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When we match movies, music intensifies our emotions. Music weaves through narrative, living in the space between and around dialog. In this program, you’ll compose soundtracks from the perspective of storytellers, layering music with sound, and informed by visuals. You’ll study the technique and practice of placing music and sound to picture, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the creative, technical, historical, and analytical tools necessary to become an expert in the art and business of music for media.
With a Master of Fine Arts degree in media scoring you can become a music editor, orchestrator for film and television, or a session conductor. This program offers students advanced knowledge and practical experience in the composition and production music scores for media, including cinema, television, video games, animation, and other commercial applications.
The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2024–25 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.
The 60-credit Master of Fine Arts in media scoring combines advanced knowledge with practical experience in the production of music and sound for media, including film, television, video games, animation, and other commercial applications. Areas of study include music composition, conducting, orchestration, music supervision, music business, music editing, sound design, and recording. Media scoring students take classes at Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema and collaborate directly on visual media projects as part of their curriculum. Students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with faculty as well as in small group classes, developing the knowledge and skills to master the scoring process as it exists today.
This degree can be pursued on a full- or part-time basis.
Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree satisfy the undergraduate requirements of this program.
General matriculation and admissions requirements of Graduate Studies are in the section “Admission.”
Sixty credits are required for the Master of Fine Arts degree in media scoring.
Courses in the Conservatory of Music offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses. The program of study must be approved by the conservatory.
Courses required include (a–c):
a) All of the following 16 Music courses (39 credits): Music 7203X, 7341X taken and completed four times, 7342X, 7343X, 7352X, 7353X, 7354X, 7378X, 7385X, 7440X, 7663X, 7871X, 7872X.
b) At least 12 credits of graduate cinema courses approved by the academic program adviser.
c) At least nine additional credits of electives in graduate courses approved by the program director.
Recommended courses include:
Music 7015X, 7016X, 7017X, 7225X, 7226X, 7344X, 7345X, 7370X, 7386X, 7371G, 7372G, 7606G, 7664X, 7636X, 7646X, 7873X, 7874X, 7642X, 7881X, 7882X, 7883X, U7911X, U7912X, and U7913X. One or two additional semesters of Music 7341X may also be taken for credit as an elective.
Additional Requirements
All students in this program must meet with faculty for a formal progress evaluation. This will occur for full-time students near the end of their second semester in the program. For part-time students, it will happen after they have completed 12 credits of coursework in the program.
All candidates for this degree must complete a capstone project. This project will be researched and created in close consultation with a faculty member during the Media Scoring Capstone Seminar I and II courses. It must be a new creative or research work deemed of substantial significance and approved by the Media Scoring faculty.
Submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
Selected applicants will be interviewed, either during a campus visit (recommended) or via telephone or video conference. Consideration will be given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have unusual talent or experience equivalent to course work.
This program accepts nondegree applicants. Online application and transcripts required.
Refer to the instructions at Graduate Admissions.
Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema 25 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205 E: angela.piva@brooklyn.cuny.edu P: 718.237.3410, ext. 1032
Or contact:
222 West Quad Center 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210 E: grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu P: 718.951.4536
Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:
BC Admissions Appointment Tool
Brooklyn College is an integral part of the cultural and artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty members in the Conservatory of Music offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.
Through job fairs, the internship database, and internship panels, the Magner Career Center gives students in the media scoring M.F.A. program access to career opportunities at a wide variety of employers, including:
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