DePaul University · School of Cinematic Arts

MFA in Film & Television Directing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Television DirectingPartial fundingEditorial selection: Top Film Directing Schools Editorial selection: Top Film Schools in the USA Editorial selection: Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA

Overview

A three-year, 96-credit-hour MFA in directing for film and television with a required curriculum in screenwriting, cinematography, editing and sound, culminating in a thesis short film or television/web series pilot. It is a cohort-based program that begins in the fall quarter.

Official program name: MFA in Film & Television Directing
Awarded degree: Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television DirectingMaster's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: DePaul University — School of Cinematic Arts
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location: Chicago, IL
Delivery: On campus
Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance: Regular campus attendanceStudents attend classes on campus throughout the program.
Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Three years
Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits: 96-100 quarter hours (96 plus any required introductory course)
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start: Fall
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Film and television: The program covers both film and television.
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

Field	Classification	Evidence
Film Directing	Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.	Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Film Production	Broader film degreeA broader film degree whose official curriculum substantially covers this field.	Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Why this degree is listed

MFA whose degree is in film and television directing.

Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list verified film degrees only — no certificates, workshops or generic degrees with a few film electives. Eligibility rules

Curriculum, pathways and faculty

Thesis, film or capstone

Thesis filmThesis short film or television/web series pilot, delivered to a thesis committee for a formal defense.

Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published areas of study

Required second-year courses include visual design, editing, and directing sound design and music.
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production projects

Principal photography of the thesis takes place in the summer between years two and three.
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Industry programs

Optional Los Angeles Quarter in the spring of the third year with industry internships and classes on a studio lot.
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other

Time limit of five years from first enrollment.
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

Wendy Roderweiss — Senior Professional Lecturer
James Choi — Associate Professor
Shayna Connelly — Professor
Kevin Cagnolatti — Assistant Professor, sound design

As listed on the program's official page on October 12, 2026. Listing does not mean a faculty member is teaching or supervising new students in a given year.

Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production costs and equipment

Production and equipment costs are separate from tuition. Tuition does not include cameras, crew, actors, locations, software or thesis-film budgets unless the school says so.

Equipment and facility access

Equipment loans: Access to ARRI Alexa, Amira and RED cameras, sprinter vans and professional lighting.
Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Stages and studios: Stage time at DePaul Cinespace Studios is requested through the Production Office and reserved through Patron Portal.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published production and equipment costs

Production and equipment costs: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

We never estimate a total cost when key expenses are unpublished. Compare production costs

Admissions

Each submission item is shown exactly as the school states it. Anything not listed is not verified — never “not required”.

Portfolio and submission materials

Material	Status	Instructions as published
Film or reel	Required	Visual sample: one video totaling no more than 10 minutes, or a PDF of 10 images.Length: up to 10 minutesSource: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Writing sample	Required	Writing sample: short script or excerpt (10 pages max), outline or treatment (2 pages max), or other film-related writing (5 pages max).Length: up to 10 pagesSource: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Prior degree: RequiredBachelor's degree from an institutionally accredited college or university
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Minimum GPA: RequiredMinimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Statement of purpose: RequiredStatement of creative intent, maximum 2 pages
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required2 letters — At least two letters of recommendation
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee: Required$25 — $25 for domestic applicants, $75 for international applicants
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredOfficial transcripts from all colleges attended
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

Test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness. Build an application checklist

Deadlines

Dates are shown with the year and intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Priority deadline · Priority deadline and full-tuition scholarship consideration
December 15 · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline · Final deadline; admitted as space is available
May 15 · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its applicant category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-year and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other. Production costs are listed separately above.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
All students — Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media graduate rateFrom the school's rate table for this level	$1,003	per credit · 2026-2027Estimate$96,288 = 96 credits × $1,003 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, production and equipment costs, travel, and any rate change during the program.Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Mandatory institutional fees

Comprehensive Fee, full-time graduate students: $150 per termMandatory
Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Funding

Some scholarships, assistantships or awards exist for some students; full funding is not stated. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Partial fundingPolicy year: Fall 2027

Tuition coverage: DePaul Cinema Studios Scholarship covers full tuition for the entire program; awarded to one student in each eligible MFA program.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Separate application: Complete applications received by December 15 are automatically considered.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other: A limited number of graduate assistantships provide tuition and monetary awards.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Named scholarships, assistantships and production grants

DePaul Cinema Studios Full-Tuition Academic Scholarship scholarship
Full tuition for the entire program
Eligibility: One student per eligible MFA program; complete application by December 15
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.

catalog.depaul.edu/programs/film-and-television-directing-mfa/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
cdm.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid/graduateadmissions/grad-program-requirements — Official funding / aid page, verified October 12, 2026
cdm.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid/tuitionandfinancialaid — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026
cdm.depaul.edu/school-of-cinematic-arts — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
cdm.depaul.edu/school-of-cinematic-arts/production-resources/cinespace-studios — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
depaul.edu/academics/programs/mfa-in-film-and-television — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
depaul.edu/tuition-and-aid/graduate-and-professional-tuition-and-fees — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026

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