Graduate

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Admission to the MFA program

For further information on deadline dates, English language proficiency and the online application, please visit or contact the Graduate Admissions Office.

Minimum Academic Requirement

• Four-year (honours) Bachelor's degree, or equivalent
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 / 4.33 (B), or equivalent, in the final half of the program

Information on how to apply to the MFA program can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/graduate/admissions.

Please see the information below for specific MFA requirements:

Statement of Interest & Project Proposal

You are required to submit a brief statement (about 500 - 700 words in length) that should address the following:

• your reasons for graduate study in Documentary Media;
• a proposal of the project you plan to complete in the program;
• how your previous studies and experience have prepared you for the MFA program; and
• your career objectives and how the MFA program relates to them.

Résumé

Please submit an updated résumé and highlight how your previous studies and experiences have prepared you for graduate study at Ryerson University.

Letters of Recommendation

Two Letters of Recommendation are required for each application. The two recommendations should be from academic referees – former professors or research supervisors familiar with applicant’s abilities. One recommendation may be substituted with a professional letter from a previous employer.

Visual Portfolio Submission

Depending on your area of interest, please submit work in ONE of the following three disciplines below.  If you are currently working in more than one discipline, you may submit a combination of the three disciplines.

Note:  Applicants who have had only minimal experience in Film, Photography or New Media may submit a written sample of a work of original, creative nonfiction (maximum length 1500 words) in addition to or in lieu of a visual portfolio.

Questions regarding the Visual Portfolio should be directed to docmedia@ryerson.ca    

      I.  Submitting Photographs or Photo-based Images

Please include the following:

• 10-15 digital images, in jpeg format with a resolution of 72 dpi and with maximum dimensions of 1024 x 768 pixels.
• The file names should include a title, and begin with the number that corresponds with your hard copy image list (ex: 01title.jpg, 02title.jpg). 
• The CD should be directly labeled with your name, address, e-mail and the title "Documentary Media MFA”.
• An image list on an 8.5 by 11 inch sheet of paper with your name and for each piece, the corresponding number, title, dimensions, and date. 
• A brief statement about the project or projects should also be included.

II.  Submitting Film and Video Materials

Please include the following:

• The portfolio should consist of an excerpt of a film or video work 5 minutes in duration in the form of a DVD (NTSC only). An additional 5 minutes may be included, and will be considered as part of the portfolio review process if your application reaches the shortlist stage. The excerpt should be from a project in which you have had a significant amount of creative control.
• The DVD should be directly labeled with your name, address, e-mail and the title ”Documentary Media MFA”. 
• Include on an 8.5 by 11 inch sheet of paper your name, the title, a brief synopsis of the work, the circumstances of production, and the role played by you in its production.

III.  Submitting Interactive/ Web-based Work

Please include the following:

• If the portfolio of past work is web-based or interactive, all necessary elements should be included and presented in the appropriate format on a CD or DVD-ROM. This could include work in the form of a website or an interactive CD-ROM designed to be viewed on a computer.
• URLS are not acceptable as portfolio submissions—all web-based work must be archived and presented on a CD-ROM. 
• Documentation of an interactive piece can also be presented in photographic form (see Submitting Still Images above) or a QuickTime movie (5 min).
• The CD should be directly labeled with your name, address, e-mail and the title ”Documentary Media MFA”.
• Include on an 8.5 by 11 inch sheet of paper your name, the title, and a brief statement about the work. If any additional software is necessary to view the project, please include the drivers on the CD.

Electronic portfolio submissions are preferred. However, if you encounter difficulty emailing your portfolio you may also mail a hard copy to our Graduate Admissions Office (Graduate Admissions Office, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3).

All other admission materials must be emailed to the Graduate Admissions Office.

To review a listing of all required documents, please refer to the Material Checklist