Is Bucknell or Loyola Marymount better for studying film?

Loyola Marymount makes more sense for film. Its School of Film and Television is one of the university’s signature programs, it offers a full range of film-focused majors and production coursework, and its Los Angeles location puts students close to studios, sets, internships, and alumni working in the industry.

The biggest difference is the program itself. LMU has a dedicated film school with specialized training in areas like production, screenwriting, animation, recording arts, and media studies, so the curriculum is built for students who want serious preparation in film. Bucknell is a strong liberal arts university, but it does not have the same depth or national reputation in film training, and its offerings are much more limited by comparison.

Location matters a lot in this field, and LMU has a real advantage there. Being in Los Angeles means access to internships during the academic year, industry speakers, networking events, and part-time opportunities that are much harder to replicate from a rural campus in Pennsylvania. For film, proximity often shapes what you can work on while still in school, not just after graduation.

The peer environment is also different. At LMU, you would be surrounded by many students who are actively making films, collaborating across specialties, and aiming for careers in entertainment, which tends to create more student productions and industry-oriented energy. At Bucknell, you could still study visual storytelling and media, but it would be in a broader academic setting rather than a campus centered around film as a major professional path.