Colleges like USC for Film Scoring, Music Composition, and Filmmaking?

My top college pick is USC for a film composition major. I love the strong film and music world of the school and the proximity to Hollywood is wonderful.

My second choice is Berklee College of Music for Film Scoring.

Apart from that, I can’t seem to find any schools with an ideal blend of the film and music technology worlds. Any school suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Most important:

  • Strong film & music majors
  • Would like something in California / LA / Close to Hollywood

Other desires:

  • Suburban location
  • Not too big of a size

What does Chapman and LMU have?

USC only offers film scoring as a graduate certificate program. The undergrad composition program is a traditional composition program. There are very few schools which offer a degree in film scoring to undergrads - for a reason. You need to learn the fundamentals of composing first - but the suggestion of schools with strong film departments like Chapman and LMU where you could make friends and work on student projects is a sound one. Also look at CSU Long Beach and CSU Northridge. Perhaps some of the other CSU’s in the LA vicinity, as well.