Montana State University · School of Film & Photography

MFA in Science & Natural History Filmmaking

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Science and Natural History FilmmakingPartial fundingEditorial selection: Top Film Schools in the USA Editorial selection: Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA

Overview

A three-year, 60-credit MFA that trains students with science backgrounds to make science and natural history films, with coursework in production, cinematography, editing, writing and documentary theory, a required internship, and a written thesis plus thesis film.

Official program name: MFA in Science & Natural History Filmmaking
Awarded degree: Master of Fine Arts in Science and Natural History FilmmakingMaster's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: Montana State University — School of Film & Photography
Location: Bozeman, MT
Delivery: On campus
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance: Regular campus attendanceStudents attend classes on campus throughout the program.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Three years
Source: catalog.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits: Minimum of 60 semester credit hours
Source: catalog.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start: Fall
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

Field	Classification	Evidence
Film Production	Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.	Source: catalog.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Cinematography	Broader film degreeA broader film degree whose official curriculum substantially covers this field.	Source: catalog.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Why this degree is listed

MFA in filmmaking (documentary and science/natural history film production).

Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list verified film degrees only — no certificates, workshops or generic degrees with a few film electives. Eligibility rules

Curriculum, pathways and faculty

Thesis, film or capstone

Thesis filmA written thesis and a thesis film, produced and defended.

Source: catalog.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Internships

At least one production internship is required.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production projects

Second-year film prep and production courses.
Source: catalog.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

Cindy Stillwell — SNHF MFA Program Director, Professor

As listed on the program's official page on October 12, 2026. Listing does not mean a faculty member is teaching or supervising new students in a given year.

Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production costs and equipment

Production and equipment costs are separate from tuition. Tuition does not include cameras, crew, actors, locations, software or thesis-film budgets unless the school says so.

Equipment and facility access

Post-production: Dedicated graduate edit bay with Pro Tools and Adobe Creative Cloud.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Equipment loans: HD cameras, sound recorders, boom mics, long lenses and tripods from Equipment Checkout; equipment ownership not required.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Stages and studios: Two permanent soundstages in the Visual Communications Building.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Equipment loans: Film Equipment Checkout (VCB Room 214) lends gear to students registered in SFP courses, booked through Connect2.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Access policies: Equipment may be checked out only for course-credit projects; borrowers are financially responsible up to $1,000 for damaged or missing gear.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Access policies: Eligibility requires registration in an SFP course and proof of having paid SFP program fees.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published production and equipment costs

Published production and course fees

SFP program fees: MandatoryStudents must show proof of paying SFP program fees to use equipment; the catalog says to consult the department for Film program fees (amount not published).
Source: catalog.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We never estimate a total cost when key expenses are unpublished. Compare production costs

Admissions

Each submission item is shown exactly as the school states it. Anything not listed is not verified — never “not required”.

Portfolio and submission materials

Material	Status	Instructions as published
Creative portfolio	Optional	Optional sample of scientific research results and/or prior film, video or still photography work; no filmmaking experience required.Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Prior degree: RequiredA major or minor in a scientific field (broadly defined), or equivalent science-media experience.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Personal statement: RequiredPersonal statement answering set questions (word limits per question).
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required3 letters — Three letters of reference.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredResume.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee: Required$70 — $70 non-refundable application fee.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredUnofficial transcripts; official transcripts on acceptance.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

TOEFL iBT: Required — minimum 90Internet-based; for non-U.S. citizens from non-English-speaking countries; waived with a U.S. degree.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Duolingo English Test: Required — minimum 130Alternative to TOEFL.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
IELTS Academic: Required — minimum 7Alternative to TOEFL.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness. Build an application checklist

Deadlines

Dates are shown with the year and intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadline
January 31 · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its applicant category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-year and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other. Production costs are listed separately above.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
In-state — Resident, 12+ credits, tuition and feesFrom the school's rate table for this level	$5,350.45	per semester · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Out-of-state — Non-resident, 12+ credits, tuition and feesFrom the school's rate table for this level	$17,832.25	per semester · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Funding

Some scholarships, assistantships or awards exist for some students; full funding is not stated. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Partial funding

Tuition coverage: Limited teaching and research assistantships after the first year; several include tuition and fee waivers.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Tuition coverage: Non-residents may be eligible for 150% of in-state tuition under WRGP-WICHE (limited, by nomination).
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other: Very few scholarships or teaching assistantships for first-year students.
Source: sfp.montana.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.

catalog.montana.edu/graduate/arts-architecture/film-photography/mfa-science-natural-history-filmmaki — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
catalog.montana.edu/expenses/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
sfp.montana.edu/sciencenaturefilm/apply.html — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
sfp.montana.edu/sciencenaturefilm/faq.html — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
sfp.montana.edu/sciencenaturefilm/index.html — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
sfp.montana.edu/studentrulebook_equipmentcheckout.html — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
montana.edu/ubs/studentaccounts/TuitionFeeCharts/Current-Fall-Spring/graduate.html — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026

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