University of California-Santa Cruz · Film and Digital Media Department

PhD in Film and Digital Media

PhDDoctor of Philosophy in Film and Digital MediaFunding not verified

Overview

A doctoral program in critical practice combining film and media studies with creative practice, with a normative time of six years, at least 108 credits, a year of supervised teaching, a qualifying examination and a dissertation that may include a creative component. The program is not accepting applications for the 2027 cohort.

Official program name: PhD in Film and Digital Media
Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Film and Digital MediaPhD · Doctor of Philosophy
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: University of California-Santa Cruz — Film and Digital Media Department
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Delivery: On campus
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance: Regular campus attendanceStudents attend classes on campus throughout the program.
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Normative time six years
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits: Minimum of 108 units of coursework
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Film and television: The program covers both film and television.
Source: film.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

Field	Classification	Evidence
Film Studies	Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.	Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Why this degree is listed

PhD in Film and Digital Media integrating media studies with practice-led research; admissions suspended for the 2027 cohort.

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

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

Research, dissertation and faculty

Dissertation

DissertationDissertation; if it has a substantial creative component, a written component of at least 75 pages is required.

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

Teaching opportunities

At least one year of supervised teaching through TAships or GSIships.
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Examinations

Second-year review serving as the master's examination; written and oral qualifying examination, typically in the fall of the fourth year.
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published areas of study

First-year foundational courses FILM 200A-C plus graduate electives.
Source: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other

Applications are not being accepted for the 2027 cohort.
Source: film.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

Shelley Stamp — Distinguished Professor of Film and Digital Media
Yiman Wang — Professor
Peter Limbrick — Professor
Soraya E A Murray — Professor, Film and Digital Media
Jennifer Horne — Associate Professor
Lahn S Kim — Associate Professor
Anna Friz — 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: film.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

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

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

Other requirements

Prior degree: RequiredBachelor's degree in any field; applicants with an MA or MFA are also considered.
Source: film.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

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

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

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 — Graduate academic student fees, total California resident (includes waivable UC SHIP)From the school's rate table for this level	$24,118.58	per academic year · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: catalog.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Out-of-state — Graduate academic student fees, total nonresidentFrom the school's rate table for this level	$39,220.58	per academic year · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: catalog.ucsc.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 guarantee: Admitted students are guaranteed support as described in their offer of admission.
Source: film.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Years guaranteed: Minimum support equivalent to a 50% teaching assistantship for five years.
Source: film.ucsc.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other: Total support (stipend, fees, tuition, health insurance) of at least $43,000 per year.
Source: film.ucsc.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.ucsc.edu/en/current/general-catalog/academic-units/arts-division/film-and-digital-media/film — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
catalog.ucsc.edu/en/current/general-catalog/academic-units/arts-division/film-and-digital-media/soci — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
catalog.ucsc.edu/en/current/general-catalog/graduate-information/graduate-expenses — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
film.ucsc.edu/academics/ph-d-film-digital-media/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
film.ucsc.edu/academics/ph-d-film-digital-media/phd-faq/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
film.ucsc.edu/people/faculty/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026

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