colleges in boston for creative writing

Best Creative Writing colleges in Boston 2024

Best creative writing colleges in boston for 2024.

Brandeis University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 11 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 11 Bachelor's degrees.

Harvard University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 40 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 40 Master's degrees.

Boston University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 17 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 17 Master's degrees.

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2022, 9 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 9 Master's degrees.

Wellesley College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 19 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 19 Bachelor's degrees.

Emerson College offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 185 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 124 Bachelor's degrees, and 61 Master's degrees.

Lesley University offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 37 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 23 Master's degrees, and 14 Bachelor's degrees.

Simmons University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Bachelor's degrees.

University of Massachusetts-Boston offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 10 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 10 Master's degrees.

Salem State University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 7 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Bachelor's degrees.

List of all Creative Writing colleges in Boston

7 Best colleges for Creative Writing in Boston, MA

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in Boston ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 29.2K citations received by 1.96K academic papers made by 7 universities in Boston was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Boston College

For Creative Writing

2. Boston University

3. University of Massachusetts - Boston

4. Northeastern University

5. Simmons University

6. Emerson College

7. Suffolk University

Universities for Creative Writing near Boston

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The study of literature offers students a comprehensive point of view from which they can integrate the diversity of human experiences. Language reveals fascinating truths about the human mind and literature records its preoccupations—intellectual, aesthetic, spiritual, psychological, political, social, historical, and ethical.

The study of literature offers deep schooling in human experience. It is also superb training for any field in which understanding of behavior is valued. Students of literature consistently explore language and the forms of expression, valuable in any future work where precise and effective communication is important. English majors and minors can develop these skills to a considerable degree, and non-majors find that taking even a few well-chosen electives beyond the Core requirement can widen their knowledge of literature and sharpen their linguistic abilities.

The English major at Boston College is designed to introduce students to a wide range of expression in the literary traditions of the past and present. It aims to help undergraduate students develop a strengthened ability to work critically and sensitively with texts in poetry and prose, to write with clarity and grace, and to articulate judgments about literature with an awareness of various critical approaches. English majors will become familiar with some of the major developments in the history of literature in the English language and will have the opportunity to choose from an array of courses covering topics from the medieval period to contemporary cultural studies to a range of transnational literatures.

By the successful completion of the English major at Boston College, students will be able to demonstrate:

• An ability to write clear, coherent, organized, and stylistically correct papers;
• An ability to close-read, interpret, and analyze texts (including poetic texts);
• A knowledge of literary genres and appropriate use of critical terminology;
• A recognition of the historical specificity of literary works and/or other cultural products;
• An awareness that there are a variety of critical approaches to literary and cultural texts.

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Major requirements, english minor, english courses for non-majors.

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Creative Writing Concentration

Summer courses, information for study abroad, honors program, b.a./m.a. program.

The English Department has primary responsibility for two Core requirements—ENGL1010 First-Year Writing Seminar, taught entirely by English Department faculty, and ENGL1080 Literature Core, taught largely by English Department faculty. Because Core classes are restricted to first-year students, students should plan to take both courses during the first year. Courses offered through the Woods College may not be counted toward the English Core, major, or minor.

ENGL1010 First-Year Writing Seminar

The First-Year Writing Seminar helps students use their writing as a source of learning and a form of communication. Designed as a workshop in which each student develops a portfolio of personal and academic writing, the seminar follows a semester-long process. Students write and rewrite essays continuously, discuss their works-in-progress in class, and receive feedback during individual and small group conferences with the instructor. In connection with their writing, students read and discuss a wide range of texts, including various forms of non-fiction prose. In addition to regular conferences, the class meets two hours per week to learn and discuss writing processes and strategies, various genres and rhetorical situations for writing, the evolving drafts of class members, and various forms of conducting and writing research, including an introduction to using the resources at O'Neill Library.

ENGL1080 Literature Core

In this part of the Core program, students explore the principal motives which prompt people to read literature—to assemble and assess the shape and values of one's own culture, to discover alternative ways of looking at the world, to gain insight into issues of permanent human importance as well as issues of contemporary urgency, and to enjoy the linguistic and formal satisfactions of literary art.

Literature Core will strive to develop the student's capacity to read and write with clarity and engagement, to allow for that dialogue between the past and present we call history, and to provide an introduction to literary genres.

Courses for English Language Learners

The department offers Core level courses in language and literature for English language learners. These classes require department permission for registration. Interested students should contact the ELL Director, Lynne Anderson, for more information:  lynne.anderson@bc.edu .

Students ordinarily begin the English major in their sophomore year, after completing the First-Year Writing Seminar and the Literature Core. In addition to the two 3-credit Core courses, students take 30 credits (in the form of ten 3-credit courses) from the Department’s offerings. These must include ENGL2131 Studies in Poetry (3 credits) and ENGL2133 Studies in Narrative (3 credits), usually taken in sequence in the sophomore year. Both courses train students intensively in the close reading of literary texts and in writing with critical awareness about literature.

To provide a deeper understanding of the foundations of literary traditions, English majors are required to take 6 credits in  earlier literatures in English , to be distributed in the following manner:

• 3 credits in medieval or early-modern literature (before 1700)
• 3 credits in eighteenth or nineteenth-century literature (between 1700–1900)

Students are also required to take a course in Race, Blackness, and Language. This requirement is designed to encourage students to think about how the meaningfulness of literature emerges from the many forces shaping the world as we understand it, focusing on anti-black racism and racial difference. Students will examine issues of race thinking and global relations of power through lenses of ethics, social justice, respect for human dignity, and sustainability.

Students complete the English major by taking 15 credits in elective courses of their choice. Courses offered through the Woods College may not be counted toward the English Core, major, or minor.

During the sophomore year, historical survey courses such as Introduction to British Literature and Culture I and II and the American Literary History sequence may be useful to fill in students' knowledge of the development of English and American literature. Students who have a special interest in American literature are advised to take American Literary History I as a foundation for later courses. Please note that earlier literatures in languages other than English (such as cross-listed courses offered through other departments) will be counted as major electives and not historical distribution requirements. At this point, students should be in a position to begin making their own choices about how they will complete the major requirements, in discussion with their major advisor. They will have many options from among the 30 or more electives the Department offers each semester in English and American literature, in Irish Studies, in writing, in the different genres, and in particular themes.

All majors will be required to take one seminar prior to graduation. The seminar, with its small class size and intensive focus, is designed to foster an intimate learning community where students are encouraged not only to study an issue intensively but also to engage actively in an intellectual exchange with a faculty member and a select group of committed peers. These courses are intended mainly for juniors and seniors, and ordinarily, students are advised to have completed both Studies in Poetry and Studies in Narrative and at least one additional elective before taking a seminar. Students should expect to produce a longer seminar project or research paper (15–20 pages) as well as one or more shorter papers and make at least one oral presentation.

The English minor is comprised of six courses (18 credits) beyond the Core requirements in English. These must include:

• Either ENGL2131 Studies in Poetry or ENGL2133 Studies in Narrative
• A historical foundations course (pre–1700 or pre–1900)
• Four electives from the department offerings.  

Core and Woods College classes may not be counted toward the minor, though additional courses that fulfill the first two requirements may be counted as electives. Students may count up to two courses from study abroad toward the minor, though they must be approved by the department.

​For questions about the English minor, or to declare, please contact Marla DeRosa ( marla.derosa@bc.edu ).

Students majoring in other subjects have always been welcome in English courses for the diversity of viewpoint and variety of knowledge they often bring with them. From the students' point of view, English courses offer the enjoyment of reading good literature; insight into history, culture, and human character; and a chance to polish reading and writing skills.

Interdisciplinary and Related Programs

The English Department is connected to a variety of interdisciplinary programs at Boston College. For details about each program, you can go to the English Department website.

• American Studies Program
• Asian American Studies
• Creative Writing
• Irish Studies
• Medical Humanities 

Secondary Education Major

English majors who are also completing Lynch School of Education and Human Development majors must fulfill more specific major requirements to demonstrate a broad range of knowledge within the discipline. In addition to the First-Year Writing Seminar, the Literature Core, Studies in Poetry, and Studies in Narrative, these students must fulfill the following requirements:

• one pre–1700 course
• one pre–1900 course
• one course on Anglophone or Ethnic American Authors
• one course on Women Authors
• one course on the History of Language/Grammar/Linguistics
• one course in Adolescent and Young Adult Literature
• two English electives  

To acquire sufficient knowledge across this spectrum, Lynch students should consider taking more general survey courses (e.g., Introduction to British Literature and Culture I and II, American Literary History I, II, and III) to fulfill some requirements.

Students with questions about the ENGL/Lynch requirements should contact Marla DeRosa ( marla.derosa@bc.edu ).

The English Department offers a Creative Writing Concentration that allows certain students to intensify and focus their English majors by taking a series of practice-based writing courses along with their literature courses.

• The creative writing concentrator undertakes a 36-credit English major instead of the usual 30 credits. At least 9 of these credits must be writing workshops in any genre, selected with the help of the student's concentration advisor.

All concentrators also attend monthly social gatherings to read new work and share news about literary activity on campus. English majors may declare the Creative Writing Concentration up through first semester of junior year, after receiving a grade of A- or better in one of the Department's creative writing workshops. The period for declaring the Concentration runs through the end of add/drop week of each semester. Eligible English majors wishing to declare should see Marla DeRosa in Stokes S493.

A limited number of summer courses may be counted toward the English major or minor.

These include summer English courses taught abroad by our faculty through the Office of International Programs, as well as electives taught through the MCAS English Department. 

Please contact Marla DeRosa ( marla.derosa@bc.edu ) for questions about summer courses.

English majors should complete (at minimum) the required Studies in Poetry and Studies in Narrative prior to study abroad, while minors should complete at least one of those requirements. Majors will need to have their preliminary application for study abroad approved by the department. Majors may count up to six credits per semester abroad for the major (12 credits maximum); minors may count six credits total. These courses may fulfill historical requirements or major electives. All courses taken abroad must be approved by the department in order to be counted toward the major or minor. A course syllabus is required for major/minor approval. This syllabus must include the writing requirements for the course, and courses cannot be approved without this information. Please note that the number of credits awarded per course is determined by the Office of International Programs.

Students may study abroad for either or both semesters but must contact Marla DeRosa ( marla.derosa@bc.edu ). 

The English Department offers an honors program for English majors. Students admitted to the program will write an honors thesis senior year, either a critical study or a creative project, for 6 credits total toward the major. Students contemplating an honors thesis are encouraged to take a seminar during their junior year. A description of this program is available on the department website.

The English Department at Boston College offers a B.A./M.A. Program that allows selected students to earn both a B.A. and an M.A. in English in five years. Enrolled students will start earning graduate credit as a senior, then complete the M.A. in a fifth year of full-time study. The purpose of the program is to allow students a greater opportunity for concentrated study and research training.

Requirements

Students in the B.A./M.A. program must meet all the specific course requirements for the undergraduate major as well as the formal requirements for the M.A., including the completion of Introduction to Advanced Research or its equivalent, demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language, a theory course, and a comprehensive exam. This requires overloading courses in the senior year, when BA/MA students take four courses that count towards the MA, at least two of which must be designated as graduate, or hybrid graduate/undergraduate, courses. Please see the English Department website for detailed information about the requirements specific to this program.

Students interested in the program should consult the Director of the M.A. Program , to discuss whether this version of the M.A. is right for their individual goals. Admission to the program requires a GPA of 3.3 overall and a 3.6 in the English major. The Director will review the student's academic record and, if appropriate, facilitate the application process. Students in the program will not be eligible for TF/TA positions or graduate financial aid. Students in the program will not be charged graduate tuition for the two overload graduate courses taken in the senior year.

How to Apply:

Students must submit applications by March 31 of the junior year. The required application materials are a personal statement, a writing sample, three letters of recommendation, and an official transcript. The application fee will be waived. Please take a look at the  Graduate School of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Admissions  page for application instructions and e-mail gsasinfo@bc.edu with any questions on how to upload materials.

Do not send any materials to the English Department.

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Creative Writing at Boston University

Jump to any of the following sections:

• Available Degrees
• Related Majors

Creative Writing Degrees Available at Boston U

• Master’s Degree in Creative Writing

Boston U Creative Writing Rankings

Boston U is in the top 10% of the country for creative writing. More specifically it was ranked #22 out of 215 schools by College Factual.

Popularity of Creative Writing at Boston U

In 2021, 18 students received their master’s degree in creative writing from Boston U. This makes it the #48 most popular school for creative writing master’s degree candidates in the country.

Creative Writing Student Diversity at Boston U

Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the creative writing majors at Boston University.

Boston U Creative Writing Master’s Program

Of the 18 students who earned a master's degree in Creative Writing from Boston U in 2020-2021, 50% were men and 50% were women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Boston University with a master's in creative writing.

Majors Similar to Creative Writing

View All Creative Writing Related Majors >

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• Image Credit: By Cmcnicoll at English Wikipedia under License

More about our data sources and methodologies .

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UMass Boston

• Creative Writing Minor

Express Your Creativity & Develop Your Writing Skills.

Are your favorite classes the ones that foster creative expression? Do you dream of being a writer? Consider pursuing a minor in Creative Writing.

UMass Boston’s Creative Writing Minor program is designed for students interested in writing fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Through this program, you’ll connect with a creative writing community to foster your writing skills. The curriculum provides hands-on training, giving you the guidance you need to develop and shape your skills to the full extent of your talent. 

Once you complete the program, you’ll open the door to careers like writer, author, editor, literary agent, and writing instructor.

Expand Your Studies

How to apply/declare.

Current Undergraduate Students:   Declare or change your minor by completing an  Undergraduate Program Add/Change form .

Prospective Undergraduate Students:   Apply for admission to UMass Boston by completing an application. Start by reviewing the first-year and transfer application pages for important information about requirements, deadlines, and application status checks. Use the links below to apply: 

Apply as a First-Year Student

Apply as a Transfer Student

Creative Writing Courses (12 Credits)

Take four courses from the list below. At least two must be advanced workshops.

• ENGL 210 - Introduction to Creative Writing  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 211 - Creative Writing: Poetry  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 212 - Creative Writing: Fiction  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 300 - Intermediate Creative Writing Workshop  3   Credit(s)
• THRART 251 - Playwriting I  3   Credit(s)
• THRART 275L - Introduction to Screen and Television Writing  3   Credit(s)

Advanced Workshops :

• ENGL 301 - Advanced Poetry Workshop  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 302 - Advanced Fiction Workshop  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 303 - Advanced Special Topics in Creative Writing  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 304 - Creative Writing for Children’s Literature  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 306 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 496 - Creative Writing Honors Seminar  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 497 - Creative Writing Honors Thesis  3   Credit(s)

Literature Foundation Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• ENGL 200 - Introduction to Literary Studies  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 201 - Five British Authors  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 202 - Six American Authors  3   Credit(s)

English, American, or Transnational Literature Courses (6 Credits)

Take two 300-level (or higher) English courses in English, American, or transnational literature excluding  ENGL 300 to 302, 306 to 308, 457 to 459, 475 to 477, and 496 to 499.

Completion Requirements

Complete 21 credits from seven courses, including four creative writing courses at the 200-level or higher, one literature foundation course, and two English, American, or transnational literature courses at the 300-level or higher.

Minimum grade:  No courses with a grade below C- may be applied toward the minor. Pass/fail:  No courses taken pass/fail may be applied toward the minor. Residency:  At least six courses for the minor must be completed at UMass Boston.

Eve Sorum, PhD, Department Chair Wheatley Hall, 6th Floor, Room 2 617.287.6753 Eve.Sorum [@] umb.edu

English Department

Learn more about UMass Boston's English department, our programs, and our faculty.

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What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

List of All U.S. Colleges with a Creative Writing Major

Writing has been my passion practically since I learned to read in kindergarten. I would write stories about princesses and my family dog, Gansett. When it came time to look at colleges, I was set on attending one with a strong creative writing program. Ultimately, I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars.

Today, colleges across the country offer creative writing as a major. Because writing skills are essential for a wide range of careers, and because most curricula emphasize broad liberal arts competencies, a degree in creative writing can set you up for success in numerous fields, whether you want to be an editor or a lawyer.

Interested in majoring in creative writing? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

Overview of the Creative Writing Major

Creative writing is about more than spinning tales. For your major, you’ll generally need to pursue a curriculum grounded in literature, history, foreign language, and other humanities courses, along with distribution courses, if the college requires them.

Most creative writing majors must participate in workshops, in which students present their work and listen to peer critiques, usually with a certain number of advanced courses in the mix. In some cases, colleges will ask you to specialize in a particular genre, such as fiction, poetry, or playwriting. 

To succeed in creative writing, you’ll need to have a tough spine, in order to open yourself up to feedback from your classmates and instructors. You may need to give readings in public — if not as an undergraduate, certainly during your career. Of course, a passion for creating is essential, too, as is a willingness to revise your work and learn from the greats and your peers.

A creative writing major opens up doors to many careers, including journalism, content marketing, copywriting, teaching, and others. Even careers that don’t center around writing often have a strong writing component: you’ll need to write reports, deliver presentations, and so on.

Some writers go on to earn an MFA, which will help you hone your craft. It’s also often a prerequisite for teaching creative writing at the college level.

What to Look for in a College as a Creative Writing Major

Published authors on faculty.

Many world-renowned authors have another claim to fame: professorships. Writers who have taught their craft include (among many others):

• Maya Angelou (Wake Forest University)
• Colson Whitehead (many colleges, including Vassar College and Columbia University)
• Stephen Dixon (Johns Hopkins University)
• Viet Thanh Nguyen (University of Southern California)
• Eula Biss (Northwestern University)
• Toni Morrison (Princeton University)

Be aware that as an undergraduate, you may not be able to learn from the greats. That’s why it’s important to look into which courses these faculty teach before you have dreams of being mentored by Salman Rushdie — who is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU.

Genres Offered

While many schools that have creative writing majors offer fiction and poetry courses and tracks, there are some niche genres that could be more difficult to find. If you’re interested in playwriting, for example, you won’t find that at every school. Before you decide on a program, be sure it includes the genres you’d like to explore further, whether that’s flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or something else.

Workshopping Opportunities

The core of most quality creative writing curriculum is workshopping. This means sharing your work in your classes and listening to your peers discuss and critique it. While this may sound intimidating, it can do a lot to help you hone your work and become a better writer. Look for colleges that make this the bedrock of their curriculum.

Showcasing Opportunities

Are there opportunities to present your work, such as college-sponsored readings where undergraduates can participate? Or, perhaps the school has a great literary journal. At my school, students could submit their plays and have them performed by fellow students. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Creative Writing Major

What are your chances of acceptance.

No matter what major you’re considering, the first step is ensuring you’re academically comparable to students who were previously accepted to the college or university. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who aren’t up to their standards.

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with the school and specific major with the qualitative components of your application, like your extracurriculars and essays. For a prospective creative writing major, the essay is particularly important because this is a way to demonstrate your writing prowess. Activities might include editing your school’s newspaper or literary journal, publishing your work, and participating in pre-college writing workshops.

Want to know your chances of being accepted to top creative writing schools? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes your individual profile into account, including academic stats and qualitative components like your activities. Give it a try and get a jumpstart on your journey as a creative writing major!

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Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing The Write Stuff for Writers

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Grow Your Writing Passion into a Career with Liberty’s Online MFA in Creative Writing

Many people write creatively, but few hone their skills to develop their writing craft to its highest form. Even fewer learn the other skills it takes to become a successful writer, such as the steps needed to get a book published and into the hands of readers. Liberty’s 100% online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing can help you develop your writing passion into a career so you can set your works free to impact culture and the world.

Employers in every industry need professionals who have strong writing skills, so you can be confident that your ability to write effectively can also help set you apart in your current career. With in-demand writing expertise and the ability to customize your degree with electives in literature or writing practice, Liberty’s online MFA in Creative Writing can help you achieve your professional writing goals.

Our online MFA in Creative Writing is designed to help you build on your writing skills with specific workshops dedicated to the craft of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, or screenwriting. With a work-in-progress approach to writing practice and mentorship from our faculty of experienced writers and scholars, you can learn the specific skills you need to make your writing stand out.

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• Private Nonprofit University
• 600+ Online Degrees
• No Standardized Testing for Admission
• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Choose Liberty’s MFA in Creative Writing?

Our online MFA in Creative Writing is mainly offered in an 8-week course format, and our tuition rate for graduate programs hasn’t increased in 9 years. Through our program, you can study the writing process and develop your creative skills through workshops with experienced writing professionals. With our flexible format, you can grow in your creative writing while continuing to do what is important to you.

As a terminal degree, the online MFA in Creative Writing can also help you pursue opportunities to teach writing at the K-12 or college level. You will gain comprehensive and in-depth exposure to writing, literature, publishing, and many other professional writing skills that you can pass on to students. Partner with the Liberty family and learn under faculty who have spent years in the field you love. Your career in professional writing starts here.

What Will You Study in Our MFA in Creative Writing?

The MFA in Creative Writing program is designed to help you become an excellent creative writer across the genres of creative fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, and poetry. You can learn how to produce aesthetically and culturally engaged creative works while gaining professional knowledge and practice. You will also study foundational contemporary literature so that you have a background in studying important works to draw on for your writing.

To help you in your professional writing, you will also study many essential skills in editing, layout, and the business of publishing so that you can best position yourself for success in the market. Through your creative writing courses and workshops, you can develop your craft so that you will be ready for your thesis project.

Here are a few examples of the skills Liberty’s MFA in Creative Writing can help you master:

• Marketing your projects and pursuing new writing opportunities
• Organizing writing and adapting it to different types of writing
• Tailoring writing to specific audiences and markets
• Understanding what makes art effective, compelling, and impactful
• Writing compelling stories that engage readers

Potential Career Opportunities

• Book and magazine writer
• Business communications specialist
• Creative writing instructor
• Publications editor
• Screenwriter
• Website copy editor and writer
• Writing manager

Featured Courses

• ENGL 600 – Editing, Layout, and Publishing
• ENGL 601 – Writing as Cultural Engagement
• ENGL 603 – Literary Theory and Practice
• WRIT 610 – Writing Fiction

Degree Information

• This program falls under the College of Arts and Sciences .
• View the Graduate Arts and Sciences Course Guides (login required).
• Download and review the Graduate Manual for MFA .

Degree Completion Plan (PDF)

Not sure what to choose?

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

• Tuition & Aid

Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

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Admission Information for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form .
• Creative Writing Sample – A creative writing sample of one creative writing work of at least 2,500 words or a culmination of creative writing samples totaling 2,500 words.*
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

*A sample of one or more poems totaling a minimum of 750 words may also be submitted. Song lyrics are not accepted at this time as writing samples.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
• Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
• If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application .
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Dual Enrollment

Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.

Transcript Policies

Unofficial college transcript policy.

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

• Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
• Cumulative GPA
• A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
• Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

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Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

• Active Duty
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/Retirees
• Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
• Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

• Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
• Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course) *
• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an mfa in creative writing.

A Master of Fine Arts degree, or MFA, is a terminal degree in an artistic craft that demonstrates that you have achieved the highest level of training and skill in your discipline. Like a doctorate, an MFA often allows you to teach courses at the graduate level while also providing many opportunities for scholarship and leadership in education. If you want to grow your creative writing skills to become the best writer you can be, then the Master of Fine Arts can help you get there.

How will students work towards developing their writing skills?

With creative writing workshops and a thesis project, you will receive support and guidance to help you become the best writer you can be.

How long will it take to complete the MFA in Creative Writing?

You can complete the MFA in Creative Writing in just 48 credit hours!

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The department of english and creative writing responds to the may 1, 2024 events and arrests on campus.

We the faculty and staff of the Dartmouth College Department of English and Creative Writing write to condemn the decision-making process that led to the presence of multiple militarized police units on our campus. One of these units, the New Hampshire Special Weapon and Tactics , defines itself as a highly-trained squad,

with expertise in weaponry and specialized tactics such as rappelling and building assaults. The purpose of the SWAT Unit is to be able to respond to high-risk incidents such as barricaded suspects, hostage takers, high-risk warrant service, active shooter situations and executive (VIP) security, as well as other incidents in which the lives and safety of the public are in extreme danger.

As in-person observers of the protest—representing a range of political views within the department—and as faculty who've consulted with students representing a range of political views, we affirm that the following played no role in the protest:

—barricaded suspects,

—hostage takers,

—standing warrants,

—active shooters,

—executive (VIP) security.

The decision to call in law enforcement, leading to the presence of militarized police, made this a case of "SWATting," the practice of summoning militarized police to a non-threatening situation to increase the risk of violence​. This decision endangered the safety of every member of the Dartmouth community.

The protest in question obstructed nothing and threatened no violence. Before this administration took power, there was no precedent in Dartmouth history for responding with law enforcement to language that is not explicitly threatening. There is no precedent in Dartmouth history for responding to any protest with militarized police units created to respond to life-or-death situations.

Therefore, w e call for the College to formally revise its dissent policies, in consultation with the faculty, so that police and militarized police will never again be used in response to peaceful protest.

In solidarity with students and with the many departments and programs across our campus that have issued statements denouncing the administration's actions, we reiterate and affirm the demands articulated by our colleagues in the Department of History and African and African American Studies that the Dartmouth administration

• acknowledge publicly that the deployment of state police and armored vehicles was an excessive and punitive response to peaceful protests, which will not be repeated,
• announce publicly that you are asking prosecutors to dismiss all criminal charges against the faculty, students, and staff who were arrested on May 1—a request that in no way infringes on prosecutorial discretion—and charges against the two students arrested in the fall, Roan V. Wade and Kevin Engle, should also be dropped immediately,
• make it officially and publicly known that academic freedom includes the right to peacefully express support for Palestinian rights. The college should permit nonviolent protest and restore faith in fair process and commitment to free speech on campus.

This statement was agreed upon by a clear majority of 26 yes votes, with 1 no vote, 1 abstain vote, and 9 uncast ballots.

Boston City Council considers how to address antisemitism

Councilors considered a resolution on wednesday recognizing jewish american heritage month while writing that rising antisemitism across the united states and the globe needs to be acknowledged, by matt prichard • published may 8, 2024 • updated on may 8, 2024 at 9:40 pm.

The conversation around antisemitism stretches from Washington, D.C., to Boston City Hall. Councilors considered a resolution on Wednesday recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month while writing that rising antisemitism across the United States and the globe needs to be acknowledged.

“This is an imperative to care for all, but particularly the most vulnerable,” said District 8 Councilor Sharon Durkan.

“It is important that we guard against and denounce rising antisemitism,” said Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune.

Twelve of 13 councilors in attendance approved the resolution, but District 2 representative Ed Flynn feels a deeper conversation is needed.

Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.

Flynn filed a separate resolution, specifically denouncing acts of antisemitism at demonstrations across Massachusetts.

“Boston as you know has a huge number of students throughout the city. Many of them are Jewish. We should be a welcoming city,” Flynn said.

Even so, the two resolutions were deemed redundant, and under council rules, only the first to file moves forward. That parliamentary protocol set Flynn’s proposal aside and left a rift over how to approach the issue moving forward.

Flynn did vote in favor of the other resolution and plans to continue to advocate for more conversation in the days ahead.

Biden condemns antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech amid college protests and Gaza war

House passes bill to expand definition of antisemitism amid growing campus protests over Gaza war

Jewish community rallies in Boston against pro-Palestinian encampments at colleges

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MFA in Creative Writing

The MFA in Creative Writing is a small, intensive one-year program that is completed over two to three semesters. The program is designed to help students become better writers of original prose or poetry and to produce readers and critics of the highest quality. Our program also strives to help students improve as creative writing instructors.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Creative Writing MFA program, all students should be able to:

• If they are fiction writers: write and revise original fiction that has a compelling and original voice; interesting, well-developed characters; a clear narrative arc; and emotional resonance. It should reflect an awareness of previous and current achievement in fiction.
• If they are poets: write and revise original poetry that uses language, image, voice, and form in interesting ways that reflect an awareness of previous and current poetic achievement.
• Provide constructive, insightful, and helpful criticism of their peers’ original fiction or poetry.
• Closely read and critique literature with a particular eye for the way(s) in which their own creative work can benefit from the work of writers before them.
• Effectively teach creative writing and literature at the high school and/or college level.
• Demonstrate an understanding (through the world language requirement, including the option of taking Translation Seminar) of the resources available to their own creative work in the literatures of other countries.
• Through Global Fellowship travel, explore and reflect upon the cultural, historical, geographical, and linguistic landscapes of a country of their choice outside of the United States for up to three months.

Course Requirements

The MFA is an eight-course, 32-credit degree, including four workshops, four graduate literature courses, and completion of a world language requirement.

At least four of the courses taken must be workshops the genre in which the student is admitted (either fiction or poetry). The four remaining courses are normally graduate-level literature courses, some of which may be completed during the BU summer session(s). Students must receive a grade of at least B– in these courses.

It is possible to take a course (or courses) in a subject or discipline other than literature, provided that these are demonstrably essential to the student’s creative work, and show a strong emphasis in reading literary, as distinct from purely scholarly or academic, texts. Such courses are subject to the approval of the program director.

Language Requirement

Each student who has not previously completed at least two college courses of intermediate study in a non-English world language or is not already multilingual may fulfill the language requirement in one of the following ways:

• Satisfactory completion of CAS TL 540 (the Translation Seminar) (it should be noted that proficiency in a second language is listed as a prerequisite for the course) and its corequisite CAS TL 542 (Literary Translation). Students who choose this option may first wish to consult the Translation Seminar instructor; they must also choose a mentor from the language department for the source language from which they are working.
• Satisfactory completion of a BU course in a non-English world language, usually taught in that language (for example, CAS LF 350 Introduction to French Texts), or a 500-level reading course in a world language (texts and instruction usually in that language), subject to approval by the Creative Writing Program Director.
• Passing GRS LF 621 Reading French, GRS LG 621 Reading German, GRS LI 621 Reading Italian, or GRS LS 621 Reading Spanish. These reading knowledge-only courses are offered Pass/Fail for no academic credit, and enrollment is limited.
• Passing a Translation Exam proctored by a Creative Writing Department administrator or faculty member and graded by an expert in the language being translated.

Completion of a substantial master’s thesis in fiction or poetry is required for all students. The thesis should consist of a minimum of 95 pages of prose or 35 pages of poetry and must be read and signed by two members of Boston University faculty.

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