All M.A. students in Film and Media Studies must write a thesis as the culmination of their degree. To be admitted, a student ordinarily is expected to have a Graduate Record Examination score of at least 160 verbal (formerly 600), 144 quantitative (formerly 500), and 4.5 analytical writing.

To complete the M.A., the student must sustain a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher through 33 graduate credit hours.