1. Manage submission of letters of recommendation
2. Letter writer email addresses should be from professional or academic organizations (ex. @sfsu.edu, @CA.gov, or @ibm.com), not personal email addresses.

Use the Questions tab to:

1. Answer the questions about your Academic Background, Foreign Language proficiency, and Teaching Interests.

The GRE is NOT required.

Questions about the application process and materials can be emailed to the School of Cinema graduate advisor at cinegrad@sfsu.edu and/or to the Division of Graduate Studies: gradstudies@sfsu.edu.

Cal State Apply Student Support: (857) 304-2087

When your application is completed, you will be asked to pay the $70 application fee.

Application Review

Please note: Your application for graduate study to SF State is reviewed at two levels:

Part 1: Division of Graduate Studies

The Division of Graduate Studies reviews your application for general university admission requirements and requires you to upload copies of transcripts from every college or university attended, including study abroad coursework, community college coursework even if transfer credit appears on your degree transcript. Upload clear, legible copies of all transcripts to the Documents section of the Cal State Apply Application. Photos of documents will not be accepted. Make sure you resolve any financial obligations at previously attended institutions so they will release your transcripts.

Division of Graduate Studies
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave., ADM 250
San Francisco, CA 94132
Phone: (415) 338-2234
Email: gradstudies@sfsu.edu

Part 2: School of Cinema

The Master of Arts in Cinema program reviews your application for program-specific eligibility. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or better in the last two years of undergraduate study. Applicants with degrees in areas other than film or media who show exceptional potential will be considered for admission to the program if they have completed at least three courses in cinema or media history and theory. Please upload admission materials requested by the School of Cinema in the Program Materials section of this application.

M.A. Admissions Committee
School of Cinema San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave., FA 245
San Francisco, CA 94132
Phone: (415) 338-1629
Email: cinegrad@sfsu.edu

What is the minimum TOEFL score required for admission to the Cinema graduate programs?

TOEFL scores are required by the University. Please see the Graduate Studies FAQs for International Students for more information.

How much are registration/tuition fees per semester?

Fees are subject to change without advance notice by action of the trustees of the California State University and the campus. Contact the San Francisco State University Bursar’s Office for registration fees.

Can I switch between the M.A. and M.F.A. programs?

No. The only way to switch degree programs is through the formal application process. This has to be done in compliance with all the rules and deadlines denoted on the application.

If I am admitted to the program, but cannot attend during the semester in which I am admitted, may I defer my studies to a later date?

Generally, newly admitted students may not defer their studies. Under special circumstances, the Graduate Committee may allow admissions deferment.

Do the Cinema graduate programs admit students for the Spring semester?

No. New students are admitted for the fall semester.

When should I apply to the Cinema graduate programs?

Applications will be accepted from October 1, 2020, through January 15, 2021. The deadline for submission of application materials to the School of Cinema and the SF State Division of Graduate Studies is posted on the Graduate Admissions website. This includes resident, non-resident, and international students.

How competitive is admission to the M.F.A. program?

Admission to the program has become increasingly competitive, and in each of the past two years, an average of 150 applications was submitted. Approximately 15 students are admitted each year.

How do I apply to the M.A. or M.F.A. program?

Complete Cal State Apply. Submit directly to the Division of Graduate Studies.