About Master’s Program,
The MFA degree in Creative Writing is a two-year program that provides a combination studio/academic course of study.
Students receive critical feedback on their poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction in writing workshops, scrutinize aspects of genre in special-topics classes, and investigate larger theoretical and historical contexts for creative work in literature, rhetoric, writing, and linguistics courses.
The MFA program culminates in a creative thesis comprised of a book-length manuscript of original creative work.
Outside of coursework, MFA students have the opportunity to participate in cultural outreach programs such as the Young Writers’ Institute and gain editorial and arts-management experience by working on Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts.
Each year, our Creative Writing Reading Series brings in a full slate of acclaimed poets and writers. In addition, the student-run Chiasmus reading series gives our creative writing community at all levels an opportunity to share new work.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Applicants to the MA and MFA programs must have completed a minimum of 18 credit hours in upper-level English courses to be considered for admission, though an undergraduate major in English (30 credit hours of upper-level English courses or more) is preferred. Although the Graduate School requires that domestic applicants have a minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA and that international applicants have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in all previous undergraduate coursework for admission to an master’s program, prospective MA and MFA candidates should usually have better than a 3.5 average in English courses.
However, Graduate Admissions will always look at the most recent. Keep in mind that GRE scores are optional for this year. If you include GRE scores, the evaluative criteria explained here will be in place, but we will not penalize applications that do not include GRE scores.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
The program is fully funded. MFA students work as teaching assistants, writing center tutors, and instructors (of both composition and creative writing) in exchange for a stipend and tuition waiver. Additional financial support is available for travel, professional development, and manuscript submission. The Graduate Students in English organization, area study groups, and other activities draw students together as an intellectual and social community with shared passions and aspirations.
Application Requirement,
Online Graduate School Application;
Statement of purpose;
Transcripts for all colleges and universities previously attended;
To be considered, applicants to the MFA program must have completed a minimum of 18 credit hours in upper-level (300+) English courses;
Applicants must have obtained a bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). A non-U.S. degree must be equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from the United States and must be granted by a recognized or accredited foreign institution;
Three letters of recommendation
a critical writing sample of up to twenty pages with works cited;
a creative writing sample of up to twenty-five pages of fiction or creative nonfiction or fifteen poems;
copies of GRE scores (OPTIONAL);
international students are required to demonstrate English proficiency as stipulated by the Graduate School, which may involve submitting either TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Application Deadline,
Jan 15, 2026
Application Fee,
A full application, including a $60 fee ($75 for international students), is due to the Graduate
