Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Creative Writing
The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Creative Writing offers targeted training for recent graduates and returning professionals who want to develop their skills and explore opportunities in the creative writing field. It also serves business professionals interested in applying creative writing techniques within the workplace.
A program sheet, which provides a required coursework sequence, is available for download in the Courses tab below.
Students have the option to include one professional writing course in their program, providing flexibility to choose a course that best aligns with their professional goals and needs. Students will submit a portfolio of selected work at the conclusion of the certificate. Students who satisfactorily complete the program and wish to pursue the Master of Arts in English may have the opportunity to apply their certificate credits toward the degree.
Program Location
Carrollton Campus, Online
Method of Delivery
This program can be face-to-face, hybrid, or online, depending on the student's course selections.
Accreditation
The University of West Georgia is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Credit and transfer
Total semester hours required: 12
Graduate students may be able to reduce their cost through prior learning, previous degrees earned at UWG, or transfer credits. We have created a tool to help students estimate their tuition costs.
This program may be earned entirely online, entirely face-to-face, or anything in between.
Save money.
UWG is often ranked as one of the most affordable accredited university of its kind, regardless of the method of delivery chosen. In addition, online courses and programs can mean a cost-savings in many non-evident ways: No more high gas charges. No childcare needed. The flexibility can allow one to maintain a job while attending school. Regardless of state residency, out-of-state non-resident students are not charged non-resident tuition for online course credit hours.
Details
- Total tuition costs and fees may vary, depending on the instructional method of the courses in which the student chooses to enroll.
- The more courses a student takes in a single term, the more they will typically save in fees and total cost.
- Face-to-Face or partially online courses are charged at the general tuition rate and all mandatory campus fees, based on the student's residency (non-residents are charged at a higher rate).
- Fully or entirely online course tuition rates and fees my vary depending on the program. Students enrolled in exclusively online courses do not pay non-Resident rates.
- Together this means that GA residents pay about the same if they take all face-to-face or partially online courses as they do if they take only fully online courses exclusively; while non-residents save money by taking fully online courses.
- One word of caution: If a student takes a combination of face-to-face and online courses in a single term, they will pay both all mandatory campus fees and the higher eTuition rate.
- For the cost information, as well as payment deadlines, see the Student Accounts and Billing Services website
There are a variety of financial assistance options for students, including scholarships and work study programs. Visit the Office of Financial Aid's website for more information.
Coursework
It is possible for students to complete the program in as little as two semesters through a blend of online and in-person classes; students also have the flexibility to spread out their coursework to fit their schedules.
Downloads
General
An intensive experience in writing in one of the following genres: fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, or screenwriting. May be repeated for credit as topic varies.
Advanced composition course focusing on syntactical and rhetorical skills necessary for effective communication in a variety of professional settings and disciplines. Students will study the principles of sentence construction and persuasion, and learn to perform structural and functional analyses of both in order to address particular audiences in specific situations. They will also explore the relationship between multimodality and accessibility in the creation and reception of meaning. Open to all MA students.
Seminar focused on specialized areas of creative writing practice; variable topics such as Writing Young Adult Fiction or World-building for Fantasy and Science Fiction.
This course explores strategies from the study of narrative to help students understand how to craft stories about a company, product or about their own creative work -- for particular audiences. Topics include understanding audiences, applying narrative techniques to business writing contexts and promoting one s work for diverse audiences across digital platforms.
Stacy Boyd, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Kevin Casper, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Chad Davidson, Ph.D.
Executive Director of Global Engagements and Cultural Programming
Maria Doyle, Ph.D.
Professor & Graduate Coordinator of English
Patrick Erben, Ph.D.
Professor & English Program Coordinator
Gregory Fraser, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Rebecca Harrison, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Leah Haught, Ph.D.
Professor of English & Coordinator for Publishing and Editing Certificate
Angela Insenga, Ph.D.
Professor of English and Coordinator of Film Studies
Laura Miller, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Margaret Mitchell, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Alison Umminger, Ph.D.
Professor of EnglishGuidelines for Admittance
- All graduate applicants must complete the online Graduate Application. A current application fee of $40 is required. Note: The application fee will change to $55 on August 1, 2025.
- Applicants should also review the Graduate Studies Website for individual program specific requirements and tasks that must be completed prior to admission. See Graduate Studies Application Process.
- International applicants are subject to additional requirements and application deadlines. See Procedures for International Students.
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended are required and should be sent directly to the UWG Graduate Admissions Office.
Program Specific Admittance Guidelines
Bachelor's degree with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Application Deadlines
Specific Graduate Admissions Deadlines are available via the Graduate School
* Application, app fee, and document deadline
See The Scoop for more specific deadlines.
Admission Process Checklist
The Graduate Studies Application Process checklist is available here
One exception: If you will not ever be traveling to a UWG campus or site, you may apply for an Immunization Exemption. Contact the Immunization Clerk with your request.
Contact
Graduate Admissions
678-839-1394
graduate@westga.edu
For program specific information:
Director of Graduate Studies in English
Dr. Maria Doyle
mdoyle@westga.edu
Specific dates for Financial Aid, Fee Payment, Registration, Start/End of Term Dates, Final Exams, etc. are available in THE SCOOP.
Specific Graduate Admissions Deadlines are available via the Graduate School
1. Students will be able to apply advanced writing and editorial strategies to the development of original creative work.
2. Students will demonstrate, in written and/or oral work, an awareness of the process of publication.