cinema.usc.edu

USC Cinematic Arts offers two non-degree study paths for people who want film and media training without enrolling in a full degree program. Cinematic Arts Online is open to storytellers of all ages: you create a script or direct a short film and earn a Certificate of Completion from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The Summer Program is an on-campus experience taught by leading industry professionals across two separate six-week sessions, with classes in feature filmmaking, editing, animation, writing, computer graphics, interactive game design, and the business of the industry. Choose Online if you need flexibility or are younger/pre-college; choose the Summer Program if you want intensive, in-person, credit-style study on the USC campus.

Cinematic Arts Online

According to the school's program page, Cinematic Arts Online is designed "for storytellers of all ages." The core deliverable is concrete: participants create a script or direct a short film, and on completion receive a Certificate of Completion from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Who it suits

• People who want a structured creative project (script or short film) rather than a full degree.
• Learners of any age, including those who are not yet ready for college-level residential study.
• Anyone who wants a USC Cinematic Arts credential of completion without relocating.

What to verify before applying

The site describes the certificate and the script/short-film output but does not publish price, schedule length, or technical requirements on the page evidence available. Check the "More Information" link on the Cinematic Arts Online section for current dates, cost, and equipment needs before committing.

USC Cinematic Arts Summer Program

The Summer Program runs as two separate six-week sessions, taught by leading industry professionals, on what the school describes as its state-of-the-art campus.

Subject areas listed

• Feature filmmaking
• Editing
• Animation
• Writing
• Computer graphics
• Interactive game design
• The business of the industry

What makes it distinctive

This is a campus-based, immersive format: you attend classes in person rather than working remotely. The breadth of topics means you can sample production, post-production, animation, games, and industry business within one program structure.

How to proceed

The program page links to "How to Apply." Use that entry point for eligibility, session dates, application materials, and any costs. The available page evidence does not state tuition, housing, or whether college credit is awarded, so confirm those details directly through the application page rather than assuming.

Choosing Between Them

Pick Online if you want a defined creative output and a completion certificate with age flexibility. Pick the Summer Program if you want in-person, multi-subject immersion on campus and can commit to a six-week session.

Practical Next Steps

1. Open the Cinematic Arts Online "More Information" link to confirm dates, cost, and what you need to produce your script or short film.
2. Open the Summer Program "How to Apply" link to check session dates, eligibility, and application requirements.
3. Compare total time commitment: Online centers on one project; Summer requires a six-week on-campus block (and possibly two).
4. If you are considering a degree later, note that the site also lists MFA and bachelor's paths (e.g., Expanded Animation Research + Practice, the Business of Cinematic Arts program with USC Marshall) — but those are separate from these two short-form options.

The main caution: the page evidence confirms what each program is and what it produces, but not price, credit status, or exact schedules. Treat those as open questions to resolve on the linked program pages before you apply.

The Expanded Animation Research + Practice (XA) program at USC is an MFA curriculum that approaches animation from an artist’s and director’s point of view. According to the program description on cinema.usc.edu, it is built to support experimentation, emphasize research within the field of animation, and encourage a diversity of ideas from a broad range of thought. Its stated goal is to inspire students beyond their current artistic boundaries.

The Three Pillars of the Curriculum

1. The Artist/Director Perspective

Rather than framing animation primarily as a technical craft, XA is described as centering the creative vision of the artist and director. This means coursework and projects are oriented around authorial intent—what you want to express and how you choose to express it—rather than around a fixed production pipeline.

2. Experimentation and Research

The program is explicitly “conceived to support and encourage experimentation” and to “emphasize research in the field of animation.” In practice, this suggests students should expect to test ideas, explore unfamiliar techniques, and treat animation as an area of inquiry—not just a set of tools to master.

3. Diversity of Ideas

XA is designed to “facilitate a diversity of ideas from a broad range of thought.” The curriculum draws on varied perspectives and approaches, with the aim of pushing students past the boundaries of their current artistic practice.

Who This Program Is For

Based on the program’s stated focus, XA is a fit for applicants who:

• Want to develop an individual creative voice as an animator or director, not only production skills.
• Are interested in animation as a research-driven and experimental medium.
• Want an MFA environment that rewards risk-taking and cross-disciplinary thinking.

Because the program is an MFA curriculum, it is aimed at graduate-level study. Prospective applicants should review the program’s own admissions page for current requirements and deadlines.

Where to Learn More

The School of Cinematic Arts site links to a dedicated XA website that includes student work, along with “More Information” and “How to Apply” pages for the program. These are the most reliable places to check curriculum details, application requirements, and examples of what students produce—since specific course listings and admissions criteria can change, confirm them directly on the official pages before applying.

The Business of Cinematic Arts Program is a four-year undergraduate offering jointly run by the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the USC Marshall School of Business. Students complete coursework in both schools and, upon successful completion of all program requirements, receive a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Cinematic Arts. It suits applicants who want a business degree grounded in film, television, games, and interactive media rather than a production-focused BFA or a standalone business degree.

Who runs it and what you earn

The program is listed on cinema.usc.edu as "The John H. Mitchell Business of Cinematic Arts Program." The site describes it as a unique opportunity for students to complete coursework in both the School of Cinematic Arts and the Marshall School of Business. The credential is a B.S. in Business Administration from Marshall, with the cinematic arts emphasis layered on top.

That structure matters for how you read the degree: the core is business administration, and the cinematic arts component is the specialization, not the reverse.

How the two-school structure works

Because the program spans two schools, your curriculum is split between Marshall's business requirements and cinematic arts coursework. The site does not publish a semester-by-semester course map, so the practical way to see the actual balance is to check the program's "How to Apply" and admissions pages for curriculum details and requirements.

A useful way to think about fit: if you want to produce, direct, write, or animate, the site's other divisions (Film & Television Production, Writing for Screen & Television, Animation + Digital Arts) are the direct paths. If you want to work on the business side — development, distribution, studio or streamer strategy, producing economics — this program is the one that pairs that interest with a Marshall business degree.

What else lives under Cinematic Arts, for comparison

The school's program list is broad, and comparing it side by side helps clarify what the Business of Cinematic Arts Program is and isn't:

Two distinctions are worth flagging. First, the Business of Cinematic Arts Program is an undergraduate degree, while Expanded Animation is an MFA track — they aren't alternatives at the same level. Second, Cinematic Arts Online and the Summer Program are short-form, non-degree options; they're a way to test interest in the field, not a substitute for the four-year business degree.

What the site does and doesn't tell you

The page evidence confirms the joint-school structure, the four-year length, and the exact degree name. It does not publish tuition, admission statistics, application deadlines, or a detailed curriculum. Those details should come from the program's own admissions pages and Marshall's undergraduate admissions information rather than from assumptions.

How to decide if it's for you

• Choose it if you want a business administration degree and intend to work in media, entertainment, or adjacent creative industries, and you're ready to meet requirements in two schools.
• Look elsewhere if your goal is hands-on craft training in production, writing, or animation — the school's division programs are built for that.
• Use Cinematic Arts Online or the Summer Program first if you're unsure about the field and want a lower-commitment way to find out before applying to a four-year program.

To move forward, start with the program's "How to Apply" link on cinema.usc.edu and confirm current requirements, deadlines, and curriculum directly with the School of Cinematic Arts and Marshall.

USC Cinematic Arts (cinema.usc.edu) is the website of the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, a media school whose programs span film, television, games, and interactive experiences. The site is built primarily for prospective students and anyone exploring formal education in media creation: it presents the school's degree programs, online and summer offerings, and application pathways. If you want to understand what the school teaches or how to apply to a specific program, the homepage and its program pages are the place to start.

What the school covers

The site describes the school as crossing "the spectrum of media creation from film and television to games and interactive experiences," with the stated aim of giving students the skills and vision to become creative leaders. That breadth is reflected in the program list rather than in a single unified curriculum.

Programs listed on the site

The homepage links to the following named programs and divisions:

The page presents these as links to further information; details such as deadlines, costs, and admission requirements sit on the individual program pages rather than in the homepage summary.

How to use the site

1. Start with the program list. Scan the names above and open the ones that match your interest—production, writing, animation, games, producing, business, or media studies.
2. Check the format that fits you. Cinematic Arts Online and the Summer Program are the non-degree or short-format options described on the homepage; the divisions and named programs are the degree-side offerings.
3. Follow the application link. The Summer Program and Expanded Animation Research + Practice entries each include a "How to Apply" link, which is where the actual requirements will be stated.
4. Verify before acting. Because the homepage only summarizes, confirm dates, eligibility, and any costs on the specific program page before planning around them.

Who the site is for

The homepage is oriented toward prospective students: people deciding whether to study film, television, games, or interactive media at USC, and people looking for a shorter entry point such as the online certificate or the summer sessions. It is a program-discovery and application-information site, not a portfolio of student work or a public resource library—those, where they exist, are linked out to separate program sites.