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Master's Degrees in Cinematography

Camera, lighting and visual storytelling: image capture, lenses, lighting design and the camera department. This list includes master's degrees in the field itself, degrees with an officially named cinematography concentration, and broader film degrees whose published curriculum substantially covers it. Each card says which.

20 programs

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

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
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

Asbury University

MFA in Film & Television Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film & Television Production
Location: Wilmore, KYSchool location; coursework is online.
Format: Online · Limited visitsMostly online, with some required visits to campus. · Full- or part-time
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (broader film degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree)
Duration: Two years full-time; up to three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $595 per credit · All students — Graduate Communications (MA, MFA)
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Online Film Schools
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

CUNY Brooklyn College

Cinema Arts, M.F.A.

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Cinema Arts
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full- or part-time
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Thesis as director concentration) · Cinematography (Thesis as cinematographer concentration) +3
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $5,545 per semester · In-state — New York State residents, full-time (12 credits), tuition only
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools, Top Cinematography Schools, Top Screenwriting Schools

DePaul University

MFA in Documentary

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Documentary
Location: Chicago, IL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree) · Editing (broader film degree)
Duration: Eight quarters
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,003 per credit · All students — Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media graduate rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program

DePaul University

MS in Film & Television

MSMaster of Science in Film and Television
Location: Chicago, IL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) · Editing (Editing concentration)
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,003 per credit · All students — Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media graduate rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program
Florida State University logo

Florida State University

MFA in Motion Picture Arts - Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Motion Picture Arts with a Major in Production
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Directing concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +2
Duration: Two years (six consecutive semesters, including summers)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $479.32 per credit · In-state — Main campus graduate resident rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 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
Howard University logo

Howard University

Master of Fine Arts in Film

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film
Location: Washington, DC
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (broader film degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree) +1
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Film Schools in the USA

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
Montana State University logo

Montana State University

MFA in Science & Natural History Filmmaking

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Science and Natural History Filmmaking
Location: Bozeman, MT
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $5,350.45 per semester · In-state — Resident, 12+ credits, tuition and fees · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA

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
New York Film Academy logo

New York Film Academy

MFA in Cinematography

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Cinematography
Location: Burbank, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Cinematography (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years, five full-time semesters
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $20,500 per semester · All students — Los Angeles, Spring & Fall 2027 · 2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Cinematography Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
New York University logo

New York University

MFA in Film and Television (Graduate Film)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Television
Location: New York, NY
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) · Producing (Producing concentration) +3
Duration: Three years of coursework; optional fourth year of matriculation to complete the thesis
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $41,450 per semester · All students — Tisch graduate flat-rate tuition · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Cinematography Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
Ohio University logo

Ohio University

MFA in Film

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film
Location: Athens, OH
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (broader film degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree) +3
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $4,928 per semester · In-state — Full-time comprehensive (9-18 hours), Ohio resident · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools, Top Film Schools in the USA, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA

Savannah College of Art and Design

Cinematography, MA

MAMaster of Arts in Cinematography
Location: Savannah, GA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Cinematography (dedicated degree)
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program
University of California-Los Angeles logo

University of California-Los Angeles

MFA in Production (Directing – Narrative, Directing – Documentary, Cinematography)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Television — Production
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus. · Full-time
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Film Directing (Production/Directing – Narrative; Production/Directing – Documentary concentration) · Cinematography (Cinematography concentration) +1
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $15,066 per academic year · In-state — UC Systemwide Tuition (graduate students) · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Film Directing Schools

University of Iowa

MFA in Film and Video Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Film and Video Production
Location: Iowa City, IA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (dedicated degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree) · Editing (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Fully funded (conditions apply)
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Top Film Schools in the USA
University of Miami logo

University of Miami

Motion Pictures, M.F.A.

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Motion Pictures
Location: Coral Gables, FL
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Film Production (Production concentration) · Screenwriting (Screenwriting concentration) · Producing (Producing concentration) +3
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $2,763 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per credit hour · 2026-2027
Deadline: February 1, 2027 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools, Top MFA in Filmmaking Programs in the USA
University of Southern California logo

University of Southern California

MFA in Film & Television Production

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Cinematic Arts, 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 (broader film degree) · Cinematography (broader film degree) +2
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $2,700 per unit · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program

How master's cinematography programs are classified

  • Dedicated degree: The degree itself is in this field.
  • Named concentration: An officially named concentration, specialization or track inside the degree.
  • Broader film degree: A broader film degree whose official curriculum substantially covers this field.

Cinematography pathways commonly ask for a cinematography reel or still photography that shows how you work with light and composition.

See the full Cinematography field guide or every master's program.