University degrees: Postgraduate
Course length: 2 years
Course city: Toronto
York University’s Graduate Program in Film/Cinema and Media Studies is recognized internationally as Canada’s most innovative and dynamic film program, providing students with a unique integration of film studies, hands-on skills, critical theory and state-of-the-art production resources and pedagogy. Situated in the celebrated School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design that includes departments of dance, theatre, design, visual arts, art history and music, our graduate film programs actively facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations and research through shared courses, joint creation initiatives and a dynamic year-long program of public lectures and events.
The MA in Cinema & Media Studies offers a broad and comprehensive curriculum in the critical study of film and media arts to a small group of highly motivated students (most MA cohorts range between 8-12 students each year).
Our renowned faculty, working at the cutting edge of cinema & media scholarship, offer a diverse selection of courses and in-depth mentoring that provide students with a core formation in the critical and interpretive analysis of a broad range of cinema and contemporary media.
We welcome applicants with educational backgrounds in Film/Cinema Studies, Media Studies, Communications, Cultural Studies, Digital Media, Art History, English, Women’s Studies, History, Queer and Sexuality Studies, Education, Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Area Studies, and other disciplines that nurture research in sound and moving image media.
Domestic Master’s students receive $10,000/year in funding + York’s $1000 FGS Healthcare Bursary. With York University’s emphasis on access in higher education, our graduate students pay the lowest graduate tuition in Ontario.
In recent years, over 70% of Cinema & Media Studies (CMS) MA students have received additional funding through awards like CGS-M ($17,500/year) and OGS ($15,000/year), usually in their second year, in part due to the Program’s emphasis on strong professional development, including grant writing.
In addition to core cinema and media studies approaches through history, criticism, and theory, many of our faculty pursue interdisciplinary research methodologies, including research creation. Three faculty members are current or former Canada Research Chairs and all of our faculty participate actively in international and Canadian conferences and publications.
Students work closely with our award winning faculty while completing specialized coursework in critical theory, cultural studies, gender and sexuality studies, documentary, national and transnational cinemas, philosophy and film, independent film, games and digital media, archiving, curatorial studies, film history, media industry studies, migrant cinema & globalization, and the political economy of media.
Our two-year program and flexible curriculum allow students the freedom to fulfill their unique academic and professional aspirations with ample time to benefit from York University’s rich tradition of being at the vanguard of interdisciplinary research, social justice, knowledge mobilization and emerging technology.
Students may also pursue Field Placements at one of the many film and media institutions in Toronto; recent internships have included TIFF, Vtape, Toronto Outdoor Picture Show, Images Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, and many others.
The MA normally culminates in a major research paper (MRP), which may include a research-creation project. Recent MRP topics include:
MA students also directly participate in the many research-intensive initiatives and media labs housed in the School of Arts, Performance, Media and Design (AMPD) and across campus:
For students preparing for a future in the media industries, we also offer a joint MA/MBA degree with the world-renowned Schulich School of Business.
The MA is an extremely versatile degree that prepares students for futures in interdisciplinary academic research or the growing spectrum of jobs in the creative industries. Many of our graduates pursue PhDs after their MA training, and/or have gone on to successful careers as academics, festival programmers, archivists, curators, critics, and media producers.
For more information, please contact:
Graduate Program Director:
Michael Zryd—zryd@yorku.ca
