2023 Best Online Creative Writing Degrees

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a large, private institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing & English. This BA program has four concentration options: (1) Fiction, (2) Nonfiction, (3) Poetry, and (4) Screenwriting. Each concentration requires 120 credits and can be completed in four years with a full-time schedule. This program focuses on teaching students about adaptability, creativity, persuasion, and social perceptiveness, encouraging graduates to pursue any writing career they desire. Some core courses in this program include Context of Writing: Writers/Publishing, The English Language, and Shakespeare. Graduates may go on to work as authors, editors, copywriters, and journalists.

At SNHU Online, students use Brightspace to access their online coursework, which is fully online and synchronous.

Liberty University (LU) is a private, Christian university with a Bachelor of Science in English and Writing - Creative Writing. This online degree requires 120 credit hours, which full-time students complete in three-and-a-half years on average. Overall, LU accepts 50% of its applicants, while 34% of students at LU graduate.

Canvas is the school's learning management system, which students use to complete their online coursework 100% online and on a schedule that meets their needs. This program explores the history of literature, including historical authors, as well as advanced grammar, technical writing, and critical thinking. The majority of credits go toward the core curriculum — including classes such as American Realism and Naturalism, Modern Grammar, and Composition and Literature — with each course being taught from a Christian perspective. Additional credits are required for the senior capstone project. Jobs for graduates may include a variety of roles, such as professional bloggers, writers, or editors.

Full Sail University (FS) is a large, private university that offers an online Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing requiring 120 credit hours. The program takes 27 months to complete with a full-time schedule. The curriculum focuses on exploring genres, researching publication methods, and honing the craft through portfolio courses and workshops. Some core classes in this major include Storytelling in the Entertainment & Media Industries, Literary Techniques and Story Development, and Developing New Worlds: Environment and Historical Research.

At FS, students receive a Launchbox, which includes a computer, Full Sail’s custom learning system, and professional software to finish their coursework, which is a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning styles.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public university that hosts an online Bachelor of Arts in English - Creative Writing. In order to graduate, students must complete 120 credit hours, which is typically done within four years. UCF's acceptance rate is 45%, with 72% of students graduating.

Online students at UCF use Canvas to complete their coursework, which is delivered online and in an asynchronous format. The curriculum guides students through aspects of writing, such as rhetoric, communication, and literary structure. While attending classes remotely, students examine works of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to assist students in composing their own pieces. There are a number of required courses, such as Creative Writing for English Majors, Theories and Techniques of Literature Study, and Theory and Practice of Creative Writing. Graduates may find employment as copywriters, journalists, and technical writers.

Regent University Online (RU) is a private, Christian institution that features an online Bachelor of Arts in English - Writing requiring a minimum of 120 credit hours. Typically, the completion time for this degree is around four years for full-time students. Of all the students that apply to RU, exactly half of the applicants are accepted into a program. Then, they have a 30% graduation rate.

At RU, students use Canvas as their learning platform, where courses are delivered fully online and asynchronously. The core curriculum for this program teaches students the most relevant forms of modern writing, such as media, web, fiction, and business — alongside a historical view of literature throughout Britain and the United States. Here are three examples of required courses: The Art of the Essay, Shakespeare, and Literature of the United States: Beginnings to the Civil War. Students must also complete an Advanced Independent Study. Graduates may find work in marketing, public relations, and commercial fiction, to name a few possibilities.