Howard Graduate Film FAQs (Copy) — Howard Graduate Film

FAQs About Howard Graduate Film Program

How long is the MFA Film Program?

There are two (2) full academic years of coursework which include film production and film studies courses. A minimum of an additional academic semester is required for the completion of the thesis film. However, students normally take an additional academic year towards the completion of their thesis films.

Do you accept applicants with Mass Communications and/or Journalism backgrounds?

We do prefer that applicants have an academic background in film production, fine arts or the humanities. However in some cases, where applicants have demonstrated experience in film or media arts with a creative portfolio and indicate in the personal essay a clear focus on obtaining a fine arts degree in film, we have accepted such students into the program. It is important to note that the MFA Film degree does not include Broadcast Journalism, despite the program being housed in the Department of Media, Journalism and Film.

Is there on-campus housing available for Graduate Students?

There is on-campus graduate housing available including Axis at Howard and Howard Plaza Towers West. However, the majority of MFA Film students elect to stay off-campus in private accommodations, often renting apartments with roommates. The Division of Student Affairs can help in locating off-campus housing through The Office of Off-Campus Housing & Community Engagement.

Can I take other graduate courses offered at Howard University?

Within the third year when MFA Film students have minimal coursework in the program as they are focused on thesis productions, students often take elective courses during that year usually selecting graduate level arts courses in the Division of Fine Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Do students have the opportunity for international travel?

Howard MFA Film students are encouraged to travel internationally through opportunities offered within the program and across the university. Previous film educational programs have included Cannes Film Festival while study abroad have included Cuba, Nigeria and South Africa. MFA Film students also traveled to Burkina Faso for FESPACO. Many MFA Film students elect to shoot their Thesis films outside of the United States.

Would Howard University own my student films?

No. Howard University does not take legal ownership of MFA Student Films. However, a digital copy of the MFA Film Thesis is required to remain with the Howard University Graduate Film Program.

What camera equipment do MFA Film Students use?

The program has made the shift from 16mm, Super 16mm and 35mm cinematography, the formats traditionally taught at Howard University, to teaching courses on a range of digital cameras used by independent filmmakers including the RED. However, with the student demand for returning to celluloid filmmaking, several courses will be taught starting in Fall 2021 on 16mm film.

Are there scholarships or funding available for MFA Film Students?

The internal university funding available for MFA Film Students is the Graduate Assistantship which can cover the cost of tuition for an academic year along with providing a student stipend. International applicants have in secured Fulbright funding through the Foreign Fulbright Student Program to attend Howard Graduate Film Program. Additionally, previous international MFA Film Students have been part of the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program to cover the cost of attendance.

Does Professor Haile Gerima still teach at Howard University?

After more than forty years of dedicated teaching and service, Professor Emeritus Haile Gerima has retired from the University. Despite his retirement, Professor Gerima remains heavily engaged in independent filmmaking, the arts and activism. With his wife, filmmaker Shirikiana Aina, Gerima owns Sankofa Books and Café which is located across the street from Howard University’s main campus and is a centerpiece of the arts and activist communities in Washington, DC. Sankofa is also where Howard MFA Film students and alumni go to meet with Professor Gerima and filmmaker Shirikiana Aina.

How can I get involved with Parallel Film Collective?

Started in 2012 by Howard MFA Film students, faculty and alumni, Parallel Film Collective was a founding distribution partner for Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY. While Parallel focused its efforts on the promotion, distribution and exhibition of global independent cinema, Parallel Film Collective is set for several film productions in the Washington, DC area of which local independent filmmakers, Howard MFA Film students and alumni are welcomed to be involved.

What are the requirements for application submission?

Please visit GradCAS to begin your online application. As listed on GradCAS, we prefer applicants with a fine arts degree in film or another arts discipline including theatre, performance, photography and/or visual arts. In some cases, students with significant creative experience and an academic degree in the humanities (e.g. languages, literature, philosophy, history, etc.) may also be considered. The GPA requirement whether in the arts or the humanities is a 3.0 or better.

In addition to the online application, three (3) letters of recommendation including at least one (1) academic reference; a recent professional resume; creative portfolio which may include both screenplays and a showreel; a biographical essay explaining why you want to study independent filmmaking at Howard University are also required. Please note that the GRE is not required for applying to the MFA Film Program. For more information, contact the Office of Graduate Admission.

When is the application deadline?

Early Application Submission to the MFA Film Program is January 31, 2021. Regular Application Submission is April 1, 2021 for Fall 2021. Howard Graduate Film Program accepts incoming students once a year which is in the Fall semester. International applicants are encouraged to apply early.

When did the film program start at Howard University?

The undergraduate film program at Howard University was founded in 1971 under the former Department of Radio, Television and Film. By the early 1980’s, the MFA Film program was established. The graduate film program was founded by Barbadian-Ethiopian filmmaker and scholar Abiyi Ford, African American director Alonzo Crawford and Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima.

How are the film production courses being taught in the midst of Covid-19?

In March 2020, Howard University closed the campus to undergraduate students and instead made undergraduate courses online only. The graduate and professional programs have remained open as hybrid (part virtual and part in-person) courses. Howard Graduate Film Program has followed the hybrid model by providing the majority of instruction online, but production courses such as cinematography have been conducted in-person, within socially distance classrooms, where the instructor and students are masked. Students have full access to production equipment in order to continue making student films under strict Covid-19 film production guidelines