Program Overview

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Screenwriting

The Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Screenwriting at the New York Film Academy is a three-year, eight-semester program that teaches students to write like practicing screenwriters while pursuing a hands-on degree in the arts. By completing the Bachelor's degree in three years, students can enter the field of their choice a year early.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the BFA at NYFA's Screenwriting School includes:

• Collaborative and engaging classes that teach students to write original scripts across multiple media, including Feature Films, Television, Short Films, and (depending on elective choices) Podcasts, Web Series, Comic Books, Games, Unscripted Stories (Reality or Docuseries), and Plays.
• Skill-building courses that develop students' writing skills across all of their work and all the media covered. These courses include Elements of Screenwriting, Story Generation, Scene Study, Genre Studies, and electives like Comedy Writing, Building and Researching Your World.
• Business courses that teach students about the entertainment industry and a writer's role in it. These courses prepare students for their careers after school and support internships to help them build skills and make contacts.
• A digital license to Final Draft screenwriting software, as well as access to and instruction in editing software, camera, sound, and lighting equipment.

Faculty Highlights

The Faculty of the Screenwriting Department are working writers who bring years of experience in their field, as well as a broad knowledge base, and the day-to-day experience of seeing what is happening in the industry. Some notable faculty members include:

• Christina Weir: MA in Mass Communications/TV Production, Emerson College. Christina has worked in television, comics, film, and games for over two decades.
• Brendan Hay: Writer and producer for TV, film, comic books, and more. Most recently, he was an Executive Producer and writer on Gremlins: The Wild Batch and Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai for WB Animation/Max.
• Colette Freedman: MAT in Drama, Colgate University. Screenwriter, playwright, novelist, and actress. Colette has written the Lifetime film Sister Cities and twelve other made-for-television films with her writing partner Brooke Purdy.
• David O'Leary: BA in Film and Cognitive Science, Vassar College. David is a film and TV writer/producer, whose recent credits include working as Consulting Producer/Writer on Season 3 of NBC's Law & Order: Organized Crime in 2023.

Degree Details

NYFA's accelerated, three-year, eight-semester BFA in Screenwriting program teaches students to write like a practicing screenwriter while pursuing a hands-on degree in the arts. The program is available at NYFA's campus in Los Angeles, known as the West Coast's primary hub for film, television, media, and entertainment.

Projects

During the program, students build a portfolio of writing that includes at least two feature-length screenplays, a script for an existing television show, at least one original television series pilot and series proposal, an original one-act play, a proposal for an original transmedia franchise, plus proposals for a web series, video game, podcast, and comic book, and mini treatments and proposals for additional film and television projects. Students will also write and direct a short film.

Tuition and Fees

The tuition for the BFA in Screenwriting program is $19,500 per semester. Additional fees include:

• Technology Fee: $80 per semester
• Wellness Services & Programming Fee: $145 per semester
• Activity Fee: $125 per semester
• Orientation Fee: $150 (domestic students), $200 (international students)
• Graduation Fee: $100
• International Student Fee: $200 (first semester), $120 (each subsequent semester)

Locations

The BFA in Screenwriting program is available at NYFA's campus in Los Angeles, located at 3300 W Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91505.

Liberal Arts and Sciences

In addition to their screenwriting coursework, BFA students further their undergraduate studies in Foundation Studies, Arts and Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, as well as History of Art, Theatre & Media. The Liberal Arts and Sciences courses complement the screenwriting courses, creating a balanced course load that emphasizes critical thinking and develops college-level writing skills.