When you think of “entertainment” in the United States, you think of Hollywood. There’s no doubt that California is home of the entertainment industry, with Los Angeles serving as its heart and soul. Because of that, it is no wonder that some of the best Master of Fines Arts in Screenwriting programs can be found in the Golden State, attracting applicants from around the globe.
An MFA in Screenwriting will help you hone your craft, teach you how to create compelling characters, and instruct you in how to tell intriguing stories. An MFA will also expand your network, exposing you to not only your peers, but industry professionals through lectures, networking events, and internship opportunities.
Here are 10 of the top MFA in Screenwriting schools in California.
University of Southern California – School of Cinematic Arts
Los Angeles
Curriculum at USC is structured to allow students to build a foundation while also specializing in film or television with further specialization available in either comedy or drama. Writing is taught in small workshop style classes with a focus on the visual tools of storytelling and developing stories from its characters.
USC is notoriously one of the most competitive schools in the country. Faculty members are current working industry professions with extensive backgrounds and success in film and television. With an alumni list that reads more like a ‘who’s who’ list of Hollywood – Shonda Rhimes is an alumnus – USC offers an extensive network, exposing students to mentorship and internship opportunities as well as state-of-the-art facilities. To top it off, USC frequently brings in industry leaders for workshops and lectures and offers students exclusive screening opportunities.
The application for USC’s MFA in screenwriting includes USC’s graduate application and transcript requirements as well as a supplemental application comprised of an autobiographical character sketch, two creative challenges, a ‘most challenging moment’ personal essay, writing sample, curriculum vitae, creative portfolio, and three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a professor or faculty member. The due date is typically November 15 for the next year’s fall cohort. Unlike many MFA programs, there is no interview component at USC.
If you’re curious on what the admissions committee is looking for, read an interview with an SCA admissions committee member about how to get into USC here. Learn more about the MFA in Screenwriting requirements for admission here.
American Film Institute
Los Angeles
AFI’s program emphasizes a hands-on approach and exposes the writer to every aspect of creating a film or television show. AFI faculty is comprised of working professionals that provide one-on-one mentorship opportunities throughout the two-year program. AFI accepts 28 Fellows each year for their screenwriting MFA and offers an extensive network of support following graduation from the program.
The application process includes an AFI application, narrative statement, resume, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts as well as discipline supporting material. For screenwriting, that material includes 20 pages max of a screenplay in which the applicant is the only writer and a scene for AFI’s prompt. AFI’s admission process includes an interview with faculty.
Read more about AFI’s admission requirements here.
UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television
Los Angeles
UCLA’s MFA in Screenwriting application is typically one of the first applications due each application cycle. In addition to submitting UCLA’s graduate division application, applicants must submit a statement of purpose, creative portfolio, either a feature-length screenplay, the first 60 pages of a feature-length screenplay in progress, one drama pilot and corresponding series bible, or two half-hour comedy/dramedy scripts, transcripts, an optional creative sample, and three letters of recommendation. UCLA’s admission process also includes a round of interviews.
Learn more about UCLA’s screenwriting MFA requirements here.
Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television
Los Angeles
The Writing for the Screen program begins with the fundamental elements of storytelling and production, then progresses through creating a portfolio of work that includes three feature-length screenplays, one episodic teleplay, and at least one original pilot for television. The Writing and Producing for Television program prepares students for a career in television as writers and showrunners with the first two years of coursework focused on the development of spec scripts, pilots, and long-form teleplays written and workshopped in a writers’ room environment.
LMU prides itself on its third year of study which sets it apart from other programs and is dedicated to professional development with an emphasis on the rewrite. It also focuses on portfolio reviews and pitch rehearsals, and includes regular lectures and workshops with industry professionals. The program cumulates in a Pitch Fest for students.
Both programs require LMU’s graduate application and transcripts (which must be physically mailed to the school), a personal statement, a video recording (done within the application portal – not as a separate file to be uploaded), two letters of recommendation, and creative samples, including a 3-5 page screenplay based on one of LMU’s provided prompts, a feature-length screenplay or teleplay, and either another feature-length screenplay or teleplay or a short story of one-act play. LMU recommends applicants submit the short story or a one-act play option for their second sample and the program requires an interview. In recent years, LMU’s acceptance notices have gone out in late spring, compared to other programs that notify students in late March and early April.
LMU opened its new SFTV state-of-the-art Playa Vista campus near the school’s main Westchester campus in 2018, providing students with a space to focus on their craft and collaborate with students from other disciplines. The school also provides graduate students 18 months of one-on-one industry mentorship following graduation. Learn more about LMU’s admission requirements here.
Chapman University’s Dodge College
Orange County
The MFA in Screenwriting program is designed to help students develop their unique storytelling voice by exploring story structure and character development. Students learn to write for film, television, and the internet. The MFA in Television Writing and Producing helps students build the skills needed to pursue a career as a television writer/producer. The program actively prepares students for the role of showrunner while both programs emphasis the “business of the business.”
Both programs require a Statement of Purpose, resume, two letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a creative portfolio list. The Screenwriting program requires a transformational moment essay, a narrative scene based on a Chapman prompt, and a screenplay while the Television Writing and Producing program requires a description of a television episode about the applicant’s family, detailing the storyline and setting. Read more about Chapman’s application requirements here and here.
Pepperdine’s Sever College
Malibu
Pepperdine’s application process requires the school’s standard graduate application, three letters of recommendation, a script sample of at least 25 pages, a personal statement, an essay discussion goals as a graduate student, and a statement of purpose and intent for writing as a vocation as well as a resume. Read more about Pepperdine’s MFA program admission requirements here.
Cal State University, Fullerton
Fullerton
Cal State Fullerton’s application process includes submitting the school’s graduate application and transcripts along with an essay outlining why the program is right for the applicant, two creative writing samples that best showcase the applicant as a writer, and three recommendation letters. The school is open to a variety of writing samples, including scripts, short stories, plays, and other works that showcase the applicant’s talent.
There is both an early and late deadline for Cal State Fullerton’s MFA in Screenwriting, with March 1st as the early deadline and June 1st as the late deadline for that year’s fall cohort. Read more about Cal State University – Fullerton’s admission requirements here.
Stephens College
Los Angeles + Online
During the first year, students write a feature, a one-hour spec drama, and an original one-hour pilot. In the second year, students focus on writing a second screenplay and completing a thesis project. Throughout the program, students take History of Screenwriting courses and submit a profile of a screenwriter at the end of each semester.
Applying to the Stephens College MFA in Screenwriting program includes submitting an application for admission and transcripts as well as a resume, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and a creative writing sample not exceeding 20 pages. Stephens College also offers the Jan Marino Scholarship specifically to women 45 and older, furthering their mission to bring women into Hollywood. Learn more about Stephens College’s MFA program admission requirements here.
Cal State University, Northridge
Northridge
The CSUN MFA application requires an admission application and transcripts as well as a statement of intent explaining why you want to attend CSUN and how the program will aide you as a screenwriter, three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an undergraduate professor, a work sample in script form (a full-length script is preferred and spec scripts will not be accepted), and an original three-to-four page scene based on a CSUN prompt. Read more about CSUN’s application requirements here.
New York Film Academy
Los Angeles
The NYFA MFA in Screenwriting application requires an application for admission, transcripts, creative portfolio, narrative statement, and a letter of recommendation. Learn more about NYFA’s admission requirements here and see full course descriptions here.
Want to know more about these and other MFA programs? Visit FilmSchool.org’s Film School Rankings and Reviews for reviews on programs by both current students and alumni.
If you found this article helpful, please consider becoming a Supporting Member of FIlmschool.org. FilmSchool.org is completely advertisement free and our Supporting Members make articles like these possible!
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An MFA in Screenwriting will help you hone your craft, teach you how to create compelling characters, and instruct you in how to tell intriguing stories. An MFA will also expand your network, exposing you to not only your peers, but industry professionals through lectures, networking events, and internship opportunities.
Here are 10 of the top MFA in Screenwriting schools in California.
USC Cinematic Arts - Writing for Screen & Television (MFA)
The Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing for Screen and Television, is an intensive two-year degree program that concentrates on writing.
- FilmSchool.org
- Reviews: 3
- Category: California
University of Southern California – School of Cinematic Arts
Los Angeles
- 2 years, Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Screen & Television
- Tuition: $47,520/year
Curriculum at USC is structured to allow students to build a foundation while also specializing in film or television with further specialization available in either comedy or drama. Writing is taught in small workshop style classes with a focus on the visual tools of storytelling and developing stories from its characters.
USC is notoriously one of the most competitive schools in the country. Faculty members are current working industry professions with extensive backgrounds and success in film and television. With an alumni list that reads more like a ‘who’s who’ list of Hollywood – Shonda Rhimes is an alumnus – USC offers an extensive network, exposing students to mentorship and internship opportunities as well as state-of-the-art facilities. To top it off, USC frequently brings in industry leaders for workshops and lectures and offers students exclusive screening opportunities.
The application for USC’s MFA in screenwriting includes USC’s graduate application and transcript requirements as well as a supplemental application comprised of an autobiographical character sketch, two creative challenges, a ‘most challenging moment’ personal essay, writing sample, curriculum vitae, creative portfolio, and three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a professor or faculty member. The due date is typically November 15 for the next year’s fall cohort. Unlike many MFA programs, there is no interview component at USC.
If you’re curious on what the admissions committee is looking for, read an interview with an SCA admissions committee member about how to get into USC here. Learn more about the MFA in Screenwriting requirements for admission here.
American Film Institute (AFI) - Screenwriting
Screenwriting Fellows find their unique voices, while learning the essence of working as part of a creative team.
- FilmSchool.org
- Category: California
American Film Institute
Los Angeles
- 2 years, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $63,575 first year, $65,800 second year
AFI’s program emphasizes a hands-on approach and exposes the writer to every aspect of creating a film or television show. AFI faculty is comprised of working professionals that provide one-on-one mentorship opportunities throughout the two-year program. AFI accepts 28 Fellows each year for their screenwriting MFA and offers an extensive network of support following graduation from the program.
The application process includes an AFI application, narrative statement, resume, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts as well as discipline supporting material. For screenwriting, that material includes 20 pages max of a screenplay in which the applicant is the only writer and a scene for AFI’s prompt. AFI’s admission process includes an interview with faculty.
Read more about AFI’s admission requirements here.
UCLA TFT - Screenwriting (M.F.A.)
The two-year Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting program encourages students to concentrate upon the challenge of writing a well-structured story
- FilmSchool.org
- Reviews: 1
- Category: California
UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television
Los Angeles
- 2 years, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $17,486 for California residents, $32,598 for non-California residents
UCLA’s MFA in Screenwriting application is typically one of the first applications due each application cycle. In addition to submitting UCLA’s graduate division application, applicants must submit a statement of purpose, creative portfolio, either a feature-length screenplay, the first 60 pages of a feature-length screenplay in progress, one drama pilot and corresponding series bible, or two half-hour comedy/dramedy scripts, transcripts, an optional creative sample, and three letters of recommendation. UCLA’s admission process also includes a round of interviews.
Learn more about UCLA’s screenwriting MFA requirements here.
LMU - Writing & Producing for Television (M.F.A.)
The Writing & Producing for Television program has one goal: to prepare you for a professional career in the television industry, be it network,...
- FilmSchool.org
- Category: California
LMU - Writing for the Screen (M.F.A.)
The LMU Writing for the Screen M.F.A. teaches you how to think like a screenwriter through a progression of rigorous classes.
- FilmSchool.org
- Category: California
Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television
Los Angeles
- 3 years, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $31,776/year
The Writing for the Screen program begins with the fundamental elements of storytelling and production, then progresses through creating a portfolio of work that includes three feature-length screenplays, one episodic teleplay, and at least one original pilot for television. The Writing and Producing for Television program prepares students for a career in television as writers and showrunners with the first two years of coursework focused on the development of spec scripts, pilots, and long-form teleplays written and workshopped in a writers’ room environment.
LMU prides itself on its third year of study which sets it apart from other programs and is dedicated to professional development with an emphasis on the rewrite. It also focuses on portfolio reviews and pitch rehearsals, and includes regular lectures and workshops with industry professionals. The program cumulates in a Pitch Fest for students.
Both programs require LMU’s graduate application and transcripts (which must be physically mailed to the school), a personal statement, a video recording (done within the application portal – not as a separate file to be uploaded), two letters of recommendation, and creative samples, including a 3-5 page screenplay based on one of LMU’s provided prompts, a feature-length screenplay or teleplay, and either another feature-length screenplay or teleplay or a short story of one-act play. LMU recommends applicants submit the short story or a one-act play option for their second sample and the program requires an interview. In recent years, LMU’s acceptance notices have gone out in late spring, compared to other programs that notify students in late March and early April.
LMU opened its new SFTV state-of-the-art Playa Vista campus near the school’s main Westchester campus in 2018, providing students with a space to focus on their craft and collaborate with students from other disciplines. The school also provides graduate students 18 months of one-on-one industry mentorship following graduation. Learn more about LMU’s admission requirements here.
Chapman University - Dodge College MFA in Television Writing and Producing
The small screen has become big—in fact, it’s huge, in terms of the opportunities open to the next generation of television writers and producers. From multi-episode shows available for streaming/binge watching, to innovative “concept” shows that vary from season-to-season around a theme or...
- FilmSchool.org
- Category: California
Chapman University - Dodge College MFA in Screenwriting
The 2-year MFA in Screenwriting is an intensive program designed to encourage the development of your unique storytelling voice through the exploration of the intricacies of story structure and character development. Working under the mentorship of industry active screenwriters, you’ll learn to...
- FilmSchool.org
- Category: California
Chapman University’s Dodge College
Orange County
- 2 Years, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $23,464/semester
The MFA in Screenwriting program is designed to help students develop their unique storytelling voice by exploring story structure and character development. Students learn to write for film, television, and the internet. The MFA in Television Writing and Producing helps students build the skills needed to pursue a career as a television writer/producer. The program actively prepares students for the role of showrunner while both programs emphasis the “business of the business.”
Both programs require a Statement of Purpose, resume, two letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a creative portfolio list. The Screenwriting program requires a transformational moment essay, a narrative scene based on a Chapman prompt, and a screenplay while the Television Writing and Producing program requires a description of a television episode about the applicant’s family, detailing the storyline and setting. Read more about Chapman’s application requirements here and here.
Pepperdine University MFA in Writing for Screen & Television
Two Year Premium Screenwriting MFA in Malibu, California
- Leslie Kreiner Wilson
- Category: California
Pepperdine’s Sever College
Malibu
- 2 Years, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $36,263
Pepperdine’s application process requires the school’s standard graduate application, three letters of recommendation, a script sample of at least 25 pages, a personal statement, an essay discussion goals as a graduate student, and a statement of purpose and intent for writing as a vocation as well as a resume. Read more about Pepperdine’s MFA program admission requirements here.
Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) - M.F.A. In Screenwriting
The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Screenwriting targets those who desire a professionally-oriented education and training in screenwriting for film,
- FilmSchool.org
- Category: California
Cal State University, Fullerton
Fullerton
- 2 years, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $15, 457/year
Cal State Fullerton’s application process includes submitting the school’s graduate application and transcripts along with an essay outlining why the program is right for the applicant, two creative writing samples that best showcase the applicant as a writer, and three recommendation letters. The school is open to a variety of writing samples, including scripts, short stories, plays, and other works that showcase the applicant’s talent.
There is both an early and late deadline for Cal State Fullerton’s MFA in Screenwriting, with March 1st as the early deadline and June 1st as the late deadline for that year’s fall cohort. Read more about Cal State University – Fullerton’s admission requirements here.
Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting
A low-residency MFA in TV and Screenwriting with the mission of getting more women writing for TV and film.
- wawparker
- Reviews: 2
- Category: California
Stephens College
Los Angeles + Online
- 2 years, Master of Fina Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $20,390/year
During the first year, students write a feature, a one-hour spec drama, and an original one-hour pilot. In the second year, students focus on writing a second screenplay and completing a thesis project. Throughout the program, students take History of Screenwriting courses and submit a profile of a screenwriter at the end of each semester.
Applying to the Stephens College MFA in Screenwriting program includes submitting an application for admission and transcripts as well as a resume, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and a creative writing sample not exceeding 20 pages. Stephens College also offers the Jan Marino Scholarship specifically to women 45 and older, furthering their mission to bring women into Hollywood. Learn more about Stephens College’s MFA program admission requirements here.
Cal State Northridge (CSUN) - MFA in Screenwriting Program
The CSUN Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting Program offers an intensive, pragmatic terminal degree experience that prepares career-minded students..
- FilmSchool.org
- Reviews: 1
- Category: California
Cal State University, Northridge
Northridge
- 2 years, Masters of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $8,500/year
The CSUN MFA application requires an admission application and transcripts as well as a statement of intent explaining why you want to attend CSUN and how the program will aide you as a screenwriter, three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an undergraduate professor, a work sample in script form (a full-length script is preferred and spec scripts will not be accepted), and an original three-to-four page scene based on a CSUN prompt. Read more about CSUN’s application requirements here.
New York Film Academy (NYFA) - Los Angeles (MFA Program)
Offering programs and workshops across the spectrum of visual storytelling disciplines, our Los Angeles campus is located in the heart of Hollywood...
- FilmSchool.org
- Questions: 1
- Category: California
New York Film Academy
Los Angeles
- 2 years, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
- Tuition: $15,701/semester
The NYFA MFA in Screenwriting application requires an application for admission, transcripts, creative portfolio, narrative statement, and a letter of recommendation. Learn more about NYFA’s admission requirements here and see full course descriptions here.
Want to know more about these and other MFA programs? Visit FilmSchool.org’s Film School Rankings and Reviews for reviews on programs by both current students and alumni.
If you found this article helpful, please consider becoming a Supporting Member of FIlmschool.org. FilmSchool.org is completely advertisement free and our Supporting Members make articles like these possible!
You can read more about the different membership options here. Join for as little as $3 – all membership donations are a one-time payment and NOT a subscription
