A graduate of the Master’s Degree Programme in Film and Television:

• Can work as a person with main artistic responsibility in a feature-length fictional or documentary film or television production in his/her area of competence.
• Possesses traditional and modern storytelling skills and knows the dramaturgical tools for story development.
• Has a mastery of broad artistic and production concepts.
• Can apply information and skills acquired earlier.
• Can assess and question traditions in film and television.
• Can develop new work methods and processes, for example, using experimental and investigative approaches.
• Is able to identify and develop his/her artistic strengths and characteristics and build an artistic identity.
• Can take initiative and work in an active manner in cooperation with the production’s artistic working group.
• Can expand his/her professional skills by further developing personal competence and thinking.
• Can work independently and contribute to renewing the field.
• Can function in an international working group.
• Can continue his/her education by applying for continuing or doctoral studies.

Education Content

The Master's Degree Programme in Film and Television deepens the student's artistic and vocational skills. The student’s skills are developed in the areas of independent work and group work.  In addition to seminars and specialist courses, an MA student of Film and Television can continue developing his/her professional skills in film and television productions outside the school. Students are encouraged to find a research perspective on their own area of specialisation. The student can also specialise in applied areas.

Code:
Credits: N ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Executive in Residence Mia Halme

Learning Outcomes

The goal of the major in Documentary Film in the Master’s Degree Programme in Film and Television is to train visionary documentary film directors who create the future of the field.  In Master’s degree studies, the students deepen their vision regarding theory, history and contemporary expression in the genre, and develop their competence in relation to the changing professional field of documentary film.

A broader understanding of development in the field and its future possibilities is built on the foundation of the director’s competence in his/her professional role. Direction of the MA diploma film is an important framework within which students strengthen their specialisation in the professional field of the genre and take part in developing a tradition of expression.

A graduate with a major in Documentary Film (Master’s degree programme in Film and Television) is able to:

• work as an independent documentary film director, teacher, instructor or be employed in applied professional tasks in the documentary film profession (such as festivals, financing, distribution, production, production of commissioned films)
• identify his/her style as a director
• question and develop practices in the field
• question and reflect on the traditions in his/her field and apply for doctoral film studies.

Education Content

In the major in Documentary Film a student deepens his/her vision of directing a documentary film. The teaching consists of workshops and lecture modules built around different varying themes, where progressing in the diploma film process is integrated with advanced studies in various approaches to the genre and styles, traditions and history, new forms of the modern documentary and the theory of the genre. Directing the diploma film and the related written diploma work are the essential framework of the Master’s degree programme studies, a process that is supported by the other studies.

Teaching is offered in workshop format and as lecture courses, Master courses held by visiting teachers and independent project work.  The students familiarise themselves with the history of film and especially that of documentaries, and are comprehensively introduced to the new forms of modern documentaries. Film analysis, reflecting on the conditions of one’s own medium, writing and thinking are important forms of teaching that support practical activities. Knowledge of other arts and experimental and fictional film as well as familiarising oneself with documentary expression in the fields of new media, visual arts and other media is vital. The students' ability to observe and interpret reality, their readiness to encounter people, critical thinking, willingness to experiment and ability to work in a team are developed through the above-mentioned teaching methods.

Major Studies 90 ECTS

Code:
Credits: N ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Professor Pietari Koskinen

Learning Outcomes

Master’s studies in the major in Film Sound Design train artists and professionals to work as sound designers and sound recordists in all areas of film production. The aim of master’s studies is to improve the student’s skills, especially in the area of sound design. The student gains a greater understanding and mastery of the artistic, production and technical content of his/her professional area by means of course modules and practice work that steadily increases in its level of difficulty. 

A sound designer and sound recordist gains a comprehensive knowledge of the practices, means of artistic expression, technical equipment and theoretical concepts in his/her own field. A key goal of the education is to further develop the student’s talents and personality, impart additional technical and artistic skills and basic knowledge of the field and its history, and develop management skills and a research work skills.

Essential skills to be learned are audiovisual dramaturgical and content thinking in cinematic expression, the ability to understand sound and space, management skills, communication and cooperation skills, sound design and managing the dramaturgical concept and technical realisation process for a feature-length film, a deeper knowledge of the traditions and modern trends in his/her field, and the ability to think critically and analytically.

After graduating from the master’s programme, a sound designer has a mastery of the overall artistic and technical process of sound design – from preliminary planning to the finished film. During the studies, the student becomes familiar with all phases of sound recording, sound work and sound design in a feature-length film and artistic and with production cooperation in film and television productions.

The goal of the education is to impart a capacity to pursue doctoral studies.

Education Content

Master’s studies in the major in Film Sound Design emphasise the student’s independent effort in forming his/her study path. The focus is on seminars and workshops investigating special features of film sound. The student learns to different theories of film and its sound design and participates in investigative workshops that often form larger course modules.

Students learn about sound designer and sound recordist work by means of increasingly demanding exercises. The education is mainly based on practical learning by doing, work in small groups, personal guidance and dialogue-based interaction. The aim of teaching is to support the student in developing his/her personal strengths and artistic vision.

The education may contain studies with students from other fields of art. Practice productions provide the opportunity to study sound design and recording practices and practice group work and management skills. Students are encouraged to take minor studies, particularly from teaching offered in the Film Editing and Documentary Film majors and from the courses offered by Sibelius Academy at the University of the Arts Helsinki.

Major Studies 90 ECTS

^{* ) Students have the right to be credited with components of courses from courses over 12 ECTS.}

Code:
Credits: N ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Professor Iiro Küttner

Learning Outcomes

Master's students in Screenwriting develop their ability to produce high-quality and artistically significant work and are able to apply this ability in the artistic production process and related group work.  Master’s students become familiar with the central theoretical questions in the field and acquire the skills needed for research activities.

The educational goal in the field of screenwriting for film and television is for graduates to be able to work professionally in the field and to research and renew the current realm of human experience, in which life is more planned, produced, and recorded in writing than ever before. The master's degree programme directs students to engage in the deeper intellectual and societal structures associated with modes of artistic expression, with special focus on the use of animation in screenwriting, during the study process, and in research.

Education Content

The core content in the master's degree programme consists of structured project work in which the students work individually to produce a piece of art and develop their specialist expertise in dynamic multi-disciplinary groups.

As a master’s thesis, the student produces a competitive script of high artistic and production quality and the related research section, in which he/she addresses an issue in the screenwriting field that is meaningful both personally and to the screenwriting community.

The master’s student also becomes familiar with the practice, theory, and research history of screenwriting as well as with recent achievements and new applications in the field. The student is able to assess the importance and feasibility of their own screenwriting, film and television series projects, and those of fellow students. The skills needed for various duties and job descriptions are strengthened through personal projects, group work, international studies, and joint projects with other artistic practitioners and producers in the field. Minor study modules (such as Film Directing, Film and Television Producing, Film Editing or other university-level studies) allow the student to understand the comprehensive and organic nature of film and television and related fields. Seminars, variable study modules, international workshops, and educational projects help students identify their personal strengths and network in a meaningful manner.

Major Studies 90 ECTS

^{* ) Students have the right to be credited with components of courses from courses over 12 ECTS.}

Code:
Credits: N ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: N.N.

Learning Outcomes

The goal of the master’s level major in Film and Television Producing is to deepen the student’s skills in his/her chosen direction – towards independent audiovisual entrepreneurship, a research or development project in the film producing field, a deeper understanding of artistic leadership or equivalent advanced competence planned together with the student.

After the studies, the student possesses the skills needed to realise and lead high-quality film and television productions and has acquired special competence in his/her personal area of specialisation that makes possible work in a changing profession and visionary development of operating methods in the field.

Education Content

The teaching staff and students plan the education content by means of the PSP discussions. The starting point for the education is the student’s own desire to develop and direct his/her professional skills in the field of film and television producing as well as the modules built around this. At the beginning of master’s studies, a plan is made concerning the projects included in the studies and realised at the school and the general topics, realisation method and schedule for the reports and essays written in conjunction with the studies.

Master’s students become familiar with the specialisations of their fellow students and participate in courses dealing with these areas.

The main responsibility for planning studies and formulating a suitable module lies with each individual student. Although the study plan is unique for each student, the student does not compile it alone but in cooperation with the teaching staff.

Major Studies 90 ECTS

Code:
Credits: N ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Professor Anne Lakanen

Learning Outcomes

At the master’s level, the major in Film Editing is a continuation of the bachelor’s studies in film editing. Bachelor’s studies in this major provide an outstanding foundation for master’s studies. 

The technical, expression-related and vocational foundation for film editing has been laid in the BA studies. The aim of the MA degree is to develop the student into an expert of viewing and seeing, a storyteller and an artist. Mastering the structure and expression of a feature-length documentary and a feature fiction film are at the core of the teaching. The MA degree also provides the opportunity to specialise in digital post-production, animation and experimental film. The goal of the education is to impart a capacity for pursuing doctoral studies.

The aim of master’s studies is that the student discovers his/her own way of working and is able to plan time use appropriately during the editing process in a large production. In film editing studies, the student learns to master the artistic, production-related and technical entity of his/her professional field through course teaching and exercises that gradually become more demanding. The goal of teaching is to strengthen the student’s skills and development and critical thinking in accordance with artistic vision.

Graduates with a major in Film Editing can process the structure of a full-length film and manage large amounts of material, schedule their own work in relation to the demands of production. He/she understands the requirements for making visual effects and can proportion digital post-production to his/her work. On the other hand, he/she has the possibility to specialise in digital post-production and as a visual effects designer, technician and expert. Film Editing studies provide the student with a good foundation for becoming an independent artist who has the skills to renew cinematic expression and specialise in film expression research or use his/her visual dramaturgy skills in other areas of narration and communications.

Education Content

A student working towards a master’s degree with a major in Film Editing deepens his/her skills and vision in dramaturgy and film editing. The teaching consists of workshops and lecture modules built around various changing themes, and advanced studies in the theory of this work.

The major provides deeper knowledge of film structures and film editing theories. The student has the possibility to expand his/her cinematic knowledge in the direction of filming and sound design and select studies to support their own area of specialisation from the cooperation platform of Aalto University and the University of the Arts. Etude productions focus on the editor’s vocational practices in the areas of fictional, documentary and animation film.

The education is mainly based on practical learning by doing, personal work and direction and dialogue-based interaction. The student deepens his/her knowledge of traditions and modern trends in the field.

The task of a film editor is to assess the functioning of the screenplay, find the final form of the film in the recorded material and produce the intended emotional impact in the viewer. A film editor needs the ability to be empathic as well as to understand interpersonal interactive relations and the wider and deeper meanings of the narration. The film editor needs to have a good idea of film history and the expressive means of various genres. Good image reading ability, a sense of rhythm and the ability to perceive structures provide the boldness needed to produce new solutions during the editing process. Communication skills and the ability to cooperate are the basic requirements for progressing in the profession.  The main focus of master’ studies are placed on managing large entities and the long format.

A personal study plan is drawn up separately for each student according to his/her interests. For example, he/she can specialise in actual film editing, post-production, digital effects or move in the research direction.

Major Studies 90 ECTS

^{* ) Students have the right to be credited with components of courses from courses over 12 ECTS.}

Code:
Credits: N ECTS cr
Resposible Professor: N.N.

Learning Outcomes

Master’s studies with a major in Film Directing strengthen the student director’s idea generation skills, idea development, storybuilding and narration skills in addition to developing the director’s personal cinematic style.

Master’s studies in Film Directing deepen the student’s production competence and provide the skills to direct a feature-length film.

Education Content

In master’s studies in Film Directing, the student develops his/her artistic thinking and cinematic vision. The studies comprise thematic study modules with changing content. The study modules are divided into theory teaching periods and workshop work or combinations of these two elements. Some of the studies are laboratories built around a single central theme in order to develop research skills and are realised in conjunction with one or more majors.

During the master’s courses, the student develops his/her artistic thinking, studies the idiomatics of film, structure and examines the starting points for his/her personal artistic work in more detail. According to the study plan drawn up in the personal study plan discussion, the director deepens his/her competence in scriptwriting, visual narration or sound narration.

During master’s studies, the student directs short films based on ideas developed and scripted by the director and implemented with light resources or a short film scripted on the basis of the director’s idea. During master’s studies, the student learns to understand the importance of resourcing when planning and realising a film and becomes familiar with actors in the professional field of film and television (production companies, financing and distribution).

Major Studies 90 ECTS

Code:
Credits: N ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Professor Rauno Ronkainen

Learning Outcomes

In master’s studies in Cinematography, the student deepens his/her vocational competence to achieve a greater mastery of the overall artistic, production and technical entity of his/her professional area in various film, TV and advertising productions. A student of cinematography has a wide-ranging mastery of artistic means of expression, cinematography methods and challenging technical concepts, equipment and work methods.

The goal of education is to reinforce the student’s personal strengths and development in line with personal artistic vision, deepen cooperation skills with others responsible for artistic film work, and provide the skills needed for independent research work.

Education Content

During the education, the student’s personal vision is strengthened with a focus on artistic-technical cinematography competence and cooperation skills.

The job description of a cinematographer is reinforced and deepened in extensive master’s study modules and workshop exercises, both in Finland and internationally and by means of courses on vocational technology and artistic expression. The education is mainly based on practical learning by doing, work in small groups, personal guidance and dialogue-based interaction. During the studies, the student is introduced to all phases of preliminary planning in cinematography and artistic and production cooperation in film and television productions.

Courses

Major Studies 90 ECTS

^{* ) Students have the right to be credited with components of courses from courses over 12 ECTS.}

Thesis seminars

Thesis Submission Deadlines

Keydates for Master's Thesis Submission

All master’s degrees at Aalto ARTS include 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can for example complete courses at Aalto University or other Finnish universities or participate in an international student exchange programme.

All master’s degrees at Aalto ARTS include 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can for example complete courses at Aalto University or other Finnish universities or participate in an international student exchange programme.

All master’s degrees at Aalto ARTS include 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can for example complete courses at Aalto University or other Finnish universities or participate in an international student exchange programme. The major in Film and Television Producing also offers a selection of courses which students can freely include in their elective studies.

All master’s degrees at Aalto ARTS include 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can for example complete courses at the school’s other programmes and majors, elsewhere at Aalto University or at other Finnish universities or participate in an international student exchange programme.  Elective studies as well as other studies offered by the major can also be freely included in elective studies.

All master’s degrees at Aalto ARTS include 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can for example complete courses at Aalto University or other Finnish universities or participate in an international student exchange programme.

All master’s degrees at Aalto ARTS include 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can for example complete courses at Aalto University or other Finnish universities or participate in an international student exchange programme. The major in Cinematography also offers a selection of courses which students can freely include in their elective studies.

^{* ) Students have the right to be credited with components of courses from courses over 12 ECTS.}

All master’s degrees at Aalto ARTS include 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can for example complete courses at Aalto University or other Finnish universities or participate in an international student exchange programme. The major in Film Sound Design also offers a selection of courses which students can freely include in their elective studies.

^{* ) Students have the right to be credited with components of courses from courses over 12 ECTS.}