Ignite your imagination and jump-start your professional writing career with a Master of Arts (MA) in English and Creative Writing online at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn to use the written word to effectively tell your story and share your ideas with the world. By studying literature and the way accomplished authors have perfected their art, you'll be prepared to enter a number of industries as a creative writer. This English and creative writing graduate program fosters your imagination and creativity with a perfect balance of critical analysis and craft, along with an emphasis on literary theory and the history of the English language. You also have the freedom to choose from 4 genre concentrations or to combine your choice of genre courses if, for example, you're interested in both fiction and screenwriting.

This specialized creative writing master's degree can help you develop an ability to communicate in any career path you choose to follow, including:

- Business

- Marketing and communications

- Publishing

- Education

If you've always dreamed of starting your own novel, writing a collection of poetry, or developing your screenplay, you'll gain the foundation you need through this program. At the end of the program, you'll either complete a creative thesis or submit a portfolio of creative writing, along with a retrospective essay.

Learn how to:

- Integrate form, language, and literary works into one's writing style and voice

- Further, expand upon one's own creative process

- Create original literary works of publishable quality

- Maintain a reflective perspective on goals, process, and ethos as a creative writer

- Use technology as part of the writing process to stylize and promote one's work

- Cultivate a professional identity that promotes confident self-presentation

The master's in creative writing online exposes you to powerful examples of writing and provides you with an outlet to refine your skills as a writer. SNHU is home to the New Hampshire Writers Project and is also a destination for nationally recognized writers who perform readings and participate in workshops and lectures. This can give you additional context and insight into the industry you'll eventually be joining.

"All of our courses were also created by subject matter experts in their field, many of whom are critically acclaimed writers themselves. Not only are the courses created by experts, but they're also taught by them, too. Just ask student Joshua Yarbrough. "I have worked with professors who are well versed and accomplished in their field," he said. "They have provided valuable feedback to me in terms of preparing for my next steps as a writer and educator."

If you're looking for a degree program with collaboration built-in, look no further. The online MA in English and Creative Writing has an added emphasis on peer workshops for additional feedback. Each concentration requires students to take three workshops, so you'll have the chance to fine-tune your editing and proofreading skills both for your peers and for yourself. You'll also be required to take one of two teaching courses, Seminar in Writing Instruction or Online Teaching Experience. This can give you a background for teaching creative writing or English composition, depending on which interests you more. As a whole, this degree program is highly customizable, allowing you to focus on what types of creative writing interest you most. In addition to working on your writing craft, you'll take several literary courses that focus on analysis and reflection, while learning about the history of the publishing industry.

"This can give you the chance to sharpen your editing and professional communication skills, while also giving you the edge you need to advance your writing career. Graduate Alec Biron '17 '21G agrees. "One course that stood out to me, in particular, was The Editor. This course was both writing and editing intensive, allowing us to review the work of our peers while optimizing our own narratives," he said. "The Editor went beyond simple proofreading, and taught me how to edit for structure, character development, syntax, language, and tone."

You'll also have the choice of four literary genres:

- Fiction

- Nonfiction

- Screenwriting

- Poetry

Or, you can customize your program and study multiple genres. What's more, there are plenty of opportunities to build your network and hone your craft outside of normal class time. Once enrolled, you'll have access to SNHUconnect, a community built exclusively for our online learners. With plenty of clubs and events at your disposal, you might find that the Creative Writing Review Club is right up your alley. Wrote a few poems and want a critique? Need an audience to run your plot ideas by? Here, you can share your nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and screenplay works and even seek peer revising if you desire.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That's why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

- Completed Application

- Undergraduate transcripts, which we can retrieve for you by submitting a Transcript Request Form Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms.

$150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)