Screenwriting courses cover story structure, character development, dialogue writing, and genre conventions. You can learn how to craft compelling narratives, develop unique voices for your characters, and format your scripts using industry standards. Some courses may also introduce you to tools like Final Draft or Celtx for writing and organizing your screenplays.

Stanford Online
Skills you'll gain: Writing and Editing, Writing, Concision, Report Writing, Grammar, Editing, Technical Writing, Technical Communication, Grant Writing, Journals, Research, Peer Review, Public Affairs, Media and Communications
★ 4.9 (9.9K) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

University of Michigan
Skills you'll gain: Writing and Editing, Editing, Constructive Feedback, Concision, Writing, Proofreading, Peer Review, Mental Concentration, Detail Oriented, Time Management, Creativity
★ 4.8 (410) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

University of California, Irvine
Skills you'll gain: Business Writing, Business Correspondence, Concision, Editing, Grammar, Proofreading, Business Communication, Report Writing, Global Marketing, Writing, Writing and Editing, Target Audience, Communication, Press Releases, Persuasive Communication, Presentations, Communication Strategies
★ 4.5 (3.9K) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Skills you'll gain: Writing, Writing and Editing, Honesty, Storytelling, Editing, Content Creation, Personal Development, Journalism, Investigation, Self-Awareness, Goal Setting
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

University of Colorado Boulder
Skills you'll gain: Business Writing, Business Correspondence, Business Communication, Writing, Organizational Skills, Writing and Editing, Grammar, Communication, Editing, Organizational Strategy, Organizational Structure, Communication Strategies, Presentations, Branding, Graphic Design
★ 4.8 (5.1K) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Skillshare
Skills you'll gain: Cinematography, Videography, Video Production, Photo/Video Production and Technology, Photography, Visual Storytelling, Storytelling, Creativity, Content Creation, Image Quality, Music
★ 3.7 (6) · Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

University of Michigan
Skills you'll gain: Writing and Editing, Editing, Writing, Planning, Ability To Meet Deadlines, Brainstorming, Time Management, Overcoming Obstacles, Productivity, Creativity, Learning Strategies
★ 4.8 (374) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Skillshare
Skills you'll gain: Storytelling, Journalism, Writing and Editing, Editing, Blogs, Writing, Creativity
★ 5 (6) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Skills you'll gain: Videography, Video Editing, Cinematography, Video Production, Visual Storytelling, Storytelling, Editing, Creativity
★ 3.5 (8) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Skills you'll gain: Writing, Storytelling, Personal Development, Self-Awareness, Creativity, Emotional Intelligence, Peer Review
★ 4.1 (14) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Wesleyan University
Skills you'll gain: Storytelling, Writing and Editing, Editing, Writing, Creativity
★ 4.7 (1.2K) · Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Johns Hopkins University
Skills you'll gain: Editing, Student-Centred Learning, Writing and Editing, Student Engagement, Teaching, Instructional Strategies, Peer Review, Writing
★ 4.3 (12) · Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Start with what you want to write. Feature film courses often focus on screenplay structure, formatting, scene development, and building a full-length script. Television writing courses may emphasize episodic structure, pilots, character arcs, and writing across multiple episodes. You can also compare courses by genre, such as comedy, drama, or thriller, if you want guidance tailored to the type of script you plan to write.