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10 Best Creative Writing Courses for 2024: Craft Authentic Stories

Learn how to tell your story and engage your readers with great storytelling.

As a lifelong literature enthusiast, I decided to challenge myself in 2010 by participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which tasks participants with writing a 50,000-word draft within a month. Although I’ve only achieved this goal twice since then, the experience has been invaluable. I’ve connected with a wonderful community of writers, both online and in person.

Through my experience, I can confidently say that creative writing is a skill that can be developed and honed, just like any other. While traditionally associated with literature, creative writing is increasingly being recognized as a powerful tool in various forms of writing, from copywriting and storytelling to novels and poetry. It has the ability to captivate readers and elevate the impact of written expression.

If you’re searching for the best online Creative Writing courses and resources, you’ve come to the right place. This Best Courses Guide (BCG) is built from Class Central’s catalog of over 300 Creative Writing courses and selected according to a methodology that you can check below.

Click on the shortcuts for more details:

What is Creative Writing?

Courses overview, why you should trust us, how we made our picks and tested them, here are our top picks.

Click on one to skip to the course details:

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Creative writing is a genre of writing that seeks to evoke emotions and feelings in its readers. It surpasses the limits of traditional forms of literature and emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes and poetic traditions. Creative writing finds application in various forms of writing, including screenplays, plays, novels, poems, and other written works. In this guide, I will delve into some of its most popular facets.

Enhancing resilience and creativity through writing

Research shows that the brains of professional writers work differently from those of novice writers. Moreover, creative writing has been found to boost resilience in students . If you want to enjoy the benefits of writing, it’s important to develop the habit of jotting down your thoughts and words. Doing so can help you overcome writer’s block.

Creative writing is so powerful that it’s used in prisons to give inmates a chance to express themselves in programs like PEN America . “By providing resources, mentorship, and audiences outside the walls, we help these writers to join and enrich the broader literary community.”

Creative writing is a skill that can be learned and practiced like any other. Techniques such as ABDCE structure, 1st or 3rd person point of view, “show don’t tell”, dialogues, and tropes can be easily learned through the online courses in this guide.

• Together, they account for over 1M enrollments
• Skillshare, with 2 courses, is the most featured provider
• The single most popular course has nearly 400k enrollments
• Three courses are entirely free or free-to-audit.

Best Fantasy And Short-Stories Writing Lessons For Beginners (Brandon Sanderson)

Besides being an awesome writer, Sanderson is an instructor with a very unique talent for keeping us engaged. He has also made available a full course in creative writing on YouTube , originally presented at Brigham Young University, which includes the most crucial tools for any beginner or even experienced writers. The course is comprehensive and rich in content, with great sound and video quality.

Each video discusses a specific tool or technique, so you can easily select the theme you want to explore next or watch it all in sequence. It’s up to you. I recommend you take your time, watch one video at a time and experiment with each concept, or even better, find a writing buddy or form a group to practice writing together.

What you’ll learn:

• Plot construction, character development, and engaging storytelling
• Techniques for crafting immersive worlds and believable viewpoints
• Insights into the publishing industry, tailored for emerging writers
• Strategies for writing compelling short stories and leveraging them for larger projects.

“Very informative! I’m a beginner writer looking to study writing for video games, and this class gave me a lot of helpful tools to start understanding how stories work/how to organize my ideas! Will definitely be returning to some of these lectures in the future for guidance 👍” – Paige Webster

Best University-level Creative Writing Course (Wesleyan University)

Creative Writing by Wesleyan University is a specialization for those looking for a way to improve their writing structure, scene and character creations and finding your style. Each course includes writing practice (for paying learners) and insightful interviews. It’s worth your time and effort if you are a disorganized writer like myself.

• Techniques for crafting a bracing story with memorable characters and an interesting setting
• How to employ a fresh descriptive style in your writing
• Skills for analyzing and constructively evaluating peer writing
• The ability to refine your writing, critique writing in general, and draw inspiration from existing literature
• The process of drafting, rewriting, and completing an original story in the genre of your choosing.

It should be noted that the peer-grading system often lacks depth. However, the assignments are well-crafted and can be easily evaluated with minimal effort, providing some insights from other participants in the form of feedback or inspiration from their submissions.

“Great information about plot and scene structure. The information about revision was entirely new to me – thank you! The exercises were good and difficult in a good way that helped me hone my writing.” – Laura B, Coursera learner

Best Course to Find Your Voice (Neil Gaiman)

Neil Gaiman is currently one the most prolific writers I know of: he’s written books , comics , movies and even TV shows . Even if you’re not a fan of his style, there is definitely something you can learn from him.

In Neil Gaiman Teaches The Art Of Storytelling you will discover Neil’s philosophy on what drives a story and learn to unlock new stories within yourself.

While MasterClass doesn’t sell single courses, a subscription provides access to their entire library, including other writing courses like Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing , Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers , Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing , and James Patterson Teaches Writing . If you are considering the purchase, you should definitely enjoy the rest of their catalog.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discover and develop your unique writing voice
• Generate and develop original ideas
• Create dynamic, well-rounded characters that come to life on the page.

This course includes a 94-page workbook that includes assignments and supplemental material.

Best Practical Writing Course With Support (Trace Crawford)

I love it when a passionate teacher like Trace Crawford puts the effort into creating a comprehensive curriculum. COMPLETE Creative Writing – All Genres is a 12-hour course with 145 downloadable resources. In this course, you will learn how to write engaging fiction, poetry, drama, and creative non-fiction, helping you become the successful writer you want to be.

• The four genres of creative writing: fiction, poetry, drama, and creative non-fiction
• How to discover, refine, and share your unique writing voice
• A series of authentic writing assignments designed to target the skills you need to develop
• Writing techniques, literary devices, and specialized skills to enhance your writing
• Opportunities for publishing, podcasts, and how to create a professional creative writing portfolio
• Discover multiple public outlets to share your writing with others as you gain confidence and experience success in your writing ability.

This is a practical creative writing course that includes assignments reviewed by the instructor, though response time may vary.

“The short snippets of theory in combination with the short assignments suits my learning style. I don’t remember the last time I’ve written anything creative, but this course gave me the incentive to set some foundation and its actually quite enjoyable if you stick to it.” – Nikolaos-Stylianos Z., Udemy learner

Best Course to Overcome Writer’s Block: 10-Day Journaling Challenge (Emily Gould)

I couldn’t resist adding Creative Writing for All: A 10-Day Journaling Challenge to this guide. Emily Gould is a delightful instructor, and her approach to inviting you to participate in the challenge is impossible to decline. It’s the perfect course to overcome writer’s block, which is exactly what she proposes. In this 10-day creative writing challenge, filled with inspiring examples, observation prompts, and clever revision tricks, writers and enthusiasts will be able to express their creativity in a personal and artful way.

This course is the shortest one on the list, and it’s more about the challenge of keeping a journal. If you decide to subscribe to Skillshare, you can also enjoy their entire library of courses. In addition to the other two recommended courses on this list, you can also check out these other Skillshare courses: Writing Suspense: How to Write Stories That Thrill in Any Genre and The Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Steps to a Successful Writing Habit .

Best Course to Create Fiction From Personal Experience (Shaun Levin)

Shaun’s approach to writing in Short Story Writing: Create Fiction from Personal Experience is an unusual one. It draws from your personal experience to create a compelling fictional story. I can say from experience that this technique will help you write with more depth and authenticity. Every time we bring our own life to the story, it becomes alive, believable and relatable. In a way, all fictional stories are based on the author’s life.

This course will help you with techniques and a series of practical exercises to start writing your scenes from a more philosophical point of view, creating compelling stories. You’ll learn how to delve into your imagination to find everything you’ll need to become a prolific writer, no matter where you are.

By the end of the course, you will have a final project that will receive feedback from Shaun and other learners as well. Actually, if you want to check it out, in the course page on Domestika you can open the submitted projects and read the comments.

Shaun’s other courses: Creative Writing for Beginners: Bringing Your Story to Life .

“A practical course. Shaun Levin talks about theory but also demonstrates his process, which was invaluable. The exercises got my creative juices flowing. Thinking about doing his other course in the future.” – Maya Dicheva

Best Course to Make Writing Less Stressful with Best Practices (Jennie Nash)

If you struggle to start or get stuck in your writing, Write Your Book: Start Strong and Get It Done can help. With good advice and emotional support, you’ll learn techniques to make writing less stressful. The accompanying workbook guides you to think methodically by asking the right questions to keep you focused on your story and not chasing your own tail.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Design every element of your novel or memoir, including the protagonist, plot, story structure and a project success plan
• Define your narrator’s voice
• Determine where your story begins and where it ends
• Decide what point you’re making about human nature
• Make sure you’re giving your ideal reader exactly what they want
• Gain the confidence you need to push past any doubts and finish your book.

This course is more of a masterclass, so there are no assignments included but it teaches good practices and provides a very useful workbook.

Best Course to Create A Compelling Story (Lisa Cron)

Writing: The Craft of Story is a series of well-produced lectures covering the basic building blocks of a story. Taught by author Lisa Cron, you will learn how to create compelling stories based on the way the brain responds to storytelling. This course emphasizes the importance of capturing the reader’s attention through techniques such as suspense, exploring the protagonist’s inner issues and dreams, specificity, and cause and effect. Upon completion of the quizzes, you will receive a certificate for your LinkedIn profile. Additionally, you can watch all the videos without subscribing to the course.

“Learning the fundamentals of crafting a story was and is a fascinating experience. And yes, I would highly recommend writing to anyone interested in learning how to express the communication of feeling.” – Nicole Gillard, LinkedIn learner.

Best Course to Write Personal Essays with Impact (Roxane Gay)

Discover the art of crafting powerful personal essays with best-selling author Roxane Gay in her course, Creative Writing: Crafting Personal Essays with Impact . Through her honest and thoughtful approach, Roxane will help you find your story, craft your truth, and write to make a difference.

This master class offers eight video lessons that are filled with practical guidance, actionable tactics, and example essays to guide you from the first idea to a final, publication-ready work.

You’ll learn how to:

• Find a specific purpose for telling your story
• Connect your work to larger conversations and timely themes
• Conduct crucial research to support your work
• Navigate personal memories to write your truth
• Write and revise your final work, and submit your work for publication.

Additionally, the class provides a downloadable worksheet to support your ongoing creative nonfiction writing practice, as well as links to additional resources.

If you enjoy creative nonfiction writing, you might consider this course that’s also on Skillshare: Creative Nonfiction: Write Truth with Style (Skillshare Original) by Susan Orlean

Best Course to Develop Your Ideas And Research for Characters (The Open University)

Start Writing Fiction explores the writing process, from journaling and idea development to reflection and editing. It features insights from established writers such as Louis de Bernières, Patricia Duncker, Alex Garland, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Tim Pears, Michèle Roberts, and Monique Roffey,  who share their approaches to research and turning events into plot. Led by Derek Neale, a novelist and short story writer, this course provides a comprehensive understanding of the writing rituals and techniques used by successful writers.

You’ll get to critique the work of other writers and receive feedback. This course is designed for individuals interested in starting or improving their fiction writing and does not require prior experience in the subject.

You’ll learn:

• Creation of characters in fiction
• Different sources and ways of presenting characters in stories
• Reading as a writer
• Writing practice including creativity, research, observation and editing
• Peer reviewing, workshops and the importance of feedback.

“This course takes learners through many aspects of writing such as developing characters, observing and describing details, finding inspiration, writing and editing. It includes some peer reviews which can be varying in quality. I was lucky enough to have some of my writing reviewed by a reviewer who gave very helpful and positive feedback.” – Pat Bowden

What’s Next

Scribophile is one of the largest online writing communities. You can get feedback on your writing and join writing groups. If you decide to join with a free plan, you need to collect points by reviewing other writers’ work before submitting your own work for review. They also developed some advanced tools for evaluating work and guidelines to make sure you give/receive feedback that is actually meaningful.

NaNoWriMo started out as a month-long challenge where you invite your friends and join other writers in your region, be it online in their forums or in person, to challenge yourself in writing your first draft. Nowadays, they run all-year round writing challenges (but November is still the biggest one in terms of participation). What is cool about it is you actually get to meet people in real life with various writing skills and backgrounds. I was able to make some great friends over the years and even met a few professional writers that decided to join our local group just to support us.

If you have any resources you would like to have added here, leave a comment below.

Class Central , a Tripadvisor for online education, has helped 60 million learners find their next course. We’ve been combing through online education for more than a decade to aggregate a catalog of 200,000 online courses and 200,000 reviews written by our users. And we’re online learners ourselves: combined, the Class Central team has completed over 400 online courses, including online degrees.

Trying to find “the best” can be daunting, even for those of us who live and breathe online courses. Here’s how I approached this task.

First, I combed through Class Central’s Catalog and the internet to find a variety of free and paid open courses, some with certificates. You don’t need to enroll in a university to learn about creative writing.

When choosing courses, I considered the following factors:

• Renowned Institutions : I looked for recognized institutions in creative writing
• Instructor experience : I sought instructors with extensive experience in creative writing and engaging presentation styles
• Popularity : I checked numbers of enrollments and views to find popular courses
• Course content : I examined courses that covered a range of topics and presentation styles, including the basics and more advanced topics. I watched some course videos to sample courses I hadn’t already taken
• Learner reviews : I read learner reviews (when available) to get a sense of the quality of each course, leveraging the Class Central database with its thousands of course ratings and reviews written by our users as well as available course provider reviews.

Then, I defined the scope for these recommendations. A creative writing course can cover various topics, so I chose top courses from a range of sub-fields.

Ultimately, I used a combination of data and my own judgment to make these picks. I’m confident these recommendations will be a reliable way to learn about creative writing.

Fabio Dantas

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Creative Writing

A haven for writers of all genres and ambitions

September 23, 2024

*Flexible payment available

Enroll this week to receive a 5% tuition reduction

Imbue your writing with imagination and range.

Craft writing that is distinct and well-developed..

Stories are timeless and eternal. They are touchstones, formed by time and place, which reflect upon the human experience. Creative writing is an asset in all professional fields throughout diverse positions. The ability to craft intriguing, memorable prose remains one of the most enduring forms of human expression. Learn to conceive and develop integral elements of a story, including plotline, characters, symbolism, setting, and atmosphere.

Our Approach to Online Learning

Optimize your time with a mode of study that allows you to explore content and complete tasks at your own pace.

Interactive

Our interactive content includes videos from instructors at the University of Chicago as well as materials that enable you to learn through real-world examples.

Personalized

Throughout the program, the teaching assistant will serve as a valuable resource to clarify any questions and provide feedback on your work.

Meet Your Instructor

Sarah Terez Rosenblum, MFA

Sarah Terez Rosenblum’s work has appeared in literary magazines such as The Normal School, Prairie Schooner (shortlisted for the publication’s Summer 2020 Creative Nonfiction Prize), Diagram , Brevity, Third Coast , and Carve. In 2022, Rosenblum was shortlisted for StoryQuarterly ’s annual fiction contest. She has written for sites that include Salon, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Satirist, and Pop Matters .

Pushcart Prize-nominated, she earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Rosenblum is a creative coach and developmental editor. She also teaches creative writing at Story Studio, where she was voted 2022 Teacher of the Year, and at the University of Chicago Writer’s Studio. Rosenblum’s novel, Herself When She’s Missing , was called “poetic and heartrending” by Booklist . 

Unique Program Features

Live sessions and workshops.

Engage in live sessions and workshops that provide the opportunity to pose questions and exchange ideas.

Practical application

Practice specific craft points and explore the drafting process through weekly writing exercises.

Personalized guidance

Receive feedback from your instructors about the development of your writing.

Learning Outcomes

• Reveal character through action.
• Establish setting through characters’ physicality.
• Write dynamic scenes.
• Create dialogue that reveals character and furthers plot.
• Recognize and use imagery and symbolic language.

After completing the course, you will be able to:

Create a strategy for your organization that makes use of AI to accomplish business goals

Build a team for success in an AI world

Choose the best areas for early-stage development and understand how to scale AI solutions

Earn a certificate of completion from the University of Chicago and become part of the UChicago network

Course Modules

Introduction to writing and crafting character.

• Things to Consider
• Before Writing
• Introduction to
• Description
• Internal Response

Point of View

• Introduction to Point of View
• First Person
• Third Person
• Less Common Points of View: Second Person
• Less Common Points of View: First Person Plural
• Focalization
• Writing Practice

Setting and Mood

• Starting with Setting
• Creating Setting
• Analysis of Setting in The Road
• Introduction to Workshop
• Introduction to Plot
• Basic Plot Arcs
• Denouement and Resolution
• Conflict and Tension
• Change and Imagery
• The Hero’s Journey
• Introduction to Dialogue
• Dialogue and Action
• Creating Tension with Dialogue
• Dialogue and Subtext
• Issues in Dialogue

Voice and Tone

• Introduction to Tone and Voice
• Authorial Voice and Character Voice
• Finding Your Voice
• Strong Story Starts
• Writing Practice: Drafting

Imagery, Symbolism, and Theme

• Introduction to Imagery and Theme
• Figurative Language
• Systems of Imagery: “In the White Night”
• Building Your Own Systems of Imagery
• Writing Practicen

Time Movement and Literary Magazines

• Simple Scene Movement
• Introduction to Flashbacks
• The Mechanics of Flashbacks
• Writing Practice: Submitting Your Work
• Writing Practice: Beyond this Course

This course is designed for:

Individuals with diverse aspirations, backgrounds, and skills interested in exploring writing in an easily accessible way

Learners from all walks of life with curiosity and enthusiasm toward writing, communication, literature, and the art of crafting a story

Experienced writers looking to hone their skills and elevate their expression.

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Creative Writing Program

The University of Washington English Department's Creative Writing Program offers a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a two-year Master of Fine Arts  degrees in Poetry and Prose. 

Founded in 1947 by Theodore Roethke, the Creative Writing Program's tradition of transformative workshops continues with our current faculty:  David Bosworth , Nikki David Crouse ,  Rae Paris ,  David Shields,  and  Maya Sonenberg  (Prose), and  Linda Bierds (part-time) ,  Andrew Feld ,  Richard Kenney,  and  Pimone Triplett  (Poetry).  They include among their many honors fellowships from the MacArthur Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as prizes such as the Flannery O’Connor Award in Short Fiction and the McCarthy Prize. The list of our alumni publications represents a significant chapter in the history of American literature. To see recent examples of our MFA Program alumni publications, see the article MFA Program Graduates Publish at Impressive Rates in our Spring 2022 English Matters newsletter .

The MFA Program remains purposely small, admitting only ten students per year. The relatively small size of our program (20 students at most at any given time) allows for close associations to develop among students and faculty. The first year is devoted to participation in workshops and literary seminars, and the second year allows for concentrated work on a creative manuscript and critical essay under the supervision of two creative writing faculty members. 

The BA in English with a Creative Writing Concentration prepares students not only to be more effective communicators and artists, but also creative problem solvers and more nuanced critical thinkers. By situating small, student-oriented writing workshops alongside literary models, Creative Writing classes enhance the broader study of literature and critical theory, helping students gain a greater understanding of the social and cultural forces informing their work. A student completing the program is more able to situate themselves in a larger aesthetic and social context and make more meaningful, informed decisions about their own artistic practice. In addition, through the intense practice of creative writing, students are able to see the world more clearly, in a more nuanced and meaningful manner, and apply these skills to a wide variety of work and life situations.

Director:  Nikki David Crouse

Program Coordinator: Shannon Mitchell 

Graduate Program Advisor: Tim Cosgrove

Undergraduate Program Advising: Humanities Academic Services

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The 12 Best Creative Writing Colleges and Programs

College Info

Finding a dedicated creative writing program at a school you're excited about can be a real challenge, and that's even before you start worrying about getting in. Nonetheless, there are some great options. In order to help you find the best school for you, this list rounds up some of the best colleges for creative writing in the United States .

The Best Creative Writing Programs: Ranking Criteria

You should never take college rankings as absolute truth —not even the very official-seeming US News ones. Instead, use these kinds of lists as a jumping-off place for your own exploration of colleges. Pay attention not just to what the rankings are but to how the rankings are determined.

To help with that, I'll explain how I came up with this highly unscientific list of great creative writing colleges. I started by narrowing my search down to schools that offered a specific creative writing major. (If you don't see a school you were expecting, it's likely because they only have a minor.)

In ranking the schools, I considered five major criteria:

• #1: MFA Ranking —If a school has a great graduate creative writing program, it means you'll be taught by those same professors and the excellent graduate students they attract. Schools with strong MFA programs are also more likely to have solid alumni networks and internship opportunities. However, many schools with great undergrad programs do not offer MFAs, in which case I simply focused on the other four options.
• #2: General School Reputation —The vast majority of your classes won't be in creative writing, so it's important that other parts of the school, especially the English department, are great as well.
• #3: Extracurricular Opportunities —One of the key advantages of majoring in creative writing is that it can provide access to writing opportunities outside the classroom, so I took what kind of internship programs, author readings, and literary magazines the school offers into consideration.
• #4: Diversity of Class Options —I gave extra points to schools with a variety of genre options and specific, interesting classes.
• #5: Alumni/Prestige —This last criterion is a bit more subjective: is the school known for turning out good writers? Certainly it's less important than what kind of education you'll actually get, but having a brand-name degree (so to speak) can be helpful.

The Best Creative Writing Schools

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of schools! The exact numbering is always arguable, so look at it as a general trend from absolutely amazing to still super great, rather than fixating on why one school is ranked #3 and another is ranked #4.

#1: Northwestern University

Northwestern's undergrad creative writing program boasts acclaimed professors and an unparalleled track record of turning out successful writers (including Divergent author Veronica Roth and short-story writer Karen Russell).

Outside the classroom, you can work on the student-run literary journal, intern at a publication in nearby Chicago, or submit to the Department of English's yearly writing competition . The university is also home to a top journalism program , so if you want to try your hand at nonfiction as well, you'll have plenty of opportunities to do so.

#2: Columbia University

Like Northwestern, Columbia is home to both a world-class creative writing program and a top journalism school (plus one of the best English departments in the country), so you have a wide range of writing-related course options. Columbia also benefits from its location in New York City, which is bursting at the seams with publishing houses, literary journals, and talented authors.

#3: University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's big draw is the infrastructure of its graduate Writers' Workshop, which is often considered the best MFA program in the country.

As an English and Creative Writing major here, you'll take classes from great young writers and established professors alike, and get to choose from a wide range of topics. This major provides transferable skills important for a liberal arts major with a creative focus. You'll also have access to the university's impressive literary community, including frequent readings, writing prizes and scholarships, and the acclaimed literary journal The Iowa Review .

#4: Emory University

Emory is renowned for its dedicated undergrad creative writing program , which draws the very best visiting scholars and writers. Students here have the chance to attend intimate question-and-answer sessions with award-winning authors, study a range of genres, compete for writing awards and scholarships, and work closely with an adviser to complete an honors project.

#5: Oberlin College

A small liberal arts school in Ohio, Oberlin offers very different advantages than the schools above do. You'll have fewer opportunities to pursue writing in the surrounding city, but the quality of the teachers and the range of courses might make up for that. Moreover, it boasts just as impressive alumni, including actress and writer Lena Dunham.

#6: Hamilton College

Hamilton is another small college, located in upstate New York. It's known for giving students the freedom to pursue their interests and the support to help them explore topics in real depth, both inside and outside the classroom. Hamilton's creative writing program takes full advantage with small classes and lots of opportunities to intern and publish; it also has one of the best writing centers in the country.

#7: Brown University

Brown's Literary Arts program offers one of the top MFAs in the US as well as an undergraduate major . For the major, you must take four creative writing workshops and six reading-intensive courses, which span an array of departments and topics, from music and literature to Middle East studies and Egyptology.

#8: Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University has an excellent creative writing MFA program, lots of super specific class options, and a number of scholarships specifically earmarked for creative writing students. This school’s undergraduate English program also offers a concentration in creative writing that allows students to specialize in a specific genre: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. If you’re interested in exploring your potential in a specific writing genre, Washington University could be a great pick for you.

#9: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT might not be a school you generally associate with writing, but it actually has an excellent program that offers courses in digital media and science writing, as well as creative writing, and provides plenty of guidance on how graduates can navigate the tricky job market.

Not to mention the school is located in Cambridge, a haven for book lovers and writers of all kinds. Though it probably isn’t a good fit for students who hate science, MIT is a great place for aspiring writers who want to build writing skills that are marketable in a wide range of industries.

#10: University of Michigan

University of Michigan is one of the best state universities in the country and has a top-notch MFA program. This school’s undergrad creative writing sub-concentration requires students to submit applications for admittance to advanced creative writing courses. These applications give students crucial practice in both building a writing portfolio and articulating their interest in creative writing to an audience who will evaluate their work. If you're looking to attend a big school with a great creative writing major, this is a fantastic choice.

#11: Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins is another school that's known more for engineering than it is for writing, but, like MIT, it has a dedicated writing program. As a major here, you must take not only courses in prose, poetry, and literature, but also classes on topics such as philosophy and history.

#12: Colorado College

Colorado College is a small liberal arts school known for its block plan , which allows students to focus on one class per three-and-a-half-week block. The creative writing track of the English major includes a sequence of four writing workshops and also requires students to attend every reading of the Visiting Writers Series.

Bonus School: New York University

I didn't include NYU in the main list because it doesn't have a dedicated creative writing major, but it's a great school for aspiring writers nonetheless, offering one of the most impressive creative writing faculties in the country and all the benefits of a Manhattan location.

How To Pick the Best Creative Writing School for You

Just because Northwestern is a great school for creative writing doesn't mean you should set your heart on going there. (The football fans are completely terrifying, for one thing.) So where should you go then?

Here are some questions to ask yourself when looking at creative writing programs to help you determine the best school for you:

Does It Have Courses You're Interested In?

Look at the course offerings and see whether they interest you. While you can't predict exactly what classes you'll love, you want to avoid a mismatch where what you want to study and what the program offers are completely different. For example, if you want to write sonnets but the school focuses more on teaching fiction, it probably won't be a great fit for you.

Also, don't forget to look at the English courses and creative writing workshops! In most programs, you'll be taking a lot of these, too.

What Opportunities Are There To Pursue Writing Outside of Class?

I touched on this idea in the criteria section, but it's important enough that I want to reiterate it here. Some of the best writing experience you can get is found outside the classroom, so see what kind of writing-related extracurriculars a school has before committing to it.

Great options include getting involved with the campus newspaper, working on the school's literary journal, or interning at the university press.

Who Will Be Teaching You?

Who are the professors? What kind of work have they published? Check teacher ratings on Rate My Professors (but make sure to read the actual reviews—and always take them with a grain of salt).

If you're looking at a big school, there's a good chance that a lot of your teachers will be graduate students. But that's not necessarily a bad thing: a lot of the best teachers I had in college were graduate students. Just take into consideration what kind of graduate program the school has. If there's a great creative writing MFA program, then the graduate students are likely to be better writers and more engaged teachers.

What Are the Alumni Doing Now?

If you have a sense of what you want to do after you graduate, see if any alumni of the program are pursuing that type of career. The stronger the alumni network is, the more connections you'll have when it comes time to get a job.

What About the Rest of the School?

Don't pick a school for which you like the creative writing program but dread everything else about it. Most of your time will be spent doing other things, whether hanging out in the dorms, exploring off campus, or fulfilling general education requirements.

Many schools require you to apply to the creative writing major, so make doubly sure you'll be happy with your choice even if you aren't accepted to the program.

What's Next?

Are you sure a creative writing major is the right fit for you? Read our post on the pros and cons of the major to help you decide what path to take in college.

For more general advice about choosing a college, check out our complete guide to finding the right school for you. Some major factors to consider include deciding whether you're interested in a small college or a big university , an in-state or out-of-state institution , and a public or private school .

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• Academics /

Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Degree Program

Unlock your creative potential and hone your unique voice.

Online Courses

11 out of 12 total courses

On-Campus Experience

One 1- or 3-week residency in summer

$3,340 per course

Next Start Term: Fall 2024

Registration open through August 29

Program Overview

Through the master’s degree in creative writing and literature, you’ll hone your skills as a storyteller — crafting original scripts, novels, stories, and works of creative nonfiction.

In small, workshop-style classes, you’ll master key elements of narrative craft, including characterization, story and plot structure, point of view, dialogue, and description. Rigorous literature courses, many of them taught by Harvard College faculty members, will deepen your skills as a writer and scholar.

Program Benefits

Instructors who are established screenwriters, novelists, and nonfiction writers

A community of writers who support your growth in live online classes

Writer's residency with agent & editor networking opportunities

Personalized academic and career advising

Thesis or capstone options that lead to publishable creative work

Harvard Alumni Association membership upon graduation

Customizable Course Curriculum

As you work through the program’s courses, you’ll enhance your creative writing skills and knowledge of literary concepts and strategies.

You’ll hone your voice as a writer in courses like Writing the Novel and Advanced Memoir. You’ll explore the possibilities of the screen in courses such as Advanced Screenwriting and Comedy Sketch Writing.

Within the creative writing and literature program, you will choose between a thesis or capstone track. You’ll also experience the convenience of online learning and the immersive benefits of learning in person.

11 Online Courses

• Primarily synchronous
• Fall, spring, January, and summer options

Writers’ Residency

A 1- or 3-week summer master class taught by a notable instructor, followed by an agents-and-editors weekend

Thesis or Capstone Track

• Thesis: features a 9-month independent creative project with a faculty advisor
• Capstone: includes crafting a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in a classroom community

The path to your degree begins before you apply to the program.

First, you’ll register for and complete 2 required courses, earning at least a B in each. These foundational courses are investments in your studies and count toward your degree, helping ensure success in the program.

Enroll for your first admission course this fall. Course registration is open July 22–August 29.

To get started, explore degree requirements, confirm your initial eligibility, and learn more about our unique “earn your way in” admissions process.

A Faculty of Creative Writing Experts

Studying at Harvard Extension School means learning from the world’s best. Our instructors are established and award-winning writers and scholars. They bring a genuine passion for teaching, with students giving our faculty an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Bryan Delaney

Playwright and Screenwriter

Talaya Adrienne Delaney

Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta

Our community at a glance.

Most of our creative writing and literature students are enrolled in our master’s degree program for either personal enrichment or to make a career change. Over half are employed full time while pursuing their degree and work across a variety of industries.

Download: Creative Writing & Literature Master's Degree Fact Sheet

Average Age

Courses Taken Each Semester

Work Full Time

Would Recommend the Program

Professional Experience in the Field

Pursued for Personal Enrichment

Career Opportunities & Alumni Outcomes

Graduates of our Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Program have writing, research, and communication jobs in the fields of publishing, advertising/marketing, fundraising, secondary and higher education, and more.

Some alumni continue their educational journeys and pursue further studies in other nationally ranked degree programs, including those at Boston University, Brandeis University, University of Pennsylvania, and Cambridge University.

Our alumni hold titles as:

• Marketing Manager
• Director of Publishing
• Senior Research Writer

Our alumni work at a variety of leading organizations, including:

• Little, Brown & Company
• New York University (NYU)
• Bentley Publishers

Career Advising and Mentorship

Whatever your career goals, we’re here to support you. Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success offers career advising, employment opportunities, Harvard alumni mentor connections, and career fairs like the annual on-campus Harvard Humanities, Media, Marketing, and Creative Careers Expo.

Your Harvard University Degree

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum, you will earn the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Creative Writing and Literature.

Expand Your Connections: the Harvard Alumni Network

As a graduate, you’ll become a member of the worldwide Harvard Alumni Association (400,000+ members) and Harvard Extension Alumni Association (29,000+ members).

Harvard is closer than one might think. You can be anywhere and still be part of this world.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid . Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

Learn more about the cost of attendance .

What can you do with a master’s degree in creative writing and literature?

A master’s degree in creative writing and literature prepares you for a variety of career paths in writing, literature, and communication — it’s up to you to decide where your interests will take you.

You could become a professional writer, editor, literary agent, marketing copywriter, or communications specialist.

You could also go the academic route and bring your knowledge to the classroom to teach creative writing or literature courses.

Is a degree in creative writing and literature worth it?

The value you find in our Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Degree Program will depend on your unique goals, interests, and circumstances.

The curriculum provides a range of courses that allow you to graduate with knowledge and skills transferable to various industries and careers.

How long does completing the creative writing and literature graduate program take?

Program length is ordinarily anywhere between 2 and 5 years. It depends on your preferred pace and the number of courses you want to take each semester.

For an accelerated journey, we offer year round study, where you can take courses in fall, January, spring, and summer.

While we don’t require you to register for a certain number of courses each semester, you cannot take longer than 5 years to complete the degree.

What skills do you need prior to applying for the creative writing and literature degree program?

Harvard Extension School does not require any specific skills prior to applying, but in general, it’s helpful to have solid reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills if you are considering a creative writing and literature master’s degree.

Initial eligibility requirements can be found on our creative writing and literature master’s degree requirements page .

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The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Creative Writing

Develop creative writing skills in multiple genres of interest including fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and more. This customizable program culminates in a capstone project in which students make significant progress on a polished collection of work. This certificate can be completed online or in the classroom.

This program is perfect for...

• Those new to writing who want to explore various genres while cultivating their skills
• Writers looking to hone their craft and develop a solid portfolio of work in a particular genre
• Writers considering graduate-level writing study, including those who wish to polish pieces for submission to MFA programs
• Individuals who want to become part of a vibrant and supportive community of artists who share their passion

What you can learn.

• Identify your creative writing goals and develop a plan to achieve them
• Deepen your practice within a chosen genre, or explore various forms of creative writing
• Discover techniques of powerful storytelling, craft compelling characters, and write memorable scenes and stories
• Receive guidance from successful writers and workshop in a group of supportive peers

Achieve results and reach your writing goals.

Whether you are new to writing, have a specific project you'd like to get off the ground, or are preparing to apply to an MFA program, the Certificate in Creative Writing is an immersive program for developing professional writing skills.

Our fully customizable certificate honors each individual student’s journey, allowing you to pursue the coursework that is most meaningful to your specific writing goals and level of expertise. 

The program offers the opportunity to specialize in genres like poetry, short stories, novel writing, essay writing, memoir writing, or to explore writing across genres, hybrid genres, and new forms without the limitation of a prescribed curriculum. 

The only required course, the Creative Writing Certificate Capstone , allows you to compile and further refine your writing from prior coursework into a final portfolio representing the finest examples of your craft. 

Taught by a prestigious roster of instructors who are published writers and active professionals, courses in this certificate program can be taken onsite, online, or a combination of both. 

Expect more from your education.

MFA, fiction writer, author of the story collection Once Removed (UGA Press) and winner of the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. 

BUILD COMMUNITY

Writers' Program Network of Writers (WP NOW)

Stay immersed in the Writers' Program community. Our optional membership program offers exclusive access to a range of discounts and benefits, including members-only networking, professional development opportunities, and course discounts. 

L earn More

My UCLA Extension coursework, teachers, and colleagues have shaped my writing life, fueled the creation of my novel, and provided continual inspiration.

Certificate Curriculum

The Certificate in Creative Writing is fully customizable. You may follow a Writers’ Program sample curriculum plan based on specific writing goals, or design your own program of study.

Students must complete 21 total units comprised of the 3-unit Creative Writing Certificate Capstone course and 18 units of 400-level Creative Writing coursework.

Sample Program Tracks:

Novel I WRITING X 411.1

Novel II WRITING X 411.2

Novel III WRITING X 411.3

Novel IV WRITING X 411.4

Novel V WRITING X 411.5

Dialogue and Point of View WRITING X 462.1

Creative Writing Certificate Capstone WRITING X 460

Personal Essay I WRITING  X 422.1

Personal Essay II WRITING X 422.2

Personal Essay III WRITING X 422.3

Storytelling for Social Justice WRITING X 424.21E

Writing the Thinkpiece WRITING X 424.15E

The Art of Creative Research WRITING X 461.23

Poetry I WRITING X 431.1

Poetry II WRITING X 431.2

Poetry Toolbox WRITING X 432.10E

Prose Poetry WRITING X 432.11E

Reframing the Form WRITING X 432.7E

The "F" Word: Innovative Poetic Forms WRITING X 432.8E

Cuento Poems WRITING X 432.32E

Click below to view the required and elective courses, if applicable, for this program.

Students must complete 18 units of elective coursework. Select from courses numbered WRITING X 400-499 in the following areas:

Students may select courses in the following area with advisor approval:

Editing and Publishing

How to Get Started

Courses in this program are open enrollment, and each course is paid for individually.

Sequential courses should be taken in numerical order, starting from the lowest course number and progressing to higher numbers.

You may take Creative Writing courses without committing to the entire program.* However, by establishing candidacy in the program, you will receive  many benefits exclusive to our certificate students such as priority placement on waitlists and access to the UCLA Career Center's job board. Creative Writing Certificate students can also receive a customized curriculum tailored to your writing goals.

Need assistance? If you have any questions or need advice on course selection, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] .

Benefits exclusive for Writers' Program certificate students:

• Advising : Receive a 30-minute, one-on-one goal-setting consultation with a Writers’ Program advisor. During this consultation, the advisor will customize a certificate program curriculum tailored to your experience, interests, and writing goals.
• Enrollment Advantages : Receive quarterly notice when Writers’ Program courses open for enrollment each quarter and receive preferential placement on wait lists.
• Manuscript Consultation : Within six months of completing certificate program coursework, receive 50% off a one-on-one manuscript consultation with a Writers' Program instructor. Learn more .

Advanced standing at Antioch University*

Students who complete the Certificate in Creative Writing can receive Advanced Standing in Antioch University Los Angeles’s MFA in Creative Writing .

Advanced Standing allows a student to enter the MFA program with the equivalent of one semester completed. In addition, you may be eligible for Antioch’s fellowships and scholarships.

Additional benefits exclusive to all UCLA Extension certificate students:

• Career Resources : Access UCLA Extension’s Career Resources including online career coaching, workshops, networking events, and other resources.  Learn More .
• Handshake Access : Explore thousands of job and internship postings through UCLA Career Center’s online job board. Learn More .
• UCLA Alumni Association Membership : Upon completing your certificate, join the nationwide Bruin family as a member of the UCLA Alumni Association. Learn More .
• Graduation Celebration : Attend the annual UCLA Extension Graduation Ceremony on campus to celebrate your achievements. Learn More .
• UCLA Recreation Facilities : Enjoy access to UCLA Recreation facilities as a student affiliate. Learn More .
• Bruin ID Card : Obtain an affiliate/Guest UCLA Bruin ID Card for additional student-related benefits. Learn More .

How to Apply - Establish Certificate Candidacy

• Click the Apply Now button below
• Login or create a new student account
• Once you are logged into the student portal, you can select “My Applications” from the left side menu at any time to return to your application. Click the yellow “Start” button to proceed.
• On the Certificate Application page, follow the instructions and click save. Then submit your application. 
• Proceed to checkout and pay the nonrefundable candidacy fee to finalize your application. 

Estimated Cost Breakdown

All courses in this program are paid for individually, unless otherwise noted. An application form is required to establish candidacy in this program. From the 'Apply Now' button, complete the online application and pay the application fee if applicable.

Application & Candidacy Fee

Estimated program tuition, estimated program textbook/materials.

*The Application & Candidacy Fee establishes your candidacy in the program for a period of time covering normal progress toward completion and may allow you to access a variety of program benefits.

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• Creative Writing

The vital presence of creative writing in the English Department is reflected by our many distinguished authors who teach our workshops. We offer courses each term in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, and television writing. Our workshops are small, usually no more than twelve students, and offer writers an opportunity to focus intensively on one genre. 

Apply to Creative Writing Workshops

Workshops are open by application to Harvard College undergraduates, graduate students, staff, and students from other institutions eligible for cross registration. Submission guidelines for workshops can be found under individual course listings; please do not query instructors.  Review all departmental rules and application instructions before applying.  

Fall 2024 First Application Deadline: 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, April 7

Fall 2024 Second Application Deadline: 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, August 22 (Not all workshops will be reopen to applications. First-year students, incoming transfer students, and incoming graduate students - who could not participate in April registration processes - will be given priority during the August application review cycle. Returning students who did not submit workshop applications in April may apply in August. Students who applied in April and were not offered a seat in a workshop will automatically be reconsidered and need not submit a new application.) Spring 2025 Application Deadline: October-November 2024, TBA

Please visit our course listings for all the Fall 2024 workshops.

Our online submission manager (link below) will open for Fall 2024 applications on Thursday, August 15 .  

Students who have questions about the creative writing workshop application process should contact Case Q. Kerns at [email protected] .

Featured Faculty

Teju Cole  is a novelist, critic, and essayist, and is the first Gore Vidal Professor of the Practice. "Among other works, the boundary-crossing author is known for his debut novel “Open City” (2011), whose early admirers included Harvard professor and New Yorker critic James Wood." 

Faculty Bookshelf

Sea change by jorie graham.

Dream Of The Unified Field by Jorie Graham (1997)

A Life Apart by Neel Mukherjee (2010)

See Now Then by Jamaica Kincaid (2013)

Creative Writing Workshops

• Spring 2024

English CACD. The Art of Criticism

Instructor: Maggie Doherty Wednesday, 12:00-2:45pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

This course will consider critical writing about art–literary, visual, cinematic, musical, etc.—as an art in its own right. We will read and discuss criticism from a wide variety of publications, paying attention to the ways outlets and audience shape critical work. The majority of our readings will be from the last few years and will include pieces by Joan Acocella, Andrea Long Chu, Jason Farago, and Carina del Valle Schorske. Students will write several short writing assignments (500-1000 words), including a straight review, during the first half of the semester and share them with peers. During the second half of the semester, each student will write and workshop a longer piece of criticism about a work of art or an artist of their choosing. Students will be expected to read and provide detailed feedback on the work of their peers. Students will revise their longer pieces based on workshop feedback and submit them for the final assignment of the class. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Thursday, August 22) Supplemental Application Information:  Please write a letter of introduction (1-2 pages) giving a sense of who you are, your writing experience, and your current goals for your writing. Please also describe your relationship to the art forms and/or genres you're interested in engaging in the course. You may also list any writers or publications whose criticism you enjoy reading. Please also include a 3-5-page writing sample of any kind of prose writing. This could be an academic paper or it could be creative fiction or nonfiction.

English CACW. Advanced Fiction Workshop

Instructor: Paul Yoon TBD | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Advanced fiction workshop for students who have already taken a workshop at Harvard or elsewhere. The goal of the class is to continue your journey as a writer. You will be responsible for participating in discussions on the assigned texts, the workshop, engaging with the work of your colleagues, and revising your work. Supplemental Application Information:   * Please note: previous creative writing workshop experience required. * Please submit ONLY a cover letter telling me your previous creative writing workshop experience, either at Harvard or elsewhere; then tell me something you are passionate about and something you want to be better at; and, lastly, tell me why of all classes you want to take this one this semester. Again, please no writing samples.

English CBBR. Intermediate Poetry: Workshop

Instructor:  Josh Bell   Monday, 12:00-2:45pm | Location: Barker 018 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

Initially, students can expect to read, discuss, and imitate the strategies of a wide range of poets writing in English; to investigate and reproduce prescribed forms and poetic structures; and to engage in writing exercises meant to expand the conception of what a poem is and can be. As the course progresses, reading assignments will be tailored on an individual basis, and an increasing amount of time will be spent in discussion of student work. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Thursday, August 22)

Supplemental Application Information:  Please submit a portfolio including a letter of interest, ten poems, and a list of classes (taken at Harvard or elsewhere) that seem to have bearing on your enterprise.

English CCEP. Ekphrastic Poetry: Workshop

Instructor: Tracy K. Smith Wednesday, 3:00-5:45 pm | Location: Lamont 401 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site What can a poem achieve when it contemplates or even emulates a work of art in another medium? In this workshop, we'll read and write poems that engage with other art forms--and we'll test out what a foray into another artistic practice allows us to carry back over into the formal methods and behaviors of poetry. With poems by Keats, Rilke, Auden, Hughes, and Brooks, as well as Kevin Young, Evie Shockley, Ama Codjoe and other contemporary voices. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26) Supplemental Application Information:  Please submit a writing sample of 5-10 poems and an application letter explaining your interest in this course.

English CCFC. Poetry Workshop: Form & Content

Instructor: Tracy K. Smith Tuesday, 12:00-2:45pm | Location: Sever 112 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

In this workshop, we’ll look closely at the craft-based choices poets make, and track the effects they have upon what we as readers are made to think and feel. How can implementing similar strategies better prepare us to engage the questions making up our own poetic material? We’ll also talk about content. What can poetry reveal about the ways our interior selves are shaped by public realities like race, class, sexuality, injustice and more? Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26)   

Supplemental Application Information:  Please submit a writing sample of 5-10 poems and an application letter explaining your interest in this course.

English CCIJ. Intermediate Fiction Workshop

Instructor: Jesse McCarthy Thursday, 3:00-5:45 pm | Location: Barker 269 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site This is an intermediate course in the art of writing literary fiction. Previous experience with workshopping writing is encouraged but not required. The emphasis of the course will be learning how to read literature as a writer, with special attention given to the short story, novella, or short novel. We will read these works from the perspective of the writer as craftsperson and of the critic seeking in good faith to understand and describe a new aesthetic experience. We will be concerned foremost with how literary language works, with describing the effects of different kinds of sentences, different uses of genre, tone, and other rhetorical strategies. Together, we will explore our responses to examples of literature from around the world and from all periods, as well as to the writing you will produce and share with the class. As a member of a writing community, you should be prepared to respectfully read and respond to the work of others—both the work of your peers and that of the published writers that we will explore together. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26) Supplemental Application Information:  This course is by application only but there are no prerequisites for this course and previous experience in a writing workshop is not required . In your application please submit a short letter explaining why you are interested in this class. You might tell me a bit about your relationship to literature, your encounter with a specific author, book, or even a scene or character from a story or novel. Please also include a writing sample of 2-5 pages (5 pages max!) of narrative prose fiction.

English CCFS. Fiction Workshop

Instructor: Teju Cole Spring 2024: Tuesday, 6:00-8:45pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site Spring 2025: TBD This reading and writing intensive workshop is for students who want to learn to write literary fiction. The goal of the course would be for each student to produce two polished short stories. Authors on the syllabus will probably include James Joyce, Eudora Welty, Toni Morrison, Alice Munro, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Diane Williams.

Supplemental Application Information:   Please submit a cover letter saying what you hope to get out of the workshop. In the cover letter, mention three works of fiction that matter to you and why. In addition, submit a 400–500 word sample of your fiction; the sample can be self-contained or a section of a longer work.

English CLPG. Art of Sportswriting

Instructor: Louisa Thomas Spring 2024: Tuesday, 9:00-11:45am | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site Spring 2025: TBD

In newsrooms, the sports section is sometimes referred to as the “toy department” -- frivolous and unserious, unlike the stuff of politics, business, and war. In this course, we will take the toys seriously. After all, for millions of people, sports and other so-called trivial pursuits (video games, chess, children’s games, and so on) are a source of endless fascination. For us, they will be a source of stories about human achievements and frustrations. These stories can involve economic, social, and political issues. They can draw upon history, statistics, psychology, and philosophy. They can be reported or ruminative, formally experimental or straightforward, richly descriptive or tense and spare. They can be fun. Over the course of the semester, students will read and discuss exemplary profiles, essays, articles, and blog posts, while also writing and discussing their own. While much (but not all) of the reading will come from the world of sports, no interest in or knowledge about sports is required; our focus will be on writing for a broad audience.  Supplemental Application Information:  To apply, please write a letter describing why you want to take the course and what you hope to get out of it. Include a few examples of websites or magazines you like to read, and tell me briefly about one pursuit -- football, chess, basketball, ballet, Othello, crosswords, soccer, whatever -- that interests you and why.

English CALR. Advanced Screenwriting: Workshop

Instructor: Musa Syeed Spring 2024: Wednesday, 12:00-2:45pm | Location: TBA Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site Spring 2025: TBD

The feature-length script is an opportunity to tell a story on a larger scale, and, therefore, requires additional preparation. In this class, we will move from writing a pitch, to a synopsis, to a treatment/outline, to the first 10 pages, to the first act of a feature screenplay. We will analyze produced scripts and discuss various elements of craft, including research, writing layered dialogue, world-building, creating an engaging cast of characters. As an advanced class, we will also look at ways both mainstream and independent films attempt to subvert genre and structure. Students will end the semester with a first act (20-30 pages) of their feature, an outline, and strategy to complete the full script.

Supplemental Application Information:  Please submit a 3-5 page writing sample. Screenplays are preferred, but fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, and plays are acceptable as well. Also, please write a short note to introduce yourself. Include a couple films/filmmakers that have inspired you, your goals for the class, as well as any themes/subject matter/ideas you might be interested in exploring in your writing for film.

English CNFR. Creative Nonfiction: Workshop

Instructor: Darcy Frey Fall 2024: Wednesday, 3:00-5:45 pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students. Course Site Spring 2025: TBD

Whether it takes the form of literary journalism, essay, memoir, or environmental writing, creative nonfiction is a powerful genre that allows writers to break free from the constraints commonly associated with nonfiction prose and reach for the breadth of thought and feeling usually accomplished only in fiction: the narration of a vivid story, the probing of a complex character, the argument of an idea, or the evocation of a place. Students will work on several short assignments to hone their mastery of the craft, then write a longer piece that will be workshopped in class and revised at the end of the term. We will take instruction and inspiration from published authors such as Joan Didion, James Baldwin, Ariel Levy, Alexander Chee, and Virginia Woolf. This is a workshop-style class intended for undergraduate and graduate students at all levels of experience. No previous experience in English Department courses is required. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm ET on Thursday, August 22)

Supplemental Application Information:   Please write a substantive letter of introduction describing who you are as writer at the moment and where you hope to take your writing; what experience you may have had with creative/literary nonfiction; what excites you about nonfiction in particular; and what you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Additionally, please submit 3-5 pages of creative/literary nonfiction (essay, memoir, narrative journalism, etc, but NOT academic writing) or, if you have not yet written much nonfiction, an equal number of pages of narrative fiction.

English CLAR. Getting the Words Right: The Art of Revision

Instructor: Laura van den Berg TBD | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students A promising draft is of little use to us as writers if we have no idea what to do next, of how to begin again. This course aims to illuminate how revision can be every bit as creative and exhilarating as getting the first draft down—and how time spent re-imagining our early drafts is the ultimate show of faith in our work. We will explore the art of revision—of realizing the promise of that first draft—through reading, craft discussion, exercises, and workshop. Students can expect to leave the semester with two polished short stories (or 40-50 polished novel pages), a keener understanding of their own writing process, and a plan for where to take their work next. Texts will include  How to Write an Autobiographical Novel  by Alexander Chee,  Refuse to by Done  by Matt Bell, and  Craft in the Real World  by Matthew Salesses. It will be helpful to enter into the semester with some pre-existing material that you wish to revise (a short story, several chapters of a novel). Previous experience with workshopping writing is encouraged but not required. Supplemental Application Information:   Please submit a brief letter—1-2 pages—that discusses your interest in the course and in writing more broadly. What are you interested in working on and learning more about, at this point in your practice? Please also submit a short—2-3 page—writing sample (the first 2 pages of a short story or novel, for example).

English CACF. Get Real: The Art of Community-Based Film

Instructor: Musa Syeed Wednesday, 12:00-2:45pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 student Course Site

“I’ve often noticed that we are not able to look at what we have in front of us,” the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami said, “unless it’s inside a frame.” For our communities confronting invisibility and erasure, there’s an urgent need for new frames. In this workshop, we’ll explore a community-engaged approach to documentary and fiction filmmaking, as we seek to see our world more deeply. We’ll begin with screenings, craft exercises, and discussions around authorship and social impact. Then we each will write, develop, and shoot a short film over the rest of the semester, building off of intentional community engagement. Students will end the class with written and recorded materials for a rough cut. Basic equipment and technical training will be provided.

Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Thursday, August 22)

Supplemental Application Information:  Please submit a brief letter explaining why you're interested to take this class. Please also discuss what participants/communities you might be interested in engaging with for your filmmaking projects. For your writing sample, please submit 3-5 pages of your creative work from any genre (screenwriting, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, etc.)

English CAFR. Advanced Fiction Workshop: Writing this Present Life

Instructor: Claire Messud Thursday, 3:00-5:45 pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site Intended for students with prior fiction-writing and workshop experience, this course will concentrate on structure, execution and revision. Exploring various strands of contemporary and recent literary fiction – writers such as Karl Ove Knausgaard, Rachel Cusk, Chimamanda Adichie, Douglas Stuart, Ocean Vuong, etc – we will consider how fiction works in our present moment, with emphasis on a craft perspective. Each student will present to the class a published fiction that has influenced them. The course is primarily focused on the discussion of original student work, with the aim of improving both writerly skills and critical analysis. Revision is an important component of this class: students will workshop two stories and a revision of one of these. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm ET on Thursday, August 22)

Supplemental Application Information:  Please submit 3-5 pages of prose fiction, along with a substantive letter of introduction. I’d like to know why you’re interested in the course; what experience you’ve had writing, both in previous workshops and independently; what your literary goals and ambitions are. Please tell me about some of your favorite narratives – fiction, non-fiction, film, etc: why they move you, and what you learn from them.

English CAKV. Fiction Workshop: Writing from the First-Person Point of View

Instructor:  Andrew Krivak Tuesday, 9:00-11:45 1m | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site This course is a workshop intended for students who are interested in writing longer form narratives from the first-person point of view. The “I” at the center of any novel poses a perspective that is all at once imaginatively powerful and narratively problematic, uniquely insightful and necessarily unreliable. We will read from roughly twelve novels written in the first-person, from Marilynne Robinson and W.G. Sebald, to Valeria Luiselli and Teju Cole, and ask questions (among others) of why this form, why this style? And, as a result, what is lost and what is realized in the telling? Primarily, however, students will write. Our goal will be to have a student’s work read and discussed twice in class during the semester. I am hoping to see at least 35-40 pages of a project —at any level of completion—at the end of term.  Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Thursday, August 22) Supplemental Application Information:  Please write a substantive letter telling me why you’re interested in taking this class, what writers (classical and contemporary) you admire and why, and if there’s a book you have read more than once, a movie you have seen more than once, a piece of music you listen to over and over, not because you have to but because you want to. Students of creative nonfiction are also welcome to apply.

English CCSS. Fiction Workshop: The Art of the Short Story

Instructor: Laura van den Berg Tuesday, 12:00-2:45 pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site This course will serve as an introduction to the fundamentals of writing fiction, with an emphasis on the contemporary short story. How can we set about creating “big” worlds in compact spaces? What unique doors can the form of the short story open? The initial weeks will focus on exploratory exercises and the study of published short stories and craft essays. Later, student work will become the primary text as the focus shifts to workshop discussion. Authors on the syllabus will likely include Ted Chiang, Lauren Groff, Carmen Maria Machado, and Octavia Butler. This workshop welcomes writers of all levels of experience. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Thursday, August 22) Supplemental Application Information:  Please submit a letter of introduction. I’d like to know a little about why you are drawn to studying fiction; what you hope to get out of the workshop and what you hope to contribute; and one thing you are passionate about outside writing / school. Please also include a very brief writing sample (2-3 pages). The sample can be in any genre (it does not have to be from a work of fiction). 

Write an Honors Creative Thesis

Students may apply to write a senior thesis or senior project in creative writing, although only English concentrators can be considered. Students submit applications in early March of their junior year, including first-term juniors who are out of phase. The creative writing faculty considers the proposal, along with the student's overall performance in creative writing and other English courses, and notifies students about its decision in early mid-late March. Those applications are due, this coming year, on TBA . 

Students applying for a creative writing thesis or project must have completed at least one course in creative writing at Harvard before they apply. No student is guaranteed acceptance. It is strongly suggested that students acquaint themselves with the requirements and guidelines well before the thesis application is due. The creative writing director must approve any exceptions to the requirements, which must be made in writing by Monday, February 7, 2022. Since the creative writing thesis and project are part of the English honors program, acceptance to write a creative thesis is conditional upon the student continuing to maintain a 3.40 concentration GPA. If a student’s concentration GPA drops below 3.40 after the spring of the junior year, the student may not be permitted to continue in the honors program.

Joint concentrators may apply to write creative theses, but we suggest students discuss the feasibility of the project well before applications are due. Not all departments are open to joint creative theses.

Students who have questions about the creative writing thesis should contact the program’s Director, Sam Marks .

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Best Creative Writing colleges in the U.S. 2024

Creative writing is about artistically sharing emotions, thoughts, and opinions on a subject; not just relaying information. Courses include American literature, editing and proofing, fundamentals of writing, world literature, Shakespeare, screenwriting fundamentals, fiction fundamentals, writing nonfiction, and poetry writing. Creative writing covers both nonfiction and fiction, but the predominant types of creative writing are poetry and fiction, which includes novels, short stories, novellas, and flash fiction. Playwriting, screenwriting, journaling, and memoirs are other typical forms.

Students will learn how to use written language to communicate more clearly in their professional and personal lives and move beyond proficient mechanics to writing craftily in an attempt to evoke emotions and express points of view. Careers for creative writers?outside of being a creative writer?include blogger, journalist, composition teacher, copywriter, scriptwriter, and novelist. Creative writers must understand the importance of deadlines and have well-researched writing samples in order to move up the career ladder. The median annual wage of writers and authors was more than $50,000 in May 2010. Religious, professional, and civic industries employed the most writers followed by newspapers and book industries. Creative writers may also be freelance writers. Freelance writers are self-employed individuals who make a living selling their content to publishers. They may simultaneously work on multiple assignments for numerous companies depending on individual financial goals.

Best Creative Writing colleges in the U.S. for 2024

Brown University offers 3 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 48 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 38 Bachelor's degrees, and 10 Master's degrees.

Northwestern University offers 3 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 11 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 10 Master's degrees, and 1 Bachelor's degree.

Johns Hopkins University offers 4 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 80 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 47 Master's degrees, 29 Bachelor's degrees, and 4 Certificates.

University of Southern California offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 37 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 37 Bachelor's degrees.

University of Notre Dame offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 4 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 4 Master's degrees.

University of Virginia-Main Campus offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Master's degrees.

Columbia University in the City of New York offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 174 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 124 Master's degrees, and 50 Bachelor's degrees.

The University of Texas at Austin offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 100 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 81 Certificates, and 19 Master's degrees.

Cornell University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 7 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Master's degrees.

Vanderbilt University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Master's degrees.

Find local colleges with Creative Writing majors in the U.S.

List of all creative writing colleges in the u.s..

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Our MFA database includes essential information about low- and full-residency graduate creative writing programs in the United States and other English-speaking countries to help you decide where to apply.

Adelphi University

Poetry: Jan-Henry Gray, Maya Marshall Prose: Katherine Hill, René Steinke, Igor Webb

Albertus Magnus College

Poetry: Paul Robichaud Fiction: Sarah Harris Wallman Nonfiction: Eric Schoeck

Alma College

Poetry: Leslie Contreras Schwartz, Jim Daniels, Benjamin Garcia Fiction: Karen E. Bender, Shonda Buchanan, Dhonielle Clayton, S. Kirk Walsh Creative Nonfiction: Anna Clark, Matthew Gavin Frank, Donald Quist, Robert Vivian

American University

Poetry: Kyle Dargan, David Keplinger Fiction: Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Stephanie Grant, Patricia Park Nonfiction: Rachel Louise Snyder

Antioch University

Poetry: Victoria Chang Prose: Lisa Locascio

Arcadia University

Poetry: Genevieve Betts, Michelle Reale Fiction: Stephanie Feldman, Joshua Isard, Tracey Levine, Eric Smith Literature: Matthew Heitzman, Christopher Varlack, Elizabeth Vogel, Jo Ann Weiner

Poetry: Genevieve Betts, Michelle Reale Fiction: Stephanie Feldman, Joshua Isard, Tracey Levine, Eric Smith

Arizona State University

Poetry: Sally Ball, Natalie Diaz, Alberto Álvaro Ríos, Safiya Sinclair Fiction: Matt Bell, Jenny Irish, Tara Ison, Mitchell Jackson, T. M. McNally Creative Nonfiction: Sarah Viren

Ashland University

Poetry: Dexter Booth, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Adam Gellings, Tess Taylor, Vanessa Angélica Villareal Fiction: Kirstin Chen, Edan Lepucki, Sarah Monette, Nayomi Munaweera, Vi Khi Nao, Naomi J. Williams, Kyle Winkler Nonfiction: Cass Donish, Kate Hopper, Lauren Markham, Thomas Mira y Lopez, Lisa Nikolidakis, Terese Mailhot

Augsburg University

Poetry: Michael Kleber-Diggs Fiction: Stephan Eirik Clark, Lindsay Starck Nonfiction: Anika Fajardo  Playwriting: Carson Kreitzer, TyLie Shider, Sarah Myers Screenwriting: Stephan Eirik Clark, Andy Froemke

Ball State University

Poetry: Katy Didden, Mark Neely Fiction: Cathy Day, Sean Lovelace Nonfiction: Jill Christman, Silas Hansen Screenwriting: Rani Deighe Crowe, Matt Mullins

Bard College

Jess Arndt, Shiv Kotecha, Mirene Arsanios, Hannah Black, Trisha Low, Christoper Perez, Julian Talamantez Brolaski, Simone White

Bath Spa University

Poetry: Lucy English, Tim Liardet, John Strachan, Samantha Walton, Gerard Woodward Fiction: Gavin James Bower, Celia Brayfield, Alexia Casale, Anne-Marie Crowhurst, Lucy English, Nathan Filer, Aminatta Forna, Samantha Harvey, Philip Hensher, Steve Hollyman, Emma Hooper, Claire Kendal, Natasha Pulley, Kate Pullinger, C.J. Skuse, Gerard Woodward Nonfiction: Celia Brayfield, Lily Dunn, Richard Kerridge Scriptwriting: Robin Mukherjee

Poetry: Lucy English, Tim Liardet, Gerard Woodward Fiction: Gavin James Bower, Celia Brayfield, Anne-Marie Crowhurst, Nathan Filer, Aminatta Forna, Samantha Harvey, Philip Hensher, Claire Kendal, Natasha Pulley, Kate Pullinger, Gerard Woodward Nonfiction: Lily Dunn, Richard Kerridge

Bay Path University

Mel Allen, Leanna James Blackwell, Jennifer Baker, Melanie Brooks, María Luisa Arroyo Cruzado, Shahnaz Habib, Susan Ito, Karol Jackowski, Yi Shun Lai, Anna Mantzaris, Meredith O’Brien, Mick Powell, Suzanne Strempek Shea, Tommy Shea, Kate Whouley

Bennington Writing Seminars at Bennington College

Poetry: Jennifer Chang, Michael Dumanis, Randall Mann, Craig Morgan Teicher, Mark Wunderlich Fiction: Peter Cameron, Jai Chakrabarti, Stacey D’Erasmo, Monica Ferrell, Rebecca Makkai, Stuart Nadler, Téa Obreht, Moriel Rothman-Zecher, Katy Simpson Smith, Taymour Soomro Nonfiction: Garrard Conley, Sabrina Orah Mark, Spencer Reece, Lance Richardson, Shawna Kay Rodenberg, Hugh Ryan, Greg Wrenn

Binghamton University

Poetry: Tina Chang, Joseph Weil Fiction: Amir Ahmdi Arian, Thomas Glave, Leslie L. Heywood, Claire Luchette, Liz Rosenberg, Jaimee Wriston-Colbert, Alexi Zentner Nonfiction: Amir Ahmdi Arian, Leslie L. Heywood

Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University

Poetry: Julie Hensley, Young Smith Fiction: Julie Hensley, Robert Dean Johnson Nonfiction: Robert Dean Johnson, Evan J. Massey Playwriting: Young Smith

Boise State University

Poetry: Martin Corless-Smith, Sara Nicholson, Taryn Schwilling Fiction: Mitch Wieland (Director), Anna Caritj Creative Nonfiction: Chris Violet Eaton, Clyde Moneyhun

Boston University

Poetry: Andrea Cohen, Karl Kirchwey, Robert Pinsky Fiction: Leslie Epstein, Jennifer Haigh, Ha Jin

Boston University—MFA in Literary Translation

Odile Cazenave, Yuri Corrigan, Margaret Litvin, Christopher Maurer, Roberta Micaleff, Robert Pinsky (advising), Stephen Scully, Sassan Tabatabai, J. Keith Vincent, William Waters, Dennis Wuerthner, Cathy Yeh, Anna Zielinska-Elliott

Bowling Green State University

Poetry: Abigail Cloud, Amorak Huey, Sharona Muir, F. Dan Rzicznek, Larissa Szporluk, Jessica Zinz-Cheresnick Fiction: Joe Celizic, Lawrence Coates, Reema Rajbanshi, Michael Schulz

Brigham Young University

Poetry: Kimberly Johnson, Lance Larsen, Michael Lavers, John Talbot Fiction: Chris Crowe, Ann Dee Ellis, Spencer Hyde, Stephen Tuttle Nonfiction: Joey Franklin, Patrick Madden

Brooklyn College

Poetry: Julie Agoos, Ben Lerner Fiction: Joshua Henkin, Madeleine Thien Playwriting: Dennis A. Allen II, Elana Greenfield

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Creative Writing Courses in US

Get ready to change your future when you decide to study Creative Writing in United States.

People who have studied abroad said it not only improved their confidence but also gave them a better understanding of their cultural values and taught them worthwhile skills that influenced their future career.

When you decide to study in United States, you can access universities that rank highly in Creative Writing, improving your job prospects. You also get the opportunity to stay back in United States once you’ve graduated with a post-study work visa. There are plenty of universities on offer. Choose from 106 institutions and 13764 courses.

The time is now to study abroad. It’s worth it, we promise.

Top 10 Creative Writing universities in United States

• Sacred Heart University
• Texas State University
• Trine University
• Texas Wesleyan University
• Westcliff University
• Kent State University
• University at Albany
• University of Colorado Denver
• California Lutheran University
• Miami University

Creative Writing fees in United States

Tution fees will make up a large chunk of your costs. These will vary depending on which university you decide to study at, so do make sure you check with the institution.

There are also plenty of options to help cover the costs, such as scholarships. These can cover some or all tuition fees and other living expenses.

In general, you can expect tuition fees to range from:

• Minimum fees in Creative Writing in United States - £7,585
• Maximum fees Creative Writing in United States - £44,753

Student’s visa cost for studying Creative Writing in United States

You need a student visa to study in United States. Please see the table below for how much you will need to pay for the application and other potential costs.

Studying Creative Writing in United States eligibility criteria

When applying to study abroad in any country, the documents you need tend to be pretty similar.

Some will vary depending on the institution, but we’ve outlined below the core documents you’ll need to make your application.

• Academic transcripts
• Application form
• Letter of recommendation
• English language proficiency test scores
• Statement of purpose
• Admissions test results

Post-study work permit after completing Creative Writing qualification in United States

You’ll be pleased to know that once you’ve completed Creative Writing qualification in United States you’ll be eligible to stay back and see work!

This is an excellent opportunity to put your degree to good use and begin your career. See the table below for how long you get to stay:

Top Creative Writing Courses in the United States

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Is a Creative Writing degree hard in the United States?

Is it worth going to university in the united states for creative writing, why you choose united states rather than india to study creative writing, what do you need to study creative writing in the united states.

This can vary depending on the intuition, so ensure that you check. However, in general, you will need the following: 

• Statement of purpose 
• Admissions test results 
• Undergraduate Creative Writing
• Postgraduate Creative Writing

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List of All U.S. Colleges with a Creative Writing Major

Writing has been my passion practically since I learned to read in kindergarten. I would write stories about princesses and my family dog, Gansett. When it came time to look at colleges, I was set on attending one with a strong creative writing program. Ultimately, I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars.

Today, colleges across the country offer creative writing as a major. Because writing skills are essential for a wide range of careers, and because most curricula emphasize broad liberal arts competencies, a degree in creative writing can set you up for success in numerous fields, whether you want to be an editor or a lawyer.

Interested in majoring in creative writing? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

Overview of the Creative Writing Major

Creative writing is about more than spinning tales. For your major, you’ll generally need to pursue a curriculum grounded in literature, history, foreign language, and other humanities courses, along with distribution courses, if the college requires them.

Most creative writing majors must participate in workshops, in which students present their work and listen to peer critiques, usually with a certain number of advanced courses in the mix. In some cases, colleges will ask you to specialize in a particular genre, such as fiction, poetry, or playwriting. 

To succeed in creative writing, you’ll need to have a tough spine, in order to open yourself up to feedback from your classmates and instructors. You may need to give readings in public — if not as an undergraduate, certainly during your career. Of course, a passion for creating is essential, too, as is a willingness to revise your work and learn from the greats and your peers.

A creative writing major opens up doors to many careers, including journalism, content marketing, copywriting, teaching, and others. Even careers that don’t center around writing often have a strong writing component: you’ll need to write reports, deliver presentations, and so on.

Some writers go on to earn an MFA, which will help you hone your craft. It’s also often a prerequisite for teaching creative writing at the college level.

What to Look for in a College as a Creative Writing Major

Published authors on faculty.

Many world-renowned authors have another claim to fame: professorships. Writers who have taught their craft include (among many others):

• Maya Angelou (Wake Forest University)
• Colson Whitehead (many colleges, including Vassar College and Columbia University)
• Stephen Dixon (Johns Hopkins University)
• Viet Thanh Nguyen (University of Southern California)
• Eula Biss (Northwestern University)
• Toni Morrison (Princeton University)

Be aware that as an undergraduate, you may not be able to learn from the greats. That’s why it’s important to look into which courses these faculty teach before you have dreams of being mentored by Salman Rushdie — who is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU.

Genres Offered

While many schools that have creative writing majors offer fiction and poetry courses and tracks, there are some niche genres that could be more difficult to find. If you’re interested in playwriting, for example, you won’t find that at every school. Before you decide on a program, be sure it includes the genres you’d like to explore further, whether that’s flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or something else.

Workshopping Opportunities

The core of most quality creative writing curriculum is workshopping. This means sharing your work in your classes and listening to your peers discuss and critique it. While this may sound intimidating, it can do a lot to help you hone your work and become a better writer. Look for colleges that make this the bedrock of their curriculum.

Showcasing Opportunities

Are there opportunities to present your work, such as college-sponsored readings where undergraduates can participate? Or, perhaps the school has a great literary journal. At my school, students could submit their plays and have them performed by fellow students. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Creative Writing Major

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

No matter what major you’re considering, the first step is ensuring you’re academically comparable to students who were previously accepted to the college or university. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who aren’t up to their standards.

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with the school and specific major with the qualitative components of your application, like your extracurriculars and essays. For a prospective creative writing major, the essay is particularly important because this is a way to demonstrate your writing prowess. Activities might include editing your school’s newspaper or literary journal, publishing your work, and participating in pre-college writing workshops.

Want to know your chances of being accepted to top creative writing schools? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes your individual profile into account, including academic stats and qualitative components like your activities. Give it a try and get a jumpstart on your journey as a creative writing major!

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The Creative Writing Program

The PhD in English Literature with Creative Dissertation at the University of Georgia is for writers who wish to advance their expertise and sophistication as scholars. Our students are accomplished poets, fiction writers, essayists, translators, and interdisciplinary artists who are ready to move beyond the studio focus of the MFA to a more intensive program of literary study. Over the course of the five-year program our students develop research specialties that complement their writing practice and prepare them professionally for a teaching career at the university or college level.

Our creative writing faculty are nationally and internationally recognized writers and translators with academic specializations in a variety of literary and theoretical fields, including Genre Theory, Poetics, Global Literature, Native American Literature, African American Literature, Postcolonial Literature, and Translation Studies. Our program fosters serious conversations among our students about aesthetics and criticism, experience and culture, and politics and history—not only in the classroom but through public readings and lectures. Our faculty and students play an active role in the cultural life of Athens, both as artists and organizers.

Program Overview

During the first two years of study our Ph.D. candidates select from course offerings in the English Department, seminars that signal both our faculty’s recognition of intellectual and disciplinary change and our abiding commitment to traditional literary history. Each student takes at least one Creative Writing course a year in addition to courses in various literary specialties. A list of our department’s recent graduate course offerings can be found here .  Prior to beginning their third year, students prepare reading lists for comprehensive exams in three academic research fields of their choosing. Every CWP student chooses “Forms and Craft” as one of their exam areas. This reading list serves as a research field unique to each writer’s approach to their particular genre. Some of the “Forms and Craft” lists designed recently by CWP students include, “The Midwestern Novel”; “Occult and Visionary Poetics”; “History of Surrealism”; “Monstrosity in Epic Poetry”; and “Literary Translation: Theory and Practice.” The two other exam fields should complement and expand the student’s areas of expertise beyond craft in order to broaden their historical and theoretical understanding of literature. In recent years, CWP students have elected to take exams in fields such as, “A Global History of the Novel,” ”Modernism and the Historical Avant-Garde,” “Aesthetic Theory,” ”African American Literature,” “Latinx Literature,” “Ecopoetics,” “The Southern Novel,” “Lyric Theory,” and “Science Fiction.”

Typically the exam committee is headed by a member of the creative writing faculty and two other professors from the department at large, experts in the respective exam areas. During the third year students read in preparation for written and oral exams. Each written exam takes the form of a twenty-page written exhibit in which the student answers a directive question formulated in conjunction with the exam area’s director. This exhibit should demonstrate the student’s grasp of the field as a whole and serves as a demonstration of their ability to teach in this area at the undergraduate level. Once the student has passed written exams, they are admitted to an oral exam overseen by the exam committee as a whole. Once the student passes both oral and written exams, they are admitted officially to candidacy for the PhD and begin working on their dissertation.

During their fourth and fifth years CWP students complete a creative dissertation with a critical introduction. The dissertation typically is a full-length work in a single genre—a work of fiction, creative non-fiction, or poetry. The introduction is the author’s scholarly address to their audience. In the past students have used the introduction as a scholarly analysis of the state of the genre, a critical meditation on process informed by literary history, or a theoretical tracing of literary influence.

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Home > Learn More About Creative writing > Top 15+ Creative Writing Course in USA: 2024 [Updated]

Top 15+ Creative Writing Course in USA: 2024 [Updated]

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In this blog, we will be talking about what Creative Writing Course in USA is, its type as well as the institutes that provide Creative Writing course. A Creative Writing Course will give you expert guidance in sharpening your artistic talents.

Now let’s go through the

Top 10 Creative Writing Course in USA,

1. Henry Harvin

About the course, content writing courses with gold membership.

45-min online masterclass with skill certification on completion

Mentored By Chetan Bhagat

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Upcoming Batches of Creative Writing Courses :-

Duration: 16hrs Live Online Classroom Training

Content Writing Course with Gold Membership

Upcoming Batches of Content Writing Course:-

Trainer: Passionate writers with 10+years of experience

Live Projects:  Experience Industry Projects

Internship: You will get to work with Henry Harvin or partner firms

Job Opportunities: Job Opportunities every week 

Benefits of the course

1. UNDERSTAND

Here you will understand the principles of creative writing.

Here you will become a creative writing enthusiast and learn to apply the basic rules and conventions to their creative writing.

3. DEMONSTRATE

You will be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of pieces of literature.

You can apply the principles of creative writing to pen down poems, stories, blogs, or essays.

You will master the universal foundation that helps in writing great fiction.

Why choose Henry Harvin’s Creative Writing Course?

Ranking: Ranked No.1 Writing Course by Trainings360

Employment Support: Live Projects + Internship + Weekly Job Support

Certification: Get Certified Creative Writer certification from Henry Harvin Education with affiliations from the American Association of EFL, UK Cert, UKAF, Content Writing Association in India, MSME & Govt of India

Who Can Attend?

• Digital Marketers / Business Development professionals
• Existing entrepreneurs/business owners
• Professors / Teachers / Trainers
• Bloggers / Content Writers
• Housewives / Retired / Unemployed individuals
• Aspiring entrepreneurs
• Professionals / Corporates

Also Henry Harvin Provides These Courses

Content Writing Course: Content writers endeavors to elevate their writing performance by upgrading their skills. You can learn pinpoints of content writing after completion of this course. Henry Harvin provides assistance in content writing courses to reach the paradise of your career. You can learn a myriad of writing styles after completing the course. You can improve your grammatical segment as well as lexis to make your writing magnificent. Instructors can guide you through experiential teaching and learning. Moreover, it elevates your propensity towards writing.

Content writing is the core segment of marketing and entices readers to promulgate your brand. You can accumulate web traffic after a fascinating write-up. Henry Harvin encourages you to write in different ways.

Research Writing Course: Research writing is an elucidation of the problems. It includes ascertaining the problems, formulating a research plan. Subsequently, research writers have to gather information based upon evidence. They have to make possible explanations that are known as hypotheses. When hypotheses are experimentally verified, it transforms into theories. Moreover, research writers reach a conclusion. Theories are always based on logic.

Henry Harvin teaches the fine art of research writing to convert complex write-ups into simple and well-structured for target audiences. Research writing comprises three phases namely, the planning phase, the research phase, and eventually the presentation phase. They proffer the experiential learning process of this course.

Technical Writing Course: Technical writing highlights the factors that ascertain the level of technicality of the language and concepts. Technical writing is essential to communicate information acquired through a process of technical or experimental work. Moreover, it develops technical writing prowess to pen down your technical terms into more simple ones that can be understood.

Henry Harvin helps you in writing different technical reports, for instance, laboratory reports, research reports, design and feasibility reports, progress reports, consulting reports, etc. It provides a practical platform to explore more in technical writing. Moreover, an industry-experienced instructor will give you proper guidance to become proficient in technical writing.

Check Henry Harvin Other Courses

• Technical Writing Course
• Content Writing Course
• Medical Writing Course

Henry Harvin Provide Creative Writing courses in these Cities

Mumbai ,  Hyderabad ,  Indore ,  Jaipur ,  Chennai ,  Delhi ,  Noida

Henry Harvin Creative Writing Course Ranks #1 in India by  India Today ,  The Statesman

2.  Northwestern University

Northwestern is an elite private university built in Evanston, Illinois in the Chicago Area. It is a mid-size institution with a registration of 8,161 undergraduate students.

There is extreme competition for admission as the Northwestern acceptance rate is only 8%. Most recognized majors include Economics, Psychology, and Journalism. Graduating 95% of pupils, Northwestern alumni go on to receive a starting salary of $58,900.

Northwestern University is a privately owned 4-year research institution in the Chicagoland area. Northwestern has accommodation of 12 colleges and schools and is prominent for its Medill School of Journalism, Kellogg School of Management, and Bienen School of Music.

Added to these academic facilities, the NU campus features the Dearborn Observatory and Shakespeare Garden. To escape the rigors of academia, NU’s location in the town of Evanston provides access to recreational facilities too like coffee shops, theatres, and the city of Chicago.

3. Dartmouth College

Dartmouth is an A-list private college located in Hanover, New Hampshire. It is a small institution with 4,357 undergraduate students.

The competition for admission is extremely high as the Dartmouth acceptance rate is only 9%. Well known majors comprise of Economics, Political Science and Government, and Computer Science. Graduating 95% of students, Dartmouth alumni go on to earn a great starting salary.

4. Emory University

Emory University, situated in Atlanta, Georgia  is a liberal arts institution, with another campus in the Oxford. The campus is stretched over a vast land of 600 acre in the Druid Hills neighbourhood has four undergraduate and seven graduate colleges.

The University has over a dozen research centers and facilities that give more than half of Emory undergraduates with research opportunities. The Atlanta campus provide Bachelors of both arts, and sciences, BSNs and BBAs, while the Oxford College campus provides associates of arts, altogether providing more than 70 majors and 50 minors.

With a campus situated only three miles away from downtown Atlanta, students can use the 2,000 internship possible  opportunities in the city or supplement their horizons through the 135 study abroad programs initiatives outside of it.

Emory University presents sustainability measures all over campus as well as within the classroom, including sustainability courses in 61% of its departments.

5. Oberlin College

There are a number of educational resources on campus, that comprises of the Allen Memorial Art Museum’s always free of cost events and exhibits, the Center for Innovation & Impact, and also a performing arts coffeehouse popularly called The Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse.

Oberlin is historically progressive college and its Memorial Arch on campus has been cited a site for activism, as well as protest, for several years.

6. Brandeis University

Brandeis University is a private, non-sectarian institution set-up by the Jewish community and named after the Supreme Court’s first Jewish justice. The 235-acre campus is settled in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, and home to more than 100 academic and residential buildings.

As a much appreciated and recognised research university, Brandeis’ motto of “Truth, Even Unto Its Innermost Parts” is upheld in the number of centers and institutes dotting its campus. Which they have also made it a preference to include undergraduate students.

In its 13 th year, Brandeis received Phi Beta Kappa recognition, making a history for being the youngest university to do so, and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management has a combination of social welfare and policy making it the first school in the US to do so.

7. Hamilton College

Hamilton college is well known 4-year liberal arts college located in central New York, named for Alexander Hamilton and founded in 1812. Hamilton confers undergraduate degrees in around 43 academic concentrations and features an open curriculum policy.

To provide space for students interested in the fine and performing arts, Hamilton has provided access to the Kennedy Center for Theatre and the Studio Arts. Hamilton holds an annual sprint triathlon every spring known as Ham Trek for interested student-athletes.

8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT is a private college located in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the Boston Area. It is a small institution with a registration of 4,557 undergraduate students.

There is extremely high competition as the MIT acceptance rate is only 7%. Well-liked majors comprise Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Mathematics. Graduating 94% of students, MIT alumni go on to receive an average  starting salary of $82,200.

9. Brown University

Most desired majors compromise Computer Science, Economics, and Biology. Graduating 95% of students, Brown alumni go on to receive a starting salary of at least $52,500.

10. Columbia University

This place is distinct from any other. Where a renowned Core Curriculum is powered by an incredibly diverse community.

Columbia University is a privately owned research university situated in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It was founded in 1754. The urban Ivy League campus has accommodation of 17 libraries and 20 schools, which offer over 350 majors, as well as the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the largest cathedral worldwide.

6,000 undergraduate students from all around the 50 states and more than 100 countries with different diversities find a favoured place in the residential campus in Morningside Heights: your corner of New York City.

Undergraduates in the college can select from about 100 areas of study and boost their classroom conversations through research at 200+ research centers and institutes.

Columbia education will be the foundation base for a lifetime of learning, collaboration, and the unending pursuit of truth and understanding.

As the birthplace of FM radio and the very first literary magazine in the nation, this university has a well desired Journalism School, and houses the records of winning Pulitzer Prize entries in journalism dating to the present goes back to the early 1917.

11. Harvard University

Harvard University offers various creative writing course in USA to its undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and cross-registrable students from other universities. Each program has a capacity of 12 participants. Moreover, the best creative writing classes are offered during the fall or spring. Students must apply to the course of their choosing before the application deadline. Undergraduates have the option to participate in both workshop and seminar formats for their Creative Writing Course in USA. Students write inventive works of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction to practice and hone their critical thinking skills.

12. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

The university offers undergraduate students minor in creative writing courses in USA. Over thirty departments on campus provide a variety of approved courses for students to choose from. To complete the course, students must select three creative writing courses and two academic courses from any department. Students must declare their minor by the end of the term preceding their anticipated graduation term.

Students can select beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes based on their preferences. The application date for Spring 2023 is on November. 

13. Stanford University

The Creative Writing program at Stanford is among the top in the nation. It offers workshop-based and independent tutoring for its creative writing major and minor courses. The English major comprises fourteen courses, eight of which are English classes and six of which are creative writing classes. The minor consists of six courses, and students must pick between prose, poetry, and fiction. Stanford also offers the best online creative writing course.

They provide creative writing course in USA in various genres, such as fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, etc. Students are required to apply to enrol in one of the many available courses. All majors and minors can enrol in the best online creative writing course.

14. University of Chicago

The University of Chicago offers a creative writing concentration. There are three primary genres: fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Furthermore, the curriculum includes many courses, advanced workshops, technical seminars, and a thesis. 

Students must declare their major at the end of the third year’s Autumn quarter.

The undergraduate curriculum combines workshops and seminars in creative writing course in USA. Students create imaginative works of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction for the purpose of critical critique. Additionally, the university offers the best creative writing classes. Students may follow either a single genre or a combination of two genres (Poetry, Fiction, or Nonfiction).

15. New York University (NYU)

NYU is the premier institution for the study of literature and writing. NYU’s creative writing department, housed in a West 10th Street townhouse, welcomes students to participate in workshops, events, and other activities. NYU provides graduate students with an MFA in Creative Writing and a Creative Writing Minor for undergraduates.

 In addition to literary outreach activities, teaching opportunities, a reading series, seminars, contests, and summer programs in New York, Paris, and Florence, the program includes other components. 

The courses include poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, essay, memoir, travel writing, documentary writing, and theatre. For the creative writing course in USA, students must choose five courses.

What do you know about Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a way to express ideas and thoughts in an imaginative way, here you are free to express feelings and emotions in your writing style. There are three major creative writing genres: short story, narrative essay, and memoir.

Good writing is a craft, and the impact of a work of literature is dependent on the writer’s skill. And hence, a Creative writing course can help you become a more sound writer.

Creative Writing is the study and practice of new literary works. We all know writing has different purposes. Some of the writing forms inform, such as technical or academic. Some writing reports, however, exist to tell a story or signify an idea.

During this quarantine you can improve your writing skills with the help of creative writing course online , you can choose essay writing, grammar, business writing and more from top universities. You can learn to produce clear and effective written communications.

Creative writing has many forms and literature and poetry are the most well-known form of creative writing.

Why choose Creative Writing?

A career in writing is a difficult thing to look up to, so while choosing this path many questions may arise in your subconsciousness. The questions like

• what will you get to learn during this course
• the potential careers that you can choose

If you are innovative, have a good command of English, and are able to make connections then you are perfect for the job. You can opt for novel writing, poetry or any other form of creative writing to gain more knowledge about this area.

The creative writing course or degree will allow you to analyze the existing literature works and use this as your reference for your own creative works.

If you are a person who like creating original works like, stories, poems or a blog then Creative Writing may be right up your street.

The skills that you will learn while studying Creative Writing in any of the top institutes can make you highly employable in areas like:

• Creative Industries
• PR & Marketing
• Social Media

Some examples of creative writing

• Short Story
• Movie Script

Why Creative Writing is Important?

Creative Writing can help you in building a career, but studying creative writing can engross you with a range of other fields. Character development and other writing practices can help you think in new ways.

You can focus on and build communication skills by learning creative non-fiction. Even the short story can guide you on how to make an excellent point.

Looking beyond these skills, creativity is also a critical part of the human experience. You need to develop your empathy and expand your horizons with a creative discipline and see what it can do for you.

Studying creative writing can help you with a variety of other fields. Like earlier said, non-fiction writing can help you to focus on and build communication skills and short story can teach you how to make an excellent point.

Writing could help with your mental health and overall well-being. It will teach you empathy. Creative writers are often innovative individuals, they have the ability to make connections where other people wouldn’t.

You can improve your skills with free creative writing course online in essay writing, grammar, business writing and more from top universities. You will learn how to improve your creative writing process to produce clear and effective written communications.

Elements of Creative Writing?

• Unique Plot
• Character Development
• POV (Point Of View)
• Emotional Appeal
• Imaginative Language
• Visual Description

Recommended Read-  

Why Henry Harvin Content Writing Course

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  creative writing course in navi mumbai  ,   9 best creative writing course in kolkata  ,   best creative writing course in bangalore,   creative writing course in guwahati.

As a software engineer what skills should I pursue to be successful in 2020?

What are the trending software technologies in 2020? What opportunities should I explore?

Is there any certification that I should go for, to boost my software engineering career?

If you have any of the above questions, most likely you are a software engineer or an aspiring software engineer. Software Engineering is one of the most sought after careers. Most of the professionals get attracted to it because of its handsome remuneration. However, software engineering being a very dynamic field, needs its professionals to keep themselves constantly updated with changing tools and technologies. This is precisely the reason, some professionals are most sought after in this industry and some are not. Keeping track of all such changes and pursuing all of them as they change is impossible. 

Here we list out top 10 skills required for software engineers to be successful in this year.

1. Data Science Skills

Data Science is a multidimensional field that wields,

Business acumen 

Scientific methods

Data Science uses these components for the extraction of information. Moreover, it discerns from structured and unstructured data and executes cognition and practicable insights from data.

Henry Harvin’s Data Science Course provides you hands-on experience and training in Data Science. Henry Harvin offers 40-hours training and free brush-up sessions. Henry Harvin gives a chance to experience industry projects.

RPA Course is Robotic process automation t hat emerges as a prime technology for reorganizing business processes. It helps IT professionals to expedite the novice  RPA tools and practices. It is a software development that curtails the efforts of humans by making a wield of Artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Henry Harvin gives you the tips to execute RPA solutions in your organization. Henry Harvin, upgrade your RPA prowess by complete prop up and interactive sessions.

Expert trainers of Henry Harvin show you the facets of RPA and provide internship programs for exposure to the leading industry. 

1. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) are the buzzwords in the market. The hype is justified, given its possibilities and applications. It is still in its nascent stage, yet, has shown promise and students with a degree in AI and ML are hired at a very handsome package.

AI and ML opens up possibilities not only for greater remunerations but also the satisfaction of building something unique. There have been some amazing implementations using this. Your software engineer skills will get thoroughly tested and challenged to bring out unique solutions to the problem at hand. 

An AI and ML professional is widely respected in the software engineer community for his/her software developer skills. There are many online courses, distance learning opportunities, and on campus curriculum providing AI and ML related courses.

2. Cloud Computing Literacy

Software engineer skills, like staying open to fresh things, adoption of distinct software languages, tools and techniques go a long way. The major cloud offerings are proprietary and thus get governed by their own set of tools and methodologies. However, a generic idea of how things operate and expertise in at least one of such platforms open scope for one to work comfortably in most cloud environments. 

Training, courseware and certification are provided by respective cloud service providers. For Google Cloud you get certified by Google, For AWS(Amazon Web Services) you get certified from Amazon and for Azure you get certified by Microsoft.

3. Security Expertise

With an increase in solutions getting online, for wider availability and acceptance, most data which used to reside on stand-alone databases or servers, are now on the move over the internet. This not only increases accessibility, ease of use and convenience but also risks to that data during transit. 

Software and data security is a vast field. You can make an entire career out of it. There are a variety of fields of application, a multitude of tools to use and management processes. There are many certifications available for this field of software engineering. Your s oftware engineer skills are put to test in this field almost everyday due to evolution of threats very frequently.

Remuneration wise this skill is valuable as software security specialists are highly sought after professionals in the industry. With certifications like CEH, CISSP, ECSA, CISM etc the value increases even more.

4. Software Testing Basics

When I mention software testing basics as an in-demand skill, some who are familiar with the industry may disapprove. However, truth be told, earlier dedicated software testing roles are getting mutated into automation testing or into coders for maintaining existing software codes. 

Then why am I saying software testing is an essential skill? Because, since the dedicated tester roles are getting obliterated, every software developer has to be a tester besides his development profile. They have to understand software testing principles, techniques and methods to be effective in testing their own piece of code. They have to integrate testing as a quality assurance trait into their software developer skills.

In an organisation where they follow latest trends, processes for software development, they would not hire dedicated full-time testers; instead they will groom their engineers to develop software engineer skills which should definitely have a decent amount of software testing fundamentals covered.

5. Docker and Kubernetes

With the increase in usage of cloud based environments, a hunt for a convenient software shipping solution began. Docker was the answer. Docker allows all your configuration to be saved easily in images and shipped for further usage. Without the need of any major setups that span across multiple softwares or dependencies, one can directly start using the docker images. Not only convenience, docker also provides optimal usage of underlying hardware in your hosting environment. 

Kubernetes is the orchestration tool for Docker that significantly adds to the capabilities of Docker. With Kubernetes, Docker’s true potential of being a very dependable and convenient containerization solution can be exploited.

This is definitely one of the skills required for software engineers this year and many more years to come to be successful. Being a relatively new technology, this also has tremendous earning potential if one becomes an expert in using this platform.

DevOps includes a large Tool-chain to achieve the primary goal of enriching customer experience and reducing time to market all the while adding more quality to the software product. This is achieved by continuous integration of improvements on the live software. One can learn and be a master of some tools from the various aspects of Devops like Coding, Building, Testing, Packaging, Releasing, Configuring and Monitoring to add to the overall progress of the software. Getting familiar with this new mode of execution, all in the meantime adding to his/her software engineer skills will ensure the professional never goes out of demand.

7. Professional Networking

This is the age of collaboration, to leverage market opportunities and maximize profits. For example, you may have something excellent that addresses some important use case of the customer, but you may not have the means to reach out to the customer at their convenience or in a specific market. Here, you can find a suitable business partner and collaborate with them to use their solution or market presence to increase your business gains. In exchange, the partner can also gain some from your expertise, products, a share of your revenue and increase credibility in the market for future collaborations.

Not only business gains but also you can get lessons, best practices from peers in other companies to improve your competencies, processes and knowledge of new tools and technologies. The more you collaborate, more chances are there for your software developer skills to get exposure and recognition. If you are recognized in a professional circle, then chances of landing a desired job balloons up significantly.

This is one of the trending, and important skills required for software engineers in this era of professional interdependence.

With the increase in computer literacy, availability of mobile computing devices (including your mobile phone) to the masses, it becomes important for you to make your software as presentable as possible. There are few web frameworks that make lucid user interfaces that fit both on the Desktop Web and mobile Web with ease. Angular is at the forefront of such technologies. It becomes extremely important to have a neat, accurate, attractive and efficient website to stay relevant in this changing market. 

You can significantly boost your demand in the industry by including Angular expertise in your software developer skills list. Most companies adopting Angular are now looking for professionals adept in this technology. However, this technology being relatively new, has less practicing professionals. This has led to hiring such professionals at a higher pay package. It can definitely be considered as one of the skills required for software engineers in this year to be successful.

9. Internet of Things

The Internet of Things can be best imagined by taking the example of a smart home solution. Elaborating, it is the inter-operation of various electronic devices, primarily interfaced via sensors over a network to carry out intended functionalities; mostly driven and orchestrated remotely. 

A lot of technologies like machine learning, real-time analysis, commodity sensors and embedded systems go into achieving the complete use cases of IoT. Your software engineer skills will need to be innovative enough to fit useful code in smaller form factor hardware, limited bandwidth internet connection and adopt wireless technology protocols. If you are dealing with Realtime devices that have critical functionalities like medical implementations then you need to make them extra resilient to failure.

To be successful in this domain, in addition to your component, it is advisable to have an idea of the complete picture. This will help you grow into a solutions consultant role. As a solutions consultant, you will need to see use cases that others cannot and thus be successful in this field. Because of unavailability of common standard till now, we can say IOT still has a lot of scope to grow and open its wings. Solution consultants being some reference point, are in high demand in companies that provide IoT solutions.

10. Management and Certifications

One of the most underrated software engineer skills is to mature from being an individual technical contributor to handling higher roles by growing into a manager without a formal degree. With a lot of technologies changing overnight, it is important to adapt to such changes in your management style.  

Besides, new process certifications like Agile Certification and its derivatives you can rely on some old but industry proven certifications like Six Sigma that help you grow into a thorough management professional. Besides, your technical background, such management skills will add even more value to your profile and distinguish you over your peers.

Conclusion:

Software Engineer Skills being very dynamic because of the rate at which technology changes, by the time you go through this blog, it is possible that the technologies mentioned here have become obsolete. Still the takeaway from this blog should be to stay open to fresh things and keep upgrading your skills instead of taking this blog as a cornerstone of your career. 

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