mfa creative writing speculative fiction

MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction

John Martin, The Great Day of His Wrath 1851–3, Tate

My hope is that this list eventually becomes unwieldy and unnecessary as more and more MFA programs come to accept students based on the quality and craft of their writing alone, no matter how speculative or “genre” it may be.

Update: I appeared on episode 365 of WIRED’s Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast to talk about the reception of speculative fiction at MFA programs, along with Chandler Klang Smith (Columbia MFA grad, creative writing teacher at Sackett Street Writers Workshop, Catapult, and Sarah Lawrence College, and author of The Sky is Yours ) and John Kessel , (co-founder and director of the North Carolina State University MFA and author of The Moon and the Other ).

FULL-RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Arizona State University

Center for Science and the Imagination and Future Tense magazine

Faculty includes (or has included): Matt Bell

Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and modest stipends to live on)

Faculty includes (or has included): Brian Evenson

Type of speculative fiction writing samples that I’ve heard of being accepted: Afrofuturism

Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and generous stipends to live on)

Chapman University

Faculty includes (or has included): James Blaylock

Type of speculative fiction writing samples that I’ve heard of being accepted: Mystery

Funding: Moderately-funded (some MFA students receive tuition waivers, graduate fellowships, and teaching assistantships)

Columbia University

Faculty includes (or has included): Victor LaValle

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Victor LaValle , Karen Russell , Chandler Klang Smith , Karen Thompson Walker

Funding: Poorly-funded (relatively minimal scholarships given at the most, considering the cost of attending)

Edinburgh Napier University

Module in genre fiction includes crime, horror, fantasy and science fiction

Faculty includes (or has included): Laura Lam , Daniel Shand

Funding: Poorly-funded (minimal scholarships given at the most)

George Mason University

Faculty includes (or has included): Art Taylor

Well/moderately funded (most MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that come with tuition waivers and provide a modest stipend to live on, plus additional scholarships through the English department)

Iowa Writers’ Workshop

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Doug Dorst , Joe Haldeman , Carmen Maria Machado , Mel Kassel

Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and generous stipends to live on, most with graduate/teaching assistantships)

Johns Hopkins University

The New School

New York University

Faculty includes (or has included): Joyce Carol Oates , Hannah Tinti

Funding: Moderately-funded (everyone gets 50% scholarship, some receive fellowships that give tuition remission and generous stipend)

North Carolina State University

Faculty includes (or has included): John Kessel

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Helena Bell , Kij Johnson , Julie Steinbacher , Alyssa Wong

Ohio State University

Faculty includes (or has included): Lee Martin , Nick White

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Christopher Coake

Sarah Lawrence College

Has a Speculative Fiction track (separate from Poetry, Nonfiction, and Fiction)

Faculty includes (or has included): Lara Elena Donnelly , Maria Dahvana Headley , Sarah McCarry , Lincoln Michel , David Ryan , Chandler Klang Smith , Kate Zambreno

Syracuse University

Faculty includes (or has included): George Saunders

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Christopher Boucher

Texas State University

Faculty includes (or has included): Doug Dorst , Karen Russell , Téa Obreht

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Caleb Ajinomoh , Stacy Swann (literary mystery), Samantha Jayne Allen (literary mystery)

Funding: Well/moderately funded (most MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that cover tuition and provide a modest stipend to live on, plus additional scholarships through the English department)

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

Black Warrior Review

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Andy Duncan , Tommy Zurhellen

Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 4

Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and modest stipends to live on)

University of Arizona, Tuscon

Fairy Tale Review

Faculty includes (or has included): Kate Bernheimer

University of California, Irvine

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Aimee Bender , Michael Chabon , Alice Sebold

Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and generous stipends to live on)

University of California, Riverside

Speculative Fiction and Cultures of Science Program

Faculty includes (or has included): Nalo Hopkinson

Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and stipends ranging from modest to generous stipends to live on)

University of Kansas

Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction

Faculty includes (or has included): James Gunn, Kij Johnson , Chris McKitterick

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Nino Cipri

University of Massachussetts, Amherst

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Elizabeth Byrne , Melissa Caruso , Su-Yee Lin

University of Michigan

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Kristen Roupenian

Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 1

University of Mississippi

Faculty includes (or has included): Tom Franklin

Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and stipends that range from modest to generous to live on)

University of Nevada, Reno

Website directly states that they welcome genre fiction writers:

“Welcomes writers who aspire to high levels of literary quality, including fiction writers working with traditional genres (i.e., young adult, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, etc.).” Also: “We on the faculty value good, literary fiction regardless of subject matter. In other words, we don’t care if a student is writing psychological-realist fiction set at a dinner table in contemporary Sacramento, or a space opera set on board a giant colony ship bound for uncharted space, or a YA novel set in revolutionary France. What we care about is whether these stories are told with a full command of all the tools of fiction writing, and whether those stories are trying in some way to innovate, even within the boundaries of a genre. We on the faculty write a wide range of material, and read even more widely; we’re prepared to help a student work on just about any type of fiction, provided the student wants help, and is prepared to push their work into places it hasn’t yet been. We like to describe our ideal fiction workshop this way: imagine Alice Munro, Octavia Butler, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ted Chiang, Tobias Wolff, and Madeleine L’Engle as aspiring, unpublished writers, sitting at the same table, trading ideas and exchanging manuscripts.”

Faculty includes (or has included): Christopher Coake

Moderately funded (some MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that cover tuition and provide a modest stipend to live on, plus additional scholarships through the English department)

University of New Orleans

Faculty includes (or has included): M.O. Walsh (literary mystery)

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Bill Loehfelm , Lish McBride

Moderately funded (some MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that cover tuition and provide a modest stipend to live on)

Virginia Tech

Erika Meitner confirmed that Virginia Tech is interested in speculative fiction

Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL)

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Alice Sola Kim , Noah Bogdonoff

LOW-RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Seton Hill University

Faculty includes (or has included): Michael A. Arnzen , Anne Harris , Nicole Peeler

Faculty includes (or has included): Tobias Buckell , Theodora Goss , Elizabeth Hand , James Patrick Kelly

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Rachel Halpern

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

MFA Draft Facebook Groups ( ’19 , ’20 , ‘ 21 )

The Insider’s Guide to Graduate Degrees in Creative Writing by Seth Abramson

The MFA Years: Fully Funded Programs list

The MFA Years: Partially or Mostly Funded Programs list

If you or someone you know has previously been accepted or waitlisted at an MFA program with speculative fiction (as in they applied with at least one story that was speculative fiction—it doesn’t count if they submitted only realistic fiction and then pelted their cohort with aliens and wizards), please email [email protected] . In your note, please include the name of the program , the type(s) of stories that were sent (anything from magical realism, domestic fabulism, slipstream, to high fantasy, hard science fiction, mystery, and horror). You can also include your name/the name of the person you know (but only if you or the other person is ok with that being shared).

[ Last updated July 2021 ]

mfa creative writing speculative fiction

Finalist for CRAFT’s 2020 Elements Contest

Steph Grossman

MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction

Update: I appeared on episode 365 of WIRED’s Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast to talk about the reception of speculative fiction at MFA programs, along with Chandler Klang Smith (Columbia MFA grad, creative writing teacher at Sackett Street Writers Workshop, Catapult, and Sarah Lawrence College, and author of The Sky is Yours) and John Kessel , (co-founder and director of the North Carolina State University MFA and author of The Moon and the Other).

FULL-RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Arizona State University

Center for Science and the Imagination and Future Tense magazine
Faculty includes (or has included): Matt Bell
Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and modest stipends to live on)
Faculty includes (or has included): Brian Evenson
Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 1 (with Afrofuturism)
Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and generous stipends to live on)

Chapman University

Faculty includes (or has included): James Blaylock
Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 1 (with Mystery)
Funding: Moderately-funded (some MFA students receive tuition waivers, graduate fellowships, and teaching assistantships)

Columbia University

Faculty includes (or has included): Victor LaValle
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Victor LaValle , Karen Russell , Chandler Klang Smith , Karen Thompson Walker
Funding: Poorly-funded (relatively minimal scholarships given at the most, considering the cost of attending)

Edinburgh Napier University

Module in genre fiction includes crime, horror, fantasy and science fiction
Faculty includes (or has included): Laura Lam , Daniel Shand
Funding: Poorly-funded (minimal scholarships given at the most)

George Mason University

Faculty includes (or has included): Art Taylor
Well/moderately funded (most MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that come with tuition waivers and provide a modest stipend to live on, plus additional scholarships through the English department)

Iowa Writers’ Workshop

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Doug Dorst , Joe Haldeman , Carmen Maria Machado
Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and generous stipends to live on, most with graduate/teaching assistantships)

Johns Hopkins University

Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 2

The New School

Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 3

New York University

Faculty includes (or has included): Joyce Carol Oates , Hannah Tinti
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Raven Leilani
Funding: Moderately-funded (everyone gets 50% scholarship, some receive fellowships that give tuition remission and generous stipend)

North Carolina State University

Faculty includes (or has included): John Kessel
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Helena Bell , Kij Johnson , Julie Steinbacher , Alyssa Wong

Ohio State University

Faculty includes (or has included): Lee Martin , Nick White
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Christopher Coake
Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 1

Sarah Lawrence College

Has a Speculative Fiction track (separate from Poetry, Nonfiction, and Fiction)
Faculty includes (or has included): Lara Elena Donnelly , Maria Dahvana Headley , Sarah McCarry , Lincoln Michel , David Ryan , Chandler Klang Smith , Kate Zambreno

Syracuse University

Faculty includes (or has included): George Saunders
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Christopher Boucher

Texas State University

Faculty includes (or has included): Doug Dorst , Karen Russell
Funding: Well/moderately funded (most MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that cover tuition and provide a modest stipend to live on, plus additional scholarships through the English department)

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

Black Warrior Review
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Andy Duncan , Tommy Zurhellen
Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 4
Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and modest stipends to live on)

University of Arizona, Tuscon

Fairy Tale Review
Faculty includes (or has included): Kate Bernheimer

University of California, Irvine

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Aimee Bender , Michael Chabon , Alice Sebold
Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and generous stipends to live on)

University of California, Riverside

Speculative Fiction and Cultures of Science Program
Faculty includes (or has included): Nalo Hopkinson
Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and stipends ranging from modest to generous stipends to live on)

University of Kansas

Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction
Faculty includes (or has included): James Gunn, Kij Johnson , Chris McKitterick

University of Massachussetts, Amherst

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Elizabeth Byrne , Melissa Caruso , Su-Yee Lin

University of Michigan

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Kristen Roupenian

University of Mississippi

Faculty includes (or has included): Tom Franklin
Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and stipends that range from modest to generous to live on)

University of Nevada, Reno

Website says: “Welcomes writers who aspire to high levels of literary quality, including fiction writers working with traditional genres (i.e., young adult, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, etc.).” Also: “We on the faculty value good, literary fiction regardless of subject matter. In other words, we don’t care if a student is writing psychological-realist fiction set at a dinner table in contemporary Sacramento, or a space opera set on board a giant colony ship bound for uncharted space, or a YA novel set in revolutionary France. What we care about is whether these stories are told with a full command of all the tools of fiction writing, and whether those stories are trying in some way to innovate, even within the boundaries of a genre. We on the faculty write a wide range of material, and read even more widely; we’re prepared to help a student work on just about any type of fiction, provided the student wants help, and is prepared to push their work into places it hasn’t yet been. We like to describe our ideal fiction workshop this way: imagine Alice Munro, Octavia Butler, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ted Chiang, Tobias Wolff, and Madeleine L’Engle as aspiring, unpublished writers, sitting at the same table, trading ideas and exchanging manuscripts.”
Faculty includes (or has included): Christopher Coake
Moderately funded (some MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that cover tuition and provide a modest stipend to live on, plus additional scholarships through the English department)

University of New Orleans

Faculty includes (or has included): M.O. Walsh (literary mystery)
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Bill Loehfelm , Lish McBride
Moderately funded (some MFA students receive teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships that cover tuition and provide a modest stipend to live on)

Virginia Tech

Erika Meitner confirmed that Virginia Tech is interested in speculative fiction

Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL)

Notable speculative fiction alumni: Alice Sola Kim

LOW-RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Seton Hill University

Faculty includes (or has included): Michael A. Arnzen , Anne Harris , Nicole Peeler
Faculty includes (or has included): Tobias Buckell , Theodora Goss , Elizabeth Hand , James Patrick Kelly

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

MFA Draft Facebook Groups ( ’19 , ’20 )

The Insider’s Guide to Graduate Degrees in Creative Writing by Seth Abramson

The MFA Years: Fully Funded Programs list

The MFA Years: Partially or Mostly Funded Programs list

If you or someone you know has previously been accepted or waitlisted at an MFA program with speculative fiction (as in they applied with at least one story that was speculative fiction–it doesn’t count if they submitted only realistic fiction and then pelted their cohort with aliens and wizards), please email [email protected] . In your note, please include the name of the program , the type(s) of stories that were sent (anything from magical realism, domestic fabulism, slipstream, to high fantasy, hard science fiction, mystery, and horror). You can also include your name/the name of the person you know (but only if you or the other person is ok with that being shared).

[ Last updated June 2019 ]

Care to share?

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

4 thoughts on “ MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction ”

Pingback: Appearance on WIRED’s Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy Podcast – Steph Grossman
Pingback: Low/no-cost resources for aspiring SFFH writers – M. A. Blanchard

Reblogged this on Thalia Ishvari and commented: Sharing in the event any of my followers (or yours!) can add to this list!

Thanks for this list, it’s amazing! However, I do want to note that one of the NCSU alumni names is out of date—it should read “Jae Steinbacher”

15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024

May 15, 2024

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

What are the best Creative Writing MFA programs?

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

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

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

Why should I get an MFA in Creative Writing?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

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

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

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

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

Full-Time MFA Programs

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

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

Low-Residency MFA Programs

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

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

Online MFA Programs

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

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

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

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

FULLY FUNDED MFA PROGRAMS

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

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

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

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center

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

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

3) University of Iowa

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

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

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued)

4) university of michigan.

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

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

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

5) Brown University

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

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

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

6) University of Arizona

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

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

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

7) Arizona State University

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

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

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

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

8) new york university.

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

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

9) Columbia University

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

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

10) Sarah Lawrence

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

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

LOW RESIDENCY

11) bennington college.

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

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

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

12) Institute for American Indian Arts

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

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

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

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

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

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

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

ONLINE MFAS

14) university of texas at el paso.

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

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

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

15) Bay Path University

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

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

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

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs — Final Thoughts

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

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

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

Inspired to start writing? Get your pencil ready:

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

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs – References:

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

Julia Conrad

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

2-Year Colleges
ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
Application Strategies
Best Colleges by Major
Best Colleges by State
Big Picture
Career & Personality Assessment
College Essay
College Search/Knowledge
College Success
Costs & Financial Aid
Data Visualizations
Dental School Admissions
Extracurricular Activities
High School Success
High Schools
Homeschool Resources
Law School Admissions
Medical School Admissions
Navigating the Admissions Process
Online Learning
Outdoor Adventure
Private High School Spotlight
Research Programs
Summer Program Spotlight
Summer Programs
Teacher Tools
Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

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 Programs Focus Your Future in Fiction

Mariel Embry, who earned her degree from SNHU, wearing a grey SNHU sweatshirt with the ocean in the distance behind her.

Cost per credit $637

Total courses 16

Term length 10 Weeks

Program Overview Why get an MFA online?

Share your story with the world with an online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing . Throughout the program, you'll learn from talented writers who will help you sharpen your skills. Not only will you graduate from the program with a completed novel, but you'll also learn about the business side of creative writing — so you can feel prepared to market your work.

And 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.

Skills you'll learn:

The business and technical sides of professional writing
Navigating the publishing ecosystem, identifying agents and editors, and marketing your work
Using social media to gain a following and build your brand
Teaching writing in a classroom setting

Mariel Embry wearing a navy blue sleeveless shirt working on her laptop with an SNHU sticker on the front .

Courses & Curriculum Put pen to paper with online MFA Creative Writing courses

Explore genres, develop your writing skills and learn how to market yourself with an MFA in Creative Writing from SNHU. By the end of the program, you'll have written and revised a complete novel in one of four genres: contemporary, young adult, romance and speculative.

And with embedded certificates in either online teaching of writing or professional writing , you'll have the skills to support your writing career – no matter where you're headed next.

MFA Creative Writing course curriculum

In the MFA Creative Writing program, you'll study the craft of writing, selecting novels for close study of the elements of writing, authorial techniques, genre conventions and creative decisions.

And as one of the only programs of its kind that encourages a focus on genre fiction, our online MFA lets you hone your craft in an area specific to your strengths and interests. This culminates as your thesis project – a completed novel in the contemporary, young adult, romance or speculative genre.

At SNHU, we also know there's more to a career in writing than perfecting your craft. That's why the online MFA Creative Writing program puts a strong focus on the practical skills you'll need to succeed in the industry. This includes studying the publication process, helping you make informed decisions to get your work into readers' hands.

Courses may include:

Visit the course catalog to view the full MFA in Creative Writing curriculum .

PC (Windows OS) Technical Requirements

Component Type	PC (Windows OS)
Operating System	Currently supported operating system from Microsoft.
Memory (RAM)	8GB or higher
Hard Drive	100GB or higher
Antivirus Software	Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.
SNHU Purchase Programs
Internet/ Bandwidth	5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100ms Latency

Apple (Mac OS) Technical Requirements

Component Type	Apple (Mac OS)
Operating System	Currently supported operating system from Apple.
Memory (RAM)	8GB or higher
Hard Drive	100GB or higher
Antivirus Software	Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.
SNHU Purchase Programs
Internet/ Bandwidth	5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100ms Latency

Additional Information:

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.

Licensure and Certification Disclosures

SNHU has provided additional information for programs that educationally prepare students for professional licensure or certification. Learn more about what that means for your program on our licensure and certification disclosure page .

Earn a career-focused writing certificate before graduating

In addition to a focus on your creative interests, part of our 48-credit online MFA curriculum requires you to choose from 2 certificate offerings. These certificates are included as part of your MFA program and are thoughtfully designed to round out your education and better prepare you for a multitude of writing-related careers.

The Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching of Writing could be the right fit for you if you're interested in teaching in an online classroom setting — a great supplement to a writing career. You'll learn approaches to editing and coaching, as well as how to establish a virtual instructor presence and cultivate methods for supporting and engaging students within online writing communities.

Alternatively, you might be more drawn to 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 content generation, learning many of the freelancing skills integral to today’s project-driven economy.

Graduate with a completed and revised novel

Every graduate of Southern New Hampshire University's online MFA program will leave the program with a 50,000-word manuscript for a novel in one of the four genres the program covers – contemporary, young adult, romance or speculative genre.

If you'd rather combine elements of the four offered genres, you can do that, too. For example, you might write a YA speculative fiction novel. Throughout your tenure in the program, you can choose to work on a singular idea that you will develop during the three thesis courses, or begin a new project for your thesis.

"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."

Apply for free in minutes

Our no-commitment application can help you decide if SNHU is the right college for you and your career goals. Apply up until 2 days before the term starts!

Upcoming term starts: January 06, 2025 | March 24, 2025

Next term starts: Oct. 14, 2024

Online student experience what’s it like going to snhu.

Attending college online at SNHU can be a life-changing experience. In fact, 93.2% of online students would recommend SNHU according to a 2023 survey with 21,000+ respondents.

What to expect:

.b{fill:#21386d;}.c{fill:#21386e;} 10-week terms, .cls-1 { fill: #21386e; } learn around your schedule, .st0{fill:#f1f2f2;} .st1{fill:#f2bb44;} .st2{fill:#23386e;} .st3{fill:none;stroke:#23386e;stroke-width:2.5;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st4{fill:none;stroke:#f1f2f2;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st5{fill:#25396a;} .st6{fill:#21386d;} .st7{fill:none;} .st8{fill:#f1bb45;} .st9{fill:#21396d;} .st10{fill:#22356b;} .st11{fill:none;stroke:#23386e;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st12{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st13{fill:none;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st14{fill:#21376d;} .st15{fill:none;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st16{fill:none;stroke:#23386e;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st17{fill:none;stroke:#21386d;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st18{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#21386d;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st19{fill:none;stroke:#23386e;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st20{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st21{fill:none;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st22{fill:none;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st23{fill:none;stroke:#21386e;stroke-width:0.75;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st24{fill:none;stroke:#091c38;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st25{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#23386e;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st26{fill:#091c38;} .st27{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:4;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st28{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#23386e;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st29{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#21376d;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st30{fill:#ffffff;} 24/7 online support, what does an online course look like.

You’ll take your courses within SNHU’s Brightspace platform. This is where you’ll find your:

Schedule of weekly assignments
Discussion boards
Instructor announcements

What support services are available?

Chat with your advisors Get hands-on help from dedicated academic and career advisors.
Drop in for tutoring Work with a tutor, any time of the day or night – no appointment necessary.
Learn from industry professionals Instructors lead discussions and offer guidance – and they’re just an email away.
Use the online library Access 600,000+ resources or chat with a librarian 24/7.
Reach out for accessibility help Receive accommodations as an eligible student with disabilities.
Focus on your well-being Connect with professionals to improve your health and wellness.

Learn from published authors and award winners

Our online MFA program is taught by a diverse and accomplished faculty of professional writers, who bring with them decades of experience and exhibit strong leadership both in the classroom and in their professional careers. This experience informs the development of courses and curriculum that can help position MFA graduates for success, wherever they go next.

Featured Faculty

Melissa hart.

Melissa Hart is the author of seven books. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Smithsonian, CNN, The Los Angeles Times and more. She was a contributing editor at The Writer Magazine for 15 years and is a frequent contributor at writing conferences across the Northwest.

Position Adjunct Instructor, MFA

Joined SNHU 2017

BA in Literature from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California-Santa Barbara
MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College

"This is a smart, well-crafted program designed for diverse writers who may work full-time and be involved in caregiving, as well. Kind-hearted, talented instructors guide you every step of the way, from a basic study of genre fiction to preparing a polished thesis manuscript for professional publication."

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 400,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

U.S. News & World Report Named SNHU the 2024 Most Innovative University in the North
The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) Awarded SNHU the 21st Century Distance Learning Award for Excellence in Online Technology
Google.org Gave SNHU a $1 million grant to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth

Founded in 1932 , Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 180,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is accredited by the regional accreditor New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

5 ways SNHU makes the admission process "easy-peasy" #shorts

Admission Applying to SNHU is fast and free

No application fee. No test scores. And no college essay. Just a simple form with basic information. It’s another way SNHU helps you reach your goals sooner.

All it takes is 3 simple steps

It's easy, fast and free.

Whether you're applying for an undergraduate or graduate degree, you’ll fill out a form to verify your previous education experience. As part of our admissions process, we'll help you request transcripts from your previous school(s) to see if you can transfer any credits into your SNHU program! (Also for free!)

Additional requirements:

Additional requirements for the online MFA include a creative writing sample (8-12 pages) and a personal statement. Writing samples will be evaluated on narrative technique and structure, character and setting, and the command and execution of language. The personal statement asks you to explain how someone else’s story – such as a novel, movie, or a personal account – has impacted their life and influenced their drive to become a writer.

After reviewing your official evaluation, you can decide if SNHU is right for you! If you choose to enroll, just pick your start date and get ready for classes to begin.

Talk to an admission counselor: 888.327.SNHU | [email protected]

Accreditations

SNHU is accredited by the regional accreditor the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) , which means we meet certain standards of academic quality, and have the tools and resources necessary for students to be successful. The university also carries specialized accreditations for some programs.

Tuition Cost & Savings College can be more affordable than you think

As a nonprofit university, SNHU offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the country. And when you work with our Financial Services team, we'll explore ways to help you save even more on your education – and customize a payment plan that works for you.

Online graduate tuition

*before previously earned credits are applied

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 vary by course.

Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

If 3 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $17,199

If 9 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $13,377

If 12 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $11,466

How we estimate your tuition cost:

We look at the cost per credit multiplied by the number of credits you need to earn for a master's degree. This master's degree requires 48 credits. SNHU allows you to transfer in up to 12 credits, requiring a minimum of 36 credits to be taken at SNHU. This is only a tuition estimator and doesn't account for other fees that may be associated with your program of choice.

Ways to save on online tuition

Transfer credits toward your master's degree program at SNHU. If you’ve taken one course or many, we’ll evaluate them for you.

Fill out the FAFSA to see if you’re eligible for grants or work-study. (You could also be offered loans, though you’ll have to pay those back later.)

Earn credits in leadership, technology and more – while taking advantage of an online graduate tuition discount for active-duty service members and spouses.

Getting free money for college – from SNHU or an outside organization – could help you save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Bring in credits from popular options like CLEP, Sophia Learning, Google and other common credit for prior learning (CPL) experiences.

Receive an online tuition discount if your organization has partnered with SNHU for educational benefits. And consider asking your employer about tuition reimbursement.

Career Outlook What can I do with an online MFA?

If becoming a novelist is your dream, the online MFA in Creative Writing program is a great stepping stone. You'll sharpen your writing skills and apply critique to your work, finishing the program with a complete and publishable novel.

At SNHU, embedded certificates prepare you for even more career opportunities. You’ll graduate with skills needed to make a living as a professional writer in a variety of fields – from marketing, public relations and content writing to grant writing, publishing and teaching.

In addition to careers as authors or editors, MFA graduates can find roles in a wide array of industries, including:

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

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

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

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

Increase in postsecondary teaching positions through 2032, projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1

Median annual salary for writers and authors as of May 2023. In the same timeframe, editors made $75,020 and postsecondary teachers made $84,380. 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.

What SNHU students are saying

I came out of the MFA program with a whole toolbox of writing skills, a solid idea of how the business side of writing works, a finished manuscript — and the confidence to go forward with publishing.

Tara Lynn Conrad '21G

I was attracted to the program because it was fully online. I work full time and have two small children – I did not have time to attend in-person classes. This program gave me the flexibility that I needed to attend school and live my life.

Felicia Warden '20G

The instructors were helpful and the resources were endless. The writing center offered a lot of assistance, and I even made some friends that I will have long after I leave.

Jamilla Geter '21G

Frequently Asked Questions

A well-designed MFA in Creative Writing will build solid writing skills and a foundation in the business of many writing-related careers. Southern New Hampshire University’s online MFA in Creative Writing is one such practical, business-focused program. It teaches students to revise and reflect on their art while learning the print and digital business models — even digital tools — they need to support their creative endeavors.

Graduates of SNHU’s program come away knowing how to use business tools like project management software and online freelance editing resources.

Jane Friedman with the text Jane Friedman

Publishing industry expert and “Publishers Weekly” columnist Jane Friedman – and a subject-matter expert who helped develop the program at SNHU – points to another important aspect of business-oriented programs: writing in the digital age. Most MFA creative writing programs, she said, “are concerned only with artistic excellence. That's fine up until the point you start thinking about how to build a paying career."

Friedman went on to say, “I have a special interest in how the digital age is transforming writing careers, publishing and storytelling. Rather than taking a dark view of how the Internet era has affected writers’ livelihoods, I'm more interested in how revolutionary change can inspire new business models and how authorship will ultimately evolve.”

Yes. SNHU’s MFA in Creative Writing requires no specific undergraduate background. You could have a degree in accounting, as long as you have a passion for writing and your writing sample shows potential.

Because we understand that people start or change careers at any point across their lifetime, we want to ensure access to all of our programs to any student who wishes to learn more about that area of study and earn a credential in that field.

According to Poets & Writers, there are more than 200 MFA in Creative Writing programs throughout the United States. Of those, the vast majority are either full-residency or low-residency programs. 2

Determining which is the best creative writing program comes down to how you answer this question: Which one is best for you ?

Once you’ve narrowed your options by reviewing rankings, school reputations and course offerings, consider the demands on your life: Can you take time off from work to pursue a traditional MFA with a residency requirement? Do you have responsibilities at home that will limit how much time you can devote to your studies? How quickly do you want to earn your degree? And, last but not least, what’s your budget?

Many elite literary programs require 2-year residency commitments. Some welcome only traditional literary fiction – not a wide range of genres. SNHU’s online MFA in Creative Writing can be completed entirely online with no residency requirement. It’s also one of the only programs that welcomes genre writers, which means you can hone your craft in an area tailored to your strengths and interests.

You'll also have a sense of community – even in an online environment. So if you're looking for the chance to get involved as an online student, SNHU's the place for you. Our opportunities to join the ranks of fellow writers include:

Submitting to, and being published in, our online literary journal, the Penmen Review
Joining Word for Word, our bimonthly live-streamed event, to hear published authors read their work aloud and discuss both their creative process and their path to publishing success
Entering our annual short-story competition (known as the Fall Fiction Contest ) for the chance to win SNHU scholarships, publication in the Penmen Review and other prizes
Viewing, or participating in, our Student Writers Spotlight, a live-streamed event where our talented creative writing students share their work

Finally, our program gives you the option to pursue one of 2 graduate writing certificates – online teaching of writing and professional writing – making it a pragmatic choice for a wide variety of career directions.

To MA or to MFA? Once you've decided to earn an advanced degree in creative writing, you need to drill down into the specifics to know which option best fits your needs: What do you want to learn? What skills do you want to acquire? What are your career aspirations?

Practically speaking, a Master of Fine Arts differs from a Master of Arts in a few fundamental ways:

MFAs generally have higher credit requirements and take longer to complete
MFAs tend to be more “studio-based” or writing-intensive than MAs, culminating in a manuscript-length thesis
MAs typically have more of an English literature focus, often containing more literary analysis and theory in addition to reading and writing

Kathleen Harris '21G completed both her MA and MFA at SNHU.

"Both programs were wonderful not only because of the capable professors and instructors, but mainly because I felt I was working toward a goal of both writing and teaching in the field," said the graduate, who finished her MFA in 2021.

Related Programs

Sources & Citations

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/writers-and-authors.htm (viewed June 20, 2024)
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/editors.htm (viewed June 20, 2024)
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm (viewed June 20, 2024)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

2 Poets & Writers, MFA Programs Database, on the internet, at https://www.pw.org/mfa (viewed June 20, 2024).

3 College Art Association of America, Guidelines for the MFA Degree in Art and Design, on the internet, at https://www.collegeart.org/standards-and-guidelines/guidelines/mfa (viewed June 20, 2024).

Creative Writing, MFA

Small, intensive and supportive, merging a playful approach to contemporary experimentation with an ambitious exploration of literary traditions, Miami University's MFA program draws students from across the country and beyond to classes in creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, multimedia and performance writing.

Practice-Oriented

The program’s core consists of four practice-oriented workshops focused on student writing. MFA writers also take seminars in literature (usually in contemporary British and American literature) and a course devoted to questions of theory and practice. Every aspect of the program - especially the close mentorship of faculty writers - is designed to nurture the composition of a publishable full-length work of fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction by the end of the second year of study.

Miami’s graduate creative writing alumni enjoy successful writing careers (recent graduates have sold first books to Alfred A. Knopf, Random House and Harcourt) as well as careers in university teaching, public service, editing and publishing.

Funding Opportunities

All students admitted to the MFA program in Creative Writing hold generous Graduate Assistantships, teaching first-year composition in Miami’s renowned rhetoric and composition program. Non-teaching assistantships may also be available. Students teach creative writing during the second year.

My time at Miami was integral to the process of writing and selling my memoir. The creative writing faculty helped foster my voice and style and find the language I needed to talk about my project and my writing, which gave me an edge when pitching agents and publishers. My cohort provided astute and serious criticism of my writing as well as a community of writers with different writing styles and interests whom I still look to for advice and feedback.

Matt Young, author, Eat the Apple (Bloomsbury, 2018)

Graduate Successes

Faculty and mentors.

Graduate students often work with faculty from across the department, taking advantage of our rich interdisciplinary expertise

MFA Faculty

Joseph bates.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2006

Co-Editor of the Miami University Press Associate Professor of English

Margaret Luongo

MFA, Creative Writing, University of Florida, 2001

Associate Professor of English

Eric Melbye

PhD, Creative Writing, University of Denver, 2001

Associate Professor of English (Middletown Campus)

Areas: Community-Based Learning, Creative Writing, Creative Writing Pedagogy, Exile Studies

PhD, English and American Literature, Cornell, 1995

Professor of English and Affiliate of American Studies, Director of the Miami University Humanities Center

Areas: U.S. Literary and Cultural History Since 1950, Cold War Studies, Postmodernism, Fiction Writing

TaraShea Nesbit

PhD, University of Denver, 2015 Associate Professor of English

Areas: 20th and 21st Century Fiction and Creative Nonfiction, Historical Fiction, Lyric Essays, Multi-Genre Texts, Creative Writing Pedagogy.

Brian Roley

JD, University of California, Los Angeles and MFA, Creative Writing, Cornell University, 1998

Professor of English and Affiliate of Global and Intercultural Studies, Director of Creative Writing

Areas: Creative Writing; Film, Theatre and Literature Adaptations; Disability / Medical Narratives; Contemporary and Twentieth Century Literature; Asian American Literature; Literature and the Law

Emily Spencer ,

M.F.A., University of Iowa, Iowa Writers' Workshop B.A., The Ohio State University

Areas: Poetry and Poetics, Creative Writing, Contemporary Poetry

PhD, University of Chicago, 1987

Assistant Professor of English and Co-Editor of the Miami University Press

Areas: Modern and Contemporary British, Irish, American, and Anglophone Literature, Creative and Performance Writing, Poetry and Poetics, Anecdotes and Ephemera, Travel Writing

Cathy Wagner

PhD, University of Utah, 2000 Professor of English

Areas: Creative Writing, Poetry Writing, Contemporary and Modern American Poetry and Poetics, Contemporary and Modern British Poetry and Poetics, Poetry and Politics

Current Creative Writing Grad Students

Creative nonfiction and fiction mfa students, ritika bali.

BA, English Literature, Lady Shri Ram College for Women MBA, Marketing, Institute of Management Technology

Creative interests: prose poem, flash, short stories, magical realism, photo essays, spiritualism, graphic novels, migration literature, journaling, folklore and legends, Indian mythology, historical fiction

Kayla Belser

BA International Business, University of Cincinnati BA Creative Writing, Northern Kentucky University

Chris Bowyer

MA Philosophy, Miami University BA Philosophy, Miami University

David W. Carstens

BA, English, Kenyon College

Creative interests: technology, religion, German, literature, philosophy, social alienation, individualism, game design, the internet, community (and the lack thereof), environmentalism, loneliness, climate change.

Ash Ganderi

BA, Creative Writing & Mass Communication, Miami University

Priyadarshini Oshin Gogoi

BA, MA, University of Delhi

Creative interests: YA and children's fiction, poetry, micro and flash fiction, hybrid genres, memoir, non-fiction writing, and speculative fiction

Joshua Konecke

MA, Kansas State University BA, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Molly Moran

MA, Georgetown University BA, Catholic University of America

Tanushree Mukherjee

MA, Journalism and Media Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Creative Interests: Reading fiction, hope to complete a long-form fiction project

Mary Newton

BA, English/Creative Writing, UCLA MA, English/Literature, San Francisco State University

Xavier Prince

BA, English, Salisbury University

Sammie Stahlhut

BS, English Language Arts Education, University of Central Florida

Creative Interests: Novels and novellas, Southern Gothic, queer identity, absurdism, environmentalism, humor, and ordinary perspectives

Kendra Stiers

BA, Creative Writing, Miami University

BS, Creative Writing, Ashland University

Poetry MFA Students

Jeremy daugherty.

BA, MA, English, Northern Kentucky University

Creative interests: elegy and the works of confessional poets; creative writing pedagogy in the composition classroom.

Adefemi Fagite

BA, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta

Creative interests: social injustice, grief, speculative fiction, and African poetry

Matt Farley

BA, English Literature/Creative Writing, Miami University

Hallie Fogarty

BA, Northern Kentucky University

Creative interests: women poets, Affrilachian Literature, formal poetry, LGBTQ writers, mental illness in poetry, sestinas, confessional poetry

Sophia Judge

BA, Creative Writing, University of Cincinnati

Creative interests: climate-based literature and poetry, feminist works

Ross Kohler

BA, Miami University

Maddie Portune

BSB, Marketing & International Studies, IUPUI MA, English Literature, Indiana University

Creative Interests: Poetry (confessional, new formalism, micro), modern adaptations of mythology & religion, historical fiction (esp. Exploring European history & language), bisexuality in popular media & literature, feminist theory, queer theory, pedagogical approaches to writing & literature, linguistic justice & literary studies in young adult literature

Danton Remoto

MPhil, Publishing Studies, University of Stirling UK; BA/MA Literature, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines

Creative Interests : Postcolonial Poetry, Lyrical Poetry, Creative Writing Pedagogy

Hossein Sobhani

MA, University of Southern Denmark BA, Persian Gulf University

Creative Interests: Narrative and the way in which our lives and identities are intertwined with narrative

Cody Tieman

BA, English, Denison University

Kyle Williams

BA, University of West Indies

Reynie Zimmerman

Director of Graduate Creative Writing Program, Brian Roley

Interim Director of English Department Graduate Studies, Tim Lockridge ( [email protected])

Department of English

501 E. High Street Oxford, OH 45056

Online: Miami Online
Main Operator 513-529-1809
Office of Admission 513-529-2531
Vine Hotline 513-529-6400
Emergency Info https://miamioh.edu/emergency

1601 University Blvd. Hamilton, OH 45011

Online: E-Campus
Main Operator 513-785-3000
Office of Admission 513-785-3111
Campus Status Line 513-785-3077
Emergency Info https://miamioh.edu/regionals/emergency

4200 N. University Blvd. Middletown, OH 45042

Main Operator 513-727-3200
Office of Admission 513-727-3216
Campus Status 513-727-3477

7847 VOA Park Dr. (Corner of VOA Park Dr. and Cox Rd.) West Chester, OH 45069

Main Operator 513-895-8862
From Middletown 513-217-8862

Chateau de Differdange 1, Impasse du Chateau, L-4524 Differdange Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Main Operator 011-352-582222-1
Email [email protected]
Website https://miamioh.edu/luxembourg

217-222 MacMillan Hall 501 E. Spring St. Oxford, OH 45056, USA

Main Operator 513-529-8600

Initiatives

Miami THRIVE Strategic Plan
Miami Rise Strategic Plan
Boldly Creative
Annual Report
Moon Shot for Equity
Miami and Ohio
Majors, Minors, and Programs
Inclusive Excellence
Employment Opportunities
University Safety and Security
Parking, Directions, and Maps
Equal Opportunity
Consumer Information
Land Acknowledgement
Privacy Statement
Title IX Statement
Report an Accessibility Issue
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
Report a Problem with this Website
Policy Library

MFA Program in Creative Writing

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.

MFA program specifics can be viewed here: MFA Timeline Procedural Guide

Special Committee

Every graduate student selects a special committee of faculty advisors who works intensively with the student in selecting courses and preparing and revising the thesis. The committee is comprised of two Cornell creative writing faculty members: a chair and one minor member. An additional member may be added to represent an interdisciplinary field. 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 for each student guides and supervises all academic work and assesses progress in a series of meetings with the students.

At Cornell, teaching is considered an integral part of training for a career in writing. The field requires a carefully supervised teaching experience of at least one year for every MFA candidate as part of the program requirements. The Department of English, in conjunction with the First-Year Writing Program, offers excellent training for beginning teachers and varied and interesting teaching in this university-wide program. These are not conventional freshman composition courses, but full-fledged academic seminars, often designed by graduate students themselves. The courses are writing-intensive and may fall under such general rubrics as “Portraits of the Self,” “American Literature and Culture,” “Shakespeare” and “Cultural Studies,” among others. A graduate student may also serve as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate lecture course taught by a member of the Department of Literatures in English faculty.

All MFA degree candidates are guaranteed two years of funding (including a stipend , a full tuition fellowship and student health insurance).

Graduate Assistantship with EPOCH . Students read submissions, plan special issues and assume other editorial and administrative responsibilities.
Summer Teaching Assistantship, linked to a teachers' training program. Summer residency in Ithaca is required.
Teaching Assistantship
Summer Fellowship (made possible by the David L. Picket ’84 Fund and The James McConkey Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing Award for Summer Support, established by his enduringly grateful student, Len Edelstein ’59)

Optional MFA Lecturer Appointments Degree recipients who are actively seeking outside funding/employment are eligible to apply to teach for one or two years as a lecturer. These positions are made possible by an endowment established by the late Philip H. Freund ’29 and a bequest from the Truman Capote Literary Trust.

Admission & Application Procedures

The application for Fall 2025 admission will open on September 15, 2024 and will close on December 1, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. Please note that staff support is available M-F 9am-4pm.

Eligibility : Applicants must currently have, or expect to have, at least a BA or BS (or the equivalent) in any field before matriculation. International students, please verify degree equivalency here . Applicants are not required to take the GRE test or meet a specified GPA minimum.

To Apply: All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted on-line through the Graduate School application system . While completing your application, you may save and edit your data. Once you click “submit,” your application will be closed for changes. Please proofread your materials carefully. Once you pay and click submit, you will not be able to make any changes or revisions.

DEADLINE: Dec. 1, 11:59 p.m. EST . This deadline is firm. No applications, additional materials or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

MFA Program Application Requirements Checklist

Academic Statement of Purpose Please use the Academic Statement of Purpose to describe, within 1000 words: (1) your academic interests, (2) your academic background, preparation, and training, including any relevant professional experiences, (3) your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in this specific program, and (4) your professional goals.
Personal Statement Your Personal Statement should provide the admissions committee with a sense of you as a whole person, and you should use it to describe how your background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Additionally, it should provide insight into your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn and work productively and positively together. Writing your Personal Statement provides you with an opportunity to share experiences that provide insights into how your personal, academic, and/or professional experiences demonstrate your ability to be both persistent and resilient, especially when navigating challenging circumstances. The statement also allows you to provide examples of how you engage with others and have facilitated and/or participated in productive collaborative endeavors. Additionally, it provides you with an opportunity to provide context around any perceived gaps or weaknesses in your academic record. Content in the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content contained within the Academic Statement of Purpose, which should focus explicitly on your academic interests, previous research experience, and intended area of research during your graduate studies. A complete writing prompt is available in the application portal.
Three Letters of Recommendation Please select three people who best know you and your work. Submitting additional letters will not enhance your application. In the recommendation section of the application, you must include the email address of each recommender. After you save the information (and before you pay/submit), the application system will automatically generate a recommendation request email to your recommender with instructions for submitting the letter electronically. If your letters are stored with a credential service such as Interfolio, please use their “online application delivery” feature and input the email address assigned to your stored document, rather than that of your recommender’s. The electronic files will be attached to your application when they are received and will not require the letter of recommendation cover page. Please do not postpone submitting your application while waiting for us to receive all three of your letters. For more information please visit the Graduate School's page on preparing letters of recommendations .
Transcripts Scan transcripts from each institution you have attended, or are currently attending, and upload into the academic information section of the application. Be sure to remove your social security number from all documents prior to scanning. Please do not send paper copies of your transcripts. If you are subsequently admitted and accept, the graduate school will require an official paper transcript from your degree-awarding institution prior to matriculation.
English Language Proficiency Requirement All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. For more information, please view the Graduate School’s English Language Requirement .
Fiction applicants: Your sample must be between 6,000 and 10,000 words, typed, double-spaced, in a conventional 12- or 14-point font. It may be an excerpt from a larger work or a combination of several works.
Poetry applicants: Your sample must be 10 pages in length and include a combination of several poems, where possible.

General Information for All Applicants

Application Fee: Visit the Graduate School for information regarding application fees , payment options, and fee waivers . Please do not send inquires regarding fee waivers.

Document Identification: Please do not put your social security number on any documents.

Status Inquiries: Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also be able to check the completion status of your application in your account. If vital sections of your application are missing, we will notify you via email after the Dec. 1 deadline and allow you ample time to provide the missing materials. Please do not inquire about the status of your application.

Credential/Application Assessments: The admission review committee members are unable to review application materials or applicant credentials prior to official application submission. Once the committee has reviewed the applications and made admissions decisions, they will not discuss the results or make any recommendations for improving the strength of an applicant’s credentials. Applicants looking for feedback are advised to consult with their undergraduate advisor or someone else who knows them and their work.

Review Process: Application review begins after the submission deadline. Notification of admissions decisions will be made by email or by telephone by the end of February.

Connecting with Faculty and/or Students: Unfortunately, due to the volume of inquiries we receive, faculty and current students are not available to correspond with potential applicants prior to an offer of admission. Applicants who are offered admission will have the opportunity to meet faculty and students to have their questions answered prior to accepting. Staff and faculty are also not able to pre-assess potential applicant’s work outside of the formal application process. Please email [email protected] instead, if you have questions.

Visiting: The department does not offer pre-admission visits or interviews. Admitted applicants will be invited to visit the department, attend graduate seminars and meet with faculty and students before making the decision to enroll.

Transfer Credits: Transfer credits are not available toward the MFA program.

Admissions FAQ

For Further Information

Contact [email protected]

MFA in Creative Writing Graduation Readings

Jump to navigation Skip to content

Search form

P&W on Facebook
P&W on Twitter
P&W on Instagram

Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff. In the Literary Magazines database you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to know before submitting your work to the publications that share your vision for your work.

Whether you’re pursuing the publication of your first book or your fifth, use the Small Presses database to research potential publishers, including submission guidelines, tips from the editors, contact information, and more.

Research more than one hundred agents who represent poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers, plus details about the kinds of books they’re interested in representing, their clients, and the best way to contact them.

Every week a new publishing professional shares advice, anecdotes, insights, and new ways of thinking about writing and the business of books.

Find publishers ready to read your work now with our Open Reading Periods page, a continually updated resource listing all the literary magazines and small presses currently open for submissions.

Since our founding in 1970, Poets & Writers has served as an information clearinghouse of all matters related to writing. While the range of inquiries has been broad, common themes have emerged over time. Our Top Topics for Writers addresses the most popular and pressing issues, including literary agents, copyright, MFA programs, and self-publishing.

Our series of subject-based handbooks (PDF format; $4.99 each) provide information and advice from authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers. Now available: The Poets & Writers Guide to Publicity and Promotion, The Poets & Writers Guide to the Book Deal, The Poets & Writers Guide to Literary Agents, The Poets & Writers Guide to MFA Programs, and The Poets & Writers Guide to Writing Contests.

Find a home for your work by consulting our searchable databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, and more.

Poets & Writers lists readings, workshops, and other literary events held in cities across the country. Whether you are an author on book tour or the curator of a reading series, the Literary Events Calendar can help you find your audience.

Get the Word Out is a new publicity incubator for debut fiction writers and poets.

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

Well over ten thousand poets and writers maintain listings in this essential resource for writers interested in connecting with their peers, as well as editors, agents, and reading series coordinators looking for authors. Apply today to join the growing community of writers who stay in touch and informed using the Poets & Writers Directory.

Let the world know about your work by posting your events on our literary events calendar, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

Find a writers group to join or create your own with Poets & Writers Groups. Everything you need to connect, communicate, and collaborate with other poets and writers—all in one place.

Find information about more than two hundred full- and low-residency programs in creative writing in our MFA Programs database, which includes details about deadlines, funding, class size, core faculty, and more. Also included is information about more than fifty MA and PhD programs.

Whether you are looking to meet up with fellow writers, agents, and editors, or trying to find the perfect environment to fuel your writing practice, the Conferences & Residencies is the essential resource for information about well over three hundred writing conferences, writers residencies, and literary festivals around the world.

Discover historical sites, independent bookstores, literary archives, writing centers, and writers spaces in cities across the country using the Literary Places database—the best starting point for any literary journey, whether it’s for research or inspiration.

Search for jobs in education, publishing, the arts, and more within our free, frequently updated job listings for writers and poets.

Establish new connections and enjoy the company of your peers using our searchable databases of MFA programs and writers retreats, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

Each year the Readings & Workshops program provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops. Learn more about this program, our special events, projects, and supporters, and how to contact us.

The Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community, providing them with a network for professional advancement.

Find information about how Poets & Writers provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops.

Bring the literary world to your door—at half the newsstand price. Available in print and digital editions, Poets & Writers Magazine is a must-have for writers who are serious about their craft.

View the contents and read select essays, articles, interviews, and profiles from the current issue of the award-winning Poets & Writers Magazine .

Read essays, articles, interviews, profiles, and other select content from Poets & Writers Magazine as well as Online Exclusives.

View the covers and contents of every issue of Poets & Writers Magazine , from the current edition all the way back to the first black-and-white issue in 1987.

Every day the editors of Poets & Writers Magazine scan the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know.

In our weekly series of craft essays, some of the best and brightest minds in contemporary literature explore their craft in compact form, articulating their thoughts about creative obsessions and curiosities in a working notebook of lessons about the art of writing.

The Time Is Now offers weekly writing prompts in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to help you stay committed to your writing practice throughout the year. Sign up to get The Time Is Now, as well as a weekly book recommendation for guidance and inspiration, delivered to your inbox.

Every week a new author shares books, art, music, writing prompts, films—anything and everything—that has inspired and shaped the creative process.

Listen to original audio recordings of authors featured in Poets & Writers Magazine . Browse the archive of more than 400 author readings.

Ads in Poets & Writers Magazine and on pw.org are the best ways to reach a readership of serious poets and literary prose writers. Our audience trusts our editorial content and looks to it, and to relevant advertising, for information and guidance.

Start, renew, or give a subscription to Poets & Writers Magazine ; change your address; check your account; pay your bill; report a missed issue; contact us.

Peruse paid listings of writing contests, conferences, workshops, editing services, calls for submissions, and more.

Poets & Writers is pleased to provide free subscriptions to Poets & Writers Magazine to award-winning young writers and to high school creative writing teachers for use in their classrooms.

Read select articles from the award-winning magazine and consult the most comprehensive listing of literary grants and awards, deadlines, and prizewinners available in print.

Subscribe Now

MFA Programs Contact Form

Help us keep this database current. If you have updated information on one of the programs listed in the MFA database, let us know.

MFA Programs Database

Help Keep This Database Current

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

Adelphi University

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

Albertus Magnus College

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

Alma College

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

American University

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

Antioch University

Poetry: Victoria Chang Prose: Lisa Locascio

Arcadia University

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

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

Arizona State University

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

Ashland University

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

Augsburg University

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

Ball State University

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

Bard College

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

Bath Spa University

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

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

Bay Path University

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

Bennington Writing Seminars at Bennington College

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

Binghamton University

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

Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University

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

Boise State University

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

Boston University

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

Boston University—MFA in Literary Translation

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

Bowling Green State University

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

Brigham Young University

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

Brooklyn College

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

Pursue your MFA in Writing

As a student in Sarah Lawrence’s nationally recognized Masters program in Writing, you will work in close collaboration with faculty members who are both distinguished writers and devoted mentors.

While students concentrate in fiction , poetry , creative nonfiction , or speculative fiction , you are encouraged to explore your writing fearlessly, ranging beyond genre boundaries as freely as you wish.

Why Sarah Lawrence?

You can take classes in every genre we offer—fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and speculative fiction (fantasy/sci-fi)
You will have bi-weekly individual meetings with faculty to discuss your work in-depth
You will study with award-winning faculty, including Carolyn Ferrell, Jo Ann Beard, David Hollander, Marie Howe, Garth Risk Hallberg, Clifford Thompson, and Jacob Slichter
You’ll benefit from the College’s proximity to the New York City literary scene and our strong connections to the publishing industry
We have a tradition of literary excellence for more than 80 years

MFA Writing Fiction

MFA Fiction students focus on bringing together precision of language with boldness of imaginative grasp. We closely study the craft lessons learned by the writers who have gone before us—but never lose sight of the fact that each new work of fiction is a leap into the unknown.

MFA Creative Nonfiction

Our students engage in spirited and thought-provoking investigations of the aesthetics and ethics of nonfiction writing. MFA students consider questions such as: Is it possible to write freely about other people without exploiting them? Is there a difference between factual and essential truth? How do we find narrative coherence within the messy actualities of life?

The focus is both minute and broad—examining poems on a cellular level, then talking about larger issues, such as poetic traditions and compositional techniques. We ask for full participation, deep inquiry, and rigor.

MFA Speculative Fiction

We look closely at the special questions posed by speculative fiction, paying particular attention to the question of how to combine mind-bending world-building with powerful narrative drive. We begin from the premise that the literary exploration of alternative realities deserves as much respect as any other literary genre, and that fantasy and sci-fi writers are producing some of the most compelling fiction of our time.

Yes! I’m interested in MFA Writing at Sarah Lawrence College and want more information.

English Department

MFA in Creative Writing

The MFA in Creative Writing at NAU is an interdisciplinary, full-time, two-year program in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid forms. Students participate in writing workshops, undertake coursework in literature, and study critical theory. MFA candidates present a creative thesis of between 45 to 200 pages, depending on genre. Our program’s vibrant literary culture includes the annual literary journal Thin Air and the biweekly Cinder Skies Reading Series. Typically the program cohort comprises 30 and 35 students who hail from every region of the U.S., as well as Fulbright scholars, most recently from Lebanon, Lesotho, Iraq, and Russia.

MODALITY Accordion Closed

Since our founding, we have been primarily a residential, in-person program. Currently we remain primarily in-person and do not offer a fully remote option.

TO APPLY Accordion Closed

The deadline to apply for admission with funding is February 1. Applications after that date may still be considered for admission, but cannot be considered for tuition waivers or graduate teaching assistantships.

The most important part of the application is the writing sample. Your writing sample should be 10 pages for poetry and 20 pages for prose or a multi-genre application. Poetry should be single-spaced; prose should be double-spaced. Submitting a longer sample is acceptable, but the committee might not read beyond the 10- or 20-page minimum—basically, it will neither hurt nor help your chances.

Submit strong, fresh work that best represents your writerly voice and current artistic interests and impulses. It may be in a single genre or multiple. Your application will also include a personal statement, which is typically one to two pages, and at least two letters of recommendation, along with the regular requirements for NAU graduate admission (transcripts, etc.) Recommendations can be uploaded directly from recommenders, or you can use a dossier service such as Interfolio (have them sent to [email protected] and we will get them added to your file). Most people solicit one or both of their recommendations from former professors and teachers, but we are flexible and open to a wide range of life experiences that may draw upon other sources of recommendation who can speak accurately to your intellectual curiosity, your character, and your work ethic. If you are applying for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, be sure your recommender comments on your ability or potential for teaching.

Information and the link to apply can be found here: https://nau.edu/graduate-college/admissions/ .

THE MFA PROGRAM FACULTY Accordion Closed

Our core faculty of award-winning writers and teachers are all tenured or tenure-track, and we deeply value the art of teaching and mentorship alongside writing and publishing our own ongoing work.

SHERWIN BITSUI ( [email protected] ) teaches poetry and poetics. He is the author of three collections of poetry, Dissolve (Copper Canyon, 2018) , Flood Song (Copper Canyon, 2009), and Shapeshift (University of Arizona Press, 2003). He is the recipient of a Whiting Award, an American Book Award, and the PEN Open Book Award. His poems have appeared in Narrative, Black Renaissance Noir, American Poet, The Iowa Review, LIT , and elsewhere. He is Diné of the Todích’ii’nii (Bitter Water Clan), born for the Tlizílaaní (Many Goats Clan), and has received fellowships from the Lannan Foundation and the Native Arts & Culture Foundation. blueflowerarts.com/artist/sherwin-bitsui

CHELSEY JOHNSON ( [email protected] ) teaches fiction and writing for television. She is the author of the novel Stray City (Custom House/HarperCollins, 2018), and her writing has appeared in Ploughshares , One Story, Gulf Coast, The New York Times, Elle, and NPR’s Selected Shorts, among others. She is the recipient of a Stegner Fellowship from Stanford as well as fellowships to MacDowell, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, and Signal Fire Arts. www.chelseyjohnson.com

LAWRENCE LENHART ( [email protected] ) teaches creative nonfiction, editing and publishing, and climate science writing. He is the author of the essay collections The Well-Stocked and Gilded Cage (Outpost19, 2017) and Of No Ground: Small Island/Big Ocean Contingencies (West Virginia University Press, forthcoming), and a book-length essay about the black-footed ferret (University of Georgia Press, forthcoming). His prose appears in Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, Gulf Coast, Passages North, Prairie Schooner, and elsewhere. He is a founding editor of Carbon Copy and the reviews editor of DIAGRAM . www.lawrencelenhart.com

KT THOMPSON ( [email protected] ) teaches creative nonfiction, critical theory, and climate science writing. KT is the author of Blanket (Bloomsbury, 2018) and Contingent Love, Unsettled Futures (Duke University Press, forthcoming.) The recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, their creative nonfiction has appeared in Tin House, LitHub, and The Atlantic online, and their scholarly articles have appeared in Social Text, ISLE, Avidly, and The Philosophical Salon. KT is the creative nonfiction editor of ISLE: International Studies in Literature and the Environment. www.k-thompson.com

NICOLE WALKER , MFA program founder ( [email protected] ), teaches poetry, creative nonfiction, and climate science writing. She is the author of, most recently, The After-Normal: Brief, Alphabetical Essays on a Changing Planet (Rose Metal Press, 2019) and the Nautilus Award–winning Sustainability: A Love Story (Mad Creek Books/The Ohio State University Press, 2018) . Her previous books include Where the Tiny Things Are , Egg , Micrograms, Quench Your Thirst with Salt, and This Noisy Egg. Her work has been published in Orion, Boston Review, Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, The Normal School and other places. A recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and noted in multiple editions of Best American Essays , she is the nonfiction editor at Diagram and co-director of the biannual NonfictionNow conference. www.nikwalk.com

THE MFA PROGRAM OF STUDY Accordion Closed

Our program balances writing workshops with literary study to build well-rounded writers and readers. The MFA program of study consists of the following 36 units of credit: • Four graduate workshops —500- and 600-level creative writing courses (which may be repeated up to three times) (12 units of credit total) • Two courses in literature, critical theory, and/or readings in creative writing (6 units) • Four electives —additional workshops, lit courses, and other graduate courses across the university—chosen with your advisor’s approval (12 units) • Two course blocks of thesis hours (ENG 699) for the research, writing and revision of your thesis (6 units; most people take all 6 in the spring of their second year, but some split it 3-3 between fall and spring)

THE MFA THESIS is a creative work of substantial depth and focus that typically spans anywhere from 40 pages (for a poetry collection) to upward of 200 pages (for a long-form prose manuscript.) An accumulation of what you’ve experienced throughout your MFA, the thesis may include new work as well as writing that has benefitted from the workshop experience. It may take the form of a novel, a memoir, an extended nonfiction narrative, a story collection, an essay collection, a poetry collection, or a multi-genre collection.

TUITION AND FEES Accordion Closed

In 2022-23, annual tuition and fees for Arizona residents cost $12,640. For non-residents, tuition and fees cost $27,940. Typically, almost all MFA students receive partial or full funding, and we in the program will do everything we can to help you cover tuition costs.

FINANCIAL AID AND OTHER WAYS TO FUND YOUR STUDIES Accordion Closed

Here are some of the ways our students fund their lives and studies, both within the university system and outside of it. For full information, see https://nau.edu/graduate-college/graduate-assistantships-tuition-waivers/ .

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) may be awarded for the first and/or second year of the program. In the first year of teaching, GTAs teach one section of the composition class ENG 105 per semester and work a weekly six-hour tutoring shift in the university writing center. The current GTA stipend is $16,000 per academic year. You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply for a GTA. Full details at https://nau.edu/english/resources/graduate-assistantships/ .

In the second year of teaching, GTAs may continue with the 105 + writing center load; or, with approval from the Director of Composition, they may teach two sections of composition per semester, one 105 and one 205; or they may apply to teach introductory creative writing courses. Creative writing teaching positions are limited and competitive.

At-Large Graduate Assistantships are non-teaching positions offered throughout the university. This is an excellent option for those who do not apply for or receive a GTA. They come with full or partial tuition waivers, benefits, and stipends that vary by office, job duties, and degree-level. Positions are regularly updated at nau.edu/graduate-college/graduate-assistantships-tuition-waivers/

Tuition waivers: A limited number of tuition waivers are available to out-of-state or in-state students who can demonstrate financial need. To present yourself as a candidate for one of these awards, please download the English Department tuition waiver form .

• If you’re an Arizona resident, apply for a waiver of resident tuition; these waivers cover the cost of in-state tuition for fall and/or spring semester.
If you are not an Arizona resident, apply for non-resident waivers; these waivers cover only the out-of-state portion of University tuition for fall and/or spring semester. If you are awarded a non-resident waiver, you will still be responsible for paying the in-state portion of tuition.
Veterans are automatically eligible for in-state tuition, and active-duty military receive Department of Defense tuition assistance. For more info: https://nau.edu/graduate-college/veterans-educational-benefits/
Full-time employees of NAU and their families receive a full tuition benefit and can take graduate classes at no cost. More here: https://nau.edu/office-of-scholarships-and-financial-aid/employee-tuition-reduction/
Jobs in Flagstaff: And, of course, graduate students work in the community beyond NAU. Current and recent students hold jobs at bookstores, coffee shops, restaurants, nonprofits, county offices, Grand Canyon river guiding, and more.

THE CREATIVE WRITING CERTIFICATE IN ENVIRONMENTAL NARRATIVE Accordion Closed

Some MFA students choose to incorporate this new certificate into their studies (or even stay a third year to complete it). It can also be taken independently from the MFA as a standalone certificate and/or in conjunction with other graduate programs at NAU.

This new eighteen-credit certificate program trains students to write literary fiction and nonfiction that incorporates scientific inquiry and place-based narratives in order to publish work that speaks to a wide audience interested in ecology, sustainability, and climate change and solutions. Students may work in a wide range of genres, including realism, speculative fiction, nature writing, longform nonfiction, and lyric, braided, and poetic forms. The certificate incorporates writing workshops, literary study, science-centered courses, and field work, and culminates in a capstone writing project.

Note : Although the MFA program can’t offer GTA funding beyond two years, students who begin the GTA in their second year can continue for a third, and environmental certificate students can apply for at-large GA positions and tuition waivers.

WHERE WE ARE Accordion Closed

Writing about place is intrinsic to the practice of many of us in the program, faculty and students alike, and northern Arizona is a unique, complex, and beautiful place in which to live and write. Known as Kinłání in the Diné (Navajo) language, present-day Flagstaff was founded in 1882; Northern Arizona University was founded in 1899, and Arizona was declared a state of the U.S. in 1912. Long before and ever since these settler establishments, this land and its surroundings are the homelands of Diné, Hopis, Apaches, Yavapais, Hualapais, and many other Indigenous people who have always lived and continue to live here, and whose practices and spiritualities have always been tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the land and its other inhabitants today. Cultural humility, conscientiousness, and respect are paramount for those of us who are guests in this land.

Located at 7,000 feet, Flagstaff today is a complex and multicultural city of mountains, forests, extensive trails, observatories, independent bookstores, coffee shops, excellent public libraries, craft breweries, a strong and supportive arts community, small theater companies, readings and spoken word series, Indigenous activism, historic Route 66, elite athlete training, and astonishing geological diversity. The temperate four-season climate, proximity to the Grand Canyon, walkable historic downtown, and abundant natural beauty contribute to a substantial summer-resident and tourist population—and thus a fairly high cost of living. A detailed and ever-growing list of community resources, arts organizations, recreation, and volunteer opportunities is compiled in our MFA Student Handbook and is available upon request.

Additional questions? Contact the MFA program director at [email protected] or any of the other faculty members listed above.

Department of English

Mailing address.

Open Curriculum - map your own educational journey >
What is campus life like at MIU? >

Home of Consciousness-Based Education Accredited

An accredited non-profit university with on-campus & online degrees >

Consumer Information

A non-profit university with on-campus and online degree programs

Home of Consciousness-Based Education

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Degree Programs
Costs & Aid
Open Curriculum
Online Learning
Consciousness-Based Education
Block System
Transcendental Meditation
Campus Life
Professors Who Care
Innovative Sustainability
Mission & Core Values
Core Abilities
Request Info >
Apply > --> Apply >

MFA in Creative Writing online

Meditate and create.

Immerse yourself in a mentorship-based program with online residencies
Use meditation and self-care as tools to access your creative imagination
Choose an emphasis in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or dual genre
Complete a book-length manuscript with professional support
Grow and thrive in our close-knit, inclusive literary community
Federal financial aid typically covers tuition and up to $10,000 per year towards living expenses for US students

Explore the program

“What a wonderful rarity, an MFA that puts creative process before product, focusing on the writer before the creative work. I’m excited about MIU’s new program!”

– N.J. Campbell, author of Found Audio , No. 1 on the Chicago Tribune’s Ultimate Summer Reading List, 2017 , named a Writer to Watch by Publisher’s Weekly .

Writing as a process of discovery

This formerly low-residency program is now fully online, with online residencies to give you a similar level of personal connection.

Get started by contacting Kasyn

Contact Kasyn >

International applicants may connect with us through our international inquiry form .

Next entry: Feb 2025 Apply to MIU > Next entry: Feb 2025 Apply to MIU >

“Go within and scale the depths of your being from which your very life springs forth.”

– Rainer Maria Rilke

– Hertha D. Sweet Wong, PhD, Professor and Associate Dean of Arts and Humanities at UC Berkeley, author of Sending My Heart Back Across the Years: Tradition and Innovation in Native American Autobiography ( Oxford University Press), co-editor of Family of Earth and Sky: Indigenous Tales of Nature from around the World (Beacon Press). Read more of this interview with author Linda Egenes.

Transform & thrive in our creative community

“If you or anyone you know wants to dive into creative writing and periodically drop in on a fascinating, artsy little meditation town in Iowa, check out this unique MFA in Creative Writing!”

– Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Senior Editor at Smithsonian Magazine

Write a book with professional support

Reading & literature

“Read a thousand books and your words will flow like a river.”

– Virginia Woolf

We’ll guide you from writer to author

What can you do with your MFA?

MIU graduate N. J. Campbell signing a copy of his book

Sample a Free Creative Writing Class

Please fill out the form below, and we’ll contact you about joining one of our creative writing webinars.

Meet our featured MFA faculty

Nynke Passi Program director

Nynke Passi holds a graduate degree from SF State University and has been published in CALYX , Gulf Coast , Red River Review , Poetry Breakfast , The Anthology of New England Writers , River of Earth & Sky (Blue Light Press), Carrying the Branch (Glass Lyre Press), and more. A Pushcart nominee, she was a finalist in the 2014 Jeffrey E. Smith Editor’s Prize of The Missouri Review . She is Associate Professor and founding faculty of MIU’s creative writing programs.

Jennifer Espinoza

Joshua Jennifer Espinoza is a trans woman poet living in California. She is the author of THERE SHOULD BE FLOWERS (Civil Coping Mechanisms, 2016) and I’m Alive / It Hurts / I Love It (Big Lucks 2019). She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of California at Riverside.

Ben McClendon

Ben McClendon earned his PhD in English from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, specializing in Creative Writing (Poetry) and Rhetoric / Composition. He also studied Creative Writing and English Education at Northern Arizona University. Ben’s poetry can be found in literary journals such as Rattle , Indiana Review , The Chariton Review , Stirring , Zone 3 , and Redivider .

Sasha Kamini Parmasad Fiction & Poetry

Sasha Kamini Parmasad (MFA in Creative Writing, Columbia University) was awarded first place in the annual Poetry International Competition. Author of the poetry collection No Poem (Yuganta Press), she has designed and taught academic and creative writing courses in programs at Columbia University. Her work is included in Modern English Poetry by Younger Indians (Sahithya Akademi).

Susan Smith Daniels Fiction & Creative Nonfiction

Susan Smith Daniels earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University and is a PhD candidate in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. Her novel, The Genuine Stories , published by New Rivers Press, was the winner of the Fairfield University Book Prize. Her memoir, The Horse Show Mom’s Survival Guide: For Every Discipline , was published by The Lyons Press.

Jennie Rothenberg Gritz Creative Nonfiction

Jennie Rothenberg Gritz (Masters in Journalism, U. C. Berkeley) was a senior editor at The Atlantic before becoming senior editor at Smithsonian Magazine , where she edits features about science, history, and culture. Her writing has been published in The Atlantic, Smithsonian Magazine , The Chicago Tribune , and more. Her essay “Arab Music” appeared in The Lonely Planet travel series.

Linda Egenes

Linda Egenes is the author of over 500 articles and six books, including Visits with the Amish: Impressions of the Plain Life (University of Iowa Press, 2010) and The Ramayana: A New Retelling of Valmiki’s Ancient Epic (TarcherPerigee, division of Penguin Random House, 2016) co-authored with Kumuda Reddy, M.D.

Rustin Larson Poetry

Rustin Larson (MFA in Creative Writing, Vermont College) is a seven-time Pushcart nominee whose fiction has appeared in Delmarva Review, Wapsipinicon Almanac, and The MacGuffin . His poetry has appeared in The New Yorker, Iowa Review, North American Review, and Poetry East . He is author of Bum Cantos (Blue Light Press), The Philosopher Savant (Glass Lyre Press), and Crazy Star (Loess Hills Press).

All Department Faculty

Featured courses

Advanced Creative Process – Exploring the Leaping Imagination

The first residency starts with the heart of writing – the creative process itself. Poet Alan Shapiro said that writing allows us to focus on the “right here, right now, the deep joy of bringing the entire soul to bear upon a single act of concentration.” Panel discussions, seminars, and workshops explore the inner world of the imagination and techniques to access the leaping mind.

Every Page a Pulse – Imagine the Unimaginable, Say the Unsayable

This online course explores the ineffable force at the heart of great writing. Seminars examine Bly’s poetics of the deep image, Rilke’s idea of the combinatorial nature of creativity, and Lorca’s “Theory and Play of the Duende,” teaching you how to mine rich and complex material that is “in [your] veins” and “surges up from the soles of [your] feet.”

Writing Pedagogy – The Theory of Teaching Creative Writing

This online course offers a theoretical and historical background to different conventional and cutting-edge pedagogies from the fields of creative writing and composition studies, examining innovative models of teaching creative writing not limited to the workshop model.

The Socially Conscious Writer – Writing Outreach

Poets and writers are the voice of the future and can bring about positive change in the world. This online course explores social values and ethical dilemmas in the literary arts, stimulating social awareness and engagement.

All courses may include

Residencies
Advanced Narrative – Transformational Storytelling in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry
Unwrapping Form – Lyric Association, Braiding, Borrowing, and Experimentation
The Writing Life
The Journey from Writer to Author
Online courses
The Writer and the Self – Consciousness and Creative Process
Literature and the Self – Literary Techniques that Expand Awareness
Every Page a Pulse – Nurturing the Unimaginable and Saying the Unsayable
Literary Theory for the Creative Writer
The Writer in the World – Professional Development, Publication, and Presentation
The Writer Online – Social Media Marketing and Strategy
Creative writing mentorships
Advanced Poetry Mentorship
Advanced Fiction Mentorship
Advanced Creative Nonfiction Mentorship
Advanced Multi-Genre Mentorship
Advanced Creative Writing Mentorship
Reading & craft analysis mentorships
Advanced Process Mentorship in Poetry
Advanced Process Mentorship in Fiction
Advanced Process Mentorship in Creative Nonfiction
Advanced Process Mentorship in Multiple Genres
Advanced Process Mentorship – Writing a Critical Introduction to the MFA Thesis

To graduate, students must also satisfy the general requirements for a master’s degree

Cost & Aid, 2024-25

US Students

US MFA in Creative Writing

Annual Cost and Typical Financial Aid
Tuition and fees	$18,064
Federal student loans	–$18,064
Your payment	$0
Optional: additional low-interest federal loans?	-$14,000

Additional Information

Personal Expenses and Travel
Federal Student Loans
Education Tax Incentives

Loan Repayment Options

Income-Based
Income Contingent
Income Sensitive

International Students

International MFA in Creative Writing

Annual Cost and Typical Financial Aid
Tuition and fees	$18,064
Your payment	$18,064

This tuition rate is for 6-11 credits per semester for two semesters. Stand-alone individual courses are $500 per credit. Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

Entrance requirements

Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any field
Apply for admission Apply for admission
Completion of the MIU admissions process, including submitting official transcripts, a recommendation, all materials, and an interview

Additional requirements

Portfolio: Applicants must present a portfolio of original creative work in a specific genre of emphasis: poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or dual genre. The required length is 20–25 pages of prose (double-spaced) or 10–15 pages of poetry (single-spaced, one poem to a page). A dual genre application should include portfolios in two genres with a total length of 20–25 pages. Excerpts from longer work should start with the first chapter and include a brief synopsis. The admission portfolio should showcase the range and potential of the project the applicant plans to work on in the program. Please note that the quality of the admission portfolio is the key deciding factor in our admission process.
Statement of Purpose: Applicants must present a statement of purpose (500–1,000-words, typed, double-spaced) outlining their relationship to their chosen genre(s) and their own writing process, as well as their reasons for applying to our program.
Sample Academic Essay or Craft Analysis: Applicants must present a 750-word (3-page) academic essay demonstrating critical thinking. If possible, the applicant can submit a craft analysis essay exploring the mechanics of craft in a literary work; however, a regular academic essay is also acceptable.
Three Letters of Recommendation by individuals who know you in a professional and/or academic setting.
Interview with MFA Program Director and department faculty – The online interview with the MFA Program Director and English department faculty will be scheduled at the end of your application process once all of your other materials have been submitted.
Résumé (optional) – If you want, you have the opportunity to provide additional information in an up-to-date résumé. Here you can include your degrees, relevant coursework, attendance of summer writing programs or conferences, TA experience, professional work experience, publications, and other awards and accomplishments.

English language verification

International applicants must submit official English proficiency test scores within the past 2 years of at least 110 on Duolingo, 6.5 on IELTS Academic, 90 on TOEFL iBT or 58 on PTE.

Before your first class

All MIU students practice the Transcendental Meditation ® technique. If you have not learned it yet:

Once accepted as a US student, the cost of TM instruction is covered through a grant offered by MIU
Students are required to learn the TM technique before starting the first class
Contact your admissions counselor for details
Find information on the TM technique or search for a TM teacher at TM.org

Featured event: faculty reading at Café Paradiso Our English department offers quarterly readings at local venues. Our winter reading was held at Café Paradiso in Fairfield, Iowa. Participating faculty were Dylene Cymraes, Terry Fairchild, Rustin Larson, Ben McClendon, Sasha Parmasad, Nynke Passi, Stuart Tanner, and Leah Waller.

Get your questions answered and download our free booklet.

Our next entries: Oct 2024 • Feb 2025 • Aug 2025

Enroll & Pay
Prospective Undergraduate Students
Prospective Graduate Students
Current Students

Master of Fine Arts

M.f.a. program.

The University of Kansas' M.F.A. is a three-year program with tracks in fiction, poetry, and playwriting. Typically, students in the program take course work for the first two years of the program and then take the third year to write their thesis. Students may take up to 15 credit hours to complete the thesis, and by the time they graduate they will have produced a book-length manuscript of poetry or prose.

The creative writing faculty at KU has been widely published and anthologized, winning both critical and popular acclaim. Faculty awards include such distinctions as the Nebula Award, Hugo Award, Osborn Award, Shelley Memorial Award, Gertrude Stein Award, the Kenyon Review Prize, the Kentucky Center Gold Medallion, and the Pushcart Prize.

Regarding admission to both our doctoral and MFA creative writing programs, we will prioritize applicants who are interested in engaging with multiple faculty members to practice writing across genres and forms, from speculative fiction and realism to poetry and playwriting/screenwriting, etc.

The University of Kansas' Graduate Program in Creative Writing also offers a Ph.D. degree .

Opportunities

A GTA appointment includes a tuition waiver for six semesters plus a competitive stipend. In the first year, GTA appointees teach English 101 (first year composition) and English 102 (a required reading and writing course). M.F.A. students may be able to teach an introductory course in creative writing in their third year, and opportunities are available for a limited number of advanced GTAs to teach in the summer.

Our program's award-winning students and graduates publish widely in journals and have published books with numerous presses, including Black Lawrence Press, Black Balloon Publishing, and the University of Massachusetts Press.

Department Resources

Graduate Admissions
Graduate Contacts
Ph.D. in Creative Writing

Affiliated Programs

LandLocked Literary Magazine
The Project on the History of Black Writing
Center for the Study of Science Fiction
Ad-Hoc African/Americanists and Affiliates

Degree Requirements

12 graduate credit hours (four courses) in literature, literary theory, forms, or rhetoric/composition/language studies. ENGL 801 does not fulfill this requirement.
12 graduate credit hours (four courses) of creative writing workshops.
No more than 6 credit hours may be taken at the 600-level.
7 to 9 graduate credit hours in electives or practica, chosen from graduate courses in the Department of English, or approved courses in another department.
15 hours of ENGL 899, Thesis. Original writing in prose fiction, poetry, drama, or nonfiction prose. Students who complete and are able to defend their thesis before completing the 15 hours of ENGL 899 may petition for a reduced credit degree.

The M.F.A. thesis consists of original writing in fiction, poetry, drama, or prose. After the fall semester of the second year, normally halfway through the program, the student asks a member of the creative writing faculty to serve as the director of the thesis. Students preparing their scholarly or creative thesis should be showing chapters or writing selections to all of their committee members as they go along, for feedback and revision suggestions. They should also meet periodically with committee members to assess their progress.

The thesis in creative writing is the culmination of the student’s training and preparation and constitutes the most significant requirement for the student to complete the program and receive the terminal degree. The thesis will consist of a portfolio of the student’s best work in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, or some combination thereof. In completing the thesis, the student will work under the supervision of the thesis director and two other members of the faculty, at least one of whom must be in creative writing. It is required that the thesis be of publishable quality, in parts or as a whole, and be of substantial length: at least one hundred pages of prose; at least fifty pages of poetry; or at least two one-act plays or one full-length play. More specific requirements will be determined for each thesis by the thesis director and other members of the thesis committee. Toward the end of the third year, the student will present the thesis in a timely manner to their committee members, and a defense will be scheduled. The student must satisfactorily pass the thesis defense in order to receive the M.F.A. degree.

Committee & Scheduling

To be eligible to defend, the candidate must be on track to complete coursework and have finished the thesis. It is the obligation of the candidate to advise their committee chair and graduate program coordinator that they plan to take the thesis defense and confirm completion of coursework; this must be done in the first two weeks of the semester in which they intend to take the exam.

At least three calendar weeks prior to the defense date, the student will submit the final draft of the thesis to all the committee members and the Graduate Program Coordinator. Failure to meet this deadline will necessitate rescheduling the defense

Students with committee members who plan to attend the defense via remote technology must be aware of college policy on teleconferencing/remote participation of committee members .

If a student wants to have as a committee member a person outside the university, or a person who is not in a full-time tenure-track professorship at KU, the student must contact the graduate academic advisor as early as possible. Applications for special graduate faculty status must be reviewed by the College and Graduate Studies and can take up to 2 months to be approved. Requests for exam/defense approval will not be approved unless all committee members currently hold graduate faculty status.

The exam room is reserved for two hours to allow for committee deliberation. The defense itself is limited to no more than ninety minutes.

Although compelling arguments have been presented for eradicating the designation of "Honors" altogether, “Honors” on the written thesis is necessary for that work to be nominated for the CLAS annual competition for Outstanding M.A. Thesis. "Honors" will be given to theses that are rated "Outstanding" in all or most of the categories on the M.F.A. thesis rubric.

Students cannot bring snacks, drinks, treats, or gifts for committee members to the defense. Professors should avoid the appearance of favoritism that may occur if they bring treats to some student exams but not others.

FALL SEMESTER

GTAs take 2 courses (801 + one), teach 2 courses, GRAs take 3 courses
Visit DGS or assigned advisor once a month to update on progress and perceptions

SPRING SEMESTER

GTAs take 2 courses (800 or 780 [recommended] + one), teach 2 courses , GRAs take 3 courses
Visit DGS or assigned advisor at least once during the semester; discuss best advisor choices for Year 2

SUMMER SEMESTER

Enroll in Summer Institute if topic and/or methodology matches interests (course is worth 3 credit hours).
Take 2 courses, teach 2 courses. Remember that by the end of coursework, you must take 4 creative writing workshops and 4 graduate classes in English or American literature.
Visit advisor and M.F.A. Director, in person, at least once during the semester to check up on progress
Take 2 courses, teach 2 courses
Ask a member of the creative writing faculty to serve as your thesis director. Discuss the building of the thesis portfolio, and which other faculty members would make a good fit for your committee
Summer teaching, if eligible
Take 2 courses, including at least 3 hours of 899 (thesis); teach 2 courses.
Visit committee regularly during the semester
Final Oral Examination (Thesis Defense)

Creative Writing Faculty

Associate Professor

Professor of English & Environmental Studies

Assistant Professor

Graduate Student Handbook

Program Information
Degree Requirements
MFA Admissions and Recruitment
MFA Application Information
Publications
Fiction Students
Poetry Students

The M.F.A. centers around the Graduate Writers' Workshop, a group which meets each quarter in poetry and fiction, in which faculty and students share in criticism and discussion of student writing. There are twelve MFA students in poetry and twelve in fiction, half in their first year and half in their second year in the Writing Program. About two-thirds of the Writing Program student's work consists of participation in the Workshop; the other third is devoted to graduate-level seminars offered by the MFA faculty and other faculty of the Department of English and Comparative Literature and other graduate programs. The aim of the Programs in Writing is the training of accomplished writers who intend to make their writing their life. What we expect of our students is passionate precision, character, and stamina. What we want most for our students is that each will sooner or later write something that lasts. Successful writing, we think, is writing that succeeds itself each time it is read with interest and care by a succession of new readers. To facilitate such writing, the faculty has kept the Writing Program small in order to ensure the high quality of the students as well as to permit much teaching on a one-to-one basis. All students consult frequently with the staff for assistance with their work. In recent years, visiting writers and lecturers have included: Ralph Angel, John Ashbery, Wilton Barnhardt, John Calvin Batchelor, Ethan Canin, Jennifer Clarvoe, Killarney Clary, Gwyneth Cravens, Stuart Dybek, Robert Farnsworth, Amy Gerstler, Louise Glück, Jay Gummerman, Ursula Hegi, Brenda Hillman, Rust Hills, T.R. Hummer, Cynthia Huntington, P.D. James, Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Margot Livesey, Thomas Lux, Lynne McMahon, Heather McHugh, Maile Meloy, Jeredith Merrin, Josephine Miles, Wright Morris, Howard Moss, Carol Muske-Dukes, Robert Olmstead, Ann Patchett, Bette Pesetsky, Martha Rhodes, Mark Richard, Mary Robison, Thomas Sanchez, Sherod Santos, Christine Schutt, Lynn Sharon Schwartz, Alan Shapiro, Jim Shepard, Mona Simpson, Ted Solotaroff, Pamela Stewart, Robert Stone, Mark Strand, Melanie Thernstrom, Lawrence Thornton, Brad Watson, Joy Williams, and William Wiser.

Contact MFA Programs in Writing: Phone 949-824-6718, Email: [email protected] .

Meet Our Students

Alumni Publications

Graduates of the Programs in Writing have gone on to publish works of fiction, poetry, and nonficiton, and have received distinguished prizes and fellowships such as the Pulitzer Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, Pushcart Prize, PEN/Faulkner Award, Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award, National Endowment for the Arts Award, Shelley Memorial Prize, Art Seidenbaum Award, Mary McCarthy Prize, Katharine Bakeless Nason Literary Prize, Kathryn A. Morton Prize, Staige D. Blackford Prize, Tufts Poetry Award, The Nation Discovery Award, and the Ken Kesey Award.

Upcoming Events

Contact mfa programs in writing.

435 Humanities Instructional Building Irvine, CA 92697-2650

Subscribe for our newsletter

Let your curiosity lead the way:

Apply Today

Arts & Sciences
Graduate Studies in A&S

MFA Program

The Writing Program

The MFA Program at Washington University in St. Louis is a two-year program where 30 students are working toward MFA degrees in fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. Our world-renowned faculty will mentor you and your writing to develop to your full potential. In addition to working with our faculty, our reading series brings a diverse group of poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers to the department, and the Hurst Professor program brings distinguished visitors each year to present their newest work, lecture on the craft of writing, and work one-on-one with our MFA students. Alison Bechdel, Claudia Rankine, George Saunders, Patricia Hampl, Kelly Link, Joy Williams, and Terrance Hayes are just some of our recent Hurst Professors.

The two-year program is rigorous and challenging, but fosters a close-knit community of support that continues long after the degrees have been granted. At the heart of the program are the fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry workshops, with craft courses in all genres, access to the department’s courses in literature, and many other courses in the College of Arts & Sciences also available to MFA students. Students may also take graduate courses from other departments when appropriate to their creative endeavors (and with the permission of the faculty).

Entry into the program is highly competitive—out of hundreds of applications received, we accept only 15 students (five each in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction). Our students come from all over the US and around the world and generally include a mix of recent undergraduates and older students, with a diversity of writing styles that continues to surprise us.

Learn More about Life in St. Louis

MFA Alum. Nathaniel Rosenthalis plublishes his second Book, The Leniad

Niki Herd is featured in today's Poetry Daily

Check out her poem "Lyric Sung in Third Person" and essay "What Sparks Poetry: Language As Form".

Funding and Fellowships

Financial support.

Because of our selectivity and size, we are able to offer all our new students full and equal financial aid for both years in the program in the form of an A&S Fellowship, which provides a complete tuition waiver plus a stipend sufficient for students to live comfortably in our relatively inexpensive city. There are also two university-wide fellowships for graduate students, which applicants to the MFA Program are urged to apply for separately: the Spencer T. Olin Fellowships for Women and the Chancellor's Graduate Fellowships. All MFA students receive health insurance through Washington University.

Program Structure

The Writing Program leads to the Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA). It is a two-year program, requiring satisfactory completion of 42 semester hours, a thesis (usually a volume of poems, short stories, a novel, a collection of essays or a book-length nonfiction manuscript), and an oral examination dealing principally with the thesis.

Please note that, beginning in 2017, we no longer require the GRE for admissions.

Admission to the Writing Program at Washington University is highly competitive. Each year, we are able to accept only between 3 and 5 percent of applicants, and there are always many more qualified and promising writers than we can accommodate.

Applicants must follow standard Office of Graduate Studies procedures and apply online. The online application will allow you to submit the following material:

Application Fee
Applicant Information Form
Transcripts
3 Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
Writing Sample
Curriculum Vitae

Typed manuscripts should consist of 6 to 12 poems or up to 35 double-spaced pages of fiction or nonfiction. Please note the decision-making committees admit students and decide on financial aid without regard to gender, sexual orientation, age, race, color, creed, national origin, or disability.

Please note that, following the Office of Graduate Studies’ policies, we very rarely accept students who have already received an MFA from another institution, even if the applicant is applying in a different genre.

Ready to apply?

Visit the Online Application

We've long been fortunate to have outstanding students come through The MFA Program at Washington University, and we're very proud of how much our MFA alumni have gone on to accomplish since graduating.

Graduate Student Resources

Can't find what you're looking for? Browse all Graduate Resources.

Graduate Student Organizations

learn more about graduate student reading groups and organizations on campus

Graduate Student Handbook

learn more about policies and procedures for the doctoral program

Life in St. Louis

learn more about the city of St. Louis and what it's like to live here

learn more about career resources from the Office of Graduate Studies

Internship Opportunity

Dorothy, a publishing project —a nationally acclaimed independent press publishing works of innovative fiction—offers a one-year internship for an MFA student in creative writing. Students can apply in the spring of their first year to begin the internship the following fall. The intern chosen will work directly with Danielle Dutton, the press's editor, on mutually agreed upon projects that take into account the intern's interests and strengths. In general, however, the internship is designed to give students a wide range of experience with literary publishing, and so will likely involve a mix of editorial work (e.g., reviewing submissions, writing reader’s reports, copyediting manuscripts in layout), marketing, design, and book production and distribution. The intern will also have opportunities to represent the press publicly, including at the annual AWP conference (travel and hotel expenses will be covered), and his or her name will appear on the press's masthead.

Interested students should submit a letter of application and a CV to Professor Dutton ( [email protected] ) and Program Director David Schuman ( [email protected] ) no later than March 15 of the spring semester of their first year. The Course Master will be Danielle Dutton; David Schuman will be the Site Supervisor.

Join us on Twitter

Creative Writing Programs

Creative writing programs interested in speculative literature.

Emory University : Undergraduate creative writing program. SF author Jim Grimsley is on faculty.

Nottingham Trent University: The BA in English with Creative Writing introduces students to the intricacies of writing including plot, characterization and narrative study and enables them to develop their own craft and talent. The MA in Creative Writing is one of the UK’s longest established postgraduate creative writing courses. It is taught by practicing professional writers with wide experience of the publishing industry.

Seton Hill University: The creative writing specialization in the English major provides students with varied opportunities for creative work in a supportive, energized environment in which they are encouraged to practice writing in different genres, from poetry to science fiction or romance, in order to gain the broadest possible experience in writing for different audiences. Seton Hill University’s unique Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction teaches students to write marketable novels in popular genres like mystery, romance, science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Additional specialties include literature for children and adolescents, and cross-genre blends like romantic suspense or young adult mysteries. Students attend two week-long, on-campus residencies each year to master the core elements of fiction writing and effective marketing and to gain inspiration from faculty mentors and special guests, all published authors in genre fiction. Established authors mentor students one-on-one as they work toward completing a market-ready manuscript from home. Readings, classes, and on-line discussion about the history, trends, and techniques of genre fiction add depth to the student’s experience.

Northwest Institute of Literary Arts : “ The Whidbey Writers Workshop Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA) Program is the first in the country – and perhaps in the world – to be offered not by a college or university but by an organization of writers. In this, it resembles many free-standing arts institutions offering degrees in music, art, dance and theater. Authorized by the Washington State Student Achievement Council (formerly the Higher Education Coordinating Board), WWW MFA classes began in August of 2005. In August of 2007 the Workshop celebrated its first graduation. The Northwest Institute of Literary Arts is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) ( www.deac.org ). DEAC, a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) ( www.chea.org ), is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.”

Top Creative Writing Programs (According to Collegedegree.com and Collegemagazine.com )

Columbia University : The Undergraduate Creative Writing Program and MFA program

University of Michigan: English with Creative Writing Sub-concentration and Helen Zell Writers MFA program

Hamilton College: Undergraduate English and Creative Writing

New York University: Undergraduate Creative Writing Program , Graduate Creative Writing Program , and Low-Residency MFA Writer’s Workshop in Paris

Washington University: Undergraduate Creative Writing and MFA Program

John Hopkins University: The Writing Seminar’s Undergraduate and MFA Program

University of Iowa: Undergraduate Creative Writing Program and Creative Writing MFA English

The Speculative Literature Foundation is partially funded by grants from the Oak Park Area Arts Council, Village of Oak Park, Illinois Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation, Literary Arts EmergencyFund, supported by the Mellon Foundation (@MellonFdn), and The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association.

Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1,000+ fully funded PhD and master’s programs? Get your copy of ProFellow’s FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards !

Free Workshop! Find 5+ Fully Funded Graduate Programs to Achieve Your Career Goals
Free Webinar! Find 5+ Fully Funded Graduate Programs to Achieve Your Career Goals
Fully Funded PhD Programs in School Psychology
Fully Funded PhD Programs in Health Informatics
Fully Funded PhD Programs in the United Kingdom

Creative Arts Fellowships , Fully Funded Master's Programs , Writing Fellowships

Why You Should Ignore the News About the “Catastrophic” Academic J...

Benefitting the environment and the economy: the 1 hotels fellowship e..., find and win paid, competitive fellowships.

Be alerted about new fellowship calls for applications, get insider application tips, and learn about fully funded PhD and graduate programs

Fellowship Resources

Calls for Applications
Upcoming Fellowship Deadlines
Fellowships Database
Interviews with Fellows
International Fellows Network
Graduate Funding Directory

Fellowship Tips

What is a Fellowship?
Fully Funded Course
Graduate School Funding
Fellowship Application Tips
Fulbright Application Tips
Fellowship Application Guide
Our Mission, History & Values
ProFellow Winner Testimonials
Fully Funded Course Testimonials
Fellowship Industry Report
Advertise With Us
Terms & Privacy

ProFellow is the go-to source for information on professional and academic fellowships, created by fellows for aspiring fellows.

Get the Reddit app

A community for writers of any caliber to come and share their work. We encourage feedback and the sharing of resources.

HELP! Searching for MFA programs that uplift genre/fantasy/speculative fiction writers!

Hello! I am currently searching for an MFA program that supports and uplifts genre/fantasy/speculative fiction writers. I've gotten great responses from a few schools about it, but if anyone has personally taught or experienced a progressive program with diverse classes that would accept/teach this kind of writing, I would LOVE to hear all about it. Please fill me in. I'm down to my top 20 schools and I need some more help narrowing it down to 15. If there are fantasy, sci fi loving teachers out there, I would love to find out where. Thanks & Happy Friday all!

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

IMAGES

Defining Speculative Fiction
How to Write a Hook: Speculative Fiction
MFA in Creative Writing
Mfa Creative Writing Uk
Creative Writing MFA Thesis Readings 2022: Fiction
MFA in Creative Writing Update: Time and Perspective

COMMENTS

MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction
Notable speculative fiction alumni: Andy Duncan, Tommy Zurhellen. Students I know of who got in or were waitlisted with speculative fiction writing samples: 4. Funding: Fully-funded (all MFA students receive tuition waivers and modest stipends to live on) University of Arizona, Tuscon. Fairy Tale Review. Faculty includes (or has included): Kate ...
MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction
Update: I appeared on episode 365 of WIRED's Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast to talk about the reception of speculative fiction at MFA programs, along with Chandler Klang Smith (Columbia MFA grad, creative writing teacher at Sackett Street Writers Workshop, Catapult, and Sarah Lawrence College, and author of The Sky is Yours) and John ...
15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024
1) Johns Hopkins University, MFA in Fiction/Poetry. This two-year program offers an incredibly generous funding package: $39,000 teaching fellowships each year. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and the option to apply for a lecture position after graduation.
Master of Fine Arts in Writing at Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence's nationally recognized MFA Writing program gives you the opportunity to work in close collaboration with faculty members who are both distinguished writers and devoted mentors. While we offer concentrations in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, or speculative fiction, students are encouraged to take classes outside their ...
Online MFA in Creative Writing Degree Program
Share your story with the world with an online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing. Throughout the program, you'll learn from talented writers who will help you sharpen your skills. ... For example, you might write a YA speculative fiction novel. Throughout your tenure in the program, you can choose to work on a singular idea that you ...
Creative Writing, MFA
While new applications to the Creative Writing MFA program will continue to be read until admissions decisions have been made, the application deadline for best consideration for all funding opportunities is December 1. ... Embodied Writing, 21 st Century Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, The Novel, Writing Habit Writing Process, Page to ...
Creative Writing, MFA, Graduate Programs Department of English
Creative Writing, MFA. Small, intensive and supportive, merging a playful approach to contemporary experimentation with an ambitious exploration of literary traditions, Miami University's MFA program draws students from across the country and beyond to classes in creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, multimedia and performance writing.
MFA Program in Creative Writing
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 ...
MFA Programs Database: 255 Programs for Creative Writers
Our list of 255 MFA programs for creative writers includes essential information about low-residency and full-residency graduate creative writing programs in the United States and other English-speaking countries to help you decide where to apply. It also includes MA programs and PhD programs.
Pursue your MFA in Writing
While students concentrate in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, or speculative fiction, you are encouraged to explore your writing fearlessly, ... MFA Writing Fiction. MFA Fiction students focus on bringing together precision of language with boldness of imaginative grasp. We closely study the craft lessons learned by the writers who have ...
MFA in Creative Writing
The MFA in Creative Writing at NAU is an interdisciplinary, full-time, two-year program in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid forms. Students participate in writing workshops, undertake coursework in literature, and study critical theory. MFA candidates present a creative thesis of between 45 to 200 pages, depending on genre.
Programs
The Speculative Literature Foundation selects an original artwork combining fantasy and science fiction themes to be featured as its Illustration of the Year. The Speculative Literature Foundation is partially funded by grants from the Oak Park Area Arts Council, Village of Oak Park, Illinois Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Oak ...
MFA in Creative Writing
Susan Smith Daniels earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University and is a PhD candidate in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. ... flash fiction, novel, novella, and/or speculative fiction. Students submit four packets of work (new writing and revisions) per semester. Weekly or biweekly online craft classes cover subjects ...
Do genre-friendly MFA programs really exist? : r/writing
The faculty want to admit students they feel they can mentor. If the faculty are all literary writers, they may feel less comfortable guiding a genre writer. That's not an excuse—there should be more genre faculty in MFA programs. Still, you may want to research faculty members and identify programs with genre faculty.
PDF Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction & Speculative Fiction
WMASTER OF FINE ARTS IN FICTION, POETRY, CREATIVE NONFICTION & SPECULATIVE FICTION An ethos of generosity guides the MFA in Writing Program at Sarah Lawrence— a belief that thriving as a writer can go hand in hand with helping other writers thrive. Sarah Lawrence's MFA in Writing faculty members are both distinguished writers and
M.F.A.
M.F.A. Program. The University of Kansas' M.F.A. is a three-year program with tracks in fiction, poetry, and playwriting. Typically, students in the program take course work for the first two years of the program and then take the third year to write their thesis. Students may take up to 15 credit hours to complete the thesis, and by the time ...
MFA Programs in Writing
MFA Programs in Writing. The Programs in the writing of poetry and fiction lead to the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in English. In addition to the workshops and seminars taught within the Writing Programs by its faculty, instruction is offered by visiting writers. The curriculum is augmented by frequent readings on the Irvine campus.
MFA Program
Dorothy, a publishing project—a nationally acclaimed independent press publishing works of innovative fiction—offers a one-year internship for an MFA student in creative writing.Students can apply in the spring of their first year to begin the internship the following fall. The intern chosen will work directly with Danielle Dutton, the press's editor, on mutually agreed upon projects that ...
MFA Creative Writing: Which Program Should I Attend? : r/writing
My interest is in Creative Writing - Fiction (particularly Popular/Genre). I applied for and was admitted to three MFA programs. I chose two due to their unique popular fiction emphasis-I've narrowed this choice down to one. But I chose the third because of the traditional elements (if I want to teach, I feel this will be beneficial), the ...
The Story That Got Me into 4 MFA Programs With Funding
30. The cover of my short story " So Mean ," designed by Daisy Lee. I got into 5 MFA programs for creative writing, 4 of them with funding: Columbia, New School, Stony Brook, and George Mason University. I'm not sharing this to brag, but to tell you how I got in. When I looked up what could maximize my chances of admission, I found ...
MFA in Creative Writing grad school
Best of luck to. I submitted Elantris (About three years before I sold it) as my sample writing to a large number of university MFA programs. Some were top tier: Colombia, NYU, UC Irvine, University of Utah, Iowa, UVA. There was a smattering of second and third tier as well. Twelve to fifteen total, I recall.
Creative Writing Programs
Creative Writing Programs interested in Speculative Literature. Emory University: Undergraduate creative writing program.SF author Jim Grimsley is on faculty. Nottingham Trent University: The BA in English with Creative Writing introduces students to the intricacies of writing including plot, characterization and narrative study and enables them to develop their own craft and talent.
Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing
The annual stipend, which comes with tuition remission, ranges from $13,000 to $14,500. Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY): Three-Year M.F.A. in Creative Writing. All students are fully funded. Each student admitted receives a full-tuition scholarship in addition to an annual stipend of $17,500.
HELP! Searching for MFA programs that uplift genre/fantasy/speculative
r/Fantasy is the internet's largest discussion forum for the greater Speculative Fiction genre. Fans of fantasy, science fiction, horror, alt history, and more can all find a home with us. We welcome respectful dialogue related to speculative fiction in literature, games, film, and the wider world.

MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction

Finalist for CRAFT’s 2020 Elements Contest

MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction

Care to share?

4 thoughts on “ MFA Programs that are Chill with Speculative Fiction ”

Leave a comment Cancel reply

15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024

What are the best Creative Writing MFA programs?

Why should I get an MFA in Creative Writing?

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

Full-Time MFA Programs

Low-Residency MFA Programs

Online MFA Programs

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

FULLY FUNDED MFA PROGRAMS

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center

3) University of Iowa

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued)

5) Brown University

6) University of Arizona

7) Arizona State University

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

9) Columbia University

10) Sarah Lawrence

LOW RESIDENCY

12) Institute for American Indian Arts

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

ONLINE MFAS

15) Bay Path University

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs — Final Thoughts

Julia Conrad

College Planning in Your Inbox

Online Students

International Students

Campus Students

Online MFA in Creative Writing Programs Focus Your Future in Fiction

Program Overview Why get an MFA online?

Courses & Curriculum Put pen to paper with online MFA Creative Writing courses

MFA Creative Writing course curriculum

Courses may include:

PC (Windows OS) Technical Requirements

Apple (Mac OS) Technical Requirements

Licensure and Certification Disclosures

Earn a career-focused writing certificate before graduating

Graduate with a completed and revised novel

Apply for free in minutes

Next term starts: Oct. 14, 2024

What to expect:

What support services are available?

Learn from published authors and award winners

Featured Faculty

Admission Applying to SNHU is fast and free

All it takes is 3 simple steps

Accreditations

Tuition Cost & Savings College can be more affordable than you think

Online graduate tuition

Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

Ways to save on online tuition

Career Outlook What can I do with an online MFA?

What SNHU students are saying

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Programs

Sources & Citations

Creative Writing, MFA

Practice-Oriented

Funding Opportunities

Graduate Successes

MFA Faculty

Margaret Luongo

Eric Melbye

TaraShea Nesbit

Brian Roley

Emily Spencer ,

Cathy Wagner

Current Creative Writing Grad Students

Kayla Belser

Chris Bowyer

David W. Carstens

Ash Ganderi