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University of North Carolina School of the Arts · School of Filmmaking

MFA in Filmmaking — Screenwriting

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Filmmaking (Screenwriting concentration)Funding not verifiedEditorial selection: Top Screenwriting Schools

Overview

A two-year, 46-credit MFA screenwriting concentration in feature and episodic writing, with core classes scheduled over three days so most students can work while enrolled. Students graduate with a portfolio of three to four finished scripts, including a feature or episodic thesis script.

Official program name
MFA in Filmmaking — Screenwriting
Awarded degree
Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking (Screenwriting concentration)Master's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location
Winston Salem, NC
Delivery
On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance
Regular campus attendanceStudents attend classes on campus throughout the program.
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity
Not published
Duration
Two years
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits
46 credits
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start
Fall
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Film and television
The program covers both film and television.
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

FieldClassificationEvidence
ScreenwritingNamed concentrationPathway: ScreenwritingAn officially named concentration, specialization or track inside the degree.Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Why this degree is listed

MFA in Filmmaking with an officially named Screenwriting concentration; the bulletin lists it as its own MFA curriculum.

Source: uncsa.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

Official concentrations and pathways

Thesis, film or capstone

Thesis screenplayFeature or episodic thesis script completed with a faculty mentor (Thesis Project I & II).

Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Published areas of study

  • First-year core classes are shared with creative producing students.
    Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other

  • Program is designed so that most students can work while earning the degree.
    Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
  • The MFA must be completed within five years of initial enrollment.
    Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Industry programs

  • Opportunity to participate in a Los Angeles trip to meet industry leaders.
    Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

  • Pilar Alessandra — screenwriting
  • Pooja Gupta — screenwriting, cinema studies, producing
  • Lauren Vilchik — Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies, screenwriting

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: uncsa.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

School of Filmmaking special fee
$1,520 per academic year MandatoryArt school special fee for School of Filmmaking students ($760 per semester).
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
University-Wide Art School Production Fee
$264 per academic year MandatoryUniversity-wide art school production fee ($132 per semester).
Source: uncsa.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

MaterialStatusInstructions as published
Screenplay sampleRequiredOne work of creative fiction (screenplay, theatrical script or short story), maximum 25 pages, PDF.Length: up to 25 pagesSource: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Academic writing sampleRequiredOne expository essay (film analysis or film criticism), maximum 10 pages single-spaced.Length: up to 10 pagesSource: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Prior degree
RequiredBachelor's degree completed or scheduled before the fall semester
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Minimum GPA
RequiredMinimum college GPA of 3.0
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Statement of purpose
RequiredLetter of intent, maximum two pages
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required2 letters — One letter from an arts instructor and one from an academic instructor
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredTwo-page document: resume plus essay on extracurricular and community activities
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Interview
RequiredInterview held virtually over Zoom
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee
Required$95 — $95 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, $130 for international applicants
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other requirement
RecommendedPreferred primary applicants have at least two years of work experience
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Other requirement
RequiredVideo essay with recorded responses to provided questions
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
OptionalNot required; scores considered if submitted
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
TOEFL iBT
Required — minimum 79International applicants; TOEFL iBT or iBT Home Edition
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
IELTS Academic
Required — minimum 6.5International applicants; alternative to TOEFL
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Duolingo English Test
Required — minimum 100International applicants; alternative to TOEFL
Source: uncsa.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.

  • Early action · Early Application Date (non-binding)

    November 2, 2026 · for Fall

    Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
    Upcoming

  • Application deadline

    January 20, 2027 · for Fall

    Source: uncsa.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.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
In-stateFrom the school's rate table for this level$10,296per academic year · 2026-2027Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Out-of-stateFrom the school's rate table for this level$24,999per academic year · 2026-2027Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Mandatory institutional fees

Education & Technology fee
$794 per academic yearMandatory
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee (domestic)
$95 one-timeMandatory
Source: uncsa.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

Separate application
Applicants may be recommended for scholarship consideration.
Source: uncsa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.
  1. uncsa.edu/admissions/filmmaking/graduate/index.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  2. uncsa.edu/admissions/filmmaking/graduate/portfolio-requirements.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  3. uncsa.edu/admissions/filmmaking/graduate/required-documents.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  4. uncsa.edu/bulletin/current/graduate/fm/index.aspx — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  5. uncsa.edu/bulletin/current/graduate/fm/mfa-gscr.aspx — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  6. uncsa.edu/bulletin/current/undergraduate/fm/index.aspx — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  7. uncsa.edu/current-students/services/tuition-and-fees/graduate-tuition-fees.aspx — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026
  8. uncsa.edu/filmmaking/screenwriting-hub/graduate-screenwriting.aspx — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026

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

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