Admissions

General Guidelines for Admission

The following is a set of general guidelines for the admissions process. It should be noted that while several areas are emphasized here, the Admissions Committee will carefully examine the overall profile of each applicant, taking these and other aspects of the candidate’s application into consideration.

Faculty Interest

For the selection process, it will be vital that applicants identify up to three faculty members with whom they envision working on their dissertation project. Please carefully read the faculty profiles on the AFVS website, particularly faculty listed under “Film and Visual Studies,” which also includes Film and Visual Studies Affiliates from other departments at Harvard.

Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose should give the Admissions Committee a clear sense of one’s individual interests and strengths. Applicants need not indicate at the time of application precisely what their field of specialization will be, but it is helpful to know something about a candidate’s aspirations, and how Film and Visual Studies at Harvard might help in attaining these goals.

Personal Statement

Please describe the personal experiences that led you to pursue graduate education and how these experiences will contribute to the academic environment and/or community in your program or Harvard Griffin GSAS. These may include social and cultural experiences, leadership positions, community engagement, equity and inclusion efforts, other opportunities, or challenges. Your statement should be no longer than 500 words.

Artistic Practice

Applicants interested in the pathway of “Dissertation with Artistic Practice” should indicate their primary focus of their artistic practice (Studio Art, Film/Video, or Intermedia) in the application and submit links to their portfolio as well as a statement describing the relation between the artistic practice and writing practice.

The Writing Sample

The writing sample is one of the most important materials in the application. Candidates should submit only one 15–20 page paper, in 12-point type, double-spaced throughout, and with normal margins. The writing sample must be an example of critical writing (rather than creative writing) on a subject directly related to film, performance and/or visual studies. Applicants should not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt or excerpts, but should themselves edit the sample so that they submit only up to 20 pages.

Grades

While the overall GPA is important, it is more important to have an average of no lower than A- in courses related to Film and Visual Studies or related fields. In addition, if a candidate has not majored in film studies or a related field, it is important to have sufficient background to enter the graduate program— a matter perhaps best determined by speaking with one’s undergraduate advisor.

Letters of Recommendation

It is important to have three strong letters of recommendation from professors who are familiar with the candidate’s academic and/or artistic work. An applicant who has been out of school for several years should try to reestablish contact with former professors. Additional letters from employers may also be included.

GREs

The GRE General and Subject Tests are not required as part of the Film and Visual Studies PhD application process. Students wishing to send in scores may do so.

Languages

Strong language background helps to strengthen the application, and students who lack it should be aware that they will need to repair these gaps during their first two years of graduate study.

Harvard does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job or course of study requirements, and we actively seek applicants from historically underrepresented communities. We hope you’ll consider applying. 

Immigration status does not factor into decisions about admissions and financial aid. For more information, see Undocumented at Harvard.