Owen W. Gilman, Jr., Ph.D.
Professor, Director of the Writing Studies Program
Merion Hall 115
Writing Studies M.A.
Overview
If you plan to write a book, grow your career as a technical or professional writer, study literature, build a portfolio for a Ph.D./M.F.A. application or add a layer of professional development to your current career, Saint Joseph's University's writing studies program is the place for you.
What is an M.A. in Writing Studies?
With an M.A. in writing studies from Saint Joseph’s University, you’ll engage in diverse styles of writing, including personal essays, short stories, poetry, press releases, screenplays, adolescent literature, reflections on teaching writing and grant proposals. You will gain the rhetoric and composition skills necessary to pursue a fulfilling career as a writer.
Depending on your goals, you will have the opportunity to customize your degree by choosing from the following areas of study:
- Writing and Culture
- Rhetoric and Composition
- Professional Writing
Our flexible course scheduling is designed for working professionals. Class sizes are small and include dynamic workshops that will hone your writing skills. In addition to taking classes, you will have the opportunity to gain significant professional work experience through courses that focus on portfolio development and through credit-bearing internships in Philadelphia, New York City, Washington D.C., and beyond.
What Can You Do With an M.A. in Writing Studies?
The master's in writing studies is a stackable program, meaning if you successfully complete the Creative and Professional Writing Certificate program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, you can take just five additional courses to receive your master’s degree.
The skills and knowledge gained through writing studies courses and internships often lead to careers in the following:
- Publishing
- Copywriting
- Editing
- Marketing
- Public relations
- Journalism
- Communications
- Media
- Creative writing
How Will an M.A. in Writing Studies from Saint Joseph's University Enhance Your Career?
With an M.A. in writing studies from Saint Joseph's University, you will have the opportunity to find community in a program taught by writers, for writers. Faculty members include The New York Times best-selling authors Tenaya Darlington, M.F.A., Tom Coyne, M.F.A., and dozens of practicing writers who share their professional experience in the classroom.
Writing studies students publish a student-authored literary magazine, The Avenue, featuring fiction, nonfiction and poetry, and have been widely published in national publications such as:
- USA Today
- Huffington Post
- VOGUE Italia
- Ebony Magazine
- Salon.com and many more.
Program Director
At a Glance
Length | 18-24 months |
Start Terms | Fall, Spring, Summer |
Format | On-Campus |
Credits | 30 credits |
Full-time | 9 credits per semester |
Part-time | 6 credits or less per semester |
Tuition | $923 per credit (2021-2022) |
Average Class Size | 15 students or less |
Average Work-Experience | Work experience not required. Students in the program come from many different professional backgrounds with varying experience in writing. |
Housing | While most of our graduate students commute, there are resources available for those interested in living on-campus or in near-by off-campus housing. |
Jobs in Writing Studies | Graduates of the Writing Studies program have found success as copy writers and copy editors; technical writers; content developers; communication specialists; journalists; entrepreneurs; grant writers; bloggers; authors; teachers, adjunct faculty members and marketing professionals. |
Veterans | SJU is a yellow ribbon school that accepts GI education benefits. Our Office of Veterans Service can help you access and understand your benefits. |
Discount Eligibility |
*note - discounts cannot be combined. |
Related Programs
The certificate in creative and professional writing will enhance your writing skills, introduce you to new and exciting career pathways and boost your confidence as a writer.
Saint Joseph’s University's online Master of Science in marketing program provides students with the knowledge, skills and experience they need to stand out from the crowd in today’s ever-changing and challenging marketplace.
Saint Joseph's MBA model is the first and only in Philadelphia to allow you to fully customize your experience. Our stackable, three-certificate model lets you choose two specializations in addition to a core MBA set of courses. Take them in any order, at your own pace, with the added flexibility of choosing online or on-campus options.