Graduate Creative Writing Programs

Auburn University

MA in English
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction.

University of Alabama

Program in Creative Writing

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing at the University of Alabama is a 48-hour studio/academic course of study designed to advance and develop students’ intellectual and artistic abilities. Our program has long been considered among the best creative writing programs in the nation, renowned for its robust visiting writers series, for its spirit of experimentation and flexibility, and for housing the award-winning Black Warrior Review, which is edited and run entirely by graduate students. Students work closely with resident faculty and also take workshops and have manuscript consultations with visiting writers.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of North Alabama

MA in Writing
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.

University of Alaska Fairbanks

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, dramatic writing

Arizona State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Northern Arizona University

MFA in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction

University of Arizona

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry

University of Arkansas

MFA in Creative Writing & Translation
fiction, poetry, literary translation

University of Arkansas at Monticello

MFA in Creative Writing (online)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Central Arkansas

Arkansas Writer’s Workshop MFA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

Antioch University Los Angeles

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, writing for young adults

California College of the Arts

MFA in Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

California College of the Arts Low-Res

MFA in Comics (low-res)
comics, graphic novels

California Institute of Integral Studies

MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts & Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, visual art

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, non-tracking

California State University, Chico

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

California State University, East Bay

MA in English
fiction, poetry, playwriting

California State University, Fresno

MFA Program in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction

California State University, Long Beach

MFA Creative Writing Program
fiction, poetry

California State University, Los Angeles

MA in English
fiction, poetry

California State University, Northridge

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting

California State University, Sacramento

MA in English
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

MA in English
fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting

Mills College at Northeastern University

Opening 2023

Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

Pepperdine University

MFA in Writing for Screen & Television
screenwriting

Saint Mary’s College of California

MFA in Creative Writing
creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry

San Diego State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

San Francisco State University

MA in English, MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, translation

San Jose State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

Sonoma State University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of California Davis

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre

University of California Irvine

MFA Program in Writing
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)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

University of California San Diego

MFA in Writing
fiction, poetry, cross-genre

University of San Francisco

MFA in Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Southern California

PhD in Creative Writing & Literature
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Colorado State University

MFA in Creative Writing
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

Mile High MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, writing for young adults

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

MA/MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, screenwriting, nature writing, publishing

Albertus Magnus College

MFA in Writing (low-res)
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 University’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

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Western Connecticut State University

MFA in Creative and Professional Writing (low-res)
fiction, genre fiction, nonfiction, writing for children, writing for young adults, poetry, playwriting, technical writing

Yale University School of Drama

MFA in Playwriting
playwriting

Florida Atlantic University

MFA in Creative Writing

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

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting

Florida State University

Creative Writing Program :: MFA, PhD
fiction, poetry, nonfiction

Saint Leo University

MA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Stetson University

MFA of the Americas (low-res)
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, cross-genre writing, art

University of Central Florida

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

University of Florida

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of Miami

MFA in Fiction & Poetry
fiction, poetry

University of North Florida

MA in English

fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, cross-genre

University of South Florida

MFA in Creative Writing Program
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of West Florida

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Georgia College and State University

MFA in Creative Writing

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

MA in Professional Writing
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, applied writing, composition & rhetoric

Reinhardt University

Etowah Valley MFA
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, scriptwriting

Savannah College of Art and Design

MFA in Writing (res/online)
creative nonfiction

University of Georgia

Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Media Writing; PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

University of Hawaii at Manoa

MA or PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Boise State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of Idaho

MFA in Creative Writing

fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Bradley University

MA in English
creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, fiction

Chicago State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

Columbia College Chicago

Creative Writing BA, BFA, MFA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

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

MA in English
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)

fiction, nonfiction, poetry, publishing and professional development, dual genre, popular fiction

Northwestern University Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Litowitz Creative Writing Graduate Program, MFA+MA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Roosevelt University College of Arts and Sciences

MFA in Creative Writing

Prepare for your life as a writer in Chicago’s thriving literary community through Roosevelt University’s close-knit community of writers. Our Master’s in Creative Writing (MFA) program allows students the time and attention to develop their craft and challenge their artistic boundaries. Our graduates have gone on to become authors, and worked in the education, publishing, journalism, marketing, advertising, and arts administration fields.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

MFA in Creative Writing

fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of Chicago

MA Program in the Humanities
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

University of Illinois at Chicago

MA in English, PhD in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Ball State University

MA in Creative Writing

fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

Butler University

MFA in Creative Writing

The Butler University 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

MA in English
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Indiana University Bloomington

MFA in Fiction and Poetry
fiction, poetry

Indiana University South Bend

MA in English with Creative Writing Concentration
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

Purdue University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of Notre Dame

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Bar-Ilan University (Israel)

Shaindy Rudoff Graduate Track in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Bath Spa University (England)

MA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Bournemouth University (England)

MA Creative Writing & Publishing

fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, publishing

Cardiff University (Wales)

MA in Creative Writing
PhD in Creative & Critical Writing
fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, poetry, 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

MA/MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children & young adults, scriptwriting

National University of Ireland, Galway

MA in Writing

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)

MSc in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of Lincoln (England)

MA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting
MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, scriptwriting, literary translation, experimental literature

University of St. Andrews (Scotland)

MLitt in Creative Writing, MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

Iowa State University

MFA in Creative Writing and Environment
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting

The University of Iowa

Writers’ Workshop; Nonfiction Writing Program
poetry, fiction, nonfiction

The University of Iowa Theatre Arts

The Iowa Playwrights Workshop :: MFA
playwriting

University of Northern Iowa

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Emporia State University

MA in English
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, cross-genre, poetry, playwriting

Wichita State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Asbury University

MFA in Screenwriting/MFA in Film & Television Production
screenwriting

Bluegrass Writers Studio

Eastern Kentucky University

A writer’s community without the commute. Bluegrass Writers Studio is the only low-res MFA in Creative Writing with live, online workshops. Students study fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and cross-genre; work with award-winning faculty, agents, and editors; edit the print journal, Jelly Bucket, and attend summer residencies in Lisbon, Portugal or Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region.

Morehead State University

MA in English (online)
fiction, poetry

Murray State University

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Northern Kentucky University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Spalding University

Sena Jeter Naslund-Karen Mann Graduate School of Writing<br />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 Feb. 1 for May or July entry, Aug. 1 for November entry. Financial aid available.

University of Kentucky

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Louisville

MA in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction, playwriting, creative nonfiction

Western Kentucky University

MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting

Louisiana State University

MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

McNeese State University

MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Southeastern Louisiana University

MA in English
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

University of Maine at Orono

MA in English
fiction, poetry

University of Southern Maine

Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

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

English Program :: MA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

Towson University

MS in Professional Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, technical writing, journalism, scientific writing

University of Baltimore

MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Maryland

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Bay Path University

MFA in Creative Nonfiction (online)
creative nonfiction, narrative medicine and trauma writing

Boston University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Bridgewater State University

MA in English
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

MFA for Poets and Writers
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

Alma College

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre, dual genre

Central Michigan University

MA in English
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

MFA in Creative Writing
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

Helen Zell Writers’ Program
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

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

MFA Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

St. Cloud State University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Minnesota

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of St. Thomas

MA in Creative Writing & Publishing
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, young adult literature

Mississippi State University

MA in English
fiction, poetry

Mississippi University for Women

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, translation, writing for new media

University of Mississippi

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, eco-writing

University of Southern Mississippi

Center for Writers :: MA, PhD
fiction, poetry

Lindenwood University

MFA in Writing Program (online or in-class)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

Missouri State University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, poetry

Southeast Missouri State University

MA in Professional Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Stephens College

MFA in TV and Screenwriting (low-res)
screenwriting

University of Missouri

Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Missouri – Kansas City

MFA in Creative Writing and Media Arts
fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, poetry, screenwriting

University of Missouri – St. Louis

MFA in Fiction and Poetry
fiction, poetry

Washington University in St. Louis

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Montana

MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Nebraska, Kearney

MA in English
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

MFA in Writing (low-res)
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, writing for 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

University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children and young adults

New England College

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, dual genre

Southern New Hampshire University

Mountainview Low-Residency MFA
fiction, nonfiction
MFA in Creative Writing (online)
genre fiction
MA in English & Creative Writing (online)
fiction, nonfiction

University of New Hampshire

MFA in Writing Program

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.

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

MA in English Writing Studies
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Monmouth University

MA/MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, genre writing

Rowan University

MA in Writing
creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, journalism

Rutgers University – Camden

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Rutgers University – Newark

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

William Paterson University

MFA in Creative & Professional Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Institute of American Indian Arts

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

New Mexico Highlands University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

New Mexico State University

MA in English: Emphasis in Creative Writing, MFA in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction

University of New Mexico

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

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

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, playwriting

City College of New York – CUNY

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

Columbia University School of the Arts

MFA in Creative Writing

Program description: 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 artistic diversity and for its outstanding faculty of acclaimed writers and editors. The rigorous approach to literary instruction requires 60 credits over 2-3 years of study.

At the core of the curriculum is the writing workshop. All workshops are small, ensuring that all students present work at least three times per semester. Students receive substantial written responses to their work from their professors and classmates and have regularly scheduled one-on-one conferences with faculty. Thesis workshops are dedicated to shaping each student’s work into book form.

The School of the Arts Writing Program considers the study of literature from the practitioner’s point of view—reading as a writer—essential to a writer’s education. In addition to workshops, students take craft-oriented seminars and/or lectures designed to illuminate, inform, augment, and inspire each student’s experience and practice as a writer. New seminars, lectures, and master classes are created every year.

Extracurricular programming includes Life After the MFA professional panels and the annual Agents Mixer, Columbia Journal, Columbia Artists/Teachers, Incarcerated Writers Initiative, Veterans Writers Workshop, and Our Word (students advocating diversity).

Scholarships, teaching fellowships, and internships are available.

Cornell University

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Hunter College – CUNY

MFA Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Lehman College – CUNY

MA in English
fiction, poetry, professional writing

Long Island University – Brooklyn

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, graphic literature/comics, cross-genre, translation, dual genre

Manhattanville College

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, cross-genre, graphic literature and comics

New York University

Creative Writing Program
Low-Residency MFA Writers Workshop in Paris
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Pratt Institute

MFA in Writing
fiction, poetry, journalism, translation, image/text

Queens College – CUNY

MFA Creative Writing and Literary Translation
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, literary translation

Sarah Lawrence College

MFA in Writing
fiction, speculative fiction, poetry, nonfiction

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

The Writer’s Foundry MFA
fiction, nonfiction

Stony Brook Southampton

MFA in Creative Writing & Literature
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, writing for children

Syracuse University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

The College at Brockport – SUNY

MA in English, Creative Writing Concentration
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

The New School

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, writing for young adults

University at Albany – SUNY

Writing Practices: Poetics, Rhetorics, Technologies :: PhD
poetry, fiction, nonfiction

University at Buffalo – SUNY

Certificate in Innovative Writing (MA)
fiction, poetry

East Carolina University

MA in English
poetry, fiction, screenwriting, playwriting, creative nonfiction

North Carolina State University

MFA in Creative Writing
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

MFA Writing Program

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

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Warren Wilson College

MFA Program for Writers (low-res)
fiction, poetry

Western Carolina University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, professional writing

University of North Dakota

MA/PhD in English
fiction, poetry

Ashland University

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, cross-genre, science fiction/fantasy

Bowling Green State University

MFA in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction

John Carroll University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Miami University

MFA in Creative Writing (res)
creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, screenwriting, multimedia & performance writing

Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA)

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting

Ohio University

Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction

The Ohio State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Cincinnati

Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
fiction, poetry, literary nonfiction

Oklahoma City University

The Red Earth MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

Oklahoma State University

Creative Writing Program

Our graduate program holds the distinction of being the oldest PhD in creative writing in the nation as well as one of the few that supports study in creative nonfiction beside poetry and fiction. Our aesthetic interests are eclectic too, and we emphasize working closely with students on theses and dissertations. Class sizes are small, and students are encouraged to study outside their genre as well as in other departmental programs, including literature, screen studies, TESOL, and composition/rhetoric. Affordable housing, friendly community, a uniquely supportive artistic experience!

University of Central Oklahoma

MA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

University of Oklahoma

MA in English
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Eastern Oregon University

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre

Oregon State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Oregon State University – Cascades

Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Pacific Northwest College of Art

Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing
prose, poetry, cross-genre, literary translation

Pacific University

MFA in Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Portland State University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Oregon

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Carlow University

Creative Writing MFA (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Cedar Crest College

Creative Writing Program :: MFA (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, nonfiction

Drexel University

MFA in Writing (low-res)
fiction, screenwriting

Holy Family University

MFA in Creative Writing

fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for young adults, genre fiction, graphic novels

Point Park University

MFA in Screenwriting and Playwriting (low-res)
playwriting, screenwriting

Rosemont College

MFA in Creative Writing

fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, writing for young adults

Saint Joseph’s University

Writing Studies MA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, playwriting

Seton Hill University

MFA in Writing Popular Fiction (low-res)

romance, science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery

Temple University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of Pittsburgh

Writing Program :: MFA
fiction, poetry

West Chester University

MA in English
fiction, poetry, nonfiction

Wilkes University

MA/MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, spoken word

Wilson College

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, playwriting

Brown University

The Literary Arts MFA Program
fiction, poetry, digital and cross-disciplinary

Rhode Island College

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Salve Regina University

The Newport MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Rhode Island

PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

Coastal Carolina University

MA in Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

College of Charleston

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Converse University

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

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of South Dakota

MA/PhD in English
poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, publishing

Austin Peay State University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Belmont University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry
MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Sewanee School of Letters

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting

The University of Memphis

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

The University of Tennessee – Chattanooga

MA in English
fiction, poetry

The University of Tennessee – Knoxville

MFA in Creative Writing, PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Vanderbilt University

MFA in Creative Writing
The Vanderbilt MFA—in vibrant Nashville, TN—is a highly selective three-year, fully-funded program.

Abilene Christian University

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Baylor University

MA in English
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

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Texas State University

MFA Program in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Texas Tech University

MA/PhD in English/Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Houston

Creative Writing Program :: MFA, PhD
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Houston – Victoria

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry

University of North Texas

MA in Creative Writing, PhD in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Texas at Austin

MFA in English (New Writers’ Project)
fiction, poetry
MFA in Creative Writing (The Michener Center for Writers)
fiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting

University of Texas at Dallas

MA/PhD in Arts and Humanities
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

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, translation

Brigham Young University

Creative Writing MFA
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

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Bennington College

MFA in Writing (low-res)
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

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

George Mason University

MFA in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction, nonfiction

Hollins University

Jackson Center for Creative Writing
MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Old Dominion University

Creative Writing MFA
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Randolph College

MFA in Creative Writing (low-res)
poetry, fiction, nonfiction

University of Virginia

MFA in Creative Writing Program
fiction, poetry

Virginia Commonwealth University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

Virginia Tech

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

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

MFA in Creative Writing
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

American University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs

MA in Writing (low-res or online)
fiction, nonfiction

West Virginia University

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction,  poetry

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry

University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire

MA in English – Writing
fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry

University of Wisconsin at Madison

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, poetry

University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee

Creative Writing Program :: MA, PhD
fiction, poetry

University of Wyoming

MFA in Creative Writing
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, cross-genre

Concordia University

MA in English
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

MFA in Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, hybrid forms, writing the decolonial

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

MFA in Writing
poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting

University of Toronto

MA in English in the Field of Creative Writing
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting

University of Victoria

Graduate Writing Program MFA
fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, film, poetry

University of Windsor

MA in English
fiction, nonfiction, poetry