Several authors agree that writing is an inborn talent. Still, they suggest you can hone your writing skills with formal education. You can become one of the best writers on the planet if you acquire a creative writing degree to add to your talent. So, save costs today by attending an online creative writing degree college, taking writing courses, and boostinging your chances of getting bigger writing jobs.
The writing profession, just like the English language, is dynamic. New techniques, styles, and approaches erupt every day. You’ll need to engage in many personal studies and grab a couple of certificates and degrees to keep yourself up to date.
The good thing about this, however, is that updating your writing skills is not expensive. It would be best if you did not sit in a university classroom to acquire a creative writing degree. There are many online writing colleges where you can get quality creative writing degrees, whether associate’s, bachelor’s, or masters.
In this post, you’ll discover the best colleges offering online creative writing courses. You’ll also discover the cheapest online creative writing degree colleges. But first, let’s answer some of the questions concerning creative writing you may be asking already.
Table of Contents
- Is a Creative Writing Degree Worth It?
- What Can I Do With a Creative Writing Degree?
- What are the Types of Writing Degree?
- Where can I get a Creative Writing Degree Online?
- Accredited Online Creative Writing Colleges
- Conclusion:
- References:
- We Also Recommend:
Is a Creative Writing Degree Worth It?
Depending on what kind of creative writing you’re into, a creative writing degree may or may not be worth it. When most people hear the term “creative writing,” what comes to their mind is story writing. Their scope of creative writing is limited to writing fiction because fiction writing requires a lot of wild imagination. And when it comes to wild imaginations, all you need to do is be crazy, right?
They’ll further argue that some great story writers never went to the university to study creative writing. Michael Crichton, behind the story “Jurassic Park” never majored in writing. He majored in Biological Anthropology at Harvard. Even the popular thriller writer, John Grisham, studied accounting at Mississippi State University.
However, some notable writers majored in writing or writing-related programs in college. C. S Lewis, who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, decided to pursue literature in an English degree at Oxford after World War II. J.R.R Tolkein was an English Language and Literature professor in his time.
Yet, you don’t only become a story author by acquiring a creative writing degree. The corporate world, for example, has grown to accommodate a lot of creative writers. Organizations need writers to sell their products to a wider market that is thrilled by good writing. But they handpick writers with a credible degrees to certify them.
So, the next question is, what can I do with a creative writing degree
What Can I Do With a Creative Writing Degree?
You can do a lot with a creative writing degree that you may not have known. With at least an associate degree in creative writing, you can go into the following:
Journalism / Freelance Article Writing
You’ll be writing just about anything people need to read on any reading platform.
Marketing / Advertising
You’ll provide creative ideas – either in writing, narrating, or acting – that will sell a company’s products.
Strategic / Institutional Communications
Where you’ll be involved in an institution’s general communications, you’ll find the best ways to always put the organization in the best image of those they serve.
Education
Where you will be teaching students the skills you have acquired, of course, others also wish to become creative writers, and just like you, they’ll need instructors to help them acquire a creative writing degree.
Content Specialists:
Where you’ll be solving people’s problem with valid and quality information, just like me.
Working in any of these specializations, you can get a creative writing degree job as a/an:
- Advertising copywriter
- Arts administrator
- Creative director
- Digital copywriter
- Editorial assistant
- Lexicographer
- Magazine journalist
- Newspaper journalist
- Web content manager
- Writer
You can also get jobs related to your creative writing degree as a/an:
- Academic librarian
- Concept artist
- Film director
- Information officer
- Marketing executive
- Primary school teacher
- Public librarian
- Public relations officer
- Secondary school teacher
- Social media manager
Creative Writing Salary and Job Outlook
Although more people are aspiring to be writers, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the job outlook for Creative Writers is really promising. Their 2016 statistics point out that there were 131,200 jobs that year for Writers and Authors. However, the typical entry to these jobs was a Bachelor’s degree.
Additionally, BLS records the average annual pay of writers and authors as of 2018 as $62,170. They typically earn $29.89 per hour.
Also, the job market for writers and authors will increase by 8% from 2016 to 2026. This creative writing job growth is as fast as average.
What are the Types of Writing Degree?
There are a lot of writing majors for which you can acquire a degree in school. In addition to Creative writing, you can also get a degree in Professional Writing, Technical Writing, Science and Medical Writing, Business Writing, English/English Literature, etc.
However, since we are discussing Creative Writing, let’s tell you the kind of college degree/certificate you can acquire.
Below are the kinds of creative writing degrees you can attain:
Certificate
Certificate programs introduce you to the fundamentals of creative writing or writing in general. It helps you update your skills in certain writing specializations. You get certification on completion of the program, and the program lasts anywhere from a few days to two weeks.
Associate’s Degree:
Associate’s degree, like certificate program, also grooms you on the fundamentals of writing. But it advances to providing you with a broader professional knowledge which is near what you would get attending a four-year bachelor’s program. It takes two years to acquire an associate degree in creative writing, and you can complete it mainly online.
Bachelor’s Degree:
This degree suits you if you’ve decided to take a writing career path. You’ll get comprehensive knowledge by taking courses that will set you on the right track to becoming a creative writer. The Bachelor’s program takes four (4) years to complete, after which you’ll get a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA).
Master’s Degree:
This degree is ideal for you if you want to grow as a professional in the writing field. You must have acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree to qualify for the Master’s degree. Courses towards a Master’s in Creative Writing take two years to complete.
P.hD.:
This degree is ideal for you if you have decided to take an academic line in creative writing. You’ll be groomed in the technical aspects of writing and its theory to enable you to teach at a university or community college. It takes several years to complete a P.hD., but it generally lasts for four years.
While preparing for a creative writing degree, see these 15 best Creative Writing Scholarships.
Where can I get a Creative Writing Degree Online?
You can get a creative writing degree online, primarily through online colleges. You can also get them through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) platforms like Coursera and Udemy. However, this would depend on the kind of creative writing degree you want.
MOOCs don’t give you a BA, MA, or P.hD. degree. They are primarily for short courses which either give certificates after completion or do not give certificates. Nonetheless, you would have acquired some form of formal education after taking a course on a MOOCs platform.
This is because although anybody can teach a course on these platforms, experts in the field (with more practical experience) are the major individuals who advertise courses.
However, if you want to acquire a globally accepted online degree in Creative Writing, you’ll need to enroll in an online college. Meanwhile, you must ensure that the school you’re going to has accreditation.
Generally, here is a list of online places where you can get a creative writing degree:
Accredited Online Creative Writing Colleges
Accreditation is what tells you that a school is of high quality. When a school has relevant accreditation, its degree is highly esteemed and would be respected by future employers and governing entities. (https://www.creditcadabra.com)
Online colleges in time past fear that they don’t get accredited. That is not the case anymore, as most schools offering online courses these days are institutions of higher learning with a physical location. These schools are not only subject-accredited but also regionally-accredited.
The schools we will share with you in the next sections have accreditation from a relevant subject or regional authority. Thus, you can bank on them for quality online creative writing courses.
We will discuss these accredited online creative writing colleges in the following subheadings:
- Creative Writing Associates Degree Online
- Online Creative Writing Bachelor’s Degree
- Online Creative Writing Master’s Degree
- Best Online Creative Writing Degree
- Cheapest Online Creative Writing Degree
If you’re a US citizen or Permanent resident majoring in creative writing, then you should see the Reedsy National Creative Writing Scholarship
Creative Writing Associates Degree Online
If you’re interested in taking short online courses in creative writing toward an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, you should consider these universities.
Liberty University
Liberty University has accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS COC). The online school offers an AA in Creative Arts that is wholly online and takes eight weeks to complete. An exciting part of its associate degree in creative writing is that you can learn from #1 New York Times bestselling author and Christian novelist, Karen Kingsbury…
Metropolitan Community College
Metropolitan Community College has accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Their Liberal Arts/Academic Transfer – Creative Writing (LTCAA) degree program is available in five physical locations and online.
Also, its online AA degree in Creative Writing offers students training in the basic components of effective creative writing in at least two genres: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction…
MESA Community College
Mesa Community College has accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This Community College offers online courses toward an AA degree that will prepare you to enter the workforce with an advantage. From writing mystery stories to structuring a novel to crafting a poem, the MCCs transfer program will provide you with what you need to begin your journey as a creative writer…
Nassau Community College
Nassau Community College has accreditation by the Middle States Commission (MSC). Its AA in Creative Writing is a 64-credit course that you can take online or through PDF. This community college’s online creative writing degree program provides students with knowledge and skills that will prepare them for a career in writing…
Cowley College
Cowley College has accreditation by The Higher Learning Commission. Cowley’s AA program encourages students to develop their creative writing skills as a form of self-expression and a means of communicating emotions, ideas, history, and perception of the world and the human condition…
The Prestige Award for Excellence in Creative Writing is for you if you’re in the UK and are skillful in writing.
Online Creative Writing Bachelor’s Degree
Here are universities you should consider to acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing.
Antioch University
Antioch University has accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies has a concentration in Literature and Creative Writing. It presents you with an affordable degree completion option, accelerating your progress toward a career in writing. Antioch’s online creative writing BA program combines an examination of great works of literature with a perspective on how to use them to inspire your own writing…
Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). This New England school offers a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and English with a concentration in Fiction Writing.
This online BA degree is a perfect balance of craft and critical analysis. It also emphasizes the craft of fiction writing and helps you develop an appreciation for all forms of fiction while honing your writing skills and philosophy of composition…
University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida (UCF) has accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). UCF offers a Bachelors of Art in English – Creative Writing.
Its College of Arts and Humanities offers this course which grooms you to become a copywriter, educator, journalist, publisher, and technical writer. Additionally, through UCF Online’s creative writing courses, you’ll become an expert communicator with a deep appreciation of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction prose…
University of Colorado Denver
University of Colorado Denver (CU) has accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). CU offers a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing, Rhetoric, and Technology online. This BA program thoroughly explores several areas of professional and academic writing while providing you with opportunities to specialize in one area. During the program, you’ll take electives in journalism, communication, creative writing, and digital production…
Central Washington University
Central Washington University (CWU) has accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). CWU offers an online professional and creative writing major which offers graduates an adaptable, tech-savvy professional degree.
This online college’s creative writing program also prepares students for success in the contemporary work environment. It combines the rigor of creative writing in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting with the practical elements of professional and technical writing and editing…
Online Creative Writing Master’s Degree
Creative writing at the Master’s level is usually towards establishing a professional career in writing. Schools in the US offer their online Creative Writing Masters as either a Masters of Art (MA) or a Master of Fine Art (MFA) degree. The difference between them is that MFA is more intensive than an MA and consequently takes more time to complete.
However, both degrees develop you to take your writing career to a professional level.
Here are online colleges where you can acquire an MA or MFA degree in creative writing.
Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). This accredited university offers a Master’s of Arts (MA) in English and Creative writing. You’ll take courses in this creative writing program that will develop your ability to communicate well in career paths like Business, Marketing and Communications, publishing, and education…
Concordia University-Saint Paul
Concordia University-Saint Paul (CSP) has accreditation from The Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This college offers online Master of Fine Arts degree program in Creative Writing. CSP’s courses for this degree program in creative writing are fully online. Also, this online creative writing master’s degree program develops your skills in writing and reading fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry…
University of Texas-El Paso
The University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP) has accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). UTEP’s master’s program in creative writing is an MFA degree. The program is a 100% online program. Thus, students from anywhere in the world can enroll. UTEP’s online creative writing degree program aims at preparing serious writers for publishing and teaching careers…
Liberty University
Liberty University has accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Liberty’s Creative Writing Master’s program is a Master of Arts degree in Professional Writing. Like UTEP, you can take the program 100% online. This online creative writing program at Liberty University is a customizable degree that teaches you the critical writing skills needed in any industry. In this program, you will also get real-world instruction from New York Times bestselling author and Christian novelist, Karen Kingsbury, in the creative writing research and publishing process…
Drexel University
Drexel University has accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. This online school’s master’s degree in Creative writing is a low-residency MFA program. Drexel’s MFA in creative writing is more than a writing workshop. It prepares you for a post-degree career while providing you with the opportunity to develop your unique writing voice. Also, Drexel’s online MFA degree in creative writing utilizes workshops, reading tutorials, and one-on-one packet exchanges with notable published writers to deepen your understanding of the art…
Best Online Creative Writing Degree
There are a lot of colleges in the USA offering Creative Writing Degrees. However, not many of them offer their courses partially or wholly online. Thus, we select our best five (5) online Creative Writing Degree colleges from the schools we have mentioned above.
The criteria for selecting our best schools amongst those we’ve listed are the following:
- Online schools offer all kinds of creative writing degrees – Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees.
- Schools with a broad creative writing course program, where you can also learn journalism, professional, and other writing specializations.
- Online creative writing colleges where you can take courses 100% online.
Meanwhile, clicking on our selected schools will take you to their English, Arts, Humanities, or Creative Writing departments offering online creative writing courses.
Here are our best Online creative writing degree colleges:
- Southern New Hampshire University Online
- Liberty University
- Central Washington University
- University of Central Florida
- University of Colorado Denver
Cheapest Online Creative Writing Degree
It is not easy to rank the cheapest online creative writing degree colleges. This is because an Associate degree will be cheaper than a Bachelor’s degree. Consequently, because of the duration of the degree program, a Master’s program will be cheaper than a Bachelor’s.
Thus, we have ranked the cheapest online creative writing degree colleges that offer a Bachelor’s program. The reason for this is that most job entry requirement in the writing field requires a bachelor’s degree in writing discipline. Also, a Bachelor’s degree is very popular. Universities record a higher enrolment of undergraduates than graduate students.
So, based on this, we will list our five (5) cheapest online colleges where you can conveniently get an accredited B.A degree in Creative Writing.
- Georgia Southern University – $186.00 Per Credit Unit
- Southern New Hampshire University – $320 Per Credit Unit
- Antioch University Online – $375 Per Credit unit
- Liberty University – $390 Per Credit Unit
- Central Washington University – $822.97 Per Credit Unit.
If you’ll prefer a short creative writing course instead of an accredited college degree, then check out the Udemy Vs Udacity Online Course Platform; their Differences & Similarities
FAQs
Are there available jobs in creative writing degree?
There are many jobs you can do with a creative writing degree and they include the following:
> Blogspot.
> Copywriter.
> Web Content Editor.
> Journalist.
> Proofreader/Sub-Editor.
> Content Marketing Specialist.
> Social Media Specialist.
How long does it take to get a bachelor degree?
Most Bachelor’s degree programs require four years of full-time study and expose students to general education coursework and classwork in their chosen writing specialty. In the case of creative writing, you may have to major in the English Language.
Are there available jobs for creative writers?
There are a lot of marketing demands for professional and competent freelance writers. According to Marketing Mag, content marketing is set to be a $300 billion dollar industry by2020.
Can I study creative writing?
Writing as a hobby may be totally different from studying Creative Writing. The later is much more academic than many people think. It’s also much more difficult. There is much more to creative writing than just having a story idea.
Are there online jobs in creative writing?
There are many online degrees in creative writing that can prepare you for a career path that includes editing, copywriting, advertising, public relations, and publishing.
Conclusion:
You can get an online creative writing degree through online colleges or MOOCs such as Udemy. However, online colleges provide you more quality degree which employers around the world accept. MOOCs, on the other hand, is ideal for upgrading your creative writing skills. Though some, like edX, may offer certificates at the completion of your courses, notable universities are the ones providing these courses on the platform.
Furthermore, before deciding where to get your online creative writing degree, consider the college’s accreditation. This post is a guide to help you make the best school selection, taking into consideration cost, specialization, and quality.
Feel free to use the comment box if you have any questions regarding this post or if you have other contributions to make.
Cheers!
References:
- 2019 Accredited Online Creative Writing Degrees
- WRITING DEGREES & CAREERS How to Become a Writer
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Writers and Authors
- 7 Famous Authors Who Didn’t Study Literature
- Do most famous writers have a literature education?
- Prospects: Creative writing
All the universities which we mentioned in the post all have links linking to their relevant websites.
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