Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Film and Television
Emerson College
Key Information
Campus location
Boston, USA
Languages
English
Study format
Blended
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 1,402 / per credit **
Application deadline
02 May 2024*
Earliest start date
05 Sep 2024
* Priority decision: February 1.
** additional fees may apply. Scholarships are available
Introduction
Emerson’s low-residency Writing for Film and Television MFA teaches you to write for film, television, and other emergent forms of media across multiple genres. Build a professional-caliber writing portfolio with original feature, pilot, and short screenplay samples.
Our faculty consists of filmmakers, producers, screenwriters, and theorists who will mentor and guide you through your online courses. Each semester begins with a six-day residency on our Boston or Los Angeles campus, where you'll participate in workshops, screenings, lectures, and a Master Class with a guest lecturer. Previous lecturers have included Krista Vernoff, Showrunner for Grey’s Anatomy, David Magee, Writer of Life of Pi, Mara Brock Akil, Creator of Being Mary Jane, and more.
Emerson’s Writing for Film and Television MFA professors guide you through the writing process from your initial story idea to the final draft of each script. Acting as mentors throughout your program, your professors will meet with you regularly to discuss your career goals, advise you as you create your professional writing portfolio, and help set you up for success after graduation.
Each semester you will work with a professional guest lecturer at an in-person Master Class. The rest of your course will be online, allowing you the flexibility to earn your MFA from anywhere.
Program highlights include:
- Low-residency MFA program
- Each semester begins with a six-day residency, alternating between our Boston and Los Angeles campuses, where students explore Master Classes, seminars, screenings, guest lectures, staged readings, pitch sessions, and more
- Semesters are 100% online with asynchronous coursework (and some synchronous workshops) to fit your schedule
- No GRE required to apply
- A 2-year long, full-time program
Faculty
Emerson’s Department of Visual and Media Arts is composed of award-winning faculty in the television and film industry.
Your Graduate Program Director, Jim Lane, will serve as your primary faculty advisor, guiding you on course selection to ensure that you will achieve your learning objectives and satisfy the program requirements. You will also receive program and department news from your program director along with any on- and off-campus opportunities that might be of interest to you.
Residency Overview
Each semester begins with a week-long residency on Emerson’s Boston or Los Angeles campus where you will meet faculty, collaborate with peers, and participate in a Master Class taught by our Semel Chair - an award-winning film or television screenwriter.
During the residency week, you will engage in Master Classes, seminars, intensive workshops, and peer group workshops. Evening sessions include screenings, guest lectures, and staged readings from student work. Seminars, lectures, and workshops will reflect residency themes.
You will meet with advisors to form the work plan for the semester. Before each residency ends, you will have clear deadlines for the semester’s creative work, reading and viewing lists, and a schedule for all online meetings.
Semel Chair & Guest Lectures
Emerson’s MFA in Writing Film and Television brings award-winning film and television writers to its Boston and Los Angeles campuses during your week-long in-person residency at the beginning of each semester.
The Semel Chair in Screenwriting is a working screenwriter who will conduct Master Classes during the residency, meet with students, and lead an evening screening and discussion of the speaker's work. Semel Chairs rotate each semester and are announced several weeks before the semester begins. Other guest lecturers include managers, agents, and more.
Alumni
Our Alumni have gone on to successful careers in the film and television industry. Recent notable alumni include:
- Nicole Savini, Co-Executive Producer of Tooning Out the News on Paramount+
- Kelly Edwards, Author of “Secrets From the Executive Chair”
- Jessica Hill, Director of Advertising at Warner Media
- CJ Ehrlich, Writer & second-place winner at the Ivy Film Festival, for the been script of Loser Island
- Kylie Rolincik, finalist for National Lampoon and Stage 32's Search for Comedy Writing Gold
- Willie Block, Co-Author of Prowl
Admissions
Gallery
Scholarships and Funding
Financial Aid
Emerson College is proud to offer students and families financial aid options and resources. For a full list of our financial aid offerings, visit our Financial Aid page.
Scholarships
Upon applying to an Emerson Graduate Program, the Graduate Admission team automatically reviews every accepted student’s scholarship eligibility. For more information about scholarships, please visit our Scholarships & Grants page.
Curriculum
Curriculum Requirements
The Writing for Film and Television curriculum consists of 40 credits. Each semester begins with a week-long residency, which will be held on our Boston (Fall) or Los Angeles (Spring) campus.
Following the residency, you will take two online classes each semester. Online classes may consist of synchronous and asynchronous elements.
As an MFA candidate, you will complete a professional-caliber portfolio that contains the following:
- Short Screenplays
- Feature Screenplay
- Television Spec Script
- Original Television/Cable/Streaming Pilot
- Additional Script (Pilot or Feature Screenplay)
- Critical Essays
Semester 1
Number | Course | Modality | Credits |
SW 631 | Writing Workshop I - Writing for Short-Form Media | Online | 4 |
SW 621 | Film Genres | Online | 4 |
N/A | Residency I: Storytelling and Writing Short Scripts (Boston) | In-person | 2 |
Semester 2
Number | Course | Modality | Credits |
SW 632 | Writing Workshop II: Writing Series Television | Online | 4 |
SW 622 | The Writer’s Room | Online | 4 |
N/A | Residency II: Series Television Writing (LA) | In-person | 2 |
Semester 3
Number | Course | Modality | Credits |
SW 633 | Writing Workshop III: Feature Film Screenwriting | Online | 4 |
SW 624 | Writers in Development | Online | 4 |
N/A | Residency III: Long-Form Writing (Boston) | In-person | 2 |
Semester 4
Number | Course | Modality | Credits |
SW 698 | MFA Thesis Project | Online | 4 |
SW 623 | Television Genres | Online | 4 |
N/A | Residency IV: The Business of Screenwriting (LA) | In-person | 2 |
*Note: These are subject to change
Residency Schedule
See our Academic Calendar for specific residency dates for each semester.
Online Academic & Management Guidelines
Our low-residency Writing for Film and Television MFA requires students to be self-directed and disciplined in time management in order to meet the weekly demands of the lectures, readings, film viewings, and discussions, as well as time devoted to writing.
MFA students should expect to spend a minimum of 8-10 hours per week on writing and coursework and should approach our online environment with just as much attention as any on-campus graduate program.
Students in each cohort have their own way of connecting outside of the structured online courses via texting, emails, in-person meetups, or virtual group calls. Faculty members are available for virtual and in-person office hours to support your writing and growth.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Career Outlook
Students interested in a career writing for film and television will enjoy networking opportunities offered exclusively by Emerson College. Our students have graduated and gone on to successful careers as:
- Executive Producers
- Showrunner
- Podcast Hosts/Producers
- Writers
- Editors
- Authors
Student Testimonials
English Language Requirements
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