creative writing programs austin

Creative Writing Certificate Program

Illustration by valerie tran, announcements, admission applications.

The deadline for applying to the Creative Writing Certificate Program was March 1.  We are no longer accepting applications at this time.  The next application window is September 1 - October 1, 2024.

Creative Writing Certificate Program End-of-Semester Reception and Readings

Please join us on Wednesday, May 1 , in the Joynes Reading Room (Carothers Residence Hall) for our end-of-semester celebration.

Reception begins at 12:30pm with food and refreshments.

Writing Awards and Readings begin at 1:00pm

Creative Writing Honors Thesis Readings begin at 2:00pm.

Please feel free to come to all or part of the program.  Family and friends are welcome!

Writing Contest Winners Announced

Congratulations to the Winners of the Kruger Fellowships and Parker Prizes for student writing. 

KRUGER Fiction 

1st Place     Lara Palmqvist - "In Another Life"

Runner-up   Stephanie Degnore - "Where the Light Shines Brightest"

Runner-up   Varun Jawarani - "Lakshana"

KRUGER Poetry  

1st Place     Aguilar Alfredo - "After Three Beers My Tia Talks About The Border"

Runner-up   Safiyya Haider - "Assimilation Is Performance Art" 

PARKER Fiction

1st Place      Molly Tompkins - "Bolt from the Blue"

Runner-up    Charlie Sharpe - "A Horse of Course” 

Runner-up    Ashley Rummel - "The Artists" 

PARKER Poetry

1st Place      Leah Piñon - "The World Ends Through the Mirrors in Your House"

Runner-up    Boppana Pradhitha - "Alternate Methods of Crying"

PARKER Lit Crit

1st Place      Molly Tompkins - "Celestial, Beautiful, and Social Bodies" 

Runner-up    Lane Dent - “Our False Perception of Nature”,

Congratulations to all the contest winners and honors thesis students! 

Ongoing Opportunities

Check back often for more links to publishing, contest, and internship opportunities.

• Writer's League of Texas
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The Writers' League of Texas provides internship, networking, literary, and educational opportunities in Austin and around the state, as well as an annual conference featuring literary agents and editors. 

The Texas Book Festival , one of the largest in the country, takes place annually in late October / early November, but offers volunteer opportunities throughout the year.

Poets and Writers magazine lists contests, fellowships, grants, and literary journals for writers of all levels. 

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Creative Writing

Earn an associate degree in creative writing and explore writing and story skills by studying Creative Writing at Austin Community College. You’ll learn about plot structure, effective literary devices, and helpful editing practices. Whether you’re a screenwriter, children’s author, or a genre-bender, ACC has you covered.

Career & Salary Information

While the publishing industry is highly competitive, writing skills can be a great advantage in almost any career. Wordsmiths often create content for advertising campaigns, books, magazines, movies, television, social media, and more.

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Choose the award path that’s right for you.

ACC offers stackable credentials. Certificates prepare you for a career change or career advancement and often include credits that count toward associate degrees. Associate degrees further increase your employability and help you build a strong foundation for university transfer. Learn about credential options .

Explore awards and follow the program maps below to stay on track.

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11 Best Creative Writing Classes in Austin

Showing 11 courses that match your search.

Write Away Day

The Writing Barn

We’re going above and beyond the experience of spending the day writing at a café—enjoy complimentary coffee, tea and water, chat with local creatives and maybe even find a new writing partner and friend!

Website: https://thewritingbarn.com/class/write-away-day-april-14-...

Categories: Nonfiction and Fiction

Start date:

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

Mastering the Submissions Process to Get a Literary Agent

Austin Writing Workshops

Many new writers hoping to become published authors often ask themselves, I’ve written a book…now what? Chances are, the first thing they need is a literary agent. This class focuses on the correct methods of obtaining a literary agent and helps simplify the process.

Website: https://writingworkshops.com/collections/the-best-online-...

Categories: Book and Publishing

October, 2024

Everything You Need To Know About Writing Nonfiction Picture Books (From Those Who Do It)

In this fast and fun, 90 minute event we will cover every facet of the creation process from research and ideas to creating and selling your book. Above all, you will discover how to take known facts and transform them into a true story that is uniquely yours.

Website: https://thewritingbarn.com/class/everything-you-need-to-k...

Categories: Book and Nonfiction

March, 2024

How to Write a Novel

Your story matters. Unlock your potential with daily video lessons from bestselling ghostwriter Tom Bromley, and finish your first draft in just 3 months. Learn more →

Demystifying Show, Don’t Tell – Enhancing Your Writing 4-Week Zoom Class

The writer’s mantra – and the bane of most writers’ existence – is Show, Don’t Tell. In this workshop, writers will get down and dirty with ways to show and how to identify in their drafts where they are telling and how to enjoy transforming that telling into showing.

Categories: Short Story, Book, and Fiction

The Weekend Short Story Intensive

Led by Kritika Pandey, this class meets over two consecutive weekends (December 2-3 and December 9-10, 2023). It focuses on various aspects of short story writing, including passing time in fiction, structural unity, and dialogue. The course includes in-class generative writing, editing, and selected readings from authors like Donald Barthelme and George Saunders. Participants will have a revised short story by the end of the workshop.

Categories: Short Story

Finding Your Voice

A 6-week online Zoom class, designed to help writers discover and develop their unique voice through personal essays and poems. Taught by author Lynne Golodner, this course encourages mining life experiences for powerful stories, offering guidance in writing with purpose to leave a lasting legacy. It's suitable for those wanting to write for personal fulfillment or to inspire others​​.

Website: https://writingworkshops.com/products/finding-your-voice-...

Categories: Fiction, Essay, and Poetry

Open all year round

Writing Comedic Personal Essays

Austin Bat Cave

Conducted by Sophia Benoit, a writer featured in GQ and The Guardian, this seminar delves into blending personal essay writing with comedic storytelling. It's perfect for those looking to use humor to make personal stories universally relatable, and for writers wanting to enhance their humor writing skills.

Website: https://austinbatcave.org/product/writing-comedic-persona...

Categories: Comedy and Essay

Suffering the Consequences: Building Exciting Plot through Consequential Action

Led by award-winning author Manuel Gonzales, this fiction seminar explores crafting engaging plots through characters' decisions and actions. Focusing on how characters drive plots, the course aims to build organic and compelling narratives. Ideal for writers interested in character-driven storytelling

Website: https://austinbatcave.org/product/fiction-suffering-conse...

Categories: Fiction and Adult

Serial Poetics

Led by author and editor Ted Dodson, this seminar delves into the serial poem format. It offers a cross-medium approach, incorporating literary, video, and visual art techniques. Ideal for writers seeking new challenges or developing ideas for a poetry collection, the course examines works by various influential poets.

Website: https://austinbatcave.org/product/serial-poetry/

Categories: Poetry

Flash Fiction

Taught by Hilary Leichter, author and Columbia University instructor, this seminar explores the art of flash fiction. Participants learn about the form’s history, analyze works by prominent authors, and engage in class exercises. It's open to writers at all levels, from beginners to seasoned poets venturing into prose.

Website: https://austinbatcave.org/product/flash-fiction-hilary-le...

Austin Public Library

Dive into the realm of storytelling with Austin Public Library's writing workshops. Featuring sessions like 'Write with Spike: Writing Workshops with Spike Gillespie,' this series welcomes all, with a special 2-hour session on December 5, 2023. Explore writing basics across genres in a supportive community, with no prerequisites required, making it an accessible literary venture

Website: https://library.austintexas.gov/events/writing

Categories: Fiction, Essay, Poetry, Nonfiction, Short Story, Free, and Book

So you’re looking for creative writing classes in Austin

Austin: the City of the Violet Crown, the live music capital of the world, and a haven for artists down South. In the writing world alone, Austin has been home to countless famous authors, from Julie Powell to Katherine Anne Porter. By taking a creative writing class in Austin, you could join their ranks.

This directory of the best writing courses in Austin is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

• Who is the instructor?
• What is the price of the writing course?
• How far away is the writing course in Austin? Is there a remote alternative?
• How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in Austin for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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Creative Writing

Certificate in the college of liberal arts.

The Creative Writing Certificate is intended for any university student interested in advanced study of creative writing, both as reader and as writer.

The certificate program is a small one: approximately 60 students will be admitted each year.

How to Declare

Those who plan to pursue the certificate should begin the program by the fall of the junior year; applications are accepted each spring, beginning in March. The primary criteria for admission are UT-Austin GPA and a student’s progress toward degree, with additional consideration given to writing ability. Generally, admitted students have earned a 3.0 or higher GPA. The online application will remain open from March 1 through July. Students who apply prior to March 21 will be notified by April 1. All other students will be notified throughout the spring and summer, no later than August 1. The application requires a short personal statement (approximately one paragraph) about your interest in the program, as well as a writing sample (any genre, maximum of three double-spaced pages).

Required Courses

Visit the Creative Writing curriculum to see all required courses for the Creative Writing Certificate.

• Writing and communicating
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• Analytical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Research skills
• Listening and interpreting
• Attention to detail

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Telephone 512-471-4991

Office Location CAL 226

Your major does not always determine your career path. Many graduates pursue careers outside their field, depending on their interests and experiences.

It’s not just your major that matters! Make yourself marketable by gaining a variety of experiences in college. Read a few inspiring stories by professionals whose experiences led to great careers.

Contact a Texas Career Engagement career counselor today to find out how you can turn your major into a career.

We all have stories we want to share.

Austin Community College District

Creative writing department, a message from our chair.

– C. Prudence Arceneaux, Department Chair

Your Story Starts Here  

Come join our thriving writing community. At ACC, people of diverse backgrounds, in different stages of life, come together to learn the craft of creative writing. You’ll study classic and contemporary writers, learn from passionate professors who are active writers in their field, and develop the ability to give and receive encouraging, constructive feedback. We’ll help you become a skilled writer so that you can give your stories the voice they deserve!

You Belong Here

We believe in the importance of fostering confidence, building community, and honing our craft. We believe writers of all ages can benefit from taking a course with us—and we welcome all writers, regardless of ability, aspiration or experience. Classes are limited to fifteen students , which allows us to dive deep and grow our understanding of craft. Come join us!

The Creative Writing Department at Austin Community College (ACC) helps students of all backgrounds and ages discover the power and enjoyment of writing creatively. Our courses introduce writers to the knowledge and literary tools needed for writing poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, plays, and screenplays. Our courses help students explore a subject area in greater depth within a seminar/workshop setting. Our faculty consist of practicing writers with advanced degrees and/or first-hand experience and publications in the subjects they teach. ACC offers an Associate of Arts Degree in Creative Writing in both face-to-face and online formats, giving students on opportunity to produce professional-level projects and also to transfer their skills to four-year universities.

Register today

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Crw - creative writing, creative writing: crw, lower-division courses, crw 315d. playwriting i..

Same as Theatre and Dance 315 . The study and practice of writing plays. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Creative Writing 315D and Theatre and Dance 315 may not both be counted.

CRW 315F. Introducton to Writing Fiction.

Intended for students with minimal prior experience in creative writing. Three lecture hours or one lecture hour and three workshop hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: English 303C (or 603A ), Rhetoric and Writing 306 , 306Q , or Tutorial Course 303C (or 603A ).

CRW 315P. Introduction to Writing Poetry.

Upper-division courses, crw 325. topics in creative writing..

Detailed study and practice of the techniques of biography, creative nonfiction, or other special topics of creative writing; includes reading and analysis of contemporary models. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

Topic 1: Writing Border Narratives. Same as Mexican American Studies 374 (Topic 34). Examines the United States and Mexico border through the use of the personal essay in its various forms. Students write personal essays that focus on their relationships to the border. Creative Writing 325 (Topic 1) and Mexican American Studies 374 (Topic 34) may not both be counted. Additional prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315, English 303D, 316L, 316M, 316N, 316P, or Tutorial Course 303D.

CRW 325C. Writing Climate Fiction.

Study and practice the techniques of writing climate fiction. Read and analyze contemporary models. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Creative Writing 325 (Topic: Writing Climate Fiction) and 325C may not both be counted. Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

CRW 325E. Personal Essay.

Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Creative Writing 325 (Topic: Personal Essay) and 325E may not both be counted. Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

CRW 325F. Fiction Writing.

Detailed study and practice of the techniques of fiction writing; includes reading and analysis of contemporary models. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

CRW 325M. Creative Writing.

Detailed study and practice of the techniques of fiction, poetry, and other genres of creative writing; includes reading and analysis of contemporary models. Three lecture hours or one lecture hour and three workshop hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

CRW 325P. Poetry Writing.

Detailed study and practice of the techniques of poetry writing; includes reading and analysis of contemporary models. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

CRW 325S. Screenwriting.

Study and practice the techniques of screenwriting. Read and analyze contemporary models. Three lecture hours and one discussion hour a week for one semester. Creative Writing 325S and Radio-Television-Film 333 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

CRW 325T. Writing for Black Performance.

Same as African and African Diaspora Studies 330F , American Studies 321Q , and Theatre and Dance 357T (Topic 5). Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: African and African Diaspora Studies 330F , 372E (Topic: Writing for Black Performance), American Studies 321 (Topic: Writing for Black Performance), 321Q , Creative Writing 325T , English 376M (Topic: Writing for Black Performance), Theatre and Dance 357T (Topic: Writing for Black Performance), 357T (Topic 5). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

CRW 330. Literature for Writers.

Readings in fiction, poetry, drama, literary criticism, biography, and autobiography from the point of view of a creative writer. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: One of the following: Creative Writing 325 , 325F , 325M , or 325P .

CRW 335. Business of Writing.

Same as English 335P . Study the book publishing landscape including traditional and non-traditional career paths available to writers and those interested in the publishing industry. Analyze the publishing process, from concept to finished book: the acquisition, editorial, publicity, marketing, and sales stages of a book's life. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Creative Writing 335 , English 324 (Topic: Business of Writing), 335P . Prerequisite: One of the following: Comparative Literature 315 , English 303D , 316L , 316M , 316N , 316P , or Tutorial Course 303D .

CRW 340D. Playwriting II.

Same as Theatre and Dance 325 . Emphasis on the form and writing of the full-length play or equivalent. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Creative Writing 340D and Theatre and Dance 325 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, Creative Writing 315D or Theatre and Dance 315 , and consent of instructor.

CRW 340F. Short Story Workshop.

Practice in writing the short story, with study of contemporary models. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Creative Writing 340F and 355F ; or 660 . Prerequisite: Creative Writing 325F or 325M .

CRW 340P. Poetry Workshop.

Practice in writing poetry, with study of contemporary models. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Creative Writing 325M or 325P .

CRW 355D. Playwriting III.

Same as Theatre and Dance 355 . Focus on experiments in revising dramatic text in order to create a common vocabulary around narrative structure. Revision often includes the creation of multiple new drafts, digging through past drafts for abandoned themes, lost focus, and new inspiration as well as exploring character, narrative, and/or language. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with laboratory hours as required. Only one of the following may be counted: Creative Writing 355D , Theatre and Dance 355T (Topic: Playwriting III), 355 . Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, Creative Writing 340D or Theatre and Dance 325 , and consent of instructor.

CRW 355F. Advanced Fiction Workshop.

A third semester seminar-style workshop in fiction for experienced creative writers. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Creative Writing 340F and 355F ; or 660 . Prerequisite: Creative Writing 340F .

CRW 355P. Advanced Poetry Workshop.

A third semester seminar-style workshop in poetry for experienced creative writers. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Creative Writing 340P .

CRW 660. Intensive Creative Writing.

An accelerated seminar-style workshop for highly motivated students. Designed to be taken over two consecutive summer sessions; offered only during the summer semester. Three lecture-workshop hours a week for two semesters. Completion of this course is equivalent to completion of both Creative Writing 340F and 355F . Only one of the following may be counted: Creative Writing 340F and 355F ; or 660 . Prerequisite: For 660A , credit or registration for Creative Writing 325F ; for 660B , Creative Writing 660A .

CRW 370H. Honors Creative Writing Project.

For advanced students already proficient in writing who wish to work under supervision on specific and substantial projects. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Consent of the honors adviser.

CRW 375. Conference Course in Creative Writing.

Continue independent work in a creative project with a faculty advisor. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit twice. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Creative Writing 370H ; approval of written application by supervising instructor and the director of undergraduate creative writing.

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University of Texas at Austin / The New Writers Project

Texas, united states.

The New Writers Project is a Creative Writing Program at The University of Texas at Austin that offers a three-year Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry and fiction. Our program is complemented by a nationally-renowned department of literature, the UT's Department of English, and one of the world's largest archives for twentieth-century literature, the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center.

All of our students receive full funding for their studies through teaching assistantships, fellowships, and grants. These funding opportunities serve to supplement the academic and scholarly training that students receive in graduate courses. During their five semesters of teaching assistantships, M.F.A. candidates receive experience teaching both literature and creative writing at the college level.

Contact Information

204 W. 21st Street Stop B5000, CAL 226 Austin Texas, United States 78712 Email: [email protected] https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/nwp/

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing +

Graduate program director.

The New Writers Project is a Creative Writing Program at The University of Texas at Austin that offers a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry and fiction. Our program is complemented by a nationally-renowned department of literature, the UT English Department, and one of the world's largest archives for twentieth-century literature, the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center.

All of our students receive full funding for their studies through teaching assistantships, fellowships, and grants. These funding opportunities serve to supplement the academic and scholarly training that students receive in graduate courses. During their three semesters of teaching assistantships, M.F.A. candidates receive experience teaching both literature and creative writing at the college level.

Oscar Cásares

Author of Brownsville (stories), Amigoland (novel), and Where We Come From (novel).

https://www.oscarcasares.com/

Peter LaSalle

Author of four short story collections and Strange Sunlight

http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/english/faculty/tbw59

Elizabeth McCracken

Author of Here's Your Hat What's Your Hurry, The Giant's House, Niagara Falls All Over Again, Thunderstruck & Other Stories

elizabethmccracken.com

Deb Olin Unferth

Author of Minor Robberies (stories), Vacation (novel), and Revolution: The Year I Fell in Love and Went to Join the War (memoir), Wait Till You See Me Dance (stories), I, Parrot (graphic novel), and Barn 8 (novel).

Lisa Olstein

Author of Radio Crackling, Radio Gone; Lost Alphabet; Little Stranger, Late Empire, Pain Studies, Climate, and Dream Apartment.

https://www.lisaolstein.com/

Roger Reeves

Author of King Me, Best Barbarian, and Dark Days

Edward Carey

Author of nine illustrated books for adults and children, including Little, The Iremonger Trilogy, and Edith Holler.

edwardcareyauthor.com

Jennifer Chang

Author of The History of Anonymity and Some Say the Lark.

John Pipkin

Author of Woods Burner and The Blind Astronomer's Daughter.

https://www.johnpipkin.com/

Publications & Presses +

Bat City Review

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Michener Center for Writers

Frequently asked questions, applying to multiple mfa’s at ut.

Yes! And we encourage you to research and consider applying concurrently to our affiliated departments’ M.F.A. programs, as each has it’s own unique structure, degree program, faculty, and setting.

The Michener Center for Writers, offers a three-year M.F.A. in Writing , with concentrations in Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting or Playwriting.

The Department of Radio, Television and Film offers an M.F.A. in Screenwriting .

The Department of Theatre and Dance offers an M. F.A. in Playwriting .

The New Writer’s Project in the Department of English offers an M.F.A. in Creative Writing , with tracks for fiction and poetry.

If you are applying to more than 1 graduate program at UT, please note the following:

• You will need to submit a separate ApplyTexas application for each program.
• You will also need to submit the required application materials for each department. Include the program name in the header of all documents to ensure they are viewed by the correct committee.
• Applicants to multiple graduate programs need only pay the admissions fee for their first application. Application fees cannot be refunded once they have been processed.
• When you upload your Writing Sample and Statement of Purpose to MyStatus, your documents might post to multiple applications. If you need to upload supplemental SOP’s or WS’s for your other applications, navigate to the “Document Upload System” link in the right-hand menu to upload your other documents.
• In the MyStatus portal, the Michener Center application is labeled “Writing.”

Writing Sample & Statement of Purpose

Send us what you feel is your best and strongest work. A lot of writers make the mistake of trying to show “range” or submitting very recent work that hasn’t yet had time to mature. Likewise, some writers will include work that is more ambitious than accomplished, an approach that often doesn’t give the Admissions Committee the clearest sense of who the writers are. We know that the decision of what to include in a sample can be stressful and confusing, but our advice is to relax and send us what you feel are your best pages to date.

Yes, but including previously published work is not a requirement.

Think of this statement as a lens through which other elements of your application can be brought into focus for us. What you include is your call, though it’s not uncommon for writers to discuss the work (books, films, plays, etc.) that has shaped their writing lives. If you’ve had jobs or travels that seem relevant to who you are as a writer, we’d be glad to hear about them. If you have some special preparation or background in the secondary field, it’s worth briefly mentioning in the statement.

Include a header on your statement that includes your name and your primary and secondary genres.

Letters of Recommendation

Use your best judgment in securing meaningful letters. Letters from professors or workshop instructors of any writing classes you’ve taken can be useful, but we’ve also accepted many writers with no formal study in their backgrounds. If you have been out of school for a while, you might ask for letters from people with whom you’ve worked professionally, or in non-academic writing groups.

No, please only request three letters. Extra letters are not necessary and will not be read.

Yes. In your MyStatus portal, click on the letter of recommendation in your To Do list, then click the link that says “manage my recommendations.” This link will allow you to change the recommender.

Yes. In your MyStatus portal, click on the letter of recommendation in your To Do list, then click the link that says “manage my recommendations.” This link will allow you to resend the email.

Additional Questions

Yes. Michener Center Fellows complete a Master’s Degree during their time at the Center, so all applicants must possess a Bachelor’s Degree. Applicants with a Bachelor’s Degree in progress must complete their degree before the first semester of the program (i.e. applicants for Fall 2024 must possess a Bachelor’s Degree by Summer 2024). Applicants must also meet the UT Graduate School’s minimum requirements for consideration. 

No. We no longer require the GRE.

While these items are not required for our application, you may submit them by logging into your MyStatus portal and navigating to the “Document Upload System” link in the right-hand menu. Upload your items as “miscellaneous documents.”

If you have submitted your writing sample & statement of purpose and paid the application fee by the deadline, your application will be assessed by the committee.

There is a one-month grace period for receipt of the letters of recommendation, language test scores, and transcripts. Applications that are not complete by January 1st will be cancelled. You do not need to contact us if your letters, scores, or transcripts will arrive between December 1st and January 1st.

If you have submitted the ApplyTexas application, paid the application fee, and completed the items in your MyStatus portal To Do List (excepting the “Graduate Program Requirements”) items, then your application is complete and under review. There is no final “submit” button in the MyStatus portal.

Decisions are generally made by early March. Admitted and wait-listed candidates are contacted immediately via direct email or phone. Applicants who are not offered admission will have their application status posted electronically in their MyStatus portal.

Please note: Our admissions committee reviews applications that are still considered “incomplete” by the Graduate Admissions Office (such as those with missing or un-evaluated transcripts), as long as they contain a writing sample and statement of purpose. If an application is still considered “incomplete” at the time that a decision to reject the application has been made, our department will cancel the application. If you receive a notice that your “incomplete” application was “canceled,” please know that our committee made the decision to reject your application based on their review of your submitted materials.

Yes! Bat City Review is a nationally distributed (and very cool) literary magazine published at UT-Austin.  Each year, MCW Fellows have the option to work on staff and can receive funding to represent the magazine at the annual AWP writers conference.

There are no required  teaching duties for Michener Center Fellows. We are very proud to offer three years of full funding without any teaching obligations. We want writers to immerse themselves in their projects and we want to spare them any unnecessary labor.

However, if a Michener Center Fellow wants to teach, there are a variety of options for them to explore. The Austin Public Library Foundation’s Badgerdog Creative Writing Program works to make creative writing accessible to anyone and everyone, and MCW Fellows have a rich history of teaching writers of all ages through that program. Students have also worked with resident faculty member Deb Olin Unferth on the Pen-City Writers Program, a creative-writing certificate program for men incarcerated at a maximum-security prison in southern Texas. They may also have the opportunity to teach creative writing and literature courses at UT’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s SAGE (Seminars for Adult Growth and Enrichment).

The Office of Graduate Admissions oversees all application fees and application fee waivers. At this time, waivers are only available for U.S. students. Information on requesting a fee waiver can be found here (scroll down to “Fee Waivers” below “Step 2: Pay the Application Fee”).

Please note that our department is unable to waive the application fee and all applicants must request fee waivers through the Office of Graduate Admissions. If you write to us requesting a waiver, we will direct you to the link above.

Applicants to multiple graduate programs only pay the admissions fee for their first application. Application fees cannot be refunded once they have been processed.

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Creative Writing

Texas' only bachelor of fine arts in creative writing.

Do you dream of writing the next great American novel or making it big as an award-winning screenwriter in Hollywood? SFA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing will give you the training you need to succeed in a wide range of professions. It’s ideal preparation for a career as a novelist, poet, journalist or playwright. Even if you want to work in a field like media, public relations or corporate communications, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing is a significant advantage. SFA boasts the only program of its kind in Texas – and one of just a handful in the nation!

Learn more about possible career paths.

An inspirational setting

Our beautiful East Texas setting is ideal for writers seeking a creative environment. At SFA, you’ll get the best of both worlds. You’ll live in a dynamic community of your peers and acclaimed visiting writers, and you’ll have instant access to the inspiring sights and peaceful sounds of the East Texas Piney Woods.

Undergraduate programs and requirements

Bachelor of fine arts in creative writing.

Our Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing program is the only one in Texas and one of only 16 in the nation. If you’re an aspiring writer, this program will give you fundamental and advanced training in the craft and technique of writing for a variety of genres. This program includes coursework in playwriting, screenwriting and literary publishing.

View a degree plan on the advising web page .

To learn more about the requirements of this program, please see the  Undergraduate Bulletin or discuss with your advisor.

View Degree Maps and Course Descriptions

Creative Writing Dr. John McDermott [email protected]  

Dugas Liberal Arts North Room 214

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 13007, SFA Station Nacogdoches, Texas 75962

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing is for students who want the intensity of a conservatory education within a liberal arts degree. This program requires a capstone sequence of six hours of senior thesis culminating in the creation of a substantial work of original fiction, poetry and/or creative nonfiction. B.F.A. students are required to minor in literature. A public reading of the student’s work, a selection from the thesis, is required in the senior year.

Every B.F.A. student must take ENG 261    and ENG 463   . Within the intermediate and advanced workshops, students have some leeway to focus on particular genres but are expected to take at least one workshop in each area.

With the consent of your advisor, THR 463    (Playwriting) also may be used to fulfill three hours of the 400-level creative writing workshop courses.

Three hours from:

• ENG 261 - Introduction to Creative Writing Credit(s): 3

Six to nine hours from:

• ENG 359 - Intermediate Poetry Workshop Credit(s): 3
• ENG 361 - Intermediate Fiction Workshop Credit(s): 3
• ENG 362 - Intermediate Non-fiction Workshop Credit(s): 3

Three to six hours from:

• ENG 459 - Advanced Poetry Workshop Credit(s): 3
• ENG 461 - Advanced Fiction Workshop Credit(s): 3
• ENG 462 - Advanced Nonfiction Workshop Credit(s): 3
• ENG 463 - Elements of Craft Credit(s): 3

Zero to three hours from:

• ENG 460 - Literary Publishing Internship Credit(s): 3

Zero to six hours from:

• ENG 465 - Topics in Creative Writing Credit(s): 3

Six hours from:

• ENG 468 - Creative Writing Senior Thesis Credit(s): 3

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Degree Requirements    |   Getting Started   |   Institution and Advisor   |   FAQs  

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) offers a bilingual, fully-online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program. The goal of this unique bilingual program is to prepare writers for the publishing marketplace and for teaching and editing careers, both in the United States and Latin America.

Degree Requirements

The degree plan consists of 42 credits of coursework, followed by 6 credits of thesis during which the student completes a publishable manuscript in poetry or fiction. Refer to the Online MFA Curriculum page for a listing of available courses and course descriptions. Spanish is not a requirement for admission.

Many online MFA in Creative Writing courses are open to cross-campus enrollment. Check with your program advisor prior to registering for any of cross-campus courses to ensure they apply toward your degree program, and non-UTEP students who want to take MFA courses must get permission from the MFA Advisor.

To view Online MFA in Creative Writing program courses currently open for cross-campus registration, go to the Student Portal Course Schedule and select Creative Writing-Bilingual (MFA) from the Finish@UT Program menu, or search for a specific course name/number. UTEP students should refer to the UTEP Course Schedule and register directly through your home campus.

Getting Started

Interested in applying? Be sure to review the Online MFA Application Process , Application Check List , and FAQs . If you have any questions regarding the application process after reviewing this information, please contact Coordinator of Graduate Enrollment, Sally Vasko .

Refer to the Student Support section of our website for additional information on cross-campus registration and course access.

Institution and Program Advisor

Degree Awarded: Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Program Advisor:

Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny

Please send program-related questions to  [email protected] .

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to questions such as, "Do I need to know Spanish to be admitted into the program?" and, "Who do I contact about financial aid?" on the MFA Online website .

MFA in Creative Writing

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About the Texas State MFA

A top ranked, funded mfa program in creative writing.

MFA faculty includes Tim O’Brien, Naomi Shihab Nye, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and 9 full-time instructors who mentor students in completing book-length theses. Our student to faculty ratio is 6:1.

Student Accomplishments

Our Creative Writing MFA students come from a competitive international pool of applicants. Alumni have published countless books, won national awards, and secured teaching positions throughout the country.

Extensive Funding

Almost 90% of interested students receive funding in the form of graduate assistantships and scholarships. The cost of living in San Marcos is relatively low, though we're in the Austin Metro area.

Visiting Writers, Editors, and Agents

Our visiting writers series is one of the most robust in the country. Writers teach a master class, enjoy dinner with students, and host a craft Q&A, in addition to several readings.

Program News and Publications

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Austin Bat Cave

We Believe in the Power of Words

summer camps

Austin Bat Cave hosts a number of half-day creative writing summer camps all over the city. Summer camps explore genres like Fan-Fiction, Poetry Writing, Horror Writing, Songwriting, and more. Whatever your interests, we have a camp for you!

If each of our students donated $100 this summer, then Austin Bat Cave will be able to reach more students than ever before. For 15 years, Austin Bat Cave has provided free creative writing programs for Central Texas youth. This summer, we’re asking for a suggested donation in order to attend our week-long summer camps. Your donation will go towards supplies, teacher stipends, and other resources ABC needs in order to keep amplifying young voices. ABC’s actual cost is over $1,000  per camp , but we know the benefit of helping students tell their stories and sharing them with the world is priceless.

COVID POLICY: Austin Bat Cave is closely following the Austin Public Health data and safety guidelines for mitigating the spread of Covid-19 in the community. To ensure that our programs are accessible for all students, including those who are high-risk, we are making the wearing of masks voluntary for students and instructors while Travis County is in a Low Community Level , but we are strongly encouraging students and instructors to wear masks, and disposable masks will be provided as needed. However, Austin Bat Cave reserves the right to change this policy at any time should cases of Covid-19 rise in the greater Austin area or should Travis County move to a higher stage of Covid-19 risk-based guidelines.

Half-Day Summer Camps

Below are our 2024 Summer Camps!

Nature Poetry (8th – 12th grade) with

June 3rd - 7th

Class Details

Romantasy (6th – 8th grade) with

What Grows After Disaster: Speculative Environmental Fiction (8th – 12th grade) with

June 10th - 14th

Fairy Tales (3rd – 5th grade) with

June 10th - June 14th

Nature Journaling (3rd – 5th grade) with Dana De Greff

June 17th - 21st

Comiendo Comunidad with Resistencia Books (One Day, Free Workshop) with

Wednesdays June 19th, June 26th, July 3rd

Dungeons and Dragons (3rd – 12th grade) with

June 24th - June 28th

“We really loved the camp and truly appreciate the amazing experience. The teacher was fantastic and every day was full of energy.” — Kathleen Lucente, ABC parent

“The instructors were so positive and encouraging! I watched my child’s confidence in her writing blossom during the camp. I loved seeing her self-assurance in her own voice grow!”

“My oldest has a tough time with writing and he was reluctant at first, but after the first day of camp, he was excited to return. It was not like school with a strict regime, but rather encouraging children in the creative process and exploring.” — Cindy Miller, ABC parent

“My child benefitted from meeting others who enjoy reading and writing. Socializing during this time was important also. It was valuable also because of the encouragement/positive feedback she received.” — ABC parent

“This was probably the best run, most interesting and engaging camp my daughter did all summer. Thank you so much. It was wonderful.”

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New Writers Project M.F.A.

The New Writers Project at the University of Texas at Austin is a small, fully-funded , three-year studio MFA program within the large and highly-ranked Department of English. We offer our students close mentorship, literary community, and teaching and editing experience. Working in concert with our partner MFA program, the Michener Center for Writers , we provide our students an artistically adventurous and intellectually rigorous terminal degree, with courses taught by both experienced and accomplished resident faculty and esteemed visitors.

The New Writers Project core faculty in fiction are Edward Carey, Oscar Cásares, Peter LaSalle, Elizabeth McCracken, and Deb Olin Unferth. Our core faculty in poetry are Lisa Olstein, Roger Reeves, and Jennifer Chang. 

For more information about the M.F.A. Program in Creative Writing and how to apply, please visit the  New Writers Project website .

New Writers Project M.F.A. in Creative Writing

The New Writers Project at the University of Texas at Austin is a small, fully-funded, three-year studio MFA program within the large and highly-ranked Department of English. We offer our students close mentorship, literary community, and teaching and editing experience. Working in concert with our partner MFA program, the Michener Center for Writers, we provide our students an artistically adventurous and intellectually rigorous terminal degree, with courses taught by both experienced and accomplished resident faculty and esteemed visitors.

The New Writers Project core faculty in fiction are Edward Carey, Oscar Cásares, Bret Anthony Johnston, Peter LaSalle, Elizabeth McCracken, and Deb Olin Unferth. Our core faculty in poetry are Lisa Olstein, Roger Reeves, and Jennifer Chang. 

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Badgerdog Creative Writing Camps

Badgerdog Creative Writing Camps allow 3rd-12th grade students to immerse themselves in a supportive, imaginative writing experience. Intimately-sized workshops are led by professional writers and explore the arts of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting and screenwriting.

Our writing program follows the workshop model: writers of all ages and skill levels are invited to examine the techniques of literary artists and experiment with language to communicate experience and meaning. our goal is to empower students of all ages to uncover authentic self-expression, broaden language skills, and share in a love of reading and writing., camps follow a simple teaching model: read, write, share . we read the work of published writers to discover the strategies, and tools that make writing vivid and compelling. we write , practicing the art of storytelling. we share , reading our own work aloud in the classroom, performing in public, or having work published, learn more and register for our summer 2024 creative camps here..

For more information about Badgerdog’s programs, contact Programs Manager Katherine Lamb at [email protected] .

Read students' poems and stories on our blog, Unbound .

Recycling, trash or compost? An Austin sixth grader is using AI to sort his school's garbage.

An Austin ISD sixth grader is developing a computer program to determine whether trash belongs in the recycling, compost or landfill bins.

Cyril Summerfield had been volunteering to help custodians sort waste in the cafeteria after lunch at General Marshall Middle School. The school, like the district as a whole, is committed to significantly reducing its waste by 2040 .

"Cyril spent a couple of lunch periods there going, 'You know what? I think I can figure out something easier than having kids stand up here during their lunchtime,’” said Stacey Smith, a librarian who is the Green Team coordinator at Marshall. "'They could have more time to talk to their friends.'"

Cyril said sorting trash by hand left something to be desired.

“It wasn’t the most entertaining job in the world," he said, "so I designed this thing which uses machine learning and [artificial intelligence] to decide whether it’s trash, recycling or compost and then tell you that.”

Cyril developed the computer program using the website Machine Learning for Kids and Scratch , a free programming language from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He’s still in the process of training it to recognize what is trash, recycling or compost.

“It gets it wrong like an eighth of the time, so I have to go, 'No, that’s recycling,’ and then it will think about it for a second," he said. "And then I do that a few more times and it will get it right."

Cyril demonstrated how the program works by holding up different items to a webcam. He held up a lemon and the program correctly identified it as “compost.” When the program identifies waste incorrectly, he corrects it, so the program gets it right next time.

Cyril has a good sense of humor about his creation, which on occasion has identified him as “trash" when he shows up on camera.

“And when it says ‘compost,’ I’m like, 'You’re right,” he said.

Machine learning burns aside, Cyril said it’s important to him that students understand where waste belongs to protect the environment.

“We really have to make sure kids are putting the right things into the right bins so we don’t have tons of waste going into the landfill,” he said. “In fact, when compost goes into the landfill it releases methane, which is a worse greenhouse gas than what is coming out of your car.”

Smith said she was "delighted" to see the students want to help solve the trash problem.

Cyril said he thinks all kids think about climate change and what it will mean for their future. In the immediate future, Cyril plans to keep perfecting his waste-sorting program.

“I plan to do a ton of work on this over the summer," he said, "and then maybe have it as a product by the start of [the] next school year."