Master of Music in Film Composition

On-Campus and Low-Residency Options

The Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program has partnered with the Seattle Film Institute to offer the original one-year Master of Music in Film Composition degree program. Learn from industry professionals, get training in all industry software and standards, write and conduct music for live recording sessions with professional musicians in world-class studios, work with student directors from around the world, and in just 40 weeks earn a graduate degree with the skills, experience, demo reel, and connections to start your career.

Go to School Site at SFI.edu

New Low-Residency Option

We are excited to announce the introduction of a new Low-Residency option for our Master of Music in Film Composition program!

This option allows students to attend and participate in live classes remotely and then join us in Seattle for 1-2 week residencies during the school year for recording sessions and workshops.

Low-Residency and On-Campus students attend all classes together as one hybrid cohort.

One of the Top Film Music Programs in the World

Rated as the #4 school in the world for film scoring education by Music School Central and featured in the Hollywood Reporter as one of the top music schools to study for a career in film and television.

“in just one year, the school places students into a pressure cooker of intense learning resulting in a professional demo reel that can be used to obtain future paid commercial opportunities… Schools that focus on the value and future of their music students are compelling options, and this program most certainly does exactly that.”

10 Scoring Projects

Conduct live recording sessions with professional musicians
Produce and mix remote sessions
Create high quality mockups and electronic scores using virtual instruments and synths
Work with student directors from around the world
Graduate with an impressive and well-rounded demo reel

Learn from Industry Professionals

All PNWFS staff and faculty are active professional film and game composers, orchestrators, copyists, and engineers.

Accelerated and Affordable

Earn a Masters degree in less than a year
Low-Residency option for those who cannot move to Seattle
Access to FAFSA financial assistance, loans, and veteran’s benefits
Thousands available in Merit-Based Tuition Awards

More than Just Music Theory

The Master of Music in Film Composition program also focuses on:

Instruction in all major software used in the industry
Songwriting for film
Studio technology
Mixing
Creating music and sound design for interactive games
Business and contracts
Networking

Check out all of our classes!

How to apply:

Prospective students should either already have or be in process of earning a 4-year undergraduate degree. There are no requirements that the undergraduate degree be in music, though it is recommended that students have at least some formal training in music theory.

To apply you must fill out the online application and then submit the following materials:
• Your college transcripts (these can be “in progress”)
• 2 letters of recommendation
• A $50 application fee
• A portfolio of 3 recent compositions that you feel best represent you as a composer. These compositions should be of varying styles and ensembles. You must submit both an audio recording and a notated score for each piece. Audio recordings can be MIDI/electronic but at least one piece should feature live players.

International students only:
We require the TOEFL for all international students unless you have earned your undergraduate degree from an English speaking university, college, or school. Our institution code is B443. IELTS scores are also acceptable.

Application deadline:

We offer rolling admissions, there is no official deadline to apply. Once we have received your online application and all of the required materials listed above it usually takes 2-3 weeks to be informed of our decision.

Apply Now!

Tuition, Fees, and Awards:

Tuition:

Tuition for both the on-campus and low-residency options is $40,040. This includes all classes, workshops, studio and musician costs for recording sessions, and a personal computer provided to each student preloaded with all of the software, sample libraries, and plugins needed to complete the program.

Fees:

There is a $50 application fee due when applying and a $100 registration fee due after acceptance to hold your seat in the class.

Tuition Awards:

We offer merit-based Tuition Awards, which all applicants are eligible for. These are determined by the strength of an applicant’s portfolio and transcripts and do not require any additional applications, essays, videos or submissions. Applicants are informed of their award upon acceptance.

Other financial aid is available.