Three Options: Acting, Content Creation, Writing
ACTING OPTION
If you are already an experienced actor who wants to expand your storytelling across live and recorded mediums, our Acting option provides opportunities for actors to work onstage and in front of the camera, exploring different physical and vocal techniques while also learning vital production skills to support your career goals.
CONTENT CREATION OPTION
If you are a director, producer, cinematographer, filmmaker, or designer with a story to tell who wants to gain skills across various mediums, our Content Creation option offers training to develop multitalented, entrepreneurial artists who can actively create and publish original content to an audience on one or more platforms.
WRITING OPTION
If you are a proficient writer who wants to learn more about producing scripts for short or feature-length films, television, and/or short or full-length plays, our Writing option offers coursework across live and recorded mediums in a collaborative, cross-disciplinary curriculum that strengthens the skills and abilities needed to succeed in a competitive industry.
The MFA in TVFT Degree Program
Prospective students must choose ONE of the three options (Acting, Content Creation, or Writing) when applying. The courses that students take in the MFA in TVFT are determined in part by their chosen option. There is core coursework that is taken by students in all three options, and there is option-specific coursework that is required for each option. However, we encourage cross-disciplinary training and students are able to take classes across all three options, not just those in the core and their specific option.
Requirements for the Degree (58 units): A total of 58 units are required, with 31 units of core courses, 3 units of Culminating Project, and 24 units of option requirements. Students are expected to maintain 3.0 GPA and a B grade or better in all core courses. Consultation with a graduate adviser is required for the development and approval of a graduate program, which includes the following courses:
Click on any of the courses below to be taken to the catalog description for the course.
- TVFT 5100 - Immersion: Theatre [3]
- TVFT 5110 - Immersion: Film/Television [3]
- TVFT 5120 - Playwriting: One Act [3]
- TVFT 5150 - Teacher Training Seminar [1]
- TVFT 5161 - Acting Studio I [3]
- TVFT 5170 - Theatrical Producing and Management [3]
- TVFT 5202 - Thriving in the Industry [2]
- TVFT 5275 - Television Production [3]
- TVFT 5300 - Production Activity [2]
- TVFT 5430 - Narrative Live Space [3]
- TVFT 5650 - Thesis Writing Preparation [3]
- TVFT 5950 - Entertainment Arts Internship [1-2]
- TVFT 5995 - Culminating Project (3 units)
Click on any of the courses below to be taken to the catalog description for the course.
- TVFT 5141 - Movement I: Contemporary Dance [3]
- TVFT 5151 - Voice I [3]
- TVFT 5162 - Acting Studio II [3]
- TVFT 5265 - Acting for the Camera [3]
- TVFT 5366 - Acting: Classical [3]
- TVFT 5420 - Viewpoints [3]
- TVFT 5142 - Movement II [3]
- TVFT 5152 - Voice II [3]
- TVFT 5244 - Stage Combat [3]
- Acting Electives (3 units): Electives should be chosen in consultation with an adviser from available 4000 or 5000-level courses.
Click on any of the courses below to be taken to the catalog description for the course.
- TVFT 5160 - The Writers Room [3]
- TVFT 5180 - Visual Concepts in Theatrical Design [3]
- TVFT 5190 - Directing: Theatre [3]
- TVFT 5221 - Writing a Short Film [3]
- TVFT 5280 - Cinematography and Editing [3]
- TVFT 5281 - Sound Recording/Design [3]
- TVFT 5295 - Directing a Short Film [3]
- Content Creation Electives (3 units): Electives should be chosen in consultation with an adviser from available 4000 or 5000-level courses.
Click on any of the courses below to be taken to the catalog description for the course.
- TVFT 5160 - The Writers Room [3]
- TVFT 5221 - Writing a Short Film [3]
- TVFT 5225 - Writer’s Workshop: Playwriting [3]
- TVFT 5226 - Writer’s Workshop: Pilot [3]
- TVFT 5227 - Feature Writing [3]
- TVFT 5230 - Interactive Storytelling and Introduction to Games [3]
- TVFT 5121 - TV Spec Writing: Sitcom [3]
- TVFT 5222 - TV Spec: Drama [3]
- Writing Electives (3 units): Electives should be chosen in consultation with an advisor from available 4000 or 5000-level courses.
Roadmaps
The roadmaps are suggested guidelines as to the classes you can expect to take each semester in each of the three years of the program. They are not rigid requirements, and course offerings do sometimes fluctuate from the roadmap for various reasons.