New York University awards the Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television, with verified film production, cinematography, producing and editing pathways. Published length: Three years of coursework; optional fourth year of matriculation to complete the thesis. Thesis film: Thesis may be a narrative or documentary film, TV pilot or web series, feature screenplay or pilot and bible, an editing or cinematography reel, or a producing thesis portfolio; reviewed by a faculty committee.
- Exact award
- Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television
- Fields
- Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) · Producing (Producing concentration) · Editing (Editing concentration) · Film Directing (broader film degree) +1
- Formal pathways
- Cinematography, Producing, Editing
- Format
- On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
- Length
- Three years of coursework; optional fourth year of matriculation to complete the thesis · 108 credits
- Thesis / capstone
- Thesis film — Thesis may be a narrative or documentary film, TV pilot or web series, feature screenplay or pilot and bible, an editing or cinematography reel, or a producing thesis portfolio; reviewed by a faculty committee.
- Portfolio
- Film or reel (required); Other material (required); Writing sample (required); Screenplay sample (required); Other material (required)
- Equipment & facilities
- Production equipment and post facilities are available for all assigned projects. Each second-year director is provided equipment (16mm film or digital cameras) and a small cash allotment.
- Tuition
- $41,450 per semester (2026-2027)
- Production costs
- Laboratory and equipment insurance fees: $879 per semester; Director production costs, first year: $2,000 – $5,000 per academic year; Director production costs, second year: $5,000 – $15,000 per academic year
- Funding
- Partial funding; 1 named award
Strengths
- Formal pathways published: Cinematography, Producing, Editing.
- Culminating thesis film documented.
- Equipment or facility access is documented for students.
- Production-related costs are published, so you can budget beyond tuition.
- Scholarships, assistantships or grants are published (not guaranteed for every student).
- Covers film and television together.
Tradeoffs and gaps
- No dated deadline published for the next intake.
- A longer commitment: Three years of coursework; optional fourth year of matriculation to complete the thesis.
May suit
Aspiring cinematographers; future producers; applicants focused on editing and post-production; applicants who already have creative work to show.
Evidence for each criterion
- Culminating work
- Thesis film verified.
- Source quality and freshness
- Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-12.
- Eligible degree or formal pathway
- Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television: Cinematography — named concentration (Cinematography).
- Funding evidence
- Partial funding; 1 named award.
- Published cost
- Tuition published (1 verified rate, 2026-2027).
- Published structure
- Format and length verified: Three years of coursework; optional fourth year of matriculation to complete the thesis; 108 credits.
- Production resources and costs
- 2 equipment/facility access items; 6 production cost items documented.
- Published admissions materials
- 5 submission items published (film reel, other, writing sample, screenplay sample).
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
