35 Best Film Schools for a Bachelor’s Degree

When it comes to learning about film, what better place is there to do so than in the movie mecca of the world—Hollywood? The University of California-Los Angeles has the ideal location that will expose you to the biggest minds and best practices in film creation. 

As a film and television major here, you will take classes in core liberal arts subjects as well as in:

• film television history
• production
• theory

Your courses will fall into three separate areas—cinema and media studies, production, and film and television craft, with classes covering everything from digital product and animation to writing and recording. 

In your senior year of film school, you will be able to concentrate your studies in a choice of:

• screenwriting
• digital media
• animation
• cinematography
• production/directing (either narrative or documentary)
• editing/post-production

You’ll complete a professional internship later, too, which will help you develop extensive skills in this area of expertise. 

As a student in this program, you’ll be able to explore courses that are cross-disciplinary and you’ll have access to some of the country’s best resources. From the UCLA Film & Television Archive to more than a dozen innovative initiatives like interactive tests and instructional software and digital library research and archival restoration, UCLA’s film school truly offers it all.

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The Department of Film and Electronic Arts at California State University-Long Beach offers one of the best bachelor’s in film—the Bachelor of Arts degree in film and electronic arts. This program has two distinct plans of study—a track in theory and practice of cinema and one in narrative production.

Choose the narrative production track, and you’ll be able to choose an additional pathway in either cinematography or in production and directing. A limited enrollment degree, it has competitive admissions and requires the submission of an approved portfolio. The theory and practice of cinema track is less competitive and includes additional separate tracks in:

• creative nonfiction production
• broadcast production
• production management
• screenwriting
• postproduction

As you might imagine, your course requirements will vary depending on which options you select. However, you might take classes such as:

• Southeast Asian Cinemas
• Theory of Fiction and Film
• Mass Media and Popular Culture
• Critical Study of Film

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Another California-based film program can be found at the University of California-Berkeley. The Bachelor of Arts in film and media is a diverse degree that will provide you with extensive opportunities for engagement with the film community. You’ll learn how to think theoretically, historically, and analytically about a variety of cinematic and para-cinematic forms. 

Your core film school courses will include a two-semester sequence in the history of sound and silent film as well as courses in:

• film theory
• documentaries
• avant-garde films

You will also be able to choose from a broad selection of courses on specific filmmakers and genres. You can even pursue electives in screenwriting and digital video! 

The degree provides learners with plenty of ways to get involved, from internship opportunities with local film production companies to participation in the Pacific Film Archive’s events, such as film screenings and filmmaker Q&As. The strong core curriculum of the program prepares students for graduate school and job opportunities in film as well as in:

• law
• business
• the arts
• humanities

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Although Hollywood is often lauded as the home of the stars and the mecca of modern moviemaking, New York City comes in as a close second. If you want to attend one of the best film schools on the east coast, it will be hard for you to pass up the fast-paced environment of the Big Apple. Living in this city will be an educational experience all on its own! 

In fact, when you choose to study at New York University, a private research university whose campus is located in the middle of this urban jungle, in Greenwich Village, you’ll benefit from an exciting campus culture and a prestigious college reputation. The film major, offered at the Tisch School of Arts, is regarded as one of the best film schools in the country. 

Housed within the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, the film and television major combines intensive professional training with core studies in the liberal arts. You’ll have access to a variety of creative experiences both basic and advanced, allowing you to explore the production and conceptual phases of film, cinematography, sound, and video along with traditional and computer animation. You can choose from more in-depth coursework in:

• directing
• acting
• writing
• producing
• sound mixing
• video post-production
• film editing

Regardless of the pathway and courses you select, you’ll be able to work with seasoned industry professionals as you complete your degree at this top film school. You’ll also participate in numerous professional development opportunities like the Senior Colloquium: Exit Strategies, a series of lectures meant to help you transition into the film industry. You can even engage in internships—New York University students have worked at places like Saturday Night Live, Warner Bros, and even Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Graduates become a part of an esteemed professional network with notable alumni like Spike Lee and M. Night Shyamalan.

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Another university located in close proximity to Hollywood—and therefore offering some of the best opportunities for hands-on learning for film majors—is the University of Southern California. Founded in 1880, this school is a private research university located in Los Angeles, CA.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in cinematic arts, film, and television production is a truly one-of-a-kind program that takes most students four years to complete. Offered by the School of Cinematic Art, this degree blends training in the liberal arts with specialized courses in the profession. You’ll be able to work closely with your peers as you take classes offered by the School of Cinematic Art as well as other departments, blending your film training with classes in:

• writing
• interactive media
• animation

You’ll take classes such as:

• Directing in Television, Fiction, and Documentary
• Cinematic Arts Laboratory
• Cinematic Communication
• Lateral Thinking for Filmmaking Practice

You can specialize your training by narrowing your practice down to work in fields like:

• editing
• cinematography
• producing
• sound
• production design
• directing

Film school students have the opportunity to gain extensive hands-on experience in their field of choice.

A public university located in San Francisco, CA, San Francisco State University offers more than 118 different bachelor’s degrees for students to choose from. Of course, one of the most interesting is the bachelor’s in film. 

As a student in this program, you will work closely with a faculty advisor to choose the courses that will be best in helping you meet your career goals. Required courses include:

• Introduction to Filmmaking
• Film History
• Art and Film
• Art of Short Film
• Perspectives on Documentary Film

In addition to your core courses in film, you will also be required to complete at least 12 units of complementary studies outside of your primary major. You might pursue pathways in disciplines like:

• creative writing
• anthropology
• art
• design
• business
• journalism

To apply as a freshman, you must have a minimum GPA of 2.50 or higher. SAT or ACT test scores are not required but you may be asked to submit supplemental documents like an essay or letters of recommendation.

The eleventh-oldest school in the 23-campus California State University system, California State University-Sacramento, or Sac State, is a school that’s loaded to the brim with history. Here, you’ll not only find more than 151 different bachelor’s degrees to choose from, but also multiple historic sites. The site of two National Register of Historic Places, Sac State is home to the terminus of the Pony Express as well as the Julia Morgan House.

If those destinations aren’t worthy of the silver screen, we don’t know what is! Plus, at Sac State, you’ll find some of the very best courses in film. The Bachelor of Arts in film has pathways in both digital film and video production to help you meet your unique career goals. 

Core classes you’ll take in film school include:

• Audio Production
• Introduction to Film Studies
• Contemporary World Cinema
• Hollywood and America

You will complete a senior practicum in video production, too, an experience meant to give you a solid foundation in film criticism and production.

Founded in 1957 as a division of the University of Virginia, George Mason became an independent university in 1972. The largest four-year public university in the Commonwealth of Virginia, this school offers one of the best bachelor’s degrees in film. 

The Bachelor of Arts in film and video studies at George Mason University is a multidisciplinary degree that focuses on:

• film theory
• history
• cinematic arts
• production

You’ll take core courses covering everything from writing for the moving image to interactive storytelling, episodic television, and the art of the documentary. You’ll be able to choose core courses from four concentrations:

• production/post-production (cinematography or editing/sound)
• screenwriting
• producing
• directing

Regardless of the option you select, you will complete a final capstone experience in which you will be mentored by faculty as you complete original projects that prepare you for work in cinematic arts. You will complete 120 total credit hours of study, many of which are George Mason core liberal arts courses.

The School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts recognizes that students become professional filmmakers only by actually creating movies. No matter what aspect of storytelling interests you, you’ll find that the film degree here provides you with the hands-on experience and theoretical training you need to be successful. You’ll learn from industry professionals who are the best in their fields and have access to industry-standard equipment. 

From filming a scene in one of the school’s professional sound stages to bringing a movie to life in one of the school’s state-of-the-art animation facilities, this program will offer you all the experiences you need to be successful. You could even direct a film that you write yourself or help design the sound for a short film! Of course, you will also take courses in liberal arts to ground you and give you a more global perspective. 

When it comes to major required classes, know that these will vary depending on the concentration you select. In your first year, you’ll usually take courses focusing on:

• cinema studies
• direction
• cinematography
• screenwriting
• picture editing
• sound design

All film school students must complete these courses regardless of their concentration.

In the second, third, and fourth years, your courses will become more advanced and more specialized, allowing you to complete:

• in-depth projects
• independent study experiences
• professional internships

Film school graduates go on to rewarding, highly lucrative careers, following their dreams by working at companies like Cartoon Network, Prologue Pictures, and Sony Pictures Imageworks, just to name a few.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in film at Syracuse University encourages students to think outside the box, teaching everything from scriptwriting to production, pre-production to post-production. This university is ranked among the top 25 schools for film in the United States by The Hollywood Reporter as well as by Variety. 

Unlike other programs that feature numerous tracks, this one is focused primarily on independent filmmaking, allowing students to pursue various modes of production (including documentary, animation, experimental, and narrative) by working in state-of-the-art facilities. You’ll learn the entire film production process from development to post-production, including aspects like:

• scriptwriting
• sound design
• 2D and 3D animation

Film school students have multiple ways to get involved both on campus and off. For starters, your classes will be taught by faculty members who have premiered their films all over the world, including at venues like the Shanghai International Film Festival and Sundance. You’ll be able to study and participate in internships in Los Angeles, working under the tutelage of renowned directors and producers, or you can study filmmaking in Bologna, Italy, or Prague, Czech Republic. 

Graduate from this program, and you’ll join the ranks of hundreds of successful Syracuse University alumni who have left chilly, snowy Syracuse, NY to go on to exciting careers in the entertainment business.

Stanford University is technically known as Leland Stanford Junior University, but there are very few current students and alumni that would call it by this name. Affectionately known by these individuals just as Stanford, this school is one of the top and most prestigious universities in the world, as ranked by multiple major education publications. 

Stanford University’s film and media studies major includes core classes like:

• Decolonizing the Western Canon: Introduction to Art and Architecture from Prehistory to Medieval
• How to Look at Art and Why: An Introduction to the History of Western Painting
• Introduction to Film Study: French Cinema in Focus
• Media and Mediums

You can choose from two separate concentrations in either screenwriting or culture and criticism, too.

Regardless of the options you select, note that this program will also enable you to complete a final capstone in film as well as a studio experience in film and video production. There are study abroad programs available, too, allowing you to learn more about film in an international setting. You can even apply for an honors program in film and media studies that will allow you to extend and deepen your work.

To be eligible for admission, film school students need to submit either the Common Application or the Coalition Application along with an application fee and SAT or ACT test scores. In addition, you will need to provide your:

• school peport
• transcripts
• letters of recommendation

Students can also submit an optional arts portfolio for consideration.

The College of Communication at Boston University offers one of the nation’s best film and television majors. Here, you’ll learn and hone your skills in the art of storytelling, studying everything from image creation to the theory of both television and film. Class sizes are small, enabling you to work closely with a faculty of internationally acclaimed professionals. You could even have the opportunity to work on a faculty production in an editing, casting, sound, lighting, or camera capacity. 

The vast majority of your courses can be tailored to meet your unique career goals and interests. You’ll be able to choose from multiple focus areas including:

• Film and Television Studies
• Management/Producing
• Screenwriting
• Production

In addition to the opportunities film school students will have in the classroom setting, this program is unique in that it will also allow them to get involved outside of the classroom. 

For example, you can work for butv10, Boston University’s student-produced and student-management campus television and on-demand, streaming network. An internship program is also a key part of the learning experience, allowing learners to travel to London, Sydney, or Los Angeles to learn from the top professionals in entertainment. 

Finally, at BU, you’ll benefit from a vast alumni network that will provide you with industry advice, job searching assistance, and networking opportunities. Film school graduates can be found in all kinds of influential positions throughout the entertainment industry, working as top executives, screenwriters, producers, and more.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in film, photography, and visual arts at Ithaca College is offered by the Park School, an award-winning department. This program is unique in that it focuses on multiple areas of the arts, rather than just filmmaking, allowing you to gain a unique perspective that will prove to be invaluable as you set out in your career. Ithaca has built a strong reputation as one of the best film schools in the nation.

Starting as soon as your freshman year, you will take classes in film production and photography, spending time in the darkroom and in video editing stations. You will also be able to explore television studies in your production classes. Of course, you’ll also be given the opportunity to travel across the country or around the world for additional experiences, working in internships at film studios or post-production companies in Los Angeles and taking several weeks of hands-on photography courses in Italy. 

All in all, you will complete 120 credit hours of study, taking an interdisciplinary approach to your program. You will take core classes such as:

• Writing for Screen Media
• Cinema Production
• Introduction to Film Aesthetics and Analysis and Spark: Igniting Your Future in Communications

Ithaca College has a very selective admissions process. You will need to submit the Common Application along with a $60 application fee. SAT and ACT scores or optional but you do need to provide a portfolio, interview, and official transcripts.

A private Jesuit university in Los Angeles, CA, Loyola Marymount University is another top university that will provide you with up-close-and-personal access to Hollywood’s most exciting opportunities. Located near Playa Vista, Loyola Marymount offers more than 60 undergraduate majors to choose from—of course, one of the most popular is the bachelor’s in film. Like most of the best film schools, Loyola has some pretty notable alumni including Clark Duke and Busy Philipps.

The film, television, and media studies program at Loyola will allow you to explore the numerous ways in which filmmakers use the media to express themselves personally and to explore and interpret the world. Film school students develop strong critical thinking skills that will prepare them well for a career in journalism, academia, and of course, in filmmaking, too. 

Although the degree does not involve hands-on filmmaking and is purely theoretical in nature, it has a strong liberal arts core that will prepare you for a breadth of careers. Not only that, but film school students will be able to take a class in screenwriting in animation to supplement their degree—or to pursue study abroad experiences in places like Bonn, Germany. You can add a variety of elective courses to customize your degree to match your ambitions and interests.

A private evangelical Christian University, Taylor University is one of the oldest evangelical Christian schools in the country and is located in Upland, IN. This small school is home to just around 2,000 students on campus along with an additional 500 or so studying online.  Taylor University is also one of the best film schools in the country.

As a student in the Bachelor of Science in film and media production, you’ll take 52 total credit hours of film courses. Some courses you might take include:

• Foundations of Photojournalism
• Audio Production
• Scriptwriting
• Multi-Camera Live Production

Of course, you’ll be able to participate in hands-on experiences like Professional Acting for Camera courses and internships. 

Because Taylor University prides itself on its Christian roots, this program will not only help you develop your professional skills but will also teach you how to combine your aptitudes for visual storytelling with your faith. Film school students begin taking production classes as early as their first semester, allowing them to build an impressive portfolio of work that they can take with them as they pursue employment.

Named after John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, Wesleyan University is now a nondenominational, secular university—but it still holds strong to some of its most prominent traditions. It is distinguished in the arts and sciences along with business and government. Of course, you’ll find one of the best film degrees in the country here, too.

The film studies major at Wesleyan University is offered by the College of Film and the Moving Image, a college that is home to the Film Studies Department, the Student Film Series, the Wesleyan Cinema Archives, and the Center for Film Studies. You’ll take a minimum of seven film studies electives, but you are not required to complete a senior thesis. 

Some of the classes you might take include:

• History of Global Cinema
• The Language of Hollywood: Styles, Storytelling, and Technology
• Computational Media: Video Game Development

You will have plenty of opportunities to get involved on campus, too. Film school students can join the honors program (which does include a thesis). You can work for the Wesleyan Film Series, which screens more than 100 different classic and new films each semester. You can also volunteer to crew for seniors who are producing their own films, allowing you to develop your programming and technical skills so that you can one day produce your own.

A private college located in Boston, MA, Emerson College was founded in 1880 as a “school of oratory,” now offering more than 36 degrees and professional training programs in the arts and communication fields.  Emerson is also one of the best film schools in the country.

The Department of Visual and Media Arts at Emerson offers a top film degree. Here, you will learn from talented, experienced instructors who are industry players themselves. You’ll benefit from Emerson’s location, too, learning in a city that is ranked among the top five U.S. media markets. You’ll enjoy access to internships, jobs, freelance assignments, and more. After all, Boston is a major destination for major feature film shoots! 

The Global BFA in Film Art at Emerson is unique in that it will enable you to study in three separate locations over the course of your degree. You’ll spend three summers in Boston, one summer in Kasteel Well, in the Netherlands, and your major academic years in Paris. You’ll have access to industry-level equipment and spaces in addition to other unparalleled resources as you take classes such as:

• Foundations of Media Production
• Cinema Lighting
• Media-Based Writing

Film school students can also choose a bachelor’s degree in media arts production. Two tracks are available including media studies and production.

Upon graduation, you will benefit from Emerson’s extensive alumni network in the entertainment network. Of course, the city is also home to dozens of:

• film festivals
• television and radio stations
• art museums
• theaters

You’ll have no shortage of opportunities to learn when you decide to become a student at this top film school.

Swarthmore College is a private liberal arts college located in Swarthmore, PA. One of the first coeducational colleges in the United States, Swarthmore continues its legacy of offering groundbreaking programs and initiatives with its more than 40 major areas of study.

The film and media studies major at Swarthmore is a cross-cultural program that explores the theory, history, aesthetics, and cultural and social aspects of all media forms, including:

• media art
• television
• cinema

It is a hybrid program that blends practice with ideology as you take classes such as:

• Documentary: The Art of the Real
• Digital Production Fundamentals
• Studies in Genre: Horror

As a student in this program, you will be able to create countless films of your own and to receive course credit for off-campus learning. Many students choose to study abroad while others pursue minors in related fields (or even the film studies honors program).

A private university located in Nashville, TN, Lipscomb University also has two satellite locations in the Cool Springs area of Franklin, TN as well as in Downtown Nashville. 

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in film production at Lipscomb requires 67 total credit hours of study in specific courses like:

• Screen Acting
• Digital Imaging
• Text Analysis
• Media and Culture
• Cinematography

You’ll learn the art of cinematic storytelling as you share your work and ideas among peers and highly accomplished expert faculty. 

This program is one of the best if you are interested in studying abroad, too. The Department of Cinematic Arts facilitates a variety of trips so that you can gain firsthand knowledge of the business of film, allowing you to travel to places like the Cannes Film Festival in France and the Sundance Film Festival in Los Angeles. The degree has a 90% employment rate within six months of graduation. 

With a 10:1 student to faculty ratio, Lipscomb is one of the best film schools in the country and the best MFA in Film in Tennessee. In addition to the BFA, this program is also offered as a BA.

Chapman University is a private research institution located in Orange, CA. It comprises ten colleges and schools, including the Fowler School of Law, the Fowler School of Engineering, the Schmid College of Science and Technology, and of course, the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

The film studies major at Chapman University will allow you to engage with film theory, history, and criticism. Film school students develop the skills they need to express their ideas in writing and on the screen. Available on its own as well as in an accelerated 4+1 MA program, this degree explores core concepts like:

• the language of film
• film history
• film genres
• diversity within cinema
• film analysis

You will learn from faculty who have extensive industry experience as well as from the Filmmakers-in-Residence program. This program is offered every semester and invites renowned Hollywood professionals to campus to spend 15 weeks with students and provide them with an unobstructed look at the dynamic nature of the modern film industry. Chapman also offers related degrees in areas like creative producing and film and television production.

Rochester Institute of Technology is a private research institution located not in the town of Rochester, NY, but instead in nearby Henrietta. This school is the tenth largest private university in the country and is best known for its STEM-related programs. However, it also offers several top-notch programs in the arts for you to consider.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and animation at Rochester Institute of Technology is focused on:

• screenwriting
• 3D and 2D animation
• stop motion animation
• production

It begins with in-depth training in animation, digital HD video, and 16mm film as early as the first semester, with production work continuing every semester thereafter. You can choose to focus your studies in production or animation as you learn how to produce your own independent work. 

Film school students will take core classes such as:

• Animation Production Workshop
• Business and Careers in Animation
• 3D Lighting and Rendering
• Stop Motion Puppet Fundamentals

Over the course of your degree, you will be able to produce several short films of your own. You can study year-round by participating in the School of Film and Animation summer sessions and workshops. Not only that, but you will benefit from the school’s memberships in numerous professional organizations, such as the College Art Association, the University Film and Video Association, BEA, and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.

A private college focused singularly on art and design, Ringling College of Art and Design offers BFA and BA degrees in Sarasota, FL. Originally a remote branch of Southern College, it first opened its doors as an arts-only school in 1931. 

The BFA in film at Ringling College’s Film school is ranked as one of the top 25 best film programs in the country by The Hollywood Reporter. You’ll have access to some of the best facilities in the world as you work in the 8400 square foot soundstage and the 5000 square feet of post-production facilities in the Ringling College Studio Labs. An industry-ready, hands-on program, this film degree will give you access to state-of-the-art resources as you collaborate with industry professionals.

You’ll begin creating films (at least three to five of them, in fact) as early as your first year of the program. You will be able to work with industry leaders and connect with successful alumni who now work for major companies like Comedy Central, Netflix, and more. 

You will be able to choose between a branded entertainment pathway, which will teach you how to tap into consumers’ passions and engage them in entertainment, and a narrative emphasis, which will teach you the basics of effective and compelling directing, cinematography, screenwriting, and other aspects of film.

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private school of art with campuses in Savannah, GA, Atlanta, GA, and Lacoste, France. With more than 14,000 students studying in locations around the United States along with numerous international students, this school has one of the top film schools in the country. Notable alumni include Kayli Carter and Leila Djansi.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and television at the Savannah College of Art and Design includes 35 credit hours of foundation studies in film along with 55 hours of general education courses. You’ll then take 80 hours in the major curriculum, with core classes including things like:

• Introduction to Screenwriting
• Sound for Film and Television
• Digital Film Production: Story to Screen
• Visual Storytelling: Directing the Documentary

You will learn from accomplished faculty and be afforded the opportunity to work on real sets and on student-produced shows and short films. These films are often screened at major international film festivals! Of course, you’ll be able to have fun sharpening your on-set skills in fully-produced on camera seasons that include:

• sitcoms
• drama series
• variety shows
• commercials

Located in Hamden, CT, Quinnipiac University is a private university with dozens of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees for you to choose from, with programs offered at the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Nursing, and more. Notable alumni include Mary-Jane Foster and Danielle DiLorenzo.

The bachelor’s degree in film, television, and media arts at Quinnipiac is offered by the School of Communications. With a close to 90% job placement rate within six months of graduation, this program is one of the best when it comes to pairing students with work opportunities. You can choose from 180 different internship locations across the country that will give you hands-on experience or you can stay on campus, working in one of 90 different workspaces at Quinnipiac. 

The coursework of this program covers everything from visual effects to post-production, digital cinema to moving image theory and analysis. The faculty are highly involved in the creation of this program’s curriculum, with instructors working as:

• active writers
• editors
• producers
• directors
• cinematographers

Many have won Emmy awards in their own right! 

Of course, you’ll be able to supplement your studies in this program by adding on semesters abroad in places like Los Angeles, France, Ireland, and South Africa, too.

As the name suggests, Art Center College of Design is a nonprofit, private college dedicated to the arts located in Pasadena, CA—and it’s one of the best filmmaking colleges in the country. It was founded just prior to World War II, when ArtCenter offered a technical illustration program in conjunction with the California Institute of Technology. Today, the school offers one of the nation’s top filmmaking degrees. 

The film major at Art Center allows you to learn by doing—or in this case, to learn by making. You’ll have access to Los Angeles-based fail cities and state-of-the-art equipment, learning in the world’s entertainment capital itself. You’ll receive a strong foundation training in all aspects of storytelling before you go on a specific track in:

• editing
• directing
• cinematography

Film school students are even able to write and direct their own film.

To apply, you will need to submit an online application form and a $50 application fee. Official transcripts and optional SAT or ACT scores should also be supplied. You will also need to submit a portfolio, which will serve as the most important feature of your application.

As New Jersey’s largest private institution of higher education, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham has campuses spread out all throughout the Garden State. It also has campuses in the United Kingdom, in Canada, and even online.  Notable alumni include D. C. Fontana and Reinaldo Marcus Green.

Fairleigh Dickinson’s Bachelor of Arts in film and animation will provide you with a thorough training in all aspects of creating a moving image story. You’ll begin by shooting with HD cameras in your first year of study as you complete both film history and film appreciation courses. You can then explore your specific interests with a range of major electives, independent studies, and internships.

Some of the core classes you will take include:

• Twentieth-Century Cinema
• Cinematic Storytelling
• Screenwriting
• Postproduction
• Producing and Directing the Thesis Film

You can choose from concentrations in:

• directing
• editing and post-production
• cinematography
• producing

To apply for admission to this transformative program, you will need to apply early in your senior year. The film school utilizes a rolling admissions process and requires just the submission of high school transcripts—SAT or ACT scores are optional.

Formerly known as Calvin College, Calvin University is a private Christian institution in Grand Rapids, MI. First of indeed in 1876, this school is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church and named after John Calvin, the 16th century Protestant Reformer. Notable alumni include Paul Schrader and Patricia Rozema.

The film and media major at Calvin University will challenge you to think outside the box as you take what you learn inside the classroom and apply it to the world around you. You can participate in more than 70 student-led organizations or explore internships in Grand Rapids or around the world. 

Some courses you might take include:

• Topics in Film and Media History
• New Media
• Documentary Film and Television
• Directing for Stage and Screen
• Advanced Communication Study 

Film school students can participate in real filmmaking and gain practical experience in acting, directing, editing, and more. Your courses will allow you to learn from the best and participate in events like Student Video Production for the Visual Arts Guild. Student films can be shared during the 60-Second Film Festival! No matter which opportunities you choose to pursue, you’ll be able to learn and create in cutting-edge production facilities right on campus.

Messiah University is a private Christian university located in Mechanicsburg, PA. It was originally founded as the Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home but now offers more than 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional advising options.

The film and media arts program at Messiah is a hands-on degree with a uniquely Christian worldview. You’ll be exposed to and immersed in both the technical and creative aspects of this growing industry. Choose from a variety of elective and major course options to complete your degree. Some options include:

• Screenwriting
• Fundamentals of Oral Communication
• Basic Video and Editing Techniques
• Methods and Issues in Film Studies

Of course, you’ll be able to participate in Messiah’s nationally-recognized internship program, too. Film school students here are regularly placed in a variety of film and media arts internships at places like:

• Warner Brothers
• Sony
• Universal
• Paramount
• JPL Creative

In addition to Messiahs’ internship requirement, you will also be able to apply what you learn in the classroom to other real-world contexts like service learning, student leadership programs, and off-campus study.

You can likely infer this just from the name of the school alone, but without a doubt, the Los Angeles Film School is one of the best film schools in the US if you are looking for associate and bachelor’s degrees in the entertainment industry.  Notable alumni include Alex M. Ferrufino and Phillip Bladh.

The Bachelor of Science in film production at the Los Angeles Film School is a 120-credit hour program that includes core courses such as:

• Film History
• Screenwriting
• Digital Editing
• Cinematography

Most students take just 36 months to complete their degrees, enabling them to get out into the workforce quickly. 

Film production isn’t your only choice of major here, either. You can also choose from concentrations in:

• cinematography
• directing
• producing

The program allows you to fully customize your degree to create your own future in the film industry. Classes are short, each pursued exclusively and intensively within a four-week period so you can focus on just one thing at once.

California Institute of the Arts, or CalArts, is a private arts university located in Santa Clarita, CA. First incorporated in 1961, this school offers programs primarily in the visual and performing arts. Of course, film ranks among the most popular majors offered by this school. Notable alumni include Tim Burton and John Lasseter.

The School of Film and Video at California Institute of the Arts is home to multiple programs for aspiring filmmakers, including those in:

• film directing
• film and video
• experimental animation
• character animation

Regardless of the pathway you choose, you’ll be able to work in all modes of moving image and sound-based artwork. 

You’ll learn a wide variety of technical and practical skills so you can learn how to think critically about your chosen medium. Film school students complete core classes that include:

• Cinematic Voices
• Color Correction and Grading
• Filmmaking Fundamentals
• Film History

You can choose to pursue a variety of interdisciplinary opportunities, like a digital art minor or an inter-school degree, to complement your studies as well.

The Rhode Island School of Design, or RISD, is a private art and design school located in Providence, RI. This school, founded in 1877, offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nearly two dozen different majors. Notable alumni include Ilene Chaiken and Ben Coccio.

This school is home to a four-year program in design that will allow you to work in animation, live-action, or a hybrid of the two. Students learn the skills to produce films in a wide variety of genres and for a diversity of outlets. You will learn within a close-knit community of fewer than 150 other undergraduate majors, receiving guidance from faculty members who have a wide range of expertise in various areas. 

You’ll work in facilities that include production studies for video, film, 16mm, 35mm, and puppet animation along with sound mixing rooms, digital editing areas, and more. You’ll go beyond just learning how to use the latest technology—you’ll also focus on critical thinking and problem-solving. 

Some of the core courses you will take include:

• Animation Practices
• Communicating Science Through Animation
• Directing
• Film Practices

You’ll of course have plenty of opportunities for self-guided learning and internships, too, in this highly immersive program.

A private university, Pratt Institute has a main campus located in Brooklyn, NY along with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Although it first opened its doors only offering programs in architecture, engineering, and the fine arts, it is now best known for its degrees in architecture, industrial design, interior design, and of course, in film.  Notable alumni include Robert Redford and Rob Zombie.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in film at Pratt is designed for students who are interested in all aspects of the production of time-based media, enabling them to explore various modes of filmmaking such as:

• narrative
• video art
• hybrid
• experimental
• documentary work

Film school students take classes such as:

• Light Color Design Studio
• Ways of Seeing Cinema
• Themes in Art and Culture
• History of Film

In all of your classes, you will learn in an intimate workshop-based setting, engaging in:

• readings
• screenings
• technical demonstrations
• class critiques
• lectures from visiting professionals

The program also includes internship experiences in the many video, film, and post-production studios located in New York City.

A private research university located in University Park, TX, Southern Methodist University is home to nearly 13,000 students and has more than 150 different majors for students to choose from. With branch and satellite campuses located all over the state (as well as in places like Taos, NM) this university offers plenty of learning experiences and environments for aspiring students to choose from.  Notable alumni include Kathy Bates and Kourtney Kardashian.

The Bachelor of Arts (also available as a Bachelor of Fine Arts) in film and media arts is offered by the Meadows School of the Arts. This film degree requires a minimum GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale for admission and includes core classes such as:

• Contemporary Media Industries
• Art of Film and Media
• Film and Media Criticism
• Screenwriting

In total, you will complete 122 credit hours of study. 

You will enjoy plenty of opportunities as a student in this program, including access to an honors program and lots of scholarships, fellowships, and grants you can apply for to make your education more affordable. You can participate in directed studies, collaborations between instructors and professors that involve more in-depth creative or research-based work, or in the SMU Summer Film Production.

Of course, there are plenty of internship and professional collaborations for film school students. No matter how you want to spend your time as a film student, there’s a good chance that SMU offers a way for you to do it!