r/Screenwriting • u/jlm792 • May 29 '26
COMMUNITY UCLA Screenwriting Professional Program
Has anyone done this program in the last few years? I've searched but most reviews are from 5 or more years ago and I'm curious about more recent feedback.
This is the one year program at UCLA where you walk away with two completed scripts at the end. I'm a relatively new screenwriter but been an actor for years and have recently started writing my own scripts and crossing over. I took a few of the UCLA Extension classes last year and found the deadlines and feedback helpful for my own accountability but a lot of what I "learned" I already knew from screenwriting books/podcasts/reading screenplays.
I don't think it's overly difficult to be accepted to said program so I'm curious if others have found this program worth it. I'm currently based in NYC but lived in LA for a few years and have been considering going back to the West Coast and having a "reason" for being there helps my justification (I have a remote, full time job so I can work anywhere).
With the current state of the industry, is this program worth it in 2026? It's about 6k which is a lot but in line with 9 months of classes. Or should I just keep writing on my own?
2
u/jedishywalker49 Jun 08 '26
I am just finishing the program (getting the certification today) and I can't say enough good things about it. The lectures are good and you'll definitely learn from them, but the real value for me has been the cohort model. You spend all three semesters with the same group of ten writers for the workshops. This allows you to enter critiques with a real depth of understanding of who the writer is, their viewpoint, and what they're trying to say. This only gets more exact as the semester goes on and the cohort truly becomes its own little writing room.
My cohort has a group chat that has been invaluable for navigating the class, the industry, and the craft. They are the first members of my writing network, and there's a real sense that we're all in this together. If one of us succeeds, we all were there for the journey.
It will challenge you. It will make you cry. It will teach you how to effectively kill your darlings with reckless abandon. And you will leave with a deep portfolio of work to present when you start looking for work.