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Lights, cameras, action! Have you ever dreamed of being a filmmaker, producing award-winning movies, documentaries, and televisions shows? If so, you will need a sound foundation in the nuances of film production, and the easiest way to obtain these skills is via a college degree. To get you started, we have compiled a list of the best film schools in the United States in 2022.

1. Vanderbilt University – Vanderbilt’s interdisciplinary film studies degree program provides a comprehensive education in the cinema arts. This has earned the school a top ranking as one of the best film schools in the U.S. Via academic discovery and practical experience and training, film students learn about the cultural, historical, and theoretical aspects of the field.
2. University of Chicago – Since its genesis, the university’s Department of Cinema and Media Studies has been a leader in the field. The program’s rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum includes film theory, history, and criticism, but also emphasizes video production and performance studies. The university charters the oldest and most prominent student film society in the nation.
3. University of Southern California – USC’s School of Cinematic Arts offers interdisciplinary undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in the creative are of film. The school is composed of six divisions and includes two research entities. Students study the theory and practice of film making. The curriculum gives students exposure to all aspects of the moving image, including film, television, and interactive video.
4. New York University – New York University offers several degree options via its filmmaking programs. Some film programs require students to create and submit a portfolio to gain admission. Degree options include a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in cinema studies, the Master of Arts in cinema studies or moving image archiving and preservation, and a Ph.D. in cinema studies.
5. Cornell University – Students pursuing film studies at Cornell University can enjoy exceptional flexibility in developing their degree programs. This film school has both undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and its students can complete a double major, inspired by the film studies curriculum. They can also pursue a program in film studies or film production. Film studies center on the history, theory, and criticism of film, as well as the various genres of cinema, its cultural contexts, and other artistic and creative aspects.
6. Columbia University – Students can obtain both undergraduate and graduate degrees at this top film school. The curriculum allows students to explore the discipline from varying perspectives, offering programs that focus on art, technology, or even cultural significance. Students create a customized plan comprised of twelve required courses with the assistance of an adviser.
7. University of California – Berkeley – Students that decide to major in film studies at the University of California Berkeley have the chance to pursue undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs. Students may also pursue a double major. Film studies coursework includes the history of silent and sound film, documentary and other film genres, and a litany of courses centering on specific filmmakers and various national cinemas.
8. University of Pennsylvania – The cinema degree programs at the University of Pennsylvania are offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students can pursue the cinema as either a major or minor, as well as via a certificate program at the graduate level. The program is organized as a traditional framework in humanities, including theory, history, and aesthetics. Students will be required to critic national and international films, as well as governmental forces governing film industry practices, and various filmmakers.
9. Yale University – Yale’s degree programs in film studies are comprised of all of the critical elements of the field. Students are allowed to develop a curriculum that fits their interests, pending approval by a committee within the department. They are expected to complete specific prerequisite courses and an introduction to film studies. Other courses include close analysis of film, film theory and aesthetics, issues in contemporary film theory, and studies in international and cultural films.
10. University of California – Los Angeles– UCLA offers both undergraduate and graduates degrees programs in film studies. Coursework includes foundational arts and humanities, society and culture, scientific inquiry, writing, foreign language, literature, and American history and institutions.