Program Contact: Blythe Frank 203-582-7624
Film, television and streaming media companies all over the world need professionals who can work in all modes of producing and who understand and can manage the production cycle from script development through visual post-production editing and international distribution and marketing. The unique, 36-credit Producing for Film and Television (PFTV) program teaches technical skills and practical industry knowledge that gives students a strong overview of industry production history and contemporary professional practice.
Students have the opportunity to choose a concentration through the program depending on their area of interest: Creative Producing, Production Management or Writing for the Screen/Showrunning. They can also choose the general MA in Producing for Film and Television, which allows for additional flexibility to choose classes from across the program.
Collaborative and heavily project-based, the PFTV curriculum was designed with input from Los Angeles–based veterans of the entertainment industry, and culminates in a thesis course wherein students develop, schedule, budget and create pitch materials for a professional-level film, show or documentary developed over the course of their studies. Additionally, the majority of PFTV courses are delivered online, making it practical, cost-effective and convenient.
Graduates are fast-tracked to succeed in a range of entry-level positions, including production coordinator, writer's assistant, showrunner's assistant, and assistant location manager, to name a few. The PFTV program pairs well with a variety of backgrounds, from business to theater. It also complements several undergraduate majors in the School of Communications, including film, television and media arts, media studies and public relations, making it an ideal choice for students in Quinnipiac’s accelerated dual-degree and dual-degree programs.
MA in Producing for Film and Television
To earn the master’s degree, students must complete 36 credits with a minimum 3.00 GPA and no grades less than a C. Any graduate course with a grade of less than C has to be retaken. Students may choose either the general producing for film and television program or select one of the three concentrations below.
Producing for Film and Television - General Program
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required core courses | ||
| FTM 500 | Production Fundamentals | 3 |
| FTM 501 | Production Reconstruction | 3 |
| FTM 503 | Creative Development | 3 |
| FTM 601 | Graduate Thesis | 6 |
| Electives for PFTV, select seven courses from the list below | 21 | |
| Keys to the Production Office | ||
| Entertainment Law and Deal Making Practice | ||
| Worldwide Sales, Marketing And Distribution | ||
| Post-Production Workflow | ||
| Film Finance Models | ||
| World Building and Creative Collaboration | ||
| Mock Writer's Room | ||
| Contemporary History of the Entertainment Industry | ||
| Showrunning for TV | ||
| Screenwriting Craft & Workshop | ||
| Pilot Writing for Television | ||
| Production Management | ||
| Documentary and Impact Producing | ||
| Line Producing | ||
| The Studio At QU | ||
| Creative Producing | ||
| Special Topics in Cinematic Production Management | ||
| Production Internship/Apprenticeship | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Creative Producing Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required core courses | 15 | |
| Required concentration courses, below | ||
| FTM 505 | Entertainment Law and Deal Making Practice | 3 |
| FTM 508 | Worldwide Sales, Marketing And Distribution | 3 |
| FTM 511 | Film Finance Models | 3 |
| FTM 526 | Creative Producing | 3 |
| Students may select three 3-credit elective courses from any of the listed concentrations. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Production Management Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required core courses | 15 | |
| Required concentration courses, below | ||
| FTM 502 | Keys to the Production Office | 3 |
| FTM 510 | Post-Production Workflow | 3 |
| FTM 518 | Production Management | 3 |
| FTM 520 | Line Producing | 3 |
| Students may select three 3-credit elective courses from any of the listed concentrations. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Writing for the Screen/Showrunning Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required core courses | 15 | |
| Required concentration courses, below | ||
| FTM 512 | World Building and Creative Collaboration | 3 |
| FTM 513 | Mock Writer's Room | 3 |
| FTM 515 | Showrunning for TV | 3 |
| or FTM 518 | Production Management | |
| FTM 516 | Screenwriting Craft & Workshop | 3 |
| or FTM 517 | Pilot Writing for Television | |
| Students may select three 3-credit elective courses from any of the listed concentrations. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students should be able to demonstrate the following competencies:
- Creative Thinking and Visual Literacy: Develop the ability to conceptualize and produce visual stories demonstrating aesthetic competence, fluency with visual grammar, and an appreciation of the historical context from which new forms and stories are created.
- Written and Oral Communication: Acquire the facility to create effective content for visual media, as well as an ability to demonstrate both written and oral proficiency within a variety of professional formats and delivery platforms.
- Critical Thinking and Reasoning: Develop the skills needed to critically analyze the work of others as a means to problem-solve and better inform students’ own original creative output. Achieve a proficiency in creating professional quality work within the parameters and practical limitations of a broad spectrum of production environments. Recognize works of art as visual arguments, and be able to use analytical skills to assess their effectiveness.
- Information Fluency: Learn to plan and produce effectively across a wide array of technical contexts, demonstrating facility and expertise with preproduction, production and postproduction phases of film, television and streaming media creation.
- Social Intelligence: Demonstrate an ability to work effectively within groups and production teams, to understand and manage collaborations and to act ethically, constructively and responsibly in the process of achieving individual and common goals.
- Diversity Awareness and Sensitivity: Acquire an understanding of and respect for the similarities and differences among human communities, including a recognition and appreciation for the unique talents and contributions of all individuals.
- Responsible Citizenship: Learn to recognize and analyze media-related issues and influence decisions and actions at the local, national and global levels, and to become engaged as responsible citizens.
Admission
The School of Communications invites applications from prospective students who wish to pursue the professional practice of film and television production. Recent graduates of a bachelor’s degree program outside of the communications field are welcome to apply, as are prospective students who are presently working and wish to either shift careers or enhance their professional standing.
Admission is based on the following:
- Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a GPA of 3.00 or greater
- A resume showing experience as either a student or professional
- Two academic or professional recommendations
- An original piece of writing (1,000-word maximum) on why the applicant wishes to enter this program
Required Documents
Internal Applicants
Applicants who completed their bachelor’s degree program at Quinnipiac University no more than one calendar year prior to the upcoming semester are required to submit:
- A completed application
- An official transcript
- A letter of personal intent (approximately 500 words)
- A resume
External Applicants
Applicants who completed their bachelor’s degree at an external institution or who completed their bachelor's degree at Quinnipiac University more than one calendar year prior to the upcoming semester are required to submit:
- A completed application
- An official transcript
- Two letters of recommendation submitted on your behalf
- A letter of personal intent (approximately 500 words)
- An updated resume
- $45 application fee