Master of Fine Arts - Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts

Program Description

The Department of Broadcast & Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) Graduate Program is a premier program designed for students pursuing an advanced education in media arts, whether it be in television and radio production, writing, business, management, digital and multimedia production and content delivery, or pedagogy. This broad, theory-driven approach is designed to encourage students to think critically about the many facets of the media industry, the content they produce, and the impact it has on culture and communities.

The 60-unit, three-year MFA in Broadcast & Electronic Communication Arts complements the department’s 30-unit MA degree. The purpose of the MFA is to prepare students to practice and teach in the field. It emphasizes the academic intersection between theory, research, and practice. The culminating experience is a creative project, the possibilities of which can be television or radio scripts, fully produced television, podcasts, or radio programs, sound recording and design, and social media producing and marketing. ALL MFA students are expected to develop a personal aesthetic and develop conceptual clarity to include distribution (getting their work in front of audiences).

The degree path for all MFA students includes three foundation areas:

• Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts Theory, History and Criticism
• Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts Practice
• Pedagogy in the Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts

Individualized programs for the BECA MFA degree are designed in consultation with the graduate advisor.

Graduate students admitted conditionally to the MFA program will submit a portfolio for a creative project in their second year of study. If the faculty does not approve the portfolio, the student may apply to transfer to the MA program and graduate after completing all required MA coursework and the comprehensive exam. If the portfolio is approved, coursework from the MA program is applied to the MFA degree. The student will complete a third and final year to earn the MFA.