About
The certificate is designed to bring added value to a graduate degree that is not in Film. It has been awarded to English, Creative Writing, Law, Journalism, and Theatre students. In enhances the candidates’ career opportunities in those fields.
The certificate prepares the candidate to "pitch" creative writing for performance at a professional level and to develop the necessary skills to execute those "pitches" in the form of completed screenplays. In addition to feature length work, the candidate may create television screenplays or work in other transmedia fields.
Accreditation
For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate Program in Writing for Dramatic Media the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate a professional on-page formatting technique.
- Explain why the various formatting choices are put in use.
- Execute a verbal "pitch."
- Collaborate on a verbal "pitch."
- Identify story elements in the "pitch" and distinguish their effectiveness.
- Revise all of the work presented, in response to critical analysis.
- Recognize the structural strengths and weaknesses of completed written drafts of scripts.
- Communicate, in a collegial manner, critical analysis of work presented by the cohort.
- Create a work of dramatic media from inception, pitch, first draft and subsequent drafts in the most professional manner possible.
- Create a personal collection of written works fro various dramatic media (plays, screenplays, teleplays, webisodes, mobisodes, game scripting, etc...). Each candidate in the certificate program will complete the program with two feature screenplays in some stage of development and at least one other full-length work (which may also be a feature screenplay, or work in another of the dramatic media.)
Assessment: Methods, Instruments, and Analysis.
- Direct observation and interaction with instructors of the courses.
- Direct observation and interaction with the currently enrolled members of the Master of Fine Arts Writing for Dramatic Media Degree Program.
- Reaction of any guest artists and industry professionals to whom the scripts may be availed.
- Two hour "capstone experience" consisting of an oral defense of a selected screenplay as well as review of all work attempted while in pursuit of the certificate.
Requirements
Contacts
Graduate Coordinator
Heather Addison, Ph.D.
Department of Film
The department of film offers students the exciting opportunity to study film in the heart of Las Vegas, “The Entertainment Capital of the World.” Our efforts contribute to UNLV’s status as a premier metropolitan research university by adapting traditional film education values to meet the needs of individuals, communities, and industries in the 21st century.
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College of Fine Arts
The College of Fine Arts provides an academic experience that heightens awareness of the physical, intellectual, and cultural world. We diligently prepare students for professional employment and/or post-graduate study in their artistic area.