MFA in Screenwriting

Why study screenwriting?

Great stories begin with great scripts. Screenwriters shape the characters, dialogue, and structure that brings films and television series to life. This program prepares you to write across film and television, collaborate with directors and producers, and graduate with a portfolio that demonstrates both your voice and your versatility.

What makes BU’s MFA in Screenwriting different

• Volume of work — You’ll graduate with a body of work, not just a thesis. Seven scripts is a minimum, not a ceiling. Two feature-length screenplays, two short screenplays, an existing hour-long TV drama, an existing half-hour TV comedy, and an original TV pilot with series bible. By graduation, you have a real portfolio, not just one polished piece.
• Faculty who are still writing — BU’s screenwriting faculty have written for FOX, Disney Channel, and the WB, consulted for New Line Cinema and MTM Enterprises, and are still active in the industry. They share feedback on your work and open their networks to help you get hired.
• A semester in Los Angeles — Your fourth semester is spent at BU in LA, completing an internship at an entertainment company and taking a rewrite class to polish a script started in Boston. Students have interned at Netflix, Universal Studios, and entertainment companies throughout the city.
• Teaching assistantships — Students can take on graduate assistant positions teaching undergraduate screenwriting – building classroom experience alongside their writing. Alumni have gone on to adjunct and full-time teaching positions.
• Two resources you won’t find everywhere — Cinemathèque, BU COM’s ongoing series of screenings and conversations with filmmakers and television makers, is a regular part of life in the program. And the Krasker Film and Video Resource Center at Mugar Memorial Library gives you access to 16mm prints and rarities that most students never get near. Explore Krasker.

Rankings

BU COM is consistently ranked among the top film schools in North America – by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter (top 15 in the US) and The Wrap. The MFA in Screenwriting sits within that environment.

How the program works

Semesters 1-3: Boston

Three semesters on campus, developing your craft, your portfolio, and your creative community. The program is intentionally small – you’ll collaborate closely with peers and faculty rather than getting lost in a large cohort. Courses span writing for film and television across formats and genres.

Courses include:

• Writing the Pilot
• Writing the Sitcom
• Writing the Episodic Drama
• Writing the Short Film
• Script into Film
• Three feature screenwriting workshops

Semester 4: Los Angeles

Your final semester moves to BU in LA, where you’ll complete an industry internship, take a rewrite class to revise and polish a script from Boston, and build relationships with BU’s LA-based alumni network. Details on cost, curriculum, and housing are on the Study Abroad website.

What you’ll write

A minimum of seven scripts across the following formats:

• Two feature-length screenplays
• Two short screenplays
• An existing hour-long TV drama
• An existing half-hour TV comedy
• An original TV pilot and series bible

The variety is intentional. You’ll develop fluency across formats rather than depth in just one – which is how working writers actually build careers.

Where graduates go

Graduates of the MFA in Screenwriting build careers across film, television, streaming, games, and digital media. Some become professional screenwriters. Others work in development, production, story editing, creative strategy, or teaching. The program prepares you for the many directions a writing career can take.

Example employers

• Netflix
• Gersh
• Net Ease Games
• Hot Sauce Productions
• Barnstorm VFX
• Central Casting
• Sri and Co.
• Busch Entertainment Company
• Ubisoft Entertainment
• Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards

Example roles

Recent roles held by our alumni include:

• Creative Roles: Screenwriter, Showrunner, Script Supervisor, Story Editor, Producer
• Industry Positions: Talent Relations Coordinator, Development Executive, Copywriter, Writer/Editor, Story Analyst

Take a Page from BU COM Alumni

When you enroll in the MFA in Screenwriting at BU COM, you join an incredible community of inspiring and driven creatives. All of these incredible talents got their start here, in one of the best screenwriting programs in the region.

• After a short film by Tianyu Du (COM’24) called Bob won the coveted 2023 Directors Guild of America Student Award, she expressed appreciation for her professors for giving her both instruction and support. Read More
• Rob Turbovsky (COM’08), a writer and co-executive producer on the hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, honed his comedic chops at BU, doing stand-up at the Comedy Studio in Somerville. Read More
• Nesta Huda (COM’22) wrote, directed, and produced a 14-minute film centering on mental health called Taboo, which first screened in March 2023. For Huda, “Media is such a huge agent of change.” Read More

https://youtu.be/2cyaPblKftk

The faculty

Students don’t just want to entertain—they want to write and make films with social purpose. Our job is to help students develop their voice while giving them the tools, discipline, and feedback to keep making every script stronger.

Debbie Danielpour, Assistant Professor and Director, Cinematheque; published fiction writer and 20+ year veteran in the classroom, whose seventh motion picture screenplay is currently in development

BU’s screenwriting faculty are working writers and experienced teachers who bring both industry knowledge and genuine investment in your development. They’ve written for major networks, consulted for production companies, and continue to work professionally while mentoring the next generation of screenwriters.

Boston and LA

Boston is a top-10 media market and one of the country’s most creative and student-centered cities. Three semesters here means three semesters developing your craft in a community that takes storytelling seriously.

Los Angeles is where the fourth semester happens – internships at entertainment companies, access to working writers and guest presenters, and BU’s established alumni network in the industry. Students have interned at Netflix, Universal Studios, and companies across the city.

Program details at a glance

• Degree: MFA
• Length: 4 semesters
• Credits: 60
• Format: On campus (Boston) + Los Angeles internship semester
• Scripts: Minimum of 7
• GRE: Not required
• Teaching assistantships: Available
• Scholarships: Merit scholarships available – no separate application required
• Double Terrier: Scholarship available for current BU students and alumni

Common questions about the MFA in Screenwriting at BU

Do I need prior screenwriting experience to apply?

Strong writing ability and a commitment to the craft are what matters most. Prior screenwriting experience is helpful but not required – the program builds skills systematically across four semesters.

Do I need to know whether I want to write for film or television?

No. The curriculum is intentionally designed to help you develop experience across both. You’ll write feature films, television episodes, short films, and an original pilot so you graduate with experience across multiple formats.

Is the LA semester required?

Yes. Your fourth semester is based in Los Angeles, where you’ll complete an industry internship, take a rewrite class, and build your LA network. Details on housing, cost, and curriculum are on the Study Abroad website.

What kinds of companies do students intern at in LA?

Students have interned at Netflix, Universal Studios, and entertainment companies throughout Los Angeles. The program connects students with BU’s established LA alumni network to help make those connections.

Are teaching assistantships available?

Yes. Students can take on graduate assistantship positions teaching undergraduate screenwriting – earning a paycheck while building classroom experience. Alumni have gone on to adjunct and full-time teaching positions.

How is this different from the MFA in Film and Television Studies?

The MFA in Film and Television Studies is a critical studies program — you’ll analyze, contextualize, and write about film and television at a scholarly level. In the MFA in Screenwriting program, you’ll write scripts, build a portfolio, and spend a semester working in LA. Different goals, different outcomes.

Also worth exploring

Learn more about our other graduate programs in communication and media, including:

• MS in Television: For students whose goal is to become an industry executive. Prepare to develop, pitch, and sell ideas to networks and streaming platforms.
• MFA in Film and Television Studies: For students who want to develop a critical eye for film, television, podcasts, and online media—and understand their cultural impact.  
• MFA in Screenwriting: Pick this MFA in Screenwriting if you are committed to getting your pieces into the world. One of the best screenwriting programs, BU COM requires a minimum of seven scripts and includes work experiences in Los Angeles.