| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | 96-100 |
| Total hours required | 96-100 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Write short or feature screenplays in proper format employing standard narrative.
- Demonstrate a mastery of directing and casting actors in a fiction film.
- Express picture editing, visual effects, and sound design preferences to post-production crew members using proper terminology.
- Employ advanced functions of the producing process, including scheduling, budgeting, pitching, packaging, and distribution.
- Communicate short setup and framing preferences using proper cinematographic and visual design terminology.
- Create short filmic works in a variety of genres and processes, such as documentary, experimental, and television.
- Identify major genres, figures, and works in contemporary and historical short and feature films.
Major Requirements
No Introductory Course in any other program may be substituted for any other course at any level.
Introductory Courses
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FILM 401 | FUNDAMENTALS OF CINEMA PRODUCTION | 4 |
Note: Students who are required to take this course 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.
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 Graduate Assessment Exam (GAE).
- If a Graduate Assessment Exam (GAE) is available for the Introductory course, upon successful completion of the GAE, a waiver will be issued.
- Plan accordingly prior to start of the term, faculty reviews for possible course waivers can take a few weeks. For newly admitted students, possible course waivers will not be initiated until an Intent to Enroll form has been submitted.
Required Courses
First Year
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | ||
| FILM 410 | PRODUCTION WORKSHOP | 4 |
| SCWR 400 | FOUNDATIONS OF SCREENWRITING | 4 |
| FILM 482 | DIRECTING I: SCRIPT ANALYSIS | 4 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| FILM 430 | FUNDAMENTALS OF SHORT FILM | 4 |
| FILM 450 | CINEMATOGRAPHY | 4 |
| FILM 483 | DIRECTING II: CASTING AND REHEARSING | 4 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| SCWR 408 | WRITING THE SHORT MOTION PICTURE | 4 |
| DOC 414 | INTRO TO DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION | 4 |
| or FILM 425 | EXPERIMENTAL FILMMAKING I | |
| FILM 484 | DIRECTING III: SCENE STUDY | 4 |
Second Year
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | ||
| CP 420 | SCHEDULING & BUDGETING | 4 |
| FILM 487 | DIRECTING THE SHORT MOTION PICTURE | 4 |
| FILM 485 | DIRECTING IV: BLOCKING FOR CAMERA | 4 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| FILM 479 | VISUAL DESIGN | 4 |
| POST 400 | EDITING | 4 |
| POST 420 | DIRECTING SOUND DESIGN AND MUSIC | 4 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| POST 482 | PRE-PRODUCTION FOR POST FOR THESIS | 4 |
| FILM 501 | ADVANCED PRE-PRODUCTION FOR THESIS | 4 |
| Major Electives | 4 | |
Third Year
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | ||
| POST 500 | ADVANCED EDITING FOR THESIS | 4 |
| CP 540 | PRODUCING FOR DIRECTORS: PITCHING, PACKAGING, AND DISTRIBUTION | 4 |
| (or Major Elective in place of CP 540) | ||
| Winter Quarter | ||
| POST 520 | ADVANCED SOUND WORKSHOP FOR THESIS | 2 |
| POST 580 | ADVANCED FINISHING WORKSHOP FOR THESIS | 2 |
| Major Electives | 4 | |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| Major Electives | 4 | |
| Major Electives | 4 | |
Major Electives
Students must choose any graduate level ANI, CP, DOC, FILM, POST, SCWR, or VFX courses or MPOP 502.
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 12 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 video game world. If selected to participate in the LA program, MFA in Film and Television Directing students would take SCWR 446 Filmmakers Seminar and FILM 499 Internships in Media and Design in Los Angeles.
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.
Thesis Committee
Students will be asked to submit five preferences for full-time faculty members to serve as their thesis chair. A thesis chair will be assigned to each student by the MFA Film and Television Directing Committee. During the thesis phase, the thesis advisor supervises a student's project. Greenlight approval to advance in the thesis sequence is determined by the thesis advisor and MFA Committee. If the MFA Film and Television Directing committee denies approval, students may appeal to the 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
- Script Approval
The thesis advisor must approve a student's thesis screenplay before admission will be granted to FILM 501 and POST 482. The thesis advisor will notify the instructor of FILM 501 and POST 482 of approved students. - Principal Photography
Successful completion of FILM 501 and POST 482 with a C- or higher is required for permission to film in the summer between years two and three. MFA students should complete principal photography prior to taking POST 500 in the fall of year three. Instructor 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 advisors in collaboration with the instructor of POST 500 will notify the instructors of POST 520 and POST 580 of approved students, and the instructors will grant approval to register. If the student is deemed not ready to register for POST 520 and POST 580, the student must wait until the classes are offered again and must again seek MFA in Film and Television Committee approval to register. - Final Thesis Delivery, Screening and Defense
MFA students will deliver their finished projects to their thesis committees for a formal thesis defense scheduled by the MFA in Film and Television Committee. 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. - Progression toward completion
The MFA committee will ask a student to withdraw from the MFA program if the committee members judge that the student is not satisfactorily progressing toward the degree. Students in good academic standing may choose to complete an MS in Film and Television.
FILM 701 THESIS CONTINUATION
FILM 701 Thesis Continuation is a zero-credit course is for students actively working to finish their thesis projects. Enrolling in 701 requires students to declare goals or the quarter with regard to finishing their thesis along with a detailed schedule. Students who do not meet these goals may not be eligible to enroll in another 701 until those goals are met. A student must apply for FILM 701 each quarter to the MFA in Film and Television Committee. If approved, the MFA thesis advisor will enroll a student in FILM 701. Students can enroll 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.