Screenwriting Degrees
Writing for film and related screen formats: feature and short screenplays, television writing and development.
66 programs · page 1 of 4
Listed alphabetically by school. This directory is not a ranking — editorial selections are published separately under Top Schools. What we list
BFA in Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media
MA in Writing & Directing for Film
MFA in Motion Pictures & Television
MFA in Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media
California State University-Northridge
BA in Cinema and Television Arts
Film and Television Directing (MFA)
Screenwriting and Development (MA)
What screenwriting covers
- Feature and short screenplay writing
- Television and episodic writing where offered
- Story structure, rewriting and workshop critique
- A thesis screenplay or script portfolio
Screenwriting is a writing discipline. Some programs sit inside a film school with production courses; others focus almost entirely on scripts. Programs that combine film and television writing say so on their profiles.
Dedicated degree, concentration or broader film degree
- Dedicated degree (30): The degree itself is in this field.
- Named concentration (24): An officially named concentration, specialization or track inside the degree.
- Broader film degree (12): A broader film degree whose official curriculum substantially covers this field.
A single elective is never counted as a concentration or as substantial curriculum. One program can appear in several fields; it is still one listing.
Admissions and portfolios
Screenwriting programs usually ask for a screenplay or other writing sample; page limits and formats differ by school.
Requirements are recorded item by item on each program profile — required, optional, pathway-specific or explicitly not required. If a school does not publish its policy, we say so. Admissions hub and checklist
By level: Bachelor's (25) · Master's (41)