colorado state university creative writing mfa

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CSU's CREATIVE WRITING MFA

Poetry, fiction & nonfiction.

3 Years | 3 Genres | Infinite Possibilities

Full funding opportunities available

The  Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing  is for students with advanced abilities in the writing of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Our three-year program offers a balance of intimate and intensive writing workshops with courses in literature, form and technique, and related electives both in and out of the English Department. Writers work closely with a distinguished faculty of publishing writers that includes winners of prestigious national awards and fellowships. Coursework culminates in a thesis—a collection of poetry, short stories, or essays; or a novel or memoir—and the completion of a comprehensive portfolio. A dual-genre thesis option is available to students with exceptional promise in a second genre of writing.

Applicants should familiarize themselves with the program and the department, including course offerings and degree requirements. A complete application includes a two-page statement of purpose; a writing sample (12-20 pages of poems; two short stories or a chapter or two of a novel; two short essays or a chapter or two of a memoir); three letters of reference; and transcripts. Those applying for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship must also complete a separate GTA application.

The application deadline is January 1.

The MFA Program at CSU is a WICHE Western Regional Graduate Program . Residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming are eligible for in-state tuition.

For information about the application process  click here .

To apply now,  click here .

Learn More About Our Program

The Creative Writing Program at CSU recognizes and affirms the value of, and the need for, stories from people of all backgrounds. We believe that a healthy literary culture must seek out and support work from communities whose voices have historically been marginalized. Our pedagogy, including close mentoring in a supportive community and an embrace of wide-ranging approaches, strives to hear these stories, to respect them, and to bring them into the world.

MFA Program Information

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

• Completion of forty-eight (48) semester credits
• E640—Graduate Writing Workshop: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, or Poetry (12 credits)
• E513—Form & Technique in Modern Literature: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, or Poetry (3 credits)
• One pre-20th Century literature course at the 500-level or above (3 credits)
• One course (300-level or above) outside the English Department (waived if your undergraduate degree is not in English or Creative Writing—3 credits)
• E699—Thesis (12 credits)
• Completion of portfolio
• Additional requirements for dual-genre thesis option
• For more details, consult the Guide to CSU’s MFA Program .

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) are available on a competitive basis and are the primary funding opportunity for our graduate students. To be eligible you must complete the separate application. These positions are fully funded and come with a tuition waiver and monthly stipend for the 9-month academic year.

A required orientation and pedagogy seminar provide GTAs with extensive training in teaching college composition. The GTA application includes a written statement that should speak to your qualifications and enthusiasm for college teaching. Emphasize any formal or informal teaching experience, such as tutoring, writing-center counseling, or even coaching. In addition, remind your references to speak to your potential for college teaching in their letters.

All applicants who are not awarded a GTA will be automatically considered for a number of other available fellowships. Other options for financial support are detailed in the Guide to CSU’s MFA Program .

Most MFA students, regardless of whether they hold a GTA, are given the opportunity to teach a (paid) section of Beginning Creative Writing during their third year in the program.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

We offer a variety of for-credit internships (some paid) in such areas as college teaching, public education, arts administration in literature, and literary editing – including the Center for Literary Publishing and the Colorado Review . A paid internship as editor of Greyrock Review , a literary magazine staffed by CSU undergraduates, is also available to a first-year student selected by the faculty.

Click here  for Colorado Review internship information.

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“My MFA has helped me realize the value of my voice and the importance of giving myself permission to create art.”

– colin raunig, 2018, “my teachers taught me invaluable lessons in craft that i carry with me in my writing to this day.”, – andrew mangan, 2016, “my mfa degree taught me different ways of thinking, of approaching, of making… a large part of the reason why i loved the mfa program at csu was because of the people i got to work with.”, – melissa hohl, 2016, “not only did i learn an incredible amount about writing and poetry from my classes, professors, and the reading i did because of these, but i learned about the necessity of community building and literary citizenship that comes with being a poet.”, – cl young, 2018, “the m.f.a. degree was essential to my artistic and professional life… my craft deepened and focused during my time at csu, and the professors and the work helped me refine my voice and develop an artistic aesthetic.”, – claire boyles, 2018, “my mfa connected me to a group of writers who continue to nurture me and my work, who push me and my work in ways that make us both smarter and better.”, – aliceanna stopher, 2019, “great training for my life as a teacher, writer, and person. three years to concentrate on study was a gift that allowed me to grow and challenge myself to see if i could be a writer.”, – devin murphy, 2009, “i teach writing now and think often of my csu professors… i learned plenty about craft at csu, but more importantly i learned about practice and process.”, – cornelius fitzpatrick, 2015, creative writing mfa faculty.

Andrew Altschul

• Associate Professor

Ramona Ausubel

• Assistant Professor

Dan Beachy-Quick

• Assistant Chair & Undergraduate Coordinator
• University Distinguished Teaching Scholar

Harrison Candelaria Fletcher

Matthew Cooperman

• Professor of English

Camille Dungy

• University Distinguished Professor
• Director, Creative Writing Program

Stephanie G'Schwind

• Director, Center for Literary Publishing

Nina McConigley

Todd Mitchell

• Associate Professor, Director of Creative Writing Teaching Program

Sasha Steensen

• Full Professor of English

Vauhini Vara

• Visiting Assistant Professor of English

Debby Thompson

Creative writing reading series.

Each semester at Colorado State University, the Department of English welcomes major literary voices to the Lory Student Center to share their work live and to engage with the local community. Visiting writers hold audience question and answer sessions, book signings, class visits and other outreach activities.

The series features Pulitzer Prize winners, U.S. poets laureate, National Book Critics Circle Award winners, Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award winners, NAACP Image Award nominees, Oprah’s Book Club selections, National Book Award finalists and recognized voices in young adult literature among others.

Recent visitors include: Dorothy Allison, Julie Carr, Ross Gay, Eduardo C. Corral, Jennifer Egan, Robert Hass, Brenda Hillman, Pam Houston, Yusef Komunyakaa, Dinty W. Moore, Gregory Pardlo, Khadijah Queen, Susan Steinberg, Cheryl Strayed, Ira Sukrungruang, Mary Szybist, and Brian Turner.

Click in the events calendar for author information and details about upcoming readings.

• MFA Thesis Reading: Furman, Seebeck, Pagliari Apr 25 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Hoffert Learning Center, Gregory Allicar Museum of Art

Recent Books

Below is a selection of recent books by Creative Writing MFA Faculty in the Department of English at Colorado State University. Click on the book cover for more information about each selection.

What do CSU Writers Do?

Our graduates have appeared in a vast array of prestigious publications including The Atlantic, McSweeny's, Cincinnati Review and many others. They have found success in equally many exciting fields including communications consultant, college dean, professor, research administrator, journal editor, and many others. And their accolades include awards like the Pulitzer Prize, Colorado Book Award in Poetry, Chicago Writers Association book of the year, and more!

"If there's a book that you want to read but it hasn't been written yet then you must write it"

- toni morrison, organization of graduate student writers.

The OGSW consists of representatives from the Creative Writing MFA and is dedicated to providing students with opportunities to practice, enjoy, and participate in the creative writing community. We do this by organizing readings, workshops, visiting speakers, and other free events and services for the MFA/CSU community.

Creative Writing MFA Blog

The Creative Writing MFA blog is written by graduate students at various stages of degree completion and features posts by writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction about their lives as writers and members of the CSU community. Scroll through the carousel of entries below or click the button for a full listing of blog submissions.

Beginning to Remember

By Jake Friedman It’s been over ten years since I was in the academy. Though I’m beginning to remember now. The last couple of days I’ve been sick. I’d forgotten how hard the end of semester is—the Sisyphean incline of […]

On Not Writing About My Father by Dorothy Angle

I promised myself I was done writing about my father. What feels like a lifetime ago, I took my first Creative Writing class to satisfy an elective for a Masters in education. Nearly all my stories were about a young […]

On Ambition, Vision, and Voice by Henry Dykstal

One of the things that most separates my MFA experience from the workshops I’ve taken before, from undergraduate to conferences to private classes at literary centers or what have you, is voice. At all of the places but the MFA, […]

Writing as Letting Go

I knew getting an MFA would entail, well, writing a lot — and that this would hopefully make me a better fiction writer. (I mean, duh.) Maybe it’s because I don’t come from an English background, but what I didn’t […]

RELATIVE TIME: A RELFECTION ON THE FIRST YEAR(?) OF MFA

Somehow, it is spring. The branches wear shriveled green promises. The undergrads have, for the most part, abandoned pants. The birdcalls along the Spring Creek trail have swelled to cacophony. Somehow, in a few short weeks, the first year of […]

On Friendship

To 2021 recently graduated me (one year ago): You get a phone call from Harrison letting you know that you got into this program. It is wild, I know: you get the opportunity to focus on your writing, your craft, […]

The Ice Persists

It’s been winter for a long time now. It’s been winter in the insistent way of Colorado, snow weighing over the earth like the X-ray apron at the dentist. I crunch to the bus stop over thick, complicated patterns of […]

An Exceptional Day in the Life

You’re living with a poet who is also in the MFA program. She taught you how to make ice cream out of peanut butter, frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and honey when you’re craving something sweet late at night. You’re making […]

And to the West, Mountains

In Fort Collins, the mountains usually mean west. As I walk to campus, I walk north, west, then north again. True north is usually Eddy Hall – home of the English department. I suppose I will not yet stop having […]

When You Know, You Know

“The biggest mistake you can make is going before you’re ready.” I remember feeling absolutely crushed when someone who I looked up to, someone who I admired, said those words to me. We were on the phone, I was asking […]

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The Creative Writing concentration gives students the opportunity to strengthen their creative writing skills and infuses their analytic reading skills with imagination. Students take beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses in one or more of the following genres: fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Intermediate and advanced courses are primarily workshop classes in which students read and critique one another’s work. At the center of all creative writing courses is the study of craft. Students in the Creative Writing concentration also take a wide variety of English and literature courses that prepare them to be writers by instructing them in literary traditions and styles. An internship program for all English majors offers Creative Writing students positions that may lead to employment. In addition, the Creative Writing program runs a vibrant reading series that gives students the chance to meet visiting writers.

Effective Fall 2022

For graduation, an English major must attain a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in all Composition (CO) and English (E) courses .

Upper Division English/Composition Electives (18 credits total)

Select at least one course from each Category (1-4) below and at least one course from the Additional Upper-Division English/Composition Electives list below. Selected courses may only count toward one Category. 

Category 1 – Historical Approaches: Literature of the British Isles before 1830, or American or European Literature before 1900

  Category 2 – Historical Approaches: Literatures of the British Isles after 1830, or American or European Literatures after 1900

  Category 3 – Breakthroughs: Ideological, Racial, Cultural, Gendered 

  Category 4 – Genre Approaches

  Additional Upper-Division English/Composition Electives

Excludes E subject code courses.

The department requires majors to complete a second field. This may be met by completing the second semester of the second year of a foreign language or by completing 12 credits of upper division courses in a coherent field of study outside English.

Selection must match subtopic of E 311A , E 311B , or E 311C .

Select enough elective credits to bring the program table to 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program : For graduation, an English major must attain a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in  all Composition (CO)  and English  (E) courses .

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College of Liberal Arts

Hammond schwartz fellowship in creative writing, departments, student types, class levels.

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Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Creative writing, master of fine arts.

The Graduate Program in Creative Writing offers an MFA in Genre Fiction, Nature Writing, Poetry, or Screenwriting. Western's curricula differs from other low-residency programs by emphasizing intense training in craft, building of a writing community, close study of historically underrepresented writers, and exposure to the business of being a writer.

All programs require a high degree of commitment and excellence from candidates, who must maintain at least a 3.00 course average to complete the program. A minimum grade of B- in each course is required.

In all three summer semesters, MFA candidates complete a 3-credit intensive course in their concentrations. In their first summer, they take a first-year intensive course and also complete two credits of CRWR 600, The Common Read & Writing Craft. In their second summer, they take a second-year intensive course and also earn two credits for starting their thesis project. In their third summer, they take a final intensive course, plus a 1-credit elective which allows them to explore other concentrations.

During the Fall and Spring semesters of their first year, full-time students take two 6-credit courses for a total of 12 credits per semester. Students may anticipate spending between 25 and 30 hours per week on assigned coursework. The coursework typically consists of readings and viewings, asynchronous discussions, and writing assignments for which instructors offer online feedback. Students also participate regularly in live virtual classes and one-on-one meetings with faculty.

In the Fall semester of their second year, full-time students take one 6-credit course, plus three credits of mentor-guided thesis work, for a total of 9-credits, so that they can focus on the thesis project. In the Spring semester, students return to taking two 6-credit courses in their concentration, plus one final credit of mentor-guided thesis work.

Program Information

Western's low-residency MFA in Creative Writing offers a rigorous, terminal degree in the field, involving intensive creative work, development of critical and pedagogical skills, and study of the business of being a writer. Students select one of four concentrations, Genre Fiction, Nature Writing, Poetry, or Screenwriting, and are required to take a 1-credit elective during their final summer semester.

Full-time students require 25 months to finish the program, which comprises four academic semesters and three summer semesters. During the Fall and Spring semesters, students engage in courses using both live virtual classrooms and online learning tools. In each of the three summer semesters, students take courses online and attend an on-campus residency at the end of the summer term.

Total Credits for the MFA in Creative Writing

Requirements for full admission to the mfa in creative writing.

Candidate must submit:

• An official transcript of the bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university showing recommended 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher.
• An 800- to 1,000-word personal statement describing the applicant's experience and commitment to writing. This statement should include a self-assessment of qualifications for admission to Western's Graduate Program in Creative Writing for the chosen degree and concentration.
• The Genre Fiction concentration sample should include 20 to 25 pages, ideally from a single work.
• The Screenwriting concentration sample should include a screenplay of 15-30 pages.  
• The Nature Writing concentration sample should include 20 to 25 pages, in any genre or a mix of genres. 
• The Poetry concentration sample should include 10 to 15 pages of poetry.
• The Publishing concentration sample should consist of a 3- to 5-page critical assessment of a story’s suitability for publication (story to be provided to applicant during application process).
• Two letters of professional recommendation from those capable of assessing the applicant's preparation to succeed in graduate-level work. All letters must be originals submitted on letterhead, must be signed by the person giving the recommendation, and must be less than a year old.
• Payment of university application fee

Provisional Admission to the MFA in Creative Writing

An applicant who does not meet the requirements for full admission to the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing may be considered for provisional admission upon the recommendation of the program director and approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A provisionally admitted student will have a maximum of one calendar year to complete any pre-requisite academic coursework. The program director or Dean of Graduate Studies may set additional timeline requirements.

Concentration in Genre Fiction

The Concentration in Genre Fiction includes instruction in writing for such forms as science fiction/fantasy, the mystery, romance, and other forms of mainstream commercial fiction. Study includes short and long written forms, as well as strategies and techniques for the effective teaching of creative writing. 

The MFA Concentration in Genre Fiction requires the following 60 credits:

Genre Fiction as a Second Concentration

Students pursuing this second MFA concentration must earn 30 credits as follows:

Concentration in Nature Writing

The Concentration in Nature Writing brings students into the contemporary and complex conversation of environmental writing, introducing them to a wide range of authors, literary techniques, and styles relevant to the field. The concentration provides readings and training in all major literary sub-genres including memoir and personal essay, fiction, nature writing, science and advocacy writing, and hybrid and experimental work. Courses include significant reading in primary and secondary sources, workshop, and writing extensive short- and long-format work. As the culmination of their work, MFA students complete a creative thesis, which consists of part of a book-length manuscript, and engage in professional development for future publication and career opportunities.

The MFA Concentration in Nature Writing requires the following 60 credits:

Nature Writing as a Second Concentration

Students pursuing this concentration as a second area of emphasis must earn 30 credits as follows:

Concentration in Poetry 

The MFA Concentration in Poetry requires the following 60 credits:

Poetry as a Second Concentration 

Students pursuing this second MFA concentration must earn 30 credits as follows: 

Concentration in Screenwriting 

The Concentration in Screenwriting teaches screenwriting for both film and television. Each semester pairs an intensive analytical course with an intensive generative writing course. The concentration emphasizes story and scene structure, visual storytelling, character development, development of concept and theme, genre, dialogue-never forgetting that a screenplay is a document that will ultimately be translated to the screen. Through regular mentorship, students refine and consolidate their own best writing practices.

The MFA Concentration in Screenwriting requires the following 60 credits: 

Screenwriting as a Second Concentration

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Western Colorado University 2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

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

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MFA Program

Poetry: Dan Beachy-Quick, Matthew Cooperman, Camille Dungy, Sasha Steensen Fiction: Andrew Altschul, Ramona Ausubel, Nina McConigley Nonfiction: Harrison Candelaria Fletcher

The program offers six to eight fully-funded graduate teaching assistantship positions per year, as well as a number of smaller fellowships. The program also offers assistance to students in finding paid internships.

Center for Literary Publishing , Colorado Review , Greyrock Review

This program features a dual-genre thesis option, as well as the Creative Writing Reading Series (recent visitors include Ada Limón, Yusef Komunyakaa, Susan Steinberg, Ross Gay, Sunil Yapa, Carl Phillips) and the 5X5 Reading Series.

Award-winning journalist and 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist Vauhini Vara will join the 2023-2024 academic year as a Visiting Assistant Professor of English.

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Graduate Degrees in Creative Writing & English

Among the most diverse and challenging programs in the country, CU Boulder’s English department teaches graduate students to read and write with precision, to think critically, to be creative and to practice an attentive life. The department offers an MFA in creative writing and an MA and PhD in english.

Students work closely with faculty as they develop their knowledge of literatures from throughout the English-speaking world. Creative writing students can work in poetry, fiction or across genres in a program known for its commitment to innovation. Master’s english students study a broad range of English-language literatures. PhD students pursue concentrated study and original scholarship in their chosen area of specialization.

Degree Types

MFA ᐧ MA ᐧ PhD

• College of Arts and Sciences
• Department of English

The Department of English is home to the Laboratory for Race and Popular Culture (RAP Lab) and the Media Archaeology Lab , both venues that support new teaching and research in the humanities.

The department is home to faculty working in every major field of English and American literature , and, in many cases, developing fields of inquiry. 

PhD students receive 5 years of funding to complete the curriculum.

Degree Options & Application Requirements

Creative writing, master of fine arts.

• 3-year program
• 45 credit hours
• Thesis required
• Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Arts, preferably with an English major, have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and submit a completed application for admission.

GRE/GMAT Requirements

The GRE is not required for any of our graduate programs. The admissions committee will not have access to any scores that are submitted.

Application Deadlines

• International applicants: Dec. 1
• U.S. applicants: Dec 15. 

The online application closes at 9:59 p.m. MT on the deadlines.

 For program details, review the course catalog for the MFA in creative writing .

Master of Arts

• 2-year program
• 30 credit hours
• Thesis and nonthesis options
• U.S. applicants: Dec. 15

 For program details, review the course catalog for the MA in english .

Doctor of Philosophy

The PhD program is a five-year curriculum, including five years of funding, that comprises a language requirement and three basic components:

• Qualifying examination
• Dissertation

 For program details, review the course catalog for the PhD in english .

Funding Opportunities

We understand funding opportunities play a major role in helping you to decide whether a program is right for you. At CU Boulder, PhD students are supported through research and teaching assistantships. Students are also encouraged to apply for their own sources of funding.

Explore General Funding    Explore Department-Specific Funding

Graduate Student Resources

Student success is best met with holistic support and resources. CU Boulder offers robust resources, programming and opportunities to help students establish meaningful connections, adjust to graduate student life and find assistance when they need it. Whether it’s academic, social, or health and wellness support, the university provides an array of resources to meet the diverse needs of our students.  

Graduate Student Organizations

Explore ways to connect with other graduate students on campus, online and off campus, locally and internationally.

Diversity, Equity, Access & Inclusion

Learn about our commitment to ensuring our graduate education is accessible and welcoming for all students.

Health & Wellness

Find resources with contact and location information for a broad range of services.

Leadership Development

Attend regular, graduate-specific workshops and seminars to hone practical and professional skills before entering the job market.

Peer Mentoring Program

Connect with an established graduate peer mentor who serves as your guide through the graduate student experience.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

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Art and Art History

Undergraduate.

• Future Students
• Foundations Curriculum
• Certificate of Art History (Majors)
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• B.A. in Integrated Visual Studies
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• Scott Artist Series
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A College of Liberal Arts Department

Master of fine arts.

The Master of Fine Arts program at Colorado State University fosters excellence in artistic inquiry & achievement.

For more than forty years, the Department of Art and Art History has demonstrated its commitment to graduate education. With 7 concentrations, ours is the most comprehensive visual arts program in the Rocky Mountain West and one of the largest academic departments at Colorado State University.

MFA Concentrations

Graphic design, metalsmithing, printmaking.

We believe in the transformative nature of community & encourage our students to engage in art at the local, regional, national, & international levels.

Students accepted into our program work closely with nationally recognized faculty who guide a wide range of research and experimentation in studio media. In each phase of the curriculum, a student’s individual studio practice is enriched by research in art history and clarified through engagement with contemporary discourse surrounding art, craft, and design. Graduate students exhibit work and give presentations at venues throughout the region and beyond as they prepare to move forward in their careers.

We believe in the transformative nature of community and encourage our students to engage in art at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Graduate students are supported in their artistic and professional development by faculty mentorship and peer-based collaboration through the Masters of Visual Arts Association (MoVAA) .

Meet other passionate, dedicated students, & be immersed in arts, culture, & wider social issues.

Campus life at CSU is rich, with ample opportunities to meet other passionate, dedicated students, be immersed in arts, culture, and wider social issues, and explore what Fort Collins and Colorado have to offer. CSU is a  R1 ,  land grant university and graduate students have access to a large span of knowledge, facilities, and classes to enrich their learning experience. Our alumni exhibit their work nationally and internationally, teach at schools, universities, and workshops, and are active in the arts community. CSU alumni also jury and curate exhibitions, work as designers, contribute to conferences and arts publications, and work with arts organizations.

Campus Life

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

develop an in-depth body of work within your area of specialization

Graduate students develop an in-depth body of work within their area of specialization. We offer graduate studies in drawing, fibers, graphic design, metalsmithing and jewelry, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Elective coursework promotes involvement with other media, expands creative strategies, and ensures interaction with faculty who have expertise in a variety of disciplines. The MFA program leads to the completion and exhibition of a mature body of artwork. During this period of rigorous study, students maintain a high level of studio and scholarly activity.

The 60-credit MFA program emphasizes substantial work in an area of specialization. In these concentration areas, students typically enroll in a total of 30 credits that include studio courses, independent research, and thesis work. Graduate students also enroll in approximately 30 additional credits comprised of studio and art history courses and seminars, as well as academic electives.

The first two years of the program are marked by technical and conceptual exploration, critical investigation, and research in art history. Students review work in individual and group critiques, participate in open-studio tours, and invite faculty from any field for studio visits and reviews. Graduate students participate in a second year qualifying review, receiving constructive feedback from the whole faculty along with targeted support from their main advisor.

The third year of the program is devoted to shaping a body of work for the thesis. During this time, students write an abstract and formal paper to accompany their work and prepare art for inclusion in the spring graduate exhibition at the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art

Admission Requirements

The deadline for graduate program applications is February 1 to start in August of the same year.

Application Materials

All applicants should be prepared to submit:

• Portfolio of 15-20 high quality images representative of your creative practice
• At least two letters of reference from persons who can testify to your professional qualifications, character, and potential for graduate study.
• Transcripts from every undergraduate institution that you have attended, with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
• Statement of Purpose, outlining what you hope to accomplish in the program in 250 words or fewer.
• Artist statement, describing your vision as an artist in 250 words or fewer.

After submitting your online application and paying your application fee, begin submitting your supporting materials to complete your application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the application process.  Upon acceptance into the program, o fficial transcripts will be required before registration for the second semester. To submit official transcripts, contact your previous institutions to request they submit official transcripts to Colorado State University and use institution code 4075.

To be considered for scholarships within CSU, please apply to CSUSA after submitting your application to our MFA program. You will need your CSU eID (eName and password) which will be generated after you apply. The application deadline for CSUSA is March 1st.

If you reside in western half of the US, you may qualify for in-state tuition rates through the Western Regional Graduate Program.  Please visit the Western Regional Graduate Program page for more information.

For international students who need to submit test scores, contact the testing agency to request that scores be sent to Colorado State University and use institution code 4075.

Check Your Application Status

View the status of your application at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or check for updates. If you’re selected as a finalist for Printmaking or Graphic Design, you will be required to send original artwork to the department.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

The links below will give you more information about financial resources, aid, and available scholarships.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

For more information about Graduate Teaching Assistantships, please contact the Graduate Advisor in your concentration of interest.

FURTHER YOUR EXPERIENCE & EXPAND ON THE KNOWLEDGE YOU'VE GAINED

Our facilities.

Graduate students have dedicated semi-private studios in the Visual Arts Building. Students have access to communal studio facilities, computer labs, & the Digital Fabrication Lab and Woodshop .

The department and the Allicar Museum regularly host a robust series of events that include the Critic and Artist Residency Series and the Scott Artist Series . These bring in acclaimed artists from around the world. Graduate students interact directly with these guests via one-on-one and group studio visits, critiques, and collaboration.

We provide our graduate students with numerous opportunities to experience and exhibit art through the many galleries and museums on campus. The five teaching galleries housed in the Visual Arts Building give our students access to the work of visiting artists, faculty, and other students.

Interested in Applying for our program?

Prospective students are encouraged to contact the department's Graduate Program Assistant for more information about our MFA program or to schedule a tour of our facilities.

Colorado State University

Fort Collins , CO

http://english.colostate.edu/grad

Degrees Offered

Fiction, Poetry, CNF

Residency type

Program length.

24 Semester Hours (MA), 32 Semester Hours (MFA)

Financial Aid

Taships, Fellowships and other scholarships are available on a competitive basis.

Teaching opportunities

In any given year, approximately 15 graduate students in the Department are awarded Graduate Teaching Assistantships.

• Sophie Beck MFA
• Steven Church MFA (Fiction) 2002
• Tate Higgins MFA 2008
• Justin Hocking MFA 2002
• Yusef Komunyakaa MA (Poetry) 1978
• Brice Particelli MFA (Fiction) 2005
• Wendy Rawlings MFA (Fiction) 1996
• Amanda S. Torres MFA (Fiction)
• Samantha Tucker MA (CNF) 2014
• Morgan Grayce Willow MA
• Jennifer Wortman MFA (Fiction) 2002
• Emily Wortman-Wunder MFA (Fiction/CNF) 2003

Send questions, comments and corrections to [email protected] .

Disclaimer: No endorsement of these ratings should be implied by the writers and writing programs listed on this site, or by the editors and publishers of Best American Short Stories , Best American Essays , Best American Poetry , The O. Henry Prize Stories and The Pushcart Prize Anthology .