Applicants to the CMS program often have a lot of questions. We've compiled the most frequently asked questions – and, more importantly, their answers – below. These are divided up into four main categories:

CMS Program Admissions

Financial Aid Careers

CMS Program

1. Is the CMS Program a production or technically-oriented program?
2. Can you define the Workshop Requirement? What if I already have technical skills from a previous job? Can I place out of these classes?
3. Is it possible to do a media production project for the thesis?
4. When do students need to choose a focus?
5. Is Comparative Media Studies the same thing as the Media Lab?
6. Will I be able to take courses at Harvard or other institutions for credit?

Is the CMS Program a production or technically-oriented program?

The Comparative Media Studies Program centers on critical thinking and historical understanding of media, not on technical skills. We do believe, however, that students may best develop an understanding of the nature of media through hands-on learning. Through the research projects, students participate in building usable products and evaluate them through theoretical and critical analysis.

Can you define the CMS Workshop Requirement? What if I already have technical skills from a previous job? Can I place out of these classes?

The workshop requirement provides an opportunity for the acquisition of technical skills. Students will receive training in relevant media technologies (video, digital imagery and music, software and programming languages, online social spaces), learn to write research proposals, and to present and critique their work and discuss its implications. Many incoming students will have had production experience in at least one medium already. Students are then expected to build on and further expand their skills. All students are required to fulfill the Workshop component as part of their degree requirement.

Is it possible to do a media production project for the thesis?

A thesis is a major component of the requirements for graduation. Students can choose to work on either a formal paper or complete a media project to fulfill this requirement. Many students will choose thesis projects that involve translating historical or theoretical accounts of media into multimedia and interactive media formats.

When do students need to choose a focus?

Many students will come in with specific projects they want to pursue. Others won't know. Still others will have one idea and then change their mind. We encourage students to cover a broad base of knowledge in their first year and then work with their advisor the following year to focus on their thesis.

Is Comparative Media Studies the same thing as the Media Lab?

There are close informal relations between the CMS program and the Media Lab, including a jointly administered research project, the Center for Future Civic Media, but they are not the same thing. CMS is part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Media Lab is housed in the School of Architecture and Urban Planning. The Media Lab could be characterized as a place for designing and developing innovative new technologies and has a strong orientation towards the future. The function of the CMS program is different. It is to understand the uses of technology. CMS focuses on the social, cultural, political, legal, and ethical implications of media, understood within a historical context, and on contemporary social uses of new technology. Many Media Lab students take CMS subjects. CMS faculty serve on MAS thesis and dissertation committees. Many of our faculty have collaborated on projects at the Media Lab. However, the two programs are quite distinct.

Will I be able to take courses at Harvard or other institutions for credit?

Yes. Students can register for Harvard courses at no additional charge (web.mit.edu/registrar/www/crossreg/hxfaq.html). We encourage graduate students to explore the full range of educational opportunities in the Cambridge-Boston area.

Admissions

1. How can I apply to the CMS graduate program?
2. How does the admissions committee decide whom to accept into the program?
3. Is an interview necessary?
4. I'm an older student, having been out in the industry for several years. Will I feel out of place?
5. I've had very little experience in digital technology and media production, but I am very interested in learning. Will this affect my chance of acceptance into the program?
6. Does MIT welcome students pursuing a second Master's degree?
7. Is there a Ph.D. program?
8. Can I take courses on a part-time basis?
9. Will I be able to use transfer credits?
10. Can I get a Joint Degree in CMS and another program?

How can I apply to the CMS gradudate program?

Information is available on our How to Apply page.

How does the admissions committee decide whom to accept into the program?

The admissions committee looks at an applicant as a whole package, including GRE and IELTS (for international students) scores, grades, statement of purpose, writing sample, and recommendations. We don't have any minimum requirements for GPA or the GRE. The committee looks closely at the statement of purpose to ensure a match between the student and the program and at the writing sample for a piece of good analytical writing. Approximately ten students per year are admitted.

Is an interview necessary?

No. We encourage prospective students to attend one of the Fall semester Information Sessions, either on-campus or online.

I'm an older student, having been out in the industry for several years. Will I feel out of place?

Many returning students are interested in CMS. We see this as advantageous to the program, as returning students bring with them real-life experiences and practical skills. Some students will come to boost their skills and knowledge in a particular area. Other may see it as a way to return to school in order to develop a much needed perspective on the changing media landscape that will give them an edge when they return to work. Others may decide that they would like to continue their studies and go on to pursue a Ph.D.

I've had very little experience in digital technology and media production, but I am very interested in learning. Will this affect my chance of acceptance into the program?

Some incoming students may feel the need to take additional coursework in order to prepare or to boost their technical skills in preparation for the practical component of the program. If incoming students find that they're not quite up to speed for the practical component of the program, they should work with their advisors to devise a plan for taking courses or specific workshops in technical areas, such as computer science or video production. In the admissions process, we look at a student's technical experience as only one of several factors in the decision.

Does MIT welcome students pursuing a second Master's degree?

Yes. We consider all applicants on a case by case basis. Many applicants have received graduate degrees in other areas, such as law, business, computer science, or journalism. We welcome this diversity and this prior experience.

Is there a Ph.D. program?

Currently there is a two-year program leading to Master of Science degree. Students who want to continue work towards a Ph.D. at MIT might look at these related programs at the Institute: the Program in Science, Technology and Society, the Graduate Program in History, Theory and Criticism of Architecture and Art, and the Media Arts and Sciences Program (also known as the Media Lab).

Can I take courses on a part-time basis?

The CMS Program is a full-time, two-year program. An accelerated program is possible — all courses compressed into three semesters but thus necessarily forgoing research assistantship funding. However, a part-time program is not available.

Will I be able to use transfer credits?

Generally speaking, graduate credits are not transferable.

Can I get a Joint Degree in CMS and another program?

The only way to receive a degree in CMS and another program at the same time is to complete the full requirements for each degree simultaneously. CMS is definitely a full time program and it is for this reason that we do not accommodate a joint degree.

Financial Aid

1. How much does the CMS graduate program cost?
2. How will I pay for my education?
3. If my Research Assistantship lasts only 9 months, what will I do to support myself over the summer?
4. Are loans available?

How much does the CMS graduate program cost?

Tuition for the Academic Year is established by MIT (see http://web.mit.edu/acadinfo/tuition/). Further information about living costs is found at http://web.mit.edu/sfs/afford/graduate_student_costs.html. International Students are required to submit a Financial Certification Form showing proof of funds at a level determined by the International Students Office in order to acquire a visa (see http://web.mit.edu/iso/resources/forms/FCFGrad.pdf).

How will I pay for my education?

In the past, we have been able to offer most of our incoming graduate students Research Assistantships (through research group funding) or Fellowships to cover tuition and fees, to provide a modest stipend, and to provide health insurance.  While we cannot guarantee financial support, our goal is always to provide funding to those incoming graduate students who seek it.  To be considered for funding, please fill out the Financial Information Form in the application and indicate which of our ongoing Research Projects you would be most interested in working with.  More information about our research projects can be found here: http://cms.mit.edu/research/projects.php.

If my Research Assistantship lasts only 9 months, what will I do to support myself over the summer?

Many students choose to continue work on one of the research projects during the summer months, for additional pay. Others prefer to find internships or travel for pre-thesis research.

Are loans available?

Consult Student Financial Services for information on student loans and other resources: http://web.mit.edu/sfs/financial_aid/graduate_financial_aid.html.

Careers

1. What will graduates from your program do? What occupational roles do you envision for them in the future?
2. Is there a career counselor or adviser, or someone who arranges interviews with companies? Will there be exposure to people in the industry or is this strictly an academic program?

What will graduates from your program do? What occupational roles do you envision for them in the future?

The CMS Program helps prepare students for a broad range of jobs in industry, media, game design, consulting or journalism, and in the public sphere, in museums, education, or academia. Many of the jobs of the future have yet to be defined. Increasingly the corporate world has recognized that the new problems and issues they must confront are cultural and social, not simply technological, and that they need workers who can think across media and understand how their products fit into consumers' lives.

Here are a few job scenarios we have seen our students pursue:

1. In the business world: Students who come to the CMS program with some business background or real-world work experience and some technical skills will increase their value for managerial work in the digital, entertainment, and advertising industries by developing a broader context for understanding media, culture, and society. There is a shortage of qualified candidates for many jobs that require broad media literacy. Summer internships allow students to work with interesting companies before graduation.

2. In the academic world: Students complete a Master's in CMS and then go on to another degree program in a more traditional field, but the CMS degree gives them an added edge, especially as the phrase "new media" appears in descriptions for all kinds of academic jobs. Our graduates also are well situated to work in areas such as instructional technologies, museum and archive curatorships, and publishing.

3. In journalism: Students combine CMS training with previous backgrounds in journalism to help newspapers and magazines confront the new challenges posed by digital media. Some work to coordinate the coverage of stories across multiple media within the same news organizations. Others cover the expanding entertainment industry, helping to insure a richer and more robust public conversation about the role of media in our lives.

For more information on the careers awaiting CMS alumni after graduation, please see What Can You Do with a CMS Degree in our About CMS section.

Is there a career counselor or adviser, or someone who arranges interviews with companies? Will there be exposure to people in the industry or is this strictly an academic program?

Executives from the media industries visit the CMS program often, and students have opportunities to interact with these guests. The program invites recruiters from large media companies to campus once a semester. Recent visitors include Activision, SONY, and Electronic Arts. CMS graduates are or have been employed by Blink Music Studios, Electronic Arts, Google, Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero, Microsoft, and NPR, for example.