Screenwriting and Playwriting BS
Major: Screenwriting and Playwriting
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 184.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 50.0504
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 27-3043
About the Program
Our students and faculty are storytellers at heart, connecting to the world around us through the tales we tell. The Screenwriting & Playwriting program immerses students in the discipline of writing for production: storytelling for filmed entertainment, the theater stage, and digital delivery. Whether you want to write blockbuster films, a two-hander for a black-box venue, or an episodic web series, the program will guide you with our experiential approach to instruction in small, collaborative classes. You'll graduate with the skills, experience, and confidence to pursue a career in a rewarding and competitive field.
Students acquire the essential skills of dramatic storytelling and professional best practices, then apply those abilities to the creation of scripts that tell their own uniquely compelling stories. The challenging curriculum offers multiple opportunities to see your work produced on both stage and screen and Drexel's pioneering co-op affords hands-on experience in the industry, working alongside professional artists. The Screenwriting & Playwriting program marks the beginning of the lifelong process of developing your writer's voice, a voice capable of narrating the story of our lives.
The Screenwriting and Playwriting program offers a minor in Screenwriting and a minor in Playwriting.
Additional Information
For more information about this major, visit the College's Screenwriting and Playwriting page or contact the program director:
Matthew J. Kaufhold
Screenwriting and Playwriting Program
Department of Cinema & Television
Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
215-895-2882
kaufhold@drexel.edu
Degree Requirements
General education requirements | ||
CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development | 1.0 |
ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
MATH 119 | Mathematical Foundations for Design | 4.0 |
UNIV A101 | The Drexel Experience | 2.0 |
Required Arts and Humanities (excluding ENGL courses) - students elect a minimum of 9.0 credits | 9.0 | |
Required Natural Science-students elect a minimum of 8.0 credits | 8.0 | |
Required Social Science-students elective a minimum of 9.0 credits | 9.0 | |
Electives | 31.0 | |
Visual Studies Requirements | ||
ARTH 102 | History of Art II | 3.0 |
VSST 107 | Introduction to Design for Media | 3.0 |
Screenwriting and Playwriting Requirements | ||
Literature requirements | ||
ENGL 315 [WI] | Shakespeare | 3.0 |
Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
Classical to Medieval Literature | ||
or ENGL 201 | Renaissance to the Enlightenment | |
or ENGL 202 | Romanticism to Modernism | |
Select one of the following: | 3.0 | |
Survey of World Literature | ||
or ENGL 204 | Post-Colonial Literature | |
Literature (ENGL) electives | 6.0 | |
Cinema studies/Theatre studies requirements | ||
ENGL 216 [WI] | Readings in Drama | 3.0 |
THTR 121 [WI] | Dramatic Analysis | 3.0 |
Theatre (THTR) choice elective (any advanced acting, directing or production course) | 3.0 | |
FMST 101 | Film History I: Emergence | 3.0 |
FMST 102 | Film History II: New Waves | 3.0 |
Cinema studies (FMST Film Studies or TVST Television Studies) elective | 3.0 | |
Methods requirements | ||
FMTV 110 | Basic Cinematography | 3.0 |
FMTV 115 | Basic Editing | 3.0 |
FMTV 120 | Basic Sound | 3.0 |
FMTV 240 | Narrative Production | 3.0 |
THTR 210 | Acting: Fundamentals | 3.0 |
THTR 211 | Acting: Scene Study | 2.0 |
THTR 240 | Theatre Production I | 3.0 |
THTR 320 | Play Direction | 3.0 |
or FMTV 270 | Basic Directing | |
Writing requirements | ||
SCRP 150 | Entertainment Storytelling Fundamentals | 3.0 |
SCRP 220 | Playwriting I | 3.0 |
SCRP 225 | Playwriting II | 3.0 |
SCRP 230 | Page to Stage | 3.0 |
SCRP 270 [WI] | Screenwriting I | 3.0 |
SCRP 275 [WI] | Screenwriting II | 3.0 |
SCRP 280 [WI] | Writing the Short Film | 3.0 |
SCRP 310 | Literature for Screenwriters | 3.0 |
SCRP 370 | Screenplay Story Development | 3.0 |
SCRP 495 | Senior Project in Dramatic Writing I | 3.0 |
SCRP 496 | Senior Project in Dramatic Writing II | 3.0 |
SCRP 497 | Senior Project in Dramatic Writing III | 3.0 |
WRIT 225 [WI] | Creative Writing | 3.0 |
Writing Choice: select one of the following courses: | 3.0 | |
Introduction to Journalism | ||
Public Relations Principles and Theory | ||
Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
Select one of the following two-course sequences: | 6.0 | |
Playwriting Workshop I and Playwriting Workshop II | ||
Screenwriting Workshop I and Screenwriting Workshop II | ||
Total Credits | 184.0 |
CONCENTRATION OPTIONS
Concentration in Narrative Game Writing
GMAP 260 | Overview of Computer Gaming | 3.0 |
SCRP 290 | Game: Universe & Story | 3.0 |
SCRP 295 | Future of Narrative Games | 3.0 |
SCRP 377 | Game Writing Workshop I | 3.0 |
SCRP 378 | Game Writing Workshop II | 3.0 |
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.
Sample Plan of Study
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
FMTV 120 | 3.0 | FMST 101 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
SCRP 220 | 3.0 | FMTV 115 | 3.0 | FMTV 110 | 3.0 | ||
THTR 121 | 3.0 | SCRP 270 | 3.0 | MATH 119 | 4.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | UNIV A101 | 1.0 | SCRP 150 | 3.0 | ||
Natural Science Elective | 4.0 | VSST 107 | 3.0 | ||||
13 | 17 | 17 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 203 or 204 | 3.0 | COOP 101 | 1.0 | ARTH 102 | 3.0 | Film Studies/Television Studies Elective* | 3.0 |
SCRP 225 | 3.0 | ENGL 216 | 3.0 | ENGL 200, 201, or 202 | 3.0 | Free Elective | 6.0 |
Literature (ENGL) Elective | 3.0 | FMST 102 | 3.0 | SCRP 280 | 3.0 | Arts & Humanities Elective | 3.0 |
Free Elective | 6.0 | SCRP 230 | 3.0 | SCRP 370 | 3.0 | ||
SCRP 275 | 3.0 | THTR 211 | 2.0 | ||||
THTR 210 | 3.0 | Natural Science Elective | 4.0 | ||||
15 | 16 | 18 | 12 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ENGL 315 | 3.0 | SCRP 381 or 383 | 3.0 | ||
THTR 240 | 3.0 | Writing Choice | 3.0 | ||||
THTR 320 or FMTV 270 | 3.0 | Arts and Humanities Elective (excluding ENGL courses) | 3.0 | ||||
SCRP 380 or 382 | 3.0 | Literature (ENGL) Elective | 3.0 | ||||
Arts and Humanities Elective (excluding ENGL courses) | 3.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
0 | 0 | 15 | 15 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
SCRP 495 | 3.0 | FMTV 240 | 3.0 | SCRP 497 | 3.0 | ||
WRIT 225 | 3.0 | SCRP 310 | 3.0 | Free Electives | 13.0 | ||
Free Elective | 3.0 | SCRP 496 | 3.0 | ||||
Social Science Elective | 3.0 | Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||
Theater Elective | 3.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
15 | 15 | 16 | |||||
Total Credits 184 |
Writing Narrative Games Concentration
First Year | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
FMTV 120 | 3.0 | FMST 101 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
SCRP 220 | 3.0 | FMTV 115 | 3.0 | FMTV 110 | 3.0 | ||
THTR 121 | 3.0 | SCRP 270 | 3.0 | MATH 119 | 4.0 | ||
UNIV A101 | 1.0 | UNIV A101 | 1.0 | SCRP 150 | 3.0 | ||
Natural Science Elective | 4.0 | VSST 107 | 3.0 | ||||
13 | 17 | 17 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
ENGL 203 or 204 | 3.0 | COOP 101 | 1.0 | ARTH 102 | 3.0 | FMST or TVST Elective | 3.0 |
FMST 102 | 3.0 | ENGL 216 | 3.0 | ENGL 200, 201, or 202 | 3.0 | Free Elective | 6.0 |
GMAP 260 | 3.0 | SCRP 275 | 3.0 | SCRP 295 | 3.0 | Arts & Humanities Elective | 3.0 |
SCRP 225 | 3.0 | SCRP 290 | 3.0 | SCRP 370 | 3.0 | ||
Literature (ENGL) Elective | 3.0 | THTR 210 | 3.0 | THTR 211 | 2.0 | ||
SCRP 230 | 3.0 | Natural Science Elective | 4.0 | ||||
15 | 16 | 18 | 12 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ENGL 315 | 3.0 | SCRP 378 | 3.0 | ||
SCRP 377 | 3.0 | SCRP 280 | 3.0 | ||||
THTR 240 | 3.0 | Arts and Humanities Elective (excluding ENGL courses) | 3.0 | ||||
THTR 320 or FMTV 270 | 3.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
Arts and Humanities Elective (excluding ENGL courses) | 3.0 | Literature (ENGL) Elective | 3.0 | ||||
Writing Choice | 3.0 | ||||||
0 | 0 | 15 | 18 | ||||
Fourth Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
SCRP 495 | 3.0 | SCRP 496 | 3.0 | SCRP 497 | 3.0 | ||
WRIT 225 | 3.0 | Social Science Elective | 3.0 | Free Electives | 13.0 | ||
Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | FMTV 240 | 3.0 | ||||
Theater Elective | 3.0 | SCRP 310 | 3.0 | ||||
Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
15 | 12 | 16 | |||||
Total Credits 184 |
- *
Please see degree requirements
Co-op/Career Opportunities
Dramatic writing is writing for production—work intended for performance on the stage or screen. These days, “screen” can mean movie, TV, or computer, and the work can be anything from full stage plays to 15-second commercials to video game scripts. As the entertainment industry changes, so do the outlets for our students and graduates.
Co-op Experiences
By working for film and television production companies, theater organizations, entertainment management companies, magazines, advertising and public relations firms, and other professional writers, Screenwriting and Playwriting students gain valuable insights into how the entertainment industry works. In an industry where the process of building a career often begins with a few key contacts, the co-op program gives Drexel students the chance to begin shaping their own professional networks.
Screenwriting and Playwriting students secured co-op or post-graduation positions with:
- IM Global
- Disney Video Animation
- Marvel Comics
- Lionsgate Films
- Skyless Games
- Arden Theater Company
- Campbell's Soup
- Marvel Studios
- SyFy Network
- Nickelodeon
- Dynamite Entertainment
- Prominent Hollywood talent managers
- The Playwright's Center
- Valiant Entertainment
- Sciencefiction.com
- Major League Baseball Productions
- Panels.net
- Voice of America
- Fantagraphics
- The production office of "Star Trek: Enterprise"
Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.