WRITING FOR FILM AND TELEVISION (MFA)
Our two-year, low-residency MFA in Writing for Film and Television emphasizes practice in film and television writing as well as innovative writing for other emergent forms of media. Each semester starts with a week-long residency that alternates between Boston and Los Angeles, and students return home at the close of the residency ready to begin writing.
Each residency features a “Semel Chair,” a working film and television writer, who teaches master classes and workshops. The residency provides an opportunity for students to connect with their peers and faculty before moving into their online coursework.
Throughout the program, you will be challenged to leverage traditional writing concepts while taking the creative risks necessary to uncover your own writer’s voice, which will be your most valuable tool as you navigate your career as a screenwriter.
A Progressive Curriculum
The Writing for Film and Television MFA is 40 credits. You’ll begin each semester with a week-long residency, which will be held on our Boston (Fall) or Los Angeles (Spring) campus. After residency, you’ll begin two online classes each semester that are largely asynchronous.
During the six-day residency week, you will engage in master classes, seminars, intensive workshops, and screenings. Residencies include dedicated time for organic collaboration with peers.
Students enroll in one online topics class and one writing workshop per semester, which will reflect the focus areas below:
- Semester I: Story and Shorts
- Semester II: Pilots and Series Television/Cable/Streaming
- Semester III: Features and Cable Movies
- Semester IV: The Entertainment Industry