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Faster and targeted is how Surjeet Baidwan, PhD, director of the graduate MBA program since August 2019, describes the new MBA/MFA (film/television) dual degree program launching this fall. The program trims one semester off both individual degrees and creates a producer-centric, business-oriented entry into the entertainment world.

Kelby Thwaits, MFA, director of the film program, says that the concept for the dual program goes back as far as 2015, but the master鈥檚 in film, television and photography MFA had to find its own firm footing first. Launched in 2014 as a one-degree program with just two electives, it has added concentrations in producing, directing, writing and editing.

Mount students had been struggling with how to merge their business prowess with their creative interests: do they get one degree and supplement with additional courses in the other discipline or do they somehow, over time, get two masters? 鈥淚nstead of either/or,鈥� says Thwaits, 鈥渓et鈥檚 create a package that works for those students so they get an accelerated version of both.鈥�

Baidwan admits that the entertainment industry has a deserved reputation for being difficult to break into, but there is always a need for people who can manage the process and the talent. A person with those skills can be successful. 鈥淚 see a lot of people who are more business oriented who look at the creative fields and see lower barriers of entry than ever,鈥� he says.

Prospective students who may worry that they鈥檙e not particularly drawn to -- or have a complete lack of background in 鈥� the technical side of filmmaking need not worry. 鈥淪creenwriters or producers coming into the film MFA may have a lot of the trepidation that there will be technology, cameras, and software that they will find daunting,鈥� says Thwaits. 鈥淏ut the dual degree鈥檚 producing program is fashioned in a way that students get exposure to those elements but they don鈥檛 need to have excellent camera or editing skills. They will get rudimentary exposure -- what鈥檚 needed in order to understand the industry. They don鈥檛 have to come to the table with that.鈥�

In short, he adds, 鈥淭hey need to have a love for the industry but not the kind of drive where they want to lock themselves away and write film scores or shoot little indie shorts all day.鈥� Rather, they want to produce or direct, to use their organizational skills to pull together and manage teams of creatives and ensure the project gets made and the product gets distributed.

Baidwan explains that when he met Thwaits for the first time several years ago, they quickly fell into a discussion about what a dual degree program might look like; it was just the type of opportunity that appealed to Baidwan. Stealing a famous line from his co-director鈥檚 industry, Baidwan says, 鈥淜elby, you had me at 鈥榟ello.鈥欌��

When the laughter from both men died down, Baidwan鈥檚 tone became serious when he described the MFA side of the program, detailing the advantages that Mount students have working with real sets in real studios, in the heart of Hollywood. 鈥淔or goodness鈥� sake, it doesn鈥檛 get any more real than that,鈥� he says. 鈥淎s a business person, to be able to connect with a creative partner who doesn鈥檛 just talk the talk but really is doing some applied industry stuff for these kids is fantastic.鈥�

Because the two independent programs already existed and most of the classes were already established, it was a low-risk gamble for the university to move ahead with the dual-degree program. 鈥淲e were able to launch this with a modest buy in from students at the outset,鈥� says Thwait. 鈥淲hether we start this fall with five or 10 students to begin with, it won鈥檛 degrade their experience because the infrastructure and everything has already been set up.鈥�

The student diversity that is expected can help change the face of what we see in media in the years to come. 鈥淭his program is inclusive, it is diverse, and it has a real strong sense of community,鈥� says Baidwan. 鈥淔or that gamut of folks who do not traditionally have a seat at the table, this degree really gives them access to the corporate world, not to mention that hyper-competitive gauntlet that is the entertainment industry.鈥�

The majority of applicants to the Mount鈥檚 MBA program are now younger than in the past with only a couple years of work experience. 鈥淭he creation of the dual degree was a direct response to that younger group that is looking for something a little bit different and who aren鈥檛 just looking for a paycheck,鈥� says Baidwan. 鈥淭hey want to do something that connects to their spirits and who they are as people, and for young folks who find that calling to entertainment, hopefully this is a way that they can live in the light of that passion but still keep the lights on along the way.鈥�