Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television

Overview

A film and television school on a hilltop campus in the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles, minutes from the studios and production companies of the LA entertainment industry. Loyola Marymount University's School of Film and Television (SFTV) enrolls approximately 80 MFA students per cohort (50 in Film and Television Production, 30 combined in the two writing programs) and offers five undergraduate BA programs. Undergraduate tuition for 2025-26 is $64,470 per year. Graduate tuition for 2026-27 is $1,814 per unit, with MFA programs requiring 51 to 60 units total.

SFTV's Jesuit institutional background informs an emphasis on ethical storytelling and social justice, but the curriculum is fundamentally a professional training program. The school's location in Los Angeles gives students direct access to internships at studios, networks, and production companies. Over 400 employers have hired SFTV alumni, ranging from Disney/ABC and Warner Bros. to Netflix, Amazon Studios, and Creative Artists Agency.

Applications for MFA programs are accepted for Fall semester only, with a November 15 deadline. Undergraduate applications are due the last day of February for Fall admission and the last day of September for Spring admission. See the SFTV admissions page for details.

Programs Offered

Undergraduate (BA)

• Film and Television Production - 62-63 semester hours, covering directing, cinematography, editing, sound, and producing
• Screenwriting - narrative and television writing with a focus on character-driven storytelling
• Film, Television, and Media Studies - critical studies track combining theory, history, and analysis
• Animation - 2D and 3D animation with ties to LA studios
• Recording Arts - audio production and post-production

Graduate (MFA)

• Film and Television Production - 3-year program, 60 units total (24 units year 1, 18 units year 2, 18 units year 3). Students take common-core courses for the first three semesters, then declare one of five specializations: Creative Producing, Directing Fiction, Directing Non-Fiction, Cinematography, or Editing.
• Writing and Producing for Television - 3-year program, 51 units total (18+18+15). Designed to train showrunners and writer-producers.
• Writing for the Screen - 3-year program, 51 units total (18+18+15). Focus on feature film and documentary writing.

Tuition and Fees

Undergraduate (2025-26)

See the LMU undergraduate tuition page for the full breakdown.

Graduate (2026-27)

SFTV graduate tuition is $1,814 per unit.

The estimated total cost of attendance for MFA Film and Television Production in 2026-27 (based on 24 units in year 1) is $82,321 for on-campus students and $81,943 for off-campus students, including housing, food, books, transportation, and personal expenses. See the LMU graduate cost of attendance page for details.

Equipment and Facilities

Tuition includes access to:

• Cameras, lighting, and grip equipment for student productions
• Post-production suites with editing bays, color-correction stations, and sound mixing facilities
• ADR and Foley studios
• Use of LMU's Westchester and Playa Vista campuses as filming locations

Students pay out-of-pocket for: meals for cast and crew during shoot days, permit fees, transportation rentals, special props or costumes, and any equipment outside LMU's existing inventory.

Admissions

MFA programs admit for Fall semester only. Applicants can apply to only one MFA program per year. The application requires a $50 fee, personal statement, transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and program-specific creative samples. GRE scores are required only if undergraduate GPA is below 3.0. A non-refundable $500 deposit secures enrollment, applied toward tuition.

The school aims for a diverse cohort of roughly 80 MFA students each year. Acceptances and waitlist offers are finalized by early April.

What Students Should Know

SFTV is smaller than USC or UCLA, which translates to smaller class sizes and better equipment access per student. Faculty are working industry professionals, and the MFA in Writing and Producing for Television has a particularly strong placement record, with graduates moving directly into writers' rooms and production offices.

The Westchester campus location offers lower housing costs than central LA neighborhoods near USC or the Westside. The estimated housing and food cost for graduate students living off-campus is $29,229 per year (2026-27 figure). Students living with parents or relatives can reduce this to $17,416 per year.

The alumni network is concentrated in Los Angeles and active in supporting new graduates. Key employers of SFTV alumni include 21st Century Fox, Amazon Studios, Disney/ABC, HBO, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., and Creative Artists Agency, among over 400 companies.

Standout Faculty

SFTV's faculty are working industry professionals based in Los Angeles, with the MFA in Writing and Producing for Television drawing showrunners and writer-producers directly from active writers' rooms.

• Amy Vincent, ASC - Distinguished Artist in Residence, Cinematography. Cinematographer on Hustle & Flow (Sundance Cinematography Award), Eve's Bayou, Black Snake Moan, Footloose, and episodes of True Blood and Eastbound & Down. Teaches cinematography.
• Michael Kang - Visiting Assistant Professor, Film and Television Production. Director of The Motel (Sundance premiere, Humanitas Prize), West 32nd, and 4 Wedding Planners. Graduate Director for Film and Television Production. Teaches film and television production.
• Mike F.X. Daley - Associate Clinical Professor of Screenwriting. Television credits include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Reaper, Maniac, The Leftovers, Big Love, Secrets & Lies, and The X-Files. Graduate Director for Writing and Producing for Television. Teaches TV writing.
• Weiko Lin - Associate Professor of Screenwriting. Writer of 100 Days (Chinese romance film), developed a Disney+ Asia Pacific series, and adapted River Town for Fugitive Films. Graduate Director for Writing for the Screen. Teaches screenwriting.
• Charles Swanson - Professor and Chair of the Production Department. Cinematographer on All the Best: Billy Sears, From Barbados With Love, Girl's Best Friend, and Contradictions of the Heart. Teaches cinematography.
• Glenn Gebhard - Professor and Chair of Film and Television Production. Documentary credits include the Cuba at a Crossroads series and Crossing Borders/A Cuban Returns (PBS). Teaches film production and documentary.
• Leena Pendharkar - Associate Professor. Writer-director of 20 Weeks (Hulu) and A Date with Deception (Lifetime), and writer on Hello Jack! (Apple TV+). Emmy-nominated. Teaches directing and screenwriting.

Notable Alumni

• Brian Helgeland - Writer, L.A. Confidential (1997), Mystic River (2003), 42 (2013)

• Francis Lawrence - Director, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), I Am Legend (2007)

• Gloria Calderon Kellett - Writer-Producer, One Day at a Time, How I Met Your Mother
• Shay Hatten - Writer, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
• James Wong - Writer-Producer, The X-Files, American Horror Story, Final Destination (2000)
• Emily Spivey - Writer-Producer, Saturday Night Live, Modern Family
• David Mirkin - Producer-Writer-Director, The Simpsons
• Glen Morgan - Writer-Producer, The X-Files, Final Destination (2000)
• Patricia Whitcher - Producer, Captain Marvel (2019), Thor (2011), Godzilla (2014)
• Effie Brown - Producer, Dear White People, Real Women Have Curves
• Melissa Blake - Writer-Producer, Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds, Heroes
• Jack Orman - Writer-Producer, ER, JAG
• Dave Meyers - Director, VMA-winning music video director

Student Film Examples

LMU SFTV student films screen at the school's annual First Frame and Film Outside the Frame festivals. Notable student films include Yamashita (Student Academy Award winner by Hayley Foster) and Incognito (Student Academy Award finalist by Jacky Song), though these are typically hosted on Vimeo during their festival run rather than YouTube. The MFA in Writing and Producing for Television has a particularly strong placement record, with graduates moving directly into writers' rooms and production offices.

See Also

For understanding how television writing programs connect to the industry, see Television Writing Careers. To plan your thesis film budget, use the Production Budget Calculator. For estimating crew size on a student production, use the Crew Size Estimator.