One-Year Master of Arts (MA) Programs at NYFA

New York Film Academy MA degree programs are offered only at our Los Angeles Campus.

Program Overview

The MA degree programs at New York Film Academy were designed to offer students an opportunity to complete a Master’s degree program in the performing and visual arts in a single year. Like the Academy’s other programs, each of the two MA degree programs are committed to immersing students in a project-based curriculum where students fully commit themselves to the study and exploration of their subject.

When choosing to enroll in an MA degree program, students should be prepared to fully commit themselves to their professional training. Each program is overseen by a faculty of industry professionals, experienced individuals from the entertainment and media industries who provide crucial insight into the theory, practice, and business of the performing and visual arts.

For students looking to accomplish a tremendous amount in a single year, the Academy’s MA programs are ideal for immersing students in a craft and preparing them to enter their chosen field.

Required Application Materials

Graduate (MA) applicants must submit the following materials for admission:

• Completed Graduate Program Application
• Application Fee
• Undergraduate Degree Transcript
• Narrative Statement
• Letters of Recommendation
• Creative Portfolio
• Proof of English Proficiency

The following sections provide detailed information regarding all required application material.

APPLICATION

Students must submit a completed graduate program application. Applications are available online at: https://www.nyfa.edu/applications/ma1.php.

APPLICATION FEE

Students must submit a non-refundable $65 application fee, payable online as part of the online application.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE TRANSCRIPT

All students pursuing a graduate degree from the New York Film Academy must submit an official, final undergraduate transcript in order to complete their application.

Hard copies of official transcripts must be mailed to New York Film Academy directly from the undergraduate institution in a sealed envelope.

Students wishing to submit transcripts digitally can do so by contacting their NYFA admissions representative for instructions. Digital transcripts may be submitted using a digital submission service (such as Parchment) or your undergraduate institution’s own digital delivery service.

The New York Film Academy generally does not consider prior experiential learning as a substitute for the transcript requirements described above.

Students earning an undergraduate degree in a foreign country, where a language other than English is the official language, and who are able to produce an original transcript, must have it translated into English by an education evaluation service that offers translation services.

NARRATIVE STATEMENT

The narrative statement should be a mature and self-reflective essay (max. 3 typed pages) detailing the applicant’s reasons for pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in their chosen discipline. The essay should take into account the individual’s history, formative creative experiences, contemporary influences and inspirations, and personal artistic dreams.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Students must submit three letters of recommendation verifying the applicant’s ability to successfully take on graduate study in their chosen field. Letters must be sealed and stamped, and should be submitted directly to the Admissions Review Office from the individual writing on the applicant’s behalf.

Creative Portfolio

MA applicants must submit a portfolio, which may include one of the following:

• 2-3 writing samples that include any original short stories, articles or essays (10 pg. maximum)
• 2-3 critical studies essays examining a literary or cinematic work (play, screenplay, television series, film, etc.) (10 pg. maximum)
• 5-8 minute reel, short film or excerpt from a film, web series, or other video project

Collaborative material is accepted if the candidate explains the exact nature of his or her contribution to the piece.

PROOF OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

New York Film Academy believes that to be successful in our degree programs an applicant must have a strong command of the English language. Non-U.S. residents or international applicants, for whom English is not their first or native language, who apply to NYFA’s MFA, MA, BFA, BA, AFA, or long-term certificate programs, are asked to provide one of the following as proof of English language proficiency:

• A TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score iBT of 68 or an IELTS score of 5.5 for BFA, BA, and Conservatory programs. For the MFA and MA programs, the required score for TOEFL iBT is 79 and IELTS of 6.5.
• A report from a valid English Language School verifying completion of course level equivalent to a 550 Paper-based TOEFL Score.

Applicants might be eligible to receive an English proficiency waiver under the following conditions:

• Verification that the applicant has been studying in a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English for at least 1 full year at the time of his or her application; or
• Verification that the applicant has been studying in a high school where the sole language of instruction is English for at least 3 full years at the time of his or her application.

Applicants who wish to confirm eligibility for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver can contact an admissions representative for assistance.

For short-term and long-term non-degree certificate programs, NYFA will accept a positive language evaluation via phone or Skype in lieu of the other requirements.

PLEASE NOTE: All students will take English assessment tests during the registration period at the beginning the program. Students may be referred to additional English study in an ESL program or a blended program depending on their English level. This may add a semester or more to the time needed to complete the program of study at NYFA.

All courses at all NYFA locations are taught in English.

Interview

As part of the admissions process, graduate applicants may be interviewed by phone, web, or in person by a New York Film Academy representative. The purpose of the interview is to identify the applicant's goals and prior experience.

The interview is also an opportunity to review the program curriculum with the applicant and to ensure that s/he fully understands the level of commitment required to successfully complete the degree.

Tuition Deposit

Once admitted to NYFA, students must pay a required deposit to secure their place in the MA program.

The deposit for all long-term programs (one year or longer) is $500, which is applied toward the first term's tuition payment. Most of the deposit is refundable, except a $100 administrative processing fee.