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MFA Programs in Film

Master of Fine Arts degrees in film, kept separate from MA and MS degrees. Practice-based filmmaking MFAs and screenwriting MFAs are collected separately because they ask for different portfolios and end in different thesis work. All film master's degrees are in the master's directory.

Listed alphabetically by school. This directory is not a ranking — editorial selections are published separately under Top Schools. What we list

DePaul University

MFA in Documentary

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Documentary
Location: Chicago, IL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree) · Editing (broader film degree)
Duration: Eight quarters
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,003 per credit · All students — Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media graduate rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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DePaul University

MFA in Film & Television Directing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Television Directing
Location: Chicago, IL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Directing (dedicated degree) · Film Production (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,003 per credit · All students — Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media graduate rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline

DePaul University

MFA in Screenwriting

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
Location: Chicago, IL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,003 per credit · All students — Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media graduate rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools
Emerson College logo

Emerson College

Film and Media Art MFA

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Media Art
Location: Boston, MA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree)
Duration: 5 or 6 semesters (2.5 to 3 years)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,551 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per credit · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
Emerson College logo

Emerson College

Writing for Film and Television MFA

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing for Film and Television
Location: Boston, MA
Format: Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,551 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per credit · 2026-2027
Deadline: February 1, 2027 · Fall 2027
Florida State University logo

Florida State University

MFA in Motion Picture Arts - Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Motion Picture Arts with a Major in Production
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +2
Duration: Two years (six consecutive semesters, including summers)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $479.32 per credit · In-state — Main campus graduate resident rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
Florida State University logo

Florida State University

MFA in Motion Picture Arts - Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Motion Picture Arts with a Major in Writing
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $479.32 per credit · In-state — Main campus graduate resident rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
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Full Sail University

Film Production Master of Fine Arts

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film Production
Location: Winter Park, FL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (broader film degree) · Producing (broader film degree)
Duration: 48 weeks
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $36,000 entire program · All students — Total program tuition (campus); average cost per credit hour $621 · August - December 20
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Hollins University

Screenwriting M.F.A.

MFAM.F.A. in Screenwriting
Location: Roanoke, VASchool location; coursework is online.
Format: Online · Limited visitsMostly online, with some required visits to campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years (six terms)
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $915 per credit · All students
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
Howard University logo

Howard University

Master of Fine Arts in Film

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film
Location: Washington, DC
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (broader film degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree) +1
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Film Schools in the USA

Loyola Marymount University

MFA in Film and Television Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Television Production
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing Fiction; Directing Non-Fiction concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +2
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,814 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per semester hour, School of Film and Television · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2026 (as printed)

Loyola Marymount University

MFA in Writing and Producing for Television

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing and Producing for Television
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree) · Producing (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,814 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per semester hour, School of Film and Television · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2026 (as printed)
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools

Loyola Marymount University

MFA in Writing for the Screen

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing for the Screen
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,814 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per semester hour, School of Film and Television · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2026 (as printed)
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools
Montana State University logo

Montana State University

MFA in Science & Natural History Filmmaking

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Science and Natural History Filmmaking
Location: Bozeman, MT
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $5,350.45 per semester · In-state — Resident, 12+ credits, tuition and fees · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline

Mount Saint Mary's University

MFA in Film, Television and New Media

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film, Television and New Media
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +3
Duration: 2 years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,247 per unit · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline

Mount Saint Mary's University

MFA in Producing for Film and Television

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Producing for Film and Television
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
Fields: Producing (dedicated degree)
Duration: 4 terms (just under two years)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,247 per unit · All students — Master of Fine Arts in Film rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program

Mount Saint Mary's University

MFA in Screenwriting

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: 2-3 years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $994 per unit · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Online Film Schools
New York Film Academy logo

New York Film Academy

MFA in Cinematography

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Cinematography
Location: Burbank, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Cinematography (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years, five full-time semesters
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $20,500 per semester · All students — Los Angeles, Spring & Fall 2027 · 2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
New York Film Academy logo

New York Film Academy

MFA in Filmmaking

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Filmmaking
Location: Burbank, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (broader film degree) · Screenwriting (broader film degree)
Duration: Accelerated two years, six or seven semesters
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $20,500 per semester · All students — Los Angeles, Spring & Fall 2027 · 2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
New York Film Academy logo

New York Film Academy

MFA in Producing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Producing
Location: Burbank, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Producing (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years, five semesters
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $20,500 per semester · All students — Los Angeles, Spring & Fall 2027 · 2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline

Comparing filmmaking MFAs on their structure

Filmmaking MFAs differ less in name than in structure: how many years, how many films you make and in which roles, whether you specialize (directing, cinematography, producing, editing, documentary), how equipment is allocated, and who pays for the thesis film. Tuition covers instruction; it does not by itself cover cameras, crew, actors, locations or a thesis budget unless the school says so.