The USC School of Cinematic Arts Office of Industry Relations offers the John H. Mitchell Graduate Certificate in the Business of Entertainment. Created for aspiring entertainment entrepreneurs, creative executives, and producers, the certificate allows students to gain specialized knowledge in marketing, finance, representation, and the business interests of agents and managers.
For creatives, the program offers unique insight into how the industry works. Real-world connections abound, from guest lecturers and agents who've graced the halls of CAA, UTA, Universal and Sony. For the business-minded, classes weave the professional with the personal, introducing new concepts such as evaluating screenplays, honing the pitch, and learning the ingredients of great storytelling.
Each semester the school offers courses in specialized topics such as entertainment marketing, creative project development, digital enterprises, entertainment finance, representation, and the business interests of agents and managers.
If you would like to apply to this program, please complete the application below and submit to bset@cinema.usc.edu.
BSET Graduate Certificate Application PDF
Business of Entertainment Graduate Certificate
Open to all graduate majors. Students MUST be enrolled in a graduate degree program at USC prior to applying for the certificate. MBA students: You must apply for admission and be admitted to this program in order to earn the certificate and have all 16 units applied to your MBA.
Potential Career Paths:
Entertainment Finance
Creative Executive
Producer
Entertainment Entrepreneur
Promotion & Strategic Planning
Digital Entertainment & Marketing
Academic Requirements:
The Graduate Certificate in the Business of Entertainment program provides graduate-level education in various aspects of the business of film, television, and new media.
This certificate is open to ALL graduate students enrolled at USC. Undergraduate students may petition to enroll in these courses. Contact your academic advisor for more information.
Most classes are taught by entertainment professionals (i.e. Executives, agents, and managers) who work in the evenings. Some classes meet off campus at agencies or studios.
Certificate Requirements:
Completion of the certificate program requires 16 units of graduate-level coursework selected from the following list of courses offered by the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Each course is 4 units.
- CNTV 521 The World of the Producer
- CNTV 522 The Television Industry: Networks, Cable and the Internet
- CNTV 523 Feature Film Financing and the Studio System/li>
- CNTV 524 Digital Technologies and the Entertainment Industry
- CNTV 525 Entertainment Marketing in Today's Environment
- CNTV 562 Seminar in Motion Picture Business
- CNTV 563 The Business of Representation
Successful completion of the program is documented on the student's university transcript and acknowledged by a certificate (diploma) awarded by USC.
Marshall M.B.A. Policy
All sixteen units required for the Graduate Certificate in the Business of Entertainment may be applied to the M.B.A. degree. M.B.A. students who do not complete all 16 units are subject to the Nine-Unit Limit policy:
Students earning a Marshall M.B.A. degree are expected to complete their graduate electives within the Marshall School of Business by taking courses that begin with prefixes ACCT, BAEP, BUCO, DSO, FBE, GSBA, MKT, and MOR. M.B.A. students may complete up to nine units of graduate-level course work outside the Marshall School of Business for elective credit. An exception is made for students enrolled in Business of Entertainment Certificate.
Additional Marshall Academic Requirements
- For MBA students who will participate in Marshall's International Exchange Program (IEP), be aware that a maximum of 15.0 units of USC-500O may be applied to the MBA degree. Contact your advisor if you are also participating in the Business of Entertainment graduate certificate.
- For MBA students who are admitted to dual degree programs, be aware that only courses beginning with the Marshall prefixes may be applied to the Marshall portion of a dual degree program.
- For MS, MMS, and students enrolled in Marshall graduate certificate programs, be aware that you may not apply to non-Marshall courses to your degree unless (a) the courses are included in the published curriculum of the program or (b) permission is granted by the Academic Director of the program prior to taking the course. Contact your advisor with questions.
To get started, please complete the application listed above and send to bset@cinema.usc.edu in order to apply.