Best Filmmaking Certificate Program

University of California School of Theater, Film, and Television Extension Program​

UCLA Extension

UCLA Extension

As one of the oldest film institutions in America, UCLA Extension is an excellent option for California-based filmmakers looking for a blend of prestige and affordability. The university boasts a breadth of film certificate programs that can be pursued full-time for nine months to one year or...

If you want to make a career change or receive a well-rounded introduction to a discipline of film, consider the UCLA TFT extension. The university offers one of the only non-graduate degree-granting certificate programs for filmmakers in America.

Choose from Directing, Producing, Independent Producing, Directing, Cinematography, and Film & TV Development. Internships open up after completing 3 of the required 12 courses. Tuition ranges from the low $7K to the upper $8K range. Textbooks and supplementary fees start at $550. Students can submit their short films to the annual UCLAxFilmFest.

Runner up: NYU Tisch - Non-Credit Certificates in Filmmaking​

NYU Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

NYU Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

As one of the best film schools on the East coast, the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television at New York University Tisch School of the Arts gives film students the chance to turn iconic landscapes into low-budget film shoots and connect with world-renowned industry players. In 2022...
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For students who need a more flexible non-credit certificate program, NYU Tisch's fully online non-credit certificate program may be the perfect fit. Participants learn the foundations of shooting, directing, writing, cinematography, editing, and producing.

Writing for Screen (in-person or online) is required for completion. Students are also required to take two electives, which combine storytelling with mastering audio and visuals for directing fiction or the documentary. In addition, the Intermediate Experimental Workshop is a unique offering that shows students how to make non-narrative independent films. Read more about the program here.

In Closing...​


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