University of Miami · Cinematic Arts and Journalism and Media Management

Documentary, M.F.A.

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in DocumentaryPartial funding

Overview

A 54-credit, two-year Documentary MFA combining cinematic documentary production with journalism, including a one-week international production outreach program and a thesis project; thesis production funding is guaranteed according to the program page.

Official program name: Documentary, M.F.A.
Awarded degree: Master of Fine Arts in DocumentaryMaster's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: University of Miami — Cinematic Arts and Journalism and Media Management
Location: Coral Gables, FL
Delivery: On campus
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance: Regular campus attendanceStudents attend classes on campus throughout the program.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Two years
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits: 54 credit hours
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

Field	Classification	Evidence
Film Production	Broader film degreeA broader film degree whose official curriculum substantially covers this field.	Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Why this degree is listed

Two-year MFA in documentary filmmaking offered jointly by Cinematic Arts and Journalism; production-focused, ends in a thesis film or multimedia project.

Source: bulletin.miami.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 filmThesis project (CCA 815 MFA Thesis or JMM 815 Multimedia Project) on under-represented or socially relevant topics.

Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production projects

International Production Outreach Program: one-week service-learning production abroad in the first-year spring.
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Documentary Production course: students produce two short digital documentaries.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Internships

Six-credit practicum: internships or advanced projects in cinematic arts and journalism.
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

Sanjeev Chatterjee — Graduate Program Director, documentary

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: com.miami.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 loans: School of Communication equipment room with RED, Blackmagic and Arri Alexa cameras, lights and audio.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

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

Material	Status	Instructions as published
Writing sample	Optional	Writing sample (10 pages or less) currently optional.Length: up to 10 pagesSource: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Creative portfolio	Optional	Sample of visual expression (video up to 10 minutes or up to 15 photographs) currently optional.Length: up to 10 minutesSource: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Prior degree: RequiredBaccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Personal statement: RequiredPersonal essay, 500-700 words.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required3 letters — Three letters of recommendation.
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredTwo-page resume.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee: Required$85 — $85 non-refundable application fee.
Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other requirement: Not requiredNo prior filmmaking experience is required.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

TOEFL iBT: RequiredInternational applicants only; TOEFL or IELTS.
Source: bulletin.miami.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.

Priority deadline
February 1, 2027 · for Fall 2027
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming
Application deadline
July 15, 2027 · for Fall 2027
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming

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
All students — Graduate tuition per credit hourFrom the school's rate table for this level	$2,763	per credit · 2026-2027Estimate$149,202 = 54 credits × $2,763 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, production and equipment costs, travel, and any rate change during the program.Source: bulletin.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Mandatory institutional fees

Graduate mandatory fees (full time, 9 or more credit hours): $701 per semesterMandatory
Source: bulletin.miami.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

Other: Most programs have a very limited number of graduate assistantships.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other: Fieldwork abroad is described as fully funded.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Named scholarships, assistantships and production grants

Thesis production funding production grant
Not stated
Eligibility: Documentary MFA students; no separate application required.
Source: com.miami.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Sources and verification

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

bulletin.miami.edu/general-university-information/university-policies/financial-payment-policies/tui — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
bulletin.miami.edu/graduate-academic-programs/communication/cinematic-arts/documentary-mfa/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
com.miami.edu/admissions/funding-opportunities/ — Official funding / aid page, verified October 12, 2026
com.miami.edu/documentary-mfa/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026

Something out of date? Suggest an update · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Similar programs

Same degree level and field. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

Florida State University

MFA in Motion Picture Arts - Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Motion Picture Arts with a Major in Production

Tallahassee, FL

On campus

Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +2

Two years (six consecutive semesters, including summers)

Partial funding

$479.32 per credit · In-state — Main campus graduate resident rate · 2026-2027

December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027

View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools , Top Cinematography Schools , Top Film Schools in the USA , Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA

Full Sail University

Film Production Master of Fine Arts

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film Production

Winter Park, FL

On campus

Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (broader film degree) · Producing (broader film degree)

48 weeks

Partial funding

$36,000 entire program · All students — Total program tuition (campus); average cost per credit hour $621 · August - December 20

No upcoming verified deadline

View program

CUNY Brooklyn College

Cinema Arts, M.F.A.

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Cinema Arts

Brooklyn, NY

On campus · Full- or part-time

Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Thesis as director concentration) · Cinematography (Thesis as cinematographer concentration) +3

Duration not verified

Funding not verified

$5,545 per semester · In-state — New York State residents, full-time (12 credits), tuition only

No upcoming verified deadline

View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools , Top Cinematography Schools , Top Screenwriting Schools

FilmSchools.app is independent and not affiliated with University of Miami. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.