Comedy Writing MA (Online)

Program Overview

This MA Comedy Writing degree equips students with the skills and knowledge to navigate the comedy writing industry. Through practical workshops, industry guest lectures, and collaborative learning, students develop their comedic voice and style, creating industry-standard scripts for film, television, and audio platforms. The program fosters a supportive community and prepares graduates for successful careers in various comedy writing fields.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The program focuses on both practical and theoretical elements, including script analysis, writing workshops, industry guest lectures, and more.

Key objectives of the program include:

• Enabling students to hone their comedic writing skills, voice, and style.
• Equipping students with the knowledge and understanding of comedy scriptwriting for film, television, and audio platforms.
• Guiding students in developing strong industry connections for future career advancement.
• Cultivating a community of aspiring comedy writers through collaborative learning opportunities.

Students can expect to:

• Receive guidance from established comedy writers and industry professionals.

• Develop a portfolio of industry-standard comedy scripts across various formats.

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the comedy scriptwriting market and trends.

• Become well-positioned for pursuing a rewarding career in comedy writing.

Outline:

• Screen Industries: Professional Development in Comedy: This module focuses on developing professional skills through industry-related projects, proposal writing, and market analysis, preparing students for navigating the professional comedy scriptwriting landscape.
• Individual Comedy Script Development: Students delve deeper into crafting compelling characters and narratives for long-form comedy projects, be it a feature film, television series, or online/audio series.
• Comedy Writers' Room: Collaborative Script Development: This unique module provides hands-on experience in a simulated professional environment.
Students collaborate in script development teams, tackling industry briefs and "green-lighting" projects.
• Final Major Project (MA only): The culmination of the program where students independently develop an industry-ready, polished script for the platform of their choice.
This may involve further developing existing work or crafting an entirely new concept.

Please note:

The module order may vary depending on the start date chosen by the student.

Assessment:

• Visual, verbal, and written creative works: The assessment format is tailored to each module's specific learning outcomes.
• Critical analysis of existing comedy material: Students engage in analyzing existing work to refine their own writing and gain deeper understanding of industry standards.
• Industry-focused projects and proposals: Assessments may involve developing industry-style proposals, pitch documents, and market analysis projects to emulate real-world professional scenarios.

Teaching:

Additional notes:

• Online tutorials provide individualized support and feedback throughout the modules.
• Optional in-person events are held throughout the year to foster a sense of community and networking amongst students in the online format.

Careers:

The program aims to prepare graduates for successful careers in a wide range of comedy writing fields, including:

• Television comedy: Scriptwriting for sitcoms, sketch shows, comedy dramas, and more.
• Radio comedy: Creating content for radio comedies, panel shows, and podcasts.
• Online content: Writing comedy sketches, web series, and other online formats.
• Video game writing: Scripting comedic dialogue and content for video games.

Graduates are well-equipped to navigate industry avenues and find opportunities in various areas:

• Seeking representation from literary agents.

• Pitching directly to production companies and broadcasters.

• Developing their own independent comedy projects.

Other:

• Virtual Welcome Week prior to start dates helps students acclimate to online learning and connect with classmates.

£12,150 total fee (incl. acceptance fee) - 2 years part time - MA/MSc course £12,150 total fee (incl. acceptance fee) - 2 years part time - MA/MSc course Tuition fees for September 2025 will be confirmed in summer 2024. Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible. The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs