mfa creative writing forum

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Creative Writing Program

The New School invites you to join a community of diverse writers, become part of New York City’s publishing world, and build a network of support on campus and beyond. Our prestigious MFA Creative Writing program is designed to help you develop your writing in supportive workshops and literature seminars led by an internationally recognized faculty and renowned authors.

books published annually by alumni and faculty

annual writing events, including the National Book Awards Finalist Reading

of admitted MFA students awarded merit-based university scholarships (2020–2021)

MFA in Creative Writing

As an MFA student at The New School, you can choose your concentration—in Arts Writing, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Writing for Children and Young Adults—and receive personalized faculty mentorship and faculty and peer critiques. Innovative courses in publishing and multimedia storytelling engage you in the development of literature. Popular graduate minors include Impact Entrepreneurship and Transmedia and Digital Storytelling . Or you can apply to WriteOn NYC! , a New School–funded fellowship program providing MFA students with high-quality teaching experience in area middle schools and high schools. All students benefit from evening classes and events, which enable them to work or attend responsibilities during the day while enrolled in a  full-time program.

Related Programs

In addition to the renowned MFA in Creative Writing, The New School offers other programs and opportunities for writing students. These include noncredit courses and summer intensives, as well as an undergraduate major in the Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students, the Writing and Democracy Honors Program, and undergraduate minors in related fields. Summer Writing Intensive Continuing Education Courses Writing & Democracy Honors Program BA in Creative Writing Undergraduate Creative Writing Courses

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Creative Writing students come to The New School from across the United States and around the world to live the writer's life in New York City. Evenings with agents and editors, offered exclusively for MFA students, provide informal opportunities to meet publishing professionals.

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We are proud to feature books recently published by The New School's Creative Writing community.

Sigrid Nunez, Faculty

Hurricane Child

Kacen callender, mfa '14.

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Brenda wineapple, faculty.

The January Children

Safia elhillo, mfa '15.

Mira Jacob, Faculty and MFA '01

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Creative Writing (MFA)

Program description.

The MFA Program in Creative Writing consists of a vibrant community of writers working together in a setting that is both challenging and supportive. This stimulating environment fosters the development of talented writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The program is not defined by courses alone, but by a life built around writing.

Through innovative literary outreach programs, a distinguished public reading series, an exciting public student reading series, special literary seminars with visiting writers, and the production of a high-quality literary journal, students participate in a dynamic literary community actively engaged in all aspects of the literary arts—writing, reading, teaching, publishing and community outreach. Students also have the opportunity to enjoy America's most literary terrain; New York University is situated in the heart of Greenwich Village, a part of the city that has always been home to writers.

The MFA in Creative Writing is designed to offer students an opportunity to concentrate intensively on their writing. This program is recommended for students who may want to apply for creative writing positions at colleges and universities, which often require the MFA degree. The MFA program does not have a foreign language requirement.

All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the  general application requirements , which include:

• Academic Transcripts
• Test Scores  (if required)
• Applicant Statements
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation , and
• A non-refundable  application fee .

See Creative Writing for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

Special project, program information.

Taken in four separate semesters.

Craft courses may be repeated provided they are taught by different instructors.

With the permission of that department and of the director of the CWP. 

Additional Program Requirements

A creative special project in poetry or fiction, consisting of a substantial piece of writing—a novella, a collection of short stories, or a group of poems—to be submitted in the student’s final semester. The project requires the approval of the student’s faculty adviser and of the director of the CWP.

The MFA degree may also be earned through the Low Residency MFA Writers Workshop in Paris. Under this model, degree requirements remain the same, although Craft courses and Workshops take the form of intensive individualized courses of study with the faculty, including three substantial packet exchanges of student work per semester. All students earning the MFA degree through the low-residency program must also participate in five ten-day residencies in Paris, which involve a diverse series of series of craft talks, lectures, readings, special events, faculty mentorship meetings, and professional development panels.

Sample Plan of Study

Learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

• Graduate students in the Creative Writing Program at NYU work intensively with faculty mentors in writing workshops and individual conferences to learn and master the basic elements of the craft of fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.
• Students are expected to read widely and deeply, and to acquire a broad practitioner’s knowledge of English and American literature in their declared concentration (poetry, creative nonfiction, or fiction).
• Students are taught to read carefully and critically, and in doing so learn to read as writers. By studying great novels, poems, and works of literary nonfiction by other writers, students learn how to write their own.
• The two-year program of intensive study culminates in the completion of a creative thesis -- a novel, a collection of stories or essays, or a collection of poems. The thesis manuscript, ideally, is a working draft of a first book. Many program alumni go on to publish books and win awards for their writing.

Grading and GPA Policy

Nyu policies, graduate school of arts and science policies.

To qualify for the degree, a student must have a GPA of at least 3.0, must complete a minimum of 24 points with a grade of B or better, and may offer no more than 8 points with a grade of C (no more than 4 points with a grade of C in creative writing workshops). A student may take no more than 36 points toward the degree.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page . 

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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: Charles Rafferty, 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, Eunsong Kim, Alberto Álvaro Ríos, Safiya Sinclair Fiction: Matt Bell, Jenny Irish, Tara Ison, Mitchell Jackson, T. M. McNally Creative Nonfiction: Sarah Viren

Ashland University

Poetry: Aria Aber, Dexter Booth, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Adam Gellings, Tess Taylor, Vanessa Angélica Villareal

Fiction: Kirstin Chen, Brian Conn, 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, Kelly Sundberg

Augsburg University

Poetry: Jim Cihlar, Michael Kleber-Diggs Fiction: Stephan Eirik Clark, Lindsay Starck Nonfiction: Anika Fajardo, Kathryn Savage Playwriting: Alice Eve Cohen, Carson Kreitzer, TyLie Shider 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

Mirene Arsanios, CA Conrad, Hoa Nguyen, Christopher Perez, Cedar Sigo, Julian Talamantez Brolaski, Roberto Tejada, Monica de la Torre, Simone White

Bath Spa University

Poetry: Lucy English, Carrie Etter, Tim Liardet, John Strachan, Samantha Walton, Gerard Woodward Fiction: Gavin James Bower, Celia Brayfield, Alexia Casale, Lucy English, Nathan Filer, Aminatta Forna, Maggie Gee, Samantha Harvey, Philip Hensher, Steve Hollyman, Emma Hooper, Claire Kendal, Kate Pullinger, C.J. Skuse, Gerard Woodward Nonfiction: Celia Brayfield, Richard Kerridge, Stephen Moss Scriptwriting: Robin Mukherjee

Poetry: Lucy English, Carrie Etter, Tim Liardet, Gerard Woodward Fiction: Gavin James Bower, Celia Brayfield, Nathan Filer, Aminatta Forna, Maggie Gee, Samantha Harvey, Philip Hensher, Claire Kendal, Kate Pullinger, Gerard Woodward Nonfiction: Richard Kerridge, Stephen Moss

Bay Path University

Mel Allen, Leanna James Blackwell, Jennifer Baker, Sari Botton, Melanie Brooks, María Luisa Arroyo Cruzado, Áine Greaney, Shahnaz Habib, Jessica Handler, Ann Hood, Susan Ito, Karol Jackowski, Yi Shun Lai, Anna Mantzaris, Meredith O’Brien, Lisa Romeo, 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: Thomas Glave, Leslie L. Heywood, Liz Rosenberg, Jaimee Wriston-Colbert, Alexi Zentner Nonfiction: Leslie L. Heywood

Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University

Poetry: Julie Hensley, Young Smith Fiction: Julie Hensley, Nancy Jensen, Robert D. Johnson Nonfiction: Nancy Jensen, Robert D. Johnson, Evan J. Massey

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, Margaret Litvin, Petrus Liu, Christopher Maurer, Roberta Micaleff, Robert Pinsky (advising), Stephen Scully, Sassan Tabatabai, J. Keith Vincent, William Waters, 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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Thomas Larmore Senior Member

Discussion in ' The Lounge ' started by Thomas Larmore , Jul 30, 2021 .

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_8a708f8d86f82b4a45f5b6acd3ecf22a'); }); I'm thinking of applying to a college to get an MFA in creative writing fiction. Does anyone have any advice or insight? I have a full-time job as a lawyer so I'd need to attend a college part-time and online. I'm located in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

Bruce Johnson Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_8a708f8d86f82b4a45f5b6acd3ecf22a'); }); I don't, but I'm curious as to what your goal is in getting an MFA? The experience? Wanting to switch careers?  

EFMingo A Modern Dinosaur Supporter Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_8a708f8d86f82b4a45f5b6acd3ecf22a'); }); Most of them are being cut from school programs online. I was originally going to do one at National University because I like their intensive speed, but had to switch to a MA in English with a specialization in Gothic Studies instead. I don't mind the switch, but it was a little irritating at first. MFAs are geared toward refining your writing through intensive practice, usually completing with a culmination work that is a novel, short collection, or poetry book. The final goal is a publishable full-length work. It's not really a part-time gig. You're basically going to be moving high speed with a full-time job. It will be very rough. Trust me, my last three years have been powering through a BA and MA online. I'll be done in December though. Nearly all of the schools have oddball requirements you have to watch out for, such as basically "try-out" courses as seen at Harvard, which I decided against due to added cost for nothing. There's also usually a twice annual workshop conference you will be required to attend at most schools. This is basically an intensive in-person workshop and seminar to make up for the lack of classroom experience and build connections. This was a factor at every school I looked at and couldn't be avoided. My work schedule wouldn't allow for that, so I passed on it. If you have specific questions about the MFA or online school in general, let me know.  

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2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

By LivingUnderABigRock December 4, 2023 in Literary

Recommended Posts

8 minutes ago, ee921488 said: Also I got accepted into Virginia Tech for poetry yayyyyy!!!

Yayyyyy, congrats!!

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• Replies 3.1k
• Created Dec 4
• Last Reply 5 dy

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Popular Days

Scribe 302 posts

jadedoptimist 187 posts

Chex 119 posts

Rixor 118 posts

Feb 20 2024

Feb 21 2024

Feb 26 2024

Feb 28 2024

Popular Posts

February 29

Crying in front of two hundred construction workers and I can’t tell them why because they wouldn’t understand. But you people will.  Irvine!

mr. specific

February 20

Got into Michigan! Crazy. Just an email notification. Not complaining, but I thought they'd call. l

jadedoptimist

February 21

Oh my god guys. Oh my god. I'm on the Syracuse waitlist!!!!!!!!!

9 minutes ago, Hjanep said: Did Didi know when decisions are rolling out?

I believe after AWP but didn’t specify dates

• seeleimraum

36 minutes ago, ee921488 said: Also I got accepted into Virginia Tech for poetry yayyyyy!!!

Congrats!! That's awesome. Did you find out today? And by phone, email...carrier pigeon?

11 minutes ago, seeleimraum said: Congrats!! That's awesome. Did you find out today? And by phone, email...carrier pigeon?

They called me on the 2nd, so this last friday!!

sunnysequoia

1 hour ago, ee921488 said: Also I got accepted into Virginia Tech for poetry yayyyyy!!!

Congratulations!!!  🎉 🎉 🎉

4 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said: Congratulations!!!  🎉 🎉 🎉

Thank you everyone 😭 😭 ❤️ ❤️

saramsarang

Congratulations to everyone who's gotten acceptances so far!! It's been exciting to watch you guys get one step closer to your dreams. Hugs for all of you guys! 

Just thought I'd share this quote/music lyrics with everyone as well. It's pretty inspiring and comforting!

"May your trials end in full bloom. Though your beginnings might be humble, may your end be prosperous."

• sunnysequoia , goldentulip , justasmidge and 6 others

3 hours ago, ee921488 said: Here’s some tea. one of my best friends goes to vanderbilt for poetry and she talked to one of the people who decides (didi) and she said they hadn’t made a decision yet so…i guess people lie on some forums? for fun? 😭 😭

I definitely feel played with now  🥺  . I appreciate you sharing this. 

Hi everyone!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to those of you who have received waitlists and acceptances!!! That's wonderful and I'm so so happy for you all!

I was wondering if anyone could share gift ideas for recommenders? I feel so grateful and honestly pretty indebted to them, but I have no clue what to get! 

bluebikeyikes

5 hours ago, Rixor said: Hi everyone!!! CONGRATULATIONS to those of you who have received waitlists and acceptances!!! That's wonderful and I'm so so happy for you all! I was wondering if anyone could share gift ideas for recommenders? I feel so grateful and honestly pretty indebted to them, but I have no clue what to get! 

I think this mainly depends on what kind of person you're recommender is. Some of them might not be "gift" people per se, so just write them a long letter and throw in a nice card in that case. Otherwise, food items like chocolates, coffee or tea packets/jars etc might also work. If they're book lovers, find a book they might enjoy reading-- if they are professors, maybe something in their area of research might also interest them. If you know the recommender really well, something more personal like a scarf or bag (tote or handbag etc) or jewellery (if they're people who like wearing jewellery) or if they belong to a certain culture and you have something specific to their culture they might like, for example, clothes. Otherwise even decor/ showcase pieces, something small and not easily breakable would do. I'm sure there are a lot of other ideas to consider, but these are some that I had since I've been looking at some options for my recommenders as well. 

Tomatotomato53

Oh my gosh, my draft member request has been pending for like two days. I’m getting nervous, and it’s not even for an application LOL

9 hours ago, Rixor said: Hi everyone!!! CONGRATULATIONS to those of you who have received waitlists and acceptances!!! That's wonderful and I'm so so happy for you all! I was wondering if anyone could share gift ideas for recommenders? I feel so grateful and honestly pretty indebted to them, but I have no clue what to get! 

There were some good ideas shared on Draft about gifting recommenders. Search with the keyword "gift" and you you should see some of them.

3 hours ago, Tomatotomato53 said: Oh my gosh, my draft member request has been pending for like two days. I’m getting nervous, and it’s not even for an application LOL

Did you answer the entrance questions? There are about three questions they ask on the form when you request to join. If you answered them then just be patient, they'll approve your request soon enough. 

14 hours ago, ee921488 said: Here’s some tea. one of my best friends goes to vanderbilt for poetry and she talked to one of the people who decides (didi) and she said they hadn’t made a decision yet so…i guess people lie on some forums? for fun? 😭 😭

Ugh. Why are people like this?

1 hour ago, Chex said: There were some good ideas shared on Draft about gifting recommenders. Search with the keyword "gift" and you you should see some of them. Did you answer the entrance questions? There are about three questions they ask on the form when you request to join. If you answered them then just be patient, they'll approve your request soon enough. 

Yup, I answered everything. Starting to wonder if I should message an admin….

Reduwanul Hoque

I'm new to GradCafe and have applied to eight MFA creative writing fiction programs, including Brown, UCSD, Boston, Notre Dame, UF, USF, UNLV, and Rutgers-Camden. I've spent a lot of time here tracking results. I notice many discussions about 'draft', but I'm not familiar with it. Could you please advise me on how to use this platform more effectively?

goldentulip

has anyone by chance applied to FIU? 

uggh, I can’t attach a screenshot here, but Facebook shows the draft group hasn’t added any new members in a week…

5 minutes ago, Tomatotomato53 said: uggh, I can’t attach a screenshot here, but Facebook shows the draft group hasn’t added any new members in a week…

it took me about a week to get accepted!! and i was accepted like 3 days ago!

25 minutes ago, Reduwanul Hoque said: I'm new to GradCafe and have applied to eight MFA creative writing fiction programs, including Brown, UCSD, Boston, Notre Dame, UF, USF, UNLV, and Rutgers-Camden. I've spent a lot of time here tracking results. I notice many discussions about 'draft', but I'm not familiar with it. Could you please advise me on how to use this platform more effectively?

its a facebook group! if you look up MFA Draft ‘24 on facebook, you’ll be able to request to join! there’s lots of resources (like the spreadsheets) and discussion going on through there as well

12 hours ago, Rixor said: Hi everyone!!! CONGRATULATIONS to those of you who have received waitlists and acceptances!!! That's wonderful and I'm so so happy for you all! I was wondering if anyone could share gift ideas for recommenders? I feel so grateful and honestly pretty indebted to them, but I have no clue what to get! 

I'm planning to bake banana bread/cookies/brownies for my recommenders — I hope they will feel more comfortable accepting them since I didn't technically purchase the gifts! Otherwise, I will buy them coffee/lunch after the decisions are out.

29 minutes ago, goldentulip said: it took me about a week to get accepted!! and i was accepted like 3 days ago! its a facebook group! if you look up MFA Draft ‘24 on facebook, you’ll be able to request to join! there’s lots of resources (like the spreadsheets) and discussion going on through there as well

Thanks. I just requested to join the group.

• goldentulip and Chex

What if we don’t know our recommenders well? Will a handwritten thank you note suffice? I also thought about visiting their offices personally, but I’ve been out of that college for about 6 years now. 

1 hour ago, Tomatotomato53 said: Yup, I answered everything. Starting to wonder if I should message an admin….

45 minutes ago, Tomatotomato53 said: uggh, I can’t attach a screenshot here, but Facebook shows the draft group hasn’t added any new members in a week…

No need, they'll approve it soon enough. They're just not extremely quick with it. They actually have added people this week. I guess Facebook doesn't show much information to non-members. Come to think of it, I'd say check again and confirm that you requested to join MFA Draft '24. There are other Draft groups for previous years. You have to request to join the right one.

3 minutes ago, Chex said: No need, they'll approve it soon enough. They're just not extremely quick with it. They actually have added people this week. I guess Facebook doesn't show much information to non-members. Come to think of it, I'd say check again and confirm that you requested to join MFA Draft '24. There are other Draft groups for previous years. You have to request to join the right one.

screenshot from 11:21am

https://ibb.co/0Y3ZtSC

14 hours ago, Rixor said: Hi everyone!!! CONGRATULATIONS to those of you who have received waitlists and acceptances!!! That's wonderful and I'm so so happy for you all! I was wondering if anyone could share gift ideas for recommenders? I feel so grateful and honestly pretty indebted to them, but I have no clue what to get! 

I missed a call from an unknown number today... this shit has me frantically googling area codes like never before. I know speculation like this is silly and useless but it's got me thinking – does the area code even tell you anything? I'm assuming that there's not usually some kind of Designated Landline in the admissions office to inform admitted students, instead the department faculty probably just volunteers on a case-by case basis– don't they probably just use their cell phones anyway? I've been more curious about admissions procedures than ever before lately. It's a different vibe than waiting for a call about a job offer, or getting into undergrad. It really feels like the decision means something about the quality of my work. Idk. Just spouting thoughts on a Wednesday

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Online MFA in Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts

Earn an MFA in Creative Writing Online

• $637/credit (48 credits total)
• Transfer up to 12 graduate credits
• 100% online – no residency required
• Four fiction genres to choose from
• Career-focused certificate included
• No application fee or GRE/GMAT scores required

Online MFA in Creative Writing Program Overview

Share your story with the world and let the power of storytelling take your career to new heights with an online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing . As one of the only programs available that encourages a focus on genre fiction, our online MFA lets you hone your craft in an area specific to your strengths and interests. You'll also learn about the business side of creative writing, preparing you to market your work in the real world.

While most MFA programs require a residency, Southern New Hampshire University's online MFA in Creative Writing can be completed entirely online, with no travel necessary.

“Traditional MFA programs, whether full-time or low residency, are out of reach for many writers,” said Paul Witcover , associate dean of creative writing. “The SNHU online MFA was designed to make the MFA experience accessible to all fiction writers, opening the door to diverse voices excluded for too long from the literary conversation. Our program is dedicated to giving writers the tools to succeed on the page and beyond it.”

Graduates leave the program with a completed and revised novel in one of our four offered genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance and Speculative. With the included certificates in either online teaching of writing or professional writing , you'll have the skills to support your writing career, no matter where it takes you.

.st0{fill:#21386D;} What You'll Learn

• The business and technical sides of professional writing
• How to navigate the publishing ecosystem, identify agents and editors, and market your work to appeal to decision-makers
• Using social media to gain a following and build your brand
• How to teach writing in a classroom setting

.cls-1 { fill: #21386d; } How You'll Learn

At SNHU, you'll get support from day 1 to graduation and beyond. And with no set class times, 24/7 access to the online classroom and helpful learning resources along the way, you'll have everything you need to reach your goals.

The Value of an Online MFA

Emily Jones ’20 embraced a transformational experience through the online MFA in Creative Writing program, which supported her in taking her writing career to the next level. “I can now say, without even a hint of imposter syndrome, that I am a writer,” said Jones. “And that is because of Southern New Hampshire University.”

Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, writers and authors made a median annual salary of $69,510 in 2021, while editors made $63,350. 1

“Our mission is to give students a degree and associated practical skills they can use to forge successful pathways in academia, business, or by blazing their own career trail,” said Paul Witcover , associate dean of creative writing.

Earning one of the included certificates in online teaching of writing or professional writing will also be an invaluable addition to your resume for part-time, full-time and freelance jobs in a variety of fields, including:

• Higher education. Instruct writing courses in higher education settings. In 2021, postsecondary teachers made a median annual wage of $79,640, and you can expect to see a 12% growth in available positions through 2031, according to the BLS. 1
• Advertising. Use your storytelling skills in a way that influences consumer action. As a copywriter, you could find yourself doing any number of writing projects from crafting emails and ads to writing entire commercials.
• Marketing. If you're more comfortable with long-form prose, many businesses have invested in content writers who create quality content such as blog posts, ebooks and podcasts to attract and retain customers.
• Entertainment. Good at building suspense or setting up punchlines? From movies and plays to comedy and podcasts, being a good storyteller and writer is important to finding success in the entertainment industry.
• History. Every person's life has a plot, but it takes writers like you to tell their stories in a compelling way. Help readers relive the experiences of historic figures and pop culture icons as a biographer.

Higher Education

Instruct writing courses in higher education at a college or university, either in-person or online.

Advertising

Influence consumer action through copywriting, from print ads to digital advertising and broadcast commercials.

Create written content such as blog posts, ebooks and podcasts to attract and retain customers.

Entertainment

From movies and plays to comedy and podcasts, writers often find success in the entertainment industry.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts favorable job growth in postsecondary education. And while statistics are not available for all job settings mentioned above, the BLS reports the following:

.cls-1 { fill: #21386d; } Job Growth

The BLS predicts an 8% growth in available postsecondary teaching positions through 2032. 1

.cls-1 { fill: #21386d; } Potential Salary

Writers and authors made a median annual salary of $73,150 in 2022, while editors made $73,080 and postsecondary teachers made $80,840. 1

Understanding the Numbers When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors — like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

Start Your Journey Toward an Online MFA in Creative Writing

If you're looking to earn your Master of Fine Arts online, you've found the right program. Even though there are no residency requirements, you'll still interact frequently with other students and faculty members in asynchronous discussions, critique workshops and within our online writer’s community, where students come together to share industry news, extend writing tips and develop critique partnerships.

"I liked MFA-514 (Advanced Studies in Genre Literature) best," said student Jamilla Geter . "It was a great look into the different genres. It really helped me narrow down what genre I wanted to write in."

"Though it was not writing exactly, its connection to it – especially in our digital world – was made clear almost immediately," she said. "Writing is not just providing content of value to your readers, but also creating avenues of access so those readers can find your content. This course helped me to understand that and to learn how I can create those avenues."

Besides allowing you to focus on your own creative interests, part of our 48-credit online MFA curriculum requires you to choose from 2 certificate offerings designed to round out your education and better prepare you for a multitude of writing-related careers.

The first choice is a Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching of Writing , which is tailored to those who see themselves teaching in an online classroom setting as a supplement to their writing careers. Students practice approaches to editing and coaching, learning how to establish a virtual instructor presence and cultivate methods for supporting and engaging students within online writing communities.

Learn more about the online teaching of writing graduate certificate .

Students can also choose the Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing , which highlights the technical and business opportunities available to writers. Students will develop a range of skills, such as copywriting, social media, marketing principles and/or content generation, learning many of the freelancing skills integral to today’s project-driven economy.

Learn more about the professional writing graduate certificate .

All of our courses are taught by accomplished authors and industry professionals who know both the craft and business of creative writing. They will work closely with you to develop both your creative and professional skill set.

"All instructors within my program were extremely knowledgeable and helpful," Warden said. "I learned a lot about the different career paths my instructors chose. ... The course instruction, along with their anecdotal experiences, helped in offering knowledge in different areas of our field.

MFA Program Thesis

The thesis for the Online MFA in Creative Writing is required to be a novel of at least 50,000 words in one of the four genres the program offers: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, and Speculative.

Every Southern New Hampshire University online MFA student who graduates from the program will do so with a revised novel manuscript in their chosen genre, which is completed in a three-course thesis series. Throughout your tenure in the program, you can either work on a singular idea that you will develop during the three thesis courses, or you can begin a new project for your thesis. You can also combine elements of the four genres offered in the program for your thesis. For example, your thesis might be a YA Speculative Fiction novel.

"My three thesis classes for the MFA degree were the most helpful," said Kathleen Harris '21 . "I was actually writing a book as my thesis, so it was both enjoyable and advantageous for the degree. And it was the end of a very long milestone of accomplishments."

Minimum Hardware Requirements Component Type   PC (Windows OS)   Apple (Mac OS)   Operating System  Currently supported operating system from Microsoft.   Currently supported operating system from Apple.  Memory (RAM)  8GB or higher  8GB or higher  Hard Drive  100GB or higher  100GB or higher  Antivirus Software  Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.  Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.  SNHU Purchase Programs  Visit Dell   Visit Apple   Internet/ Bandwidth  5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100 ms Latency  5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100 ms Latency  Notes:   Laptop or desktop?   Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility.  Note:   Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10.  Office 365 Pro Plus  is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for  Microsoft 365 plans  for business, education and government.  Antivirus software:  Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers.  if (typeof accordionGroup === "undefined") { window.accordionGroup = new accordion(); } accordionGroup.init(document.getElementById('f756dce5bd874c61855f6f6e92d88470')); University Accreditation

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer a 25% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually. *Note: students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional Costs: Course Materials ($ varies by course). Foundational courses may be required based on your undergraduate course history, which may result in additional cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Associate Dean of Liberal Arts Dr. Robert Denning: A Faculty Q&A

Related programs.

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

• Litowitz MFA+MA Program

The Litowitz MFA+MA Program in Creative Writing and English

Program faculty, the department of english is grateful to northwestern university alumna jennifer leischner litowitz ’91 and her husband, alec litowitz for helping launch and support this program..

The Litowitz MFA+MA Program in Creative Writing offers intimate classes, the opportunity to pursue both creative and critical writing, close mentorship by renowned faculty in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, and three fully supported years in which to grow as writers and complete a book-length creative project.  The Litowitz MFA+MA curriculum gives students time to deepen both their creative writing and their study of literature.  Students will receive full financial support for three academic years and two summers, a total of 33 months.  Both degrees—the MFA in Creative Writing and the MA in English—are awarded simultaneously at graduation.

Drawing on innovative scholarship, deep immersion in process, and cross-pollination between critical and creative texts, Litowitz students will complete a Capstone essay—a 20-25 page expanded version of a paper written for an English department graduate or MFA+MA seminar—by the end of their second year, and will spend their third year working on a book-length creative thesis of their own design, either within one genre or across genres.  The MFA+MA program's small size and attentive faculty will develop students' sense of literary context, the possibilities of genre, and their creative practice, while encouraging them to pursue the individual distinctiveness of their projects.

The Litowitz MFA+MA program provides significant exposure to a second genre in addition to the genre in which a student has been admitted. Students must take at least one out-of-genre workshop and have the option of taking more.

Over two years of coursework students will take:

In spring quarter of the second year, with advising and mentoring by the faculty, each student will complete the MA Capstone Essay.

In year three, students will be almost wholly dedicated to their creative thesis manuscripts.  Third-year students will take three quarters of the MFA Thesis Workshop/Tutorial.

Some students will complete their MFA thesis manuscript by the end of this year; others will wish to take more time.  The Graduate School permits students to submit the culminating project for the MFA at the end of full-time enrollment, or afterward.   

In all three years, students will be mentored by the faculty in the practice of their writing, the design of their projects, and regarding artistic and intellectual resources for their work.  In the teaching of creative writing and, through summer editorial work at TriQuarterly.org , students will get first-hand experience in editing a literary journal.

Visiting writers (including some anglophone international writers) will bring new perspectives to artistic practice, the three genres, and cross-genre or multi-genre work.

Students will pursue their work on our beautiful Evanston campus, amid artists, filmmakers, scholars and public intellectuals, with easy access to the vibrant literary arts scene of Chicago.

Admissions Cycle

Each year, the MFA+MA program admits new students in two of our three genres.  The genres in question rotate annually.  Information on the application process and the genres in which applications will be considered can be found here .

Creative Writing MFA

<p>Hi, everyone. </p>

<p>I’m new to this forum, so I hope I’m doing this right. Anyway, does anyone have any information on the MFA in creative writing? Is anyone else looking to apply to this kind of program? I have a few questions about it.</p>

<p>First of all, how selective are these programs generally? Are they usually difficult to get into? I’m curious about low-residency programs; are these considered as good as “regular” programs? Which MFA programs are generally considered to be at the top? How important are the GRE exams? Some of the programs don’t even require them, so I’m guessing that they’re not the most important part of an application, but I’m a little worried because I’m not the best standardized test taker and haven’t taken a real math class since I took calculus in high school. Lastly, how important is a person’s GPA? I’m a junior and have roughly a 3.55 at a selective and rigorous LAC (English major). For what it’s worth I got a A in the one creative writing class I took in college. (My school doesn’t offer many writing classes, although I’m slated to take one next semester and hope to take another next fall.)</p>

<p>I hope to concentrate in either fiction or nonfiction (probably nonfiction). My plan is to write an honors thesis during my senior year to show that I am capable of doing graduate level work. I’ve won a couple of writing awards, one large national one in high school and another smaller one at my college that doesn’t really mean much. </p>

<p>The schools I’m considering right now are the following ones in New England: -University of New Hampshire -Emerson College -Lesley University -Vermont College of Fine Arts -Bennington College -University of Massachusetts at Amherst Does anyone know anything about the programs at these schools?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for your help.</p>

<p>I know only a little about MFAs, so I’ll offer you what info I’ve got, and maybe somebody else can fill in the blanks or correct me if I’m wrong. The first thing I can say is that you should really, really go talk to the person who taught your creative writing course: that person will have a strong sense of where you might fit in, what the top programs are, and–frankly–whether you have a shot. The second thing is that getting in to MFA programs is pretty different from getting in to other graduate programs: your numbers will be less important, while your recommendations and in particular your writing sample will be more important. In a sense, it’s more like applying to a conservatory program (for music) or a fine arts school (like RISD or Pratt) than it is like applying to a four-year university. The third thing is that most MFA programs are brutally competitive to get into: acceptance rates tend to be in the low single digits, and may be below 1% for the top programs. For this reason as much as any other, you will want to build strong relationships with your creative writing faculty: you need awesome recs.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t worry much about an honors thesis unless you can write a creative thesis (like a novel or a group of poems): some schools will let you. An academic thesis won’t hurt, but it won’t help much. Instead, try to spend as much time as you can improving your creative work: like, at least two to three hours a day writing creatively. Submit stuff to journals. Get feedback from writers you respect. Take your writing really seriously.</p>

<p>Finally, I’ve heard that there’s a really active blog community around the process of applying to MFAs. I don’t know anything about it myself (a friend of mine, applying to MFAs this year, was talking about it) but you might do some googling and see what you can find: you could probably pick up a lot of basic info that way. </p>

<p>Finally, how and why did you pick these programs? Most of them are not terribly strong universities, and I haven’t heard about any of them as having a strong MFA program. Then again, one or more of them might be a real powerhouse: as I said, I’m hardly an expert. I’m just curious how you made your list.</p>

<p>Yes, the honors thesis I’m planning would be a creative nonfiction thesis. (Of course, it has to be approved first, but I know that my school does allow creative writing theses.) </p>

<p>As for how I selected my list, well, I didn’t think I had a shot at the top programs to be frank. Also, I’m not even sure what the top programs are. I mean, I know, say, Iowa is at the top, and I assume prestigious schools such as Brown and Johns Hopkins (both of which I believe have MFA programs) would be ranked high, too, but I figured I couldn’t get into any of those. Basically I just picked schools in New England that I knew had MFA programs (I’m not too keen on traveling too far away); I really don’t know if they’re any good or not. I’ll see if I can get in touch with my creative writing professor. Also, I might ask my adviser about programs. He has a PhD and not an MFA, but he has published several books of poetry, so I’m sure he has some knowledge in this area.</p>

<p>Wow, I had no idea that MFA programs were that competitive! It sounds like I have a tough road ahead of me. I’ve already started working on my writing sample and have shared my first draft with someone I know who teaches writing at a local university (and maybe she’ll show it to a friend who might show it to a friend and so on), and it looks like I’ve started just in time!</p>

<p>Thanks so much for your help, lotf629.</p>

<p>No problem; I wish I knew more to tell you. One thing to remember about those stats is that a lot of the people who apply are not really super-serious writers, so you can beat out a hefty percentage of the pool just by investing time in your craft. Don’t be too intimidated. </p>

<p>There’s a new book on Amazon about MFAs in Creative Writing that is getting a lot of good reviews: it might answer a lot of your questions or at least help you decide where to start looking. It’s called <em>The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students</em>.</p>

<p>If you’re looking at MFA programs in New England, you might want to check out Southern Connecticut State University’s new MFA program. This university has offered an MA and MS in English with a creative writing concentration for years but just got approval for an MFA. The creative writing faculty is dynamite, the program should remain small, for more personal attention, and the university is in New Haven, which is a great college town. Check it out: [Southern</a> Connecticut State University News: m.f.a. in creative writing approved](<a href=“ http://www.southernct.edu/news/mfaincreativew_160/]Southern ”> http://www.southernct.edu/news/mfaincreativew_160/ )</p>

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The Best 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2023

April 7, 2023

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? This article walks you through the considerations for an MFA program, as well as the best Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

First of all, what is an MFA?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications require a sample portfolio for entry, usually of 10-20 pages of your best writing.

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.

Reasons to 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.

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 programs 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 (baltimore, md).

This is a two-year program, with $33,000 teaching fellowships per year. This MFA offers the most generous funding package. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and a guaranteed lecture position after graduation (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Incoming class size: 8 students
• Admissions rate: 11.1%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adiche, 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 (Austin, TX)

A fully-funded 3-year program with a generous stipend of $29,500. The program offers fiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $3,000 for the summer.

• 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 (Iowa City, IA)

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. Most students are funded, with fellowships worth up to $21,000. The Translation MFA, co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years, 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: 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

4) University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students U-Michigan’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 $23,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program, 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.

• Incoming class size: 18
• Acceptance rate: 4% (which maybe seems high after less-than-1%)
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University (Providence, RI)

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that doesn’t dip into arctic temperatures. Students are all fully-funded for 2-3 years with $29,926 in 2021-22. 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.

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

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

6) university of arizona (tucson, az).

This 3-year program 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 dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program pays $20,000 a year, and offers the potential to volunteer at multiple literary organizations. You can also do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Incoming class size: 9
• Acceptance rate: 4.85% (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 (Tempe, AZ):

Arizona State is also 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. Everyone gets a $19,000 stipend, with other opportunities for financial support.

• 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 (new york, ny).

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU is private, and 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.

• Incoming class size: 40-60
• Acceptance rate: 6%
• 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 (New York, NY)

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.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: 21%
• 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 (Bronxville, NY)

Sarah Lawrence offers speculative fiction beyond the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction course offerings. 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.

• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: N/A
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11 bennington college (bennington, vt).

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, and then you get a degree. The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available.

• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 40
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM)

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 offered, in screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

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

• Incoming class size : 22
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

One of few MFAs where you can study the art of the picture book, middle grade and young adult literature, graphic literature, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry for young people. Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, in Vermont. 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 is $48,604.

• 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 (el paso, tx).

The world’s first bilingual and online MFA program in the world. UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Intensive workshops allow submitting in Spanish and English, and genres include poetry and fiction. This three-year program costs $14,766 a year, with rolling admissions.

• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University (Long Meadow, MA)

This 2-year online program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. A supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and a potential field trip in Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, Narrative Medicine, and teaching. Core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, and the personal essay. The price is $785/credit, for 39 credits, with scholarships available.

• Incoming class size: 20
• Acceptance rate: an encouraging 78%
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Prepare for your MFA in advance:

• Best English Programs
• Best Creative Writing Schools
• Writing Summer Programs

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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Master of Fine Arts In English | Humanities and Social Sciences | SIU

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There are advantages to earning a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree that are difficult or time-consuming to achieve without the degree. In fact, one of the most important advantages to the M.F.A. is time — time to focus on your craft, and time saved by learning about writing, writing opportunities and the writing world on your own.

Our faculty are all well-known, respected authors and sought-after for readings, anthologies and awards. Our association with Southern Illinois University Press and our long-standing tradition of hosting various literary festivals and readings make our home community an active part of the greater writing community — and that means expanded opportunities for our graduate students.

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Assistantships

Almost all MA, MFA, and PhD 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, depending on the degree. Assistantships are renewable to students in good standing: up to twenty-four months for MA students, up to thirty-two months for MFA, and forty-eight for PhD. Graduate students in good standing who have taught freshman English (ENGL 101 and 102) are also eligible to teach a variety of courses to broaden their teaching expertise, including literature courses, and to serve as tutors in the program’s Writing Center.

Most graduate assistants are assigned to the University’s first year writing program, in which they have full responsibility for two sections of composition each semester. An extensive series of pre-semester workshops, a semester-long seminar in the teaching of college composition, and a mentoring system complement graduate work and assist in professional development. Summer teaching is also available to a limited number of graduate students.

First, the workshops. As is fairly standard in many writing programs, you’ll read your work and critique your peers work in a collegial environment led by our faculty.

You’ll also work one-on-one with our writing faculty. And you’ll produce a thesis of original work, for which you will work closely with your advisor.

You should expect to work in a variety of forms — in both poetry or fiction as your chosen focus. We introduce our writing students to a variety of styles and personalities, from traditional to experimental and even including new technology and non-traditional venues for publication and storytelling.

Our small program size provides an excellent student-teacher ratio, and encourages both formal and informal apprenticeship and tutorial relationships. While no academic program can promise to create writers, our M.F.A. program strives to provide committed, talented writers the guidance, instruction, support, and community that will help them produce their best work.

Center for Virtual Expression

Our fiction program focuses on professionalization regardless of subject matter or genre. Our fiction writers have found success in literary journals and at literary publishing houses, as well as at large commercial houses, with literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy fiction, slipstream fiction, horror fiction, and crime fiction.

The fiction program also supports podcasting, audiobook creation, game narrative, virtual reality narrative, 360-degree video-making, Twitter fiction, subreddit fiction, and other forms of technological narrative. You need not be versed in these new approaches to storytelling, but you'll need to be open-minded, given the wide opportunities available with these novel venues.

How to apply

The application deadline is January 1 for prospective students wanting the concentration of literary studies and rhetoric and composition. There is no deadline for applications for the English Studies concentration. However, to ensure full consideration for summer or fall admission, applicants should complete the Graduate School’s application by April 20 . To ensure full consideration for spring admission, applicants should complete the application by November 15 .

The application will ask you to submit a CV, statement of purpose, writing sample, and three letters of recommendation, in addition to transcripts and other basic academic information. Please consult the following documents for advice on application materials, statements of purpose, and writing samples.

• Statement of Purpose Guidelines
• Writing Sample Guidelines

While GRE scores (general or subject tests) are not required for admission to the MA, MFA, or PhD programs, students are still encouraged to submit these scores. The minimum GPA for admission to SIU Carbondale’s Graduate School is 2.7 (of 4.0).

Contact Information

Ryan Netzley Director of Graduate Studies Faner  2276 1000 Faner Dr Carbondale, IL 62901 618-453-6845 [email protected]

Return to:  3220 Department of English    

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a terminal degree that prepares students to write and to teach at the college level. It also provides students an excellent foundation if they choose to continue their graduate work at the doctoral level. Upon attaining the M.F.A. degree, students will have acquired a productive specific knowledge of their chosen genre/area of specialization (either Poetry or Fiction). Any student who receives more than one C during the program will be dropped from the M.F.A. program.

The M.F.A. student must complete satisfactorily a minimum of 36 hours of graduate coursework (12 courses), plus at least 6 hours of thesis research credit.

Degree Requirements

All Poetry and Fiction workshops (ENGL 8020 Poetry Writing, ENGL 8030 Fiction Writing), creative writing craft courses (ENGL 8201 Contemporary Poetry, ENGL 8202 Contemporary Fiction Craft), and form and theory coursework (ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft) must be completed at Georgia State University during the degree program.

• ENGL 8020 - Poetry Writing 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8030 - Fiction Writing 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8201 - Contemporary Poetry 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8202 - Contemporary Fiction Craft 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8160 - Form and Theory of Literary Craft 3 Credit Hours
• Creative Writing, M.F.A., Fiction Concentration  
• Creative Writing, M.F.A., Poetry Concentration  

Shortly before, or directly after completing all required Creative Writing coursework, and no later than the semester before a student plans to graduate, the student must submit to the thesis director, and to the Director of Creative Writing, a written proposal that describes the thesis project. The M.F.A. thesis must be a minimum of 50 pages of creative writing for a manuscript of poems or a minimum of 150 pages of creative writing for a manuscript of prose fiction. In addition, M.F.A. theses must include an introduction or an afterword that discusses the student’s approaches, styles, methods, and influences. 

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Robert Eversz | Guest Writer for MFA Program

Hood’s creative writing MFA program welcomes Robert Eversz as a guest writer for June 2024 residency.

• Creative Writing (MFA)
• English & Communication Arts
• Graduate School
• Graduate Student

Robert Eversz has been a writer and educator for decades, both in the U.S. and internationally. He is the author of six novels, including the popular Nina Zero series, and his work has been translated into 15 languages. He is a founder of the Prague Summer Program , the nation’s oldest study-abroad program for creative writers in the English language. Eversz also teaches workshops at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. During the inaugural summer residency of the new MFA in creative writing program at Hood College, Eversz will serve as a guest writer. In the conversation below, he discusses the intersection of film and literature, the benefits of being immersed in a foreign culture and his goals for working with Hood students.

What attracted you to the mystery genre?

Ross Macdonald said that writing detective fiction is like interposing a welder’s mask between the reader and red-hot materials, so my intention in writing the Nina Zero series was to use the detective form as a way to take a different look at Southern California than had been looked at by your traditional, classic detective stories. My novels are less about building clockwork plots and more about using the detective form to cast a jaundiced eye onto the life of Southern California, its mores and its people. The basic idea of that series is less to create a standard detective thriller than it is to deconstruct the detective story and use it to look at society. And let’s face it—those books are fun to read.

You have a background in film. What are the parallels between film and literature? How do they feed into each other?

I got my MFA in film from UCLA Film School, where I was mentored and befriended by Delia Salvi, professor of directing and acting performance, and she was big into the Stanislavsky method and performance theory—how an actor creates a role. I did a lot of improv, and I found that if you gave actors conflicting objectives and a scene idea, things just started to happen. If you combine in the same character a conscious objective and a subconscious objective that conflicts with their conscious objective, you get what’s called interior conflict, and this is what drives characters, scenes and stories. This led me to develop the idea that character is structure, that the whole idea that there are plot-driven novels versus character-driven novels is essentially false, because all stories are created by the choices characters make in pursuing their conscious and subconscious objectives. You can see how stories develop out of character, so this was the approach that I brought to fiction and teaching specifically.

When I work with writers, I work with the idea of getting them in contact with their characters, so they can see what the true character choices are—choices that come from inside out as opposed to from the outside and then interposed and imposed upon the character by the writer. It’s all about creating authentic characters. Coming from film, I also have a sense of the visual and how important it is to create a visual environment that the reader can relate to, that pulls the reader into the scene, so they can see it, feel it, smell it, touch it, and that’s called writing from the senses.

Tell me about the founding of the Prague Summer Program. How can creative writing students benefit from studying abroad there?

I was writing a screenplay that had been picked up, and I had written a sequence that took place in Paris. The producer said, “Can you rewrite this so that it takes place in Barcelona?” And I said, “I've never been to Barcelona. I can’t really write about it if I haven’t been there.” They said, “We’ll send you!” So they sent me to Barcelona, and this was right after the fall of the Berlin Wall, so I just jumped on a train and went to Prague, and I fell in love. It was a society in transition. They’d been living under 40 years of fascist, followed by communist rule. The people were like butterflies bursting out of cocoons, and they had a huge respect for American literature.

When I went there, my reception was so warm that I didn’t want to leave, and I got an idea for a novel that I wanted to write from the perspective of an expat. I told myself the same thing I told the producers of the screenplay, “How can I write about it if I haven’t lived there?” I decided I would live there for six months and write a novel, and I just never left. I met with a young man from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and we started together with Richard Katrovas, who is at the University of Western Michigan writing program, and we had a Czech partner as well. We thought, “Why not start a writers’ workshop here?” and it grew very quickly from 14 writers to more than 100 every year. It has continued in various incarnations ever since.

So why come to Prague? It’s just incredibly fruitful and important for a writer to leave their culture and see how other people live, how other people perceive the world and to embed yourself in what is essentially a deeply literary culture as opposed to a deeply commercial culture. If you walk through the streets, you don’t see statues of generals or politicians. You see academics. You see poets. You see fiction writers. These are the people who have been the heroes of the Czech nation since the 19th century, and Czech identity was formed around the idea of literature as opposed to money. It’s also just a fun city, one of the most beautiful cities you’ll ever see. It’s a great city for walking, and walking is always very productive to writing. It’s maybe the most ideal place to hold a writers’ workshop that’s not in the United States.

What are your goals for working with students as a guest writer at Hood’s new MFA program?

I have worked with a lot of writers, and the one skill that I hold most dear is my ability to work with the writer to figure out what they want to say and to help them say it. I am not someone who imposes a strict protocol that everybody needs to write this way, or everybody needs to read this. I have a wide repository of knowledge, so I try to use that knowledge to work with the writer in a custom way so that I see what they need, then I try to help them achieve their vision based on my knowledge of craft. All of my work with the writers will be a one-to-one experience, where I try to figure out what they want to do as creative artists and then help them get there, help them create their own vision.

What advice can you offer students looking to leverage their creative talents into professional careers?

A lot of writers who I work with already have a career doing something else. They are writing for many diverse reasons, and one of the most important reasons is that writing fills the soul. Writing gives people a sense of direction and purpose and solidity in the world, because you’re writing your stories, and we’re all living our stories, and stories are the fundamental element of all human life. My first approach as a teacher is, “What's your story and how are you going to tell your story?” Once you acquire the skills of telling your story, you can apply those lessons to almost any field that you’re in. You know how to organize material. You know how to revise. You know how to be articulate.

One of the great things that I found in workshop is that people in the beginning are not always articulate in speaking about story, but the more they talk about it, the better they become. A good workshop will feed your creative side, but it also teaches you all these wonderfully strong analytical skills, because we’re able to read the work of other writers and speak about them articulately, so that you can identify what’s working and what’s not working. The approach to problem solving that you learn in workshop is applicable to almost any career—except maybe dentistry.

Learn more about the low-residency MFA in creative writing at Hood College.

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Two HFA Students Awarded Five College Prose and Poetry Prize for Creative Writing

UMass Amherst undergraduate students Andrea Peter ’25, a comparative literature major, and Livvy Krakower ’24, an English major, were among the 2024 Five College Prose and Poetry Prize recipients honored at a reading and reception April 18 in Hampshire College's Harold F. Johnson Library.

Celebrating creative writing of all genres, the Five College Prose and Poetry Prize, formerly PoetryFest, was reinstated in 2023 after a hiatus due to the pandemic. The contest received 150 total submissions from students representing UMass Amherst, Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges, and The Care Center of Holyoke this year.

“For me the most amazing thing about the Five College Poetry and Prose competition is to meet fellow writers from other institutions,” says Krakower, a winner for prose who also won the prize in 2023. “Each college in the consortium is so unique and I am thankful that I have been able to hear pieces I would never hear if not for the competition.”

Peter won a poetry prize in the competition.

“Thanks to Five Colleges, Inc., and our English departments for supporting this work,” says Donna LeCourt, chair of the UMass Amherst English department. “Prizes to undergraduates are important and help to build their reputations in literary and professional communities. The opportunity for our graduate students to judge and manage literary awards provides exceptional professional development and helps distinguish them as creative leaders. I’m happy to see this prize come back to the Five College community.”

“I had a wonderful time judging the prose prize,” says 2024 prose judge and UMass Amherst MFA candidate Danielle Bradley, who was joined on the judging panel by fellow UMass Amherst MFA candidate and poet Ide Thompson ’24. “All of the submissions were impressive, and it was so special to hear many of the winners read their submissions at the reception.”

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