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New York University · Martin Scorsese Department of Cinema Studies

MA in Cinema Studies

MAMaster of Arts in Cinema StudiesFunding not verified

Overview

A 36-credit MA in the history, theory and criticism of film and the moving image, with core courses offered in the evening, optional internships at archives or in the industry, and a comprehensive exam.

Official program name
MA in Cinema Studies
Awarded degree
Master of Arts in Cinema StudiesMaster's · Master of Arts
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School
New York University — Martin Scorsese Department of Cinema Studies
Location
New York, NY
Delivery
On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance
Not verified
Study intensity
Full- or part-time
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Duration
Three semesters full-time
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits
36 credits (32 in the department)
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start
Fall
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

FieldClassificationEvidence
Film StudiesDedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Why this degree is listed

MA in cinema studies (history, theory and criticism of film).

Source: bulletins.nyu.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

ExaminationMaster's Comprehensive Exam: two of five questions answered as ten-page essays over one week.

Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Internships

  • Internships for credit at film libraries and archives or in the film and media industries.
    Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published areas of study

  • Core courses: Film Form/Film Sense, Film Theory, and Film History/Historiography or Television: History & Culture.
    Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

  • Manthia Diawara — Professor, film_studies
  • Antonia Lant — Professor, film_studies
  • Anna McCarthy — Professor; Director of Graduate Studies, film_studies
  • Robert Stam — Professor, film_studies
  • Zhen Zhang — Professor, film_studies
  • Dan Streible — Associate Professor; Chair, film_studies
  • Michael B. Gillespie — Associate Professor, film_studies

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: tisch.nyu.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

Equipment access: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Published production and equipment costs

Production and equipment costs: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

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

MaterialStatusInstructions as published
Academic writing sampleRequiredWriting sample of 15-20 double-spaced pages on film, television, video or new media (or the arts/humanities).Length: 15–20 pagesSource: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Statement of purpose
RequiredStatement of purpose, two to three double-spaced pages.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredProfessional resume.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee
Required$65 — $65 Tisch graduate application fee.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not required
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
TOEFL iBT
RequiredRequired unless exempt (e.g. native English speakers, degree from an English-medium university); TOEFL iBT, Duolingo, IELTS Academic or PTE Academic accepted; no minimum score.
Source: tisch.nyu.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

    December 1 · for Fall 2027

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: tisch.nyu.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.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
All students$29,112per semester · 2026-2027Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
All students — Total degree tuition (estimate, Fall 2026 start)$88,511entire program · 2026-2027Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Mandatory institutional fees

Service fees
$1,475 per semesterMandatory
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Funding

We have not verified an official funding policy for this program. That does not mean funding is unavailable. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Funding not verified

Funding policy: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.
  1. bulletins.nyu.edu/graduate/arts-science/programs/cinema-studies-ma/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  2. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  3. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/generalapplicationrequirements — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  4. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/graduate-tuition-and-fees — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026
  5. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/Internationalapplicantrequirements — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  6. tisch.nyu.edu/cinema-studies/courses/ma-in-cinema-studies — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  7. tisch.nyu.edu/cinema-studies/faculty — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026

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