People pursue graduate degrees for a variety of reasons, from personal enrichment to professional necessity. Regardless of the career path you choose, earning a graduate degree gives you an opportunity to learn about a subject more deeply and to work with professors more closely than is possible at the undergraduate level. Individuals with master's degrees in television and media studies and related fields often find jobs in: education, cultural programming, archiving, publishing and editing, public relations, journalism, and academic/student services.

Students with an MA degree are well-positioned to pursue PhDs in Media Studies, Cinema Studies, Screen Studies, and related fields. Students with strong writing and analytical skills are often successful in law school and other professional degrees, and subject-area expertise can help you find your niche. While an MA is not a prerequisite to an MFA, our program can help students develop their craft and build a portfolio for a stronger application to a competitive MFA program. 

It is increasingly important to develop a strong resume and professional profile along with completing your coursework. Don't wait until graduation to start thinking about jobs or the professional applications of your graduate study. Talk with your professors about career options and keep them apprised of your career goals. Seek out opportunities to build your resume with research and teaching assistantships where you can apply knowledge gained through coursework while cultivating practical applications and skills. Pursue internship opportunities, apply to work in the Writing Center, and attend special events like lectures and screenings. Think about how you can use material from your courses in applied settings.

A Master of Arts degree (MA) is typically a two year degree and is considered a "non-terminal" degree, meaning that it often leads into further study at the doctoral level and is often a prerequisite for admission into PhD programs. The FTMS MA at Rowan primarily offers courses in media studies (histories, theories, and critical approaches to media), as well as coursework in screenwriting, development, and pedagogy. Depending on their academic, career, or intellectual goals, students in our program may concentrate in media studies or build a diverse course of study, where a foundation in media studies can be complemented by a special focus on screenwriting, teaching, or other adjacent applications.

An MFA, or Master of Fine Arts, is considered a "terminal" degree. This means that the MFA is considered the highest academic achievement in creative or artistic fields, like writing, studio or performing arts, or filmmaking. The requirements for different MFA programs vary widely, though most programs require you to complete a capstone or thesis project in your respective area of study (a film or piece of media that demonstrates the application of skills acquired over a full sequence of craft classes). Note that even though a MFA degree is considered "terminal," a MA is not a prerequisite for admission. Students often come from a variety of undergraduate disciplines, and not always directly related to the MFA program’s field of study. Classes taken while pursuing a MFA are likely to be workshops and studio-style experiences leading to mastery of an artistic craft. Students usually apply for a specific discipline, or even sub-discipline (Directing, Screenwriting, Sound Design, Producing) and take classes primarily or exclusively related to that aspect of their craft. Some MFA programs, especially writing programs, offer a "low residency" option, which means that coursework is completed during intensive summer sessions and online. Most media production MFA programs require full-time enrollment over multiple years, leading up to a thesis.