Master's specialising in Documentary Arts at University of Cape Town

Programme overview

The MA specialising in Documentary Arts (192 NQF credits, HEQSF level 9) is a production-based master's in the Centre for Film and Media Studies.

Faculty: Faculty of Humanities | Department: Centre for Film and Media Studies | Duration: Minimum 1 year of registration; candidates are expected to complete within 2 years | Intake: No new intake in 2027 (continuing students only); next intake 2028 | Study mode: full-time | Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

What you will study

Making the Critical Documentary (48 credits), Documentary Film: Forms and Theories (unless already completed at Honours), Media Creative Production (96 credits), and one elective such as Visual Anthropology, Approaches to African Cinema, Media Internship or Political Journalism.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Completion of an Honours degree or a four-year degree with a focus on Film, Television and/or Media Studies, Television Journalism or cognate disciplines, with production skills equivalent to Honours exit level in film production or photography. Candidates are normally expected to have an upper second or better Honours result; the convener and programme committee may interview candidates. Faculty of Humanities (FM3): applicants need an Honours degree (or a Senate-recognised equivalent), normally in the subject of study, with an Honours average of at least 60% unless otherwise specified; a research proposal is required for degrees by dissertation, and admission is on the recommendation of the convener or Head of Department.

Tuition is charged per module, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

The application fee is R100 for undergraduate and postgraduate applications from South Africa and the SADC region, and R300 for applications from outside the SADC region; it is non-refundable and payable by direct deposit, EFT or credit card (online). UCT students and graduates are exempt except for GSB programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://applyonline.uct.ac.za

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