Graduate Creative Writing Programs
The NewPages Guide to
MA, MFA, PhD Writing Programs
This directory of university creative writing programs includes MFA creative writing programs, and MA and PhD creative writing programs. It is still being updated, and we’d appreciate hearing from you if you know of programs not yet listed. Whenever possible, links lead directly to the home page for the creative writing program.
AK – AL – AR – AZ – CA – CO – CT – DC – DE– FL – GA – HI – IA – ID – IL – IN – KS – KY – LA – MA – MD – ME – MI – MN – MO – MS – MT – NC – ND – NE – NH – NJ – NM– NV – NY – OH – OK – OR – PA – RI – SC – SD – TN – TX – UT – VA – VT – WA – WI – WV – WY – Canada – International
Alabama
Auburn University
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
University of Alabama
MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Alabama at Birmingham
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of North Alabama
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, technical writing, rhetoric/composition
University of South Alabama Stokes Center for Creative Writing
Students pursuing a master’s in English at the University of South Alabama interact with award-winning creative writers, literature scholars, and rhetoric specialists in one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the Gulf. Students can choose from concentrations in the areas of creative writing, professional writing and editing, and literature. Enjoy small class sizes and mentoring from a one-of-a-kind faculty in the Department of English, home to the Stokes Center for Creative Writing. Assistantships and scholarships are available.
Alaska
University of Alaska Fairbanks
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, dramatic writing
Arizona
Arizona State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Northern Arizona University
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
University of Arizona
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
Wilkes University–Mesa
MA or MA/MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
Arkansas
University of Arkansas
MFA in Creative Writing & Translation
fiction, poetry, literary translation
University of Arkansas – Monticello
MFA in Creative Writing (online)
UAM’s entirely online program offers workshops in creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. We offer our students a rigorous, yet flexible education with small classes and a quality education at an affordable price.
University of Central Arkansas
Arkansas Writer’s Workshop MFA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
California
Antioch University Los Angeles
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
In Antioch University Los Angeles’ unique low-residency program, students explore the important role of the writer in society, reading works by diverse and socially-conscious authors. The MFA in Creative Writing program is comprised of on-campus residencies—which include classes, readings, and workshops—complemented by a five-month, online project period during which students live and write in their home communities. Antioch University Los Angeles offers specialized fields of creative writing study in the following genres: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Writing for Young People, and Literary Translation. Our distinguished instructors are all actively published writers who serve as dedicated mentors throughout the program. Scholarships are available.
California College of the Arts
CCA MFA students explore across genre and are nourished by the unique creative environment of our esteemed, socially conscious, 100+ year-old art school community. Apply to join our successful community of alumni and vibrant writing community. Leslie Scalapino Award, financial aid, and teaching assistantships available.
California College of the Arts Low-Res
comics, graphic novels
California Institute of Integral Studies
MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts & Writing
Our innovative Interdisciplinary Arts & Writing MFA is a 39-unit, two-year program, conducted in a unique hybrid format that includes on-campus, online learning, and optional summer intensives in Greece and the UK.
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, non-tracking
California State University, Chico
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
California State University, East Bay
fiction, poetry, playwriting
California State University, Fresno
MFA Program in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
California State University, Long Beach
fiction, poetry
California State University, Los Angeles
fiction, poetry
California State University, Northridge
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting
California State University, Sacramento
fiction, poetry
California State University, San Marcos
MA in Literature and Writing Studies
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s literature, young adult literature, screenwriting, playwriting, cross-genre, digital literature
Chapman University
MA in English/MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry
Dominican University of California
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, narrative/poetic medicine
Loyola Marymount University
fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting
Mills College
Flex Res MFA in Creative Writing;
MA in English Language and Literatures
Part of the San Francisco Bay Area’s vibrant literary community, Mills College offers innovative MFA programs in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Our graduate creative writing and literature programs tap into the Bay Area’s energy and are distinguished by their long-established reputations; innovation; outstanding faculty; intimate community of writers, scholars, and alumnae; and commitment to a vision of the literary arts as socially transformative. Our graduate creative writing and literature programs enhance your creativity and give you the tools to engage the world around you.
Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles
The MFA in Creative Writing at Mount Saint Mary’s University is an artist-training program for students who want to write professionally across multiple genres. Class sessions meet every other weekend online, making it ideal for busy working professionals.
National University
The Master of Arts in English program provides a comprehensive program of graduate study in English, including core courses in literature and a rich array of electives covering the large area of academic study under the umbrella term English. Courses in creative writing, rhetoric, and film studies are also offered as electives for students with interests in those areas.
Pepperdine University
MFA in Writing for Screen & Television
screenwriting
Saint Mary’s College of California
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
San Diego State University
fiction, poetry
San Francisco State University
MA in English, MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting
San Jose State University
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
Sonoma State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of California Davis
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre
University of California Irvine
fiction, poetry
University of California Riverside
MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
University of California Riverside – Palm Desert Center
MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts (low-res)
The low residency MFA program at UCR-Palm Desert, the first of its kind in the University of California system, offers a full academic and professional immersion into the writing world. In addition to their creative work, students meet one-on-one with industry professionals to help guide them towards the next step of their careers.
University of California San Diego
fiction, poetry, cross-genre
University of San Francisco
Our 2 1/2-year program offers students a personalized learning experience with access to San Francisco’s vital literary community. Students focus on fiction (including the novel), poetry, or nonfiction and may cross genres. In small workshops and seminars students work closely with award-winning writers. Thesis instruction provides one-on-one mentoring with faculty for two semesters.
University of Southern California
PhD in Creative Writing & Literature
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
Colorado
Colorado State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Naropa University
Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics
MFA in Writing & Poetics; MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, poetry
Regis University
Regis’ Mile-High MFA, is a low-residency program that lets you stay at your job and close to your family, but pushes you to make time for writing. You’ll leave the program with a manuscript ready to submit to publishers, along with an action plan for putting your writing into practice in the world.
University of Colorado Boulder
MFA in Creative Writing
PhD in Intermedia Art, Writing, & Performance
fiction, poetry
University of Denver
PhD in English—Creative Writing
fiction, poetry
Western Colorado University
fiction, poetry, screenwriting, nature writing, publishing
Connecticut
Albertus Magnus College
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Fairfield University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
Before you write your story, you have to find your voice. As a student in Fairfield’s MFA in Creative Writing, you can pursue fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and scriptwriting/playwriting. Within these genres you can pursue concentrations in publishing/editing, spiritual writing, or literary health and healing.
Southern Connecticut State University
fiction, poetry
Western Connecticut State University
MFA in Creative & Professional Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, technical writing
Yale University
playwriting
Washington DC
American University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs
MA in Writing (low-res or online)
fiction, nonfiction
Delaware
Contact NewPages if you know of any universities or colleges offering graduate creative writing programs in Delaware.
Florida
Florida Atlantic University
The MFA at FAU is a three-year, fully-funded program in the heart of sunny South Florida. Students in the programs are encouraged to experiment, take risks, and explore the boundaries between genres. In addition to classes in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, students take courses in translation, book arts, creative writing pedagogy, and more from our award-winning faculty. Other opportunities include: teaching creative writing in the community, for-credit internships, summer travel and research money, working on our two literary journals, mentoring undergraduate creative writing students, and working with a wide variety of visiting writers. GTA positions are available.
Florida International University
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting
Florida State University
Creative Writing Program :: MFA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Saint Leo University
MA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Stetson University
fiction, poetry
University of Central Florida
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
University of Florida
fiction, poetry
University of Miami
fiction, poetry
University of South Florida
MFA in Creative Writing Program
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of West Florida
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Georgia
Georgia College & State University
The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program is a fully-funded program that offers workshops with award-winning faculty in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry; students may write their thesis in fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction. We encourage students to work in other genres and require our students to take at least one workshop in a genre other than their thesis genre. In addition to workshops, students take creative writing seminars in Poetry & Poetics or Prose Forms, pedagogy classes on the teaching of writing, journal design, and courses on literature and special topics.
Georgia State University
MA in English, MFA in Creative Writing, PhD in English
fiction, poetry
Kennesaw State University
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, applied writing, composition & rhetoric
Reinhardt University
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, scriptwriting
Savannah College of Art and Design
creative nonfiction
University of Georgia
Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Media Writing; PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
Hawaii
University of Hawaii at Manoa
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Idaho
Boise State University
fiction, poetry
University of Idaho
Idaho’s three-year curriculum is ideal for those who demand rigorous instruction in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Our program—small by design—limits enrollment in graduate workshops to 10-15 students, which allows for an intimate and dynamic work environment, and full access to our award-winning faculty. Moscow, and its abundant wilderness opportunities, is an ideal place to focus on writing.
Illinois
Bradley University
creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, fiction
Chicago State University
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago offers graduate study in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with internationally renowned faculty and distinguished writers-in-residence, along with teaching instructorships, editorial opportunities, a diverse reading series, a thriving literary community, and small classes.
DePaul University
MFA/MA in Creative Writing and Publishing
This unique program combines intensive, craft-focused creative writing workshops with elective courses and internships in publishing, pedagogy, literature, and language. The flexible curriculum encourages students to explore more than one genre, and our course offerings include fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, and multi-genre workshops.
Eastern Illinois University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting
Illinois State University
MA in English, PhD in English Studies
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Northwestern University School of Communication
MFA in Writing for the Screen & Stage
playwriting, screenwriting
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies
MW or MFA in Creative Writing (part-time)
The part-time MW/MFA in Creative Writing program offers flexible scheduling (all courses are in the evening) and flexible progress toward completion of the degree. Pursue your writing goals while in balance with your personal and professional life. Develop your writing at your own pace through peer workshops, courses in literature, elective courses in reading as a writer, a practicum in how to teach creative writing, and editorial work on TriQuarterly, the university’s renowned literary journal (triquarterly.org) and in publishing internships. This program combines the virtues of both residency and low-residency programs, allowing students to keep their full-time jobs and have year-round access to faculty. Classes are offered in Evanston and in downtown Chicago.
Northwestern University Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Litowitz Creative Writing Graduate Program, MFA+MA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Roosevelt University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
The two-year Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFAW) at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) distinguishes itself from more conventional writing programs in that it both questions typical genre distinctions and nurtures traditional writing approaches. MFAW students are immersed in an arts environment within the nation’s second-highest rated MFA program, encouraging them to participate in an active community of artists, writers, and scholars. Collaboration is complemented by the program’s self-directed nature: students work closely with faculty advisors who are also prolific practitioners in their fields to create a course plan specific to their interests.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
fiction, poetry
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
fiction, poetry
University of Chicago
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
University of Illinois at Chicago
MA in English, PhD in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
fiction, poetry
Indiana
Ball State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
Butler University
The MFA is a 36-hour studio MFA that includes ten three-credit courses and six hours of formal thesis work with an advisor. We offer programs in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as electives in screenwriting, young adult fiction, poetic form, literary editing and publishing, and teaching creative writing. We offer top-flight, full-time faculty, nationally recognized visiting faculty, and one of the finest visiting writers series in the country. We operate a MFA-run literary magazine and other publishing enterprises, and also offer teaching and service opportunities through an array of programs.
Indiana State University
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
Indiana University Bloomington
fiction, poetry
Indiana University South Bend
MA in English with Creative Writing Concentration
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
Purdue University
fiction, poetry
University of Notre Dame
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Iowa
Iowa State University
MFA in Creative Writing and Environment
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting
The University of Iowa
Writers’ Workshop; Nonfiction Writing Program
fiction, poetry, nonfiction
The University of Iowa Theatre Arts
The Iowa Playwrights Workshop :: MFA
playwriting
University of Northern Iowa
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Kansas
Emporia State University
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting
Kansas State University
MA in Creative Writing and Literature
poetry, fiction, nonfiction
Pittsburg State University
MA in English Creative Writing Emphasis
fiction, poetry
University of Kansas
Graduate Program in Creative Writing :: MFA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting
Wichita State University
fiction, poetry
Kentucky
Asbury University
MFA in Screenwriting/MFA in Film & Television Production
screenwriting
Eastern Kentucky University
A low-residency program, Bluegrass Writers Studio features live, online workshops. Students become part of a vibrant writing community. In addition to literature courses like Forms of Poetry, Short Story Masters, The Literature of War, and Writing Across Genres, students have the opportunity to gain editing experience working on the nationally-distributed Jelly Bucket. Every July, students attend a domestic residency in Richmond, KY or an international residency in Lisbon, Portugal where they meet and work with award-winning writers, agents, editors, and other professionals. The program culminates with a book-length thesis that candidates complete under the direction of a core faculty member.
Morehead State University
fiction, poetry
Northern Kentucky University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Spalding University
Sena Jeter Naslund-Karen Mann Graduate School of Writing
MFA in Writing (low-res), MA in Writing (low-res)
Spalding’s affordable, nationally distinguished low-residency MFA in Writing and MA in Writing are committed to excellence in a noncompetitive, supportive atmosphere. Students thrive as they explore across genres, examine the interrelatedness of the arts, engage with the downtown arts scene, stay in a four-star hotel, and study with prize-winning faculty while gaining editorial experience and developing a close-knit literary community and lifelong writing habits. Students choose their own independent-study pace and may opt to travel abroad. All students write prolifically and receive extensive faculty feedback. Option to matriculate from MAW to MFA, earning two master’s degrees for about the cost of one. Apply by February 1 for May or July entry, August 1 for November entry. Financial aid available.
University of Kentucky
Situated in historic Lexington and surrounded by the awesomeness of thoroughbred horse farms and bourbon distilleries, the University enjoys a rich literary heritage dating back to 1947, when Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist A.B. Guthrie first offered courses in fiction. Graduates of the English Department include Bobbie Ann Mason, Rebecca Gayle Howell, Wendell Berry, Kayla Rae Whitaker, Patrick O’Keefe, Holly Goddard Jones, and James Baker Hall. The UK MFA Program in Creative Writing is the proud home of Erik Reece’s Ekphrastic Craft class, the Creating Writing Residency at the Mill House, New Limestone Review, and eight fully funded TAships.
University of Louisville
poetry, fiction, playwriting, creative nonfiction
Western Kentucky University
MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting
Louisiana
Louisiana State University
MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
McNeese State University
fiction, poetry
Southeastern Louisiana University
fiction, poetry, professional writing
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Creative Writing Program :: MA
fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting
University of New Orleans
Creative Writing Workshop (res)
Creative Writing Workshop — Online MFA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
Maine
University of Maine at Orono
fiction, poetry
University of Southern Maine
Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Maryland
Goucher College
MFA in Creative Nonfiction (low-res)
creative nonfiction
Johns Hopkins University
The Writing Seminars MFA in Fiction and Poetry
MA in Writing (low-res or online)
fiction, poetry
Morgan State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
Towson University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, technical writing, journalism, scientific writing
University of Baltimore
MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Maryland
fiction, poetry
Massachusetts
Bay Path University
MFA in Creative Nonfiction (online)
creative nonfiction
Boston University
fiction, poetry
Bridgewater State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Emerson College
MFA in Creative Writing
MFA in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing (online)
MA in Writing and Publishing
fiction, popular fiction, nonfiction, poetry, publishing
Lasell University
Solstice MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics & graphic narratives, writing for young people
Lesley University
MFA Program in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for stage & screen, writing for young people, graphic novels & comics
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
fiction, poetry
University of Massachusetts – Boston
MA in English; MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry
Western New England University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction
Michigan
Alma College
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
The Alma College MFA in Creative Writing features a strong literature-based curriculum designed to develop each student’s ability to read and think critically and to write with a high level of artistic proficiency. It’s created to have flexibility so students can explore new interests via mixed and dual genre degree options. The program also offers the opportunity for students to enter an artistic community in which they will hone their craft and participate in energetic discussions that will help them see their poems, stories, essays, and memoirs in the context of current issues and events.
Central Michigan University
fiction, poetry
Eastern Michigan University
Interdisciplinary MA in Creative Writing
The MA Program in Creative Writing at EMU promotes innovation, experimentation, and collaboration across artistic fields and cultural practices. Distinguished as one of the only interdisciplinary programs for creative writing in the country, we provide a rich space for exploring the relationships between poetry and poetics, experimental prose, cultural translation, community service, pedagogy, and contemporary arts.
Northern Michigan University
NMU, located on the Lake Superior shore of Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula, offers a three-year MFA degree in fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction, as well as a two-year MA in writing, literature, pedagogy, or theater. Teaching assistantships are available, as well as travel opportunities, field writing residencies in the beautiful Upper Peninsula wilderness, grants, and internships with Passages North.
University of Michigan
fiction, poetry
Wayne State University
MA in English with Emphasis in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
Western Michigan University
Creative Writing Program :: MFA, PhD
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting
Minnesota
Augsburg University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, translation, teaching, publishing
Concordia University, St. Paul
MFA in Creative Writing (online)
fiction
Hamline University
MFA in Writing (res); MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, writing for young adults
Minnesota State University, Mankato
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
St. Cloud State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Minnesota
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of St. Thomas
MA in Creative Writing & Publishing
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, young adult literature
Mississippi
Mississippi State University
fiction, poetry
Mississippi University for Women
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, translation, writing for new media
University of Mississippi
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, eco-writing
University of Southern Mississippi
fiction, poetry
Missouri
Lindenwood University
MFA in Writing Program (online or in-class)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
Missouri State University
fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, poetry
Southeast Missouri State University
MA in English: Professional Writing
Southeast’s Masters in Professional Writing helps students to explore different types of professional writing, to further develop their writing skills, and to perfect their critical abilities, including the determination of effective styles and presentations for texts. Professional Writing includes composition, technical writing, new media, editing, and creative writing.
Stephens College
MFA in TV and Screenwriting (low-res)
screenwriting
University of Missouri
Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, poetry
University of Missouri – Kansas City
MFA in Creative Writing and Media Arts
fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, poetry, screenwriting
University of Missouri – St. Louis
fiction, poetry
Washington University in St. Louis
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Montana
University of Montana
MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Nebraska
University of Nebraska, Kearney
Fiction and poetry primarily. Courses also offered in nonfiction and drama writing.
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
University of Nebraska, Omaha
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, writing for young adults
Nevada
Sierra Nevada University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children and young adults
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Creative Writing Program :: MFA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Nevada, Reno
MA in English; MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry
New Hampshire
New England College
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, dual genre
Southern New Hampshire University
Mountainview MFA in Fiction or Nonfiction (low-res)
MA in English & Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction
University of New Hampshire
The MFA Program at the University of New Hampshire has a clear goal: to help you mold your gifts and passion for the art and to prepare you for the opportunities and demands that all writers will experience in a long career. What happens to you after you leave this program—how you will sustain yourself and your work—is one of our strongest concerns. This supportive community of students and faculty shares a belief that writing matters and that the best books of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction are made out of both the creative imagination and rigorous work.
New Jersey
Fairleigh Dickinson University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
The MFA program at Fairleigh Dickinson University provides students the opportunity to work closely with award-winning, acclaimed faculty writers in small classes (usually 4-6 students) that provide rigorous and individualized attention. At residencies, faculty and students dine together, attend readings and lectures, and socialize. Our curriculum supports every writer’s unique creative exploration, with a highly customized reading list and a guided study of craft.
Kean University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Monmouth University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, genre writing
Rowan University
creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, journalism
Rutgers University – Camden
fiction, poetry
Rutgers University – Newark
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
William Paterson University
MFA in Creative & Professional Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
New Mexico
Institute of American Indian Arts
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
New Mexico Highlands University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
New Mexico State University
MA in English: Emphasis in Creative Writing, MFA in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction
University of New Mexico
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
New York
Adelphi University
MFA in Creative Writing Program
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
Bard College
Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, poetry
Binghamton University – SUNY
Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, writing for children
Brooklyn College – CUNY
fiction, poetry, playwriting
City College of New York – CUNY
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
The College at Brockport – SUNY
MA in English, Creative Writing Concentration
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Columbia University School of the Arts
The Columbia University School of the Arts MFA Writing Program, offering concentrations in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry, and a joint course of study in Literary Translation, is highly regarded for its illustrious alumni, artistic diversity and outstanding faculty of acclaimed writers and editors. The rigorous approach to literary instruction requires 60 credits over 2 or more years of study. Extracurricular programming includes the Creative Writing Lecture Series, Nonfiction Dialogues, a poetry reading series, student reading series, and events to introduce students to editors and agents. Internships, scholarships, and teaching fellowships are available.
Cornell University
Creative Writing Program in English Language and Literature :: MFA, PhD
fiction, poetry
Hunter College – CUNY
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Ithaca College
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography
Lehman College – CUNY
fiction, poetry, professional writing
Long Island University, Brooklyn
MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, graphic literature/comics, cross-genre, translation, dual genre
Manhattanville College
Our unique, non-tracking curriculum allows students to work in a variety of genres, to experiment with cross-genre writing, or to focus on a single genre with gifted teachers and mentors who are also award-winning authors. Genres include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, cross-genre, and graphic narrative. Manhattanville’s campus provides a lush, quiet home and literary community to writers just 30 minutes from New York City. The program can be completed part-time, and evening and weekend courses are offered.
The New School
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, writing for young adults
New York University
Creative Writing Program
Low-Residency MFA in Paris
The graduate Creative Writing Program at NYU consists of a community of writers working together in a setting that is both challenging and supportive. The MFA Writers Workshop in Paris constitutes an intimate creative apprenticeship that extends beyond traditional classroom walls. Over two years, students and faculty convene regularly in Paris for five intensive ten-day residency periods (held biannually in January and July).
Pratt Institute
fiction, poetry, journalism, translation, image/text
Queens College – CUNY
MFA Creative Writing and Literary Translation
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, literary translation
Sarah Lawrence College
fiction, speculative fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting
St. Francis College
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, writing for children, writing for young adults
St. Joseph’s College Brooklyn
fiction, nonfiction
Stony Brook Southampton
MFA in Creative Writing and Literature
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, writing for children
Syracuse University
fiction, poetry
University at Albany – SUNY
Writing Practices: Poetics, Rhetorics, Technologies :: PhD
poetry, fiction, nonfiction
University at Buffalo – SUNY
Certificate in Innovative Writing
fiction, poetry
North Carolina
East Carolina University
poetry, fiction, screenwriting, playwriting, creative nonfiction
North Carolina State University
fiction, poetry
Queens University of Charlotte
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, writing for stage & screen
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
We are one of the oldest MFA programs in the country. With an emphasis on studio time in which to study the writing of poetry or fiction, students also develop their talents through small classes in the arts. Workshops and individual conferences with faculty are the core of the curriculum.
University of North Carolina Wilmington
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Warren Wilson College
MFA Program for Writers (low-res)
fiction, poetry
Western Carolina University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, professional writing
North Dakota
University of North Dakota
fiction, poetry
Ohio
Ashland University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, cross-genre
Bowling Green State University
poetry, fiction
John Carroll University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Miami University
creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, screenwriting, multimedia & performance writing
Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting
The Ohio State University
MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Ohio University
Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
University of Cincinnati
Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
fiction, poetry, literary nonfiction
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City University
The Red Earth MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
The Red Earth Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing @ Oklahoma City University offers you the opportunity pursue your writing without sacrificing your life. Our program connects you with experienced creative and professional writers who will nurture your creative talent in workshops and individual instruction. We also offer skills-courses to enrich your writing career: Writing Pedagogy, Professional Writing, and Literary Magazine Editing & Production. 10-day residencies, twice a year. Four semesters you complete at home.
Oklahoma State University
MFA in Creative Writing, PhD in English with Creative Writing Concentration
fiction, poetry
University of Central Oklahoma
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
University of Oklahoma
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
Oregon
Eastern Oregon University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
Innovative, intense, intimate. The new low residency MFA in Creative Writing combines the rigor and energy of small, focused workshops (5-7 students working with faculty mentors) in the heart of Northeast Oregon’s Grande Ronde Valley. If you value the real West over the resort town West, then join us in the low residency MFA program at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande.
Oregon State University
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
Oregon State University – Cascades
Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
Pacific Northwest College of Art
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
prose, poetry, cross-genre, literary translation
Pacific University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Portland State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Oregon
fiction, poetry
Pennsylvania
Arcadia University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, poetry
Carlow University
Creative Writing MFA (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Cedar Crest College
Pan-European MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Chatham University
MFA in Creative Writing (res/low-res)
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, writing for children
DeSales University
MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing (low-res)
fiction, poetry, narrative nonfiction
Drexel University
fiction, screenwriting
Point Park University
MFA in Screenwriting and Playwriting (low-res)
playwriting, screenwriting
Rosemont College
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, writing for young adults
Saint Joseph’s University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, playwriting
Seton Hill University
MFA in Writing Popular Fiction (low-res)
Seton Hill’s unique online-supported residency program teaches writers to create, market, and teach the fiction that sells. It is designed for those authors who wish to write within the popular fiction genres such as romance, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mystery. Seton Hill’s program features a flexible online/residency format that allows students to earn a master of fine arts degree while working full-time, one-on-one mentoring by established writers, professors who are active and successful authors, a supportive writing community that continues after graduation, and the ability to write a full-length novel while earning a degree.
Temple University
fiction, poetry
University of Pittsburgh
fiction, poetry
West Chester University
fiction, poetry, nonfiction
Wilkes University
MA/MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting
Wilson College
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, playwriting
Rhode Island
Brown University
fiction, poetry, digital and cross-disciplinary
Rhode Island College
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Salve Regina University
The NewPort MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Rhode Island
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
South Carolina
Coastal Carolina University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
College of Charleston
fiction, poetry
Converse College
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
The MFA in Creative Writing is a two-year co-educational low residency program designed for serious, independent writers seeking advanced instruction in poetry, fiction, young adult fiction, and creative nonfiction through a non-traditional course of graduate study. The program’s emphasis on the mastery and understanding of writing skills and contemporary literature and craft, through the master-writer and apprentice mentoring relationship, offers students a stimulating and individually tailored curriculum of courses and projects.
University of South Carolina
fiction, poetry
South Dakota
University of South Dakota
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, publishing
Tennessee
Austin Peay State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Belmont University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Sewanee School of Letters
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting
The University of Memphis
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
The University of Tennessee – Chattanooga
fiction, poetry
The University of Tennessee – Knoxville
MFA in Creative Writing, PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Vanderbilt University
The Vanderbilt MFA—in vibrant Nashville, TN—is a highly selective three-year, fully-funded program.
Texas
Abilene Christian University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Baylor University
fiction, poetry
Our Lady of the Lake University
MA-MFA in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
Sam Houston State University
MFA in Creative Writing, Editing, and Publishing
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
Stephen F. Austin State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Texas State University
MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry
Texas Tech University
MA/PhD in English/Creative Writing
Our MA and PhD programs in English with emphasis in creative writing offer students with exceptional ability and potential the chance to concentrate on their art and the rigorous academic study of literature. This powerful combination opens doors for many academic opportunities not available to typical MFA graduates.
University of Houston
Creative Writing Program :: MFA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Houston – Victoria
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res/online)
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
University of North Texas
MA in Creative Writing, PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Texas at Austin
Michener Center for Writers
MFA in Writing
fiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
University of Texas at Austin
New Writers’ Project
MFA in English
fiction, poetry
University of Texas at Dallas
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
University of Texas at El Paso
MFA in Creative Writing (res/online)
fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, literary translation
University of Texas at San Antonio
Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, translation
Utah
Brigham Young University
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
University of Utah
Creative Writing Program :: MFA, PhD
fiction, poetry
Utah State University
MA/MS in English, Specialization in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Weber State University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Vermont
Bennington College
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Goddard College
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, graphic novels, comics, writing for young adults
Vermont College of Fine Arts
MFA in Writing
MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults
MFA in Writing & Publishing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, writing for young adults
Virginia
George Mason University
poetry, fiction, nonfiction
Hollins University
Jackson Center for Creative Writing
Our intensive two-year studio/hybrid MFA program helps you find your way in an atmosphere of cooperation and encouragement. We support college graduates who want to concentrate on craft and on reading the way writers do.
Old Dominion University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Randolph College
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, fiction, nonfiction
University of Virginia
fiction, poetry
Virginia Commonwealth University
fiction, poetry, dual genre (including creative nonfiction)
Virginia Tech
fiction, poetry
Washington
Central Washington University
MA Professional & Creative Writing (online)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Eastern Washington University
MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Pacific Lutheran University
Rainier Writing Workshop :: MFA (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Seattle Pacific University
MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young adult fiction
University of Washington
fiction, poetry
University of Washington – Bothell
MFA in Creative Writing and Poetics
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Western Washington University
MA in English Studies, MFA in Creative Writing Program
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid forms
West Virginia
West Virginia University
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Write in the heart of Appalachia. Students in Wesleyan’s two-year low-residency program join an extraordinarily warm community every summer and winter residency for ten days before launching into a semester of student-centered apprenticeship in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Program highlights: uncommonly affordable; 1 to 4 faculty-student ratio; option of spending one residency in Ireland; secondary-genre concentration available; postgraduate teaching fellowship awarded to one alum each year; opportunity to explore place and identity in writing.
Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
University of Wisconsin at Madison
fiction, poetry
University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
fiction, poetry
Wyoming
University of Wyoming
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, cross-genre
Canada
Concordia University
fiction, poetry, playwriting
University of Alberta
Studies in English Language and Literature
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of British Columbia – Okanagan
MFA Visual Arts & Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, visual arts, media arts, performance arts
University of British Columbia – Vancouver
MFA in Creative Writing, Optional-Residency MFA Program
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
University of Calgary
MA, PhD with Concentration in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction
University of Guelph
creative nonfiction, playwriting, fiction, poetry
University of King’s College
MFA in Creative Nonfiction (low-res)
creative nonfiction
University of New Brunswick
MA or PhD in Creative Writing (English)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
University of Saskatchewan
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting
University of Toronto
MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting
University of Victoria
fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, film, poetry
University of Windsor
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
International
Bar-Ilan University (Israel)
Shaindy Rudoff Graduate Track in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Bath Spa University (England)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Cardiff University (Wales)
MA in Creative Writing
PhD in Creative & Critical Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting
Edinburgh Napier University (Scotland)
MA in Creative Writing (full-time/part-time)
genre fiction, comics, graphic novels, writing for young adults
Manchester Metropolitan University (England)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children & young adults, scriptwriting
National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, journalism
University College Dublin (Ireland)
MA in Creative Writing, MFA in Creative Writing, PhD in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry
University of Edinburgh (Scotland)
fiction, poetry
University of Lincoln (England)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
University of St. Andrews (Scotland)
MLitt in Creative Writing, MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting