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Master's Film Degrees in California

Film degree programs at schools located in California. Online programs listed here are run by institutions based in California; that does not by itself mean residents of every state may enroll.

36 programs · page 1 of 2

Sort:A–ZDeadlineAnnual tuitionStipendRecently verified

Listed alphabetically by school. This directory is not a ranking — editorial selections are published separately under Top Schools. What we list

Academy of Art University logo

Academy of Art University

MA in Writing & Directing for Film

MAMaster of Arts in Motion Pictures & Television (Writing & Directing for Film)
Location: San Francisco, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Directing (dedicated degree) · Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,551 per unit · Graduate, domestic students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program
Academy of Art University logo

Academy of Art University

MFA in Motion Pictures & Television

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Motion Pictures & Television
Location: San Francisco, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +3
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,857 per unit · International — Graduate, international students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Cinematography Schools
Academy of Art University logo

Academy of Art University

MFA in Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media
Location: San Francisco, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,551 per unit · Graduate, domestic students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program
American Film Institute Conservatory logo

American Film Institute Conservatory

MFA in Cinematography

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Cinematography
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Cinematography (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $75,508 per academic year · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Cinematography Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
American Film Institute Conservatory logo

American Film Institute Conservatory

MFA in Directing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Directing
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Directing (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $75,508 per academic year · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
California Institute of the Arts logo

California Institute of the Arts

MFA Film and Video

MFAMaster of Fine Arts - Film and Video
Location: Valencia, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Studies (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $62,954 per academic year · All students — Full-time BFA and MFA programs · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
California Institute of the Arts logo

California Institute of the Arts

MFA Film Directing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts - Film Directing
Location: Valencia, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Directing (dedicated degree) · Film Production (broader film degree) · Screenwriting (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $62,954 per academic year · All students — Full-time BFA and MFA programs · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
California State University-Northridge logo

California State University-Northridge

MFA in Screenwriting

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
Location: Northridge, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $4,274 per semester · In-state — CSU graduate basic tuition, 6.1 or more units · 2026-2027
Deadline: March 1, 2027 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools
Chapman University logo

Chapman University

Film and Media Studies (MA)

MAMaster of Arts in Film and Media Studies
Location: Orange, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Studies (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,715 per credit · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2027
View program
Chapman University logo

Chapman University

Film Production (MFA)

MFAMFA in Film Production
Location: Orange, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +1
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $26,414 per semester · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools, Top Cinematography Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
Chapman University logo

Chapman University

Screenwriting (MFA)

MFAMFA in Screenwriting
Location: Orange, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $28,018 per semester · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools

Loyola Marymount University

MFA in Film and Television Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Television Production
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing Fiction; Directing Non-Fiction concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +2
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,814 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per semester hour, School of Film and Television · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2026 (as printed)
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools, Top Cinematography Schools

Loyola Marymount University

MFA in Writing and Producing for Television

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing and Producing for Television
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree) · Producing (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,814 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per semester hour, School of Film and Television · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2026 (as printed)
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools

Loyola Marymount University

MFA in Writing for the Screen

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing for the Screen
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,814 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per semester hour, School of Film and Television · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2026 (as printed)
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools

Mount Saint Mary's University

MFA in Film, Television and New Media

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film, Television and New Media
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +3
Duration: 2 years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,247 per unit · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools, Top Cinematography Schools, Top Screenwriting Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA

Mount Saint Mary's University

MFA in Producing for Film and Television

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Producing for Film and Television
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
Fields: Producing (dedicated degree)
Duration: 4 terms (just under two years)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,247 per unit · All students — Master of Fine Arts in Film rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program