Leading the field, this prestigious screenwriting course gives you access to skills, knowledge and high level industry professionals.

This course-based MA is one of the UK's leading film and television scripting courses. Highly regarded throughout the industry, it has helped students win numerous UK and international awards and has established an outstanding position as a source of professional screenwriters for both film and television in the UK.

The course develops screenwriting abilities through a programme of lectures, workshops, tutorials and seminars, preparing you for a career as a scriptwriter in film and television. Its unique workshop and portfolio creation programme also provides a sound basis for work as a script editor or reader. A feature of the course is its industry links.

Some places on this course are sponsored by The UK Film Council.

Visit the UK Film Council website

This course is taught within the School of Media at LCC

Who teaches the course?

Many former students, now professional screenwriters, return to teach on the course which ensures it has a strong basis in the day-to-day practices of contemporary film and television production. In addition, we have visiting lecturers from the industry who regularly share their knowledge and experience.

What students say about the course

"Since leaving MA Screenwriting I'm suffering real withdrawals - I loved it so much. The best thing I have ever done after my wedding and the birth of my kids - beats everything else hands down." (former student)

"The MA was the best two years of my educational life. I enjoyed every minute of it and was sad to leave. I still miss it now. I don't think there was a single lecture or module that I didn't enjoy or get something out of. It also helped me make a lot of industry contacts and without the course I wouldn't get to come to Masterclub! What really made the MA were the workshops. Giving feedback obviously improved my analytical skills, and meant I could script read professionally, post course, with confidence." (Jez Freeman who graduated from the MA in 2006. His script The Storyteller won the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award for 2008)

Phase 1

• Short Film: process & practice
• Television / Adaptation: existing format - process & practice
• Television / Adaptation: - existing format - critical analysis & applied research

Phase 1 introduces you to the theoretical framework for the course, the practice of writing short films. and the development of a screenplay from an existing television format or from a short story. Phase 1 units will also introducing you to current industrial practice.

Following an induction programme, which outlines the course structure and facilities of the college, you will be introduced to the foundations of contemporary screenwriting practice in theoretical context. You will undertake a set of screenplay projects that will develop your awareness of key theoretical concepts such as story, structure, dramatic form and themes.

In this Phase you will experience the developmental process, which lays the theoretical and practice foundations for the subsequent stages of the course. You will also be expected to undertake analytical reader reports on the work of your peers. In addition, you will develop skills and knowledge in research approaches and practice, which will become the foundation for future theory and analysis. This will be supported by a programme of industrial context lectures and visiting guest speakers.

Phase 2

• Option A or B
• Project Proposal Development: process & practice
• Applied Research

Phase 2 provides you with the opportunity to study the fundamental differences between feature film and television narrative. Developing a project proposal will prepare you for writing, marketing and pitching your Major Projects. This will be supported by a programme of industrial context lectures and visiting guest speakers.

This will provide you with the analytical, contextual and creative tools to work within the film and television industries. Building on Phase 1 this period of study provides an opportunity for you to develop and contextualise your practice in preparation for the Major Project in Phase 3. You will also be expected to take your reader reports to greater analytical depths. The research undertaken in this Phase will also provide the foundation for your Major Project and any further doctoral study.

Phase 2 also includes a series of option choices, which will support your specialist interests and additional contextual research. Options are designed to broaden your knowledge of screenwriting and other relevant and related topics.

Option A
(i) Long Running TV series: fiction or non-fiction. In this option you will study the dynamics of long-running series and the key narrative elements, which are necessary to generate a series of this nature.

(ii) Adaptation: In this option you will study the dynamics of adaptation - the decisions made and the key narrative elements that were addressed to generate an adaptation of this nature.

Option B
(i) Feature Film: This elective involves the analysis and study of an existing feature film, identifying its dramatic parameters and the implication of its narrative for developing original feature films in a contemporary context.

(ii) Commercial Practice: This option provides the opportunity to study the commercial context of screenwriting in the UK. You will interview current practitioners in film or television drama and produce a critical appraisal of either theories or practices as evidenced in the interview.

At the end of Phase 2 there is an exit point for the Postgraduate Diploma and a progression point for the MA.

This self-directed unit allows you to focus on a specific screenwriting topic or professional practice.

Phase 3

• Major Project: process, practice & critical reflection

A high percentage of students go on to work in the industry as writers, script editors, producers, development executives, directors and readers. Past students have won the Palm D'Or, Orange Screenwriting Prize and had Oscar nominations. Others currently write for Eastenders, Coronation Street, Doctors, Shameless, Casualty, Holby City - the list is endless. Many maintain their links with the course as visiting tutors.

The normal entry requirement for this course is an Honours degree. But other qualifications that are deemed to be equivalent to a first degree, or with any relevant professional or commercial experience will be considered in lieu of an Honours degree. Applicants will need to complete a questionnaire and produce two pieces of work - see 'Apply'.

International and EU students: If your first language is not English you should check you have achieved the correct IELTS level in English. Further information is available on our International Applications page.

Application deadline for UK/EU students

Recruitment for this course is still OPEN.

Applications must consist of the LCC application form, plus a completed questionnaire and the following two pieces of written work:

a) a 2-4 page outline of an original screenplay
b) 10 pages of an original screenplay (plus a 2-page outline if this is taken from a larger work, and notes explaining why you chose this extract).

NOTE: a) and b) must be different projects.

Please send completed application form, completed questionnaire and supporting work to:

Postgraduate Admissions,
Central Administration Office,
5th Floor Tower Block,
London College of Communication,
Elephant and Castle,
London, SE1 6SB

Download the LCC application form (PDF 4MB) Download the questionnaire (PDF - 8KB)

International students should use the international postgraduate application form which is available to download on the international office's web pages.

For enquiries about admissions please call the postgraduate admissions team on +44(0)20 7514 6569 or email pgadmissions@lcc.arts.ac.uk (for UK and EU student enquiries) or v.gavulic@lcc.arts.ac.uk (for international enquiries).

Home/EU student fee discounts

If you have successfully completed a UAL undergraduate degree, PgDip or PgCert you will qualify for a £1000 discount from your tuition fees. For further information please contact pgadmissions@lcc.arts.ac.uk