Pick your Film-Making College in the US

Pursuing a "foreign degree" has its own charm whether its management or film-making. The glamorous and glitzy appeal of the film industry never failed to lure youngsters. Nowadays a lot of aspirants are opting to pursue degrees in film-making abroad. US being the most sought-after education destination provides aspirants with some of the most renowned film schools.

With film-making being one of the most in-demand programs, numerous universities provide a plethora of courses. Students can choose their programs and specialize in their preferred area.
Listed below are the top 5 universities that offer film-making programs:

1. Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University, established in 1873, is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt is consistently ranked as one of the nation's top 20 universities by leading publications. The university encompasses 10 schools. Film Studies is one of the interdisciplinary programs offered by the College of Arts and Science. The program combines the practice of filmmaking with the study of film theory and global film history. It covers the cultural, historical, theoretical and aesthetic aspects of the field. It is inclusive of film studies, film theory, communication, culture and consciousness, cultural rhetoric of film, culture and society, history of art, America on Film.

2. University of Chicago

The University of Chicago has an established Department of Cinema and Media Studies that has evolved over the years. The curriculum encompasses the central areas of theory, history and criticism, with a special emphasis on video production and performance studies. The degree programs offered at the University of Chicago include both undergraduate and graduate programs. It not only examines the various cinematic forms and techniques and how cinema is affected by production but also explores the aesthetic perspective of films, film culture and the styles of film. Additionally, the curriculum includes studies in narrative contexts, racial and national identity, transnational media production and circulation, commercial and leisure entertainment forms and consumer culture.

Students can also opt for part-time certificate courses offered by the University of Chicago Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies.

3. University of Southern California

Set up in 1880, The University of Southern California has a School of Cinematic Arts that offers interdisciplinary undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and minor programs in the creative field of films. Cinematic Arts is amongst the 20 disciplines offered by USC. The curriculum provides exposure to all aspects of film, television and interactive video. Focus areas include critical studies on the processes behind film-making and the effect of films on cultural, social, political and economic facets of society; film and television production. Students focus on scriptwriting and storytelling, editing, sound design, production, direction; animation and digital arts, interactive media, producing programs, media arts and practice.

4. New York University

New York University or NYU, established in 1831, is one of the most renowned international universities offering 13 undergraduate disciplines and 15 graduate disciplines. The Tisch School of the Arts at NYU offers various undergraduate and graduate film courses. Degree programs include Bachelor of Arts with a specialization in cinema studies, a double major option with the second major in humanities, social sciences or arts; Master of Arts in cinema studies or in moving image archiving and preservation; and Ph.D. in cinema studies. The curriculum is inclusive of an intensive expository writing requirement, courses in language, literature, dramatic literature, theater history, world through art, foreign language, world cultures and social science courses including journalism and linguistics and a quantitative reasoning and natural science course.

5. Cornell University

Cornell University, known as one of the elite Ivy League schools, offers a long history of excellence in quality education, research and alumni success. Both undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered here. Students can opt to pursue a double major with another discipline or to create their own major developed from the film studies curriculum. Film production focuses on creating and developing ideas while learning various techniques of filming including audio editing through software tools and video editing. Students study the various genres of film, documentary, animation, narrative and take courses in direction, playwriting, screenwriting and acting.