The Post-Production Certificate is designed for students who are pursuing careers in Post-Production. Established editors, sound designers, visual effects artists, and post-production executives will train students in industry standard practices, workflow, and software, equipping them with both creative and practical skills in editing image and sound, as well as introducing them to color correction and special effects. Upon completion, participants will be prepared to work as editors on independent films, as assistant editors for film and television, and in entry-level positions at post-production facilities.

Application & Candidacy Fee: $200*
Approximate Program Tuition: $6,705 (Students are responsible for their own software costs.)
Approximate Cost of Textbooks: $550
Additional Required Materials: Post-Production Certificate students must have access to a computer with editing software. Editing software and hardware is available at a discount for UCLA Extension students at the UCLA Store online or on the softwares’ websites. Students are responsible for their own computer and software costs. Here are the recommended specs for students in the Post-Production Certificate:

For Mac Users: MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac Studio models are recommended, ideally those that were purchased over the last 2-3 years. The Mac operating system should be Mac OS Catalina (10.15) or newer. Avoid MacBook Airs, Mac Minis and iPads/tablets because they lack the horsepower necessary for the required software.

For PC Users: A PC that is rated as a “gaming” machine is recommended. The Windows operating system should be Windows 10 or newer. Avoid Chromebooks and any other PC with a sub-$1k price point because they lack the specs necessary for running required software. Also, avoid “hybrid” machines.

Required Specs for both Macs & PCs: Your machine should have at least 16GB of RAM, an Intel of i7, i9 CPU or newer, at least 250GB internal hard drive space, and at least 2GB of VRAM for graphics, although more is preferable. 

Portable External Hard Drive: All students should have an external hard drive for storing media so that all media is on your drive and computer is reserved for running the software. A 4TB+ external hard drive is recommended. Ideally, it should utilize the fastest connection on your machine, typically Thunderbolt 3 / 4 for Macs and USC-C for Windows.

Duration: 3 Quarters (Full-Time pace) to 3 years
Unit Requirement: 36
Minimum GPA Requirement for Certificate Completion: 3.0

*This program is open admission. The Application & Candidacy fee establishes your candidacy in a certificate for a period of time covering normal progress toward completion and allows you access to a variety of program benefits.

Domestic and F-1 Visa students may begin the program in any quarter.

To apply for and establish your candidacy in the Post-Production Certificate, click here.

Course scheduling and fees subject to change without notice.

Please note that required courses will only count once toward the overall unit requirement for the certificate program.

Click on a selection from the right navigation menu for complete program requirements and quarter by quarter enrollment recommendations.

Program at a Glance

7 Foundation Courses (28 units)

Select 2 Electives (8 units)

Students must complete 2 electives (8 units) from courses numbered X 400-499 in Post-Production, Directing, Producing, Film Scoring, Music Supervision, and Cinematography. New electives are added regularly.

+ Should be completed within the first 2 quarters of study.

Chart Legend: I = In-Person | R = Remote | O = Online | H (I/R) = Hybrid (In-Person/Remote)