Upon completion of the Online MFA in Digital Filmmaking program, students will be able to:

• Situate film and media in a continuum of artistic endeavors drawn from a variety of national traditions.
• Understand the central place that Akira Kurosawa occupies in world cinema.
• Be able to produce critical works on film and media in the language of the field and with an understanding of the critical theories that are most appropriate to cinematic and media texts.
• Produce creative works that reflect timeless stories of interior and exterior journeys of understanding of the self and the world around.
• Summarize significant research findings in film to develop a depth of knowledge ranging from the historical to the leading edge. 
• Develop creative writings that reflect the professional standards demanded of the film and media industries.
• Have a grasp of the techniques and technologies for the production of creative digital media.
• Discern the variety of cinematic texts and the variety of ways they are produced, distributed and consumed.
• Acquire the overall intellectual and professional background needed to prepare for both the applied and academic film worlds.  

“Situate film and media in a continuum of artistic endeavors drawn from a variety of national traditions” informs students that they will be studying film from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, not from a single source or geographic location.

“Understand the central place that Akira Kurosawa occupies in world cinema” tells students that they will be studying the history of the director, Akira Kurosawa, and the significant and continuing impact he has made in the film industry.  

“Be able to produce critical works on film and media in the language of the field and with an understanding of the critical theories that are most appropriate to cinematic and media texts” means that students will have a hands on approach to filmmaking and be able to critically analyze other works that have been produced, as well as their own.  

"Produce creative works that reflect timeless stories of interior and exterior journeys of understanding of the self and the world around” indicates that students will have creative opportunities to tell their own stories and visually display their own vision, interpretation, and experience of the world.  

"Summarize significant research findings in film to develop a depth of knowledge ranging from the historical to the leading edge" means that students will conduct regular research into current and established film practices and be able to discuss their findings.  

“Develop creative writings that reflect the professional standards demanded of the film and media industries” indicates that students will study the current and established standards of the film industry and be able to create their own abstract, screenplay, treatment, etc within this framework.

“Have a grasp of the techniques and technologies for the production of creative digital media” informs students that they will receive practical knowledge of the technical aspects of creating digital films, including pre- and post-production.  

“Discern the variety of cinematic texts and the variety of ways they are produced, distributed and consumed” means that students will hone their critical thinking skills in analyzing pre-existing media and understanding how that material is distributed, marketed, and ultimately used by consumers.  

“Acquire the overall intellectual and professional background needed to prepare for both the applied and academic film worlds” informs students that they will have the foundational skills to pursue careers in both the applied and academic film domains -- the ultimate summative objective of the MFA program.