MFA in Film-Television – Script & Screenwriting
School of Communication & the Arts
500+ National & International Student Film Awards
$35 Million Communication & Performing Arts Center
90% of faculty hold the highest degree in their field
100+ student films produced per year
Script Your Success With a Terminal Degree
The Master of Fine Arts in Film-Television – Script & Screenwriting, offered online or on campus in Virginia Beach, is a terminal degree program for professional writers. You will learn to write for film, television and stage. Presented from a Christian worldview, this MFA screenwriting degree will provide you the opportunity to graduate with a minimum of three full-length scripts.
Advance Your Career
Establish your reputation as a trusted professional with this on-campus or online MFA degree.
Enhance Your Expertise
Learn to remedy script problems, bring characters to life, and master plot and pacing.
Sharpen Your Skills
Conceptualize all phases of a film or television project, including research, scene analysis and storyline development.
Deepen Your Knowledge
Explore commonly discussed and applied film & TV theories and aesthetics.
Online | On Campus
SESSION START:
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 44+
APPROVED DEGREE PLAN: Click to download PDF
Take Your Career to the Next Level
On completing the MFA in Film-Television – Script & Screenwriting degree, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate your professional competence through your MFA portfolio.
- Apply research skills to the process of creating film & TV production for public consumption.
- Apply enhanced skills in playwriting and writing for short films and television.
Career Opportunities
- Feature film screenwriter
- Television writer
- Trade writer/film critic
- Executive producer
- Editor/script doctor
- University professor
$73,860
Estimated mean annual wage for writers and authors.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019
Click any section below for additional information or access your course schedule.
An exploration of the structural, thematic and character techniques in writing plays for the stage from the sketch to the full-length play. Emphasis is placed on developing a “theatrical” knowledge of conventions and imagery that is the exclusive realm of the live theatre experience from a writing standpoint.
Examination of the special circumstance of the short film script (less than 45 minutes running time). Students learn the narrative conventions of this format and write two film scripts through multiple drafts.
An analysis of the structural components of a variety of TV narrative program forms, such as situation comedies and hour-long dramas. Includes survey of markets and pitching techniques.
Builds upon the skills of SSW 510 Story Structure for Stage & Screen. Skills course that guides from the idea through treatment and step-outline to a finished first draft and the marketing of both the script and the writer. Special consideration given to format, story narration and dialogue polishing.
2020-2021 Semester Check-In Deadlines:
All new students are expected to check-in for the semester 2 weeks prior to the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.
|
Session |
Semester Check-In |
Session Start Date |
|
Session A |
Friday, August 14 |
Monday, August 24 |
|
Session M |
Friday, September 11 |
Monday, September 21 |
|
Session B |
Friday, October 16 |
Monday, October 26 |
|
Session C |
Tuesday, January 5 |
Monday, January 11 |
|
Session T |
Friday, January 29 |
Monday, February 8 |
|
Session D |
Friday, March 5 |
Monday, March 15 |
|
Session E |
Friday, April 30 |
Monday, May 10 |
|
Session F |
Friday, June 11 |
Monday, June 21 |
Admissions Process:
Step 1: Application
Submit your application using our Regent University Online Application.
Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.
Step 2: Application Fee
Pay the $50 nonrefundable application fee by check or money order mailed to Regent University, Enrollment Support Services, 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23464.
Step 3: Submit your Unofficial College Transcripts*
We are able to examine and view your unofficial transcript from a U.S.-based school, which indicates successful completion of a bachelor's degree program, in order to review you for an admissions decision. Please submit your unofficial transcript to our Admissions Office by email to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SCA Master's Application Pieces.
Non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an NACES-approved company. For further details, please review the International Admissions Checklist on the International Students Admissions page.
International Applicants: Please visit the International Students Admissions page for a more detailed explanation of the Regent University application information and to determine whether or not you qualify as an international student.
*Upon conditional acceptance to the program by review of unofficial transcripts, Regent University's Admissions Office will attempt to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institution, which indicate successful completion of a bachelor's degree program. We will notify you if your previous institution will not release transcripts directly to us.
Step 4: Professional CV or Resume
Step 5: Creative Writing Sample
For this narrative writing sample, please submit 3-4 pages of your own completed future screenplay, short story, novel or memoir. No reference style or citation is required.
Step 6: Complete Your Academic Background Questionnaire
In lieu of the previously required personal goal statement, please complete a brief admissions questionnaire based on your professional goals and interests. This should only take a few minutes to complete but please answer the questions completely and thoughtfully. This gives us a better opportunity to get to know you and align your objective with our programs. The admissions questionnaire can be found here. Once completed, it will be sent directly to an admissions counselor who will be in touch with you right away to help complete the rest of your application.
Step 7: Government-Issued ID
To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please email a scanned copy or photograph of it to apply@regent.edu with the subject line: Government ID.
Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.
2019-20 Tuition Rates
| Degree Level / Program | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
|
MFA in Film-Television |
$650 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state) |
Student Fees Per Semester
| Course Infrastructure Fee (On-Campus Students) | $200/course |
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $700 |
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $550 |
| Library Course | $50 one-time fee (All students must register for this course to graduate.) |
| Late Payment Fee | $100 |
2020-21 Tuition Rates
| Degree Level / Program | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
|
MFA in Film-Television |
$650 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state) |
Student Fees Per Semester
| Course Infrastructure Fee (On-Campus Students) | $200/course |
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $750 |
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $600 |
| Library Course | $50 one-time fee (All students must register for this course to graduate.) |
| Late Payment Fee | $100 |
*Rates are subject to change at any time.
Learn more about scholarships and financial aid.1. What is the GPA requirement for entrance into the school?
We require a minimum 3.0 GPA from an accredited university. The School of Communication & the Arts will make acceptance decisions based on the totality of the student's application file. We look at GPA, standardized test scores, the writing sample, references and the personal goals statement when considering someone for admission. If any one of these items is not strong the other pieces may help strengthen that applicant's file.
2. Are there scholarships available to help me finance my education?
Yes, the School of Communication & the Arts has merit scholarships which are competitive and based on a student's undergraduate GPA. See the Financial Aid section of our website for full details. We award financial aid monies on a first come, first served basis, so apply as early as possible for best chances at aid money.
Yes, upon acceptance you have up to one academic year to enroll. If you do not matriculate within one academic year, a new application will be required.
Oftentimes applicants will send us transcripts while in their senior year of school. The transcript is missing a final class or two, and thus the actual earned degree (B.A., B.S., etc.) is not posted on the transcript. Regent needs the final transcript where the degree earned has been clearly posted. Until we receive that final transcript your admissions file is still incomplete.
5. What is the difference between an M.A. and an MFA? Which degree should I pursue?
An MFA is a talent-based terminal degree. This represents the highest academic degree one could earn in the performing arts field (there is no Ph.D. in Acting, Directing, etc.). An MFA not only thoroughly credentials you in your field, but it is also a requirement to teach performing arts at the university level. An M.A., on the other hand, is a graduate degree which will still fully immerse you in your field and prepare you for your career, but since it requires less hours, it is not considered a terminal degree. Your future career aspirations should determine whether you pursue an M.A. or an MFA. If you have any doubt as to the best option for you, we would be glad to discuss this with you.
Our admissions office aims to have a decision made on your file within five business days from the time it is completed. All MFA and Ph.D. files are reviewed at one time annually by degree.
7. Am I required to go full time or may I study at my own pace?
Students are encouraged to go at the pace they are comfortable with. Many students hold full-time jobs and have families and are able to only take one or two classes per semester.
Hear From Students & Alumni
![Loni Albertson]({"src":"//progdb.regent.edu/files/testimonials-158.png","watch":".success-stories"})
Loni Albertson, MFA, 2007
School of Communication & the Arts“It is more of an amazing example of what God has for us when we allow Him to take the reins and trust that what He has in store is far better than what we can imagine for ourselves.”
![Charles Martin]({"src":"//progdb.regent.edu/files/testimonials-127.png","watch":".success-stories"})
Charles Martin, Ph.D., 2000
School of Communication & the Arts“They [professors] caused me to learn to think critically in a way I had never done. [They] forced me to think well, and at the root of writing well is thinking well.”
![Padmakshi]({"src":"//progdb.regent.edu/files/testimonials-89.png","watch":".success-stories"})
Padmakshi "Paddy" Parkhe, M.A., 2011
School of Communication & the Arts"The professors here never allowed me to settle for good, always pushing me towards giving my best."
![Michelle Bello]({"src":"//progdb.regent.edu/files/testimonials-88.png","watch":".success-stories"})
Michelle Bello, M.A., 2011
School of Communication & the Arts“I chose Regent because of its Christian principles as I wanted to learn how to integrate my faith with telling stories; also because of its amazing film program and facilities. Yes, my expectations were definitely met.”
![Beecher Reuning]({"src":"//progdb.regent.edu/files/testimonials-194.jpg","watch":".success-stories"})
Beecher Reuning, MFA, 2015
School of Communication & the Arts"If you’re a Regent student and you make something really good, Regent will do what it can to get it out there."