The Documentary Film Program provides students with a comprehensive lock-step curriculum consisting of courses in writing, production, and research, as well as documentary history and ethics. The coursework is designed not only to equip students with the skill set needed to produce professional quality films, but also to develop a respect for the traditions of the craft, an understanding of the economic aspects of the industry, and the intellectual discipline required to translate a creative vision into film.

While this is certainly a skills intensive curriculum, it is also a plan of study that emphasizes the social awareness elements that lie at the heart of the documentary tradition. We, as a faculty, believe it is imperative to impart to students the power and responsibility documentary filmmakers have in a world increasingly dependent on the moving image as a way to educate, inform, and affect change.

Offering students the option of an MA or MFA in documentary production, the Documentary Film Program or DFP will continue a tradition of producing award-winning and socially significant student documentary films. At the DFP you will have the opportunity to learn from a faculty that has led its students to two consecutive Emmy wins and multiple film festival honors, and has helped its graduates land positions at National Geographic, PBS and prestigious documentary production houses such as Cabin Creek Films and Big Mouth Productions.