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Bulletin 2023-2024, creative writing mfa.

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

Learn more about the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing .

About the Program

The MFA program in Creative Writing provides fiction writers and poets with an opportunity to develop their craft and extend the horizon of their thinking about the genre in which they work. Workshops and other graduate courses in creative writing are the core of the program.

For greater detail, visit https://liberalarts.temple.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/english/graduate/creative-writing/creative-writing-mfa . Additional details are also available by downloading the MFA Information Packet .

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 3 years

Campus Location:  Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed in two years with full-time study. Students who engage in part-time study may take up to three years to complete the degree. Classes are generally held during the day.

Interdisciplinary Study: With permission of the Program Director, students may take two literature, writing, arts, humanities or social science courses and one elective in departments outside of the English Department.

Study Abroad: Creative Writing students previously had the option to enroll in a 6-credit seminar in Art and Culture in Rome during the Summer term. The seminar entailed an intensive program of classwork, field trips and guest lectures. This course is now only offered infrequently.

Areas of Specialization:  The program provides a combination of small, intensive workshops in poetry and fiction, in addition to one-on-one tutorials and craft and special topics courses in Creative Writing. Temple has an excellent faculty of writers in both genres, representing a wide range of aesthetics. To learn more about the faculty, see https://liberalarts.temple.edu/about/faculty-staff/program/creative-writing-graduate-program/ .

Job Prospects:  Graduates have become published authors and have been hired as faculty members at colleges and universities. Others have gone on to become editors in the field of publishing, Web content writers and editors, arts administrators, journalists, librarians, copywriters, grant writers, and primary and secondary school teachers, and have obtained jobs in advertising, communications, marketing and public relations. Books written by our graduates have been published by trade and small presses and cover all genres. These works have won grants, prizes and residencies.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy:  Writers (or graduate students from other departments at Temple) who wish to take a class in the MFA program on a non-matriculated basis should inquire about the possibility first, emailing  [email protected] at least two weeks before the start of the academic term about a specific course. Search Temple’s  class schedule  by selecting the term, then "English" and "Graduate." If there is space and the instructor is amenable, you will most likely be asked for a writing sample and other information for further consideration. Upon admission to the program, non-matriculated students may transfer up to 9 credits for courses in which a grade of "B" or higher was earned.

Financing Opportunities:  On average, the MFA program in Creative Writing is able to fund 40% of its students with Teaching Assistantships or University Fellowships. These funding packages are awarded on a competitive basis. If you are admitted to the Creative Writing program, you will automatically be considered for an assistantship or fellowship.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: February 15

All materials should be submitted by February 15. If you would like to be considered for a teaching assistantship or fellowship, please submit your materials by December 15. Applications submitted after December 15 will still be considered for a teaching assistantship or fellowship, but those meeting the initial deadline will be prioritized.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program .

Letters of Reference: Number Required:  3

From Whom:  Letters of recommendation should be obtained from professors or work supervisors who can comment on your performance in previous academic, creative and/or professional roles.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:  Although not required, we prefer applicants to the MFA program in Creative Writing to hold a bachelor’s degree in English or creative writing or to have taken a significant number of workshops or literature classes as an undergraduate. However, in the past, students without this background have performed well in the program. Therefore, we consider the entire application package in our admission decisions.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:  A baccalaureate degree is required, although it need not be in Creative Writing or English. An applicant must, however, display evidence of talent as a fiction writer or poet. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required for admission.

Statement of Goals:  In two to four double-spaced pages, discuss literary influences and models that feed your creative work. We are interested in which writers and texts have been important to you in recent years, as well as what critical approaches, if any, you have found useful. Describe your work or teaching experience. Discuss your aims in attending an MFA program. Mention what attracts you to Temple’s program and whether you are familiar with Philadelphia. Give us a sense of who you are—a more detailed, personal picture than what can be gleaned from transcripts or resumes, especially if you have a non-traditional background or atypical undergraduate record.

Standardized Test Scores: GRE: Optional. Scores may be submitted if available.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 79
• IELTS Academic: 6.5
• PTE Academic: 53

Resume:  A personal re s ume or curriculum vitae is required. Work experience, whether academic or non-academic, is as important as any publishing credits, particularly since the latter is not required or expected at this stage of the applicant's career. The resume/CV should identify institutions, positions, duties and dates for all teaching and/or tutoring experience listed.

Writing Sample: Your writing sample is the most crucial single element of your application. Send a packet of writing in one genre only: poetry or fiction. For poetry, submit ten pages. These pages may include shorter poems, longer poems, and/or an excerpt from a longer project. Individual poems should be separated by page breaks, not run together. Poems may be single-spaced or formatted in whatever way you see fit. For fiction, send a total of 15 to 25 double-spaced pages. The pages may include a single story, a series of stories, and/or an excerpt from a longer work. Please identify the excerpt as part of a long story, novella, novel or hybrid work. For applicants in either genre, if you would like to include a critical essay in addition to the creative sample, please feel free to do so.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements: Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 33

Required Courses:

Those who hold a Teaching Assistantship must take a Practicum in Composition Theory as their elective.

Culminating Events: Comprehensive Examination: The comprehensive examination is intended to give students an opportunity to write about the historical and formal context of the literary genre in which they practice. For the exam, they write a 10 to 15 page essay.

The exam is due between the third and fourth terms of the program on the Friday immediately preceding the day on which the Spring term begins. The paper should address issues of craft and aesthetics, but may include other points of reference. The essay should demonstrate a facility for critical discourse and indicate a breadth of knowledge of literary traditions.

Each exam is graded by two members of the Creative Writing Graduate Faculty. Students pass the exam by writing cogent, well-argued, and stylistically polished arguments.

Master's Project: The master's project is intended to be a work of fiction (at least 100 pages) or a work of poetry (at least 50 pages) that reflects an aesthetically and intellectually sophisticated example of the genre in which the student has worked over the course of the program. The project is due on the second Tuesday in April of the student's fourth term.

The master's project is graded exclusively by members of the Creative Writing Graduate Faculty. Two readers must agree that the project passes. If there is a conflict, the Director of the Graduate Creative Writing Program adjudicates the decision. A project defense is not required.

Program Web Address:

https://liberalarts.temple.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/english/graduate/creative-writing

Department Information:

Creative Writing Program

Mazur Hall, 10th Floor

1114 Polett Walk

Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090

[email protected]

215-204-1796

Submission Address for Application Materials:

https://apply.temple.edu/CLA/

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

Graduate Coordinator

[email protected]

Program Director:

Don Lee, MFA

[email protected]

Chairperson:

Roland Williams, PhD

[email protected]

215-204-7516

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• Creative Writing, MFA - Course Requirements
• All Programs

The Core Curriculum

The low-residency MFA is based on one-on-one mentoring relationships between students and faculty. The program requires limited time on campus (two residency periods each year in January and in June). This allows students to complete their degree from anywhere in the world. This accessibility provides a unique learning environment. However, academic rigor, a focus on an individual’s growth as a writer, as well as an emphasis on completing publishable works remain central to the focus of the program.

Core Curriculum (48 Credits)

• Interdisciplinary Practice 1 3
• Writing Mentorship 1 3
• Residency 1 3
• Interdisciplinary Practice 2 3
• Writing Mentorship 2 3
• Residency 2 3
• Interdisciplinary Practice 3 3
• Writing Mentorship 3 3
• Residency 3 3
• Writing Mentorship 4 3
• Creative Thesis 3
• Residency 4 3
• Capstone Prep/Presentation 3
• Total credits: 48  

*Candidates have five calendar years from the time of enrollment to complete the MFA degree.

ENGL 501 Craft 1 (3 credits)

Genre specific investigation of craft with an emphasis on literary analysis and criticism. The course may also be interdisciplinary.

ENGL 502 Craft 2 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 501

ENGL 503 Craft 3 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 501, 502

ENGL 505 Interdisciplinary Practice 1 (3 credits)

Genre specific and individualized course of interdisciplinary study that will improve creativity, critical thinking, originality, and skill for crafting creative work while providing opportunities for community engagement and professionalization.

ENGL 506 Interdisciplinary Practice 2 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 505

‌ ENGL 507 Interdisciplinary Practice 3 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 506

ENGL 510 Residency 1 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 501, 505, 511

Residency experiences may include workshops, seminars, lectures, panel discussions, individual meetings with mentors, public readings, or other applicable content.

ENGL 511 Writing Mentorship 1 (3 credits)

Genre specific and individualized course of study that will improve creativity, critical thinking, originality, and skill for crafting creative work.

ENGL 520 Residency 2 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 502, 506, 521

ENGL 521 Writing Mentorship 2 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 511

Genre specific and individualized course of study that will improve creativity, critical thinking, originality, and skill for crafting creative work .

ENGL 530 Residency 3 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 503, 507, 531

ENGL 531 Writing Mentorship 3 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 511, 521

ENGL 540 Residency 4 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 541

ENGL 541 Writing Mentorship 4 (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 511, 521, 531

ENGL 550 Creative Thesis (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 501, 502 503, 505, 506, 507, 510, 511, 520, 521, 530, 531

Genre specific and individualized course of study that will improve creativity, critical thinking, originality, and skill for crafting a "book-length" work.

ENGL 560 Capstone Prep/ Presentations (3 credits)

Genre specific and individualized course of study that will result in the composition of an academic, publishable craft essay.

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Please read this important announcement from PAFA at  pafaforward.org  ➡

Master of Fine Arts

Graduate programs.

• Post-Bacc Certificate

PAFA’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is an interdisciplinary, two-year program. Students are not divided by area of study, instead further discovering their voice in various media.

Through work in private studio spaces, one-on-one discussion with critics, and group critiques, MFA candidates develop their work and ideas into a sustainable, thoughtful artistic practice.

The curriculum structure helps students improve their abilities to see and make, while also broadening and deepening their conceptual framework and skills to discuss and write about art. At the core of the MFA program is an individual's studio practice, along with seminars in theory, contemporary art, writing, and professional practices. The two years culminate in a written and visual thesis; the latter of which is presented at PAFA's Annual Student Exhibition with thousands of annual visitors in the museum galleries.

The PAFA MFA program is not bound by the conventions and traditions of academic and technical systems, but is informed by them and aims to engage in a critical framework that strives for authenticity and open discourse. We privilege studio development, critical research, and professional practice. In their studio work, students are encouraged to be independent, self-motivated, and open to the new possibilities and ideas that arise through the course of making. MFA candidates contribute to and benefit from PAFA's diverse community of artists, museum curators, writers, and problem solvers.

Outstanding Faculty

A low student-to-faculty ratio and individualized mentorship are pafa's trademark. .

All PAFA faculty members are working artists and in a unique position to understand and nurture students. Our faculty’s diverse skill sets, from artists working in traditional modes to those working in new media expose students to a vast range of opinions, artistic expertise, and individual artists’ points of view.

Visiting Critics Program

One of the key components of PAFA’s graduate programs, the Visiting Critics Program brings a roster of distinguished artists to campus three times each semester for one-on-one discussions with students about their work. This experience provides an invaluable opportunity for students to receive in-studio feedback on their work as it develops. Artists in the Visiting Critics Program have included Colleen Asper, Charles Burwell, Vincent Desiderio, Titus Kaphar, Virgil Marti, Mika Tajima and more.

Visiting Artists Program

The student-run Visiting Artists Program selects and invites a wide variety of national and international emerging artists to the school, creating connections that can propel and inspire an artistic career. Visiting artists spend one-on-one time with PAFA graduate students and critique their work, allowing an unparalleled experience of interacting with established artists. Past participants in the Visiting Artist Program have included Amy Sherald, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Polly Apfelbaum, Eileen Neff, Gary Panter, and Zoe Strauss.

Take the Next Step

With our outstanding faculty-to-student ratio, a bustling local arts community, plus an array of visiting critics and artists each semester, PAFA's Master of Fine Arts is the next step in furthering your artistic development.

Graduate Student Art Work

Recent MFA News

Back in PAFA’s studios as Visiting Critic, a conversation with Jonathan Lyndon Chase (MFA '16)

International Travels and Local Connections Come From the Heart for Kelly Lawler (MFA ’23)

What I've Always Been Chasing: Makenna Glessner's Evolution from PreCollege to MFA Candidate

More stories from the mfa.

“I intentionally sought out hard critics who I felt could push me to explore the roots of my practice."

Sara Havekotte initially came to Philadelphia in 2018 to study painting and making paintings for collage. But as Havekotte took classes, her work stayed in a material and textile base. She now weaves and sculpts with found objects.

“Artwork really isn't for artists. It’s for us and the community or audience that we’re thinking of when we make it,” Mason said. “That's why we put things in galleries, that's why we put things in museums, that's why we put things outside like public sculpture. It’s not just for a select few people who understand the history of painting or the history of photography. That’s a very elitist way of thinking.”

The Master of Fine Arts degree at PAFA requires 60 credits.

First Year Curriculum

Second Year Curriculum

✝Graduate students may take one undergraduate course as an elective that will count towards graduation credit. Students may also audit one undergraduate course per semester to develop particular skills.

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Division
• College of Liberal and Professional Studies

Honors Program

English majors with a concentration in Creative Writing are invited to apply to complete a capstone project during senior year to earn Honors in English.

Declaring a major or minor

Declare your major in Creative Writing, your minor in Creative Writing, or your minor in Journalistic Writing in just a few steps.

Fall 2024 courses

Highlights of our Fall 2024 courses include Writing Real Science, Poetry Lab, Writing and Politics, Nontraditional Writing for Young Adults, and Writing and Witnessing.

We are home to a faculty of award-winning writers who teach more than sixty workshops each year in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, journalism, playwriting, screenwriting, and writing for children and young adults, as well as innovative workshops in cross-genre, experimental, and hybrid writing, including writing that engages with community organizing, multimedia and visual arts, and performance.

U.S. News & World Report ranks Arcadia as a top performer in:

Our unique  mfa in creative writing allows you to flourish– in school, and life..

At Arcadia, our Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing offers a dynamic and flexible curriculum, as well as professional development experiences through various teaching and graduate assistantship opportunities. Designed with your lifestyle in mind, our 24-month low-residency approach blends seamlessly into your life. Customize your academic schedule to your unique needs with the choice between programs in fiction or poetry while maintaining a full-time commitment to your professional and personal life. And, as in all of our programs, at Arcadia, you benefit from a distinctively global, experiential, and personal learning experience.

Ready to apply ?

Take the first step toward transformation..

Request information about our program. 

Privacy Policy

© Arcadia University

450 S. Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038 USA

25 minutes to Center City, Philadelphia, means internships, jobs, bucket list experiences, and a jump-start on your career.

Our picturesque campus on the outskirts of Philadelphia is home to a close-knit community of students from varied backgrounds, creating a warm culture that celebrates your diversity and encourages your individuality.

Dedicated to creating local partnerships and alliances, our relationships and commitment to the community elevate your learning experiences through meaningful application.

I liked the flexibility of a low-residency MFA program, an increased ability to work during the program to make it a more financially feasible decision, and, of course, the Edinburgh residency.

—Andrew Huffman ‘23, MFA in Creative Writing

Arcadia has offered the type of community I would always like to be surrounded by. I’ve flourished thanks to the resources and constant encouragement I’ve received from my peers and professors. When I graduate, I know that I’ll be well-equipped in my career.

Daijah Patton ’22, English major

Shape your literary career through impactful experiences..

Arcadia’s creative writing graduate degree is carefully designed to shape your literary career through experiences that inspire, motivate, and develop. 

Complete Arcadia’s 39-credit MFA Creative Writing program in 24 months, guided by award-winning faculty at $825 per credit.

Arcadia is dedicated to cultivating a thriving, supportive online writing community. Experience the personal attention of small, weekly, asynchronous workshops, the flexibility of our online low-residency structure, and the inspiration of a weeklong residency spent abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland. Our manuscript requirement and publication plan ensure you walk away with advanced skills, growth, and tangible, shareable accomplishments. In Arcadia’s MFA program, you will immerse yourself in diverse experiences, empowering you to apply knowledge in diverse literary fields, such as writing, editing, publishing, and teaching.

Study Abroad

#1 in Pennsylvania

Social Mobility

Among the top in the region

Among the most innovative colleges

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing

Wondering if arcadia's mfa is right for you.

Collaborate with renowned visiting writers at each residency, gaining invaluable knowledge of the art and business of writing.

Participate in the Marathon Literary Review, a literary journal made up entirely of MFA students showcasing the emerging talent within our community across multiple art disciplines.

Our program offers funding packages ranging up to $4,000 and at least four TA positions per cohort if you apply by the priority deadline.

Still researching Arcadia University?

• Creative Writing

MFA in Creative Writing

The MFA in Creative Writing program at Rosemont College is unique for a number of reasons. We offer tracks in both poetry and prose, and in prose, students can choose concentrations in creative non-fiction, short fiction, writing for children and adults, novel writing, and dramatic writing.

In partnership with the MA in Publishing program , the MFA in Creative Writing offers writers numerous electives and concentrations along with the opportunity to work closely with faculty. Rosemont also offers a Double Degree (MFA in Creative Writing/MA in Publishing) .

Choose from workshops in Poetry, Flash Fiction, Short Fiction, the Novel, Creative Nonfiction, and Dramatic Writing. Courses are also offered to support generative writing, creative writing and rhetorical pedagogy, and literature.

Learn to read critically, to explore literary traditions, and to discover where you, as a writer, fit into the contemporary literary landscape. Rosemont MFA and MA students publish the literary magazine,  Rathalla Review  with two online issues a year and a print annual each spring.

Learn about the Summer Writer's Retreat and Publishing Seminar from July 5-12, 2024. 

Poetry and Prose Tracks

Currently there are two major genres of study: Poetry and Prose, with the following prose concentrations: Creative Nonfiction, Short Fiction, Writing for Young Adults, Novel Writing, and Dramatic Writing.

Together, students and faculty form a dynamic, productive writing community. Students expand the boundaries of their talent, experience new techniques and viewpoints, discover the rich traditions of the literary world, and ground themselves in the practical knowledge of the publishing industry.

This community of writers is brought even closer together through events such as monthly student/faculty readings and other events and conferences such as Push to Publish, which is held each fall and LitLife, which is held in the spring. 

Careers and Accolades

Our program is rapidly gaining a national reputation, one that artfully blends the creative arts with the business of publishing. Rosemont MFA alumni have been published by the “big five” and have won major awards. In 2018 Erin Entrada Kelly MFA ’16 won the prestigious John Newbery Medal for her novel Hello Universe, which was her thesis. Erin drafted Hello Universe in CRW 7145 Constructing the Novel. Erin isn't alone in her literary success either. Program graduates have been successful in publishing their work and obtaining and advancing their careers as both writers and teachers of writing and literature, agents, managers, production managers, designers, sales representatives, writers, teachers, and marketing directors.

Books Published by MFA Alumni

• The Eden City Rebellion (Retro Rocket Press)
• Hearts Interlocking (Jupiter Gardens Press)
• Not My Boyfriend (Samhain Publishing)
• Adventures in Boogieland
• The Netherworld of Kemet: Ezra’s Trial of Faith
• The Netherworld of Kemet: Kismet’s Ray of Hope
• Jethro Tull: Every Album, Every Song (Sonic Bond Publishing)  
• Familyism (Matter Press) 
• The Philadelphia Connection: Conversations with Playwrights (Intellect Books/University of Chicago Press) 
• Nine Nails a Novel in Essays (Serving House Books)
• Second Oldest (PS Books)
• The Book of X (Two Dollar Radio Press) 
• Flight Risk, Sound Check—forthcoming in 2020 (Macmillian – Roaring Brook Press) 
• Cut Me Free (Crisis Chronicles Press)
• Greatest Hits & B-Sides (Vagabondage Press)
• Lalani of the Distant Sea  (HarperCollins)
• You Go First  (HarperCollins)
• Hello Universe  (HarperCollins)
• Blackbird Fly  (HarperCollins)
• Land of Forgotten Girls (HarperCollins)
• Owl Eyes (Fire & Ice YA)
• Lentils in Black Rice 
• Cures for Hysteria (Finishing Line Press)
• Herculaneum’s Fortune (Anaphora Press) 
• Ode to Billie Joe (Bloomsbury Academic) 
• Crossing the Line
• Enemy Exposure (Penguin/Philomel) 
• Of Dust and Chocolate: De poussiere et chocolat
• An End, Unexpected
• And the Blue Continues/Y Continua Lo Azul
• Walking with the Moon/Mit dem Mond Spazierengehen: Poems (Concourse Press) 
• What Was Not Said: Echoes From the Holocaust,
• Paintings in Under a Thousand Words: Nature Poems
• Shouting from Constricted Lungs 
• Three Decades and I’m Gone 
• Forthcoming
• Burning Sage (Minerva Rising Press) 
• Final Touchstones (Sunbury Press)

Writers Who've Visited Rosemont

• Susan  Muaddi   Durraj  
• Dan   Chao n
• Karen Joy Fowler
• Robin Black
• Bonnie Jo Campbell
• Julianna   Baggott
• Michael   Martone                     
• Kevin   McIlvoy
• Steve Almond
• Elise Juska

Writers-in-Residence 

• 2017 https://www.tawniwaters.com/  

Apply Today

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Research newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications that consistently publish book reviews using the Review Outlets database, which includes information about publishing schedules, submission guidelines, fees, and more.

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MFA Programs Database

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Our MFA database includes essential information about low- and full-residency graduate creative writing programs in the United States and other English-speaking countries to help you decide where to apply.

Adelphi University

Poetry: Jan-Henry Gray, Maya Marshall Prose: Katherine Hill, René Steinke, Igor Webb

Albertus Magnus College

Poetry: Paul Robichaud Fiction: Sarah Harris Wallman Nonfiction: Eric Schoeck

Alma College

Poetry: Leslie Contreras Schwartz, Jim Daniels, Benjamin Garcia Fiction: Karen E. Bender, Shonda Buchanan, Dhonielle Clayton, S. Kirk Walsh Creative Nonfiction: Anna Clark, Matthew Gavin Frank, Donald Quist, Robert Vivian

American University

Poetry: Kyle Dargan, David Keplinger Fiction: Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Stephanie Grant, Patricia Park Nonfiction: Rachel Louise Snyder

Antioch University

Poetry: Victoria Chang Prose: Lisa Locascio

Arcadia University

Poetry: Genevieve Betts, Michelle Reale Fiction: Stephanie Feldman, Joshua Isard, Tracey Levine, Eric Smith Literature: Matthew Heitzman, Christopher Varlack, Elizabeth Vogel, Jo Ann Weiner

Poetry: Genevieve Betts, Michelle Reale Fiction: Stephanie Feldman, Joshua Isard, Tracey Levine, Eric Smith

Arizona State University

Poetry: Sally Ball, Natalie Diaz, Alberto Álvaro Ríos, Safiya Sinclair Fiction: Matt Bell, Jenny Irish, Tara Ison, Mitchell Jackson, T. M. McNally Creative Nonfiction: Sarah Viren

Ashland University

Poetry: Dexter Booth, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Adam Gellings, Tess Taylor, Vanessa Angélica Villareal Fiction: Kirstin Chen, Edan Lepucki, Sarah Monette, Nayomi Munaweera, Vi Khi Nao, Naomi J. Williams, Kyle Winkler Nonfiction: Cass Donish, Kate Hopper, Lauren Markham, Thomas Mira y Lopez, Lisa Nikolidakis, Terese Mailhot

Augsburg University

Poetry: Michael Kleber-Diggs Fiction: Stephan Eirik Clark, Lindsay Starck Nonfiction: Anika Fajardo  Playwriting: Carson Kreitzer, TyLie Shider, Sarah Myers Screenwriting: Stephan Eirik Clark, Andy Froemke

Ball State University

Poetry: Katy Didden, Mark Neely Fiction: Cathy Day, Sean Lovelace Nonfiction: Jill Christman, Silas Hansen Screenwriting: Rani Deighe Crowe, Matt Mullins

Bard College

Jess Arndt, Shiv Kotecha, Mirene Arsanios, Hannah Black, Trisha Low, Christoper Perez, Julian Talamantez Brolaski, Simone White

Bath Spa University

Poetry: Lucy English, Tim Liardet, John Strachan, Samantha Walton, Gerard Woodward Fiction: Gavin James Bower, Celia Brayfield, Alexia Casale, Anne-Marie Crowhurst, Lucy English, Nathan Filer, Aminatta Forna, Samantha Harvey, Philip Hensher, Steve Hollyman, Emma Hooper, Claire Kendal, Natasha Pulley, Kate Pullinger, C.J. Skuse, Gerard Woodward Nonfiction: Celia Brayfield, Lily Dunn, Richard Kerridge Scriptwriting: Robin Mukherjee

Poetry: Lucy English, Tim Liardet, Gerard Woodward Fiction: Gavin James Bower, Celia Brayfield, Anne-Marie Crowhurst, Nathan Filer, Aminatta Forna, Samantha Harvey, Philip Hensher, Claire Kendal, Natasha Pulley, Kate Pullinger, Gerard Woodward Nonfiction: Lily Dunn, Richard Kerridge

Bay Path University

Mel Allen, Leanna James Blackwell, Jennifer Baker, Melanie Brooks, María Luisa Arroyo Cruzado, Shahnaz Habib, Susan Ito, Karol Jackowski, Yi Shun Lai, Anna Mantzaris, Meredith O’Brien, Mick Powell, Suzanne Strempek Shea, Tommy Shea, Kate Whouley

Bennington Writing Seminars at Bennington College

Poetry: Jennifer Chang, Michael Dumanis, Randall Mann, Craig Morgan Teicher, Mark Wunderlich Fiction: Peter Cameron, Jai Chakrabarti, Stacey D’Erasmo, Monica Ferrell, Rebecca Makkai, Stuart Nadler, Téa Obreht, Moriel Rothman-Zecher, Katy Simpson Smith, Taymour Soomro Nonfiction: Garrard Conley, Sabrina Orah Mark, Spencer Reece, Lance Richardson, Shawna Kay Rodenberg, Hugh Ryan, Greg Wrenn

Binghamton University

Poetry: Tina Chang, Joseph Weil Fiction: Amir Ahmdi Arian, Thomas Glave, Leslie L. Heywood, Claire Luchette, Liz Rosenberg, Jaimee Wriston-Colbert, Alexi Zentner Nonfiction: Amir Ahmdi Arian, Leslie L. Heywood

Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University

Poetry: Julie Hensley, Young Smith Fiction: Julie Hensley, Robert Dean Johnson Nonfiction: Robert Dean Johnson, Evan J. Massey Playwriting: Young Smith

Boise State University

Poetry: Martin Corless-Smith, Sara Nicholson, Taryn Schwilling Fiction: Mitch Wieland (Director), Anna Caritj Creative Nonfiction: Chris Violet Eaton, Clyde Moneyhun

Boston University

Poetry: Andrea Cohen, Karl Kirchwey, Robert Pinsky Fiction: Leslie Epstein, Jennifer Haigh, Ha Jin

Boston University—MFA in Literary Translation

Odile Cazenave, Yuri Corrigan, Margaret Litvin, Christopher Maurer, Roberta Micaleff, Robert Pinsky (advising), Stephen Scully, Sassan Tabatabai, J. Keith Vincent, William Waters, Dennis Wuerthner, Cathy Yeh, Anna Zielinska-Elliott

Bowling Green State University

Poetry: Abigail Cloud, Amorak Huey, Sharona Muir, F. Dan Rzicznek, Larissa Szporluk, Jessica Zinz-Cheresnick Fiction: Joe Celizic, Lawrence Coates, Reema Rajbanshi, Michael Schulz

Brigham Young University

Poetry: Kimberly Johnson, Lance Larsen, Michael Lavers, John Talbot Fiction: Chris Crowe, Ann Dee Ellis, Spencer Hyde, Stephen Tuttle Nonfiction: Joey Franklin, Patrick Madden

Brooklyn College

Poetry: Julie Agoos, Ben Lerner Fiction: Joshua Henkin, Madeleine Thien Playwriting: Dennis A. Allen II, Elana Greenfield

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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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Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing

As part of our series  How to Fully Fund Your Master’s Degree , here is a list of universities that have fully funded MFA programs in creative writing. A Master’s of Fine Arts in creative writing can lead to a career as a professional writer, in academia, and more.

Fully funded MFA programs in Creative Writing offer a financial aid package for full-time students that includes full tuition remission as well as an annual stipend or salary during the entire program, which for Master’s degrees is usually 1-2 years. Funding usually comes with the expectation that students will teach or complete research in their field of study. Not all universities fully fund their Master’s students, which is why researching the financial aid offerings of many different programs, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad, is essential.

In addition to listing fully funded Master’s and PhD programs, the ProFellow fellowships database also includes external funding opportunities for graduate school, including fellowships for dissertation research, fieldwork, language study, study abroad, summer work experiences, and professional development.

Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1000+ fully funded Master’s and PhD programs in 60 disciplines? Download the FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards !

Here is the list of 53 universities that offer fully-funded MFA programs (Master’s of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing.

University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL): Students admitted to the MFA Program are guaranteed full financial support for up to 4-years. Assistantships include a stipend paid over nine months (currently $14,125), and full payment of up to 15 credit hours of graduate tuition.

University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ): All accepted MFA students receive full funding through a graduate teaching assistantship for 3 years. This package includes tuition remission, health insurance, and a modest stipend (in 2018 it was about $16,100 per academic year).

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ): 3-year program. All students admitted to the MFA program who submit a complete and approved teaching assistantship application are awarded a TA by the Department of English. Each assistantship carries a three-course per year load and includes a tuition waiver and health insurance in addition to the TA stipend ($18,564 per year). In addition, students have diverse opportunities for additional financial and professional support.

University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR): Four-year program. Teaching assistantships currently carry an annual stipend of $13,500 for students with a BA. TAs also receive a waiver of all tuition costs and teach two courses each semester. Nearly all of our accepted students receive TAs. Additionally, the students compete each year for several fellowships.

Boise State University (Boise, Idaho): 3-year fully funded MFA program dedicated to poetry and fiction. All students receive a tuition waiver, health insurance, and a Teaching Assistantship with a stipend of $11,450 per year.

Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH): 2-year program, graduate assistantships (including stipend and scholarship) are available for all eligible face-to-face students. 100% tuition scholarship. Graduate stipend (the 2020-21 stipend is $11,500).

Brown University (Providence, RI): All incoming MFA students received full funding. All graduate students receive a fellowship that pays a monthly stipend and provides tuition remission, the health fee, and health insurance. The stipend for the 2020-2021 academic year is $29,926. Also, students in good standing receive a summer stipend of $2,993.

Boston University (Boston, MA): Tuition costs will be covered for every admitted student for the MFA degree in the BU Creative Writing Program. In addition, admitted students will receive university health insurance while they are enrolled, and all admitted students will receive stipend support of roughly $16,000 for the academic year.

Cornell University (Ithaca, NY): All MFA degree candidates are guaranteed 2 years of funding (including a stipend, a full-tuition fellowship, and student health insurance).

University of California Irvine (Irvine, CA): 3-year program. The Department is committed to providing 3 full years of financial support to all domestic students in the MFA Programs in Writing. Financial support for MFA students is given in the form of Teaching Assistantships providing full tuition coverage as well as University health insurance. Students will earn an estimated $22,569 for the academic year.

University of California San Diego (La Jolla, CA): MFA in Writing students are eligible for financial support if they study full-time, maintain good academic standing and make timely progress toward the degree. All students are eligible for full funding, including international students provided they meet the English language certification requirement for teaching assistants.

University of California Riverside (Riverside, CA): All incoming students are granted a full fellowship and stipend for their first year. After the first year, students receive full tuition and a salary through teaching assistantships.

Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL): 3-year program. All of the MFA students qualify for a position as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. The GTA position comes with a tuition waiver and a stipend. The standard stipend is $9,000, but some enhanced stipends are available. The Graduate College offers several fellowships for current graduate students.

Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL): The majority of students receive support in the form of a teaching assistantship and are provided with a stipend, a tuition waiver, and a health-insurance subsidy. MFA students receive a three-year assistantship. For 2022-23, MA/MFA stipends will be $16,400, and typically these amounts go up each year. Also, The FSU Graduate School offers several fellowships and awards.

Georgia College & State University (Milledgeville, GA): The MFA Program offers workshops in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, and students take cross-genre workshops. All students admitted to the MFA program receive a Graduate Assistantship for all 3 years that includes a stipend and tuition remission.

University of Houston (Houston, TX): MFA students can receive a teaching assistantship for 3 years. Starting salary for MFAs is $17,935/9 months. Students in the Creative. As part of the assistantship, students are awarded either a Graduate Tuition Fellowship, which remits tuition, or a Creative Writing Program Fellowship, which covers the cost of tuition.

University of Idaho (Moscow, Idaho): All English Teaching Assistants (TA’s) are offered full tuition waivers. Teaching Assistants are given a stipend of $14,000 per year. Also offers three scholarships and three outstanding fellowships to support qualified MFA, graduate students.

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Urbana, IL): Three-year MFA program. Students accepted into the MFA program will receive full tuition waivers, guaranteed teaching assistantships.

Indiana University (Bloomington, IN): M.F.A. programs offer a generous teaching package to creative writing students. All applicants receive consideration for appropriate fellowships that will carry a stipend of about $19,000, plus tuition and fee-remission that covers roughly 90% of the cost of enrollment.

Iowa State University (Ames, IA): 3-year MFA program. Starting half-time 20 hours per week teaching assistantships for MFA students total $19,250 over 10 months and also receive a full-tuition waiver scholarship (approximate value $10,140) and health insurance coverage. The department has several resources available through which to offer fellowships and scholarships to qualifying new students.

University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA): 2-year residency program. Financial assistance is available for all students enrolled in the program, in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships. Most fellowships and assistantships provide either tuition scholarships or full tuition remission.

John Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD): 2-year program. All students receive full tuition, health insurance, and a generous teaching fellowship, currently set at $30,500 per year. Some students work as assistant editors on The Hopkins Review. They often win prizes such as Stegner Fellowships or grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.

University of Maryland (College Park, MD): This 3-year program accepts 8 applicants who are fully funded by Teaching Assistantships for up to three years of graduate study. Our aid packages include a stipend of about $20,000 per academic year and 60 credit hours of tuition remission.

Miami University (Oxford, OH): All students admitted to the MFA program in Creative Writing hold generous Graduate Assistantships (which include a summer stipend). Non-teaching assistantships may also be available.

University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL): An intensive two-year study with a third year option. The James Michener Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships support all our graduate students. Awards include a full tuition waiver and annual stipend of $18,915.

University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI): All MFA students accepted into the program are offered a full tuition waiver, a stipend of $23,000/yearly as well as $5,000 in summer funding, and health care benefits. Additionally, various fellowships and prizes are awarded each year to MFA students.

University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN): All admitted MFAs receive full funding, in the form of teaching assistantships or fellowships. Teaching assistantships carry a full tuition waiver, health benefits, and a stipend of about $18,600. Also, a variety of fellowships are available for graduate students.

University of Mississippi (University, MS): All of our students are fully funded.  We offer two main sources of funding, the Grisham Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships.

University of Nevada Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV): 3-year program. All MFA students admitted to the Creative Writing International program at UNLV are offered Graduate Assistantship funding of $15,000 per year (which includes in-state tuition and provisions for health insurance).

Northwestern University (Evanston, IL): Funding is provided for 3 full years, summers included. Tuition is covered by a tuition scholarship during any quarter in which you are receiving a stipend.

University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN): Every student admitted to the MFA receives a full-tuition scholarship, a fellowship that carries a full stipend of $16,000 per year and access to a 100% health insurance subsidy.

North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC): A two-year, fully-funded program, They accept only about a dozen students each year and offer full funding in the form of a graduate teaching assistantship to all eligible admitted applicants.

Ohio State University (Columbus, OH): All admitted students are fully funded for our 3-year MFA program in Creative Writing. In addition, all students receive either a graduate teaching associateship, a Graduate School fellowship or a combination of the two. For graduate teaching associateships, the student receives a stipend of at least $17,000 for the nine-month academic year.

University of Oregon (Eugene OR): A two-year residency MFA program. All incoming MFA students funded with a teaching appointment. Student instructors receive tuition remission, monthly stipends of approximately $18,000.

Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR): All students admitted to the MFA program will automatically receive a standard teaching Graduate Teaching Assistantship contract, which provides full tuition remission and stipend of approximately $12,800 per year to cover living expenses. In addition to tuition remission, all graduate students have the option to receive 89% coverage of health insurance costs for themselves and their dependents.

University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA): 3-year MFA program. All students admitted to the program will receive Teaching Assistantships for two or three years. All Teaching Assistantships include salary, medical benefits, and tuition remission.

Rutgers University–Newark (Newark, NJ): Each full-time incoming student receives in-state Tuition Remission and a Chancellor’s Stipend of 15K per year. Students are also eligible for Teaching Assistantships, and Part-Time Lectureships teaching Comp or Creative Writing. Teaching Assistantships are $25,969 (approximate) plus health benefits.

University of South Florida (Tampa, FL): 3-year program. MFA students receive a tuition waiver, a teaching assistantship that comes with a stipend, and enrollment in group health insurance.

Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL): Almost all MFA students hold graduate assistantships, which provide stipends for the academic year and full remission of tuition. The annual stipend, which comes with tuition remission, ranges from $13,000 to $14,500.

Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY): Three-Year M.F.A. in Creative Writing. All students are fully funded. Each student admitted receives a full-tuition scholarship in addition to an annual stipend of $17,500.

University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC): 3-year MFA program. The MFA at Carolina is pleased to provide fellowship and/or assistantship funding to all accepted students, earning our program the designation of “fully funded” from Poets and Writers.

University of Tennessee — Knoxville (Knoxville, TN): There is no cost to apply to the MFA program. All of our PhD candidates and MFA students are fully funded, with generous opportunities for additional financial support.

University of Texas in Austin (Austin, TX): All students in the New Writers Project receive three years of full funding through a combination of teaching assistantships (TA), assistant instructorships (AI), and fellowship support. The complete package includes full tuition remission, health insurance, and a salary.

University of Texas James Michener Center (Austin, TX): A three-year, fully funded residency MFA program that provides full and equal funding to every writer. All admitted students receive a fellowship of $29,500 per academic year, plus total coverage of tuition.

Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN): Each year a small, select class of talented writers of fiction and poetry enroll in Vanderbilt’s three-year, fully-funded MFA Program in Creative Writing. The University Fellowship provides full-tuition benefits, health insurance, and a stipend of $30,000/yearly. In 2nd year and third-year students have the opportunity to teach for one semester.

University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA): Three-year MFA program. Students will receive fellowship support and/or teaching income in the amount of $20,000 each academic year, as well as full funding of your tuition, enrollment fees, and the health insurance premium for single-person coverage through the university.

Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA): Three-year MFA degree offers tracks in Poetry and Fiction, and all students are fully and equally funded via GTA-ships of more than $20,000 per year.

Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO): Because of selectivity and size they are able to offer all the new students full and equal financial aid for both years in the program in the form of a University Fellowship, which provides a complete tuition waiver plus a stipend sufficient for students to live comfortably in our relatively inexpensive city. All MFA students receive health insurance through Washington University.

Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY): Three-year, fully-funded, residential MFA program in creative writing offering generous assistantships, which will allow MFA students to gain valuable experience tutoring and teaching.

West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV): A three-year program. All Master of Fine Arts students receive a full tuition waiver and an assistantship, which includes a stipend valued at $16,750.

Wichita State University (Wichita, Kansas): Most of the MFA students are GTAs who teach two composition classes each semester. They pay no tuition, receive $4,250 each semester and may buy discounted health insurance. The MFA program also awards two $12,500 fellowships each year.

University of Wisconsin–Madison (Madison, WI): All accepted MFA candidates receive tuition remissions, teaching assistantships, generous health insurance, and other financial support. In addition to the approximately $14,680 paid to each MFA annually in exchange for teaching, every MFA candidate will receive another $9,320 in scholarships each year.

University of Wyoming (Laramie, WY): All of our full-time MFA students are fully funded with two-year graduate assistantships. Currently, assistantships include a stipend of $12,330 per academic year, a tuition and fees waiver, and student health insurance. Students also receive summer stipends of up to $2,000 for the summer.

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Fine Arts, MFA

The two-year Master of Fine Arts program at Penn is focused on the professional development of studio artists. Through studio work, seminar courses, international residency opportunities, and interactions with vital working artists, the program provides an open intellectual framework to foster critical awareness and independent methods of artistic research. Students extend their conceptual strategies while inventing and then refining their own hybridized forms of art-making methods. The program encourages exploration, extending studies into other disciplines within the Weitzman School of Design and the University at large through a rich selection of outside electives and optional certificate and dual-degree programs.

For more information: https://www.design.upenn.edu/fine-arts/graduate/program

A total of 19 course units are required for graduation.

With permission of the Department Chair, a student may substitute up to 3 FNAR elective requirements with general (outside) electives.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

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MFA in Creative Writing

About the Program

Our innovative MFA program includes both studio instruction and literature courses. Writers can take workshop courses in any genre, and they can write a thesis in fiction, nonfiction, poetry or “hybrid” (multi-genre) form. In the second year, they teach popular Creative Writing courses to Davis undergraduates under faculty supervision, gaining valuable experience and sharing their insight  and enthusiasm with beginning practitioners.

Questions? Contact:

Sarah Yunus Graduate Program Coordinator, MFA Program in Creative Writing [email protected]   Pronouns: she/her  

Admissions and Online Application

Events, Prizes, and Resources

• Funding Your MFA

At UC Davis, we offer you the ability to fund your MFA. In fact, all students admitted to the program are guaranteed full funding in the second year of study, when students serve as teachers of Introduction to Creative Writing (English 5) and receive, in exchange, tuition and health insurance remission as well as a monthly stipend (second year students who come to Davis from out of state are expected to establish residency during their first year). We have a more limited amount of resources – teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and out of state tuition wavers – allocated to us for first year students, but in recent years, we’ve had excellent luck funding our accepted first years. We help students who do not receive English department funding help themselves by posting job announcements from other departments during the spring and summer leading up to their arrival. We are proud to say that over the course of the last twenty years, nearly every incoming student has wound up with at least partial funding (including a tuition waiver and health insurance coverage) by the time classes begin in the fall.  

We have other resources for students, too – like the Miller Fund, which supports attendance for our writers at any single writer’s workshop or conference. Students have used these funds to attend well-known conferences like AWP, Writing By Writers, and the Tin House Conference. The Davis Humanities Institute offers a fellowship that first year students can apply for to fund their writing projects. Admitted students are also considered for University-wide fellowships.

Cost of Attendance

• Course of Study

The M.F.A. at Davis is a two-year program on the quarter system (our academic year consists of three sessions of ten-week courses that run from the end of September until mid-June). The program includes classes and a thesis project. It requires diverse, multidisciplinary study and offers excellent mentorship.  

Writers concentrate in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or “hybrid” (multi-genre) forms. They take at least four graduate workshops, and they’re required to take one workshop outside their primary genre (many of our students choose to take even more). Writers at Davis also take graduate courses in literature from abundant options, including the program’s Seminars for Writers. Writers can also take graduate courses in literary study taught by scholars in the English Department. And many of our writers enroll in courses relevant to their work in other departments like art history, comparative literature, linguistics, and performance studies.  

At the end of the first year, writers form a thesis committee with a Director and two additional readers from the faculty. In the second year, writers at Davis concentrate on Individual Study units with these mentors, working closely with their committee to create a book-length creative work. Writers present their projects at intimate, intense, celebratory defense in May with all members of their committee in attendance.

• History of the Program

We’re a new MFA, but we’ve been a successful and respected Creative Writing Program since 1975—a “sleeper” program, as one guide to MFA programs called us. The people who founded the CW program at UC Davis were all lovers and teachers of literature, and chose to call the program an MA, rather than an MFA because they wanted to ensure that the degree would not be seen as a “studio” degree but one in which the study of literature was integral.  In the 1980’s and 1990’s, most often under the leadership of Jack Hicks and Alan Williamson, the program emphasized writing on the American West and the wilderness. Our high profile faculty included Sandra McPherson, Gary Snyder, Sandra Gilbert, Clarence Major, Katherine Vaz, Elizabeth Tallent, Max Byrd, and Louis Owens.  

We also created an introductory sequence of workshops taught by graduate students, which has become one of the highlights of the program for the second years who teach the courses and the undergraduates who take them. There’s more to teaching these courses than learning to teach; teaching helps our writers understand their own writing in ways that no other aspect of a writing program can do. Pam Houston joined the program in the early 2000’s and she led a faculty that included Lynn Freed and Yiyun Li. As an MFA, we remain a place that values sustained literary study as core to the making of art, but we’re also allowing our vision of genre to expand and embrace the other arts and media.

The town of Davis began as "Davisville," a small stop on the Southern Pacific railway between Sacramento and the Bay Area.  Some of our graduate students choose to live in Sacramento or the Bay Area, making use of the commute-by-train option, which is still very much in place.  For those commuting by car, Davis is a 15-25 minute drive from Sacramento and a 60-90 minute drive from the Bay Area.

Students also choose to live in Davis itself, which CNN once ranked the second most educated city in the US.  Davis is a college town of about 75,000 people. Orchards, farms and ranches border it on all sides. The town boasts a legendary twice-weekly farmers market (complete with delicious food trucks and live music). Bike and walking paths lead everywhere (many students prefer not to own a car while they are here) and there are copious amounts of planned green space in every subdivision. The flatness of the land makes Davis ideal for biking, and the city over the past 5 decades has installed bike lanes and bike racks all over town. In fact, in 2006,  Bicycling Magazine , in its compilation of "America's Best Biking Cities," named Davis the best small town for cycling. Packed with coffee houses, bookstores, and restaurants that serve cuisine from every continent, Downtown Davis has a casual vibe. It’s a great place to hole up and write. Davis is filled with hard wood trees, and flower and vegetable gardens, and wild ducks and turkeys walk the campus as if they own the place. It’s a gentle place to live. Although summers get quite hot, the other three seasons are mild, and each, in their own way, quite beautiful. For more about the town, check out  the Davis Wikipedia page .

Woodland and Winters, two small towns close by to Davis, are also options for housing—and they’re good options for those who are not so desirous of the college town scene.  Yet another option is to live in the scenic rural areas Davis is surrounded by.

To the west of Davis, Lake Berryessa and the Napa valley are close by.  To the east, the Sierra mountains are close by; Reno and Tahoe are just a couple hours drive in that direction. 

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MFA Virtual Open House

Is an mfa in writing worth it.

An MFA in writing lets creative writers develop their craft while building a network of accomplished peers to provide camaraderie, support and practical assistance over a lifetime of writing and publishing. Hundreds of our alumni have published books and produced plays, films and TV shows.

The MFA is also the appropriate degree for writers seeking a career in academia teaching creative writing — although the market for creative writing professors is extremely tight, and landing a tenure-track position also requires significant publications (normally a book or two). Still, many of our alums hold creative writing professorships at top universities.

The MFA can also be useful professionally. While it is not focused on the career search in the way an MBA is, an MFA communicates creativity, independent thinking and intellectual curiosity — all attributes that employers value. Our alums’ job titles include magazine editor, arts administrator, screenwriter, TV producer, speechwriter, podcaster, business proposal writer, grant writer, book publicist, corporate communications director, marketing copywriter — even business analyst.

How hard is it to get into a creative writing MFA program?

It varies widely by program. At the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing, we don’t have a fixed number of slots to award each semester—we can accept as many or as few students as meet our admission requirements. We look for a highly accomplished writing sample, a critically astute commentary on a work the applicant admires, and a thoughtful personal statement demonstrating motivation, and willingness to learn. We don’t require the GRE or letters of recommendation because neither adequately reflects applicants’ readiness for graduate study in creative writing. Our acceptance rate is about 60 percent.

What is the average age of MFA creative writing students?

Many writers come to an MFA program after years, even decades, in an unrelated career or raising a family. Our students’ average age is 44. We also have students as young as 22. And our oldest student was 80 when she graduated and went on to publish as an alum.

Is an MFA a professional degree?

Yes. The MFA is the credential needed for teaching creative writing at the post-secondary level. It also gives writers a significant foundation for creating a successful writing career. MFA students gain insight into the work of editors, publishers, literary agents, and other creative professionals. They graduate with years of experience working one-on-one with mentors who are writers, playwrights, and screenwriters with years of professional experience.

Can you become a professor with an MFA in creative writing?

Yes. The MFA is the degree typically required for creative writing professors at the undergraduate or graduate level.

Does GPA matter for a creative writing MFA?

At Spalding, GPA is not a primary consideration when reviewing applications. The strength of the writing sample is our main concern.

We don’t require an undergraduate degree in English. In fact, many of our students come into the MFA program with established careers in entirely different fields, such as law, medicine, social work, education, business, and journalism, to name just a few.

Is it better to get an MFA or an MBA?

The MFA is the degree of choice for pursuing an artistic or literary career.

An MBA is traditionally the degree for seeking a career in the corporate world. Recently, the MFA has gained cachet in that area as well, because MFA students are taught to think creatively.

Do you need an MFA to be a writer?

An MFA isn’t required for a career as a writer, but it does give writers a thorough understanding of craft and a community or network to support them as they make their way through the world of publication and production.

Is a fully funded MFA better than one where I have to pay tuition?

While a fully funded MFA may sound like the better financial choice, often, students in those programs are required to work for the university, teaching classes while completing their studies. Teaching stipends are often too small to live on, so many students have to take on yet another job outside of the university to pay their bills. This workload can leave little time for writing and reading.

At Spalding, we provide scholarships and assistantships in the form of partial tuition remission. Our students don’t need stipends because they return home after residency and continue their working lives during their independent study. Students can choose the slower pace of our extended independent study option to help fit their studies into an already busy life. This model teaches students to integrate their writing practice into their daily lives—an essential skill for creating a sustainable writing life.

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• STUDENT LIFE

MFA in creative writing program hosting reading series

Randolph College’s Master of Fine Arts in creative writing program is hosting a series of public readings in conjunction with its summer residency.

Each reading begins at 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 23 in Main Hall: Mira Jacob, Jean Chen Ho, Joy Priest, and Lilly Dancyger

Monday, June 24 in Main Hall:  Anjali Sachdeva, Danez Smith, Clare Beams, and Cindy Juyoung Ok

Tuesday, June 25 at the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College: Jane Wong, Andrés Cerpa, and Ibtisam Barakat

Wednesday, June 26, also at the Maier: Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Jos Charles, and John Vercher

Friday, June 28 in Main Hall: Angel Nafis, Anthony Cody, and Crystal Hana Kim

Saturday, in Main Hall: Eloisa Amezcua, Chet’la Sebree, and Phillip B. Williams

Find out more about the MFA in creative writing program at https://www.randolphcollege.edu/mfa-cw/ .

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	University of Houston
	Jun 28, 2024   2024-2025 Graduate Catalog (Catalog goes into effect at the start of the Fall 2024 semester)     2024-2025 Graduate Catalog (Catalog goes into effect at the start of the Fall 2024 semester) | College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences    > Department of English    > Creative Writing, MFA Admission Requirements In addition to meeting the college graduate admission requirements   , applicants to the MFA in Creative Writing program must meet the following minimum requirements for admission to the program and for the degree: The applicant should have completed 12 hours of advanced English with an average of 3.0 or better grade point average. The applicant should have two years of college-level study in one foreign language or otherwise demonstrate, with a passing score on the GSFLT, a reading knowledge of a foreign language. Three letters of recommendation. Submission of a manuscript consisting of a maximum of 10 pages of poetry or 20-25 pages of fiction. A statement of intent (1,000 or fewer words): reasons for pursuing graduate study in creative writing, which writers in the applicant’s genre the applicant is reading, and comments on those writers. On a separate sheet of paper, list awards and publications of the applicant. Two official copies of transcripts from each school attended. The GRE Advanced Subject (Code 64) score is not required for MFA applicants. an overall undergraduate or graduate grade point average of 3.00 or higher (on a 4‐ point scale) from an institution accredited by one of the six regional accrediting associations as specified in the UH Minimum Qualifications for Admission to Masters and Doctoral Programs ( General Admission Policy   ), or a grade point average in the top 80% on other GPA scales and a combined IELTS score above 7 or TOEFL score above 79 or a DUOLINGO score above 105. Consult the Creative Writing Program for additional information and more specific requirements. Degree Requirements Students must complete a minimum of 36 hours of approved graduate courses. these courses must be distributed over creative writing workshops and courses in literary studies. Specific requirements are as follows: 15 hours in creative writing, including 9 hours in the primary genre, 3 hours of Master Workshop, and 3 hours of Poetic Forms and Techniques for poetry students, Fiction Forms and Techniques for fiction students, or Nonfiction Forms and Techniques for nonfiction students. Students are strongly encouraged to take the course in Forms and Techniques early in the MFA program. 3 hours of Writers on Literature 12 hours in English or American literature or other literary studies (Students should divide their courses between early and later literatures. Early British literature is defined as British literature before 1800 and early American literature is defined as American literature before 1865.) 6 hours of elective courses (literature or other literary studies, workshop in the primary genre, workshop in a crossover genre, Writers on Literature, or coursework in another department that complements the student’s program). In addition, MFA students must complete a creative thesis for 6 credit hours. In addition, MFA students must complete a creative thesis for 6 credit hours. 412 IMAGES Program MFA Information Session Creative Writing: MA vs. MFA The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Creative Writing Everything you need to know about an MFA in creative writing! VIDEO Solstice MFA in Creative Writing Program Info Session American College Dublin BFA & MFA Creative Writing Sam Ruddick Reading/McNeese MFA Creative Writing Program Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Faculty Voices: Lidia Yuknavitch Fiction & The MFA Why David Foster Wallace Hates MFA Programs COMMENTS Creative Writing Our MFA students work closely with faculty in fiction and poetry over the course of two years, participating in small workshops and one-on-one tutorials as well as special topics and craft classes. Students can also take electives in literature, the humanities, arts, theater, film and other graduate programs throughout the university. Creative Writing MFA The Temple MFA Program in Creative Writing awards a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing, with a focus in either fiction or poetry. Our innovative curriculum immerses students in the study of creative writing and literature, with course offerings that range from special topics and craft classes in creative writing to graduate seminars in literature, the humanities and the arts. Creative Writing MFA The Creative Writing MFA program encourages its students to get outside the classroom and find their inspiration everywhere they can. Students can work as editors and manuscript readers for our online literary journal, TINGE Magazine, join the Graduate English Association, and attend a number of Philadelphia reading series. TINGE Magazine Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Degree Drexel University's two-year, low-residency MFA in Creative Writing is designed with the university's commitment to experiential and career-focused education in mind. Online workshops, reading tutorials, and one-on-one packet exchanges with notable published writers will help you deepen your understanding of your craft, while residencies ... MFA in Creative Writing The Master's of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing degree program at Drexel University provides students with the tools and skills to forge professional ties and succeed as professional writers. This two-year program leverages Drexel's historical approach to education with an emphasis on experiential and career-focused opportunities. With a mix of online and in-person opportunities, the MFA ... Philadelphia Liberal Arts Degrees MFA Faculty. The MFA at HFU respects the value of our students' time, as well as the growing demand for professionalization within the field of creative writing. Built into our flexible, two-year curriculum are opportunities for students to put their work in the hands of publishers, agents, and well-known literary figures. Creative Writing MFA < Temple University The MFA program in Creative Writing provides fiction writers and poets with an opportunity to develop their craft and extend the horizon of their thinking about the genre in which they work. Workshops and other graduate courses in creative writing are the core of the program. ... Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090. [email protected]. 215-204 ... Creative Writing Three times during the MFA program, students gather with professors in intensive residences in Philadelphia and New York City. Drexel's MFA provides select students with opportunities to learn teaching pedagogy for composition and/or creative writing and to take part in a one-of-a-kind, community-based learning experience designed to spark ... CLA Creative Writing MFA Admissions Although not required, we prefer applicants to the Creative Writing MFA to hold a bachelor's degree in English or creative writing or to have taken a significant number of workshops or literature classes as an undergraduate. However, in the past, students without this background have performed well in the program. ... Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090. PDF Temple University The Temple MFA Program in Creative Writing awards a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing, with a focus in either fiction or poetry. Our innovative curriculum immerses ... Philadelphia's many independent poetry communities. Temple has several financial aid packages available to eligible candidates, including teaching ... Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing The Rutgers University-Camden Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a 39-credit terminal degree in the theory and practice of writing. ... Rutgers-Camden is housed on a beautiful campus a single train stop from Philadelphia, one of the most vibrant and affordable cities on the East Coast. We're about 90 minutes from Manhattan and two ... Creative Writing Programs in Philadelphia 2024+ Creative Writing Masters Programs in Philadelphia. MFA stands for Master of Fine Arts. An MFA in Creative Writing may be an especially common option. Most programs include courses in the department of English and courses about the craft of writing. In addition, programs strive to create a community of writers. Want to know more about the program? The Rutgers-Camden MFA in Creative writing is a multi-genre program located in the historic Writers House on Camden's Cooper Street, minutes away from Philadelphia. Students study with faculty who are recipients of the Pulitzer Prize, the Guggenheim Fellowship, and other significant honors. Through Writers in Camden, a National Endowment for ... Creative Writing, MFA Creative Writing, MFA - Course Requirements The Core Curriculum. The low-residency MFA is based on one-on-one mentoring relationships between students and faculty. ... Philadelphia. 9801 Frankford Avenue. Philadelphia, PA 19114. 215-637-7700. Newtown. One Campus Drive. Newtown, PA 18940. 215-637-7700, x 4000. Contact Us; Jobs @ Holy Family ... Master of Fine Arts Master of Fine Arts. PAFA's Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is an interdisciplinary, two-year program. Students are not divided by area of study, instead further discovering their voice in various media. Through work in private studio spaces, one-on-one discussion with critics, and group critiques, MFA candidates develop their work and ideas into a ... Home Welcome to the Creative Writing Program at Penn. We are home to a faculty of award-winning writers who teach more than sixty workshops each year in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, journalism, playwriting, screenwriting, and writing for children and young adults, as well as innovative workshops in cross-genre, experimental, and hybrid ... Discover At Arcadia, our Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing offers a dynamic and flexible curriculum, as well as professional development experiences through various teaching and graduate assistantship opportunities. Designed with your lifestyle in mind, our 24-month low-residency approach blends seamlessly into your life. Customize your academic schedule to your unique needs with the choice ... MFA in Creative Writing The graduate creative writing program at Rosemont College offers tracks in both poetry and prose, and in prose, students can choose concentrations in creative non-fiction, short fiction, writing for children and adults, novel writing, and dramatic writing. ... B. J. Burton MFA '06. The Philadelphia Connection: Conversations with Playwrights ... MFA Programs Database: 256 Programs for Creative Writers Our list of 256 MFA programs for creative writers includes essential information about low-residency and full-residency graduate creative writing programs in the United States and other English-speaking countries to help you decide where to apply. It also includes MA programs and PhD programs. 15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024 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. Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing Here is the list of 53 universities that offer fully-funded MFA programs (Master's of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing. University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL): Students admitted to the MFA Program are guaranteed full financial support for up to 4-years. Assistantships include a stipend paid over nine months (currently $14,125), and full payment ... Fine Arts, MFA < University of Pennsylvania 2024-25 Catalog. Fine Arts, MFA. The two-year Master of Fine Arts program at Penn is focused on the professional development of studio artists. Through studio work, seminar courses, international residency opportunities, and interactions with vital working artists, the program provides an open intellectual framework to foster critical awareness ... MFA in Creative Writing Phone: 530-752-2257 / Fax: 530-752-5013. Dept Chair: Claire Waters / Email: [email protected] / Phone: 530-752-1696. Advising Questions: See. About the ProgramOur innovative MFA program includes both studio instruction and literature courses. Writers can take workshop courses in any genre, and they can write a thesis in fiction, nonfiction ... MFA FAQ The MFA is the credential needed for teaching creative writing at the post-secondary level. It also gives writers a significant foundation for creating a successful writing career. MFA students gain insight into the work of editors, publishers, literary agents, and other creative professionals. MFA in creative writing program hosting reading series MFA in creative writing program hosting reading series. Randolph College's Master of Fine Arts in creative writing program is hosting a series of public readings in conjunction with its summer residency. Each reading begins at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 23 in Main Hall: Mira Jacob, Jean Chen Ho, Joy Priest, and Lilly Dancyger Program: Creative Writing, MFA College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences > Department of English > Creative Writing, MFA. Admission Requirements. In addition to meeting the college graduate admission requirements , applicants to the MFA in Creative Writing program must meet the following minimum requirements for admission to the program and for the degree:. The applicant should have completed 12 hours of advanced English ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis