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writing programs nyc

The 17 best writing classes in NYC

Harness your inner Zadie Smith at these stellar writing workshops for every type of writer on every type of budget

Whether you want to write the next murder mystery and hope it gets picked up by Hollywood directors, or  you want to ensure that your work emails and reports are concise, grammatically correct and rhetorically sound , these writing classes in NYC will help you put those ideas onto paper. And hopefully into some of the best independent bookstores and NYC libraries (fingers crossed!). The remarkable literary institutions employ authors-cum-teachers to teach courses in everything from personal essays to poetry, so you’re sure to find a discipline that suits you. And if you need inspiration, re-reading the best books about New York should do the trick. Enjoy.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to classes in NYC RECOMMENDED: The best BYOB painting classes in NYC

This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our   affiliate   guidelines .

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NYC writing classes

Advanced Business Writing

1.  Advanced Business Writing

Once you have your grasp on the essentials of grammar and writing (like knowing what a semicolon actually does), you’ll want to enroll in a more advanced course to ensure every word you write is chosen with precision. In this course, you’ll learn how to analyze your audience, shape your tone and message for persuasion, education or communication and you’ll work on various strategies for planning your writing and ensuring that you are utilizing rhetorical tools and informative structures properly. At the end of the course, you’ll have sample writing projects that you can add to your job portfolio and you will be ready to use your writing as a tool to further your career.

Effective Business Writing

2.  Effective Business Writing

While creatives may want to learn how to write the next great American novel, there are a lot of professional reasons that one might want to improve their writing skills. Virtually every job will require some form of communication between individuals and departments and the ability to write coherent emails, proposals, memos or updates is an important skill if you want to survive in an office environment. Learning the fine art of grammar and the practical skills needed to communicate cleanly will pay dividends in the long-term.

3.  Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks

One of the most inviting aspects of creative writing is how diverse of a field it is once you scratch the surface. Whether you are interested in writing poetry, short-fiction, long-form prose or even creative non-fiction or memoirs, you won’t need to look hard to find a vibrant community of fellow writers. In this introductory creative writing course, you can learn fundamental skills that can be applied to almost any genre of writing and you can get hands-on experience working in fictional and non-fictional styles to acclimate yourself to the variety of different styles of writing that you can learn and practice.

4.  Fiction Writing Level 1: 10 Week Workshop

If you are interested in flexing your creative muscles, you can enroll in an introductory fiction and poetry workshop to start looking for your own personal muse. In this course, students will all about the process of writing fiction and poetry. No one writes a world-changing poem on their first go and this class is about learning the art of revising, editing and expanding on your work in order to take the germ of an idea and turn it into a completed piece that expresses your own creative desires. Whether you are looking to write short form poetry or you want to write a 13-book series in your favorite brand of genre fiction, learning these basic techniques will be a vital boon to your work.

Grammar Essentials

5.  Grammar Essentials

English grammar is incredibly (and often needlessly complicated). Did you know that the reason you aren’t supposed to split infinitives is because someone in the 19th century wanted English to sound more like Latin? Well, if the basics of grammar continue to give you problems, you should consider enrolling in a course like this one. Here, you’ll get practical lessons in the art of writing clean sentences that clearly communicate your intended message and ensure that your writing isn’t giving readers the wrong impressions.

6.  Just Write

One of the biggest stumbling blocks that new writers face is that they overthink the preparation work and skimp on the writing work. Like any skill, you learn to write by practicing and the best way to do that is to write. In this regularly-held three-hour seminar, writers are encouraged to do just that: sit around a table and bang out some words while enduring the silent judgment of their peers (who are also using this as a time they are forced to write). While there is time for discussion, critique (and socializing), the outline of this program is simple: Just write.

Business Writing Bootcamp

7.  Business Writing Bootcamp

If you want a complete business writing education, consider enrolling in a business writing bootcamp. This course pairs the grammar lessons and technical writing skills of an introductory course with the rhetorical and persuasive writing training of an advanced writing course. This makes it a one-stop experience for students with minimal writing experience to start to master the important aspects of business writing. Improve your career opportunities and help improve the quality of your persuasive and informative projects with one of these immersive bootcamps.

Personal Essay Writing Intensive

8.  Personal Essay Writing Intensive

The personal essay has become a rather popular form of writing for mass consumption in recent years, particularly as the barriers to publishing short form content have been lowered (were one truly inclined, social media platforms make it almost effortless). In this class, you’ll learn how to brainstorm ideas and plan out the structure of the personal essay and how to build both pathos and ethos in your experiences and arguments. Similar to memoir writing, personal essay writing is about leveraging your own personal experience as a rhetorical tool and it is practical whether you are trying to persuade an audience, sell yourself to a company or institution or make a profession out of Op-Ed writing.

Stand-up Comedy One Day Intensive

9.  Stand-up Comedy One Day Intensive

Do you want to perform? Want to make people laugh? Want to tour the country? Well, consider learning stand-up comedy. While professional stand-up comedians make it look off-the-cuff, the process of writing a good stand-up routine involves a lot of fine-tuning and revision, particularly as you workshop jokes and tighten the set. In this intensive course, you’ll get a chance to try out some new material, get feedback and start the process of refining your jokes in front of professional comedy writers. Whether you are hoping to punch up a bit or start your first routine, this intrusive course will help you start refining your comedic voice.

The Editor’s Eye Intensive

10.  The Editor’s Eye Intensive

Not all aspects of writing are about being creative. Making sure that your work is properly edited, free of errors and written as tightly as you would prefer is an essential step to getting your work published. This course will help students learn the basics of editing so that they can identify things like improper grammar, incorrect word usage, clunky and awkwards sentences and overly verbose writing. This program also aims to help students develop the professional skills needed to work as an editor (since companies hire professional editors and freelance writers who don’t like editing will pay a pretty penny to have someone else handle it).

Screenwriting I: 10-Week Workshop

11.  Screenwriting I: 10-Week Workshop

If you have an idea that you think would be perfect for the big screen, you should consider enrolling in this immersive screenwriting workshop. Writing a screenplay isn’t like writing other forms of long-form fiction, so you’ll want to get focused training on how to write scripts that are cinematic, compelling and, most importantly, marketable. You’ll learn the art of writing dialogue, stage directions and providing actors and directors with the information they need to bring your vision to life. Whether you are interested in arthouse cinema or want to pen the next famous blockbuster, you’ll benefit from taking this course.

Memoir Writing Intensive

12.  Memoir Writing Intensive

If the personal essay aims to make an argument, then the memoir aims to tell a story. In this course, you’ll learn the art of transforming your personal experience into a compelling narrative that entices readers and helps make a broader point about how your experiences tell us something about the world. Slightly distinct from creative non-fiction, memoir writing is possibly the most personal style of writing that you can engage in. While memoirs have traditionally been associated with powerful heads of state and significant thinkers, the genre has become more welcoming to the perspective of the everyday, and in  this course, you’ll learn how your own lived experiences can become the thing of memoir greatness.

Songwriting Intensive

13.  Songwriting Intensive

Acclaimed songwriter Taylor Swift was recently named Time Magazine ’s Person of the Year, suggesting that writing music can have globe altering implications. If you want to learn the basics of professional songwriting and emulate your favorite music icon, consider enrolling in this songwriting course. This course will teach students how to write popular music, how to craft a perfect tune to go along with the lyrics and how to market the music to studios, producers and labels. This course covers a range of different genres, so whether you want to write R&B, pop, rockabilly, hip-hop or smooth jazz, this course will help you develop your skills and start writing the next great earworm.

Playwriting Intensive

14.  Playwriting Intensive

Live theater is one of the oldest forms of creative writing, dating back, at least to the early Grecians (and likely existed in some form even before the development of systematized writing). If you want to flex your inner Shakespeare, Beckett or Tennesse Williams, consider enrolling in this intensive playwriting course. You’ll learn how to transform the empty stage into a real world and you’ll learn how to write your plays to give the actors the tools they need to deliver the best performances possible. Writing for the stage is its own unique challenge and this course will give you the experience you need to start staging your own masterwork. Plus, for any aspiring Hammersteins, the course can also help you begin to write musicals.

Plot 1: Mechanics 3-week Intensive

15.  Plot 1: Mechanics 3-week Intensive

Hollywood screenplays, like all narrative, rely on structure to scaffold the story and build audience investment. Whether you are working with the traditional three-act structure most common to feature films, the five-act structures of classic stage plays or the one or two act structures common to modernist works, you’ll want to understand why narratives are structured in certain ways and how to use these structures to your advantage when writing a screenplay. This course will teach students the math that goes into writing a structured screenplay and give them hands-on practice scaffolding their story beats.

16.  Social Media Content Marketing: Blogs & Twitter at Noble Desktop

A lot of professional writing for mass audiences is now done online, with blogs and Twitter being important places to communicate and persuade your audience (like this article is doing now and in this class you’ll learn whether or not meta commentary like this helps your content marketing). In this class, you’ll get hands-on experience working with professional content writers to help you set goals, build marketing strategies and create a voice for your company or organization. You will also learn how to create a coherent brand identity for your online content and how to use platforms like Twitter to expand your reach, build a customer base and keep that base engaged with your content.

17.  Character Creation

Characters can really make or break a story. This Character creation class is a compact workshop for character creating and development, to help give you the skills to make your story work. The workshop will focus on areas like principles of characterization, consistency and effects of dialogue, plus more to help with your character-building and storytelling. It's a two-hour session with a teacher, working anywhere that suits you both and 1-2-1 to ensure you have thorough guidance and help. 

Looking for literary inspiration?

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Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts

The Master in Creative Writing, (MFA)  is a 42 credit program, which prepares students to be professionals in dissecting contemporary, modern, and classic literature as well construct literature pieces of their own.

Our students are published in literary journals and by publishers. Students often explore jobs in teaching from middle school to graduate level.

The MFA in Creative Writing offers students a chance to improve their stories, poems, scripts and non-fiction writing.  The ideal students are those passionate about improving their creative writing skills and would like to explore becoming a writer.

Additional Requirements:

Program Director:  Michelle Valladares [email protected]  

Last Updated: 02/01/2024 16:41

The Writers Studio

The Original School of Creative Writing and Thinking, est. 1987

The Writers Studio New York

IN-PERSON CLASSES

NYC Level 1, 2, and Advanced Poetry classes will be held in person at the Village Community School at 272 West 10th Street in the West Village. Proof of vaccination and masks are required to attend in-person classes.

VIRTUAL CLASSES

For those NYC Level 1 students who prefer a virtual class, there will be a Thursday class held via Google Meet. NYC Level 3/4 and NYC Memoir classes will continue to meet at their scheduled times via Google Meet.

Any NYC classes that meet remotely are open to students from outside of the New York City area.

The Writers Studio, founded in 1987 by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Philip Schultz, offers ongoing writing workshops — both on site and online — designed to help students discover and nurture their own voices. We welcome students at all stages, from those who have only dreamed of writing fiction or poetry to those with MFAs hungry for additional serious, ongoing instruction. Students provide the desire to write and the willingness to learn, and we provide the structure, the technical know-how, the professional feedback and the friendly community to enable them to reach their full potential.

Our in-person New York City classes take place in an informal classroom setting in lower Manhattan. We understand how vulnerable students can feel sharing their words with a room full of strangers, so we take care to make everyone feel at home. In just a couple of weeks, a remarkable degree of solidarity and trust tend to develop in each workshop.

In Level 1, the emphasis is on building a solid foundation in craft as students do exercises designed to introduce them to a wide array of new narrative approaches. We also teach students to give constructive, supportive feedback. We work to assure that critiques build on each other, so that students never leave the class with a head full of conflicting reactions and suggestions. As students move up through the levels, the basic structure of the workshops remains the same, but the level of sophistication grows across the board. Assignments become more challenging to meet the increasing skill and understanding of the students. In the upper levels students are generally working on longer pieces, but they continue to do exercises, always honing their skills and deepening their understanding.

All students new to The Writers Studio in New York City start at Level 1. Since we approach teaching with our own method and vocabulary, even experienced writers with publications and/or MFAs will find plenty that is new and challenging in Level 1.

We also encourage our New York City students to take advantage of our other local events: the Craft Class and our ongoing reading series. Each year we showcase the work of favorite literary journals, new and established published authors, and the work of our own students and teachers. Students invite their families and friends to these events, which helps us introduce The Writers Studio to the larger community.

For more information, please call us at (212) 255-7075 or visit us on Facebook .

Available NYC Courses

The writers studio, online and local communities.

New to The Writers Studio? Start here .

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Hudson river towns, craft class, tutorial program, all memoir courses.

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  • Master's in Professional Writing Online

Female student writing at desk

Master's (MS) in Professional Writing Online

100% online study option.

Fully online and 36 credits, the MS in Professional Writing pairs the convenience of learning from any location with the quality of an NYU graduate degree. Real-world assignments in core and elective courses allow you to build a comprehensive, digital writing portfolio before you graduate. MS in Professional Writing students develop their creative abilities with a focus on dynamic careers across a range of industries and evolving fields. Our curriculum encourages students to leverage new technologies while they confidently craft content that has measurable impact.

You are the future of writing. We are your people.

It’s almost impossible to explain the odd, wonderful, frustrating compulsion that drives the creative writing impulse. If you are a pocket-journal scribbler, a life-long learner, or a lover of words (of arranging them, deleting them, and sometimes even inventing them), the MS in Professional Writing is the gold-standard to level up or pivot into a passion-fueled career. 

Our flexible, online MS in Professional Writing prepares the next generation of writers for a broad spectrum of senior-level  writing careers , preparing students with irreplaceable expertise in a world of A.I. innovations. 

Develop the skills for innovative full-time and freelance writing careers in technical writing/UX writing, science writing, business communications, writing for digital media/content creation, medical writing, financial writing, grant writing and more.

Degree Advantages

Anyone can learn writing skills, but not everyone is born with the drive and instinct to tell stories. We go beyond typical writing instruction to elevate your writing practice and natural storytelling abilities.

  • Be the human voice: In a world of AI-generated content language, learn to champion humanity in your work.
  • Precision in every word: Craft messages, strip away jargon, break down complexity, and let your message shine.
  • Radically empathetic writing: Step into your audience's shoes, immerse yourself in their world, and track how well your messages resonate with them.
  • Weave integrity into your words: Use your talents ethically and respect your audiences with a commitment to honest and accurate content.
  • Be a chameleon of communication: Shape-shift your style for the canvas at hand. Develop an unstoppable command of unique tones, styles, and voices for traditional and digital spaces.
  • Proofreading finesse: Edit, refine, revise, and polish prose to create content that wins hearts and minds.

Program At-A-Glance

  • Flexible, fully online
  • Complete in 3 semesters (full-time) or 6 semesters (part-time)
  • Core curriculum : Foundational courses give you the safety and confidence that comes with a firm command of the basics, allowing you to dive deeper into your writing and editing practice.
  • Electives: Elective courses provide an extensive and nuanced understanding of your industry specific styles, supporting your personal, professional writing goals.
  • Internship or Directed Study: Earn course credit for real-world experiences with professional internships or a mock-freelance-directed study.
  • Thesis and Digital Portfolio: Your hard work culminates in your final semester with an original thesis project and an individual digital writing portfolio, showcasing your unstoppable work.

VIEW FULL CURRICULUM AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS>

Quick links:, explore graduate opportunities at nyu sps.

Join an upcoming online session to learn more about our graduate degree programs including the MS in Professional Writing. As an attendee of an Explore Graduate Opportunities at NYU SPS session, you will meet members of our team and have the opportunity to ask questions about the program and application process.

6:00 PM until 7:30 PM EST  

6:00 PM until 7:30 PM EDT  

Application Deadlines

Want to start in the Fall, Spring, or Summer? Make sure your application is complete and submit before the deadlines below:

Fall: July 1  Spring: January 5 Summer: March 1

What is the application process?

  • This isn’t required but is a great way to get more information on the program and application process. We’ll also waive the $150 application fee when you attend an Information Session.
  • Complete the online application
  • Request one reference letter
  • Upload your college/university transcripts
  • Upload your resume
  • Upload your personal statement (500 words)
  • Pay $150 application fee (waived when you attend an Information Session!)
  • Upload a writing portfolio with samples of your work (submit 10-15 pages of writing that you are proud of)

For additional application details, visit the NYU SPS Admissions page or contact the team at 212-998-7100 or  [email protected] .

Flexible Courses

Our master’s degree in professional writing offers a weekly guided structure that keeps you on track with optional opportunities to engage live, around your schedule. In each of our tech-forward and small-sized online writing classes , you get the most from our flexible workshop-model curriculum.  Guided by industry-expert faculty members, you will work through assignments that target corporate, academic, and real-world audiences to build your professional-quality writing portfolio.

Career-Focused Curriculum

It’s an exciting time for professional writers! Over the next 10 years, career opportunities for professional writers are projected to grow at a faster rate than average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Our core courses equip you with powerhouse writing skills while our electives prepare you to be a fiercely competitive applicant for specific industries like:

  • Environment
  • Public Relations
  • Corporate Communications
  • Advertising
  • Grants and Fundraising

Writing Community

Mirroring the increasingly digital, global, and collaborative work environment of today’s professional world, the MS in Professional Writing brings faculty members, students, and guest lecturers together as part of an interactive, online educational community. Learn, write, edit, and revise writing projects with a cohort of classmates from NYC, across the country, and around the world.

Students join our program from all academic, professional, creative writing, and technical backgrounds. So whether you are hoping to graduate into senior writing positions, to feel confident about your writing skills, to advance your current career, or to pivot into a new professional path that feeds your passion, our professors support and mentor you towards your personal and professional goals.

Connect With Us

Your request has been submitted, department highlights, joining the mspw teaching team: introducing simon mullin, scribe at spirit week: the translated and queer/banned book expo, joining the mspw teaching team: introducing patrick gray, 2023 website prototype projects by ms in professional writing students, networking with confidence: janel abrahami tells how, ai in the professions: professional writing, translation, and the new face of content creation, mspw student spotlight: vivian udeh’s ux writer internship at google, nyu sps club owls wins community engagement prize, 2022 nyu mspw convocation award recipients, mspw student spotlight: brandi addison, mspw announces documenting global pandemic experiences project, dr. kristine rodriguez kerr, academic director of the ms in professional writing, speaks at the 2019 words without borders gala, professional writer at work: interview with megan diamondstein, acting deputy director of marketing and communications & digital director for the center for reproductive rights, mspw & msti academic directors awarded faculty innovation and antiracism microgrant, nyu sps academic director and associate professor kristine rodriguez kerr is named an upcea diversity in leadership scholar, katherine newhouse, edd, receives nyusps 2021 teaching excellence award, frequently asked questions, what is professional writing.

Professional writers are employed in many job titles and professional writing is everywhere! Just consider how much writing you see all day long. Depending on the context, professional writing can be clear and concise or creative and expansive. It can be organized for quick access or meandering for maximum storytelling impact. From brand voice to SEO keywords, professional writers are hard at work shaping messages, persuading audiences, and measuring impact.

From the marketing email in your inbox, to the political policy being read on TV, to the brand experience campaign in Times Square, to the website you're reading right now: all of that is professional writing.

Ranging from creative writing to technical writing, professional writers are paid for travel writing, blogging, documenting research, writing pamphlets, developing white papers, producing public relations strategies, sellings products with ad copy, creating annual reports, working on communication plans, and cracking jokes on social media.

In full-time writing positions, part-time jobs, and freelance writing careers, professional writers produce strategic copy for companies and clients in ways that leverage new and emerging technologies to reach target audiences.

What is an MS in writing?

An MS in Writing is a Master of Science degree in Writing. Earning this degree prepares graduates with advanced education and training in writing, style, and rhetoric with in-depth explorations of emerging communication practices, document design, and the principles of effective communication. We pride ourselves on a curriculum that has real-world relevance and prepares confident writers with the skills to craft strategic, ethical copy for companies and clients across industries.

Who should apply for the MS in Professional Writing?

Turn your passion for writing into a lucrative career. A masters in professional writing is a springboard to a myriad of flexible career opportunities. Our workshop-model curriculum is an exciting fit for English majors, journalists, liberal arts majors, creative writers, educators; those working in technology, medicine, and the sciences; as well as individuals in the fields of digital media and advertising or business communications.

If you love writing and want to build a career with your words; if you are ready for communication leadership roles; or if you are looking to pivot full-time to a passion project/industry you care about, we look forward to reviewing your application.

You can also use your time in the program to try a range of industries and writing roles before launching a career that matches your writing strengths and interests.

Is a professional writing degree worth it?

For those looking to make a career in writing, higher education is a wise investment to unlock new career paths and secure better job opportunities. As technology advances to produce lazy, canned copy in seconds, the world recognizes the value of better writers with a mastery of different styles now more than ever. While many feared AI-generated content would cannibalize writing jobs, employment opportunities are projected to increase over the next 10 years for talented and creative writers with technical skills and proven abilities. However, now that generative language can do the job of a junior role in seconds, the labor market will likely require writers to come in with a powerful human voice and unique command of language. Our faculty know this and our curriculum is geared for these shifts. Our classes help students leverage new technologies while they hone advanced storytelling techniques, precise editing skills, and critical communication practices. Words have power and professional writers have impact.

What industries hire professional writers?

Almost all industries have a need for writers. Our master’s degree prepares graduates for active and engaging  professional writing careers in sectors that include: technical writing, government, technology, education, financial, grant writing, nonprofit/fundraising, marketing copywriting, medical/healthcare/wellness, science/environment/energy, and corporate communications.

What kind of jobs do people with a master's in professional writing apply for?

The alumni from the MS in Professional Writing program at NYU SPS have moved into the following job titles:

  • Technical Editor/Technical Writer
  • Senior Director of Institutional Partnerships
  • Content Designer/UX Writer
  • Senior Medical Editor/Writer
  • VP, Marketing & Communications
  • Head Writer, In-house Marketing
  • Head of Content 
  • Assistant Director of Communications & Engagement
  • Freelance Writer/Editor
  • Marketing Copywriter

Why do I need a graduate degree in Professional Writing?

Earning an MS in Professional Writing from NYU will move you forward in your professional writing career—at any stage. Our coursework will help you improve your craft as a writer and you will graduate with a professional-quality writing portfolio and access to a network of professional peers. For those looking to make a career in writing, higher education is a wise investment to unlock new career paths and secure better job opportunities. Find out why in the “Is a professional writing degree worth it?” question above.

Does every student graduate with a writing portfolio?

Yes! Every MS in Professional Writing student curates their most exciting writing projects into an engaging, digital, professional-quality portfolio in their final semester to showcase their expert writing skills. Every class has multiple real-world assignments that could be included in a digital writing portfolio.

How long does it take to earn an MS in Professional Writing?

The MS in Professional Writing is a 36 credit degree program. If you choose to study full-time, you can complete your degree in as little as 3 semesters. Most part-time students complete the MS in Professional Writing degree in 6 semesters.

Is Financial Aid available for the MS in Professional Writing?

Yes! We encourage our applicants to  explore the financial aid and resources available to them. This includes a unique  scholarship opportunity for first-semester MS in Professional Writing students.

What’s unique about the MS in Professional Writing program at NYU School of Professional Studies?

Our students! With each class you take, you will build connections and cultivate an online writing community that will grow into your professional network. Students join the MS in Professional Writing program with a variety of interests, experiences, and individual goals. They know that their writing can foster understanding, communicate important messages, and create change in the world. And they have fun along the way.

A few other things that make our MS in Professional Writing unique:

  • High-touch, innovative workshop curriculum designed to match the flexible scheduling and tech-forward working life of professional writers. Learn more about the  online courses available in the MS in Professional Writing.
  • Specialized electives for industry exploration allow students to explore a range of interests and different styles of writing in their coursework. If students know what industry they're interested in, they can cluster their electives in that area to do a deep dive. 
  • Industry-experienced faculty members who are leaders in their professions and care deeply about impacting the next generation of writers in their fields. Faculty and industry leaders work together to continuously update our courses, preparing you with the latest communication skills and technical writing abilities needed to be a trailblazer in your work.
  • Technology-infused and career-focused curriculum combines traditional writing development and communication theories with emerging writing practices and platforms. While in the program, students explore media making and AI content generating tools, developing their ability to think strategically and lead communication projects confidently as they hone their writing craft.

We partner with the  NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development at NYU SPS to provide career coaching and connection to a global network of peers and professionals.

What are the benefits of our online Master's degree in Professional Writing?

  • Advance your skills to unlock new and exciting job opportunities for writers
  • Pursue your individualized career goals
  • Leverage the 600,000+ member NYU alumni network
  • Expand your writing skills, styles, and portfolio range
  • Transform creative writing skills and personal interests into lucrative career options
  • Learn to use technology and AI content generating tools to speed and support your writing practice

What will you learn in the online Master's degree in Professional Writing?

You will learn the elevated skills to graduate into senior-level writing positions in a variety of industries. Our core courses equip you with a firm writing foundation, while our electives sharpen your skills to be fiercely competitive in the job market as an in-house full-timer or a powerhouse freelancer.

Is it OK to get an online Master's degree?

In today's dynamic educational landscape, advancing your knowledge has evolved beyond the confines of traditional classroom settings. Online learning provides unparalleled flexibility, increases access, and enables diverse communities of writers from across the globe to collaborate and learn together. Experienced faculty members leverage interactive forums and the latest technology to engage the classroom. Learning in the digital space also gives students essential technical skills vital to modern writing jobs. From navigating version control across remote teams to mastering online research techniques, students in online programs develop proficiencies that are directly applicable to the ever-evolving landscape of writing and communications.

Accredited online programs maintain the same curricular rigor and employ the latest innovative technology to instruct, inspire, connect, and prepare students for the professional world. Today, many higher education institutions leverage online degrees to meet increasing demand for flexible learning options.

What master's degree do you need to be a writer?

There are lots of programs for aspiring writers. The best option for you depends on your career goals.

The best writing degree for someone who wants to work in a professional setting (marketing, public relations, medical writing, corporate communications, research, policy, technical writing) is a master's in professional writing.

Should I get a master's degree in writing?

Pursuing a master's program in writing can be a smart strategy to future-proof your career and take advantage of a growing demand for expert writers. While AI-generative technology may encroach on junior-level writing positions, the career outlook for skilled writers is strong. Master’s degree graduates will be equipped with the portfolio-proven skills to be fiercely competitive in a growing labor market for experts in writing, editing, content strategy, and communications. The most successful employers know that investing in powerhouse writing skills is essential for success. Businesses depend on professional writers to create change-making policy documents, engaging social media posts, stand-out website copy, persuasive grant writing, influential annual reports, and the list goes on and on. Our workshop-model curriculum is designed to help writers hone their skills and develop nuanced understandings of specific industries.

Take the next step

Learn more about your program of interest and apply.

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23 Best Creative Writing Classes in New York

Showing writing courses curated by Reedsy.

  • Copywriting
  • Playwriting
  • Science Fiction
  • Short Story
  • Kansas City
  • Los Angeles
  • Minneapolis
  • Philadelphia
  • San Francisco

This directory of creative writing courses will help you find the right class for you. Simply filter by genre, price, and location to find the writing class that best fits your needs.

Best of luck! If you run a writing course and would like to get in touch with us about your class, contact us here .

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Tucson Workshop (Mahaffey) - Spring 2024

The Writers Studio

The Writers Studio Tucson Workshop is open to both beginning and experienced writers eager to learn the elements of craft, including first- and third-person narrators, tone and mood. An important goal of the workshop is to help writers understand that a narrative voice is born out of conscious creation.

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

Location: New York

Categories: Fiction, Poetry

Class size: Limited

Price: $345.00

Start date: April, 2024

Website: https://courses.writerstudio.com/courses/tucson-workshop-...

Playwriting Workshop Class

The Acting Studio

This class is an exploration of playwriting and its basic fundamentals. Our work is read aloud as a group, followed by discussion, and inspiring new writing of each other. The core focus of the class is on developing your voice as a writer.

Categories: Playwriting

Price: $240.00

Start date: Open all year round

Website: https://www.actingstudio.com/acting-classes/playwrights/b...

Explode, Careen, Compress: Approaching the Poetic Line

Brooklyn Poets

For five weeks, we'll discuss the ways in which poets use the line to different effect. We'll read (and write) poems that deal in compression, poems that suspend time and air, poems that seem to careen off the page, and poems that defy all the poetic "rules" of the line.

Prerequisites: A writing sample of 5 pages of poems is required.

Categories: Poetry

Level: Advanced

Class size: 10

Price: $395.00

Website: https://brooklynpoets.org/workshops/all/writing-desire/

writing programs nyc

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Advanced Business Writing

Career Centers

This course teaches how to craft complex business documents, focusing on outlining, formatting, and using informative and persuasive techniques. It covers everything from determining the document's purpose and audience to planning and execution. Prior business writing proficiency is required, and the course is beneficial for those looking to enhance their professional writing skills​​​​​​.

Prerequisites: Business writing proficiency equivalent to our Effective Business Writing course is required.

Categories: Business

Class size: Unlimited

Price: $325.00

Start date: March, 2024

Website: https://training-nyc.com/courses/advanced-business-writin...

Sports Storytelling

The School of The New York Times

This course delves into journalistic techniques to tell compelling sports stories. It includes writing exercises, class discussions, guest speakers, site visits, and attending sporting events. Students learn basic reporting and storytelling skills, focusing on news judgment, researching, and writing articles. The course also features visits to iconic sports locations in New York and lectures from renowned sports journalists​​​​​​.

Prerequisites: Open to rising 10-12 students.

Categories: Sports

Level: Beginner

Price: $5,975.00

Website: https://nytedu.com/courses/pre-college/sports-storytelling/

15-Week Screenwriting Workshop

New York Film Academy

NYFA’s Screenwriting School provides a range of programs for aspiring screenwriters, including degree programs (AFA, BFA, MFA) and workshops. Courses cover various media, like TV, web series, films, comic books, and playwriting. Students gain practical skills and develop a portfolio, with options for both in-person and online learning. Short-term workshops focus on specific skills like comedy writing, TV writing, and feature screenwriting​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​.

Categories: Screenplay

Price: $3,771.00

Website: https://www.nyfa.edu/screenwriting-school/

Technical Writing Course

Learning Tree International

This course is tailored for individuals seeking to improve their technical writing skills, particularly in technical communication. It covers techniques for planning, writing, and editing technical documents, focusing on audience assessment, document format selection, and effective use of visuals and graphics. The course aims to equip participants with the ability to convey complex subject matter clearly and create informative content for their readers.

Categories: Technical

Price: $2,990.00

Website: https://www.learningtree.com/courses/technical-writing-co...

Upright Citizens Brigade

UCB's Improv 101 course offers an introduction to the fundamentals of improv and comedy. It's ideal for those seeking to enhance their performance skills, public speaking, or just have fun. The course includes eight 3-hour sessions, a class show, and free access to UCB shows​​​​​​​​​​.

Categories: Comedy

Price: $500.00

Website: https://ucbcomedy.com/courses/?eventtemplate=42-improv-10...

Travel Writing

Gotham Writers

Ideal for beginners, this 10-week workshop delves into travel writing. Participants will engage in lectures, exercises, and student project critiques, gaining a solid foundation in the essential skills and techniques for effective travel writing.

Categories: Travel

Class size: 16

Price: $419.00

Website: https://wp.writingclasses.com/courses/travel-writing/

Science Fiction & Fantasy Writing I

Tailored for aspiring writers of science fiction and fantasy, this 10-week workshop covers the basics of the genre. It includes lectures, exercises, and critiques, making it a great starting point for beginners or a refresher for those already familiar with the basics.

Categories: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Website: https://wp.writingclasses.com/courses/science-fiction-fan...

Playwriting I

A 10-week introductory course in playwriting, suitable for beginners. The workshop includes a series of lectures, practical writing exercises, and critiques of student projects, focusing on the fundamental techniques of playwriting.

Website: https://wp.writingclasses.com/courses/playwriting-i/

Memoir Writing I

This 10-week workshop is designed for beginners or those seeking to revisit the basics of memoir writing. It offers a blend of lectures, exercises, and student project critiques, providing a comprehensive introduction to memoir writing.

Categories: Memoir, Nonfiction

Class size: 12

Website: https://wp.writingclasses.com/courses/memoir-writing-i/

So you’re looking for creative writing classes in New York

New York is a literary town. From the lauded Nobel Prize winners to the titanic authors that have emerged from New York City, there’s no denying its storied (pun intended) literary history, or the towering role that this city that never sleeps has played in shaping the landscape of our imagination. So there may be no better way to learn the craft of writing than by taking a creative writing class in New York.

This directory of the best writing courses in New York is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

  • Who is the instructor?
  • What is the price of the writing course?
  • How far away is the writing course in New York? Is there a remote alternative?
  • How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in New York for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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Brooklyn College

Creative Writing, M.F.A

School of humanities and social sciences, program overview.

This small, highly personal two-year program confers Master of Fine Arts degrees in fiction, playwriting, and poetry. It offers single-discipline and inter-genre workshops, literature seminars, small-group reading tutorials, and one-on-one tutorials, all of which emphasize relationships between students and eminent faculty. Additionally, students have the opportunity to work on our literary journal, The Brooklyn Review , and give public readings and performances in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The program offers fellowships and prizes. Students may also teach undergraduate courses for the English Department.

Creative Writing, M.F.A

Where You'll Go

Our graduates have had their work published widely and have won competitions sponsored by the Iowa Review , the Colorado Review , the Mississippi Review , and Zoetrope, among many others. They have had books published, received major prizes, founded presses and literary journals, and been included in numerous anthologies, including The Best New Young Poets , Best American Short Stories , Best American Nonrequired Reading , O. Henry , and Pushcart . Our playwrights have won Obie Awards, Guggenheim Fellowships, and the Pulitzer Prize; started theater companies; and had their plays produced in the United States and abroad.

Program Details

The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2023-2024 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here .

Program Description

Our small, highly personal two-year program confers a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing in fiction, poetry, or playwriting. The program offers single-discipline and inter-genre workshops, literature seminars, small-group reading tutorials, and one-on-one tutorials, which all emphasize relationships between eminent faculty members and students. Additionally, students have the opportunity to work on The Brooklyn Review and give public readings/performances in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The program offers some fellowships as well as prizes and a winter writing residency at the Espy Foundation in Oysterville, Washington. Students may also teach undergraduate courses for the English Department.

Our graduates have had their work published widely and have won competitions sponsored by the Iowa Review, the Colorado Review, the Mississippi Review , and Zoetrope. They have been included in The Best New Young Poets anthology and The Best American Short Stories . Our playwrights have won Obies, started theater companies, and had their plays produced here and abroad.

Matriculation Requirements

Fiction and Poetry: Applicants must offer at least 12 credits in advanced courses in English. Thirty pages of original fiction or 20 pages of original poetry must be submitted for evaluation.

Playwriting: Applicants must offer at least 12 credits in advanced courses in English or theater. One original full-length play or two or more original one-act plays must be submitted for evaluation.

Applicants who do not meet course requirements but whose manuscripts show unusual talent are considered for admission. Manuscripts should be submitted directly to the deputy chair in the English Department at the time of application. Applications are not considered for spring semester admission.

Foreign applicants for whom English is a second language are required to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 650 on the paper-based test or 280 on the computer-based test or 114 on the internet-based test before being considered for admission.

General matriculation and admission requirements of Graduate Studies are in the chapter “Admission.”

Program Requirements (36 Credits)

Thirty-six credits are required for the degree: 24 credits in the respective creative writing specialization, plus 12 credits in literature courses.

Students may substitute for no more than two such courses any two 7000-level courses from the departments of Art; History; Modern Languages and Literatures; Philosophy; Speech; Television, Radio and Emerging Media; or Theater, or the Conservatory of Music, or another department with the approval of the deputy chair for graduate studies (these courses may also be taken through e-permits at other CUNY branches, including the Graduate Center, or through individual or small group tutorials). Students may substitute one writing workshop or tutorial outside of their major writing specialization for one literature course.

Permission to register for any of these substitute courses may be required from the graduate deputy chair of the appropriate department.

A substantial manuscript must be submitted and filed according to instructions available from the deputy chairperson. Students specializing in fiction or poetry must submit original creative writing, in publishable form, such as a novel or collection of stories or poems. Students specializing in playwriting must submit a full-length play or a number of one-act plays, in producible form, that would constitute a theatrical production. In cooperation with the Theater Department, efforts are made to produce the student’s major work.

Students choose a specialization in one of the following:

Playwriting

Recommendations.

Students are urged to take one workshop, one tutorial, and one literature course each semester in order to complete the program in four semesters. A reading knowledge of a foreign language is strongly recommended.

Student Learning Outcomes

Department goal 1: read and think critically..

Program Objective 1: Learn to read literature with a focus on the ways in which form serves content.

Program Objective 2: Use close reading effectively to identify literary techniques, styles, and themes.

Program Objective 3: Learn to read and comment constructively and critically on the creative writing of peers in the workshop context.

Department Goal 2: Understand how language operates.

Program Objective 1: Demonstrate knowledge of literary tropes and techniques (for example: metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche, word play, and sonic effects such as alliteration, assonance, consonance, and rhythm, etc.)

Department Goal 3: Express ideas–both orally and in writing–correctly, cogently, persuasively, and in conformity with the conventions of the discipline.

Program Objective 1: Create original examples of creative writing that demonstrate complexity through attention to rhetoric, syntax and tone.

Program Objective 2: Comment and write cogently and persuasively about classmates’ writing in the workshop context.

Program Objective 3: Demonstrate the ability to respond to constructive criticism from instructor and peers by effectively revising writing assignments.

Program Objective 4: Demonstrate the ability to use the currently accepted conventions of standard English mechanics and grammar, with an eye toward how those standards can be stretched in order to achieve innovative modes of expression.

Department Goal 4: Conduct research.

Program Objective 1: Learn how to research and seek out historical and contemporary literary voices relevant to their individual voice.

Program Objective 2: Make use of the opportunities that Brooklyn College and New York City afford by attending readings, plays, literary panel discussions, and submitting to literary magazines.

Outcomes for demonstrating achievement of objectives

Written work (including poems/stories/plays, in-class writing exercises, short written reflections on literary techniques used by published writers, workshop responses for peers, revised writing samples, etc.)

Contributions to class discussions and workshops

Attendance at readings, panels, performances or a related research project (such as researching literary magazines/submitting one’s work); documented via written summary of the activity handed into instructor

Admissions Requirements

  • Fall Application Deadline—January 15
  • Spring Application Deadline—The program does not accept applications for spring

Supporting Documents for Matriculation

Submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Applicants who earned a bachelor’s degree outside the United States need to submit a Course by Course International Transcript Evaluation. See Graduate Admissions for more information.
  • Two letters of recommendation.
  •  A manuscript of original work in your intended genre (for fiction, about 30 pages; for poetry, about 20 pages; for playwriting, one full-length play, or two or more one-act plays).
  • A personal statement (one–two pages).

Required Tests

  • F-1 or J-1 international students must submit English Proficiency Exam. TOEFL- 79, IELTS- 6.5, PTE- 58-63, Duolingo 105-160.

Refer to the instructions at Graduate Admissions .

Geoffrey Minter

[email protected] 718.951.5000 x3651 3149 Boylan Hall

Or contact:

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 West Quad Center 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210 P: 718.951.4536 E:  [email protected]

Office Hours

Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:

BC Admissions Appointment Tool

Specializations

English  7910X  to be taken in the first semester. English  7912X  to be taken four times, but not more than once in any semester; English  7911X  once in the second semester; English  7913X  to be taken two times in the second year, but not more than once in any semester.

Joshua Henkin, Coordinator

The M.F.A. fiction specialization at Brooklyn College is a two-year course that maintains an enrollment of 30 students. While every member of the ongoing and visiting faculty works according to their methods, we are united in our conviction that newer writers need a balance of encouragement and serious, thoroughly considered feedback.

The curriculum is designed sequentially. Students take a workshop every semester. The specialization typically offers two traditional short fiction workshops and one novel-writing workshop in the fall and three short fiction  workshops in the spring. The novel-writing workshop is meant to address the particular needs of students who are writing novels and who would prefer to receive input on longer sections than a traditional workshop allows.

First-year students take a craft course in the short story in the fall and a reading seminar in the spring. The reading seminars, led by faculty members, discuss classic and contemporary literature from a writer’s point of view. If a traditional literature course is devoted, for instance, to understanding why Faulkner and García Márquez are considered great writers, the reading seminars are more concerned with how writers like Faulkner and García Márquez achieved their effects.

Second-year students take, along with their workshops, a one-on-one revisions/thesis tutorial in the fall and in the spring. The first is devoted to helping students with work that has already been discussed in their workshops, the second to helping them look over what they’ve done during their time at Brooklyn College, toward the completion of their theses. Both represent the specialization’s desire to give each student individual attention outside of the workshops.

We who teach in the fiction-writing specialization do so in part because we want not only to be useful to younger writers but to know them. We care about each student we admit. We are trying, to the best of our abilities, to maintain the M.F.A. program we wish had been available to us.

Over the course of the last decade, our graduates have published more than 50 books, including Helen Phillips’s The Need  (Longlisted for the National Book Award); R.O. Kwon’s  The Incendaries  (National Bestseller and finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award for Best First Book and finalist for the  Los Angeles Times  Best First Book Prize); Garrard Conley’s  Boy Erased  ( New York Times  Bestseller; adapted for film starring Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, and Lucas Hedges); Jai Chakrabarti’s  A Play for the End of the World  (Longlisted for the PEN Faulkner Award, winner of the National Jewish Book Award); Thomas Grattan’s  The Recent East (Longlisted for the PEN Hemingway Award) and Robert Jones Jr.’s  The Prophets  (National Book Award Finalist and  New   York Times Bestseller).

English  7932X  to be taken four times, but not more than once in any semester; English  7933X  to be taken four times, but not more than once in any semester.

The playwriting specialization at Brooklyn College was started over 30 years ago by Jack Gelber, one of America’s most important experimental writers. Mac Wellman and Erin Courtney continued that tradition for a 20 year period, while seeking to embrace the widest definition of that concept. Now, Dennis A. Allen II and Sibyl Kempson are serving as interim leaders of this innovative course of study.

The playwriting specialization is dedicated to the proposition that writing for the theater is not a business of finished thought and dead rules. Rather, we endeavor to pursue kinds of writing that involve an ongoing conversation with theater of the past and (hopefully) the future. To this end, we encourage our M.F.A. playwrights to become students of the theater in every sense: to follow the current scene as well as study the classics from as many traditions as possible; to study the techniques of making theater as well as theory; and lastly, to become as well-read as possible in all the written arts, with special emphasis on what is most contemporary, most challenging, most alive. It is our conviction that each generation must reinvent a theater appropriate to the time; a theater the time deserves; a theater that refuses to settle for the merely tendentious, and the dreary dead hand of the already known.

We are looking for aspiring writers who follow the theater because they love theater and all that pertains to theatricality. Theatricality diversely considered, rotated in four-dimensional space. We are looking for writers unwilling to settle for less. We believe the gathering of diverse people, ideas, and cultures strengthens both our insights into the work we present on stage and our relationships with each other.

Talk to a Playwright

If you have questions you would like to ask students in the specialization, feel free to contact the following:

  • Frank Boudreaux
  • Leslie Gauthier

English  7922X  to be taken four times, but not more than once in any semester; English  7923X  to be taken four times, but not more than once in any semester.

Julie Agoos, Coordinator

Since its inception, the Brooklyn College Master of Fine Arts specialization in poetry has balanced a firm grounding in the history and tradition of the craft with cutting-edge experimental writing. Moderately priced and highly selective, this two-year specialization offers intensive workshops (limited to 10 students), private tutorials, and courses in the history and craft of the genre.

Attracting a diverse student body from all across the country, it has graduated such writers as John Yau, Sapphire, Paul Beatty, David Trinidad, Star Black, Karen Kelley, Tom Devaney, and Anselm Berrigan. Brooklyn’s “experimental tradition” is best exemplified by the late-modernist masters John Ashbery and Allen Ginsberg, both of whom taught in the specialization. Other teachers have included Mark Strand, William Matthews, Ann Lauterbach, Douglas Crase, David Shapiro, C. K. Williams, Susan Fromberg Schaeffer, Joan Larkin, and, more recently, Ron Padgett Joshua Clover, Marjorie Welish, and LaTasha N. Diggs.

At present, the permanent staff includes Julie Agoos, author of  Echo Systems  (2015),  Property  (2008),  Calendar Year  (1996), and  Above the Land  (1987), for which she won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award; Ben Lerner, author of  The Lichtenberg Figures  (winner of the Hayden Carruth Award from Copper Canyon Press, a Lannan Literary Selection, and one of 2004’s best books of poetry, according to  Library Journal ),  Angle of Yaw  (Copper Canyon, 2006, and a finalist for the National Book Award and the Northern California Book Award), and  Mean Free Path  (Copper Canyon, 2010); and Mónica de la Torre, author of  Repetition Nineteen  (Nightboat, 2020),  The Happy End/All Welcome (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2017),  Public Domain (Roof Books, 2009), and  Talk Shows  (Switchback Books, 2006).

Recent alumni of the M.F.A. poetry specialization have received such major recognitions as selection for The National Poetry Prize Series ( Courtney Bush , i love information , selected by Brian Teare, NY:  Milkweeds, 2023), the Donald Hall Prize for Poetry ( Sahar Muradi , OCTOBERS , selected by Naomi Shahib Nye, Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2023), and the 2022 APR/Honickman First Book Prize ( Chelsea Harlan , Bright Shade , selected by Jericho Brown, Philadelphia: The American Poetry Review, 2022). Others have received international honors for poetry and journalism ( Mohammed El-Kurd,  RIFQA , Haymarket Books, 2022, Winner of The Calgary Peace Prize); for translation  (Matthew Reeck , winner of the 2020 Albertine Prize for “Muslim”: A Novel , by Zahia Rehmani, Deep Vellum, 2019); for YA fiction ( Victoria Bond , winner of the 2020 John Steptoe/Coretta Scott King New Talent Author Award for Zora and Me (trilogy), with illustrator TR Simon, MA:  Candlewick Press, 2020, 2018, 2011); and for books on art (John Yau, Please Wait by the Coatroom:  Reconsidering Race and Identity in American Art , Black Sparrow Press, 2023, deemed a “revelatory volume” by Publishers Weekly, among other ravishing reviews). Our alumni currently occupy major Fellowships at the New York Public Library (Alexandra Kamerling, 2023 NYPL Dance Research Fellow), and the Library of America (Susana Plotts-Pineda, 2023 Latino Fellow), and have written, directed, and premiered feature film documentaries ( Jodie Childers , with Dan Messina, director and cinematographer of Down by the Riverside , 2023 World Premiere, Woodstock Film Festival;  Tom Devaney ,  Bicentennial City , Green House Media, 2020). Recent and forthcoming publications include Claire DeVoogd , VIA (Winter Editions, 2023), Anselm Berrigan , Pregrets (Black Square Editions, 2021), Katherine Duckworth , Slow Violence (NY:  Beautiful Days Press, 2023), Marcella Durand, To Husband Is to Tender (Black Square Editions, 2021), Tom Devaney , Getting to Philadelphia (Hanging Loose Press, 2020), Tom Haviv , Flag of No Nation (Jewish Currents, 2019), Gracie Leavitt , Livingry (Nightboat, 2018), Kennia Lopez , The Exodus (Tolson Books, 2020), Chime Lama , Sphinxlike (Finishing Line, 2023), Sharon Mesmer , Greetings from My Girlies Leisure Place (Bloof Books, 2015),  Jed Muson , Commentary on the Birds (Rescue Press, 2023), Joshua Wilkerson , Meadowlands/Xanadu/American Dream, Beautiful Days Press, 2022),  John Yau , Tell It Slant , Omnidawn, 2023);  Charles Theonia , Gay Heaven Is a Dance Floor but I Can’t Relax , Archway Editions (March, 2024), and Zohra Saed  with  Sahara Muradi , eds., One Story, Thirty Stories: An Anthology of Contemporary Afghan American Literature (AR: University of Arkansas Press, 2022).

Talk to a Student

If you have questions you would like to ask students in the specialization, feel free to contact any of the following, all of whom are currently or recently enrolled:

  • Jackie Braje
  • Melina Casados
  • Anneysa Gaille
  • Monique Ngozi Nri
  • Suchi Pritchard

Departmental Information

Application process, how do i apply.

For comprehensive application information and the link to the online application, visit the  Admissions page .

What is your rate of acceptance?

In recent years, we have received approximately 500 applications for 15 spots in fiction, approximately 120 applications for 10 spots in poetry, and approximately 70 applications for five spots in playwriting.

When will I find out if I was accepted?

Though it varies year to year, we plan to notify applicants in March and early April. We appreciate your patience.

Do you require the GRE?

I’m not sure if i have the 12 credits of advanced english requested on your admissions page. what should i do.

As per our Admissions page, “Applicants who do not meet course requirements but whose manuscripts show unusual talent are considered for admission.”

May the 30-page fiction manuscript consist of multiple works?

Yes, your 30-page fiction manuscript may come in any form you wish (short stories, excerpt(s) from a novel, flash fiction, or any combination of the above, up to 30 pages). We simply recommend that you send in whatever you think is your very strongest work.

How should the 20-page poetry manuscript be formatted?

You may format your poetry as you see fit. Please do not exceed 20 pages.

What should be in the personal statement?

Your one- to two-page personal statement should serve as a way for us to get to know you and come to understand why you want to pursue an M.F.A. at Brooklyn College.

Who should write my recommendation letters?

Your two recommendation letters should come from people familiar with your writing, such as professors, mentors, and/or employers.

How should recommendation letters be submitted?

They should be submitted online (this will be an option when you’re completing the online application). For more information, refer to the  Supporting Documents  page.

Do I need to send in transcripts from all of the institutions where I took undergraduate classes?

We require transcripts from all colleges and universities that you attended.

What is an official transcript?

Transcripts must arrive in envelopes sealed by the institution’s registrar office. Your college institution should mail transcripts to the Brooklyn College Office of Admissions.

I am an international student. Is it true that I have to have my international transcripts evaluated before my application will be complete?

Yes (though please note that students who received degrees from universities in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom are exempt from this requirement). For all other international applicants, see more information about the required international transcript evaluation.

Do international students with undergraduate degrees from U.S. universities need to take the TOEFL?

Once you have received a B.A. from a U.S. university, you no longer need to submit your TOEFL scores to apply to the M.F.A. program.

May I apply to two different genres?

No, you may only apply to one genre per year.

What are the program codes for Fiction, Playwriting, and Poetry?

  • Fiction—324
  • Playwriting—325

Is there any way I can check my application status online?

Yes. Once you’ve completed your application, you may  check online for status updates .

I was not accepted to your program. Can you provide feedback on my application?

Because of the large number of qualified applicants, we may not be able to accept very strong candidates, nor can we offer specific feedback on individual applications. Note that the manuscript is by far the most important element of the application. We encourage interested applicants to reapply in the future.

How do I reapply?

As per the  Graduate Admissions Office website , “To reapply, you need to complete and submit a new  graduate degree application  online. You do not need to resubmit any supporting documents (i.e. transcripts, letters of recommendation) if you applied within the last two years.” The $125 application fee is waived for re-applicants for up to one year. (If you applied for fall 2014 entry, for instance, you may reapply for fall 2015 without paying an additional fee.) You must send a new personal statement and manuscript to the Department of English each time you reapply.

Getting to Know the Program

Do you hold an open house.

Yes. Information will be available soon.

May I speak to a current or recent student?

Yes. Please see the student and alumni lists within each specialization.

May I come and visit an M.F.A. class?

In most cases, prospective students are permitted to visit classes once they’ve been accepted into the program.

Can you send me printed materials about the M.F.A. program?

Comprehensive information about our program, including the online application, is available on our website and on the more general Brooklyn College website under “Graduate Programs” and “Admissions.”

May I take a class in the Brooklyn College M.F.A. program as a nonmatriculated student?

Because of the small size of our program, only students matriculated in our M.F.A. program may take our graduate creative writing classes.

Where can I obtain information pertaining to international students?

The  Brooklyn College Office of International Student Services  will assist you with immigration issues, financial aid, and housing.

Financial Information

What is the cost of tuition.

Up-to-date tuition information is available on the  Bursar’s website .

How many credits are required for the M.F.A. program?

Unlike other masters students, M.F.A. students take a nine-credit-per-semester load. Tuition should be calculated based on nine credits per semester.

Do you offer funding?

Yes. In addition to the salary for teaching undergraduate composition, our graduate students are eligible to receive some departmental funding. There is no special application for this funding; all admitted students will be considered automatically. The Office of Financial Aid primarily helps students obtain federal student loans and, if they are eligible, Work-Study funding. All students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , which can be submitted online.

Do you offer teaching opportunities?

Yes. Students who wish to teach while they are enrolled in the M.F.A. program, but who don’t have prior composition teaching experience at the college level, are required to take English 7506, Practicum in Teaching College-Level Composition (which counts toward the M.F.A. degree requirements as an elective). The course includes a tutor-internship in an instructor’s classroom. After completing 7506, students may be assigned to teach their own section of a composition course, English 1010 or English 1012. The salary for one section of English 1010 or English 1012 is $6,875. Students may teach for up to three years, starting while they are students in the program and continuing after they graduate. There are also teaching opportunities at other CUNY schools.

I am an international student. How would this affect my employment opportunities at the university?

International students on F-1 Student Visas are permitted to work or teach up to 20 hours per week while they are in the program, and eligible to continue doing so, full-time, for one year after graduation, if the work is in the field for which they received the degree.

Do you offer a part-time, low-residency, or online option?

Do you offer a health insurance plan.

Health insurance is available via the  New York State of Health Insurance Exchange , as per the Affordable Care Act, where you can search for insurance plans.

  • Brooklyn College students are profiled in  Poets & Writers ‘ “MFA Nation” feature .
  • Fiction student Jai Chakrabarti talks about his M.F.A. experience in  Litbridge’s  “Interview with Brooklyn College.”
  • Fiction director Josh Henkin discusses the Brooklyn College M.F.A. as part of  The Coffin Factory ‘s “MFA Corner.”
  • Flavorwire’ s list of  “The 25 Most Literary Colleges in America”  ranks Brooklyn College at #3.
  • The  Masters Review Blog   profiles the Brooklyn College M.F.A. program .
  • The New York Times  profiles playwriting director Mac Wellman in two articles:  “Mac Wellman, a Playwriting Mentor Whose Only Mantra Is Oddity”  and  “At Brooklyn College, Learning From Mac Wellman.”
  • Brooklyn Magazine ‘s list of  “The 100 Most Influential People in Brooklyn Culture”  features M.F.A. fiction alumni Halimah Marcus and Ben Samuel, playwriting alumnus Scott Adkins, and faculty members Ben Lerner (poetry) and Erin Courtney (playwriting).
  • Ploughshares  explores the Brooklyn writing scene in its  “Literary Boroughs” feature .

From the Literary Scene:

  • The Brooklyn Review
  • Recommended Reading
  • Poets & Writers Daily News

Program Awards

2019–20 program awards.

Zoya Haroon received the 2020 Ross Feld Award.

Chelsea Baumgarten received the 2020 Carole and Irwin Lainoff Prize.

The 2020 Himan Brown Awards in Creative Writing went to: Taylor Clarke, DJ Kim, and Sally Helm (fiction, first year); David Olesky, Elizabeth Robau, and Jessica Shabin  (fiction, second year); Noelle Viñas (playwriting, first year); Michael Shayan (playwriting, second year); Chime Lama and Peter Soucy (poetry, first year); and Alexandra Kamerling and Kennia Lopez (poetry, second year).

2018–19 Program Awards

Nalea Ko received the 2019 Ross Feld Award.

Jill Winsby-Fein received the 2019 Carole and Irwin Lainoff Prize.

The 2019 Himan Brown Awards in Creative Writing went to: Chelsea Baumgarten, Avi Cummings, and Adrienne Wong (fiction, first year); Drew Pham, Erica Recordon, and Wesley Straton  (fiction, second year); Nazareth Hassan (playwriting, first year); Arika Larson (playwriting, second year); Kennia Lopez and Charles Theonia (poetry, first year); and Adam Bangser and Henry Peterson (poetry, second year).

2017–18 Program Awards

Sameet Dhillon received the 2018 Ross Feld Award.

Jenzo Duque received the 2018 Carole and Irwin Lainoff Prize.

The 2018 Himan Brown Awards in Creative Writing went to: Jivin Misra, Erica Schecter, and Wesley Straton (fiction, first year); Sam Baldassari, Maddie Crum, and Alyssa Northrop  (fiction, second year); Eri Borlaug (playwriting, first year); Jerry Lieblich (playwriting, second year); AJ Stoughton and Oscar Vargas (poetry, first year); and Laura Amelio and Marko Gluhaich (poetry, second year).

2016–17 Program Awards

Alexander Celia received the 2018 Ross Feld Award.

Alexandra Kessler received the 2017 Carole and Irwin Lainoff Prize.

The 2017 Himan Brown Awards in Creative Writing went to: Sandra Hong, Jess Silfa, and Stephen Snyder (fiction, first year); Joyce Li, Anna Marschalk-Burns, and Jon Sands (fiction, second year); Jerry Lieblich (playwriting, first year); Zach Rufa (playwriting, second year); Erika Kielsgard and Amanda Killian (poetry, first year); and Jenny Stella and Mike Smith (poetry, second year).

2015–16 Program Awards

Alexander Kessler received the 2017 Ross Feld Award.

Jane Pek received the 2017 Carole and Irwin Lainoff Prize.

The 2016 Himan Brown Awards in Creative Writing went to: Isabella Moschen, Kristen Olds, and Kelly Suprenant (fiction, first year); Nate Bethea, Casey Gonzalez, and Eric Boehling Lewis (fiction, second year); Corinne Donly (playwriting, first year); Paul Hufker (playwriting, second year); Rami Karim and Leah Williams (poetry, first year); and Courtney Bush and Stacy Skolnik (poetry, second year).

2014–15 Program Awards

Jacob Kaplan received the 2015 Ross Feld Award.

Lindsay Whalen received the 2015 Carole and Irwin Lainoff Prize.

The 2015 Himan Brown Awards in Creative Writing went to: Heloise Cormier and Paul Hufker (playwriting); Tom Haviv, Emily Heilker, James Loop, and Sahar Muradi (poetry); and Ben Cake, Molly Dektar, Eve Gleichman, Jacob Kaplan, Ilana Papir, and Jane Pek (fiction).

Courtney Bush received the 2015 Creative Writing Scholarship for Poetry. Mike Mikos received the 2015 Creative Writing Scholarship for Playwriting. Lisa Skapinker Metrikin received the 2015 Creative Writing Scholarship for Fiction.

2013–14 Program Awards

Marie Avetria received the 2014 Ross Feld Award.

Amanda DeMatto received the 2014 Carole and Irwin Lainoff Prize.

The 2014 Himan Brown Awards in Creative Writing went to: Heloise Cormier and Frances Koncan (playwriting); Georgia Faust, Sahar Muradi, Liz Roberts, and Ryan Schaefer (poetry); and Alice Broussard, Eve Gleichman, Laura Horley, Laura Macomber, Matthue Roth, and Joshua Sperling (fiction).

James Loop received the 2014 Creative Writing Scholarship for Poetry. Mike Mikos received the 2014 Creative Writing Scholarship for Playwriting. Molly Dektar received the 2014 Creative Writing Scholarship for Fiction.

Selected Student Publications

Greg ames, m.f.a. fiction 2002.

  • Buffalo Lockjaw , 2009

Mark Ari, M.F.A. Fiction 1985

  • The Shoemaker’s Tale , 2000

Rilla Askew, M.F.A. Fiction 1989

  • Strange Business , 1992
  • The Mercy Seat , 1997
  • Fire in Beulah , 2001
  • Harpsong (Stories and Storytellers Series), 2007
  • Kind of Kin , 2013

Paul Beatty, M.F.A. Poetry 1989

  • Big Bank Take Little Bank , 1991
  • Joker Joker Deuce , 1994
  • The White Boy Shuffle , 1996
  • Tuff , 2001
  • Slumberland , 2008
  • The Sellout , 2015

Lauren Belski, M.F.A. Fiction 2010

  • Whatever Used to Grow Around Here , 2012

Adam Berlin, M.F.A. Fiction 1991

  • Headlock , 2000
  • Belmondo Style , 2004
  • Both Members of the Club , 2013
  • The Number of Missing , 2013

Anselm Berrigan, M.F.A. Poetry 1998

  • They Beat Me over the Head With a Sack , 1998
  • Integrity & Dramatic Life , 1999
  • Zero Star Hotel , 2002
  • Some Notes on My Programming , 2006
  • To Hell With Sleep , 2009
  • Free Cell , 2009
  • Notes from Irrelevance , 2001
  • Loading , 2013
  • Primitive State , 2015
  • Come in Alone , 2016

Marie-Helene Bertino, M.F.A. Fiction 2007

  • Short story: ‘North Of’, 2008
  • Safe As Houses , 2012
  • 2 A.M. at The Cat’s Pajamas , 2014

Star Black, M.F.A. Poetry 1984

  • October for Idas , 1997
  • Double Time , 1997
  • Balefire , 1999
  • Ghostwood , 2003
  • Velleity’s Shade , 2010

Victoria Bond, M.F.A. Poetry 2005

  • Zora and Me (co-author), 2010

Thomas Bradshaw, M.F.A. Playwriting 2004

  • Play: ‘Strom Thurman is Not a Racist’, 1985
  • Play: ‘Cleansed’, 1985
  • Play: ‘Phophet’, 2006
  • Play: ‘Purity’, 2007
  • A new play for the anthology , 2008
  • Play: ‘Southern Promises’, 2008
  • Play: ‘The Bereaved/Mary’, 2009
  • Play: ‘Intimacy’, 2014
  • Play: ‘Dawn’, 2010

Joanna Cantor, M.F.A. Fiction 2011

  • Alternative Remedies for Loss , 2018

Maisy Card, M.F.A. Fiction 2010

  • These Ghosts Are Family , 2020

Bryan Charles, M.F.A. Fiction 2003

  • Grab On To Me As Tightly As If I Knew The Way , 2006
  • Pavement’s Wowee Zowee (33 1/3) , 2010
  • There’s a Road to Everywhere Except Where You Came From: A Memoir , 2010

Erin Courtney, M.F.A. Playwriting 2003

  • Play: ‘Demon Baby’, 2006
  • Play included in anthology of 7 edgy works, 2008

Amanda Davis, M.F.A. Fiction 1998

  • Circling the Drain , 2000
  • Wonder When You’ll Miss Me , 2003

Molly Dektar, M.F.A. Fiction 2015

  • The Ash Family , 2019

Tom Devaney, M.F.A. Poetry 1998

  • The American Pragmatist Fell In Love , 1999

Heidi Diehl, M.F.A. Fiction 2011

  • Lifelines , 2019

Marcella Durand, M.F.A. Poetry 1995

  • Western Capital Rhapsodies , 2001
  • Traffic & Weather , 2008
  • Area , 2008

Juliet Escoria, M.F.A. Fiction 2011

  • Black Cloud , 2014
  • Witch Hunt , 2016
  • Juliet the Maniac , 2019

Amy Fox, M.F.A. 2005

  • Screenplay: ‘Heights’, 2005
  • Screenplay: ‘Equity’, 2016

James Franco, M.F.A. Fiction 2010

  • Palo Alto: Stories , 2010
  • Strongest of the Litter : (The Hollyridge Press Chapbook Series), 2012
  • 113 Crickets: Summer 2012 , 2012
  • Actors Anonymous , 2013
  • Directing Herbert White : Poems, 2014
  • A California Childhood , 2014
  • Straight James / Gay James , 2016

Elizabeth Gaffney, M.F.A. Fiction 1997

  • Metropolis: A Novel , 2005
  • When The World Was Young , 2015

Sean Garritty, M.F.A. Poetry 2006

  • Lie Nearest Truth , 2011

Thea Goodman, M.F.A. Fiction 1995

  • The Sunshine When She’s Gone , 2013

CJ Hauser, M.F.A. Fiction 2009

  • The From-Aways , 2014

Elliott Holt, M.F.A. Fiction 2006

  • Short story: ‘Fem Care’, 2011
  • You Are One of Them , 2013

Andy Hunter and Scott Lindenbaum, M.F.A. Fiction 2008

  • Electric Literature (Founders) , 2009

Tanwi Nandini Islam, M.F.A. Fiction 2009

  • Bright Lines , 2015

Amelia Kahaney, M.F.A. Fiction 2006

  • The Brokenhearted , 2013

Andrew Kaufman, M.F.A. Poetry 1986

  • Earth’s Ends , 2004
  • Both Sides of the Niger , 2013

John M. Keller, M.F.A. Fiction 2004

  • A Bald Man With No Hair and Other Stories , 2012
  • Know Your Baker , 2013
  • The Box and the Briefcase, the Moleque and the Old Man and the First Coming of the Second Son of God , 2014
  • Abracadabrantesque , 2015
  • Johnny Allan , 2019

Stellar Kim, M.F.A. Fiction 2005

  • Short story: ‘Findings and Impressions’, 2007

Suki Kim, M.F.A. Fiction 1997

  • The Interpreter , 2003
  • Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea’s Elite , 2014

Amy King, M.F.A. Poetry 2000

  • Antidotes for an Alibi , 2006
  • I’m The Man Who Loves You , 2007
  • Slaves to Do These Things , 2009
  • I Want to Make You Safe , 2011

Kristen Kosmas, M.F.A. Playwriting 2011

  • The Mayor of Baltimore and Anthem , 2013

R.O. Kwon, M.F.A. Fiction 2008

  • The Incendiaries , 2018

Gracie Leavitt, M.F.A. Poetry 2011

  • Monkeys, Minor Planet, Average Star , 2014

Marlene Lee, M.F.A. Fiction 2010

  • The Absent Woman , 2013

Halimah Marcus, M.F.A. Fiction 2012

  • Short story: ‘Swimming’, 2010

Sharon Mesmer, M.F.A. Poetry 1990

  • The Empty Quarter , 2000
  • Half Angel Half Lunch , 2002
  • In Ordinary Time , 2005
  • The Virgin Formica , 2008

Emily Mitchell, M.F.A. Fiction 2005

  • The Last Summer of the World , 2007
  • Viral: Stories , 2015

Cristina Moracho, M.F.A. Fiction 2008

  • Althea & Oliver , 2014

Stephen Motika, M.F.A. Poetry 2010

  • Western Practice , 2012

Christina Olivares, M.F.A. Poetry 2010

  • No Map of the Earth Includes Stars , 2015

Jeffrey Oliver, M.F.A. Fiction 2002

  • Failure to Thrive , 2011

Helen Phillips, M.F.A. Fiction 2007

  • Short story: ‘Twenty Tales of Natural Disaster’, 2010
  • And Yet They Were Happy , 2011
  • Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green , 2012
  • The Beautiful Bureaucrat , 2015
  • Some Possible Solutions , 2016
  • The Need , 2019

Sapphire, M.F.A. Poetry 1995

  • American Dreams , 1996
  • Push , 1997
  • Black Wings & Blind Angels , 2000
  • The Kid: A Novel , 2012

Sara Shepard, M.F.A. Fiction 2005

  • The Visibles , 2009
  • Everything We Ever Wanted , 2011
  • The Perfectionists Series , 2014-2015
  • Pretty Little Liars Series , 2006-2014
  • The Lying Game Series , 2010-2013
  • The Heiresses , 2014
  • The Amateurs , 2016

Mohan Sikka, M.F.A. Fiction 2006

  • Short story: ‘Uncle Musto Takes A Mistress’, 2007
  • Short story: ‘The Railway Aunty’, 2009

Lysette Simmons, M.F.A. Poetry 2013

  • Dear Robert , 2013

David Trinidad, M.F.A. Poetry 1990

  • Monday, Monday , 1985
  • November , 1986
  • Hand Over Heart , 1994
  • Three Stories , 1998
  • Plasticville , 2000
  • Phoebe 2002: An Essay in Verse , 2003
  • The Late Show , 2007
  • Saints of Hysteria: A Half-Century of Collaborative American Poetry , 2007
  • By Myself, An Autobiography , 2009
  • Dear Prudence: New and Selected Poems , 2011
  • Peyton Place: A Haiku Soap Opera , 2013
  • Notes of a Past Life , 2016

Jenny Williams, M.F.A. Fiction 2011

  • Short story in Battle Runes: Writings on War , 2011
  • The Atlas of Forgotten Places , 2017

John Yau, M.F.A. Poetry 1978

  • Radiant Silhouette: New and Selected Work , 1974-1988, 1989
  • Forbidden Entries , 1992
  • Edificio Sayonara , 1992
  • A.R. Penck , 1993
  • In the Realm of Appearances: The Art of Andy Warhol , 1993
  • Hawaiian Cowboys , 1994
  • Berlin Diptychon: Poems , 1995
  • The United States of Jasper Johns , 1997
  • My Symptoms , 1998
  • Randy Hayes: The World Reveiled , 2000
  • Borrowed Love Poems , 2002
  • My Heart Is That Eternal Rose Tattoo , 2002
  • Ing Grish , 2005
  • Paradiso Diaspora , 2006
  • The Passionate Spectator: Essays on Art and Poetry , 2006
  • A Thing Among Things: The Art of Jasper Johns , 2008
  • Further Adventures in Monochrome , 2012

Young Jean Lee, M.F.A. Playwriting 2005

  • Play: ‘The Appeal’, 2006

Julie Agoos

Julie Agoos is professor and coordinator of the Poetry specialization. Agoos, who received her M.A. from Johns Hopkins University, publishes widely in journals and is the author of three collections of poems,  Property  (Ausable/Copper Canyon, 2008),  Calendar Year  (Sheep Meadow, 1996), and  Above the Land  (Yale University Press, 1987), for which she won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award. Her latest book  Echo System  was published in 2015.

Anselm Berrigan

Anselm Berrigan ’98 M.F.A. is the author of five books of poetry, most recently the book-length poem  Notes from Irrelevance  (Wave Books, 2011). Other titles include  Free Cell  (City Lights, 2009),  Some Notes on My Programming  (Edge, 2006), and  Zero Star Hotel  (Edge, 2002).  Skasers , a book jointly written with poet John Coletti, was be published in 2012 by Flowers & Cream Press. He is the current poetry editor for  The Brooklyn Rail  and a member of the subpress publishing collective. From 1998 to 2007 he worked for The Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church in various capacities, including a stint as artistic director from 2003 to 2007. Berrigan is also co-chair of Writing at the Milton Avery Graduate School for the Arts, Bard College’s interdisciplinary summer M.F.A. program.

Erin Courtney

Erin Courtney’s play  I Will Be Gone , directed by Kip Fagan, premiered at Actors Theater of Louisville, Humana Festival in 2015. Her play  A Map of Virtue,  produced by 13P and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll, won a special citation OBIE in 2012. She has written two operas with Elizabeth Swados,  The Nomad  and  Kaspar Hauser : Both were commissioned and produced by The Flea Theater. Her play  Honey Drop  was developed at The Atlantic Theater, the Clubbed Thumb/Playwrights Horizons Superlab, and New Georges. Her other plays include  Alice the Magnet, Demon Baby, Quiver and Twitch , and  Black Cat Lost . She is an affiliated artist with Clubbed Thumb, a member of the Obie Award–winning playwright collective 13P, and the co-founder of the Brooklyn Writer’s Space. Courtney teaches playwriting at Brooklyn College, where she earned her M.F.A. with Mac Wellman. She earned B.A. from Brown University, where she studied with Paula Vogel. She has been a member of New Dramatists since 2012 and is a 2013 Guggenheim Fellow.

LaTasha Diggs

A writer, vocalist and performance/sound artist, LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs is the author of  TwERK  (Belladonna, 2013). Diggs has presented and performed at California Institute of the Arts, El Museo del Barrio, The Museum of Modern Art, and Walker Art Center and at festivals including: Explore the North Festival, Leeuwarden, Netherlands; Hekayeh Festival, Abu Dhabi; International Poetry Festival of Copenhagen; Ocean Space, Venice; Poesiefestival, Berlin; and the 2015 Venice Biennale. As an independent curator, artistic director, and producer, Diggs has presented events for BAMCafé, Black Rock Coalition, El Museo del Barrio, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and the David Rubenstein Atrium. Diggs has received a 2020 C.D. Wright Award for Poetry from the Foundation of Contemporary Art, a Whiting Award (2016) and a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship (2015), as well as grants and fellowships from Cave Canem, Creative Capital, New York Foundation for the Arts, and the U.S.-Japan Friendship Commission, among others. She lives in Harlem.

Myla Goldberg

Myla Goldberg is the best-selling author of  Bee Season ,  Wickett’s Remedy , and  The False Friend . Her short stories have appeared in  Harper’s,  and she is an occasional contributor to NPR. She teaches at various M.F.A. programs and leads writing workshops in and around New York City.

David Grubbs

David Grubbs, associate professor in the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College, has released 11 solo albums and appeared on more than 150 commercially released recordings. He is known for his cross-disciplinary collaborations with writers such as Susan Howe and Rick Moody, and with visual artists such as Anthony McCall, Angela Bulloch, Cosima von Bonin, and Stephen Prina. His work has been presented at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, MoMA, the Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou. Grubbs was a founding member of the groups Gastr del Sol, Bastro, and Squirrel Bait, and directs the Blue Chopsticks record label. He is currently completing the book  Records Ruin the Landscape: John Cage, The Sixties, and Sound Recording  for Duke University Press. Grubbs was a 2005–06 grant recipient from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts and has been called one of two “Best Teachers for an Indie-Rocker to Admire” in the  Village Voice  and “le plus Français des Américains” in  Libération.  He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago.

Joshua Henkin

Joshua Henkin , professor and coordinator of the fiction specialization, is the author of the novels Swimming Across the Hudson , a  Los Angeles Times  Notable Book;  Matrimony , a  New York Times  Notable Book; and  The World Without You , which was named an Editors’ Choice Book by  The New York Times  and  The Chicago Tribune  and was the winner of the 2012 Edward Lewis Wallant Award for Jewish American Fiction and a finalist for the 2012 National Jewish Book Award. His short stories have been published widely, cited for distinction in  Best American Short Stories , and broadcast on NPR’s “Selected Shorts.” His reviews and essays have appeared in  The New York Times , the  Los Angeles Times ,  The Wall Street Journal ,  The Boston Globe , the  Chicago Tribune , the  San Francisco Chronicle , and elsewhere.

Lisa Jarnot

Lisa Jarnot is the author of four books of poetry and a biography,  Robert Duncan, The Ambassador from Venus  (University of California Press). Her  Joie de Vivre: Selected Poems 1992–2012  was published by City Lights in 2013.

Associate Professor Ben Lerner is the author of three books of poetry:  The Lichtenberg Figures  (2004),  Angle of Yaw  (2006), and  Mean Free Path  (2010), all published by Copper Canyon Press. He has been a finalist for the National Book Award in poetry and the Northern California Book Award, a Fulbright Scholar in Spain, and a Howard Foundation Fellow. In 2011 he became the first American to win the Preis der Stadt Münster für Internationale Poesie for the German translation of  The Lichtenberg Figures . His first novel,  Leaving the Atocha Station  (Coffee House, 2011) won  The Believer  Book Award and was a finalist for the  Los Angeles Times  Book Award for First Fiction and the New York Public Library’s Young Lions Award. It was named one of the best books of the year by  The New Yorker ,  The Guardian ,  The New Statesman ,  The Boston Globe ,  The Wall Street Journal ,  The New Republic , and  New York Magazine , among many others. His recent criticism can be found in  Art in America ,  boundary 2 , and  Critical Quarterly , where he also serves as poetry editor.

Fiona Maazel

Fiona Maazel is the author of the novels  Last Last Chance . (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008) and  Woke Up Lonely  (Graywolf, 2013). She is a 2008 National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” honoree and winner of the Bard Prize for fiction in 2009. Her work has appeared in  Anthem, Bomb, Book Forum, Boston Book Review, The Common, Conjunctions, Fence, Glamour, The Millions, Mississippi Review, N+1, The New York Times, The NY Times Sunday Book Review, Salon, Selected Shorts, This American Life, Tin House, The Village Voice, The Yale Review , and elsewhere. She lives in Brooklyn.

Ernesto Mestre

Ernesto Mestre is the author of two novels,  The Lazarus Rhumba  and  The Second Death of Unica Aveyano . His fiction has been collected in various anthologies, including  Best American Gay Fiction 1996 ,  A Whistler in the Nightworld: Short Fiction from the Latin Americas , and  Cubanisimo!: The Vintage Book of Contemporary Cuban Literature .

Meera Nair’s debut collection,  Video , received the Asian-American Literary Award for Fiction in 2003. She has published fiction in  The Threepenny Review  and  Calyx , and in the anthology  Charlie Chan Is Dead . She is at work on her first novel, which will be published by Pantheon.

Sigrid Nunez

Sigrid Nunez has published six novels, including  A Feather on the Breath of God ,  The Last of Her Kind , and, most recently,  Salvation City . She is also the author of  Sempr e  Susan: A Memoir of Susan Sontag.  Among the journals to which she has contributed are  The New York Times ,  Threepenny Review, Harper’s ,  McSweeney’s ,  Tin House, The Believer , and  Conjunctions.  Her honors and awards include four Pushcart Prizes, a Whiting Writer’s Award, a Berlin Prize Fellowship, and two awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters: the Rosenthal Foundation Award and the Rome Prize in Literature. She has taught at Amherst College, Smith College, Columbia University, and the New School, and has been a visiting writer or writer in residence at Baruch College, Vassar College, Boston University, and the University of California at Irvine, among others. She has also been on the faculty of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and of several other writers’ conferences across the country.

Jenny Offill

Jenny Offill’s novel,  Last Things , was chosen as a notable or best book of the year by  The New York Times , the  Village Voice,  and the  Guardian  (U.K.), and was a finalist for the  Los Angeles Times  First Book Award. She is also the editor, along with Elissa Schappell, of two anthologies,  The Friend Who Got Away  and  Money Changes Everything . She has written one children’s book,  17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore , and has two more forthcoming from Random House. She received a NYFA fellowship in fiction in 2008 and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University from 1991 to 1993. Her flash fiction is featured in the anthology  Long Story Short  (UNC-Press, 2009).

Julie Orringer

Julie Orringer is the author of a novel,  The Invisible Bridge,  and an award-winning story collection,  How to Breathe Underwater,  which was a  New York Times  notable book and was named Book of the Year by the  LA Times  and the  San Francisco Chronicle.  Her stories have appeared in  The Paris Review, The Yale Review,  and  The Washington Post,  and have been widely anthologized; she has received fellowships from the New York Public Library, Stanford University, The MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She lives in Brooklyn, where she is working on a new novel.

Helen Phillips

Helen Phillips is the author of the novel-in-fables  And Yet They Were Happy  (Leapfrog Press, 2011), which was a semifinalist for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, a finalist for the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize, and declared a notable collection of 2011 by The Story Prize. Her second book,  Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green  (Random House Children’s Division/Delacorte Press, 2012), is a children’s adventure novel, and has been published internationally as  Upside Down in the Jungle  (Chicken House UK, 2012; Chicken House Germany, 2013). She is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer’s Award, the Italo Calvino Prize in Fabulist Fiction,  The Iowa Review  Nonfiction Award, the  DIAGRAM  Innovative Fiction Award, the  Meridian  Editors’ Prize, and a Ucross Foundation residency. Her work has twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and was featured on NPR’s Selected Shorts in fall 2012. She has been published in  Tin House, BOMB ,  Mississippi Review,  and  PEN America , among many others. A graduate of Yale and the Brooklyn College M.F.A. program, she is an assistant professor of creative writing at Brooklyn College. Named one of the Breakout Brooklyn Book People of 2011 by  The L Magazine , Helen (born and raised in Colorado) now lives in Brooklyn with her husband, artist Adam Douglas Thompson, and their baby girl.

Madeleine Thien

Madeleine Thien is the author of four books, including  Dogs at the Perimeter , and a story collection,  Simple Recipes . Her most recent novel,  Do Not Say We Have Nothing , was shortlisted for the 2016 Man Booker Prize, the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and The Folio Prize; and won the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Governor-General’s Literary Award for Fiction. The novel was named a  New York Times  Critics’ Top Book of 2016 and longlisted for a Carnegie Medal. Madeleine’s books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and her essays and stories have appeared in  The New York Times ,  The Guardian ,  Brick ,  The Sunday Times ,  frieze ,  Granta , and elsewhere. Her first libretto will premiere with Vancouver City Opera in 2021.

Mónica de la Torre

Mónica de la Torre ’s is the author, most recently, of  Repetition Nineteen , a book of poems and prose (Nightboat, 2020). Her other poetry books include  The Happy End/All Welcome  (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2017)  Public Domain  (Roof Books, 2009) and  Talk Shows  (Switchback Books, 2006). Two Spanish-language collections of poems,  Acúfenos  (Taller Ditoria, 2006) and  Sociedad Anónima  (UNAM/Bonobos, 2010), were published in Mexico. She is a member of the women’s collective whose eponymous book,  Taller de Mecanografía , appeared in 2011 from Tumbona Ediciones. She has translated an array of poets from the Spanish including Gerardo Deniz, Lila Zemborain, and Amanda Berenguer. Her latest translation is  Defense of the Idol  by Chilean modernist Omar Cáceres (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2018). Born and raised in Mexico City, she has lived in New York City since the 1990s, where she frequently writes about art and collaborates with other writers and artists. She served as  BOMB Magazine ’s senior editor from 2007–16, and has taught poetry and translation at Columbia, Brown, and Bard’s M.F.A. programs.

Ellen Tremper

Ellen Tremper , professor and chair of the English Department, received her Ph.D. from Harvard University. Specializing in 19th- and 20th-century British poetry and fiction, she has published many articles on Henry James, Virginia Woolf, and children’s literature, and is the author of  “Who Lived at Alfoxton?”: Virginia Woolf and English Romanticism  (Bucknell University Press) and  I’m No Angel: The Blonde in Film and Fiction , which was published by the University of Virginia Press in 2006.

Mac Wellman

Mac Wellman, professor and coordinator of the playwriting specialization, received his M.A. from the University of Wisconsin. His recent work includes The Difficulty of Crossing a Field  (Montclair, 2006) and  1965 UU  (Chocolate Factory, 2008). His most recent collection of plays is  The Difficulty of Crossing a Field  (University of Minnesota Press, 2008). Four other collections of his plays have been published:  The Bad Infinity  and  Cellophane  (PAJ/Johns Hopkins University Press), and  Two Plays  and  The Land Beyond the Forest  (Sun & Moon). He has written a volume of stories,  A Chronicle of the Madness of Small Worlds  (Trip Street Press, 2008), as well as three novels:  Q’s Q  (Green Integer, 2006),  Annie Salem  (Sun & Moon 1996), and  The Fortuneteller  (Sun & Moon, 1991). His recent books of poetry are  Miniature  (Roof Books, 2002),  Strange Elegies  (Roof Books, 2006), and  A Shelf in Woop’s Clothing  (Sun & Moon, 1990). In 1997 he received the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Writers’ Award. In 2003 he received his third Obie, for lifetime Achievement ( Antigone, Jennie Richee  and  Bitter Bierce  all cited). In 1990 he received an Obie (Best New American Play) for  Bad Penny ,  Terminal Hip  and  Crowbar . In 1991 he received another Obie for  Sincerity Forever . He has received numerous honors, including both NEA and Guggenheim Fellowships. In 2004 he received an award from the Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts. He is the Donald I. Fine Professor of Playwriting at Brooklyn College. Currently, he is working on two plays for chorus:  The Invention of Tragedy  (Classic Stage Company) and  Nine Days Falling  (Stuck Pigs Company, Melbourne, Australia).

The Support You’ll Find

Brooklyn College is an integral part of the cultural and artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty members in English offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.

Eric Alterman

Eric Alterman

Eric Alterman is a CUNY Distinguished Professor of English and Journalism. He was the “The ...

Sophia Bamert

Sophia Bamert

Matthew  Burgess

Matthew Burgess

Matthew Burgess began teaching at Brooklyn College in 1999 while pursuing his M.F.A. in Poetry. H...

Monica De La Torre

Monica De La Torre

Joseph Entin

Joseph Entin

Joseph Entin teaches in the English Department and the American Studies program at Brooklyn Colle...

Nicola Masciandaro

Nicola Masciandaro

The Whim (blog) Current Projects: Appalling Melodrama, ...

Simanique Moody

Simanique Moody

Roni Natov

Roni Natov has lived her entire life (almost) at Brooklyn College, where she was a student and ha...

Jonathan Nissenbaum

Jonathan Nissenbaum

Jon Nissenbaum earned his Ph.D. under the supervision of Noam Chomsky and David Pesetsky. Before ...

Helen Phillips

Helen Phillips is the author of six books, including the novel THE NEED (Simon & Schuster, 20...

Tanya L. Pollard

Tanya L. Pollard

Tanya Pollard trained in Classics, English, and Comparative literature, at Oxford and Yale. She t...

Karl T. Steel

Karl T. Steel

For Karl Steel’s CV, see

Dorell Thomas

Dorell Thomas

Dorell Thomas earned master’s degrees in both English Adolescent Literature, Grade 7-12 and...

Ellen Tremper

Native New Yorker Ellen Tremper has taught at New York University and joined the Brooklyn College...

Internships and Employers

Brooklyn College creative writing alumni have found employment with many organizations, including:

Student Resources

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Brooklyn. All in.

MFA students in class at Barat House

Creative Writing

Creative writing program overview.

Our Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing degree program at Manhattanville College prepares well-rounded and versatile writers who are ready for today’s creative opportunities, from traditional publishing and editing careers to freelance writing and teaching.

As a student in our creative writing master’s program, you’ll raise your writing potential, hone your craft, challenge convention, meet real authors, and connect with a nurturing literary community in New York City and the Tri-State Area.

Through a minimally structured combination of workshops, craft courses, independent study, and a culminating thesis, you’ll develop your unique voice, learn how to revise and publish your work, critique various mediums, and learn teaching strategies, all in weeknight or weekend courses and at your own pace.

Flexible, Self-Paced Master’s in Creative Writing Program in New York  

MFA in Creative Writing candidates immerse themselves in their chosen genres, taking focused workshops and craft courses.  We also believe in genre freedom: our students can concentrate in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or screenwriting, or they can take a mixed approach, writing in several genres. You’ll never have to choose and stick to one concentration alone. 

Full-time students can finish the MFA in two years, while many take one or two courses per semester, earning their 36 credits while working or caring for family. Students on our three-year Teaching Pathway complete the degree while also gaining valuable in-classroom experience to help launch their academic careers.  

No two writers find their voice and develop their style in the same way or at the same pace. Therefore, our master’s in creative writing program is designed to give students the latitude to grow as writers in any traditional or experimental genre.

Connect With a Vibrant Literary Community  

Beyond the flexible curriculum, the MFA in Creative Writing degree program is dedicated to building community both on campus and in the thriving Lower Hudson Valley literary scene. 

Through gathering for BBQs, visiting local galleries, attending readings at local arts centers and libraries, connecting with local writers, and celebrating our students’ and alums’ writing, we forge tight, sustaining bonds.  MFA students also engage in the literary and writing community of New York City, the cultural capital of the world and home to hundreds of your favorite writers, just a train ride away. Scribbling away at your desk is made less lonely in this scene of like-minded writers, readers, and artists.

Request Information Visit Campus Apply Now

A uniquely flexible course structure empowers our MFA candidates to focus on one genre, blend genres, or write in multiple genres. The 36-credit master’s in creative writing degree program curriculum has only two required components:

Students in the MFA in Creative Writing degree program also participate in regular workshop courses in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, and YA/Middle-Grade fiction.  They also take classes on special craft topics like organizing a novel, experimenting with form, episodic writing, and issues of representation. The program also works to pair students with gifted mentors to pursue independent study on writing topics that are important to them.

With the help of gifted faculty and mentors, pursue independent or experiential study opportunities for course credit. Elective courses are chosen to fit your current interests and long-term goals, including Research Across Genres, MFA internship opportunities, and intensives such as the Writers’ Week conference.

Review complete curriculum information in the College Catalog.

Students in the undergraduate BA in English program can pursue a dual degree pathway to add the MFA in Creative Writing to their bachelor’s degree in an accelerated time frame.

Explore the dual degree program and all English and writing programs at Manhattanville.

Our beautiful location and facilities contribute to the vitality and creativity of our community. Our Creative Writing Center, Barat House, is a hive of activity where classes, programs, and social events take place. Reid Castle, the centerpiece of Manhattanville’s campus, is a fitting venue for the literary figures who join us for special events. 

We are dedicated to bringing dynamic visiting writers to campus and to engaging our students in the conversations that drive contemporary literature. Our annual events include:

For more details and registration information, please visit our events page.

Since 1995, Inkwell has been a proud part of Manhattanville College’s literary tradition. The publication has a dual mission: to find new literary voices and to provide established writers with a venue for further developing their work. With every issue, we seek to publish work that upholds the highest literary standards and meaningfully contributes to the national literary conversation. 

Inkwell continues to launch careers, inspire writers, and delight readers through the varied mix of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction that grace our pages. We’ve read what the greats from multiple traditions have said, and in the pages of Inkwell, we publish writers who answer.  

Learn More About Inkwell

Director of the M.F.A. in Creative Writing Program

Professor of Creative Writing

Teaching Pathway Our Teaching Pathway allows students to gain valuable classroom experience while also developing their creative writing skills.  The pathway requires a three-year commitment.  During the first year, students in the Teaching Path take one pedagogical training course per semester and round out their schedules with MFA classes.  They receive  a three-credit tuition waiver per semester for this year. Then, in the second and third years of the pathway, students teach one course per semester in Manhattanville’s undergraduate Academic Writing program, receiving support and mentorship from our Academic Writing faculty.  This teaching load leaves students plenty of time to take MFA classes and focus on their own writing.  In return for their teaching, students’ final two years of tuition are covered with waivers–financial assistance and real-world experience!

Graduate Assistantship Opportunities Students in the MFA in Creative Writing program may have the opportunity to complete graduate assistantships to help manage the cost of their degree. As graduate assistants, students earn a three-credit tuition waiver in return for employment with the campus writing center, the MFA program office, or Inkwell editorial staff. Up to six creative writing students can work in graduate assistantships.

Graduate assistantships are a great benefit to students’ resumes, building demonstrable experience and skills in teaching, publishing, or marketing while also  earning tuition credit.

Financial Aid and Graduate Housing Our tuition rates are reasonable–you shouldn’t have to break the bank to hone your writing craft–and qualified students are eligible to apply for financial assistance during their application process.  The MFA Program has several scholarship funds dedicated to supporting the growth of your writing.

Explore complete financial assistance information.

Graduate housing is available for students in the master’s in creative writing degree program. Contact program administration to inquire.

Students may apply for admission to begin in the spring or fall semesters. When you enroll, you’ll begin meeting with an academic advisor to finalize your course list according to your goals and that semester’s course offerings.

Application requirements for the graduate creative writing program include:

The autobiographical essay should be reflective, responding to these questions:

You should try to submit finished essays, stories, or poems as your writing sample. You may submit both poems and prose pieces as your sample as long as you adhere to the page limit. Your writing sample can be a portion of a longer work, but please indicate that on page one.

Letters of recommendation should be from recommenders who can speak to your intellectual and academic ability, your writing and your ability to work in groups, and your potential for graduate-level literature and writing studies.  We prefer letters from recommenders who have known you in an academic setting but also accept professional recommendations.

Reach out to admissions with any questions . If you want to speak with someone who has gone through the process before, we’re happy to connect you with current or former MFA writing students. Contact us to facilitate .

Learn More and Visit Manhattanville Get to know our program by visiting Manhattanville’s picturesque, 100-acre campus just 30 miles from New York City.  To learn more, meet current students, or sit in on a course, sign up to attend the next MFA in Creative Writing information session.   Or, email us to schedule a visit at a time that works for you.

Contact the MFA in Creative Writing program at any time at [email protected],  or 914.323.7211  Or, request more information.

Apply to the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Manhattanville Manhattanville College offers an accessible Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing degree program where candidates tailor their coursework to their talents, interests, and career aspirations.

Ready to move through a dynamic creative writing program and learn from published authors? Review graduate admissions requirements and begin your online application.

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The City College of New York MFA in Creative Writing

A home for writers in harlem.

MFA Fall Application Deadline Extended until March 1

MFA Fall Application Deadline Extended until March 1

Launch for Emily Raboteau’s new book, ‘Lessons for Survival’

Launch for Emily Raboteau’s new book, ‘Lessons for Survival’

Interview with Professor Mark Mirsky in Collidescope

Interview with Professor Mark Mirsky in Collidescope

Our mfa program is dedicated to diversity, excellence and inclusion. we help emerging writers find their voice, polish their craft, and enter the contemporary publishing landscape. .

writing programs nyc

Writing Faculty

The distinguished faculty of the MFA in Creative Writing program has included Gwendolyn Brooks, Donald Barthelme, Joseph Heller, Grace Paley, Susan Sontag, Marilyn Hacker, and Michelle Wallace, to name a few.

writing programs nyc

For Students

Stay informed about program requirements, deadlines, application process, course listing, and graduation.

In The Press

‘the blue-collar harvard’.

Fledgling authors from underrepresented backgrounds and nontraditional students are turning to graduate creative writing programs at the City University of New York to tell their stories.

by Sara Weissman , Inside Higher Ed,  June 22, 2021

The class for the creative writing master of fine arts program at City College of New York this past spring was its largest yet — enrollment jumped from 120 students in the fall to 140 this spring. There were 105 students enrolled in fall 2019.

What makes the CCNY MFA in Creative Writing Different from other programs?

“Diversity. We’re located in Harlem. Our unofficial tagline is “Ten times the diversity for one tenth the price,” because we’re also comparatively affordable”…

MFA Program Profile: Emily Raboteau on CCNY Publisher’s Weekly, May 2015

We have students of all backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, nationality, and age. No one group is the majority, and therefore none of the work is treated like minority literature. There are radical implications for the kinds of work our students are putting out into the world for it to be nurtured, respected, celebrated, and intelligently critiqued in the classroom.

IndoorVoices Podcast interviews the Director:

Episode 65: michelle valladares on ccny’s creative writing mfa.

By Kathleen Collins, October 18, 2021

In Spring 2021, the Creative Writing MFA at City College saw an unprecedented enrollment spike. It’s not exactly clear why it occurred, but Director Michelle Valladares has some ideas about that. She has lots of ideas, in fact, about unique and exciting ways to grow the program even more while still maintaining a manageable cohort size…

Testimonials

What alumni are saying.

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.

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Mostly dividing his time between New York City and Tehran, Iran, Salar regularly publishes personal essays and short stories, plus numerous translations of other authors that appear in journals across the world.

A professor at the City University of New York’s CITY COLLEGE campus in Harlem, he teaches workshops in the English Department’s MFA program and also serves as Director of Undergraduate Creative Writing. Website: salarabdoh.com

writing programs nyc

Author Website

Spring 2020

Spring 2019

Portrait of Michelle Valladeras

She has been anthologized in Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia & Beyond, and The HarperCollins Book of English Poetry by Indians . Her honors include a Pushcart Prize Nomination and she was awarded “The Poet of the Year” by the Americas Poetry Festival of New York. She is currently working on a book about faith called Searching for Tara.

writing programs nyc

Naima’s second novel,  Didn’t Never Know , is the story of the integration of a public high school in a small Southern town, which sets off a chain of events that bonds two families together in unexpected and complicated ways over the course of their lives. It is forthcoming from Grand Central Publishing.

Naima’s stories and essays have appeared in the  New York Times , the  Rumpus ,  Aster(ix) ,  Kweli ,  The Paris Review Daily , and elsewhere. She has taught writing to students in jail, youth programs, and universities. Naima is currently visiting faculty at the MFA program at City College in Harlem and Antioch University in L.A.

writing programs nyc

Unger has been a featured writer in book festivals in San Juan, Miami, Los Angeles, Guatemala, Sharjah, Managua, Bogotá, Lima, La Paz, Oaxaca, and Guadalajara.

writing programs nyc

She received her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Arizona, and her Ph.D. from Stanford University.  She teaches a range of subjects from feminist and critical literary theory, poetics, film studies, contemporary literature, and women’s literature.

writing programs nyc

He has taught poetry and nonfiction workshops. An independent book editor with an interest in the ways writers engage with the culture, he has also led MFA courses in publishing and authorship.

writing programs nyc

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Email us at [email protected] so we can respond to your questions and requests. Please email from your CUNY email address if possible. Or visit our help site for more information:

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CCNY English Department

MFA in Creative Writing

A home for writers in harlem.

For more than four decades, City College has been a home for writers in Harlem. Since its inception, some of the most distinguished writers in America have taught here at our West Harlem campus, including Donald Barthelme, Gwendolyn Brooks, Kurt Vonnegut, Marilyn Hacker, William Matthews, Grace Paley and Susan Sontag. Our MFA Program in Creative Writing is dedicated to diversity, excellence and inclusion . The mission of our program is simple: We want every student to find his or her unique voice, whether through fiction, nonfiction, drama, screenwriting, experimental or genre fiction and/or poetry, while simultaneously preparing them for life beyond graduate school as writers, teachers, scholars, and more.

Our recent award-winning graduates include Hasanthika Sirisena, Lisa Ko and Brendon Kiely. New York Times Bestsellers and Pulitzer Prize winners include Walter Mosley, Oscar Hijuelos, and Ernesto Quinonez. In small workshops, craft courses and literary analysis, our students immerse themselves in their writing. Meanwhile, they discover a thriving community through literary magazines, public readings and visiting writers.

“Our MFA program is dedicated to diversity, excellence and inclusion. We help emerging writers find their voice, polish their craft, and enter the contemporary publishing landscape.”

We welcome our MFA students to attend the program at their own pace, either full-time or part-time. We believe in access and opportunity not for just a select few, but for all those who are committed to their creativity, literature and who take the craft of writing seriously.

Finally, despite its prime location and storied past, the City College’s MFA program is dedicated to remaining at a fraction of the cost of similar programs in New York City. We welcome our MFAs to attend the program at their own pace as full-time or part-time students. We believe in access and opportunity not just for select few, but for all those who believe in the life of literature and who take the craft of writing seriously.

Fall Application Deadline: February 15 Extended to March 1st APPLY ONLINE Visit our full program site here

In the press.

writing programs nyc

‘The Blue-Collar Harvard’

Fledgling authors from underrepresented backgrounds and nontraditional students are turning to graduate creative writing programs at the City University of New York to tell their stories.

by Sara Weissman,  Inside Higher Ed,   June 22, 2021

The class for the creative writing master of fine arts program at City College of New York this past spring was its largest yet — enrollment jumped from 120 students in the fall to 140 this spring. There were 105 students enrolled in fall 201

writing programs nyc

What makes the CCNY MFA in Creative Writing Different from other programs?

“Diversity. We’re located in Harlem. Our unofficial tagline is “Ten times the diversity for one tenth the price,” because we’re also comparatively affordable”…

MFA Program Profile: Emily Raboteau on CCNY Publisher’s Weekly, May 2015

We have students of all backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, nationality, and age. No one group is the majority, and therefore none of the work is treated like minority literature. There are radical implications for the kinds of work our students are putting out into the world for it to be nurtured, respected, celebrated, and intelligently critiqued in the classroom.

writing programs nyc

IndoorVoices Podcast interviews the Director: Episode 65: Michelle Valladares on CCNY’s creative writing MFA

By Kathleen Collins, October 18, 2021

In Spring 2021, the Creative Writing MFA at City College saw an unprecedented enrollment spike. It’s not exactly clear why it occurred, but Director Michelle Valladares has some ideas about that. She has lots of ideas, in fact, about unique and exciting ways to grow the program even more while still maintaining a manageable cohort size…

What Alumni Are Saying

Portrait of Michelle Y. Valladares

Michelle Valladares Assistant Professor & Director of MFA in Creative Writing Location: Room 6/219 Phone: 212-650-6694 [email protected]

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

The M.F.A. in Creative Writing is designed to offer students an opportunity to concentrate more intensively on their writing and to choose, from a wider selection, those courses that will best help them develop as writers. The M.F.A. program does not have a foreign language requirement. This program is recommended for students who may want to apply for creative writing positions at colleges and universities, which often require the M.F.A. degree.

Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts degree include the completion of 32 points (eight 4-point courses) and the following specific requirements: (1) Four graduate creative writing workshops taken in four separate semesters (16 points). (2) One to four craft courses (The Craft of Poetry, CRWRI-GA 1950, or The Craft of Fiction, CRWRI-GA 1960), taught by members of the CWP faculty. Craft courses may be repeated provided they are taught by different instructors (4 to 16 points). (3) Any remaining courses chosen from any department with the permission of that department and of the director of the CWP. (4) A creative special project in poetry or fiction, consisting of a substantial piece of writing—a novella, a collection of short stories, or a group of poems—to be submitted in the student’s final semester. The project requires the approval of the student’s faculty adviser and of the director of the CWP.

To qualify for the degree, a student must have a GPA of at least 3.0, must complete a minimum of 24 points with a grade of B or better, and may offer no more than 8 points with a grade of C (no more than 4 points with a grade of C in creative writing workshops). A student may take no more than 36 points toward the degree.

The M.F.A. degree may also be earned through the Low Residency M.F.A. Writers Workshop in Paris. Under this model, degree requirements remain the same, although Craft courses and Workshops take the form of individualized courses of study with the faculty, including four packet exchanges of student work per semester. All students earning the M.F.A. degree through the low-residency program must also participate in five ten-day residencies in Paris, which involve a diverse series of series of readings, special events, faculty mentorship meetings, and professional development panels.

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Creative Writing Workshops & Camps

Creative Writing Workshops & Camps

Who We Are

Writopia Lab is a national community of teen and young writers and thinkers.

Why We Do This

Why We Do This

Because we love authentic writing, thoughtful conversations, stunning prose, and silly madness.

Our Mission

What We Do

In addition to running workshops at our labs, we work with community-based organizations, the NY Public Library, Homes for the Homeless, and public and private schools across the country.

Testimonials

"Writopia was Abey's first inclusion experience. He was embraced by the community and encouraged to submit his writing for publications and awards. Abey was very happy at Writopia and it gave us the confidence to transition from a private special education school to a NYC public high school. His highest compliment is 'This is just like Writopia.'" Michelle Noris
"Writopia online has been a miracle during the pandemic. The workshops have always been the bright spot in Hugh's week and even more so during this past year. Thank you for continuing to provide a top notch creative outlet!" Jessica Manser
Thursday is Willem’s favorite day of the week! He and several others from their D & D game just chatted with each other on roll20 the other day— love the way this group has bonded. I’m amazed and grateful to know that making friends virtually during a pandemic is totally a thing. Jennifer Robinson
"My daughter loves her class. This is huge - for years, I've been digging for her passion, her fire, and I think we just rubbed two sticks together and got some." A Proud Dad
"I just glanced at Shaylem's essay and was really happy with what you all have helped facilitate for him. I really appreciate the feedback, all of your hard work, and the organization as a whole." Liz Lawler
"Thank you all. One thing I have learned from Covid is what people and activities are really the most meaningful for my child and Writopia is top of the list. Thank you all for creating such an amazing supportive community!!!" L.P.
"I never thought I would say this, but i am soooooo happy that your classes are on Zoom so Robbie can continue to take your classes when we move!!! Thank you so much...I cannot express enough how wonderful Writopia has been for my son..." Shari
"...thanks so much for granting Amira with her first sleepaway camp experience last summer at WriCampia. Amira had an amazing time and wants to attend again this summer... She still talks about her experience at WriCampia to date and keeps in touch with the friends she met. I myself really enjoyed viewing all of the photos, her short story video and fun memories captured! Thanks so much again!" Tanisha, Writopia Parent (Winter 2019)
I absolutely recommend this class. Discussions and readings changed my thinking about how to teach writing... The classes were fun especially the writing games and exercises. I felt like a kid again. NYC DOE educator's evaluation of Writopia Lab's Training Institute
Writopia was really beneficial for students who already see themselves as writers, as it gives them the creative outlet. But it is also great for reluctant writers; they flourish in this type of environment. Teacher, PS 276 in New York City

Novel in Verse

Novel in Verse

In this four-week intensive, writers will learn the art of the novel-in-verse—a story told through poems! Writers will leave with the beginning of their own verse novel and a strong sense of direction for completing it.

Begins Thursday, February 29th, 2024

Intro to College Essay

Intro to College Essay

Sports Writing

Sports Writing

New Summer Program: Sports Writing! Explore every form of sports writing from reviews, to features, to op-eds and personal essays.

Teen Open Mics in NYC

Teen Open Mics in NYC

Teen writers are welcome to share their poetry, songs, or short prose on stage within a supportive environment of Writopia educators and peers.

Saturday, February 24th, 2024

Writopia Debate Teams

Writopia Debate Teams

Debaters work with a set team and explore a variety of topics and stances through the use of sparring and gameplay. Novice and Experienced workshops available. Plus, our new "Rhetoric Rookie" workshops are open to 7-9 year olds!

Winter Enrollment is Open!

Winter Enrollment is Open!

Register now for a trimester-long, weekly workshop, online or in-person.

Middle School Advanced Writing Exploration (AWE)

Middle School Advanced Writing Exploration (AWE)

This application-only program invites 7th and 8th-grade writers to be part of a community of dedicated, focused writers looking to explore, expand, and deepen their literary passions. 

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2024 Best Colleges with Creative Writing Degrees in the New York City Area

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Columbia University

New York, NY •

Graduate Student: Columbia University, is and always has been a signal of scholastic greatness, settled inside the most beautiful New York City. Columbia is known for its prestigious scholastics and amazing and recognized workforce, Columbia offers a rich embroidery of learning potential open doors across different disciplines. The grounds hums with scholarly interest, cultivating a climate where understudies flourish and thoughts thrive. Past the homeroom, the unique understudy life improves the university experience, with heap clubs, far-reaching developments, and extracurricular exercises to participate in. Whether investigating the notable design of Morningside Levels or digging into the city's social blend, Columbia College offers an unmatched excursion of revelation and development.. ... Read 1,346 reviews

Acceptance rate 4%

Net price $12,411

SAT range 1470-1570

#1 Best Colleges in New York City Area .

Blue checkmark.

NEW YORK, NY ,

1346 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says Columbia University, is and always has been a signal of scholastic greatness, settled inside the most beautiful New York City. Columbia is known for its prestigious scholastics and amazing and... .

Read 1346 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : A+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 4% ,

Net Price : $12,411 ,

SAT Range : 1470-1570 ,

Yeshiva University

Alum: I loved my time at Yeshiva University! I was able to enjoy rigorous academics and participate in many clubs like Model UN, the constitutional council, Project Sunshine and more! The small class sizes fostered close relationships with processors and individualized academic attention. ... Read 285 reviews

Acceptance rate 63%

Net price $36,807

SAT range 1140-1410

#7 Best Colleges in New York City Area .

285 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I loved my time at Yeshiva University! I was able to enjoy rigorous academics and participate in many clubs like Model UN, the constitutional council, Project Sunshine and more! The small class sizes... .

Read 285 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : A minus ,

Acceptance Rate : 63% ,

Net Price : $36,807 ,

SAT Range : 1140-1410 ,

Stony Brook University, SUNY

Stony Brook, NY •

Freshman: Freshman year at Stony Brook University is an exhilarating journey marked by academic exploration and personal growth. Engaging lectures and vibrant discussions characterize classes, offering a diverse learning experience. The campus fosters a sense of community, with numerous clubs and events enabling students to connect and build lasting friendships. Navigating the picturesque campus, freshmen discover state-of-the-art facilities and resources that enhance their educational pursuits. The cultural diversity enriches perspectives, creating a dynamic environment. Challenges and triumphs shape this transformative year, laying the foundation for a fulfilling college experience. Stony Brook University's freshman experience is a blend of academic rigor, social connections, and self-discovery. ... Read 2,877 reviews

Acceptance rate 48%

Net price $16,445

SAT range 1300-1480

#9 Best Colleges in New York City Area .

STONY BROOK, NY ,

2877 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Freshman year at Stony Brook University is an exhilarating journey marked by academic exploration and personal growth. Engaging lectures and vibrant discussions characterize classes, offering a... .

Read 2877 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 48% ,

Net Price : $16,445 ,

SAT Range : 1300-1480 ,

The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre

NEW YORK CITY, NY

Hampshire College

AMHERST, MA

Fairfield University

FAIRFIELD, CT

Seton Hall University

South Orange, NJ •

Senior: As a senior at Seton Hall, I can confidently say I made the best choice of my life four years ago when I decided to attend here. I have never felt so supported and cared for than I have at my time at Seton Hall. The professors, faculty and staff are dedicated and educated to the nines, ready to support and empower students every day. The wealth of opportunities available to Seton Hall students is unmatched. From the career center, dedicated to helping students with employment and internships, to the academic resource center providing tutoring for all subjects, and the multiple free mental health services provided to all students, Seton Hall excels at making students welcome and supported from the start. I have built my resume far beyond what I thought I would be able to during my time at Seton Hall, and I have made some life long friends along the way. It is such a bittersweet feeling to be graduating within the next few months and I owe all my future success to The Hall! ... Read 2,175 reviews

Acceptance rate 77%

Net price $33,177

SAT range 1200-1370

#17 Best Colleges in New York City Area .

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ ,

2175 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says As a senior at Seton Hall, I can confidently say I made the best choice of my life four years ago when I decided to attend here. I have never felt so supported and cared for than I have at my time at... .

Read 2175 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 77% ,

Net Price : $33,177 ,

SAT Range : 1200-1370 ,

CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, NY •

Senior: Brooklyn College is a decent, affordable option. It is even more convenient if you live in the borough, making for easy commute. It's wide selection of majors is especially what gives the college its biggest reputation. With a variety of options, a prospective student will have ease in choosing a desired major. Most professors that I have worked with during my time there have been quite pleasant and communicative. In times of need, being able to work with and communicate with professors is very important, so it is pleasure to know that professors have been communicative. My only problem with Brooklyn College is that it can be quite difficult to make friends on campus. But then again, I would suggest that if one would like to make friends, it would be best to join a club/afterschool program offered by the college to make such connections (which I did not do). This is my honest review on my experience at Brooklyn College. ... Read 1,279 reviews

Acceptance rate 51%

Net price $4,254

SAT range 1020-1180

#21 Best Colleges in New York City Area .

BROOKLYN, NY ,

1279 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says Brooklyn College is a decent, affordable option. It is even more convenient if you live in the borough, making for easy commute. It's wide selection of majors is especially what gives the college its... .

Read 1279 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 51% ,

Net Price : $4,254 ,

SAT Range : 1020-1180 ,

Pratt Institute

Sophomore: Pratt's School of Architecture is absolutely magnificent. I have been in the program for a few semesters, and I continue to love it even more each semester. As many know, architecture is a very challenging and time-consuming major/program but the work that is created through the program is reflective of the student's hard work. What has impressed me the most about Pratt SoA are the professors. I continue to be astonished by my professor's work, education, and expertise in the field; hearing their stories and being able to see their work around the city makes going through the program both inspiring and rewarding. Furthermore, the small class sizes allow students to get to know their professors in ways that will assist in preparing them for the future (for instance, one of my professors recommended me for an internship and connected me with one of their former colleagues). Pratt has been the perfect fit for me! ... Read 860 reviews

Acceptance rate 68%

Net price $46,486

SAT range 1190-1410

#37 Best Colleges in New York City Area .

860 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says Pratt's School of Architecture is absolutely magnificent. I have been in the program for a few semesters, and I continue to love it even more each semester. As many know, architecture is a very... .

Read 860 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B ,

Acceptance Rate : 68% ,

Net Price : $46,486 ,

SAT Range : 1190-1410 ,

The New School

Freshman: My experience at The New School has been great overall. I've learned a lot from the professors, who genuinely care about their students and invest time in ensuring that everyone understands the material. However, I've faced a significant issue with financial aid. I wish the school would provide more assistance to students who are struggling to pay and proactively communicate any potential issues beforehand. Instead, students find out about the issue much later and have to run in circles trying to figure out things, inducing more stress. ... Read 651 reviews

Acceptance rate 66%

Net price $43,547

SAT range 1150-1380

651 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says My experience at The New School has been great overall. I've learned a lot from the professors, who genuinely care about their students and invest time in ensuring that everyone understands the... .

Read 651 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B minus ,

Acceptance Rate : 66% ,

Net Price : $43,547 ,

SAT Range : 1150-1380 ,

Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus

Madison, NJ •

Senior: Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus stands out as an exceptional institution for students. The university offers an inclusive and welcoming environment that extends from the classrooms to various student spaces, fostering a sense of community and warmth. The university's private nature is reflected in its smaller class sizes, setting it apart from larger public colleges. The smaller class sizes also facilitate a deeper engagement with the course material, fostering a more profound understanding of the subjects being taught. The commitment to student-centric education is a driving force at FDU. Professors and staff prioritize the well-being and success of each student, ensuring that everyone receives the support and attention necessary to thrive academically and personally. The emphasis on individualized attention and a supportive community contributes to a more enriching and fulfilling college experience. ... Read 861 reviews

Acceptance rate 85%

Net price $15,810

SAT range 1040-1230

MADISON, NJ ,

861 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus stands out as an exceptional institution for students. The university offers an inclusive and welcoming environment that extends from the classrooms to... .

Read 861 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : C+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 85% ,

Net Price : $15,810 ,

SAT Range : 1040-1230 ,

SUNY Nassau Community College

Garden City, NY •

Freshman: I appreciate its diverse student body and faculty, which enriches the learning environment and promotes cultural exchange. The college also offers support services such as academic advising, tutoring, and career counseling to help us students succeed academically and professionally.Like any educational institution, there may be areas for improvement. Some students may wish to see expanded course offerings, updated facilities, or increased access to resources and extracurricular activities. SUNY Nassau Community College plays an important role in providing quality higher education opportunities to students in the region. I don’t really know if there’s something to change because i like everything . ... Read 1,115 reviews

Acceptance rate 100%

Net price $6,730

SAT range —

GARDEN CITY, NY ,

1115 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says I appreciate its diverse student body and faculty, which enriches the learning environment and promotes cultural exchange. The college also offers support services such as academic advising,... SUNY Nassau Community College plays an important role in providing quality higher education opportunities to students in the region. I don’t really know if there’s something to change because i like everything . .

Read 1115 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 100% ,

Net Price : $6,730 ,

St. Thomas Aquinas College

Sparkill, NY •

Freshman: Being apart of the St Thomas Aquinas College family, I have learned so much about myself and my interests. The small campus and community feel has given me the opportunity to pursue my passions whether in track & field or education. The professors at STAC want me to be the best version of myself and are always willing to work with me if needed. The moment I stepped foot on campus I felt like I was welcomed with open arms by the staff and my peers. ... Read 161 reviews

Acceptance rate 89%

Net price $18,502

SAT range 970-1190

SPARKILL, NY ,

161 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Being apart of the St Thomas Aquinas College family, I have learned so much about myself and my interests. The small campus and community feel has given me the opportunity to pursue my passions... .

Read 161 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 89% ,

Net Price : $18,502 ,

SAT Range : 970-1190 ,

SUNY Purchase College

Purchase, NY •

Freshman: While I am definitely enjoying my time at Purchase, there are a few things that I would like to see change. First, the food. There are not enough options for meals and most of time, the food is hit or miss. It is hard to find healthy food as well. Some berries would be greatly appreciated! The dorms are also not great, but could be worse. ... Read 1,169 reviews

Acceptance rate 75%

Net price $19,458

SAT range 1120-1320

PURCHASE, NY ,

1169 Niche users give it an average review of 3.4 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says While I am definitely enjoying my time at Purchase, there are a few things that I would like to see change. First, the food. There are not enough options for meals and most of time, the food is hit... .

Read 1169 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : C ,

Acceptance Rate : 75% ,

Net Price : $19,458 ,

SAT Range : 1120-1320 ,

Manhattanville College

Freshman: I feel like I fit in here, and it is very inclusive for its students. I enjoy it here and have made numerous connections with my peers. This makes me somewhat enjoy college, however some bad apples spoil the whole bunch as I have also met students in which I'd rather avoid, but that's anywhere you go. Either way, I like Manhattanville College. ... Read 870 reviews

Acceptance rate 83%

Net price $21,969

SAT range 1020-1230

870 Niche users give it an average review of 3.4 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says I feel like I fit in here, and it is very inclusive for its students. I enjoy it here and have made numerous connections with my peers. This makes me somewhat enjoy college, however some bad apples... .

Read 870 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 83% ,

Net Price : $21,969 ,

SAT Range : 1020-1230 ,

Bloomfield College

Bloomfield, NJ •

Sophomore: My overall experience while attending Bloomfield College has been amazing. The campus life is great and thriving everyday. The area around Campus is very calming and beautiful. Everyone is friendly and supportive from the staff to the students themselves. The College Dorms are fairly big depending which building you reside in and the Campus food is great. There are many resources on campus, such as TRIO or the OTWASS building that can help students achieve greatness and become the best student they can be. There are many activities being held on the quad, as well as school trips and also the new merger with Montclair State University. Overall, a very welcoming community and a great place to pursue your studies. ... Read 499 reviews

Acceptance rate 84%

Net price $21,585

SAT range 780-970

BLOOMFIELD, NJ ,

499 Niche users give it an average review of 3.3 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says My overall experience while attending Bloomfield College has been amazing. The campus life is great and thriving everyday. The area around Campus is very calming and beautiful. Everyone is friendly... .

Read 499 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 84% ,

Net Price : $21,585 ,

SAT Range : 780-970 ,

Marymount Manhattan College

Freshman: Studying at Marymount Manhattan College offers opportunities for a personalized education with small class sizes. The college's location in New York City provides access to diverse cultural experiences and internships in various industries. Additionally, the emphasis on performing arts and liberal arts programs allows students to explore their passions with dedicated faculty guidance. Networking opportunities in the heart of a major global city contribute to a well-rounded education and potential career paths. ... Read 778 reviews

Net price $31,750

SAT range 1050-1270

778 Niche users give it an average review of 3.3 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Studying at Marymount Manhattan College offers opportunities for a personalized education with small class sizes. The college's location in New York City provides access to diverse cultural... .

Read 778 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : C minus ,

Net Price : $31,750 ,

SAT Range : 1050-1270 ,

CUNY Graduate School & University Center

Graduate Student: Despite my Master's degree being fully online, the Professors are extremely involved and accessible. CUNY does a great job of fostered a positive learning environment! ... Read 47 reviews

Net price —

47 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says Despite my Master's degree being fully online, the Professors are extremely involved and accessible. CUNY does a great job of fostered a positive learning environment! .

Read 47 reviews.

Mount St. Joseph University

CINCINNATI, OH

Parsons Paris at The New School

University of Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA, PA

Showing results 1 through 15 of 15

Published September 13, 2023

A Tale of Three Cities: NYU’s Summer Creative Writing Programs

Staff Writer

Writers draw inspiration from their own experiences, and for many, global cities become their muse. At NYU, aspiring poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers can enroll in a monthlong immersive summer program through the College of Arts and Science . Participants choose between Paris, Florence, and New York City, and then hone their creative writing skills against the backdrop of an iconic city. Below, three aspiring wordsmiths share their experiences living a writer’s life.

A group of students walking over a bridge in Paris on an overcast day.

Enjoy a Moveable Feast in Paris

NYU English and American Literature major Isean Bhalla chose to study in Paris because a friend completed the program and loved it. Their endorsement? “‘It was the greatest month of my life,’ word for word,” Isean recalls. “Plus, one does not say no to Paris. Ever.” Reflecting back, Isean credits growing as a creative writer to the program’s high-quality faculty and “excellent” nightly readings from “world-class writers.” “It gave me a greater understanding of my own voice as well as things I want to write about in the future,” Isean affirms.

Most importantly, however, Writers in Paris connected Isean to an inspiring community that was rich in writing talent and friendship. “The program put me in constant contact with other writers who were better than I was. They pushed me in ways I couldn’t. Being around writers 24/7 doesn’t sound like it’s that important, but I found it more stimulating for my writing than anything else. That’s all anyone ever talked about or thought about. So we’d feed off each other and get better.” And, of course, being in Paris didn’t hurt. Isean says, “Paris is a muse; Paris has always been a muse; and I suspect Paris will always be a muse.”

A student reading a book in their dorm room in Florence.

Get a Room with a View in Florence

Katherine Ertman always considered writing a hobby, but after attending Writers in Florence , she realized it could be a career. The NYU Vocal Performance major is training to be an opera singer, but in Florence, she found that “writing my own stories instead of performing stories written by others was a refreshing experience.” In fact, Katherine spent the past summer completing a Creative Writing minor by enrolling in both Writers in Florence and Writers in Paris. “It seemed like an amazing opportunity to complete all 16 credits while exploring two inspiring European cities,” she explains.

In Florence Katherine drew inspiration from a day trip to Castello di Fosdinovo, a Tuscan medieval castle. In Paris she attended readings by renowned authors outside the iconic Shakespeare and Company bookstore. “The locations really influenced me, and I ended up writing a few stories set in both locations,” Katherine says. In the end, she urges anyone interested to enroll, even if they’ve never shared their creative writing with others. “Just try it!” she exclaims. “Writing was a hobby for me, and I went in without any prior workshop experience. Also, I was intimidated because I’m not an English major. However, my fears were unfounded because the faculty and students alike were so supportive. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

A group of students spending time on the lawns in Washington Square Park in New York City.

A Writer Grows in New York City

Esmé Warmuth grew up close to New York City, admiring the city from afar but never spending much time there. So when the English major learned that she could join NYU’s Writers in New York program as a visiting student , she jumped at the chance. “I’ve been a longtime admirer of NYU’s creative writing faculty,” she adds. Living in Greenwich Village, Esmé connected with published authors, literary agents, and magazine editors, gaining valuable professional experience. She particularly enjoyed a panel with program alumni. “It was helpful to hear from authors who had started where we were and wound up with book deals, jobs teaching creative writing, and overall successful careers,” she explains.

During her month in New York City, Esmé sharpened her skills as a writer and gained confidence in her abilities. “Receiving, giving, and listening to advice in class helped me grow my craft and gave me the opportunity to share my writing with a receptive and positive audience,” she says. All in all, the experience was better than she could have imagined. “The Writers in New York program was like nothing I ever experienced before,” she concludes. “Being among students my age who were just as passionate about books and writing as I am was wonderful. Plus, everyone came in with a great attitude and a willingness to learn. I’m very grateful.”

A Creative Writing Minor Complements Any Major

Across majors and around the world, NYU students find the value in a Creative Writing minor.

A Guide to Writing Majors at NYU

At NYU, English and creative writing aren’t the only options for aspiring writers!

Find Joie de Vivre at NYU Paris

At NYU Paris, you can practice your French, take courses at local institutions, and soak in the French capital’s storied culture.

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5 Reading and Writing Programs to Get Involved With in NYC

The most crucial predictor of a child’s academic success is their parent’s English reading and writing proficiency. In New York City, approximately 18% of adult residents do not speak English proficiently, which means many city children do not have the same educational opportunities as their peers in the suburbs 1 . With limited linguistic skills, these students have a much harder time graduating from high school, college, and advancing their careers.

Though literacy programs for pre-K, elementary, middle school, and high-school students do exist in New York, they may be threatened by city budget cuts that will reduce the availability of literacy coaches and after-school programs 2 . This lack of support means the responsibility of educating the city’s youth falls on the shoulders of parents, guardians, volunteers, and nonprofits with free reading and writing programs.

Together with WritingMetier we gathered these amazing organizations to help you volunteer in NYC with these 5 literacy organizations to help children in your community become better readers, learners, and provide them with more potential career opportunities.

Related Reading : The Top 4 Benefits of Reading Books Every Day

Promote Literacy in Your Neighborhood with These NYC Reading and Writing Programs

Reading partners.

Reading Partners works with underserved students in New York City and helps them improve their literacy skills and confidence through one-on-one tutoring. The organization focuses on building partnerships between students, parents, educators, and community volunteers. This holistic approach to literacy has empowered students from the Bronx to Brooklyn. During the 2016-17 school year, Reading Partners reported that 90% of their pupils had mastered key foundational skills and were able to read at grade level.

Through literacy, children are more likely to graduate high school, attend college, and stay out of trouble. Students in their program meet with volunteers twice a week and follow a structured curriculum that can more than double their rate of learning. Become a volunteer, lead a book drive, or become a school partner to help Reading Partners improve childhood literacy.

Help Students Become Better Readers.

Girls Write Now

Though the gender pay gap has narrowed since 1980, women on average still earned 80% of what their male counterparts earned in 2017 3 . Gender discrimination and educational attainment both affect a young woman’s ability to reach the same socioeconomic status as a man. Underserved young women face an even greater uphill battle to break the cycle of poverty.

By teaming up with Girls Write Now , mentors have the opportunity to help girls of color, immigrants, LGBT/non-conforming, and high-need students find their voice in a society that has done its’ best to keep them silent. Mentors who match the organization's requirements will be provided with training, ongoing guidance, and the ability to contribute to a dynamic community. To become a mentee , one must live within the five boroughs, be in grades 9-12 and be able to meet weekly for in-person mentoring sessions.

Help Young Women Find Their Voice.

Literacy Partners

Literacy Partners provides low-income New York City families with free educational classes that improve literacy in parents and their children. On average, the organization's programs have increased the amount of time parents spend reading with their children weekly by 50% 4 . Children who are read to have a more substantial vocabulary, have improved comprehension abilities, and develop effective discussion skills.

English proficiency also leads to better jobs, high school equivalency degrees, and college acceptance. To get involved with Literacy Partners, one can become a volunteer, join their marathon team, bike for books, or become a friend of the organization.

Teach a Fellow New Yorker How to Read.

InsideSchools

InsideSchools believes that parents who are active participants in their child’s education are key to their students’ education. The organization provides a wide range of after-school and summer programs for New York City students who would like to explore new interests, need extra support, or want to supplement what they learned at school. They also provide academic, safety, and enrollment data for parents who are enrolling their children in the New York City public school system so that they can make the best decision for their child.

There are no current volunteer opportunities available through InsideSchools. However, the organization has plenty of upcoming after-school and summer arts, science, math, and writing programs for pre-K, elementary, middle school, and high school students.

Sign-up for Writing and Homework Help.

Literacy Inc.

Every child in New York City should be able to read at grade level and develop the skills they need to embrace academic challenges. Literacy Inc (LINC) helps children between 0-8 years old develop literacy skills that, by the end of third grade, will allow students to shift from learning to read to reading to learn. The organization also works with parents and community members to support young readers in high need neighborhoods. By making literacy a community effort, they can break the cycle of poverty, improve high school graduation rates, and provide children with more options for career advancement.

To help LINC. community members can join their Very Involved Parent program, organize a book drive, attend their events, or become a partner.

Help NYC Kids Become Better Readers.

These five organizations have helped students across the Five Boroughs become avid learners, improved their literacy skills, and opened up academic and career opportunities that would not have been previously available. By volunteering, mentoring, or becoming involved with Reading Partners, Girls Write Now, Literacy Partners, InsideSchools, or LINC you can improve childhood literacy in your community and change the trajectory of a child’s life.

If you are interested in more ways to get involved in your community , subscribe to NYXT for monthly updates on community engagement opportunities in New York City.

Article updated: 06.19.2020

Our Sources:

1 https://literacypartners.org/literacy-in-new-york-city-the-challenge

2 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-07/nyc-to-curb-spending-deepen-hiring-freeze-as-revenue-stumbles

3 https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/09/gender-pay-gap-facts/

4 https://literacypartners.org/our-results

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PLUS ULTRA: Character-Based Gaming & Writing

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Our TTRPG series. We'll be designing our own characters drawing on the world of My Hero Academia, using game mechanics from Dungeons & Dragons and Mutants & Masterminds. Use writing and (optional) art to create a character's abilities, backstories, and play mechanics, drawing on library materials and collections. Create a character and send them on adventures as a student at U.A. Bronx. Get ready to go beyond!

NYPL After School

Upcoming dates

NYPL After School is a free drop-in program for kids ages 6–12 that takes place after regular school hours on Mondays through Thursdays. Join our tutors and Teen Reading Ambassadors for homework help, reading recommendations, fun writing, STEAM, and enrichment activities—and even snacks! No need to register—just show up! Everything is free.

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  1. Best Writing Classes in NYC for 2024

    Learn how to write the next bestseller or screenplay with these stellar writing workshops in NYC. From personal essays to poetry, from screenplays to screenwriting, from character creation to screenwriting, these courses will help you improve your skills and find inspiration.

  2. Creative Writing Program

    The NYU Creative Writing Program is among the most distinguished programs in the country and is a leading national center for the study of writing and literature. Learn More Graduate Program The graduate Creative Writing Program at NYU consists of a community of writers working together in a setting that is both challenging and supportive.

  3. Creative Writing Classes

    Gotham Writers Workshop is a creative home where writers develop their craft and come together in the spirit of discovery and fellowship. We've been teaching creative writing and business writing since 1993. Fiction Nonfiction Scriptwriting Comedy, Poetry & Song Professional Development Essentials The Art of Craft

  4. Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts

    The Master in Creative Writing, (MFA) is a 42 credit program, which prepares students to be professionals in dissecting contemporary, modern, and classic literature as well construct literature pieces of their own. Our students are published in literary journals and by publishers.

  5. The Writers Studio New York

    The Writers Studio New York All course categories IN-PERSON CLASSES NYC Level 1, 2, and Advanced Poetry classes will be held in person at the Village Community School at 272 West 10th Street in the West Village. Proof of vaccination and masks are required to attend in-person classes. VIRTUAL CLASSES

  6. Creative Writing MFA Program in New York

    The Writer's Life in NYC Creative Writing students come to The New School from across the United States and around the world to live the writer's life in New York City. Evenings with agents and editors, offered exclusively for MFA students, provide informal opportunities to meet publishing professionals. Learn more The New School Bookshelf

  7. Master's in Professional Writing Online

    Flexible, fully online Complete in 3 semesters (full-time) or 6 semesters (part-time) Core curriculum: Foundational courses give you the safety and confidence that comes with a firm command of the basics, allowing you to dive deeper into your writing and editing practice.

  8. 23 Writing Classes in New York in 2024

    An important goal of the workshop is to help writers understand that a narrative voice is born out of conscious creation. Prerequisites: No prerequisites. Location: New York. Categories: Fiction, Poetry. Level: Any. Class size: Limited. Price: $345.00. Start date: April, 2024.

  9. Creative Writing, B.F.A.

    Program Overview. As a creative writing major, you will join a community of students, faculty, and mentors who will help you develop as an imaginative writer and a bold thinker. You'll pursue a course of study that combines training in the art and craft of writing alongside literary scholarship. Working closely with our active, publishing ...

  10. Creative Writing Curriculum

    WriteOn NYC!, a New School-funded fellowship program, provides MFA students with high-quality teaching experience in area middle schools and high schools. Students may also enroll in campus-wide course electives on subjects such as teaching preparation, languages, and media practice. Degree Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Credits 36

  11. Creative Writing, M.F.A

    The M.F.A. fiction specialization at Brooklyn College is a two-year course that maintains an enrollment of 30 students. While every member of the ongoing and visiting faculty works according to their methods, we are united in our conviction that newer writers need a balance of encouragement and serious, thoroughly considered feedback.

  12. Writing Undergraduate Major

    To study creative writing at Columbia University's School of the Arts, in New York City, is to join a distinguished group of writers who arrived at a prestigious university in the nation's literary capital to explore the deep artistic power of language. J.D. Salinger enrolled in a short story course here in 1939.

  13. Creative Writing

    Contact the MFA in Creative Writing program at any time at [email protected], or 914.323.7211 Or, request more information. Apply to the MFA in Creative Writing Program at ManhattanvilleManhattanville College offers an accessible Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing degree program where candidates tailor their coursework to their talents ...

  14. MFA Program In Creative Writing

    By Kathleen Collins, October 18, 2021. In Spring 2021, the Creative Writing MFA at City College saw an unprecedented enrollment spike. It's not exactly clear why it occurred, but Director Michelle Valladares has some ideas about that. She has lots of ideas, in fact, about unique and exciting ways to grow the program even more while still ...

  15. MFA in Creative Writing

    By Kathleen Collins, October 18, 2021. In Spring 2021, the Creative Writing MFA at City College saw an unprecedented enrollment spike. It's not exactly clear why it occurred, but Director Michelle Valladares has some ideas about that. She has lots of ideas, in fact, about unique and exciting ways to grow the program even more while still ...

  16. A Guide to Writing Majors at NYU

    A Guide to Writing Majors at NYU. By. Sam Whitley. Sam Whitley. Majors & Programs. New York City is one of the best places for aspiring writers! It is overflowing with inspiration for stories, from the tourists merging in Times Square to the unique and fashionable characters hopping on and off the subway.

  17. Classes & Workshops

    Filtered By: "writing" Clear All Filters 430 classes found. Date/Time Title/Description Location Audience Page 1 of 11 Next The New York Public Library offers more than 93,000 programs annually, serving everyone from toddlers to teens to seniors.

  18. Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

    The M.F.A. in Creative Writing is designed to offer students an opportunity to concentrate more intensively on their writing and to choose, from a wider selection, those courses that will best help them develop as writers. The M.F.A. program does not have a foreign language requirement.

  19. Writopia Lab

    Teacher, PS 276 in New York City. What's Hot View All News Novel in Verse. In this four-week intensive, writers will learn the art of the novel-in-verse—a story told through poems! ... New Summer Program: Sports Writing! Explore every form of sports writing from reviews, to features, to op-eds and personal essays. Teen Open Mics in NYC.

  20. Writers in New York

    "Writers in New York was a really great step forward for my writing." "The Writers in New York program was the perfect introduction to the literary past and present of New York City. With the help of two supportive instructors and many guest speakers, I developed a more confident voice in my writing and fell in love with the stories ...

  21. 2024 Best New York City Area Colleges with Creative Writing Degrees

    2024 Best Colleges with Creative Writing Degrees in the New York City Area Best colleges Direct Admissions College Quiz Best value View on map College type 4-year Private Public 2-year Trade/career General area of study Any Majors Campus Online friendliness Fully online Large online program Some online degrees Cost (net price) Select a value

  22. A Tale of Three Cities: NYU's Summer Creative Writing Programs

    At NYU, aspiring poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers can enroll in a monthlong immersive summer program through the College of Arts and Science. Participants choose between Paris, Florence, and New York City, and then hone their creative writing skills against the backdrop of an iconic city.

  23. 5 Reading and Writing Programs to Get Involved With in NYC

    5 Reading and Writing Programs to Get Involved With in NYC by NYXT March 26, 2019 The most crucial predictor of a child's academic success is their parent's English reading and writing proficiency.

  24. PLUS ULTRA: Character-Based Gaming & Writing

    Our TTRPG series. We'll be designing our own characters drawing on the world of My Hero Academia, using game mechanics from Dungeons & Dragons and Mutants & Masterminds. Use writing and (optional) art to create a character's abilities, backstories, and play mechanics, drawing on library materials and collections. Create a character and send them on adventures as a student at U.A. Bronx. Get ...

  25. NYPL After School

    NYPL After School is a free drop-in program for kids ages 6-12 that takes place after regular school hours on Mondays through Thursdays. Join our tutors and Teen Reading Ambassadors for homework help, reading recommendations, fun writing, STEAM, and enrichment activities—and even snacks! No need to register—just show up! Everything is free.

  26. Shane Burcaw on Instagram: "#ad We definitely didn't have "writing

    shaneburcaw on February 23, 2024: "#ad We definitely didn't have "writing, producing, and acting in a real NYC musical comedy th..." Shane Burcaw on Instagram: "#ad We definitely didn't have "writing, producing, and acting in a real NYC musical comedy theater show" on our bingo cards for this year, but here we are!