Programme Specification
Awarding Body University of the Arts London (UAL) Teaching Institution London College of Communication Final Award
Relevant QAA Benchmark Statement
MA Screenwriting
Communications, Media, Film and Cultural Studies
Date of production/revision July 2015
The Master of Arts course in Screenwriting is a full-time course delivered over four terms with two days a week academic contact. Please note - the course requires a significant proportion of self-directed study and you will not be expected to be on campus on a full time basis. Academic study will be a combination of on campus contact and distant learning. A timetable will be supplied on commencement of study.
The course will provide you with the opportunity to develop the abilities, knowledge and skills you will need for a career in scriptwriting. The course is aimed at developing writers for film, television and/or radio industries. Your portfolio and personal development will be monitored by feedback through group workshops and one-to-one tutorials.
The design of the course meets the terms and conditions for the award of Master of Arts Screenwriting as approved by The University of the Arts London.
Course Aims
MA Screenwriting aims to:
Provide you with the opportunity to develop as a professional practitioner within the expanded field of scriptwriting.
Develop your screenwriting knowledge, skills and distinctive writing style in the creation of original screen work from conception through to a finished draft screenplay.
Develop a critical awareness in the use of story, character, structure, genre and theme in narrative development.
Provide you with the opportunity to produce a portfolio of work that uses critical ideas to develop innovative and original practice.
Provide you with the opportunity to write across various mediums i.e. film, television and radio.
Develop your skills and knowledge of writing detailed analytical reports to industry standard plus develop skills to produce industry marketing / pitching documents.
Develop and build advanced self-directed and brief-led research strategies, methodologies and an academically rigorous approach to facilitate completion of a Major Project and to purse research into areas of special screenwriting interest.
Course Outcomes
The outcomes that you will have demonstrated upon completion of the course, are:
Demonstrate an understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of multi-medium advanced professional practice – namely writing for
television, radio and film. (Research, Analysis, Subject Knowledge, Experimentation, Technical Competence, Communication and Presentation).
Demonstrate creative ability to take an initial idea and develop it through draft stages to a finished screenplay. (Technical Competence / Subject Knowledge / Experimentation / Research / Personal and
professional development)
Demonstrate the ability to evaluate your own and others work through the process of peer-review, critical analysis and evaluation- taking into
account collaborative relationships and market needs. (Analysis / Collaboration and/or independent professional working)
Demonstrate the ability to write a portfolio of treatments, proposals and screenplays and present these in a professional manner and form to agents and producers in identified markets. (Communication and Presentation / Subject Knowledge / Personal and professional development / Technical Competence)
Demonstrate a comprehensive critical understanding of industry needs and practice. (Research, Analysis, Subject Knowledge,
Communication and Presentation, Collaborative and / or Independent Professional Working)
Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements and present coherent arguments and advocate for particular creative decisions and directions. (Research, Analysis, Personal and Professional Development, Collaborative and / or Independent Professional Working)
Contextualise and critically evaluate screenwriting practice within the screen industry, analysing current and future developments. (Analysis / Personal and professional development)
Act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional level, demonstrating self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems in planning and executing a professional approach to
screenwriting. (Technical Competence / Collaboration and/or independent professional working)
Plan and conduct detailed research for a fully developed Major Project, (a full length feature screenplay or pilot episodes for an original series or serial) which reflects a rigorous academically informed approach. (Research / Subject Knowledge / Technical Competence / Collaboration and/or independent professional working)
Understand the potential of a range of industry standard software to communicate, present and deliver narrative content. (Technical Competence, Communication and Presentation, Personal and Professional Development)
Learning and Teaching Methods
Workshops (involving critical peer-to-peer review of students' work in progress),
Practical exercises (to test and support an in-depth understanding of the discipline relevant to the area of study)
Lectures (on the craft elements of scriptwriting and these are delivered by the course team and visiting speakers),
Independent study (allowing students to engage in research, writing and other activities related to the course)
Screenings
Seminars and Tutorials (group or one-to-one sessions) Assessment Methods
The above programme outcomes are assessed using the following assessment methods:
Term 1 - Assessment will include a 10-minute screenplay, analytical reader reports, a theoretical analysis, industry knowledge, skills and methodologies.
Term 2 - Assessment will include a 30-minute screenplay or radio play, analytical reader reports, a theoretical analysis, a collaborative unit.
Term 3 - Assessment will include your original Major Project (Film or TV), reader reports, an industry pitching ‘sales’ documents, a critical reflection, research report/ dossier and a Major Project proposal documents.
Reference Points
The following reference points were used in designing the course:
The Learning and Teaching policies of the University of the Arts London
The College policies and initiatives
Level descriptors
Benchmark statements
Programme Summary
Programme structures, features, units, credit and award requirements:
Each course is divided into units, which are credit-rated. The minimum unit size is 20 credits and the maximum is 60 credits. The MA course structure involves 7 units, totalling 180 credits.
The course introduces you to the foundations of contemporary scriptwriting practice in theoretical context. You will develop research methodologies that will become the foundation for future practice and analysis.
The course offers you the opportunity to study feature film, television and radio narrative, the development of a script from a short story and research, which lays the foundation for your major project. You will also complete a collaborative unit that reflects your specialist interests in scriptwriting and related topics, whilst engaging with the need to understand and communicate with the industry you wish to work in.
In the last term of the course you will undertake a Major Project that allows you to focus on a specialist area of interest that you identified during your previous study.
You will write several drafts of an original screenplay for film or TV or a TV pilot
episode(s) with format documents. In addition, you will engage in peer-to-peer review and the writing of reader reports.
Learning hours and tutorial support
You will typically spend 30% of the total study time on the course in lectures, workshops, tutorials and seminars. The remainder of your time will be spent on research and independent study, background reading, practical writing and exercises. The workshop process will be used as a key source of feedback and critical analysis. This will be supported by a programme of industrial context lectures and visiting speakers.
You will be allocated a personal tutor at the start of each term and will have regular termly personal tutorials.
Attendance involves on average eight to ten hours each week, together with any specially scheduled evening and weekend and vacation study.
Distinctive features of the course:
The reputation of UAL - LCC, MA Screenwriting staff, the course and its alumni helps us to maintain strong links with industry, which allows many benefits for graduates. This takes the form of visiting speakers and strong links with production companies including Working Title, ITV, Tiger Aspect, Feelgood Fiction, BBC Film, BBC Drama, Trademark, Red Planet, Red Productions, World Productions and many more. MA Screenwriting are also in regular contact with high-end industry personnel such as David Parfitt, Timothy Burrell, Mark Burton, Jed Mecurio, John Yorke etc. plus many talent agencies e.g. The Agency, United Agents, Blake Friedmann, David Higham, Berlin Associates etc.
The course team is committed to exploring and maintaining professional business contacts - essential for the industry’s awareness of the course and our students, and to ensure the success of MA Screenwriting events such as our ‘Pitching to Producers’ and ‘Agents meet our Writers’. At these events many of the students are offered representation and their work is picked up for future development.
There is also active student participation with regard to industry contact. Each year the students, with the Course Leader organise a networking event
‘Masterclub’, where high-end industry personnel meet with current students and past alumni. The team also produces a biannual newsletter ‘Screenworks’ for the industry, current students and alumni. These opportunities within MA Screenwriting to pitch projects to producers and agents within both TV, Film and Radio with the potential for projects and writers being picked up for development and representation.
The success and employability of MA Screenwriting’s graduates speaks for itself with writers working in all aspects of film, television, radio, stage and also novel writing. Graduates are employed not only in the UK but also in Europe, around
the world and even in Hollywood. Our current and past students are also regularly nominated for national and international awards and have indeed won critically acclaimed awards such as the Emmy Award, Page Award and the Palme d’Or. The reputation of the course is based on the credentials of our alumni and is enhanced further by the level of past students’ continued commitment to the course throughout their professional careers. A high percentage of students who have obtained commissions return as industry guest speakers or to teach on the course and thus ensure that there is a continual open channel between the ever-changing industry and our students. This in turn increases the graduates’ career prospects.
The unique approach of the course lies in its combination of a theoretical framework, which is used to structure, develop and analyse screenworks, the use of workshop-based peer review, the analysis of contemporary practice and the process of developing and writing a number of scripts. This combination at postgraduate level ensures that you challenge contemporary theory and practice whilst engaging with the needs of current productions.
As an MA Screenwriting student you will develop and apply scriptwriting, script editing and script reading skills to a series of projects – which open many future career opportunities. In conjunction with this work you will develop a number of research and analytical strategies that can be applied to all future writing or creative projects. The course engages with the strongest point of entry into the industry for a new writer and this is focused on in writing for television and in particular writing for radio.
Another distinguishing feature of this postgraduate course is that all project work is practice based, with workshops embedding collaborative skills such as how to engage with other writers’ work and engage with a diversity of opinions and cultural voices. For many, one of the most lasting impressions of the course will be the experience of the peer-to-peer review workshops, learning to engage with other writers’ work and engage with a diversity of opinions on your own work.
This set of skills opens many alternative career choices for graduates.
Working at postgraduate level you will be expected to timetable and manage your own learning. Your success or failure on the course will depend to a great extent on how rigorously and responsibly you take this self-direction and how well you respond to tutorial and workshop advice. The level of self-management required of you will increase throughout the course.
You will develop a portfolio that matches that of industry expectations. The aim is to keep this level of achievement to maintain MA Screenwriting’s reputation within the creative industries.
MA Screenwriting’s workshop programme is run by a team of highly qualified tutors, comprising of practicing screenwriters, script editors and industry practitioners, many of who have won critical acclaim, national and international awards.
Recruitment and Admissions Admission Policy/Selection Criteria
The MA Screenwriting course team recognises that applicants come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds from across the world. The course attracts students who apply with an Honours Degree course or those with other equivalent qualifications.
The course team also welcome students with relevant experience, those who may have worked in industry or those who have submitted a high standard work example.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements (Home/International/EU)
An applicant will be considered for admission who has already achieved an
educational level equivalent to an Honours Degree. It is preferable that candidates have a previous degree, but it is not essential. We accept people on their writing talent and their submitted example work.
Other entry routes
If you do not have the required qualifications, but do have professional experience you may be eligible to gain credit for previous learning and experience through the AP(E)L system. Your experience is assessed as a learning process and tutors will evaluate that experience or currency, validity, quality and sufficiency.
Language Requirements (International/EU)
International and EU students: In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 7.0 (or equivalent) is required with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the four skills.
If your first language is not English you should check you have achieved the correct IELTS level in English. Further information is available on the Language Requirements page: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/language-centre/english- language-support/language-requirements/
International Applicants – visit the Support for International Students page http://www.arts.ac.uk/lcc/courses/support-for-international-students/ for contact details for International Admissions
Admission with Academic Credit
An applicant may be considered for admission at a point in the course later than the start of the planned programme of study, provided that the applicant has fulfilled, in a way judged to be equivalent, the requirements of the
intended programme of study prior to the proposed point of entry.
In order for an applicant to be admitted under the above, the University must be satisfied that by successfully completing the remaining part of the course, the applicant would have fulfilled the objectives of the course and have the opportunity to attain the standard required for the award.
To see the university’s Regulations on Admissions, please go to the following link: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/academic-regulations/course-
regulations/1-admissions/
Deferred entry
For Home/EU applicants, the Course Leader will determine whether deferred places are available for the course. If you wish to defer your place, it is advisable to indicate this on your application form and/or discuss this with the admissions team and course leader before/after applying at the earliest opportunity. In all cases, deferred places will only be held for one year.
To see the University’s Regulations on Admissions, please go to the following link:
http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/academic-regulations/course-regulations/1- admissions/
Admission Procedures
The selection procedures for the course adhere to the Equal Opportunities policy of the University of the Arts London.
Applications for this course are assessed on the basis of qualifications and the personal statement and your portfolio of work. If more information is required, a member of the course team may contact the applicant and in some cases, may request the candidate to attend an interview.
Application forms are available on request with supporting information about the course.
Completed applications are to be accompanied by appropriate certificates and evidence of all professional activity paid or unpaid.
All potential candidates are interviewed.
Candidates are expected to present a portfolio of work or relevant visual, written or published work.
Candidates also need to demonstrate knowledge of the world of scriptwriting and engage in critical discussion.
Applicants whose first language is not English must hold IELTS 7.0, with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the four skills
The LCC AP(E)L Policy is applied.
Student Selection Criteria / what do we look for?
The team will also consider three key elements when making a decision on your suitability to join the course:
1) Firstly they will look at your qualifications (or projected results).
2) Secondly, they will review your academic or personal reference.
3) Then they will scrutinise your submitted writing sample and your personal statement
The personal statement is a very important part of your application and should demonstrate to the team that you are interested in scriptwriting and that you have thought very carefully about why you want to study on this course.
You should take great care when writing your personal statement to ensure that it is well written, clear and free of any spelling mistakes. It is your biggest chance to impress the team by demonstrating your appreciation of what the course can offer you and how you feel it might help you in the future. It is also an opportunity for you to state what you feel you would bring to the course. Through their personal statement, applicants should show a strong interest in scriptwriting. This can be demonstrated through work experience, studying and personal experience and the ambition for personal development as a student at the LCC.
Course Diagram
