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Studies & Degrees in Motion Pictures

Motion pictures is the name that many universities in the United States give to their filmmaking degrees. The subject covers the whole route from an idea to a finished film: writing, directing, producing, camera work, sound and editing. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), students on film or cinema studies programmes learn about film history, editing, screenwriting, cinematography and the filmmaking process.

Most programmes let students specialise. The Motion Pictures degree at the University of Miami has six tracks: Production, Screenwriting, Business, TV Writing, Critical Studies and General. The School of Motion Pictures & Television at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco organises its teaching around the roles of director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor and production designer. Animation and visual effects are a neighbouring field, and some film degrees include them: the Miami curriculum, for example, has an advanced workshop in motion graphics, compositing and animation.

Qualifications and levels

The names of the qualifications change from country to country.

  • Bachelor's degrees in the United States. Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Motion Pictures, which the university describes as a degree in film production with training in film and video production. The University of Miami awards a Bachelor of Science in Communication (B.S.C.) in Motion Pictures, available as a major or a minor.
  • Master's degrees. The usual postgraduate format is the Master of Fine Arts (MFA). On the Miami MFA in Motion Pictures, students specialise in production, screenwriting or producing. The Academy of Art University lists AA, AAS, BFA and certificate options at undergraduate level and MA and MFA degrees at graduate level, and also teaches the curriculum online.
  • University degrees in Spain. A Spanish bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits and an official master's degree has 60, 90 or 120. In the European system, 60 ECTS credits are the equivalent of a full year of study.
  • Vocational training in Spain. The image and sound family of vocational training (FP) includes the higher-level qualification Técnico Superior en Realización de Proyectos Audiovisuales y Espectáculos, a 2,000-hour course. The same family has higher-level courses in audiovisual production, in lighting and image capture, in sound, and in 3D animation, games and interactive environments.

Design schools also teach the subject. IED Madrid, the Madrid school of the Istituto Europeo di Design, lists film, video and sound design among its study areas, and offers courses at several levels, from its own diplomas to master's programmes. Because one school can offer qualifications of different kinds, it is worth asking each school what recognition a particular course has.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 6 active schools that teach motion pictures: 5 in the United States and 1 in Spain. The schools in the United States are Wright State University, the University of Miami, Florida State University, the Academy of Art University and Bellevue College, and teaching there is in English. The school in Spain is IED Madrid; applicants should ask in which language each course is taught.

The schools differ in what they put first. Some are film departments inside a large university, where film sits next to theatre, communication or journalism. Others are art and design schools where film is one of many creative disciplines. It helps to compare the equipment and studios students can use and how many films a student makes before graduating. Miami, for example, has a film studio, foley rooms and editing suites, and screens student work at an annual festival. The Academy of Art University has eight soundstages that students may use outside class.

Careers

Graduates work as directors, producers, screenwriters, camera operators, editors and production designers, in film, television, advertising and online video. The BLS says that producers and directors typically need a bachelor's degree and several years of experience on set, and that in film or television they may begin as assistants.

The BLS figures describe the United States only. Producers and directors held about 181,000 jobs there in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,100 openings a year. Film and video editors held about 39,400 jobs and camera operators about 32,600; their combined employment is projected to grow 3 percent, with about 5,600 openings a year. Special effects artists and animators held about 51,900 jobs, and their employment is projected to show little or no change. Self-employment is common: 20% of producers and directors and 35% of film and video editors worked for themselves.

Frequently asked questions

What do you study in a motion pictures degree?

Film history, screenwriting, cinematography, editing and the filmmaking process, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most programmes add a specialisation such as production, screenwriting or the business of film.

How long does it take to study film?

It depends on the level. A Spanish bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits, which is four years at 60 credits a year, and the Spanish higher vocational course in audiovisual project direction has 2,000 hours.

Do you need a degree to work in film?

The BLS states that producers, directors, film and video editors and camera operators typically need a bachelor's degree. Experience on set also counts, and many people start as assistants.

What are the job prospects in film?

In the United States, the BLS projects 4 percent growth for producers and directors and 3 percent for film and video editors and camera operators from 2025 to 2035. Many people in these occupations are self-employed.