Writing, Master of Arts

Zanvyl krieger school of arts and sciences, ma in writing.

The MA in Writing program offers students the option of a fiction or nonfiction concentration to study the practice of writing in a series of workshops and reading courses. Students on the fiction track work on short stories, novellas, or novels. Students on the nonfiction track pursue long-form, literary journalism or personal essays, and memoir. 

Students in the MA in Writing program learn primarily through the practice of writing and the study of reading with a focus on craft. Depending on student goals, the program offers a broad foundation in fine arts/creative writing, in journalism, or in both fields. Some students cultivate skills to prepare for a career; others are seasoned writers who want to change focus; still others favor artistic exploration over professional ambition. Within the realm of literary writing, students have the flexibility to develop individual styles and pursue specialized subjects. The program’s goal is to create a nurturing yet demanding environment where writers work toward publication at the highest artistic and professional levels.

Admissions Criteria for all Advanced Academic Programs

Program-specific requirements.

In addition to the materials and credentials required for all programs, the Master of Arts in Writing requires:

  • Two Letters of Recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Writing Samples: The samples should be up to 15 typewritten, double-spaced pages, or about 3,500 to 4,500 words, in the concentration of interest. Samples do NOT have to be a single, lengthy piece of writing.

The program’s admissions committees offer the following additional suggestions for writing samples for each concentration:

Fiction: Short stories or novel chapters in prose fiction, demonstrating literary content or themes. Any style, vision, or approach is permitted—traditional, experimental, hybrid, etc.

Nonfiction: Up to five separate works of prose nonfiction about any subject. Any nonfiction form or combination of forms, including feature article, commentary/blogs, memoir, travel, essay, profile, biography, book chapters and creative nonfiction, is permitted. Academic assignments, term papers, government reports, or scholarly criticism are not acceptable nonfiction writing samples.

Dual-Concentration Applicants

Applicants may seek formal degree candidacy in both fiction and nonfiction by submitting full writing samples in each proposed area. Such applicants should explain their multiple interest and reading in a single statement of purpose. The program makes individual admission decisions for each concentration in a dual-concentration application. Dual-concentration students must complete four more courses than the 10 required for a single-concentration degree.

Program Requirements

Students must complete ten courses:

  • Two required core courses
  • One required concentration core course
  • Three customizable core courses from the declared concentration
  • Electives to ensure the 10-course requirement is met

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Master of Arts (MA) in Writing | Northwestern SPS - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

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Program Overview

Master’s in Writing

MA in Writing

Northwestern’s part-time Master of Arts in Writing program provides students the opportunity to grow as artists within the specializations of fiction, nonfiction, popular fiction, and poetry. A dual-genre specialization is also offered, as well as a publishing and professional development track that combines publishing industry-related instruction with the creative coursework of the writing workshops. The small-group workshop format allows for individual attention from published, award-winning faculty . Students also have the opportunity to learn the ropes in teaching writing, publishing, and editing. Flexible scheduling — with courses offered evenings and weekends on Northwestern’s Chicago and Evanston campuses as well as online and in hybrid format — gives students the opportunity to balance their professional, personal and writing lives. While earning their degrees, students connect with other writers at readings and other events in an artistic community that extends beyond the University into Chicagoʼs vibrant literary scene.

About the MA in Writing

Writing program goals, ma in writing courses, curriculum for ma in writing, writing faculty, master's in writing admission, tuition and financial aid for writing, registration information for writing, careers in writing.

Juan Martinez

Some of the bravest, most interesting writers I've encountered come from this program. They've lived, they've been out in the world, and they're willing to find ways to transmute that experience into compelling, transformative work.”

Students form lasting bonds with each other and with their professors. The years students have spent in the SPS creative writing program, some have told me, are the most creatively rewarding ones they've experienced.”

Christine Sneed

Teaching in Northwestern's part-time writing program has been a career highlight for me. The program is enriched by its students who come from various backgrounds and careers. The diversity of passions, insights and life experiences helps to create a truly unique and rewarding learning experience.”

  • To help students determine the strengths and weaknesses of their writing, and learn how to evaluate criticism of their work
  • To teach students how to take their writing apart, re-think and revise it
  • To show students how to experiment with different styles and forms
  • To guide students in creating a publishable manuscript or portion of one
  • To teach students how to read literature as a writer and a critic
  • To train students to teach creative writing, informed by current pedagogy and classroom experience
  • To give students the opportunity to edit an international literary magazine with their peers
  • To provide students with the tools to create strong applications for jobs in teaching, publishing, and editing

Core Courses

  • 3-4 workshops in a chosen genre: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or popular fiction (number of workshops depends on specialization)
  • 2 graduate-level literature courses

Electives 

  • Courses drawn from MCW special topics courses, internships in teaching, publishing, and arts administration, literature courses or liberal studies courses. Students may also take an independent study courses as an elective.

Thesis 

  • MCW 590 Capstone Writing and Revision

Electives are chosen from the graduate course offerings in the Master of Arts in Literature program, creative writing special topics courses (MCW 490) and the seminars and internships (practica) in teaching and publishing. Since good writers also need to be good readers, students must take electives in literary studies. Recent electives include courses on reading poetry; the narrator in fiction, nonfiction and poetry; and writing humor. Independent studies round out the program and provide an opportunity to strengthen writing portfolios.

The final project of both the MA and MFA programs is a creative thesis, an original work of high literary merit (judged on the basis of art as well as craft). The creative thesis is structured and revised under the supervision of a faculty member (or faculty mentor) and a second reader. The project may be one long piece or a series of shorter pieces. It may include or be an expansion of work written during the student's course of study as long as it represents a culminating effort to shape stories, prose pieces, a long piece, or a group of poems into a coherent, self-sufficient work. This large-scale project supplements the smaller-scale study of craft with the invaluable experience of creating a larger work. And for students who plan to pursue book-length publication after graduation, the master's creative thesis may be the first version of a work in progress.

Northwestern also offers a part-time MFA program in Prose and Poetry .

Explore MA in Writing Courses . You can narrow your course search by day, location or instructor.

Learn from a faculty of esteemed writers in small-group workshops where instructors facilitate discussions that help students examine and address strengths and weaknesses in their writing as well as open up possibilities for re-thinking and revising. Get to know the instructors on our MA in Writing Faculty page.

Candidates for admission to the MA in Writing program must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent and possess a strong academic record, preferably in English, writing or related fields. For a complete list of requirements, see the Admission page for SPS graduate programs.

Tuition for the MA in Writing program at Northwestern is comparable to similar US programs. Financial aid opportunities exist for students at Northwestern. Complete details can be found on the MA in Writing Tuition and Financial Aid pages.

Already accepted into the Master's in Writing program? Get ahead and register for your classes as soon as possible to ensure maximum efficiency in your progress. 

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Northwestern University’s MA in Writing is an art degree. Students pursue the degrees in order to become better writers, able to create prose and poetry that draw on a full range of the craft. On a more practical level, MA students become better writers, which prepares them for a variety of careers. For details visit the  Writing Career Options page.

Find out more about Northwestern's MA in Writing

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Creative Writing

Master of Fine Arts

Take your writing to new heights.

Regis University’s Mile-High MFA in Creative Writing is a low-residency program that lets you stay at your job and close to your family while pushing you to make time for writing. You’ll leave the program with a polished thesis manuscript, along with an action plan for putting your writing into practice in the world.

The Mile-High MFA provides students one-on-one instruction in poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction, with optional semester studies in scriptwriting, graphic narrative, picture books or editing. Along with theory, workshops, seminars and readings by accomplished authors, the MFA program’s unique focus combines a thorough instruction in the craft and business of writing with the practical application of writing as a career.

The Mile-High MFA is a place for writers from various backgrounds, genres, specializations and aesthetics to come together and learn from one another in an open and supportive environment. We value writers who are socially engaged, who critically examine the assumptions and social privileges of discourse, and who seek to further a literature and community that respects and values diverse perspectives and authorships.

Not sure if this is the creative writing for you? Compare the Mile-High MFA in Creative Writing with the Master of Arts with specializations in Creative Writing and Literature

Ready to apply? See how

Request More Information About This Degree

Program snapshot.

master of arts in literature and creative writing

Program Format Remote correspondence-based courses with on-campus residencies twice per year

master of arts in literature and creative writing

Credits for Completion 54-78 credit hours

master of arts in literature and creative writing

Tuition for the 23-24 Academic Year $721 per credit hour

See cost of attendance

View Full Degree Curriculum and Requirements

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Degree Overview

The Mile-High MFA requires the successful completion of four 16-week writing semesters and five ten-day residencies. Students will begin with an Orientation at their first residency and end with an MFA Degree Ceremony in their final residency. Following each residency (except the last) will be a semester-long study in which students will work one-on-one with a faculty mentor. By their final residency, students will have written and revised 240-400 pages of prose (fiction, nonfiction) or 160-240 pages of poetry, hybrid or flash fiction, along with at least 16 book annotations, a thesis proposal, a book-length thesis, a critical preface to their thesis, a Writing in the World Action Plan and an MFA Portfolio.

classroom shot with book icon on top

Writing in the World

During the residencies, you will attend seminars on the real-life applications of writing. By your final residency, you’ll submit a Writing in the World Action Plan in which you describe how you will use your writing talents to contribute to your community, either in a professional capacity or through community outreach. Examples include running a writing workshop at a local prison or library, writing for a nonprofit, organizing a reading series or running an after-school “Teen Writers” workshop.

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Career Preparedness

In addition to study in the major genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, our program offers single-semester studies in graphic narrative, picture books, scriptwriting and editing, as well as internships in teaching and publishing.

Program Specializations

This specialization will require 12 additional semester hours, for a total of 67 credits. Dual-genre students will take three residency workshops and three semesters in their main genre (i.e. the genre in which they will write their MFA thesis) and two residency workshops and two semesters in their secondary genre.

Creative Writing Pedagogy

This specialization will require 12 additional semester hours, for a total of 67 credits. Creative Writing Pedagogy students will take four 3-credit ($555 per credit) 8-week online courses (Writing as Social Action; Creative Writing in the Literature Classroom; Literary Criticism and Theory; and Writing and Rhetoric of Nonfiction) via Regis University’s MA in Literature and Creative Writing.

professor and student talking while seated on a bench outside

Residency Overview

Twice a year, in January and July, students will attend ten-day residencies, from Friday evening to the following Sunday afternoon, with an “Intermezzo” on Wednesdays. Residencies are inspiring, invigorating gatherings of like-minded writers that provide students with the opportunity to learn their craft, workshop their writing, attend readings by award-winning writers and immerse themselves in the writing life. Our brilliant yet down-to-earth faculty mentors will eat, drink and converse with students, providing lessons and advice on writing and the publishing world.

During each residency students will meet (either in person or via phone or Zoom) with the faculty mentor they will be working with during the succeeding semester and (together with that mentor) finalize a semester study plan. Out-of-town students will work with the program director to arrange for housing in a hotel or on-campus residence hall.

How to Apply

To apply to the Mile-High MFA Creative Writing program, you will need:

  • Completed online application
  • Official degree-bearing bachelor's transcript(s) from a regionally accredited university
  • Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher preferred
  • 3.2 GPA or higher in English/writing classes preferred
  • Demonstration of exceptional writing ability
  • Personal interview (via phone)
  • Two recommendation forms

The first step in the application process is to contact an admissions counselor, who can evaluate your prior learning credit, provide information regarding financial aid and tuition assistance and help you through the entire application process. A faculty phone or virtual interview may be required after review of your admissions application.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year: $721 per credit hour Total program credits: 54-78 Tuition is one part of the overall cost of attendance, which includes all expenses students may have, including basic living costs. For more information about tuition, fees and your estimated cost of attendance, visit our Cost of Attendance for Adult Undergraduates and Graduate Students page . Tuition and fees are subject to change.

A $350 nonrefundable enrollment deposit is required to secure your place in the program, and will be applied toward your tuition.

Curious about financial aid options? Regis offers a variety of scholarships, grants, and other programs to help you pay for school. Visit Financial Aid to learn more.

Important Dates

Admission is awarded on a rolling basis. However, application deadlines are as follows:

January term: Priority Deadline: October 15 Regular Deadline: November 15 Final/Deposit Deadline: December 1

July term: Priority Deadline: May 15 Final Deadline: June 15 Deposit Deadline: July 1

A Culture of Excellence

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is offered by the Creative Writing Department within the English Department in Regis College.

  • Learn More About the Department
  • View the Program Comparison Guide

Start Your Journey

  • Contact Admissions
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  • Start Your Application

What's the difference?

Creative Writing and Literature Degree Requirements

The Master of Liberal Arts, Creative Writing and Literature degree field is offered online with one 3-week course required on campus at Harvard University.

Getting Started

Explore Degree Requirements

  • Review the course curriculum .
  • Learn about the on-campus experience .
  • Determine your initial admissions eligibility .
  • Learn about the 2 degree courses required for admission .

Required Course Curriculum

Online core and elective courses

On-campus summer writers’ residency

Capstone or thesis

12 Graduate Courses (48 credits)

The program is designed for creative writers interested in fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing.

The degree is highly customizable. As part of the program curriculum, you choose either a capstone or thesis track as well as the creative writing and literature courses that meet your learning goals.

The synchronous online format and small class size ensure you’ll receive personal feedback on your writing and experience full engagement with instructors and peers.

Required Core & Elective Courses View More

  • HUMA 101 Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
  • 1 advanced fiction writing course
  • 3 creative writing courses
  • 1 creative writing and literature elective or creative writing independent study
  • EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities is a literature option
  • On-campus summer writers’ residency

Browse Courses →

Thesis Track View More

The thesis is a 9-month independent research project where you work one-on-one in a tutorial setting with a thesis director.

The track includes:

  • Thesis proposal tutorial course
  • Master’s Thesis (8 credits)

Capstone Track View More

The capstone track includes the following additional courses:

  • 1 literature course
  • Precapstone: Building the World of the Book (fiction and nonfiction options)
  • Capstone: Developing a Manuscript (fiction and nonfiction options)

In the precapstone , with support from your instructor and peers, you’ll engage in a series of structured writing exercises that make it possible to delve deeply into your characters—what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live—as you structure the world of your fiction or nonfiction.

In the capstone , with ongoing community support, you continue your work of in the precapstone and write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages — the equivalent of a thesis.

You enroll in the precapstone and capstone courses in back-to-back semesters (fall/spring) and in your final academic year. The capstone must be taken alone as your sole remaining degree requirement.

On-Campus Experience: One-Week Writers’ Residency

Participate in an weeklong writers’ workshop on campus.

Learn and network in person with your classmates, agents, and editors.

Nearly all courses can be taken online, but the degree requires an in-person experience at Harvard University where you enroll in a summer residency.

After completing 7 or more courses, you come to Harvard Summer School for a weeklong master class taught by a notable instructor. An agents-and-editors weekend follows. HSS offers, for an additional fee, housing, meal plans, and a prolonged on-campus experience here at Harvard University.

Choose between two on-campus experience options:

  • One-week Writers’ Residency with extended online sessions: During the two weeks that follow the intensive week of on-campus instruction, you attend additional writing classes online and submit a final piece of writing.
  • One-week Writers’ Residency with extended on-campus sessions: During the two weeks that follow the intensive week of on-campus instruction, you attend additional writing classes on campus and submit a final piece of writing. Three-week housing is available for this extended on-campus option. Learn more about campus life at Harvard .

International Students Who Need a Visa View More

To meet the on-campus requirement, you choose the One-Week Writers’ Residency with extended on-campus sessions and study with us in the summer. You can easily request an I-20 for the F-1 student visa through Harvard Summer School. For more details, see International Student Study Options for important visa information.

In-Person Co-Curricular Events View More

Come to Cambridge for Convocation (fall) to celebrate your hard-earned admission, Harvard career fairs offered throughout the year, HES alumni networking events (here at Harvard and around the world), and, of course, Harvard University Commencement (May).

Confirm your initial eligibility with a 4-year bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent.

Take two courses in our unique “earn your way in” admissions process that count toward your degree.

In the semester of your second course, submit the official application for admission to the program.

Below are our initial eligibility requirements and an overview of our unique admissions process to help get you started. Be sure to visit Degree Program Admissions for full details.

Initial Eligibility View More

  • Prior to enrolling in any degree-applicable courses, you must possess a 4-year regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent. Foreign bachelor’s degrees must be evaluated for equivalency.
  • You cannot already have or be in the process of earning a master’s degree in creative writing or a related field. Check your eligibility .
  • If English is your second language, you’ll need to prove English proficiency before registering for a course. We have multiple proficiency options .

Earn Your Way In — Courses Required for Admission View More

To begin the admission process, you simply register — no application required — for the following two, four-credit, graduate-level degree courses (available online).

These prerequisite courses count toward your degree once you’re admitted ; they are not additional courses. They are investments in your studies and help ensure success in the program.

  • Before registering, you’ll need to pass our online test of critical reading and writing skills or earn a B or higher in EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities.
  • You have two attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in the proseminar (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt). The proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.
  • Advanced Fiction Writing

While the two courses don’t need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, we recommend that you start with the proseminar. The 2 courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

Applying to the Degree Program View More

During the semester of your second degree course, submit the official application to the program.

Don’t delay! You must prioritize the two degree courses for admission and apply before completing subsequent courses. By doing so, you’ll:

  • Avoid the loss of credit due to expired course work or changes to admission and degree requirements.
  • Ensure your enrollment in critical and timely degree-candidate-only courses.
  • Avoid the delayed application fee.
  • Gain access to exclusive benefits.

Eligible students who submit a complete and timely application will have 10 more courses after admission to earn the degree. Applicants can register for courses in the upcoming semester before they receive their grades and while they await their admission decision.

The Office of Predegree Advising & Admissions makes all final determinations about program eligibility.

Search and Register for Courses

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) offers degree courses all year round to accelerate degree completion.

  • You can study in fall, January, and spring terms through Harvard Extension School (HES) and during the summer through Harvard Summer School (HSS).
  • You can enroll full or part time. After qualifying for admission, many of our degree candidates study part time, taking 2 courses per semester (fall/spring) and 1 in the January and summer sessions.
  • Most fall and spring courses meet once a week for two hours, while January and summer courses meet more frequently in a condensed format.

To Complete Your Degree

Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Complete your courses in five years.

Earn your Harvard degree and enjoy Harvard Alumni Association benefits upon graduation.

Required GPA, Withdrawal Grades, and Repeat Courses View More

GPA. You need to earn a B or higher in each of the two degree courses required for admission and a B– or higher in each of the subsequent courses. In addition, your cumulative GPA cannot dip below 3.0.

Withdrawal Grades. You are allowed to receive 2 withdrawal (WD) grades without them affecting your GPA. Any additional WD grades count as zero in your cumulative GPA. Please note that a WD grade from a two-credit course will count as 1 of your 2 allowed WD grades. See Academic Standing .

Repeat Courses. We advise you to review the ALM program’s strict policies about repeating courses . Generally speaking, you may not repeat a course to improve your GPA or to fulfill a degree requirement (if the minimum grade was not initially achieved). Nor can you repeat a course for graduate credit that you’ve previously completed at Harvard Extension School or Harvard Summer School at the undergraduate level.

Courses Expire: Finish Your Coursework in Under Five Years View More

Courses over five years old at the point of admission will not count toward the degree. As stated above, the proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.

Further, you have five years to complete your degree requirements. The five-year timeline begins at the end of the term in which you complete any two degree-applicable courses, regardless of whether or not you have been admitted to a degree program.

Potential degree candidates must plan accordingly and submit their applications to comply with the five-year course expiration policy or they risk losing degree credit for completed course work. Additionally, admission eligibility will be jeopardized if, at the point of application to the program, the five-year degree completion policy cannot be satisfied (i.e., too many courses to complete in the time remaining).

Graduate with Your Harvard Degree View More

When you have fulfilled all degree requirements, you will earn your Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Creative Writing and Literature. Degrees are awarded in November, March, and May, with the annual Harvard Commencement ceremony in May.

Degree Candidate Exclusive Benefits View More

When you become an officially admitted degree candidate, you have access to a rich variety of exclusive benefits to support your academic journey. To learn more, visit degree candidate academic opportunities and privileges .

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

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Creative Writing and Literature

Program finder image

Students enrolled in the Master of Liberal Arts program in Creative Writing & Literature will develop skills in creative writing and literary analysis through literature courses and writing workshops in fiction, screenwriting, poetry, and nonfiction. Through online group courses and one-on-one tutorials, as well as a week on campus, students hone their craft and find their voice.

Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

master of arts in literature and creative writing

Literature Graduate Programs

Join our community of scholars, creative writers, and translators who share a commitment to transnational and interdisciplinary approaches to literary study and practice.

Our graduate programs in literature provide a flexible context to pursue research across a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches, and theoretical debates. In addition to coursework in literary studies, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in creative writing and/or literary translation workshops as well as seminars in other disciplines such as film studies, the history of ideas, philosophy, and the visual and performing arts.

Doctor of Philosophy in Literature

Students pursuing the PhD in literature may, if their coursework supports it, submit a translation or creative writing project as part of their dissertation.

Forty-five semester credit hours of which at least 24 are taken as organized graduate-level courses in Literature (LIT).

Required Courses: 36 semester credit hours 

LIT 6300  Proseminar in Literary Studies

ARHM 6310  Team-Taught Interdisciplinary Seminar

LIT 7300  Academic Writing Workshop

18 semester credit hours of organized graduate-level  LIT  courses

9 semester credit hours of  LIT 8305  Field Exam Preparation

Elective Courses: 9 semester credit hours

Nine semester credit hours of electives in any graduate-level courses.

Students in all PhD programs in the Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology are expected to demonstrate intermediate-level reading proficiency in a foreign language (equivalent to two years of foreign-language study at the undergraduate level). Students must fulfill the language requirement before scheduling doctoral field examinations. 

As part of its approval of a dissertation proposal, the Graduate Studies Committee will consider the appropriateness of a candidate’s language preparation for the research or creative project. Faculty members chairing field examinations and dissertations should ensure that students possess the necessary language proficiency to carry out their proposed doctoral research. 

The requirement can be satisfied upon enrollment in a PhD program by demonstrating evidence of one or more of the following: 

  • Completion of a second-semester, intermediate-level foreign language course or higher (e.g., an undergraduate literature course in a foreign language) with a grade of B or better. 
  • Completion of a graduate course taught in a foreign language or with more than 25% of its required readings in a foreign language. 
  • An undergraduate major, graduate degree, or certificate in a foreign language. 
  • Successful completion of graded coursework at a foreign university at which the primary language of instruction is not English. 
  • A degree in any discipline from a foreign university at which the primary language of instruction is not English. 

The requirement can be satisfied during graduate study at UT Dallas in one of the following ways: 

  • Completion of a second-semester, intermediate-level foreign language course or higher at UT Dallas or elsewhere with a grade of B or better. 
  • Successful completion of  LIT 6326 : Translation Workshop with a grade of B or better. 
  • Successful completion of one of the following:  HUMA 6330 : French Workshop;  HUMA 6331 : Spanish Workshop;  HUMA 6333 : German Workshop with a grade of B or better.
  • Passing a written translation exam in an approved foreign language at UT Dallas.

The doctoral field examination consists of two written sections and an oral defense. The examining committee, composed of three members of the faculty (at least two of whom are faculty in the Literature Program), oversees definition and preparation of the two broad examination fields. Initial committee formation must take place during the semester in which students complete thirty-six semester credit hours of coursework, which will typically be followed by nine semester credit hours of  LIT 8305 : Field Exam Preparation. Students complete their doctoral field examination ideally during the semester in which they complete 45 semester credit hours, but no later than the semester in which they complete 54 semester credit hours.

Students are formally advanced to PhD candidacy when they have successfully completed the doctoral field examinations and received final approval for dissertation topics. Students should submit a preliminary dissertation proposal for consideration during the oral section of the doctoral field examination. After that examination, a four-person supervising committee is formed, normally from the examining committee plus an additional faculty member, to oversee dissertation work. The supervising committee must then approve a formal dissertation proposal before the student submits it to the Graduate Studies Committee for final approval.

Each candidate then writes a doctoral dissertation, which is supervised and defended according to general University regulations.

Toni Muñoz-Hunt

Toni Muñoz-Hunt,

PhD in Literature, Spring 2021

“Shortly after I received my undergraduate degree, I was looking for an institution with a strong interdisciplinary education where I could make my way and fashion my own academic plan. I met with a few local universities, and I felt most at home when I stepped foot onto this wonderfully diverse campus.”

Master of Arts in Literature

The MA in Literature can provide you with a flexible context to pursue research across a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches and theoretical debates. In addition to coursework in literary studies, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in creative writing and/or literary translation workshops as well as seminars in other disciplines, such as film studies, the history of ideas, philosophy and the visual and performing arts.

Choose between the professional option (coursework only and no foreign language requirements) and the research option (coursework with foreign language requirements plus a portfolio). If you choose the research option, you may, if your coursework supports it, submit a translation or creative writing project as part of your portfolio.

Thirty-three semester credit hours of which at least 18 semester credit hours are taken as organized graduate-level courses in Literature (LIT).

Required Courses: 21 semester credit hours 

LIT 6300 : Proseminar in Literary Studies

15 semester credit hours of organized graduate-level  LIT  courses

Free Electives: 12 semester credit hours 

Twelve semester credit hours of electives in any graduate-level courses.

Students in the professional option must complete 33 semester credit hours of coursework. They are not required to complete a portfolio or meet the foreign language requirement.

Students in the research option must complete 33 semester credit hours of coursework, fulfill a foreign language requirement, and complete a portfolio.

The research option MA degree requires demonstrated proficiency in an approved foreign language. The requirement can be satisfied upon enrollment in the MA program by demonstrating evidence of one or more of the following: 

  • Successful completion of one of the following:  HUMA 6330 : French Workshop;  HUMA 6331 : Spanish Workshop;  HUMA 6333 : German Workshop with a grade of B or better. 
  • Passing a written translation exam in an approved foreign language at UT Dallas. 

Two research papers or a creative project plus a scholarly essay originating in or completed for graduate courses are revised and presented in a portfolio for evaluation by a master’s committee.

Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing

The Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing focuses on the theory and practice of creating literary works.

The certificate consists of four graduate creative writing workshops, which can be completed in one genre or in more than one genre.

More information on this certificate can be found in the University Catalog .

Graduate Certificate in Literary Translation

The Graduate Certificate in Literary Translation focuses on the history, theory, and practice of literary translation. Students will learn to study and produce literary translations.

The certificate consists of four courses: two foundational courses in the theory and practice of translation; one of two advanced courses in translation studies; and a seminar or workshop related to the student’s area of research.

Program Highlights

Students reading at a discussion session

Research Opportunities

Our graduate students conduct and present research national and internationally. See graduate student accomplishments.

Faculty Mentors

Our faculty members will help you gain the knowledge, skills and support you need for a rewarding career. Meet Literature faculty .

Dr. Nomi Stone

Dr. Nomi Stone

Assistant professor of literature and creative writing

“I love the hybridity and cross-pollination at UT Dallas. I’m an anthropologist and a poet — a scholar who also writes creatively — so this is just the exact right fit for me. Braiding these things together is my passion. I haven’t seen a place that does collaboration as well as this place. I see a real investment in bringing seemingly disparate things together.”

Contact Information

Dr. Charles Hatfield Associate Professor and Program Head Phone: 972-883-2780 Email:  [email protected]

Kelly Erb Graduate Academic Advisor Phone: 972-883-6176 Email:  [email protected] Office:  JO 4.508C

Graduate Advising Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology The University of Texas at Dallas, JO31 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021 Phone: 972-883-4706 Email:  [email protected]

Office of Admission and Enrollment 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021 972-883-2270 or 1-800-889-2443 [email protected] utdallas.edu/enroll

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Master of Arts in Literature

Program description.

The master of arts in literature brings together literary scholars, theorists, creative writers, and literary translators who share a commitment to transnational and interdisciplinary approaches to literary study and practice.  

In addition to seminars in literary studies, students have the opportunity to participate in workshops in creative writing and literary translation, as well in seminars in a wide range of other disciplines, such as film studies, the history of ideas, philosophy, and the visual and performing arts. Students in the master’s program elect either a professional option (coursework only) or a research option (coursework plus research portfolio). Students whose primary interest is in creative writing or literary translation have the option to apply to receive graduate certificates in those areas. 

The master’s in literature provides students with a rigorous foundation in the discipline of literary studies and a broad understanding of global literary traditions, critical approaches, and theoretical debates. At UT Dallas, the study of literature is not divided across departments of English, Spanish, French, German, and East Asian literature; instead, the study of literature takes place in a single program that encompasses not only English literature but also the literatures of Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Creative writing and literary translation are integral parts of the Graduate Program in Literature at UT Dallas, and one of the core values of the program is that the dialogue between creative and critical practitioners is essential.  

Other benefits include: 

  • World-Class Faculty : The program is led by faculty in the literature program who are leading scholars, theorists, creative writers and literary translators. 
  • Comprehensive Curriculum : Courses in the master’s program will introduce students to new ideas, methodologies, and competencies while preparing them to succeed in both careers in secondary and postsecondary education as well as a wide range of careers outside higher education. 
  • Location : Situated in the greater Dallas region—recently rated by Forbes magazine as the #1 “Best City for Jobs” — UT Dallas provides students with easy access to employers and internship opportunities, not to mention a large and supportive alumni population. 

Career Opportunities

In addition to law schools and PhD programs, graduates of the literature master’s program are well-prepared for positions in both public and private sectors, such as: 

  • Teacher/instructor 
  • Writer 
  • Editor 
  • Publisher 
  • Administrator 
  • Translator 
  • Journalist 

Career settings for graduates of the master’s in literature may include higher education, non-profits, cultural and historical organizations, publishing houses, government agencies, international development organizations, museums and archives, business/corporate entities, and independent consulting. 

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Application Deadline and Requirements

Please take note of all  application deadlines and visit the  Apply Now webpage to begin the application process. See the literature program website for additional information. 

Applicants to the literature master’s degree program should have: 

  • A baccalaureate degree (BA or MA) or its equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education in an arts and humanities field. 
  • Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must submit 3 letters of recommendation from individual able to judge the candidate’s potential for success in the master’s degree program. 
  • Admissions Essay: Applicants must submit a 650-word narrative essay, which should be reflective rather than factual. The essay should address the applicant’s academic interests and goals and indicate how the master’s program would enable such pursuits. 
  • International applicants must submit a TOEFL score of at least 80 on the internet-based test.  Scores must be less than two years old. See the Graduate Catalog for additional information regarding English proficiency requirements for international applicants. 

Contact Information

Literature Graduate Programs Email: [email protected]

Dr. Charles Hatfield Associate Professor and Program Head Phone: 972-883-2780 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Advising Pia K. Jakobsson Phone: 972-883-4706 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Admissions Phone: 972-883-6176 Email: [email protected] Request Bass School Graduate Program Information

Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology The University of Texas at Dallas, JO31 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021

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Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts Degree

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Hone Your Craft in the Capital City

For more than 30 years, writers have come to American University to develop their work and exchange ideas in the District’s only creative writing MFA program. Our graduate workshops provide a rigorous yet supportive environment where students explore a range of approaches to the art and craft of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

As an MFA student at American, you are free to pursue a single genre or explore several. You will acquire a deeper understanding of your own work and hone your skills in a collaborative setting.

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A Program of Study That Gets Results

This two-year, 36-credit-hour MFA program integrates writing, literary journalism, translation, and the study of literature to prepare students for a range of career possibilities. Write, give feedback, and receive guidance from a close-knit community of respectful peers and faculty. In the MFA program, you'll find lawyers, military veterans, musicians, teachers, and business executives who are passionate about the written word.

Connect with accomplished professors and the resources you need to reach your goal. Our faculty members have been featured in a variety of media and publications including the New Yorker , the New York Times , National Public Radio, Bill Moyers & Co., and the Washington Post.

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Prominent Authors Dedicated to Your Success

Our faculty of award-winning poets, novelists, translators, and nonfiction writers will help you help you hone your craft and pursue your career as a writer. You will receive instruction and guidance from successful authors published by university presses and major publishers, including Houghton Mifflin, Scribner, Vintage Books, Viking Press, and WW Norton. Our active and engaged faculty members are regularly featured in top media outlets such as The New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and New Republic ; in literary journals like Kenyon Review, Ploughshares, and Shenandoah ; and on television and radio.

Library of Congress

A City For Writers

Living and learning in the nation's capital provides numerous benefits for MFA students. We partner with organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts, Library of Congress, 826DC, Writopia Labs, and Folger Shakespeare Library to facilitate opportunities for our students.

Our students have recently published books with WW Norton, Copper Canyon, University of Wisconsin Press, and MIT Press. They have been featured on This American Life , Poets & Writers , in Creative Nonfiction , Psychology Today , and more.

We Know Success

97% of graduates are employed, in grad school, or both 6 months after graduation.

Our alumni have gone on to work for organizations including:

  • Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
  • EEO ClassIn
  • Fulbright Association
  • Goodwin University
  • PEN/Faulkner Foundation
  • Shout Mouse Press
  • Street Sense Media
  • The Building People
  • W. W. Norton & Company, Inc

Publications

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Folio is a nationally recognized literary journal sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences at American University in Washington, DC. Since 1984, we have published original creative work by both new and established authors. Past issues have included work by Michael Reid Busk, Billy Collins, William Stafford, and Bruce Weigl, and interviews with Michael Cunningham, Charles Baxter, Amy Bloom, Ann Beattie, and Walter Kirn. We look for well-crafted poetry and prose that is bold and memorable.

News & Notes

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Writers Series Brings Leading Authors and Thinkers to Campus this Fall

Recent award-winning publications by our MFA alumni :

  • Valzhyna Mort won the 2021 International Griffin Prize for her third poetry collection, Music for the Dead and Resurrected (FSG, 2020), which was named one of the best poetry books of 2020 by The New York Times.
  • Field Study by Chet’la Sebree won the 2020 Academy of American Poets James Laughlin Award; Mistress  won the 2018 New Issues Poetry Prize.
  • "The Niece" by Yohanca Delgado was selected for the Distinguished Stories list in Best American Short Stories 2020 .
  • Trouble Sleeping  by Abdul Ali won the 2014 New Issues Poetry Prize.
  • Daydreamers by  Jonathan Harper was named a Kirkus Indie Books of the Month Selection.

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Rachel Louise Snyder recounts how her mother’s death left her unmoored and untoward in her new memoir .

Kyle Dargan served as editor for The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer  with Janelle Monáe.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Literature) won the 2023 NAACP Image Award for fiction for her most recent novel, Take My Hand . 

Ralvell Rogers

Ralvell Rogers MFA, Creative Writing

More about ralvell.

MFA Creative Writing candidate Ralvell Rogers is making his mark on the literary world.

My time at AU has been brilliant in the fact that I've already learned much about what it means to be a Writer with a capital "W" and more importantly, a literary scholar. Though there is an obvious focus on our course work, it's been made clear to me that our work isn't exactly all that matters in the classroom. We are continuously connecting our work in class to the lives that we live on a daily basis and the world that we all live in, and I think that is very important for writers and entrepreneurs in the publishing sector because we are essentially the historians of our respective generations.

He is the author of The Kansas City Boys Choir: Providing Hope for Tomorrow , which has been endorsed by luminaries Kevin Powell, G.S. Griffin, and Congressman Emanual Cleaver II. Ralvell has also established his own publishing company, Ambitious Stories, LLC, out of Kansas City, MO. He founded it earlier this year to focus on "often unheard, yet riveting and inspiring stories from the heart."

Valzhyna Mort, credit: Tanya Kapitonava

Valzhyna Mort MFA Creative Writing

More about valzhyna.

Alumna Valzhyna Mort has gained international acclaim for her third poetry collection, Music for the Dead and Resurrected (FSG, 2020), which won the 2021 International Griffin Prize and was named one of the best poetry books of 2020 by the New York Times . Publishers Weekly called this work in their starred review, "poems of reclamation and resurrection; to live in them is to confront the hard work of witness." The New Yorker wrote in its review, "Memory, metaphor, and myth intermingle to sometimes nightmarish effect in this collection by a Belarus-born poet. Mort excavates the individual and communal traumas wrought by a violent and repressive national history, and calls herself 'a test-child exposed to the burning reactor of my grandmother’s memory.'" Mort teaches poetry, literature, and translation at Cornell University.

Look inside the Creative Writing MFA

For more than 40 years, writers have come to American University to develop their work and exchange ideas in the District’s only creative writing MFA program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline for a merit award.

The application deadline is February 1. All applications are automatically considered for merit awards. After February 1, the program continues to consider applications, but cannot guarantee those applicants will be considered for merit awards.

What is the MFA thesis?

The required MFA thesis consists of an original, book-length manuscript. It may be a novel, a novella, a memoir or collection of stories, creative nonfiction, or poems. The thesis is due approximately a month before the end of the student's final semester.

How long does it take to earn the MFA degree at American University?

Most students complete the 36-credit degree in 2 years. Full-time study is 9 credits (3 classes) per semester. Others pursue their degree part-time, taking 1-2 classes per semester as best fits their schedules. All workshops, and many literature courses, are offered at night, so that students with full-time jobs can still complete their coursework.

What does the admissions committee look for in an applicant's writing sample?

The committee regards the writing sample as the most important part of the application. It's therefore important that you pay close attention to the manuscript guidelines (see below). Send what you feel is your strongest work that shows your demonstrated talent. It is not important to the committee whether or not work has been previously published.

Those submitting applications in poetry should send no more than 12 poems or 15 pages (with no more than one new or continuing poem per page). If submitting fiction/nonfiction, please submit 15-25 pages. While the catalog calls for a 25-page writing sample, we value quality over quantity. We are interested in seeing only your very best work, which can consist of one or more stories or works of creative nonfiction or an excerpt from a novel. If you send an excerpt from a novel, please include a brief description of the work as a whole.

Still have questions? Email [email protected] .

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

  • Litowitz MFA+MA Program

The Litowitz MFA+MA Program in Creative Writing and English

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

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

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

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

Over two years of coursework students will take:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Admissions Cycle

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

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Online MFA in Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts

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Earn an MFA in Creative Writing Online

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

Online MFA in Creative Writing Program Overview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Value of an Online MFA

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

Career Outlook

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

Paul Witcover with the text Paul Witcover

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

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

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

Higher Education

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

Advertising

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

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

Entertainment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Start Your Journey Toward an Online MFA in Creative Writing

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

Jamilla Geter with the text Jamilla Geter

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

Felicia Warden with the text Felicia Warden

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

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

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

Learn more about the online teaching of writing graduate certificate .

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

Learn more about the professional writing graduate certificate .

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

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

MFA Program Thesis

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

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

Kathleen Harris with the text Kathleen Harris

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

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

New England Commission of Higher Education

Tuition & Fees

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Study with Us
  • MA in Literature and Creative Writing

Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing

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WSU Alumni Geneva Valek. © Sally Tsoutas, WSU Office of Marketing and Communication 2022.

More than an MA

The Writing and Society Research Centre offers a nationally leading Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing taught by eminent authors, critics and editors.

The MA is a challenging, rigorous and industry-focused degree that combines critical research and creative work. Students are guided by publishing writers to produce works of literary scholarship or creative writing across a diverse range of styles including fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, literary criticism, screenwriting and scriptwriting.

Our Centre is unique in Australia in the way it combines scholarship, authorship, publishing expertise and community engagement. Celebrated writers, scholars and editors working in the Centre include Alexis Wright, Felicity Castagna, George Haddad, Luke Carman, Kate Fagan, Mette Jakobsen, James Jiang, Anthony Uhlmann and Tegan Bennett Daylight.

The Centre houses the highly decorated literary press Giramondo Publishing and Australia’s pre-eminent literary review site, the Sydney Review of Books . Doctoral programs of study in Literature and Creative Writing are also available. We are ranked above world standing in the study of literature and creative arts practice.

In short, the Writing and Society Research Centre is one of the best places nationally either to become a writer or to think in a critical and scholarly way about writing.

Subject Offerings in the MLit/CW

The MA program takes 18 months (three semesters) full-time. Part-time study is also possible. Students take two 12-week (semester-long) core subjects: Creative Methods in Research and Creative Writing Practice. These foundational subjects are complemented by four 6-week elective subjects: Writers at Work, Reading and Writing Australia, Writing and Genre and Creative Non-Fiction. Students can also choose electives from the SoHCA MRes elective offerings.

In Year 2, MA students complete a research project that involves either a major creative work (11,000 words or equivalent for your genre, plus a 4000-word exegesis) or a scholarly thesis of 15,000 words. The Masters Project is completed over 6 months. MA students are further encouraged to take part in the vibrant culture of the Centre with its many  events and seminars . The MA is taught currently from 5pm-8pm (evenings after work) on Parramatta City campus.

Outstanding MA students may choose to transition to a scholarship-supported MRes thesis year in Year 2. Please see further information below or contact our Postgraduate Adviser, Dr Melinda Jewell: [email protected]

Pathway to PhD and DCA

At the beginning of Year 2, students who have successfully completed year 1 of the MA in Literature and Creative Writing students can apply for entry with advanced standing into the Masters of Research program which is a pathway to DCA and PhD study. Students who are accepted into this stream of study complete a year-long research project , instead of the half year Masters Project. Students accepted into the Masters of Research program complete a 25,000 word thesis or an equivalent creative work and exegesis.

Find out more about the MA in Literature and Creative Writing

Exit points, graduate certificate.

Students can choose to complete three units (one semester long skilling unit and two intensive units) in order to graduate with a Graduate Certificate (something that is particularly beneficial for high school or primary school teachers currently working and looking to upgrade their qualifications as teachers of literature and creative writing). One semester full time or part time equivalent.

Graduate Diploma

Students can choose to complete the full six first year course work units without doing the second year research project, in which case they will graduate with a Graduate Diploma. One year full time or part time equivalent.

MA Literature and Creative Writing

The MA course as described above. One and a half years full time or part time equivalent.

Master of Research

Students can apply for admission into M(Res) degree as described above. If they perform well in this process they will become competitive for further study (either at the DCA level or for a PhD in English literature). Two years full time or part time equivalent.

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Program Highlights

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48 credit hours |  In-state tuition: $490/credit hour | Out-of-state tuition: $575/credit hour

  • One of the only 100% online MFAs in Creative Writing 
  • Designed for writers with great talent and drive in fiction and poetry who need a master’s in Creative Writing to teach at University level 
  • Provides access to a stellar faculty including world-renowned poets and fiction writers 

PROGRAM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Why Creative Writing at UTEP?

The online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is the only one of its kind and single-minded in its focus to help students become better writers at their own pace. We do this by creating an exclusive community that includes well-known literary personalities and published authors; students also learn the practical skills needed to hone their craft.

This is a highly competitive program for serious writers with the potential for great literary significance.  

A master’s degree in creative writing is perfect for students who

  • Work full-time and want to go on to pursue a career in writing or teaching at the university level
  • Are serious writers who want to publish
  • Need to learn strategies to become better writers
  • Want to be a part of an international community of writers without borders

We also offer an optional low-residency opportunity every summer in Europe, in such cities as London, Paris, and Madrid. The UTEP Career Center provides graduates with resources to help them pursue their career goals.

Our student success initiative, the UTEP Edge, develops upon students’ assets through a variety of high-impact experiences. These experiences are designed to improve student skills and give UTEP students a competitive advantage as they move forward in their lives and careers. Our goal as a campus is to provide these UTEP Edge experiences to all students, regardless of their area of study, so they will graduate with a competitive advantage over their peers. These are the Edge experiences Creative Writing students will have and the Edge skills they will graduate with:

Edge Experiences

  • Online Experiences
  • Creative Activities
  • Research and Scholarly Activities
  • Learning Communities
  • Study Abroad/Study Away

Edge Skills

  • Social Responsibility
  • Global Awareness
  • Critical Thinking
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving

Learn more about UTEP Edge

  " It has been a great experience. I could learn and study from home, in my own time. I got to know really interesting people whom I am still in touch with, even if we never met in person. The professors were flexible, kind, and all of them experts in their field . " - Ana Cagnoni, Graduate MEET MORE STUDENTS

Still wondering if this degree can help you get a job? Here's some info that might help you make up your mind .

Learn With Award-Winning Faculty 

Our department is filled with world-renowned, award-winning, bilingual faculty who bring their talent to the classroom; among our ranks are Andrea Cote Botero, José de Piérola, Tim Z. Hernandez, Sasha R. Pimentel, Jeff Sirkin, Lex Williford, Sylvia A. Zéleny and Daniel Chacón. We currently have two visiting faculty members: Jessica Powers and JD Pluecker, who teach children's/YA literature and poetry respectively. In the past, we have had award-winning writers who have served as visiting faculty and shared their expertise with our students:this list includes Natalie Diaz, Laurie Ann Guerrero, Heather Hartley and Carolina Ebeid.

Listen to the program's brand new podcast "Technically Literate" on your favorite podcasting app.  This is the first ever show to blend Creative Writing (poetry fiction writing, memoir) with technology.

Course Overview

The online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a highly competitive program that requires a total of 48 semester credit hours; this includes 42 semester credit hours of workshops and literature classes, and six hours of thesis during which students complete a publishable manuscript in poetry or fiction.

A detailed list of courses is available at https://www.utep.edu/liberalarts/creative-writing/academic-programs/online/curriculum.html

Like what you see? Here are some tips to get you accepted and on your way to becoming a successful writer!

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Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

Thesis option only: 36 credits 

The M.F.A. degree program requires 36 credit hours of graduate work. The program balances courses in literature with writing workshops (30 hours), and requires a creative thesis (six hours). It offers concentrations in fiction and in poetry.

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  • College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
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Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

The M.F.A. degree features focused attention on creative writing in a specific genre combined with study of a broad and diverse range of literatures in English. This degree is not a studio degree. It offers preparation for creative publication; for expert teaching in creative writing and literature; for leadership in communication for business, education, and arts organizations; or for advanced studies in literature and creative writing on the Ph.D. level.

Minimum Requirements for Admission

  • B.A. degree
  • 3.0 GPA in undergraduate studies
  • One foreign language (may be completed while in residence for the degree)

Application Deadline: January 15

Degree Requirements

  • 3 hours of Writers on Literature (ENGL 7324)
  • 15 Hours in creative writing, including 9 workshop hours in the primary genre, 3 hours of Forms and Techniques (ENGL 6320 or 6321), and 3 hours of Master Workshop (ENGL 8322 or 8323)
  • 12 hours of English or American literature, divided between early and later literatures.
  • 6 hours of electives
  • One foreign language
  • M.F.A. thesis

Application Materials

Consult the UH Graduate School  for detailed instructions on how to submit your application electronically. The English Department requires the following materials:

  • Online application and application fee.
  • Three letters of recommendation from people who know your creative or academic work well. Letters will be solicited by the UH Admissions Office and submitted electronically.
  • Unofficial transcripts (with degrees posted) may be uploaded with your online application. If you are accepted, you will need to send official academic transcripts (sealed in the issuing envelope) from every university or college you have attended. Official transcripts should be sent directly to the UH Graduate Admissions Office (University of Houston, Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 3947, Houston, TX 77253-3947).
  • Your Statement of Intent (1000 words, double-spaced). State why you wish to pursue graduate studies in creative writing; which writers in your genre you are reading and their importance to your work; and whether you have taught before and intend to pursue teaching as a career.
  • An original creative writing sample (10 pages for poetry, 20-25 pages for prose). Fiction and nonfiction manuscripts should be double-spaced, on numbered, single-sided pages; poetry may be single-spaced and formatted as desired. Note: submitting more than the recommended amount is strongly discouraged and could adversely affect the evaluation process.

General Policies and Procedures

Program Guidelines are available here. Additional university policies may be found in the Graduate Catalog.

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Master of Arts (M.A.) in English

Graduation & retention.

Total Credit Hours:  36           Degree Format:  Traditional

The College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of English offer the Master of Arts (M.A.) in English degree for students who wish to continue their study of literature, literary criticism, language, rhetoric and composition, and creative writing.

Due to the structure of the M.A. curriculum, students are able to tailor their academic program to meet their special interests. The program prepares students for many different careers and programs. M.A. graduates go on to complete doctoral degree programs and find success in professional settings, such as college and secondary-education and business.

Valdosta State University offers a wide array of services that support student research.   Odum Library   has more than 350,000 volumes, including several special collections, and it subscribes to more than 2,700 periodicals. It also provides an on-line catalogue and database searches, interlibrary loan facilities, and access to websites and library catalogues all over the world.

Program Coordinator:  Dr. Anne Greenfield, email:  [email protected] , phone: 229-333-5946 

Department of English Website

ADMISSION DEADLINES

  • Fall Semester:  July 1 
  • Fall Semester priority deadline for Graduate Assistantships: June 1
  • Spring Semester:  November 1
  • Summer Semester: April 1

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online graduate application.

  • Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
  • Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

  • Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
  • Must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale. This GPA may be cumulative or in the undergraduate English major.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)   

  • GRE scores are not required for admission. 
  • GRE scores can be submitted if needed in place of required GPA i.e. if GPA is below 3.0. 

Statement of Intent

  • The statement of intent should briefly outline relevant academic interests in the field and proposed course of study in the program (Literature or Rhetoric and Composition). It is appropriate in such letters to discuss one's most successful undergraduate work, to be as specific as possible about which area of English studies one intends to enter, and to indicate one's ultimate goals (should not exceed 750 words).

Two Recommendations

  • General Recommendation Form Required
  • Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to compelte the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to [email protected]. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
  • Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

Cover  Letter

  • Please note: this requirement is in the process of being removed. 

Writing Sample

  • A sample of academic writing, preferably from an upper-level English course, no more than fifteen pages in length.

VSU Medical Form

  • The form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
  • This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
  • Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

  • The above requirements represent the minimal standards which must be met for consideration for admission to the MA program in the department of English. Meeting or exceeding these standards does not guarantee admission.  The department makes a determination for admission based on these criteria as well as the student's career goals, fit to the program, and evolving trends and standards in the profession.

Probationary Admission

Students may be accepted as probationary in the Department of English.  Probationary admission is at the complete discretion of the Department of English's Graduate Studies Committee. Meeting or exceeding the minimal standards for probationary admission does not guarantee admission. In order to be considered for this admissions status, the following requirements must be satisfied:

  • Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution
  • Meet EITHER the minimum GPA requirement OR the minimum GRE score required for regular admission.
  • Submit all supplemental materials in the above checklist (such as statement of intent, etc.) prior to the admissions deadline.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam : Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit official scores on the TOEFL exam. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement.
  • Certificate of Finances : The Certificate of Finance is required of any applicant requiring a student visa to enter the United States to complete his or her studies. This document is considered a part of the application for admission and applications will not be reviewed without this document.  Applicants who do not require an I-20 student visa to complete their studies are exempt from this requirement.
  • Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

  • Regular Status
  • Probationary Status
  • The Master of Arts in English program will consider requests for Irregular Admission; however, requesting Irregular Admission does not guarantee approval to enroll.  See the  Graduate School Requirements and Guidelines for Irregular Admission  for specific information.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

  • Call Us : 229-333-5694 or toll free 800-618-1878, Option #5
  • Email Us: [email protected]  
  • Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the  Program Coordinator:  Dr. Anne Greenfield, email:  [email protected],  phone: 229-333-5964.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
  • A 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
  • Students must successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations, or the thesis and oral defense.

Thesis Option

A Master’s thesis in English should be a work of 50 or more pages demonstrating competent and substantial research coupled with an innovative approach to the subject matter. The thesis will be directed by a faculty member and a committee of two other faculty members (one of whom must be from a department outside English). Once the thesis has been submitted, students will have an oral defense covering both the thesis

Non-Thesis Option—Comprehensive Examination

Students will develop, in consultation with their committee, a reading list in a specialized area. This list should consist of approximately six to eight primary and secondary works, excluding material that students have already studied in their classes. Students will then take a two-hour written examination over this reading list and a followup oral examination over that written test and their coursework. These examinations should be taken before or immediately after the final semester. Students following this option must complete 36 hours of coursework.

T-5 Certification

Students wishing to obtain T-5 certification may do so after the completion of the M.A. program, provided they have a T-4 certificate and complete the professional education courses required for T-5 certification by the State Department of Education.

***Students seeking the M.A. in English as a second master’s degree must satisfy all the requirements for the Master of Arts in English.

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all graduate courses. 

Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below “C” (“D”, “F”, “WF”,“U”) will be dismissed from the program. One grade below a "C" results in a warning.

If dismissed from the program, the student must wait a minimum of two semesters and obtain approval from the academic department, before applying for readmission. The academic program reserves the right to place specific conditions and contingencies on any offer of readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed and prior academic performance and conduct in the program will be considered. 

After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements. 

No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. This credit must be documented in the form of an official transcript at the time of admission. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.

  • Students entering the literature emphasis without an undergraduate degree in English or an English minor or its equivalent must complete the following requirements prior to enrollment in graduate-level coursework: ENGL 3060; ENGL 3210 and ENGL 3215; ENGL 3110 and ENGL 3120-all with a grade of "B" or higher in each and prior to enrollment in graduate-level courses. Students entering the rhetoric and composition emphasis without an undergraduate degree in English or an English minor or its equivalent must complete the following requirements prior to enrollment in graduate-level coursework: three hours of either 3210 or 3215; and three hours of either 3110 or 3120-all with a grade of "B" or higher in each and prior to enrollment in graduate-level courses.
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The Graduate School

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  • Mailing Address 1500 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, GA 31698
  • Phone: 229.333.5694
  • Fax: 229.245.3853
  • Office Hours : Monday-Thursday: 8 AM - 5:30 PM Friday: 8 AM - 3 PM

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Master of Arts in Writing

Write by the beach.

Our Master of Arts in Writing provides project-based learning supported by an academic press, an acclaimed literary journal, and opportunities to teach college composition classes.

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Interdisciplinary Studies

The Master of Arts in Writing is a 33-credit-hour program that offers courses in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, editing and publishing, professional writing, literature, and linguistics.

The program is ideal for students who want graduate-level training in the craft of writing—be it with an eye toward an MFA program in fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction; a PhD program in Composition and Rhetoric; or a writing-intensive job in a variety of fields, from the private sector to government to nonprofit positions. Our program is a proven bridge to the terminal degree. Our alums have gone on to MFA programs at University of Oregon, University of Alabama, George Mason University, UNC Greensboro, University of Central Florida, and Warren Wilson College, as well as Comp / Rhet and Professional / Technical Writing PhD programs at University of South Carolina, Clemson University, University of New Hampshire, Iowa State University, and Virginia Tech.

The MAW is committed to providing its graduate students with support in the form of teaching assistantships that pay in excess of the full cost of tuition and come with the opportunity to teach first-year writing classes, assist faculty with teaching and research, and tutor students in the writing center. CCU’s campus is located just 7 miles away from sensational beaches, stretching uninterrupted for 60 miles. Our students truly can “Write by the Beach.”

More Information

  • Application Deadline: January 31 November 15
  • Request Information
  • Contact:   Kate Oestreich MAW Coordinator [email protected]   843-349-6602

A Diverse, Flexible Curriculum

Students in Coastal Carolina's M.A. in Writing program take:

  • Two core courses selected from options in editing and publishing, forms of creative writing, and composition and rhetoric; 
  • Three workshops selected from options in creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, professional and technical writing, and composition and rhetoric; 
  • Two courses in literature and/or linguistics; 
  • Three elective courses that may include additional workshops in creative writing; 
  • Three hours of portfolio research.

The curriculum’s diversity and flexibility allow students to study extensively in one genre (creative writing, composition, rhetoric, oe editing and publishing) while also broadening their educational range through coursework in additional genres. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for a range of professional opportunities after school or for continued study in M.F.A. or Ph.D. programs.

Professional Experience

The program offers a wide range of opportunities for students to gain experience in writing, editing, and teaching in professional contexts. An on-campus literary journal and available graduate assistantships in teaching and research make the MAW program a professional training arena for writers and scholars.

Find out more in Beyond the Classroom »

Late Application Deadline

Students may begin the program in either the fall or spring semester. The deadline for the spring semester is November 15. Students interested in beginning the program in the fall semester should know that to ensure full consideration for a fall graduate assistantship, we strongly encourage you to complete your application by January 31. However, we will accept fall applications on a rolling basis throughout the spring and summer.

Apply Now »

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Forest Grove, Hillsboro & Eugene Campuses Closed

Update: Pacific University’s Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Eugene campuses, and all Pacific healthcare clinics, remain closed all day Friday, Jan. 19. More Details

What is a Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing?

The exterior of the downtown Portland MFA building with a sign that reads Master of Fine Arts in Writing.

A degree in creative writing can provide unparalleled opportunities for personal growth and creative expression. Pacific’s unique low-residency master’s program enables authors to sharpen their skills and form a close-knit community of authors from anywhere in the world.

Earn your MFA in creative writing and begin a lifetime of making thoughtful, compassionate art. Applications for Pacific’s innovative low-residency program are being accepted until May 15 and financial aid is available .

Creative writing MFA programs are unparalleled spaces for writers to explore and grow. 

However, traditional masters in creative writing degrees can take between two and three years for full-time students to complete, leaving little in the way of career or family flexibility.

Enter the Low-Residency MFA .  

Combining the essential tenets of the best MFA programs — one-on-one instruction , close-knit cohorts , inspiring faculty — with the versatility of a hybrid model, low-residency MFAs don’t force you to choose between school and life .   

An MFA degree can push you to create innovative, compassionate writing projects, which can be more accessible and adaptable with low-residency programs. 

Discover the unique benefits of a low-residency MFA program and how it might be the perfect space to hone your craft.

EXPLORE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

What is a Low-Residency MFA Program?

Unlike most graduate degree programs, the low-residency MFA primarily takes place outside of the classroom.

This allows you to refine your writing process from anywhere in the world while still communicating frequently with your peers and professors.

Low-residency creative writing degrees blend independent, guided study with several in-person residencies that include workshops, lectures, and individual meetings with faculty.

Low-residency MFA degrees are designed to empower those who may not have the time to devote to regular class sessions or who may live far from universities offering writing programs.  

However, anyone, regardless of circumstance, can take advantage of low-residency writing programs, as they provide the same high-quality practicum and faculty insight as comparable traditional degree pathways. 

Whether writing from your dining room table, a local coffee shop, or a tropical beach, a low-residency degree in creative writing offers unrivaled support. 

Do Low-Residency MFA Programs Offer Scholarships?

Scholarships for low-residency writing degrees are available, as well as paid opportunities to teach creative writing at the university level. 

Pacific offers five distinct merit-based scholarships for MFA cohort members, each of which lowers the cost for creative writing students.

In addition to the writing MFA program’s specific scholarships, Pacific offers general scholarships to graduate students of all disciplines , further reducing the cost of your degree.

Is a Bachelor's Degree in Writing Required to Apply to a Low-Residency MFA Program?

Thoughtful creative writing can come from any background, so a bachelor’s degree in creative writing is generally not required to apply for low-residency MFA programs.

While many programs require an undergraduate degree, at Pacific your previous college experience doesn’t need to be related to creative writing as a discipline.

Rather, your writing skill and promise comes through in the portfolio of work and the critical essay that you submit alongside your application. 

Are Low-Residency MFA Programs Taught Online? 

A selection of books published by Pacific University MFA faculty sit facing out on a shelf.

Online MFA programs are becoming more common, especially as the number of schools offering writing degrees continues to increase.

Low-residency MFA programs are not online programs, rather a portion of the instruction is mentor-guided remotely and then augmented with on-site residencies. There are no asynchronous courses or class meetings.

Despite having a significant in-person component, low-residency MFA degrees retain the most sought-after aspects of the best online MFA programs: adaptability.

The constraints that can accompany traditional MFA programs are absent in the low-residency model, enabling your writing practice to mold to your schedule, not the other way around.

What Do the Best Low-Residency MFA Programs Look Like?  

A master’s in creative writing fuses a daily writing practice with intense, careful study of literature and craft guided by celebrated authors in your chosen genre.

What should you look for to help make the most of that experience? 

The best low-residency MFA programs include:

Faculty experts. Award-winning authors form the backbone of the instructional core of any reputable MFA program, and you’ll be working with them closely throughout your degree.

It’s important to search for professors who are not only experts in their craft, but who can speak about the broader publishing space to interested authors.

Demonstrated student success. Whether as educators, community organizers, or published authors, examples of students finding success beyond their MFA program is paramount.

Interdisciplinary opportunities. Learning from other genres and styles of writing is integral in forming creative work, and being a part of a diverse array of professors and peers can help supercharge that process.

Supportive workshops . Feedback is essential to flourishing as an author, and surrounding yourself with a compassionate cohort will help create an environment of growth.

Rewarding residencies. Low-residency writing master’s degrees are unique in that they allow for on-site residencies that include lectures, workshops, and opportunities for connection with faculty and colleagues. 

Pacific’s unique low-residency MFA has admissions windows twice a year, so there’s no wrong time to get your application started .

INQUIRE TODAY

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Creative Writing B.A.

master of arts in literature and creative writing

About this Program

  • Participate in creative writing workshops in which you will generate your own work and in craft classes in which you will learn from the work of established writers.
  • Pair your creative writing major with another major and expand your horizons by exploring multiple areas of interest, including journalism, history, information science, biology and applied mathematics.
  • Learn from faculty-writers, graduate students enrolled in Syracuse’s renowned M.F.A. in creative writing program, and the well-established Raymond Carver Reading Series.
  • Meet with talented faculty and visiting writers for guidance as you hone your own writing skills.
  • Partake in one of literature’s highest goals: to give voice to a plurality of experiences and worldviews.
  • Learn from assigned readings that represent various cultures, classes, modes of experience and cultures.
  • Live in the Creative Writing Living Learning Community, where first-year students create friendships, network with faculty and established authors through public readings and dinners, and explore their passion for reading and writing poetry, fiction, graphic novels, creative nonfiction and any other type of writing.

Program Information

Degree Type

College or School

College of Arts and Sciences

Career Path

  • Communications and Writing

Related Pages

  • Official Program Requirements

Exterior of Hall of languages building

The creative writing curriculum combines a grounding in literary study with a workshop-style focus on writing. Required classes include historical and contemporary literature classes, and creative writing workshops and craft classes in at least two genres.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Read closely and analyze texts across historical periods and in various genres.
  • Recognize and express the aesthetic qualities of literature and a knowledge of literary forms.
  • Recognize and produce good writing and explain what literary aspects make it good.
  • Demonstrate a knowledge of critical approaches and methods of interpretation.
  • Improve your own work through self-conscious and analytical processes.
  • Discuss peer work and other written texts in a thoughtful and constructive manner.
  • Exhibit an awareness of how these skills are necessary for employment and graduate study in a wide range of fields.

Sample Courses

  • Introduction to Creative Writing
  • Reading Race and Ethnicity before 1900
  • Interpretation of Poetry
  • The Art of the Fairy Tale
  • Introduction to Shakespeare

Extracurricular Opportunities

Raymond Carver Reading Series

Through the Raymond Carver Reading Series, attend readings by 12 to 14 prominent writers, followed by a Q&A session with the author. Recent authors include Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, Jamaal May, Monica Youn, Brandon Taylor, Valeria Luiselli, Ilya Kaminsky and Percival Everett.

Salt Hill is a nationally distributed literary journal publishing outstanding new fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and art. For over a decade, the magazine has been edited and published by creative writing students. Students apply to intern at Salt Hill, and if chosen, gain valuable experience in running a literary magazine.

Student Publications

Through many student-run publications and campus organizations, hone your writing capabilities, meet peers with common interests and enjoy professional development and networking opportunities in writing and other related fields. Consider publications like the Perceptions magazine, The Daily Orange publication, Moody Magazine and The OutCrowd Magazine ; and student groups like Write Out and Nu Rho Poetic Society.

magazine cover

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Combine the traditional strengths of the humanities with attention to digital and information technology. Learn how digital technologies enable us to explore key questions in the humanities.

English and Textual Studies B.A.

Explore creative expression across a broad array of texts—novels, plays, film, digital media and more. Interpret motivations behind stories of yesterday and today and hone your skills as a writer.

Fine Arts B.A.

Customize your education with a unique concentration in the field of fine arts, drawing from both art history and music history courses, as well as studio art and music lessons or ensembles.

Linguistic Studies B.A.

Linguistics is the scientific study of the nature and use of language. Investigate its role in society, its structures and their cognitive representation, and language learning and teaching.

Music History and Cultures B.A.

The major in music history and cultures is designed for students who wish to study music in its historical, social and cultural contexts and in relation to other arts.

Writing and Rhetoric B.A.

As a writing and rhetoric major, you’ll explore the power of language across a range of genres.

Learn more about this program

IMAGES

  1. Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing

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  2. Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

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  3. Master of Arts in Creative Writing

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  4. Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

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  5. Online Master of Fine Arts

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  6. MA English Literature and Creative Writing Masters Degree

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COMMENTS

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  2. Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing

    The Writing and Research Centre at Western Sydney University offers a challenging, rigorous programwork and project-based Master's degree, combining criticism and creative work and leading to a Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing. The centre is unique in Australia in the way it combines scholarship, authorship and expertise in ...

  3. MA in Writing

    MA in Writing Program Overview. The Johns Hopkins MA in Writing program reflects our university's international reputation for academic rigor and creative innovation. Rooted in craft and led by working writers, our high-quality program is both challenging and supportive: We're here to offer clear, straightforward, thoughtful feedback while ...

  4. Master's in Creative Writing Online

    Earn a Master's in Creative Writing. $637/credit (36 credits) Inclusive creative writing community. 24/7 online access - attend class at your convenience. 100% online - no residency required. 4 genre options for concentrations. Complete in as few as 15 months, or at your own pace.

  5. Writing, Master of Arts < Johns Hopkins University

    Depending on student goals, the program offers a broad foundation in fine arts/creative writing, in journalism, or in both fields. ... the Master of Arts in Writing requires: Two Letters of Recommendation; ... From Craft to Art: 3: AS.490.684: Heritage of Literature--Examining the 20th Century: 3: AS.490.685: Writing the Body: 3:

  6. Master of Arts (MA) in Writing

    Electives are chosen from the graduate course offerings in the Master of Arts in Literature program, creative writing special topics courses (MCW 490) and the seminars and internships (practica) in teaching and publishing. Since good writers also need to be good readers, students must take electives in literary studies.

  7. Earning A Master's In Creative Writing: What To Know

    Postsecondary Creative Writing Teacher. Median Annual Salary: $74,280. Minimum Required Education: Ph.D. or another doctoral degree; master's degree may be accepted at some schools and community ...

  8. M.F.A. Creative Writing Degree

    Creative Writing Pedagogy. This specialization will require 12 additional semester hours, for a total of 67 credits. Creative Writing Pedagogy students will take four 3-credit ($555 per credit) 8-week online courses (Writing as Social Action; Creative Writing in the Literature Classroom; Literary Criticism and Theory; and Writing and Rhetoric ...

  9. Creative Writing and Literature Degree Requirements

    12 Graduate Courses (48 credits) The program is designed for creative writers interested in fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing. The degree is highly customizable. As part of the program curriculum, you choose either a capstone or thesis track as well as the creative writing and literature courses that meet your learning goals.

  10. Creative Writing and Literature

    Division of Continuing Education. Students enrolled in the Master of Liberal Arts program in Creative Writing & Literature will develop skills in creative writing and literary analysis through literature courses and writing workshops in fiction, screenwriting, poetry, and nonfiction. Through online group courses and one-on-one tutorials, as ...

  11. Literature Graduate Programs

    Our graduate programs in literature provide a flexible context to pursue research across a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches, and theoretical debates. In addition to coursework in literary studies, you'll have the opportunity to participate in creative writing and/or literary translation workshops as well as seminars in other disciplines such as film studies, […]

  12. Master of Arts in Literature

    Program Description The master of arts in literature brings together literary scholars, theorists, creative writers, and literary translators who share a commitment to transnational and interdisciplinary approaches to literary study and practice.   In addition to seminars in literary studies, students have the opportunity to participate in workshops in creative writing and literary ...

  13. Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts Degree

    This two-year, 36-credit-hour MFA program integrates writing, literary journalism, translation, and the study of literature to prepare students for a range of career possibilities. Write, give feedback, and receive guidance from a close-knit community of respectful peers and faculty. In the MFA program, you'll find lawyers, military veterans ...

  14. PDF Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing

    By connecting creative writing practice to ideas and creative work from the arts and sciences, the University offers you the opportunity to think across creative, critical and disciplinary categories, and to produce either works of scholarship or creative writing (or related creative work that crosses into other areas including music, art ...

  15. The Litowitz MFA+MA Program in Creative Writing and English

    The Litowitz MFA+MA Program in Creative Writing offers intimate classes, the opportunity to pursue both creative and critical writing, close mentorship by renowned faculty in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, and three fully supported years in which to grow as writers and complete a book-length creative project. The Litowitz MFA+MA curriculum gives students time to deepen both their ...

  16. Master of Arts (Writing and Literature)

    Course structure. To qualify for the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature), a student must successfully complete 16 credit points of study comprising: 6 credit points of study in either of the following configurations: Option 1. 6 credit points from one of the specialisation options (Children's Literature, Creative Writing, Literary Studies ...

  17. Online MFA in Creative Writing Program

    Online MFA in Creative Writing Program Overview. Share your story with the world and let the power of storytelling take your career to new heights with an online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing.As one of the only programs available that encourages a focus on genre fiction, our online MFA lets you hone your craft in an area specific to your strengths and interests.

  18. WSRC

    The Writing and Society Research Centre offers a nationally leading Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing taught by eminent authors, critics and editors. ... Students accepted into the Masters of Research program complete a 25,000 word thesis or an equivalent creative work and exegesis. Find out more about the MA in Literature and ...

  19. Online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

    The online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a highly competitive program that requires a total of 48 semester credit hours; this includes 42 semester credit hours of workshops and literature classes, and six hours of thesis during which students complete a publishable manuscript in poetry or fiction.

  20. Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

    Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Thesis option only: 36 credits. The M.F.A. degree program requires 36 credit hours of graduate work. The program balances courses in literature with writing workshops (30 hours), and requires a creative thesis (six hours). It offers concentrations in fiction and in poetry. Course List. Course. Title.

  21. Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

    Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. The M.F.A. degree features focused attention on creative writing in a specific genre combined with study of a broad and diverse range of literatures in English. This degree is not a studio degree. It offers preparation for creative publication; for expert teaching in creative writing and literature; for ...

  22. Master of Arts (M.A.) in English

    Total Credit Hours: 36 Degree Format: Traditional The College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of English offer the Master of Arts (M.A.) in English degree for students who wish to continue their study of literature, literary criticism, language, rhetoric and composition, and creative writing.

  23. M.A. in Writing

    The Master of Arts in Writing is a 33-credit-hour program that offers courses in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, editing and publishing, professional writing, literature, and linguistics. The program is ideal for students who want graduate-level training in the craft of writing—be it with an eye toward an MFA program in fiction ...

  24. Master of Fine Arts: Creative Writing and Media Arts

    The Department of English offers the degree Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Creative Writing and Media Arts. This interdisciplinary degree includes coursework in allied programs in Film and Media Arts and Theatre. The 42-hour program provides learning opportunities in writing, literary publishing, broadcasting, screen and stage writing, and ...

  25. What is a Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing?

    A master's in creative writing fuses a daily writing practice with intense, careful study of literature and craft guided by celebrated authors in your chosen genre. What should you look for to help make the most of that experience? The best low-residency MFA programs include: Faculty experts.

  26. Creative Writing B.A.

    Salt Hill is a nationally distributed literary journal publishing outstanding new fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and art. For over a decade, the magazine has been edited and published by creative writing students. Students apply to intern at Salt Hill, and if chosen, gain valuable experience in running a literary magazine.