Screenwriting, BA, University of Portsmouth

the United Kingdom

Study options for this course

The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
BA	Full-time, Sandwich	3 - 4 years	September	-	-

About Screenwriting, BA - at University of Portsmouth

Overview

Blend your love of film with your passion for writing on our BA (Hons) Screenwriting degree course.

You'll write scripts, see your work produced on screen, study screenplays and hone your writing skills with industry-experienced lecturers and mentors. You'll explore theories and genres of film and writing through history, study how they might evolve in the future, and experience the craft of filmmaking both as critic and creator.

Through close integration with our film production degrees, you'll discover how screenwriting interconnects to other specialisms within filmmaking, preparing you to write short stories, create scripts and produce screenplays with industry-wide insight.

You'll have the chance to learn practical production skills (such as camera work and editing) that'll enrich your ability to tell stories through film and enable you to produce your own screenplays from start to finish. Collaborating with drama and performance students, you’ll see your scripts brought to life on screen.

Once you graduate, you'll have skills that will set you on the path for a career in the creative sector, particularly the film industry as a screenwriter, script editor, researcher, producer or showrunner. Other career paths include journalism, marketing, public relations and teaching.

Course highlights

Learn the skills essential for a screenwriting career, including script timing and editing, continuity, researching, and using industry-standard scriptwriting software
Be taught by an expert teaching team that includes professional screenwriters with national and international experience, plus published novelists and journalists, prestigious magazine editors, script editors, academic researchers, and performance poets
Collaborate with film production, television production, performance, theatre and other writing students within the thriving creative schools of Film, Media and Communication and Architecture, Art and Design
Discover how screenplays and scripts come to life by trying your hand at camera work, editing and short filmmaking, and have the option to achieve Avid Media Composer editing certification
Take part in Portsmouth's annual Comic Con for the latest developments in creative writing and literature, popular culture, fan communities, and technology – course lecturers and students are panellists
Benefit from our active connections with children’s TV and soap opera creators, and local independent creatives at No6 Cinema and Making Waves film festival
Build your writing portfolio by contributing to our course blog The Eldon Review and hyperlocal news zine Star & Crescent
Take advantage of great transport links to London - ideal for networking with agents and industry contacts
Gain valuable professional experience by taking an optional placement in the creative industries
Experience another culture and way of learning by studying abroad for a year or a single semester
Boost your lingual abilities by learning a language with our extra-curricular Institute-Wide Language Programme – and earn credits for it

Careers and opportunities

The UK film and TV industries are thriving - production hubs have formed across the country in locations including Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff and Birmingham, and a record-breaking £5.6 billion has been invested in new content for the big and small screens since 2020 (British Film Institute).

As well as preparing you for opportunities as a new screenwriter [soaps and children’s TV are both great starting areas for new writers], this degree will make you an excellent candidate for other related roles in this flourishing industry.

You'll have the critical awareness, creative ability and project management skills to go after graduate roles in script editing, researching, development production and showrunning, or to work in other creative media besides film, television and the stage, such as video games and graphic novels.

You can also continue your studies to postgraduate level or take further teacher training to work in education.

Graduate areas

Areas graduates from our creative industries courses have worked in include:

film and television
radio and theatre
advertising and marketing
arts and events management
local and community broadcasting
teaching
stand-up comedy
travel industry

Graduate roles

Roles graduates from our creative industries courses have gone onto include:

script editor
screenwriter
novelist
poet
playwright
teacher
copywriter
journalist
theatre manager
editorial assistant

Placement year (optional)

After your second or third year, you can complete an optional work placement to gain professional experience and enhance your skills. It's also a great incentive for employers once you graduate.

You can work for a company, organisation or agency, or you can go self-employed and start your own business with fellow students or by yourself.

Whatever you decide – or even if you just want some employability advice – our exclusive Creative Careers team can support you every step of the way.

Creative Careers

Our in-faculty Creative Careers team has extensive recruitment experience and knows the creative sector well, making it easier for students to find placements within the creative industries.

They can guide you through every step of the application process, including:

Searching for the ideal job through their database of vacancies
Giving tips on how to write an interesting CV that will catch employers' attention, no matter the role
Organising mock interviews, so you can hone your technique and familiarise yourself with the recruitment environment
Writing your startup business proposal – if you're going down the self-employment route

The team will continue to give you support throughout your placement year.

Placement experiences

Placement students on our creative industries courses have worked in a variety of roles in commerce, publishing, entertainment, and education, and for some of the most well-known broadcasting and tech companies, such as Sky, Disney and Sony UK. Others have chosen to work for themselves.

Among these experiences are:

Digital content creator at the head office of a major retailer
Trainee editorial assistants at The London Magazine and Star & Crescent
Writing and publishing novellas and poetry collections as a freelancer
Content writer for a Brixton music promotion company
Teachers in schools

Notes about fees for this course

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance

Entry requirements

12-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent. A relevant qualification or experience in English/Creative Writing/Journalism/Media or Film Studies is required. Applicants without relevant qualifications will be asked to provide a portfolio to support their application.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

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About Screenwriting, BA - at University of Portsmouth

Notes about fees for this course

Entry requirements

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