Master in Fine Arts in Screenwriting

Master the art of screenwriting through individualized attention, in-depth workshops, and mentorship in the thriving creative culture of Austin, TX. Here, you can explore your storytelling passions as you develop your unique voice in preparation for a career in the entertainment industry. You’ll practice the craft of both television and film writing and graduate with polished feature film screenplays, original TV pilots, TV spec scripts, and the tools to be a professional screenwriter. The Master in Fine Arts (M.F.A.) program in Screenwriting is a two-year (including one summer), 42-hour program designed for creative individuals with a strong commitment to storytelling for the screen. The program provides a foundation of narrative skills that enables writers to succeed in both film and television, in either the Hollywood or independent arenas. The program also offers a wide variety of electives in production, media studies and industry.An internship in the film industry is required as part of the program of work, and past students have interned both in Los Angeles (at such companies as Vertical, Bad Robot, Hulu and HBO), locally at the Austin Film Festival, Austin TV Festival, SXSW and with Austin-based filmmakers Richard Linklater and Noah Hawley. Many internships are also offered virtually from Los Angeles and New York.