Creativity and business smarts are the keys to success in today’s entertainment industry. That’s why NYU offers one of the few dual degree programs in the country where undergraduate students develop both skill sets. In the Stern School of Business and Tisch School of the Arts’ BS in Business and BFA in Film and Television program, students have a unique opportunity to prepare for multifaceted careers in the entertainment industry. Here, they learn everything from financing and marketing to directing and producing—skills that prepare them to work in production companies, studios, and beyond. The program also attracts aspiring directors, media entrepreneurs, and those interested in virtual and augmented reality.
The application process is rigorous. Dual degree candidates must demonstrate both the analytical skills required by Stern and the artistic aptitude required by Tisch. Despite the challenges, NYU students are rising to the occasion. “For the right student—someone who’s both analytically rigorous and creatively driven—the Stern-Tisch BS/BFA dual degree is one of the most powerful combinations anywhere,” says Paul Hardart. He’s the BS/BFA academic director and Stern marketing faculty. “It’s where art meets commerce, and creative ideas turn into meaningful careers.”
Dual Degree Student Journeys
Grace He, Class of 2028, began her NYU journey as a Stern student majoring in Business. “I truthfully had no idea what I wanted to do,” she says. “I thought I wanted to work in entertainment. But I just felt like I was missing something if I only focused on recruiting for investment banking and working in finance.” When she learned about the dual degree, it gave her the opportunity to combine her seemingly disparate interests.
Anushka Dhar, Class of 2026, took the opposite route. She started out studying Film and Television at Tisch before joining the program. “I had always hoped to become a producer or maybe an entertainment executive,” she explains. “I thought the program would equip me with the skill set for success more than just having an education in film or just having an education in business.”
Exploring Every Angle
The dual degree has led both Grace and Anushka to think across disciplines. What’s more, they’ve discovered new ways to connect their creative and analytical sides. For instance, Grace had never worked on a production before. But she loved learning cinematography and production techniques in her Sight and Sound class. “It allowed me to be creative in a way that I’d never previously explored,” she recalls. Today, she finds taking such seemingly disparate classes challenging but rewarding: “I almost use two different sides of my brain to tackle such different topics. It allows me to constantly think outside the box because I’m forced to live in these two different worlds.”
Meanwhile, Anushka credits a Stern class called Negotiation and Consensus Building with giving her practical skills she can apply anywhere. “It’s so applicable to what anybody would hope to do regardless of what industry they go into,” she says. “It’s one of those skills you’re always going to have to go back to in both your professional and personal life.” And when it comes to the value of the dual degree, she echoes Grace’s sentiments: “The program does, in many ways, give a competitive edge to people who are in it. More than doing a minor, more than doing a double major, it really gets you immersed in both those environments. You can really leverage the strengths of each school.”
How It Works
The Stern-Tisch BS/BFA is a five-year undergraduate dual degree. Graduates earn both a BS in Business from Stern and a BFA in Film and Television from Tisch. Students apply for admission to either school and complete their first year there. Then, at the end of the first or second year, they may apply to enter the dual degree program. That means Tisch students must demonstrate analytical skills for Stern, and Stern students must demonstrate artistic skills for Tisch.
Many participants also take advantage of NYU Los Angeles, a campus focused on entertainment and media. The program is open to BS/BFA students, offering them the chance to gain industry experience while earning credit toward both degrees.
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