Graduate Certificate in Writing

About

Spalding’s Graduate Certificate in Writing offers a full semester of intensive study taught by faculty of our low residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing, nationally recognized as a Top 10 program. In the certificate program, you’ll earn 15 hours of graduate academic credit and have the option to matriculate into Spalding’s MFA or MAW program. This way, you can earn a graduate certificate on the way to completing a master’s degree and for about the same costs as the master’s degree alone. Learn why serious writers choose to study at Spalding.

Writers can use their Spalding certificate studies to pursue their literary passion in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, writing for children & young adults, screenwriting, and playwriting. The certificate semester provides the time, focus and mentoring expertise that can make all the difference in a memoir, screenplay or other creative writing project. Students may also focus on teaching, earning a certificate that can help educators advance their careers.

Students complete a week-long residency on campus or virtually alongside MAW and MFA students. Virtual residencies, which offer the same immersive curriculum as students receive on campus, are taught live in real time by our outstanding MFA faculty. Residency is followed by an independent study course in which students write extensively and receive detailed feedback from an MFA faculty member. Students can travel abroad as part of their independent study. In 2025, our short-term study abroad takes us to Vietnam.

Virtual Business of Writing Seminars offer insights into editing, publishing and career options.

Our low-residency model makes graduate study possible for students with full-time jobs and substantial family commitments.

Features

A BA or BS is the minimum education requirement.

The certificate can be earned in six to nine months, depending on the student’s preferred pace of study.

We accept applications year-round. Early-placement application deadlines:

• March 1 to begin your studies in May with residency on campus
• April 1 to begin your studies in June with a virtual residency
• August 1 to begin your studies in November with residency on campus

Short-term study abroad is available each September.

We welcome veterans.

We are members of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, SCBWI and the Playwrights’ Center.

Spalding is the world’s first certified Compassionate University.

You can get to know our faculty and directors on our blog.

For more information, email schoolofwriting@spalding.edu.