MFA in Screenwriting

Why study screenwriting?

Great stories begin with exceptional scripts. Screenwriters shape the multi-layered characters, sharp dialogue, and narrative structures that bring films and television series to life. Because powerful storytelling thrives on diverse life experiences, our cohort welcomes writers from all academic and professional backgrounds – whether you’re entering straight from an undergraduate degree or pivoting into filmmaking from an entirely different industry.

This program prepares you to write fluently across both cinema and episodic platforms, collaborate dynamically with directors and producers, and graduate with an industry-ready portfolio that proves both your unique creative voice and your professional versatility.

What makes BU’s MFA in Screenwriting different

• Volume of work: You’ll graduate with a comprehensive portfolio, not just a single thesis script. Seven scripts is our baseline, not the ceiling. You’ll finish two feature-length screenplays, two short screenplays, an existing hour-long TV drama spec, an existing half-hour TV sitcom script, and an original TV pilot complete with an episodic series bible.
• Active, working faculty: BU’s screenwriting mentors have written for FOX, Disney Channel, and The WB, and have served as development consultants for New Line Cinema and MTM Enterprises. Because they are actively writing and pitching in today’s market, they provide real-time industry feedback and bridge their personal networks to help you get hired.
• The Los Angeles semester: Your final semester is spent entirely at BU in LA. You’ll complete a professional internship at an entertainment company while taking a dedicated rewrite masterclass to polish your Boston-originated scripts. MFA students routinely intern at industry titans like Netflix, Universal Studios, and top-tier management agencies.
• Teaching assistantships: Build your academic CV while mastering your craft. Graduate students can secure structured teaching assistantships to teach introductory undergraduate screenwriting courses, preparing alumni for adjunct and full-time university faculty tracks.
• Research & Industry Resources: Immerse yourself in film culture through Cinemathèque—COM’s premier, ongoing series of private screenings and masterclasses with working directors and showrunners. Additionally, BU’s Krasker Film and Video Resource Center provides exclusive access to rare 16mm prints and archival collections.

National 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 this top-tier, high-exposure creative environment.

Where graduates go: Career outcomes

Graduates of the MFA in Screenwriting build careers across film, television, streaming, games, and digital media. Some paths lead to the writer’s room. Others work in development, production, story editing, creative strategy, or teaching. The program prepares you for the versatile realities of today’s entertainment marketplace.

Alumni employers

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

Creative + executive roles

• Creative Tracks: Screenwriter, Television Showrunner, Script Supervisor, Story Editor, Creative Producer
• Industry & Development Tracks: Development Executive, Talent Relations Coordinator, Copywriter, Story Analyst, Content Editor

How the program works

Semesters 1-3: Boston

Spend your first three semesters on campus developing your voice, your portfolio, and your creative community. Our cohort sizes are intentionally small, ensuring close peer collaboration and focused faculty mentorship rather than getting lost in a massive lecture track.

Courses include:

• Writing the Original Pilot
• Writing the Half-Hour 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 an advanced rewrite class to finalize your portfolio scripts, and build relationships with BU’s LA-based alumni network. Details on cost, curriculum, and housing are on the Study Abroad website.

Your portfolio: what you’ll write

The variety of our curriculum is highly intentional. You will develop execution-level fluency across multiple formats rather than specializing in just one—mirroring how working Hollywood writers actually build sustainable, cross-platform careers.

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

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.

• Tianyu Du (COM’24): Winner of the prestigious Directors Guild of America (DGA) Student Award for her short film Bob, crediting COM’s screenwriting faculty for providing the structured instruction and support to push her narrative limits. Read More
• Rob Turbovsky (COM’08): Writer and Co-Executive Producer on the Emmy-nominated Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. Rob honed his comedic storytelling timing right here at BU while performing stand-up in the local Boston scene. Read More
• Nesta Huda (COM’22): Wrote, directed, and produced the acclaimed short film Taboo, focusing on cultural mental health narratives. For Nesta, “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, Associate 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.

Two historic coastlines: Boston and LA

Boston: As a top-10 US media market and one of the nation’s premier student-centered cities, Boston serves as your creative incubator. Spend three semesters deeply focused on developing your craft within a community that takes storytelling seriously.

Los Angeles: The entertainment capital of the world is where your fourth semester happens. Gain immediate access to studio internships, working writers’ rooms, weekly industry guest presenters, and a permanent West Coast professional network.

Program details at a glance

• Degree: Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Screenwriting
• 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

Frequently asked questions about the MFA in Screenwriting at BU

Do I need prior screenwriting experience to apply?

No. Strong narrative writing ability, distinctive creative voice, and an absolute commitment to the craft are what matter most. Prior scriptwriting experience is helpful but not required; our curriculum builds your technical execution skills systematically from Semester 1.

Do I need to choose between writing for film or television?

No. The curriculum is intentionally balanced to make you multi-lingual across both film and television. You will write features, episodic scripts, short films, and original pilots so that you graduate with the exact versatility modern production companies demand.

Is the LA semester required?

Yes. Your fourth semester is fully based in Los Angeles through the BU Study Abroad infrastructure. This term is an essential component of the degree, combining an industry internship with professional networking and a script rewriting masterclass.

What types of companies host BU screenwriting interns in LA?

Students secure internships across major studios, independent networks, production companies, and talent agencies, including Netflix, Universal Studios, and various specialized management firms throughout Hollywood.

How do teaching assistantships work?

MFA candidates can apply for competitive graduate assistantships to teach introductory undergraduate screenwriting courses at COM. This provides an excellent source of funding while building formal classroom teaching experience.

How does this program differ from the MFA in Film & 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 focused on the executive, creative, and business infrastructure of television—developing, line-producing, budgeting, and selling ideas directly to networks and streaming platforms.
• MFA in Film and Television Studies: For students who want to develop an advanced critical and theoretical eye for film, television, and online media—and understand their macro cultural and political impact.