The Master of Advanced Study in Film and Media Studies at ASU offers working professionals and lifelong learners a dynamic education in US film, television, and digital media. Taught exclusively online by outstanding media scholars, critics, and filmmakers, the program explores the artistic, economic, and cultural dimensions of media production through small classes in aesthetics, history, and theory.
Providing a comprehensive analysis of US film, television, and digital media across a range of texts and platforms, the MAS in Film and Media Studies at ASU develops students into more critically informed writers, storytellers, consumers, and evaluators of popular culture. The program's unique strength is its location at the intersection of a traditional humanities education and an emergent technological one; ASU's reputation as a leader in both access and innovation supports this approach. MAS alumni work in a variety of artistic and professional settings including Hollywood, academia, film festivals, journalism, and more.
Degree Overview
This 30-hour program requires 30 hours of coursework and a written exam for the culminating experience. The ideal candidate will have an interest in innovative approaches to the study of film, television, new media, and screenwriting, using historic methods, critical theory, and creative expression as modes of analysis. The GRE is not required for the application.
How to apply
To apply for the MAS degree, visit the online application. Be sure to select ASU online (not Tempe campus).
See the Application Deadlines tab for dates to apply. Applicants must apply online and pay a nonrefundable application fee. Official transcripts must be sent to the ASU Graduate College Admissions Office.
The following supporting documents must be uploaded into the online application (please do not send hard copies or email attachments):
- Applicants must submit a two-page, double spaced Statement of Purpose that describes their past academic work, reasons for pursuing the MAS and the skills that prepare them for this degree.
- Application Essay:
- A three-page essay that assesses their knowledge of media theory and critical analysis skills.
- Applicants should demonstrate the ability to write well and construct a persuasive critical argument.
- Appropriate secondary sources should be used in this essay.
- A resume. This document should convey important experiences for degree success.
- While letters of recommendation are optional, applicants may include two or three letters in their application. Recommenders should be former professors or supervisors, addressing the applicant's academic performance, motivation and character.
*The GRE is not required for this program.
*International students must have an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS score report sent to the Graduate College. English Proficiency Score requirements.
Tuition and Fees: Students whose campus is online will be charged the graduate tuition online rate. All students pay a program fee of $250.00 per course. This fee supports the development, construction and maintenance of the online courses. Each session students will also pay a FA Trust fee and a tech fee. For a breakdown of the tuition and fees, please see ASU Online What it Costs. Take a look at our Fund Your Graduate Education webpage for funding details.
The MAS program has broadened my understanding of media industries. I’ve become more sensitive to how I introduce, identify, and explain people in my stories. I want my stories to empower, educate, and move people!
—Nadine Arroyo Rodriguez, Former NPR reporter and currently residential faculty in journalism at Mesa Community College
Curriculum
The program requires students to complete 30 credits. Due to the nature of the program, it is recommended that students limit their classes to two or three courses in each fall and spring semester. The program may be completed in two years.
A minimum of 30 credit hours is required.
Requirements and electives | Hours |
Core Courses | 9 |
Electives | 21 |
Written Exam | 0 |
Total hours required | 30 |
Courses and electives
The culminating experience will be a written exam taken in the final semester of the program while registered for other courses. Questions about the degree requirements can be directed to your academic advisor.
FMS Graduate Online Course Rotation (subject to change) - Spring 2023 and Summer 2023
FMS Graduate Online Course Rotation (subject to change) - begins Fall 2023
FMS 504 Film Analysis*
- FMS 510 Digital Media Studies
FMS 520 Cultural History of US Television: Theory and Method
*Please note, this course cannot be substituted with MLS 504.
**These are the core courses starting Fall 2021. Students admitted prior to Fall 2021 have the option to keep FMS 502 as a core course as previously offered OR take FMS 510 instead.
- FMS 502 Film Historiography
- FMS 503 Media Industries
- FMS 508 Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Media
- FMS 523 Authorship in Film and Media
- FMS 567 WWII in Film (crosslisted as an ENG/WWS subject prefix)
- FMS 598 Sci-Fi Cinema
- FMS 598 Media Stardom and Celebrity
- FMS 598 Media, Technology, and Society
- ENG 598 Studies in Environmental Humanities
- GER 598 Holocaust, War, and German Memory (crosslisted as a WWS/SLC subject prefix)
*Outside the department electives may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Please contact your advisor for approval before taking the course.
Written Exam* - Taken in the final semester of the program. Students must be registered for at least one graduate level credit the semester they are taking the exam.
*The recommendation is to take the exam in the last semester of the program when registered for other courses. Please note the exam is only offered in fall and spring. Summer graduates will take the exam in spring.
The written exam is a pass/fail exam and students will write two essays. The first question asks students to draw on their knowledge from the program to answer a question focused on the central learning outcomes of the program. The second question, which contains two prompts that students will choose one to write their essay on, is based on the three core courses of the program.
Students will be expected to write two 5-page essays for each of their answers. These essays need to be submitted via Word attachments and need to be written in 12 pt. font, double spaced, using MLA format for citations.
Fall Exam Dates:
- October 18: Students will email their advisor Kira Assad by October 18 to indicate they will be taking the written exam fall semester.
- October 25: Students will receive an email from the FMS Program Director Dr. Julia Himberg with their questions. They will have 7 days to complete their essay answers (due by November 1, 11:59 p.m. Arizona time).
- November 1: Students will email a Word attachment of the exam back to Dr. Himberg by 11:59 p.m. Arizona time. FMS faculty will return comments to the student along with the determination of Pass or Fail.
Spring Exam Dates:
- March 18: Students will email their advisor Kira Assad by March 18 to indicate they will be taking the written exam spring semester.
- March 25: Students will receive an email from the FMS Program Director Dr. Julia Himberg with their questions. They will have 7 days to complete their essay answers (due by April 1, 11:59 p.m. Arizona time).
- April 1: Students will email a Word attachment of the exam back to Dr. Himberg by 11:59 p.m. Arizona time. FMS faculty will return comments to the student along with the determination of Pass or Fail.
MAS students who do not pass the exam can retake it the following semester.
Summer Graduates: The exam is only offered in fall and spring. Students graduating in summer will take the exam in spring.
Once exams results are received, your iPOS will be updated by your advisor.
For questions about this program, please use the Get Program Details form at our page on ASU Online.