In the heart of downtown Los Angeles

At ASU's California Center, creativity is front and center

Our locations in downtown Los Angeles, anchors of an emerging education district and contributing to downtown revitalization, are welcoming students from across California, the nation and the world to study film, fashion, journalism, business law and more.

The ASU California Center is nestled in the center of the fashion, entertainment, jewelry and financial districts, giving students unparalleled opportunities across the creative industries and all the resources of a public, internationally recognized research university.

Our degree and experiential programs in LA focus on all elements of the creative economy, from films and fashion, to entertainment business and law, to digital media and virtual reality. Our students are learning in the same place where they want to be working.

Two students standing on a balcony looking out at the city.

Two students sitting together in a workspace on campus.

Two students walking together around the city.

ASU is embedded in the world's creative capital

100% of LA faculty work in the industry
ASU faculty are embedded throughout the creative industries

More than 80% of US-made garments are manufactured within 2 miles of the ASU California Center

200,000+ local jobs are supported by the creative industries in Los Angeles

City as classroom, experts as professors

ASU students pursuing their studies in LA have the opportunity to work and learn in industry spaces, immersing themselves in the environment where they will launch their careers.

LA Center Studios

Just 10 minutes from the ASU California Center is LA Center Studios, where ASU film students work and learn on soundstages used across the industry to produce films, TV shows and commercials. Top Gun-Maverick, History of the World Part 2, Westworld, Mad Men and Iron Chef have all filmed at LA Center Studios - just doors down from ASU's space on the lot.

Fashion internships with leading LA designers and retailers

From national retailers to award-winning designers, fashion students in LA consistently land internships that turn into careers. Students have worked on clothing worn to the GRAMMYs, had trend-forecasting internships with retailers like Victoria's Secret, and worked in national merchandising roles.

Using immersive journalism throughout the city

After the LA County wildfires in 2025, Narrative and Emerging Media graduate students used AI-powered software to document the aftermath of the destruction to aid residents in insurance claims and provide public information. It's one way that students in LA use emerging technology to make a real difference in the Los Angeles community.

LA faculty excellence

Joanne Baker Waters
fashion, top fashion award winner

Cheryl Boone Isaacs
film, past president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Nonny de la Peña
narrative and emerging media, award-winning VR pioneer

Cristina Ibarra
film, MacArthur Fellow

Rachel Kane
journalism, award-winning PR leader

Peter Murrieta
film, multiple Emmy awards

Chelsea Reynolds
journalism, leading scholar in media culture and inclusion

Alex Rivera
film, MacArthur Fellow

Shaun Samson
fashion, Collection of the Year award winner

Dennita Sewell
fashion, former Phoenix Art Museum’s curator of fashion

Andres Torres
film, National Endowment for the Arts awardee

Meet our faculty

Hands-on learning in LA

Cronkite News LA

Cronkite News Los Angeles is a semester-long reporting experience in news or sports journalism in the nation’s second-largest media market.

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College of Law LA Externship Program

Second and third year law students gain legal experience in governmental offices or non-profit organizations in LA.

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LA Content Studio

Inside our LA studios, Cronkite students create content to cultivate their own media brands and help existing brands grow.

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Group of people in Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

LACMA-ASU Master's Fellowship in Art History

The ASU-LACMA Master’s Fellowship was founded in 2018 as a partnership between ASU and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

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Film Semester in LA

100% internship placement success rate for Semester in LA students in real-world, hands-on experiences.

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Invested in downtown LA

ASU is committed to LA and actively contributing to strengthen the economic vitality, community engagement and revitalization of downtown. We've invested more than $125 million in the development and operations of our ASU California Center in the past five years. We not only are home to students and learners, but we host over 20,000 visitors annually for community events, local and national organization meetings, and national symposiums and summits.

And our graduates stay and contribute to the creative industries in LA. In the last year, dozens of alumni have turned internships into careers, landing roles in national fashion retailers, productions companies and founding businesses.