How to Apply to Columbia University's Screenwriting & Directing MFA for 2025 Entry

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The Screenwriting & Directing MFA at Columbia University School of the Arts is a testament to how storytelling is at the heart of the film program. In three years, students learn how to tell compelling stories for film, television, and emerging digital media through intensive writing and directing projects across genres. Rigorous writing workshops help students develop and refine short- and long-form scripts under the guidance of industry experts.

The University encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration: Creative Producing MFA and Screenwriting & Directing MFA students share a common first year curriculum and second year electives. This curriculum helps students enter the industry with a diverse professional network and a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationship between writing and directing.

Take a look at the year-over-year program breakdown:

Year 1

In the fall, students begin chipping away at Columbia’s Core Curriculum. These courses are taken by all film MFA program students and explore the essential elements of directing, narrative storytelling, and production:
  • Directing I
  • Directing Actors I
  • Elements of Dramatic Narrative
  • Ethics & Inclusive Storytelling
  • Fundamentals of Directing
  • Practical Production I
    Screenwriting I
In the spring, the curriculum builds on filmmaking and storytelling principles mastered in the fall semester by taking the following courses:
  • Directing II
  • Directing Actors II
  • Practical Production II
  • Role of the Producer
  • Screenwriting II
  • Script to Screen
  • Secrets of the Short
  • Analysis of Film Language (recommended)
    Intro to Pilot
Screenwriting & Directing students complete an 8-12 minute film production.

Year 2​

Spring—Fall​

In the fall, students choose to concentrate in screenwriting or directing. Screenwriting concentrations take these courses in fall and spring:
  • Screenwriting III*
  • Screenwriting IV*
  • Fundamentals of Editing
(*Note: Screenwriting III/IV is a year-long course taught by the same instructor.)

Screenwriting concentrations have priority for the TV Writing: Pilot course. This course is required for students who plan to write for television for the thesis. They may also take elective courses in directing and producing.

Directing concentrations take the following courses in fall and spring:
  • Directing III
  • Directing IV
  • Directing Actors III or IV
  • Fundamentals of Editing
They may also take elective courses in screenwriting and/or TV writing, plus producing, such as TV Directing and First Features.

Summer​

Students collaborate on the D4 film, an ambitious short film directed by a Columbia SOA Directing student.

Years 3-5 (Research Arts)​


Years 3-5 are devoted to the thesis, also known as the Research Arts years. For-credit courses are no longer required. However, graduate students are encouraged to attend thesis development and preparation workshops and master classes led by guest filmmakers and other industry experts. Master classes discuss directing for television, directing your first feature, writing and directing comedies, strengthening your pitches, advanced editing techniques, film scoring, and more.

Screenwriting concentration

Students must take the following courses:
  • Script Revision: For Screenwriting students in year 3 who focus on writing for many mediums
  • TV Revision: For Screenwriting students who specifically focus on writing for television
Directing concentration

Students must take the following course:
  • Directing Thesis Advisement
Screenwriting electives (for thesis students)

These electives are open to Directing students, but priority goes to Screenwriting students:
  • Advanced Feature Writing
  • Advanced Pilot Writing
  • Advanced Screenplay Revision

How to apply​


Prepare to submit the following materials (from Columbia University School of the Arts's website):
  1. Autobiographical essay: Four to six double-spaced pages. (Tell the Admission Committee something about yourself and your background, artistic experiences, creative influences, and professional objectives.)
  2. Dramatic Writing Sample: A log line must be included. No more than 10 pages. Must be in screenplay format and must contain dialogue. This can be a complete short screenplay or the first ten pages of a screenplay. It must be original; it may not be an adaptation, except of your own work in another form. Please do not submit writing in prose form and no theater plays. The story cannot be the same as the one in your feature film treatment or your optional video submission.
  3. Film prompts: Read the following openings, choose one and imagine the scene that might follow it. The scene you write must include both dialogue and description. It should be no less than two and no more than three pages long. It should be written in screenplay format. (These prompts change every year. The prompts listed below correspond to the Fall 2025 application):
    • EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
      On a bustling city street, the MAN stops, begins setting up a tall metal stand, then places a MICROPHONE atop it. Tapping it, he produces a loud sound that gets everyone's attention— including the PERSON in an adjacent office window. Then he makes his announcement.
    • INT. APARTMENT - MIDNIGHT
      While everybody at the party counts down the seconds to the approaching New Year, the WOMAN watches one particular GUEST sneaking out of the apartment unnoticed. Suddenly panicked, she grabs her coat, exits and races downstairs to the street - practically toppling over the person she’d intended to follow.
    • INT. TRAIN - NIGHT
      With her parents sound asleep in their seats, the young GIRL has a chance to look around the darkened train car. While most everybody is asleep, she spots a WOMAN whispering softly to something inside of an old fashioned HAT BOX. Curious, the child goes over to her.
  4. Feature film treatment: On one double-spaced page for a film you might wish to write, direct or produce based on your application concentration. The treatment must concisely relate a complete dramatic story sufficient to sustain a feature-length film, including major characters and plot developments and a clear statement of the resolution. The story cannot be the same as the one in your dramatic writing sample or your optional video submission. You must state the genre of your treatment and a log line. On a separate page, please state the genre, major characters and a log line for the film. A log line is one or two sentences that describe the protagonist(s) and the story of the film.
  5. Visual Submission (not required, but strongly recommended for those who plan to concentrate in Directing):
    • Film/video work: All Film MFA applicants may submit up to 30 minutes of film/video work. This material should be uploaded to the Video Upload section of the online application. It is advisable to put the best work at the beginning of your visual submission.
    • Visual exercise: Applicants for Directing who have not shot prior visual material are encouraged to shoot and submit the following OPTIONAL VISUAL EXERCISE: Write and shoot a 2-person SILENT SCENE (no dialogue), between one and two minutes long, which deals with the idea of "COMING TOGETHER." It could be two strangers who make a connection, a fighting couple who then make amends, or two people who 'come together' in anger, physicality or any other dramatic situation you choose.
      You may use subjects of any genders or ages, and any locations and props, etc. that you have available to you. Elaborate production expense is NOT the goal of this part of the application.
      • You may shoot on any format.
      • Your visual submission should be uploaded to the Video Upload section of the online application and cannot be linked to a third-party such as YouTube or Vimeo.

FilmSchool.org admitted student perspective


Filmschool.org member@cms9607 says:

“Columbia's application was [interesting] compared to the other schools, because it felt like the most bare bones. The other applications required varying degrees of extra [materials] outside of writing prompts. Columbia's… seemed more focused on just the writing. That made me worried, at first. I thought I needed all the extra fluff to make me look like a better candidate. In the end, I think it was my style in writing that got me admitted.”

Read more about their background and application.

Ready to apply?​


Click here to start your application.
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