certificate

Film Scoring

Learn the craft and business of creating original music for film, tv and more through hands-on practice.

This program is perfect for...

  • Professionals pursuing a career in film scoring
  • Musicians making the transition into film composition
  • Composers seeking to expand their film scoring skills
  • Individuals who are passionate about film scores

What you can learn.

  • Score cues for film, television and video games
  • Learn how to use MIDI, professional musicians and other tools to maximize a project's budget
  • Study business principles relating to film music
  • Practice essential creative and technical skills for film scoring

Enroll in one of the top film scoring programs in the world.

individual wearing headphones using an electronic piano

The UCLA Extension Film Scoring Certificate program gives students the knowledge and skills needed to score cues for films, television shows and video games.

Learn the essential creative, business, and technical skills necessary for a successful film scoring career. Instruction emphasizes maximizing project budgets by composing music both electronically using MIDI and utilizing professional union musicians. By program end, participants will have composed and produced pieces suitable for their professional reels.

Duration: 1 year (Full-Time pace) to 3 years
Format: In-Person
Unit Requirement: 48
GPA Requirement: minimum 3.0 for certificate completion

This certificate is approved for international students to study full time in the U.S. on an F-1 visa.

International students must meet English language proficiency requirements for admission into the program.

While most certificate programs begin each quarter, some have limited intakes for students studying on F-1 visa. Find this program on the Browse Certificate Programs page to confirm entry quarters before applying.

Learn more:

Expect more from your education.

Learn from Industry Leaders

Accomplished music recording engineer with more than 20 years of experience.

Damon Tedesco

UCLAxFilmFest 2025 is Open for Submissions

Showcase your work for a chance to win at our prestigious annual film festival. 

Deadline: November 17, 2024

Submit Your Film

I had a very clear idea of my goals when applying to the Film Scoring program at UCLA Extension, and I was able to get 100% of what I wanted and much more from the wonderful course offerings and knowledgeable instructors. Learning from leading Hollywood composers was the perfect preparation for jumpstarting my career.

Ashwin “Aks” Subramanian
Film Scoring Certificate Student and 2020 Jerry Goldsmith/BMI Film Scoring Scholarship award winner

Courses

Click below to view the required and elective courses, if applicable, for this program.

Harmony Requirement
Select 1 harmony course (4 units) from the list below. 
MUSC X 403.52
Typically Offered: Fall
MUSC X 403.53
Typically Offered: Summer
MUSC X 403.51
Typically Offered: Fall
Software Requirement

Select 1 software course (4 units) from the list below. Students must be proficient in a digital audio workstation (DAW). If you are already proficient in a DAW such as Logic, Pro Tools, Digital Performer or Cubase, you may petition to waive this course requirement by emailing entertainmentstudies@uclaextension.edu.

MUSC X 480
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
MUSC X 479.12
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Practical Requirement
Select 1 practical course (4 units) from the list below to be completed in the 3rd or 4th quarter of study.
MUSC X 483.12
Typically Offered: Summer
MUSC X 498.3
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Required Courses
MUSC X 483.43
Typically Offered: Fall
MUSC X 449.91
Typically Offered: Winter
MUSC X 449.41
Typically Offered: Winter
MUSC X 483.3
Typically Offered: Spring
MUSC X 483.1
Typically Offered: Spring
MUSC X 448.171
Typically Offered: Summer
MUSC X 498
Typically Offered: Summer
Elective Courses
Complete 1 elective (4 units) from courses numbered X 400-499 in Music. Below is a list of suggested electives.
Suggested Electives
MUSC X 478.52
Typically Offered: Winter
MUSC X 484.931
Typically Offered: Summer
MUSC X 485
Typically Offered: Fall
MUSC X 482.8
Typically Offered: Spring
MUSC X 499
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Entry Quarter

  • Domestic students may begin the program in any quarter, though it should be noted that Instrumentation and Introduction to Orchestration is only available in the fall quarter, and it is recommended in your first two quarters.
  • International students (F-1 student visa) may begin the program in fall quarter only. Plan your studies.

Prerequisites

Students who wish to take courses in the Film Scoring certificate program should have a basic musical background and should possess the following skills before beginning any coursework:

  • Ability to read music: musical staff and clefs; notes in both treble and bass clef; notes on the piano keyboard; accidentals; rhythmic values (i.e. whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, dotted values, etc.); and simple and compound meters.
  • Music theory fundamentals: major scales; all forms of minor scales (i.e. natural, harmonic, melodic); major and minor key signatures; the circle of fifths; intervals and interval inversions; interval qualities (i.e. perfect, major, minor, diminished, augmented); chord qualities and inversion symbols; triads (major, minor, diminished, augmented); and seventh chords (i.e. dominant sevenths, half diminished, full diminished, etc.).

 

Film Scoring students must have access to a sequencing workstation in which audio can be recorded and synched to video (a sequencing workstation is software that combines audio and MIDI recording, editing, and a variety of other tools for working with music and sound on a computer).

Computer hardware and software is available at a discount for UCLA Extension certificate students at the UCLA Store. Speak to a program representative for more information.

Estimated Cost Breakdown

All courses in this program are paid for individually, unless otherwise noted. An application form is required to establish candidacy in this program. From the 'Apply Now' button, complete the online application and pay the application fee if applicable.

Application & Candidacy Fee

200.00

Estimated Program Tuition

14556.00

Estimated program textbook/materials

550.00

*The Application & Candidacy Fee establishes your candidacy in the program for a period of time covering normal progress toward completion and may allow you to access a variety of program benefits.

**Federal Financial Aid Gainful Employment Disclosures

The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges and universities to disclose certain information for any financial aid eligible program that, “prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation”. This information includes program costs; occupations that the program prepares students to enter; occupational profiles; on time completion rate; and for the most recent award year: the number of students who have completed the program, the number of students who complete the program within the estimated duration, the job placement rate, and the median Title IV and private loan debt incurred by those who complete the program. For gainful employment information for this program, visit our Financial Aid page.

An internship in the music industry can provide you with practical experience in a variety of job functions. Certificate students must complete a minimum of 12 units of program curriculum (3 courses) before completing the application for approval to enroll in an internship.

Learn More

Strings section of an orchestra

BMI /Jerry Goldsmith Film Scoring Scholarship

Named in honor of the late Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning film and television composer Jerry Goldsmith, the BMI/Jerry Goldsmith Film Scoring Scholarship is awarded annually to partially underwrite study in the UCLA Extension Film Scoring program.

Learn More

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