Cinema & Media Arts - Screenwriting
BFA
Tell stories that captivate and inspire in Canada’s only undergraduate Screenwriting Degree Program. You’ll dive into the art of screenwriting across film, television and digital media, learning to craft scripts, pitch your ideas and develop your unique voice. Through small workshops led by industry professionals, you’ll gain hands-on experience, build a diverse portfolio and prepare for roles as a screenwriter, showrunner, story editor and more. Start your journey in Toronto, a hub for film and media, and bring your stories to life!
Program Overview
Graduates of the BFA in Screenwriting are thriving as professional screenwriters, story editors, producers, showrunners and executives in the film, television and media industries. Students cultivate a deep understanding of moving image storytelling within the program’s intensive and collaborative workshop environment. First and foremost, students develop their voice and explore a variety of screenwriting skills taught by leading industry professionals in our intensive 4-year program.
Sample Courses
As a Screenwriting student you can take courses like:
- Screenwriting Fundamentals
- Feature Screenwriting I and II
- Writing for Television I and II
- Creative Producing
- Transmedia Storytelling
Career Possibilities
As a Screenwriting student you can become:
- Writer for film, television and other motion media
- Showrunner
- Film/TV Executive
- Script Reader
- Media Critic
- Copywriter
- Story Editor
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Department
Cinema and Media Arts
Duration
4 years
Evaluation process
Questionnaire, Portfolio
Entry Options
Fall or Summer
Next Steps
We’re excited that you’re considering applying to York University's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD). Check out our step-by-step guide to submitting an application.
Student & Alumni Testimonials
What I enjoy most about the screenwriting program is how hands-on it is. They really give us time to start with an idea and develop it. Through my courses, I even get to go from script to screen myself. It's cool to have both the script and the film in my hands.
Daniela Corallo
Second-year Screenwriting Student
I chose to come to AMPD because York offers the only university-level screenwriting program in the entire country. The networking opportunities here, combined with being located in Toronto—the hub of Canada's film industry—definitely played a key role in my decision to join this program.
Victoria Austin
Second-year Screenwriting Student
One of my favourite things about the Screenwriting program is that you can connect with real filmmakers, people who are actually out there and doing what you want to do, so you can watch things that they have made, and hear directly from them about their process; it is just really helpful to know what it takes to make it, and to develop your own stories.
Oliver B
Current student - Screenwriting
Program Highlights
Screenwriting students collaborate with peers, workshop their writing, meet industry professionals and develop a creative portfolio of written work.
Master classes offered by renowned screenwriters such as Emmy Award-winning David Shore (“House”), Karen Walton (“Orphan Black”), Annmarie Morais (“The Porter”), Ian Iqbal Rashid (“Sort of”), and many others.
Canada’s only Undergraduate Degree in Screenwriting.
Seize the opportunity to train in a small, hands-on environment with top industry professionals.
Enjoy a safe space to develop your voice across various genres, build a comprehensive writing portfolio and craft numerous scripts under expert guidance.
Study screenwriting in Toronto, Canada’s cultural capital, a hub for film, TV and media.
Learning Outcomes
Share your story, find your vision, build the future
- Build a solid foundation in dramatic writing with diverse theories and approaches that enrich your storytelling skills.
- Develop your unique creative voice through hands-on experimentation with various scriptwriting styles, guided by our expert faculty.
- Dive deep into the roots of storytelling with 'The Biology of Story,' a comprehensive exploration on the nature, purpose, and power of stories.
- Write scripts that may be turned into real films, directed by you or by other peers.
- Gain a thorough understanding of cinema history and theory in both cultural and economic contexts, spanning from Hollywood productions to international independent films and decolonized movements.
- Master best practices for collaborating on stories created by others and experience working in a collaborative Writers’ Room environment, which prepares you for professional industry engagement.
- Develop the skills to write across various formats, including feature films, television, and transmedia projects.
- In our Film Writing courses, you receive comprehensive support to develop your idea into a well-rounded story and refine your draft to meet the highest industry standards.
- In our TV Writing courses, you immerse yourself in a Writers’ Room environment and receive expert guidance on crafting industry-standard TV scripts.
- Explore the innovative field of Transmedia storytelling, utilizing cutting-edge media outlets and technologies to create compelling, multi-platform narratives.
- Engage in a highly participatory Creative Producing course to understand the Canadian and International landscape and engage with original content creators, funders, festival programmers, sales agents, distributors and exhibitors to expand your professional network and actualize your projects.
- Opportunity to join a field placement course for an immersive on-site internship experience.
- With guidance from our experienced faculty, you will craft a robust writing portfolio that hones your unique voice, equipping you to successfully navigate the industry.
How to Apply
Get Ready to Apply
IMPORTANT DATES
Stay informed about all the key dates and deadlines for applying. Make sure to submit your application by the specified deadline to ensure guaranteed consideration. Note that some programs require a supplementary application, so be sure to check the deadlines for those as well.
TUITION, FEES & FUNDING
Tuition and Fees will be paid to York University. For information on Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, please see the Future Students Website. Entrance Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries are available each year to support your education.
REQUIREMENTS
Our programs are open to students directly from high school, those with previous post-secondary studies, international students, exchange students, and mature applicants.
Get in Touch
Reach out to us for more information on our programs, upcoming events, open houses, and applying to AMPD. We're here to assist you with any questions you may have and to help guide you through the application process.
