Key details

Award title

MA Writing for Script & Screen (also available as PGDip)

Awarding body

Falmouth University

Level

Duration

MA 2 years; PGDip 15 months

Mode of study

Online, part-time

Total MA fee

£12,150

3 start dates per year

January, May and September

Next welcome week

18 September 2023

Next start date

25 September 2023

Application deadline

11 September 2023

Application process

Apply for MA

Apply for PGDip

Online Masters in Writing for Script & Screen

Introduction

Gain the writing skills, industry know-how, professional skills and experience of collaborative working that the ever-changing screen-writing industry demands.

Learn how to function within a professional environment across different screen industries, and create work that stands out from the crowd.

Develop your portfolio across different platforms or focus on the mediums and genres that interest you through live briefs, collaborative projects and independent research.

You will:

Learn the fundamentals of storytelling and how these can be applied to your chosen script medium
Gain the professional skills needed to compete in the script writing industries, including how to write treatments, develop characters and setting, present your work in the correct format, and pitch your ideas
Collaborate and network with other script professionals around the world
Gain the research skills, critical and theoretical approaches needed to underpin your practice
Gain an understanding of current trends and developments in the screen industries.

Check out our guide to becoming a professional screenwriter, where Course Leader John Finnegan shares his advice for bringing your ideas to life.

You may be a recent graduate looking to develop specialist knowledge, or a writer who wants the skills to adapt existing work for screen. You might be a current practitioner in the screen industries who’s keen to further your growth. As a student of the course, you’ll receive the support you need to reach your career goals.

This is because our modules are designed to help you in the real world – from honing your creative capabilities to developing the networking and presentation skills that are essential to creating professional relationships and securing work.

Watch our short overview to find out more about the programme:

Careers and employability

This MA is built to help students establish successful careers as writers in the script writing industries, irrespective of where they are in their professional journey.

Upon graduating from the course, you’ll be well-equipped to work professionally across a variety of mediums – including video games, cinema, television or digital media. Our graduates have worked on productions with companies such as Netflix, Amazon Studios, and HBO.

Learn more about the career options available to you as an MA Writing for Script and Screen graduate:

In addition to the guidance offered by our tutors, you can also access our RealWORKS, our careers and employability service throughout your studies, and for up to 5 years following graduation.

Our expert team will help you identify potential opportunities in the UK or internationally, prepare for job interviews, advise you on starting up your own business, and more.

You should have:

An honours degree or Level 6 equivalent qualification.

A piece of sample writing in the form of a screenplay, formatted to an industry standard. The screenplay can be as long as you wish but should be at least 5 pages. It can be an excerpt of a larger piece of writing. You can also submit other pieces of sample writing such as short stories, plays or radio dramas along with your screenplay, to support your application.

If your first language is not English, you'll need to take one of the following tests to verify your proficiency:

IELTS - minimum overall score of IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
TOEFL iBT (online test) - minimum of 88 overall and at least 21 in all 4 components
LanguageCert (online test) - a High Pass from the ESOL B2 Communicator test in reading, writing, speaking and listening (2 parts)

We accept a number of additional English language qualifications as well.

Candidates without a degree or formal qualification are also encouraged to apply. If you have prior learning or experience with this subject, you may even be able to apply for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL). You can learn more about this via our APL guide.

For more information on course requirements, including advice regarding your eligibility, please get in touch via the form at the end of this page.

What you’ll learn

Explore fundamental questions of storytelling and scriptwriting, develop scriptwriting portfolios and professional briefs, and learn how to promote yourself as a freelance scriptwriter.

Course structure

You will need to complete four 30-credit modules and one 60-credit project (180 credits in total). All modules on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award.

PGDip

You will need to complete four 30-credit modules (120 credits in total). All modules on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award. A dissertation (major project) is not required.

Please note the module orders are subject to change.

Module one

Storytelling for Script & Screen (30 credits)

In this module, you will examine, explore and practice the fundamental questions of storytelling and script writing: ‘Why do we tell stories and how do we tell stories?’

You will learn specific script writing skills: script layout, visual storytelling, genre, setting, character, dialogue and the construction of scenes and sequences.

Module two

Individual Script Development Workshop (30 credits)

In this module, you will develop an individually negotiated scriptwriting portfolio.

More complex elements of scriptwriting will be rigorously explored, including: deep structure (scenes and sequences), in-depth character development, and sustaining narrative and theme in a feature film, television series, or a digital game.

Module three

Writer’s Room: Collaborative Script Development (30 credits)

In this module, you will work collaboratively on a professional brief.

In the first 10 weeks, working in Script Development Teams, you will develop industry practice project proposal documents.

In the final two weeks, you will work in the roles of client/commissioner for each brief, assessing the project proposal of another team, and deciding whether to ‘green-light’ the project.

Module four

Screen Industries: Professional Development (30 credits)

In this module, you will learn strategies for promoting yourself as a freelance scriptwriter.

You will identify an area of special interest, and you will research contemporary practice in order to produce a case study that evaluates current markets and opportunities.

You will then generate a series of ideas in response to your findings, which you will communicate through a pitch document.

Final major project (MA only)

Final Major Project (MA only) (60 credits)

In the final module, you will work on a major script development project for a platform/medium of your choice.

You can either further develop work that you have produced on other modules, or you can develop a new concept.

At the end, you’ll have a finished piece of work of professional quality.

Want to learn more about any of the modules?

Get in touch with our expert Course Adviser team. They’ll be able to answer all your questions about the programme, our application process, funding options, and more.