You Can Get a ‘David Lynch Screenwriting Degree’ in Iowa

My girlfriend, Catherine, has been binging Twin Peaks over the last couple weeks. She's a huge David Lynch fan, and informed me that today (February 24th) is known as "Twin Peaks Day," for it's the day in the show that Agent Dale Cooper (played by Kyle MacLachlan) arrived in the town of Twin Peaks.

So, what better time to write about David Lynch's connection to Iowa? Yesterday, we both learned that David Lynch has something of an honorary screenwriting degree available to students at an Iowa university.

READ MORE: Do You Remember the X-Files Episode Set in Iowa?

David Lynch's Midwest Connection:

David Lynch, who sadly passed away in January 2025, was responsible for several great, surreal movies, like The Elephant Man and Blue Velvet. One of his lesser-known films was The Straight Story, both his only G-rated movie and the only film he did for Disney.

The film tells the story of an elderly World War II veteran (Richard Farnsworth), who, upon learning his estranged brother suffered a stroke, decides to make the trek from Laurens, IA to Mount Zion, WI. He drives his 30-year-old tractor to Wisconsin. The tractor can only travel at five miles-per-hour and he's got 240 miles between him and his brother. Action!

I've yet to see The Straight Story, something I plan to rectify very soon, but on paper, it sounds like a pastoral ode to the Midwest and the customs of living right in the middle of the country. Part of the film was even shot in Iowa.

The 'David Lynch Screenwriting Degree' is Attainable in Iowa:

At Maharishi International University (MIU) in Fairfield, IA, you can obtain the "David Lynch MFA in Screenwriting." It's an online course that, in addition to learning the ins and outs of screenwriting from industry experts, teaches students about Transcendental Meditation (TM) techniques that is said to help "sharpen your writing skills and gain access to deeper levels of your creativity," per MIU's website.

A slew of noteworthy names have contributed to the course, including:

• Peter Farrelly – Oscar-winning producer, writer, and director (Green Book, There’s Something About Mary)
• Susan Seidelman – filmmaker (Desperately Seeking Susan)
• Matthew Weiner – award-winning creator (Mad Men, The Sopranos)
• J.V. Hart – screenwriter/producer (Hook, Contact, Dracula)
• David Lowery – writer/director (A Ghost Story, The Green Knight, Old Man and the Gun)
• Kate Purdy – award-winning writer (BoJack Horseman, Undone)
• E. Max Frye – screenwriter (Something Wild, Foxcatcher, Band of Brothers)
• Kelly Edwards – writer, producer, entertainment executive, Pipeline Program consultant

To make things flexible for students from all over the country, the two-year course is available online. You can find out more information on MIU's website.