The MFA Program in Cinema Directing is dedicated to developing cinema storytellers by cultivating the role of the director and fostering the individual director’s personal style and voice. Directors need equal mastery of leadership, storytelling, and production skills which our students develop by making several short films in the first year of the program. Columbia’s MFA Program in Cinema Directing focuses on working collaboratively with producers to create character-driven narratives that are diverse, authentic, invoke the human experience and connect with an audience. Directing students take 13 hours of elective classes and are encouraged to develop marketable skills in their area of interests, such as screenwriting, editing, teaching, script supervising, and more. This 52-credit program immerses the student in rigorous coursework in directing, writing, and production as preparation for their short thesis film, which they may complete during or after their coursework. Thesis components include both written and production materials.

Program Requirements