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California Regional Consortia

Screenwriting AA

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Submitter's Information

Name

Patrick Backes

Title

Articulation Officer and Curriculum Analyst

Region

South Central Coast

College

College of the Canyons

CTE Dean

CTE Dean's Name

Harriet Happel

CTE Dean's Email

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Program Details

Program Title

Screenwriting AA

Submission Type

New Program

TOPs Code

Film Production (061220)

Projected Start Date

01/04/27

Catalog Description
The Associate of Arts in Screenwriting is a comprehensive program that engages students in the art of visual storytelling, guiding them from concept to completed feature-length screenplay. Through story development, character creation, dialogue, and screenwriting structure, students learn to craft compelling narratives for film, television, and digital media. The program emphasizes the development of rich characters, dynamic plots, and industry-standard script formatting while fostering each student’s unique voice as a writer. By the end of the degree, students will have written an original, polished feature-length screenplay and built a strong foundation for further study or entry-level opportunities in screenwriting and related fields.                            
                         
Enrollment Completer Projections

Projected number of certificate completers year 1: 10          

Projected number of certificate completers year 2: 10

Program Proposal Attributes

Program Award Type(s) (Check all that apply)
  • A.A. Degree (A)
Program Goal

The student learning outcome for the Screenwriting AA Degree is: Develop and complete original, industry-standard feature-length screenplay that demonstrates mastery of story structure, character development, dialogue, and visual storytelling techniques.

Course Units and Hours

Total Certificate Units (Minimum and Maximum)

n/a

Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Minimum and Maximum)

33/33

Total Units for Degree (Minimum and Maximum)

60/30

Course Report

Program Requirements Narrative

To earn a Screenwriting A.A. Degree, students must complete 33 unit of major requirements, plus specific courses from the College of the Canyons Local Associate Degree General Education requirements.

Program Requirements
CourseTitleUnitsYear/Semester
(Y1 or S1)
MEA-100Mass Media and Society
3Y1
MEA-101Film & TV Aesthetics and Theory3Y1
MEA-107Writing the Short Script3Y1
MEA-108Scriptwriting Fundamentals
3Y1
MEA-180Filmmaking I
Y2
or


MEA-190Stop-Motion Animation Fundamentals
3Y2
MEA-208Advanced Screenwriting
3Y2
Plus 4 courses from the following:


CINEMA-122History of Cinema
3Y1
ENGL-105Creative Writing3Y1
ENGL-109Creative Writing - Short Stories
3Y1
ENGL-135Literature and Film
3Y1
ENGL-264Study of Fiction3Y1
ENGL-271Mythology3Y1
ENGL-281Introduction to Science Fiction and Fantasy
3Y1
MEA-280Filmmaking II: Directing and Producing the Independent Film
3Y1
THEATR-140Acting Fundamentals3Y1
THEATR-210Script Analysis
3Y1
Plus the following courses for a minimum of 3 units:


MEA-295Professional Practices/Portfolio
2Y2
WE-186MEAWork Experience Education Media Entertainment Arts
1-4Y2




Supporting Documents

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South Central Coast Regional Questions

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Submission Details

Published at

07/02/26 - 02:09 PM

Status

Under Review

Return to Drafts

Please list the reason(s) for returning "Screenwriting AA". to Patrick Backes's drafts. This message will be sent to patrick.backes@canyons.edu

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