MFA Film | Graduate | The Cathy Hughes School of Communications

HU MFA Film students on set of film production

In 1983, Howard University’s Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the first—and still the only—graduate-level film degree offered at an HBCU with the creation of the MFA Film Program.

For over forty years, Howard University’s MFA Film Program has played a vital role in training the next generation of independent filmmakers and promoting diverse storytelling.

The Department of Media, Journalism, and Film prepares students for today’s evolving media landscape through a combination of core and specialized courses. Co-founded by acclaimed Ethiopian-born filmmaker Haile Gerima, the MFA Film Program offers advanced instruction in screenwriting, film production, editing, sound design, cinematography, producing, and directing, culminating in a Master of Fine Arts degree in film.

Each spring semester, our first-year MFA students experience all stages of production as they create original short films. Significant crew positions are filled by students from the first-year cohort, while undergraduate students and fellow MFAs collaborate across different sets.

Recently, the MFA Film Program was ranked among the top 25 American film schools by The Hollywood Reporter.

BECOME AN MFA FILM STUDENT AT HOWARD!

Photo: Yani McRae (left); Kamel Worgs (center); and Zion Murphy (right) on set

Interim Chair: Idit Dvir, M.F.A., associate professor

MFA Film Sequence Coordinator: Shahriar Shafiani, Ph.D., assistant professor

Montre Missouri, Ph.D., associate professor

Jami Ramberan, M.F.A., associate professor, assistant chair & co-chair, Paul Robeson Student Awards

Tina Morton, M.F.A., associate professor

Vasilios Papaioannu, M.F.A., assistant professor & co-chair, Paul Robeson Student Awards

Srikanth Nandigama, M.F.A., assistant professor & sequence coordinator, Film and Television Production

Akosua Adoma Owusu, M.F.A., assistant professor & MJF content editor

Maha Haddad, M.F.A., M.A., master lecturer

Shom Shamapande, M.P.A., lecturer

Click here for Faculty Profiles

What We Offer in Our M.F.A. Film Program

Graduates of the M.F.A. Film Program at Howard University will leave with the following skills and qualifications:

Advanced Technical Skills
Foundational Theoretical Knowledge
A Reel of Short Films
A Cinematography and/or Editing Reel
A Feature Film Script and/or a Television Bible

Hallelujah at Howard University

Music by Kevin Olusola, Directed by Professor Jami Ramberan

MFA Film Application Requirements

Howard University Graduate Application for Admission

This application is called Master of Fine Arts (MFA Film) Fall on GradCAS.

A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.
A Baccalaureate degree in a related field is required (Film Production, Film Studies, Theater, Media Production, etc.).

Visual Portfolio demonstrating the applicant's experience with film/image making.

Links to films will be accepted.
AI generated projects will not be accepted.

A 500-word Statement of Purpose outlining the applicant's reasons for choosing our program and what they can contribute to it.

A one-to-three-page original screenplay, formatted correctly, centered around the theme of "peace."

Applicants are encouraged to interpret the theme creatively.
Scripts longer than 3 pages will not be considered.
AI generated scripts will not be accepted.

Submission Extended Deadline: March 1st

Latest News

“The Legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays” film screening

The Legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Poster

The Moorland Spingarn Library and the Cathy Hughes School of Communications invites you to a screening of “The Legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays.” This documentary will be screened at from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3 at the MET Building, 300 Bryant St. NW., Room 100. In addition to the filmmakers, a panel discussion will include Mays scholars Dr Randolph Jelks, Dr. Vernon Burke, and Dr. Kevin Witherspoon, the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair. Executive producers Sally J. Warner, Ron Worthem, producer Todd Bethel and director Michael Wells will also be available.

“Left Side of the Lion Media” embarked on the journey of creating a documentary about Dr. Benjamin E. Mays to honor and preserve the legacy of a remarkable leader, educator, and civil rights advocate.

Dr. Mays was the sixth president of Morehouse College from 1940 to 1967, where he mentored a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and was founding dean of Howard University’s School of Divinity. His life and work have had a profound impact on American society, shaping the course of history through his unwavering commitment to equality, education, and justice. His powerful voice and insightful writings challenged the status quo and provided a moral compass during some of the most tumultuous times in our nation’s history.

By sharing his journey, we aim to shed light on the values and principles that guided Dr. Mays’ life—values that continue to resonate today.

Vasilios Papaioannu, M.F.A.’s film A Poem will be screened at the 79th Annual UFVA Conference, hosted by Prairie View A&M University from July 22 to July 25, 2025, in Prairie View, Texas. Representing Howard University as faculty, Papaioannu collaborated with graduating MFA student Shane Williamson, who contributed to conceptualizing the film’s soundscape.

Our MFA program is proud to announce its collaboration with the Nature, Environment, and Wildlife Filmmakers in Durban, South Africa. This opportunity aligns with NEWF’s vision that Africa’s natural and wildlife stories should be told by African voices and reflects its mission to remove barriers and build capacity for African and historically underrepresented nature and wildlife storytellers. It is bolstered by National Geographic’s Africa Refocused initiative, which trains and elevates African filmmakers so that Africa’s environmental narratives are told by those who know them best. Through this partnership, two of our graduate students, Kiara Danae Mangum and Joseph Macharia, flew to Durban to attend the NEWF Congress 2025, where they gained invaluable hands-on experience in wildlife documentary filmmaking and forged international connections and collaborations.

The Department of Media, Journalism and Film in the Howard University Cathy Hughes School of Communications in Washington, DC, initiated the Paul Robeson Student Awards during the 1980s.

Through the awards, the Department pays tribute to Paul Robeson (April 9, 1898 - January 23, 1976), a gifted scholar, athlete, and one of the most celebrated artists of his day on the silver screen, theatrical and concert stages and in the recording studio. Robeson's artistry and his commitment to advocating for freedom and positive social change worldwide inspired generations.

In his honor, the Department’s Paul Robeson Student Awards recognizes some of the best work by our journalism, audio production, film and television production students.

The Howard University Film Organization (HUFO), founded in 1989, is open to all undergraduate and MFA Film majors. As a safe and creative, student-led organization, HUFO is dedicated to educating, enlightening, entertaining, and empowering audiences through cinema. Its mission is to support students interested in gaining hands-on experience in various aspects of filmmaking, including acting, directing, cinematography, wardrobe, screenwriting, and producing.

Beyond the classroom, HUFO fosters the development of young Black filmmakers through workshops, lectures, mentorship programs, film productions, and screenings, creating an environment for students to explore and deepen their passion for film. Dr. Shahriar Shafiani is an advisor.

Our M.F.A. Film Students At Work

Tamia Edmonds wins at the Reel HBCU Film competition

M.F.A. Film Student Awarded Scholarship at 2024 Reel HBCU Film competition

Tamia Edmonds, M.F.A. Film was awarded 3rd place and received a $1,500 scholarship for her film submission Private Lessons in the 2024 Reel HBCU Film competition, sponsored by the National Black Movie Association.

M.F.A. Film Graduate wins 2024 Focus Features Award for Social and Cultural Impact

Jay Najeeah, a recent M.F.A. Film graduate, won the 2024 Focus Features Award for Social and Cultural Impact for their M.F.A. thesis film, Hag. Najeeah also presented the film at the 2024 Next Step Film Festival in Cannes.

M.F.A. Film Graduate Releases 2024 visual poem

Donnie "JAK" Letterman, Class of 2025, wrote, directed, and edited the 2024 visual poem Gethsemane Flowers. The film stars Nathalie Joseph, with cinematography by Joshon “GAMMA” Stanford and narration by Lazarus.

Watch Film Here

Our current M.F.A. Film student and international Fulbright scholar, Diva Muanza, won first place in Fiction at the 2023 National Student Production Award - The Emmys® for her narrative short Addis, My Father. This film was produced during her first-year M.F.A. courses in Directing and Cinematography III.

Addis, My Father thoughtfully examines the relationship between a father and daughter against the backdrop of one of life’s starkest realities: aging. The film was also recently selected as an Official Selection of the 2024 New York African Film Festival.

Watch the announcement here

Faculty Spotlight

M.F.A. Film Professor Emeritus Haile Gerima

Professor Emeritus Haile Gerima, M.F.A., a distinguished filmmaker and educator, founded Sankofa Video Books & Café in Washington, DC, creating a vital cultural and intellectual space that fosters self-expression, community engagement, and critical discourse. Through events like film screenings, book signings, scholar forums, and artist showcases, Sankofa has become a hub for diverse voices and ideas.

Gerima continues to promote his work, including his acclaimed film Teza (2008), which earned Jury and Best Screenplay awards at the Venice Film Festival. Known for his expertise in alternative screenwriting and directing, he shares his knowledge through lectures and workshops both in the U.S. and internationally, inspiring the next generation of storytellers.

Learn more

Assistant Professor Shahriar Shafiani and MFA Film Student Kanisha Justilien on set

Dr. Shahriar Shafiani Wins ‘Best of Competition’ Award at BEA Festival of Media Arts

Dr. Shahriar Shafiani, M.F.A. Film, received the ‘Best of Competition’ award in the Faculty Narrative Film category at this year’s Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts for his film Sin Luces. He served as the director and producer, with Professor Nandigama contributing as producer and gaffer. Six of our talented graduate film students were also involved in the production. Additionally, Dr. Shafiani worked as a sound designer and sound editor on the short film Heideh: A Return, which was screened at the Oscar-qualifying 2024 Athens International Film and Video Festival.

Assistant Chair of the Department of Media, Journalism, and Film Honored by National Black Movie Association

Jami Ramberan, M.F.A., an associate professor in the Film and Television program was honored with a teaching award from the National Black Movie Association during the Congressional Black Caucus. Howard University Film and Television students also participated in the ceremony and luncheon, celebrating this achievement alongside her.

“My Asian” Won Three Emmy Awards and 6 Nominations

HU Faculty Jami Ramberan and Shom Shamapande at New York Emmy Awards with Emmy

"My Asian" (2022) directed and co-executive produced by Associate Professor Jami Ramberan (MFA Film, Class 2014) was the recipient of three Emmy Awards and six nominations at the 66th Annual New York Emmy® Awards. The awards were presented at the Creative Arts Ceremony in New York City and won in the Categories of: Best Public Service Announcement, Best Editing and Best Music Composition. HU Faculty Shom Shamapande also was a producer in the film.

Watch: "My Asian is American” (2021) directed by Jami Ramberan, starring poet and performer Suzen Baraka

Photo: Associate Professor Jami Ramberan and HU Lecturer Shom Shamapande at New York Emmy Awards