The MFA Program in Cinema Directing is dedicated to developing cinema storytellers by cultivating the leadership role of the director and fostering the individual director’s personal style and voice. The best directors need equal mastery of leadership, storytelling, and production skills, and Columbia’s MFA program in Cinema Directing focuses on working with producers to create cinematic character-driven narratives that are collaborative, diverse, authentic, invoke the human experience and connect with an audience. This 52-credit program immerses the student in rigorous coursework in writing, directing, and production as preparation for their thesis film, which they may complete during or after their coursework. Thesis components include both written and production materials.

Program Requirements