| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-01 | - |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
| 2024-10-01 | - |
Program Overview
Birkbeck's postgraduate screenwriting program provides a comprehensive education in screenwriting principles, techniques, and history. Students develop practical skills through assignments of increasing length, including feature film scripts and television series writing. The program features industry talks, a summer school, and coursework-based assessment. Graduates pursue careers in screenwriting, script editing, and other creative industries.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Overview:
Birkbeck's postgraduate screenwriting course offers an integrated program in the history, theory, and practice of screenwriting. It aims to develop students' practical screenwriting skills and techniques, allowing them to develop outlines, treatments, and scripts towards a portfolio of original projects.
Objectives:
- Develop practical screenwriting skills and techniques
- Create outlines, treatments, and scripts
- Build a portfolio of original projects
- Gain knowledge of screenwriting history, theory, and conventions
- Rewrite draft scripts with feedback and tutor support
Distinctive Features:
- A fast-track core module allows graduates from other fields to gain detailed knowledge of screenwriting principles quickly.
- Subsequent modules increase writing skills and knowledge with assignments of increasing length, meeting industry requirements like feature film scripts and television series writing.
- Students study screenwriting discourse and practices.
- Master's students attend six industry talks with guest speakers and a four-day summer school focusing on the writer working in the industry, including pitching and storytelling workshops.
Outline:
Program Content:
The program includes modules focusing on fast-tracking screenwriting knowledge, writing draft scripts, exploring different genres, and analyzing screenplay discourse.
Structure:
- Full-time: 1 year, on campus, starting October 2024
- Part-time: 2 years, on campus, starting October 2024
Course Schedule:
- Full-time: Typically 3-4 evenings per week, October to July
- Part-time: 1-2 evenings per week, October to July
Modules:
Core Modules:
- Fast Track to Screenwriting
- History and Theory of Screenwriting
- Scriptwriting in Different Genres
- Writing a Draft Script
Option Modules:
- Developing a Feature Film Script
- Developing a TV Series
Master's Final Project:
- MA Screenwriting final project
Postgraduate Certificate Final Project:
- Final Project PG Screenwriting
Assessment:
- Assessment methods are 100% coursework-based.
Teaching:
- Teaching methods include screenings, workshops, lectures, presentations, writing exercises, and research methodologies exercises.
- Small group teaching and one-to-one tutorials focus on writing practice.
Careers:
- Graduates can pursue careers in the creative industries, including screenwriting, script editing, collaborating with readers/directors/producers/co-writers, and teaching English as a foreign language.
- Possible professions include screenwriter, scriptwriter, creative writer, magazine or newspaper journalist, and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher.
Other:
- Birkbeck has state-of-the-art cinema and exhibition spaces housed in a historic building that was once home to key members of the Bloomsbury Group.
- The institute offers a range of bursaries for postgraduate students.
- Students have access to pastoral support through a Personal Tutor.
- Birkbeck is located in central London, offering easy access to cinemas, galleries, and facilities like the British Film Institute and British Library.
Screenwriting MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25
Academic year 2024–25, starting October 2024 Part-time home students: £5,400 per year Full-time home students: £10,800 per year Part-time international students: £9,915 per year Full-time international students: £19,830 per year
Screenwriting PG Cert: 1 year part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25
Academic year 2024–25, starting October 2024 Part-time home students: £3,600 per year Part-time international students: £6,610 per year
Entry Requirements:
UK, EU, and International Students:
- A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in any related subject; other qualifications will be considered.
- Applications are encouraged from those with or without prior screenwriting experience.
- Entrance Task: As part of the application process, applicants are required to submit the following in a single file (maximum of 3000 words):
- Part 1: the opening ten pages of script for a film or TV drama
- Part 2: a four-page feature film treatment.
- Interview: After review of the application and entrance task, the admissions tutors may invite candidates to attend an interview.
- Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively.
- Mature learners are actively supported and encouraged to apply.
English Language Requirements:
- If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
- Part-time home students cannot enroll in part-time courses if they are already living in the UK with a student visa (except for some modules). You may be able to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.
Language Proficiency Requirements:
- For applicants whose first language is not English, or who have not previously studied in English, the required level of proficiency is an IELTS Academic Test score of 6.5, with no sub-score below 6.0.
