MFA Screenwriting
Start date
September 2026
Course length
2 years (full-time)
Program Overview
The MFA Screenwriting is an intensive program that concentrates on writing for the screen. Designed by professional writers, the curriculum includes practical instruction in the craft of storytelling for feature films, television, and new media formats.
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By the end of the program, students will generate a comprehensive portfolio of original work including two film scripts, a feature film adaptation, a short film, and an original TV pilot. In addition, students will complete a capstone thesis in the form of a feature-length screenplay.
In Association With
Learning Objectives
- Specialized knowledge of character development and inter-personal relationships within a story by strong utilization of core fundamentals of storytelling.
- Understanding of physical production to enhance storytelling.
- Proficient in story analysis and construction with emphasis on the hero's journey and 3-act structure.
- Awareness and application of current trends in the business of entertainment.
- Develop and refine one's creative storytelling and collaborative practices.
Assessment Methods
- 70% of courses will be in writing original material including screenplays, pilots, scenes, and pitches.
- 20% of coursework will be in production of original material
- 10% of coursework will be in film theory and film analysis
- Capstone thesis in feature length screenplay (90+ pages) to earn diploma
Admission Criteria
- Creative Video Submission (Required): Applicants must submit a filmed scene or short film with a maximum duration of three (3) minutes, demonstrating their creative and storytelling abilities.
- Creative Portfolio (Required): Applicants must submit a PDF portfolio showcasing previous creative work (e.g., scripts, storyboards, photography, visual art, or other relevant projects) to further demonstrate their artistic potential.
Admission requirements, program structures, and program-specific requirements are subject to review and may be updated or changed at any time without prior notice. Applicants are advised to visit the program page at the time of admission for the most current information.
What to Expect
- With creative confidence, you will build analytical skills in character development, world building, and dramatic storytelling by writing feature length screenplays and original pilots in small intensive classes.
- Feature writing skills (three-act structure, character development, scene work, world building)
- Television writing skills (half-hour vs hour-long structure, story engine, and series arc)
- Three act structure analysis and application.
- Creating authentic characters that speak to the human condition.
- Short Film Production (writing, producing, directing, editing)
- Study of film history and appreciation of the art form.
- Marketing of one's storytelling skills and promotion of portfolio.
Study Plan
| Course Name | Description | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Imagination and Technique | Students will explore a variety of problem-solving techniques to strengthen their creative work and apply these techniques to individual writing projects. | 4 |
| Story Development | Fundamentals course on the elements of scene writing, story structure, and character development. | 2 |
| World Cinema After 1945 | This course explores historical survey of film from a global perspective from 1945 until the present. | 2 |
| Visual Expression | Exploring the relationship between story structure and visual structure, discussion of aesthetics and technical controls, in-class examples and screenings, photographic assignments. | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 |
| Course Name | Description | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Feature Writing | This course includes an introductory workshop in which a feature length screenplay will be written using a specific methodology that focuses on a macro to micro approach to writing. | 4 |
| Writing the Television Pilot | Thorough this course, students learn how to examine and create the world, characters, and concept for an original hour-long dramatic series, including writing an outline for an original pilot episode. | 2 |
| Motion Picture Script Analysis | In this course, the student learn to critically analyze story structure from classic films to contemporary works. Identification of key story concepts and elements of three-act structure. | 2 |
| Filmmaking Workshop | In this course, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors and sound designers collaborate to produce, shoot, edit and deliver fictional, documentary or experimental projects. | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 |
Career Path After the Program
Career opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Screenwriter for Film, Television Writer, or Series Creator
- Showrunner, Story Editor, or Writers' Room Staff Writer
- Script Developer, Script Consultant, or Script Doctor
- Development Executive, Creative Executive, or Development Producer
- Content Writer for Streaming Platforms or Digital Series
- Documentary Writer, Adaptation Writer, or Dialogue Writer