China Education Directory - Film and TV Photography and Production Degrees

China is a great place to study cinematography and it is big business with 2024 box office figures surging past 40 billion yuan by November. In Chinese the degree programme in Film and TV Photography and Production Degree is called 影视摄影与制作, and this major is an Arts degree. This page is written for budding cinematographers looking to learn their trade with a Chinese university by taking a degree in this course. It can also be used as a resource for universities in across the globe that are looking to set up exchange programs. Here you will find the lowdown on possible degree options in Film and TV photography and production, as well as a guide to which universities in China do this degree programme. We also give information such as which universities in China provide degrees in Film and TV production, course fees, and a guide on how to apply. A degree in this field from China will provide a theoretical guide to the production process, while teaching the skills to come up with original content using the latest film and photography technology and production processes. Graduates with a degree in Film and TV Photography and Production can work for radio or on TV documentaries, TV shows or, series. Those brave enough may decide to puruse a dream of making or working on your own blockbuster!

Some students choose a course in Film and TV Photography and Production because they have a desire to raise awareness of current affairs or issues. For example, a user on Twitter shared the following:
A big part of the reason why I applied for this major was because I wanted to "raise public awareness of the transgender community in the country by shooting transgender-related films."

The problem of the film's approval has made me give up this idea completely. If I were to go back to high school and choose again, I would probably choose psychiatry as my undergraduate major.

Chinese Universities that offer Film and TV Production Degrees in English

If you do not have at least a 4 in the HSK exam and you wanty to start a Film and TV photography and Production degree right away then it may be a good idea to look for a Chinese university that does this degree programme in English. Below we offer a range of suggestions where you can study film and TV production in English.

Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University

Xi'an Jiaotong University are the only university in China offering a programme in film production in full partnership with a foreign university. This means that if you get a degree from Xi'an Jiatong Liverpool University (XJTLU) your qualificatiion is endorsed by both a British and a Chinese university. Although this degree is taught entirely in English, graduates will come away with the knowledge and industry links that will enable them to ply their trade within the Chinese or UK movie industry. The filmmaking Bachelors degree at XJTLU is taught by a number of world class tutors many of whom have produced their own internationally celebrated documentaries, films or TV shows such as Dr G.D. Jayalakshmi.

The Filmmaking, Film and Television Production undergraduate degree at XJTLU focuses heavily on creating a voice for their students through the medium of film and documentary production. Students learn through doing and creativity and storytelling is encouraged at each stage. Students from the university won international recogntion in December 2024 at the Busan Interntional Arts Festival. Each graduate will also come away with a knowledge of and understanding in how to use the latest technology and coding at the cutting edge of filmmamking. Students from the university won international recogntion in December 2024 at the Busan Interntional Arts Festival.

Contact Details
Address:Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou. Jiangsu Province, P. R. China. 215123
Link to site Xi'an Jiaotong Academy of Film and Creative Technology
Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool Film and TV production email:international@xjtlu.edu.cn
Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool Film and TV production Phone mumber:+86 512 8816 1889

Beijing Film Academy

Beijing Film Academy is ranked as the best films school in China and has developed top movie producing talent with alumni including directors Zhang Yimou, and Zhao Wei and documentary makers incluiding Ai Weiwei. The International Film and Television Production degree at Beijing Film Academy is run by the departemnt of Cinematography and although the title of this degree is slightly different it provides all the basic learning as the other universities and is taught in English. Courses are in the areas of film production, including directing, cinematography, editing. After completing a 4 year program in International Film Production at Beijing Arts Academy students will be confident to work on their own projects in China or around the world.

Contact Details
Address:3rd floor, Building G, No. 4 Xitucheng Road, Haidian district, Beijing 100088
Link to site International Programme ar Beijing Arts Academy
Beijing Arts Academy International Programme email:internationalprogram@bfa.edu.cn
Nanjing University of the Arts International Office Phone mumber:+86-10-82283210

Communications University of China

The Communications University of China (CUC), 中国传媒大学 in Chinese, is a public university located in the Chaoyang District of Beijing. They offer a two year degree programme in Film and Televisions Photography and Production, starting in September 2025. CUC have links with a huge number of partnerships with universities across the globe with whome they offer exchange programs and study years. Universities in the UK with whom they have this link include: the Universities of Nottingham, Birmingham, Westminster, Southampton and Glasgow, as well as Goldsmith's University, MET Film School, and the University of Westminster.

A degree in Film and TV Photography and Production from the Communications University of China covers areas such as the fundamentals of film photography, lighting, film theory, sound creation, and film and short creation. Students who have finished a degree in Film and TV Photography and Production from CUC wil have all the skills to produce films for a variety of purposes.
Contact Details
Link to site Film and TV Photography Production at CUC
Email: xjysxyzhaosheng@162.com
Phone: +86 (0) 56779394

Chinese Universities that offer Film and TV Production Degrees taught in Chinese

If you have achived a HSK 5 or are working towards this qualification then you may feel confident enough to pursue a Chinese taught degree in Film and TV photography and Production> below we provide a guide to some Chinese universities that offer this option.

China Academy of Art

Please be aware that in order to study an undergraduate major in Film and Television Photography and Production at the China Academy of Art you will need to provide evident that you have a HSK5. Fees for each academic year are 52,000 Yuan and you will also need to factor in accomodation costs. The university is ranked 6th for film in all of China and is located in Zheziang province.
Contact Details
Link to site China Academy of Art
China Academy of Art international student contact email:caaic@163.com
China Academy of Art International Office Phone mumber:(+86) 0571-87164712

Nanjing University of the Arts

Another option for studying a Film and Television Photography and Production degree in China is Nanjing University of the Arts (NUA) 南京艺术学院. This University, also sometimes referred to as Nanjing Arts Institute, is an arts college in Nanjing, close to Yihe Road. In 2024 Nanjing University of the Arts was ranked 3rd in all of China as a degree provider in Film and Television Photography and Production. NUA's aim for this major is to provide students with the professional skills and creative abilities to make top-quality television, adverts or film. Their professional courses cover areas such as directing, screenwriting, lighting, editing and technology. All these areas of research and study are supported with first-class teaching facilities. Students also learn about photography. Nanjing University of the Arts also has a lot of links in the industry and there are plenty of opportunities for work experience and establishing connections in the filmmaking trade.

Contact Details
Address:School of Movie and Television, No 74 Beijing West Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, People's Repiblic of China
Link to site School of Movie & Television at Nanjing University of Arts
Nanjing University of the Arts School of Movie & Television email:rt@nju.edu.cn
Nanjing University of the Arts International Office Phone mumber:0086(0)25-83498189

Harbin Huade University

Harbin Huade University is 哈尔滨华德学院 in Chinese and is located in the Northeast of China in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. The Arts and Media Faculty at Harbin Huade offer a four year degree programme in Film and Television Photography and Production. The Filma and Television Photography and Production degree at Harbin Huade has modules on computer graphics, imaging technology, and new media technology. You can also learn about audio-visualo arts and audiovisual language. The first year of this course cover the history of film, and some artistic basics such as sketching, digital darkroom, and basic photography. In the second year students cover the basics of composition, colour and modelling. Third year students study composition, design of Film and TV Photography and Production will deep dive intolighting and film and camera techniques. By the fourth year students are ready to cover special effects, artistic photography, and editing. The film and Television Photography and Production major at China Huade University has 9 dedicated professional laboratories, each dedicated to an area of study. These include Lighting and photography, motion detection, character modelling, rendering, photography.

Contact Details
Address:International Exchange and Cooperation Centre. 4th Floor, 8th Teaching Building, Harbin Huade University
Link to site Film and TV Photography Production at Harbin Huade University
Harbin Huade University International Office email:hhdgdk@163.com
Harbin Huade University International Office Phone mumber:00860-451-88128888