Screenwriting (Global Online) MA



Develop professional-level screenwriting skills for cinema or series in this flexible online degree

Course overview

We are not currently recruiting to this course for academic year 2026/27.

To us, a screenwriter is an artist in their own right, and should always be looking for ways to bend and break the rules. This course aims to empower students to construct the mix of knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to become the kind of screenwriter they want to be, broadening not just their core writing skills but their knowledge of the rapidly changing markets and contexts in which screenwriting occurs.

We set frequent writing assignments and expect you to bring the results to class. You'll workshop, analyse and develop the results of that work in regular workshop sessions, mirroring the developmental process common in screen industries and honing your analytical skills. Overall, we aim to equip our graduates to succeed - and to change the culture they choose to enter.

This degree programme is part-time and remote, meaning it can be completed around other commitments without uprooting and moving to Edinburgh. However, it's also collaborative—you'll work alongside your course mates in online seminars and analyse each other's work in online script workshops. This will help you to develop the collaborative skills and peer networks that are absolutely necessary for success in screen industries.

Screenwriting student in class

Mode of Study:

Online learning

Duration:

2 years

Course details

This 2-year online MA is founded in cutting-edge research into screenwriting technique specifically designed to create empowered, innovative, convention-challenging screenwriters with the will and the expertise to break boundaries and create screen stories of international quality.

You will be guided to develop a mastery of screenwriting fundamentals, and pushed to look beyond those fundamentals to more radical techniques, treating your screenwriting as an artform in its own right.

Student-centred active learning will encourage you to take charge and develop your confidence and leadership skills, preparing you for entry into screen industries. You will be pushed to develop critical thinking and diligent research skills, and encouraged to grow your artistic practice through experimentation.

We are committed to creating pathways not just to sustainable professional practice but to innovative and original practice in the screenplay, empowering students to become leading voices in screen industries.

Modules:

The following list provides a flavour of the modules that you will study. This list is indicative and reflects the teaching in the current academic year.

  • Writing & Screen Project Development (20 credits)
  • Script Workshop 1 (20 credits)
  • Unconventional Approaches (20 credits)
  • Major Project Research (20 credits)
  • The Business of Screen Project Development (20 credits)
  • Script Workshop 2 (20 credits)
  • From Script to Screen (20 credits)
  • Major Project (40 credits)
  • calendar

    How you’ll be taught

     The course is rooted in student-centred active learning, meaning you'll learn by doing: completing writing assignments, workshopping your course mates' work and completing individual and group learning activities. Asynchronous self-directed work that you complete in your own time will be balanced with synchronous online classes.
  • note and pen

    Assessments

     You'll complete a mixture of creative assessments and academic assignments like essays and case studies, building your critical thinking and research skills to MA level as well as your creative practice. You'll build up from short film scripts, to 30-min scripts, to a feature-length Major Project where you'll put all the skills you've learned into action.
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    Facilities

    This course is taught online.

Meet your Programme Leader and Teaching Team

Throughout your studies, you'll learn from experienced professionals and industry leaders who bring valuable expertise, insight and real-world perspectives to your learning experience.

Programme Leader: Dr Chris Neilan. Chris is an award-winning writer and filmmaker with a PhD in creative writing focused on narrative structure in the screenplay. He is a leading expert on story structure. His ground-breaking book on unconventional story structures, Beyond the Monoplot, is available from Bloomsbury.

This course benefits from the expertise of our Screen Academy Scotland.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for MA Screenwriting?

The entry requirements for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 or above.

We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient work experience within the industry.

Applicants will also be required to attend an interview and/or be asked to show evidence of an aptitude for the course, appropriate experience, and an indication of how they might benefit from the course. As part of the application process applicants will need to submit the following with their application: a personal statement outlining why they want to write for the screen (maximum 300 words); an outline for a feature film or single television drama (maximum one page); a writing sample - this may be a short film script or an excerpt from a feature film script or television drama (maximum 10 pages).

To succeed on our Global Online degrees you must have access via computer or laptop to view and download written and video content. You will also need basic IT skills that enable you to write and edit document, send and receive email, find your way around our online learning environment and search for and access online learning resources, download files and use online forums.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the Global Online admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

 

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test.  The English Language requirements for this programme are IELTS (Academic) with an overall score of 6.0 with no individual component score of less than 5.5. For guidance on the acceptability of other English Language tests please contact goadmissions@napier.ac.uk

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • MSc Nursing courses
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
2026/27 2027/28
UK Students (per 20 credits) £985 tba
Overseas Students (per 20 credits) £1,005 tba

Modules for your course can be purchased through our online store and must be paid in full at the time of enrolment. You will purchase modules in advance of each trimester of study.

The fee listed above applies to 20 credits. Please note that the full course comprises 120 credits in total for BA/BSc top-up programmes and 180 credits in total for MSc programmes.

Please note that you will pay the module fee according to the academic year in which you study each module. This means that the total cost of your course will vary depending on the year in which modules are undertaken.

If you are paying a fixed programme fee through one of our global partners, the cost will be no higher than if you were purchasing modules directly from our online store.

Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.


Careers & employability

The course gives you the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career as a screenwriter, script editor or development professional.

Students chatting and laughing whilst sitting at tables at merchiston entrance