MFA in Screenwriting in Austin United States | University of Texas at Austin

Hone your screenwriting skills with personalized guidance, intensive workshops, and expert mentorship within Austin, TX's vibrant creative community. Discover your storytelling potential while cultivating your distinctive style, equipping yourself for success in the entertainment field. You'll refine your abilities in both television and film writing, completing the program with polished feature scripts, original TV pilots, spec scripts, and the professional toolkit every screenwriter needs. The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Screenwriting is a rigorous two-year (plus one summer), 42-credit program tailored for dedicated storytellers passionate about visual media. This curriculum builds essential narrative techniques for thriving in film and television, whether in Hollywood or independent productions, while offering diverse electives in production, media studies, and industry practices.
The program includes a mandatory film industry internship, with previous students gaining experience at Los Angeles companies like Vertical, Bad Robot, Hulu, and HBO, as well as local opportunities at Austin Film Festival, Austin TV Festival, SXSW, and with renowned Austin filmmakers Richard Linklater and Noah Hawley. Virtual internships with Los Angeles and New York companies are also available.