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Columbia University

New york, united states.

The Columbia University MFA Writing Program is highly regarded for its rigorous approach to literary instruction and for its faculty of acclaimed writers and editors who are devoted and dedicated teachers. The faculty, the students, and the curriculum represent and foster a full range of artistic and literary diversity. Students are encouraged to make the most of their own artistic instincts and to realize as fully as possible, beyond any perceived limitations, their potential as writers.

At the core of the curriculum is the writing workshop. All workshops are small (7 to 12 students), 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; they also have regularly scheduled one-on-one conferences with faculty. The second-year thesis workshops (6 to 9 students) are dedicated to shaping each student's work into book form.

The Columbia MFA is a two-year program requiring 60 credits of course work to complete the degree and can take up to three years to complete the thesis. Students concentrate in fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction, and also have the option of pursuing a joint course of study in writing and literary translation (see the LTAC web page on our website). Most MFA programs require 48 credits or as few as 36 credits, but the Columbia Writing Program considers the study of literature from the practitioner's point of view--reading as a writer--essential to a writer's education. Every semester, students take a workshop and, on average, three craft-oriented seminars and/or lectures designed to illuminate, inform, clarify, augment and inspire each student's experience and practice as a writer. New seminars, lectures and master classes are created every year.

The Writing Program also offers its students an array of extra-curricular programs, opportunities, events, and activities, including: several lecture series and one-day seminars with visiting writers; two student-run reading series; internships at The New Yorker, Publisher's Weekly, the Academy of American Poets, and other prominent NYC magazines, publishing houses, and literary organizations; the annual Thesis Anthology of second-year students' work sent to a national list of literary agents and editors, and an annual event bringing literary agents together with Program alumni and 3rd-year students; programs offered for students of color by the Our Word student group; and the new Word for Word international exchange program for students interested in literary translation. In addition to eligibility for 37 paid teaching assistantships, all students are offered the opportunity to teach at the high school or college level through the Columbia Artists/Teachers program as well as to work as paid creative writing instructors in the Summer High School program. Columbia: a Journal of Literature and Art is entirely student run, offering experience in editing and publishing a respected literary journal. Students can take full advantage of the vast academic resources of Columbia University, and are encouraged to take courses outside the Writing Program, whether in other programs of the School of the Arts or in the university at large. And of course, the infinitely rich cultural and literary landscape of New York City lies just outside the campus gates.

Contact Information

415 Dodge Hall 2960 Broadway New York New York, United States 10027 Email: [email protected] http://arts.columbia.edu/writing

Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing +

Undergraduate program director.

The Undergraduate Creative Writing Program is part of the Writing Division of the School of the Arts. Students from all divisions of Columbia University -- as well as non-degree students -- may take our classes. General Studies degree candidates and Columbia College students may apply to major in creative writing.

The program offers workshops at the beginning, intermediate, advanced, and senior levels. We also offer craft seminars in creative writing that are designed to examine literature from a practitioner's perspective. While students develop and hone their literary technique in workshops, the creative writing seminars (which explore literary technique as well as history) broaden their sense of possibility by exposing them to the various ways, historically, that language has been used to make art. As a supplement to the workshops and seminars, related courses for the major can be drawn from any department.

The seminars are modeled on the courses offered by the graduate Writing Division, and provide the intellectual ballast that informs and deepens the work of the creative writing student. Students in the creative writing seminars read a book or a selection of works each week and engage in round-table discussions about the artistic attributes of the texts, in order to better understand how literature might be made. By engaging in a deep analysis of outstanding and diverse works of literature, the creative writer can build the resources necessary to produce his or her own accomplished creative work.

Columbia University has a remarkable tradition in the teaching of creative writing; since 1909, tens of thousands of undergraduate and nondegree students have studied writing with Columbia's distinguished faculty. Among the notable writers who have taught here are Lillian Hellman, Richard Howard, Stanley Kunitz, Susan Sontag, Grace Paley, Spalding Gray, A.R. Gurney, Bharati Mukherjee, Phillip Lopate, Joyce Johnson, Zadie Smith, and Richard Ford.

Some former Columbia writing students who went on to noted literary careers are Carson McCullers, J.D. Salinger, Richard Yates, Evan S. Connell, Jr., and Heidi Julavits. Recent students who have published include Wells Tower, Karen Russell, Kiran Desai, Rivka Galchen, and Mark Wunderlich.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing +

Graduate program director, timothy donnelly.

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/timothy-donnelly

Deborah Eisenberg

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/deborah-eisenberg-0

Richard Ford

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/richard-ford

Margo Jefferson

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/margo-jefferson

Binnie Kirshenbaum

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/binnie-kirshenbaum

Victor Lavalle

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/victor-lavalle

Sam Lipsyte

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/sam-lipsyte

Richard Locke

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/richard-locke

Phillip Lopate

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/phillip-lopate

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/ben-marcus

Orhan Pamuk

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/orhan-pamuk

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/lis-harris

Gary Shteyngart

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/gary-shteyngart

Alan Ziegler

http://arts.columbia.edu/faculty/alan-ziegler

Leslie Jamison

Paul beatty, rivka galchen, susan bernofsky, heidi julavits, shane mccrae, deborah paredez, anelise chen, publications & presses +.

Columbia: A Journal of Literature and Art

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Literary Arts

Opportunities for study and practice of writing and literature abound at Columbia. 

writing

Aspiring writers may major in creative writing as undergraduates or pursue an MFA in Writing in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry at the School of the Arts. The study of English and Comparative Literature flourishes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Teachers College features a specialization in English education. The Institute for Comparative Literature and Society promotes a global perspective in the study of literature, culture, and their social context at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

In addition, literary events on campus are accessible to all. The Creative Writing Lecture Series at the School of the Arts brings a diverse and brilliant roster of writers to Columbia for original talks on literary craft. Nonfiction Dialogues is a student-initiated series featuring interviews with distinguished nonfiction writers about their work and careers.

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MFA Program

writing mfa columbia

Poetry: Timothy Donnelly, Dorothea Lasky, Shane McCrae, Deborah Paredez, Lynn Xu

Fiction: Paul Beatty, Anelise Chen, Nicholas Christopher, Rivka Galchen, Heidi Julavits, Binnie Kirshenbaum, Victor LaValle, Sam Lipsyte, Ben Marcus, Orhan Pamuk, Matthew Salesses, Gary Shteyngart, Alan Ziegler

Nonfiction: Hilton Als, Jaquira Díaz, Lis Harris, Leslie Jamison, Margo Jefferson, Wendy S. Walters

Translation: Susan Bernofsky

Recent Adjunct Faculty: Mark Bibbins, CAConrad, Cynthia Cruz, Mark Doten, Joshua Furst, Alan Gilbert, Xiaolu Guo, Madhu Kaza, John Keene, Nicole Krauss, Gideon Lewis-Kraus, Lynn Melnick, Daphne Merkin, Ben Metcalf, Erroll McDonald, Jen Percy, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Alice Quinn, Camille Rankine, Leanne Shapton, Benjamin Taylor, Jia Tolentino, Lara Vapnyar, Natasha Wimmer, Brenda Wineapple, Phillip B. Williams, James Wood, Monica Youn, Jenny Zhang

The program offers partial funding, including administrative and teaching fellowships, research assistantships, scholarships, and internships.

Columbia Journal

The program includes a joint course of study in literary translation known as Literary Translation at Columbia (LTAC) .

There are events, readings, and conversations throughout the year, including the Creative Writing Lectures, Nonfiction Dialogues, Life After the MFA panels, student reading series, and the Columbia Selects MFA Alumni Reading Series at KGB Bar.

Other programs and outlets include:

Columbia Artist/Teachers (CA/T) provides MFA teachers with training and teaching opportunities on and off campus, with students of all ages and levels.

Our Word , a student group promoting diversity within the Writing Program and in the broader literary community.

Columbia Journal , a student-run literary magazine.

Elisa Albert, Mia Alvar, Jonathan Ames, Daphne Palasi Andreades, G'Ra Asim, Hannah Assadi, Jesse Ball, Mary Jo Bang, Mandy Berman, Lucie Brock-Broido, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Jessamine Chan, Tina Chang, Melissa Clark, Emma Cline, Henri Cole, Kiran Desai, Rebecca Donner, Stephen Dubner, Peter Farrelly, Lexi Freiman, Matt Gallagher, Philip Gourevitch, Eliza Griswold, Marie Howe, Katrine Øgaard Jensen, Mat Johnson, Owen King, Jordan Kisner, Alexandra Kleeman, E.J. Koh, Rachel Kushner, Catherine Lacey, Stephen McCauley, Campbell McGrath, Lynn Melnick, Dinaw Mengestu, Susan Minot, Rick Moody, Diana Khoi Nguyen, Sigrid Nunez, Julie Otsuka, Gregory Pardlo, Martin Pousson, Richard Price, Claudia Rankine, Camille Rankine, Karen Russell, Vijay Seshadri, Brenda Shaughnessy, Mona Simpson, Emily Skillings, Sarah Smarsh, Tracy K. Smith, Lynn Steger Strong, Wells Tower, Mai Der Vang, Adam Wilson, Brian Young

The Best 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2023

April 7, 2023

mfa creative writing programs

Whether you studied at a top creative writing university , or are a high school dropout who will one day become a bestselling author , you may be considering an MFA in Creative Writing. But is a writing MFA genuinely worth the time and potential costs? How do you know which program will best nurture your writing? This article walks you through the considerations for an MFA program, as well as the best Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

First of all, what is an MFA?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications require a sample portfolio for entry, usually of 10-20 pages of your best writing.

What actually goes on in a creative writing MFA beyond inspiring award-winning books and internet memes ? You enroll in workshops where you get feedback on your creative writing from your peers and a faculty member. You enroll in seminars where you get a foundation of theory and techniques. Then you finish the degree with a thesis project.

Reasons to Get an MFA in Creative Writing

You don’t need an MFA to be a writer. Just look at Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison or bestselling novelist Emily St. John Mandel.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons you might still want to get a creative writing MFA. The first is, unfortunately, prestige. An MFA from a top program can help you stand out in a notoriously competitive industry to be published.

The second reason: time. Many MFA programs give you protected writing time, deadlines, and maybe even a (dainty) salary.

Third, an MFA in Creative Writing is a terminal degree. This means that this degree allows you to teach writing at the university level, especially after you publish a book.

But above all, the biggest reason to pursue an MFA is the community it brings you. You get to meet other writers, and share feedback, advice, and moral support, in relationships that can last for decades.

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

Here are the different types of programs to consider, depending on your needs:

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

These programs offer full-tuition scholarships and sweeten the deal by actually paying you to attend them.

  • Pros: You’re paid to write (and teach).
  • Cons: Uprooting your entire life to move somewhere possibly very cold.

Full-Time MFA Programs

These programs include attending in-person classes and paying tuition (though many offer need-based and merit scholarships).

  • Pros: Lots of top-notch programs non-funded programs have more assets to attract world-class faculty and guests.
  • Cons: It’s an investment that might not pay itself back.

Low-Residency MFA Programs

Low-residency programs usually meet biannually for short sessions. They also offer one-on-one support throughout the year. These MFAs are more independent, preparing you for what the writing life is actually like.

  • Pros: No major life changes required. Cons: Less time dedicated to writing and less time to build relationships.

Online MFA Programs

Held 100% online. These programs have high acceptance rates and no residency requirement. That means zero travel or moving expenses.

  • Pros: No major life changes required.
  • Cons: These MFAs have less name-recognition

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

The following programs are selected for their balance of high funding, impressive return on investment, stellar faculty, major journal publications , and impressive alums.

Fully Funded MFA Programs

1) johns hopkins university, mfa in fiction/poetry (baltimore, md).

This is a two-year program, with $33,000 teaching fellowships per year. This MFA offers the most generous funding package. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and a guaranteed lecture position after graduation (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

  • Incoming class size: 8 students
  • Admissions rate: 11.1%
  • Alumni: Chimamanda Adiche, Jeffrey Blitz, Wes Craven, Louise Erdrich, Porochista Khakpour, Phillis Levin, ZZ Packer, Tom Sleigh, Elizabeth Spires, Rosanna Warren

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center (Austin, TX)

A fully-funded 3-year program with a generous stipend of $29,500. The program offers fiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $3,000 for the summer.

  • Incoming class size : 12 students
  • Acceptance rate: a bone-chilling less-than-1% in fiction; 2-3% in other genres
  •   Alumni: Fiona McFarlane, Brian McGreevy, Karan Mahajan, Alix Ohlin, Kevin Powers, Lara Prescott, Roger Reeves, Maria Reva, Domenica Ruta, Sam Sax, Joseph Skibell, Dominic Smith

3) University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is a 2-year program on a residency model for fiction and poetry. This means there are low requirements, and lots of time to write groundbreaking novels or play pool at the local bar. Most students are funded, with fellowships worth up to $21,000. The Translation MFA, co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years, but with more intensive coursework. The Nonfiction Writing Program is a prestigious three-year MFA program and is also intensive.

  • Incoming class size: 25 each for poetry and fiction; 10-12 for nonfiction and translation.
  • Acceptance rate: 3.7%
  • Fantastic Alumni: Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Garth Greenwell, Kiley Reid, Brandon Taylor, Eula Biss, Yiyun Li, Jennifer Croft

4) University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students U-Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. This is a big university town, which is less damaging to your social life. Plus, there’s lots to do when you have a $23,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program, with an impressive reputation. They also have a demonstrated commitment to “ push back against the darkness of intolerance and injustice ” and have outreach programs in the community.

  • Incoming class size: 18
  • Acceptance rate: 4% (which maybe seems high after less-than-1%)
  • Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University (Providence, RI)

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that doesn’t dip into arctic temperatures. Students are all fully-funded for 2-3 years with $29,926 in 2021-22. Students also get summer funding and—you guessed it—that sweet, sweet health insurance.

In the Brown Literary Arts MFA, students take only one workshop and one elective per semester. It’s also the only program in the country to feature a Digital/Cross Disciplinary Track.

  • Incoming class size: 12-13
  • Acceptance rate: “highly selective”
  • Alumni: Edwidge Danticat, Jaimy Gordon, Gayl Jones, Ben Lerner, Joanna Scott, Kevin Young, Ottessa Moshfegh

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

6) university of arizona (tucson, az).

This 3-year program has many attractive qualities. It’s in “ the lushest desert in the world ”, and was recently ranked #4 in creative writing programs, and #2 in Nonfiction. You can take classes in multiple genres, and in fact, are encouraged to do so. Plus, Arizona dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program pays $20,000 a year, and offers the potential to volunteer at multiple literary organizations. You can also do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

  • Incoming class size: 9
  • Acceptance rate: 4.85% (a refreshingly specific number after Brown’s evasiveness)
  • Alumni: Francisco Cantú, Jos Charles, Tony Hoagland, Nancy Mairs, Richard Russo, Richard Siken, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, David Foster Wallace

7) Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ):

Arizona State is also a three-year funded program in arthritis-friendly dry heat. It offers small class sizes, individual mentorships, and one of the most impressive faculty rosters in the game. Everyone gets a $19,000 stipend, with other opportunities for financial support.

  • Incoming class size: 8-10
  • Acceptance rate: 3% (sigh)
  • Alumni: Tayari Jones, Venita Blackburn, Dorothy Chan, Adrienne Celt, Dana Diehl, Matthew Gavin Frank, Caitlin Horrocks, Allegra Hyde, Hugh Martin, Bonnie Nadzam

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

8) new york university (new york, ny).

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU is private, and has one of the most accomplished faculty lists anywhere. Students have large cohorts (more potential friends!) and have a penchant for winning top literary prizes.

  • Incoming class size: 40-60
  • Acceptance rate: 6%
  • Alumni: Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Ocean Vuong

9) Columbia University (New York, NY)

Another 2-3 year private MFA program with drool-worthy permanent and visiting faculty. Columbia offers courses in fiction, poetry, translation, and nonfiction. Beyond the Ivy League education, Columbia offers close access to agents, and its students have a high record of bestsellers.

  • Incoming class size: 110
  • Acceptance rate: 21%
  • Alumni: Alexandra Kleeman, Rachel Kushner, Claudia Rankine, Rick Moody, Sigrid Nunez, Tracy K. Smith, Emma Cline, Adam Wilson, Marie Howe, Mary Jo Bang

10) Sarah Lawrence (Bronxville, NY)

Sarah Lawrence offers speculative fiction beyond the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction course offerings. With intimate class sizes, this program is unique because it offers biweekly one-on-one conferences with its stunning faculty. It also has a notoriously supportive atmosphere.

  • Incoming class size: 30-40
  • Acceptance rate: N/A
  • Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11 bennington college (bennington, vt).

This two-year program boasts truly stellar faculty, and meets twice a year for ten days in January and June. It’s like a biannual vacation in beautiful Vermont, plus mentorship by a famous writer, and then you get a degree. The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available.

  • Acceptance rate: 53%
  • Incoming class: 40
  • Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM)

This two-year program emphasizes Native American and First Nations writing. With truly amazing faculty and visiting writers, they offer a wide range of genres offered, in screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

Students attend two eight-day residencies each year, in January and July, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At $12,000 a year, it boasts being “ one of the most affordable MFA programs in the country .”

  • Incoming class size : 22
  • Acceptance rate: 100%
  • Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

One of few MFAs where you can study the art of the picture book, middle grade and young adult literature, graphic literature, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry for young people. Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, in Vermont. You can also do many travel residencies in exciting (and warm) places like Cozumel.

VCFA boasts amazing faculty and visiting writers, with individualized study options and plenty of one-on-one time. Tuition is $48,604.

  • Incoming class size: 18-25
  • Acceptance rate: 63%
  • Alumnx: Lauren Markham, Mary-Kim Arnold, Cassie Beasley, Kate Beasley, Julie Berry, Bridget Birdsall, Gwenda Bond, Pablo Cartaya

ONLINE MFAS

14) university of texas at el paso (el paso, tx).

The world’s first bilingual and online MFA program in the world. UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Intensive workshops allow submitting in Spanish and English, and genres include poetry and fiction. This three-year program costs $14,766 a year, with rolling admissions.

  • Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University (Long Meadow, MA)

This 2-year online program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. A supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and a potential field trip in Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, Narrative Medicine, and teaching. Core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, and the personal essay. The price is $785/credit, for 39 credits, with scholarships available.

  • Incoming class size: 20
  • Acceptance rate: an encouraging 78%
  • Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Prepare for your MFA in advance:

  • Best English Programs
  • Best Creative Writing Schools
  • Writing Summer Programs

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs – References:

  • https://www.pw.org/mfa
  • The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students , by Tom Kealey (A&C Black 2005)
  • Graduate School Admissions

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Julia Conrad

With a Bachelor of Arts in English and Italian from Wesleyan University as well as MFAs in both Nonfiction Writing and Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, Julia is an experienced writer, editor, educator, and a former Fulbright Fellow. Julia’s work has been featured in  The Millions ,  Asymptote , and  The Massachusetts Review , among other publications. To read more of her work, visit  www.juliaconrad.net

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Interviewed   Columbia MFA Film (Writing for Film & Television) - Fall 2024

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  • Feb 6, 2024

Good luck!  

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Admitted (after interview)   got into ucla screenwriting 2024.

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Admitted (After Interview)   Chapman/Dodge Fall 2024 Film & Television Production, BFA

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Admitted (After Interview)   DePaul Digital Filmmaking MFA- 2024

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  • AFI Conservatory - American Film Institute
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  • Columbia University - Screenwriting/Directing (M.F.A.)
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  • H Applied   USC MFA Writing for Screen & Television - Fall 2024 Not terrible, but I did struggle a bit with the prescribed scenes and the challenge essay. Happy...
  • H Applied   UT Austin Michener Center for Writers (Screenwriting MFA) - Fall 2024 Straightforward! 100% overlap with the Moody College Screenwriting MFA, so it was great to be...
  • H Applied   UT Austin MFA Screenwriting - Fall 2024 Straightforward! Pretty minimalist requirements with lots of overlap with other programs which...
  • H Applied   NYU Tisch MFA Dramatic Writing - Fall 2024 Straightforward process! Mostly just involved revising a script from undergrad and writing a...

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The MFA in Creative Writing is a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary, multi-genre immersion into the literary arts. Writers may choose to focus on a primary genre, explore a secondary genre, or design their own multi-genre curriculum. The program embodies a creative-critical approach to the literary arts, incorporating literature seminars, workshops, courses in theory and craft, as well as interdisciplinary electives that can be taken accross graduate programs at the college, including travel abroad options. Students will be able to take courses in literary editing and production. A majority of our students also teach as Graduate Student Instructors. 

As a result of successfully completing the program requirements, students should be able to:

  • engage critically across literary texts written in various genres;
  • continue to generate creative work in their chosen genre(s) of study;
  • articulate critical and theorectical approaches to their own creative work as well as the work of others, across genre and literary traditions;
  • demonstrate knowledge of the current literary publishing landscape; and
  • craft texts across media and genre or in a specific form that are informed by tradition, innovation, as well as the contemporary literary discourse

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS - 35 credits required

Choose three of the following courses:

  • CRWR 610 Advanced Graduate Fiction Workshop
  • CRWR 625 MFA Poetry Workshop
  • CRWR 640 Workshop: Open Genre
  • CRWR 662 Graduate Workshop: Nonfiction

Thesis Workshop

Choose one of the following courses:

  • CRWR 645 Thesis Development: Open Genre
  • CRWR 650 Thesis Development: Fiction
  • CRWR 655 Thesis Development: Poetry
  • CRWR 665 Thesis Development: Nonfiction

Craft Seminars

Choose two of the following courses:

  • CRWR 612A Graduate Critical Reading and Writing
  • CRWR 612B Graduate Critical Reading and Writing
  • CRWR 626 Graduate Poetics Seminar
  • CRWR 630A Craft Seminar
  • CRWR 630B Craft Seminar
  • CRWR 661A Form and Theory of Nonfiction
  • CRWR 661B Form and Theory of Nonfiction
  • CRWR 663 Topics in Nonfiction
  • CRWR 699A Topics in Creative Writing
  • CRWR 699B Topics in Creative Writing

Literature Seminars

  • LITR 675 History of the Essay
  • LITR 679A Graduate Seminar in Literature
  • LITR 679B Graduate Seminar in Literature

Thesis Advising

  • CRWR 651 Thesis: Fiction - take twice for two credits 
  • CRWR 656 Thesis: Poetry - take twice for two credits
  • CRWR 660 Thesis: Nonfiction - take twice for two credits
  • CRWR 515 Literary Magazine Editing
  • CRWR 516 Literary Magazine Production
  • CRWR 620 Critical Reading and Writing: Kafka and European Masters
  • CRWR 670 Creative Writing: J-Term in Paris
  • CRWR 672 Topics in Writing Abroad: Rome
  • GRAD 610 Teaching Methods and Pedagogies
  • Majors & Programs

Request Info

  • Learn more about English and Creative Writing
  • View Courses & Requirements

Get In Touch

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A graduate admissions representative is ready to answer your questions about this program. Email   David Marts today.

Fiction (MFA)

Time to degree: three years (38 credits) part-time options are available.

Think of this as an open invitation to experiment. Columbia College Chicago’s Master of Fine Arts in Fiction program not only accepts different aesthetic styles, it demands them. You’ll push your boundaries and grow as a writer with the help of faculty members and peers. 

You’ll build an awareness of the overall traditional literary conversation, and you’ll be encouraged to forge your own path as a writer. If you choose, you’ll work as a graduate school instructor or teaching assistant and take advantage of publishing and portfolio opportunities. 

fiction mfa

Quick Links

See application requirements  |  View required courses  |  View program costs (PDF)

In the Classroom

During your first year in the MFA program, you’ll immerse yourself in writing workshops with fellow students and have professional publishing and teaching opportunities. You’ll take a hard look at writers who inspire you, studying their creative processes as you work on your craft in a structured environment. 

As you study the form and theory of fiction, you’ll work with students and faculty members in both Nonfiction and Poetry. As you finish your MFA program, you’ll build on your work from previous classes to create a substantial thesis with the help of a faculty member.

But there’s so much more:

  • Take advantage of opportunities in teaching as a graduate student instructor or teaching assistant.
  • Increase your exposure to professional opportunities through an internship.
  • Participate in the student-run 33 Reading Series, which features readings by MFA students in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry.
  • Create reading series, journals, or presses of your own.

professor joe meno

English and Creative Writing Professor Joe Meno

As a student in Columbia College Chicago’s Fiction MFA program, you’ll foster close working relationships with our award-winning faculty members in a small, intimate community of writers.

You’ll find a home at Columbia if you’re looking for a program that emphasizes discipline and process, exposure to a broad literary conversation, and guidance in publishing. Our faculty members will support you as you stretch yourself. As artistic role models, they’ll encourage and inspire you to take risks—because they’ve been taking risks for years.

Our faculty includes award-winning fiction writers:

  • Don De Grazia
  • Garnett Kilberg Cohen
  • Patricia Ann McNair
  • Alexis Pride
  • Sam Weller 

See all English and Creative Writing Faculty

Opportunities for Graduate Students

Columbia College Chicago offers several opportunities for graduate students, including scholarships, assistantships, and instructing opportunities. 

See More Information

Alumni Success

Columbia College Chicago’s Fiction MFA alumni write their own success stories. Many of our alumni publish their own books, move on to teaching positions at prominent institutions, or get PhDs. Others put their writing skills to work for major corporations and industries around the country. 

Here are just a few of our alumni who have created names for themselves in the writing world:

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Jessie Ann Foley MFA ’12

Jessie Ann Foley's first novel, "The Carnival at Bray," launched her career as an award-winning writer.

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Chris Terry MFA ’12

Chris Terry learned the benefits of producing as much work as possible while studying at Columbia.

Chicago: A Literary City

chicago

Living and studying in Chicago means you’ll have opportunities to participate in the literary community here. The city has one of the country’s best live literary scenes, with a diverse range of styles and genres and a welcoming environment for new writers. 

Creative Writing Reading Series

smiling students enjoying reading by author

The Creative Writing Reading Series at Columbia College Chicago is one of the most dynamic, aesthetically diverse events of its kind in the city. Hosted by the English and Creative Writing Department, the series attracts prestigious, award-winning writers. 

As a graduate student in the Fiction MFA program, you’ll have a front row seat to these shows and may even have an opportunity to read your own work.

See upcoming visiting writers

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How to Become a Writer in the District of Columbia (DC) with a BFA, MFA or Similar Creative Writing Degree

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Created by CreativeWritingEDU.org Contributor

library of congress building in washington dc

With many preserved historic areas there’s a good chance you can take a walking tour past the original homes of some of your favorite authors right here in the District.

Walt Whitman is one example. He called DC home for a decade in the 1860s. The person behind such works as Leaves of Grass , his style was unique and forever changed poetry. Not surprisingly his innovation to abandon the then-popular structure for meter and rhyme was scorned by his contemporaries. Whitman’s time in DC gave him unique experiences that would show up in his writing ever after.

Fast forward to the 21 st century and DC’s own Jonathan Safran Foer is the most recent proof that a writer from the capital can succeed in the world of words. Everything Is Illuminated was his first novel and was made into an award-winning film with major Hollywood star power. The novel itself was also highly acclaimed, winning several prominent national awards and appearing on the New York Times bestseller list.

Safran Foer has since followed upon his initial success with more memorable work, and now he’s also a creative writing teacher at New York University.

In fact, it was at a university, when Safran Foer was a freshman, that he first caught the writing bug when he took an introductory fiction writing class taught by none other than Joyce Carol Oates. He found he liked writing so much that he continued in the academic pursuit, and his thesis under Oates turned into the first draft of Everything Is Illuminated .

Safran Foer discovered in college what other successful writers have too: uniquely talented and inspiring writing professors who make a profound and early difference.

Speaking of Oates’ guidance as a writing professor, Safran Foer says…

“…she was the first person ever to make me think I should try to write in any sort of serious way. And my life really changed after that.” ~ Jonathan Safran Foer on his writing professor Joyce Carol Oates

Safran Foer earned an undergraduate degree and that was all he needed to launch his successful career. A BA or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is great for laying a solid foundation in the literary arts.

While a bachelor’s was enough for Safran Foer, for us mere mortals, an MA or Master of Fine Arts (MFA) can take things to the next level and get you ready for both the artistic and business side of getting published, going beyond coffee shop writing groups and amateur criticism.

DC – Birthplace of the Harlem Renaissance

logan circle in dc

In fact, some argue that this African American intellectual and cultural revival in the 1920s and 30s got its start in the nation’s capital before moving to NYC.

Langston Hughes, who was influenced by Whitman, authored dozens upon dozens of short stories, novels, poetry collections, children’s books, and plays. While working as a busboy in a DC hotel, Hughes happened by one of the most popular poets in the nation at the time, Vachel Lindsay. Hughes put some of his poems next to Lindsay’s plate, and the next day national newspapers were talking about Hughes’ poems. From there he would go on to be a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance.

Husband-and-wife duo Paul Laurence Dunbar and Alice Dunbar-Nelson lived in LeDroit Park. Paul wrote 17 books and was one of the first African American writers to gain national prominence, even though he died at the young age of 33. Alice was an outstanding poet in her own right with her own style, and this plus her literary reviews of prominent Harlem Renaissance writers shaped the trajectory of the movement.

One of the most important sites associated with the Harlem Renaissance is writer Georgia Douglas Johnson’s old house, today a few blocks away from the U Street Corridor, then-known as the S Street Salon. Every Saturday night she would host a local writers’ party where up-and-coming African American writers in DC could mingle with their older more experienced counterparts.

Johnson herself was an accomplished playwright and poet, and she also penned a weekly newspaper column. Her plays include Blue Blood and Plumes .

Zora Neale Hurston was one of those young up-and-coming DC writers who attended Johnson’s S Street Salon soirées. In fact she moved in with Johnson for a while, and was published for the first time while living in DC. In addition to her involvement in the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston went on to become an anthropologist and ethnographer of Black folklore, as well as the author of four novels including Their Eyes Were Watching God .

DC has been the birthplace of many important literary movements in the past, and will undoubtedly continue its tradition of leadership and creativity going into the future. You’re in the right place at the right time. All you need now is the creative writing chops to add your name to the list of great writers from DC.

District of Columbia’s Creative Writing Classes, Courses, and Workshops Can Prepare You for a Creative Writing Degree

As with any creative endeavor, your progress as a literary arts wordsmith improves with practice and experience.

Because Washington DC attracts some of the nation’s brightest it should come as no surprise that the city hosts plenty of opportunities for practice that will stimulate your talent.

Capitol Hill Writers Group welcomes aspirants in all genres of fiction, whether you have several books published or none at all. Membership is free and allows you to take advantage of regular meetings complete with Clarion-Method constructive criticism.

If you’re looking for a community, check out the DC Writers’ Salon. It has groups that meet anywhere from daily to monthly. In a unique approach, instead of groups focused on a particular genre, this salon has groups focused on specific tasks.

One group is dedicated to getting you out of bed and meets every morning at 8:30. One group is focused on holding writers accountable. Another group features writers talking about their craft. And of course, one group is dedicated to socializing where local writers can get to know each other.

The spoken word can be a powerful medium, a fact that’s made reality at The Inner Loop. This organization celebrates writers who want to read their work out loud with a monthly gathering plus additional programming that supports the goal of vocalizing authors like retreats, radio programs, and residencies.

Writers’ conferences are a great place to meet people like yourself in addition to publishers who are fishing for new talent. Each year DC’s historic Eastern Market is graced by the Literary Hill Bookfest, a celebration of the district’s authors and the books they write. Children’s authors provide entertainment for the kids while the adults attend author talks throughout the day on a range of literary topics.

When it comes to publishing, Literary and Creative Artists is one DC-based lit agency with more than 80 clients who include everyone from first-time to best-selling authors. They accept submissions in fiction and non-fiction.

Writing Colleges in DC Offering Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Creative Writing Provide a Path to Becoming a Writer

Writing is a craft that’s honed over generations and passed down. Degree programs in English and creative writing are designed to facilitate this generational fostering of artistic talent.

Jonathan Safran Foer launched his career thanks to his inspirational writing professor, and he himself is now passing on the literary arts to his creative writing students.

When you’re ready to get serious about supporting yourself as a writer and honing your skills to the professional level, that’s when you know it’s time to earn a creative writing degree.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Other Bachelor’s Degrees in Creative Writing in Washington, DC

George washington university.

COLUMBIAN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Bachelor – BA

Private School

george washington university

  • Creative Writing and English

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Other Master’s Degrees in Creative Writing in Washington, DC

American university.

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Degree:  Master – MFA

american university washington dc

  • Creative Writing

R. Stranger MFA’24 combines creative writing and visual arts in their multimedia approach to art

by Linda Lenhoff, February 15, 2024

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R. Stranger MFA’24 incorporates visual work into their writing, striving to find their own personal channel of creating. Through PNCA’s Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing program, Stranger has been able to pursue cross-genre, collaborative work, combining prose, poetry, photography, film, archiving, and cataloging. “I needed to be in a writing program situated within an art school, where I would have the ability and freedom to incorporate my visual work and embodied practice into my creative writing,” Stranger says. “Literature and art have been the portals through which I receive so much of the world.”

The program’s unique approach to treating writing as a multidisciplinary studio art practice offers Stranger the ability to build relationships across departments. Stranger is especially grateful for mentorship from faculty members Vi Khi Nao , a writer, and Dao Strom , an artist. “Each of them has undeniably affected my work and approach to writing and creating,” Stranger says, adding that Nao “opened my eyes to the depth of emotion we can allow ourselves to go and the necessary risks that an artist must take if they wish to be true to their work and themselves.

Stranger focuses on difficult issues in their art, including “the multidimensional nature of queerness, the complexities of having/being a body, and the transformative nature of grief,” Stranger says. Utilizing several mediums allows Stranger to “move through the work of mourning and living through different layers of humanness.”

PNCA and the Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies have granted Stranger multiple opportunities to share and show their work. “I tabled my zines at the 2022 Do-It-Yourself / Do-It-Ourselves Graduate Symposium as well as at this year’s Form.a Art Press Fair at Oregon Contemporary,” Stranger says. Their photography was also selected for display at Lightbox Photographic Gallery’s New Visionaries exhibit through an Oregon BFA/MFA photo student exhibition call organized by PNCA faculty Rachel Wolf .

The proverbial cherry on top of Stranger’s experience at PNCA has been having a private studio within an institutional space, thanks to Strom and Creative Writing Program Director Jay Ponteri . “I can still be in the world while also receiving access to a nurturing art community and the institutional resources that aid my public art practice.”

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Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

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5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

IMG_5859

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Screen Shot 2015-04-01 at 5.17.53 PM

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

writing mfa columbia

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

IMG_5826

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

Mayakovskaya station

Mayakovskaya metro station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

IMG_5893

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

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January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

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December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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IMAGES

  1. Columbia University Writing MFA Info Session

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  2. Columbia MFA in Theatre, Playwriting Concentration

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  5. How to get into Columbia University's MFA Program!

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  3. Solstice MFA in Creative Writing Program Info Session

  4. Dwedee Kobbah Columbia MFA Acting Auditions

  5. Columbia Values Diversity Celebration

  6. How to Write a Written Response for Graduate School

COMMENTS

  1. Writing

    Most MFA programs require 48 credits or as few as 36 credits, but the Columbia Writing Program considers the study of literature from the practitioner's point of view—reading as a writer—essential to a writer's education.

  2. Writing MFA Tuition

    Writing MFA Tuition Columbia University School of the Arts awards over $13 million in student aid each year in the form of tuition scholarships, paid service positions, teaching appointments and institutional awards. The School of the Arts admissions process is need blind, which means that financial need is not factored into admissions decisions.

  3. Writing Application Requirements

    Literary Translation at Columbia, a part of the MFA in Writing Program, offers students the chance to pursue a joint course of study in writing and translation.

  4. Programs of Study

    The Writing MFA Program is highly regarded for its rigorous approach to literary instruction and for its faculty of acclaimed writers and editors who are devoted and dedicated teachers. The faculty, the students, and the curriculum represent and foster a full range of artistic and literary diversity. Joint Programs

  5. MFA Film Curriculum

    MFA Film Curriculum. Students are admitted to the MFA program in one of three tracks: Creative Producing, Screen and TV Writing/Directing, and Writing for Film & Television. Students in all tracks share a common curriculum in their first year in the program. In the second year, each track leads to advanced coursework, and each concentration has ...

  6. Apply

    Writing Undergraduate International Students Columbia University School of the Arts welcomes applications from international students. In Fall 2023, international students from 55 countries comprised 35 percent of the student body. Learn more about attending the School of the Arts as an international student ==>

  7. AWP: Guide to Writing Programs

    The Columbia University MFA Writing Program is highly regarded for its rigorous approach to literary instruction and for its faculty of acclaimed writers and editors who are devoted and dedicated teachers. The faculty, the students, and the curriculum represent and foster a full range of artistic and literary diversity.

  8. Literary Arts

    Literary Arts Opportunities for study and practice of writing and literature abound at Columbia. Aspiring writers may major in creative writing as undergraduates or pursue an MFA in Writing in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry at the School of the Arts.

  9. Writing, Master

    The Columbia University MFA Writing Program is highly regarded for its rigorous approach to literary instruction and for its faculty of acclaimed writers and editors who are devoted and dedicated teachers. Columbia University. Manhattan , New York , United States. Top 0.1% worldwide. Studyportals University Meta Ranking.

  10. Creative Writing Master Degree Program

    As a full- or part-time student in the Creative Writing MFA program at Columbia, you'll be a member of a vibrant community of writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid work across genres. Innovative and exploratory approaches are encouraged, as are more traditional approaches to prose and/or poetic forms.

  11. Columbia University School of the Arts

    Columbia Artist/Teachers (CA/T) provides MFA teachers with training and teaching opportunities on and off campus, with students of all ages and levels. Our Word, a student group promoting diversity within the Writing Program and in the broader literary community. Columbia Journal, a student-run literary magazine.

  12. The Playwriting Concentration

    The MFA playwriting program embraces diverse voices and aesthetics. There are many ways to write a great play, exemplified by our faculty, which includes Tony©, Pulitzer, and Obie Award winners such as Charles Mee, Lynn Nottage, and David Henry Hwang.

  13. The Best 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2023

    The best MFA Creative Writing Programs in 2023 are revealed. We cover everything from online MFAs to fully-funded residential programs.

  14. Columbia MFA Film (Writing for Film & Television)

    Columbia - Writing for Film & Television MFA Submission Date Dec 19, 2023 Interview Notification Date Feb 5, 2024 Interview Date Feb 13, 2024. ... USC - Film and Television Production (MFA) Columbia University - Screenwriting/Directing (M.F.A.) NYU - Tisch Film and Television (M.F.A.)

  15. Anyone in the MFA writing program? What are your thoughts on it?

    I'm looking into applying to a MFA writing program for Fall 2023, just seeing my options! Please note if poetry, creative nonfiction, or fiction. TIA! Bit late on the game here, but if it would still be helpful, we interviewed an MFA candidate in Fiction from Columbia about her experiences in the program.

  16. Program: Creative Writing, MFA

    The MFA in Creative Writing is a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary, multi-genre immersion into the literary arts. Writers may choose to focus on a primary genre, explore a secondary genre, or design their own multi-genre curriculum. The program embodies a creative-critical approach to the literary arts, incorporating literature seminars ...

  17. Fiction Writing Master Degree Program MFA

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