Program Overview

Graduate Certificate in Writing for Dramatic Media

About

The certificate is designed to bring added value to a graduate degree that is not in Film. It has been awarded to English, Creative Writing, Law, Journalism, and Theatre students. It enhances the candidates' career opportunities in those fields.

The certificate prepares the candidate to "pitch" creative writing for performance at a professional level and to develop the necessary skills to execute those "pitches" in the form of completed screenplays. In addition to feature length work, the candidate may create television screenplays or work in other transmedia fields.

Accreditation

For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate Program in Writing for Dramatic Media, the student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a professional on-page formatting technique.
2. Explain why the various formatting choices are put in use.
3. Execute a verbal "pitch."
4. Collaborate on a verbal "pitch."
5. Identify story elements in the "pitch" and distinguish their effectiveness.
6. Revise all of the work presented, in response to critical analysis.
7. Recognize the structural strengths and weaknesses of completed written drafts of scripts.
8. Communicate, in a collegial manner, critical analysis of work presented by the cohort.
9. Create a work of dramatic media from inception, pitch, first draft, and subsequent drafts in the most professional manner possible.
10. Create a personal collection of written works for various dramatic media (plays, screenplays, teleplays, webisodes, mobisodes, game scripting, etc.). Each candidate in the certificate program will complete the program with two feature screenplays in some stage of development and at least one other full-length work (which may also be a feature screenplay, or work in another of the dramatic media.)

Assessment: Methods, Instruments, and Analysis

1. Direct observation and interaction with instructors of the courses.
2. Direct observation and interaction with the currently enrolled members of the Master of Fine Arts Writing for Dramatic Media Degree Program.
3. Reaction of any guest artists and industry professionals to whom the scripts may be availed.
4. Two-hour "capstone experience" consisting of an oral defense of a selected screenplay as well as review of all work attempted while in pursuit of the certificate.

Requirements

Plan Description

The UNLV Department of Film offers a Graduate Certificate in Writing for Dramatic Media. The mission of the Writing for Dramatic Media Certificate Program at UNLV is to give graduate students in other disciplines the opportunity to study creative writing for various dramatic media at a professional standard and to award those who complete the program a valuable distinction to benefit them in their careers.

Plan Admission Requirements

• The certificate candidate must already have been accepted by the Graduate College at UNLV and be a graduate degree-seeking candidate in good standing in a field other than film.
• The candidate must have the authorization by the graduate coordinator or advisor from their own program or department.
• The certificate candidate may start at any time in their studies, but must complete the requirements prior to, or in the same semester, as completing their graduate degree.

Plan Requirements

• Total Credits Required: 12

Course Requirements

• Screenwriting Course – Credits: 6
  • Complete 6 credits of the following course:
    • FILM 722 - Graduate Screenwriting
• Required Courses – Credits: 6
  • Complete 6 credits from the following courses:
    • FILM 615 - Story Development
    • FILM 618 - Writing for Television I
    • FILM 619 - Writing for Television II
    • FILM 720 - Advanced Cinematic Structure
    • FILM 723 - Ensemble Screenwriting
    • FILM 724 - The Adaptation Screenplay
    • FILM 725 - Writing for Assignment
    • FILM 726 - Advanced Screenplay Analysis
    • FILM 727 - Advanced Screenplay Theory
    • FILM 728 - Graduate Production

Certificate Requirements

1. Completion of a minimum of 12 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.00.
2. The culminating experience will be a two-hour oral defense of a significant creative work that was developed within the program.

Plan Certificate Completion Requirements

The student must successfully complete and defend their final project.

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.