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• MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing

The Department of English at the University of Toronto launched the MA Program in English in the Field of Creative Writing (MA CRW) in 2004-05. The program draws both on the expertise of faculty at the University of Toronto and on the extraordinary vitality of Toronto’s writing community. Internationally acclaimed writers, a multiplicity of cultural traditions, and an energetic publishing industry provide the environment for nurturing new talent. Students have at their disposal the academic and creative resources of the English Department, including its strengths in historical research and traditional scholarship, numerous interdisciplinary collaborations, its acknowledged expertise in world literature, and a faculty engaged in new theoretical studies in culture, race, and gender. Students also have access to one of the world’s great library systems, including the manuscript collections at the Fisher Rare Book library. While the program is designed to prepare participants for careers as professional writers, it will also qualify those wishing to pursue further graduate studies.

Admission Requirements

The MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing requires students to attend graduate-level English courses. The degree can lead to a PhD in English. Therefore, students must have at least seven full-year undergraduate courses in English or the equivalent in half-year courses (i.e., fourteen), or any combination of full- and half-year courses that add up to the equivalent of seven full-year courses .  It is not necessary to have an English major, as long as you have the seven undergraduate English courses. Students who do not meet this requirement cannot be admitted into the program.

A B+ average (GPA of 3.3) is the minimum requirement for entry into the program. Once this is met, the primary basis for the selection of candidates is the quality of the portfolio submission. It is not expected that students will have publication credits. Applicants do not need to provide GRE results.

Applications must be submitted online and are considered complete only when the following documentation has been received by the Department of English:

• Two academic letters of reference submitted online by academic referees/recommenders, each addressing your performance in university English and/or Creative Writing coursework. At least one letter must discuss your performance in English coursework. Do not use editors, publishers, employers, or fellow writers as referees.
• A statement of purpose, submitted electronically
• Digital Transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended (in pdf format), uploaded to the application, and UPON REQUEST ONLY official paper transcripts mailed directly to the Department. For more detailed information and instructions regarding submitting transcripts, please visit  "Checklist for a Complete GradAPP Package" in the section entitled Academic Transcripts  on our  APPLICATION INFORMATION page.
• Do not submit academic essays.
• To view the application details and requirements, please visit the SGS website here  SGS Admissions & SGS Application Requirements  and the application instructions on the SGS  How to apply  page. Additionally, here is the link to the School of Graduate Studies pages for Future Students .

Program Requirements

The MA program in English in the Field of Creative Writing usually requires 18-24 months to complete. Applicants must have an overall average of B+ or better and evidence of first-class work in English for admission to the program. The program requires the completion of two FCE’s (full course equivalents) in English; ENG6950Y Writing Workshop; and a supervised Writing Project (the equivalent of a thesis) completed under the direction of a mentor.

All candidates must complete the Writing Workshop in the first year of their program. Some sessions may feature on-campus visits from editors, publishers, professional archivists, researchers, and agents so that students can learn the pragmatics of the publishing industry. In their second year, students undertake a book-length Writing Project in a genre of choice – poetry, drama, fiction, or creative non-fiction. Each student is assigned a faculty member or adjunct faculty member with whom to consult on a regular basis about the Project. All advisors are published writers.

Writing Workshop

ENG6950YY: All candidates for the MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing must complete this workshop in the first year of their program. Students will also submit creative work in order to receive feedback from the instructor and fellow students, and this will allow them to develop their portfolios.

Writing Project

In the second year of the program, students will undertake a book-length Writing Project in a genre of choice (poetry, drama, fiction, or creative non-fiction). Each student will be assigned a faculty member or adjunct faculty member with whom to consult on a regular basis about the Project. All mentors will be published writers. The completed Project should normally be submitted before the beginning of April of the second year. The Department will then arrange an oral defense, to be chaired by the Director of the MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing. The Writing Project can be designated as Pass, Fail, or Distinction.

Student Funding

Students accepted into the MA Program in English in the Field of Creative Writing are eligible for teaching assistantships, including a number in Creative Writing courses. All incoming students are considered for incoming scholarships.

Students are strongly encouraged to apply for external funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. For more information visit the Department of English Finances & Awards  webpage.

Faculty, Mentors, and Alumni

• MA CRW Program Adjunct Faculty (Mentor) Biographies
• MA CRW Faculty Biographies
• MA CRW Alumni Biographies

How many students are admitted each year?

We admit seven students each year.

I do not have 7 full-year (or equivalent) undergraduate courses in English. Can I still apply?

Because the program is an MA in English, students must have a strong background in English literature. Students who do not have sufficient undergraduate training may wish to take additional courses in English in order to qualify for admission.

My average is less than a B+. Can I still apply?

The academic requirements for admission to the MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing are very strict. The B+ minimum must be met or a student’s portfolio will not be considered. Students who do not have an adequate GPA may wish to take additional courses in order to improve their academic standing and qualify for admission.

I have taken courses in literature in a language other than English. Can I apply?

Unless the texts were studied in English translation, courses in literature in a language other than English do not qualify students for admission to the program.

How should I choose what to submit?

Choose your best writing.

Can I apply to enrol in January?

There is only one entry point for students in the MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing, which is September. Students may not begin the program in January.

Can I enrol in the MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing part-time?

Students must enrol full-time.

How much Financial Support can I expect?

Currently we are able to offer students in the Creative Writing program a TAship each year (number of hours TBA at the start of the program), to a maximum of two years. Successful applicants for the SSHRC CGS-M award can expect $17,500. OGS award holders can expect up to $15,000. All incoming students are considered for incoming scholarships.

For more information please contact us by e-mail, phone or by mail.

[email protected]  Director, MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing Department of English 170 St. George Street University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario Canada M5R 2M8

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Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Guelph

Our MFA Program, located in Toronto, the most richly diverse city in the country, welcomes and is structured to nurture and support many voices and wide imaginaries. Our distinguished faculty and our many acclaimed graduates recognize the power of language to summon a different world. We offer workshops in fiction, creative nonfiction, drama and poetry. Defining characteristics include innovative plenary courses, a semester-long mentorship with a professional writer, and the opportunity to design and teach creative writing workshops in downtown Toronto schools.

The deadline for consideration for Fall 2025 entry is Monday, December 2, 2024 at 11:59pm. 

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Top 5 colleges in Canada for MFA in Creative Writing Programs

Creative writing needs a lot of practice, vocabulary, and vision. it can be achieved with proper guidance. mfa in creative writing in canada will give you exactly that. read on to learn more., table of contents, best writing programs in canada, what is creative writing, what is mfa in creative writing , top 5 colleges in canada for mfa in creative writing program, the university of toronto, the university of british columbia, the university of montreal, york university, the university of ottawa, the curriculum of mfa in creative writing, specialization subjects in mfa in creative writing, the admission requirements, key takeaways.

Dumbledore in Harry Potter said, “words are the most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.” This sentence shows the power of words. A writer is a magician who makes us feel emotions we never knew we could through words. Creative writing plays a vital role in this magic.  

An MFA creative writing can be your chance to explore this magic within you and help the world see it. Let’s learn more about this course and the top universities in Canada to pursue the degree. 

It is a stream where you can explore the realm of literature. In creative writing, you explore different types of literature and work in one that suits your taste. You can write essays, articles, columns, technical blogs, a book, poetry, screenplay, lyrics, or a slogan for advertisement. There are several genres of literature that you can explore with creative writing.

The field of creative writing demands a unique vision and an awareness of the factors necessary to sell it.  In this digital era, we have plenty of sources of information and entertainment. If you want to make creative writing a profession, you will have to know how to make money with it. The MFA in creative writing is a great way to learn that.

Master of Fine Arts in creative writing is a postgraduate degree program. If you are interested in writing, you can enroll in this course. It is known to be a versatile course with multiple opportunities. It will help you strengthen your writing skills, develop editing skills, and build professional relationships with your peers. 

This course covers all the genres of writing. The students learn about literature, technical writing, journalistic writing, and business-oriented writing. The course includes experimental learning to prepare students for professional opportunities in the industry. 

The colleges for MFA in creative writing organize events like writing conferences, writer’s retreats, and guest lectures to build students’ professional skills. They also get university fellowships and internships in publication houses. You can even pursue a career in teaching literature with this degree.

Canada is a beautiful country with landscapes, ice skating, maple syrup, and northern lights. It has all the colors of nature and the beauty of humanity. The literature in Canada is known to be bilingual. It is divided into English and French literature. That’s why studying MFA creative writing in Canada has become more interesting. 

Let’s look at some top universities that conduct the MFA in creative writing. 

Let’s know more about these universities in Canada.

The University of Toronto was established in 1827. Since its establishment, it has been research-oriented. It has ranked in the top list of universities across the globe for many other courses. The university is spread over 177 acres. It has 3 campuses. 

This university hosts more than 5,60,000 graduate students. The tuition fee for the course ranges from CAD 25,000 to 30,000. For more information, visit the official website of the university.

This U niversity of British Columbia was founded in 1908. It is a public university in the state of British Columbia. It has the motto ‘tuum est,’ which means ‘it is yours.’ It is ranked among the top universities in the world. It offers 244 post-graduate degree programs in science, business, health, fine arts, etc. 

This university has 8 Nobel laureates as alumni. It conducts MFA in different domains like acting, filmmaking, and writing. The course fee for MFA in creative writing is over CAD 9,229.

University of Montreal was established in 1878 in Quebec, Canada. It is a non-private research institution. The main campus of this university is on Mount Royal. It is spread over 65 hectares. This university gives equal importance to fine arts as research and science. 

York University was initially affiliated with the University of Toronto. In 1965, it became an independent university. It ranks third in the list of largest universities in Canada. It emphasizes more liberal education in the arts and science stream. 

York University has over 28 research centers on its campus. It is currently home to over 55,700 students. The MFA in creative writing program at this university is for 4 years. It provides students with an extensive learning program through this degree. 

University of Ottawa was established in 1848. It is one of the oldest public research universities in Ottawa. It is also known to be the largest bilingual university. This university has 3 campuses. They are in Ottawa, Toronto, and Windsor. The main campus in Ottawa is spread over 100 acres. 

The University of Ottawa conducts more than 50 specialized post-graduation courses. One of those courses is MFA in creative writing.

You don’t need to hold a degree in the same domain to get admission to this course. It is a full-time course of 2 years duration. The course starts in the fall session. It has 36 credits. They are divided as follows.

The course has 4 semesters and an internship. Each semester, the students have to attend one writing workshop and a literature seminar. In the final semester, you will have to work closely with your faculty advisor to complete the writing thesis and literature project. 

The MFA in creative writing course offers you to choose a specialization in your writing. There are a few options available for you to specialize in. Let’s take a look at these subjects.

• Fiction- Students work on a story, its narrative arc, emotions, plot, tension, and character building in this subject. They must study several fiction writers’ works and understand the writing process. They will also need to attend seminars and workshops on the same process. In this degree program, the students also learn about flash fiction, novels, graphic narration, and more. 
• Non-fiction- This genre of writing is especially popular in digital media. People love to read non-fiction e-books on their smartphones and kindle. It includes personal narratives, essays, memoirs, and a certain form of journalism. They learn to apply productive critiques through revision. 
• Poetry- Sometimes rhymes come naturally to the poet. Some people are born with the talent to express emotions through poetry. This MFA in creative writing course only solidifies that talent to become a professional and well-known poet. The curriculum includes craft classes that teach students about poetic forms, terms, blank verses, villanelle, and pyrrhic. 
• Screenplay- It is a form of writing that connects live theatre and visual art through a script. In MFA, students learn to write for television shows and films. Screenwriting has also gained an important place in video games. Students get new occupation opportunities as the demand for story-driven video games increases. 

The admission process for MFA creative writing in Canada is pretty simple. You can apply for the course online on the university’s official website. Along with the admission form, you need to submit some documents. They are as follows.

• Bachelor’s degree in any stream.
• A CV or supplemental information about your professional experience as a writer.
• You need to score a minimum of 2.5 GPA in your previous education.
• An unofficial academic transcript.
• A letter of recommendation.
• A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score.
• Application fee for the admissions. 
• IELTS scores for international students.
• MFA in creative writing gives you a broader perspective and a chance to explore your writing skills.
• With different learning programs, the universities in Canada proved to be one of the best choices to pursue an MFA in creative writing.
• This degree can cost you over CAD 30,000 to 40,000 for the first year. It can vary depending on the university and your living situation.

We hope you find this information helpful. Write to us your comments.

Liked this blog? Read next: 5 best colleges for MFA in the United States- QS world ranking.

Q1. Can you pursue a career in teaching creative writing with an MFA degree?

Answer: With an MFA in creative writing, you will be eligible to teach in an elementary school.

Q2. How much does a writer earn?

Answer: According to the survey, a full-time writer can earn over $20,300. 

Q3. What can I do with an MFA in creative writing degree?

Answer: You can become a copywriter, art director, copy-editor, newspaper journalist, digital marketer, social media manager, etc. 

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Master of Fine Arts

Clockwise from top: Kajill Aujla , Deepali Raiththa , Rosalina Libertad Cerritos.

Expand your practice and perspective.

For critical thinkers and artists who want to take their creative practice to the next level, an MFA at Emily Carr will allow you to experiment, research, and explore in a unique studio environment.

What You Will Learn

Our curriculum is designed to encourage a rigorous and innovative approach to contemporary art production — with the flexibility to support your established practice and research initiatives.

Our programs bridge disciplines and methodologies in a practice and research-based studio setting. Flexible and intersectional, an MFA at ECU provides a concentrated, challenging, and supportive experience that will further your artistic practice and encourage important critical inquiry.

There two distinct paths available to you at Emily Carr:

Full-residency

A two-year degree that includes coursework, creative research, and material exploration in an on-campus delivery model. As a student, you will participate in innovative and generative coursework during the Fall and Spring terms, and develop your independent thesis over the Summer term.

Why choose this option?

The full-residency MFA is perfect for artists seeking an on-campus, concentrated academic experience where they can enjoy year-round access to our expansive labs, studios, facilities , and research centres .

The Fall and Spring terms provide periods of intense studio-practice development, allowing you to focus on material exploration and engage deeply with theoretical frameworks. Through a predominantly critique-based environment, you will be encouraged to take risks, challenge yourself, and grow your established material processes and critical perspectives.

Throughout the degree, you will develop your thesis project with guidance from a faculty mentor. This is an integral creative endeavour comprising both a practical and written component.

Research seminars, studio classes, public exhibitions, and studio visits from renowned artists and curators will inform and supplement your practice, and deepen your professional development.

Low-residency

The low-residency MFA takes two years to complete, with a hybrid delivery model of online coursework and on-campus summer residencies. As a student, you will attend and contribute to innovative and interactive online coursework during the fall and spring terms, and intensive on-campus residencies in the summer terms.

The low-residency MFA was created for artists who want to continue to learn in their home communities while deepening their practice and building new professional connections.

You'll leverage remote learning technologies in a flexible delivery model that includes a concentrated summer schedule. You'll work both online and independently, delving into research and practice for your chosen area of fine arts or media arts.

Designed to provide the best of both worlds, the low-residency degree includes on-campus summer residencies where you can focus on your studio practice, allowing you to deepen your creative research and material exploration in Vancouver.

There are many opportunities for low-residency students to connect with their full-residency peers and the wider ECU community by participating in year-round professional development activities and other programming.

Explore our curriculum.

Want to learn more about the specifics of our MFA program? You can find detailed course descriptions and curriculum pathways here .

“The opportunity to be a graduate student at Emily Carr not only helped me realize further my potential as an artist, but it also gave me the best community of friends and peers along the way. Being a part of such a diverse cohort of artists expanded my perspectives of the potential that visual art has and has inspired me in ways beyond words. I am thankful to have been among such wonderful individuals and artists in my cohort and to learn from such wonderful faculty and researchers as well.” Kajill Auijla, MFA 2021

Kajill Auijla, MFA 2021

Stories from Our MFA Community

Reyhaneh Yazdani

Gemma Crowe

Malina Sintnicolaas

Read more graduate student stories..

"As a multidisciplinary artist, being able to try new materials and methods is an essential part of my praxis. I cannot think of a space or time that better allowed for that than at Emily Carr University. With access to a multitude of studios and workshops, I am able to create freely and organically, while being supported by faculty, staff and colleagues who genuinely care for my success." Rebecca Bair, MFA 2020

Our Studios + Facilities

Above: MFA students in their personal studios. Below: MFA candidate prOphecy sun in the Motion Capture Studio.

Graduate programs at Emily Carr University have a strong focus on studio practice with rigorous individual and group critiques that aim to balance the integration of theory, practice, and production.

As a graduate student, you will have your own studio space at your disposal throughout the program, and to shared, dedicated work areas. Graduate students work with Technical Services Coordinators who help with their various studio needs.

A wealth of resources and integrated studios, labs, and workshops housing a wide range of media, analogue and new digital technologies will be available to you. Find detailed descriptions of our shops and studios on our website .

Beyond the Studio

Graduate peer-mentorship program.

The new ECU peer mentorship program for MFA and MDes students fosters professional and academic development, builds relationships and community ties, and strengthens our EDI commitments. This initiative is designed to support Indigenous, racialized, and graduate students of other justice-seeking groups, both domestic and international.

This new program, which started in the 2023-34 academic year, aligns with the NSERC EDI Capacity Building Grant objectives, and its development and implementation are done in collaboration between ECU’s Graduate Studies and Research Office.

Through the program, mentors and mentees have the opportunity to give and receive support, gain professional and academic development, share their experience and knowledge, develop leadership skills, and contribute to creating a more inclusive and supportive graduate community.

Future Creative Catalysts Graduate Research Fellowships

The recently launched Future Creative Catalysts Graduate Research Fellowships supports up to 4 second-year graduate student researchers in the Master of Fine Arts and Master of Design programs in the 23-24 academic year.

Created to champion original and meaningful art and design research, the Fellowships present a unique opportunity for graduate students to elevate their research and professional endeavours through hands-on projects and research-creation activities. The Faculty of Graduate Studies is committed to supporting high-quality research that will contribute to academic progress and societal improvement.

The four recipients of the Fellowship, which aim to connect students with our new 2023-28 Strategic Research Plan, conduct creative research at ECU and beyond that resonates with one or more of the University's strategic research plan themes.

In Touch, a Grad Studies Symposium

The student-led October 2020 week-long symposium focused on exploring research, creative activity, and collective community actions that unfold in the midst of and beyond the COVID-19 health crisis.Student Research Assistants led on organizing and facilitating the activities with support from staff and faculty, in discussing various topics like virtual modes of sharing and the ways digital technologies are integrated in our practice, and mobilizing art and design in the service of social and political transformation.

Through panel discussion, professional development workshops, and guest lectures, this symposium provided a common site of dialogue and inquiry across all graduate programs at Emily Carr University.

CAGS Virtual Symposia | Innovation in Research Creation in Art and Design

Grad students from Emily Carr University presented their thought-provoking work in the 2nd CAGS Virtual Symposia in Spring 2021. The free, week-long event featured unique webinars addressing various challenges, opportunities, and inflection points in Canadian graduate education.

This online event was hosted by CAGS and chaired by the ECU’s AVP Research + Dean, Jake Kerr Faculty of Graduate Studies, and featured six grad student panelists. The panelists presented their research process and creative practice in connection to innovation and research-creation.

Collaborative 4 Minute Thesis Pitch Online EventECU grad students in the MFA and MDes programs participated in the joint ECU + OCAD + AUArts + NSCAD virtual forum in Spring 2021. This cross-school professional development exercise allowed students to present their thesis projects to a wide audience.

Students had the chance to present their thesis pitch, and hear from other master's students across disciplines and institutions. All enrolled students were eligible to participate in this collaborative, non-competitive event.

Griffin Art Projects Residency Awards

ECU has partnered with Griffin Art Projects (GRIFFIN) to celebrate the achievements of its Master of Fine Arts graduates and to support their transition from academic studies to professional practice. Through this partnership, ECU MFA graduates are eligible for three prestigious residency awards that offer studio space, a materials budget, and unique programming opportunities. These include open studios, youth outreach programs, artist talks, and studio visits from GRIFFIN's director, Lisa Baldissera, and other visual arts professionals. Facilitated by Shumka Centre for Creative Entrepreneurship, this partnership is made possible thanks to the support of RBC. Learn more about these awards here .

About GRIFFIN: A non-profit art residency and gallery located in North Vancouver, Griffin Art Projects (GRIFFIN) supports artists in the production of new work through its residency program, and in creating new research on contemporary Canadian and international art, artists and art collections from around the world in its exhibition program. GRIFFIN hosts visiting artists from the region and the world, who receive temporary studio space or accommodation.

Engage your creative voice

The MFA in Scriptwriting & Story Design is a two-year interdisciplinary masters program offered by the Schools of Image Arts, Performance, and RTA Media in The Creative School.

In the first year, students take foundational courses in writing and story development, and they begin developing their final thesis project. In year two, each student participates in extensive workshopping to develop their individual writing projects. They engage with peers and upper-year undergraduate students who can act, direct, and record performances to further develop their work.

Throughout the program, the students receive guidance and mentorship from their supervisor and are immersed in The Creative School's creative ecosystem. For the final thesis project, each student will complete a full script for a feature film, a stage play, a television script, or other script-based media composition.

Write for the stage, screen and cutting-edge media platforms

Our pedagogy encourages creating with technology rather than for technology. To that end, we will begin in the first year with the Elements of Storytelling as the key foundational plank for all forms of scriptwriting and story design. The course in Writing for Visual Media will be an encounter with the full range of current and emerging digital linear and nonlinear forms. 

Fall Semester

Sd8010: elements of scripted storytelling.

This course will investigate the intrinsic nature of story-telling - a beginning, a middle and an end - and how it is animated and driven by emotional connection and specificity of description through character, theme and story structure.

SD8011: Script Analysis

Students will examine scripts from the standpoint of the text with the aim to explore how decisions are made from the writer’s point of view. Students learn key elements of dramaturgical analysis and understand the nature of the choices and decisions that take a script from the page to the stage or screens. In this course we will be looking particularly at material done in a variety of forms: plays, screenplays and episodic television.

SD8012: Research Methods for Scriptwriting

This course introduces students to foundational research methods and practices to foster socially responsive writing that engages “real world” issues. The course familiarizes students with a variety of research methods and information-gathering processes to better prepare them for industry opportunities in genres such as historical fiction, verbatim, biopics, and documentary. Through guided exercises and writing assignments, students harness research skills for the advancement of their chosen projects. Students learn the different modalities of practice-based and practice-led research methods, qualitative research, and identify the most appropriate methodological approaches for their projects.

Winter Semester

Sd8013: writing for visual media.

Students will explore commonalities and differences in the forms of a screenplay, teleplay, stage-play and a full panoply of existing and emerging digital media. Storytelling approaches include shifting POV, fractured narrative, episodic and layered content.

SD8014: Acting and Directing for Writers

In this course, students acquire a hands-on, working knowledge of acting and directing techniques to develop a better understanding of how scripts are interpreted and “staged.” Exercises in scene study, acting methods (Stanislavsky, etc.), and directing deepen students’ skills in actor- and director-friendly writing, sharpen their attention to the components of story tension, and increase their capacity for character-driven storytelling. The assignments cumulatively lead to an applied knowledge of writing for actors and directors and the components of scriptwriting that result in effective visual interpretation. 

Spring Semester

Thesis project development.

(Compulsory, non-credit)

In the spring term of Year 1, students will work with their thesis supervisor to begin developing the Scriptwriting & Story Design thesis project. Students will explore dramatic context, research themes and develop characterization. By the end of this term, students will have chosen the subject of their final thesis project.

In the second year of the program, each student will concentrate on individual writing projects in the medium of their choice. Extensive workshopping will be part of the process. We will draw on the combined resources of the three schools to create a “repertory” company (a group of graduate and upper-level undergraduate students who can act and direct for the projects in readings and performances). There will be a graduate faculty advisor attached to each project. By the time of graduation, each student will have completed a full script for a feature film, a stage play, a television series, or other media composition.

SD8015: Graduate Writing Seminar – Thesis Project 1

In this seminar students develop their scripted thesis project. This will involve feedback from the supervisor, course instructor and other students. By the end of this seminar, students will have a solid outline of their chosen subject and a second reader for their final thesis project.

SD8017: Contemporary Practices in Scriptwriting and Story Design

Students will examine contemporary practices by viewing and analyzing current film, theatre, television and emerging media productions. Guest artists/writers will contribute their unique expertise to helping students articulate the effects of differing creative choices on script development and story design.

SD8016: Graduate Writing Seminar – Thesis Project 2

With the support of the thesis supervisor, and feedback from the course instructor and other students, the writer will present ongoing drafts of their thesis. This is a class focused - as a key element in successful scriptwriting - on rewriting and revision.

SD8018: Business of Scriptwriting and Story Design

Students will explore the challenges and opportunities of bringing their scripted works to audiences from a business vantage point. Guest speakers, from industry and the creative community, will lend their expertise in areas such as creative development, financing, production, talent representation and presentation platforms.

Thesis Project Completion

In the spring term of Year 2, students will work with their thesis supervisors to complete their thesis projects. Where possible, actors will be brought in to read aloud the work-in-progress to better facilitate its completion. 

Workshop your ideas, captivate audiences & tell powerful stories

Elective courses.

Permission for 2-4 MFA in Scriptwriting & Story Design students in each graduate course has been granted by The Creative School Graduate Program Directors. Students may select a single course from the following list during their first and second years of the program. 

DM8302: The Culture of the Avant-Garde: Modernity’s Discontents

This course explores the discontent that members of vanguard artistic movements of the 20th century harboured relative to the culture of modernity and examines the different forms that this discontent (or protest) assumed in Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, Lettrism and Situationism. The course examines both key documents in cultural theory and the manifestos issued by various groups and is concerned particularly with artists who attempted to forge a link between political revolution and a revolution in consciousness. The role the cinema played in all these artistic movements is given special consideration.

CD8310: Topics in Cross-Cultural Communication

A vogue term that has emerged in recent years in cross-cultural competence. In fact, the term denotes a vast complex of competencies, which educators, politicians and business leaders around the world have identified as one of the most crucial of the 21st century. The purpose of this course will be to foster such “competence” through a wide-ranging examination of the major social issues that affect communication across national and cultural boundaries.

CD8320: Media Languages: Forms and Approaches

This shared, interdisciplinary course will investigate both common elements (visual and auditory narratives, methods of presentation/distribution, cultural roles) and specific attributes (individual characteristics and technologies) of contemporary media forms. Key developments in the evolution of media types and media languages will be explored in the larger context of understanding critical and theoretical issues associated with these forms and languages.

CD8330: Audiences and the Public

One might begin with the work of Jürgen Habermas and his influential notion that “the public” is not something that can be taken for granted, but a very specific historical development that first emerged in the 16th and 17th centuries in the bourgeois societies of western Europe. There is a rich body of literature that examines how the idea of “the public” or “the audience” has taken shape at different times; the “imagined communities” that are the foundations of modern nations could not have taken shape in the absence of mass media. This course will examine the development of these ideas in the context of the varying disciplines offered across the faculty.

The Creative School Graduate Electives

The Creative School offers graduate elective courses open to all students in the faculty. If you are interested in taking an elective outside of your program, please contact your program administrator for information on how to enroll and make sure the course can be used for credit in your program. Please note that spots for non-program students in graduate electives are limited. 

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Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024

May 15, 2024

Whether you studied at a top creative writing university or are a high school dropout who will one day become a bestselling author , you may be considering an MFA in Creative Writing. But is a writing MFA genuinely worth the time and potential costs? How do you know which program will best nurture your writing? If you’re considering an MFA, this article walks you through the best full-time, low residency, and online Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

What are the best Creative Writing MFA programs?

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this article, let’s start with the basics. What is an MFA, anyway?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications typically require a sample portfolio, usually 10-20 pages (and sometimes up to 30-40) of your best writing. Moreover, you can receive an MFA in a particular genre, such as Fiction or Poetry, or more broadly in Creative Writing. However, if you take the latter approach, you often have the opportunity to specialize in a single genre.

Wondering what actually goes on in a creative writing MFA beyond inspiring award-winning books and internet memes ? You enroll in workshops where you get feedback on your creative writing from your peers and a faculty member. You enroll in seminars where you get a foundation of theory and techniques. Then, you finish the degree with a thesis project. Thesis projects are typically a body of polished, publishable-quality creative work in your genre—fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.

Why should I get an MFA in Creative Writing?

You don’t need an MFA to be a writer. Just look at Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison or bestselling novelist Emily St. John Mandel.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons you might still want to get a creative writing MFA. The first is, unfortunately, prestige. An MFA from a top program can help you stand out in a notoriously competitive industry to be published.

The second reason: time. Many MFA programs give you protected writing time, deadlines, and maybe even a (dainty) salary.

Third, an MFA in Creative Writing is a terminal degree. This means that this degree allows you to teach writing at the university level, especially after you publish a book.

Fourth: resources. MFA programs are often staffed by brilliant, award-winning writers; offer lecture series, volunteer opportunities, and teaching positions; and run their own (usually prestigious) literary magazines. Such resources provide you with the knowledge and insight you’ll need to navigate the literary and publishing world on your own post-graduation.

But above all, the biggest reason to pursue an MFA is the community it brings you. You get to meet other writers—and share feedback, advice, and moral support—in relationships that can last for decades.

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

Here are the different types of programs to consider, depending on your needs:

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

These programs offer full-tuition scholarships and sweeten the deal by actually paying you to attend them.

• Pros: You’re paid to write (and teach).
• Cons: Uprooting your entire life to move somewhere possibly very cold.

Full-Time MFA Programs

These programs include attending in-person classes and paying tuition (though many offer need-based and merit scholarships).

• Pros: Lots of top-notch non-funded programs have more assets to attract world-class faculty and guests.
• Cons: It’s an investment that might not pay itself back.

Low-Residency MFA Programs

Low-residency programs usually meet biannually for short sessions. They also offer one-on-one support throughout the year. These MFAs are more independent, preparing you for what the writing life is actually like.

• Pros: No major life changes required. Cons: Less time dedicated to writing and less time to build relationships.

Online MFA Programs

Held 100% online. These programs have high acceptance rates and no residency requirement. That means zero travel or moving expenses.

• Pros: No major life changes required.
• Cons: These MFAs have less name recognition.

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

The following programs are selected for their balance of high funding, impressive return on investment, stellar faculty, major journal publications , and impressive alums.

FULLY FUNDED MFA PROGRAMS

1) johns hopkins university , mfa in fiction/poetry.

This two-year program offers an incredibly generous funding package: $39,000 teaching fellowships each year. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and the option to apply for a lecture position after graduation. Many grads publish their first book within three years (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Incoming class size: 8 students (4 per genre)
• Admissions rate: 4-8%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adichie, Jeffrey Blitz, Wes Craven, Louise Erdrich, Porochista Khakpour, Phillis Levin, ZZ Packer, Tom Sleigh, Elizabeth Spires, Rosanna Warren

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center

The only MFA that offers full and equal funding for every writer. It’s three years long, offers a generous yearly stipend of $30k, and provides full tuition plus a health insurance stipend. Fiction, poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting concentrations are available. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $4,000 for the summer.

• Location : Austin, TX
• Incoming class size : 12 students
• Acceptance rate: a bone-chilling less-than-1% in fiction; 2-3% in other genres
• Alumni: Fiona McFarlane, Brian McGreevy, Karan Mahajan, Alix Ohlin, Kevin Powers, Lara Prescott, Roger Reeves, Maria Reva, Domenica Ruta, Sam Sax, Joseph Skibell, Dominic Smith

3) University of Iowa

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is a 2-year program on a residency model for fiction and poetry. This means there are low requirements, and lots of time to write groundbreaking novels or play pool at the local bar. All students receive full funding, including tuition, a living stipend, and subsidized health insurance. The Translation MFA , co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years long but with more intensive coursework. The Nonfiction Writing Program is a prestigious three-year MFA program and is also intensive.

• Incoming class size: 25 each for poetry and fiction; 10-12 for nonfiction and translation.
• Acceptance rate: 2.7-3.7%
• Fantastic Alumni: Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Garth Greenwell, Kiley Reid, Brandon Taylor, Eula Biss, Yiyun Li, Jennifer Croft

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

4) university of michigan.

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students in UMichigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. This is a big university town, which is less damaging to your social life. Plus, there’s lots to do when you have a $25,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program in either fiction or poetry, with an impressive reputation. They also have a demonstrated commitment to “ push back against the darkness of intolerance and injustice ” and have outreach programs in the community.

• Location: Ann Arbor, MI
• Incoming class size: 18 (9 in each genre)
• Acceptance rate: 2%
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that only occasionally dips into arctic temperatures. All students are fully funded for 2 years, which includes tuition remission and a $32k yearly stipend. Students also get summer funding and—you guessed it—that sweet, sweet health insurance.

In the Brown Literary Arts MFA, students take only one workshop and one elective per semester. It’s also the only program in the country to feature a Digital/Cross Disciplinary Track.  Fiction and Poetry Tracks are offered as well.

• Location: Providence, RI
• Incoming class size: 12-13
• Acceptance rate: “highly selective”
• Alumni: Edwidge Danticat, Jaimy Gordon, Gayl Jones, Ben Lerner, Joanna Scott, Kevin Young, Ottessa Moshfegh

6) University of Arizona

This 3-year program with fiction, poetry, and nonfiction tracks has many attractive qualities. It’s in “ the lushest desert in the world, ” and was recently ranked #4 in creative writing programs, and #2 in Nonfiction. You can take classes in multiple genres, and in fact, are encouraged to do so. Plus, Arizona’s dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program is fully funded. Moreover, teaching assistantships that provide a salary, health insurance, and tuition waiver are offered to all students. Tucson is home to a hopping literary scene, so it’s also possible to volunteer at multiple literary organizations and even do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Location: Tucson, AZ
• Incoming class size: usually 6
• Acceptance rate: 1.2% (a refreshingly specific number after Brown’s evasiveness)
• Alumni: Francisco Cantú, Jos Charles, Tony Hoagland, Nancy Mairs, Richard Russo, Richard Siken, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, David Foster Wallace

7) Arizona State University 

With concentrations in fiction and poetry, Arizona State is a three-year funded program in arthritis-friendly dry heat. It offers small class sizes, individual mentorships, and one of the most impressive faculty rosters in the game. Moreover, it encourages cross-genre study.

Funding-wise, everyone has the option to take on a teaching assistantship position, which provides a tuition waiver, health insurance, and a yearly stipend of $25k. Other opportunities for financial support exist as well.

• Location: Tempe, AZ
• Incoming class size: 8-10
• Acceptance rate: 3% (sigh)
• Alumni: Tayari Jones, Venita Blackburn, Dorothy Chan, Adrienne Celt, Dana Diehl, Matthew Gavin Frank, Caitlin Horrocks, Allegra Hyde, Hugh Martin, Bonnie Nadzam

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

8) new york university.

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU also has one of the most accomplished faculty lists anywhere. Students have large cohorts (more potential friends!) and have a penchant for winning top literary prizes. Concentrations in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction are available.

• Location: New York, NY
• Incoming class size: ~60; 20-30 students accepted for each genre
• Acceptance rate: 6-9%
• Alumni: Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Ocean Vuong

9) Columbia University

Another 2-3 year private MFA program with drool-worthy permanent and visiting faculty. Columbia offers courses in fiction, poetry, translation, and nonfiction. Beyond the Ivy League education, Columbia offers close access to agents, and its students have a high record of bestsellers. Finally, teaching positions and fellowships are available to help offset the high tuition.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: not publicized (boo)
• Alumni: Alexandra Kleeman, Rachel Kushner, Claudia Rankine, Rick Moody, Sigrid Nunez, Tracy K. Smith, Emma Cline, Adam Wilson, Marie Howe, Mary Jo Bang

10) Sarah Lawrence 

Sarah Lawrence offers a concentration in speculative fiction in addition to the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction choices. Moreover, they encourage cross-genre exploration. With intimate class sizes, this program is unique because it offers biweekly one-on-one conferences with its stunning faculty. It also has a notoriously supportive atmosphere, and many teaching and funding opportunities are available.

• Location: Bronxville, NY
• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: not publicized
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11) bennington college.

This two-year program boasts truly stellar faculty, and meets twice a year for ten days in January and June. It’s like a biannual vacation in beautiful Vermont, plus mentorship by a famous writer. The rest of the time, you’ll be spending approximately 25 hours per week on reading and writing assignments. Students have the option to concentrate in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Uniquely, they can also opt for a dual-genre focus.

The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available. Additionally, Bennington offers full-immersion teaching fellowships to MFA students, which are extremely rare in low-residency programs.

• Location: Bennington, VT
• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 25-35
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts

This two-year program emphasizes Native American and First Nations writing. With truly amazing faculty and visiting writers, they offer a wide range of genres, including screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. In addition, each student is matched with a faculty mentor who works with them one-on-one throughout the semester.

Students attend two eight-day residencies each year, in January and July, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At $12,000 in tuition a year, it boasts being “ one of the most affordable MFA programs in the country .”

• Location: Santa Fe, NM
• Incoming class size : 21
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

VCFA is the only graduate school on this list that focuses exclusively on the fine arts. Their MFA in Writing offers concentrations in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction; they also offer an MFA in Literary Translation and one of the few MFAs in Writing for Children and Young Adults . Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, either in-person or online. Here, they receive one-on-one mentorship that continues for the rest of the semester. You can also do many travel residencies in exciting (and warm) places like Cozumel.

VCFA boasts amazing faculty and visiting writers, with individualized study options and plenty of one-on-one time. Tuition for the full two-year program is approximately $54k.

• Location : Various; 2024/25 residencies are in Colorado and California
• Incoming class size: 18-25
• Acceptance rate: 63%
• Alumnx: Lauren Markham, Mary-Kim Arnold, Cassie Beasley, Kate Beasley, Julie Berry, Bridget Birdsall, Gwenda Bond, Pablo Cartaya

ONLINE MFAS

14) university of texas at el paso.

UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Accordingly, this program is geared toward serious writers who want to pursue teaching and/or publishing. Intensive workshops allow submissions in Spanish and/or English, and genres include poetry and fiction.

No residencies are required, but an optional opportunity to connect in person is available every year. This three-year program costs about $25-30k total, depending on whether you are an in-state or out-of-state resident.

• Location: El Paso, TX
• Acceptance rate: “highly competitive”
• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University

This 2-year online, no-residency program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. Featuring a supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and an optional yearly field trip to Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, narrative medicine, and teaching creative writing. Moreover, core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, food/travel writing, and the personal essay. Tuition is approximately $31,000 for the entire program, with scholarships available.

• Location: Longmeadow, MA
• Incoming class size: 20
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs — Final Thoughts

Whether you’re aiming for a fully funded, low residency, or completely online MFA program, there are plenty of incredible options available—all of which will sharpen your craft while immersing you in the vibrant literary arts community.

Hoping to prepare for your MFA in advance? You might consider checking out the following:

• Best English Programs
• Best Colleges for Creative Writing
• Writing Summer Programs
• Best Writing Competitions for High School Students

Inspired to start writing? Get your pencil ready:

• 100 Creative Writing Prompts 
• 1 00 Tone Words to Express Mood in Your Writing
• 60 Senior Project Ideas
• Common App Essay Prompts

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs – References:

• https://www.pw.org/mfa
• The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students , by Tom Kealey (A&C Black 2005)
• Graduate School Admissions

Julia Conrad

With a Bachelor of Arts in English and Italian from Wesleyan University as well as MFAs in both Nonfiction Writing and Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, Julia is an experienced writer, editor, educator, and a former Fulbright Fellow. Julia’s work has been featured in  The Millions ,  Asymptote , and  The Massachusetts Review , among other publications. To read more of her work, visit  www.juliaconrad.net

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Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

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Creative Writers are at the heart of our cultural industries. Poets, novelists, screenwriters, playwrights, graphic novelists, magazine writers: they entertain, inform and inspire. For more than 15 years, UBC's Creative Writing program has been educating writers through distance education in a program which complements our long-standing on-campus MFA program.

A studio program with the writing workshop at its heart, the distance MFA focuses on the work created by students as the primary text. Through intensive peer critique and craft discussion, faculty and students work together with the same goal: literary excellence.

The MFA granted to distance students is the same degree as granted to on-campus students, and the same criteria of excellence in multiple genres of study apply.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

UBC's Optional-Residency (Distance) MFA was the first distance education MFA program in Canada and remains the only full MFA which can be taken completely online. It is designed to be uniquely flexible, allowing students across Canada and around the world to study writing at the graduate level while still living in their local communities and fulfilling career and family obligations.

The program is unique globally for its multi-genre approach to writing instruction: students are required to work in multiple genres during the course of the degree. As a fine arts program rather than an English program, students focus on the practice of writing rather than the study of literature. Students may work on a part-time basis, taking up to five years to complete the degree.

My time in the Creative writing grad program at UBC has given me the discipline and focus I need to complete long-form writing pieces and larger poetry projects.

Kwaku Darko-Mensah Jnr.

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, program instructions.

The optional residency MFA (distance) program only has a July intake.

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 90

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Distance) (MFA)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Options

Graduates of the MFA program have found success in varied fields related to writing and communication. The MFA qualifies graduates for teaching at the university level and many graduates have gone on to teach at colleges and universities in Canada, the United States and overseas as well as holding writing residencies. Many publish books and win literary awards. Others go on to work in publishing, and graduates have become book and magazine editors.

Although the MFA is a terminal degree, some graduates go on to further study in PhD programs in the US, UK and Australia.

The Optional-Residency MFA is particularly well suited to teachers: our teacher-students have been able to gain an advanced degree while continuing their careers.

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Belcourt, Billy-Ray (Fiction; Nonfiction; Poetry)
• Hopkinson, Nalo (Creative writing, n.e.c.; Humanities and the arts; Creative Writing: Speculative Ficton, Fantasy, Science Fiction, especially Other Voices)
• Irani, Anosh
• Koncan, Frances
• Leavitt, Sarah (Autobiographical comics; Formal experimentation in comics; Comics pedagogy)
• Lee, Nancy (Fiction; Creative Writing)
• Lyon, Annabel (Novels, stories and news)
• Maillard, Keith (Fiction, poetry)
• Marzano-Lesnevich, Alex (Nonfiction)
• McGowan, Sharon (Planning of film productions from concept to completion)
• Medved, Maureen (Fiction, writing for screen)
• Nicholson, Cecily (Languages and literature; Poetry)
• Ohlin, Alix (Fiction; Screenwriting; Environmental writing)
• Pohl-Weary, Emily (Fiction; Writing for Youth)
• Svendsen, Linda (Script development; Novels, stories and news; Writing for Television; Fiction)
• Taylor, Timothy (fiction and nonfiction)
• Vigna, John (Novels, stories and news; Fiction, Literary Non-Fiction, Creative Writing)

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Same Academic Unit

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Theatre (MFA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Film Production and Creative Writing (MFA)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Further Information

Specialization.

Creative Writing combines the best of traditional workshop and leading-edge pedagogy. Literary cross-training offers opportunities in a broad range of genres including fiction, poetry, screenplay, podcasting, video game writing and graphic novel.

UBC Calendar

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Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

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Find out how Vancouver enhances your graduate student experience—from the beautiful mountains and city landscapes, to the arts and culture scene, we have it all. Study-life balance at its best!

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CREATIVE WRITING

Unlike any other creative writing program in Ontario, it enables students to hone their craft while exploring multiple art and design practices.

Collaborative by nature, our transdisciplinary and transcultural approach enriches imaginations, broadens perspectives and helps to develop each individual writer’s voice.

Our program includes the study of living literary culture and literary art practices and production, and emphasizes the practice, craft and production of spoken, written, visual and verbal texts as well as experimental language forms that exist both inside and outside established genres. We welcome ‘attitude’ translated on the page and off, through performance texts and other media.

This program combines written, performance and visual expression. You’ll participate in:

• An online and print journal
• Symposia, workshops
• Showcasing and public performances
• A book, zine and publications fair
• Field trips to local readings, conferences and festivals
• A digital and analog writing lab and access to sound studio
• A reading series featuring established, emerging and student writers
• Mentorships, as both mentees and later as mentors
• University slam team
• A nurturing and supportive emerging literary community
• Mentorship by faculty

This program is for both new and emerging writers. You’ll become part of a nurturing and supportive literary community. By the end of your degree, you’ll complete a body of work aimed at publication or exhibition to launch your career.

Program Highlights

Admissions requirements.

• For Ontario high school students, a minimum overall average of 70%
• Statement of Intent
• Official transcripts
• Portfolio requirements here
• see detailed academic requirements here

Internships & Experiential learning

OCAD U offers so much more than co-ops because creative careers take many forms. Our career services help you build a professional community, valuable experience and skills you need for a meaningful career. Get access to:

• Short experiential learning placements from among hundreds of organizations
• Creative in-class projects with real-world industry partners
• Exclusive summer internships
• Gallery exhibitions of your work
• Freelance creative opportunities
• Jobs after graduation

At the End of this Program...

At the end of this four-year program, you will earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.

Jobs You Can Get

Graduates of this program can work in:

• Professional writing
• Artistic practice
• Performance art

What You'll Do in the Program

In first year, you will take art or design studio courses based on your interest as well as:

• Art history
• English class of your choice
• Introduction to History and Practice of Creative Writing
• Research, Reading and Editing for Creative Writers
• Writing in Community

In second year and third year, you will take art, design, social science and humanities courses based on your interest and:

• Creative Writing: Introduction to Four Genres
• Language and the Land
• Nano Publishing: Independent Publications
• Intro to Dub and Spoken Word

In third year you will have options to take classes in art and design that interest you but you’ll focus more on creative writing. Classes include:

• Poetry and Spoken Word
• Non-fiction
• Short Fiction
• Studies in Canadian Literature
• Indigenous Literature
• Publications: Editorial

In fourth year, all students will also have the opportunity to do an independent thesis project and showcase work at OCAD U’s  Graduate Exhibition , the biggest free art and design exhibition in Toronto with over 40,000 visitors.

In all undergraduate programs you can choose to take a minor alongside your major to explore and expand your practice. Minors give you the opportunity to pursue a focused secondary field of study in addition to or sometimes instead of taking electives in your program and can help you look better for employers or in grants or grad school applications.  You don’t need to choose a minor on your application – rather once you start at OCAD U, you’ll be able to choose from over 90 electives that can build towards one of our 25 focused minors.  Learn more about Minor Programs here .

Program Creative Writing Degree earned Bachelors of Fine Arts (Honours) (BFA) Faculty Faculty of Arts & Science Duration 4 years Portfolio required Yes More link View tuition fees and funding

Take the Next Step

Meet Blaine Thornton

Student work.

Follow the Creative Writing program on Instagram @ocaducreativewriters.

Meet Creative Writing student Chris Markland

• See us on twitter
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• See us on facebook
• See us on linkedin

Medical Humanities & the Arts Program

Stanford storytelling and medicine scholars class of 2024, meet our team.

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Marit UyHam is a rising sophomore at Dartmouth College. She plans to study biology and hopes to attend medical school.  At Dartmouth, Marit works in a biological anthropology lab which analyzes microfossils with a focus on prehistoric China.  Outside of class, Marit is involved in multiple dance programs, and she plays violin with the Dartmouth Chamber Orchestra.

With over six years of experience in healthcare,  Amal Sharif has dedicated her career to improving patient outcomes through innovative approaches. Having worked at Highland Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center in the East Bay, Amal has firsthand experience in high-pressure medical environments and understands the critical importance of effective communication and empathy in patient care. Amal holds a Mathematics, Psychology, and Economics degree from Laney College. Amal enjoys exploring her creativity through various artistic pursuits, such as pastel, and drawing.

Halle Boroski  is a senior at the College of William and Mary, finishing her degree in Neuroscience on the pre-medical track with a minor in Public Health and a concentration in Health, Society, and Wellness. Halle plans to pursue graduate school post-graduation before pursuing medical school. She is involved in W&M public health club, working at the admissions office and wellness center, and working in a research lab focused on learning and positive study techniques. In her spare time, Halle enjoys being with friends, reading, and walking in Williamsburg.

Meher Gandhi  is pursuing her Master’s in Comparative Literature at University of California, Davis. She has a BA triple major degree in English, Psychology and Media and a diploma in folklore and cultural studies. Her interest in medical humanities, especially memory studies and cognitive poetics, guides her work in the intersections between literature and psychology. Her research internship with the Center for Memory Studies, IIT Madras bolstered in her the desire to move ahead in this direction. She also holds experience in publishing (including Penguin Random House India), literary festivals, and art spaces. Her other interests include writing and reading poems, teaching, and exploring art and architecture. She believes that her future research works will feature a trialogue between literature, psychology, and architecture.

Peter Park  is a 4 th  year medical student pursuing Psychiatry. He has a background in theatre and comedy improv and has integrated his interests in medicine and the arts through hosting local events for medical students to share their experiences on stage via Stethoscope Stage and HuMed Short Story Night in partnership with TCU Burnett School of Medicine. Additionally, he is collaborating with TCU in establishing the Narrative Medicine Consortium of Texas to unite Texas medical schools in increasing Narrative Medicine education. His work has been featured on The Nocturnists Podcast, MedMic.com, and Crohn's & Colitis Young Adult Network. Peter plans to pursue Psychiatry with interests in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Eating Disorders, and GI-adjacent Psychiatry. 

Keren Shafer is a rising MS1 at the John Sealy School of Medicine -UTMB Health-. She is pursuing a medical and master’s in public health degree as a stepping stone to becoming a pediatrician or OBGYN. She graduated with a Distinguished History degree with a double minor in Biology and Chemistry. Her interest in Historical writing includes women’s, Chinese, and medical history. She has presented her research at the College of Liberal and Fine Arts Conference at her Undergraduate institution; her most recent project was “Women in Medicine: A Look at Specialty Clusters.” She is now shifting towards immigrant narratives as a form of self-expression and ownership of her life experiences. Her hobbies include quilting, reading, and board games.

Tabitha Hiyane is an English literature student at UCLA and an Opinion columnist for the  Daily Bruin . Holding a vested interest in the medical humanities, her archival research has explored how intimate narratives of embodiment, contextualized through health and illness, are both particularized and shared as part of the human condition - the very stories inscribed in the histories of our humanity. While continuing to grow as a writer, she plans on applying to medical school, aiming to discover and put into practice what it means to care for another in all aspects of being.

Nada Kaissieh holds a Masters of Bioethics from Johns Hopkins University and is currently advancing her medical education at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, working towards her MD. With over six years of dedicated involvement in mental health advocacy, she champions for the betterment of psychiatric care. Combining her expertise in writing and photography, she endeavors to reshape community and cultural perceptions of mental illness. Nada spearheads an ongoing project aimed at integrating mental health education into local elementary schools, striving to increase visibility and accessibility to support and resources.

Soo Yeon (Jean) Chun is a rising junior at Stanford University planning to major in Symbolic Systems on the Neuroscience track. Since middle school, she has been fascinated by the creative, emotional, and linguistic capabilities of the mind. An aspiring psychiatrist and writer, she is deeply interested in the power of creative writing—particularly poetry —to guide and heal. In her free time, she enjoys drumming, discovering new music, and reading and writing poetry. 

Maria Luiza Fernandes is a sophomore undergraduate student from Brazil. She is graduating in Pharmacy and plans to become a neuroscientist. Her research interests cover a range of disciplines under the umbrella of the pharmaceutical profession and cognitive science. As an Immerse Education fellow, over the past year she has worked on a research project on Alzheimer's disease, including the applications of gene editing in the treatment of pathologies associated with the nervous system. She is currently involved in a learning community on psychopathologies and an executive member of FLOTA, a project aimed at developing young female leaders around the Americas.

Robinrenee Hamre is a sophomore undergraduate student at UCLA, majoring in Biology. She is a Native American student, originally from Anaheim, California. Robinrenee is passionate about studying Neonatology and pursuing a career in the medical field, in hopes to become a NICU Doctor.  Some of her hobbies are writing, running, and reading poetry.

Mehakpreet Kaur Saggu , a Pearson Scholar at the University of Toronto, is passionately devoted to making neuroscience and psychology approachable for everyone. Her journey into this field began with her love for literature, which sparked a sense of wonder and fascination with Oliver Sacks, and this ongoing saga of inspiration has continued to shape her work. From conducting research in the Decision Neuroscience Lab to helping establish a new Cognitive Science undergraduate journal, Mehakpreet's dedication to simplifying the complexities of the human brain is evident. She is grateful for the opportunity to merge her academic pursuits with her goal of bringing advanced science closer to public understanding. As a researcher, author, and advocate, she endeavors to share the wonders of the human brain, hoping to enlighten and serve the broader community.

Jess Skyleson (they/them) is a former aerospace engineer and Ayurvedic practitioner who began writing poetry after being diagnosed with stage IV cancer at age 39. Currently in remission, they’re now pursuing an MFA in Digital + Media at Rhode Island School of Design, with particular interests in narrative medicine, computational poetry, and sonic art. Their poetry has appeared in journals and anthologies throughout the US and UK, and they have been awarded the 2022 Hippocrates Poetry and Medicine Prize, an Honorable Mention in the Tor House Poetry Prize, and were a finalist for the Yemassee Poetry Prize and Kalanithi Writing Award.  They are presently exploring the integration of the body, poetry, and sound, and one of their sound poetry projects was recently selected for exhibition in the New Media category at Brown University’s Ivy Film Festival. Jess facilitates creative writing and art workshops for patients, medical providers, and caregivers, and they are hoping to develop collaborative pathways across art mediums and personal/professional experiences of medicine.

Emily Koseck is a medical student at Queen’s University in Canada. She is currently working at Toronto Metropolitan University on the development of a new medical school with an innovative approach to education that will meet the current pain points in the healthcare system. Her interests include improving healthcare delivery and outcomes through bioethics, trauma-informed care, and addressing systemic biases. Emily enjoys being active, spending time outdoors, and volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation centre.

Shreya Gunda 

Grace Reed 

Sohini Dasgupta