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Writing for Screen and Stage at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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Course summary

Our new MA Writing for Screen and Stage supports your development as a writer across a range of forms, genres and industry contexts, including for film, TV, narrative gaming, theatre and performance. It is ideal if you are keen to work across different media as a scriptwriter who can write for both screen and the stage. Why choose this course?

  • You will be taught by established, award-winning writers, script consultants and editors for screen and stage writing, including Daragh Carville (The Bay, Middletown and Being Human), David Eldridge (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Beginning, Middle, End, The Scandalous Lady W, In Basildon), Paul Gallagher and Barbara Cox.
  • Birkbeck has a leading reputation in creative writing, screenwriting and theatre practice and teaching, with many of our graduates enjoying successful careers in these arenas.
  • Your studies will be supported by extensive industry engagement designed to help you to progress on your career path beyond this Master’s.
What you will learn You will learn how to develop scripts for screen and stage: from the conception of an idea, to the writing of a treatment, to the development of a complete script and its pitching. You will also gain an understanding of different forms, genres, histories and theories of script writing and production in national and international contexts. You will learn how to research and develop writing projects individually and as part of a team. You will also learn about industry practices and expectations, drawing on central London’s wealth of companies and contacts, and how to build a career in the field. How you will learn This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening, so that you can balance studying with work and other commitments. Teaching on this course is innovative, flexible and engaging. It is conducted in small groups and one-to-one tutorials, with writing practice and script development at the heart of the course. Your final project, which allows you develop an extended script, will be supported by one-to-one supervision and feedback. Your learning will be supported by workshops, history and theory, alongside guest lectures from industry writers and leaders, to help you to hone your craft, successfully understand the workings of the sector and find your place within it. You will also write outlines, treatments and full scripts, so you can develop a portfolio of original projects you can use to build your career. Highlights
  • Your experience will be enriched by engagement with the Birkbeck Creative Practice Lab, which includes a cinema and performance studio, and supports teaching and research in film, digital media, journalism, theatre and performance.
  • You will be able to experience the wider research culture of the School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication, including the opportunity to engage in our annual Arts Week events programme.
  • Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this MA Writing for Screen and Stage, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including in:
  • writing and editing
  • script development
  • creative consultation
  • creative collaboration
  • project management and realisation.
Numerous graduates from our MA courses in this subject area have gone on to work for screen and stage, as well as in other formats and genres. Graduates can pursue career paths in:
  • writing for TV
  • writing for film
  • writing for theatre and performance
  • writing for gaming
  • script development
  • criticism and journalism
  • the creative arts and industries.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

You will be assessed in a variety of ways on this course depending on the modules, including via: script development and writing, portfolios, essays, presentations, your final creative project.

How to apply

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this programme is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in any related subject; other qualifications or experience will be considered. Applications are welcomed from those with or without prior experience in writing for screen and stage. As part of the application process, you will need to submit 15-20 pages of a play, or a script for a film or TV drama that you have written. To submit your writing please do the following: submit application; wait up to 48 hours; submit 15-20 pages of a play or script you have written in a single file (Word or PDF) by logging into your MyBirkbeck profile, then going to the ‘Manage my application’ link and attaching the document. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits, and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

To be confirmed
Writing for Screen and Stage at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS