creative writing major university of arizona

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University of Arizona BA in Creative Writing

Creative Writing is a concentration offered under the writing studies major at University of Arizona. We’ve gathered data and other essential information about the bachelor’s degree program in creative writing, such as diversity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more.

If there’s something special you’re looking for, you can use one of the links below to find it:

• Undergraduate Cost
• Online Learning
• Student Diversity

Featured Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

BA in Creative Writing & English

Develop your creativity and gain practical skills with a creative writing degree program –featuring 100% online classes – through a bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

How Much Does a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing from University of Arizona Cost?

University of arizona undergraduate tuition and fees.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, part-time undergraduate students at University of Arizona paid an average of $1,386 per credit hour if they came to the school from out-of-state. In-state students paid a discounted rate of $785 per credit hour. Information about average full-time undergraduate tuition and fees is shown in the table below.

Learn more about University of Arizona tuition and fees.

Does University of Arizona Offer an Online BA in Creative Writing?

Online degrees for the University of Arizona creative writing bachelor’s degree program are not available at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the University of Arizona Online Learning page.

University of Arizona Bachelor’s Student Diversity for Creative Writing

Male-to-female ratio.

About 61.0% of the students who received their BA in creative writing in 2019-2020 were women. This is less than the nationwide number of 72.8%.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

Around 33.9% of creative writing bachelor’s degree recipients at University of Arizona in 2019-2020 were awarded to racial-ethnic minorities*. This is higher than the nationwide number of 26%.

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies .

Popular Reports

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Q&A with Alumna Nataly Gruender: From Creative Writing Major to Published Author

Nataly Gruender

In 2020, amidst the pandemic, Nataly Gruender graduated with a double major in English and Creative Writing  in the Department of English and a minor in Classics. During her time as a student, she also served as an SBS Ambassador , representing and promoting the college. Presently, Nataly is employed as a Financials Associate at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC. She is also set to release her debut novel Medusa in summer 2024. This exciting publication will mark her entry into the world of literature, showcasing her creative talent and storytelling prowess.

What was your career path after graduation? What do you do at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret?

Before I graduated college, I had been accepted into the Columbia Publishing Program, a five-week summer course, in New York that was meant to fast-track me into the publishing industry. However, I graduated in the height of the pandemic, and so I deferred the Columbia course for a year and began working from home as a grant writer, writing for a company that assisted Native American tribes in Arizona by developing materials for them to apply for federal grants for infrastructure and business projects within their communities. 

Once I attended the Columbia course, online, I packed up and moved to New York with a plan to find a job in publishing as soon as I got there. Of course, the publishing industry is notoriously difficult to break into, even with my Columbia certificate, so my first job in New York was as a bookseller in a Barnes & Noble in Brooklyn. At the same time, I began working part-time as a data-entry assistant for the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. While that role only last a few months as I helped them transfer their backlog of contracts into an online system, that experience was actually what got my foot in the door at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. The system I had learned at the Morhaim Agency was the same system that DG&B used, and they hired me on as a financials assistant. 

At DG&B, my main role is processing advances and royalty payments for our authors. The agency has a dozen operating agents that each have a long list of clients, and I deal directly with every payment that comes in from domestic and foreign publishers. The day to day at my job can vary depending on whether we're in a high royalty season, as royalties are usually paid out twice a year by publishers, but the agents are making new deals year-round so there are always new projects. I've often been asked how I ended up with a numbers job after getting my English and creative writing degrees, but luckily the Excel spreadsheets do most of the calculating for me! The fact that my job is more data-driven means that I get to keep all my creative energy for my writing projects.

Can you tell me about your debut book Medusa? What inspired you to write this book?

The book titled MEDUSA actually started as my senior thesis for the English Honors Program at the UofA! My advisor Kate Bernheimer was a big supporter ever since I began this project. My initial inspiration for this book was to write out Medusa's whole story, because we only ever see bits and pieces of her life in the classical Greek myths, and I thought that she deserved to have her whole story told and that she needed to be the one to tell it. We know Medusa as the snake-haired monster who was beheaded, but I wanted to see who she was as a girl, and then as a woman before she was transformed, and I especially wanted to know what she thought of her power. Did she resent it? Did she love it? Medusa has become such a symbol of monstrous femininity, and yet there hasn't been an account of her life told from her own perspective. It was my goal to create a narrative that got the reader into Medusa's head and let us think about what it means to be a monster. 

How did your degrees in creative writing and English help prepare you for your work in a literary agency and as a novelist?

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Ambassadors

My courses for my creative writing degree helped me immensely as I developed my writing style and helped me dig into the kinds of stories I wanted to read. The workshops I participated in developed my ability to review queries for my coworkers and look at works objectively, even if the style or topic is different from what I am usually drawn to. While my current job features more numbers and analytics than I could have anticipated when I applied to be an English major, the critical thinking and problem-solving skills I worked on in the humanities-focused courses have helped me tackle challenges unique to the publishing industry. 

Looking back on your college experience, what were the most rewarding parts?

Kate Bernheimer

The most valuable takeaways from my college experience are the relationships I built. Even though we've scattered across the country, the group of friends I made while at the U of A have supported me all through my writing journey. I've loved being able to cheer on their successes in return. 

I also need to give another shout-out to my brilliant honors thesis advisor, Kate Bernheimer, who was the first person to see Medusa's story and has been her number one cheerleader ever since. Even after I graduated, Kate has been a constant supporter and I've been so happy to grow my writing career with her. 

What advice do you have for current or prospective students?

I hope that current or prospective students take every chance to explore what they’re interested in, and not be afraid to try something new. My minor in classics started a fun excuse for me to take Greek mythology courses, but it prepared me to write MEDUSA. I definitely came into undergrad thinking that I needed to have everything figured out so that I could follow a straight line from freshman year to my first job, but that line is also full of twists and turns and ups and downs, and during all those bumps you might discover a brand new path that you would have never found otherwise. Take the opportunity to explore all the options, but please, learn how to write a comprehensive email and put those humanities critical thinking skills to work. With these abilities, you can do anything.

• Creative Writing
• Areas of Study

The MFA degree and the undergraduate concentration in creative writing at ASU are thriving programs with deep interests in craft and content: the choices writers make about what to say and how to say it. Students work with core faculty in workshops, and also in literature classes designed specifically for writers, organized around either a subject matter or a strategic approach. Recent examples include “The Anti-Workshop,” “Visio-Textual Collaboration,” “The Black Female Body as Its Own Utopia,” “Worldbuilding,” “Literary Horror,” “Research-Based Fiction,” “Climate and the Imagination,” and “Ethics of Form.” There are also opportunities in nonfiction and translation.   Our programs are enhanced by many partnerships: the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing brings writers to campus for events large and small; the Center for Imagination in the Borderlands offers intensives with visiting writers and houses Poetry for the People, an arts/activism curriculum that takes a radical and galvanizing pedagogical approach, comprised of both teaching and mentorship, with explicit commitments to social justice and anti-racist practices. The generously endowed Swarthout Awards and Swarthout Fellowships allow us to support excellent work by students at all levels.    Graduate and undergraduate students in creative writing often serve in an editorial capacity with our national literary magazine, Hayden’s Ferry Review , and with HFR’s Thousand Languages Project (translation). MFA students also intern with New York-based Four Way Books, an award-winning independent press. Undergraduates can intern with ASU’s national electronic journal Superstition Review and participate in a range of campus literary clubs and publications. Creative writing also hosts an annual lecture series called Conversations in Craft and Content.

Please contact Program Manager, Justin Petropoulos , with questions regarding Creative Writing Area. For questions related to a specific program, please contact the appropriate undergraduate advisor or graduate advisor .

Scroll down to learn more about our programs, news, faculty, and alumni.

Degree Programs

English (Creative Writing) (BA)

Creative Writing, MFA

Cross-area programs.

English, BA

Culture, Technology and Environment, BA

English Minor

Featured alumni.

Christopher Burawa  (2004) is a poet and translator. His translation  Flying Night Train: Selected Poems of Jóhann Hjálmarsson  was published by Green Integer Books in 2009. His book of poems,  The Small Mystery of Lapses , was published by Cleveland State University Press in 2006. His translations of contemporary Icelandic poet Jóhann Hjálmarsson won the 2005 Toad Press International Chapbook Competition. He was awarded a 2008 American-Scandinavian Foundation Creative Writing Fellowship, a 2007 Literature Fellowship for Translation from the National Endowment for the Arts, a 2006 Witter Bynner Translation Residency at the Santa Fe Art Institute, and a MacDowell Colony fellowship in 2003. He is the Director of the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Kevin Vaughan-Brubaker  (2001) is a public art project manager with the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. He is secretary of the board for Nightboat Books, an independent literary press based in New York City, and teaches arts and humanities classes for the University of Phoenix Online. He also plays bass and keys in the band Mondegreen and collaborates with artists on public art projects and gallery installations. He lives in Phoenix.

Jennifer Chapis  (2000) has published poems in magazines and anthologies including  The Iowa Review, Colorado Review, McSweeney's  online ,   Best New Poets , and  Online Writing: Best of the First Ten Years .  She received the Florida Review Editor's Prize, the GSU Review Poetry Prize, and the Backwards City Poetry Series Prize for her chapbook,  The Beekeeper's Departure .  Her book-length manuscript has been a finalist for the Colorado Prize, the New Issues Poetry Prize, the Dorset Prize, and the Benjamin Saltman Award, among others.  In 2008, her poetry was showcased for a full year as part of a creative marketing project hosted by the world’s largest flavor and scent manufacturer.  Her  Poem as Salad  was chosen by the Center for Book Arts limited-edition broadside series.  A full-time faculty member at New York University, she has received NYU's Outstanding Teaching Award, and was recently a guest lecturer of creative writing at the Königin-Olga-Stift School in Stuttgart, Germany.  Founding Editor of Nightboat Books, Jennifer lives in New York City with her husband, fiction writer Josh Goldfaden.

Caitlin Horrocks ' (2007) first short story collection,  This Is Not Your City , won the 2008 Spokane Prize for Short Fiction and is forthcoming from Eastern Washington University Press. Stories from the collection have appeared in  The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009 ,  The Paris Review ,  Prairie Schooner ,  Epoch  and other journals .   Her work has been short-listed in  Best American Short Stories  and has won awards from the Bread Loaf and Sewanee Writers' conferences and the  Atlantic Monthly . She was the 2006-2007 Theresa A. Wilhoit Fellow at Arizona State University and is currently an assistant professor of writing at Grand Valley State University, teaching fiction and creative nonfiction. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with fellow writer and ASU MFA alum W. Todd Kaneko.

Chris Hutchinson  (2009) has published poems in literary journals and anthologies in Canada and the US. He is the author three collections of poetry,  Jonas in Frames: An Epic  (Goose Lane Editions, 2014),  Unfamiliar Weather  (Muses’ Company, 2005), and  Other People’s Lives  (Brick Books, 2009). During his studies at ASU he taught creative writing to undergraduate students for the English Department, and to high school and elementary school students for ASU’s Young Writer’s program. He lives in Vancouver, BC.

Tayari Jones  (2000) named the 2008 Collins Fellow by the United States Artists Foundation, has published three novels.  Silver Sparrow,  released by Algonquin Books in 2011, earned praise from  Library Journal ,  O Magazine , Slate , and  Salon .  The Untelling  was awarded the Lillian C. Smith Award for New Voices by the Southern Regional Council and the University of Georgia Libraries.  Leaving Atlanta  received numerous awards and accolades, including the Hurston/Wright Award for Debut Fiction. It was named “Novel of the Year” by  Atlanta Magazine , “Best Southern Novel of the Year,” by  Creative Loafing Atlanta , and the  Atlanta Journal-Constitution  and  Washington Post  both listed it as one of the best of 2002.  Essence  has called Jones, "a writer to watch," and the  Atlanta Journal Constitution  proclaimed her "one of the best writers of her generation." She has received fellowships from the Illinois Arts Council, the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, the Corporation of Yaddo, the MacDowell Colony, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and Le Chateau de Lavigny. A graduate of Spelman College and the University of Iowa, she has taught at Prairie View A&M University, East Tennessee State University, the University of Illinois, and George Washington University. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in the MFA program at Rutgers-Newark University.

Bill Konigsberg  (2005) is the winner of the 2009 Lambda Literary Award for young adult/children's books for  Out of the Pocket . The novel made the Indie Next list for the fall of 2008, and was chosen for the ALA’s 2009 Rainbow List, and by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center as one of their 2009 Choices for teen novels. The New York Public Library included  Out of the Pocket  on their Stuff for the Teen Age list for 2009. His second novel,  Openly Straight , was released in 2013 and praised by the  New York Times  and  Booklist . His first adult literary novel,  Father, Son and Holy Buddha , is in circulation. Konigsberg has been a sports writer for the Associated Press and ESPN.com. In 2002, he won a GLAAD Media Award for his ESPN.com article “Sports World Still a Struggle for Gays.”

Hugh Martin  (2012), who spent six years in the Army National Guard and eleven months in Iraq, is the author of the poetry collection  The Stick Solders , which won the 2011 A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize from BOA Editions, Ltd. Named the 2014-15 Emerging Writer Lecturer at Gettysburg College, Martin is the recipient of a Wallace Stegner Fellowship and the Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award from  The Iowa Review . His poems have appeared in numerous journals, including  The Kenyon Review ,  The American Poetry Review ,  Crazyhorse , and  The New Republic . Kent State UP published his chapbook,  So, How Was the War? , in 2010.  

Gary Short  (1990) is the author three full-length volumes of poetry:  10 Moons and 13 Horses  (University of Nevada Press);  Flying Over Sonny Liston  (University of Nevada Press), winner of the Western States Book Award; and  Theory of Twilight  (Ahsahta Press). Winner of a 2008 Pushcart Prize, he has also published three chapbooks. A fellow at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown and a Stegner Fellow at Stanford, he has received the Writers at Work Award from Quarterly West. He has taught at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Old Dominion University, and the University of California, Davis. He currently directs the creative writing program at the University of Mississippi. 

Sarah Vap (2005) is the author of four collections of poetry:  End of the Sentimental Journey , published by Noemi Press in 2013;  Faulkner’s Rosary , from Saturnalia Books in 2010;  Dummy Fire , which won the 2006 Saturnalia Poetry Prize; and  American Spikenard , which won the 2006 Iowa Poetry Prize. The recipient of an NEA Fellowship for Poetry, she is co-editor of poetry for the online journal  42 Opus , and lives with her husband and their two sons in Santa Monica, California.

Outreach Programs

The tradition of outreach at ASU dates back to its days as the Arizona Territorial Normal School, when producing original literary work was encouraged in student and faculty publications. From the 1906 journal known as The Tempe Normal Student to the weekly 1932 Phoenix radio program that featured original poetry and prose from the college, through the 60s and 80s with the publication of The Prospector and Catalyst, and today through Channel 8’s Books & Co. and the award-winning Hayden’s Ferry Review, ASU creative writers have been reaching out to the community. Since the MFA program was established in 1984, our faculty, staff and students have been involved in projects in valley elementary schools, high schools, reservations, libraries, detention centers, Alzheimer’s units, and hospitals. More recently, through Piper Global Initiatives, students and faculty have been involved in exchanges with institutions and writing communities around the globe. In this way, the Creative Writing Program has opened the “classroom” to include the world.

The Young Writers at Work Program

Young Writers at Work projects are found in primary and secondary classrooms, libraries and community centers in our immediate community and beyond. These workshops are often one- or two-week residencies, wherein our graduate students teach in settings where the participants are not likely themselves to become writers. The program sends our MFA candidates from their own classrooms to the classrooms of others, where an understanding of writing is not based on theory or privilege, but on the real world, with the real considerations of age, ability, interest, and life experience. The program began in 1985 in the Phoenix Public Libraries, and our first partners were The Friends of the Library. Many venues have followed, with community partners never hard to find. Some partners provide funds for the graduate students.

Best Online Colleges

Best online colleges of 2024.

Updated: Feb 22, 2024, 9:47am

Years ago, employers might have scoffed at the idea of online school—but those days are long gone. The distance learning landscape has changed significantly in recent years, and online degrees from accredited institutions now hold the same esteem as traditional degrees.

Today, online college is a convenient and cost-effective higher education option that allows you to earn your degree without sacrificing too much of your professional or family life.

We’ve used a strict methodology to rank the best nonprofit, accredited colleges offering online bachelor’s degrees. We take into account each college’s credibility, affordability, student outcomes and student experience. We’ve also provided tips on how to find the right online college for your goals and learning style.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics , education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

• 6,290 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
• 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
• All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
• Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
• Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

Our Methodology

We scored 552 accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online degree programs in the U.S. using 17 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes and student experience. We pulled data for these categories from reliable resources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites. Data is accurate as of January 2024.

We scored schools based on the following categories:

Student Outcomes:

• Overall graduation rate
• Median earnings 10 years after graduation
• Pell Grant recipient graduation rate
• Retention rate
• Pell Grant graduation rate vs. overall graduation rate

Affordability:

• Average annual net price for students receiving federal aid
• Median federal student loan debt
• Percentage of students in federal student loan deferment
• Percentage of students who take out federal loans

Student Experience:

• Student-to-faculty ratio
• Socioeconomic diversity
• Availability of programs with coursework (excluding student orientations, field experiences and labs) available 100% online
• Portion of undergraduate students enrolled in at least some distance learning courses

Credibility:

• Fully accredited
• Nonprofit status

Application Process:

• Acceptance rate
• Uses Common App

We chose the 10 best schools to display based on those receiving a curved final score of 90% or higher. All of the schools on our final list offer at least five fully online bachelor’s degrees.

Find our full list of methodologies here .

• Best Online Colleges With A 100% Acceptance Rate
• Best HBCUs With Online Degrees
• Best Online Master's Programs
• What Are The Best Online Public Universities
• Featured Partners

Should You Enroll in an Online Program?

Pros and cons of online degrees, accreditation for online colleges, how to choose an online college.

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Best Online Colleges

Florida State University

Northwestern university, san jose state university, san diego state university, university of central florida, simmons university, fresno pacific university, california state university-east bay, florida agricultural and mechanical university, baptist university of florida.

Undergraduate Tuition

$180/credit (in-state)

Overall Student Retention Rate

Overall Graduation Rate

Florida State University ’s distance learning program offers six online bachelor’s programs covering computer science, criminology, financial planning, interdisciplinary social science, and public safety and security.

Through a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous classes, online students experience the same courses and faculty as on-campus students. They also have access to various support systems, including academic tutoring, online mentoring, library services and technical support.

Distance learning students pay a lower tuition rate than on-campus students, plus a distance learning fee. This fee helps pay for technical support, curriculum development, support services and course mentors.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn on your schedule
• School Type: Public
• Application Fee: $30
• Online Enrollment Options: Full-time
• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Science in criminology, Bachelor of Arts in computer science
• Notable Scholarships Available: Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
• In-Person Requirements: No

$2,179/course

Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, offers five online bachelor’s degrees through its School of Professional Studies. Offerings include enterprise leadership, information systems, social sciences, strategic communications and health sciences.

Courses cater to students’ busy schedules and take place entirely online with no in-person or location-based requirements. Online students pay a $125 distance learning fee per class.

• School Type: Private
• Application Fee: $75
• Online Enrollment Options: Accelerated, full-time, part-time
• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Science in information systems, Bachelor of Science in Enterprise Leadership
• Notable Scholarships Available: School of Professional Studies scholarship

$450 to $495/credit

Students enrolled in one of San Jose State University ’s seven online degree programs enjoy a flexible learning environment that allows them to participate in classes according to their schedule and on weeknights and weekends.

Courses are offered year-round through five eight-week sessions, allowing motivated students to graduate in as little as two to three years. Students pay tuition per unit, with 50 to 60 units required to complete a program.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn around your 9-to-5
• Application Fee: $70
• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Arts in anthropology, Bachelor of Science in public health
• Notable Scholarships Available: Spartan scholarships

$2,871/year (in-state)

San Diego State University ’s global campus offers a combination of online and hybrid undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Courses are self-paced, allowing students to complete coursework during times that fit their busy schedules. The same faculty who teach on-campus courses also teach their online counterparts.

Online students are responsible for technology, student engagement, associated student fees and general tuition. Those fees help the university create an immersive online experience and provide a dedicated support team.

• Online Enrollment Options: Full-time, part-time
• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Science in business administration, Bachelor of Science in criminal justice
• Notable Scholarships Available: Aztec scholarships

$105/credit (in-state)

With more than 30 online bachelor’s degree programs to choose from, students at the University of Central Florida can find courses that match their interests and career goals. Many courses combine online and on-campus students, ensuring all students receive the same education regardless of how they attend.

Online students pay lower tuition rates than those attending in person, even with a distance learning fee of $18 per credit.

• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Science in lodging and restaurant management, Bachelor of Arts in political science
• Notable Scholarships Available: Charlotte Willis Memorial Endowed Scholarship

$500/credit

Simmons University , located in Boston, Massachusetts, began offering online undergraduate and graduate programs in 2013. Today, the university provides nontraditional learners with an immersive digital experience with dedicated mentors and support staff.

Undergraduate programs are women-centered, while graduate programs are open to all. Students interact face to face with instructors and classmates through live online sessions, and they are encouraged to join student clubs and organizations.

• Application Fee: Free
• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Arts in communication, Bachelor of Science in nursing
• Notable Scholarships Available: N/A

$525 to 550/credit

Fresno Pacific University ’s online degree completion programs feature flexible and convenient options for working professionals who’ve completed some undergraduate courses and are looking to complete a degree after taking time off or starting a family.

Courses are taught in six- and eight-week intervals, allowing students to enroll at times that suit their schedules. Online learners also pay less per credit than those who attend in person.

• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Arts in social welfare, Bachelor of Arts in criminology
• Notable Scholarships Available: Mennonite Brethren Scholarship

$7,105/year (in-state)

California State University East Bay offers various fully online and hybrid bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Online students log in three to four times weekly to access course materials, turn in assignments, participate in discussions and take exams.

Students can also accelerate their degree progress by taking courses year-round or choosing accelerated classes with shorter completion times. They can finish within two years by attending full time and completing prerequisite courses before beginning.

• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Arts in ethnic studies, Bachelor of Arts in human development
• Notable Scholarships Available: Pioneer Scholarships

$2,277/semester (in-state)

Located in Tallahassee, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is a historically Black university that offers a variety of online undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The university’s online courses allow students flexibility and convenience through asynchronous lectures and live learning opportunities. Students can progress through each program at a pace that works best for them.

• Application Fee: $35
• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Science in information technology, Bachelor of Criminal Justice
• Notable Scholarships Available: No

$420/credit

Located in Graceville, Florida, the Baptist University of Florida is a private Christian school whose mission is to graduate students with strong academic and ministry skills. All of the university’s courses and majors are available online, allowing students to participate anytime and from any location with an internet connection.

Online courses cost the same as campus courses, but distance learners may save money on housing and parking fees.

• Notable Online Programs: Bachelor of Arts in history and social studies, Bachelor of Arts in elementary education
• Notable Scholarships Available: Strickland Scholarship

More than 58% of four-year college students took distance education courses in the fall of 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), indicating that online college has become a popular choice. But is it right for you?

Consider the following when comparing online and in-person degrees.

Your Outside Commitments

Whether you work an irregular schedule or have a busy personal life, your school schedule should adapt to your needs.

Online programs with asynchronous classes usually work best for people who need to plan their assignments around their other commitments. Asynchronous formats provide a high level of flexibility, allowing learners to view lectures and complete assignments at their convenience.

If you can manage a few hours of live instruction each week, a program that blends asynchronous and synchronous classes could work well for you. Synchronous classes have set meeting times for interaction with your instructor and peers, with many schools offering convenient weekend and evening classes to suit working professionals.

Your Budget

If you plan to attend a public college in another state, be aware that you could get charged an out-of-state tuition rate, which is usually considerably higher than in-state tuition. However, some schools offer a special online tuition rate for all distance learners, making out-of-state learning more affordable for online students.

Also, by attending college online, you may avoid some of the costs you’d pay if you attended in person, like on-campus housing and commuting expenses.

Your Learning Preferences

If you appreciate the face-to-face learning you get in a traditional classroom, online learning could be a challenging change. Many modern online programs offer interactive activities with peers and instructors, but you might still miss the social aspect of working with others in person.

Some students struggle to stay motivated to work on their assignments when learning at home. With that said, taking some time to prepare for online classes may help you feel more confident in an online learning environment.

Best Online Colleges By State

• Best Online Colleges In Arizona
• Best Online Colleges In California
• Best Online Colleges In Florida
• Best Online Colleges In Georgia
• Best Online Colleges In Indiana
• Best Online Colleges In Massachusetts
• Best Online Colleges New Hampshire
• Best Online Colleges In New York
• Best Online Colleges In North Carolina
• Best Online Colleges In Pennsylvania
• Best Online Colleges In South Carolina
• Best Online Colleges In Texas
• Best Online Colleges In Virginia

While the flexibility of an online degree may sound tempting, consider the pros and cons before committing to a virtual education.

On the plus side, most online college courses are taught by the same professors and have the same expectations and requirements as in-person courses. Plus, your degree won’t specify how your courses were delivered. Online students also qualify to apply for loans, grants and scholarships.

The overall cost of your degree may also be less if you attend online, even if the tuition is the same. You can save money on common expenses like commuting, parking, dining and housing. However, check to see if the college charges a distance learning fee, and understand how that will impact your overall costs.

Potential Drawbacks

Distance learning could be challenging if you’re not technologically savvy or have outdated or slow equipment. Some courses are taught live, meaning you’ll have to show up on time with a reliable internet connection to get the most out of class.

Also, not all learning styles are well-suited to online college. You’ll have to be organized and motivated to stay on top of your courses and complete your assignments without the structure of scheduled class times.

Even though online programs offer virtual interaction opportunities, you may miss out on the social aspect of interacting face to face with classmates and professors.

There are two types of accreditation to look for in online colleges: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation is the most important distinction.

You must attend an accredited higher learning institution to qualify for federal student aid. Institutional accreditation signifies that a college meets a strict set of standards set by a third-party organization approved by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation standards include having highly qualified faculty, quality academics, positive student outcomes and a dedicated mission statement.

Programmatic accreditation applies to a specific degree program within a college or university. This designation is not generally mandatory but could be necessary for specific fields like nursing or law if you plan to apply for graduate programs or professional licensure.

CHEA’s online directory offers a searchable list of accredited institutions.

The great news about earning an online degree is that you have a variety of top online colleges to choose from. Here are a few factors to consider before deciding where to earn your online bachelor’s degree.

Consider Your Future Goals

How will your degree help further your career or future education? If you’re working full time and want to graduate quickly, look for a college with an accelerated program. If your schedule is demanding and you’re not in a hurry to graduate, consider a part-time or asynchronous program for added flexibility.

Are you planning to attend graduate school to earn a master’s degree or a doctorate? If so, consider attending an online bachelor’s program at a university that also offers graduate programs in your field. This could make your transition to the next level easier.

Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options

The online colleges listed in the guide charge from as little as $105 per credit for in-state students to more than $500 per credit, translating to between $12,600 and $60,000 for a 120-credit bachelor’s degree.

By comparison, annual undergraduate tuition and fees in the 2021–22 school year averaged $9,596 at in-state, public universities and $34,041 at private colleges, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). For a four-year bachelor’s degree, this totals around $38,400 and $136,200, respectively.

Financial aid is a great way to make online college more affordable . You can apply for loans, grants and work-study opportunities by filling out the FAFSA ®. You can also check with the school’s financial aid office for information about scholarships and third-party loans.

How To Apply to an Online Program

You can apply to most online programs through the university’s web-based application. Here’s a basic guide for completing the application process:

• Navigate to the university’s admissions website to review the requirements and application deadline.
• After confirming you’ve satisfied the requirements, create an account and complete the application.
• Provide any requested supplementary documentation, such as letters of recommendation , official transcripts and college essays .
• After you’ve applied, you can track your application status on the college’s applicant portal.

Some schools use the Common App to make the application process even easier by allowing students to use a single application for multiple colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Online Colleges

Is online college a good option.

Yes, in many cases, online and in-person degree programs demonstrate the same academic rigor. Plus, online programs allow busy students the flexibility to watch lectures, study and complete assignments at their convenience, and the resulting diploma does not specify whether it was earned online or on campus.

Are online college degrees respected?

Yes, employers recognize that online college degrees from accredited universities and degree programs meet the same academic standards as traditional degree programs. Also, diplomas typically don’t indicate whether a student attended online.

How do I know if an online college is legitimate?

Legitimate colleges hold institutional accreditation, which indicates that an accrediting body has determined that a college’s coursework, faculty and academic outcomes meet strict quality standards. You can find a college’s accreditation status on its website and verify it with the listed accrediting body.

What online degrees are popular?

The most popular undergraduate majors are in business, health professions and related fields, according to NCES data. This data includes online degrees.

How long does it take to earn an online degree?

Most online degree programs mimic the length and timing of traditional on-campus offerings. Associate and master’s degrees typically take two years, while a bachelor’s degree takes four. You may be able to finish faster if your college offers an accelerated track or accepts transfer credits.

How do I choose an online college?

Start by finding an accredited college that offers a distance learning degree in the field you want to study. Then, compare options to see which best suits your schedule and can help you meet your future goals. Next, consider your budget and financial aid resources to choose a program you can reasonably afford.

How do I apply to an online college?

Most online colleges use a web-based application form that provides guidance on what materials you need to submit. Application materials might include a high school transcript and a college essay.

Suzie loves researching, interviewing experts and breaking down complex information into understandable and actionable advice to help others improve their lives. Based in Denver, Suzie and her husband are parents to a 14-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and two rescue dogs.

Requirements for the Minor (12 credits)

A. introductory course (3 credits).

Grade of B- or better required.

• ENGL 20500 - Introduction To Creative Writing Credits: 3.00

B. Writing Courses (9 credits)

• ENGL 31600 - Craft Of Fiction From A Writer’s Perspective Credits: 3.00
• ENGL 31700 - Craft Of Poetry From A Writer’s Perspective Credits: 3.00
• ENGL 40700 - Intermediate Poetry Writing Credits: 3.00
• ENGL 40900 - Intermediate Fiction Writing Credits: 3.00
• ENGL 50700 - Advanced Poetry Writing Credits: 3.00
• ENGL 50900 - Advanced Fiction Writing Credits: 3.00
• ENGL 58900 - Directed Writing Credits: 1.00 to 3.00
• 50% of credits for CLA minors must come from Purdue University.
• All Creative Writing courses except 20500, 31600, 31700 may be repeated once for credit.
• The courses must be taken in order, the 40000 level taken before the 50000 level in any given genre.

College of Liberal Arts Pass/No Pass Option Policy

• P/NP cannot be used to satisfy Liberal Arts Core, Liberal Arts major, minor, or certificate requirements.

The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student. The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.

MFA Handbook

For full details about the mfa creative writing program, please see the handbook. .

MFA Creative Writing Handbook 2023-2024

E-mail:  [email protected]

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at BGSU is widely recognized as one of the country’s most prestigious. For more than fifty years, graduates of BGSU’s Program in Creative Writing have contributed to contemporary literary culture and published hundreds of books.

The MFA in Creative Writing program gives a comprehensive and rigorous education in the professional writing, editing, and marketing of poetry and fiction. Artistic development, craft knowledge, and professional presentation are guiding principles. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MFA degree, students in the Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction or Poetry program are expected to be able to:

• Develop individual, original approaches to writing fiction and/or poetry
• Produce a book-length thesis comparable in quality to the published work of contemporary poets and fiction writers
• Develop an understanding of their work’s place within the context of contemporary literature 
• Collaboratively assess literary work for publication 
• Apply craft knowledge to produce and distribute a literary journal through relevant technologies 
• Develop pedagogical skills sufficient to design and teach courses at the college level 

Admission Requirements

Application deadline is January 15 for Fall Semester.  Since application reviews may begin immediately after the deadline, we recommend submitting your application and providing all required documents before the deadline. Documents required:

• Applicants below 3.00 GPA must submit a GRE score unless they have already completed a master’s degree.  Enter your GPA and GPA Scale with your undergraduate degree under the Academic History tab.
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose (1-2 pages)
• A fiction or poetry sample (20 - 30 double-spaced pages of fiction, or 10 - 15 pages of poetry with poems single- or double-spaced)
• An academic or professional writing sample (8 - 15 pages, double-spaced)

Please do not submit screenplays, children’s stories, fantasy, or science fiction.

International applicants are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTEA). Successful completion of ELS 112 will also be accepted for this requirement.  Additionally, Duolingo test scores will be accepted for applications through Summer 2025. Applicants of the Graduate College who have completed a previous degree (associate, bachelor’s master’s or doctorate) from a U.S. college/university or are from a country (click  here  for a complete list) in which instruction was delivered in English (and attended the university for at least two years) are exempt from providing these test scores. Please review the Creative Writing MFA program’s Application page at  http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/english/creative-writing/apply-online.html  for detailed information about application materials.

Application Requirements

Admissions Categories and Grade Point Average Requirements

International Application Information

Degree Requirements

Curriculum requirements, required courses (24 credits).

ENGL 6320 taken during the summer semester may not be used to satisfy workshop requirements.

• ENG 6320 - Graduate Writers Workshop (12 hours)
• ENG 6310 - Technique of Fiction
• ENG 6330 - Creative Writing and Desktop Publishing
• ENG 6370 - Pedagogy of Creative Writing
• ENG 7820 - Topics in English Studies

Electives (6 credits)

Select 2 courses

Culminating Experience (6 credits)

• ENG 6990 - Thesis Research

Minimum Total Credits (36 credits)

Additional requirements.

• Minimum of 3 credits of 6990 required for Plan I master’s students.  Maximum of 6 credits may be applied toward degree requirements. 
• Minimum 3.0 graduate cumulative grade point average
• Minimum of 18 credits must be at the 6000-level or higher
• Minimum of  24 credits must be earned at BGSU
• All requirements must be completed within six years from the end of the earliest course used to fulfill degree requirements.

School for the Creative and Cultural Industries

Creative Journeys with… Josh Weeks

28 May 2024

We sit down with Josh Weeks, writer, critic and SCCI postdoctoral research fellow. Josh shares his creative journey so far - juggling an academic career with part-time jobs and writing for major publications - as well as advice and hopes for the future.

What is your role and what does it involve?

I’m a postdoctoral research fellow with the School for the Creative and Cultural Industries, working under the mentorship of the School’s director, Haidy Geismar. My project, part of the AHRC-funded StoryArcs programme, is about narrativising the work of the National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange ( NCACE ), an organisation that supports and showcases knowledge exchange between higher education and the arts and culture sectors. I spend most of my time writing and researching, attending NCACE events, and interviewing academics and creative practitioners who have worked with the organisation.

I’m also working as an assistant on a project called ‘UCL in 2076’, which aims to imagine and reimagine the future of the arts and humanities and how we might better support a positive landscape for the creative industries. We recently held an event, bringing together thought leaders from across the academic and cultural sectors to help us envisage these futures and come up with potential scenarios and solutions.  

Tell us about the journey that led you to where you are now?

After completing my BA in English at King’s College London, I stayed on to do an MA in Contemporary Literature, Culture and Theory. The MA was a big turning point for me – it made me realise how exciting and inventive literary criticism can be! 

After that, I spent a year living back in South Wales and working at Waterstones in Cardiff, which is where I discovered the novel 2666 by the Chilean author Roberto Bolaño. After using my employee discount to buy everything else he’d written, I moved to Spain to work as an English language assistant, before beginning a PhD on Bolaño at the University of Amsterdam.

Bolaño’s labyrinthine brand of storytelling has had a massive influence on the way I conceptualise and write about knowledge exchange.

What career achievement are you most proud of?

I did my PhD remotely from Spain without funding (up until my final year, when I was awarded a Finishing Fellowship). I’m proud of the four years I spent juggling my language assistant job with writing and research, which took a lot of self-motivation.

I’m also proud that I’ve written for some big publications over the last couple of years, including The Observer , Financial Times , Times Literary Supplement, Los Angeles Review of Books and Wellcome Collection Stories .

What are you most looking forward to in the next few months?

My work with NCACE is really starting to shape up, so I’m looking forward to incorporating my findings into an experimental narrative. I’ll also be sending off my Bolaño monograph for peer review in July, which I’m really excited about!

What are you reading, watching and listening to?

Reading :  I was lucky enough to be sent an advanced proof for a brilliant novel called Bonding by Mariel Franklin. It comes out next month, and I think it’s going to be a hit!

Watching :  Bodkin on Netflix.

Listening : I’ve recently fallen back in love with The War on Drugs – particularly their 2017 album, A Deeper Understanding .

What is your favourite museum, gallery or exhibition at the moment? 

I absolutely loved the Undocumented? exhibition at the UCL East Urban Room earlier this year, which was co-curated by Nishat Awan and Kara Blackmore. I’m also looking forward to seeing Jason Wilsher-Mills’s ‘Jason and the Adventure of 254’ at Wellcome Collection.

If you had one piece of advice for people who want to pursue a similar career path, what would it be?

Don’t let one disappointment convince you that you’ve failed. Academia is full of ups and down – keep reminding yourself of why you’re doing what you’re doing.  

Find out more

• The  StoryArcs programme  is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and led by the Story Society at Bath Spa University. Meet the  Story Associates .
• The ‘UCL in 2076’ project is led by Tim Beasley-Murray, UCL Associate Professor of European Thought and Culture, and Dr Peter Zusi, Associate Professor at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies. ‘UCL in 2076’ was developed in collaboration with Matt Finch of the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and is supported by Kristina Glushkova and Rebecca Robinson from the UCL Innovation in Enterprise team.