Administered by the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts, the Screenwriting Minor combines theory and practice to prepare students to develop original stories, scripts, and screenplays for production as works of moving-image art. In keeping with the interdisciplinary spirit of the Film Studies Program, this minor integrates creative practice with critical study. In addition to developing skills for writing for the screen in a variety of forms, students garner a foundational understanding of film history/theory and of storytelling conventions across media. Through this in-depth study of the art of screenwriting, students will be able to hone their own distinct voices, gaining crucial professional experience for careers in film and television writing.
The minor in screenwriting requires the completion of 18 credit hours spread across: 1 introduction to film studies course, 1 introductory course in the history or practice of storytelling, 1 advanced film studies course, 1 course in story development, 1 course introducing students to screenwriting, and 1 course in the business of screenwriting and more advanced techniques.
To plan coursework or for advising questions about the minor, please contact Film Studies and Moving-Image Production Academic Advisor, Emily Carpenter, at carpenter.438@osu.edu.
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Minor Requirements
Courses in this area focus on critical engagement with the cinema, the history of film, and understanding film as a cultural phenomenon.
Choose 1 course.
Courses
- ENGLISH 2263: Introduction to Film
- HISTORY OF ART 2901: Introduction to World Cinema
- FILM STUDIES 2270.01: Introduction to Film Studies
- FILM STUDIES 2271: Introduction to Film Studies for Majors
- ACCAD 3350: The History & Theory of Animation
Students should choose a course that will help them explore writing styles that will aid them in the creation of specific types of screenplays. Options include exploring classic writing styles, writing fiction, or pursuing digital media composition.
Choose one course.
Courses
- ENGLISH 2220: Introduction to Shakespeare
- ENGLISH 2261: Introduction to Fiction
- ENGLISH 2262: Introduction to Drama
- ENGLISH 2265: Writing of Fiction 1
- ENGLISH 2268: Writing of Creative Nonfiction 1
- ENGLISH 2269: Digital Media Composing
- ENGLISH 4559: Intro to Narrative and Narrative Theory
- THEATRE 3731: Theatre Histories and Literatures
Students should select a course that will allow them to study a mode of film production, the style of a specific director, or a regional cinema.
Choose one course.
Courses
- FILM STUDIES 3660: Documentary Film Studies
- FILM STUDIES 4580: Studies in a Major Director
- FILM STUDIES 4640: Studies in Cinema History
- FILM STUDIES 4650: Studies in Regional Cinema
- FILM STUDIES 4670H: Cinema and the Historical Avant-Garde
- FILM STUDIES 4895: Senior Seminar in Film Studies
The screenwriting concentration of the minor helps students move through multiple stages of screenwriting, from developing a story, creating a cinematic world, writing a short film script, understanding the business of being a screenwriter, and writing a feature length screenplay.
Introduction to Development Course: (3 hours)
- FILM STUDIES/ENGLISH 4800: Story Development for Film and Television
Introduction to Screenwriting Course: (3 hours)
- THEATRE 5331: Screenwriting
Business of Screenwriting Course (3 hours)
Choose one course.
- FILM STUDIES 4880: Screenwriting and the Business of Cinema
- FILM STUDIES 4881: Screenwriting and the Business of Television
Minor Form
Once all courses for the minor program have been completed, students must file Checklist for Minor Form with the Film Studies and Moving-Image Production Academic Advisor, Emily Carpenter, at carpenter.438@osu.edu.
The minor program form must be filed before graduation application is submitted.
For further information about the minor program in general, or if you need a disability accessible format, please email the Film Studies Program.
SCREENWRITING MINOR PROGRAM FORM / CHECKLIST (PDF)
Screenwriting minor program guidelines
The following guidelines govern this minor:
• Transfer and EM credit hours allowed. Student is permitted to count up to 6 total hours of transfer credit and/or credit by examination.
• Overlap with GE: Student is permitted to overlap up to 6 credit hours between GE and minor.
• Overlap with major and additional minor(s): minor must be in a different subject than major. Minor must contain a minimum of 12 hours distinct from major and/or additional minor(s).
• Prerequisites: Some advanced courses included in minor have prerequisites; check with advisor for information. • X193 credits: No more than 3 CH.
Grades required:
• Minimum C- grade for course to be listed on minor.
• Minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for all minor course work
• Course work graded Pass/Non-Pass cannot count toward minor.
• No more than 3 credit hours of coursework graded Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory may count toward minor.
Approval required: The minor course work must be approved by the Film Studies Program Academic Advisor.
The minor program form must be filed before graduation application is submitted.
Changing the minor: Once the minor program is filed in the college office, any changes must be approved by an Academic Advisor.
[pdf] - Some links on this page are to .pdf files. If you need these files in a more accessible format, please contact Film Studies. PDF files require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader software to open them. If you do not have Reader, you may use the following link to Adobe to download it for free at: Adobe Acrobat Reader.
