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Writing for Children & Young Adults

Writing for young people requires special understanding and special skills. Through our Writing for Children & Young Adults, you'll hone those skills while networking and gaining an understanding of the publishing industry. 

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Degree Types
Graduate Certificate
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Program Cost
$548 per credit
Key
Format
Online
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Total credits
15

Expert Faculty

Experts in the field are your program faculty, including editors at major publishing houses and published authors. Some of our expert faculty include:

What You Can Expect

  • Learn from and network with industry professionals
  • Highly engaging discussions, critiques and individual feedback that help you perfect your craft and prepare you for the industry
  • Flexible course sequencing

Upon successful completion of five courses, candidates receive the Certificate in Writing for Children and Young Adults. These courses will count toward a Master of Liberal Arts degree.

What You Need to Know About Writing for Children & Young Adults

Admissions Requirements

  • Application for graduate study 
  • Official transcript conferring bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution

Certificate Requirements

Successful completion of the five certificate courses (15 credits total):

  • WRT 501 - Reading Like a Writer
  • WRT 503 - Fiction: Writing Novels for Grades 3-12
  • WRT 505 - Nonfiction: Writing for Grades PreK-12
  • WRT 507 - Picture Books: Writing for Grades PreK-4
  • WRT 510 - Writing Workshop for Children and Young Adult Books

State Authorization & Professional Licensure

Find Out More

Discover more about this program and others at one of our monthly, virtual open houses!  

Register

Now Enrolling

We are now accepting applications for Fall, Spring and Summer enrollment.  

Apply Now

Program Coordinator

Dr. Mona Kerby

rkerby@mcdaniel.edu 

410-857-2507

Request More Info

Successful Alumni

Our program alumni have gone on to highly successful publishing careers.

B. Sharise Moore and Jared Reck

Two former Writing for Children and Young Adults graduate students find success in the publishing world

B. Sharise Moore, who specialized in WCYA while pursuing her master’s degree from McDaniel’s Innovations in Teaching and Learning (formerly Curriculum and Instruction) graduate program, had a debut fantasy novel, “Dr. Marvellus Djinn’s Odd Scholars,” released at the end of May. Jared Reck, who completed coursework in WCYA and currently teaches as an online adjunct lecturer in the program, has had “Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love” published with Knopf Books for Young Readers by Penguin Random House.

Read more about two WCYA alums
Mona Kerby

Expert Training

Program Coordinator Mona Kerby writes fiction, science, and history books for elementary school readers. Her titles have been positively reviewed by professional selection sources such as Booklist, Horn Book Guide, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Wilson's Children's Core Collection. Her books Asthma and Cockroaches were named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students in K-12. 38 Weeks Till Summer Vacation won the Minnesota Maud Hart Lovelace Award. Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch won the California Young Readers Award and the Vermont Red Clover Award.

Meet Mona

Related Programs

Writing and Publishing

Find Out More

Discover more about this program and others at one of our monthly, virtual open houses!  

Register

Now Enrolling

We are now accepting applications for Fall, Spring and Summer enrollment.  

Apply Now

Program Coordinator

Dr. Mona Kerby

rkerby@mcdaniel.edu 

410-857-2507

Request More Info
McDaniel College
2 College Hill
Westminster, MD, 21157
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