Certificates in Creative Writing: Their Purpose and Value

Artists spend their lives perfecting their crafts.

Employers seek artists who dedicate themselves to continually learning about and mastering their art, and artists who never stop honing their skills stand out in the competitive world of the fine arts. 

A certificate program in the arts gives artists the opportunity to study a specific area of their craft in depth. These specialized programs expose students to new avenues of study in their fields, helping them find careers that suit them as individuals. A certificate also readies students with knowledge directly applicable to their fields and strengthens graduates’ resumes.

While certificate programs are useful in any career field, they are particularly useful in helping developing artists find the skills and styles unique to them as individual creative minds. 

If your artistic mind thrives in the field of creative writing, keep reading to find out more about how you can grow your abilities through a creative writing program.

Download our guide, The Art of Storytelling: A Guide to Creative Writing Careers with an MFA Degree, to learn more about becoming a professional writer.

The Benefits of Certificates for Creative Writing Jobs

Artistic ability is sharpened by both careful study of and determined practice in a craft. With a creative writing certificate, writers expand their knowledge of a distinct writing avenue through a balanced combination of study and experience. 

And, you can learn at your own pace. 

Maybe you have your bachelor’s but are unsure what step to take post-graduation. Maybe you eventually want a master’s degree but do not yet feel confident in committing to the pursuit of one. Along with the valuable experience learned through a certificate, these programs have a number of practical factors that set them apart from other educational options.

Creative writing certificates at Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles are

• Time efficient — The creative writing certificate programs require only fifteen credit hours of coursework to complete, making them a faster alternative to obtaining a master’s degree. These courses can be taken at whatever pace best suits your schedule.
• Affordable — Certificate programs cost a fraction of the price of a graduate degree, making them a financially practical option.
• Flexible — Any of the creative writing certificate programs can be completed online or in person. You can learn from anywhere at any time.

Creative Writing Certificates at the Mount

The Mount offers two uniquely-focused creative writing certificate programs. At the Mount, any creative writing certificate program can be pursued as a stand-alone study or alongside other degrees. 

Check out the subject areas the Mount offers in their creative writing certificate programs below.

Latin American/Latinx Creative Studies Certificate

Are you interested in literary traditions of diverse cultures? A certificate in Latin American/Latinx Creative Studies will enlighten your understanding of the written word in Latino cultures across the Caribbean and Latin America.

Through a multidisciplinary program, students of the LALCS will dive deep into the anthropology, history and ethnography of Latin American cultures, and how their traditions have shaped the arts across time. Faculty with degrees in a number of backgrounds will engage students in critical thinking about the relationships between writing, history and culture. Students will learn the skills to write in a variety of genres and have the chance to study in Cuzco, Peru, where they can immerse themselves in Peruvian culture and experience the arts of fiction and travel writing. 

The LALCS program equips students to be engaged, educated citizens in their society and empathetic, critical thinkers in their careers, ready to dialogue with the world around them.

Those who complete the LALCS certificate program could find a career in:

• Writing: The LALCS certificate program trains students to write across genres and gives them cultural context to different styles and formats, honing the skills to write creatively. With the LALCS, you are better prepared to share your stories with the world.
• Teaching: With the in-depth study an LALCS certificate provides, students are ready to share their knowledge of Latin American contributions to the arts. As a teacher, you can help others learn about the rich artistic cultures of Latin America.

Writing for Media Certificate

Want to learn how to reflect the diversity of the world around you across a multitude of writing formats? Through the Writing for Media Certificate program, students gain knowledge of writing in a variety of media and in promoting voices from all backgrounds.

In the Writing for Media certificate program, students will obtain hands-on experience in various avenues of creative writing. Courses teach skills in screenwriting, television writing, playwriting, podcasting and creative cinema studies, exposing students to many career options. Students learn from a diverse set of teachers and curriculum courses that uplift the importance of including all ethnicities, styles and cultures in all art forms, particularly in writing. Alongside classes, students will produce a portfolio of work to take with them as they search for careers, making this certificate educational and practical for those interested in creative writing.

With a Writing for Media certificate, you could find work as a:

• Screenwriter: Bring your stories to the screen as a screenwriter. Screenwriters make content for television and film, creating scripts, plot, and characters to shift a story off paper and into a visual work of art.
• Playwright: Make the world your stage as a playwright. Like a screenwriter, playwrights make scripts, plot, and characters, but for on-stage plays. If the world of theater intrigues you, playwriting could be a great space for your creative mind.

Advance Your Creative Writing Career at the Mount

Creative writers are integral to spreading thoughts across the globe.

As artists, creative writers are always growing and perfecting their craft. The hard work writers put into refining their skills helps keep ideas and stories alive around the world.

If you are a writer looking to deepen knowledge of your craft, you might consider pursuing a creative writing certificate. Your dedication to continual learning will grow your skills and aid you in telling human history through the written word. 

Do you think a creative writing certificate at the Mount might be the next step in your career? Request more information or apply to a program today.