Considering a Graduate Degree in Creative Writing?
Written by Katie Hay-Molopo
Think on these 5 things…
I finished undergrad thinking I’d never step foot in academia again. And I almost decided not to go to Edinburgh even after I’d been accepted into their Creative Writing MSc program. But if you ask me now if an advanced degree in Creative Writing is worth it, I’ll immediately answer that it was the perfect thing for me.
But is it the right thing for you? Here are five things to consider before pursuing a graduate degree in Creative Writing.
1. Consider the program
Graduate programs are different from undergrad in that the class offerings and faculty are more important than ever. Yes, find a university whose location, campus culture, and student opportunities suit you. But pay close attention to the program’s structure and content. What are the required and optional courses? Do they suit your interests and professional aspirations or allow you to explore and perhaps find your niche? Most universities will post current or sample class schedules on their degree pages to help prospective students get a feel for academic life. You’ll want to search up the faculty as well, as you’ll get to know your professors very well during your program. Check out their genre expertise, research interests, past publications, and current projects.
Every graduate program boasts something that sets them apart from others. See what sort of opportunities are available to students, such as industry networking or professional mentorship. The University of Edinburgh, for example, offered regular workshops by the Writer-in-Residence, who also hosted an annual publishing conference called The Business that Creative Writing MSc students got into for free. We gained key experience in independent publishing and editing by producing the From Arthur’s Seat anthology together—experience that eventually birthed Hillfire Press!
2. Consider the work
Although many people encouraged me to go straight into grad school after undergrad, I took a year off to work in campus ministry before even considering returning to school. Finding the “perfect” program will mean nothing if you’re not ready to be a student.
You don’t need to be a writing expert to enter a Creative Writing program. You don’t even need an undergraduate degree in a writing-related field; our program included students with degrees in computer science, linguistics, and geology! However, you will need a strong piece of original writing for your application’s writing sample. Be true to your style and voice, but try to get one to three trusted opinions on your work as well.
Creative Writing programs, as the name implies, are all about writing. And reading. And writing about reading and reading about writing. Seriously, this is what you’ll spend most of your time in and outside of class doing. It can be really fun and really exhausting; writing at your own leisure is different from writing under deadlines and expert scrutiny. I loved my course, but I still relished biking away from campus every day to play in the dirt with kids for a few hours (as an outdoor education assistant)!
Also, are you ready to share your writing? Submitting my first piece of writing for peer review in our weekly workshop was daunting. Over time, this process became my absolute favorite part of the program. Sharing doesn’t have to be familiar or comfortable, but you do need to be willing to do it. Learning how to give and receive constructive feedback is critical to your growth as a writer. It will teach you how to parse through criticism, when to accept suggestions and when to hold your ground. It’s also good preparation for the publishing process, as that usually involves beta readers, editors, agents, and publishers all giving you their opinion on your precious work.
3. Consider the cost
Unless you live in a place where continuing education is free, money is probably a big factor in your decision-making process. Financial barriers are real and grad school ain’t cheap. When a scholarship I was counting on fell through, I seriously considered refusing my offer from Edinburgh. If money’s weighing heavy on your mind, I encourage you to take a deep breath and explore your options. See if there are programs with grad assistantships or work-study to help with tuition costs. Many grad students, including myself, work part-time to cover living expenses or save up to pay off their student loans. Others choose to study part-time so they can continue working full-time.
Most full-time graduate programs are between one and three years, depending on the country and intensity of the course. This may mean setting other creative or professional pursuits aside for a time. For me, this time was a gift—permission to focus on honing my writing skills—and a test of my creative resilience. No matter what your writing regimen looks like now, a Creative Writing program will push your imagination, ego, and personal discipline to their limits.
4. Consider the connections
One of the arguments against an advanced degree in the arts is that you can probably do your thing without it. While it’s true that you could produce an international best seller with the right idea, agent, and publisher (as many have), the personal and professional connections you will make during your program are irreplaceable. Your diploma is important, but the people you meet just might change your life.
The written word has the capacity to put one’s heart on display for others to tenderly cradle, indifferently ignore, or maliciously rip to shreds. The trust that you build with your coursemates creates space for incredible mutual growth. The best writing peers will challenge you to be better, not only on the page but at the source—in the mind and heart. They will humble you, open your mind, and encourage you to be confident in your own creative voice. And they will hold you accountable to do the same for them!
Regardless of your professional endeavors after graduation, these connections can open doors you may have otherwise not even seen. Some of the people in your program will go on to win awards, publish books, and even start their own independent presses (*ahem*). They will become teachers and translators and PhDs and world travelers and spouses and web designers and entrepreneurs. You will have the capacity to open doors for and encourage one another. When I started freelancing, I reached out to one of my coursemates for advice on what sort of rates I should charge. In the age of Google, human experience still wins.
The Hillfire team is a perfect example of connections at work. As MSc students at the University of Edinburgh, we grew alongside one another, weathered a pandemic and multiple staff strikes, and produced From Arthur’s Seat, Vol. V. That laid a foundation that has allowed Hillfire Press and our diverse, global team to flourish. We celebrate one another’s accomplishments and push each other to become the best writers we can be.
5. Consider the dream
This is probably what brought you to this post in the first place. Maybe you dream of being a published author. An award-winning poet. Owning your own publishing business. Opening an independent bookshop. Joining a magazine or publishing house as an editor. Freelancing or ghostwriting. Maybe you just want to take a year or two for yourself and write, write, write.
Any time before I was twelve or so, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d say an author. I wrote a five “chapter book” mystery series based on myself and my best friend (which I hope to turn into a published middle grade series one day). I put about 300 pages’ worth of work into a fantasy novel I then scrapped and started over. I wrote some articles for my local paper. Somewhere along the way, I resigned myself to the reality that being a published author wasn’t going to happen.
Years later, a door opened for me to take a step of faith and be “serious” about my writing. Clicking “Submit” on that Creative Writing MSc application, and “Accept” subsequently, was scary. I had my reservations about finances. I was not confident in my writing compared with the people I imagined I’d be studying alongside. And a small part of me wondered if the time I’d dedicate to my writing would be worth it. But I did it.
I share all of this because going for an advanced degree in Creative Writing is personal. It’s an investment, a sacrifice, an undertaking rooted in a dream. Getting a Creative Writing MSc or MA or MFA might not make all your writing dreams come true—but it could be the next step in that process.
What do you think—go for an advanced degree or nix it? Did I miss something important prospective students should consider? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below!