Why Major in Film & Television Writing?
The demand for original content is booming—with more streaming platforms, studios and production companies seeking bold, creative voices to tell the next great story. By pursuing a degree in film and television writing at Belmont, you'll learn to craft scripts that engage, entertain and inspire across multiple formats, from film and TV to streaming series and digital media.
As a screenwriter, you’ll collaborate with directors, producers, editors, designers, and actors — bringing your ideas from the writer’s room to the screen. Belmont’s hands-on, industry-informed approach gives you the skills to navigate the complete storytelling process, from concept development and character arcs to pitch decks and final drafts.
Whether you dream of writing feature films, episodic television or scripted web series, a screenwriting degree from Belmont prepares you for a career in the ever-evolving world of screen media storytelling — where your voice can shape what audiences see and feel.
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Nashville and Beyond: A Creative City on the Rise
Known globally as Music City, Nashville is quickly becoming a vibrant hub for film and television production. With Tennessee’s entertainment and music sectors generating over $8.2 billion in annual economic impact, and the state’s motion picture and video production industry growing by 45% over the last five years, Nashville is building real momentum for screen creators.
Recent high-profile productions, like ABC’s "9-1-1: Nashville" (which filmed scenes on Belmont’s own campus) and the Nicole Kidman film Holland, reflect the city’s rising profile. Universal Music Group has even launched a film production company, investing $250 million in a new creative campus near campus in Berry Hill, solidifying Nashville’s role as a growing destination for media production.
What You'll Learn
Starting freshman year at Belmont, film and television writing majors learn the history of film and the structure of a well-designed story, then build on that foundation through script analysis, advancing levels of screenwriting, for television and film. Our goal is for you to leave Belmont with five fully developed, ready-to-go scripts.
A great satisfaction in teaching is showing students they can do finer writing than they ever dreamed. Our writing faculty are Hollywood veterans with as much as 30 years experience who are deeply interested in students' learning and welfare. Our joy is collaborating in a building full of creative people who can't wait to make movies and television.
Program Details
Curriculum
A major in film and television writing leads to either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science and requires a total of 128 credit hours of coursework:
- BELL core requirements: 53 hours
- Major area: 45 hours including 9 hours of major electives
- Minor requirement: 18 hours
- General electives: All remaining hours
Courses You'll Take Include:
- MOT 1010. Cinematic Storytelling
Introduce basic grammar of filmmaking - both visual and aural. Short, simple projects will explore how camera, sound and editing convey story and emotion. - MOT 1500. History of Television and Digital Media
Through lecture, reading and discussion, students will learn about the evolution of visual media, from the origins of broadcast network television to today’s digital multi-platforms of cable, pay per view, reality, YouTube channels, etc. The focus is on the aesthetics of small screen and episodic storytelling, audience expectations and participation, and on whether media is an agent and a reflector of social and cultural change.
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MOT 1110. Film History - Lumiere to Now
The course will provide an historical survey of American and international film industries, covering such areas as film styles, genres, national cinemas, major directors and film theory from 1895 through 2015. - MOT 1115. Art of Storytelling
The course is a basic survey course in the fundamentals of effective storytelling. Although the ultimate focus is storytelling in motion pictures, the course examines the principles of storytelling through several perspectives and includes every aspects of storytelling and all elements - sound, music, lighting, editing, performance - used in film. - MOT 2130. Screenplay Analysis
Building on what they learned in Art of Storytelling, students will analyze screenplays to come to a greater understanding of how a narrative story told in visual form is constructed. - MOT 2160. Screenwriting I
Students will have a solid understanding of structure, character arc, pace, dialogue, etc., as well as the nuances of screenplay format. Students will see and analyze multiple movies and pilots. At semester’s end, students will have written 40 pages of a motion picture screenplay or television pilot and a detailed outline for the balance of their script. - MOT 2213. Story Visualization Workshop
This teaches writers to understand what happens to their writing when it is produced. Students will arrive with a three-page script that adheres to the rules of dramatic structure and established in Art of Storytelling. Using their phones, students will case, produce and edit a three-minute narrative film. - MOT 2214. Screenplay Genres
The course examines the variety of narrative strategies organic to specific film genres. Students discuss and evaluate the techniques of various genres. Students will choose their own genre, develop their story and workshop their writing in class. - MOT 2340. Television Spec Script
The course examines the structure and teaches techniques used for writing an hour long drama and half-hour comedy. Students study multiple current shows, analyze season arcs and cases of characters. Each student develops and writes an episode of a current show. The classroom will be run like a writer’s room for professional television series, with each student taking turns running the room. - MOT 3170. Screenwriting II
Students will have a solid understanding of structure, character arc, pace, dialogue, etc., as well as the nuances of screenplay format. Student will see and analyze multiple movies and pilots. At semester’s end, student will have written 40 pages of a motion picture screenplay or television pilot and a detailed outline for the balance of their script. - MOT 3172 Television Pilot Script
- MOT 3330 Rewriting the Screenplay
This course instructs students how to rewrite a script previously finished in Screenwriting II. Students will immerse themselves in the rewriting process, workshop their scripts and develop the skills needed to effectively rewrite screenplays. - MOT 4260 Senior Screenwriting Project
Students will pitch, create sequences for and write a first pass of a feature screenplay or one-hour television pilot and bible, and, and after giving and receiving notes, both from their classmates and professor, will execute those notes and hand in a polished first draft.
As a student in Belmont’s film and television program, you can learn at locations across the globe through Belmont's extensive Study Abroad opportunities, and Belmont USA provides study away and internships options in New York, Los Angeles and more.
Belmont in Hollywood
Film and TV writing majors often seek to pursue Belmont in Hollywood, a summer work opportunity where you apply classroom learning to specific career goals in the industry. The eight-week program serves as a total immersion experience within the film and TV business industry in which you gain practical skills in state-of-the-art technical facilities and are exposed to the expertise of renowned producers, directors, screenwriters, cinematographers and agents.
Outcomes & Alumni Successes
Belmont’s suite of screen media programs — spanning motion pictures production, film and TV writing, and cinema and television studies — prepares students for careers in an evolving entertainment landscape. The motion pictures program has been named one of North America’s Top 20 Film Schools by Variety in both 2024 and 2025, making Belmont the only university in Tennessee to earn that distinction.
As a film and TV writing major, you will be prepared for a broad variety of career options. You bring the heart and enthusiasm, and we'll help you develop your talent, work ethic and professionalism so that the world of film and television will open its doors to you. With the explosion in scripted and unscripted television, there's never been a better time to enter the industry.
We're committed to your success
Curb College's Professional Development team helps students and graduates grow their skills and networks, preparing them to enter the entertainment industry. To support this, our team offers one-on-one meetings, weekly workshops led by industry experts, off-campus networking events, and hundreds of internships each semester. We serve as ambassadors and connectors for Curb College students and graduates through active involvement in the entertainment world.
It's no wonder that 98% percent of Curb College graduates are employed, pursuing continuing education, or enlisted in the military within 6 months of graduation and 89% of employed graduates are in positions that align with their short or long term career goals.
Testimonial
Dawson Conder
Film & TV Writing
Writers PA, Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios
"The personal relationships and resources Belmont utilize to help you begin a career in entertainment are unmatched. A byproduct of the fantastic faculty and staff is the strong alumni network that looks out for new BU graduates trying to break into the industry. While it definitely takes some luck to land a job writing for television in Hollywood, Belmont maximizes your opportunities to get lucky."
Career Possibilities
- Screenwriter - Write original screenplays for movies, TV shows, or video games
- Television Writer - Create episodes for existing shows or develop new series concepts in writers' rooms
- Script Editor - Review and refine scripts for consistency, pacing and quality
- Producer - Oversee film or TV projects from development through completion, managing budgets and creative decisions
- Production Assistant - Support day-to-day operations on sets while gaining hands-on industry experience
- Development Executive - Identify promising scripts and shepherd projects through the development process
- Public Relations Specialist - Create buzz around projects through media campaigns and strategic communications
- Social Media Strategist - Develop online campaigns to promote content and engage audiences across digital platforms
- Content Developer - Create original programming for streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime
Learn from Industry Veterans
Our film & television writing faculty bring decades of real-world experience from Hollywood's biggest studios and productions directly to the classroom. With over 60 years of combined industry experience, they've worked alongside major directors, producers and A-list actors while writing for networks like ABC, HBO, NBC and CMT. From blockbuster films to hit television series, our professors have navigated every aspect of the entertainment business — and they're here to guide you through your own creative journey. They understand what it takes to succeed as a professional writer because they've done it themselves, and their passion lies in helping you develop your unique voice and practical skills for today's marketplace.
Stephen Hauser
Email: stephen.hauser@belmont.edu
Office Location: Johnson Center 469
Jeff Phillips
Email: jeff.phillips@belmont.edu
Office Location: Johnson Center 466
Contact Us
Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business
Emily Reynolds
Admissions Coordinator
615.460.6453
Email Emily