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 Faculty 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)

The schedule for the two years is as follows:

Phase 1 starts with an introduction to the theoretical framework and the practice of writing short films and television episodes, as well as introducing you to current practice. Units covered include:

• Screenwriting structure and process: short film
• Short television series: research and analysis
• Short television episode: structure and process
• Long television episode: research and analysis
  

Phase 2 includes course electives which allow you to focus on a specific screenwriting topic or related topic of your choice. Examples include long-running series (fiction and non-fiction), feature-film analysis and the business of screenwriting in the UK. On successful completion you may choose to exit with a Postgraduate Diploma.

Phase 3 (the MA) involves the writing of several drafts of an original screenplay for a film, video, or TV pilot episode and format documents for an original series or serial. You will need to write treatments, step outlines, drafts and, where applicable, format documents. The development of this project will take place in a series of workshops.
   

The mode of study is one day per week during term-time, plus a minimum of 10 hours individual study for two years (Jan-Dec).

Assessment is focussed on four major pieces of writing submitted throughout the course and participation in a workshop programme.

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.

Applications must consist of the formal 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
WG03
Elephant & 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 020 7514 6400 or email pgadmissions@lcc.arts.ac.uk