Designed for working professionals, the Master of Arts Media Producing for media and entertainment is a specialized graduate degree program that focuses on producing as an art form and business profession. Graduate students learn aspects of producing in the film and TV industry, from pitch and development to completed project and distribution.
This is a 15-month program, with courses offered in the fall, spring, and summer. The last fall semester consists of the Thesis class only.
Classes, with the exception of the Thesis, are seven weeks long. View the sequence of courses for the MA Media Producing Degree here.
Required courses:
Electives (students will select two of the following):
Yes, all courses will be taken remotely and are fully online. Classes are asynchronous and follow a weekly schedule, allowing students to watch the pre-recorded lessons and participate in crew-based and individual assessment activities. Other parts of the curriculum are synchronous, in which there is a scheduled day and time for a real-time class session or live video meeting with your instructor. All course material and communication will be delivered on the learning management system (LMS).
This program does not require any in-person courses, activities, or opportunities in New York. Students have the opportunity to participate in a curated experience at an industry film festival.
Yes, there is a thesis project. Students will choose to produce a short film, produce a prospectus of a proposed film or TV pilot, or write a research paper. All students will be required to present their thesis to a panel of faculty and industry professionals.
With a master's degree in producing, you can open doors to various exciting and rewarding opportunities in the media and entertainment industries depending on your career goals. Here are some of the roles and avenues you can pursue with this degree:
Executive Producer: An executive producer is the head producer who secures financing for a film or TV show, supervises other producers, and ensures projects are completed on-time, within budget, and to brand, artistic, and technical standards. They are usually involved in the finance and business aspect of the project more so than day-to-day production of the film.
Television and Film Producer: As the most direct career path, you can become a producer or production manager in the film and video industry. Producers are responsible for overseeing all aspects of a production, from development and budgeting to casting, production, and distribution.
Production Manager: Specializing in the logistics and planning of film and TV production, production managers handle the business side of producing. They manage the project's business plan which includes budgeting, scheduling, and ensure that everything runs smoothly on set.
Development Executive: In this role, you'll be involved in identifying and nurturing new project ideas. You'll assess a script, screenplay or initial concept, decide what's worth pursuing, and help develop it into a marketable production.
Casting Director: Casting directors are responsible for selecting actors for roles in a production. They work closely with producers and directors to find the right talent for each character.
Distribution and Marketing: With your knowledge of how the industry works, you can work in distribution and marketing, ensuring that films and television shows reach their intended audience. This includes creating a marketing plan, negotiating distribution deals, and more.
Entertainment Executive: You can pursue high-level positions in entertainment companies or media organizations in a professional environment, such as studio executives or network executives, where you'll make decisions about which projects to fund and bring to life.
Content Development: Content development professionals are primarily focused on creating new quality content ideas for film, television, or the digital marketplace. They often work closely with writers and directors in the story development process to bring these ideas from conception to reality.
Independent Filmmaker: Armed with your producing skills, you can venture into the world of independent filmmaking, where you have creative control over your projects be it documentary films, motion pictures, television programs independent feature films. This can involve producing and marketing your films independently.
Film Festival Programmer: Some graduates may find roles in movie festivals, curating and selecting films for screening, organizing events, and connecting with filmmakers and industry professionals.
Entrepreneurship: If you have a passion for the industry and a unique business idea, you can start your own media production company, content platform, interactive media, video programs, or related business.
Media Consultant: You can offer your expertise as a consultant to help others in the industry make informed decisions about their projects from budgeting to creative direction. On the marketing-front, you can provide consultation on strategic content and branded storytelling.
Students will have access to career development opportunities and resources through the Tisch Office of Career Development and the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development.
No, this program does not offer a sponsored F-1 or J-1 visa as all required coursework takes place online.
No, this program does not offer Optional Practical Training (OPT).
All courses in the program will be delivered through Smashcut, an online learning platform for media-based education. The course content consists of video lecture material, group activities and discussion, one-on-one meetings with the professor, and collaborative projects.
Students will have access to NYU digital resources, the NYU VPN, and NYU facilities on campus that are open to all degree students. Students will not have access to Tisch equipment, classrooms, production or post-production laboratories, and NYU facilities abroad.
No, transfer credits from another program, college or university are not accepted for this program.
No, credits for the program are not waived based on life or professional experience.
Yes, you must have completed a Bachelor's degree or higher.
No, we consider applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. We are looking for passionate storytellers.
No, your prior studies or work experience do not need to be in the film and television industry. Applicants from different academic fields and careers are welcome to apply for this program. Stories are needed now more than ever and come from all walks of life.
Visit the MA Media Producing Application Requirements webpage to learn more about the admissions process.
The fall 2025 application will open this September. The application deadline is February 14, 2025.
In the Personal Details section of the online application, non-native English speaking applicants are required to upload copies of one of the following English language proficiency examinations:
Exemption from English language proficiency testing will be given:
If your native language is English.
You already completed (at the time of application submission) at least 3 or more consecutive, full academic years at a school/university where the primary language of instruction was English.
Exams should be completed before the application deadline, and results cannot be more than 2 years old. While we will consider scores received after the application deadline, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to wait for those scores to arrive before making an admissions decision.
We don’t have minimum score requirements, but competitive applicants will receive: 100 and above on the TOEFL iBT, 7.5 and above on the IELTS Academic, 70 and above on the PTE Academic, 191 and above on the Cambridge English Scale, or 125 and above on the Duolingo English Test.
28 students will be accepted to the MA Media Producing program.
Scholarships are not available for the Master of Arts Media Producing.
Domestic Students
Students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens who wish to be considered for financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are encouraged to look for outside sources of aid as well. Most students will also take out loans to cover tuition.
All U.S. applicants are strongly urged to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible to assess their eligibility for federal financial support.
International Students
International students are urged to look for outside sources of funding well in advance of the acceptance notice. Please note that non-U.S. citizens do not qualify for US Federal grants and loans, and thereby cannot file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the U.S. government. International students can secure private educational loans from U.S. institutions if they have a cosigner who is a U.S. citizen. If financial aid is an important aspect of your application, don’t overlook funding opportunities from your home country, and from foundations that are internationally based, along with all possible personal, family and local resources.
Visit the Tisch Student Affairs Financial Aid website for more information.
If you have further questions about the MA Media Producing, please email tsp.ma.producing@nyu.edu.