M.F.A. in Science & Natural History Filmmaking
The Master of Fine Arts Program in Science & Natural History Filmmaking at Montana State University is a unique, world renowned graduate program dedicated to this field of filmmaking. Our mission is to train aspiring filmmakers with an interest and background in scientific and the natural world to develop the creative, technical, and critical skills needed to create work that will contribute to the public understanding of science.The mission statement conveys the Program's emphasis on finding creative ways of expressing scientific information primarily through nonfiction filmmaking and related media. Scientific research is often based on innovation, and the faculty believe scientific media can and should challenge and transform traditional media models to work on more profoundly creative levels.
Graduates have pursued successful careers as award-winning independent filmmakers, staff creators at major agencies and organizations, production leaders at major channels and streaming platforms, communications executives with foundations, NGOS, and government agencies, and full-time faculty positions at major universities. Students have produced films for the National Park Service, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture, NOAA, NASA, National Geographic, Discovery, and non-profit organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Sierra Club, the Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, the Field Museum and the Boston Museum of Science. Students’ work has also been featured in numerous festivals internationally. Students and alumni have received several student Emmys and multiple Primetime Emmy Awards along with numerous honors at festivals and juried competitions. Our students have also been awarded Fulbright scholarships, a Fred Rogers Scholarship from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Webby awards, and many other honors. They have documented the work of explorers and scientists in almost every field from astrophysics to zoology and on every continent in the world including Antarctica.
Candidates for the MFA take courses that include film and video production, the history and theory of documentary, cinematography, sound, production management, editing and writing. All students must also work at one or more production internships during their time as MFA students. Our students are in great demand, even before graduation, and most leave the program with their first professional credits as well as their MFA degree.
Contact: SNHF@montana.edu 406.994.3902
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate a general technical and aesthetic proficiency in film or videography through the creation or original works.
- Demonstrate technical and aesthetic mastery of at least one specialty area within their chosen discipline, for example film editing or photographic portraiture, through the creation of original works.
- Create original productions that demonstrate an appreciation of the history and criticism of film.
- Possess effective oral and written communication skills evidenced in project proposals, artist statements, and/or papers relevant to their chosen discipline.
- Be able to successfully plan, communicate, execute, and defend original artistic creations and/or professional projects, in their chosen discipline.
- Be able to employ critical thinking skills, informed by current debates within scientific fields, in the analysis and creation of films and/or related media.
- Work effectively within the professional production structures of their chosen field.
Program Requirements
The curriculum consists of a minimum of sixty semester credit hours of study, written thesis, and thesis film taken over three years. To graduate, a student should complete the course of study in good academic standing and produce and defend a written thesis and thesis film.
| Fall Semester | ||
| FILM 504 | Film and Documentary Theory | 4 |
| FILM 510 | Fundamentals of Filmmaking | 4 |
| FILM 519 | Post Production Workflow | 3 |
| FILM 581 | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| FILM 505 | Critical Approaches to Science and Natural History Filmmaking | 4 |
| FILM 515 | Science and Natural History Film Production | 4 |
| FILM 517 | Production Management | 3 |
| FILM 518 | Writing for Documentary and Non-Fiction Film | 3 |
| Second Year Fall Semester | ||
| FILM 513 | Advanced Cinematography | 3 |
| FILM 523 | Second Year Film Prep | 2 |
| FILM 526 | Alternative Nonfiction | 3 |
| Second Year Spring Semester | ||
| FILM 525 | Second Year Film Prod | 3 |
| FILM 528 | Non-Fiction Film Performance | 3 |
| FILM 560 | Advanced Post Production: Info Design | 3 |
| Take One Credit: | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Professional Internship | ||
| Thesis Year | ||
| Take a combination of 6 cr F and 9 cr Sp | ||
| FILM 590 | Master's Thesis | 1-15, max 15 credits, may be repeated |