Program Overview

About Our Program

The Master of Fine Arts in Experimental & Documentary Arts at Duke University brings together two forms of artistic activity — the documentary approach and experimental production in analog, digital, and computational media — in a unique program that will foster collaborations across disciplines and media as it trains sophisticated, creative art practitioners. Successful completion of the program requires the development of a complex understanding of documentary practices and traditions as well as creative skills in experimental media and new technologies.

Program Requirements

• Development of a complex understanding of documentary practices and traditions
• Creative skills in experimental media and new technologies

Academics

Program Objectives

• Train sophisticated, creative art practitioners
• Foster collaborations across disciplines and media

Application Information

Applications for 2026 are accepted from October 29 to January 29.

Requirements & Courses

• Program Requirements
  • Development of a complex understanding of documentary practices and traditions
  • Creative skills in experimental media and new technologies
• Courses
  • Class Offerings

Frequently Asked Questions

Available in the Academics section.

Resources

Facilities

Available in the Resources section.

Events

• Miler Lagos: The Merx Tree
  • September 3, 10:00 am, Rubenstein Arts Center, Ruby Lounge
  • September 4, 10:00 am, Rubenstein Arts Center, Ruby Lounge
  • September 5, 10:00 am, Rubenstein Arts Center, Ruby Lounge

Spotlighted Faculty & Student Projects

• 2025 Spring Salon: Print Swap + Screening
  • Ama Kyereme
  • Bren Vienrich-Felling
  • Dingyi Xu
  • Ziwen Liu
• 2024 Spring Salon: Workshop Series
  • Nora Zubizarreta
  • Shiraz Ahmed
• Vanishing World in Lenscratch
  • Hannah Schneider
• More of Everything
  • Tash Lehner
• Covid: Light and Darkness Alike
  • Tom Rankin
• MFA|EDA Bragdeck Roundup - Fall 2022
  • MFA|EDA
• A Place Like Mississippi
  • Tom Rankin
• MFA|EDA + RESIST COVID / TAKE 6!
  • MFA|EDA
• "Rainbow Rodeo" at SFIFF
  • Emily MacDiarmid ('22)
• Under Virus
  • Mingyong Cheng ('21)

Thesis Exhibition

• Full Moon Over Palcazú
  • Bren Vienrich-Felling
• A Kind of Performance
  • Ziwen Liu
• Free Space
  • Suanne Han
• The Child Within
  • Sai Varadan
• Western Semiotics
  • Katelyn Lester
• When will I go blind?
  • Hannah Schneider
• Lo que queda
  • Germán López Tirado
• Key to Timeless
  • Dingyi Xu
• in 40
  • Clara Zhu
• The Work Behind the Wonder
  • Christopher Verstandig
• Get Those $0.2 Dollar Stuff On My Etsy
  • Andie Z. Chen
• Those who died return again again human
  • Ama Kyereme

Alumni Highlights

• Archer Boyette ('21) Exhibiting in {RE} Happening
• Fallout by Madison Hill ('23) on the film festival circuit
• Jonna McKone ('15) named to DOCNYC 40 Under 40
• Simone Barros ('23) named UnionDocs Artist-in-Residence
• New Publication: Erin Espelie (’14) co-edited and contributed to Deep Horizons
• Alex Morelli ('20) among 25 New Faces of Film
• Will Warasila ('20) Photo on Cover of Time Magazine
• Felicity Palma named 2022 Cassilhaus Travel Fellow
• "All Light, Everywhere" Wins Sundance Special Jury Award
• A Time of Youth: Lisa McCarty (’13) and Cassandra Klos (’20)
• Tamika Galanis ('16) in Southern Cultures' Documentary Moment
• Matt Cicanese ('15) named to Forbes "30 Under 30" in the Arts

Our Collaborators

Learn more about our collaborators.