Screenwriting Major BA
Film is a celebrated art form and a multibillion-dollar industry. Sophisticated preparation is necessary to prosper in this dynamic fusion of art and commerce and to help navigate a lifelong career.
The screenwriting major provides a multi-disciplinary experience intended to nurture original cinematic voices. A core curriculum of screenwriting courses are supplemented with studies in creative writing, theater, film studies, production and literature.
This holistic approach recognizes the benefit of engaging in a range of complementary fields of study that contribute to capable, curious, and creative screenwriters, writers/directors, and directors. The program is designed to cultivate and encourage creative and critical thinking. Graduates will be prepared for careers in screenwriting, advanced study in graduate school, and a variety of entry level positions in film, television, cable and emerging media/technologies.
Acceptance to the Program
To be eligible for acceptance to the Screenwriting major, students must submit a College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Program Declaration Form. Consult with an advisor before enrolling in courses toward the major.
Required Courses (39-40 total credits)
Six core courses required (24 credits)
- SCRW 313 Beginning Screenwriting
- SCRW 314 Intermediate Screenwriting
- SCRW 415 Advanced Screenwriting
- SCRW 315 Electronic Cinema Production or
- SCRW 410 Digital Film Production
- SCRW 416 Senior Project in Screenwriting or Internship or an Internship
- MDST 371 American Film: Traditions and Trends
Choose one of the following
Choose one of the following
- WRIT 251 Introduction to Creative Writing
- WRIT 353 Writing Short Fiction
- WRIT 358 1,000 Words or Less
*Please note that these courses require WRIT 251, Introduction to Creative Writing, as a prerequisite.
Choose one of the following
- THEA 400 Playwriting
- THEA 345 Acting III
- THEA 387 Theater History II
- THEA 540 Directing and Creating Theater
Choose one of the following
- MDST 560 Writing for Television
- LIT 301 The Short Story
- IDST 370 Cinema, Self and Other
- LIT 342 American Literature: 1870 to Present
- LIT 315 Gender in Literature and Film
- LIT 502 Literary Theory and Criticism Since 1950
- HUM 321 Myth
- THEA 321 Directed Readings in Theater
Recommended Electives
- Any courses in media studies, theater, writing, or experimental intermedia arts.
- A minor in theater or creative writing or experimental intermedia arts is highly recommended.
Internships
Internships in screenwriting, film, television, cable, and emerging media/technologies are highly recommended and serve as effective stepping stones to careers and personal growth. Students in the past have interned for companies in the Twin Cities, Los Angeles and New York. Guidance for arranging internships in Los Angeles and New York is offered through the screenwriting program.
Other Graduation Requirements
To graduate from Metropolitan State University with a bachelor of arts in screenwriting, students must complete at least 120 semester credits. Forty of these semester credits must be at the upper-division level (courses numbered 300 or above). In addition, students must complete while at the university, or transfer to the university, a number of courses to meet the general education and liberal studies requirements. Students must complete a minimum of 20 credits of the screenwriting major at Metropolitan State University.
