Requirements for Mfa in Creative Writing
Earn an MFA in Creative Writing Online
- $627/credit (48 credits total)
- Transfer up to 12 graduate credits
- 100% online – no residency required
- All fiction genres welcomed
- Career-focused certificate included
- No application fee or GRE/GMAT scores required
Online MFA in Creative Writing Program Overview
Share your story with the world and let the power of storytelling take your career to new heights with an online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing. As one of the only programs available that encourages a focus on genre fiction, our online MFA lets you hone your craft in an area specific to your strengths and interests. You'll also learn about the business side of creative writing, preparing you to market your work in the real world.
While most MFA programs require a residency, Southern New Hampshire University's online MFA in Creative Writing can be completed entirely online, with no travel necessary.
"Traditional MFA programs, whether full-time or low residency, are out of reach for many writers," said Paul Witcover, associate dean of creative writing. "The SNHU online MFA was designed to make the MFA experience accessible to all fiction writers, opening the door to diverse voices excluded for too long from the literary conversation. Our program is dedicated to giving writers the tools to succeed on the page and beyond it."
Graduates leave the program with a completed and revised novel in the genre of their choice. And with the included certificates in either online teaching of writing or professional writing , you'll have the skills to support your writing career, no matter where it takes you.
Learn how to:
- Understand the business and technical sides of professional writing
- Navigate the publishing ecosystem, whether you intend to publish traditionally or via self-publishing
- Use social media to gain a following and build your brand
- Market your work to appeal to decision-makers
- Develop materials for book promotion
- Identify agents, editors or other industry professionals who may guide you in future publication
- Teach writing in a classroom setting
Career Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, writers and authors made a median annual salary of $67,120 in 2020, while editors made $63,400.1
"Our mission is to give students a degree and associated practical skills they can use to forge successful pathways in academia, business, or by blazing their own career trail," said Paul Witcover, associate dean of creative writing.
Earning one of the included certificates in online teaching of writing or professional writing will also be an invaluable addition to your resume for part-time, full-time and freelance jobs in a variety of fields, including:
- Higher education. Instruct writing courses in higher education settings. In 2020, postsecondary teachers made a median annual wage of $80,560, and you can expect to see a 12% growth in available positions through 2030, according to the BLS.
- Advertising. Use your storytelling skills in a way that influences consumer action. As a copywriter, you could find yourself doing any number of writing projects from crafting emails and ads to writing entire commercials.
- Marketing. If you're more comfortable with long-form prose, many businesses have invested in content writers who create quality content such as blog posts, ebooks and podcasts to attract and retain customers.
- Entertainment. Good at building suspense or setting up punchlines? From movies and plays to comedy and podcasts, being a good storyteller and writer is important to finding success in the entertainment industry.
- History. Every person's life has a plot, but it takes writers like you to tell their stories in a compelling way. Help readers relive the experiences of historic figures and pop culture icons as a biographer.
For Tara Lynn Conrad '21, that means having her name on the cover of a book.
"I have already been offered a publishing contract for my first novel, which is due to release very soon," she said. "I've also been doing some freelance editing and proofreading. I get complimented all the time by my clients on my attention to detail and finding errors that they missed."
Courses & Curriculum
If you're looking to earn your Master of Fine Arts online, you've found the right program. Even though there are no residency requirements, you'll still interact frequently with other students and faculty members in asynchronous discussions, critique workshops and within our online writer's community, where students come together to share industry news, extend writing tips and develop critique partnerships.
"I liked MFA-514 (Advanced Studies in Genre Literature) best," said student Jamilla Geter. "It was a great look into the different genres. It really helped me narrow down what genre I wanted to write in."
There's more to a career in writing than perfecting your craft. You'll also learn about the publication process, helping you make informed decisions to get your work into readers' hands. That's why the online MFA program puts a strong focus on the practical skills you'll need to succeed.
That was a major bonus for Tara Lynn Conrad '21.
"A major selling point for me was the classes SNHU offered on the business side of writing," she said. "That was something none of the other schools offered."
"Though it was not writing exactly, its connection to it – especially in our digital world – was made clear almost immediately," she said. "Writing is not just providing content of value to your readers, but also creating avenues of access so those readers can find your content. This course helped me to understand that and to learn how I can create those avenues."
Besides allowing you to focus on your own creative interests, part of our 48-credit online MFA curriculum requires you to choose from 2 certificate offerings designed to round out your education and better prepare you for a multitude of writing-related careers.
The first choice is a Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching of Writing, which is tailored to those who see themselves teaching in an online classroom setting as a supplement to their writing careers. Students practice approaches to editing and coaching, learning how to establish a virtual instructor presence and cultivate methods for supporting and engaging students within online writing communities.
Learn more about the online teaching of writing graduate certificate.
Students can also choose the Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing, which highlights the technical and business opportunities available to writers. Students will develop a range of skills, such as copywriting, social media, marketing principles and/or content generation, learning many of the freelancing skills integral to today's project-driven economy.
Learn more about the professional writing graduate certificate.
All of our courses are taught by accomplished authors and industry professionals who know both the craft and business of creative writing. They will work closely with you to develop both your creative and professional skill set.
"All instructors within my program were extremely knowledgeable and helpful," Warden said. "I learned a lot about the different career paths my instructors chose. ... The course instruction, along with their anecdotal experiences, helped in offering knowledge in different areas of our field.
MFA Program Thesis
The thesis for the Online MFA in Creative Writing is expected to be a novel-length work of fiction in a genre of your choice. The program focuses on novel-length storytelling, and while we read and celebrate short stories, it is expected your thesis will be a novel (or a novel-in-stories with a unified narrative arc).
Every Southern New Hampshire University online MFA student graduates the program with a revised fiction manuscript in the genre of their choice, which is completed in a 3-course thesis series. Throughout your tenure in the program, you can either work on a singular idea that you will develop during the 3 thesis courses, or you can begin a new project for your thesis.
"My three thesis classes for the MFA degree were the most helpful," said Kathleen Harris '21. "I was actually writing a book as my thesis, so it was both enjoyable and advantageous for the degree. And it was the end of a very long milestone of accomplishments."
Tuition & Fees
Tuition rates for SNHU's 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.
| Online Graduate Programs | Per Course | Per Credit Hour | Annual Cost for 15 credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree/Certificates | $1,881 | $627 | $9,405 |
| Degree/Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty) | $1,410 | $470 | $7,050 |
Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.
Additional Costs:
$150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)
Requirements for Mfa in Creative Writing
Source: https://www.snhu.edu/online-degrees/masters/mfa-in-creative-writing
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