Applying to the Program
Is the Film & Media Ph.D. program a good fit for my research interests?
The Film & Media Ph.D. is a research-focused program emphasizing the history, theory, and critical study of film and media. The program is interdisciplinary and includes opportunities to integrate digital-media production with students’ other areas of study, but it is not primarily a professional production degree. Applicants should be able to identify a general area of inquiry and explain why their proposed research is especially well suited to Berkeley Film & Media. Applicants should review the department’s faculty profiles and current research interests when considering whether the program is a good fit.
Does the department admit students for the spring semester?
No. The department admits new Ph.D. students for the fall semester only.
Is the GRE required?
No. The GRE is not required.
Do I need a master’s degree to apply?
No. A master’s degree is not required. Applicants must hold, or expect to hold before beginning the program, a bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent.
Do I need to find a faculty adviser before applying?
No. Applicants apply to the Department of Film & Media as a whole, not to an individual faculty member. Applications are reviewed holistically by a faculty admissions committee. In the Faculty Interest section of the application, applicants identify and rank three Film & Media faculty members whose research interests are most relevant to their proposed work, but applicants do not need to secure a faculty sponsor before applying.
Should I contact faculty before applying?
Contacting faculty is not required and does not affect whether an applicant is eligible for admission. Applicants should first review faculty profiles and current research interests. Applicants may contact an individual faculty member with a specific academic question, but faculty members do not individually approve applicants for admission.
How long should the statements and writing sample be?
The department does not impose an additional word limit for the Statement of Purpose or Personal History Statement beyond the instructions in the application. Approximately 500 to 1,000 words for each statement is generally sufficient. Applicants must submit a scholarly writing sample of no more than 30 pages. The sample may be excerpted from a longer work and should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to conduct research, develop an argument, and engage critically with relevant materials.
What is the difference between the Statement of Purpose and the Personal History Statement?
The Statement of Purpose should focus on the applicant’s academic preparation, research interests, proposed area of study, reasons for applying to Berkeley Film & Media, and future academic or professional goals. The Personal History Statement should explain how the applicant’s background and life experiences have shaped their decision to pursue graduate study. It may address formative experiences, educational opportunities or barriers, leadership and service, and the perspectives the applicant would bring to the Berkeley community. The Personal History Statement should complement rather than repeat the Statement of Purpose.
What transcripts must I submit?
Applicants must upload unofficial academic records from every postsecondary institution they have attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs. Applicants who attended institutions outside the United States may also need to upload degree certificates and English translations. Official academic records are generally requested only after an applicant accepts an offer of admission.
Do I need to calculate an advanced GPA if I earned my bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution?
Yes. Applicants who earned a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution must calculate their advanced GPA, which includes coursework completed after the first two years of the bachelor’s degree. Follow the instructions in the online application for calculating and reporting the advanced GPA.
How should I report my GPA if I earned my bachelor’s degree from an international institution?
Do not convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. Enter your GPA as it appears on your academic record, following the instructions in the online application. Upload the required transcript or academic record and degree certificate for each institution attended.
How do I know whether I must submit proof of English-language proficiency?
Applicants should review Graduate Division’s current English-language proficiency requirements and exemptions to determine whether they must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Requirements depend on the applicant’s educational background, the institution that awarded the bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent, and any applicable exemptions. UC Berkeley does not accept the Duolingo English Test.
How are letters of recommendation submitted?
Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants enter each recommender’s name and email address in the online application. The system then sends the recommender a link to upload the letter directly. Applicants may also use Interfolio by entering the unique email address generated by Interfolio for each letter. Applicants should arrange for all three letters to be submitted by the application deadline. Applicants may submit their application before their recommenders upload their letters.
When will admission decisions be released?
Admission decisions are generally released by early March. Applicants will receive an email when an update is available in the application status portal. Graduate Division issues the official offer of admission.
Does the department provide funding?
Yes. All admitted students receive a five-year funding package, as outlined in each student’s official funding offer. The package covers applicable tuition, required fees, and student health insurance and includes financial support during the academic year and summer. During the fall and spring semesters, support is provided through fellowship funding or Graduate Student Instructor appointments. Continued support is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress and fulfillment of program and appointment requirements. Please review the Student Financial Support and Employment page for additional information.
Who can answer questions about the application, admissions process, or financial support?
Please contact Graduate Student Services at rfahgradadvising@berkeley.edu.
Who can answer questions about the academic program?
You may contact Professor Weihong Bao, Head Graduate Advisor for the Department of Film & Media, at wbaoster@berkeley.edu.
Degree Requirements and Program Structure
Does the department offer a standalone MA program?
No. The department does not admit students to a standalone MA program. Students admitted to the Film & Media Ph.D. program normally earn an MA after completing the applicable coursework, examination, and review requirements.
How does a previous master’s degree affect the program requirements?
Students entering with an MFA or a master’s degree outside Film and Media Studies must complete all Film & Media MA requirements, including the MA examination.
Students entering with an equivalent master’s degree in Film and Media Studies or a closely related field normally complete FILM 200, FILM 201, and FILM 203. Requests for course equivalencies based on prior graduate coursework may be considered by petition. These students are not normally required to complete the Berkeley MA examination and are not awarded a Berkeley MA.
Is this primarily a production program?
No. The Film & Media Ph.D. is primarily a research-based program emphasizing the history, theory, and critical study of film and media. It is not an MFA or professional production degree. Students may incorporate digital media production into their research and coursework, but production is not the primary focus of the program.
Is there a foreign-language requirement?
Yes. Students must demonstrate research competence in one language other than English before scheduling the Qualifying Examination. Applicants do not need to have completed the language requirement before entering the program.
Do students take courses outside Film & Media?
Yes. Interdisciplinary study is an important part of the Film & Media Ph.D. As part of the Ph.D. coursework, students complete two graduate seminars in an Outside Field defined in consultation with their faculty advisers. Students may also take additional relevant graduate seminars in departments and programs across campus, depending on their research interests. Students must complete all required Film & Media coursework and other departmental degree requirements.
Can students pursue a Designated Emphasis?
Yes. Film & Media Ph.D. students may apply to a campus Designated Emphasis that complements their doctoral research, such as Critical Theory, New Media, or Women, Gender, and Sexuality. Students must apply separately to the Designated Emphasis and complete its requirements in addition to the requirements of the Film & Media Ph.D. The Designated Emphasis in Film Studies is intended for doctoral students enrolled in other UC Berkeley departments.
Can I pursue a doctorate while living outside the San Francisco Bay Area?
The Film & Media Ph.D. is an in-person, residential program. It is not offered online or designed to be completed primarily through remote or commuter study. Students must be able to attend seminars, examinations, advising meetings, teaching assignments, and other academic responsibilities on campus. Extended research travel or temporary relocation may be possible later in the program when appropriate for the student’s dissertation research and academic responsibilities.
Can I visit a graduate seminar?
We do not routinely arrange graduate seminar visits for prospective applicants. Because graduate seminars are small and discussion-based, attendance requires advance permission from the instructor and cannot be guaranteed. Prospective students should not attend a seminar without prior approval.
Can I speak with current students in the program?
Profiles and available contact information for current graduate students are posted on the department website. Applicants may contact students directly with questions about their experiences in the program.