Creative Writing Certificate
Completing a creative writing certificate at Shippensburg University means becoming a better writer, exploring your imagination and working in small classes taught by published authors.
You will learn:
- How to harness the power of language, both to express your own creative vision and to meet the myriad needs of employers in the professional world
- To read more deeply and synthesize information from a variety of sources
- How to receive feedback to take your writing to the next level and provide criticism that is sincere and substantive
Core courses explore the fundamental elements of technical writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, everything from creating believable characters to the key components of an effective business leader. Extensive focus is placed on workshop, when student poems, stories, novel chapters and other endeavors are openly discussed and critiqued by the class.
Experience with creative writing can help you in these areas:
- Arts and education (poetry workshop, dramatic dialog, musical lyrics)
- Business (telling great stories, innovative thinking)
- Communication/journalism (creative nonfiction writing, collaborative critique, reviewing arts events)
- Criminal justice (compelling narrative, psychological insight, setting a scene)
- Humanities (historical fiction, character development, understanding human nature)
- Sciences (nature writing, science fiction, world building)
Some specific job titles include:
- Web content creator
- Copywriter
- Publishing assistant
- Advertising copywriter
- Grant writer
- Technical writer
- Corporate communications author
- Public relations specialist
- Social media manager
- Marketing coordinator
- Speech writer
- Proposal manager
In the classroom, you’ll work with award-winning published authors to shape your own creative and professional projects and share feedback with fellow writers. Outside the classroom, you’ll attend readings by nationally-recognized novelists and poets, take the stage at poetry slams, submit your writing to contests and conferences, publish your work to the school’s literary journal (The Reflector) or join the editorial board.
Our faculty include a New York Times best-selling author and a writer recently recognized as a Best American Poet. Combined, our core faculty have published over a dozen books. Our small size allows for intense individual attention.
Course Work for Creative Writing Certificate
Students not currently pursuing a baccalaureate degree may substitute any English literature, including ENGL 248/ENGL 250.
Shippensburg University provides educational learning experiences for interested adults on a part-time basis. Undergraduate courses for college credit are available for high school graduates or those who have achieved equivalency status as well as for students who have received a bachelor’s degree but are not interested in pursuing a master’s degree or certificate.
This non-degree status is for those who wish to add to their specific subject area knowledge, to review or improve certain skills, or to broaden their interests. Non-degree students will be scheduled after degree-seeking students to ensure space exists for regularly admitted students.
Non-degree students who wish to matriculate must apply through the regular admission process. All prerequisite course work requirements of degree-seeking students apply to non-degree students. A maximum of 30 credit hours earned in non-degree status may be credited toward an undergraduate degree. Non-degree students are required to meet the minimum academic standards outlined under Academic Policies and Procedures.
Individuals who apply for regular admission and are denied may not attend the university as a non-degree student.