The Columbia University School of the Arts, also known simply as the School of the Arts or as SoA, is the graduate school of the university that offers programs in the fine arts. It offers the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in Film, Visual Arts, Theatre and Writing, as well as the Master of Arts (MA) degree in Film Studies. It works closely with the Arts Initiative at Columbia University (CUArts) and organizes the Columbia University Film Festival. Founded in 1948, the school is located in Morningside Heights, New York.
A world-renowned film school, the Film Program at Columbia University's School of the Arts in New York City offers Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees with concentrations in Screenwriting/Directing and Creative Producing. The program also offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Film Studies.
The select MFA program accepts only 6% of applicants, having an annual incoming class of 65 out of the 1000+ applicants. The film program accepts 46 out of approximately 700 applicants. It is considered one of the top film schools in the world.
The Theatre Program at Columbia University's School of the Arts in New York City offers Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degrees in Theatre with concentrations in acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, stage management, and theatre management and producing. The Theatre Program also offers a Ph.D. and joint J.D./M.F.A. degree in association with Columbia Law School.
In the Visual Arts Program, students work in the fields of painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, digital media, drawing, performance, and video art.
The program offers degrees in creative writing, with concentrations in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. One of its more notable features are "master classes", four-week courses for writers (as opposed to critical scholars) "designed to stimulate provocative discussions about literary craft and artistic choices". Master Class faculty have recently included Helen Vendler, Jonathan Lethem, Colson Whitehead, James Wood, Richard Ford, Han Ong, Susan Choi, and Jonathan Ames. The writing division also employs prestigious writers as seminar and workshop instructors; these have recently included Zadie Smith, Gary Shteyngart, Nathan Englander, Myla Goldberg, Adam Haslett, Jessica Hagedorn, Phillip Lopate, Marie Howe, Eamon Grennan, Paul LaFarge, David Gates, Francisco Goldman, Darcy Frey, and David Ebershoff.
According to the Proposed Manhattanville Academic Mixed-Use Environmental Impact Statement, Columbia intends to expand, as-of-right, its presence in Manhattanville by adaptively reusing Prentis Hall for the School of the Arts. Columbia currently owns and occupies Prentis Hall, 628–644 West 125th Street, with approximately 91,000 gross square feet (gsf) of academic space. By the 2015 analysis year, Prentis Hall may be enlarged to include an additional floor of approximately 17,000 gsf of additional academic space.
Alice Arlen - screenwriter of Silkwood, The Weight of Water, Then She Found MeBogdan Apetri (2006) - screenwriter, film directorSophie Barthes - screenwriter, film directorAlbert Berger - Producer Little Children, Little Miss Sunshine, Cold MountainKathryn Bigelow (1979) - screenwriter, film director, producer and two time Academy Award winner for The Hurt Locker (2009).Richard Brick (1971) - producer Hangin' with the Homeboys, Caught; Co-Producer Deconstructing Harry, Celebrity, Sweet and Lowdown, Arizona DreamLiz Chae - screenwriter, film director, documentary director, The Last Mermaids (documentary)Lisa Cholodenko (1998) - screenwriter and film director, The Kids Are All Right, Laurel Canyon, The L WordDeborah Chow (2003) - screenwriter, television and film director, The High Cost of LivingRichard Corliss - Time magazine film criticCherien Dabis (2004) - filmmaker, screenwriter - The L Word, AmreekaJames Franco (2010) - filmmaker, actor, screenwriter, producerNicole Holofcener - film and TV director, screenwriter Please Give, Enough Said, Friends With Money, Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, Six Feet UnderCourtney Hunt - Academy Award nominated screenwriter and film director, Frozen River, The Whole TruthKhary Jones - Award-winning screenwriter and film director, HugSimon Kinberg - screenwriter Mr. & Mrs. Smith, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future PastYves Lavandier (1983–85) - screenwriter, director and script doctorJennifer Lee (2005) - Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director, Frozen, Wreck-It RalphJohn Magary - film director, screenwriter The Mend (film)James Mangold - film director, screenwriter Girl, Interrupted, Walk the Line, Cop LandGreg Mottola (1991) - film director, screenwriter Adventureland, Superbad, PaulMauro Mueller (2008) - film director, producer, screenwriter Copenhagen, A World for RaúlRon Nyswaner (1981) - screenwriter, The Painted VeilDavid Pastor (2004) - screenwriter, film director, CarriersKimberly Peirce (1996) - director, Boys Don't Cry, Stop-LossJames Ponsoldt - writer and director of The End of the Tour, The Spectacular Now, and SmashedMark Raso (2008) - screenwriter, film director, Copenhagen (2014 film)Patricia Riggen (2003) - screenwriter, film director, The 33, Girl in Progress, Miracles from HeavenBeth Schacter (2004) - screenwriter, film director, Normal Adolescent Behavior, Forget Me NotsFlorin Serban (2008) - screenwriter, film director, If I Want to Whistle I Whistle (winner of the Jury Grand Prix & Alfred Bauer Prize at the Berlin Film Festival)Patrick Stettner (1995) - screenwriter, film director, The Business of StrangersMalia Scotch Marmo - screenwriter, Once Around, Hook, MadelineJoan Stein (1999) - screenwriter, film director, One Day Crossing (winner of the Student Academy Award)Chris Teague (2006) - cinematographer, Man, The Second Line, Salt KissSergio Umansky (2004) - screenwriter, film director, Here Was The AnthemNtshaveni Wa Luruli - film directorBeau Willimon - screenwriter, playwright, producer, creator, showrunner and executive producer of House of CardsAaron Woolfolk (1998) - film director, screenwriter The Harimaya BridgeLauren Wolkstein (2009) - film director, screenwriterAlex Zamm (1989) - film director, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, Inspector Gadget 2Sameh Zoabi (2005) - screenwriter, film director, Man without a Cell PhoneNader Talebzadeh - film directorJames Rebhorn (1972) - actorKathryn Shaw - director, actor, writerAlbert Hall (1971) - actorJay Scheib (1997) - theatre directorDiane Paulus - theater directorClaire Labine, head writer of Ryan's Hope, One Life to Live, General Hospital, Where The Heart Is, Guiding LightJonathan Ames (1989) - writerJesse Ball (2004) - writerMary Jo Bang (1998) - poetMei-mei Berssenbrugge (1974) - poetJohn Bowe (1994) - journalist focussing on modern slaveryTina Chang (1998) - poet, named Poet Laureate of BrooklynRichard Corliss (1974) - film criticAdam Cushman (2005) - writer, author of CutKiran Desai (1999) - winner of the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award for her novel The Inheritance of LossMeghan Daum (1996) - writer and journalistStephen J. Dubner (1990) - writer, FreakonomicsEmily Fragos (1996) - poet, nominated for the National Book Critics Circle AwardJames Franco (2010) - actorMatt Gallagher (2013) - writerRivka Galchen (2006) - fiction writer, author of Atmospheric DisturbancesPhilip Gourevitch (1992) - writer and journalist, editor-in-chief of The Paris ReviewTama Janowitz (1986) - writerMaureen Johnson (2003) - novelistHeidi Julavits - writerDave King (1999) - novelistPeter Knobler - writer, editorBenjamin Kunkel - author of IndecisionJean Kwok - novelistClive Matson (1989) - poet, author of nine collections of poetry including Squish Boots and Chalcedony's Ten SongsAlec Michod (1999) - novelistDinaw Mengestu (2005) - fiction writer, novelist, author of The Beautiful Things That Heaven BearsSusan Minot (1983) - novelist and screenwriterRick Moody (1986) - novelistEd Park - novelist and founding editor of The BelieverSigrid Nunez - fiction writer, novelist, author of The Last of Her Kind, Salvation City and Sempre Susan: A Memoir of Susan SontagGregory Orr - poet, author of over 10 collections of poetry including River Inside the RiverKatha Pollitt (1975) - feminist writerRichard Price (1976) - novelist and screenwriterBeth Raymer (2007) - fiction writer, non-fiction writer author of Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling (turning into the film Lay the Favorite) and novel, 'Sweetheart DealsKaren Russell (2006) - fiction writer, author of Swamplandia!Anna Rabinowitz (1990) - poet, librettistTracy K. Smith (1997) - poet, won the Pulitzer Prize for her book of poetry Life On MarsWells Tower (2000) - fiction and non-fiction writer, author of Everything Ravaged, Everything BurnedVendela Vida - novelist and founding editor of The BelieverAdam Wilson (2009) - novelist and fiction writer, author of FlatscreenDavid Altmejd - artist of sculptural systemsMarc Handelman - painterEinat Amir (2009) - video and performance artistLisi Raskin (2003) - visual artistMika Rottenberg - video artistDana Schutz (2002) - painterBanks Violette (2000) - sculptorLaurie Anderson (1972) - musicianKenneth Ascher, DMA (1966 CC; 1968 GSAS; 1971 SOA) – jazz pianist, composerTan Dun (1993) - composerRobin Pecknold - frontman of the band Fleet FoxesAdrienne Rich - poetKristin Linklater - renowned vocal instructorAnne Bogart - theater directorRichard Howard - Pulitzer Prize winning poetBinnie Kirshenbaum - authorTom Kalin - screenwriter, film director, and producerRamin Bahrani - film directorBen Marcus - fiction writerGregory Mosher - Tony Award-winning theatrical producerMira Nair - director of Monsoon Wedding, Mississippi Masala, and Vanity FairAndrei Şerban - theater directorAnthony Bergman- producer Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Friends With MoneyBarbara De Fina- producer Goodfellas, You Can Count on Me, Kundun, The GriftersIra Deutchman- producer "Kiss Me, Guido", "All I Wanna Do", "Way Past Cool"Andy Bienen- screenwriter Boys Don't CryJames Schamus- producer The Ice Storm, Brokeback Mountain, HulkPeter Sollett- director, screenwriter Raising Victor Vargas, Nick and Norah's Infinite PlaylistMichael Hausman- producer Brokeback Mountain, Gangs of New York, The Firm, All the King's MenRichard Brick- Co-Producer Sweet and Lowdown, Celebrity, Deconstructing Harry; Producer Hangin' with the Homeboys, "Caught"Miloš Forman- film directorRirkrit Tiravanija - artistJon Kessler - artistSanford Biggers - artistThomas Roma - artistTomas Vu - artistSarah Sze - artistKara Walker - artistShelly Silver - artistMark Dion - artistMatthew Buckingham - artistMatthew Ritchie - artistDana Schutz - artistLiam Gillick - artistRineke Dijkstra - artist