Franklin College, Grady College, and Athena Studios
Students spend two years living in Athens, Georgia, completing core curriculum on the University of Georgia’s campus, home of the National Champion Bulldogs and the Peabody Awards. Home to UGA’s over 40,000 students, Athens is a lively college town with historic architecture and natural beauty, providing our students with a plethora of dynamic and cinematic filming locations.
The Department of Theatre and Film Studies in Franklin College is home to industry veterans and awarded faculty members in the areas of acting for the camera, set design, and costume design. Through this unique educational joint venture, students head into their second year with a holisitic education of what happens on camera, behind the camera, and all that happens long before and after a camera gets involved.
Studio Production Learning Center at Athena Studios
In addition to the facilities and equipment located at Grady College and Franklin College, our program will teach its production courses at our dedicated 14,000 square foot complex Studio Production Learning Center at Athena Studios, located just 8-minutes from campus.
2024 Georgia film industry at a glance
Georgia has set the stage for a bright future in entertainment, thanks to decades of investment and strategic planning that continue to bring film and television projects to the state. This month, Georgia was ranked No. 1 in Film Production by Business Facilities Magazine, featured in the publication’s annual 2024 Rankings Report, an accolade that demonstrates the state’s competitive advantages in this multi-billion-dollar industry.
The Georgia Film Office, a strategic office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), reported that film and television productions spent $2.6 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2024, a total of $11 billion over the last three fiscal years. The State of Georgia hosted 273 productions between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.
273
productions in Georgia
2,300+
Georgians hired on productions
2.6
billion dollar investment in 2024 Georgia film industry
Source: Georgia Film Office 2024
Faculty
Our faculty are award-winning artists dedicated to their craft and are prepared to empower the next generation of talent for successful careers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the costs to participate in the MFA Film program?
Annual tuition and fees are $16,000 (approximate in-state); $78,000 (approximate out-of-state); $92,000 (approximate international). This amount does not cover any living expenses. Accepted students will also be required to have a laptop and some specialized software. Estimated costs range between $2,000-3,000.
What is the difference between the MFA in Film, Television and Digital Media program and the low residency MFA Program in Narrative Media?
The MFA in Film, Television and Digital Media program is an intensive six semester, two-year residential program in which students will be trained in the above-the-line roles of screenwriting, directing and producing. They will also have coursework in camera and lighting, postproduction, and production design. Students in this program will produce a number of short films, as well as a graduate thesis film or a Webseries pilot. If you want to learn a comprehensive set of filmmaking skills and can reside in Athens, Georgia, this program may be for you.
The MFA Program in Narrative Media is a 2 ½-year, five semester low-residency program that offers two tracks: Screenwriting and Narrative Nonfiction Writing. Students attend two week-long residencies each year on the Athens campus, one in August and one in January, and then complete the remainder of their work online under the supervision of a faculty writing professor. Screenwriting students in this program will develop at least two full-length screenplays or television pilots. If you are specifically interested in screenwriting, or are unable to relocate for two years, this program may be for you. Please see our MFA in Narrative Media website for more details.
Does tuition cover lodging?
Housing is not covered by tuition and fees. Students are responsible for securing their own housing.
- There are many options for housing in the Athens area, both on and off campus. This link is a good source for more information about Athens housing: Off-campus Living Guide & On-campus housing
Contact Us
Heidi Choi
MFA Film Operations Manager
MFA in Film, Television and Digital Media
Email: mfaftvdm@uga.edu
Want to Get Started?
This is the first dual-college graduate program at the University of Georgia. It is offered to students at a tuition rate comparable to other graduate programs at UGA, making it one of the most affordable programs of its caliber in the country.
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Header image provided by Chris Gerlach