The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) is the only university in the country where the study of theater, film, television and digital media is integrated within a single professional school.

Located in Los Angeles -- the entertainment capital of the world -- TFT draws on industry leaders for its faculty, advisors and mentors.

TFT's talented alumni have won Oscars, Emmys, Tonys and nearly every other meaningful artistic accolade in the performing and visual arts.

TFT's undergraduate theater and film/television programs are ranked first out of 500 programs nationally (Princeton Review/Gourman Report) and the graduate theater and graduate film/television programs are consistently among the top three nationally (US News and World Report).

These strong academic programs are enhanced by exceptional resources such as the UCLA Film and Television Archive -- the largest university-based film and television archive in the world -- and The Geffen Playhouse, one of Los Angeles' most prestigious performance venues.

TFT annually attracts the finest students from around the world, and the competition for admission is intense: in 2003, 3,688 applicants applied for 310 spaces. TFT's "average" student is extraordinary.

The quality of education at TFT is superb, with small classes and an intensely interactive relationship between instructors and students. (TFT has 140 nationally and internationally respected faculty members teaching a student body of just 410 undergraduates and 390 graduate students.)

What also distinguishes from other top-tier schools is an educational philosophy that encourages breaking all barriers and boundaries. TFT aims to...

Provide the highest standard of professional training that also encourages the independent spirit of innovation and creative risk-taking. The objective is not to train students to fit into pre-existing slots in the entertainment industry, but rather to become skilled, vital leaders and innovators in their respective fields.

Build and sustain top-tier programs in theater, film, television and digital media under a common institutional umbrella. This enables strengths that come from artistic convergence and the crossing of media boundaries. No other program nationally brings live performance and moving image media together in this way.

Combine the highest quality of education with the cultural mission of a state-supported institution. Students are selected based solely on their talent and intellect, not their financial means. Classes are taught by a faculty who share a strong commitment to diversity and social service.

Engage students in an ongoing dialogue with the past, present and future. The works of great artists of the past are accessible through the extraordinary collections of the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Students are kept current through master classes with leading professional actors, directors, writers and producers. And the future is illuminated through classes and labs that expand the boundaries of theatrical and moving image arts.

Attract a broad diversity of students and faculty who reflect the multi-cultural nature of American society. A commitment to cultural diversity is not a choice, but a necessity in a school teaching popular forms that pervade American society. In particular, due to the school's location in California, there is a clear mission in developing Latino theater, film and television.

Combine theory and practice. While students are directing, acting, writing, producing and designing, they are also learning history, criticism and theory in every program and every major, including the PhD. Students of criticism gain hands-on creative experience and media artists acquire fine-tuned critical awareness.

Build bridges between UCLA and the community. This objective is pursued in many ways: through the public programming of the Archive, the Geffen Playhouse, and the Theater Department; and through a wide range of community outreach initiatives, public service programs and copious interactions with the media industry and the creative community.