Playwriting MFA

The Fordham/Primary Stages MFA in Playwriting program is a unique hybrid, offering emerging writers the opportunity to develop and produce their work in a rigorous Fordham setting, while simultaneously fostering professional relationships with Primary Stages, an award-winning Off-Broadway theatre company.

This two-year MFA program in playwriting cultivates the next generation of American writers for stage, film, and television, and offers writers opportunities unrivaled by any other program in the nation.

What makes the Fordham/Primary Stages MFA in Playwriting Unique?

Program Highlights

Our professional mentors, directors, playwrights, dramaturgs, actors, producers from both Fordham MFA faculty and from Primary Stages’ creative and management teams are nationally known and will actively work to locate sites for the writer’s plays to be presented in the New York City area and at major national theatrical venues.
Full access to the productions, events, and community at Primary Stages
Two staged productions and two readings over the course of the program at venues such as Primary Stages Studios and other professional venues in Manhattan.
Our program offers the opportunity to network locally with agents, new play development center representatives, dramaturgs and literary managers, and with television industry professionals through our TV Writing Course.

Degree Requirements

To complete the MFA in playwriting at Fordham University, you must complete a total of 64 credits, 16 credits per semester. All courses are four credits.

MFA Curriculum

Fall 2016

First Year Writers
Design for Playwrights – awakening playwrights to the collaborative power of design and how to tell stories with environment
Adaptation – finding inspiration in existing stories and creating a play
Theatre History I – three-person seminar; feeding and inspiring new writing by reading great plays
Playwriting Workshop – a forum for creating plays to be produced

Second Year Writers
Playwriting Strategies – the infinite variety of ways to spark a play, and creating ten minute and one act plays
Adaptation – alternates with Contemporary Theatre every second year
Screenwriting – the art and craft of structuring and writing a feature film
Playwriting Workshop – continues through each semester for two years

Spring 2017

First Year Writers
Shakespeare – a theatrical approach to Shakespearan structure taught by directors
Theatre History II – new perspectives on global theatre history, the canon and the anti-canon
TV Dramatic Writing – episodic series writing, its world and an exposure to the media industry
Playwriting Workshop

Second Year Writers
The Playwright Prepares – demystifying the field with visits from leading New York theatre professionals
Production – support and training for producing full-length plays with guest lecturers from various theatrical disciplines
TV Dramatic Writing
Playwriting Workshop

View MFA course descriptions.

Application Information

Admission to the playwriting MFA program is on a rolling basis. Please see our application information for details on how to apply.

News, Productions, and Events

Check back for information about upcoming shows and events affiliated with the playwriting MFA program. See Primary Stages for past productions.

Videos About the Program

Hear about our MFA program from faculty and students.