Skip to content
FilmSchools.app
New York University logo

New York University · Martin Scorsese Department of Cinema Studies

PhD in Cinema Studies

PhDDoctor of Philosophy in Cinema StudiesFully funded (all admitted)

Overview

A 72-credit research doctorate in cinema and media studies with written and oral qualifying exams, a foreign-language requirement and a dissertation; all PhD students receive multi-year Corrigan Fellowship funding.

Official program name
PhD in Cinema Studies
Awarded degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema StudiesPhD · Doctor of Philosophy
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School
New York University — Martin Scorsese Department of Cinema Studies
Location
New York, NY
Delivery
On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance
Not verified
Study intensity
Not published
Duration
Not verified
Required credits
72 credits
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start
Fall
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

FieldClassificationEvidence
Film StudiesDedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Why this degree is listed

PhD in cinema studies.

Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

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

Research, dissertation and faculty

Language requirements
One foreign language from Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish; exemption may be requested by students for whom English is a second language.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Dissertation

DissertationDissertation defense, submission and approval.

Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Examinations

  • Two written qualifying exams (Film/Media History; Film/Culture/Media Theory) and an oral exam.
    Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Language requirements

  • Proficiency in one foreign language (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish).
    Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Teaching opportunities

  • Opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant in the second year.
    Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

  • Manthia Diawara — Professor, film_studies
  • Antonia Lant — Professor, film_studies
  • Anna McCarthy — Professor; Director of Graduate Studies, film_studies
  • Robert Stam — Professor, film_studies
  • Zhen Zhang — Professor, film_studies
  • Dan Streible — Associate Professor; Chair, film_studies
  • Toby Lee — Associate Professor, film_studies
  • Shawn VanCour — Assistant Professor, film_studies

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: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

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

MaterialStatusInstructions as published
Academic writing sampleRequiredWriting sample of 15-20 double-spaced pages.Length: 15–20 pagesSource: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Prior degree
RequiredA completed MA or MS; MPS and MFA degrees not accepted.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Statement of purpose
RequiredStatement of purpose, two to three double-spaced pages.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredProfessional resume.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee
Required$65 — $65 Tisch graduate application fee.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Transcripts
RequiredUndergraduate and master's transcripts.
Source: bulletins.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not required
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
TOEFL iBT
RequiredRequired unless exempt (e.g. native English speakers, degree from an English-medium university); TOEFL iBT, Duolingo, IELTS Academic or PTE Academic accepted; no minimum score.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

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.

  • Application deadline

    November 1 · for Fall 2027

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: tisch.nyu.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.

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

Funding

The program states that every admitted student receives tuition coverage and a stipend for the normal length of the program. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Fully funded (all admitted)

Funding guarantee
Multi-year full funding for all Cinema Studies PhD students (Corrigan Fellowship).
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Tuition coverage
Full tuition and registration and services fees for required courses.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Stipend
Nine-month academic-year stipend for living expenses (amount not stated on this page).
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Years guaranteed
Four- or five-year award term.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Health insurance
Full coverage of NYU student health insurance premiums for an individual.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other
One-time $1,000 Dean's Supplementary Fellowship Grant and one-time $2,000 Housing Subsidy Grant.
Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Named scholarships, assistantships and production grants

  • Corrigan Fellowship fellowship

    Full tuition and fees, health insurance, nine-month stipend, plus $1,000 and $2,000 one-time grants

    Eligibility: All Cinema Studies PhD students

    Source: tisch.nyu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.
  1. bulletins.nyu.edu/graduate/arts-science/programs/cinema-studies-phd/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  2. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  3. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/generalapplicationrequirements — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  4. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/gradfinaidinfo — Official funding / aid page, verified October 12, 2026
  5. tisch.nyu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/Internationalapplicantrequirements — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  6. tisch.nyu.edu/cinema-studies/courses/phd-in-cinema-studies — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  7. tisch.nyu.edu/cinema-studies/faculty — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026

Something out of date? Suggest an update · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Similar programs

Same degree level and field. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

Harvard University logo

Harvard University

PhD in Film and Visual Studies

PhDDoctor of Philosophy in Film and Visual Studies
Location: Cambridge, MA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Studies (dedicated degree)
Duration: Five to six years (expected timetable)
Funding: Fully funded (all admitted)
Tuition: $59,048 per academic year · All students — Full tuition, required for the first two years (PhD students may receive tuition grants) · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026
View program
University of California-Berkeley logo

University of California-Berkeley

PhD in Film & Media

PhDDoctor of Philosophy in Film & Media
Location: Berkeley, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Studies (dedicated degree)
Duration: Five years (10 semesters) funded period
Funding: Fully funded (conditions apply)
Tuition: $6,861 per semester · All students — Graduate: Academic tuition (residents and nonresidents) · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View program
University of California-Santa Barbara logo

University of California-Santa Barbara

PhD in Film and Media Studies

PhDDoctor of Philosophy in Film and Media Studies
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Studies (dedicated degree)
Duration: Five to six years on the M.A./Ph.D. track (M.A. in two years, Ph.D. about three years after the M.A.)
Funding: Fully funded (conditions apply)
Tuition: $13,722 per academic year · In-state — Resident graduate tuition · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026
View program

FilmSchools.app is independent and not affiliated with New York University. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.