mfa creative writing syllabus

Orange Alert

Creative writing m.f.a. program, three-year m.f.a. in creative writing.

The three-year M.F.A. program in Creative Writing gives promising fiction writers and poets an opportunity to practice and study their art with dedicated fellow writers. We accept six students in fiction and six students in poetry each year. We have no non-fiction track. All students receive a full tuition waiver and a yearly stipend (currently $20,000 per year). All students have undergraduate teaching duties in their second and third years.

The M.F.A. program is committed to creating a supportive environment for its students. As a program that aims to nurture new voices, we particularly want to welcome writers from underrepresented communities. We encourage people of color to apply. We believe a program is at its best when it is comprised of strong writers from a full spectrum of backgrounds and experiences. Our program strives to be a comfortable and supportive environment for POC-identified students, LGBTQ+ students, international students, veterans, first-generation college students, disabled students, and for everyone who chooses to join us.

Read our Statement of Solidarity .

Some notable books by recent alumni

“Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear,” by Mosab Abu Toha ’23 (finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award)

“Chain Gang All-Stars,” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah ’16 (longlisted for the National Book Award)

“House of Cotton,” by Monica Brashears ’22

“Grace Engine,” by Joshua Burton ’19

“Tomb Sweeping,” by Alexandra Chang ’18

“Their Divine Fires,” by Wendy Chen ’17

“How It Works Out,” by Myriam Lacroix ’20

“Last Acts,” by Alexander Sammartino ’18

“Songs on Endless Repeat,” by Anthony Veasna So ’20

“We’re Safe When We’re Alone,” by Nghiem Tran ’20

During its nearly 50-year history, the creative writing program has produced an outstanding array of writers whose work has been published by major presses and magazines and won prestigious awards. Distinguished alumni include George Saunders, Lily King, Tom Perrotta, Julia Alvarez, Cheryl Strayed, M.T. Anderson, Daniel Chaon, Rebecca Curtis, Keith Gessen, Jay McInerney, Deb Olin Unferth, and Claire Messud.

M.F.A. in Creative Writing

The three-year M.F.A. program in Creative Writing gives promising fiction writers and poets an opportunity to practice their art with dedicated fellow writers.

MFA – Curriculum

Master the art of creative writing.

Through one-on-one mentorships with faculty thesis advisors, intimate writing seminars, and in-depth peer reviews, you will learn to think critically about your craft. Examining literary works, exploring genres, and establishing close relationships with professors will all contribute to your development as a writer and help you to discover your unique style and voice. Monmouth’s M.F.A. program is a rigorous course of study built on the foundation of the M.A. in English and teaches students to apply their skills in literary analysis to their own creative projects and professional careers.

Courses Offered

EN 607: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop (3 credits) In a workshop setting, students will analyze readings in creative non-fiction to understand and become aware of the variant forms, techniques, and approaches used. As workshop participants, students will write and analyze their own creative nonfiction pieces. This course may be retaken for credit.

EN 609: Poetry Workshop (3 credits) In this seminar, we will read and discuss contemporary poetry with an eye toward understanding and honing techniques in craft, and will generate and revise poems that demonstrate range and skill. Students will prepare and receive detailed feedback on the workshopped poems. In addition to producing and revising original work, students will write focused responses to some of the assigned readings and will demonstrate familiarity with the critical vocabulary and tools of poetry.

EN 611: Fiction Workshop (3 credits) Students will analyze in a workshop setting their own short stories or novel chapters for intensive examination by workshop participants. Reading may be assigned. This course may be retaken for credit. Light reading may be assigned. This course may be retaken for credit.

EN 615: Craft Seminar: Poetry:  Ekphrasis  (3 credits) In this seminar, we will study ekphrastic poetry and examine the art of writing poems inspired by art objects and art forms (including painting, sculpture, literature, architecture, music, dance, theater, photography and films). We will pay particular attention to how contemporary poets have pushed the boundaries of the ekphrastic “enterprise” (Gregory Pardlo), and how they reinvigorate the conversations between form and content. We will read individual poems as well as sequences and full length collections that sustain and expand the ekphrastic mode. This seminar will have a workshop component and will incorporate writing sessions, but the focus will be on savoring the rich possibilities within this (sub)genre and understanding its strategies and techniques with an eye toward employing them in our own work.

EN 650: Publishing Seminar (3 credits) A seminar designed for students who are interested in pursuing professional experience in publishing, media, the teaching of creative writing, and other fields optimal for MFA graduates. Guest speakers will include authors, book and magazine editors, literary agents, nonprofit professionals, advertising copywriters, journalists, and scholars. Professional- training exercises may include query letter and resume workshops, writing story pitches, preparing publication submissions, drafting project proposals, discussing interview techniques, and conducting research into potential professional fields.

EN 652: Craft Intensive Seminar:  Great Expectations  (3 credits) In novel writing, the first chapter is often thought of as the most important pages of a book. It is where disbelief is suspended and where the specific world of the fictional tale is built. It is in this space where “great expectations” are shaped for what is to come. Yet so much more is established in a successful beginning, too. By reading the first 20-30 pages of select novels “blind” (i.e. without knowing the author or title), we will study what makes a successful and compelling first chapter. And toward the end of the semester, we will vote on which novel or novels we will be reading in their entirety to see if they live up to our great expectations. Excerpts will encompass mostly contemporary fiction, across multiple genres. Some of the writers we may read include: Mary Gaitskill, Rivka Galchen, Patricia Highsmith, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ben Lerner, Tea Obreht, Toni Morrison, Don DeLillo, E.L. Doctorow, Zadie Smith, Katie Kitamura, Michel Houellebecq, Karl Ove Knaussgård, Joy Williams, Hari Kunzru, Haruki Murakami, Kazuo Ishiguro, among others.

EN 655A-B: Creative Thesis Seminar (6 credits) Students will complete 80-200 pages or the equivalent of a book-length manuscript, consisting of previously written work that has been revised substantially along with new work. In addition, the student will craft a critical paper (10-15 pages) analyzing comparable texts that exemplify the literary tradition from which the thesis springs. The paper may discuss the influence of analyzed works on the thesis, but will focus on a discussion of the craft evident in the creative works discussed.

M.A. in English Creative Writing (First 30 Credits) Curriculum Chart

M.F.A. (18 Credits) Curriculum Chart

M.A./M.F.A. in Creative Writing Coursebook

Graduate Admission

Cost and Financial Aid

Career Opportunities

Procedural Guide for MFA in Creative Writing Students

Mfa program overview.

The Creative Writing Program offers the MFA degree, with a concentration in either poetry or fiction. MFA students pursue intensive study with distinguished faculty committed to creative and intellectual achievement.

Each year the department enrolls only eight MFA students, four in each concentration. Our small size allows us to offer a generous financial support package that fully funds every student. We also offer a large and diverse graduate faculty with competence in a wide range of literary, theoretical and cultural fields. Every student chooses a special committee of two faculty members who work closely alongside the student to design a course of study within the broad framework established by the department.

Students participate in a graduate writing workshop each semester and take six additional one-semester courses for credit, at least four of them in English or American literature, comparative literature, literature in the modern or Classical languages or cultural studies (two per semester during the first year and one per semester during the second year). First-year students receive practical training as editorial assistants for  Epoch, a periodical of prose and poetry published by the creative writing program. Second-year students participate as teaching assistants for the university-wide first-year writing program. The most significant requirement of the MFA degree is the completion of a book-length manuscript: a collection of poems or short stories, or a novel, to be closely edited and refined with the assistance of the student’s special committee.

Requirements

Requirements for the receipt of the MFA in Creative Writing are:

• Satisfactory completion of 4 required graduate workshops and 4 required graduate-level courses (plus, Literary Small Publishing, WRIT 7100, Creative Writing Pedagogical & Thesis Development, Teaching Internship, and Advanced Pedagogy Workshops) prior to M Exam;
• Satisfactory completion of one year as an Editorial Assistant in Epoch and one year as teaching as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Literatures in English;
• Satisfactory completion of the 2nd year Student Progress Review;
• Satisfactory completion of the Master’s Exam at the end of the fourth term;
• A minimum of four registered semesters (full-time study);
• Submission of approved Final Thesis to the Graduate School for an August conferral in the second summer;
• Completion of all degree requirements in no more than 4 registered semesters (2 years) from the time of admission.

The Special Commitee

Graduate study at Cornell requires each student to work out a program of study in consultation with a special committee, selected by the student, from the membership of Cornell Graduate Faculty. This procedure, commonly referred to as “the committee system,” takes the place of uniform course requirements and uniform departmental examinations. The university system of special committees allows students to design their own courses of study within a broad framework established by the department, and it encourages a close working relationship between professors and students, promoting freedom and flexibility in the pursuit of the graduate degree. The special committee guides and supervises all academic work and assesses progress at a series of meetings with the student. Such a system places specixal demands on the energy and adaptability of both faculty and students, and it requires a high degree of initiative and responsibility from each student.

The MFA special committee is comprised of at least two members of the Cornell Graduate Creative Writing Faculty:  1 chairperson and 1 minor members. The committee chair and at least one minor member must be a general member of the Cornell Graduate Field Faculty in English Language and Literature and a member of the Creative Writing Faculty.

The Director of Creative Writing (DCW) serves as the student’s main academic advisor and provisional chair during the first semester of residence. A student must select their committee chairperson by December of the first year. One minor committee member must be added by May of the first year. Per Graduate School requirements, the full special committee must be in place no later than the end of the third semester of study. Since the Special Committee is charged with guiding and supervising all of a candidate’s academic work, it is important to establish this committee as soon as possible.

A student may change the membership of the special committee with the approval of all the members of the committee and notice of such change must be filed with the Graduate School. No change may be made during the three months prior to the Master’s Examination except by approval of the Dean.

The Cornell Department of Literatures in English strives to be an inclusive and welcoming environment for a diverse community of students, staff, and faculty. It is our collective role to preserve that inclusivity. All of our departmental spaces are professional, and the values of respect, equity, and nondiscrimination should inform our conduct in those spaces. We should all treat each other as having equally valuable contributions to make. If, as a student, you experience any unwelcome behaviors, please tell someone—a departmental administrator, departmental staff member, or graduate school administrator or staff member. We take instances of disrespectful, demeaning, and harassing behavior very seriously.

In addition, faculty/student and advisor/advisee relationships, as you know, come in all shapes and sizes. Some are informal and egalitarian, while others are formal and hierarchical. Some are strictly intellectual, while others become quite personal. There are many different mentoring styles, and what works for one advising pair may not be productive for another. However, while we acknowledge and even honor the various textures and flavors of academic mentorship, the Department of Literatures in English does not condone the abuse of graduate students in any form. You are entitled to professional treatment that respects your autonomy and integrity as students, teachers, and intellectuals. If you have any concerns about your interactions with a faculty advisor, particularly if there is something that is preventing you from full and equal access to your graduate education, you are urged to share those concerns with the Director of Graduate Studies, Department Chair, Graduate Coordinator, Director of Administration, and/or the Senior Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life in the Graduate School.

A student’s special committee is charged with the following formal responsibilities, guiding a student to meet the requirements and expectations of the MFA degree:

• Advising students in course enrollment each semester
• Meeting with students at least once each semester
• Committee Chair’s must complete the Student Progress Review in the fourth semester for each student they advise
• Advising students in thesis development
• Conducting the Master’s Examination
• Approving the final thesis submission
• Writing informed letters of recommendation for job applications

The Graduate School specifies the student/faculty advising relationship in more detail. Please review these guides for details and additional resources: Advising Guide for Research Students and Graduate School Faculty Guide to Advising Research Degree Students .

Courses and Grades

Course requirements.

In consultation with their special committee, MFA students are expected to successfully complete 4 graduate-level courses (at least 4 in English, Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies or Modern or classical language, or theory), 4 MFA writing workshops, Literary Small Publishing, and the Creative Writing Pedagogical & Thesis Development course (workshops, Literary Small Publishing, & CW Pedagogical Thesis Development must be taken for letter grade). Additionally, the Teaching Training (required in the first summer), Writing 7100, and non-credit Advanced Pedagogy Workshops (which are organized by the Director of Graduate Student Teaching and are required in year two).

In the first semester of study, an MFA candidate is expected to complete one graduate-level courses, Literary Small Publishing, and the MFA writing workshop of their genre for credit. In the second semester of study, an MFA candidate is expected to complete two graduate-level courses and the MFA writing workshop of their genre for credit. In the third semester of study, while teaching, students are expected to complete a total of one additional graduate-level course, the MFA writing workshop. In the fourth semester of study, students are expected to take the MFA writing workshop and the Creative Writing Pedagogical and Thesis Development Course. Please reference the MFA Program Timeline , for complete details on degree program requirements.

All students must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits per semester. If credits fall short with required coursework in any given semester, the Graduate School will enroll students in the Graduate Student Research “course” for the remaining credits so full-time status is achieved.

Course Selection

Graduate students may enroll in and receive graduate credit for courses designated as level 5000 and up, depending on their relevance to the students’ needs and special interests. Courses at the 6000-level, designed primarily for graduate students, aim to provide advanced coverage of significant periods, figures, genres, and theoretical issues; 7000-level courses are intensive seminars intended to serve as paradigms of scholarly research or specialized study. ENGL 7940: Directed Study, and ENGL 7950: Group Study, give students the opportunity to enroll for more informal work in areas and on problems of special interest to them. Students are permitted to take one independent/directed/group study to count towards degree requirements. Independent/ directed/group study work should not be thesis work. If enrolled in independent/directed/group study this must be approved by the special committee and a course syllabus must be sent to the GRA. Prior to each semester, the department issues a revised semester-list of course offerings and descriptions .

Undergraduate (3000/4000 level) courses do not fulfill MFA degree requirements. If there are no graduate-level courses available in the desired focus area and there are undergraduate course offerings, students must consult with their special committee. The student may be allowed (with special committee and instructor permission) to enroll in a graduate-level group study and complete graduate-level work for credit. If permitted, the student should work with the home department to properly enroll and work with the faculty member to develop a revised syllabus. The graduate-level syllabus must include a separate section identifying additional graduate-level reading, assignments, and meetings with the faculty to transform the course into an adequate graduate-level designation. This is true for Directed Studies, Group Studies, as well as undergraduate courses with a supplemental 5000+ number. The new graduate-level syllabus should be provided to the Graduate Coordinator to keep on record.

In addition to required coursework and with faculty permission, students may take undergraduate-level courses or audit (non-graded) graduate-level courses. Neither of these course options count toward MFA course requirements, even though these courses will appear on transcripts. As a rule, graduate credit is also not awarded for courses devoted principally to the acquisition of a foreign language, unless that course is offered in the Department of Literatures in English at the 6000-level or above.

Most graduate courses may be taken either for a letter grade or S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory). MFA in Creative Writing Students are required to take 4 MFA Seminars, Literary Small Publishing, and CW Pedagogical & Thesis Development for a letter grade. With the consent of instructor(s) (and in consultation with the committee, the student may change their grading options at any time before the established University deadline. After this date, changes can only be made by special petition to the Graduate School and are discouraged/only considered in cases of extenuating circumstances. An instructor may permit a student to audit a course, but audited courses don’t count toward program requirements. Grades given to graduate students in the department will be interpreted as follows:

A+, A                        Distinguished A-                               Commendable B+                              Satisfactory B, B-                           Borderline C+, C, and below     Unsatisfactory

If a student is unable to complete all the work for a course before the end of the semester in which it is offered, they may request a grade of Incomplete (INC) from the instructor. Graduate School policy mandates that all incompletes be made up within one year of the end of the semester during which the course was taken, otherwise it will become a permanent part of the transcript and the course will need to be re-taken in order for it to count.

A student must satisfactorily complete coursework in a timely manner in order to remain in good academic standing (defined below), and thus to be eligible for continued funding.

• Year 1 Fall : MFA seminar, Literary Small Publishing, 1 additional graduate level courses
• Year 1 Spring : MFA seminar, 2 additional graduate level courses
• Year 1 Summer : Teaching Writing 7100
• Year 2 Fall : MFA seminar, 1 additional graduate level course, Advanced Pedagogy Sessions (no credit)
• Year 2 Fall : MFA Seminar, Creative Writing Pedagogical & Thesis Development
• Year 2 Summer : Summer Grad Level Research
• All courses with grades of INC/NGR (if needed to fulfill coursework requirements) must be satisfied before the M exam can be scheduled.

If a student fails to meet any of these requirements, the student will not be in good academic standing, and will be ineligible for Department and Graduate School funding the following year including lectureship years. Some deadlines may be slightly extended in the event of extenuating circumstances (such as student illness or family emergency).  

Exams and Milestones

MFA students are encouraged to review the MFA Timeline , for additional details on MFA exams and milestones.

Scheduling the Master’s Examination

MFA students are expected to file their Master’s Examination Scheduling Form no later than May 1 of the second year and at least 7 days prior to the exam date.

Master’s Examination

The Master’s Examination or Thesis Defense must take place no later August 1 of the second year. This date is subject to change based on appointment periods. Upon completion of the M exam, students must submit their M Exam Results Form within 3 days of the exam.

Filing the Final Thesis Document

When approved by the special committee, the thesis must be formatted in accordance with Graduate School specifications. Full details concerning dissertation form and deadlines may be found in the Thesis and Dissertation section of the Graduate School’s website. The degree requirements are not complete until the thesis has been filed with the Graduate School and approved by the student’s committee.

Evaluation of Student Progress

Graduate Admissions and Review Committee (GARC) : GARC consists of five or more members of the Graduate Field Faculty in English Language and Literature, including the Director of Graduate Studies. Every fall, MFA students are provided with a status report from GARC detailing their progress in the program and suggestions for returning to good academic standing, if there are any concerns.

Student Progress Review (SPR) : Students are required to complete the Student Progress Review (SPR) process in April of the second year. The SPR process supports regular communication including written feedback between a student and their committee, requiring research degree students and their special committee to have at least one formal conversation about academic progress, accomplishments and future plans. Students complete a form describing milestones completed, accomplishments, and challenges, as well as set goals. The special committee chair responds in writing and indicates whether the student’s progress is excellent, satisfactory, needs improvement, or is unsatisfactory. Feedback that is documented on the SPR will be made available to the student, the student’s special committee chair, and the DGS/GFA of the student’s field.

Upon admission, each MFA student is awarded a two-year financial support package (including a stipend , a full tuition fellowship , and student health insurance ), which is guaranteed provided the student remains in good academic standing and performs satisfactorily in any assistantship capacity. Support is as follows:

• Year One :  Graduate Assistantship as Editorial Assistant in Epoch
• Summer Year One :  Stipend for participation in the required Knight Institute teacher-training program. Residence in Ithaca is required.
• Year Two : Teaching Assistantships
• Summer Year Two : Picket Summer Fellowship

Additional Funding Opportunities

The Graduate School is pleased to provide MFA students the opportunity to travel to enhance their scholarship. Eligible students are encouraged to apply for grant funding related to professional conferences, research travel, or summer foreign language education. Research and Travel Grants are also available through the Einaudi Center for International Research .

Employment Limit Policy

Because earning a graduate degree involves a significant time commitment, Cornell limits the amount of employment a student may hold while in a full-time registered status (during fall, spring, and summer). Students are considered full-time if they are registered, enrolled in courses, or are working on their thesis or dissertation.  Additional information can be found here . University-imposed employment limits: 

• 20 hours per week: The total employment limit for all full-time students. This includes the combined assistantship, hourly student appointments, and/or outside employment per week. This is also the maximum employment allowed by law for most international students on F1 or J1 visas.
• 5 hours per week: The limit for students with standard teaching assistantships (defined as 15 hours/week): no more than five hours of additional assistantships, readerships, hourly student appointments, and/or outside employment.  

Teaching Assistantships, Readerships, and Lectureships

Teaching is considered an integral part of training for the profession. The Field requires a carefully supervised teaching assistantship (TA) experience (in the capacity of a graduate student instructor or graduate teaching assistant).

In addition to TA opportunities, supplementary readership opportunities may be available. Readers assist faculty members with grading papers and/or leading discussion sections for undergraduate lecture courses. These are part-time paid commitments and are not available as a primary means of graduate student support.

MFA students in their final year may consider applying for Lectureship. This is a paid teaching position that requires the student to complete their M exam and terminate their registered student status prior to the appointment date. Lecturers may not hold any student fellowships or any student employment positions simultaneously with the lectureship appointment. In all lectureship cases, the thesis must be filed by the end of the first term of lectureship or before.

Please consult the Teaching Handbook for Graduate Student Instructors, Lecturers, Teaching Assistants, and Readers in the Department of Literatures in English at Cornell University for complete details on applying for teaching, readership, or lectureship.

Registration and Degree Requirements

In addition to coursework, milestone, and teaching requirements outlined in the department’s MFA Program Timeline , degree candidates must satisfy all requirements specified by the Graduate School’s Code of Legislation . Relief from these requirements must be sought by petitioning the Graduate School. Petition requests require endorsement from special committee members and the DGS. Here are a few highlights to be aware of

• A student must complete a minimum of 4 semesters of registration at Cornell (full-time study) in order to fulfill MFA degree requirements.
• A student must complete their M Exam by the end of the second year, since lectureship appointment hinges on successful M Exam completion and final thesis submission.
• Candidates must complete all degree requirements and submit the final thesis within two years (4 registered semesters) of entering the MFA program.

Graduate Student Committees and Organizations

Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) : brings together Cornell’s community of graduate and professional students to address non-academic issues of common concern. Drawing upon the strengths of its diverse community, the GPSA is responsible for setting and distributing the graduate student activity fee and representatives to University committees. The GPSA is composed of delegates from each graduate field and the professional schools and nineteen voting members, elected from the larger body of field representatives.

Graduate Policy and Curriculum Committee (GPCC) : consists of four elected representatives (3 PhD students and 1 MFA student) who represent the interests of the student body regarding graduate policy and graduate curriculum in the Department of Literatures in English. Representatives are expected to meet at least twice per semester with the Director of Graduate Studies. This committee provides a formal mechanism for the exchange of ideas between faculty and students. The Committee’s principal responsibility is to transmit to the Literatures in English Graduate Faculty its advice on matters of policy affecting the graduate programs within the Field in order to improve the graduate student experience.

English Graduate Student Organization (EGSO) : fosters PhD and MFA student life and culture by striving to create community, to plan and implement programming for academic and professional development, and to establish unity and cohesion among the English Department’s graduate student body. Elections are held each spring. EGSO also offers a graduate mentoring program to foster connections between incoming and current graduate students. This helps first years navigate student and social life in department, the graduate school, and the larger Ithaca community. Mentors and mentees connect prior to orientation day and meet formally and informally over the course of their first year. The program organizes lunches and other social events to welcome new students to Cornell and cultivate relationships within the department.

Reading Groups and Extracurricular Activities : The concept of “residence” comprehends more than attending seminars and writing papers. An important part of one’s education comes from informal contacts and extracurricular discussions. Every year there are several social gatherings, formal and informal, sponsored by the department. The department also encourages attendance at public lectures, readings, and conferences, and participation in reading groups and independent study groups with or without a faculty advisor. Graduate students can organize lectures, conferences, readings, workshops and other events on their own. Funds for this purpose are typically available from a variety of sources.

Informal reading groups--some established gatherings and others that form from year to year--focus on such topics as Queer Theory, U.S. Latino Literature, Marxist criticism, and Victorian Literature. Conferences largely organized by graduate students also provide a chance for graduate work to reach a wide audience of the Cornell community. Organizations such as the Renaissance Colloquium, The Lounge Hour Reading Series, Literatures in English Department Roundtable, Quodlibet (a forum for work in Medieval Studies), and the Visiting Writers Series organized by the Creative Writing program bring scholars and writers to Cornell for readings, talks, and seminars. 

Departmental Resources

Administrative Faculty/Staff Contact Information : https://english.cornell.edu/contacts    

Faculty/TA Office Hours : https://english.cornell.edu/office-hours   

Graduate Students have access to the Resources for Graduate Students and Lecturers Canvas resources area (log in using you NetID and password).

Graduate School Resources

The Office of Academic and Student Affairs works with graduate faculty and graduate students on academic policy and programs, academic integrity and misconduct, responsible conduct of research, petitions requesting exceptions to graduate school policy as outlines in the Graduate Faculty’s Code of Legislation, and academic progress and students status.

The Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE) supports an inclusive and welcoming

environment for all graduate and postdoctoral scholars, but especially for those from marginalized communities and/or backgrounds historically excluded from and underrepresented in the academy. OISE supports systemic change and promotes a climate of diversity, belonging, equity, engagement, and achievement, which are integral components of graduate and postdoctoral education. OISE supports scholar success through recruitment, diversity fellowships, mentoring, professional, leadership, and community development programming, and ongoing support.

Recognizing that health and academic performance are intimately linked, the Office of Graduate Student Life is a source of information, support, and advocacy that creates a more student-centered graduate student life experience.  In addition to being a first-point of contact for students who are struggling or experiencing any form of distress, the Office of Graduate Student Life serves as a coordinating hub with campus-partners that focus on promoting a healthy and holistic student experience.  More information on available support is available:  https://gradschool.cornell.edu/student-experience/help-and-support/  

Faculty Resources from the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity : https://facultydevelopment.cornell.edu/faculty-resources/

Faculty Resources from Graduate School : https://gradschool.cornell.edu/diversity-inclusion/faculty-resources/

General inquiries about registration, enrollment, leaves, exams or other student requirements can be directed to the Student Service Office ( [email protected] ).

Contact Information for Graduate School staff can be found here : Graduate School Staff Directory

University Resources

The university’s  Mental Health at Cornell  website offers information and resources to help students get support, practice self-care, help others, and get involved in campus health initiatives. Special tips are provided for graduate and professional students.

Cornell Health  supports the health and well-being of graduate students with medical and mental health care and workshops to help busy students thrive. They also offer non-clinical support services, including  Student Disability Services  and  Victim Advocacy .

Mental health care  at Cornell Health includes drop-in consultation, workshops, individual counseling, and group counseling (including several groups specifically for graduate students).

“ Notice & Respond: Friend 2 Friend for Graduate & Professional Students ,” helps graduate and professional students learn connect peers in distress with appropriate sources of support and care.

Guidance for faculty, staff, and TAs supporting student mental health:

https://scl.cornell.edu/supportingmentalhealth

Mona Awad, Chanelle Benz, Jonathan Dee, Matt Grzecki, Sarah Harwell, Brooks Haxton, Mary Karr, Christopher Kennedy, George Saunders, Bruce Smith, Dana Spiotta

The MFA program in Creative Writing at Syracuse has long been regarded as one of the best in the country. Each year six students are admitted in poetry and six in fiction to work closely in small workshops with an accomplished group of writers. Coursework includes a strong emphasis on the study of literature. Six semesters are usually needed to complete the M.F.A.

Applicants must upload a sample of fiction or poetry with their online application through CollegeNet no later than December 15, as well as complete the online graduate application for graduate study.  Admission is based primarily on the writing sample, but also upon the academic record. Thus, letters of recommendation should address not only the student’s creative work, but also his or her general preparedness for advanced graduate study. Likewise, in their personal statements on the application for graduate study, students should state their reasons for pursuing an M.F.A. in creative writing as well as describe their own backgrounds as writers.

Submit online Graduate Application via ApplyWeb by DECEMBER 15th. 

• FICTION APPLICANTS: UPLOAD your 20 page maximum writing sample with your CollegeNet application by DECEMBER 15.
• POETRY APPLICANTS: UPLOAD your 10-12 POEMS with CollegeNet application by December 15 . Do NOT mail in your poetry writing sample.

Candidates must complete 48 credits of coursework, which includes 9 credits of workshop, a minimum of 9 credits in forms courses, a 3-credit second-year essay seminar, 12 to 15 credits in other English department courses, 6 to 9 credits of electives outside the department, and 6 credits for the preparation of the thesis (a collection of poems or stories or a novel).

For more information about our graduate programs, visit our department web site at english.syr.edu .

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Writing, editing and revision in student’s primary literary genre, leading to a creative manuscript of publishable quality

2. Reading in ways that contribute to a student’s writing

3. Analyzing and writing with care about literary texts

4. Responding thoughtfully and critically to work by other MFA students

5. Demonstrate writerly discipline by accepting criticism from professionals and rewriting accordingly, writing regularly, and developing a life-long reading list

6. Place their own work in the context of a broad range of issues and activities associated with a literary writer and the communities in which the writer lives and works

7. Teach composition and research writing to undergraduates and conduct one-on-one tutoring sessions in a Writing Center

MFA Graduate Awards

First year MFAs come in on a Creative Writing Fellowship award which carries no teaching duties. The award comes with a stipend and a 24 credit hour tuition scholarship.

Second and third year students are funded by teaching assistantships. Teaching assistantships include a 24 credit hour tuition scholarship and a stipend of $20,000. Second year TAs will have full responsibility for teaching/consulting in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. They are expected to attend regular staff meetings and workshops and participate in a mentoring group. There is a review of each teaching assistant’s performance as a teacher. Third year students will teach in the English Department, courses to be determined on an as needed basis.

• Our Philosophy & Mission
• Programs of Study
• MFA Program for Writers
• Lifelong Learning
• Work Program
• Community Engagement
• Study Abroad
• Career Development
• Academic Support
• Catalogs & Resources
• Online Bookstore
• Accreditation & Licensure
• Academic Calendar

The MFA Program for Writers

The Nation’s Premier Low-Residency MFA Program

Now in its fifth decade, the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College , established in 1976 by master poet and teacher Ellen Bryant Voigt, continues to set the standard for the innovative model it pioneered. This rigorous, nurturing, and highly-selective four – semester graduate program, with study tracks in fiction and poetry, combines ten-day residencies on campus each January and July with five-month nonresident semesters in which students work individually with the country’s finest fiction writers and poets.

Our nationally-recognized MFA faculty encompass a range of aesthetics, and include Pulitzer and National Book Award winners, national and state poets laureate, and NEA, Guggenheim, Fulbright, and MacArthur fellows. Residency lectures and readings are free and open to the public.

Our diverse and close-knit student body come from all over the world, and from a variety of disciplines and occupations. MFA program alumni have won countless major awards and have published well over a thousand books . Application deadlines are March 1 and September 1 via Submittable on the MFA program website .

I am grateful for what the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson offers all its students: the knowledge that allows us to become better and more ambitious readers and writers, and the connection to a community of other writers who will help us continue pursuing our interests throughout our lives. Rose McLarney (Warren Wilson BA, 2003; MFA 2010; Beebe Fellow 2010-11)

An Advantage for Undergraduates

Creative Writing majors at the undergraduate level benefit from the opportunity to attend January residency lectures and readings and to work with graduate-student mentors.

And each academic year, an MFA faculty member is in residence on the Warren Wilson campus for a week to teach undergraduate classes, present a workshop and a reading, and to meet with senior creative majors one-on-one.

More Information

Learn More About the MFA Program Requirements

Rose McLarney (BA ’03; MFA ’10; Beebe Fellow 2010-11), pictured with Matthew Olzmann (MFA ’09; 2012-13 Beebe Fellow) in Pew Library on the Warren Wilson campus

I am honored to serve as Director of the MFA Program for Writers, which has such an illustrious history and has launched the careers of so many talented writers worldwide, and which offers a vibrant, world-class education focused on artistry, rigor, community, and the possibilities of the imagination.

Dr. Gary Hawkins (MFA, 1995)

Gary Hawkins is a 1995 alumnus of the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. Dr. Hawkins writes poems, writes on modern and contemporary poetry, and writes and presents on the scholarship of teaching and learning. His debut book of poems, Worker, was published in 2016.

Like this program? You might like these too.

Curriculum Overview

Other pages in this section:

Students complete a degree path inspired by Sewanee's literary traditions and one that works with their schedule.

A THREE YEAR PROGRAM

Students at the School of Letters take three summers of residential study at Sewanee, supplemented by an independent study and then a thesis semester. Most students complete the program in three years, though there are options for condensing or extending this timeline if desired. The MFA is awarded upon completion of 30 credit hours and successful submission of a creative thesis. 

WRITING WORKSHOPS AND FORMS COURSES

Each summer, students enroll in a workshop and a forms course, as well as the Craft and Practice colloquium (see below) for a total of seven (7) credits per summer. While most students take classes in the track they chose when applying to Sewanee (fiction, poetry, or nonfiction) they are allowed to take classes in any genre they like. It is common for students to have a primary and secondary genre interest, or to try a little bit of everything. Forms courses are essentially literature seminars, though their focus is on developing creative practice and critical reading skills rather than on scholarly writing or theory-driven analysis. Forms courses change topic and instructor from summer to summer, and so may be repeated for credit. 

CRAFT AND PRACTICE

This is a one (1) credit colloquium focused on professional development, publishing opportunities, craft talks, submit-a-thons, meetings with visiting authors/editors/agents, and anything else that falls under the broad rubric of “the writing life.” The School of Letters offers a robust and varied series of public programs, class visits, panel discussions, and informal gatherings during the six-week summer session. Students are expected to attend these events and produce short-form responses detailing what they have learned and how they intend to apply it in their own writing and publishing practice. Students are automatically registered for this class during their first and second summers. During the third summer, students are invited to all School of Letters events but are not registered for the class and need not submit responses to events they attend.

INDEPENDENT STUDY

During the calendar year between the second and third summers, students are strongly encouraged to take a one-semester independent study for four (4) credit hours. The student proposes an independent study project to the Director, who will pair them with a faculty member to serve as one-on-one mentor. Students have considerable latitude in proposing independent studies. Some use the time to do a deep dive into the work of a particular author, topic, or research question; some take the opportunity to explore a secondary genre interest; some use the time to do preparatory work for their thesis. The student and her mentor work together to develop a reading list, define the scope and nature of the work, and set a schedule. 

Thesis Project

When the student has twenty-four (24) credit hours, they are eligible to begin their thesis work. Most students hit this benchmark at the end of their third summer of study. The thesis is a mandatory, one-semester project worth six (6) credits. Upon approval of the thesis proposal, the student is invited to choose their own advisor. The advisor will provide detailed editorial feedback as well as general guidance, but thesis work is primarily self-directed and more intensive than the independent study. It is expected that the student will enter the thesis process with a substantial body of material already drafted, so that the thesis semester can be primarily focused on revision and, ideally, completion of a full-length creative manuscript such as a novel, a memoir, or a collection of poems, essays, or short stories. Students may choose to embark upon their thesis semester immediately after they finish their third summer, or wait until the following spring. 

YOUR DEGREE PATH

First summer - Workshop, Forms, Craft and Practice - 7 credits

Second summer - Workshop, Forms, Craft and Practice - 14 credits total

Between summers two and three - Independent study - 18 credits total

Third summer - Workshop and Forms course - 24 credits total

After third summer - Thesis - 30 credits total

OTHER DEGREE PATHS

Students who wish to hasten their degree progress may request additional independent studies. Such requests are granted at the Director’s discretion and may be limited based on faculty availability. Students who wish to slow their degree progress–either to extend their time at Sewanee or to accommodate changes in their personal lives–have the option of registering as half-time students over the summer (i.e. only taking one class) or declining to take an independent study. Declining the independent study is not recommended, as may result in paying for extra credits. The thesis is required to graduate. 

Our writing workshops are designed to challenge and develop writing skills and knowledge of literary traditions. Our faculty members are renowned writers eager to encourage emerging literary artists.

Our students have gone on to do some pretty amazing things. Our MFA graduates are now actors, published writers, workshop leaders, and more.

At the end of each summer, our MA and MFA students participate in WRITERS READ, where students share their written work with the Sewanee community.

University of the South

Online Students

For All Online Programs

International Students

On Campus, need or have Visa

Campus Students

For All Campus Programs

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

Why is Poetry Important? Celebrating National Poetry Month

Actor Stephanie Gould Surprised Onstage With Diploma Delivery

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

Related programs.

Graduate Admissions

Creative Writing (MFA in English)

The MFA in English with a focus in Creative Writing is awarded by the Graduate College. The Creative Writing Program, also known as the Iowa Writers' Workshop, also offers  Nondegree Course Work . For the MFA in English with a focus in nonfiction writing, apply to the  Nonfiction Writing Program .

Applicants must meet the  Admission Requirements of the Graduate College  and the department offering the degree program (review the department's web site or the General Catalog for departmental requirements).

Tuition and fees vary by degree program and the type of student you are.

• Fall semester—Dec. 15
• Spring semester—not offered

The graduate application process has two steps

• You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants).
• Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email instructing you on how to upload your supporting documents and submit letters of recommendation. A few programs require materials be sent directly to them. However, almost all supplemental material can and should be uploaded from your Admissions Profile in MyUI , our online service center for applicants and students. You can only access this AFTER you have submitted your application.

Degree Program Supplemental Materials

• Mail manuscript of your best work, with a  Manuscript Cover Sheet (PDF) - address listed below Receipt of your manuscript will be noted on your Admissions Profile.
• A Statement of Purpose
• Application for Graduate Awards
• Your General GRE test scores (optional but recommended)
• Supplemental Financial Aid

Recommendations

The application requirement section of your Profile includes an electronic letter of recommendation feature. If your program of study requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to give the contact information of your recommenders including their email on your Admissions Profile. The recommender will then get an email giving them instructions on how to upload the recommendation letter and/or form.

• Three letters of recommendation

Materials to send to Admissions

• A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts uploaded on your Admissions Profile. If you are admitted, official transcripts will be required before your enrollment. For international records, all records should bear the original stamp or seal of the institution and the signature of a school official.  Documents not in English must be accompanied by a complete, literal, English translation, certified by the issuing institution.
• Your official GRE scores are not required for admission to this program. However, applications that include GRE scores may be more competitive for a greater range of financial assistance (the University's institutional code is 6681).
• International students may also be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo scores to comply with the university's English Language Proficiency Requirements .
• Once recommended for admission, international students must send a  Financial Statement .

Apply Online , the $60 application fee ($100 for international students) is payable by Discover, MasterCard, or Visa.

Creative Writing Program The University of Iowa 102 Dey House Iowa City, IA 52242-1000 [email protected] 1-319-335-0416

Enrollment Management The University of Iowa 2900 University Capitol Centre 201 S. Clinton St. Iowa City, IA 52242 [email protected] 1-319-335-1523

• Skip to Main
• Welcome Message
• Literary Journals
• Join Our Listserv
• Administration and Staff

FAQ for Prospective Graduate Students

Fellowships and literary outreach.

• Teaching Opportunities
• NYU GSAS Online Application
• Graduate Student Handbook
• External Literary Opportunities
• Low-Residency MFA in Paris
• Undergraduate Creative Writing Abroad
• FAQ for Undergraduate Students
• Academic Credit for Internships
• Awards & Special Events
• Fall 2023 Undergraduate Workshops
• Winter 2024
• Fall 2024 Undergraduate Workshops
• MFA Community News
• Alumni Books
• Recent Faculty Books
• NYU CWP Faculty & Alumni Events AWP 2024
• Writers in Florence
• Writers in New York
• Writers in Paris
• Summer 2024 Workshops on Campus
• Classic Podcasts & Videos
• Recent Podcasts & Videos
• Spring 2017
• Spring 2018
• Spring 2019
• Spring 2020
• Virtual Events 2020
• Spring 2021 Virtual Events
• Spring 2022
• Yusef Komunyakaa: A Celebration
• Spring 2023
• Spring 2024

The NYU Creative Writing Program

is among the most distinguished programs in the country and is a leading national center for the study of writing and literature.

Graduate Program

The graduate Creative Writing Program at NYU consists of a community of writers working together in a setting that is both challenging and supportive.

Low Residency MFA Workshop in Paris

The low-residency MFA Writers Workshop offers students the opportunity to develop their craft in one of the world's most inspiring literary capitals.

Undergraduate Program

The undergraduate program offers workshops, readings, internships, writing prizes, and events designed to cultivate and inspire.

Spring 2022 Reading Series

The lively public Reading Series hosts a wide array of writers, translators, and editors, and connects our program to the local community.

Creative Writing Program

Low-residency mfa writers workshop in paris, undergraduate, washington square review, literary journal, a sample residency calendar, write in paris, scholarships and grant opportunities, program of study, dates and deadlines, creative writing, recent highlights from the mfa community.

• Alum Bruna Dantas Lobato   won the 2023 National Book Award in translation

• Faculty member Sharon Olds received the Joan Margarit International Poetry Prize from King Felipe VI in July 2023

• Alumni  Tess Gunty  and  John Keene   each won a 2022 National Book Award in fiction and poetry , respectively

• Books by faculty members  Sharon  Olds  and  Meghan O'Rourke;  and alums  Tess Gunty, John Keene ,  and  Jenny Xie  were named finalists for the 2022 National Book Awards; books by alum  Rio Cortez and faculty member Leigh Newman were also longlisted

• Alum  Ada Limón   has been named the nation's 24th Poet Laureate  by the Library of Congress

• Alum  Amanda Larson 's debut poetry collection  GUT  was selected by Mark Bibbins as the winner of the Poetry Society of America Norma Farber Book Award

• Alum  Sasha Burshteyn  was named a 2022 winner of the 92Y Discovery Prize. Alums Jenna Lanzaro and JinJin Xu were also named semi-finalists for the prize.

• Alum Clare Sestanovich was selected as a  2022 5 under 35 Honoree  by the National Book Foundation

• Alum  Maaza Mengiste  was awarded a  2022 Guggenheim Fellowship

• Visiting graduate faculty member  Brandon Taylor 's collection  Filthy Animals  was named a 2021/22  finalist for The Story Prize  and was shortlisted for the  2022 Dylan Thomas Prize

• Alum  Raven Leilani  won the 2021 Clark Fiction Prize, Dylan Thomas prize, the 2020 Kirkus Prize for Fiction and the Center for Fiction 2020 First Novel Prize for her debut novel  Luster,  and was named a finalist for the 2021 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, the Gotham Book Prize, the 2021 PEN/Hemmingway Award for Debut Novel, the 2021 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award

• Alum Desiree C. Bailey 's debut poetry collection  What Noise Against the Cane  was longlisted for the 2022 Dylan Thomas Prize and was also named a finalist for the 2021 National Book Award in Poetry and the 2022 Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and was published as the winner of the 2020 Yale Series of Younger Poets

• Senior faculty member  Sharon Olds  was named the 2022 recipient of the Poetry Society of America's Frost Medal for distinguished lifetime achievement in poetry

You can read more MFA Community news here and find a list of forthcoming and recently published books by alumni here .   NYU CWP alumni include  Aria Aber, Amir Ahmadi Arian, Julie Buntin, Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Isabella Hammad, Ishion Hutchinson, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Maaza Mengiste, John Murillo, Gregory Pardlo, Morgan Parker, Nicole Sealey, Solmaz Sharif, Peng Shepherd, Ocean Vuong, Jenny Xie,  and  Javier Zamora. 

Announcements

Ocean Vuong joins the NYU Creative Writing Program Faculty

Mary Gabriel, Author of “Ninth Street Women”, Receives the NYU/Axinn Foundation Prize

Claudia Rankine joins the NYU Creative Writing Program Faculty

Classic podcasts from the lillian vernon reading series.

Anne Carson

Zadie Smith and Jeffrey Eugenides

Terrance Hayes

Where to find us.

Faculty Spotlight

Sharon Olds is a previous director of the Creative Writing Program. Her 2012 collection Stags Leap was awarded the T.S. Eliot Prize and a Pulitzer.

Hari Kunzru is the author of six novels, including the most recent Red Pill, and White Tears, a finalist for the PEN Jean Stein Award.

Claudia Rankine is a recipient of the 2016 MacArthur Fellowship, and the author of six collections including Citizen and Don’t Let Me Be Lonely.

Foer was listed in Rolling Stone's "People of the Year," Esquire's "Best and Brightest," and The New Yorker's "20 Under 40" list.

Ocean Vuong is the author of the bestselling novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and the poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds.

Katie Kitamura’s most recent novel Intimacies was longlisted for the National Book Award and named a Best Book of 2021 by numerous publications.

Jeffrey Eugenides is the author of acclaimed novels The Virgin Suicides, Middlesex, and The Marriage Plot. His latest collection is Fresh Complaint. 

Terrance Hayes’s most recent publications include American Sonnets for My Past And Future Assassin and To Float In The Space Between.

Darin Strauss is the author of several acclaimed novels, including the most recent The Queen of Tuesday: A Lucille Ball Story.

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of English

• Why English Studies?
• Why Creative Writing?
• Career Success
• BA in English/Creative Writing
• Graduate Admissions
• Undergraduate Studies
• MA/PhD in Literary/Writing Studies
• Undergraduate Course Offerings
• Graduate Course Offerings
• MFA in Creative Writing
• Blogs & Digital Projects
• Conferences & Series
• PhD Dissertations
• Reading, Research, & Discussion Groups
• Undergraduate Resources
• Graduate Resources
• Convocation
• Faculty Resources
• Department Calendar
• Department News
• Administration
• Faculty by Specialty Areas
• Affiliate Faculty
• Emeriti Faculty
• Specialized Faculty
• Graduate Students
• Stay Connected
• Get Involved
• Give to English
• Undergraduate Alumni Spotlight
• Graduate Alumni Spotlight

MFA in Creative Writing Curriculum and Requirements

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a three-year program combining professional training in creative writing with literary study. Students in this program specialize in fiction or poetry and complete at least 12 units (or 48 hours) of coursework as follows:

• 5 Creative Writing units —Four workshops in the appropriate genre (poetry or fiction) over the first four semesters in the program and one craft class the first semester (also in the appropriate genre, poetry or fiction).
• 2 Literature units —For courses that will satisfy the Category 1 literature requirement, consult our departmental course descriptions at the 400- and 500-level for a given semester. Any course listed there, including those cross-listed with other departments, will count for the first of the two literature requirements. (Literature courses at the 400- and 500-level in other departments on campus may be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in 210 English Building. Propose the course first to the Associate Director of Creative Writing). While the Category 2 literature requirement can be satisfied the same way the Category 1 is, Category 2 more broadly defines "literature."  If you would prefer to satisfy Category 2 by taking a 400- or 500-level course in a subject that will aid your study of writing, propose such a course to the Associate Director of Creative Writing, who will seek the Graduate Director's approval.  These two courses are typically taken after the first semester and before the third year.
• 3 Elective units —Typically one of these Electives is the first-semester EN 593 Pro-Seminar in College Teaching (Composition or Business & Technical Writing), which all first-year students take to supplement their teaching. MFA students who want to work on Ninth Letter satisfy a second Elective requirement by taking CW 560 Literary Publishing & Promotion in the second semester. The third Elective is any 400- or 500-level course on campus. If you’re interested in a course that falls below the 400-level, you can often arrange a 400- or 500-level Independent Study version of it with the instructor.
• 2 Final Project units —MFA students begin taking Final Project Hours (CW 595, minimum of two units) once an arrangement with a Final Project Advisor has been set up, usually after the third semester.
• Program Overview
• Application Requirements
• Upcoming Events

MFA in Creative Writing

Program outline.

• Alumni Books and Awards
• TXST MFA Spotlights
• Upcoming Events
• Apply for Admission
• Funding Details
• Assistantships
• International Applicants
• Program and Financial Aid FAQ
• Forms and Procedures
• Financial-Support
• Permanent Faculty
• Endowed Chair
• Adjunct Thesis Faculty
• Visiting Professors —2022-2023
• The Latest Issue
• Submit to PHR
• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff
• Family & Visitors

Course Load 

The MFA degree plan consists of 48 credit hours. Additionally, the vast majority of students complete a three-hour IA Practicum course, which considers effective pedagogical strategies. 

Students typically complete five nine-hour semesters and one six-hour semester, for a total of 51 hours. Each graduate course is typically assigned three credit hours. This means students enroll in three classes in all but one semester of study. 

Required Courses

12 credit hours  of workshop (ENG 5315). After completing workshops in their first two semesters, students may take a break to apply what they've learned to their work. Students should plan to take one workshop during their second year and one workshop during their third year. 

3 credit hours of Form & Theory of Fiction (ENG 5320) or Poetry (ENG 5322) 

3 credit hours of Literary Techniques (ENG 5395), also known as Problems in Language and Literature courses. ( Note: Literary Techniques may be repeated three times for nine Cognate credits .)

15 credit hours in Literature courses, which may include three hours of ENG 5312, Internship in  Porter House Review , and up to six hours of ENG 5323, Studies in Autobiography and Memoir.

6 degree hours of Thesis work (ENG 5399A and ENG 5399B)

9 degree hours in Open Cognate, the electives category of the degree plan

• English Department
• MFA Creative Writing

Questions? Please contact...

Creative writing, master of fine arts.

This program, which involves completing a creative thesis, allows you to balance academic course work in English with the serious study of creative writing.

Degree Info Tab Open

Faculty tab closed, requirements tab open, overview tab closed, details tab closed, availability tab closed, requirements accordion open.

To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units. You must additionally complete:

• All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
• All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
• All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

Read the full policy here .

Overview Accordion Closed

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Purpose Statement The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing balances the study and practice of creative writing with academic coursework in English. Students participate in writing workshops in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, undertake coursework in literature, and study critical theory. MFA candidates will present a creative thesis of between 45 to 120 pages, depending on genre.  The MFA Program at Northern Arizona University allows you to:   

• live and write in the beautiful, vibrant city of Flagstaff
• focus on poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction
• participate in intensive writing workshops with dedicated professors

Student Learning Outcomes   Upon completion of the Creative Writing MFA students will be able to:

• Examine, explicate, analyze and evaluate literary texts of considerable difficulty in order to determine the place of the student’s own work within a literary tradition.
• Develop the student’s own critical and aesthetic position, based on recognizing, understanding, and interpreting critical positions and literary arguments of other authors.
• Read and respond thoughtfully and thoroughly to work by other MFA students in order to hone the critical, intellectual, and analytical skills that are crucial to success in a broad range of literary, artistic, cultural and professional fields.
• Investigate the world of literary publishing in order to discover suitable journals, magazines and/or quality trade book publishers to which the student author can submit his/her own finished work.
• Refine skills in drafting, revising and editing in a primary literary genre with the goal of producing a polished creative manuscript of marketable quality.
• public readings,
• interviewing other writers,
• attending outside readings,
• writing book reviews,
• serving on editorial boards, and
• organizing literary events.

Details Accordion Closed

Graduate admission information.

The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College. Admission requirements include the following:

• Transcripts.
• Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies. Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy .

Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• 2 letters of recommendation
• Writing sample
• Personal statement or essay

Master's Requirements

This Master’s degree requires 36 units distributed as follows:

• Creative Writing courses: 12 units
• Supportive coursework: 12 units
• Electives chosen with your advisor’s approval: 6 to 9 units
• Thesis: 3 to 6 units (if 6 units of thesis are selected, it will reduce the number of units of electives required for the degree)
• 500- and 600-level creative writing courses, some of which may be repeated for 9 units of credit (12 units)
• Coursework in literature, literary criticism, literary theory, and/or readings in creative writing (12 units) 
• Electives chosen with your advisor's approval (6-9 units)
• ENG 699 , for the research, writing, and revision of an approved thesis. Please note: You may end up taking more than the 6 units of thesis credit you can count toward your degree because you must register for it each semester while you are working on your thesis. (3-6 units)
• Note that up to 6 units of 400-level literature courses may count toward degree, with advisor approval

Additional Information

Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

Availability Accordion Closed

Department of English

Mailing address.

Andrew Wille Writing Studio

Creative writing & book development, syllabus for a diy ma in creative writing 2019.

In an earlier post I discussed how writers can assemble their own self-directed programme of studies: a DIY MA in creative writing .

Following further posts about that on Twitter last week, and inspired by my inner teacher as well as Lynda Barry’s wonderful book Syllabus , I’ve put together a syllabus for anyone who might want more specific guidance on what a good writing programme might need to include.

Follow this link for a PDF of the DIY MA in Creative Writing for 2019-2020  (version 1.3).

(This is very much a work-in-progress. As I tweak and add updates or corrections, I’m amend the date and version on the final page, just in case you too are a little obsessive about such things.)

A brief overview: it has four modules:

• Craft Seminar
• Writing Workshop
• Manuscript Project
• Professional Development Masterclass

I’ve chosen four textbooks that are in my experience the most helpful (and affordable – at current prices their total cost is less than £50):

• Janet Burroway, Writing Fiction  (tenth edition)
• Constance Hale, Sin and Syntax
• Stephen King,  On Writing
• Ursula Le Guin, Steering the Craft

The content is based on my own teaching in MA and MFA programmes as well as craft masterclasses and workshops I’ve taught such as the ones that I run with Words Away ; it’s also informed by my intuition and experience from over thirty years of working as an editor and mentor.

This syllabus is never going to be a substitute for a classroom, physical or online, where you can speak and listen to a teacher and interact with other writers. But it does suggest readings and activities for anyone who wants to develop knowledge and skills not only of the craft of writing but also of the business of publishing.

One unit of five classes of the Craft Seminar, Styling Your Prose, is devoted to style, syntax, and grammar, which is something that doesn’t get much focused attention in most MA programmes I’ve investigated in the UK; these are the aspects of craft that really help a writer develop a stronger voice, and for me (and many readers and publishing professionals) voice is what defines a piece of writing. This unit is where I recommend reading (and rereading) Constance Hale’s excellent Sin and Syntax .

An important part of an MA is being part of a writing community and getting and giving feedback on writing, so it will be important to seek out writers who can help with this. On another occasion, and in collaboration with others, I hope to share more tangible suggestions for how writers can, e.g., find writing partners or create a writing group, and locate more specialised resources on genre. But for now, if you have any ideas on this or anything else that would be suitable for someone embarking on studies in writing, perhaps you could post them in a comment below?

A few tips for getting started

* Practise some (or even all) of your writing away from your masterpiece-in-waiting. Sometimes we put a great deal of investment in ideas for books, and this can get in the way of the actual process of learning. There can be greater freedom in using exercises and writing flash fiction or short stories; fresh and powerful things often emerge too. Spend some time developing the craft and your intuition as a writer – then tackle your novel. Your passion for a project will still be there.

* Develop writing as a regular practice. Julia Cameron recommends morning pages: three pages of freewriting. Natalie Goldberg gives lots of prompts for you to tackle in a notebook. Robert Olen Butler insists that you write every day to maintain the creative energy in your zone or dreamspace. Explore for yourself; find what works for you, but – as with any craft – regular practice will make writing come more easily.

* Write in short spurts. Timed writings of ten minutes using prompts can generate a lot of material. You might want to edit it later, and you might not even want to use any of these words – but good stuff often surfaces in these short bursts of writing, particularly, e.g., in the last minute of a ten-minute write. And then you can take this good stuff and make even greater stuff with it later.

PS and while I’m here: if you are interested in an in-person workshop, we still have spaces in the Everyday Magic workshop I am running with Words Away on Saturday 28 September. Using the idea of the Four Elements, it looks at craft and creativity through the lens of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. It’s a day full of reading and writing and listening and talking that, I hope, brings fresh perspectives on writing and new inspirations for writers.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

6 thoughts on “ Syllabus for a DIY MA in Creative Writing 2019 ”

This is great, Andrew!

Terrific, as always!

Your blogs are always helpful and informative. Thank you!

If you’re trying to learn more about writing and don’t know where to start, I think that ‘On Editing’ by Helen Corner-Bryant and Kathryn Price is a good one to read. It really gives insight into the craft of writing, how to construct character arcs and so on. I attended the Festival of Writing, run by Jericho Writers where I met some great writers and had some interesting conversations. I think the trick with writing is to be constantly learning and open to new ideas. I like what you said about writing being so much more than just about publishing. It really puts things into perspective.

Thanks for your posts, Irveen! If you are interested in editing, I particularly recommend The Artful Edit by Susan Bell – really thoughtful as well as practical. And if you want some great insights into the life of an editor I also recommend A Bite of the Apple by Lennie Goodings, which is Lennie’s memoir of her career at Virago Press.

Pingback: Where it Began – Librodidact

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

• We’re on your favourite socials!

Master of Fine Arts Syllabus & Subjects 2024

• Popular Colleges
• MFA Syllabus & Subjects Overview

Master of Fine Arts, MFA, is a 2 years postgraduate course that imparts skills as well as knowledge of performing and visual arts. The MFA Syllabus is divided into 4 semesters . The course covers many aesthetic art forms and provides prime MFA subjects including Visual Communication, Applied Arts, Art History, Ceramics, Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking among others. In a nutshell, Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate-level college degree that students can earn by studying and practicing visual arts, performing arts, design, or creative writing. 

Some core subjects in an MFA syllabus include:

• History: History of Indian art, history of Indian architecture, history of European art, history of Oriental art, history of Indian painting and sculpture
• Art: Aesthetics and principles of art appreciation, mechanism of artistic perception, principles and sources of art
• Other: Sociology, fashion design, graphic designing, and interior design 

Other subjects that may be included in an MFA syllabus are:

• Aesthetic and art prediction
• Creative painting or portrait
• History of modern Indian art
• Advertising
• Visualization
• Illustration
• Photography 

MFA course syllabus includes core and elective subjects. The syllabus and MFA course subjects may vary depending on the educational institute selected by the candidates. Aspirants interested in pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree should be aware that the programme does not include a mandatory internship, but rather consists of extensive research and study work over the course of two years. Continue reading to learn everything about the MFA syllabus and subjects.

Table of Contents

What is master of fine arts (mfa) course, mfa syllabus: course details, mfa syllabus (stream wise), master of fine arts (mfa) year wise syllabus, master of fine arts (mfa) subjects, specializations offered in master of fine arts (mfa), master of fine arts (mfa) lab courses, syllabus for mfa distance programs, master of fine arts (mfa) entrance exam syllabus 2024, master of fine arts (mfa) important books, master of fine arts course structure, faqs about master of fine arts syllabus.

The two-year Master of Fine Arts, or MFA, programme in postgraduate studies fosters the development of advanced artistic abilities and encourages creative inquiry. It covers a wide range of specialisations, such as acting, filmmaking, painting, sculpture, photography, design, and visual communication. MFA programmes impart knowledge and abilities in performing and visual arts. Theory, art history, and hands-on studio work are usually combined in this programme. A Master of Fine Arts degree has excellent career prospects in commercial art, theatre, television, animation, exhibition design, and many other fields.

Some of the most important details about the MFA course is tabulated below to help candidates in selecting their course of study. 

Also Read: Top 10 Arts Colleges in Delhi University

The Master of Fine Arts course syllabus is different for various specializations offered under the degree. Some of the most sought after MFA specializations are MFA in Painting, Photography, Visual Communication, Textile Design, Applied Arts, Dancing, Pottery and Ceramics, Sculpture, Filmmaking, Creative Writing, Acting, Art History etc. The stream and semester wise syllabus for various Master of Fine Arts specializations are provided below:

Master of Fine Arts Painting Syllabus

Check out the syllabus for MFA Painting below:

MFA Applied Arts Course Syllabus

Captured below is the syllabus for MFA Applied Arts

MFA Sculpture Syllabus

Captured below is the MFA Sculpture Syllabus:

MFA Photography Syllabus

Here is the MFA Photography Syllabus:

The year-wise Master of Fine Arts syllabus has two parts - a set of elective courses that focuses at introducing job-specific knowledge and skills and a compulsory set of Master of Fine subjects covering all basic areas in arts and literature. Master of Fine Arts (MFA) course is the one meant for the specialization in the field of Art forms research and fieldwork. The semester wise MFA subjects that candidates generally encounter during the course are as follows:

MFA First Year Syllabus

The first year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) course syllabus is captured below:

MFA Second Year Syllabus

Here is the second year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) course subjects:

MFA is a popular PG level course offered at numerous prestigious institutions. Some of the popular MFA course subjects provided by most of the colleges are as follows:

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Optional Subjects

Candidates are offered several MFA Optional Subjects based on the course opted by them. They can select any desired MFA subject based on their respective interests. Check out a few MFA optional subjects offered at educational institutions below:

As mentioned above, MFA has various specializations. Given below are the best MFA specializations:

Also Read:  Master of Fine Arts: Career Scope, Jobs, Salaries

Both theoretical and practical techniques are adopted to impart knowledge in MFA courses. Provided below are a few MFA lab courses that aspirants encounter in their respective specializations:

The MFA course is not only offered through a full-time or regular mode but also through online/ distance education from popular educational institutes like IGNOU, Annamalai University etc. An overview of the syllabus for Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Distance courses is captured below: 

Also Read: Top 10 Distance Education University in India

Most of the colleges accept popular Master of Fine Arts (MFA) entrance exams like CUET PG, LPUNEST etc. to shortlist the deserving candidates. Provided below is the MFA course syllabus for popular entrance exams:

The topics taught in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) course syllabus are enough but, to get in-depth understanding and knowledge of subjects, there are certain books that candidates can pick up to enhance their skills and comprehension abilities. Provided below are a few books important for MFA:

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) course delivery methods comprises lectures, dissertations, seminars, workshops, exhibitions and practical work. At the end of every semester of most of the MFA courses, students are required to submit a research project. An aspirant pursuing Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is assessed or judged based on their performance in theory exams, practical exams and  internal assessments. In the final evaluation the following factors are taken into account:

• Class assignments
• End-semester exams
• Internships 
• Research project/ Dissertation
• Exhibition/ Practicals and Viva Voce

What are some core subjects in MFA?

What are some electives in mfa, name some top mfa specializations, which subjects are a part of the mfa photography syllabus, is it possible to pursue mfa without bfa, which are the important subjects in mfa sculpture, which are some popular entrance exams for mfa, are distance courses offered in mfa, what teaching methods are adopted in mfa, what is the future scope of mfa, what job profiles can i consider after completing mfa, which colleges are best for mfa courses, which educational institutes offer mfa in distance mode, how much can i earn after mfa, which are some reference books for mfa, related articles.

Feb 28, 2024 | By: Puja Saikia

Feb 28, 2024 | By: Aditi Shrivastava

Feb 28, 2024 | By: Harleen Kaur

Feb 27, 2024 | By: Aindrila

Feb 26, 2024 | By: Puja Saikia

Feb 17, 2024 | By: Sudeshna chakrabarti

Feb 15, 2024 | By: Diksha Sharma

Feb 14, 2024 | By: Abhik Das

Feb 06, 2024 | By: Soham Mitra

Popular Courses

Mfa colleges in states, mfa colleges in cities, mfa colleges by college type.

• Master of Fine Arts
• Common Application form
• Job Ready Courses
• ETP Admissions
• Scholarships
• Visual Stories (English)
• Visual Stories (Hindi)
• Career Compass
• Write a review
• DU Predictor
• Unit Calculator

6th Floor, CollegeDekho Office, Capital Cityscape, Sector 66, Gurugram Haryana 122002

• 1800-572-9877
• [email protected]

Trending Links

• GATE Rank Predictor 2024
• JEE Main College Predictor 2024
• JEE Main Syllabus 2024 PDF
• Top Medical Colleges in India
• JEE Main Rank Predictor 2024
• GATE College Predictor 2024
• Visual Stories
• JEE Mains 2024 Mark Vs Percentile
• CBSE Grading System Class 12
• Engineering Colleges in India
• MBA Courses
• Medical Courses

Most Viewed Links

• Master of Arts
• Aeronautical Engineering
• BFIT Dehradun
• Chandigarh University
• Hindi Articles
• Merchant Navy
• Manipal University or Amity University
• List of B.Sc Courses
• SRM University vs VIT Vellore
• JEE Main 2024
• B.ED Course
• Neet vs JEE Main

Courses in india

• B. Tech : B Tech Mechanical Engineering Software Engineering Aeronautical Engineering Electronics and Communication Engineering Chemical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Automobile Engineering B Tech IT Computer Science Engineering
• M. Tech : M Tech M Tech in Data Science M Tech in Computer Science M Tech in Civil Engineering M Tech in Mining Engineering M Tech in Electrical Engineering M Tech in Food Technology M Tech in Chemical Engineering M Tech Geoinformatics M Tech ECE
• MBA : MBA BBA MBA Project management MBA in finance PGDM Executive MBA BBM MBA in Business Analytics MBA in HR MBA in Marketing
• BBA. : BBA BBA Aviation BBA in Finance BBA International Business BBA in Airport Management BBA Logistics BBA in Digital Marketing BBA in Marketing BBA MBA Integrated Course BBA in HR
• LAW : LLB BA LLB BBA LLB BSc LLB LLM course Criminal Law Labour Law Corporate Law Business Law Company Law
• Science : BSc MSc BSc Computer Science Actuarial Science BSc Biotechnology BSc Microbiology BSc IT BSc Forensic Science BSc Chemistry BSc Physics
• Commerce : BCom MCom Banking Course CA Course CFA BAF ACCA Course MFC BFM BBI Company Secretary
• Medical : MBBS MDS BUMS BDS BHMS Doctor of Medicine Doctorate of Medicine BPT Course MPH BAMS
• Para Medical : BPMT Medical Transcription BMLT MPT Biomechanics BVSC BSMS Anesthesia Course Master of Surgery DHMS Master of Physiotherapy
• Hotel Management : MHA BTTM Hospitality Management BHM MBA in Hotel Management Travel and Tourism Management BHMCT BSc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration Masters in Hotel Management BBA in Hotel Management
• BA : BA Archaeology Company Secretary home science BFA BA Psychology BA English BA english BA Economics
• MA : Master of Arts MPhil MA Hindi MFA MA English MA Psychology MA Economics MA Political Science MA History MA Public Administration
• Media And Mass Communication : Photography Course Journalism Course BMM Fashion Photography BJMS Radio Jockey BSc Visual Communication Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication BA Mass Communication Masters in Mass Communication
• Agriculture : Agricultue BSc Agriculture BSc horticulture MSc agriculture BSc Hons Agri Business Management Diploma in Horticulture BSc Sericulture
• Pharmacy : B Pharma D Pharma Pharm D Course M Pharmacy M Pharm M Pharma Pharmaceutical Analysis M Pharm in Biotechnology B Pharm Hons Pharma D
• Nursing : BSc Nursing GNM Nursing ANM Nursing Post Basic BSc Nursing Nursing Assistant Course OT nursing Course M Phil Nursing MSc Pediatric Nursing MSc in Medical Surgical Nursing Maternity Nursing Course
• Information Technology : MCA Data Science BCA MSc Data Science Ethical Hacking Course MSc IT MBA IT BSc MSc Data Science Computer Hardware Course BBA in Computer Application
• Design : Graphic Designing Interior Designing Animation Jewellery Designing Web Designing Fashion Designing Course Furniture Design Textile Designing Fashion Styling BDes
• Education : B Ed B P ED Diploma in Elementary Education M Ed B EL ED BSc B Ed BA B Ed BEd Special Education MA Education BED in Commerce

Popular Universities

• DOON University
• MNIT Jaipur
• NIT Jalandhar
• NIT Jamshedpur
• NIT Silchar
• TECHNO India University
• TEZPUR University
• University of Hyderabad
• University of Mysore
• VIDYASAGAR University
• ANNA University
• JAYPEE University
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

Creative Writing Program

Linda A. Cicero | Stanford News Service

Cultivating the power of individual expression within a vibrant community of writers

It’s here that I fell deeper and deeper in love with writing, and I can say without a shadow of doubt that I met mentors, peers, and friends for life. The generosity with which the Creative Writing Program has shaped me will sustain—it’s truly been life-changing.

Creative Writing Minor

Discover your writing prowess and push the imaginative bounds of prose, poetry, and screenwriting with our undergraduate minor.

Stegner Fellowship

An opportunity for promising writers to develop their craft in the company of peers and under the guidance of Stanford faculty.

Stanford University

Our Community

Meet the faces of Creative Writing--the faculty, lecturers, staff, and visiting writers who guide and support our students and fellows.

In the Spotlight

2023-24 Creative Writing Undergraduate Prizes

The Creative Writing Program is accepting submissions for 2023-24 Creative Writing Undergraduate Prizes. 

12th Annual Poetry Into Film Contest

The 12th Annual Poetry Into Film Contest is accepting submissions for the best short film inspired by a poem.

Katherine Wolkoff

Remembering Louise Glück

The Nobel laureate, 2003-2004 Poet Laureate of the United States, and former visiting professor at Stanford died last week at 80.

Recent News

• Announcements

Peer Advisor position available

Associate Professor of English, Kirstin Valdez Quade awarded John S. Guggenheim Fellowship

Spring 2024 Course Preference Form

Upcoming events.

A Conversation and Book Signing with Adam Mansbach

Adam Mansbach  is a novelist, screenwriter, cultural critic and humorist. He is the author of the #1  New York Times  …

• Lane Lecture Series

Reading with Carmen Maria Machado, part of the Lane Lecture Series

The Creative Writing Program is pleased to announce the next event in the Lane Lecture Series: A Reading with Carmen Maria…

Colloquium with Carmen Maria Machado, part of the Lane Lecture Series

The Creative Writing Program is pleased to announce the next event in the  Lane Lecture Series: A Colloquium with Carmen Maria Machado…

Winter Stranger

The Fight Journal

When I Waked, I Cried To Dream Again

Things I Didn’t Do with This Body

All the Yellow Suns

The Fake MFA Syllabus

Learn from home! For no $$$

Student-Instructor : Geoff Martin Phone : low signal, no landline

Office : The Montague Bookmill

Contact Hours : 24/7

At the end of a miserable day, instead of grieving my virtual nothing, I can always look at my loaded wastepaper basket and tell myself that if I failed, at least I took a few trees down with me. —David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day

Introductory Remarks :

Congratulations! You quit your teaching job, left the city, and now find yourself camped out on other people’s furniture in a rental house in Western Massachusetts. And since you’ve gone and lost US work authorization during the move, making money is illegal (but living off your spouse’s salary is not). Welcome to your yearlong writing retreat.

Some ancillary tips up front: housework may not be wage work, but it’s still work—earn your keep. Learn to bake: free bread appears on page 1 in your great-grandmother’s guide to cheaper living. But remember, this ain’t culinary school. You’re here to write.

By all means, announce your admittance to the Fake MFA in Creative Nonfiction to your family and friends and frenemies, your old work colleagues and worried in-laws. Say to them, I’m going to write full-time for the year , then mumble, Or at least I’m gonna try . Hedge your bets—that’s fine. What matters is saying it aloud until you very nearly believe it yourself. In other words, declare your intentions. Speak it from your root chakra. The accompanying fear of squandering the year will drag your ass out of bed on jobless Wednesdays in mid-winter. You’re living the artist’s dream. You know that, right?

Mission Statement : If not now . . .

Program Description :

Following a two-part structure, you will 1) write every day and 2) read promiscuously for guidance. Writing: Aim for at least 300–500 words a day. If you fall short, pick up the day’s slack by editing five pages of drafted work. If cloud-words are forming, pray for rain but don’t write to wet exhaustion. Or do, but suffer the consequences of a sleepless night and three subsequent days pacing the cage. Since there’s no graduation in this program, there’s no graduation requirement either, but the goal—your goal—is to finish the year with a baker’s dozen of drafted essays, experiments, and reviews, all of which circle back into childhood or dig down into land history or spill out into the Great Lakes region. You’re on retreat, but find a way to write your way home.

Reading: Create three distinct bookshelves. Call them streams and, every day, wade into one or two of them. Your teaching faculty are in Stream I, “Writers on Writing.” They’re floating by on dinghies, so drift alongside and beg for guidance. They’ll pull you downriver a ways. Stream II, “The Best Of,” is full of canons and counter-canons, litmag issues and archives, and all those prize-winning “must-reads.” This stream is full of unexpected bends and chutes. It’s a marvelously good ride with the weirdest of guides, but be warned: stay in these waters too long, and you’ll never get out. Stream III, “Reading for Your Writing,” is the essential work that shapes your thinking self on the page. No matter how personal your essays, you are in the world. Read about that world. 

Accreditation and Credit Hours : LOL

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) :

At the end of the Fake MFA program, the student will be able to:

• Adopt a writerly aspect
• Identify five to seven regularly jabbering local birds
• Employ assorted rhetorical tools to varying degrees of success
• Apply the mantra that drafting is practice, that one must write before one reads
• Assimilate secondary sources in ways that feel like breakthroughs but are in fact just lazy
• Demonstrate a nascent sense of the known unknowns of the publishing world
• Acknowledge that the better way might have been to pay for a real MFA

Resources for Student:

• Submittable.com
• Your friend Derek’s incisive editorial eye
• All those inside-baseball conversations on the Longform Podcast
• The nearest legit MFA program’s speaker series

Plagiarism:

Write your own words. Sure, David Shields has penned a remix manifesto to clever, inventive thievery, but you’re not him. There may be nothing new under the sun, but your syntax and style and passion are still your own. Grow your voice.

A Word on Technology :

Word-processing skills are essential for success in this program.

Paradoxically, you should get offline but stay on Twitter. Take a hatchet to the connective tissue of social media. App-control your email, and avoid the news—at least through morning. Since nothing you write today will be adequate to the rupture of this era, wake up in your relative seclusion and preserve the remnant privilege of opting out for a while. Call it self-care. Which is more or less true. Your writing depends on it.

But get up on Writer Twitter. Follow authors, journals, and editors. See submission calls. Worry at the rage of the Twittersphere and marvel at its kindnesses. Feel less alone. Peek only in the afternoon, and refrain, more often than not, from tweeting. When you start scrolling mindlessly, power down. Wade back into one of your book streams. Better yet, pick up the pen.

Topical Outline :

Summer Session I:

July: Diving In (to Submittable)

Begin with Phillip Lopate’s To Show and to Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction— consider the history of personal narrative, the ethics of the genre, its lyric possibilities. Seek out some Stream I writers who candidly admit to struggle and self-doubt. Be surprised at this anguished literary legacy, and feel some nascent kinship. Spend a few days decorating your slant-ceilinged space. Say you’ll start writing next week. Meanwhile, stumble into Submittable and get lost in the hundreds of venues that want your words but have slush piles six months deep. Be immediately overwhelmed. Close your laptop and continue unpacking the paper trail of your life.

August: The Freakout

Six weeks in, find yourself mired in the Bog of Panic, that testing ground of your Protestant God, who primarily values a good, hard day’s work—not, mind you, whatever this is you claim you’re doing. Annie Dillard, wearing a pair of hip waders over in Stream I, graciously counsels that “a schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.” It’s good advice that you just didn’t take. Abandon all daily writing. Go rafting down Stream II with Eula Biss instead . Marvel at the deftness of her prose, and then feel utterly blocked. Avoid your journal for weeks.

Fall Semester:

September: Desk Time

Listen to C. when she presses The Artist’s Way into your hands. She only wants what’s best, which, in this case, is for you to Manage the Angst. Commence writing “Morning Pages” with gusto, the hungry grasping of the spiritually starved. This morning journal will become your one consistency for three hundred days. Call it what Julia Cameron calls it: the Creator’s gift.

October: Heading for Home

Read words that emanate from your home ground, your third stream, headwatered in Ontario. Circle back around with Daniel Coleman, Isabel Huggan, and Alicia Elliott as guides. Ride Karen Solie’s travelogue poetry through suburban Ontario. Reread John Terpstra’s Falling into Place , which,years ago in Hamilton, had surprised you by what literary nonfiction could endeavor to convey. Think about how the shape and history of land marks the contours of a life, how writing can trace topographic lines on a map of many homes.

November: Expanding the Range

Discover the surprising fact that your house has no thermostat, only a hopper that slowly augurs out a day’s worth of wood-pelleted flame. Move your desk to the living room. Make a third coffee by noon. Find yourself peeing every half hour while staring at the pink plastic pregnancy test C. has left by the sink. The one with two blue lines. Acknowledge a braided feeling of excitement, nervousness, and trepidation. Wonder what college tuition will cost in twenty years, and then fret about the salability of your words. Distract yourself with afternoons paddling various lyric essay meanders and dendritic branches of reportage, scene, and dialogue. Discover Didion and Ehrlich and Gornick. Read Roxane Gay and Leslie Jamison. Go Riverine with Angela Palm. 

December: The Hot Seat

Realizing half a year’s nearly gone, burn pen streaks of insipid prose across the page. Doctor that up as a second draft. Drain blood to the head in shoulder-stand position. Slice, mend, revise into a third draft, and send it around by email. Collect feedback, acknowledge the critiques, and file it away—incubation is easier than the task of the final push. Proclaim that it’s aging, like wine, but worry that it’s getting corked instead. Out in Stream II, watch how these writers end their essays with such expert evocation, that sudden striking of the gong. For Christmas, ask for literary magazine subscriptions but receive instead an emergency shovel for the trunk of your car. It’s for digging, your brother-in-law says. For when you get stuck.

Spring Semester:

January: Several Deaths of the Author

Return after a week away, spent bedside while your grandfather slips off in the cancer ward, to find ice in the toilet tank. The pregnancy, too, has slipped away. Feel the world contract to the smallest of essentials, the felt margins and substance of life. Priority one: get the stove going, get it blowing flame and heat in the midst of loss. Priority two: journal mourning into eulogy. More pen strokes on the narrative map.

February: Experimental Tributaries

Despite heavy snow, stumble up frozen reaches of the watershed: Jenny Boully splicing footnotes from blank pages; Barrie Jean Borich making autogeography out of the Midwest; Bending Genre with its collection of strange artifacts. Flashing strokes of Brevity and the aura of River Teeth ’s Beautiful Things. Shake your head at how something so small can say so much. Be offered $30 for a short article, income that would credit against your coffee expense at least but which still raises the question: how do you define “getting ahead” in a freelance economy? Recall the easy way in which a salary once seemed to quantify your worth.

March: A Year Is a Long Time

You’re still four snowstorms away from any daffodil’s defiant appearance. Return to Baldwin , and follow the precision of his mind across the page; see how his ink trails fire. Settle in with McPhee, the godfather of blocked structure and crafted intention. Follow the needle of your own response to his pacing , and see how you’re being expertly played. You’ll never get to Princeton, but here he is in Stream Icasting off library copies of Draft No. 4 from his canoe.You’re not writing much, but C. is pregnant again, so there’s that.

April: Playtime

Find yourself floating down unexpected canals and riding locks to new lake surfaces. Return to Stream III, and thumb through books on Agent Orange and Christian mysticism and the geology of clay formation, emanations—all—that haunt the edges of your homeground essays. Shoehorn facts and cut phrasings into the half dozen documents tiling your screen, splicing off sections and writing to fill the gaps. Just follow your nose. There’s something here about sandbox play. Acknowledge that you will always be, in some intrinsic way, your six-year-old self—at least as curious, as demanding, as naïve.

Summer Session II:

May: The Plateau and the Faraway Hills

Meet a submission deadline with only minutes to spare. Feel giddy. Attend a writers’ conference, your one “big-ticket” credit card expense during the year, and immediately sense that you’ve reached a new plateau. The steady ground is nice treading, for a change. Drive back all night through the Appalachians and the Berkshires in time to hear the baby’s heartbeat, which sounds through the Doppler like some sonorous marching of six hundred soldiers. Post-conference, log whole afternoons scrolling online features and longform essays. Look through craft binoculars at the ravines and ranges ahead, and realize there are still many hills to climb. You knew this, of course, and the challenge is as enticing as it is discouraging. Writing, you realize, is a good trip and a bad drug.

June: A Year Is No Time at All

Try to push to completion several more partial pieces. Pretend that this program has a final thesis project, but come up short regardless. Spend time crawling back through the drafted essays and gathered fragments, those Morning Pages and your reading journals—twelve hundred pages of penned scrawl from across the year. Very little has found its way to publication, but you’ve got something more now: a working discipline, a writing practice. You’ve learned to sit, waiting for the magic to strike, but more crucially, you’ve learned to keep moving the pen even when it is clear there’s no magic in the offing. That, right there, is enough—enough for one year at least. There’s no degree waiting at the end, this being a fake MFA after all, but there is now a lifetime of practice ahead, a nascent craft to shape to the given seasons, the who-knows of whatever’s next. So be ready. Keep writing.