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The 10 Best Screenwriting Schools in the US

The country’s best screenwriting schools are as diverse as the stories their students tell.

Screenwriters are the creative men and women who craft the stories that get turned into TV series, movies, and digital media. 

While some colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degrees in screenwriting, the nation’s current top screenwriting programs all offer a Master of Fine Arts in the field. 

Students don’t have to study in entertainment hubs like New York or Los Angeles, either. Many of the best screenwriting programs are spread throughout the U.S., but no matter where they go, students often have opportunities to spend time in major industry areas to network and/or intern at some point in their studies. 

As the world shifts to more remote learning opportunities in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, some schools also offer low-residency programs in which most of the program takes place online.

Both undergraduate and graduate students complete a wide range of scripts and other portfolio pieces, allowing them to enter the competitive entertainment industry with loads of experience and writing samples to help them land work.

Here are 10 of the best screenwriting schools in the US.

Stephens College (Columbia, MO)

Stephens College

Stephens College students spend part of the studies where the magic happens: Hollywood.

The college offers a Master’s of Fine Arts in TV & Screenwriting , a two-year program that mixes online courses with four 10-day workshops at the Jim Henson Studios in Hollywood. 

Stephens also is making a concerted effort to give female writers more opportunities to work in mainstream Hollywood, and its students hone their crafts under the guidance of “some of the best working writers in the industry.” Faculty and mentors include successful entertainment professionals who have earned Oscars, Emmys, and other awards.

Additionally, Stephens connects its students to showrunners, agents, and other executives to help them understand the process of selling their writing. Alumni have gone on to work for such shows as “13 Reasons Why” and “Seal Team.”

Prospective students must include a writing sample with their application. This can be for a screenplay, television pilot, web series, or stage play.

Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA)

Pepperdine University

Located in the heart of Southern California, Pepperdine is able to bring in Hollywood professionals to teach and nurture its screenwriting students.

Pepperdine’s Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Screen and Television is a two-year program that includes courses looking at film history and storytelling, which teach students how to write for sitcoms, dramas, documentaries, and more. Students have the chance to participate in writing workshops with Hollywood professionals to help them further develop their skills.

MFA candidates must complete an industry internship as well as a thesis, which can be screenplays, television pilots, teleplays, or a combination of works.

To apply, students must include three essays as well as a sample of a television script or feature screenplay that is at least 25 pages. Nonfiction and pieces of journalism will not be accepted.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts (Winston-Salem, NC)

UNCSA

The University of North Carolina has both undergraduate and graduate screenwriting programs.

In the bachelor’s program , students spend two years learning fundamentals of the entertainment industry, such as screenwriting and directing, and gain hands-on experience in workshops. If faculty members approve their portfolio, the students officially enter the screenwriting program in their junior year. The final two years of study involve honing more specific screenwriting skills, developing career strategies, and drafting scripts and screenplays for potential real-world production.

UNC’s Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting program lasts two years and has class schedules geared to accommodate working professionals. Students meet weekly with their mentor to develop a professional writing portfolio and are encouraged to collaborate with other campus programs on projects.

Students can hear from guest artists through special programs like workshops and screenings, but they also can participate in a university trip to Los Angeles, where they will go behind-the-scenes and meet with people working in the entertainment business.

Boston University (Boston, MA)

Boston University

Graduates of Boston University’s Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting program come away with at least seven professional writing projects that help them show their range.

At the end of the two-year program, students’ portfolios must include at least two feature-length screenplays, two short scripts, a spec of an existing sitcom, a spec of an existing hour-long television show, and a pilot of an original television series.

The program also immerses students in the center of the entertainment industry during their fourth and final semester. After spending the earlier part of the program in Boston, students head to Los Angeles, where they intern in the industry, network with fellow BU alumni, and polish a script they started earlier in their studies. 

All the while, students learn from industry veterans and can even gain some teaching experience themselves through graduate assistantships.

Emerson College (Boston, MA)

Emerson College

Students pursuing the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Film and Television at Emerson take 100% of their classes online.

The university only requires the students to visit campus for a six-day residency at the start of each semester. Students alternate between Emerson’s Boston and Los Angeles campuses for the residencies, where they can attend screenings, seminars, pitch sessions, and more to give them a feel for the entertainment industry.

The two online classes students take per semester are asynchronous, although there will be occasional synchronous workshops, and they focus on subjects such as film and television genres and television series writing. Students graduate with a portfolio that includes a wide array of writing samples, including screenplays and television scripts.

Emerson does not require applicants to submit GRE scores, but they do need to submit a sample of either screenwriting, dramatic writing, or a combination of those.

Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts (Orange, CA)

Chapman University

Writers can pursue their passion through two undergraduate programs and two master’s programs at Chapman University.

The Southern California university has bachelor’s degrees in screenwriting as well as television writing and production . Students in the screenwriting program come away with at least two feature-length scripts and have opportunities to work with other film majors and meet with experienced entertainment industry professionals.

Meanwhile, in the television writing and production program, students learn how to tell engaging stories for television and then how to work in the television studio, how they operate, and their history.

At the graduate level, students can pursue Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting or television writing and production , both of which take two years to complete. Students build portfolios while learning more advanced concepts, like about the business side of the industry or how to develop a TV series.

New York Film Academy (New York, NY)

The New York Film Academy has screenwriting programs for practically every level of study, putting students of all kinds to work in one of the entertainment industry’s capital cities.

The academy offers online screenwriting courses (a 15-week class, a four-week class for beginners focusing on television pilots, and a four-week class concentrating on story and structure). There also is a Final Draft Certificate Program for script coordinators held on weekends.

Moving up from there, students can get a more in-depth experience through one-, eight-, and 12-week screenwriting workshops. The academy designed these intensive and fast-paced programs for people with little or no screenwriting experience. 

In the one-year, hands-on Conservatory Screenwriting Program, meanwhile, students complete two feature-length screenplays, a television “spec” script, and several treatments. 

Then come the degree programs, with associate, bachelor, and master degrees in fine arts that focus on screenwriting available at the academy’s Los Angeles campus. 

Columbia University (New York, NY)

Columbia University

This Ivy League university combines its screenwriting program with directing, positioning its students for a variety of careers after their graduation.

Columbia’s Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting/directing gives students a well-rounded look at the entertainment industry, from courses in the history and practice of filmmaking to lessons about the technical aspects of writing and directing careers. 

The university aims to prepare its MFA students for careers in television, film, and digital media through two years of classes and hands-on work that often ends up winning students awards. Students complete a variety of script and film projects before finishing their studies with a thesis and research.

UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television (Los Angeles, CA)

UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television

UCLA’s esteemed school gives graduate students a chance to focus on and refine their screenwriting skills through its Master of Fine Arts .

The screenwriting program has produced a bevy of illustrious, successful alumni, including Francis Ford Coppola and Alexander Payne. Its faculty also have years of experience in the entertainment industry and are able to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.

Students focus their studies on a feature film or television writing (although they can take workshops in both fields) and complete the program in two years with a thesis portfolio.

Prospective students will, however, need to show UCLA they have what it takes to get into the program first. Their application must include a creative portfolio that includes either all or part of a feature-length screenplay, a drama series pilot, or two comedy/dramedy scripts. 

University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts (Los Angeles, CA)

University of Southern California

USC’s cinema program has produced numerous industry leaders through the years, and aspiring writers can find a home in its John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television.

The division offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts that focus on screenwriting as well as a screenwriting minor for undergraduates.

The bachelor’s program is highly selective, however, admitting just 30 students each fall. Those who make it in enjoy small class sizes and workshop-style courses. Students also hear from guest speakers and can get hands-on industry experience with high-level internships.

USC students who want to understand the basics of screenwriting and produce some scripts themselves can take the minor in screenwriting . They must complete 16 units (aka credits) to earn the minor.

At the graduate level , students also engage in internships and mentorships available thanks to USC’s “close links to the Los Angeles film industry’s top screenwriters, directors, production companies and studios,” according to the university. The two-year program admits just 32 students each fall.

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11 Best Schools for Screenwriting in America [For 2023]

Best Screenwriting Schools in America

Congratulations, you have decided to pursue a career in screenwriting! But like many industries, screenwriting is a competitive one. It can be beneficial to have a formal education in the craft to stand out from the crowd.

So, we have collated the top eleven best schools for screenwriting in America to help you separate the wealth of programs and opportunities available to you. You do not necessarily need to be located in Los Angeles anymore to secure a great screenwriting degree and experience. In fact, you may be able to stay right where you are and study from the comfort of your own home!

Most of the colleges that made this list offer Master of Fine Arts degrees, so you may need to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts first in a relevant subject such as Creative Writing or Film before making the leap. However, do keep an eye on our list; as you will see, more programs are appearing for undergraduates.

If you are still weighing up whether a film degree is right for you, check out our previous post: Is a Film Degree Really Worth It? (For Working in Film)

If you’re an aspiring screenwriter looking to take your craft to the next level, you need the right tools and resources to succeed. Look no further than Celtx, the ultimate screenwriting tool for bringing your creative vision to life.

best university for script writing

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Okay, now It is time to spotlight some of the best screenwriting degree programs out there:

1. University of Southern California

Based in LA, the University of Southern California is a popular choice amongst aspiring screenwriters, its screenwriting program is one of the most renowned in the world.

best university for script writing

Programs Offered

USC offers students both a Bachelors’s and Masters’s degree, both named Writing for Screen and Television. The BFA is a total study time of four years whilst the MFA is two years.

Both programs are extremely competitive with only around 3% of applications being successful.

Some big names in the screenwriting world have graced the halls of USC, including Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice), Chris Terrio (Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, Justice League, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice), David Goyer (The Dark Knight, Terminator: Dark Fate, The Sandman) and Bryan Fuller (Star Trek: Discovery, Heroes, American Gods).

Modules Offered

Included but not limited to:

  • Cinematic Communication
  • Story: Character, Conflict and Catharsis
  • Writing the Screenplay
  • Advanced Screenwriting: The Relationship Screenplay
  • Senior Thesis
  • Foundations of Comedy
  • Writing the Original Dramatic Series Pilot

Check out their site here .

2. University of California, LA

Another Los Angeles-based university; UCLA is again a common choice for budding screenwriters. With this popularity comes a low acceptance rate of 4% for their MFA in Screenwriting.

best university for script writing

Some recognizable names include David Koepp (The Mummy, Angels & Demons, War of the Worlds), Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Dune, The Insider), Paul Schrader (American Gigolo, Dark, The Walker) and David S. Ward (Sleepless in Seattle, The Sting, Flyboys).

Include but not limited to:

  • Introduction to Film and Television Writing
  • Viewing and Reading Media
  • Cinema and Media Studies
  • Advanced Screenwriting Workshop
  • Adaptation for Screen
  • Advanced Screenwriting Workshop (Rewrite)

Television Track

  • One-Hour Drama Pilot Workshops
  • Half-Hour Comedy Pilot Workshops

Find out more here.

3. Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Chapman University

Situated in California, Dodge College offers a four-year BFA in Writing for Film and Television and a two-year MFA in Screenwriting. Dodge College prepares its students to “create characters and worlds that resonate with audiences, craft stories alongside other writers and use their skills and connections to break into the film and television industries.”

Dodge College’s MFA prides itself on preparing its students for the “business of the business” and the practicalities of working as a screenwriter in the film and television industries. Usually, this is where many writers struggle, so this may be an excellent option if you are keen to learn more about the business-side of screenwriting.

best university for script writing

The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things, Hidden, Vessel) and Ben York Jones (Like Crazy, Ashes in the Snow, Newness) all attended Dodge College.

  • Writing for Film and TV
  • Introduction to Visual Storytelling
  • Short Film Analysis
  • History of Film to 1960
  • Pitching and Coverage
  • Writing from Research
  • Industry Insiders
  • Writing for Video Games
  • Agents and Managers
  • Writing for Evolving Platforms
  • Screenwriting Intensive
  • Film Script Analysis
  • Production Workshop
  • Feature Screenwriting
  • Research for Screenwriters
  • Independent Internship
  • Thesis in Screenwriting

Discover Chapman here .

4. Columbia University

Columbia offers a two-year dual MFA in Screenwriting & Directing which gives students an insight into how the two disciplines work together. So, if you are looking to be a writer/director, this could just be the program for you!

best university for script writing

Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker, Detroit), Simon Kinburg (X-Men, Fantastic Four, Sherlock Holmes), Christina Lazaridi (Nobody’s Watching, Roza of Smyrna, Coming Up Roses) and James Mangold (Logan, Walk the Line, Girl, Interrupted) all attended Columbia.

  • Elements of Dramatic Narrative
  • Screenwriting I & II
  • Role of the Producer
  • Screenwriting III & IV, Fundamentals of Editing
  • Script Revision
  • Business of Television
  • Story Structure
  • Intro to Cinematography
  • Advanced Feature Writing
  •  Advanced Pilot Writing
  • Advanced Screenplay Revision

You may notice that Columbia also covers modules on the film industry, covering the roles of Directors and Producers alongside Screenwriters. This can provide valuable context on how the screenwriter works within the industry and the collaborative nature of the film industry.

Keen to find out more about Columbia University’s program? Click here !

5. American Film Institute

Offers a two-year MFA in Screenwriting which sets students up to develop their writing skills as well as attend workshops to meet and collaborate with other writers.

best university for script writing

American Film Institute has nurtured some extraordinary talent including Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich, Charlotte’s Web, In Her Shoes), Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, The Man in the High Castle, Devils) and Jacqueline Hoyt (CSI, The Good Wife, The Defenders).

  • Introduction to Cycle Production
  • Narrative Workshop & Analysis
  • Writing the Adaptation
  • Writing the TV Pilot
  • Directing for Screenwriters
  • Running the Show: Writing for TV Week-to-Week
  • History of Dramatic Writing

If you are a lucky member of an AFI cohort, you will work towards a degree portfolio of three feature scripts, two TV spec scripts and one original pilot.

Is the American Film Institute where you will be studying? Find out by clicking this link .

6. Boston University

Situated in Massachusetts, Boston University’s two-year MFA in Screenwriting gives students a writer’s room experience, collaborating and learning from their peers. Across the two-year degree, students work towards a seven-script portfolio which consists of two feature-length screenplays, two shorts, a spec hour-long TV script, a spec half-hour TV comedy, and an original TV pilot complete with a series bible.

best university for script writing

Boston has seen some successful writers pass through its MFA. Corinne N. Brinkerhoff (American Gothic, Jane the Virgin, Elementary), Scott Rosenberg (Venom, October Road, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle/The Next Level) and Allan Folsom (Desperate Intruder, Hart to Hart, Untamed Frontier) are just a few!

  • Writing Television Situation Comedy Scripts
  • Script to Film
  • Writing Episodic Drama for Television
  • Genre for Screenwriters
  • Script Analysis
  • Screen Adaptation

With its unique structure, the Boston Screenwriting MFA bases its last semester in LA where students focus on the Rewrite and Career trajectories. What an opportunity to see and experience the heart of America’s film industry!

Does this sound like your kind of degree program? Discover more here .

7. Emerson College

Emerson College has the most unique residency split of any degree program on our list. Their two-year MFA in Screenwriting combines online coursework with a one-week residency for students at the start of each semester.

During their time on the MFA, students work towards a portfolio which includes short scripts, feature scripts, a television spec, an original television script, and a pilot or feature script alongside critical essays so students can reflect deeply on their work.

best university for script writing

Jay Leno (The Tonight Show, Family Comedy Hour, Jay Leno and the American Dream), Henry Winkler (MacGyver, So Weird, Dead Man’s Gun) and Denis Leary (Sex & Drugs and Rock & Roll, Sirens, Rescue Me) were all educated at Emerson College.

  • Writing for Short-Form Media
  • Film Genres
  • The Writer’s Room
  • Writing Series Television
  • Writers in Development
  • Feature Film Writing
  • Television Genres

Residencies:

  • Storytelling & Writing Short Script
  • Series Television Writing.
  • Long-Form Writing
  • The Business of Screenwriting.

Click this link to find out more about this distinctive degree program.

8. University of North Carolina

The University of North Carolina is one of the only universities on our list that offers both a BFA and an MFA in Screenwriting. Students in the four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts work towards a completed script of choice, followed by a polished outline for another. Onto two-year Master of Fine Arts, students will complete the degree program with a portfolio of three to four finished scripts.

The BFA is a very different animal from other programs available across America; across years one and two, students work on the fundamentals of writing, producing, and directing and put together a portfolio. After the first two years, this portfolio is reviewed by the university to determine each student’s place on the screenwriting program. It could be decided that your skill set is better suited to another discipline.

best university for script writing

Many talented writers have been through the University of North Carolina’s doors including Travis Beacham (Pacific Rim, Carnival Row, Electric Dreams), Brett Haley (All Together Now, And Then I Go, The Hero) and Jeff Nichols (Long Way Back Home, Loving, Midnight Special)

  • Fundamentals of writing, directing, producing (after which a portfolio review of your work will be required to determine your place on the screenwriting program, or another discipline deemed best suited to your skill set)

After the portfolio review, you will move on to:

  • Working with classic genres to hone screenwriting skills and exploring styles and formats.
  • Adaptation to the Screen
  • Career strategies
  • Action plans

The final year of the BFA program is a very practical one, designed to prepare students in navigating the film industry.

  • Fundamentals of Cinematic Storytelling
  • Cinema Studies
  • Advanced Cinematic Storytelling
  • Portfolio Development
  • Electives from across the film school

Is the University of North Carolina your first choice? Find out here .

9. New York University

Situated in Manhattan, soak up the bright lights and culture of the Big Apple with New York University’s degree programs. Just like our previous selection, the university offers either a four-year BFA or a two-year MFA in Dramatic Writing.

best university for script writing

New York University has been a popular choice for screenwriters over the years. Donald Glover (Atlanta, Guava Island, Funny as Hell), Kenneth Lonergan (Gangs of New York, Manchester by the Sea, Howards End) John Fusco (The Wind and the Reckoning, The Highwayman, Marco Polo) all certainly have had successful careers since graduating!

  • Forms of Drama
  • Expository Writing
  • Playwriting I
  • Screenwriting I
  • Film Survey
  • Episodic Writing
  • Shakespeare for Writers
  • Fundamentals of Filmmaking
  • Advanced Writing Workshop
  • Professional Colloquium
  • Introductory Writing classes in playwriting, screenwriting, and episodic writing as well as text analysis, production, and training classes.
  • Advanced writing classes toward a master’s thesis.

You will notice that New York University’s programs include all areas of dramatic writing, so if you are still figuring out which discipline you want to go down, whether it be playwriting, radio, or screenwriting (or all of them!), this could be a good choice for you!

Fill your boots with more information here .

10. Loyola Marymount University

It is your lucky day! Loyola Marymount University is another institution offering both a BFA and MFA. The four-year BFA in Screenwriting and three-year MFA in Writing for the Screen is certainly sound choices for any budding screenwriter.

best university for script writing

Alumni such as Brian Helgeland (Legend, 42, Robin Hood), Francis Lawrence (Gotham, Slumberland, The Hunger Games Franchise), Glen Morgan (The X-Files, The Twilight Zone, Final Destination 1 and 2) and Winifred Hervey (Half & Half, In the House, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) all secured their writing education from Loyola Marymount.

  • Storytelling for the Screen
  • Beginning Screenwriting
  • Write Movie, Change World
  • Feature Screenplay
  • Writing the Comedy TV Series Spec
  • Developing & Writing Short Film
  • The TV Writers Room
  • Production Fundamentals for Screenwriters
  • Elements of Feature Screenwriting
  • Advanced Motion Picture Script Analysis
  • Writing the Feature Screenplay
  • Writing the Drama TV Spec Series
  • Rewriting the Feature Screenplay
  • Advanced Feature Screenwriting, The Business of Entertainment
  • Rewriting the Advanced Screenplay
  • Thesis Screenplay Project
  • Feature Film and Television Portfolio Workshop

You may notice that just like some of the other selections in our list of degree programs, Loyola Marymount emphasizes getting to know the workings of the film industry in its modules. Additionally, the university focuses on the rewriting of scripts and their students honing their skills to the best they can be.

Discover more about the undergraduate program at Loyola Marymount here . If it is the graduate program you’re looking for, click here .

11. Pepperdine University

Another Los Angeles-based university, Pepperdine is the final entry on our list, but is by no means our last choice!

Their two-year MFA in Screen and Television Writing allows students to create a Thesis Portfolio (two full-length screenplays or two TV pilots and two 30-minute teleplays or any combination of three works). Students also have the opportunity for an industry internship. Hands-on experience is the perfect addition to traditional classroom education and helps you get to grips with the film business and how screenwriters fit into it.

best university for script writing

DJ Caruso (xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Redeeming Love, Standing Up), Blaine Chiapetta (A Big Fat Family Christmas, Most Likely to Murder, Deadly Assistant) and Chad Creasey (NCIS, Castle, Mistresses) all graduated from Pepperdine.

  • Writing for Screen and Television
  • The Storyteller as Cultural Leader
  • Topics in Writing for the Market
  • Writing Comedy
  • Writing Film Genres
  • Writing Adaptation

Take a look at Pepperdine’s program here .

How Do I Decide Which Program and University is Right for Me?

So, there we have it!

Eleven fantastic universities with even more programs on offer for aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers.

But the burning question is definitely “how do I choose which one is right for me?”. You will need to do your own research into which faculty and program are going to be right for you and your individual goals within the industries.

You may wish to focus solely on the fundamentals and theory of screenwriting, honing the craft. Ultimately you want to be the best writer possible. All of the degree programs we have discussed are going to help you do that, no matter their content.

Or, you are seriously considering screenwriting as a career and so need to have an awareness of the film and television industry as a business. Selling screenplays and collaborating with a larger cohort of filmmakers can be daunting, but an introduction to these matters in a less pressured, academic space can prove extremely useful when you are beginning to forge your career.

Screenwriting degrees can also open the doors for internship opportunities that you may not have access to otherwise. Of course, you can find and apply to internships outside of degree programs. We have done some of the research for you. Check out our Top 5 Screenwriting Internships for Aspiring Writers !

best university for script writing

Another consideration is where you want to be located whilst completing your degree. Are you keen to work from where you are or are you happy to relocate if you are not local to your university of choice?

If you are not looking to relocate, Emerson College’s low-residency degree program may be the right one for you. Be aware that all of the work is completed online with only a little face-to-face contact with your tutors and peers. If you crave and work well in a collaborative environment, this may not work for you.

Weigh up your priorities in order and make your decision based on practicalities as well as your goals. Take a tour of your top choices: can you see yourself living and working here? Get a vibe for your surroundings; if your gut is saying “no way!” then it is probably right.

We hesitate to mention money, but finances are a huge factor in students making a decision on the university. None of the options available are cheap and it is a huge investment for anyone to make. Check out the funding resources open to you and carefully consider the costs involved with each of your top choice universities.

If you do decide that university is not the path you want to go down, never fear! There are several other options available to you including screenwriting books, online resources and shorter courses that can teach you the fundamentals.

There are hundreds of successful filmmakers out there who did not go to film schools, such as Christopher Nolan, Stanley Kubrick, Quentin Tarantino, and Wes Anderson, and look at the fantastic careers they have had! So, your screenwriting journey is in no way over before you have started.

The beauty of the film industry is that there are many paths and possibilities on offer, and a degree program is just one of them. Keen to get a head start? Make sure to keep up to date with our Celtx blog site where we regularly post writing tips and industry know-how.

Good luck with your university applications! Go forth and write!

Natasha Ferguson

Natasha is a UK-based freelance screenwriter and script editor with a love for sci-fi. In 2022 she recently placed in the Screenwriters' Network Short Film Screenplay Competition and the Golden Short Film Festivals. When not at her desk, you'll find her at the theater, or walking around the English countryside (even in the notorious British weather)

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Best Screenwriting Programs — Top Schools To Consider Featured

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A spiring screenwriters often ask “what are the best screenwriting programs?” And although that question certainly holds merit, its answer is completely subjective. The truth is that there are no “best screenwriting schools;” for one person it may be YouTube, for another it may be an Ivy League institution. Still, we’re going to break down the pros of some of the most renowned screenwriting schools so that you can see whether or not they’re worth pursuing!

Screenplay Writing Colleges

University of southern california.

Best Screenwriting Programs  •  USC Professor of Writing David Balkan Explains the Program

Notable Alumni: Chris Terrio, Shonda Rhimes, David Goyer, Bryan Fuller, etc. 

The University of Southern California Wells Division offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, a Master of Fine Arts degree, and Minors in Comedy and Screenwriting.

The University of Southern California Cinematic Arts department is one of the most renowned film programs in the world. As such, it should come as no surprise that its John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television is as competitive as it is.

College Gazette reports that USC admits just 3% of film-school applicants each year.

Best Screenwriting Schools in the World

Prospective USC applicants should research the cost of tuition rigorously – the 2021-22 cost of attendance was estimated at $60,275 (excluding housing, meal plans, and other associated fees).

University of California Los Angeles

Screenplay Writing Colleges  •  UCLA Professor Richard Walter Explains the Screenwriting Program

  • Notable Alumni: David Koepp, Eric Roth, Paul Schrader, David S. Ward, etc.
  • The University of California School of Theater, Film and Television offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in Screenwriting.

The University of California School of Theater, Film and Television isn’t just venerated for its state of the art equipment and distinguished professors, it's venerated for its low-cost of admission as well. For California residents, the 2021-22 UCLA undergraduate tuition was listed at 13,249; graduate tuition was slightly higher at $17,756.

That low-tuition cost comes at a price though – the Daily Bruin reported in 2019 that the School of Theater, Film and Television had a 4% acceptance rate!

Top 10 Screenwriting Schools

Prospective UCLA applicants should develop an extensive portfolio prior to applying to the program. 

Best Colleges for Screenwriting

Chapman university dodge college.

Best Screenwriting Programs  •  Tour Dodge College of Film and Media Arts

Notable Alumni: Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Ben York Jones, etc.

The Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master of Fine Arts degree.

The Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University is a major player in the film-school game due to its impressive facilities and industry connections. Students in the B.F.A program are required to write at least two feature-length screenplays.

Chapman University is another expensive private film school – but it's slightly less competitive than USC.

Best Screenwriting Programs

Columbia university.

Best MFA Screenwriting Programs  •  Columbia University MFA Film Program Overview

  • Notable Alumni: Kathryn Bigelow, Simon Kinberg, Christina Lazaridi, James Mangold, etc.
  • Columbia University offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in Screenwriting/Directing.

Columbia University is one of the only Ivy League schools in the U.S. to offer a dedicated screenwriting program. Well, not quite dedicated – in fact, Columbia’s M.F.A. program is unique in that it is dual-disciplinary; that is, focused on screenwriting and directing. 

Script Writing Graduate Programs

The Columbia University School of the Arts has produced numerous prominent writers/directors.

Good Schools for Screenwriting

The american film institute.

Best Screenwriting Schools in the World  •  AFI Conservatory Screenwriting Fellows Give Advice and Discuss the Program

  • Notable Alumni: Susannah Grant, Frank Spotnitz, Jacqueline Hoyt, etc.
  • The American Film Institute offers a Master of Fine Arts degree program in Screenwriting.

The American Film Institute, more commonly known as AFI, is an especially-esteemed conservatory for students and faculty. That said, it’s small… like really small. In 2019, Data USA reported that the Institute had just 334 students! Tuition also isn’t cheap; in fact, it starts at $59,951.

AFI has a great reputation as a screenwriting school – but things aren’t all rosy. Let it be known that I was once scheduled to interview there, only to be notified the interviewer left before I showed up!

Best Universities for Scriptwriting

Boston university.

Script Writing Graduate Programs  •  Screenwriting Program at Boston University

  • Notable Alumni: Corinne N. Brinkerhoff, Scott Rosenberg, Allan Folsom, etc.
  • The Boston University College of Communication offers a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Screenwriting.

Boston University is one of the most prestigious non-Ivy league higher education institutions on the East coast. Many people wonder if Boston is a good place for aspiring screenwriters to study – and that perspective is certainly well-warranted; it’s a long way away from Hollywood.

But the truth is that Boston is a hot-bed for academics; and close enough to shooting locations in Atlanta and New York that in-person meetings are never too far away.

Like all other private institutions on this list, Boston University tuition is expensive – starting at $58,560 for the College of Communication.

List of Screenwriting MFA Programs

Emerson college.

Best MFA Screenwriting Programs  •  Screenwriting Student at Emerson Explains the Business Side of the Industry

  • Notable Alumni (writers not just in the Screenwriting program): Bill Burr, Kate Boutilier, George Watsky, etc.
  • Emerson College offers a Master of Fine Arts degree program in Writing for Film and Television.

Emerson College has produced some huge names in the entertainment industry, including Jay Leno, Henry Winkler, and Denis Leary – but did you know their M.F.A. degree program in Writing for Film and Television is one of the most unique in the country?

Emerson’s screenwriting is 100% online coursework with a 1-week residency at the start of each semester. That structure may not make sense for every aspiring screenwriter – but it’s probably perfect for some.

Emerson College has campuses in both Boston and Los Angeles.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Best Colleges for Screenwriting  •  UNCSA M.F.A. Screenwriting Program

  • Notable Alumni: Travis Beacham, Brett Haley, Jeff Nichols, etc.
  • The University of North Carolina School of Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degree program in Screenwriting.

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts was the first public arts conservatory in the U.S. Over its near sixty-year history, UNCSA has produced big names in five fields: dance, drama, design & production, film, and music.

UNCSA tuition for in-state undergraduate students starts at $6,497, and $9,196 for in-state graduate students. 

UNCSA is one of the few schools on this list to offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees in screenwriting.

New York University

Best Universities for Scriptwriting  •  NYU Screenwriting Professor Marilyn Horowitz Breaks Down Screenplay Structure

  • Notable Alumni (writers not just in the Screenwriting program): Donald Glover, Kenneth Lonergan, John Fusco, etc.
  • The New York University Tisch School offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program and a Master of Fine Arts degree program in Dramatic Writing, as well as a certificate program in television and screenwriting.

The New York University Tisch School takes a bit of a different approach to screenwriting as compared to other screenwriting schools. Emphasis isn’t placed so much on the feature-length form but rather the dramatic reasoning behind effective storytelling.

Students in the B.F.A. and M.F.A. programs can expect to study prose, plays, and scripts.

The NYU Tisch School is a world-renowned art school; once again, tuition isn’t cheap, ranging from $28,202 (undergraduate) to $31,598 (graduate), via the NYU tuition calculator. But be warned, other outlets report the tuition is much higher.

Loyola Marymount University

Best Screenwriting Schools  •  Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television

  • Notable Alumni: Brian Helgeland, Francis Lawrence, Glen Morgan, Winifred Hervy, etc.
  • Loyola Marymount University offers a Bachelor of Arts degree program in Screenwriting and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing for the Screen, as well as a minor in Screenwriting.

Loyola Marymount University has become a major player in the “screenwriting schools game” for its experienced faculty and its prime location just south of Playa Vista in Los Angeles, California.

LMU offers undergraduate, graduate, and minor degrees in screenwriting, making it an enticing institution for a variety of applicants.

In the fall of 2020, U.S. News reported that LMU accepted 50% of applicants; far higher of a percentage than most other schools on this list.

Best Screenwriting Classes Online

If you’re not quite ready to apply to a degree program, then perhaps you should consider taking screenwriting classes online. In our next article, we break down the best online screenwriting classes, with both free and paid options. By the end, you’ll know where to go for immediate access to screenwriting education.

Up Next: Great Online Screenwriting Classes →

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best university for script writing

Best Playwriting and Screenwriting colleges in the U.S. 2024

Best playwriting and screenwriting colleges in the u.s. for 2024.

best university for script writing

Scottsdale Community College offers 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a outlying rural area. In 2022, 4 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 4 Certificates.

best university for script writing

Yavapai College offers 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a small city. In 2022, 2 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 2 Certificates.

best university for script writing

Academy of Art University offers 4 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a medium sized, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 17 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 11 Master's degrees, and 6 Bachelor's degrees.

best university for script writing

Azusa Pacific University offers 2 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 8 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 5 Bachelor's degrees, and 3 Master's degrees.

best university for script writing

Biola University offers 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb.

best university for script writing

California State University-Fullerton offers 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 13 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 13 Master's degrees.

best university for script writing

California State University-Northridge offers 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 16 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 16 Master's degrees.

best university for script writing

University of California-San Diego offers 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 1 Master's degree.

best university for script writing

Chapman University offers 2 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 71 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 51 Bachelor's degrees, and 20 Master's degrees.

best university for script writing

La Sierra University offers 1 Playwriting and Screenwriting degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 2 Playwriting and Screenwriting students graduated with students earning 2 Bachelor's degrees.

Find local colleges with Playwriting and Screenwriting majors in the U.S.

List of all playwriting and screenwriting colleges in the u.s..

Best Schools for Screenwriting

By Kelsey Fox November 2021

best university for script writing

The 20 Best Undergraduate Degree Programs for Screenwriting

Do you dream of seeing your story come to life on the screen? Pursuing a degree in screenwriting can be a weighty decision. After all, the entertainment industry is a tough market! But most often, those who succeed in screenwriting are educated in the field. So we set out to find the 20 best undergraduate degree programs in screenwriting.

See Also: Top 10 Online Degree Programs for Art

How We Rank the Best Schools for Screenwriting

There are a lot of great schools, so finding the 20 best academic screenwriting programs took some work. First, we made a list of colleges and universities offering fine arts and film and media arts programs. We considered bachelor’s degrees, minors, and certificate programs. We also included fine arts schools, research universities, and liberal arts colleges.

The best undergraduate degree programs for screenwriting can be different from one another. For example, some offer many concentrations, while others focus on only one topic. Future screenwriters usually look for specific features before choosing the best screenwriting program. So, we didn’t try to rate each program according to its features. Instead, we tallied data like graduation rate and class size. 

Here’s how it adds up:

Annual Undergraduate Tuition:

  • Under $70,000: 1 point
  • Under $60,000: 2 points
  • Under $50,000: 3 points
  • Under $40,000: 4 points
  • Under $30,000: 5 points
  • Under $20,000: 6 points
  • Under $15,000: 7 points
  • Under $10,000: 8 points

Annual Percentage of 20-Year Return on Investment (ROI):

  • 0-2%: 1 point
  • 3-4%: 2 points
  • 5-6%: 3 points
  • 7-8%: 4 points
  • 9%+: 5 points

Graduation Rate:

  • Below 60%: 1 point
  • Below 70%: 2 points
  • Below 80%: 3 points
  • Below 90%: 4 points
  • Below 100%: 5 points

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

  • 20:1 and More: 1 point
  • 15:1 and More: 2 points
  • 10:1 and More: 3 points
  • 5:1 and More: 4 points

Note: We based our points on out-of-state tuition. In a tie, we gave the school with the lower tuition a higher ranking.

Related: 10 Best Online Schools for Graphic Design

20. Bennington College

best university for script writing

  • Screenwriting

Bennington, Vermont

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,950

Total Points: 8

Bennington College is one of the best colleges for screenwriting on our list. But the curriculum is a little different than other schools. Bennington does not follow a specific series of courses. Instead, screenwriting students at Bennington design their own course of study.

As a result, there are many options to pursue your screenwriting degree. Three of these include:

  • Scene and Structure
  • The Story Studio
  • Advanced Screenwriting

Students might like this bit of trivia, too. Bennington was the first college to have visual and performing arts in its liberal arts curriculum.

19. Savannah College of Art and Design

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing

Savannah, Georgia

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $38,075

Savannah College of Art and Design, also known as SCAD, offers a BFA in Dramatic Writing. It teaches students how to draft stories for theater, film, and television.

At SCAD, students in the screenwriting program team up with other students to see their written work come to life on the screen. Three of the most interesting classes include:

  • Truth in Acting: The Methods
  • Writing the Television Spec Script
  • Improvisation for Writers

Students at this top screenwriting school get to learn from professional writers. One of those writers is Michael Nolin, who wrote Mr. Holland’s Opus.

18. Point Park University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screenwriting

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $32,750

Total Points: 9

Point Park University has one of the best undergraduate screenwriting programs in the US. It’s a 126-credit hour film and media arts program. The program emphasizes the theory of storytelling. Plus, it features hands-on development of feature-length screenplays.

Students complete courses geared towards their interest in the fine arts at first. Then, they work on major coursework. Some of the class options include:

  • Acting and Directing for Writers and Filmmakers
  • T.V. Animation Writing
  • Classical and Modern Drama
  • Intermediate and Advanced Screenwriting
  • Writing the Situation Comedy

Video Game Writing

A senior thesis is required, while an internship for this screenwriting program is optional. Many successful Point Park University alumni currently work in the entertainment industry. They include Melina Kanakaredes, writer/director Gino Anthony Pesi, and comedian Dennis Miller.

17. Columbia College Chicago

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Television Writing and Business

Chicago, Illinois

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $27,176

Moving on with the best screenwriting schools, we have Columbia College Chicago. It’s a private college specializing in fine arts and media. This is one of the best screenwriting programs for students interested in writing and producing. Columbia’s BFA includes writing skills and business for television.

Columbia students spend their first year completing various screenwriting courses. These include subjects like Business of Media and Aesthetics of Storytelling. To prepare for graduation, they work on capstone thesis projects. These projects take place in an actual “writer’s room” environment — just like in the real world.

Columbia College Chicago boasts a long list of notable alumni. The list includes SNL cast member Aidy Bryant and the rapper Common. Additionally, actress Michelle Monaghan and Pat Sajak attended Columbia.

16. Academy of Art University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing for Film, Television, & Digital Media

San Francisco, California

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $25,424

The Academy of Art University is one of the best colleges for screenwriting. It’s a private, for-profit arts school in sunny San Francisco, but you can also study online. The screenwriting program is called Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media.

Some of the required coursework includes:

  • Characters & Backstory
  • First Steps in Television
  • T.V. Pilot Creation
  • Screenplay Analysis
  • Cinematic Storytelling
  • Respect for Acting

In the program, you will learn how to develop engaging scripts. You will also learn basic industry standards. Some of the school’s notable alumni include actress Raven-Symoné and fashion designer Lauren Conrad. Shrek and Shark Tale director Vicky Jensen also went to this University.

15. Metropolitan State University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting

Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $8,114 

Metropolitan State University is a public university located in the Twin Cities. MSU has one of the best universities for screenwriting in the country. In this program, students can earn a B.A. in Screenwriting.

To begin the 120-credit hour program, students complete five courses and an internship. They then move on to three elective courses of their choice. Potential coursework includes:

  • Projects in Screenwriting
  • Screenwriting Individual Internship
  • Film Production and Editing II
  • Cinema, Self and Other
  • Cinema in the Cities:
  • Contemporary Cinema
  • American Film: Tradition and Trends
  • Women in Film
  • World Cinema

Students may also choose to minor in Theatre, Digital Media, Creative Writing, and more.

14. Drexel University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Science in Screenwriting & Playwriting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,516

Total Points: 10

Drexel University is one of the top screenwriting colleges in the country. They offer a B.S. degree in screenwriting and playwriting. The program focuses on the principles of dramatic writing. But it also provides students with opportunities for hands-on learning.

There are only 12 students allowed in one writing course. So, you can expect individual attention from your instructors. Coursework includes classes like Writing the Short Film and Off-Campus Show Development. Students are also required to complete a senior project of professional scope.

13. The University of the Arts

best university for script writing

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $46,680

The University of Arts in Philadelphia is one of the oldest fine arts schools in the nation. Additionally, the school is one of the best schools for screenwriting on the East Coast.

Students earn a BFA in Screenwriting with this program. It is a hands-on program for students to perfect the art of screenwriting. This is accomplished through intensive classes like:

  • History of Television
  • The Art of Editing
  • TV Story Analysis
  • Writing the Feature Film
  • Directing Actors for the Screen
  • Screenplay Adaptation

Students can also pursue an internship opportunity during their last year

The University of the Arts has some notable alumni, including actress Ana Ortiz. Also, the authors/illustrators Jan and Stan Berenstain graduated from the school.

12. New York Film Academy

best university for script writing

Burbank, California

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $32,542

New York Film Academy is one of the top schools for screenwriting in the country. The Academy is known as a leader in filmmaking education. Students can pursue an accelerated BFA in Screenwriting at NYFA.  It’s a three-year program that includes intensive hands-on experience.

This screenwriting program is about building a portfolio of writing samples. And by the end of the first semester, students’ portfolios will already consist of:

  • Short treatments for two possible feature-length films
  • A short film script
  • A developed treatment for a film

The Academy boasts other screenwriting programs, too. These include an MFA and an Associate’s of Fine Arts. Screenwriting workshops are also available. Plus, they offer a one-year program that does not culminate in a degree. Bill Hader, Aubrey Plaza, and Damon Wayans, Jr. all graduated from NYFA.

11. Chapman University

best university for script writing

Orange, California

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,924

Total Points: 11

Chapman University is a private school located in Southern California. It offers several film-related degree programs, including a BFA in Screenwriting.

The BFA is a 66-credit program. In it, students study the history of film and different forms of scriptwriting. They also learn the development process of film, television, and feature-length screenplays.

Electives include Film and American History, Theories of Personality, Cultural Anthropology, and more. All of the courses are sure to benefit future screenwriters. Many notable alumni have graduated from Chapman. These include comedian Leslie Jones and Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer.

10. DePaul University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television w/ a concentration in Screenwriting

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $41,202

DePaul University is a private Catholic university located in Chicago. The school’s BFA in Film and Television has the option of 11 concentrations. One of those is screenwriting.

DePaul’s city location means students often have the opportunity to work on the sets of real T.V. series. In the past, this has included Chicago PD and Empire. At first, the screenwriting concentration consists of a series of core classes. Then, students work on their major and take classes like:

  • Story Development
  • Film Structure
  • The Art of Adaptation

DePaul has many successful alumni. They include Gillian Anderson, Judy Greer, and John C. Reilly.

9. Marymount Manhattan College

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts w/ a concentration in Creative Media

New York, New York

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $35,628

Marymount Manhattan College is a private liberal arts school located in Manhattan. It’s known as one of the best screenwriting colleges in the country. One reason for this is Marymount offers a flexible B.A. in Communication Arts.

The program allows students to design their own educational path. One example is the school’s concentration in Creative Media. This unique focus immerses students in their choice of filmmaking topics, including:

  • Writing for Television
  • Screenplay Writing
  • Storytelling Across the Media

Two of the school’s most notable alumni include actresses Laverne Cox, and Moira Kelly.

8. Judson University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Arts in Media Writing

Elgin, Illinois

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $29,870

Judson University is a private Christian liberal arts school near Chicago. They offer a B.A. in Media Writing that covers the history, theory, and rules of writing for “old” and “new” media.

Required courses include Media Writing, Screenwriting, and Public Relations. Judson’s screenwriting program is great for those who want a broad view of theater and media.

Students can also spend a semester at the L.A. Film Studies Center. This offers the chance to work with Hollywood professionals in courses and internships.

7. Loyola Marymount University

best university for script writing

Los Angeles, California

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $50,683

Total Points: 12

Loyola Marymount University is located right in Los Angeles. This means many Loyola students find themselves interning on actual Hollywood sets!

The university’s B.A. in Screenwriting consists of a series of exciting courses like:

  • Beginning Screenwriting
  • Intermediate Screenwriting
  • Completing or Rewriting the Feature
  • Writing the T.V. Situation Comedy
  • Writing for Production I & II
  • Directing for Screenwriters
  • Adaptation: One Medium to Another
  • Elements of Screenwriting
  • Seminar in Critical Writing in the Art

The list of notable alumni is a long one. For example, Mila Kunis graduated from Loyola Marymount, as did director Francis Lawrence. Additionally, actress Linda Cardellini and actress Busy Phillips went to Marymount.

You may also like: The 50 Most Beautiful Urban College Campuses

6. University of Southern California

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing for Screen & Television

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $58,195

Total Points: 14

USC is one of the top colleges with screenwriting majors. That’s because the school has the added benefit of being located in L.A.—the heart of the filmmaking industry.

USC offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing for Screen & Television that lets students work with real industry professionals in workshop-style classes. Required courses include:

  • Visions of Diversity in the Cinematic Arts Units
  • Introduction to Television and Video Units
  • Race, Class, and Gender in American Film Units
  • History of the International Cinema II Units
  • Breaking the Story Units
  • Introduction to Hour-Long Television Writing Units

A few of USC’s most notable alumni include George Lucas, Judd Apatow, and Will Ferrell.

5. University of Cincinnati

best university for script writing

Certificate in Screenwriting

Cincinnati, Ohio

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $11,660 (in-state), $26,994 (out-of-state)

The University of Cincinnati offers a unique screenwriting certificate. It includes introductory-level courses focusing on storytelling and script formatting. Wat’s great is that you can add it to any undergraduate major at the school.

You’ll need to decide if they’d like to focus more on television writing or film writing. Then, you can complete a series of electives that include classes like:

  • Television Genres
  • Topics in Screenwriting
  • The Business of Screenwriting: Pitching, Portfolios, & Studio Development
  • Creating the Web Series

The program teaches students both the creative and business sides of screenwriting.

4. Central Washington University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Arts in Film Production w/ a Screenwriting Minor

Ellensburg, Washington

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $8,273 

Central Washington University offers an interesting 34-credit minor. Students can get a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production with a Screenwriting Minor. A practicum is also required. The program consists of courses such as:

  • Scriptwriter in Development and Production
  • Writing for Screen Genre
  • Writing for Serial Media
  • Advanced World Cinema

3. SUNY at Purchase College

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting and Playwriting

Purchase, New York

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $8,923

SUNY offers an undergraduate degree in writing for the screen and the stage. It’s a B.A. in Screenwriting and Playwriting that includes courses like:

  • Playwriting
  • Plays and Playgoing
  • Theatre Histories
  • History of Film Art
  • The Writer and the Documentary

The school has an excellent student-to-teacher ratio. Classes average just 15 students at a time. Former Purchase attendees include Stanley Tucci, Edie Falco, and Parker Posey.

2. University of North Carolina School of the Arts

best university for script writing

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $9,358

Total Points: 15

University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is a public fine arts school with a great screenwriting program. The university grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. One such degree is a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screenwriting.

Among schools for screenwriting, UNCSA is unique. With this program, students spend the first two years of the program practicing their skills in various filmmaking areas. Then, at the end of a student’s second year, they are formally admitted into the screenwriting program.

The magic happens during the second year of the screenwriting program.  Students prepare an entire feature-length screenplay and prepare it for the professional marketplace.

See also: Choosing a College Major Based on Your Personality

1. Ohio University

best university for script writing

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film w/ a Minor in Screenwriting/Digital Storytelling

Athens, Ohio (Main Campus)

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $12,612

If you’re seeking a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film, Ohio University is a great choice. With this program, students can tailor their degrees. All they need to do is minor in Screenwriting/Digital Storytelling.

The six-course minor begins with an introductory course on Media & the Creative Process. Students then choose between short-form scriptwriting or traditional script analysis and production. The final four classes come from a list of advanced courses, including:

  • Media Criticism
  • Screenwriting: the Adaptation
  • Directing the Scene
  • Media and the Muslim World

What are Screenwriters?

Best Schools for Screenwriting

First, let’s talk about the definition of a screenwriter.

Screenwriters create scripts for film, television, commercials, video games, and other visual media. They develop the characters we come to know and love. And they bring the worlds we see onscreen to life. They are the ones who write screenplays that directors shoot. Screenwriters are also called scriptwriters.

How Much Do Screenwriters Make?

Your earnings as a screenwriter will depend on many different factors, including where you live, your level of experience, and more. But, according to PayScale , screenwriters can make:

 Screenwriters Programs

Average: $78,611

Top 10%: $206,000

Bottom 10%: $34,000

Yet, as you might imagine, a screenwriter’s earnings can vary widely. Many scriptwriters belong to the Writers Guild of America (WGA). The WGA is a labor union specifically for television, film, news, and other media writers. This group sets minimum wage agreements for freelancers and paid staff writers.

As a professional member of the Writers Guild, you will earn no less than what is found in the organization’s Schedule of Minimums.

Do You Need a Degree To Be a Screenwriter?

The short answer is no. You don’t need a formal degree to get into screenwriting. In fact, many famous writers never attended a traditional university. But, if you want to give yourself the best chance at learning the craft and building a career, a degree can definitely help you get there. And it will provide you with a firm foundation to build from.

If you want to be a skilled screenwriter, a degree can help you reach your goals. Your instructors, guides, and mentors can teach you professional skills to benefit your career. You’ll also gain the confidence to know you can succeed in the industry. Here are just a few benefits of pursuing a degree in film or screenwriting.

Gaining a Broad View of the Industry

Even if your main goal is to become a screenwriter, learning all the different parts of making films is essential. For example, understanding directing, sound, and other processes will help you in every aspect of filmmaking. Also, you’ll learn terminology and proper structure. Plus, a broad knowledge of the industry will ensure your scripts have depth and value.

Learning How To Collaborate

Best Screenwriting Degree Programs

Making movies or TV shows is always a collaborative effort. Films are not created by just one person, And there may be many people involved in a project. Typically, it takes a team of great writers to create exciting and memorable scenes. So learning how to collaborate and work with others on a project is a lesson that applies not just to a film degree but also to many other aspects of life.

Meeting People With Similar Interests

Networking is one of the keys to developing a satisfying career. But it’s hard to network if you don’t know anyone else working in your field. When you pursue a degree program in screenwriting, you’ll get to meet those who share your passion. They may be fellow students, professionals in the industry, or your professors. You’ll get to connect with like-minded people. Then, when it comes time to get a new job or advance your career, you can all be there for each other.

Mastering New and Important Skills

You probably have a good idea of how to write a script right now. And you may think you know all there is to know already. However, there are probably many things about the industry you don’t understand yet. Additionally, you are likely not even aware of some of the crucial skills you might be missing. A screenwriting degree can teach you some basic scriptwriting structure. This way, you’ll become proficient in all aspects of your future role as a screenwriter.

Gaining Knowledge of Tools and Software

Writing a script is not as easy as sitting down and typing out some dialogue. You’ll need to use different tools and software to bring your story to life. And those take time to master. In your filmmaking classes, you’ll get the opportunity to learn about (and use) industry-standard software so you can work like a pro. Plus, you’ll get the chance to make mistakes, ask questions, and hone your tech skills as you go along.

See Also: Top 30 Schools for an Online Computer Science Degree

Developing Patience and Flexibility

Being flexible and patient is an acquired skill. Things often don’t go as planned in filmmaking, and circumstances can change quickly. Deadlines and schedules also may need to be modified. Many times, you’ll have to come up with a plan B. Adjusting your expectations and rolling with the punches is a key aspect of filmmaking. The best screenwriting programs will teach you the flexibility and patience you need to succeed.

Best Screenwriting Schools

Screenwriters: What Do They Do?

So, exactly what are the day-to-day responsibilities of a screenwriter? In general, screenwriters are freelancers who work for themselves, which is a significant perk of this career.

However, that doesn’t mean they don’t have deadlines to meet. All screenwriters will eventually need to collaborate with directors, producers, executives, and others. The general daily duties can include:

  • Creating a framework (also called a treatment) for a screenplay
  • Researching and developing ideas for a screenplay
  • Writing a new script
  • Adapting an older story into a script
  • Meeting with executives to pitch an idea or screenplay
  • Working with professionals who create the visual elements of the story
  • Collaborating with directors and producers to adjust and revise a script

Typical Courses in a Screenwriting Degree Program

As we mentioned before, you don’t need any specific training or education to be a screenwriter. However, you can benefit from attending a college that offers a screenwriting degree program. That’s because screenwriting courses are geared toward the practical skills you’ll need to succeed in the field.

Some of the college courses you might find in a screenwriting degree program include:

Top Schools for Screenwriting

  • Film and Other Arts
  • Introduction to Cinema: History & Aesthetics
  • Visual Analysis
  • Visual Perception
  • Classical Film Theory
  • American Film History
  • Contemporary Film Theory
  • Computer Applications for Film Study
  • Software for Screenwriting
  • Digital Video Production
  • Acting for the Camera
  • Film and Television Industry Standards
  • Fictional Film
  • American Television History
  • Culture, Media and Society
  • Animated Film
  • European Film History
  • Playwriting and Screenwriting
  • Documentary Film
  • Experimental Film
  • Visual Storytelling
  • Videogame Theory
  • Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay
  • Television Criticism
  • Dramatic Writing
  • Writing the Genre Film
  • Film and Media Arts
  • Cinema Directing
  • Film Criticism
  • Narrative Studies
  • Creative Writing
  • Professional Success within the Fine Arts
  • Writing Meaningful Dialogue
  • Film Authors
  • Film Genres
  • Adapting Media to Screenplays
  • Creating Authentic Cinematic Conflict

What Else Can I Do With a Screenwriting Degree?

best university for script writing

Many students complete screenwriting degrees to create feature-length screenplays. But you can do many other things with a degree in screenwriting. Here are just a few:

Marketing and Advertising Copywriting

Copywriters are writers who create content with the goal of selling or increasing brand awareness. This role is closely related to marketing. Copywriters may write things like:

  • Scripts for TV commercials
  • Scrips for spoken advertising like podcasts or radio ads
  • Social Media Ads
  • Marketing Emails
  • Press Releases
  • Website pages like “about us” pages, landing pages, or product descriptions.

The gaming industry is booming. There is a need for talented writers to develop video game characters, dialogues, and storylines. Many games have complex narratives and scenarios. Amazingly,  someone writes every word of them from beginning to end.

For example, scriptwriter   Darby McDevitt wrote the narratives for the Assassin’s Creed series. And writer Marc Laidlaw wrote Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Part of the enormous success of these games can be attributed to these talented writers.

Many well-known actors started out as screenwriters. For example, Saturday Night Live actress Kristen Wiig co-wrote the screenplay for Bridesmaids, a 2011 comedy. And Ben Affleck and Matt Damon wrote and starred in Good Will Hunting.

Talented actors like these all worked behind the scenes extensively. And their performances were undoubtedly enhanced thanks to a broad knowledge of screenwriting.

Moving Forward

In addition to entering one of the above fields, students may want to learn more about screenwriting. Luckily, you have that option too. You can continue with your education and choose from among many graduate screenwriting programs.

Writing in the Disciplines

These colleges typically make the writing process a priority at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum. Students are encouraged to produce and refine various forms of writing for different audiences in different disciplines. In spring and summer 2023, we invited college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students and deans of admissions from more than 1,500 schools to nominate up to 15 institutions with stellar examples of writing in the disciplines. Colleges and universities that received 10 or more nominations are ranked here. Read the methodology »

To unlock full rankings, SAT/ACT scores and more, sign up for the U.S. News College Compass !

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best university for script writing

Brown University

Providence, RI

  • #1 in Writing in the Disciplines
  • #9 in National Universities  (tie)

At Brown University, undergraduate students are responsible for designing their own academic study with more than 80 concentration programs to choose from. Another unique offering at this private, Ivy League institution in Providence, Rhode Island, is the Program in Liberal Medical Education, which grants both a bachelor’s degree and medical degree in eight years.

(fall 2022)

SAT, GPA and More

best university for script writing

Columbia University

New York, NY

  • #2 in Writing in the Disciplines
  • #12 in National Universities  (tie)

Columbia University has three undergraduate schools: Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the School of General Studies. This Ivy League, private school guarantees students housing for all four years on campus in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood in New York City.

best university for script writing

Duke University

  • #3 in Writing in the Disciplines  (tie)
  • #7 in National Universities  (tie)

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is a private institution that has liberal arts and engineering programs for undergraduates. The Duke Blue Devils sports teams have a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program.

best university for script writing

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

  • #1 in National Universities

The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was the first university to offer a "no loan" policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.

best university for script writing

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

  • #5 in Writing in the Disciplines  (tie)
  • #93 in National Universities  (tie)

The University of Iowa offers top-notch academic programming in more than 100 areas. Students looking to hone their leadership skills have many options, too: They can enroll in the LeaderShape Institute, a six-day getaway workshop; or participate in one of the many programs offered through the Center for Student Involvement & Leadership, including arts and entertainment, and multicultural programs. Freshmen do not have to live on campus, but about 95 percent choose to do so. Campus life may pose a challenge to tobacco users, as Iowa is a smoke-free campus. Students have more than 500 clubs and organizations from which to choose, and close to 10 percent of students go Greek as members of the school's more than 50 fraternities and sororities. Sports are another big focus of campus life; even in the competitive NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference, the Iowa Hawkeyes are notorious players. Four blocks from campus is Iowa City, a Midwestern metropolis that has been recognized among the nation’s best for its scenery, greenery and sustainable energy efforts.

(out-of-state)

best university for script writing

Yale University

New Haven, CT

  • #5 in National Universities

Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, offers a small college life with the resources of a major research institution. Yale students are divided into 14 residential colleges that foster a supportive environment for living, learning and socializing.

best university for script writing

Cornell University

  • #7 in Writing in the Disciplines

Cornell University, a private school in Ithaca, New York, has 14 colleges and schools. Each admits its own students, though every graduate receives a degree from Cornell University. The university has more than 1,000 student organizations on campus.

best university for script writing

Carleton College

Northfield, MN

  • #8 in Writing in the Disciplines
  • #9 in National Liberal Arts Colleges  (tie)

Carleton College is a private school in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Carls, as its students are known, have about 35 majors to choose from and more than 170 organizations to check out.

best university for script writing

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA

  • #9 in Writing in the Disciplines
  • #4 in National Liberal Arts Colleges  (tie)

About 10 miles outside of Philadelphia is Swarthmore College, a private liberal arts institution that also offers a unique engineering degree program. Because Swarthmore is part of the Tri-College Consortium, students can also take courses at nearby Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College.

best university for script writing

Amherst College

Amherst, MA

  • #10 in Writing in the Disciplines  (tie)
  • #2 in National Liberal Arts Colleges

Amherst College, a private school in Amherst, Massachusetts, is known for its rigorous academic climate. Because Amherst is a member of the Five Colleges consortium, students can also take courses at Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts—Amherst.

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Playwriting and Screenwriting Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 35 results

School of Drama - Yale University

New Haven, CT •

Yale University •

Graduate School

Yale University ,

Graduate School ,

NEW HAVEN, CT ,

Northwestern University School of Communication

Evanston, IL •

Northwestern University •

Northwestern University ,

EVANSTON, IL ,

Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Los Angeles, CA •

University of Southern California •

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

School of Communication Arts - Asbury University

Asbury University •

Graduate School •

WILMORE, KY

The New School

NEW YORK, NY

  • • Rating 4.49 out of 5   35

Houston Christian University

HOUSTON, TX

  • • Rating 4.17 out of 5   24

Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts

Pittsburgh, PA •

Carnegie Mellon University •

  • • Rating 5 out of 5   4 reviews

Master's Student: I graduated from the School of Design at the College of Fine Arts. This is one best design program at a major research university. The cross disciplinary approach, and ability to take courses at other schools like business, engineering, and public policy makes the CMU experience truly unique. It’s been said that the hardest part about Harvard is getting in, and the hardest part about CMU is graduating. This very is true. ... Read 4 reviews

Blue checkmark.

Carnegie Mellon University ,

PITTSBURGH, PA ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I graduated from the School of Design at the College of Fine Arts. This is one best design program at a major research university. The cross disciplinary approach, and ability to take courses at... .

Read 4 reviews.

Tisch School of the Arts

New York, NY •

New York University •

  • • Rating 4.71 out of 5   7 reviews

Master's Student: I am very grateful to be at Grad Acting. While the training is incredible and our faculty is wonderful, I am hoping our program becomes tuition free. ... Read 7 reviews

New York University ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

7 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am very grateful to be at Grad Acting. While the training is incredible and our faculty is wonderful, I am hoping our program becomes tuition free. .

Read 7 reviews.

College of Communication - Boston University

Boston, MA •

Boston University •

  • • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: As a PR graduate student, I could not have asked for better course options. The between the mandated courses and electives, I have never felt more prepared to enter the industry. The courses are designed to simulate real work that you would be asked to do in a starting level position. I have created numerous press release, SWOT analysis and even created two PR campaigns. ... Read 2 reviews

Boston University ,

BOSTON, MA ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says As a PR graduate student, I could not have asked for better course options. The between the mandated courses and electives, I have never felt more prepared to enter the industry. The courses are... .

Read 2 reviews.

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College of Motion Picture Arts - Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL •

Florida State University •

Alum: The best thing about the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts is the small class size. In a conservatory setting like this, it allows for great one-on-one learning with the professors, and you're able to learn everything and translate it into a real-world setting. I was in the Screenwriting program, and as part of our curriculum, we traveled to London for a semester. It was life-changing and very helpful in my writing. But in the Screenwriting program, you also spend your first semester learning every aspect of production, which has been incredibly beneficial for working in the real-world industry in L.A. Our alumni network is strong, too, because we know that if you went to FSU, you were taught well and can be trusted to work with. ... Read 2 reviews

Florida State University ,

TALLAHASSEE, FL ,

Featured Review: Alum says The best thing about the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts is the small class size. In a conservatory setting like this, it allows for great one-on-one learning with the professors, and you're able... .

UC San Diego Division of Arts and Humanities

La Jolla, CA •

University of California - San Diego •

University of California - San Diego ,

LA JOLLA, CA ,

Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences

Malibu, CA •

Pepperdine University •

Pepperdine University ,

MALIBU, CA ,

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA •

University of Iowa •

  • • Rating 4 out of 5   3 reviews

Alum: The University of Iowa typically treats their grad students quite well. The faculty are dedicated to student success and go out of their way to ensure you learn what you need to, cater to your interests and skills, and have the financial security to continue your studies. Iowa pays humanities grad students well and the health insurance is both stellar and cheap. The environment is friendly and supportive rather than competitive, which was hugely important for me. I wish things could have been more interdisciplinary. The other issue and of a growing concern is that the University board and new president were heading in a direction that wasn't student friendly or focused (or faculty/staff for that matter). As I graduated (2018), there were increasing discussions of cutting benefits, assistantships, tenure packages. ... Read 3 reviews

University of Iowa ,

IOWA CITY, IA ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says The University of Iowa typically treats their grad students quite well. The faculty are dedicated to student success and go out of their way to ensure you learn what you need to, cater to your... I wish things could have been more interdisciplinary. The other issue and of a growing concern is that the University board and new president were heading in a direction that wasn't student friendly... .

Read 3 reviews.

School of Film and Television - Loyola Marymount University

Loyola Marymount University •

Loyola Marymount University ,

Dodge College of Film and Media Arts

Orange, CA •

Chapman University •

Chapman University ,

ORANGE, CA ,

  • Sponsored Find Student Loan Options
  • Rhetoric and Composition Graduate Programs
  • Creative Writing Graduate Programs

The New School College of Performing Arts

The New School •

  • • Rating 4.88 out of 5   8 reviews

Master's Student: My school has wonderful professors, great programs. Especially, they are so considerate for all students. For example, it supports LGBTQ, Anti Asian and Black hates movement as always considers their difficulties and provides helps. And I like the challenge it is always seeking as performing new contemporary music and collaborative performances, such as mixed opera and revolutionary music activities. ... Read 8 reviews

The New School ,

8 Niche users give it an average review of 4.9 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says My school has wonderful professors, great programs. Especially, they are so considerate for all students. For example, it supports LGBTQ, Anti Asian and Black hates movement as always considers their... .

Read 8 reviews.

DePaul University College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Chicago, IL •

DePaul University •

  • • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Master's Student: I am still in my first year of the English: Writing and Publishing Master's Program at Depaul, but so far it has been an enlightening and invigorating program, with exciting classes taught by passionate professors. The price can be difficult to work with but the value of the program is there. ... Read 1 review

DePaul University ,

CHICAGO, IL ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am still in my first year of the English: Writing and Publishing Master's Program at Depaul, but so far it has been an enlightening and invigorating program, with exciting classes taught by... .

Read 1 reviews.

College of Arts and Sciences- Ohio University

Athens, OH •

Ohio University •

Ohio University ,

ATHENS, OH ,

Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art

Washington, DC •

The Catholic University of America •

The Catholic University of America ,

WASHINGTON, DC ,

College of the Arts - Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA •

Azusa Pacific University •

Master's Student: In 2020, during the pandemic I had the notion to return to school and pursue a Master's degree. I wasn't sure which program I wanted to enroll in, but I knew that I had a love for music as a creator and owner of a music company. I spent hours searching for a program that would help me get closer to my goals and came across Azusa Pacific University's Music Industry & Entrepreneurship Graduate Program. I took some time to think about it, and enrolled in September of 2021. This was the best decision I could've made, and I'm very grateful for all of the knowledge I've gained to help me pursue my career in the music industry. One opportunity that stands out is the chance to pick the brain of professionals who are already in the music industry during residency week for the 2022 and 2023 summer courses. Thank you APU! ... Read 2 reviews

Azusa Pacific University ,

AZUSA, CA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says In 2020, during the pandemic I had the notion to return to school and pursue a Master's degree. I wasn't sure which program I wanted to enroll in, but I knew that I had a love for music as a creator... .

College of Communications - California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA •

California State University - Fullerton •

California State University - Fullerton ,

FULLERTON, CA ,

Hollins University

Roanoke, VA •

  • • Rating 4.33 out of 5   9 reviews

Other: I have only beed accepted to the Master of Fine Arts graduate program at Hollins University. So far in the process the admissions counselors have been excellent. I don't expect anything different when I actually enroll and become a student. ... Read 9 reviews

ROANOKE, VA ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Other says I have only beed accepted to the Master of Fine Arts graduate program at Hollins University. So far in the process the admissions counselors have been excellent. I don't expect anything different... .

Read 9 reviews.

School of Critical Studies - California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, CA •

California Institute of the Arts •

California Institute of the Arts ,

VALENCIA, CA ,

Wilmore, KY •

Asbury University ,

WILMORE, KY ,

Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles

  • • Rating 4.52 out of 5   42 reviews

Alum: I enjoyed the community and atmosphere. I met so many amazing peers, staff, and faculty who impacted my life in more ways than one. As with any school or program, there are cons. Unfortunately, I did experience a time where my advisor was not helpful and I struggled to understand my next steps. I quickly reached out for help from another faculty member who then became my new advisor. I learned how to advocate for myself through this experience. ... Read 42 reviews

42 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I enjoyed the community and atmosphere. I met so many amazing peers, staff, and faculty who impacted my life in more ways than one. As with any school or program, there are cons. Unfortunately, I did... .

Read 42 reviews.

School of Arts and Sciences - CUNY Hunter College

CUNY Hunter College •

  • • Rating 5 out of 5   5 reviews

Master's Student: The teachers are highly engaged with student development but are working filmmakers themselves which is not only inspiring but so helpful for the quality of our education. ... Read 5 reviews

CUNY Hunter College ,

5 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The teachers are highly engaged with student development but are working filmmakers themselves which is not only inspiring but so helpful for the quality of our education. .

Read 5 reviews.

College of Letters and Sciences - National University

San Diego, CA •

National University •

National University ,

SAN DIEGO, CA ,

University of New Mexico College of Fine Arts

Albuquerque, NM •

University of New Mexico •

University of New Mexico ,

ALBUQUERQUE, NM ,

Savannah College of Art and Design

SAVANNAH, GA

  • • Rating 4.46 out of 5   74

Asbury University

  • • Rating 4.5 out of 5   6

Emerson College

  • • Rating 4.72 out of 5   60

Showing results 1 through 25 of 35

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The Best Academic Screenwriting Programs & Film School Degrees in the USA

Learn script writing through a master of fine arts, is a film school program right for me, what does a master of fine arts in screenwriting entail, on your marks..., first, the top six..., university of southern california (usc), degrees offered:.

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
  • Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
  • Undergraduate Minor in Screenwriting

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Degree & courses offered:.

  • Professional Program in Screenwriting (also online)
  • Summer Workshop in Screenwriting

New York University's Tisch School Of The Arts

Course offered:.

  • Certificate in Dramatic Writing: Screenwriting

Columbia University School of the Arts

Degree offered:.

  • Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting & Directing

American Film Institute

Boston university college of communication.

  • Undergraduate Degree in Film & Television

The Final Six...

Loyola marymount university, chapman university of film and media arts, degrees & courses offered:.

  • Summer Courses

University of Texas

University of miami school of communications, florida state university.

  • Master of Fine Arts in Stage & Screenwriting

New York Film Academy

  • Associate of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
  • One year program (also online)
  • Screenwriting & Filmmaking Courses

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Screenwriting School

Hands-on degrees, programs, and workshops.

In film, television, and new media, the Screenwriter establishes the basic building blocks of the visual story. At NYFA’s Screenwriting School, students can learn these fundamental skills, working on multiple projects at a time and balancing an intensive workload.

Students learn to transform their ideas into structured scripts throughout the programs, exploring different media, genres, and styles. Through this hands-on approach, students gain extensive experience in screenwriting while building an impressive body of work. Students can choose from a variety of in-person and online programs at our campuses in New York and Los Angeles, as well as at NYFA Australia, that range from short-term workshops to full-fledged degree programs.

As the original disruptors of the Hollywood gate-keeping system, NYFA strives to make education in screenwriting and film accessible to the most diverse, international, and broadest spectrum of students. At our Screenwriting School, we foster an environment that is creatively challenging, respectful, and actively supportive of each unique student and a collectively diverse student body.

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Screenwriting degrees, our screenwriting degree programs are designed for students who wish to make a long-term commitment to the craft of writing while receiving a well-rounded education in the arts. the afa, bfa, and mfa degree students hone their natural writing talent and create a portfolio of scripts in a range of mediums, including television, web series, feature films, short films, comic books, games, and playwriting..

Students also complete an internship, helping them learn the business side of screenwriting and gain the experience necessary to pursue creative goals in film, television, media, and entertainment. A majority of our Screenwriting degree programs are offered at NYFA Los Angeles, and our BFA in Entertainment Media is available at NYFA New York.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Screenwriting

Bachelor of fine arts (bfa) in screenwriting, associate of fine arts (afa) in screenwriting, bachelor of fine arts (bfa) in entertainment media.

Concentration in Screenwriting

1-Year Screenwriting Certificate Program

In our conservatory-based certificate program, aspiring screenwriters are given the opportunity to learn how to write for the film and television industries. through coursework and hands-on projects, students develop their own scripts, working collaboratively in a fast-paced creative environment..

Due to the rigorous nature of this program, our one-year certificate is a great fit for students looking to build practical skills as soon as possible. The 1-Year Screenwriting Certificate is available at our NYFA New York and Los Angeles campuses, as well as a one-year diploma program at NYFA Australia.

Screenwriting Workshops

For students looking for a full-immersion screenwriting experience in a shorter period of time, NYFA offers a wide array of in-person workshops. These programs are designed to help students strengthen creative and technical screenwriting skills. Students focus on one script or writing project during the short-term workshops, gradually developing their script’s structure, theme, and characters.

12-Week Evening Feature Screenwriting Workshop

In this part-time workshop, aspiring screenwriters can work and study like a professional in a creative and focused environment. Students create and write the first draft of a feature-length screenplay, and will learn how to edit, rewrite, and apply creative feedback through in-class exercises and collaborative workshop sessions. Learn More

12-Week Evening Comedy Writing Workshop

This part-time workshop allows students to study the nature of comedy and joke structure. Throughout the course, students will learn how to punch up scenes and add humor to their scripts. The workshop covers setups and punchlines, character-driven comedy, situational comedy, improv, and sketch comedy. Students will write and deliver a final comedic script. Learn More

12-Week Evening TV Writing Workshop

NYFA’s part-time evening television writing workshop teaches the fundamental concepts and techniques for writing for television. Students will focus on concepts such as story, structure, character, conflict, story engines, and dialogue, culminating with the creation of a final script for a comedy sketch, monologue, or funny short film. Learn More

12-Week Evening Comic Book Writing Workshop

During our part-time comic book writing workshop, students are introduced to comic book writing, learning the various styles of formatting and story structure, and exploring how to tell a story visually and pace it. The goal of the workshop is for students to collaborate and develop a project from pitch to proposal, bringing their work from outline to breakdown to completed script. Learn More

8-Week Feature Screenwriting Workshop

This full-time workshop is designed for screenwriters who wish to develop their story idea into a feature-length screenplay. Students will learn fundamental writing skills and techniques, crafting their own feature-length screenplay of 90-120 pages. To meet the workshop goal, the first draft of an original screenplay, students need to allocate daily and weekend hours for writing. Learn More

8-Week Television Writing Workshop

Students spend the majority of their time writing in this full-time workshop, focusing on essential screenwriting concepts such as story, structure, character, conflict, story engines, and dialogue. Throughout the program, students work towards writing a pilot script, coming up with original episode ideas, and using their concepts to develop an idea for an original series, then, a series proposal. Learn More

Online Screenwriting Workshops

Students can also choose from a selection of online workshops offered by NYFA’s Screenwriting School. These programs provide students the opportunity to attend full-time and part-time screenwriting classes remotely.

15-Week Online Story And Structure Screenplay Workshop

In this part-time workshop, students plot a feature film idea, create a treatment to break into a detailed beat sheet, and start to work on their script. This program is a project-based and intensive course, and designed for aspiring screenwriters who want to strengthen their narrative storytelling skills. Learn More

15-Week Online Television Spec Workshop

The 15-Week Online Writing for TV Spec Workshop teaches students how to write a spec script. By studying half-hour and hour-long television series, students learn the basics of television structure and format and how to examine and analyze the structure and story engine for shows already on the air. Learn More

15-Week Online Television Pilot Workshop

In the 15-Week Online Television Pilot Workshop, students already familiar with television format and structure will learn how to write a television pilot. To attend, students must have completed our 15-Week Online Television Spec Workshop or submit a formatted TV script with their application. Learn More

15-Week Online Screenplay & Television Rewrite Workshop

In the 15-Week Online Screenplay & Television Rewrite Workshop, students learn the tools of revising and rewriting either a screenplay or television pilot teleplay and series proposal. Learn More

15-Week Online Screenplay Workshop

In the 15-Week Online Screenplay Workshop, students can develop and complete their feature film screenplay, working in a live, interactive creative environment. To attend this workshop, students must have completed our 15-Week Online Screenplay Story & Structure Workshop prerequisite or submit a full-length treatment and beat sheet with their application. Learn More

15-Week Online Writing For Comic Books Workshop

In the 15-Week Online Writing For Comic Books Workshop, students learn how to write a comic book. Many students complete this workshop with a proposal for a graphic novel, manga, or comic book series, and the script for the first issue or chapter of that project. Learn More

4-Week Online Screenwriting – Story And Structure Workshop

The 4-Week Online Screenwriting – Story And Structure Workshop provides students with the essential building blocks of story – structure, character, dialog, and industry-standard formatting. Students apply their knowledge from the Elements of Screenwriting course and create their own treatment for a feature-length screenplay. Learn More

4-Week Online Screenwriting – Television Pilot Workshop

In the 4-Week Online Screenwriting – Television Pilot Workshop, students complete the program with a Completed Series Proposal, a Pilot Beat Sheet, and a written Teaser for their Pilot. No prerequisites or prior experience is required to attend. Learn More

Screenwriting School Faculty

At NYFA’s Screenwriting School, students study under our prestigious faculty of professional screenwriters and filmmakers. Each faculty member comes from a distinct and distinguished screenwriting background and currently works in the industry, with experience at networks and media companies such as the Disney Channel, HBO, Sony, Oxygen, Imagine Entertainment/Universal Pictures , and Fox Searchlight Pictures , as well as work that has been screened at The South By Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) . With their mentorship and guidance, students learn the realities and challenges of working as a professional screenwriter.

best university for script writing

Nunzio DeFilippis

Dean of Faculty, Chair of Screenwriting

Nunzio DeFilippis Dean of Faculty, Chair of Screenwriting

MFA in Screenwriting, USC

Nunzio has worked in television, comics, film, and games for over two decades. Along with his writing partner (Christina Weir), he was a writer/producer on HBO’s Arliss and wrote for the Disney Channel series Kim Possible. They have had features optioned at Hollywood Pictures, Process Media, and Humble Journey Films, and developed a video game at Sony and a TV movie at Oxygen. He and his partner have written for the comics New X-Men, Adventures of Superman, Batman Confidential, and Dragon Age, among many others. They created the comic franchises Bad Medicine (developed at Closed On Mondays with NBC), The Amy Devlin Mysteries (developed as a TV series at E!), and Frenemy of the State (co-created with Rashida Jones, optioned as a feature film by Imagine Entertainment/Universal Pictures.). He serves as the Chair of Screenwriting and Dean of Faculty at NYFA LA, and for the Screenwriting Department, teaches Elements of Screenwriting, Feature Workshops, Sequential Art, Story Generation, Genre Studies, and Thesis Workshops.

best university for script writing

Randall Dottin

Chair of Screenwriting

Randall Dottin Chair of Screenwriting

Randall Dottin is a writer/director who works both in documentary and narrative fiction. His Columbia University MFA thesis film, A-ALIKE, was licensed for a two-year broadcast run by HBO and has won numerous awards, including the DGA Award for Best African American Student Filmmaker and the 2004 Student Academy Award for Best Narrative Film. In 2009, Randall was named by IndieWire Magazine as one of the Top Ten New Voices in Black Cinema. From 2012 to 2015, Randall wrote and directed branded content for AOL.COM, Toyota, and Essence Magazine. Randall’s short film Lifted, was sponsored by Fox Searchlight’s program for emerging directors, the Fox Searchlab. Lifted premiered on CBS in 2015. His documentary series The House I Never Knew is currently in production and explores how six families in Chicago, Houston, and Boston fight against becoming casualties of a housing segregation policy. The House I Never Knew (nee The Chicago Franchise) was chosen to participate in IFP’s Spotlight on Documentaries Program in 2018. Last year, the series received a grant from the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund.

best university for script writing

Jenny Sterner

Associate Chair of Screenwriting

Jenny Sterner Associate Chair of Screenwriting

MFA in Screenwriting, New York Film Academy. Jenny has developed a manga for Seven Seas Entertainment. She is the creator of the web series Searching for Eden . She served as Coordinator of the Screenwriting Department for five years before taking over as Associate Chair. She teaches Story Generation and Building & Researching Your World for the Department.

Screenwriting School Alumni

The Screenwriting School at NYFA strives to offer an intensive and focused education that provides hands-on experience and practical training. The achievements of our NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances, and we’re proud of our alumni who have gone to find great success as Screenwriters, Showrunners, Story Producers, and more. Many NYFA alumni have gone to win and receive recognition from prestigious writing organizations, film festivals, and awards, including the Writer’s Guild Award, The Emmys, the Broadcast Press Guild Award, and the BAFTAs.

best university for script writing

Melissa Palazuelos

best university for script writing

Mohamed Diab

Director | Writer

best university for script writing

Elon Joi Washington

Writer | Production Manager

best university for script writing

NYFA New York

best university for script writing

NYFA Los Angeles

best university for script writing

NYFA Australia

best university for script writing

Spotlight NYFA

At the New York Film Academy’s film school, faculty members and curriculum are focused on providing students with the real world know-how to help them achieve their goals. These achievements are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances. Below are some of the positions and networks in which our alumni have worked:

best university for script writing

Featured Content

Nyfa screenwriting faculty: interview with randall dottin, nyfa screenwriting faculty: interview with nunzio defilippis, nyfa welcomes screenwriting alum and marvel studios director mohamed diab to los angeles for q&a, new york film academy (nyfa) welcomes script consultant michael schulman, q&a with ‘station eleven’ showrunner patrick sommerville, q&a with nyfa mfa screenwriting alum cesia cano, filmmaking alum eva gonzalez szigriszt attached as writer for facebook watch’s “woman in the book” animated horror series, nyfa screenwriting alum jon mann on new show “pub crawl” and working in the canadian film industry, new york film academy (nyfa) welcomes ‘john wick’ creator derek kolstad, news & highlights.

Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.

The 10 Best Academic Screenwriting Programs in the US

best university for script writing

A degree in screenwriting can prepare you for the realities of the business and give you valuable contacts-- both with your peers and with industry insiders. Many professional screenwriters got a degree in screenwriting.  And many did not.  If you choose to take formal classes in screenwriting, then you should pick one of these schools.  Which school is right for you?

best university for script writing

University of Southern California (USC) – Writing for Screen and TV Video

USC has one of the best film programs out there, with alumni that include George Lucas, Judd Apatow, and Ron Howard, among many others . It offers both undergraduate and graduate programs for screenwriters, though it is very selective, as only 26 undergraduates and 32 graduates are accepted per year. The undergraduate program covers the writing of dramatic scenes and story structure. Graduate students learn to write short scripts, treatments, and feature-length screenplays. Courses also include video production and technology, acting and the direction of actors, directing, film economics, film theory, and film history.

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – Professional Program in Screenwriting

UCLA, the other major film school, offers a highly prestigious MFA screenwriting program in their School of Film Television and Theater. It accepts so few applicants that UCLA also offers a screenwriting Professional Studies Program. This program eliminates critical studies seminars and electives, allowing students to focus exclusively on two feature screenplays while still giving them the flexibility to have a day job. The program also attracts prestigious guest speakers, such as Nancy Oliver ( Lars and the Real Girl ), Paul Haggis ( Crash ), Dan Futterman ( Capote ), and many more.

Loyola Marymount College – MFA in Screenwriting

Loyola Marymount offers a screenwriting program in its School of Film & Television. Students complete a portfolio of two feature screenplays and a teleplay. Thesis projects take a minimum of one year to complete, usually spanning the final year of graduate work. Applicants are required to provide a writing sample.

New York Film Academy – MFA in Screenwriting

The New York Film Academy aims to immerse students in acting, pitching, and film studies as they relate to screenwriting. Students also write, direct, and edit a digital short film or scene from a script. The second year has students create a feature-length script or television series. The NYFA also has online courses in screenwriting.

Chapman College – MFA in Screenwriting

Chapman College offers a two-year MFA for aspiring screenwriters of all skill levels. The Graduate Screenwriting program accepts students from a variety of backgrounds, even those with no prior experience. The first year of the MFA gives students the fundamentals of screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, production, and design, regardless of their intended specialization.

New York University's Tisch School Of The Arts – Certificate in Dramatic Writing: Screenwriting

NYU's Tisch School offers a workshop in screenwriting that is designed for new writers. It emphasizes character, motivation, and conflict. The first third of the course focuses on developing five in-depth story ideas, one of which will serve as the basis for a feature screenplay. The program also emphasizes reading and analysis.

Emerson College – Screenwriting Certificate Program

Emerson College in Boston offers a screenwriting program in its School of Visual Media and Arts. The program allows students to learn screenwriting through a series of non-credit workshops designed to build both writing skills and a sense of form and structure. Students who complete the two required workshops and one elective from the screenwriting series can earn the Screenwriting Certificate.

Boston University School of Communications – MFA in Screenwriting

Students can expect to complete three or four feature-length screenplays and several short screenplays while gaining a strong understanding of the film and television industry, including what it takes to sell their work. The degree requires 64 credit hours of classes in both film and television. Screenwriting students are eligible to compete in the annual "Fleder-Rosenberg" short screenplay contest, which offers cash prizes and a funded trip to Los Angeles for the grand prize winners. Finalists scripts are also eligible for two production grants and an optional 5th semester that is based in Los Angeles.

American Film Institute – Screenwriting Fellowship

Students initially write short screenplays, one of which will be the basis for a first-year production. They collaborate with Producing and Directing Fellows to produce their work. They also write a feature-length screenplay. In the second year, students may develop for television in addition to writing films. They also have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers from other disciplines, either by writing scripts for second-year thesis projects or by helping Directing and Producing Fellows develop thesis portfolio material.

University of Texas – MFA in Screenwriting

Only seven students are admitted each year. In the first semester, students learn characterization, story structure, dialogue, and conflict. In the three subsequent semesters, students complete three original feature screenplays. Students are also encouraged to study adaptation and rewriting. During the summer between their first and second year, students are strongly urged to participate in the College of Communication’s Semester in Los Angeles for more industry-related experience and exposure. Students are also required to intern.

best university for script writing

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Best colleges and majors for script writers

Best colleges for script writers.

The best colleges for script writers are New York University, Full Sail University, and University of Texas at Austin.

A script writer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for script writers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become script writers.

Harvard University

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

Northwestern University

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Stanford University

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

University of Southern California

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

University of Houston

6. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

University of Texas at Austin

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Columbia University in the City of New York

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

University of Georgia

9. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

Northeastern University

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Script Writer education requirements

There are several educational requirements to become a script writer. Script writers usually study communication, english, or photography. 73% of script writers hold a bachelor's degree degree, and 11% hold an master's degree degree. We analyzed 719 real script writer resumes to see exactly what script writer education sections show.

The most common colleges for script writers are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online script writer courses to help get the education required to be a script writer.

What education do you need to become a script writer?

What degree do you need to be a script writer.

The most common degree for script writers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of script writers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 9%.

  • Bachelor's , 73%
  • Master's , 11%
  • Associate , 9%
  • High School Diploma , 3%
  • Other Degrees , 4%

What should I major in to become a script writer?

You should major in communication to become a script writer. 16% of script writers major in communication. Other common majors for a script writer include english and photography.

  • Communication , 16%
  • English , 16%
  • Photography , 12%
  • Journalism , 9%
  • Other Majors , 47%

Most common colleges for script writers

Script writers often get their degrees at New York University, Full Sail University, and University of Texas at Austin. Here are the most common colleges for script writers in the US based on their resumes.

Best majors for script writers

20 best online courses for script writers.

1. Teaching Reluctant Writers

All educators will encounter students who struggle with writing. This course first focuses on the reasons student writers may be reluctant and then provides learners with a variety of strategies and practices to help reluctant writers develop a greater comfort and confidence with writing. Learners will examine classroom relationships, mentoring, scaffolding, conferencing, low-risk writing and mini-lessons, all tools and techniques that can be brought right into the classroom to help struggling...

2. Create a Syllabus using Libre Writer

In this project, you will learn how to create a visually appealing course syllabus in Libre Writer. The key components of a course syllabus will be discussed. While adding these components to your document, you will use various features in Writer. You will apply styles, insert a bulleted list and a table to organize information, insert an image, and modify a table and image. Included Universal design formatting tips will describe options to help make your document accessible to all learners...

3. Comic Book and Graphic Novel Scriptwriting

Learn how to write comics from a San Diego comic-con Eisner award-winning writer...

4. Productivity Hacks for Writers (Writing Mastery)

Simple strategies and proven techniques to be more productive and get the most out of every writing day...

5. Co-design for All: doing co-design in practice

The Co-design for All course is a free online programme on how to put together a case study proposal using a co-design approach. It is aimed at anyone who is interested in learning about co-design methods and how to apply them in any real life scenario. By the end of the course, you will have learned how to put together a case study proposal using co-design. This will be achieved by learning how to adapt and apply these methods to your chosen real life scenario and by producing materials...

6. How To Write A Movie Script: Movie Script Writing Basics

How To Write A Script For A Movie : Movie Script Writing Basics : Writing A Screenplay : How To Write A Movie Script...

7. Fiction for Young Writers (Writing Mastery)

A fun, interactive workshop to help young writers unlock their creativity, improve their craft, and write better stories...

8. SAP CO - Product Costing S4HANA

End-to-End concepts and configurations of SAP S4HANA CO - Product Costing...

9. YouTube Creator Course: Audio & Video Production for Youtube

Make Professional Youtube Videos at home - Video Production, Audio Production, OBS Screencasting, Premiere Pro + Editing...

10. Conquering Writer's Block (Writing Mastery)

Proven strategies and tools to overcome writer's block, renew your motivation, and write novels with confidence...

11. Screenwriting Masterclass: Script Writing & Screenplays

Master screenwriting, scriptwriting, screenplay writing, filmmaking Turn your idea into a great screenplay or script...

12. Become a Freelance Content Writer - Get Paid to Write Online

Learn everything you need to know about becoming a freelance writer - Work from home!...

13. Learn API Technical Writing 2: REST for Writers

API Documentation 2: Teaches technical writers how to document REST. No programming experience required...

14. Git and GitHub for Writers

Not a software developer? Learn how to use Git and Git Hub version control in a course specifically designed for writers...

15. Learn API Technical Writing: JSON and XML for Writers

API Documentation 1: Teaches technical writers how to document structured data. No programming experience required...

16. Helping Writers to Write and Keep Writing

This limiting factor with most writers is their mind. This course will help get your state of mind into Success Mode...

17. Learn Digital Color with Photoshop

Learn coloring from a professional colorist!...

18. Google Apps Script Complete Course New IDE 100+ Examples

Google Apps Script New Version Create custom functions within G Suite Docs Sheets GMail Drive Calendar and more...

19. Insightful Customer Interviews for Product Managers

Direct conversations with real customers to gain insight, test product concepts, and drive product success...

20. How To MAKE Comics - The Essential Guide

Story Concepts World Building Storyboards Thumbnailing Comic Panels Comics Pages Comics Covers Marketing...

Top 10 most affordable universities for script writers

The most affordable schools for script writers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for script writers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for script writers.

Baruch College of the City University of New York

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

Cost of Attendance

University of Florida

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

California State University - Long Beach

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

Hunter College of the City University of New York

4. Hunter College of the City University of New York

Brigham Young University

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

Florida State University

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

University of Central Florida

8. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

9. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

California State University - Los Angeles

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for script writers.

The hardest universities for script writers to get into are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Harvard University.

Some great schools for script writers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for script writers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

2. Northeastern University

3. harvard university, 4. university of southern california.

Washington University in St Louis

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

Boston University

7. Boston University

8. stanford university.

Emory University

9. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Vanderbilt University

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for script writers

The easiest schools for script writers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a script writer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for script writers.

Mount Saint Mary's University

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Barry University

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Notre Dame de Namur University

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Kean University

4. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Grand View University

5. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Saint Joseph's College of Maine

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Cardinal Stritch University

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

8. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Holy Names University

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

La Roche College

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Average script writer salary by education level

Script writers with aBachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $69,334 annually. Script writers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $68,694.

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Best Screenwriting Colleges For 2023

Best Screenwriting Colleges For 2023

If you’re looking to pursue a career in screenwriting, it’s important to find a school that offers a strong screenwriting program. The best screenwriting colleges will offer classes in script writing, story structure, and character development. They’ll also provide you with the opportunity to work with professional mentors who can help guide you through your career. So, if you’re thinking about pursuing a career in screenwriting, be sure to check out the best screenwriting colleges listed below.

best university for script writing

USC’s School of Cinematic Arts is considered one of the best screenwriting schools in the world. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend USC’s screenwriting school:

  • Industry connections: The connections to industry professionals makes USC one of the best screenwriting colleges. USC’s close proximity to the major studios means that you’ll have unparalleled access to industry professionals. You’ll be able to network with agents, managers, and other writers, giving you a leg up in the competitive world of screenwriting.
  • World-class faculty: USC’s screenwriting faculty is second to none. You’ll learn from some of the most experienced and successful writers in the business, getting an inside look at what it takes to make it as a writer in Hollywood.
  • State-of-the-art facilities: USC’s facilities are among the best in the world. You’ll have access to top-of-the-line equipment and software, giving you the tools, you need to succeed.
  • A supportive community: USC is home to a close-knit community of writers. You’ll find support and encouragement from your fellow students, staff, and faculty, making it easier to stay focused on your writing goals.
  • A global perspective: As a student at USC, you’ll have the opportunity to study abroad at one of our many international campuses. This experience will broaden your horizons and give you a new perspective on your writing career.

best university for script writing

NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts is widely considered one of the best screenwriting schools in the country due to its unique environment for aspiring screenwriters, with a diverse student body and a wealth of resources located in one of the most creative cities in the world. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend NYU’s screenwriting school:

  • You’ll learn from the best: NYU’s faculty includes some of the most accomplished screenwriters in the industry. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from their experience and get feedback on your work.
  • You’ll be surrounded by like-minded people: At NYU, you’ll be surrounded by other students who are passionate about screenwriting. This makes for a creative and supportive environment where you can grow as a writer.
  • You’ll have access to top-notch resources: NYU has state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, which you’ll be able to use to develop your skills and create your own work.
  • You’ll be located in the heart of New York City: New York is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world, and it’s also a major hub for the film industry.
  • NYU has a strong alumni network: Once you graduate from NYU, you’ll be part of a large and accomplished community of alumni who can help you navigate your way in the industry.

3. Chapman University

best university for script writing

Chapman University has a long-standing reputation for producing some of the most successful screenwriters in Hollywood and has a faculty that is made up of experienced professionals who have a wealth of knowledge to share with their students. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend Chapman University’s screenwriting school:

  • World-renowned faculty: Chapman’s screenwriting faculty includes Academy Award-winning writers, working professionals, and published scholars. Students receive one-on-one attention from these experienced practitioners, who provide guidance on everything from developing story ideas to navigating the Hollywood system.
  • An intensive curriculum: Chapman’s screenwriting program is designed to give students a thorough understanding of the craft of screenwriting through an intensive curriculum that covers every aspect of the writing process. From idea generation to script development to pitching and selling, students will graduate with a complete toolkit for success as a professional screenwriter.
  • A unique focus on television writing: In recent years, there has been a boom in television writing jobs, making it one of the most exciting and in-demand areas of the entertainment industry. Chapman’s screenwriting school offers a specialized curriculum that prepares students for careers in television writing, including courses on writing for specific genres such as comedy, drama, and animation.
  • Access to Hollywood insiders: Chapman’s connections to the Hollywood community offer students unique opportunities to learn about the business of screenwriting from working professionals. Through events like networking nights and workshops with industry experts, students gain insight into what it takes to succeed as a writer in today’s entertainment landscape.
  • A supportive community: The Chapman University community is like no other, with a strong focus on supporting student success. From academic advising and career counseling to peer mentorship and professional development resources, Chapman provides its screenwriting students with everything they need to achieve their goals.

4. Loyola Marymount University

best university for script writing

Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television is one of the leading institutions for screenwriting. With its wealth of resources and its proven track record, it’s no wonder that Loyola Marymount University is considered one of the best schools for screenwriting. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend Loyola Marymount University’s screenwriting school:

  • You’ll learn from world-renowned faculty: LMU’s screenwriting faculty includes Academy Award-winner Callie Khouri, Emmy-nominated writer Craig Turkish, and Emmy-winning producer Lisa Albert. With such a stellar lineup of instructors, you’ll be sure to receive a top-notch education.
  • The program is tailored to your needs: Whether you’re looking to break into the industry or hone your skills as a seasoned pro, LMU’s screenwriting program will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to succeed.
  • The curriculum is up-to-date and relevant: LMU’s screenwriting program keeps up with the latest industry trends, ensuring that you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way.
  • The location can’t be beat: Located in the heart of Hollywood, LMU’s campus provides easy access to the film and television industry. You’ll have ample opportunity to network and make connections that can benefit your career.
  • The school has a proven track record of success: Alumni of LMU’s screenwriting program have gone on to find success in Hollywood, winning Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes. If you’re looking to make it in show business, there’s no better place to start than LMU’s screenwriting school.’

5. New York Film Academy

best university for script writing

New York Film Academy is a great choice for students interested in pursuing a career in screenwriting. The school offers an intensive two-year program that covers all aspects of writing for film and television. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend New York Film Academy’s screenwriting school:

  • There’s no better place to learn than in the heart of the entertainment industry. At NYFA, students have the opportunity to learn from and network with industry professionals.
  • The curriculum is designed to give students a well-rounded education in screenwriting. From story structure to character development, students will get a comprehensive overview of what it takes to write a successful screenplay.
  • NYFA’s state-of-the-art facilities provide the perfect setting for learning and creativity. With world-class resources at their disposal, students can really bring their scripts to life.
  • NYFA’s class sizes make it one of the best screenwriting colleges. The small class sizes ensure that each student gets the individual attention they need to succeed. From one-on-one meetings with instructors to feedback sessions with classmates, everyone gets ample opportunity to improve their writing skills.
  • Graduates of NYFA’s screenwriting program have gone on to find success in the industry, writing for films, television shows, and more. With a prestigious degree from NYFA on their resumes, graduates are primed for success in any field they choose.

If you want to learn how to write for the screen, there’s no better place to study than at UCLA. As one of the best screenwriting colleges, the school has a long tradition of excellence in screenwriting, and its alumni include some of the most successful writers in Hollywood. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend UCLA’s screenwriting school:

  • The faculty is comprised of working professionals who can provide insights into the craft that can only be gained from experience.
  • The school offers a variety of classes that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from story structure to character development to dialogue.
  • The curriculum is designed to foster a collaborative environment, allowing students to workshop their scripts with their peers.
  • Graduates of the program have gone on to have successful careers in Hollywood, writing for some of the biggest studios in town.
  • The school has strong industry connections, giving students the opportunity to network with professionals and potentially land a job after graduation.

7. Columbia University

best university for script writing

Columbia University offers a world-class education in screenwriting. The school’s curriculum is designed to give students a comprehensive understanding of the art and craft of screenwriting. Through their coursework, students will develop strong writing skills and learn how to effectively structure a script. They will also gain a deep understanding of film history and theory, which will help them to create original and innovative scripts. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend Columbia University’s screenwriting school:

  • You’ll learn from the best. What makes Columbia University one of the best screenwriting colleges is the faculty. The faculty at Columbia University’s School of the Arts is comprised of some of the most respected names in the industry. Whether you want to write for film, television or theatre, you’ll be able to learn from top professionals in your field.
  • You’ll get hands-on experience. The School of the Arts offers its students ample opportunity to get real-world experience. Through internships, workshops and classes, you’ll be able to hone your skills and develop your own style.
  • You’ll network with other writers. One of the best things about attending Columbia University’s screenwriting program is the opportunity to meet and work with other writers. You’ll have the chance to collaborate, exchange ideas and make lifelong friends.
  • You’ll learn about the business. In addition to learning how to write great screenplays, you’ll also gain an understanding of the business side of the industry. You’ll learn about agents, producers and studio execs, and how to get your scripts sold.
  • You’ll be prepared for a career in screenwriting. By attending Columbia University’s School of the Arts, you’ll be giving yourself a leg up in this competitive business. With a degree from one of the top programs in the country, you’ll be prepared to pursue a career in screenwriting.

8. Emerson College

best university for script writing

Emerson College is one of the most respected screenwriting schools in the country. Located in Boston, Emerson provides a creative and supportive environment for aspiring writers. Here’s 5 reasons you should attend Columbia University’s screenwriting school:

  • A world-renowned faculty: Emerson’s screenwriting school is led by some of the most experienced and successful professionals in the industry. From Hollywood insiders to award-winning writers, our faculty members are experts in their field and can provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to thrive in the industry.
  • An immersive curriculum: Emerson’s screenwriting program is designed to give you a well-rounded education in the art and business of screenwriting. You’ll learn about everything from story structure to character development to pitching your work to Hollywood executives. And because Emerson is located in the heart of Boston, you’ll have access to a wealth of resources and opportunities that other schools simply can’t match.
  • A supportive community: When you become an Emerson student, you’ll join a close-knit community of fellow writers who will support and challenge you throughout your time at school. You’ll also have access to a network of industry professionals who can help you get your foot in the door after graduation.
  • An affordable education: Emerson’s screenwriting program is one of the most affordable in the country, making it a great option for students who want to get a quality education without breaking the bank.
  • A gateway to success: Whether you want to write for film or television, Emerson’s screenwriting program is the perfect place to start your career. With our world-renowned faculty, immersive curriculum, and supportive community, you’ll have everything you need to take your writing career to the next level.

Best Online Screenwriting Schools

best university for script writing

There are many online screenwriting schools that offer students the opportunity to earn an online screenwriting degree. However, not all of these programs are created equal. When choosing an online screenwriting school, it is important to consider the quality of the program, the experience of the instructors, and the support services that are available. The following are three of the best screenwriting programs online currently available:

The Los Angeles Film School makes this list as one of the best screenwriting colleges online. The Los Angeles Film School offers a comprehensive online screenwriting program that is taught by experienced professionals. The program includes courses on character development, plot structure, and dialogue, and students have the opportunity to complete writing exercises and receive feedback from their instructors. In addition, the Los Angeles Film School provides support services such as career counseling and job placement assistance.

The New York Film Academy makes the list twice for being the best screenwriting colleges both on campus and online. The curriculum is designed to give students a well-rounded education in this field, and it includes courses on film history, directing, and producing. Students also have the opportunity to participate in writing workshops and receive feedback from their instructors. In addition, the New York Film Academy offers a wide range of support services, including academic advising and career counseling.

Finally, DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts offers a comprehensive online screenwriting program that is taught by industry professionals. The program includes courses on script analysis, character development, and scene structure. Students also have the opportunity to complete writing exercises and receive feedback from their instructors. In addition, DePaul University provides support services such as academic advising and job placement assistance.

So, if you’re looking for the best screenwriting colleges, any of the schools on the list would be an excellent choice. And don’t forget to check out my other blog posts for more information on writing scripts and finding work in the industry. Thanks for reading, and happy writing!

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2024 Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Master's Degree Schools

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 26 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Master's Degree Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 333 master's degrees in playwriting & screenwriting during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

  • Best Master’s Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Playwriting & Screenwriting School for Your Master's Degree

Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Master's Degree Schools

Overall Quality Is a Must

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

  • Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to playwriting & screenwriting students as compared to other majors.
  • Major Demand - How many other playwriting & screenwriting students want to attend this school to pursue a master's degree.
  • Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
  • Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized playwriting & screenwriting related body.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for playwriting & screenwriting students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings , including this Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Master's Degree Schools list to help you make the college decision.

Featured Playwriting & Screenwriting Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

MA in English & Creative Writing - Screenwriting

Follow your passion and gain practical skills, through understanding of the importance of plot, scene and character with this specialized online master's from Southern New Hampshire University.

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Creative Writing (I Have a Bachelors)

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Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Playwriting & Screenwriting in the United States

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in playwriting & screenwriting.

10 Top Schools for a Master's in Playwriting and Screenwriting

USC crest

University of Southern California is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in playwriting & screenwriting. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from University of Southern California

NYU crest

New York University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in playwriting & screenwriting. Located in the city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from New York University

Northwestern crest

Northwestern University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in playwriting & screenwriting. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from Northwestern University

Carnegie Mellon crest

Any student who is interested in a master's degree in playwriting & screenwriting has to look into Carnegie Mellon University. Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from Carnegie Mellon University

Boston U crest

Boston U is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Boston. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from Boston University

Loyola Marymount crest

Loyola Marymount is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University

Iowa crest

Iowa is a very large public university located in the small city of Iowa City. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from University of Iowa

Pepperdine crest

Located in the large suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from Pepperdine University

Chapman crest

Chapman is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Orange. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from Chapman University

SCAD crest

SCAD is a fairly large private not-for-profit college located in the midsize city of Savannah. More information about a master’s in playwriting & screenwriting from Savannah College of Art and Design

Related Programs

Learn about other programs related to Playwriting & Screenwriting that might interest you.

Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction

Harness your passion for storytelling with SNHU's Mountainview Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction. In this small, two-year creative writing program, students work one-on-one with our distinguished faculty remotely for most of the semester but convene for weeklong intensive residencies in June and January. At residencies, students critique each other's work face-to-face, meet with major authors, agents and editors and learn how to teach at the college level.

Playwriting & Screenwriting by Region

View the Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in playwriting & screenwriting, best overall in playwriting & screenwriting, best bachelor's degrees in playwriting & screenwriting.

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Playwriting & Screenwriting Related Rankings by Major

One of 11 majors within the Drama & Theater Arts area of study, Playwriting & Screenwriting has other similar majors worth exploring.

Most Popular Majors Related to Playwriting and Screenwriting

Notes and references.

  • The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Donald Judge . More about our data sources and methodologies .

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College Info

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Finding a dedicated creative writing program at a school you're excited about can be a real challenge, and that's even before you start worrying about getting in. Nonetheless, there are some great options. In order to help you find the best school for you, this list rounds up some of the best colleges for creative writing in the United States .

The Best Creative Writing Programs: Ranking Criteria

You should never take college rankings as absolute truth —not even the very official-seeming US News ones. Instead, use these kinds of lists as a jumping-off place for your own exploration of colleges. Pay attention not just to what the rankings are but to how the rankings are determined.

To help with that, I'll explain how I came up with this highly unscientific list of great creative writing colleges. I started by narrowing my search down to schools that offered a specific creative writing major. (If you don't see a school you were expecting, it's likely because they only have a minor.)

In ranking the schools, I considered five major criteria:

  • #1: MFA Ranking —If a school has a great graduate creative writing program, it means you'll be taught by those same professors and the excellent graduate students they attract. Schools with strong MFA programs are also more likely to have solid alumni networks and internship opportunities. However, many schools with great undergrad programs do not offer MFAs, in which case I simply focused on the other four options.
  • #2: General School Reputation —The vast majority of your classes won't be in creative writing, so it's important that other parts of the school, especially the English department, are great as well.
  • #3: Extracurricular Opportunities —One of the key advantages of majoring in creative writing is that it can provide access to writing opportunities outside the classroom, so I took what kind of internship programs, author readings, and literary magazines the school offers into consideration.
  • #4: Diversity of Class Options —I gave extra points to schools with a variety of genre options and specific, interesting classes.
  • #5: Alumni/Prestige —This last criterion is a bit more subjective: is the school known for turning out good writers? Certainly it's less important than what kind of education you'll actually get, but having a brand-name degree (so to speak) can be helpful.

The Best Creative Writing Schools

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of schools! The exact numbering is always arguable, so look at it as a general trend from absolutely amazing to still super great, rather than fixating on why one school is ranked #3 and another is ranked #4.

#1: Northwestern University

Northwestern's undergrad creative writing program boasts acclaimed professors and an unparalleled track record of turning out successful writers (including Divergent author Veronica Roth and short-story writer Karen Russell).

Outside the classroom, you can work on the student-run literary journal, intern at a publication in nearby Chicago, or submit to the Department of English's yearly writing competition . The university is also home to a top journalism program , so if you want to try your hand at nonfiction as well, you'll have plenty of opportunities to do so.

#2: Columbia University

Like Northwestern, Columbia is home to both a world-class creative writing program and a top journalism school (plus one of the best English departments in the country), so you have a wide range of writing-related course options. Columbia also benefits from its location in New York City, which is bursting at the seams with publishing houses, literary journals, and talented authors.

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#3: University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's big draw is the infrastructure of its graduate Writers' Workshop, which is often considered the best MFA program in the country.

As an English and Creative Writing major here, you'll take classes from great young writers and established professors alike, and get to choose from a wide range of topics. This major provides transferable skills important for a liberal arts major with a creative focus. You'll also have access to the university's impressive literary community, including frequent readings, writing prizes and scholarships, and the acclaimed literary journal The Iowa Review .

#4: Emory University

Emory is renowned for its dedicated undergrad creative writing program , which draws the very best visiting scholars and writers. Students here have the chance to attend intimate question-and-answer sessions with award-winning authors, study a range of genres, compete for writing awards and scholarships, and work closely with an adviser to complete an honors project.

#5: Oberlin College

A small liberal arts school in Ohio, Oberlin offers very different advantages than the schools above do. You'll have fewer opportunities to pursue writing in the surrounding city, but the quality of the teachers and the range of courses might make up for that. Moreover, it boasts just as impressive alumni, including actress and writer Lena Dunham.

#6: Hamilton College

Hamilton is another small college, located in upstate New York. It's known for giving students the freedom to pursue their interests and the support to help them explore topics in real depth, both inside and outside the classroom. Hamilton's creative writing program takes full advantage with small classes and lots of opportunities to intern and publish; it also has one of the best writing centers in the country.

#7: Brown University

Brown's Literary Arts program offers one of the top MFAs in the US as well as an undergraduate major . For the major, you must take four creative writing workshops and six reading-intensive courses, which span an array of departments and topics, from music and literature to Middle East studies and Egyptology.

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#8: Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University has an excellent creative writing MFA program, lots of super specific class options, and a number of scholarships specifically earmarked for creative writing students. This school’s undergraduate English program also offers a concentration in creative writing that allows students to specialize in a specific genre: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. If you’re interested in exploring your potential in a specific writing genre, Washington University could be a great pick for you.

#9: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT might not be a school you generally associate with writing, but it actually has an excellent program that offers courses in digital media and science writing, as well as creative writing, and provides plenty of guidance on how graduates can navigate the tricky job market.

Not to mention the school is located in Cambridge, a haven for book lovers and writers of all kinds. Though it probably isn’t a good fit for students who hate science, MIT is a great place for aspiring writers who want to build writing skills that are marketable in a wide range of industries.

#10: University of Michigan

University of Michigan is one of the best state universities in the country and has a top-notch MFA program. This school’s undergrad creative writing sub-concentration requires students to submit applications for admittance to advanced creative writing courses. These applications give students crucial practice in both building a writing portfolio and articulating their interest in creative writing to an audience who will evaluate their work. If you're looking to attend a big school with a great creative writing major, this is a fantastic choice.

#11: Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins is another school that's known more for engineering than it is for writing, but, like MIT, it has a dedicated writing program. As a major here, you must take not only courses in prose, poetry, and literature, but also classes on topics such as philosophy and history.

#12: Colorado College

Colorado College is a small liberal arts school known for its block plan , which allows students to focus on one class per three-and-a-half-week block. The creative writing track of the English major includes a sequence of four writing workshops and also requires students to attend every reading of the Visiting Writers Series.

Bonus School: New York University

I didn't include NYU in the main list because it doesn't have a dedicated creative writing major, but it's a great school for aspiring writers nonetheless, offering one of the most impressive creative writing faculties in the country and all the benefits of a Manhattan location.

body_nyu

How To Pick the Best Creative Writing School for You

Just because Northwestern is a great school for creative writing doesn't mean you should set your heart on going there. (The football fans are completely terrifying, for one thing.) So where should you go then?

Here are some questions to ask yourself when looking at creative writing programs to help you determine the best school for you:

Does It Have Courses You're Interested In?

Look at the course offerings and see whether they interest you. While you can't predict exactly what classes you'll love, you want to avoid a mismatch where what you want to study and what the program offers are completely different. For example, if you want to write sonnets but the school focuses more on teaching fiction, it probably won't be a great fit for you.

Also, don't forget to look at the English courses and creative writing workshops! In most programs, you'll be taking a lot of these, too.

What Opportunities Are There To Pursue Writing Outside of Class?

I touched on this idea in the criteria section, but it's important enough that I want to reiterate it here. Some of the best writing experience you can get is found outside the classroom, so see what kind of writing-related extracurriculars a school has before committing to it.

Great options include getting involved with the campus newspaper, working on the school's literary journal, or interning at the university press.

Who Will Be Teaching You?

Who are the professors? What kind of work have they published? Check teacher ratings on Rate My Professors (but make sure to read the actual reviews—and always take them with a grain of salt).

If you're looking at a big school, there's a good chance that a lot of your teachers will be graduate students. But that's not necessarily a bad thing: a lot of the best teachers I had in college were graduate students. Just take into consideration what kind of graduate program the school has. If there's a great creative writing MFA program, then the graduate students are likely to be better writers and more engaged teachers.

What Are the Alumni Doing Now?

If you have a sense of what you want to do after you graduate, see if any alumni of the program are pursuing that type of career. The stronger the alumni network is, the more connections you'll have when it comes time to get a job.

What About the Rest of the School?

Don't pick a school for which you like the creative writing program but dread everything else about it. Most of your time will be spent doing other things, whether hanging out in the dorms, exploring off campus, or fulfilling general education requirements.

Many schools require you to apply to the creative writing major, so make doubly sure you'll be happy with your choice even if you aren't accepted to the program.

What's Next?

Are you sure a creative writing major is the right fit for you? Read our post on the pros and cons of the major to help you decide what path to take in college.

For more general advice about choosing a college, check out our complete guide to finding the right school for you. Some major factors to consider include deciding whether you're interested in a small college or a big university , an in-state or out-of-state institution , and a public or private school .

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Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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We’ve designed our two-year MFA Program around six core courses, which introduce you to a set of “transportable” media writing concepts, as well as specific idioms/genres.

You’ll build a significant portfolio – a screenplay, play, TV episode, and full-length thesis project of your choosing. You’ll understand not just the art and craft of media writing, but also the business of media writing as well as practice pitching, taking meetings, writing query letters, and understanding contracts. You’ll choose from a range of writing topics courses, such as developing character, developing the pilot, writing the teen film, experimental adaptation, and interactive narrative. You’ll meet artists and executives from TV, stage, film, and new media. You’ll also take theory and history courses to give you a better sense of the relationship between writing and the broader worlds of theatre, film, and television.

Below are the specific course requirements, a sample schedule, and other graduation requirements. Questions? Please contact us at [email protected] or 847-467-1157.

Coursework Requirements – 18 Units Total

Other MFA Degree Requirements

MFA students will be allowed to take a maximum of 20 credits.

Criteria for Satisfactory Academic Progress : You must maintain a B average. If your average is not a B or higher by the end of the first year, you may be asked to leave the program. 

First Year Review : The academic and professional progress of all first year MFAs will be reviewed in early June by the director of the program in consultation with writing faculty. If weaknesses are identified, a formal interview with that student will be conducted by the director and writing faculty to determine an appropriate course of action. Subsequent to that interview, at the discretion of the director, the grade for the spring core 500 level writing seminar may be used to determine whether that student will be allowed to continue in the program with a grade of C+ or below resulting in possible removal.

Final portfolio Review/Defense : In consultation with the Director of the Program, you will choose a committee of two faculty members (both part of the Graduate School faculty) to review your final portfolio (at least 3 substantial scripts created within the context of courses) and to judge your final defense of that portfolio.

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Clouds are almost as old as this world, born when primordial volcanoes first exhaled the chemistry of the molten planet into the sky, but their science is younger than the steam engine. At the dawn of the 19th century, the chemist and amateur meteorologist Luke Howard, still in his 20s, noticed that clouds form in particular shapes under particular conditions. Applying the principles of the newly popular Linnaean taxonomy of the living world to clouds, he named the three main classes cumulus , stratus and cirrus , then braided them into sub-taxonomies.

When a German translation reached Goethe, the polymathic poet with a passion for morphology was so inspired that he sent fan mail to the young man who “distinguished cloud from cloud,” then composed a suite of verses about the main classes. It was Goethe’s poetry, translating the lexicon of an obscure science into the language of wonder, that popularized the cloud names we use today.

A century and a half later, six years before Rachel Carson awakened the modern ecological conscience with her book “Silent Spring” and four years after “The Sea Around Us” earned her the National Book Award (whose judges described it as “a work of scientific accuracy presented with poetic imagination”), the television program “Omnibus” approached her to write “something about the sky,” in response to a request from a young viewer.

This became the title of the segment that aired on March 11, 1956 — a soulful serenade to the science of clouds, emanating from Carson’s credo that “the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us the less taste we shall have for the destruction of our race.”

Although celebrated for her books about the sea, Carson had begun her literary career with an eye to the sky.

She was only 11 when her story “A Battle in the Clouds” — inspired by her brother’s time in the Army Air Service during World War I — was published in the popular young people’s magazine St. Nicholas, where the early writings of Edna St. Vincent Millay, F. Scott Fitzgerald and E.E. Cummings also appeared. She eventually enrolled at Pennsylvania Women’s College, intent on majoring in English.

And then, the way all great transformations slip in through the back door of the mansion of our plans, her life took a turn that shaped her future and the history of literature.

To meet the school’s science requirement, Carson took an introductory biology course. She found herself enchanted by the subject and changed her major.

But she never lost her love of literature. “I have always wanted to write,” Carson told her lab partner late one night. “Biology has given me something to write about.”

She was also writing poetry, submitting it to various magazines and receiving rejection slip after rejection slip. Somewhere along the way — training at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, writing reports her boss deemed far too lyrical for a government publication and encouraged her to submit to The Atlantic Monthly — Carson realized that poetry lives in innumerable guises beyond verse.

In 1952, she would rise from the table she shared with the poet Marianne Moore to receive her National Book Award with these words: “The aim of science is to discover and illuminate truth. And that, I take it, is the aim of literature, whether biography or history or fiction. It seems to me, then, that there can be no separate literature of science.”

If there was poetry in her writing, Carson believed, it was not because she “deliberately put it there” but because no one could write truthfully about nature “and leave out the poetry.”

It was a radical idea — that truth and beauty are not in rivalry but in reciprocity, that to write about science with feeling is not to diminish its authority but to deepen it. Carson was modeling a new possibility for generations of writers to come, blurring the line between where science ends and poetry begins.

That was the ethos she took to her “Omnibus” assignment about “the writing of the wind on the sky,” detailing the science of each of the main cloud classes and celebrating them as “the cosmic symbols of a process without which life itself could not exist on earth.”

After coming upon fragments of Carson’s long-lost television script via Orion magazine, the artist Nikki McClure — who grew up immersed in nature, worked for a while at the Department of Ecology and finds daily delight in watching birds under the cedar canopy by her home — was moved to track down the complete original and bring it to life in lyrical illustrations.

Known for her singular cut-paper art, with its stark contrasts and sharp contours, she embraced the creative challenge of finding a whole new technique in order to channel the softness of the sky.

Using paper from a “long-ago” trip to Japan and sumi ink she freely applied with brushes, she let the gentle work of gravity and fluid dynamics pool and fade the mostly blue and black hues into textured layers — a process of “possibility and chance.”

Then, as she recounts in an illustrator’s note at the back of the book, she “cut images with the paper, not just from it”: “The paper and I had a conversation about what might happen.”

What emerges is a kind of tender visual poem, as boldly defiant of category as Carson’s writing.

Although Carson never wrote explicitly for children, she wrote in the language of children: wonder.

Less than a year after “Something About the Sky” aired on “Omnibus,” Carson took over the care of her orphaned grandnephew, Roger, whom she would soon legally adopt. (He’s the small boy romping across McClure’s illustrations.) In what began as an article for Woman’s Home Companion and was later expanded into her posthumously published book “The Sense of Wonder,” she wrote:

If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE SKY | By Rachel Carson | Illustrated by Nikki McClure | Candlewick Studio | 56 pp. | $19.99 | Ages 5 to 8

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Smithsonian Magazine

Did the People of Easter Island Invent a Writing System From Scratch?

N ew research has revealed that a wooden tablet from Rapa Nui—also known as Easter Island —inscribed with mysterious glyphs was likely created before the Europeans’ arrival, meaning the script may be one of history’s rare independently invented writing systems.

Rapa Nui is best known for its moai , the large-scale stone statues that mystified the Europeans who arrived in the 18th century. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that Europeans took note of another significant invention: a system of writing known as “rongorongo” script. In 1864, the missionary Eugene Eyraud described the island’s many “wooden tablets or staffs covered with sorts of hieroglyphic characters.”

The rongorongo script is shrouded in mystery. Only some two dozen artifacts featuring it survive today, and they’re held by institutions all over the world (including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History ).

Recently, researchers performed radiocarbon testing on four artifacts held by a Catholic convent in Rome. They found that three date to the 18th or 19th centuries, but the fourth dates to between 1493 and 1509—over 200 years before Europeans arrived on Rapa Nui, according to a study published this month in the journal Scientific Reports .

Lead author Silvia Ferrara , a philologist at the University of Bologna in Italy, tells Live Science ’s Tom Metcalfe that her team’s research suggests that Rapa Nui islanders invented rongorongo independently, without influence or inspiration from European writing systems. This notion is bolstered by the fact that rongorongo glyphs bear no resemblance to European letters. “Historically speaking,” says Ferrara, “if you borrow a writing system, then you keep it as close to the original as possible.”

The 15th-century tablet appears to come from a species of tree that isn’t native to Rapa Nui. The team thinks it was probably a piece of driftwood, which “raises questions about the island’s ecological past,” as Arkeonews ’ Leman Altuntaş writes.

There is a chance that the tablet was already “old wood” when islanders inscribed it with rongorongo, Ferrara tells Live Science . Still, she thinks that possibility is unlikely, as it would mean the wood had been stored for over 200 years before being used.

While researchers have been examining rongorongo for a century and a half, the script has never been deciphered. “What makes rongorongo so difficult is that we do not know what sort of script it is,” wrote Alexander Lee for History Today last year. “No one is quite sure whether it is a form of proto-writing, or a fully-fledged writing system. If the former, are the glyphs pictograms (designed to be read like panels in a comic strip) or mnemonic ‘cues,’ each triggering a different memory?”

As Atlas Obscura ’s Shafik Meghji wrote in 2021, the rongorongo script was likely only used by elites. By the 19th century, as the population sharply declined, knowledge of the script vanished entirely.

Though the new research doesn’t aid translating efforts, it does shed new light on the script’s age and origins. Previously, only two rongorongo artifacts from the 19th century had been dated.

Rafal Wieczorek , a chemist at the University of Warsaw who has studied rongorongo tablets but was not involved in the recent study, tells Live Science that the results are “a great development.”

“I actually believe that rongorongo is one of the very few independent inventions of writing in human history, like the writing of the Sumerians, the Egyptians and the Chinese,” he says. “But belief is a different thing than hard data … so ideally, we would like to test all the tablets.”

Today, the rongorongo script survives on less than 30 objects.

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