Chapman University · Dodge College of Film and Media Arts

Screenwriting (MFA)

MFAMFA in ScreenwritingPartial fundingEditorial selection: Top Screenwriting Schools

Overview

A two-year, 48-credit MFA in screenwriting covering feature and television writing, with a summer internship course and a thesis screenplay.

Official program name: Screenwriting (MFA)
Awarded degree: MFA in ScreenwritingMaster's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: Chapman University — Dodge College of Film and Media Arts
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location: Orange, CA
Delivery: On campus
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance: Regular campus attendanceStudents attend classes on campus throughout the program.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Two years
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits: 48 credits at the 500 or 600 level
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start: Fall
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Film and television: The program covers both film and television.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

Field	Classification	Evidence
Screenwriting	Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.	Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Why this degree is listed

Dedicated MFA in screenwriting.

Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list verified film degrees only — no certificates, workshops or generic degrees with a few film electives. Eligibility rules

Curriculum, pathways and faculty

Thesis, film or capstone

Thesis screenplayThesis screenplay, prepared through SW 698 Thesis in Screenwriting in the second year.

Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Internships

Summer internship course FTV 690 Independent Internship (3 credits).
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published areas of study

Second-year television writing seminars.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production projects

Students may collaborate with film production students to have one of their scripts produced.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

Leah Aldridge
James Dutcher
Susan Isaacs
Paul Gulino
Pavel Jech
David Ward
Paul Wolansky

As listed on the program's official page on October 12, 2026. Listing does not mean a faculty member is teaching or supervising new students in a given year.

Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production costs and equipment

Production and equipment costs are separate from tuition. Tuition does not include cameras, crew, actors, locations, software or thesis-film budgets unless the school says so.

Equipment and facility access

Equipment access: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Published production and equipment costs

Published production and course fees

Film Conservatory fee: $375 per semester Per-semester Film Conservatory fee listed for MFA Screenwriting, 2026-2027.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We never estimate a total cost when key expenses are unpublished. Compare production costs

Admissions

Each submission item is shown exactly as the school states it. Anything not listed is not verified — never “not required”.

Portfolio and submission materials

Material	Status	Instructions as published
Creative portfolio	Required	One- to two-page creative portfolio list of activities showing potential in screenwriting.Length: 1–2 pagesSource: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Creative prompt / exercise	Required	One-page transformational moment essay.Length: up to 1 pagesSource: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Writing sample	Required	Narrative scene of no more than three pages based on one of two given scenarios, in short story or screenplay format.Length: up to 3 pagesSource: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Screenplay sample	Required	Either 10 scripted pages or about 1,000 words of prose; sole-authored work only.Length: up to 10 pages, up to 1000 wordsSource: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Statement of purpose: RequiredStatement of intent.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredResume.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredOfficial undergraduate transcript from the degree-granting institution.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: Not required
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness. Build an application checklist

Deadlines

Dates are shown with the year and intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadline
November 15, 2026 · for Fall 2027
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its applicant category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-year and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other. Production costs are listed separately above.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
All students	$28,018	per semester · 2026-2027Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Funding

Some scholarships, assistantships or awards exist for some students; full funding is not stated. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Partial funding

Separate application: There is no separate fellowship application.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other: Fellowships go to a select number of students each year.
Source: chapman.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.

chapman.edu/dodge/apply/graduate/faq.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
chapman.edu/dodge/apply/graduate/how-to-apply.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
chapman.edu/dodge/contact-us/index.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
chapman.edu/dodge/programs/graduate/mfa-screenwriting.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
chapman.edu/students/tuition-and-aid/sbs/tuition-and-services/index.aspx — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026

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Same degree level and field. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

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