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  • Application process and admission requirements.
  • Curriculum highlights including course requirements in areas such as creative writing, applied writing, and composition & rhetoric.
  • Concentration options and how to tailor your studies to your career goals.
  • Any other specific questions you may have.
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Master of Arts in Professional Writing

Advance your writing expertise with the Master of Arts in Professional Writing (MAPW) degree at Kennesaw State University. This 36 credit-hour degree prepares you for a writing career in television, film, education, publishing, business, and the literary arts.

To align with your career goals, choose one area of study as your concentration and one as your support:

  • Applied Writing: public service writing, grant & proposal writing, technical writing, feature writing, social media writing, multi-modal editing, web design.
  • Composition & Rhetoric: teaching writing, rhetoric studies, workplace writing, multi-modal writing, computers & writing.
  • Creative Writing: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, and TV & screenwriting.

This interdisciplinary approach will give you a deep understanding of today’s complex industry issues and ensure that you gain the necessary skills and knowledge needed to excel in various writing roles.

Professional Writing Degree Benefits at Kennesaw State

  • Expert Guidance – Learn from prize-winning authors and credited screenwriters who bring their expertise and industry connections to the classroom, providing mentorship and valuable insights.

  • Flexible Scheduling – Enroll full-time or part-time with most courses meeting one night per week. Some courses are also available online or in a hybrid format, allowing you to balance your studies with your personal and professional life.

  • Tailored Learning – By selecting your concentration and support areas and your capstone topic and format, you can focus on activities and courses that align with your professional and career goals.

  • Professional Resources – Additional resources of particular importance to the program faculty and students are the Kennesaw State University Writing Center, the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project, and the Georgia Writers Association.

Upgrade Your MAPW Experience

Learn more about our specialized graduate certificate options to help you get the most out of your MAPW program experience and to best-align with your specific professional writing goals.

  • New for Fall 2025: Develop a sophisticated understanding of AI's role in content creation and composing strategies. Ensure that you are well-equipped to integrate these technologies effectively and responsibly in your writing practices in professional settings. Learn More
  • The purpose of this unique four-course program is to provide instruction and membership in a community of writers to qualified writing students in metro Atlanta and North Georgia who seek intensive creative writing practice, but who do not want to matriculate in a graduate degree program. Learn More
  • Launch a career in the competitive industry of professional editing and publishing. Gain the hands-on experience to qualify for a variety of editing and editorial positions, as well as related industry careers in marketing, sales, and design. Learn More
  • Learn about the unique cultural and linguistic differences that exists when communicating with an international audience. This certificate program will help you to communicate more effectively if you write for, or work with, people from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Learn More
  • Interested in a career in the competitive industry of writing for film, television, streaming platforms, and other media outlets? Learn how to craft your writing skills through a combination of academic study and hands-on practical experience for the media and entertainment industry. Learn More

Salary and Career Information

Potential careers and earnings in professional writing include:

*Source: U.S. Department of Labor; figures based on a national scale

Department Contact Information

Kennesaw State University
Department of English
M.A. in Professional Writing
440 Bartow Ave., MD 2701
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Phone: (470) 578-3335
Email: mapw@kennesaw.edu

For Enrollment Questions:

Graduate Admissions 
Phone: (470) 578-4377
Email: ksugrad@kennesaw.edu

Program Snapshot

  • Format: Face-to-Face, Online
  • Number of Credit Hours: 36
  • Cost: Tuition/Fees (Approximate) 
  • Entry Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Time to Complete: Two-Year Program
  • Application Deadlines:
    • Fall: July 1
    • Spring: Nov. 1

 

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