Online MFA in Digital Filmmaking Program Fees
Itemized Program Costs
| Non-Refundable Fees | |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $ 75.00* |
| Registration Fee | $ 100.00* |
| STRF Fee1 | $ 0.00* |
| NON-REFUNDABLE FEES DUE UPON SUBMISSION OF THIS ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT | |
| Course Fees | |
| Tuition per course ($500 per credit x four credits) | $ 2,000 |
| (14 courses X $2000 each) | $ 28,000* |
| Records Fee per term | $ 200 |
| (14 terms X $200 per term) | $ 2,800* |
| Estimated Textbook Fees | $ 1,000* |
| Other Fees | |
| Research reserve fund | $ 1,500* |
| Cost of Equipment2 | $ 800* |
| Cost of Optional Equipment2 | $ 3,400 (optional) |
| Residential Session Fee** | $ 2,200* |
| Estimated Residential Session Accommodation Fees3 | $ 1,500* |
| Transfer credit fee4 (per course) | $ 75 (optional) |
| End of Program Fees | |
| Original Transcript | No cost |
| Diploma | No cost |
| Replacement Diploma | $ 200 (optional) |
| Replacement Cover | $ 100 (optional) |
| Each Additional Transcript | $ 25 (optional) |
| Program Completion Letter | $ 35 (optional) |
| TOTAL Program Costs | $ 37,975** |
* Costs included in the Total Program Costs
**Assumes program completion in 14 enrolled terms and successful completion of each course on the first attempt.
Footnotes:
1 Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF): The Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) is administered by the California BPPE and applies only to California residents. The STRF fee is currently zero dollars ($0.00) per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of institutional charges The State of California established the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic loss suffered by a student in an educational program at a qualifying institution, who is or was a California resident while enrolled, or was enrolled in a residency program, if the student enrolled in the institution, prepaid tuition, and suffered an economic loss. Unless relieved of the obligation to do so, you must pay the state-imposed assessment for the STRF, or it must be paid on your behalf, if you are a student in an educational program, who is a California resident, or are enrolled in a residency program, and prepay all or part of your tuition. You are not eligible for protection from the STRF and you are not required to pay the STRF assessment, if you are not a California resident, or are not enrolled in a residency program.
2 Cost of Equipment will vary depending on individual choices. The costs listed assumes the student has an I-phone and a computer. The required cost estimate is for a video card for a smart phone and movie making software for a computer. The optional equipment cost estimate is an estimated cost of the optional equipment listed in Section 2 of this Agreement and is the result of an internet search for the cost of low end to mid-level new equipment. Used equipment is available for a much lower cost and new high-end equipment costs much more. Minimum cost for the optional equipment would likely be between $1,000 and $2,000.
3 Estimated Residential Accommodation Fees: An estimate of the cost of housing and meals. Costs vary depending on the housing and restaurants the student chooses. Anaheim University endeavors to find housing at a reasonable cost for students.
These fees do not include transportation to and from the Residential Session. The maximum cost of transportation to and from the Residential Session will be the cost from where the applicant lives to either Tokyo or Los Angeles, whichever is farther.
4 Transfer Credit Fee: If an applicant requests that a course, or courses, taken at another university be reviewed for transfer credit, the applicant is charged $75 for each course reviewed. For each course approved for transfer credit, the cost of the applicant’s program will be reduced by the cost of the course that does not have to be taken, and the number of courses the applicant will be required to take to complete degree requirements will be reduced by one. Textbook costs will be reduced by the cost of the textbook that would have been used in the AU course.
Online Master of Fine Arts in Digital Filmmaking - Course Schedule 2025
Real-time online classes are 90 minutes; the first hour is led by the professor and the final half hour is for student-led discussion. All times are California/Pacific Time.
| TERM | COURSE |
LIVE ONLINE CLASS TIME |
| Term 1: January 2 - March 4, 2025 |
MFA 600 Thesis MFA 591 Documentary Film Production |
TBA |
| Term 2: March 10 - May 12, 2025 |
MFA 600 Thesis |
TBA |
| Term 3: May 19 - July 21, 2025 |
MFA 500 The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa in Global Context |
TBA |
| Term 4: July 28 - September 28, 2025 |
MFA 510 Film Aesthetics |
TBA |
| Term 5: October 6 - December 7, 2025 |
MFA 520 Intro to Digital Filmmaking |
TBA |
Online MFA in Digital Filmmaking
The Online Master of Fine Arts in Digital Filmmaking degree is for individuals living around the world who wish to obtain a quality education from professors based in Hollywood and other leading film markets without having to relocate during their period of study. This program is for recent college graduates, as well as those who have pursued other professions but have a deep interest in filmmaking and a future filmmaking career. All MFA courses are taught 100% online, enabling you to study online while working full time and fulfilling your personal responsibilities.
- Interact with your professor and fellow classmates around the world through live webcam classes
- Specialize in a specific aspect of filmmaking through your selection of electives
- Meet face-to-face with industry professionals and gain hands-on experience with professional equipment at a one-week residential session
- Learn from professors based in Hollywood and other leading film markets without having to relocate during your period of study
- Earn your Master's degree online in approximately 3 years while working full-time
Click here to view program catalog
Click here to view the School Performance Fact Sheet
An application to the MFA in Digital Filmmaking program must include the following:
- Application form
- Application fee ($75)
- One recent color photograph (digital is okay)
- A scan of a current, government-issued photo ID
- Official undergraduate transcripts from an accredited institution recognized by the US Department of Education and/or CHEA, or by the government of the country in which the degree was awarded, in a sealed envelope from the awarding institution with an overall GPA of no less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent from non-USA Institutions.
( Note: (Note: If the university does not routinely issue transcripts in English, original language records must be submitted with official English translations. We will accept translations issued by the university or by the following professional translation services: Accredited Language Services; Berlitz; Liaison Linguistics; Josef Silny & Associates; American Evaluation & Translation Services (AETS); and Education Evaluators International. Translations must be exact and complete versions of the original records.) - A resume.
- A brief statement (300-400 words) indicating why you have selected the Anaheim University program, what you hope to get out of it, and how this degree will help to support your future career goals.
Non-native English speakers must demonstrate college-level proficiency by providing original documentation in one of the following ways:
- Degree from an accredited institution where English is the primary language of instruction.
- Transcript from an accredited institution indicating completion of at least 30 semester hours of credit where the language of instruction was English (“B” average)
- Transcript from an accredited institution indicating a “B” or higher in an English composition class.
- A minimum TOEFL score of 530 PBT / 197 CBT/ 71 iBT.
- A minimum TOEIC score of 800.
- A minimum IELTS score of 6.5.
- A minimum PTE (Pearson Test of English Academic Score Report) of 50.
- A minimum grade of Level 3 on the ACT COMPASS’s English as a Second Language Placement Test.
- A minimum grade of Pre-1 on the Eiken English Proficiency Exam.
- A minimum B2 English proficiency level identified within the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) Standards and assessed through various ESOL examinations, including the University of Cambridge.
Once your application materials have been approved, you will need to submit an Enrollment Agreement and tuition payment to complete the enrollment process.
Internet Access: All students are required to have access to a computer equipped with Internet access capabilities.
Required Equipment: Students in the MFA in Digital Filmmaking program must have one from each category. Examples of each are listed.
You may wish to check with retailers to inquire about educational pricing. Anaheim University can provide proof of enrollment upon request.
Camera capable of shooting 1920x1080/24fps
- DSLR: Canon 5DMII, 5DMIII, 7D, 60D, Rebel T2i, T3i, Nikon D800, D90, D3200, etc.;
- Black Magic Pocket Camera;
- Mirrorless: Panasonic GH2, Sony A7, etc.
Lens(es)
- Focal length: 24-105mm. (Often the DSRL and mirrorless cameras listed above come with a stock lens that will cover this range).
Digital sound recorder with XLR inputs
- Tascam DR-40;
- Zoom H4N;
- Rode shotgun microphone and XLR cable
Basic Continuous Lighting Equipment
- Inexpensive brands: Impact, Manfrotto, Genaray
- More expensive: Arri lighting kits, Kino-flo
Basic Non-linear editing software
- Final Cut Pro (Available from Apple)
- Adobe Premiere Pro (academic discount)
Entrance Examination: There is no entrance examination required for admission to Anaheim University.
Transfer Credits: Anaheim University will accept up to two graduate semester classes or 8 units awarded by another institution toward a Master of Fine Arts in Digital Filmmaking at Anaheim University. The entering student will be required to clearly demonstrate the equivalency of a transfer course through relevant documents (syllabus, catalog, course outline) and justify its acceptance through petition. No course will be considered for transfer with a grade lower than a “B” or its equivalent. Petitions are directed to the specific Dean for the affected program. There is a fee of $75 per course of credit transferred, and the overall program cost will be adjusted to reflect credit for the approved class(es). All petitions for transfer credit must be submitted as part of the student’s initial application to the University. Credits awarded as part of another degree will not be accepted for transfer.
Prior Experiential Credit: Anaheim University will not extend experiential credit to any student.
We currently do not accept students who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, American Samoa, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Guam, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, N. Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Wisconsin, and Wyoming due to regulatory matters. For more information, please call our Vice President of Administrative Affairs at 714-772-3330
Akira Kurosawa School of Film
In the Anaheim University Akira Kurosawa School of Film online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Digital Filmmaking degree program, you will take a total of 14 terms: 10 core courses, including a 2-term thesis, and 3 out of a choice of 8 elective courses.
Courses are taught in an accelerated semester format. Each term is 9 weeks in length, and you may enroll in new courses every 10 weeks. You have the option of enrolling in one course, several courses, or the entire MFA program. Students completing all 14 online terms and the required one-week residential session will be conferred the Master of Fine Arts in Digital Filmmaking degree by Anaheim University.