Professional/Creative Writing

[Alpha]

This is my new target for exploration.  I am in a position to utilize a Masters in this area and feel that I could minimally recoup my expenses.  So I'm starting this thread, partly as a way for my to keep track of my progress, but also in hopes that others might add to the list of such programs/  I believe that these are generally Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees although I think there are one or two that have an alternative designation.  Here's the first one on my list, Western Connecticut University
https://www.wcsu.edu/writing-mfa/

[Alpha]

This one from National has been around for quite a while.  Once upon a time it was the only 100% online MFA program (for Writing).
https://www.nu.edu/resources/online-mfa-...e-writing/

[Jonathan Whatley]

Harvard Extension's Masters of Liberal Arts are 48 semester hours, which they share with the standard minimum for a terminal MFA. There's an ALM in Creative Writing and Literature, and one in Dramatic Arts which you could build in part from creative writing courses in dramatic forms, e.g., screenplays. There are also adjacent ALMs in English and in Journalism.

The interdisciplinary crossovers could work for candidates interested in credentialing to teach in multiple departments. On-campus requirements can often be met with short intensive courses. Summer School is great for this and on-campus housing is available, though most Summer School courses are more expensive than regular-year Extension School.

An academic program titled Professional Writing will usually be more like Technical Writing and/or Journalism.

[LevelUP]

What type of writing do you want to do?

[Alpha]

What type of writing do you want to do?

The most realistic goal is to do some grant writing.  In many large human service organizations this is a dedicated position.  In smaller organizations you wind up doing all sorts of other things along with the grant writing.  Frequently you become involved in accreditation matters and even public relations.  Beyond that I could always write a blockbuster novel or screenplay, right.  

[Jonathan Whatley]

MFAs and academic creative writing departments specifically are famous for often not wanting their houses sullied with most types of writing. Gabriela Pereira, who holds an MFA in creative writing, blogs,

Most MFA programs focus on literary fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. While these are noble areas of literature, they cover only a tiny slice of the wide and diverse world of writing. Heaven forbid a writer in a traditional MFA program produces something commercial—or worse, genre fiction. While a handful of MFA programs allow writers to study genre fiction or children’s literature, the majority still focus on literary work alone. If you want to write genre fiction, commercial nonfiction, or children’s books, you likely will not learn much about them in your MFA courses.

Professional/technical writing/communication, not creative writing, are headings to look for for programs inclusive of or close to grant writing.

[Tedium]

@Jonathan Wheatley is right, you’re searching for the wrong thing.

It’s kind of an either/or situation: either you get an MFA and take some grant writing courses along the way or you get a Professional Writing/Non-profit Administration degree/MPA.

Not many MFAs focus on the professional side of things like WCSU. It’s more of a glamor degree. Terminal yes, but a glamor degree nonetheless. I say that as a lifelong English major who would still love to shoehorn an MFA into my list of accomplishments.

Check out University of Arkansas at Monticello. They are pretty cheap and 100% online. You can go to conferences for credit and get Graduate Assistantship positions in the online program: https://www.uamont.edu/academics/arts-hu...fa-cw.html

Lindenwood University is also 100% online and are reasonably cheap for an MFA: https://www.lindenwood.edu/arts-and-huma...iting-mfa/

University of Texas at El Paso 100% online and offering bilingual Spanish tracks: https://www.utep.edu/liberalarts/creativ...ogram.html

Southern New Hampshire University also offers one 100% online. You also get a certificate in either Online Teaching of Writing or Professional Writing as part of the degree: https://www.snhu.edu/online-degrees/mast...ve-writing

NYU SPS MS in Professional Writing has some grant writing courses: https://www.sps.nyu.edu/homepage/academi...iting.html

If memory serves, Fort Hays State University also had a grant writing certificate you could add on to the MLS or MPS: https://www.fhsu.edu/sociology/academic-...rtificate/

There are some of the ones I’ve looked at over the years. Honestly, get a cheap certificate and call it a day. Most MFAs aren’t designed for working adults. They are designed for students who are living off loans or their parents and have 2-3 years to spare getting critiqued by their peers.

[Jonathan Whatley]

Other budget options for graduate creative writing: Missouri State University Screenwriting grad cert and Master of Professional Studies, Western New Mexico University Writing grad cert and Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies part-concentration.

[carrythenothing]

If memory serves, Fort Hays State University also had a grant writing certificate you could add on to the MLS or MPS: https://www.fhsu.edu/sociology/academic-...rtificate/

FHSU also has an 8-week non-credit certificate course for $175 that I've been considering: https://www.fhsu.edu/sociology/universit...n-program/

[Alpha]

Thanks for the tips everybody.  Fortunately, I wouldn't be depending on this degree for the bulk of my income but, of course, I don't want to spend more than necessary.  I tend to move slowly when it comes to these sorts of things so keep the suggestions coming.  Thanks again.