masters programs in creative writing

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Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Degree Program

Unlock your creative potential and hone your unique voice.

Online Courses

11 out of 12 total courses

On-Campus Experience

One 1- or 3-week residency in summer

$3,340 per course

Next Start Term: Fall 2024

Registration Open July 22-August 29

Program Overview

Through the master’s degree in creative writing and literature, you’ll hone your skills as a storyteller — crafting publishable original scripts, novels, and stories.

In small, workshop-style classes, you’ll master key elements of narrative craft, including characterization, story and plot structure, point of view, dialogue, and description. And you’ll learn to approach literary works as both a writer and scholar by developing skills in critical analysis.

Program Benefits

Instructors who are published authors of drama, fiction, and nonfiction

A community of writers who support your growth in live online classes

Writer's residency with agent & editor networking opportunities

Personalized academic and career advising

Thesis or capstone options that lead to publishable creative work

Harvard Alumni Association membership upon graduation

Customizable Course Curriculum

As you work through the program’s courses, you’ll enhance your creative writing skills and knowledge of literary concepts and strategies.

You’ll practice the art of revision to hone your voice as a writer in courses like Writing the Short Personal Essay and Writing Flash Fiction.

Within the creative writing and literature program, you will choose between a thesis or capstone track. You’ll also experience the convenience of online learning and the immersive benefits of learning in person.

11 Online Courses

• Primarily synchronous
• Fall, spring, January, and summer options

Writers’ Residency

A 1- or 3-week summer master class taught by a notable instructor, followed by an agents-and-editors weekend

Thesis or Capstone Track

• Thesis: features a 9-month independent creative project with a faculty advisor
• Capstone: includes crafting a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in a classroom community

The path to your degree begins before you apply to the program.

First, you’ll register for and complete 2 required courses, earning at least a B in each. These foundational courses are investments in your studies and count toward your degree, helping ensure success in the program.

Enroll for your first admission course this fall. Course registration is open July 22–August 29.

To get started, explore degree requirements, confirm your initial eligibility, and learn more about our unique “earn your way in” admissions process.

A Faculty of Creative Writing Experts

Studying at Harvard Extension School means learning from the world’s best. Our instructors are renowned academics in literary analysis, storytelling, manuscript writing, and more. They bring a genuine passion for teaching, with students giving our faculty an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Bryan Delaney

Playwright and Screenwriter

Talaya Adrienne Delaney

Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta

Our community at a glance.

80% of our creative writing and literature students are enrolled in our master’s degree program for either personal enrichment or to make a career change. Most (74%) are employed full time while pursuing their degree and work across a variety of industries.

Download: Creative Writing & Literature Master's Degree Fact Sheet

Average Age

Course Taken Each Semester

Work Full Time

Would Recommend the Program

Professional Experience in the Field

Pursued for Personal Enrichment

Career Opportunities & Alumni Outcomes

Graduates of our Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Program have writing, research, and communication jobs in the fields of publishing, advertising/marketing, fundraising, secondary and higher education, and more.

Some alumni continue their educational journeys and pursue further studies in other nationally ranked degree programs, including those at Boston University, Brandeis University, University of Pennsylvania, and Cambridge University.

Our alumni hold titles as:

• Marketing Manager
• Director of Publishing
• Senior Research Writer

Our alumni work at a variety of leading organizations, including:

• Little, Brown & Company
• New York University (NYU)
• Bentley Publishers

Career Advising and Mentorship

Whatever your career goals, we’re here to support you. Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success offers career advising, employment opportunities, Harvard alumni mentor connections, and career fairs like the annual on-campus Harvard Humanities, Media, Marketing, and Creative Careers Expo.

Your Harvard University Degree

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum, you will earn the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Creative Writing and Literature.

Expand Your Connections: the Harvard Alumni Network

As a graduate, you’ll become a member of the worldwide Harvard Alumni Association (400,000+ members) and Harvard Extension Alumni Association (29,000+ members).

Harvard is closer than one might think. You can be anywhere and still be part of this world.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid . Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

Learn more about the cost of attendance .

What can you do with a master’s degree in creative writing and literature?

A master’s degree in creative writing and literature prepares you for a variety of career paths in writing, literature, and communication — it’s up to you to decide where your interests will take you.

You could become a professional writer, editor, literary agent, marketing copywriter, or communications specialist.

You could also go the academic route and bring your knowledge to the classroom to teach creative writing or literature courses.

Is a degree in creative writing and literature worth it?

The value you find in our Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Degree Program will depend on your unique goals, interests, and circumstances.

The curriculum provides a range of courses that allow you to graduate with knowledge and skills transferable to various industries and careers.

How long does completing the creative writing and literature graduate program take?

Program length is ordinarily anywhere between 2 and 5 years. It depends on your preferred pace and the number of courses you want to take each semester.

For an accelerated journey, we offer year round study, where you can take courses in fall, January, spring, and summer.

While we don’t require you to register for a certain number of courses each semester, you cannot take longer than 5 years to complete the degree.

What skills do you need prior to applying for the creative writing and literature degree program?

Harvard Extension School does not require any specific skills prior to applying, but in general, it’s helpful to have solid reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills if you are considering a creative writing and literature master’s degree.

Initial eligibility requirements can be found on our creative writing and literature master’s degree requirements page .

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.

FALL 2024 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

Ma in writing.

You bring the passion for storytelling, we’ll help you develop your craft, tap into your creativity, and increase your network. Our goal is that you will leave our program ready to write, publish, and edit at the highest levels possible.

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 creating a culture that encourages risk-taking.

At JHU, you will not only boost your writing, revision, and editing skills, but also learn how to read like a writer, to give and receive feedback, to find publishing opportunities, and to live the writing life.

Explore Many Genres and Styles

We offer areas of concentration in nonfiction or fiction writing, each offering its own core courses and required electives that will explore craft elements like form, voice, structure, and style.

• Nonfiction: pursue long-form literary journalism, personal essays, and memoir
• Fiction: focus on short stories, novellas, and novels in a variety of genres

In addition to classes in your selected concentration, you’ll get to dabble in other genres like poetry, drama, playwriting, and screenwriting. Flesh out your schedule with classes from across genres, eras, themes, craft elements, and even from our science writing graduate programs.

Live the Writing Life: Summer Residency

The optional residency courses bring together our community for a week of sessions, workshops, readings, outings, receptions, and, of course, personal writing time. After all, you’re likely to be inspired by your surroundings!

Residency locations vary from year to year. We’ve been to Bar Harbor, Maine; Dublin, Ireland; and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Sometimes our writing residencies are integrated with the JHU science writing master’s program, giving you a chance to connect with even more writers and faculty members.

Complete a Manuscript, Build Your Portfolio

You will leave JHU with a solid, publishable portfolio. You’ll bring together the best of you for your thesis project. This could be part of a novel or memoir, or a collection of essays or short stories. You will work under the guidance of a faculty mentor to revise your project, while also taking a capstone workshop where you’ll discuss the writing life and practice and conduct public readings.

Learn on Your Terms

The MA in Writing program is one of the most flexible at JHU. You can complete your degree online in a dynamic and interactive learning environment, with the option to incorporate residency experiences into your studies.

What It’s Like to Study Writing at AAP

Upcoming Events

MA in Writing Information Session

Ma in science writing information session, student insights.

MA in Writing students share their perspectives about the program:

Torrence Boone  '22

“I had written a novel and struggled, but since coming to the program I feel empowered, with a new set of tools and approaches to writing and work. ”

Elissa Collins '23

“I knew I wanted to go back to grad school, and with Johns Hopkins I knew you could work full time and complete the program. So I was very excited about that. ”

Anne Haddad '24

“With its thought-provoking methods and structure, this program has empowered me to feel confident to return to writing the stories I’ve always wanted to write.“

Catherine Smart  '24

“Every professor is accessible and candid and wants to see you develop. I have never had that in a program before, which is why I would stay here above any other program. ”

Why to Pursue an MA in Writing at Hopkins

Surround yourself with other creative writers: Your classmates and faculty members all have a story to tell.

Study With Prolific Writers

Our faculty has been published in Education Week, The New York Review of Books, Time, and many literary journals and major newspapers. Research interests include pop music, Icelandic literature, digital media, creative writing, and multilingual writers.

Grow Your Writing Community and Network

Meet emerging and established writers from all professional backgrounds. Join a successful network of alumni with work in esteemed literary journals, major magazines and newspapers, and on the shelf at your local bookstore.

Write on Location: Travel Opportunities

Our exciting summer residency option rotates locations. You could write near our campus in D.C. or Baltimore, on the rocky shores of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, near Acadia National Park, or in the mountains near Shenandoah National Park, or even Dublin, Ireland.

Customize Your Studies Based on Writing Goals

Choose from a variety of workshops and electives, such as Children's Book Writing, Screenwriting, Sentence Power: From Craft to Art, The Essence of Place, Writing the Other, Travel Writing, Completing the Novel, Memoir and Personal Essay – plus a variety of fiction and nonfiction workshops.

Connect With Us

We love to share updates about our students and faculty, as well as links to new publications.

Writing News

Take the Next Step

Study creative writing online or on campus at Johns Hopkins University, among a community of writers dedicated to their craft.

Contact Us for More Information

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MFA Programs Database

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

Adelphi University

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

Albertus Magnus College

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

Alma College

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

American University

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

Antioch University

Poetry: Victoria Chang Prose: Lisa Locascio

Arcadia University

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

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

Arizona State University

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

Ashland University

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

Augsburg University

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

Ball State University

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

Bard College

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

Bath Spa University

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

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

Bay Path University

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

Bennington Writing Seminars at Bennington College

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

Binghamton University

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

Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University

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

Boise State University

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

Boston University

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

Boston University—MFA in Literary Translation

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

Bowling Green State University

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

Brigham Young University

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

Brooklyn College

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

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Master's in Creative Writing Online MA Degree Program

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

Master's in Creative Writing Online Program Overview

Ignite your imagination and jump-start your professional writing career with a Master of Arts (MA) in English and Creative Writing online at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn to use the written word to effectively tell your story and share your ideas with the world. By studying literature and the way accomplished authors have perfected their art, you'll be prepared to enter a number of industries as a creative writer. 

This English and creative writing graduate program fosters your imagination and creativity with a perfect balance of critical analysis and craft, along with an emphasis on literary theory and the history of the English language. You also have the freedom to choose from 4 genre concentrations or to combine your choice of genre courses if, for example, you're interested in both fiction and screenwriting.

This specialized creative writing master's degree can help you develop an ability to communicate in any career path you choose to follow, including:

• Marketing and communications

If you've always dreamed of starting your own novel, writing a collection of poetry or developing your screenplay, you'll gain the foundation you need through this program.

At the end of the program, you'll either complete a creative thesis or submit a portfolio of creative writing, along with a retrospective essay.

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

• Integrate form, language and literary works into writing style and voice
• Expand upon your own creative process
• Create original literary works of publishable quality
• Reflect on goals, process and ethos as a creative writer
• Use technology as a tool to stylize and promote creative work

.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.

Concentration Options

You'll also have the option to master a specialized skill set with one of our 4 genre-focused concentrations .

Fiction Literature has long been a source of inspiration, both for readers and writers. In Southern New Hampshire University's online MA in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Fiction degree, you can find your creative voice and tell your story. Your knowledge can grow beyond a basic understanding of plot building, narrative, voice and character as you push your creative boundaries. Hone your craft for the kind of fiction you've always dreamed of bringing to life through novels, short stories, children's literature and more. In this degree program, you'll have the opportunity to explore whichever genres in fiction pique your interest, from horror and sci-fi to fantasy, young adult, romance and more.  The art of storytelling has deep historical and societal roots, and it is critical to cross-cultural communication. In your MA in Creative Writing online degree program, you’ll study the work of published writers to help you develop your own creative writing skills. You’ll focus on why authors make specific creative decisions to develop a deeper understanding of fiction in all of its forms, all while writing your own works of fiction. If you decide to pursue this concentration, you'll take a capstone course designed around completing your thesis in your fiction genre of choice. At the culmination of your coursework, you’ll create your own manuscript and apply what you've learned about your own creative voice to your work. If you feel it's time to put pen to paper to tell a tale, this program is for you. "I chose the fiction concentration [because] I believe it will give me a wider range in skills and training that will make me more attractive as a writer," said student Joshua Yarbrough . "Great and imaginative storytelling is always needed, and by having this concentration, it will open doors and avenues in a wide range of projects." Career outlook: Whether you're looking to pen the next great fiction novel, or you'd like to specialize in short stories that capture the imagination for a period of time, this concentration can give you the tools you need to become successful in your field. The MA in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Fiction can also lead to numerous career opportunities, as this program does more than just expose you to literature and help you develop new writing skills. You can apply the creative skills you gain to any profession, from scriptwriting to marketing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median annual wage for writers and authors was $73,150 in 2022. 1 Courses include: Fiction Fundamentals Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Other Popular Fiction Fiction Thesis Writing Fiction Thesis Completion Request Info Apply Now Nonfiction In the MA in English & Creative Writing with a concentration in Nonfiction degree, you'll learn how and why writers craft nonfiction narratives. These tools can help you develop factual material based on research and experiences of your own - or someone else's. The creative writing master's degree can help you gain insights into publishing, broadcasting and professional production while you explore your creative boundaries. At the culmination of the program, you'll develop your own professional-quality piece of nonfiction, one that takes you deep into subjects that matter to you and helps you develop the skills you need for great storytelling. MA English & Creative Writing nonfiction graduate Alec Biron '17 '21G particularly enjoyed the combined emphasis on creative writing and literature. "While the curriculum allowed me to select a unique genre of creative writing to develop my nonfiction thesis," he said, "it also allowed me to explore traditional forms of literature that I love, such as medieval British and feminist genres." Career outlook: Nonfiction is the art of telling real stories - ones that people can learn from, relate to and understand. It covers a wide range of styles and subjects, encompassing everything from personal essays, autobiographical writing and memoirs, to marketing, travel writing and magazine features. Given the many career paths you could take by adding a concentration in nonfiction writing to your degree, it's worth noting some potential career paths you could explore. During a time when remote work is on the rise, you could consider a career writing freelance nonfiction stories for traditional print magazines and digital publications. Or, if telling stories for brands excites you, you could work in advertising as a copywriter and see your words on websites, billboards, emails, commercials and other types of advertisements. "Employers have been impressed by not only my achievement of a master’s degree, but also by the publications I've subsequently written for following my education," said Biron. If you like finding ways to make factual yet complex topics more digestible, you may enjoy the role of technical writer. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, technical writers earned a median annual salary of $79,960 in 2022. 1 Courses include: Non-Fiction Fundamentals Non-Fiction Thesis Writing Non-Fiction Thesis Completion Request Info Apply Now Poetry Develop the skills you need to convey your poetic vision with a MA in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Poetry . The poetry concentration within our online creative writing graduate program can take you to a new level of analysis, appreciation and understanding of this art form. Foster your love of verse with the inspiration, passion and creative peer collaboration that only SNHU's concentration in poetry can bring. This curriculum focuses your study of literature on a genre where every word and line counts. Here, you'll be able to use your imagination to create imagery that moves and inspires readers and writers alike. This creative writing graduate program challenges you to gain an appreciation for how the unique craft and vision of poetry is critical to learning to think, understand and communicate with the world at large. Throughout this online program, you’ll broaden your understanding of the art of poetry. You'll also dive deeper into structure, tone and rhythm while analyzing the work of renowned poets. Upon completion of the program, you’ll develop your own manuscript of poetry, one that allows you to expand on subjects you're passionate about. "I chose a poetry concentration because I am a poet at heart, and my career revolves heavily around creative writing, specifically poetry and accessible arts programming," said NaBeela Washington '21G . "I wanted to make sure that my studies preserved time to truly focus on poetry and developing my manuscript and network and connection to other authors." Career outlook: Whether it's getting your own poetry published or becoming the next great poet laureate that interests you, a career in poetry is sure to be one filled with passion for your work. You could work for nonprofits to promote local poetry in your area, or become the poetry curator for an array of journals, magazines and even bookstores. And the ability to write clever, concise and compelling copy is also a great fit for advertising and marketing positions. "Before SNHU, I hadn’t been published since middle school," said Washington. "And before completing the program, I would be invited to read my work at a Poetry Series in Takoma Park, MD; I would start a literary journal, Lucky Jefferson, and I would go on to be published several more times in publications like The Cincinnati Review and The Washington Writers’ Publishing House, even winning an award for my journal and building a network of more than 6,000 writers and artists." Her list of accomplishments doesn't stop there. "I’ve been invited to speak on panels about my work in the literary world as well as to help found a roundtable for Editors of Color," she said. "It's really nice realizing that I could accomplish my goals and that I believed in myself." Courses include: Poetry Fundamentals Poetry Thesis Writing Poetry Thesis Completion Request Info Apply Now Screenwriting We live in an increasingly visual society. The online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Screenwriting program at Southern New Hampshire University is an advanced exploration of the world of film and video, from shorts and episodic serials to feature-length blockbusters and documentaries. This concentration is based on a comprehensive study of film, with a special focus on story structure, character development and creative writing. At the culmination of the degree program, you'll have developed your own screenplay that you can then share with others and put out into the world if you so choose. While an understanding and analysis of literature – whatever the genre – is at the core of this MA degree, the screenwriting concentration places a special emphasis on visual storytelling. Designed by experienced and distinguished faculty, this master’s in screenwriting program can give you a powerful understanding of how story, character, theme, action, visuals and dialogue intertwine to create an immersive experience. In this concentration, you'll also have the opportunity to work closely with peers and faculty to workshop your pieces, which can help push your creative work to new heights. Take it from José Roldan Jr. '17G who, with the support of his friends, family and his SNHU advisor, was able to enroll in the online MA in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Screenwriting program while balancing his full-time job and full-time performance schedule, along with additional acting gigs and auditions.  "That support just allowed me the strength to say, 'You know what? I can get this done. There are so many people who believe in me to do it, that I can get it done,'" Roldan said. "It wasn't easy, but it's possible. It's possible." Career outlook: Whether you dream of writing for the big screen one day or writing scripts at a regional level, in the screenwriting concentration you can hone your craft for television, commercials, news, feature films, short films and even video games. There are multiple ways you could use this degree in the media world, from adapting an existing work into a movie or writing your own script, to working closely with producers on funding and producing projects. While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median annual wage for writers and authors was $73,150 in 2022, it also reports that producers and directors earned a median annual wage of $85,320 the same year. 1 Courses include: Screenwriting Fundamentals Fiction and Film Screenwriting Thesis Writing Screenwriting Thesis Completion Request Info Apply Now if (typeof accordionGroup === "undefined") { window.accordionGroup = new accordion(); } accordionGroup.init(document.getElementById('322677cfabe042d9a55551dc7b079012')); Career Outlook

Whether it's telling your story or telling someone else's, your online master's in creative writing can equip you with detailed knowledge about the worlds of publishing, communications, copywriting and the role of the professional writer. As world markets continue to shift toward a demand for online education and digital media technology, the technical skills learned in this program should continue to be in demand for a long time. The enhanced writing and communication skills you'll develop can be applied to many professions, from publishing, print and film to journalism and marketing.

Read more about Jacob Powers in this Q&A.

"The major takeaway I have gotten from my classes is that there is a viable career in literature, creative writing, and English," said student Joshua Yarbrough . "I feel confident in having the necessary skills to either work for myself or an employer and the training I have received at SNHU has made it possible."

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of writers and authors is projected to grow 4% – about as fast as average for all occupations –  through 2032. 1

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

The BLS reports the median wage for writers and authors was $73,150 in 2022. 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.

The master's in creative writing is also ideal if you're interested in pursuing your PhD or teaching at the collegiate level. Additionally, the MA in Creative Writing is also a great option for high school instructors or other educators who wish to level up their salaries, as well as those whose districts require a Master of Arts for sustained career growth.

"I believe there’s a nice balance here for the program — for students who wish to pursue publication, we offer the tools, resources and faculty to help guide them. For students who wish to advance in their current career, or learn creative writing skills but also strengthen other skills (like editing, proofreading, etc.), the program offers that, as well," Powers said.

SNHU does not guarantee that the completion of this program will result in endorsements or rank and salary increases for teachers and strongly encourages interested individuals to contact their state education licensure board prior to enrolling. SNHU provides additional information for education-related outcomes on our Licensure and Certification Disclosures page.

Where Could You Work?

Graduates of the online master's in English and creative writing program will find that, according to the BLS¹, there is opportunity for employment in a variety of fields, including:

Self-Employment

Tech companies, public relations, start your journey toward an online english and creative writing degree, why snhu for your master's in creative writing flexible with no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7. affordable as part of our mission to make higher education more accessible, we’re committed to keeping our tuition rates low. in fact, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation. prior coursework and work experience could also help you save time and money. snhu’s transfer policy  allows you to transfer up to 12 credits from your previous institution. you could also earn college credit for previous work experience . respected founded in 1932 , southern new hampshire university is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. snhu is accredited by the new england commission of higher education (neche), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.  recently, snhu has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education: “most innovative” regional university honors from u.s. news & world report each year since 2015 a $1 million grant from google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth recognition as a 2017 digital learning innovator by the online learning consortium network at southern new hampshire university, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 300,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities. 93.2% of online students would recommend snhu according to a 2023 survey with 21,000+ respondents. discover why snhu may be right for you . admission requirements expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. that’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials: completed free application undergraduate transcripts, which we can retrieve for you by submitting a transcript request form acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms . master's degree candidates must also submit a personal statement. students with an undergraduate gpa below 2.75 are eligible for provisional acceptance. how to apply if you’re ready to apply, follow these simple steps to get the process going: complete free graduate application submit undergraduate transcripts work with an admission counselor  to explore financial options  and walk through application process if (typeof accordiongroup === "undefined") { window.accordiongroup = new accordion(); } accordiongroup.init(document.getelementbyid('e835202be13f4497bc29372de09b8f42')); get the skills you need.

Alec Biron '17 '21G

"The skills that I learned in nonfiction writing have helped me to build a career in freelance journalism and content writing."

Courses & Curriculum

The master's in creative writing online exposes you to powerful examples of writing and provides you with an outlet to refine your skills as a writer. SNHU is home to the New Hampshire Writer’s Project and is also a destination for nationally recognized writers who perform readings and participate in workshops and lectures. This can give you additional context and insight into the industry you'll eventually be joining. All of our courses were also created by subject matter experts in their field, many of whom are critically acclaimed writers themselves.

Not only are the courses created by experts, they're taught by them, too. Just ask student Joshua Yarbrough .

"I have worked with professors who are well versed and accomplished in their field," he said. "They have provided valuable feedback to me in terms of preparing for my next steps as a writer and educator."

If you're looking for a degree program with collaboration built in, look no further. The online MA in English and Creative Writing has an added emphasis on peer workshops for additional feedback. Each concentration requires students to take three workshops, so you'll have the chance to fine-tune your editing and proofreading skills both for your peers and for yourself.

You'll also be required to take one of two teaching courses, Seminar in Writing Instruction or Online Teaching Experience . This can give you a background for teaching creative writing or English composition, depending on which interests you more. As a whole, this degree program is highly customizable, allowing you to focus on what types of creative writing interest you most.

In addition to working on your writing craft, you'll take several literary courses that focus on analysis and reflection, while learning about the history of the publishing industry. This can give you the chance to sharpen your editing and professional communication skills, while also giving you the edge you need to advance your writing career.

Graduate Alec Biron '17 '21G agrees. "One course that stood out to me, in particular, was “The Editor”. This course was both writing and editing intensive, allowing us to review the work of our peers while optimizing our own narratives," he said. "The Editor went beyond simple proofreading, and taught me how to edit for structure, character development, syntax, language and tone."

You'll also have the choice of four literary genres:

• Screenwriting

Or, you can customize your program and study multiple genres.

What's more, there's plenty of opportunity to build your network and hone your craft outside of normal class time. Once enrolled, you'll have access to SNHUconnect, a community built exclusively for our online learners. With plenty of clubs and events at your disposal, you might find that the Creative Writing Review Club is right up your alley. Wrote a few poems and want a critique? Need an audience to run your plot ideas by? Here, you can share your nonfiction, fiction, poetry and screenplay works – and even seek peer revising if you desire.

Joan Garner

Joan Garner came from a family of activists. Now she’s earning her master’s in creative writing to write her family’s story.

“The classes that I am taking are helping me in writing the book by stretching my limitations as a writer,” she said.

Read Joan’s story.

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

Tuition & Fees

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a General Studies Degree Worth It?

Academic Spotlight: Liberal Arts Associate Dean Paul Witcover

6 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills at Work

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

• https://www.bls.gov/OOH/media-and-communication/writers-and-authors.htm (viewed Oct. 25, 2023)
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm (viewed Oct. 25, 2023)
• https://www.bls.gov/OOH/entertainment-and-sports/producers-and-directors.htm (viewed Oct. 25, 2023)

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

Best Master’s in Creative Writing Degree Programs of 2024

Written by Alex Kale

Updated: April 11, 2024

Compare School Options

Most schools have rolling admissions and financial help so you can start your degree in a few weeks!

For creative individuals eager to refine their craft under the guidance of accomplished mentors and dedicate significant time to their writing, pursuing a master’s in creative writing may be the next step in your journey. While these programs don’t guarantee a future as a bestselling novelist or a lauded poet, they offer substantial mentorship and a comprehensive education, setting a solid foundation for success in the literary field.

Most graduates find opportunities in academia, where the demand for college and university professors is expected to grow by 8% in the next decade, offering a median salary of $80,840 . These programs span 18 months to three years, and while costs vary, the average tuition was $19,749 for the 2020-2021 academic year.

How to Choose a Master’s in Creative Writing Program

Choose your area of study.

Selecting an area of study for your master’s in creative writing is an especially important first step for this degree, as many programs offer specialized tracks to better align with student interests.

For some students, deciding between poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or screenwriting may be relatively straightforward, as many come to these programs with existing interests and writing experience. This choice can be more challenging for others, requiring reflection on their interests and career goals.

Understanding your preferred genre or form is crucial. It will direct you to a program that best supports your aspirations, offering workshops, mentorship, and resources to hone your craft.

Research schools and programs

Once you’ve decided on an area of study, it’s time to research potential schools and programs that can support your educational and professional interests. Consider asking the following questions to guide your research:

• What are the faculty’s backgrounds and areas of expertise?
• How does the curriculum align with your specific interests?
• What opportunities exist for workshops, readings, and publishing?
• Are there assistantships, fellowships, or financial aid options?
• How does the program support career development post-graduation?

This information can be found on university websites, by contacting admissions counselors or program coordinators, or by connecting with current students and alumni.

Prepare for tests and applications

With your shortlist of programs in hand, you can begin preparing for tests and applications.

Focusing on crafting a solid writing sample is crucial, as this illustrates your skills and potential. However, it’s equally important to dedicate time to writing your personal statement and preparing for the GRE — if your program requires standardized test scores. Consider enrolling in a test prep program to improve your performance and boost your scores.

Remember transcripts and letters of recommendation; you’ll want to request these early, as they often take time to gather. To avoid any last-minute rushes, provide your recommenders with clear deadlines, typically around two months.

Select your program

If you submit multiple applications, you may receive multiple acceptance letters. In these situations, set aside some time to revisit your initial research criteria to ensure you select the right program.

Consider curriculum relevance, faculty experience, and the strength of the alumni network, as mentorship is an essential aspect of these programs. Given their significant role in your development, you’ll want to choose faculty you’re eager to learn from. Lastly, assess the total cost of attendance alongside any financial aid offers, including fellowships and assistantships.

Determine how you’ll pay for your degree

While financing your degree can feel daunting, many financial aid resources are available to help. Start by exploring scholarships and grants that don’t require repayment. Next, look into assistantships and fellowships offered by your institution, as these provide funding alongside resume-boosting professional experience.

Use federal loans sparingly to cover any remaining financial gaps. Remember that every dollar taken out on a loan will have to be repaid with interest, so minimize your reliance on these to avoid accruing debt.

Best 50 Accredited Master’s in Creative Writing Programs

intelligent score 99.39

#8 College Factual #8 Best Value Schools #21 College Rank

School Information

Cambridge, MA

Graduation Rate: 98%

Admission Rate: 4%

Urbanicity: City

School Size: Medium

Delivery Format Hybrid

Required Credits to Graduate 36

Estimated Cost per Credit $1,073

accreditation New England Commission of Higher Education

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-495-4024

intelligent score 99.12

#5 Best Value Schools #6 College Factual

Seattle, WA

Graduation Rate: 84%

Admission Rate: 53%

School Size: Large

Delivery Format On-Campus

Required Credits to Graduate 40

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $834 Non-Resident: $1,494

accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 206-543-9865

intelligent score 98.56

#3 Best Accredited Colleges #9 Best Value Schools #14 College Factual

Graduation Rate: 88%

Admission Rate: 19%

Required Credits to Graduate 32

Estimated Cost per Credit $2,083

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-353-2510

intelligent score 98.52

#4 College Factual #7 Best Accredited Colleges

Iowa City, IA

Graduation Rate: 71%

Admission Rate: 86%

Required Credits to Graduate 48

Estimated Cost per Credit $626

accreditation Higher Learning Commission

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 319-335-3847

intelligent score 98.33

#3 College Factual #14 Best Value Schools

Evanston, IL

Graduation Rate: 95%

Admission Rate: 7%

Estimated Cost per Credit $1,917

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-491-5279

intelligent score 98.22

#5 College Factual

Minneapolis, MN

Graduation Rate: 81%

Admission Rate: 73%

Required Credits to Graduate 45

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $1,593 Non-Resident: $2,465

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 612-625-6366

intelligent score 97.51

#1 College Rank

Danbury, CT

Graduation Rate: 52%

Admission Rate: 81%

Required Credits to Graduate 60

Estimated Cost per Credit $562

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 203-837-8243

intelligent score 97.05

#4 College Rank

Victoria, TX

Graduation Rate: 51%

Delivery Format On-Campus, Online

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $368 Non-Resident: $788

accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 877-970-4848

intelligent score 96.63

#5 Best Accredited Colleges #15 College Factual

New York, NY

Admission Rate: 21%

Estimated Cost per Credit $2,157

accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 212-998-8816

intelligent score 96.06

#5 College Rank

Columbus, MS

Graduation Rate: 62%

Admission Rate: 99%

Urbanicity: Town

Estimated Cost per Credit $450

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 662-329-7169

intelligent score 94.96

Notre Dame, IN

Graduation Rate: 97%

Admission Rate: 15%

Urbanicity: Suburban

Estimated Cost per Credit $3,576

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 574-631-7226

intelligent score 94.59

Ellensburg, WA

Graduation Rate: 64%

Admission Rate: 88%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $735 Non-Resident: $1,723

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 509-963-1546

intelligent score 94.39

Nashville, TN

Graduation Rate: 94%

Estimated Cost per Credit $1,140

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 615-343-2727

intelligent score 94.22

Graduation Rate: 82%

Admission Rate: 29%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $1,210 Non-Resident: $1,863

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 512-471-4141

intelligent score 93.23

Graduation Rate: 74%

Admission Rate: 91%

Required Credits to Graduate 54

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $611 Non-Resident: $1,548

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 515-294-2180

intelligent score 92.70

El Paso, TX

Graduation Rate: 48%

Admission Rate: 100%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $495 Non-Resident: $1,033

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 915-747-5237

intelligent score 91.36

Saint Charles, MO

Graduation Rate: 55%

Admission Rate: 75%

Estimated Cost per Credit $561

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 636-949-2000

intelligent score 91.05

Wilkes-Barre, PA

Admission Rate: 95%

Required Credits to Graduate 30-49

Estimated Cost per Credit $675 - $750

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 570-408-4527

intelligent score 90.14

Fairfax, VA

Estimated Cost per Credit In-State: $572 Out-of-State: $1,486

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 703-993-1180

intelligent score 90.07

Rexburg, ID

Graduation Rate: 65%

Admission Rate: 97%

Estimated Cost per Credit $480 - $960

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 801-422-4938

intelligent score 89.85

Buckhannon, WV

Admission Rate: 84%

School Size: Small

Required Credits to Graduate 49

Estimated Cost per Credit $475

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 304-473-8523

intelligent score 89.28

Raleigh, NC

Admission Rate: 47%

Estimated Cost per Credit In-state: $525 Out-of-state: $1,635

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 919-515-4106

intelligent score 87.26

Admission Rate: 74%

Required Credits to Graduate 39

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $1,862 Non-Resident: $3,391

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 734-764-6330

intelligent score 85.56

La Grande, OR

Graduation Rate: 38%

Admission Rate: 98%

Delivery Format On-Campus, Online, Hybrid

Estimated Cost per Credit $520

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 541-962-3393

intelligent score 85.28

Graduation Rate: 80%

Admission Rate: 89%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $495 Non-Resident: $1,417

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 513-529-5221

intelligent score 84.41

San Marcos, TX

Graduation Rate: 61%

Admission Rate: 85%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $357 Non-Resident: $767

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 512-245-2581

intelligent score 82.58

Tallahassee, FL

Admission Rate: 32%

Estimated Cost per Credit In-State: $479 Out-of-State: $1,111

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 850-644-4231

intelligent score 81.36

Spartanburg, SC

Graduation Rate: 56%

Admission Rate: 82%

Estimated Cost per Credit $640

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 864-596-9040

intelligent score 81.18

Bowling Green, OH

Graduation Rate: 58%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $536 Non-Resident: $868

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 419-372-2791

intelligent score 80.53

Mississippi State, MS

Graduation Rate: 60%

Admission Rate: 80%

Required Credits to Graduate 30

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $545 Non-Resident: $1,476

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 662-325-7400

intelligent score 79.83

Syracuse, NY

Admission Rate: 59%

Estimated Cost per Credit $1,872

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 315-443-4322

intelligent score 79.53

Philadelphia, PA

Graduation Rate: 68%

Admission Rate: 83%

Estimated Cost per Credit $691

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 215-895-1805

intelligent score 79.21

Gainesville, FL

Graduation Rate: 72%

Admission Rate: 66%

Estimated Cost per Credit In-State: $471 Out-of-State: $1,116

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 352-392-6622

intelligent score 78.90

San Diego, CA

Graduation Rate: 79%

Admission Rate: 38%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $368 Non-Resident: $764

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 619-594-5443

intelligent score 78.66

Graduation Rate: 96%

Admission Rate: 9%

Estimated Cost per Credit $1,093

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 607-255-6800

intelligent score 78.46

Adelphi, MD

Graduation Rate: 30%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $828 Non-Resident: $1,805

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 301-405-3809

intelligent score 78.22

Graduation Rate: 59%

Admission Rate: 92%

Required Credits to Graduate 30-39

Estimated Cost per Credit In-State: $557 Out-of-State: $1,696

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 207-581-3291

intelligent score 78.1

Admission Rate: 87%

Estimated Cost per Credit $514

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 402-554-3857

intelligent score 78.06

Required Credits to Graduate 42

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $1,028 Non-Resident: $2,428

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 520-621-9771

intelligent score 77.99

Glenside, PA

Estimated Cost per Credit $840

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 877-272-2342

intelligent score 77.90

Ashland, OH

Graduation Rate: 66%

Admission Rate: 70%

Urbanicity: Rural

Estimated Cost per Credit $860

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 419-289-5098

intelligent score 77.55

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $897 Non-Resident: $1,472

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 480-727-9130

intelligent score 74.80

Admission Rate: 41%

Estimated Cost per Credit $1,402

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-824-8610

intelligent score 74.51

Huntsville, AL

Graduation Rate: 54%

Admission Rate: 77%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $635 Non-Resident: $1,660

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 205-348-5065

intelligent score 73.95

Flagstaff, AZ

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $790 Non-Resident: $1,956

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 928-523-4911

intelligent score 72.63

Charlotte, NC

Admission Rate: 69%

Required Credits to Graduate 52

Estimated Cost per Credit $815

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 704-337-2499

intelligent score 72.15

Champaign, IL

Graduation Rate: 86%

Admission Rate: 60%

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $878 Non-Resident: $1,897

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 217-333-2391

intelligent score 72.10

Graduation Rate: 73%

Admission Rate: 72%

Required Credits to Graduate 33

Estimated Cost per Credit In-State: $1,053 Out-of-State: $1,449

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 215-204-1796

intelligent score 71.64

Graduation Rate: 63%

Estimated Cost per Credit $925

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-349-8300

intelligent score 71.32

Salt Lake City, UT

Estimated Cost per Credit Resident: $1,272 Non-Resident: $4,517

more program information Email: [email protected] Phone: 801-581-6168

Discover More Options

How we rank schools.

We reviewed many master’s in creative writing programs, including ones offered on-campus, online, and through both modes. Most of these degrees are offered as a Master of Fine Arts (MFA), which is considered a terminal degree in the fine arts field.

The institutions on this list are all approved by a DOE-recognized regional accrediting organization, such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) or the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Attending an accredited degree program guarantees you’ll receive a quality education and ensures your degree will be recognized by other schools and employers. Recognition is important if you decide to transfer or hope to teach at a school.

We evaluated each program on the basis of flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score for each program on a scale from 0 to 100. For a more extensive explanation, check out Our Ranking Methodology .

What Can You Expect From a Master’s in Creative Writing Program?

By earning a master’s in creative writing, you’ll enter an immersive program designed to refine your writing craft, critical thinking, and editorial skills across various genres — including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and even screenplay writing.

Spanning 18 months to three years, these programs combine workshops, literature courses, and seminars to strengthen your understanding of narrative structure, character development, and the nuances of language and style. You’ll hone your unique voice and storytelling abilities through intensive writing practice and feedback from peers and seasoned faculty. Critical analysis of literary work complements your creative endeavors, improving your ability to critique and incorporate literary techniques into your writing.

These programs typically culminate in a thesis — a substantial, original piece of creative work (like a novel, a collection of poems, or short stories) that demonstrates mastery and readiness to contribute to the literary world.

Potential courses you’ll take in a master’s in creative writing program

• Literary Analysis for Writers: Although it may go by a different name, this course is a cornerstone in most programs. Through studying contemporary and classic literature, students learn to dissect and understand the techniques employed by successful authors. This analytical skill enhances critical thinking while informing and improving their creative writing endeavors.
• Fiction Workshop: Specifically designated for students specializing in fiction, this course encourages learners to write their own material and periodically present it for critique. Students are encouraged to experiment and grow as writers through this collaborative environment.
• Poetry Workshop: This course, particularly aimed at poets, encourages participants to explore various poetic forms and techniques, from traditional to experimental poetry. Through writing exercises and peer feedback, students learn to create vivid imagery, control rhythm and sound, and convey emotional truths concisely.
• Creative Nonfiction: This genre-bending course covers memoirs, personal essays, and literary journalism. Students learn to meld factual accuracy with storytelling, developing skills to write engaging narratives that resonate with authenticity.

Master’s in Creative Writing Degree Frequently Asked Questions

How do i apply to a master's in creative writing degree program.

To apply for a master’s in creative writing degree program, you’ll need to start by researching the specific requirements of your chosen institution, as they can vary. However, many programs share common application criteria — like the following:

• Official transcripts from undergraduate studies
• Letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose
• A writing sample in your intended discipline (such as fiction, poetry, or nonfiction)
• GRE scores , although these may be optional for some programs

Before applying, be sure to reach out to an admissions counselor. They can provide insights into the program, help answer any questions, and guide you through the application process.

How much does a master's in creative writing degree cost?

The cost of this degree will vary depending on the institution — however, the average graduate tuition for the 2020-2021 academic year was $19,749 . This figure does not account for additional expenses such as housing, commuting, library fees, and textbooks, which can significantly increase the total cost of earning your degree. As a prospective student, you should thoroughly assess these costs to create a comprehensive budget — ensuring that pursuing this degree aligns with your professional and financial goals.

How long does it take to earn a master's in creative writing degree?

Earning your master’s in creative writing usually takes two years of full-time study, though some programs may extend to three years due to additional credit requirements. For this reason, it’s crucial to check each program’s credit prerequisites, as this directly influences completion time.

Part-time students generally have up to five years to fulfill their degree obligations, but some institutions offer more flexibility, allowing for a more extended timeline.

Related Degrees

• Reading and Literacy

Earning A Master’s In Creative Writing: What To Know

Updated: Nov 1, 2023, 1:51pm

Do you want to create written work that ignites a reader’s imagination and even changes their worldview? With a master’s in creative writing, you can develop strong storytelling and character development skills, equipping you to achieve your writing goals.

If you’re ready to strengthen your writing chops and you enjoy writing original works to inspire others, tell interesting stories and share valuable information, earning a master’s in creative writing may be the next step on your career journey.

The skills learned in a creative writing master’s program qualify you to write your own literary works, teach others creative writing principles or pursue various other careers.

This article explores master’s degrees in creative writing, including common courses and concentrations, admission requirements and careers that use creative writing skills. Read on to learn more about earning a master’s degree in creative writing.

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What Is a Master’s in Creative Writing?

A master’s in creative writing is an advanced degree that helps you develop the skills to write your own novel, poetry, screenplay or nonfiction book. This degree can also prepare you for a career in business, publishing, education, marketing or communications.

In a creative writing master’s degree program, you can expect to analyze literature, explore historical contexts of literary works, master techniques for revising and editing, engage in class workshops and peer critiques, and write your own original work.

Creative writing master’s programs usually require a thesis project, which should be well-written, polished and ready to publish. Typical examples of thesis projects include poetry collections, memoirs, essay collections, short story collections and novels.

A master’s in creative writing typically requires about 36 credits and takes two years to complete. Credit requirements and timelines vary by program, so you may be able to finish your degree quicker.

Specializations for a Master’s in Creative Writing

Below are a few common concentrations for creative writing master’s programs. These vary by school, so your program’s offerings may look different.

This concentration helps you develop fiction writing skills, such as plot development, character creation and world-building. A fiction concentration is a good option if you plan to write short stories, novels or other types of fiction.

A nonfiction concentration focuses on the mechanics of writing nonfiction narratives. If you plan to write memoirs, travel pieces, magazine articles, technical documents or nonfiction books, this concentration may suit you.

Explore the imagery, tone, rhythm and structure of poetry with a poetry concentration. With this concentration, you can expect to develop your poetry writing skills and learn to curate poetry for journals and magazines.

Screenwriting

Screenwriting is an excellent concentration to explore if you enjoy creating characters and telling stories to make them come alive for television or film. This specialization covers how to write shorts, episodic serials, documentaries and feature-length film scripts.

Admission Requirements for a Master’s in Creative Writing

Below are some typical admission requirements for master’s in creative writing degree programs. These requirements vary, so check with your program to ensure you’ve met the appropriate requirements.

• Application for admission
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Transcripts from previous education
• Writing samples
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement or essay

Common Courses in a Master’s in Creative Writing

Story and concept.

This course focuses on conceptualizing, planning and developing stories on a structural level. Learners study how to generate ideas, develop interesting plots, create outlines, draft plot arcs, engage in world-building and create well-rounded characters who move their stories forward.

Graduate Studies in English Literature

Understanding literature is essential to building a career in creative writing. This course prepares you to teach, study literature or write professionally. Expect to discuss topics such as phonology, semantics, dialects, syntax and the history of the English language.

Workshop in Creative Nonfiction

You’ll study classic and contemporary creative nonfiction in this course. Workshops in creative nonfiction explore how different genres have emerged throughout history and how previous works influence new works. In some programs, this course focuses on a specific theme.

Foundations in Fiction

In this course, you’ll explore how the novel has developed throughout literary history and how the short story emerged as an art form. Coursework includes reading classic and contemporary works, writing response essays and crafting critical analyses.

MA in Creative Writing vs. MFA in Creative Writing: What’s the Difference?

While the degrees are similar, a master of arts in creative writing is different from a master of fine arts in creative writing. An MA in creative writing teaches creative writing competencies, building analytical skills through studying literature, literary theory and related topics. This lets you explore storytelling along with a more profound knowledge of literature and literary theory.

If you want your education to take a more academic perspective so you can build a career in one of many fields related to writing, an MA in creative writing may be right for you.

An MFA prepares you to work as a professional writer or novelist. MFA students graduate with a completed manuscript that is ready for publishing. Coursework highlights subjects related to the business of writing, such as digital publishing, the importance of building a platform on social media , marketing, freelancing and teaching. An MA in creative writing also takes less time and requires fewer credits than an MFA.

If you want to understand the business of writing and work as a professional author or novelist, earning an MFA in creative writing might be your best option.

What Can You Do With a Master’s in Creative Writing?

Below are several careers you can pursue with a master’s in creative writing. We sourced salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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 colleges Job Overview: Postsecondary teachers, also known as professors or faculty, teach students at the college level. They plan lessons, advise students, serve on committees, conduct research, publish original research, supervise graduate teaching assistants, apply for grants for their research and teach subjects in their areas of expertise.

Median Annual Salary: $73,080 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in English or a related field Job Overview: Editors plan, revise and edit written materials for publication. They work for newspapers, magazines, book publishers, advertising agencies, media networks, and motion picture and video production companies. Editors work closely with writers to ensure their written work is accurate, grammatically correct and written in the appropriate style for the medium.

Median Annual Salary: $55,960 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field Job Overview: Journalists research and write stories about local, regional, national and global current events and other newsworthy subjects. Journalists need strong interviewing, editing, analytical and writing skills. Some journalists specialize in a subject, such as sports or politics, and some are generalists. They work for news organizations, magazines and online publications, and some work as freelancers.

Writer or Author

Median Annual Salary: $73,150 Minimum Required Education: None; bachelor’s degree in creative writing or a related field sometimes preferred Job Overview: Writers and authors write fiction or nonfiction content for magazines, plays, blogs, books, television scripts and other forms of media. Novelists, biographers, copywriters, screenwriters and playwrights all fall into this job classification. Writers may work for advertising agencies, news platforms, book publishers and other organizations; some work as freelancers.

Technical Writer

Median Annual Salary: $79,960 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Technical writers craft technical documents, such as training manuals and how-to guides. They are adept at simplifying technical information so lay people can easily understand it. Technical writers may work with technical staff, graphic designers, computer support specialists and software developers to create user-friendly finished pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About a Master's in Creative Writing

Is a master’s in creative writing useful.

If your goal is to launch a career as a writer, then yes, a master’s in creative writing is useful. An MA in creative writing is a versatile degree that prepares you for various jobs requiring excellent writing skills.

Is an MFA better than an MA for creative writing?

One is not better than the other; you should choose the one that best equips you for the career you want. An MFA prepares you to build a career as a professional writer or novelist. An MA prepares you for various jobs demanding high-level writing skills.

What kind of jobs can you get with a creative writing degree?

A creative writing degree prepares you for many types of writing jobs. It helps you build your skills and gain expertise to work as an editor, writer, author, technical writer or journalist. This degree is also essential if you plan to teach writing classes at the college level.

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Sheryl Grey is a freelance writer who specializes in creating content related to education, aging and senior living, and real estate. She is also a copywriter who helps businesses grow through expert website copywriting, branding and content creation. Sheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Indiana University South Bend, and she received her teacher certification training through Bethel University’s Transition to Teaching program.

Creative Writing and Literature

Undergraduate Program

The Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree is designed for industry professionals with years of work experience who wish to complete their degrees part time, both on campus and online, without disruption to their employment. Our typical student is over 30, has previously completed one or two years of college, and works full time.

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.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing The Write Stuff for Writers

Credit Hours

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100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Grow Your Writing Passion into a Career with Liberty’s Online MFA in Creative Writing

Many people write creatively, but few hone their skills to develop their writing craft to its highest form. Even fewer learn the other skills it takes to become a successful writer, such as the steps needed to get a book published and into the hands of readers. Liberty’s 100% online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing can help you develop your writing passion into a career so you can set your works free to impact culture and the world.

Employers in every industry need professionals who have strong writing skills, so you can be confident that your ability to write effectively can also help set you apart in your current career. With in-demand writing expertise and the ability to customize your degree with electives in literature or writing practice, Liberty’s online MFA in Creative Writing can help you achieve your professional writing goals.

Our online MFA in Creative Writing is designed to help you build on your writing skills with specific workshops dedicated to the craft of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, or screenwriting. With a work-in-progress approach to writing practice and mentorship from our faculty of experienced writers and scholars, you can learn the specific skills you need to make your writing stand out.

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• Private Nonprofit University
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• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Choose Liberty’s MFA in Creative Writing?

Our online MFA in Creative Writing is mainly offered in an 8-week course format, and our tuition rate for graduate programs hasn’t increased in 9 years. Through our program, you can study the writing process and develop your creative skills through workshops with experienced writing professionals. With our flexible format, you can grow in your creative writing while continuing to do what is important to you.

As a terminal degree, the online MFA in Creative Writing can also help you pursue opportunities to teach writing at the K-12 or college level. You will gain comprehensive and in-depth exposure to writing, literature, publishing, and many other professional writing skills that you can pass on to students. Partner with the Liberty family and learn under faculty who have spent years in the field you love. Your career in professional writing starts here.

What Will You Study in Our MFA in Creative Writing?

The MFA in Creative Writing program is designed to help you become an excellent creative writer across the genres of creative fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, and poetry. You can learn how to produce aesthetically and culturally engaged creative works while gaining professional knowledge and practice. You will also study foundational contemporary literature so that you have a background in studying important works to draw on for your writing.

To help you in your professional writing, you will also study many essential skills in editing, layout, and the business of publishing so that you can best position yourself for success in the market. Through your creative writing courses and workshops, you can develop your craft so that you will be ready for your thesis project.

Here are a few examples of the skills Liberty’s MFA in Creative Writing can help you master:

• Marketing your projects and pursuing new writing opportunities
• Organizing writing and adapting it to different types of writing
• Tailoring writing to specific audiences and markets
• Understanding what makes art effective, compelling, and impactful
• Writing compelling stories that engage readers

Potential Career Opportunities

• Book and magazine writer
• Business communications specialist
• Creative writing instructor
• Publications editor
• Screenwriter
• Website copy editor and writer
• Writing manager

Featured Courses

• ENGL 600 – Editing, Layout, and Publishing
• ENGL 601 – Writing as Cultural Engagement
• ENGL 603 – Literary Theory and Practice
• WRIT 610 – Writing Fiction

Degree Information

• This program falls under the College of Arts and Sciences .
• View the Graduate Arts and Sciences Course Guides (login required) .
• Download and review the Graduate Manual for MFA .

Degree Completion Plan (PDF)

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Admission Information for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form .
• Creative Writing Sample – A creative writing sample of one creative writing work of at least 2,500 words or a culmination of creative writing samples totaling 2,500 words.*
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

*A sample of one or more poems totaling a minimum of 750 words may also be submitted. Song lyrics are not accepted at this time as writing samples.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
• Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
• If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application .
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Dual Enrollment

Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.

Transcript Policies

Unofficial college transcript policy.

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

• Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
• Cumulative GPA
• A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
• Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

(800) 424-9596

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Email for Documents

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Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

• Active Duty
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/Retirees
• Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
• Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

• Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
• Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course) *
• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an mfa in creative writing.

A Master of Fine Arts degree, or MFA, is a terminal degree in an artistic craft that demonstrates that you have achieved the highest level of training and skill in your discipline. Like a doctorate, an MFA often allows you to teach courses at the graduate level while also providing many opportunities for scholarship and leadership in education. If you want to grow your creative writing skills to become the best writer you can be, then the Master of Fine Arts can help you get there.

How will students work towards developing their writing skills?

With creative writing workshops and a thesis project, you will receive support and guidance to help you become the best writer you can be.

How long will it take to complete the MFA in Creative Writing?

You can complete the MFA in Creative Writing in just 48 credit hours!

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Graduate Program Creative Writing

• Program Details
• Info Sessions
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Degree Details

• Masters (M) Total Credits 48 Start Term Fall Delivery Method On campus Degree map (M)

Learn more about our academic program delivery methods

Creative Writing Master's Degree Overview

Creative writing master's degree: why psu.

Our program is committed to a hybridity that crosses aesthetic and social boundaries and to a diversity that reflects the progressive spirit of its surroundings.

Consistent with PSU's mandate to serve our city's cultural and professional needs, engagement in Portland's vibrant local community of writers is central to our students' movement from academic to creative careers.

What can I do with a master's degree in Creative Writing?

Graduates of the program go on to pursue the following careers, among others:

• Teacher, all levels (university, secondary, elementary, community)
• Book Editor
• Magazine Editor
• Journalist/Reporter
• Screenwriter
• Literary Agent
• Grant writer
• Proofreader
• Arts Administrator
• Advertising

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• Postdoctoral Affairs
• Training Grant Support
• Request Information

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

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Litowitz Creative Writing Graduate Program

Degree requirements.

Learn more about the program by visiting the Department of English

See related Interdisciplinary Clusters and Certificates

Degree Types: MFA+MA

This new, fully-funded MFA+MA in Creative Writing and English program offers intimate classes, the opportunity to pursue both creative and critical writing, and close mentorship by renowned faculty in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Our three-year curriculum gives students time to deepen both their creative writing and their study of literature. Students will receive support for three academic years, and two summers, to complete both degrees – an MFA in Creative Writing and an MA in English.

Drawing on innovative scholarship, deep immersion in process, and cross-pollination between critical and creative texts, students will complete book-length thesis projects of their own design, either within or across genres, and a substantial essay on literary texts. The program's small size and attentive faculty will develop students' sense of literary context, while encouraging them to pursue the distinctiveness of their projects.

In addition to their studies, students will be guided in the teaching of creative writing and, through summer editorial work at TriQuarterly.org , the editing of a literary journal.

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.

Additional resources:

• Department website
• Program handbook(s)

Program Statistics

Visit Master's Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.

Program Contact

Contact Nathan Mead Graduate Program Assistant 847-491-3341

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in  The Graduate School Policy Guide .

Course Requirements

May be taken outside the English department with permission of Creative Writing DGS.

Other Degree Requirements

• First Year Review
• Satisfactory completion of an article-length literary critical essay in the late spring of year two. This 20-25 page capstone essay will typically be an expanded version of an essay written for an English Department graduate seminar, revised in response to comments from, and as appropriate in consultation with, the seminar instructor.
• Satisfactory completion of an MFA Thesis: the first draft of a book-length work of original fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or mixed-genre work.

Last Updated: September 12, 2023

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http://www.as.miami.edu/english/creativewriting/

Master of Fine Arts in Fiction and Poetry

The University of Miami’s MFA Program in Creative Writing offers a fully funded, two-year course of study in the writing of poetry, fiction, or cross-genre literature while providing substantial training in the teaching of creative writing and composition. Students may apply to receive a third year of funding, during which graduate students focus on professional development and publication as they continue to teach undergraduate writing courses. The program features a broad multilingual focus in a vibrant, multicultural city unlike any other. Enrollment is kept deliberately small to maximize student-teacher interaction, and faculty at UM are supportive of the linguistic and cultural differences that writers bring to their art.

Full Funding

The James Michener Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships support all our graduate students. Awards include a full tuition waiver and an annual stipend. MFA candidates teach one section of Introduction to Creative Writing per semester during their second year in the program or one section each of Creative Writing and Composition.

The Third Year

Students who proceed into a third year will teach Creative Writing and Composition, with additional professional development options in literary magazine editing and communications/public outreach. They will receive faculty mentorship towards professional development.

Graduates of the MFA in Creative Writing have gone on to publish award-winning novels, books of poetry, and creative nonfiction; have been awarded Stegner Fellowships and other residencies; and have gone on to find employment in teaching and publishing.

Curriculum Requirements 

Third Year Option:

ENG 820  is required for third year students. Students make take up to 6 credits in electives during their third year.

Required electives must be literature or forms courses, or other graduate courses at the university.

Sample Plan of Study

The MFA in Creative Writing Program provides its students with a thorough understanding of how to write publishable novels, collections of stories, and books of poetry in order to contribute to the global literary canon; a range of critical and craft-based strategies in order to attain their creative and artistic vision; the skills needed to establish their own expertise, voice and style within the literary genre of their choice; the necessary preparation for careers in the production of contemporary literatures and arts administration within and outside of the academy; and training to teaching in two- and four-year colleges and in research universities. In addition to guiding our students in the writing and revision of their creative theses, we work to assist them in publishing their books, developing a forum for the reading of these works, and obtaining appropriate employment.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of how to write publishable novels, collections of short stories and books of poetry in order to contribute to the global literary cannon.
• Students will master a range of critical and craft-based strategies in order to attain their creative and artistic vision and demonstrating the skills needed to establish their own expertise, voice and style within the literary genre of their choice by submitting a final portfolio and by participating in the Closing Conversation.
• Students will cultivate the necessary skills for careers in the production of contemporary literatures and arts administration.

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Creative Writing Master's

Want more info.

We're so glad you're interested in UNT! Let us know if you'd like more information and we'll get you everything you need.

Why Earn a Creative Writing Master's?

The M.A. program in Creative Writing offers training in the writing of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Each master's student in Creative Writing divides coursework evenly between workshop and literature classes, leading to the writing of an original thesis submitted in fulfillment of the degree plan.

You'll have the opportunity both to work closely with the creative writing and literature faculties and to explore ways in which knowledge of literary traditions develops craft. The concentration in creative writing requires you to take workshops in fiction, poetry and/or creative nonfiction alongside a range of literature courses.

Many recent M.A. students have gone on to further study in elite M.F.A. or Ph.D. programs, including the Ph.D. Program at Stanford and the M.F.A. program at the University of Houston.

• Construct persuasive, evidence-based arguments
• Communicate findings clearly and concisely
• Understand historical and cultural perspectives
• Evaluate critically sources and narratives
• Prepare oral and written presentations

Creative Writing Master's Highlights

What can you do with a creative writing master's.

Students pursue the degree 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, MFA students become better writers, which prepares them for a variety of careers: an array of jobs in technical and digital fields, marketing, public relations, journalism, arts administration, and editing.

Creative Writing Master's Courses You Could Take

Learn More About UNT

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English Master's

English Creative Writing Ph.D.

It’s easy to apply online. Join us and discover why we’re the choice of nearly 47,000 students.

Creative Writing, MFA

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: MFA Creative Writing

The MFA in creative writing at ASU has always been an unswervingly student-first program. Through small classes, intimate workshops and one-to-one mentoring, the centuries-old apprenticeship model thrives within the New American University. Poets and fiction writers work with outstanding faculty who have published more than 80 books and garnered national and international attention through awards and honors that include:

• Guggenheim, Howard Foundation, Lannan Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and United Artists fellowships
• international Griffin Poetry Prize and Whiting Award
• multiple Pulitzer Prizes
• two medals of achievement from the National Society of Arts and Letters
• two Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets
• Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets

Additionally, in concert with the Master of Fine Arts program, several campus entities contribute to the MFA experience: the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing offers students a wide range of fellowships, support for professional development, and other teaching and leadership opportunities including a Community Outreach Graduate Assistantship. The Center for Imagination in the Borderlands brings writers and other artists for intensive workshops, classes and public events, and offers an artistic development and teaching assistant fellowship and two research assistantships. The Master of Fine Arts program also hosts a newly inaugurated series of craft lectures and an alumni reading series.

Furthermore, students have access to a variety of additional professional development opportunities, including serving on the editorial board of an international literary journal Hayden's Ferry Review, translation experience through the Thousand Languages Project and internships with award-winning independent literary press Four Way Books.

Sally Ball , Director of Creative Writing, Professor

Justin Petropoulos , Program Manager

Faculty in Creative Writing

The ASU MFA in Creative Writing is and has always been an unswervingly student-first program. Through small classes, intimate workshops, and one-to-one mentoring, the centuries-old apprenticeship model thrives within the New American University. Creative writing has been a part of the department of English since the 1930s. With the inception of the MFA degree in 1985, creative writing became an ascendant unit; the program was ranked within the top 20 MFA programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

ASU Creative Writing is distinguished by an outstanding faculty that has garnered national and international attention: Guggenheim and NEA fellowships, a Pulitzer Prize and several Pulitzer nominations, two Flannery O’Connor Awards, the Western States Book Award, PEN/Faulkner finalist recognition, the Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets, a Lannan Literary Fellowship, the International Griffin Poetry Prize, the Western Literature Association Distinguished Achievement Award, and two Medals of Achievement from the National Society of Arts and Letters.

The program's alumni are equally impressive, having won the Iowa Short Fiction Award, the Pen Southwest Book Award, the Prairie Schooner Book Prize, the May Swenson Poetry Award, the Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award, and numerous Pushcart Prizes. They are the recipients of grants from the NEA and Fulbright and Stegner Fellowships.

Currently, all students admitted to the MFA program who submit a complete and approved teaching assistantship application are awarded a TA by the Department of English. Each assistantship carries a three course per year load and includes a tuition waiver and health insurance in addition to the TA stipend ($24,586 per year) . Graduate students with assistantships must enroll in a minimum of six credit hours each semester.

In addition, students have diverse opportunities for additional financial and professional support via The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, including:

• Graduate Assistantships in arts education and community programming (providing stipends and tuition remission)
• Creative Research Fellowships and other funding and scholarship opportunities
• Travel Funding to support tabling and presenting during the annual AWP Conference
• A robust visiting writer event series , with exclusive opportunities to learn from and engage with highly acclaimed authors
• Free admission to the annual Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference
• Opportunities to moderate author panels and read creative work during the Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference and other events
• A professional development program series for creative writing students, with a focus on creative lives, careers, and opportunities during and after graduation

The program requirements include 48 hours of study evenly divided between writing courses and literature courses designed to inform that writing. While students are expected to satisfy these requirements in the genre in which they were accepted, the program encourages cross-genre study, and electives can include courses taken outside of the creative writing program, even outside the English department. Courses such as “Creative Writing and the Professions” and “Internship for Community Outreach” encourage students to envision life beyond graduation. The Creative Writing Program at ASU has been able consistently to offer MFA students among the best funding packages in the nation through teaching and research assistantships, which are renewable for each of the program's three years. Additionally, in concert with the CWP, the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing offers a variety of graduate assistantships, international writing and teaching scholarships, and thesis fellowships to continuing students. Students who accept the TA offer are required to take the TA seminar, a pedagogy and training course designed to assist graduate students during their first year. TA seminar is credited as a literature elective. Successful TAs have the opportunity to teach introductory creative writing to undergraduates, under the supervision of one of the program faculty. In the second year students assemble their thesis committees and identify a committee chair. The second year is also when one-on-one mentorship begins. In the spring of the third year, students typically focus on completing the thesis manuscript with their committee chair.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 48 credit hours including a written comprehensive exam and the required applied project course (ENG 593)

Coursework (39 credit hours)

Other Requirement (6 credit hours) ENG 592 Research (6)

Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) ENG 593 Applied Project (3)

Additional Curriculum Information The creative writing program requires 48 credit hours of study evenly divided between writing courses and literature courses designed to inform that writing.

While students are expected to satisfy these requirements in the genre in which they were accepted, the program encourages cross-genre study, and electives can include courses taken outside of the creative writing program or even outside of the English department.

A written comprehensive exam and an applied project are required.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants should have an undergraduate major in English or creative writing; however, exceptional students who do not have either of these undergraduate majors may be admitted on the basis of writing excellence.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• creative manuscript
• statement of teaching philosophy
• academic writing sample
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency . Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency. Please note that official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The personal statement should include the applicant's writing background, intended area of specialization and a brief self-evaluation of recent work (double-spaced, up to three pages or 750 words). The creative manuscript should be up to 20 pages of poetry or up to 30 pages of prose (prose should be double-spaced). Students applying for a teaching assistantship must submit a statement of teaching philosophy and an academic writing sample.

Courses and Electives

Mfa course requirements - fiction.

A 48-hour Program of Study

For additional information please contact Justin Petropoulos , Program Manager of Creative Writing

WRITING COURSES (24 hours)

Students are expected to satisfy the degree requirements in the genre in which they are accepted. Exceptions must be approved by the director of creative writing, the chair of the student’s supervisory committee, the dean of the Graduate College, and the instructor. Electives may be taken out of genre, with the permission of the instructor.

Required (15 hours)

• ENG 592 Research (Fiction) (6 hours)*
• ENG 593 Applied Project (Fiction) (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (Fiction) (3 hours)
• ENG 563 Forms of Fiction (3 hours)

*Research Hours are dedicated the development of a student's creative thesis with the support of their committee.

Electives (choose 9 hours)

• ENG 505 Writing Workshops (Special Topics)(3 hours)
• ENG 591 Seminar, Selected Topics* (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (Fiction) (3-6 hours)
• ENG 663 Fiction Genres* (3 hours)
• ENG 680 First Book Seminar (3 hours)

LITERATURE COURSES (24 hours)

Required (9 hours).

• ENG 538 Studies in Modern and Contemporary American Literature (3 hours)
• ENG 539 Studies in Modernist and Postmodern Literature and Theory (fiction topics, 3 hours)
• ENG 665 Creative Methods, Fiction (3 hours)

Electives (choose 15 hours)

Any 400, 500, or 600 level English course relevant to the student’s program of study, and up to six hours of credit in class work outside the department of English (for example, courses at the 400, 500, or 600 level in theater, music, dance, photography, fine printing and bookbinding, papermaking, or editing and publishing), subject to the approval of the director of creative writing, the chair of the student’s supervisory committee (if designated), and the dean of the Graduate College.   Possible English courses include:

• ENG 537 Studies in Modern and Contemporary British Literature (3 hours)
• ENG 543 Studies in Anglophone Literatures (3 hours)
• ENG 545 Studies in Women’s Literature (3 hours)
• ENG 550 Translation (3 hours)
• ENG 584 Internship* (3-6 hours)
• ENG 591 Seminar (Selected Topics, 3 hours)
• ENG 593 Pedagogy (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (TA Seminar) (4 hours)
• ENG 598 Special Topics* (3 hours)
• ENG 667 Writing for the Professions (3 hours)

 *May be repeated for credit if topics are distinct.

MFA COURSE REQUIREMENTS - POETRY

For information about the program please contact Justin Petropoulos , Program Manager of Creative Writing

• ENG 592 Research Hours (6hours)*
• ENG 593 Applied Project (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Graduate Poetry Workshop (3 hours)
• ENG 562 Forms of Poetry (3 hours)

 *Research Hours are dedicated the development of a student's creative thesis with the support of their committee.

• ENG 505 Writing Workshop (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (Poetry) (3-6 hours)
• ENG 662 Poetic Genres* (3 hours)
• ENG 539 Studies in Modernist and Postmodern Literature and Theory (poetry topics, 3 hours)
• ENG 665 Creative Methods, Poetry (3 hours)

Any 400, 500, or 600 level English course relevant to the student’s program of study, and up to six hours of credit in class work outside the department of English (for example, courses at the 400, 500, or 600 level in theater, music, dance, photography, fine printing and bookbinding, papermaking, or editing and publishing), subject to the approval of the director of creative writing, the chair of the student’s supervisory committee (if designated), and the dean of the Graduate College.   Possible English courses might include:

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Analyze and critique the writing of other creative writers.
• Explicate their creative works articulately.
• Create original fiction or poetry that incorporates theoretical and foundational literary knowledge.

Career Opportunities

A Master of Fine Arts in creative writing graduate is prepared primarily for the professional creation of new art, including fiction, poetry and other written forms. In addition to working as novelists, poets and short story writers, graduates go on to careers in education, arts administration, media and entertainment, and in political and community organizations. Career examples include:

• book designer or marketer
• book or magazine editor
• creative writing professor
• essayist or journalist
• grant writer and developer
• literary or events coordinator
• nonprofit administrator
• public relations and communications manager
• screenwriter
• secondary education teacher

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/727-9130

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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Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Program Overview

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a two year program offering a degree in either Poetry or Prose, and is a part of the English Department's Creative Writing Program. Founded in 1947 by Theodore Roethke, the Creative Writing Program's tradition of transformative workshops continues with our current faculty: David Bosworth , David Crouse , Rae Paris , and Maya Sonenberg (Prose), and Linda Bierds , Andrew Feld , Richard Kenney, and Pimone Triplett (Poetry). They include among their many honors fellowships from the MacArthur Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The list of our alumni publications represents a significant chapter in the history of American literature. The program has been ranked among the top ten in the country.

Students participate in writing workshops in prose and poetry, and undertake coursework in literary periods and types, and critical theory. MFA candidates also present a Creative Manuscript (minimum 30 poems,100 pages of 5 short stories and/or personal essays, or 150 pages of a novel or book-length essay), a Critical Essay (20-30 pages, addressing the student's relationship to his or her reading based on the student's own writerly concerns and studies), and an oral presentation (a discussion with and/or questions from the candidate's thesis committee on the creative manuscript, critical essay, and/or the writing process and which may include a reading from the candidate's Creative Manuscript).

The program admits only ten to twelve students each year. The relatively small size of our program (20-25 students) allows for close associations to develop among students and faculty. The first year is devoted to participation in workshops and literary seminars, and the second year allows for concentrated work on a creative manuscript and critical essay under the supervision of one of our regular faculty.

Students are funded through Teaching Assistantships, Fellowships, and a long-standing relationship with the Amazon Literary Partnership.

Students also enjoy Seattle's lively literary and arts scene. Seattle is home to numerous reading series, the Seattle International Film Festival, and many highly-acclaimed theater companies. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, Seattle is minutes away from hiking, skiing, and boating.

Learn more about UW's Creative Writing Program .

Application Information

Application materials are due January 2 (or the first business day after January 1 st ). Initial offers of admission are usually made by mid-March.

• How to Apply
• Application Checklist

Funding Opportunities

We offer a funding package to all admitted MFA students for two academic years. Learn more about the funding package and other funding opportunities here: MFA Funding and Support .

MFA Degree Requirements & Program Guide

The MFA is designed to be completed within six full-time quarters (two academic years). MFA students can refer to the MFA Degree Requirements and MFA Program Guide .

Land Acknowledgement

The Creative Writing Program acknowledges that the University of Washington, like all of our businesses, institutions and our lives, exists on Indigenous land.  Such land acknowledgements are necessary as we push for justice and liberation in institutions and a broader society that continues to live out the settler colonial legacies of land theft, genocide, and enslavement.  This is Duwamish territory, and we are grateful to be here.

Departmental Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Justice

The UW English Department aims to help students become more incisive thinkers, effective communicators, and imaginative writers by acknowledging that language and its use are powerful and hold the potential to empower individuals and communities; to provide the means to engage in meaningful conversation and collaboration across differences and with those with whom we disagree; and to offer methods for exploring, understanding, problem solving, and responding to the many pressing collective issues we face in our world--skills that align with and support the University of Washington’s mission to educate “a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders through a challenging learning environment informed by cutting-edge scholarship.”

As a department, we begin with the conviction that language and texts play crucial roles in the constitution of cultures and communities, past, present, and future.  Our disciplinary commitments to the study of   English (its history, multiplicity, and development; its literary and artistic uses; and its global role in shaping and changing cultures)  require of us a willingness to engage openly and critically with questions of power and difference. As such, in our teaching, service, and scholarship we frequently initiate and encourage conversations about topics such as race and racism, immigration, gender, sexuality, class, indigeneity, and colonialisms. These topics are fundamental to the inquiry we pursue.  We are proud of this fact, and we are committed to creating an environment in which our faculty and students can do so confidently and securely, knowing that they have the backing of the department.

Towards that aim, we value the inherent dignity and uniqueness of individuals and communities. We acknowledge that our university is located on the shared lands and waters of the Coast Salish peoples. We aspire to be a place where human rights are respected and where any of us can seek support. This includes people of all ethnicities, faiths, gender identities, national and indigenous origins, political views, and citizenship status; nontheists; LGBQTIA+; those with disabilities; veterans; and anyone who has been targeted, abused, or disenfranchised.

English Department Diversity Plan

The English department seeks to promote inclusion, diversity, and equity, especially racial equity, by recruiting, retaining, and supporting a diverse population of faculty, students, and staff in ways that counter ongoing legacies of systemic inequity and settler colonialism, and their organizing epistemologies.

The University of Washington acknowledges the Coast Salish people of this land, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot nations. The Department's promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion values endeavors that build on this recognition as a means of transforming our research, pedagogy, and/or service.

Read more about the   UW English Department's commitment to diversity, equity, and justice . 

Contact an advisor

• For questions about the MFA program, please contact  [email protected]
• Visit our FAQ page
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2024 Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools

Choosing a great creative writing school for your master's degree, quality overall is important, other factors we consider, more ways to rank creative writing schools.

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings , including this Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools list to help you make the college decision.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Creative Writing in the United States

23 top schools for a master's in creative writing, rest of the top best creative writing master's degree schools, related programs, honorable mentions.

Creative Writing by Region

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in creative writing, best doctorate degrees in creative writing, best bachelor's degrees in creative writing, best overall in creative writing, rankings in majors related to creative writing, most popular related majors.

Notes and References

Popular reports, compare your school options.

Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Creative writing programs give writers the knowledge and confidence they need to write effectively. It used to be that the MFA was the primary avenue for career-oriented writers to develop their craft, but now, with the internet, there are so many programs for writing out there. What are the best writing programs for you?

This article guides you through the current state of creative writing programs. We’ll explore MFA creative writing programs, but we’ll also look at options and opportunities outside of academia.

The most important thing is to find the right writing program for your needs as a budding author. So, let’s dive in. What should you think about when deciding between different creative writing programs?

Creative Writing Programs: Contents

About Writers.com—Writing Program to Nurture the Writer in You

Creative writing programs: what are my options, creative writing programs: factors to consider, creative writing programs: measuring 10 factors to consider, unpacking mfa creative writing programs: are they right for you, pros of the mfa, the best u.s. mfa creative writing programs, the best non-degree-conferring schools based in the united states, the best online writing schools, more resources for learning creative writing.

Writers.com has been offering creative writing programs since 1995. Whether you’re a poet, storyteller, nonfiction writer, all of the above, or somewhere in between, our courses will help nurture the writing in you.

Take a look for yourself at our upcoming schedule of online writing courses , or spend some time reading our craft blog on the art of creative writing. Your voice is a gift. Share it!

To start: what are the different creative writing programs out there? Adult writers looking to learn from a school or institution can expect at least one of these options to suit their writing needs:

• MFA creative writing programs : These are Masters-level programs at academic institutions. They are typically 2- or 3-year programs that combine a mix of intensive class in reading, writing, workshopping, and pedagogy.
• Low-residency MFAs : These are writing programs similar to the above, except that most of the learning is done remotely. Students are only expected to be on campus for a limited number of times during the program. Low-residencies are ideal for writers with many obligations, such as writers with families or full-time jobs.
• Extension schools: Many universities and community colleges offer creative writing classes to their local communities. You might even get college credit from taking those classes. Some of them even offer online classes nationwide, like UCLAx or ASU. These classes are usually priced similarly to other classes at local institutions, so we’ll describe both of them together moving forward.
• Online writing schools : These are schools that meet entirely online, though some schools might also have a local footprint, depending on where and how they’re headquartered.

Thanks to the internet, most (if not all) of these programs for writing are available options to you. Let’s get into the weeds of each program and see which might be the best fit for your work.

The best creative writing programs will meet your needs as a writer. Here are some factors to consider when choosing between programs:

• Community: MFA cohorts often go on to form friendships and community. This certainly happens in local and online programs, too, but not as frequently, since you won’t be spending 2+ years with the same students.
• Cost: Typically, local and online classes will cost much, much less than an MFA program.
• Exclusivity / Prestige: Creative writing is more accessible than ever to anyone who wants to write. But, the ivory tower is still a factor to consider, especially if you have lofty publishing goals. Having an MFA, especially from a reputable university, can be a game changer in helping writers get published (though, to be clear, they are not a necessity).
• Flexibility: No two writing programs are alike, and each will provide different levels of flexibility to your schedule. MFA programs are typically the most rigid and inflexible.
• Immersiveness: If you want to eat, drink, and sleep inside of creative writing, an MFA will make that much easier to accomplish than simply taking a local class.
• Length: How much time do you want to set aside for a program?
• Level of support: All of the above options provide support, feedback, and direction in your writing. However, if you want close attention from a writer who gels with your work, you’re more likely to get that from a thesis chair at an MFA program. (Your other option would be private writing coaching , though this can also be costly.)
• Professional development: The literary industry can be difficult to navigate, but MFA creative writing programs are more likely to help you do so. You are also more likely to make relationships that benefit your career after your program ends.
• Rigor: There are undoubtedly rigorous classes at local and online schools, but these schools also offer plenty of classes to writers who are new to creative writing. If you’re looking for rigor and intellectual challenge, you are more likely to find this at an MFA.
• Scholarships: Different creative writing programs offer different forms of scholarships, fellowships, and financial accessibility. Even within that, no two MFA programs or local schools are alike.

The below chart provides some insight into how different writing mentorship programs vary. Be aware that, even within one category of program, there is plenty of variation. (For example, some MFAs offer tons of professional development, and some offer very little.)

Other than their cost, MFA creative writing programs seem to be the real deal. But, even if you’re a motivated, rigorous student with a few years to set aside, don’t automatically assume MFAs are right for you.

The MFA is a huge commitment of both time and money, and while many writers have graduated from their programs feeling positively about their experiences, some writers regret their MFAs, or wish they had enrolled at a different time.

Here are some pros and cautions to consider before you start applying to MFA programs.

MFA creative writing programs, whether in-person or low-residency, will undoubtedly improve your writing. Here’s what you can expect:

• 2+ years immersing yourself in literature and the poetics of writing.
• Classes designed to improve the quality of your writing and help you achieve your vision for your work.
• Semesterly workshops that provide consistent feedback on the work you produce.
• A thesis chair and advisors who help you achieve your vision for a writing project.
• A group of writers you befriend and form community with.
• Lasting connections to the writing and publishing world. These will come from the friends you make, the relationships you have with your professors, and the seminars and special events your university hosts.
• Access to publishing opportunities you might otherwise have not known about.
• Opportunities to take classes on how to teach creative writing . These are especially useful for writers who want to teach or stay in academia, which is a popular career choice for MFA graduates.

By the end of your MFA, you will likely have a working draft of a novel, memoir, essay collection, poetry collection, or some other long-term project that you spent your program working on.

There aren’t any universal “cons” to enrolling in an MFA. Except, maybe, the student loans, which can certainly be hefty. If you’re looking for a career as a professional writer, those loans might take a while to pay off. There aren’t nearly enough opportunities for work in the literary industry, and the work that does exist often doesn’t pay the best.

So, please do consider what makes sense for you financially. The author of this article knows so many MFA graduates struggling with their student loans and unable to find jobs that pay more than $40K or $50K a year. (Added to that, many literary jobs are in-person in New York City, where it is very difficult to live on $50K/yr.)

Outside of the financial commitment, MFA creative writing programs are typically great options. But you should also be aware of why students sometimes regret their MFAs. The most common reasons I’ve heard are:

• The writer wasn’t ready yet.
• The writer lost their voice or sense of self.
• Focusing on craft did not help the writer learn how to write.
• MFAs don’t always teach the history of literature.
• The writing program did not provide the kind of support the writer needed.

Each caution merits a brief explanation.

The writer wasn’t ready

Some writers will immediately go from undergraduate to graduate school, especially if they studied creative writing in their undergrad. Some of the writers who do this simply aren’t ready for the rigor, discipline, and immersion of the MFA program. They might also not have enough life experience to write about anything meaningfully. (This can also be true for writers who went into their MFAs in their 30s or 40s.)

Every writer is on their journey; you can’t rush yours. Have an honest conversation with yourself about the work you’re doing and the support you need. MFAs are most helpful to students who have a creative writing project in mind and want to benefit from the support of an academic institution.

If you’re unsure, you might want to take a class at a local or online writing program and gauge the difficulty of that class before immersing yourself in an MFA.

The writer lost their voice

MFA programs have their pulse on the state of the literary world. As a result, these programs might encourage you to write in a way that gets published, not in a way that’s true to your voice as an author.

There’s no other way to say this: many MFA programs produce writers with similar styles and ethics. Those writers end up sounding like one another. (To dive deeper into this concept a little, check out Stephen Marche’s article on contemporary literary voices . It’s not about MFA programs, and I don’t agree with the article in its entirety, but it does an excellent job of describing the kinds of literary voices emerging from MFA programs.)

This homogeneity is not inherently a good or bad thing, but it does create an aesthetic echo chamber. Writers, especially young writers, come out of their programs having been told how to sound in their writing. The result is: you might write a poem or story that quickly gets published, but isn’t true to your voice and spirit as an artist.

Of course, this isn’t universally true. Older writers and writers with a strong sense of voice typically come out of their MFAs having their voices strengthened. But, if you’re fresh out of undergrad or have only been writing a few years, don’t be afraid to hone your voice before studying the craft of writing at an academic institution.

The writer didn’t learn how to write

MFAs teach craft. Most MFAs focus almost exclusively on craft. Craft helps you learn the tools of writing, how to hone an effective writing style , the difference between a metaphor, simile, and analogy , etc. But it might not help you write a story or poem.

Some writers exit their MFAs knowing how to employ a parallel plot or write a braided essay , but they haven’t learned, for example, how to tell a good story . Storytelling relies on the tools of craft, but it also requires an intuition about what makes stories good and how they resonate with readers. The same is true for writing moving poetry.

Despite the heavy reading load and immersion in stories, MFAs might not hone your ear for good storytelling or poetry. As a result, some MFA graduates can write stories and poems stylishly and cleverly, but the works themselves are lackluster at a structural or intuitive level.

MFAs have narrow pedagogies

I’ll let one of my favorite contemporary authors, Elif Batuman, explain this one in this insightful article about creative writing pedagogy .

Here’s the TL;DR: most MFA creative writing programs focus exclusively on craft and on contemporary publications. They do not teach enough literary history. So a group of students might think their experiments in language or structure are exciting, interesting, and new , when in fact those experiments had already been done 100 years ago.

This doesn’t mean the work MFA students produce is inherently bad, but it does mean those students might not be receiving the education they need to further innovate and experiment in literature. Writers write best when standing on the shoulders of giants .

MFAs don’t always provide the necessary support

The majority of MFA graduates felt supported in their work and by their professors / cohorts / institutions. But there are students who felt like they didn’t find the support they needed.

Before you apply to an MFA program, research two things:

• The professors at the MFA. One of them will end up being your thesis chair. You should know before you apply which professor(s) you want to work with; otherwise, you might end up with a thesis chair who cannot or will not support your project.
• The MFA’s alumni. See if you can find alumni to ask questions about their experiences in their programs. How did they feel about their classes and professors? How about the university as a whole?

The Best Writing Programs

So, what are the best creative writing programs?

In truth, there are so many programs out there, each with their own pedagogies, professors, and preoccupations. So the “best writing programs” out there might not be the best for you .

Nonetheless, if you’re looking for the best, the following institutions and schools have formidable reputations in the world of creative writing instruction.

These rankings are just as subjective as creative writing itself. And, it bears repeating: it matters much more who you work with than where you go.

Nonetheless, I looked at a few different ranking sites— Quad Education , U.S. News , and College Transitions . These are the universities that showed up at the tops at least 2 of the 3 ranking sites:

• Brown University
• Columbia University
• Duke University
• Princeton University
• University of Iowa
• Yale University
• Cornell University
• Carleton College
• Swarthmore College
• Amherst College
• Emory University
• Elon University
• Harvard University

Some other universities with great reputations include New York University, Bennington College, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Stanford University.

Alternately, this ranking site rates MFAs not by their prestige or size, but by the success of each program’s recent cohorts. Again, all of this is pretty subjective, but hopefully gives you food for thought.

These non-academic institutions also provide great creative writing education. Most of these creative writing programs also offer online classes. This list is non-exhaustive—and if I’ve missed a writing school you admire, let me know, and I’ll add it to the list!

Hudson Valley, New York State

• Hudson Valley Writers Center

New York City

• Gotham Writers
• Kundiman (for Asian American writers)
• Poets House
• Sackett Street Writers
• The Writers Studio

Philadelphia

Washington, D.C.

• The Writer’s Center
• D.C. Writers’ Salon

South & Southeast

• Writers League of Texas
• Writing Barn
• Inprint Houston

New Orleans

• New Orleans Writers Workshop

Winston-Salem

• NC Writers’ Network
• StoryStudio Chicago

Indianapolis

• Indiana Writers Center

Minneapolis

• Loft Literary Center
• Minneapolis Writers’ Workshop
• Red Oak Writing

Mountain & Pacific West

• Lighthouse Writers

Los Angeles

• Writing Pad
• UCLA Extension
• Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing

San Francisco

• The Writing Salon

These creative writing programs are entirely online. If you’re looking for flexible writing instruction from anywhere in the world, we recommend the following schools:

• Writers.com
• Writing Workshops
• Creative Nonfiction
• The Novelry
• Writer’s Digest University
• Masterclass
• Writing Co-Lab

Here are some guides to help you find the class or instruction that’s right for you.

• What to Know Before Taking Online Poetry Classes
• Things to Know Before Taking an Online Fiction Class
• Things to Know Before Taking an Online Creative Nonfiction Class
• How to Find a Writing Coach
• How to Become a Writer

Take Your Next Class with Writers.com!

Want to get started taking online writing classes, but don’t know where to begin? We can’t recommend ourselves enough. Every year, our writing program nourishes thousands of writers who go on to get published, get MFAs, or even heal from personal experiences through their writing.

Writers.com has been teaching the craft of creative writing since 1995. Our writing programs in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction give you the tools and confidence to tell your story, your way. Take a look at our upcoming online writing courses , where you’ll receive expert instruction from one of our talented instructors.

Sean Glatch

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. © 2016 Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
2024 - 2025 Graduate Catalog The mission of the Master of Arts in Writing program is to make individuals more proficient writers in order to meet challenges in areas of creative writing, composition and rhetoric, and editing and publishing. Graduate students in the Master of Arts in Writing program learn to make sophisticated judgments regarding content, tone, style and diction of various forms of professional and creative writing; utilize technology for presentations, web pages, visual media and print documents; and learn professional procedures to prepare and submit manuscripts for publication. The M.A. in Writing degree addresses three related areas of need: creative writing, composition and rhetoric, and editing and publishing. While all three areas can be viewed as distinct disciplines, this degree will link them by emphasizing some central principles of effective writing while allowing for intensive exploration of particular sub fields of writing. This program is specifically relevant for teachers, aspiring creative writers, and professional writers and researchers who want to gain or enhance their professional and/or creative writing credentials. Program Goals and Student Learning Objectives Goal 1 – graduates will be able to demonstrate a mastery of advanced skills in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, editing and publishing, and / or digital composition.. 1.1 Demonstrate the ability to make sophisticated authorial choices regarding clarity, style, diction, and form. 1.2 Demonstrate graduate-level skills in the craft of creative writing and / or explain theories and practices in creative writing, composition and rhetoric, editing and publishing, and / or digital composition. 1.3 Demonstrate graduate-level skills in the craft of creative writing and / or the ability to conduct and synthesize research, as appropriate. 1.4 Demonstrate the ability to critique and analyze their own writing. Goal 2 - Graduates will be able to demonstrate that they are prepared to transfer and apply the enhanced writing skills they gained within the program to various creative, professional, and academic settings outside the program. 2.1 Demonstrate the ability to apply the skills they developed while in the MAW program in order to engage in various professional career options, pursue further graduate study, and / or sustain creative projects. 2.2 Demonstrate the ability to adhere professional procedures for preparing and submitting their written work for publication in creative, academic, technical, and / or corporate venues. Graduate Applications Applications for graduate study should be directed to the Office of Graduate Studies at Coastal Carolina University. Admission Requirements For admission to the Graduate Program, the applicant must meet or exceed the following criteria: A completed application for graduate study at the University and an official transcript from each school or college previously attended. At least two (2) letters of recommendation. An “acceptable” rating awarded by the graduate committee to a 20-page writing sample. A two-page statement of interest. In addition, applicants must have one of the following two credentials: A 3.3 GPA in 18 hours of writing-intensive undergraduate or graduate coursework in English or related discipline. A 153 in the verbal reasoning portion of the GRE or a 4.0 in the Analytical Writing Test. (Test scores must be no older than 5 years at time of application.) Degree Requirements The Master of Arts in Writing requires: Successful completion of an approved program of study with a minimum of 33 graduate hours; A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) on all course work; Completion of ENGL 699: Master’s Portfolio Workshop or ENGL 698: Thesis Research; and Completion of all requirements for the degree during a six-year period. Transfer Credits With approval from the Graduate Director, a maximum of six (6) transfer credit hours may be applied to a student’s program of study. All transfer credit course work must have been completed with a minimum grade of B . Degree Requirements (33 Graduate Credit Hours) The M.A. in Writing requires 33 graduate credit hours. Graduate degrees in the Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts require students to maintain a minimum overall average of B (3.0) for all courses taken. If at any time students fail to satisfy this requirement, then they are placed on probation for one semester. Failure by students in the probationary semester and in all subsequent semesters to earn a 3.0 GPA or until their cumulative GPA rises above a 3.0 will result in dismissal from the program. A maximum of two classes completed below the grade of B will result in a mandatory meeting with the student’s advisor and/or program coordinator, which may result in dismissal from the program. During a probationary semester, receiving a failing grade (D or F) in a required course or an F in any course will result in dismissal from the program regardless of students’ overall GPA. Core Courses (6 Credit Hours) Choose two from the following: ENGL 602 - Principles of Editing and Publishing - 3 credits ENGL 603 - Special Topics in Forms of Creative Writing - 3 credits (May be taken only once for core courses) ENGL 604 - Composition and Rhetoric - 3 credits ENGL 605 - Composition Pedagogy - 3 credits (Required of all graduate assistants) Workshops and Internships (9 Credit Hours) Choose three from the following: (Each of the following courses may be repeated one time for elective credit) ENGL 652 - Graduate Writing Workshop, Fiction - 3 credits ENGL 655 - Graduate Writing Workshop, Creative Nonfiction - 3 credits ENGL 658 - Graduate Writing Workshop, Poetry - 3 credits ENGL 663 - Graduate Writing Workshop, Short Novel - 3 credits ENGL 681 - Workshop in Professional and Technical Writing - 3 credits ENGL 682 - Workshop in Composition and Rhetoric - 3 credits ENGL 683 - Writing and Editing Internship - 3 credits Courses in Literature and Linguistics (6 Credit Hours) ENGL 628 - Topics in British and / or American Literature - 3 credits ENGL 653 - Topic in Linguistics - 3 credits ENGL 691 - Topics in World Literature - 3 credits Electives in ENGL (9 Credit Hours) Additional MAW writing workshops and courses in literature/linguistics at the 500, 600, or 700 level. Master’s Portfolio Workshop Choose one from the following: ENGL 698 - Thesis Research - 3 credits ENGL 699 - Master’s Portfolio Workshop - 3 credits Applications for M.F.A. in Creative Writing Programs Get an overview of how M.F.A. programs are structured, what opportunities they can offer you, and how to ensure your needs are met. What you can learn. Get essential insight into how to identify which M.F.A. programs are right for your goals and circumstances Learn about costs and funding structures that can support your attendance Learn what it means to create a resonating portfolio of writing samples Get tips on how to craft your personal statement About this course: Fall 2024 schedule. Enrollment opens two weeks prior to the event. Enrollment limited. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required. This course is held via video teleconference. As such, instructors use Zoom to offer a live class meeting at the designated time. 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By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy . People Directory Safety at UD Campus & Community Nation & World Culture & Society Researching the history of creative writing Article by Megan M.F. Everhart Photo illustration by Jaynell Keely July 16, 2024 UD student documents trends in storytelling and advice for aspiring writers from the Great Depression through World War II Margaret Armstrong, an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware, remembers sitting in her fiction writing class and hearing her professor tell the class there weren’t any restrictions on what the students could write. No topic was off limits. She also knows that aspiring writers in the early 20th century heard vastly different advice about how to be successful.  Armstrong, an honors English and Spanish double major, is a 2024 Summer Scholar researching the evolution of advice for “good” writing, getting published and having your work seen, through examining archival issues of Writer’s Digest , an industry publication that began in 1920 aimed at helping writers improve their craft. Her project covers the first 25 years of Writer’s Digest , from 1920 through the World War II era, tracking how advice to aspiring writers reflects American culture, economics and politics of the time, and how it shaped American writing.  Project beginnings Last spring, Armstrong began working with Siobhan Carroll, associate professor of English, on her research project examining the development of character agency in novels from 1791-1859. To establish relevance between her research and modern scholarship, Carroll wanted to know how writers in the early 20th century understood the concept of character agency, the term for how a character’s motivation and actions direct the story, and she tasked Armstrong with reading old issues of Writer’s Digest magazine. While Carroll asked Armstrong to document advice and trends specific to character agency, she was also free to note other ideas she found in the old issues, and this is where things got more interesting. Magazine issues from 1920-1945 said little about character agency, but Armstrong identified trends in plot development, Hollywood influence, government propaganda and censorship in the issues spanning 1920-1945. “Margaret has a good eye for the archive. She’s curious about what she reads and is able to make connections on her own,” Carroll said. “It became very clear that she was starting to take ownership of the project and think about what was happening in the world of creative writing.” From Hollywood to the War Department The earliest Writer’s Digest issues from the 1920s spoke about “photoplays,” a term for silent movie scripts. With their lack of dialogue, photoplays were purely driven by plot and action. As Armstrong found, this emphasis on action carried over to other genres, as writers were encouraged to immediately place their characters in situations that would cause conflict. Character motivation wasn’t an important element, as characters would merely react to the situation writers placed them in.  Hollywood’s influence was also apparent in the 1930s, but the advice concerned censorship, as Writer’s Digest of the era echoed Hollywood’s Hays Code, implemented in 1934, that urged “moral” and “wholesome” storytelling, with prohibitions against excessive alcohol use and overt sexual situations, especially for female characters.  By the 1940s, Writer’s Digest included articles written by the U.S. War Department urging writers to include pro-American, anti-German themes in their work. It’s hard to imagine a modern government agency encouraging such blatant propaganda, but Carroll explained that writers face similar pressures today.  “Realistically, censorship is all around us. The majority of writers want to sell their work, and that makes them attentive to what will be easy to get published versus not,” she said. “News sources and social media offer writers important direction on what is acceptable or not. It’s internal censorship.”  Action and impact Armstrong has already applied some of the advice for writing she has found, including lists of stock characters and formulas of successful stories from genres like pulp fiction and crime stories, to her own creative writing.   “It’s made me want to start the action off immediately by dropping characters into situations that create conflict for them,” she said.  She also noted that having relatable characters has always been important.  “I think everybody wants to read about characters that they relate to in some way,” she said. “In the early research I found that usually meant people want to read about good people and relate to good things. Now I see people relating to more complex characters.”  Armstrong is used to editing and adapting her own work, skills she’s developed in her creative writing courses at UD, where students share their writing with the class.  “The whole point is getting comfortable with sharing your work, and receiving and listening to criticism, too. Any feedback is good feedback,” she said.  She took a similar approach this year as a student editor for Caesura , UD’s student-run literary magazine. The decision of whose work to publish was challenging, but also rewarding.  “I think it's just good practice to notice what you like and don't like in other people's writing, and then see how that influences your own too. It can also help show you new ideas,” she said. Armstrong’s work this summer builds on research she began last summer and continued throughout the past academic year. She presented her initial findings at the  Winter Showcase of Undergraduate Research and will present her additional research at the Summer Symposium in August. Literature, creativity and practicality Armstrong’s guidance counselor in Clark Summit, Pennsylvania, recommended UD for the Department of English, and Armstrong said it was the right decision. She said she appreciates all the department has to offer and that students can specialize in certain areas or take diverse classes.  “It’s a very free major,” she said. “We have creative writing classes and literature classes, but there are also really practical options like grant writing.”  When she’s not writing her own work, Armstrong enjoys horror fiction and the poetry of Pablo Neruda, and her project has sparked an interest in pulp fiction, too.  “At the end of the day, I want to enjoy what I’m reading, and I think that should be the goal for everybody,” she said. “If you’re focused on reading for some specific reason, are you always enjoying it?” More Culture & Society Stories Supporting lgbtq+ youth. June 26, 2024 Article by Jessica Henderson Juneteenth 2024 June 18, 2024 Article by UDaily Staff Depictions of fatherhood June 14, 2024 Article by Marina Jones See More Stories Subscribe to UDaily > Have a udaily story idea. Contact us at [email protected] Members of the press Contact us at 302-831-NEWS or visit the Media Relations website ADVERTISEMENT Campus & Community Nation & World Culture & Society UD Magazine In Memoriam Media Experts Office of Communications & Marketing 105 E. Main St. Newark, DE 19716   [email protected] Phone: 302-831-2792   --> 100 N. University Drive Edmond, Oklahoma 73034     University of Central Oklahoma       Jul 19, 2024   2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog    2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog University Core (Total Listed 42-44) For full list of courses see University Core (Bachelor’s)   . Major Requirements English - creative writing: 54-62 minimum required hours, creative writing core: 12 credit hours. CSDY 2513 - Introduction to Creative Writing ENG 2303 - English Cornerstone ENG 3263 - Critical and Cultural Theory ENG 4893 - English Capstone Literature Core: 18 Credit Hours ENG 2543 - English Literature To 1800 ENG 2653 - English Literature Since 1800 ENG 2773 - American Literature To 1865 ENG 2883 - American Literature Since 1865 ENG 3193 - World Literature I ENG 3213 - World Literature II Creative Writing Guided Electives: 9 Credit Hours CSDY 3273 - Fiction Writing CSDY 3283 - Creative Nonfiction Writing CSDY 3333 - Writers on Writing CSDY 3353 - Poetry Writing CSDY 3363 - Writing for Movies/TV/Stage Advanced Creative Writing Electives: 6 Credit Hours Any CSDY courses at the 4000 level. English Electives: 9 Credit Hours Any CSDY or ENG courses at the 3000 or 4000 level. Modern Language Requirement: 0-8 Credit Hours All students completing a B.A. in English - Creative Writing shall complete the first two semesters of a second language. Students may alternatively fulfill the language requirement by proof of academic work in the second language (CLEP test through the Elementary II level, for example SPAN 1224), four years of high school language courses, or transfer work from another institution. Electives to bring total to: 124 Minimum Required Hours Minimum grade requirements. Average in (a) all college course work, (b) course work at UCO, and (c) major courses: 2.50 219 IMAGES 13 Best Online Master's in Creative Writing Programs Best Creative Writing Graduate Programs & Schools 2021+ Creative Writing Masters Best Master's in Creative Writing Degree Programs of 2023 FCA Creative Writing Course image Masters in Creative Writing at UCD VIDEO Master's Programmes in Creative Writing at Lancaster University Creative Writing & Publishing Courses Getting Laid in Graduate School Nalanda University Then vs Now #shorts This is Creative Action TEST COMMENTS Creative Writing and Literature Master's Degree Program Through the master's degree in creative writing and literature, you'll hone your skills as a storyteller — crafting publishable original scripts, novels, and stories. In small, workshop-style classes, you'll master key elements of narrative craft, including characterization, story and plot structure, point of view, dialogue, and ... MA in Writing Advanced Academic Programs Admissions. Phone. 844-417-0874. Email. [email protected] Social. Earn a Master's in Writing degree with Johns Hopkins. Learn from working writers, build community, and create a publishable portfolio. 2023-2024 Top Masters in Creative Writing Graduate Programs Graduate School. ·. 1 review. Master's Student: Overall, the University of Florida seems to be a great school as far as rankings and attendance rates go. Despite the political turmoil going on in the state of Florida, there seems to be a relatively strong student body of undergraduate students. Graduate students, however, are less cohesive. Online MFA in Creative Writing Program Earn an MFA in Creative Writing online with no residency required and choose from four fiction genres. Learn the craft, business and marketing of writing and get a certificate in online teaching or professional writing. MFA Programs Database: 255 Programs for Creative Writers Our list of 255 MFA programs for creative writers includes essential information about low-residency and full-residency graduate creative writing programs in the United States and other English-speaking countries to help you decide where to apply. It also includes MA programs and PhD programs. Master's in Creative Writing Online MA Degree Program 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. Request Info Apply Now. Best Master's in Creative Writing Degree Programs of 2024 Spanning 18 months to three years, these programs combine workshops, literature courses, and seminars to strengthen your understanding of narrative structure, character development, and the nuances of language and style. You'll hone your unique voice and storytelling abilities through intensive writing practice and feedback from peers and ... Earning A Master's In Creative Writing: What To Know Learn about the benefits, courses, concentrations and careers of a master's in creative writing degree. Compare MA and MFA programs and find out how to apply. MFA in Creative Writing Programs Guide MFA in Creative Writing Program Guide. Whether focusing on poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, a creative writing degree prepares students for a multitude of career options. Spanning two years, a master of fine arts (MFA) program trains you to become a skilled writer, communicator, and editor who can receive and apply feedback effectively. 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 ... Online Master of Fine Arts Liberty's 100% online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing can help you develop your writing passion into a career so you can set your works free to impact culture and the world ... 2024 Best Online Master's Degrees in Creative Writing There are four concentrations to choose from within the creative writing master's: (1) Fiction, (2) Nonfiction, (3) Poetry, and (4) Screenwriting. Southern New Hampshire University Online (SNHU) is a private university offering a Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing that requires 36 credit hours. This online program is designed to ... Creative Writing Masters Degree Programs Creative Writing Master's Degree Overview. Make your literary mark with PSU's master's in Creative Writing. Our two-year, flexible program offers both full-time and part-time options for earning your MFA. You will graduate with a manuscript, your thesis, in your genre (fiction, poetry, or nonfiction). We will also guide you into your ... Litowitz Creative Writing Graduate Program: The Graduate School Degree Types: MFA+MA. This new, fully-funded MFA+MA in Creative Writing and English program offers intimate classes, the opportunity to pursue both creative and critical writing, and close mentorship by renowned faculty in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Our three-year curriculum gives students time to deepen both their creative ... M.F.A. in Creative Writing < University of Miami The University of Miami's MFA Program in Creative Writing offers a fully funded, two-year course of study in the writing of poetry, fiction, or cross-genre literature while providing substantial training in the teaching of creative writing and composition. Students may apply to receive a third year of funding, during which graduate students ... Creative Writing M.A. The M.A. program in Creative Writing offers training in the writing of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Each master's student in Creative Writing divides coursework evenly between workshop and literature classes, leading to the writing of an original thesis submitted in fulfillment of the degree plan. You'll have the opportunity both to work ... Creative Writing, MFA Creative writing has been a part of the department of English since the 1930s. With the inception of the MFA degree in 1985, creative writing became an ascendant unit; the program was ranked within the top 20 MFA programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. ASU Creative Writing is distinguished by an outstanding faculty that has ... The Litowitz MFA+MA Program in Creative Writing and English A three-year program that combines an MFA in Creative Writing and an MA in English, with full financial support and mentorship by renowned faculty. Students can pursue poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction, and complete a book-length creative project and a Capstone essay. Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a two year program offering a degree in either Poetry or Prose, and is a part of the English Department's Creative Writing Program. Founded in 1947 by Theodore Roethke, the Creative Writing Program's tradition of transformative workshops continues with our current faculty: David Bosworth, David ... What to Know About Creative Writing Degrees Creative writing program professors and alumni say creative writing programs cultivate a variety of in-demand skills, including the ability to communicate effectively. "While yes, many creative ... 2024 Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools Ranked #63 in popularity, creative writing is one of the most sought-after master's degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision. For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 154 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for creative writing students pursuing a master's degree. Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing Here is the list of 53 universities that offer fully-funded MFA programs (Master's of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing. University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL): Students admitted to the MFA Program are guaranteed full financial support for up to 4-years. Assistantships include a stipend paid over nine months (currently $14,125), and full payment ... Master's in Creative Writing Our MFA in Creative Writing program allows you to tailor a flexible and practical curriculum to your artistic goals. In addition, to help with tuition, all accepted students will receive partial scholarships. Each step of the way, our NYC Creative Writing program aims to prepare you for the life of a working writer, especially as you navigate ... Creative Writing Programs: Finding the Right Fit for Your Learning MFA creative writing programs: These are Masters-level programs at academic institutions. They are typically 2- or 3-year programs that combine a mix of intensive class in reading, writing, workshopping, and pedagogy. Program: Master of Arts in Writing (M.A.) Graduate students in the Master of Arts in Writing program learn to make sophisticated judgments regarding content, tone, style and diction of various forms of professional and creative writing; utilize technology for presentations, web pages, visual media and print documents; and learn professional procedures to prepare and submit manuscripts ... Applications for M.F.A. in Creative Writing Programs About this course: With over 100 M.F.A. in Creative Writing programs available to choose from across the country (and beyond) each with its own application system and offers, this 3-hour webinar will help narrow the choices down for those looking to submit applications to M.F.A.s in fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry. Tiffin University School of Creative and Media Arts The School of Arts & Sciences is the foundation for all academic programs at Tiffin University. Our University's core courses, taught in small classes and led by expert faculty, will provide you with the critical thinking, writing and communication skills you'll need to prosper in your major program and beyond. Researching the history of creative writing Armstrong is used to editing and adapting her own work, skills she's developed in her creative writing courses at UD, where students share their writing with the class. "The whole point is getting comfortable with sharing your work, and receiving and listening to criticism, too. Any feedback is good feedback," she said. Program: English All students completing a B.A. in English - Creative Writing shall complete the first two semesters of a second language. Students may alternatively fulfill the language requirement by proof of academic work in the second language (CLEP test through the Elementary II level, for example SPAN 1224), four years of high school language courses, or transfer work from another institution. 7 Things I Wish I Knew When I Applied to Law School Clear Writing Is Creative Writing George Orwell once wrote, "Good prose should be transparent, like a window pane." Understated, clearly structured prose is central to legal writing . case study cover letter presentation problem solving rewiew prompts websites tips