Checklist: Film & Video
When applying to Film & Video as a domestic student (if you are an international student, please refer to the bottom of the page) you willl need to submit the following:
The Film & Video Department believes that those undergraduate students who have already completed significant coursework in Film & Video with Columbia college Chicago's faculty are best served by continuing their graduate study in a new and different academic setting. For this reason, the MFA program in Film & Video does NOT consider applicants with ten hours or more of Film & Video coursework from Columbia College.
If you are an international student you will need to submit all of the above materials as well as the additional International Application Materials.
- $55 application fee: You may send a check or money order to the graduate office or complete the online payment form
If you choose to use the online payment form, please select "Grad Application Fee" and also be sure to include your social security number (if applicable). If possible, you should forward the payment confirmation to the Graduate Office (gradsch@colum.edu). To pay by credit card over the phone, please call 312-344-7260. If you pay by check, money order, or with a credit card over the phone, please note that your payment will take longer to process. - Completed domestic application
- Self-Assessment essay: Within your self-assessment essay, should be a concise, truthful, and in-depth investigation of your need to work in a personal medium. The Graduate Faculty Admissions Committee in Film & Video considers this essay the most important document in your application so it should not be a self-promoting autobiographical account. The focus should be on particular motives, attitudes, and biases that lie behind your urge to create. You should also attempt to define what special interests and strengths you would bring to the program.
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume
- Two copies of all transcripts from any and all colleges/universities attended
- Work sample: Strong work samples (or "creative portfolios") contain visual or written materials that demonstrate the potential for successful creative work in Film & Video. Work samples should exhibit the applicant's creativity and talent and an ability to effectively communicate a personal viewpoint and demonstrate an understanding of the human experience. Visual work samples/portfolios may include, but are not limited to: films on DVD/DV or VHS; digital media samples; slides of artwork (sculptures, paintings, drawings, photographs; or evidence of creative thinking in any other discipline (e.g., original research or inquiry). Written work samples/portfolios may include but are not limited to: screen writing samples, poetry, short stories and/or expository writing.
- Film & Video Thesis Statement: Because the Film & Video program requires that each student successfully complete pre-thesis projects and a major (up to 20 minutes in length) MFA thesis project, the program requires applicants to include a separate thesis statement in their materials. This is a brief description of an idea you have for a film or a video project that might eventually serve as your graduate thesis. The statement should also include your feelings about why you are compelled to tell the story. It should suggest your creativity and talent, and the potential to develop personal subject matter in the medium. (It will not be binding since your ability to conceptualize such projects will develop through the course of study). The thesis statement should be submitted as a separate sheet (appx. one page) that is typed, double-spaced and labeled: "Film & Video Thesis Statement." These submissions give the departmental Faculty Admissions Committee an opportunity to assess your maturity, talent, sense of personal viewpoint, initiative, experience, and fit for the program - all of which are important for your success in the program.
The Film & Video Department believes that those undergraduate students who have already completed significant coursework in Film & Video with Columbia college Chicago's faculty are best served by continuing their graduate study in a new and different academic setting. For this reason, the MFA program in Film & Video does NOT consider applicants with ten hours or more of Film & Video coursework from Columbia College.
If you are an international student you will need to submit all of the above materials as well as the additional International Application Materials.