Columbia College Chicago · School of Film and Television

Screenwriting and Development (MA)

MAMaster of Arts in Screenwriting and DevelopmentFunding not verified

Overview

An MA in Screenwriting and Development delivered primarily online, covering feature scripts, television pilots and series development, with an optional January session in Los Angeles.

Official program name: Screenwriting and Development (MA)
Awarded degree: Master of Arts in Screenwriting and DevelopmentMaster's · Master of Arts
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: Columbia College Chicago — School of Film and Television
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location: Chicago, ILThe administering school's location. Coursework is online; this is not a residence requirement.
Delivery: Online
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance: Attendance not verifiedWe could not confirm the attendance requirement from official pages.
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity: Not published
Duration: Not verified
Required credits: Not verified
Film and television: The program covers both film and television.
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

Field	Classification	Evidence
Screenwriting	Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.	Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Producing	Broader film degreeA broader film degree whose official curriculum substantially covers this field.	Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Why this degree is listed

MA dedicated to screenwriting for film and television.

Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

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

Online study and attendance

Coursework delivery, campus visits, production work and equipment are recorded separately. Online filmmaking usually means producing work where you live.

Coursework delivery: Courses delivered primarily online.
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Campus residencies: Optional January session (J-Session) in Los Angeles.
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published state-authorization restrictions: not verified. Ask the school whether students in your state can enroll.

Curriculum, pathways and faculty

Thesis, film or capstone

PortfolioGraduates leave with a portfolio of screenplays and television development packages.

Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Workshops

Small-group online workshops simulating writers' rooms.
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published areas of study

Courses include Screenwriting 1 (Shorts), Writing the Television Program, Developing the Series Bible, The Writers' Room and Screenwriting II (Feature).
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

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

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

Production and equipment costs: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

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
Screenplay sample	Required	One film or TV proposal and 1-2 screenplay samples, 15 pages in total.Length: up to 15 pagesSource: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Personal statement: RequiredPersonal statement on goals as a screenwriter and personal voice.
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredResume
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee: Required$60 — Application fee $60 (international $100).
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredTranscripts from all colleges/universities attended.
Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

TOEFL iBT: Recommended — minimum 90For non-native English speakers; 90 iBT recommended for tests taken before January 21, 2026.
Source: colum.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 deadlines: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

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 studentsPublished for online study	$1,000	(basis not stated by the school) · 2026-2027Source: colum.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Funding

We have not verified an official funding policy for this program. That does not mean funding is unavailable. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Funding not verified

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

Sources and verification

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

colum.edu/academics/film-and-television/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
colum.edu/academics/programs/screenwriting-and-development-ma.html — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
colum.edu/admissions/requirements/graduate — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
colum.edu/admissions/requirements/international/graduate.html — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
colum.edu/student-financial-services/where-to-start/tuition-fees/2026-27-grad.html — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026

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