Writing Online Masters program at Southern New Hampshire University

Zuri Wilson-Sey 2016 graduate of the online Master in English and Creative Writing program, working with a colleague on a creative project.

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 degree can help you develop an ability to communicate in any career path you choose to follow, including:.

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.

Integrate form, language and literary works into writing style and voice.

Reflect on goals, process and ethos as a creative writer.

Use technology as a tool to stylize and promote creative work.

At SNHU, you'll get support from day 1 to graduation and beyond. And with no set class times, 24 7 access to the online classroom and helpful learning resources along the way, you'll have everything you need to reach your goals.

You'll also have the option to master a specialized skill set with one of our 4 genre-focused concentrations.

Literature has long been a source of inspiration, both for readers and writers. In Southern New Hampshire University online MA in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Fiction degree, you can find your creative voice and tell your story.

Your knowledge can grow beyond a basic understanding of plot building, narrative, voice and character as you push your creative boundaries. Hone your craft for the kind of fiction you've always dreamed of bringing to life through novels, short stories, children literature and . In this degree program, you'll have the opportunity to explore whichever genres in fiction pique your interest, from horror and sci-fi to fantasy, young adult, romance and .

If you decide to pursue this concentration, you'll take a capstone course designed around completing your thesis in your fiction genre of choice. If you feel it time to put pen to paper to tell a tale, this program is for you.

I chose the fiction concentration [because] I believe it will give me a wider range in skills and training that will make me attractive as a writer, said student Joshua Yarbrough. Great and imaginative storytelling is always needed, and by having this concentration, it will open doors and avenues in a wide range of projects.

Whether you're looking to pen the next great fiction novel, or you'd like to specialize in short stories that capture the imagination for a period of time, this concentration can give you the tools you need to become successful in your field.

The MA in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Fiction can also lead to numerous career opportunities, as this program does than just expose you to literature and help you develop new writing skills. You can apply the creative skills you gain to any profession, from scriptwriting to marketing.

In the MA in English Creative Writing with a concentration in Nonfiction degree, you'll learn how and why writers craft nonfiction narratives. These tools can help you develop factual material based on research and experiences of your own or someone else . The creative writing master degree can help you gain insights into publishing, broadcasting and professional production while you explore your creative boundaries.

At the culmination of the program, you'll develop your own professional-quality piece of nonfiction, one that takes you deep into subjects that matter to you and helps you develop the skills you need for great storytelling.

MA English Creative Writing nonfiction graduate Alec Biron '17 '21G particularly enjoyed the combined emphasis on creative writing and literature.

While the curriculum allowed me to select a unique genre of creative writing to develop my nonfiction thesis, he said, it also allowed me to explore traditional forms of literature that I love, such as medieval British and feminist genres.

Nonfiction is the art of telling real stories ones that people can learn from, relate to and understand. It covers a wide range of styles and subjects, encompassing everything from personal essays, autobiographical writing and memoirs, to marketing, travel writing and magazine features.

Given the many career paths you could take by adding a concentration in nonfiction writing to your degree, it worth noting some potential career paths you could explore. During a time when remote work is on the rise, you could consider a career writing freelance nonfiction stories for traditional print magazines and digital publications.

If you like finding ways to make factual yet complex topics digestible, you may enjoy the role of technical writer. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, technical writers earned a median annual salary of $79,960 in 2022.1.

Develop the skills you need to convey your poetic vision with a MA in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Poetry. The poetry concentration within our online creative writing graduate program can take you to a new level of analysis, appreciation and understanding of this art form.

Foster your love of verse with the inspiration, passion and creative peer collaboration that only SNHU concentration in poetry can bring. This curriculum focuses your study of literature on a genre where every word and line counts. Here, you'll be able to use your imagination to create imagery that moves and inspires readers and writers alike.

This creative writing graduate program challenges you to gain an appreciation for how the unique craft and vision of poetry is critical to learning to think, understand and communicate with the world at large. You'll also dive deeper into structure, tone and rhythm while analyzing the work of renowned poets.

I chose a poetry concentration because I am a poet at heart, and my career revolves heavily around creative writing, specifically poetry and accessible arts programming, said NaBeela Washington '21G.

Whether it getting your own poetry published or becoming the next great poet laureate that interests you, a career in poetry is sure to be one filled with passion for your work. You could work for nonprofits to promote local poetry in your area, or become the poetry curator for an array of journals, magazines and even bookstores. And the ability to write clever, concise and compelling copy is also a great fit for advertising and marketing positions.

We live in an increasingly visual society. The online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Screenwriting program at Southern New Hampshire University is an advanced exploration of the world of film and video, from shorts and episodic serials to feature-length blockbusters and documentaries.

This concentration is based on a comprehensive study of film, with a special focus on story structure, character development and creative writing. At the culmination of the degree program, you'll have developed your own screenplay that you can then share with others and put out into the world if you so choose.

Is at the core of this MA degree, the screenwriting concentration places a special emphasis on visual storytelling.

Whether you dream of writing for the big screen one day or writing scripts at a regional level, in the screenwriting concentration you can hone your craft for television, commercials, news, feature films, short films and even video games. There are multiple ways you could use this degree in the media world, from adapting an existing work into a movie or writing your own script, to working closely with producers on funding and producing projects.

Whether it telling your story or telling someone else your online master in creative writing can equip you with detailed knowledge the worlds of publishing, communications, copywriting and the role of the professional writer. As world markets continue to shift toward a demand for online education and digital media technology, the technical skills learned in this program should continue to be in demand for a long time. The enhanced writing and communication skills you'll develop can be applied to many professions, from publishing, print and film to journalism and marketing.

The master in creative writing is also ideal if you're interested in pursuing your PhD or teaching at the collegiate level.

For students who wish to advance in their current career, or learn creative writing skills but also strengthen other skills (like editing, proofreading, etc.), the program offers that, as well, Powers said.

Graduates of the online master in English and creative writing program will find that, according to the BLS¹, there is opportunity for employment in a variety of fields, including:.

Research and write articles for print and online news sources. Use effective communication to increase audience understanding of material.

Proofread writing for spelling, grammar and formatting errors. Edit content to enhance flow and clarity.

Create how-to guides, operating instructions and pages for users of specific products. Translate complex information into digestible content.

Start Your Journey Toward an Online English and Creative Writing Degree.

Why SNHU for Your Master in Creative Writing.

In fact, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium.

Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree.

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms.

Master degree candidates must also submit a personal statement.

The skills that I learned in nonfiction writing have helped me to build a career in freelance journalism and content writing.

The master in creative writing online exposes you to powerful examples of writing and provides you with an outlet to refine your skills as a writer. 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, they're taught by them, too. Just ask student Joshua Yarbrough.

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 . 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 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. 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 edit for structure, character development, syntax, language and tone.

Or, you can customize your program and study multiple genres.

What there plenty of opportunity to build your network and hone your craft outside of normal class time. Once enrolled, you'll have access to SNH ect, 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. and even seek peer revising if you desire.

Joan Garner, a student in SNHU MA in English and Creative Writing program.

Reading is an essential part of the writing process. To write an effective piece, an author must first read the essential creative works that have informed the genre and delivered on similar themes. In this course students will study the craft of creative writing in close detail. Understanding and identifying the core, foundational elements of quality storytelling, regardless of genre, is crucial to the advancement of a creative writer. In preparation for the development of their own creative works and techniques, students will study the strategic use of common storytelling elements in self-selected texts, and practice applying them in their own work.

These are the types of questions we will consider in this course. With these in mind, students will conceptualize a writing project of significant length. The focus will not be on the writing of actual scenes or chapters from this work, but on the drafting of plot arcs, detailed outlines, character sketches development, world-building, and thematic development. The concepts developed in this course may indirectly or directly inform writing projects in future courses.

This course is an introduction to the following topics in English linguistics: history of English, etymology, vocabulary 'morphology', phonology, dictionaries, syntax, semantics, dialects, discourse analysis, and child language acquisition. The course is designed for students who want to learn the English language as preparation for teaching, or becoming better writers, or for studying literature. Students will have the opportunity to research, write and present on a linguistic topic of individual interest, such as the language of advertising or propaganda.

This course is an introduction to the major schools of contemporary literary theory, and an examination of principal exponents of these theories. The student will become familiar with the most important features of psychoanalytic criticism, Marxism and feminism and examine the meaning of structuralism and post-structuralism. In addition, the course affords an opportunity to practice applying the theories to specific literary texts.

Required forcampus students. Strongly recommended for online students.

These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device.

Tuition rates for SNHU online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer a 25% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Degree Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty).

Additional Costs: Course Materials ($ varies by course).

One of the best things online education is the flexibility to learn something that has always interested you at your own pace. All you need to become a writer is a little imagination, a lot of hard work and the commitment to get started.

One of the biggest requirements to becoming a writer is the ability to accept and apply critical feedback, no matter your age. Each of these elements can help create the foundation from which you can develop your own writing style.

A career in writing can lead you to become a marketing copywriter, a screenwriter or a technical writer. You may become a development writer and use your writing skills to raise money for nonprofit causes. Perhaps you'll teach the craft of writing to others.

Because strong writing skills are necessary for most professions, an advanced writing degree can help you succeed in just any career field you choose. And an online advanced writing degree like SNHU master in creative writing can help provide the flexibility to make it possible.

I think SNHU MA in English Creative Writing program is perfect for anyone who works full time or has other obligations that restrict them from (face-to-face) instruction, said student Joshua Yarbrough.

Writing just may be one of the most versatile career fields around.

Content writing: Content writers create long and short-form articles for a variety of print and digital media. They often work as freelancers or as part of a marketing team.

Copywriting: Similar to content writing, copywriting is geared toward advertising and marketing. Copywriters use words to help sell products or ideas for brands and advertising agencies.

Technical writing: As the name implies, this style of writing focuses on technical materials, such as white papers, manuals and supporting documents. Technical writers share complex ideas in an accessible way.

This includes helping others strengthen and revise their writing while checking for grammatical and spelling errors.

Like with any degree, only you can decide the right path for you. Having strong writing skills can set you apart in just any career field you can name. There are endless opportunities to work professionally as a writer in business, government or in creative fields. Marketing and advertising, for example, are fields where strong writing skills and a creative mind are highly valued.

Jobs for writers and authors are expected to increase 4% ( as fast as average for all occupations) through 2032, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 Writing as a career field is both diverse and competitive. Having a master in creative writing has the potential to give you an edge over the competition.1.

You can learn literature, literary theory and literary analysis while working on your own creative process.

An MFA program is focused on the single goal of helping students pursue creative writing as a profession. Thus, an MFA degree is best for people who want a career as a writer or as a writing teacher. MFA programs typically point you toward creative work in fiction or nonfiction and involve intensive work on completing a finished novel or manuscript.

You can earn either degree online with Southern New Hampshire University. Our MA in Creative Writing allows for a number of course options so you can customize your pathway. We also have one of the only fully online MFA programs in the country, as well as a low-residency MFA.

The MA in Creative Writing at SNHU can be completed in as few as 15 months, or you can take as long as you need. The courses are fully online, so you can learn at a pace that right for you. All students can take courses in studying the craft of writing, story and concept. The program also provides instruction in the English language and literary theory. And with a choice of 4 genre concentrations, or the opportunity to study multiple genres, you can enjoy customizing the coursework as well.

A general studies degree can be an excellent choice in any number of life circumstances and situations.

1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:.

Cited projections may not reflect local and or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.