Screenwriting

Undergraduate Minor Requirements

A student attending USC may apply to Minor in Screenwriting if he or she has been admitted to regular standing to the university, has declared a major and is not under any type of departmental, academic or university probation. Students may apply after they have taken and completed CTWR 412 Introduction to Screenwriting with a grade of B (3.0) or better. A signature of support from the 412 professor is required. Students must contact the School of Cinematic Arts Division of Writing for Screen & Television at 213.740.3303 for an application and admission procedures. Students are admitted to the Minor in Screenwriting year round.

Required Courses

The Minor in Screenwriting is a specialized course of study for students who desire a solid foundation in the craft of screenwriting. This 16-unit academic journey consists of two components:

  • Fundamentals (eight units)
  • Electives (eight units)

Total Units in the Minor (16)

Required Fundamentals and Feature Development Courses (8 Units)*

Course Number Course Name Units
CTWR 412 Introduction to Screenwriting 2
CTWR 321 Introduction to Dramatic TV 2
CTWR 415A Advanced Writing (pre-req: CTWR 412) 2
CTWR 416 Motion Picture Script Analysis 2

*Juniors and seniors with a 3.0 GPA in good standing may elect to take the graduate equivalent of these courses which respectively are: CTWR 553, CTWR 572, CTWR 574, CTWR 599.

Additional Electives (eight units)*

Please note that not every course is offered every semester.

Course Number Course Name Units
CTWR 410L Storytelling for Games 4
CTWR 415B Advanced Writing (pre-req: CTWR 415A) 4
CTWR 417 Script Coverage and Analysis 2
CTWR 421 Writing the Hour-Long Dramatic Series (pre-req: CTWR 321) 2
CTWR 434 Comedy Writing (pre-req: CTWR 321) 2
CTWR 435 Film & TV Genres (pre-req: CTWR 415A) 2
CTWR 437 Comedy Pilot (pre-req: CTWR 434) 2
CTWR 439 Writing Original Drama Pilot (pre-req: CTWR 421) 4
CTWR 453 Advanced Feature Rewriting (pre-req: CTWR 415B) 4
CTWR 459A Entertainment Industry Seminar (Spring only) 2
CTWR 499 Special Topics 2


*As with the fundamental classes, juniors or seniors with a 3.0 GPA in good standing may elect to take graduate writing electives which include: CTWR 516, CTWR 520, CTWR 553, CTWR 572, CTWR 574, CTWR 599.