Graduate Certificate in Writing for Dramatic Media
Program Overview
This graduate certificate in Dramatic Media equips students from non-Film disciplines with screenwriting skills, preparing them for careers in television, transmedia, and feature-length projects. The program emphasizes professional formatting, pitching, and collaboration, with assessment through direct observation, industry feedback, and a capstone experience. The minimum GPA requirement is 3.00.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The purpose of this graduate certificate is to enable graduate students in disciplines other than Film to learn about different dramatic media at a competent level. It adds value to a graduate degree that is not in Film and can increase the candidate's career options in their respective field. The certificate prepares candidates to "pitch" inventive writing for performance at a professional level and develop the skills needed to execute those "pitches" as complete screenplays. Candidates can work in television screenplays or other transmedia fields in addition to feature-length projects.
Outline:
- Coursework includes 12 credits, with 6 credits in Screenwriting courses (FILM 722) and 6 credits from a selection of required courses.
- Required courses include Story Development (FILM 615), Writing for Television I & II (FILM 618 & FILM 619), Advanced Cinematic Structure (FILM 720), Ensemble Screenwriting (FILM 723), The Adaptation Screenplay (FILM 724), Writing for Assignment (FILM 725), Advanced Screenplay Analysis (FILM 726), Advanced Screenplay Theory (FILM 727), and Graduate Production (FILM 728).
- The program emphasizes professional on-page formatting techniques, the rationale behind various formatting choices, executing verbal pitches, collaborating on verbal pitches, identifying and evaluating story elements in a pitch, revising work based on critical analysis, recognizing structural strengths and weaknesses of completed written draft, communicating critical analysis in a collegial manner, and creating original works of dramatic media from inception through multiple drafts in a professional manner.
Assessment:
- Assessment methods include direct observation and interaction with course instructors and current MFA Writing for Dramatic Media Degree Program students, feedback from guest artists and industry professionals on scripts, and a two-hour "capstone experience" consisting of an oral defense of a selected screenplay and a review of all work completed during the program.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Overview:
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public research university located in the heart of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is known for its diverse student body, innovative academic programs, and its unique location in a vibrant and dynamic city.
Services Offered:
Student Life and Campus Experience:
UNLV offers a vibrant and diverse campus experience. Students can expect to find a welcoming community with a strong sense of belonging. The university boasts a wide range of student organizations, clubs, and activities, catering to various interests. UNLV also emphasizes the importance of community engagement and provides opportunities for students to connect with the local community.
Key Reasons to Study There:
Diverse and Inclusive Environment:
UNLV prides itself on its diverse student body, with one-third of students being first-generation college attendees. This creates a welcoming and inclusive environment for students from various backgrounds.Unique Location:
Situated in Las Vegas, UNLV offers students access to a vibrant city with numerous cultural, entertainment, and professional opportunities.Innovative Academics:
UNLV offers a wide range of academic programs, including 78 majors, 84 minors, and over 197 graduate degree and certificate programs. The university also boasts its own law, medicine, and dental medicine schools.Strong Community Engagement:
UNLV encourages students to engage with the local community and provides opportunities for service learning and volunteer work.Academic Programs:
UNLV offers a wide range of academic programs across various disciplines, including:
Arts and Sciences:
Humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics.Business:
Accounting, finance, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship.Education:
Teacher education, educational leadership, and special education.Engineering:
Civil, mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering.Health Sciences:
Nursing, medicine, dentistry, public health, and biomedical sciences.Hospitality:
Hospitality management, tourism management, and culinary arts.Law:
Juris Doctor (JD) degree.Fine Arts:
Music, theatre, dance, and visual arts.Other:
UNLV is a relatively young university, established in 1957. It has grown significantly over the years and is now one of the largest universities in Nevada. The university is also home to a number of research centers and institutes, focusing on areas such as healthcare, technology, and sustainability.
Entry Requirements:
The certificate candidate must already have been accepted by the Graduate College at UNLV and be a graduate degree-seeking candidate in good standing in a field other than film. The candidate must have the authorization by the graduate coordinator or advisor from their own program or department. The certificate candidate may start at any time in their studies, but must complete the requirements prior to, or in the same semester, as completing their graduate degree. All applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements. Students are accepted into a certificate program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.
