61 Best Schools to Consider

Getting a screenwriting degree can open many doors for you in the world of film and television. The courses you take when getting a screenwriting degree help you to think critically and creatively, prepare you for a job post-college, and connect you with lifelong contacts you can turn to when you are looking for a job or want feedback on your writing later in your career.

61 Best Academic Screenwriting Programs in the U.S.

Here’s a list of schools with screenwriting and filmmaking degrees in the United States:

1. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, California

USC is one of the most popular schools for filmmaking, boasting alumni like Ron Howard and George Lucas, and it’s known for its screenwriting programs. Offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees, coursework includes dramatic writing, plot structure, video production, film economics, and film history.

2. University of California — Los Angeles, California

The other major film school is UCLA, which offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Screenwriting through their prestigious School of Theater, Film, and Television. UCLA also has a Professional Studies Program in Screenwriting where students focus solely on writing screenplays.

3. Loyola Marymount University — Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount‘s School of Film & Television offers an MFA in Screenwriting. Part of the portfolio students build in the program includes screenplays and teleplays.

4. New York Film Academy — New York City, New York

NYFA offers an MFA in Screenwriting with courses that focus on pitching, film studies, and acting. Students complete a short film or scene from a script by writing, directing, and editing it. NYFA students can also take advantage of online courses in screenwriting.

5. Chapman University — Orange, California

Chapman University offers a graduate degree in screenwriting with courses in cinematography, production, design, and directing.

6. New York University — New York City, New York

NYU‘s Tisch School of the Arts offers a certificate in dramatic writing with an emphasis on screenwriting. Focusing on character development and story conflicts, students will develop story ideas and read and analyze screenplays.

7. Emerson College — Boston, Massachusetts

The Department of Visual Media & Arts at Emerson College offers a screenwriting certificate program. This series of workshops give students the tools to grow their writing skills and practice form and structure.

8. Boston University — Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University‘s College of Communication offers an MFA in Screenwriting. Students complete several screenplays and can compete in the Fleder-Rosenberg screenplay contest. Successful students from this program include Jason Hellerman, who wrote “Shovel Buddies.”

9. American Film Institute — Los Angeles, California

The American Film Institute offers a screenwriting fellowship where students write short screenplays and work with students in directing and producing fellowships to finalize their work.

10. The University of Texas — Austin, Texas

The MFA in Screenwriting program at UT Austin is highly competitive because they only accept around seven students each year. Students learn about characterization, conflict, and adaptation while writing three original screenplays.

Other Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools in America

Many schools may offer both playwriting and screenwriting, often incorporating both types of classes into a degree’s coursework. Some schools may only offer undergraduate filmmaking, which can provide a great foundation for future professional screenwriters, or in theater, where students learn writing for the stage. Other schools may offer graduate degrees that specialize in either screenwriting or playwriting, with some schools incorporating both genres into a single program.Here are some other programs that offer playwriting and/or screenwriting to consider:

1. The University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, Michigan: Screenwriting and Playwriting
2. Emory University — Atlanta, Georgia: Screenwriting and Playwriting
3. University of Cincinnati — Cincinnati, Ohio: Screenwriting
4. Drexel University — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Screenwriting and Playwriting
5. DePaul University — Chicago, Illinois: Screenwriting and Playwriting
6. Ohio University — Athens, Ohio: Screenwriting and Playwriting
7. Bennington College — Bennington, Vermont: Screenwriting
8. Franklin College — Franklin, Indiana: Scriptwriting
9. Judson University — Elgin, Illinois: Screenwriting and Playwriting
10. Pacific Union College — Angwin, California: Screenwriting
11. Central Washington University — Ellensburg, Washington: Screenwriting
12. Yavapai College — Prescott, Arizona: Screenwriting
13. Metropolitan State University — St. Paul, Minnesota: Screenwriting
14. Scottsdale Community College — Scottsdale, Arizona: Screenwriting
15. Metropolitan Community College — Omaha, Nebraska: Screenwriting
16. The Savannah College of Art & Design — Savannah, Georgia: Dramatic Writing
17. University of the Arts — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Screenwriting
18. Point Park University — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Screenwriting and Playwriting
19. Academy of Art University — San Francisco, California: Screenwriting
20. Columbia College — Chicago, Illinois: Playwriting
21. Pellissippi State Community College — Knoxville, Tennessee: Scriptwriting
22. Minneapolis Community & Technical College — Minneapolis, Minnesota: Screenwriting and Playwriting
23. SUNY Purchase College — Harrison, New York: Screenwriting and Playwriting
24. New York Film Academy — Los Angeles, California: Screenwriting
25. Bard College at Simon’s Rock — Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Screenwriting
26. Marlboro College — Marlboro, Vermont: Screenwriting
27. Harvard University — Cambridge, Massachusetts: Screenwriting
28. Northwestern University — Evanston, Illinois: Screenwriting and Playwriting
29. Full Sail University — Winter Park, Florida: Screenwriting
30. Regent University — Virginia Beach, Virginia: Screenwriting
31. Texas Tech University — Lubbock, Texas: Playwriting
32. Yale University — New Haven, Connecticut: Playwriting
33. The University of Iowa — Iowa City, Iowa: Screenwriting and Playwriting
34. Brown University — Providence, Rhode Island: Playwriting
35. Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Dramatic Writing
36. Pepperdine University — Malibu, California: Screenwriting
37. University of California — San Diego, California: Screenwriting and Playwriting
38. Florida State University — Tallahassee, Florida: Screenwriting
39. The New School — New York City, New York: Screenwriting and Playwriting
40. California State University — Fullerton, California: Screenwriting
41. Catholic University of America — Washington, D.C.: Playwriting
42. California State University — Northridge, California: Screenwriting
43. CUNY Hunter College — New York City, New York: Playwriting
44. University of New Mexico — Albuquerque, New Mexico: Dramatic Writing
45. Palm Beach Atlantic University — West Palm Beach, Florida: Screenwriting
46. Hollins University — Roanoke, Virginia: Screenwriting and Playwriting
47. The Julliard School — New York City, New York: Playwriting
48. National University — La Jolla, California: Screenwriting
49. California Institute of the Arts — Santa Clarita, California: Screenwriting and Playwriting
50. University of Alaska — Anchorage, Alaska: Playwriting
51. Northwest College — Powell, Wyoming: Screenwriting

Is a Screenwriting Degree Required to Be a Writer in Hollywood?

So you want to be a professional screenwriter, but you may not know which path is best for you. Although it may help, you don’t necessarily need a screenwriting degree to find success as a screenwriter. Some things you do need to succeed in this venture include personal experience, natural writing talent, a unique voice, a strong work ethic, and some level of training, whether it be a formal degree, a few workshops under your belt, or work in the industry.The pros of earning a degree include:

• You surrounded yourself with like-minded, writing-focused professionals who you can build strong friendships and industry connections with.
• You get to analyze stories, plot, and characters to improve your own, often branching out into different genres.
• You establish good writing habits, including ways to get rid of writer’s block.
• You learn how to format a script with industry-standard guidelines.
• You develop important business techniques, like pitching, writing script coverage, and registering your script with an industry organization.
• You can earn a degree that allows you to teach others how to improve their writing.

Here are even more reasons to get a degree, plus some other degree programs to consider instead. An in-depth checklist like this can help you figure out what you want and need in a screenwriting degree.If you’re ready to pursue a screenwriting degree, there is no time like the present to consider all your options and forge the path the best fits your needs. You can learn more about film and how you can improve your skills by applying to the Nashville Film Institute here.