Western Colorado University

• Not enough applications have been logged to our database to calculate Acceptance Data for {program}. Log your own application to help improve the data for everyone.
• Log Your Application

• Become a Supporting Member to unlock full access to all data, including over 40 exclusive charts detailing admissions by demographics, experience, portfolio, interview performance, and more.

Western State Colorado University’s low-residency program offers both the MA and MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Screenwriting (they also offer tracks in Genre Fiction and Poetry and a Certificate in Publishing). Screenwriting students study both film and TV writing, as well as gain guidance from Hollywood professionals on how to enter into the business. The Graduate Program includes courses in genres, adaptation, feature film, creating an original television series, writing a spec script for an existing TV show, and a thesis course where students develop an original project under one-on-one guidance with a mentor.

The key point of WSCU's program is that all faculty in the graduate studies program are professionals living and working in Los Angeles who have extensive careers in the film industry. The degree program is designed as a two-year low-residency degree program that involves 3 summer sessions in-person at WSCU's campus in Gunnison, Colorado. The summer sessions are two-week intensives culminating in a writer's conference where guest speakers from all the graduate program's industries come to speak. Past speakers have included: J.D. Payne (Star Trek: Beyond, an untitled Star Trek sequel, Flash Gordon remake), Joel Thompson (House, Falling Skies, Battlestar Galactica), Charlie Craig (The 100, Pretty Little Liars, Eureka) and several other prominent Hollywood writers and filmmakers.

During the summer, they also offer an intensive two-week summer Screenwriting Bootcamp for those who want to do the work but don’t want to pursue a degree. During the Bootcamp, all students will have the opportunity to attend the Writing the Rockies conference and interact with our professors, graduate students, and guest speakers.