Master of Arts in Writing (M.A.)

The mission of the Master of Arts in Writing program is to make individuals more proficient writers in order to meet challenges in areas of creative writing, composition and rhetoric, and editing and publishing. Graduate students in the Master of Arts in Writing program learn to make sophisticated judgments regarding content, tone, style and diction of various forms of professional and creative writing; utilize technology for presentations, web pages, visual media and print documents; and learn professional procedures to prepare and submit manuscripts for publication.

The M.A. in Writing degree addresses three related areas of need: creative writing, composition and rhetoric, and editing and publishing. While all three areas can be viewed as distinct disciplines, this degree will link them by emphasizing some central principles of effective writing while allowing for intensive exploration of particular sub fields of writing. This program is specifically relevant for teachers, aspiring creative writers, and professional writers and researchers who want to gain or enhance their professional and/or creative writing credentials.

Program Goals and Student Learning Objectives

Goal 1 – Graduates will be able to demonstrate a mastery of advanced skills in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, editing and publishing, and / or digital composition.

1.1 Demonstrate the ability to make sophisticated authorial choices regarding clarity, style, diction, and form.

1.2 Demonstrate graduate-level skills in the craft of creative writing and / or explain theories and practices in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, editing and publishing, and / or digital composition.

1.3 Demonstrate graduate-level skills in the craft of creative writing and / or the ability to conduct and synthesize research, as appropriate.

1.4 Demonstrate the ability to critique and analyze their own writing.

Goal 2 - Graduates will be able to demonstrate that they are prepared to transfer and apply the enhanced writing skills they gained within the program to various creative, professional, and academic settings outside the program.

2.1 Demonstrate the ability to apply the skills they developed while in the MAW program in order to engage in various professional career options, pursue further graduate study, and / or sustain creative projects.

2.2 Demonstrate the ability to adhere professional procedures for preparing and submitting their written work for publication in creative, academic, technical, and / or corporate venues.

Graduate Applications

Applications for graduate study should be directed to the Office of Graduate Studies at Coastal Carolina University.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the Graduate Program, the applicant must meet or exceed the following criteria:

1. A completed application for graduate study at the University and an official transcript from each school or college previously attended.
2. At least two (2) letters of recommendation.
3. An “acceptable” rating awarded by the graduate committee to a 20-page writing sample.
4. A two-page statement of interest.

In addition, applicants must have one of the following two credentials:

1. A 3.3 GPA in 18 hours of writing-intensive undergraduate or graduate coursework in English or related discipline.
2. A 153 in the verbal reasoning portion of the GRE or a 4.0 in the Analytical Writing Test. (Test scores must be no older than 5 years at time of application.)

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Writing requires:

1. Successful completion of an approved program of study with a minimum of 33 graduate hours;
2. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) on all course work;
3. Completion of ENGL 699: Master’s Portfolio Workshop or ENGL 698: Thesis Research; and
4. Completion of all requirements for the degree during a six-year period.

Transfer Credits

With approval from the Graduate Director, a maximum of six (6) transfer credit hours may be applied to a student’s program of study. All transfer credit course work must have been completed with a minimum grade of B.