ITEM 106-2007-R0300 ATTACHMENT

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY- BOZEMAN
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE
DEPARTMENT OF MEDIA AND THEATRE ARTS

PROPOSAL FOR THE INITIATION OF A MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN SCIENCE
AND
NATURAL HISTORY FILMMAKING

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

II.  DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES Of 

PROGRAM

II.A. Overview of Proposed Program
This sixty (60) credit Master of Fine Arts in Science and Natural History Filmmaking will be the first program of its type in the United States and, to our knowledge, the world. The primary thrust of the program is to train a new generation of film makers who are proficient not only in the film making arts, but also in the subject matter about which the film makers present: namely, science and natural history. Montana State University (MSU) has an unusually high potential to design and offer a program of this nature because of the unique convergence of a top-ranked film school that has several faculty who are internationally recognized natural history filmmakers, exceptionally strong science programs (biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, and environmental studies), and because of its location in the Northern Rockies, close to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. No other university in America has these components in place. In addition, MSU has a nationally recognized engineering college where both students and faculty are engaged in cutting edge research in both science and engineering. Current work includes areas such as unraveling the mysteries of bacterial biofilms (see the cover of Science, Vol. 284, 21 May, 1999, and pages 1318-1322), applying advanced optical fiber and laser techniques to solve medical problems and moving spectral hole burning (potentially a rapid access means of storing huge amounts of digital data) from the laboratory to commercialization.

It is anticipated that the first cohort of students will involve ten (10) students. Given the breadth of study and the interdisciplinary focus of the classes, this M.F.A. program will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals who want a focused and concentrated education in this growing and increasingly important field of film making. It is reasonable to expect by the start of the third year that approximately thirty (30) high quality graduate students will be enrolled in the program. The majority of the student body will have an undergraduate degree in science and with at least one year of research experience. A minority of the students may have an undergraduate degree in filmmaking but with a minor in a science area or at least adequate preparation for study in the sciences. These students will be required to specialize in a science track tailored to their interest (Ecology, Zoology, Resource Management, etc.) Initially, there will be externally funded scholarships available for at least one minority student, one international student, and one exceptional student. It is anticipated that the average degree candidate will take approximately thirty months to complete the program.

 II.B. Needs Assessment
One of the ironies of the modern age is that although our society depends upon science as never before, what scientists do remains a mystery to most people. The language of the scientist is virtually incomprehensible to the lay person. A study completed by Vanderbilt University "Worlds Apart: How the Distance Between Science and Journalism Threatens America's Future", 1998) reports that only 11% of scientists trust the media to report their findings. Conversely, only 15% of journalists find scientists accessible. If we are to maintain public support and appreciation for science in America, we must find a way to explain science in a manor and in a language that everyday people can understand. The public understanding of science has been identified as a top priority by the Committee on Science in its commissioned report to the United States House of Representatives,"Unlocking Our Future: Toward a New National Science Policy Study," 1998, F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman. The :understanding" gap between science and the public continues to grow as people understand less and less about what scientists do. Presently, anyone interested in going into the field of science and natural history filmmaking has to be "self-taught," either as a trained scientist trying to learn how to be a film maker or as a film maker trying to learn the language and practice of science. This proposed M.F.A. program undertakes the task of training film makers who are going to be making documentaries in the sciences.

Marty Stouffer, a well known natural history film maker observes, "virtually all my employees have been trained on the job at great difficulty and expense. Given the rapidly changing technology, locating qualified individuals in the future would seem to be an ever-increasing challenge" (See Appendix A for the text of his letter). Governor Marc Racicot suggested the great potential and need for this program when, in a letter to Judith McHale (CEO of Discovery Communications) he said "This convergence of film making, science discovery, astounding natural surroundings, and a statewide commitment to excellence in education creates a unique opportunity for a program such as this one" (See Appendix B for the complete letter). Informal surveys reveal overwhelming support for this MFA program by principals at the National Academy of Sciences, and by managing directors at The Discovery Channel, NOVA (PBS), and National Geographic Television. In addition, the National Park Service (NPS) has indicated that Montana State University is exceptionally well-poised to become a partner in the NPS program.

In the process of developing this proposal for the past two years, word has spread about the possibility of this program being initiated. To date we have received approximately thirty inquiries (including two queries from Europe and one from Morocco) asking about the program. Of those who have expressed interest, several are either in the process of completing or have completed a Ph.D. in science. It is our reasonable expectation, therefore, that the caliber of applicant to this program will be exceptionally high and that there is a considerable pool of both current students and current professionals that recognize a need for the degree that they can obtain by enrolling in this program.

II.C. Employment Prospects:
During our initial inquiries to major broadcasters and filmmakers who specialize in Science and Natural History, we learned very quickly that at present there is no pool of people available who have been educated in both science and filmmaking. Because of the uniqueness of this program, we characterize the prospects for employment upon graduation to be very high. Many of the large broadcasting entities such as Discovery, National Geographic, and PBS NOVA, have indicated a need for people who have been trained in these two disciplines. Discovery in particular has not only indicated its willingness to hire our graduates, but the parent company, Discovery Communications Inc. has agreed to underwrite most of the costs of the program as well as providing fellowships, equipment and paid apprenticeships to students during summers. These apprenticeships are specifically designed to give our students real world, real life experience in the field and will also provide an entryway for graduates from this program into the filmmaking profession.

II.D. Compliance with the Role and Scope of Montana State University:
As Montana's land grant institution, Montana State University (MSU) is a comprehensive public university charged with providing high quality undergraduate and graduate instructional programs. As a comprehensive university, MSU aims to provide first-rate programs in a wide variety of fields, including the arts and the sciences.

This program is being initiated to respond to the pressing need to train students in the science/art of building pathways of communication between scientists and the general public. Success in this effort will address both the academic mission as well as the outreach mission of MSU which involves integrating new knowledge into the daily lives of the public.

II.E. Effect of the Program on the Administrative Structure of the Institution:
The program will have no effect on the administrative structure of the institution. The program will, however, be heavily involved with other academic programs at Montana State University (MSU). A unique element of this program is that it is designed to reach across traditional academic lines and incorporate a variety of disciplines. We estimate that a minimum of ten programs on campus will be involved academically in this program. Because a quarter of a degree candidate's course work will be in the sciences, students will take courses from a broad spectrum of departments including (but not limited to)*:

 *For a sampl e listing of courses, please see Appendix (C).

In addition, the program will likely involve several of the major centers on campus such as:

II.F. Similar Programs offered in Montana, the Pacific Northwest, and bordering states.
There is no program that even remotely resembles this proposed degree in any of these regions, anywhere in the United States or in the world.

II.G. Accrediting agency(ies) or learned society(ies) that would be concerned with the proposed program.
There are no agencies or societies that have established accreditation standards for a graduate program in Science and Natural History Filmmaking. The program will be evaluated by both MSU and Discovery Communications for its viability and quality at the end of the fifth year. If the review is negative and the program is judged to be insufficient, there will be a sunset clause in the Discovery Communications contract that will be negotiated with MSU that will insure two additional years of funding to allow time to phase out the program (e.g., $200,000 per year for the final two years). If the review is positive, Discovery Communications has indicated that it will begin negotiations to fund a permanent endowment for the Discovery Chair (to be funded at approximately $2,000,000). Success in establishing this endowment will be predicated upon the ability of the program director to raise an additional $2,000,000 to put into a second endowment that will be established to pay for the annual costs of operations and capital expenditures.

II.H. The Proposed Curriculum.

II.H.1 General Points and Policies

1.                  This sixty hour Master of Fine Arts degree program will require that a quarter of the total course work be performed in the hard sciences (which can include up to three (3) credits of history or the philosophy of science). One half of the total course work will be performed in the film making arts with a special emphasis on the techniques involved in science and natural history film making. The final quarter of the total course work will be the production of a thesis film. (The Discovery Channel has expressed its intent to broadcast internationally the best of these thesis films.).

2.                  At least two thirds (2/3) of the program must be in residency.

3.                  At least forty (40) of the credits (total may include the thesis film) must be five hundred level (5xx) or above.

4.                  Each student will prepare and file with the College of Graduate Studies a graduate program by the end of their second (including summer) semester.

5.                  Each student will establish a graduate committee comprised of a major advisor and a minimum of two (2) other faculty members. The committee must be selected no later than the end of the second (including summer) semester. The members of this committee will be chosen from a list, maintained by the program director, of faculty who are actively involved in this MFA program.

6.                  All MFA students will be required to pass a comprehensive examination as they near the end of their program. The examination may be written, oral or a combination of both and will demonstrate that a student has assimilated all areas of the master's program including course work as well as the thesis film production. The presentation and defense of the thesis film will count as a part of the comprehensive examination.

7.                  The Director of this MFA program will serve as the graduate advisor to all of the MFA students until the graduate committee is formed. At that point, the advising becomes the responsibility of the committee chairman (major advisor).

II.H.2 Admission Requirements
Students admitted to the Masters of Fine Arts in Science and Natural History Filmmaking program must first satisfy the admission requirements and be admitted to the College of Graduate Studies (CGS) at Montana State University. They are also expected to have completed the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree in science which includes one year of research experience. Students may be admitted with an undergraduate degree in filmmaking if they also have a minor in a science area or at least adequate preparation for study in the sciences.

These students will be required to specialize in a science track tailored to their interest (Ecology, Zoology, Resource Management, etc.) and they should expect to take several remedial science courses that will not count toward the MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking degree requirements.

Students who have been admitted to other graduate degree programs on the MSU campus and are maintaining satisfactory performance may enroll in Science and Natural History Filmmaking graduate courses relevant to their graduate programs if the instructor consents and if they have the appropriate prerequisites (or their equivalents). Undergraduates in the fourth (senior) year of their program and who have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.25 may enroll in the Science and Natural History Filmmaking graduate courses. A maximum of nine (9) of these credits may be reserved for graduate credit.

International students whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before they will be admitted to the College of Graduate Studies (CGS). Currently, the CGS minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 550. All students that expect to hold a teaching assistantship must meet additional requirements which include a GRE verbal score of 480. International students must attain a TOEFL score of 580 (Classroom teacher) or 565 (laboratory assistant) or 550 (paper grader) and a Test of Spoken English (TSE) or SPEAK (the MSU equivalent of the TSE, administered by the ACE English Language Institute) score of 50 (classroom teacher) or 45 (test/paper grader).

The CGS requirements for the students include having earned a baccalaureate degree and having an undergraduate grade point average of "B" or better (e.g., GPA =/> 3.0 on a four point scale). All students applying to graduate school at MSU must include three letters of recommendation and their GRE General Test scores with their application. A GRE verbal score of 480 or greater is required for any student who desires a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA). It is recommended that prospective students refer to the CGS web page at [www.montana.edu/wwwdg/catalog/applic.html ] for further important admission details.

II.H.3 Course Descriptions Within Media and Theatre Arts:

MTA 501 (3 cr) SURVEY OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE FILM MAKING A close analysis and interpretation of the social function and cultural value of natural history and science films, with a particular emphasis on films for broadcast both nationally and internationally.

MTA 502 (3cr) CRITICISM AND THEORY OF NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES An advanced introduction to the critical methodologies necessary for intelligently interrogating the representations of natural history, science, and technology in print and media.

MTA 510 (5cr) PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE I
Basic field production techniques in film, video, sound, and editing. Training on digital video, 16mm cinematography, sound recording, and digital non-linear editing.

MTA 515 (5cr) PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE II
Advanced production technique in digital video, 16mm, cinematography, sound recording, and digital non-linear editing as they apply to the production of natural history and science content films.

MTA 518 (3 cr) CREATIVE NON-FICTION
Learning to write non-fiction scripts that are both accurate and entertaining; form and theory of non-fiction story-telling with a special emphasis on how to prepare and present ideas to broadcasters or underwriters for funding.

MTA 520 (3cr) PRINCIPLES OF PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
The production process from practical and creative points of view, including proposals, budgets, scheduling, reporting, and development.

MTA 525 (3cr) ADVANCED FIELD METHOD SEMINAR
A seminar specializing in a single advanced technique which may include cinematography, sound, or editing.

MTA 570 (1-3cr) INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS
Directed research and study on an individual basis.

MTA 576 (3-5cr) CAREER APPRENTICESHIP
An individualized assignment arranged with an agency, business, or other organization to provide the degree candidate with real world guided experience in the field. (Maximum of five credits)

MTA 580 (1cr) SEMINAR
Special workshops and seminars, normally offered in summer, that address some particular aspect of natural history and/or science film making.

MTA 590 (5cr) THESIS FILM
Normally taken for three consecutive semesters after the successful completion of course work, the thesis film will be divided into three segments for each phase of production: pre-production, production, and post production. (A maximum of twenty thesis credits may be used on the graduate program)

II.H.4 Sample Program
This sixty hour program requires that a quarter of the total course work be in the hard sciences, including the history and philosophy of science. One-half of the total course work must be in the filmmaking arts with a special emphasis on technique for science and natural history. The final quarter of the total course work will be the production of a thesis film. The Discovery Channel has already expressed its intent to broadcast internationally the best of the thesis films.

Sample Schedule

II FISCAL IMPACT AND BUDGET INFORMATION

III.A. Planned FTE Enrollment

III.A.1 Projected Revenues

III.A.2 Projected Distribution of Revenues

III.A.3 Allocation of Existing Resources including detail of increased costs

III.B Faculty and Staff Requirements:

III.B.1 Name and Rank of Current faculty involved in the program:

III.B.2 The projected need for new faculty over the first five years:
At present, we will need one new full-time junior faculty member to teach in the program. This person will need to specialize in the technical aspects of science and natural history filmmaking. His or her expertise must include being able to teach cinematography, sound, and editing. The funds for the new hire will come from Discovery revenue.

III.B.3 The need and cost for support personnel or other required personnel expenditures.
An important element in this proposal is the creation of six graduate teaching and research assistantships. The funding for these assistantships will be developed from the tuition and fees paid by the students. In addition, the program will hire a clerical assistant to help with all the responsibilities of maintaining the program, including correspondence and general clerical duties.

The grant will pay for an additional adjunct Assistant Professor to teach in the program. Office, development, travel, equipment, and promotional costs for launching the program will be provided by Discovery funds. In addition, the program will seek four-to-six Graduate Teaching Assistantships fee waivers from University sources.

III.B.4 Need for special training or qualifications of faculty:
No special training or qualifications are required of present faculty in order to teach in the program.

III.B.5 Explanation of how current faculty will be relieved from present duties:
Discovery Communications (the parent company of The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Animal Planet, and two digital science channels), has awarded Montana State University a total of $1.4-million to pay for the program initiation and operations during the next seven years, during which time it will work with MSU to develop an endowment in support of the program. Part of this award includes monies to establish the Discovery Chair, initially occupied by Professor Ronald Tobias. He will be relieved of all his undergraduate duties in order to develop, launch, and maintain this program. In order to accomplish these objectives, the department will hire a non-tenure track replacement to replace his teaching and advising responsibilities. The costs for advertising, recruiting, and replacing Professor Tobias will come from the pre-existing Tobias salary line.

III.C Summary of Operating Expenses, Library Costs, and Facilities

 III.C.1 Evaluation of Library Resources:
The science resources available in the library are more than adequate for the purposes of this program. In addition, the program will build an extensive video collection with films and videos donated to the program by Discovery, NOVA, National Geographic, and other appropriate entities.

III.C.2 List of special equipment:
The program will need extensive film, video, sound, and editing equipment, including (but not limited to) digital video cameras and decks, a Super-16mm camera package, a sound recording package, and a digital non-linear editing system. The cost of this equipment will be paid for by Discovery Communications.

III.C.3 Space needs:
In anticipation of a vigorous graduate program, the program will need a dedicated series of offices and spaces to house two faculty, a clerical assistant, six graduate teaching assistants, and preferably, a common area. In addition, the program will need space in the pre-existing equipment check-out facility in order to house camera equipment and a computer non-linear system.

III.C.4 Capital Outlay, Operating Expenditures, Physical Facilities Needed:
Projected operating expenses are calculated at approximately $200,000/year for the first five years, to be funded with $200,000/year from Discovery Communications. In addition, Discovery will fund several other initiatives including three scholarships, six apprenticeships, an unspecific number of workshops, and regular summer seminars.

An extensive video library (to be donated by Discovery, NOVA and National Geographic) and film and video equipment that will be dedicated to use in this program. The offices will house the two primary faculty members who will be dedicated to the program, an estimated six graduate teaching assistants, a library and resources room, a clerical assistant's office, and preferably, a common area. Equipment for the program will be paid for by Discovery Communications and will be housed throughout the existing MTA facilities.