Creative Writing, M.F.A.

The Department of English  

Master of Fine Arts Requirements in Creative Writing

The M.F.A. in Creative Writing offers advanced degree training to talented students who wish to gain expertise in the writing of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. It assumes that, as in music or the visual arts, the best education for the artist includes: training in the history and traditions associated with the student’s discipline, training in theoretical and formal approaches to the craft, and extensive practice with critique of student work by peers and faculty writers. The program combines studio and academic approaches, providing the student with substantial critical workshop experience and a solid background in theory and literature. In addition to a traditional literature based course of study, we offer the Emphasis in Publishing and Editing for those students who wish to gain professional training and experience in the field.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program requires: a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better in the undergraduate major (foreign students must score 600 or better on the TOEFL); three optional letters of recommendation from teachers, editors, or others familiar with the applicant’s writing and academic skills; and a writing sample of the student’s creative work (up to 10 poems or 20 pages of prose) to be evaluated by the creative writing admissions committee. The advanced GRE is not required.