Creative Writing College Credit
Building a career as a writer starts with the fundamentals of storytelling. This course examines the craft of fiction while you earn college credit and develop skills in voice, structure, character development, and point of view. You'll analyze contemporary authors, complete targeted writing exercises, and workshop your stories with peers. Through revision and critique, you'll refine your unique voice and gain insight into whether creative writing, publishing, or narrative-driven fields fit your aspirations.
Program Dates
Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Eligibility
For students ages 18 and up
College Credit Course Fees
$3,995
Enrichment Course Fees
$1,895
What's the Difference Between Our College Credit and Enrichment Courses?
Both enrichment and college credit–bearing options feature engaging online lessons and instructional support. College credit–bearing courses include additional coursework and offer the opportunity to earn academic credit upon successful completion. Some course content overlaps across both options, so students are encouraged to choose the format that best aligns with their academic or professional goals.
College Credit Courses$3,995
Length of Course: Multi-length course options
Instruction & Activities: 128 hours
Grading: Letter grade
On Your Own Schedule: ✔️
Academic Support: ✔️
Final Project: ✔️
College Credit Hours: ✔️
Certificate of Completion: Georgetown Transcript
Enrichment Courses$1,895
Length of Course: 1-, 2-, or 4-weeks
Instruction & Activities: 20-30 hours
Grading: Pass/Fail
On Your Own Schedule: ✔️
Academic Support: ✔️
Final Project: ✔️
College Credit Hours:❌
Certificate of Completion:✔️
How Writers Develop Voice, Character, and Story
Finding Your Voice as a Writer
Explore the foundational elements of creative writing and what defines the craft. Analyze how syntax, diction, and pacing create distinctive voices before experimenting with your own unique style.
How Perspective Shapes Your Story
Compare narrative perspectives from first-person to omniscient while learning how each affects reader understanding. Examine how point of view is used to reveal information, build suspense, and create empathy.
Building Stories That Hold Readers
Study narrative arcs, conflict-driven plots, and experimental storytelling techniques used by contemporary writers. Evaluate how structure shapes reader experience before crafting your own complex, non-linear story outline.
Creating Characters That Feel Real
Learn techniques for building multidimensional characters with compelling motivations, backstories, and arcs. Critique character development in published works before creating your own detailed profile and scene.
Transforming Drafts Into Polished Work
Discover self-editing strategies that strengthen voice, perspective, structure, and character in your work. Apply revision principles by reworking earlier pieces and critiquing published works with detailed editorial feedback.
Building Your Writing Portfolio
Combine voice, structure, character, and revision techniques by producing a portfolio of original fiction. Storytelling abilities cultivated in this course prepare you for work in creative writing, publishing, screenwriting, journalism, content creation, and more.
What You Gain From This Experience
- Practice building a portfolio of original fiction that demonstrates your growth as a writer and storytelling abilities.
- Perspective on career pathways in creative writing, publishing, screenwriting, journalism, and narrative-driven fields.
- Understanding of the elements that make fiction compelling, from voice and point of view to plot structure and character development.
- Experience analyzing how published authors craft narratives and applying those techniques to your own writing.
- Insight into the revision process and how peer feedback and self-editing transform drafts into polished, publishable work.
- The opportunity to earn official college credit from Georgetown University through graded coursework and a capstone project.
What Sets This Program Apart
A Capstone Project With Real-World Relevance
- Produce a portfolio of original fiction that demonstrates your growth as a writer and unique storytelling voice.
- Apply the techniques learned to create a cohesive body of work ready for publication or further development.
Instructional Guidance And Mentorship
- Develop your writing through feedback from course TAs who support revision, experimentation, and critical reflection.
- Strengthen your ability to evaluate creative work with expert guidance throughout the course.
Flexible Learning With Clear Expectations
- Engage with readings, writing exercises, and workshops through online modules designed for steady progress.
- Balance creative work with other academic or professional commitments while maintaining momentum.
Apply Now for the Next Available Course
Course Designed by Georgetown University Faculty
Tope Folarin
Lannan Visiting Lecturer in Creative Writing
A Rhodes Scholar with two Master’s degrees from the University of Oxford, Folarin has won prestigious awards, including the Caine Prize for African Writing and the Whiting Award for Fiction. His work has appeared in major publications like The Atlantic, The New York Times Book Review, and The Washington Post. Folarin’s debut novel, A Particular Kind of Black Man, was published by Simon & Schuster, and he serves on several cultural boards in Washington, D.C.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How will you be graded? What are assignments like? How much time do you have to turn around a project? When do you find out if you’re admitted? Find answers to your questions here.
Answers to Your Questions HereScholarships
We offer need-based scholarships for participating students who exhibit high potential and an inability to pay the full tuition.
- If you haven’t applied to the program, apply here. After submitting your application, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” on the confirmation page to request a scholarship.
- If you’ve already applied to the program, sign in to your profile to check your scholarship status. If we don’t have a scholarship request on file, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” to request a scholarship.