Film and Television Directing
The Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television Directing at DePaul's School of Cinematic Arts is a highly selective program designed to cultivate a filmmaker’s voice through a rigorous filmmaking curriculum. Students will be educated in every discipline involved in the filmmaking process, as well as the business facets of the film industry, enabling them to be best prepared for a career in the industry following graduation. Graduates of the program will emerge with a rich portfolio, including numerous original short films and a complete significant thesis film.
DePaul was recently named a top film school by both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety for giving students real-world opportunities to work on Chicago’s film and television sets. Students have access to unparalleled resources including a dedicated 32,000 square foot production space at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, the second largest production studio in North America and home to over thirty major Hollywood productions including Empire, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and more. Students also have access to state-of-the-art camera gear, including Alexa, Amira and Red Cameras, as well as a fully stocked Grip Truck and other production vehicles.
Curriculum Requirements
Introductory Courses
No Introductory course may be substituted for any other course at any level.
- FILM 401 Fundamentals of Cinema Production (Formerly DC 414)
Introductory courses may be waived for any of the following conditions based on faculty review:
- The student has the appropriate course work to satisfy an Introductory Course based on an official transcript review by faculty and successful grades, typically B or better.
- The student has appropriate and verified professional experience to satisfy an Introductory Course which is demonstrated through successful completion of a GAE exam.
- If a Graduate Assessment Examination (GAE) is available for the Introductory Courses, upon successfully completion of a GAE, a waiver will be issued.
Note: Students required to take FILM 401 Fundamentals of Cinema Production (Formerly DC 414)must take the course during the Fall quarter of their first year and consult their advisor about their course sequence for their first year in the program.
First Year
- Fall Quarter
- Winter Quarter
- Spring Quarter
Second Year
- Fall Quarter
- Winter Quarter
- Spring Quarter
Third Year
- Fall Quarter
- Winter Quarter
- Spring Quarter
*See information about Optional Los Angeles quarter below.
Major Electives
Students must choose any graduate level ANI, CP, DOC, FILM, POST, SCWR, or VFX courses or MCS 502 Media and Cultural Studies.
Optional Los Angeles Quarter
Students may apply to participate in the Los Angeles Quarter Program for the spring of their third year; they will spend twelve weeks in Hollywood doing industry internships, living with their fellow DePaul classmates, and having twice-weekly classes on an industry lot where they will have intimate question and answer sessions with industry professionals in all aspects of the film, TV, and videogame world. If selected to participate in the LA program, MFA in Film and Television Directing students would take SCWR 446 Filmmakers Seminar (Formerly DC 488) and FILM 499 Internships in Media and Design in Los Angeles.
MFA in Film and Television Directing students who are not selected to participate in the LA program, would take FILM 499 Internships in Media and Design in Chicago and 1 Major Elective.
MFA Thesis
The MFA Thesis should be a significant work that demonstrates a mastery of cinematic storytelling technique to convey the filmmaker's unique voice and vision. This project may be a short film or television/web series pilot. Feature films may be permitted with approval from the student's thesis committee.
Thesis Committee
Students will be asked to submit five preferences for full-time faculty members to serve on their thesis committees. Two committee members and one thesis chair will be assigned to each student by the Production-MFA Committee. During the thesis phase, the thesis committee supervises a student's project. Approval to proceed to the thesis classes is at the sole discretion of the thesis committee. If the thesis committee denies approval, students may appeal to the Production-MFA Committee. If appeals are denied, students are dismissed from the MFA program. Students in good academic standing may choose to complete an MS in Film and Television.
Thesis Classes
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Script Approval
The thesis committee must approve a student's thesis screenplay before admission will be granted to FILM 501. The thesis committees will notify the instructor of FILM 501 of approved students. -
Principal Photography
MFA students should complete principal photography prior to taking POST 500. Only instructor approval (not thesis committee approval) is necessary to register for this class. If the instructor deems the student not ready to register for POST 500, the student must wait until the class is offered again, and must again seek instructor approval to register. -
Picture Lock
MFA students must edit and picture lock their films prior to taking POST 520 and POST 580. Thesis committees will notify the instructors of POST 520 and POST 580 of approved students, and the instructors will grant approval to register. If the thesis committee deems the student not ready to register for POST 520 and POST 580, the student must wait until the classes are offered again, and must again seek committee approval to register. -
Final Thesis Delivery, Screening and Defense
MFA students will deliver their finished projects their thesis committees for exhibition at a culminating screening of all thesis films. After the screening, students will schedule a formal defense of their thesis films. If the film passes and upon completion of the required 96/100 credits of coursework, the student will be awarded an MFA. If the film does not pass, the student may revise it and re-defend. If the film does not pass again, the student will be dismissed from the MFA program. Students in good academic standing may choose to complete an MS in Film and Television.
Film 701 Thesis Continuation
This zero-credit course is for students who do not continue with the thesis classes as scheduled. A student's MFA thesis committee chair may enroll a student in FILM 701 a maximum of six times. Failure to enroll in a course for three straight quarters will lead to a student becoming inactive at the university, and will require the student to reapply to the program should they wish to finish their degree. Re-admission cannot be guaranteed, and the student will be subject to follow the curriculum in place when they return.
Time Limit to Finish Degree
Students must complete all required coursework and defend their finished thesis projects in no more than five years from their first enrollment in the program. If the student does not complete the above requirements in the required five years, the student will be dismissed from the MFA program. As per University policy, during their college career, students may be allowed one medical/personal approved administrative withdrawal and one college office administrative withdrawal, each for one or more courses in a single term. Such withdrawals do not count towards the time limit to finish the degree.
Degree Requirements
Students in this degree program must meet the following requirements:
- Complete a minimum of 96 graduate credit hours in addition to any required introductory courses of the designated degree program.
- Complete all graduate courses and requirements listed in the designated degree program.
- Earn a grade of C- or better in all graduate courses of the designated degree program.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Satisfactorily complete the MFA thesis as determined by the student's MFA Advisor Committee.
- Students cannot count credit earned towards a previously awarded master's or MFA degree toward the completion of this MFA program.
For DePaul's policy on repeat graduate courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Graduate Handbook in the Course Catalog.
