top of page

PhD in Creative Writing

Updated: Jul 20, 2022

Is researching the history of the Enclosure Acts in the 18th century for your dissertation making you question your life choices? Maybe you could use a blog about a PhD in Creative Writing instead.

PhD in Creative Writing

An Overview

A PhD in Creative Writing is a doctoral degree awarded by universities upon completion of advanced courses in the field.


A PhD in Creative Writing may be earned in any area of literature, including novels and short stories, poetry, drama, or screenwriting.


Some programs also offer interdisciplinary degrees that combine elements of creative writing with another subject, such as philosophy or history. You can apply to a program while earning your undergraduate or master's degree.

Points to Remember during a PhD in Creative Writing:

  1. Take undergraduate classes, many of which are the same for all majors. Apply to graduate school and get accepted after taking the GRE.

  2. You'll need an undergraduate degree in literature or creative writing to be considered for admission into these programs. After graduating from your undergraduate program with high honors, you may need to take the GRE or other standardized tests to be considered for admission. Most programs will ask for a sample of your writing and letters of recommendation from teachers or professors from your undergraduate program. Apply to graduate school and get accepted after taking the GRE.

  3. It would be best if you had a Bachelor's degree in creative writing: it is really important to have completed your undergraduate degree before you start looking for funding for your PhD.

  4. This is because most funding is provided by organizations that want to fund people who have already achieved a certain level of success.

  5. In addition, if you apply with a weak undergrad record and fail to get funding, it can be not easy to get funding for your PhD, so you need to be at the top of your game.


PhD in Creative Writing

Some Steps to help you through a PhD in Creative Writing:

  1. Take graduate classes and finish with a Master's Degree in your field of study.

  2. Start applying for PhD programs and get accepted into one you like.

  3. To do this, you need to learn the basics of literature and how to write creatively: many people who want to write are not aware that there are many different styles of writing and that to become a successful writer, you need a good grounding in the basics of different literary techniques.

  4. This can be achieved through learning about literary theory during your college or University.

  5. In addition, you need to become more academic and research-orientated: To get a PhD in creative writing, you will be expected to conduct research into aspects of literature and compose written work based on that research;

  6. Finish your coursework and pass qualifying exams, including the dreaded General Exam in some fields.

  7. Write your dissertation (or thesis, depending on the program), which is usually a few hundred pages long, and pass the defense before your committee so they can approve you to move forward.

  8. on how busy you are with other requirements, this can take a year or more, but it's worth being thorough because you don't want to repeat this process! You'll also have to submit your dissertation for grading from an outside source, but that's a topic for another post!


PhD in Creative Writing

Career Prospects of a Creative Writing PhD:

  • Creative writing is a field that offers a wide range of career prospects. You could be an author, editor, creative director, or publisher. Creative writing is also an excellent way to combine your love of language and literature with your love of teaching.

  • There are many career prospects for a PhD in Creative Writing. A PhD can open up new career possibilities, such as becoming a teacher, librarian, or editor. It can also lead to a job in research and publishing.

  • In addition, many people who study creative writing become professors of English or literature.

  • A PhD in Creative Writing can lead to a career as a writer, professor or teacher. It is also possible to pursue an academic career in creative writing.

  • You can find work as an editor, a journalist, or even as an assistant professor in creative writing programs.

  • In addition, if you want to teach creative writing at a University or even train others on how to write, then getting a PhD will help you do so. Many companies offer training programs for students interested in this field.

Subjects and Topics to opt-in Creative Writing:

  • A creative writing degree will give you a broad base of knowledge and skills in the craft of writing. In addition to the basic writing tools, such as diction and grammar, it teaches how to use your imagination to create original, engaging works of fiction or non-fiction.

  • A creative writing degree can help you learn more about many different subjects. The courses in this field allow students to explore topics that interest them most, whether they're interested in science fiction, historical fiction or reporting on current events.

  • Creative writers may also be interested in studying other fields that relate to literary criticism. Such as linguistics, psychology and anthropology. These subjects can help you understand what makes great literature special and why readers love it.


PhD in Creative Writing

A PhD in Creative Writing is incredibly competitive, so it's important to keep working even after the first few steps have been accomplished. You may have heard the saying, "it's not about the destination but the journey." It's true in writing just as much as anything else: don't worry if your work isn't accepted at first; keep trying and learning new ways of doing things until it catches on and people love it!

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page