Programs in film and television directing can begin with the ability to compose and shoot a moving image. Shot composition, lighting, production design, and editing are all key ingredients in making a motion picture and are some of the classes generally offered.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.