mfa creative writing texas state

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Creative Writing (M.F.A.)

M.f.a creative writing.

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Program Overview

The M.F.A. program offers students access to incredible resources, including readings and master classes given by acclaimed visiting writers, agent and editor talks, and facilities like the Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center in Kyle and the Clark House in Smithville. Each year, two graduates of the program hold residencies in these literary landmarks.

Course Work

The program requires 48 semester hours, including:

• writing workshops
• form and theory
• literary techniques
• minor or cognate (other than creative writing)
• thesis credit leading to the production of a book-length work of literary merit

Students may take literature courses in either poetry or fiction, but workshop classes are limited to students who are studying that particular genre. Students may also receive course credit for work on Porter House Review , the program's literary journal.

What Our Alumni Say

“The Texas State M.F.A. program helped shape the writer I am today. I worked with a faculty of amazing writers and insightful mentors, and I found a community of creatives that has lasted long past graduation. I’m forever grateful for my years at Texas State.”

— Owen Egerton, M.F.A. ’05, Screenwriter and Novelist

Program Details

Recent graduates have won a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, a Wallace Stegner Fellowship from Stanford, an AWP prize for Best Novel, and an honorable mention for the PEN/Faulkner Award.

Program Mission

The program provides students with graduate-level knowledge of literature and theory, as well as the skills to function as advanced practitioners within their genre. Students will demonstrate their development as artists through proficiency with the elements of craft in their area of concentration, along with a mature understanding of writerly process and discipline.

Career Options

The M.F.A. is considered a terminal degree, which means that graduates can teach at a university level. Many graduates are working practitioners of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and screenplays and also possess highly-developed writing skills that are valuable in a wide variety of work environments. Graduates of the Texas State program are competitive with literature doctoral students.

Program Faculty

Our program offers students the opportunity to learn from renowned writers and committed mentors. Students workshop with Tim O'Brien, Naomi Shihab Nye, and our Endowed Chair, a position held on a rotating basis by internationally acclaimed writers, most recently by Kali Fajardo-Anstine, Tea Obreht, and Karen Russell. They also work closely with our full-time faculty, including Doug Dorst, Jennifer duBois, Tom Grimes, and Debra Monroe in fiction, as well as Cyrus Cassells, Cecily Parks, Kathleen Peirce, Roger Jones, and Steve Wilson in poetry.

Contact us for general questions about your application, funding opportunities, and more. If you have specific questions after reviewing the program details, contact the program's graduate advisor.

Graduate Advisor Debra Monroe [email protected] 512.422.9768 Flowers Hall (FH)

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Application Process

Review requirements, submit application, upload documents, check status, application deadlines.

This program's deadline is firm. This type of deadline means the application and other application requirements must be submitted by the program's specified deadline day.

Admission Requirements

The items required for admission consideration are listed below.  Additional information for applicants with international credentials can be found on our  international web pages .

Application

• Completed  online application

Review  important information  about the online application.

Application Fee

• $55 Nonrefundable application fee, OR
• $90 Nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials

Review  important information  about application fees.

Transcripts & GPA

• baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
• a copy of an official transcript from  each institution  where course credit was granted
• minimum 2.75 GPA in your  last 60 hours  of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)

Review important information about transcripts. Official transcripts, sent directly from your institution, will be required if admission is granted.

Effective Fall 2024

• a 2.75 overall GPA or 2.75 GPA in your  last 60 hours  of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)

Test Scores

• GRE not required

Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores

Applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our  exempt countries list .

• official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
• official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
• minimum individual module scores of 6.0
• official Duolingo scores required with a 110 overall
• official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall

This program does not offer admission if the scores above are not met.

Review important information about official test scores.

• How do you hope to use this time to grow as a writer? You might additionally choose to address scholarly goals, professional goals, and/or what you see as the benefits of living and working in a community that embraces individuals from all backgrounds.
• submit as a PDF file
• If you are applying for an Instructional or Teaching Assistantship, all letters should also discuss your potential as a teacher
• Fiction applicants should submit a maximum of 25 double-spaced pages of their work (short stories and/or a novel excerpts)
• Poetry applicants should submit 12-15 poems
• Both Fiction and Poetry applicants may, if they choose, also include one creative nonfiction essay or excerpt in their portfolio, subject to the same 25-page maximum for the manuscript in total

Review important information about documents.

Additional Information

• Application Decisions
• International Applicants
• Reapplication Process

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MFA in Creative Writing

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In a Nutshell

The MFA program offers talented writers the opportunity to develop skills as fiction writers or poets in an academic setting, as well as to immerse themselves within a vibrant literary community. Our program requires three years to complete, during which time students produce a book-length manuscript of creative work, as well as obtain valuable professional experience in a wide range of fields, including education and literary publishing. 

Learning In and Out of the Classroom   

Students learn from devoted and renowned faculty such as Tim O’Brien, Naomi Shihab Nye, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and 9 full-time Professors who lead workshops, teach seminars on a range of craft topics, and mentor students in completing book-length projects. They also complete coursework in literature, rhetoric, and publishing, as well as practicums in teaching for those interested in pursuing careers within higher education.  

Just as importantly, the MFA program offers abundant learning outside of the classroom, enabling immersion within literature and craft, as well as preparing students for a wide variety of careers, including in publishing and education. Through the TKL/KAP Visiting Writers Series, students spend quality time with renowned authors, sharing meals, participating in master classes, and enjoying readings. In monthly co-curricular workshops, students submit writing, read their peers’ latest work, and learn from their acclaimed instructors, Naomi Shihab Nye and Tim O’Brien. During frequent program events, students develop professional skills and explore career paths while meeting with literary agents, editors, educators, publishers, nonprofit leaders, and alumni working in a range of industries. Many students also intern for Porter House Review, the program’s award-winning magazine, where they practice such skills as marketing and event management, as well as soliciting, selecting, editing, and acquiring content. Moreover, through the program’s large alumni and partner network, students are also connected to a range of employment, internship, and publication opportunities to further their skills and experience. Crucially, our students regularly celebrate each other at peer readings, post-workshop socials, and other community events.

Facts and Figures

Our program enrolls approximately 80 students between the Fiction and Poetry tracks, over 60% of whom are from out of state.

About 90% of our recent incoming students were offered full funding in the form of Instructional Assistantships and scholarships. 

Students primarily live in San Marcos and in Austin, the center of which is about 30 minutes from campus.

The MFA at Texas State is a studio/academic program that promotes comprehensive learning and professional development throughout the degree plan. As a result, hundreds of our graduates have secured teaching positions at universities, K-12 schools, and organizations devoted to community education. They have also published several hundred books. 

MFA students also staff  Porter House Review,  the program's award-winning literary journal, which features established and emerging writing from around the world. Working for the publication allows students to gain experience as editors, work with visiting instructors from across the publishing industry, and earn up to six credit hours for their work.

Have Questions?  

Reach out to Bianca Alyssa   P érez , MFA Assistant Director, at  [email protected] . 

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Features • News

Apply to Study for an MFA in Creative Writing at Texas State University

by Chukwuebuka Ibeh

December 07, 2019

The creative writing program at Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas is currently accepting applications for a Master’s in Fine Art (MFA) in Creative Writing, for Fall 2020. Graduates from the program have won National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, Wallace Stegner Fellowships, an AWP Prize for Best Novel, and honorable mentions for the PEN/Faulkner Award, and have been awarded countless residencies.

In an email to Brittle Paper , Stanislav A. Rivkin, Coordinator and Assistant Director of the program, explains that theirs “offers talented writers the time and opportunity to develop skills as fiction writers or poets, network with renowned writers and agents from across the world, and attain valuable experience in the publishing industry. Throughout the program, students receive feedback on their creative work, and produce a book-length manuscript.”

The program is particularly interested in international applicants and underrepresented voices. The 2019/2020 academic year was the first time that up to three African writers were admitted: Nkiacha Atemnkeng from Cameroon, Caleb Ajinomoh from Nigeria, and Sylvia Karenzi from Rwanda. The other writers of color include the American Nigerian Chisom Ogoke and the African American Darrell Limuel. International students are advised, before applying, to send across a sample of their writing to enable the program coordinators decide if they are a good fit. This is to avoid them spending money before confirmation that the coordinators are interested in working with them.

An additional benefit is an Assistantship grant offered to about 90% of incoming students. Not only does this cover their tuition, it also affords them a modest stipend. Those receiving an Assistantship help teach university-level classes, gaining further valuable experience. And because an MFA is considered a terminal degree, their graduates who gain teaching experience are able to find jobs teaching English, Literature, and Creative Writing at many universities.

The   faculty to student ratio is 6.5. The faculty includes Tim O’Brien, Naomi Shihab Nye, Téa Obreht, Cyrus Cassells, Cecily Parks, Kathleen Peirce, Roger Jones, and Steve Wilson. Fiction and nonfiction instructors include Doug Dorst, Jennifer duBois, Tom Grimes, and Debra Monroe. Every Spring, a Poet/Instructor in Residence is hosted—in 2019, it will be Victoria Chang.

The program is located in the Greater Austin metropolitan area, which, according to Rivkin, “is a diverse, cosmopolitan, and progressive community, surrounded by natural beauty. The cost of living here is also relatively low for the U.S.”

The deadline for applications is 15 January 2020.

• Caleb Ajinomoh
• Chisom Ogoke
• Darrell Limuel
• MFA in Creative Writing
• Nkiacha Atemnkeng
• Stanislav A. Rivkin
• Sylvia Karenzi
• Texas State University

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Dotun Famoriyo January 04, 2020 01:47

Hello, sequel to this. I need the program coordinator's email so send works to him first before applying. I will appreciate your response. Thank you

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The 10 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in the US

The talent is there. 

But the next generation of great American writers needs a collegial place to hone their craft. 

They need a place to explore the writer’s role in a wider community. 

They really need guidance about how and when to publish. 

All these things can be found in a solid Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree program. This degree offers access to mentors, to colleagues, and to a future in the writing world. 

A good MFA program gives new writers a precious few years to focus completely on their work, an ideal space away from the noise and pressure of the fast-paced modern world. 

We’ve found ten of the best ones, all of which provide the support, the creative stimulation, and the tranquility necessary to foster a mature writer.

We looked at graduate departments from all regions, public and private, all sizes, searching for the ten most inspiring Creative Writing MFA programs. 

Each of these ten institutions has assembled stellar faculties, developed student-focused paths of study, and provide robust support for writers accepted into their degree programs. 

To be considered for inclusion in this list, these MFA programs all must be fully-funded degrees, as recognized by Read The Workshop .

Creative Writing education has broadened and expanded over recent years, and no single method or plan fits for all students. 

Today, MFA programs across the country give budding short story writers and poets a variety of options for study. For future novelists, screenwriters – even viral bloggers – the search for the perfect setting for their next phase of development starts with these outstanding institutions, all of which have developed thoughtful and particular approaches to study.

So where will the next Salinger scribble his stories on the steps of the student center, or the next Angelou reading her poems in the local bookstore’s student-run poetry night? At one of these ten programs.

Here are 10 of the best creative writing MFA programs in the US.

University of Oregon (Eugene, OR)

Starting off the list is one of the oldest and most venerated Creative Writing programs in the country, the MFA at the University of Oregon. 

Longtime mentor, teacher, and award-winning poet Garrett Hongo directs the program, modeling its studio-based approach to one-on-one instruction in the English college system. 

Oregon’s MFA embraces its reputation for rigor. Besides attending workshops and tutorials, students take classes in more formal poetics and literature.  

A classic college town, Eugene provides an ideal backdrop for the writers’ community within Oregon’s MFA students and faculty.  

Tsunami Books , a local bookseller with national caché, hosts student-run readings featuring writers from the program. 

Graduates garner an impressive range of critical acclaim; Yale Younger Poet winner Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Cave Canem Prize winner and Guggenheim fellow Major Jackson, and PEN-Hemingway Award winner Chang-Rae Lee are noteworthy alumni. 

With its appealing setting and impressive reputation, Oregon’s MFA program attracts top writers as visiting faculty, including recent guests Elizabeth McCracken, David Mura, and Li-young Lee.

The individual approach defines the Oregon MFA experience; a key feature of the program’s first year is the customized reading list each MFA student creates with their faculty guide. 

Weekly meetings focus not only on the student’s writing, but also on the extended discovery of voice through directed reading. 

Accepting only ten new students a year—five in poetry and five in fiction— the University of Oregon’s MFA ensures a close-knit community with plenty of individual coaching and guidance.

Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)

Cornell University’s MFA program takes the long view on life as a writer, incorporating practical editorial training and teaching experience into its two-year program.

Incoming MFA students choose their own faculty committee of at least two faculty members, providing consistent advice as they move through a mixture of workshop and literature classes. 

Students in the program’s first year benefit from editorial training as readers and editors for Epoch , the program’s prestigious literary journal.

Teaching experience grounds the Cornell program. MFA students design and teach writing-centered undergraduate seminars on a variety of topics, and they remain in Ithaca during the summer to teach in programs for undergraduates. 

Cornell even allows MFA graduates to stay on as lecturers at Cornell for a period of time while they are on the job search. Cornell also offers a joint MFA/Ph.D. program through the Creative Writing and English departments.

Endowments fund several acclaimed reading series, drawing internationally known authors to campus for workshops and work sessions with MFA students. 

Recent visiting readers include Salman Rushdie, Sandra Cisneros, Billy Collins, Margaret Atwood, Ada Limón, and others. 

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

Arizona State’s MFA in Creative Writing spans three years, giving students ample time to practice their craft, develop a voice, and begin to find a place in the post-graduation literary world. 

Coursework balances writing and literature classes equally, with courses in craft and one-on-one mentoring alongside courses in literature, theory, or even electives in topics like fine press printing, bookmaking, or publishing. 

While students follow a path in either poetry or fiction, they are encouraged to take courses across the genres.

Teaching is also a focus in Arizona State’s MFA program, with funding coming from teaching assistantships in the school’s English department. Other exciting teaching opportunities include teaching abroad in locations around the world, funded through grants and internships.

The Virginia C. Piper Center for Creative Writing, affiliated with the program, offers Arizona State MFA students professional development in formal and informal ways. 

The Distinguished Writers Series and Desert Nights, Rising Stars Conference bring world-class writers to campus, allowing students to interact with some of the greatest in the profession. Acclaimed writer and poet Alberto Ríos directs the Piper Center.

Arizona State transitions students to the world after graduation through internships with publishers like Four Way Books. 

Its commitment to the student experience and its history of producing acclaimed writers—recent examples include Tayari Jones (Oprah’s Book Club, 2018; Women’s Prize for Fiction, 2019), Venita Blackburn ( Prairie Schooner Book Prize, 2018), and Hugh Martin ( Iowa Review Jeff Sharlet Award for Veterans)—make Arizona State University’s MFA a consistent leader among degree programs.

University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

The University of Texas at Austin’s MFA program, the Michener Center for Writers, maintains one of the most vibrant, exciting, active literary faculties of any MFA program.

Denis Johnson D.A. Powell, Geoff Dyer, Natasha Trethewey, Margot Livesey, Ben Fountain: the list of recent guest faculty boasts some of the biggest names in current literature.

This three-year program fully funds candidates without teaching fellowships or assistantships; the goal is for students to focus entirely on their writing. 

More genre tracks at the Michener Center mean students can choose two focus areas, a primary and secondary, from Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting, and Playwriting.

The Michener Center for Writers plays a prominent role in contemporary writing of all kinds. 

The hip, student-edited Bat City Review accepts work of all genres, visual art, cross genres, collaborative, and experimental pieces.  

Recent events for illustrious alumni include New Yorker publications, an Oprah Book Club selection, a screenwriting prize, and a 2021 Pulitzer (for visiting faculty member Mitchell Jackson). 

In this program, students are right in the middle of all the action of contemporary American literature.

Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

The MFA in Creative Writing at Washington University in St. Louis is a program on the move: applicants have almost doubled here in the last five years. 

Maybe this sudden growth of interest comes from recent rising star alumni on the literary scene, like Paul Tran, Miranda Popkey, and National Book Award winner Justin Phillip Reed.

Or maybe it’s the high profile Washington University’s MFA program commands, with its rotating faculty post through the Hurst Visiting Professor program and its active distinguished reader series. 

Superstar figures like Alison Bechdel and George Saunders have recently held visiting professorships, maintaining an energetic atmosphere program-wide.

Washington University’s MFA program sustains a reputation for the quality of the mentorship experience. 

With only five new students in each genre annually, MFA candidates form close cohorts among their peers and enjoy attentive support and mentorship from an engaged and vigorous faculty. 

Three genre tracks are available to students: fiction, poetry, and the increasingly relevant and popular creative nonfiction.

Another attractive feature of this program: first-year students are fully funded, but not expected to take on a teaching role until their second year. 

A generous stipend, coupled with St. Louis’s low cost of living, gives MFA candidates at Washington University the space to develop in a low-stress but stimulating creative environment.

Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)

It’s one of the first and biggest choices students face when choosing an MFA program: two-year or three-year? 

Indiana University makes a compelling case for its three-year program, in which the third year of support allows students an extended period of time to focus on the thesis, usually a novel or book-length collection.

One of the older programs on the list, Indiana’s MFA dates back to 1948. 

Its past instructors and alumni read like the index to an American Literature textbook. 

How many places can you take classes in the same place Robert Frost once taught, not to mention the program that granted its first creative writing Master’s degree to David Wagoner? Even today, the program’s integrity and reputation draw faculty like Ross Gay and Kevin Young.

Indiana’s Creative Writing program houses two more literary institutions, the Indiana Review, and the Indiana University Writers’ Conference. 

Students make up the editorial staff of this lauded literary magazine, in some cases for course credit or a stipend. An MFA candidate serves each year as assistant director of the much-celebrated and highly attended conference . 

These two facets of Indiana’s program give graduate students access to visiting writers, professional experience, and a taste of the writing life beyond academia.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI)

The University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program cultivates its students with a combination of workshop-driven course work and vigorous programming on and off-campus. Inventive new voices in fiction and poetry consistently emerge from this two-year program.

The campus hosts multiple readings, events, and contests, anchored by the Zell Visiting Writers Series. The Hopgood Awards offer annual prize money to Michigan creative writing students . 

The department cultivates relationships with organizations and events around Detroit, so whether it’s introducing writers at Literati bookstore or organizing writing retreats in conjunction with local arts organizations, MFA candidates find opportunities to cultivate a community role and public persona as a writer.

What happens after graduation tells the big story of this program. Michigan produces heavy hitters in the literary world, like Celeste Ng, Jesmyn Ward, Elizabeth Kostova, Nate Marshall, Paisley Rekdal, and Laura Kasischke. 

Their alumni place their works with venerable houses like Penguin and Harper Collins, longtime literary favorites Graywolf and Copper Canyon, and the new vanguard like McSweeney’s, Fence, and Ugly Duckling Presse.

University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

Structure combined with personal attention and mentorship characterizes the University of Minnesota’s Creative Writing MFA, starting with its unique program requirements. 

In addition to course work and a final thesis, Minnesota’s MFA candidates assemble a book list of personally significant works on literary craft, compose a long-form essay on their writing process, and defend their thesis works with reading in front of an audience.

Literary journal Great River Review and events like the First Book reading series and Mill City Reading series do their part to expand the student experience beyond the focus on the internal. 

The Edelstein-Keller Visiting Writer Series draws exceptional, culturally relevant writers like Chuck Klosterman and Claudia Rankine for readings and student conversations. 

Writer and retired University of Minnesota instructor Charles Baxter established the program’s Hunger Relief benefit , aiding Minnesota’s Second Harvest Heartland organization. 

Emblematic of the program’s vision of the writer in service to humanity, this annual contest and reading bring together distinguished writers, students, faculty, and community members in favor of a greater goal.

Brown University (Providence, RI)

One of the top institutions on any list, Brown University features an elegantly-constructed Literary Arts Program, with students choosing one workshop and one elective per semester. 

The electives can be taken from any department at Brown; especially popular choices include Studio Art and other coursework through the affiliated Rhode Island School of Design. The final semester consists of thesis construction under the supervision of the candidate’s faculty advisor.

Brown is the only MFA program to feature, in addition to poetry and fiction tracks, the Digital/Cross Disciplinary track . 

This track attracts multidisciplinary writers who need the support offered by Brown’s collaboration among music, visual art, computer science, theater and performance studies, and other departments. 

The interaction with the Rhode Island School of Design also allows those artists interested in new forms of media to explore and develop their practice, inventing new forms of art and communication.

Brown’s Literary Arts Program focuses on creating an atmosphere where students can refine their artistic visions, supported by like-minded faculty who provide the time and materials necessary to innovate. 

Not only has the program produced trailblazing writers like Percival Everett and Otessa Moshfegh, but works composed by alumni incorporating dance, music, media, and theater have been performed around the world, from the stage at Kennedy Center to National Public Radio.

University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

When most people hear “MFA in Creative Writing,” it’s the Iowa Writers’ Workshop they imagine. 

The informal name of the University of Iowa’s Program in Creative Writing, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop was the first to offer an MFA, back in 1936. 

One of the first diplomas went to renowned writer Wallace Stegner, who later founded the MFA program at Stanford.

 It’s hard to argue with seventeen Pulitzer Prize winners and six U.S. Poets Laureate. The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is the root system of the MFA tree.

The two-year program balances writing courses with coursework in other graduate departments at the university. In addition to the book-length thesis, a written exam is part of the student’s last semester.

Because the program represents the quintessential idea of a writing program, it attracts its faculty positions, reading series, events, and workshops the brightest lights of the literary world. 

The program’s flagship literary magazine, the Iowa Review , is a lofty goal for writers at all stages of their career. 

At the Writers’ Workshop, tracks include not only fiction, poetry, playwriting, and nonfiction, but also Spanish creative writing and literary translation. Their reading series in association with Prairie Lights bookstore streams online and is heard around the world.

Iowa’s program came into being in answer to the central question posed to each one of these schools: can writing be taught? 

The answer for a group of intrepid, creative souls in 1936 was, actually, “maybe not.” 

But they believed it could be cultivated; each one of these institutions proves it can be, in many ways, for those willing to commit the time and imagination.

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Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Major in Communication Design

Program overview.

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree with a major in Communication Design is a pioneering low-residency program that emphasizes conceptual thinking, experimentation, and investigation. Students engage in a broad spectrum of visual communication practices, including typography, digital experience, socially engaged design, and design pedagogy, and emerge ready to contribute to the field of communication design as professional practitioners and educators.

Positioned within the School of Art and Design, the MFA in Communication Design offers the advantages of a public research institution, including a diverse and active faculty, opportunities for interdisciplinary study, and affordability. A robust design lecture series promotes the exchange of ideas and perspectives across a wide range of specialties.

Our unique low-residency model arises from a longtime investment in remote learning. Courses are largely online and conducted by faculty experienced in building community and engagement from a distance. Each semester, students and instructors come together on campus for a conference-style residency with critiques, lectures, workshops, and exhibitions. This structure provides flexibility for working professionals and remote students as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equity.

Over 60 credits, students cultivate curiosity and critical thinking and making through a well-rounded, forward-looking curriculum. The MFA in Communication Design brings together interdisciplinary approaches to the discipline across national and global perspectives to form a graduate-level education befitting a terminal degree.

Communication Design Fitness Statement

Program standards.

Students enrolled in the Communication Design B.F.A. or M.F.A. program must maintain high scholastic standards and develop a mastery of the knowledge and methods of their respective discipline. Students are expected to demonstrate emotional and mental fitness in their interactions with others, use skills and methods that are generally accepted in the profession, and conform to the code of ethics of their respective discipline, and the university’s honor code. A student’s acceptance in any program does not guarantee the student’s fitness to remain in that program. The faculty is responsible for verifying that only those students who continue to meet program standards are allowed to continue in any program.

Evaluation of Student Fitness and Performance

Members of the faculty, using their professional judgments, evaluate student fitness and performance continuously. The criteria used by the faculty to make such judgments include instructors’ observations of student performance in class or in activities related to courses. Students who are not making satisfactory progress or who are not meeting program standards should consider withdrawing from the program.

In this context, the term “satisfactory progress” refers to an academic judgment made regarding the student’s fitness and performance. It is a judgment that the student has failed to meet program standards rather than a judgment made on the basis of the student’s violation of valid rules of conduct. Disciplinary matters are referred to Student Justice.

Student Review Process

• When a faculty member believes that a student is not making satisfactory progress or meeting program standards, they will discuss the situation with the student.
• When the faculty member believes that the student’s performance cannot improve to acceptable standards, the faculty member will refer the student to the Communication Design Program Standards Committee. The Committee consists of three Communication Design faculty members appointed by the program Coordinator in consultation with the school’s senior faculty.
• The Committee will notify the student of the reasons that he or she is not making satisfactory progress or meeting program standards. The student will be given an opportunity to meet with the Committee to respond and to present information and witnesses to the Committee. The Committee will also meet with the faculty member who referred the student.
• After considering the matter, and within ten working days of meeting with the student, the Committee will report its decision to the student and the school Director, stating that the student should either remain in the program, or leave the program. The Committee may make other decisions, such as placing restrictions or conditions on the student’s continuance in the program. Within ten working days of receiving the Committee’s decision, the student will notify the school Director of the student’s acceptance or rejection of the Committee’s decision. If the student rejects the Committee’s decision, he or she may appeal directly to the school Director.
• Within ten working days of receiving the student’s appeal, the Director will make a decision as to the student’s continued presence in the program. Before making the decision, the Director will meet with the student. However, the Director need not meet with the student before making a decision if the student was given a reasonable opportunity to meet, and the student either failed or refused to meet. The Director will notify the student of the decision.
• If the student is dissatisfied with the Director’s decision, he or she may appeal to the Dean of The College of Fine Arts and Communications. However, in order for the Dean to consider an appeal, the student must submit a written notice of appeal to the Director and the Dean within ten working days of receiving the Director’s decision. The Dean will consider the matter based on information compiled by the Director and notify the student of the decision within ten working days of the Dean’s receipt of the appeal from the Director. The Dean may meet with the student and give the student an opportunity to address the issues. The Dean’s decision is final.

Application Requirements

The items listed below are required for admission consideration for applicable semesters of entry during the current academic year. Submission instructions, additional details, and changes to admission requirements for semesters other than the current academic year can be found on The Graduate College's website . International students should review the International Admission Documents page for additional requirements.

• completed online application
• $55 nonrefundable application fee

          or

• $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials
• baccalaureate degree in communication design, advertising art direction and design, digital media design, graphic design, illustration or related field from a regionally accredited university (see Requirements tab)
• official transcripts from  each institution  where course credit was granted
• minimum 2.75 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
• GRE not required

current design goals and specific reasons for seeking an MFA in Communication Design at Texas State University

experiences that led to this point, and how they may have shaped the student's current visual work

achievement expectations during their MFA studies

topics in design most interested in studying

In addition to building a strong MFA community of learners, independent study is an essential feature of the low-residency model. It is important for us to assess the student's ability and potential for managing and defining their own educational direction. Explain other independent educational experiences the student has pursued in design, and beyond.

• online portfolio (professional and/or student) showcasing at least 12–20 works in communication design. Each sample must be clearly identified with communicative message or project mission, media, and publishing information. Portfolios will be evaluated on ideation/design/presentation, role and scope of work, and peer-review (state, regional, national, or international). 
• three letters of recommendation from persons capable of evaluating the student’s academic and professional ability
• If selected for further consideration, the Admissions Committee will contact the student to schedule a virtual interview.

TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS Scores

Non-native English speakers who do not qualify for an English proficiency waiver:

• 19 listening
• 19 speaking
• official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
• official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and minimum individual module scores of 6.0

This program does  not  offer admission if the scores above are not met.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree with a major in Communication Design requires 60 semester credit hours. In addition to the following required credit hours, the degree requires a Mid-Program Portfolio Review. The review will occur after students successfully complete 30 credit hours. The graduate advisor and select M.F.A. faculty will assess each Mid-Term Portfolio component. Passing Mid-Program Portfolio Review will allow the student to continue with their graduate study. The student with an unsatisfactory Mid-Program Portfolio Review will be allowed to make portfolio work revisions and resubmit (one resubmission only) the portfolio work for reassessment (one time).

This program offers a leveling program on a case-by-case basis to students who submit strong application materials, but lack some communication design skills. Leveling courses do not earn credit towards the MFA Communication Design degree.

Course Requirements

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

All students must pass the comprehensive final examination administered by the student’s thesis committee and consists of successful defense of their thesis research. The results of the exam should be reported on the “Master’s Comprehensive Examination Report” form, which can be downloaded from The Graduate College website and which must be filed in The Graduate College by the deadline listed on the Graduate College website.

Students who do not successfully complete the requirements for the degree within the timelines specified will be dismissed from the program.

If a student elects to follow the thesis option for the degree, a committee to direct the written thesis will be established. The thesis must demonstrate the student’s capability for research and independent thought. Preparation of the thesis must be in conformity with the  Graduate College Guide to Preparing and Submitting a Thesis or Dissertation .

Thesis Proposal

The student must submit an official  Thesis Proposal Form  and proposal to his or her thesis committee. Thesis proposals vary by department and discipline. Please see your department for proposal guidelines and requirements. After signing the form and obtaining committee members’ signatures, the graduate advisor’s signature if required by the program and the department chair’s signature, the student must submit the Thesis Proposal Form with one copy of the proposal attached to the dean of The Graduate College for approval before proceeding with research on the thesis. If the thesis research involves human subjects, the student must obtain exemption or approval from the Texas State Institutional Review Board prior to submitting the proposal form to The Graduate College. The IRB approval letter should be included with the proposal form. If the thesis research involves vertebrate animals, the proposal form must include the Texas State IACUC approval code. It is recommended that the thesis proposal form be submitted to the dean of The Graduate College by the end of the student’s enrollment in 5399A. Failure to submit the thesis proposal in a timely fashion may result in delayed graduation.

Thesis Committee

The thesis committee must be composed of a minimum of three approved graduate faculty members.

Thesis Enrollment and Credit

The completion of a minimum of six hours of thesis enrollment is required. For a student's initial thesis course enrollment, the student will need to register for thesis course number 5399A.  After that, the student will enroll in thesis B courses, in each subsequent semester until the thesis is defended with the department and approved by The Graduate College. Preliminary discussions regarding the selection of a topic and assignment to a research supervisor will not require enrollment for the thesis course.

Students must be enrolled in thesis credits if they are receiving supervision and/or are using university resources related to their thesis work.  The number of thesis credit hours students enroll in must reflect the amount of work being done on the thesis that semester.  It is the responsibility of the committee chair to ensure that students are making adequate progress toward their degree throughout the thesis process.  Failure to register for the thesis course during a term in which supervision is received may result in postponement of graduation. After initial enrollment in 5399A, the student will continue to enroll in a thesis B course as long as it takes to complete the thesis. Thesis projects are by definition original and individualized projects.  As such, depending on the topic, methodology, and other factors, some projects may take longer than others to complete.  If the thesis requires work beyond the minimum number of thesis credits needed for the degree, the student may enroll in additional thesis credits at the committee chair's discretion. In the rare case when a student has not previously enrolled in thesis and plans to work on and complete the thesis in one term, the student will enroll in both 5399A and 5399B.

The only grades assigned for thesis courses are PR (progress), CR (credit), W (withdrew), and F (failing). If acceptable progress is not being made in a thesis course, the instructor may issue a grade of F. If the student is making acceptable progress, a grade of PR is assigned until the thesis is completed. The minimum number of hours of thesis credit (“CR”) will be awarded only after the thesis has been both approved by The Graduate College and released to Alkek Library.

A student who has selected the thesis option must be registered for the thesis course during the term or Summer I (during the summer, the thesis course runs ten weeks for both sessions) in which the degree will be conferred.

Thesis Deadlines and Approval Process

Thesis deadlines are posted on  The Graduate College  website under "Current Students." The completed thesis must be submitted to the chair of the thesis committee on or before the deadlines listed on The Graduate College website.

The following must be submitted to The Graduate College by the thesis deadline listed on The Graduate College website:

• The Thesis Submission Approval Form bearing original (wet) and/or electronic signatures of the student and all committee members.
• One (1) PDF of the thesis in final form, approved by all committee members, uploaded in the online Vireo submission system.  

After the dean of The Graduate College approves the thesis, Alkek Library will harvest the document from the Vireo submission system for publishing in the Digital Collections database (according to the student's embargo selection).  NOTE: MFA Creative Writing theses will have a permanent embargo and will never be published to Digital Collections.  

While original (wet) signatures are preferred, there may be situations as determined by the chair of the committee in which obtaining original signatures is inefficient or has the potential to delay the student's progress. In those situations, the following methods of signing are acceptable:

• signing and faxing the form
• signing, scanning, and emailing the form
• notifying the department in an email from their university's or institution's email account that the committee chair can sign the form on their behalf
• electronically signing the form using the university's licensed signature platform.

If this process results in more than one document with signatures, all documents need to be submitted to The Graduate College together.

No copies are required to be submitted to Alkek Library. However, the library will bind copies submitted that the student wants bound for personal use. Personal copies are not required to be printed on archival quality paper. The student will take the personal copies to Alkek Library and pay the binding fee for personal copies.

Master's level courses in Art and Design: ARTC , ARTH , ARTS , ARTT

Courses Offered

Communication design (artc).

ARTC 5199B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

ARTC 5299B. Thesis.

ARTC 5300. Graduate Assistant Development.

This course is required as a condition of employment for graduate teaching and instructional assistants. It will provide in-service training and evaluations of instructional philosophies, techniques and responsibilities. This course does not earn graduate degree credit.

ARTC 5301. Communication Design Foundations.

This course may be taken only to fulfill communication design background. Students will acquire knowledge and graphic design skills necessary for advanced studies. This course does not earn graduate degree credit. Repeatable up to 3 times, with different emphases. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

ARTC 5320. Web Design.

Students will research, create, and produce advanced online products for Internet. Emphasis is placed on information architecture, interface design, and navigation constructs in order to produce unique online communications. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5330. Typography.

This course examines the traditional and experimental advanced usage of type as a visual tool to express meaning. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5340. Contemporary Issues and Criticism.

This course examines emerging issues in graphic design and design criticism, primarily from the turn of the 21st century to the present. Students will learn to analyze and critique graphic design, and will produce a work of critical writing.

ARTC 5341. Modernism and Design.

This course explores the modernist movement in design, as it emerged in Europe and America in the early twentieth century. Topics include: visual cultural theory, the origins of modernism, Dada, Constructivism, DeStijl, the Bauhaus, and American modernism.

ARTC 5342. Postmodernism and Typography.

In this course, students explore the relationship between form and content through the lens of postmodern graphic design and typography from the 1960s through the early 2000s. The course begins with the emergence of postmodernism and traces its connections to contemporary developments, including: counter-archival, decolonizing, anti-racist, feminist, and queer perspectives in typography. This hybrid studio-seminar course approaches design history through a pluralistic practice of researching, writing, and designing.

ARTC 5343. Communication Design Seminar.

In this course students examine communication design research methods, modes of practice, and models of the creative process. Students will engage in individual research inquiries in order to develop the topic for their master’s thesis in Communication Design, and to present at the MFA Thesis Forum.

ARTC 5350. Special Problems in Communication Design.

An independent study requiring complex problem-solving in communication design. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360D. Typeface Design.

This course explores the detailed anatomy of typefaces in order to design custom typefaces through various applications. Students with an advanced knowledge of typography will research detailed type anatomy as well as historical, technological, and cultural typographic contexts. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360G. Interaction Design.

This course focuses on designing a digital experience by connecting people, place, and technology. Students who are interested in digital placemaking, digital innovations/transformation, mobile technology, and exploring hybrid experiences are encouraged to enroll in the course. The course discusses communication, digital products, environments, and services as an ecosystem and the role a designer plays in a larger context. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360H. Mobile and Social Media.

In this course, students explore the implications of social networking and mobile communications in contemporary communication design. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360I. Publication.

This course explores the designer’s role in the dissemination of information and examines the history and current practices of independent publishing. There is an emphasis on authorship, typography, and experimentation. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360J. International Perspectives in Design.

In this course, students explore international perspectives in design. This course requires a field trip abroad and will conclude with one extensive communication design assignment based upon the field trip experience. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360N. Alternative Printing Methods.

This course will explore hands-on printing methods for designers. Letterpress, screen-printing, and other alternative printing methods will be explored to visually express design concepts. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360S. Design Futures.

Students will translate technological and socioeconomic issues into the near future. They will explore the role of design in solving or coping with the consequences of today's actions. The course will prepare students to think critically about the role of design in the evolution of humankind.

ARTC 5360U. Design Practice.

This course introduces students to critical design practice and serves as one of several thesis preparation courses offered. Design Practice sets the foundation for building a significant and cohesive body of creative work.

ARTC 5360V. Research through Making.

This course further examines communication design research methods, modes of practice, and models of the creative process to advance thesis research through making and visualizing abstract ideas.

ARTC 5360W. Exhibitions.

In this course students will explore different methods of exhibition within traditional and alternative settings. They will experiment with collaborative and multidisciplinary strategies to produce speculative proposals for public and professional communities. Students will come away with an in-depth understanding of various exhibition contexts and the ability to analyze and select the exhibition strategies most appropriate to engage a specified inquiry. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360X. Generative Design.

This course introduces the basics of generative art and design. Utilizing code as a creative medium, students engage in computation through a creative, thoughtful, and transformative approach. Students learn the potential of programming in the field of Communication Design. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5360Y. Design History Survey.

This course surveys movements in design history with a focus on the modern and contemporary eras. Graphic design is situated within the contexts of art, architecture, film, and other design disciplines. Major themes include the rise and fall of the European avant-garde; art and editorial direction in the Interwar Period; and topics in post-WWII modernism and postmodernism.

ARTC 5370. Professional Practice.

Students are placed in regional and national advertising agencies, digital media studios, or graphic design firms to gain professional practice experience. Repeatable once for credit.

ARTC 5371. Design for Motion.

In this course students are introduced to theories, techniques, and practices of designing for motion. As an essential medium of communication design, this course focuses on the successful integration of images, typography, and sound over time to create nuanced and complex messages. Experimentation, research, critical analysis, and concept development are emphasized. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5372. Social Practice.

In this course students are introduced to theoretical and conceptual aspects of socially engaged art and design. The course reconsiders the role of the designer in the context of participatory and public practices. Repeatable up to 3 times when the area(s) of study change.

ARTC 5399A. Thesis.

The course represents a student’s initial thesis enrollment. No thesis credit is awarded until the student has completed the thesis in ARTC 5399B .

ARTC 5399B. Thesis.

This course represents a student’s continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

ARTC 5599B. Thesis.

ARTC 5999B. Thesis.

Art History (ARTH)

ARTH 5302. Special Problems Advanced.

An independent study course involved with art history, aesthetics, and criticism. The emphasis of the course in on scholarship, research, and writing. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

Studio Art (ARTS)

ARTS 5301. 2-D Advanced Special Problems.

An independent study in 2-D studio art, which requires a student to pursue a personal conceptual direction and to develop the technical and critical skills necessary for creating a cohesive body of artwork. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit. Permission of instructor required to enroll.

ARTS 5302. 3-D Advanced Special Problems.

An independent study in studio art, which requires a student to pursue a personal conceptual direction and to develop the technical and critical skills necessary for creating a cohesive body of artwork. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit. Permission of instructor required to enroll.

Art Theory & Practice (ARTT)

ARTT 5371. Research Foundations, Art Education Theories and Practices.

In this teacher preparation course, students learn the fundamentals of art education theories and teaching practices. Primary areas of emphasis include: the history of art education, curriculum design, instructional practices focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion, the exploration of art materials and techniques, and art-making.

ARTT 5372. Research in Learning and Digital Media.

This course examines theories and practices of using computational and electronic tools and materials for the creation of art, as well as for enhancement of the art learning process. Students design and conduct an individualized research project investigating the personal and institutional effects of computation in K-12 art and other schooling practices.

ARTT 5376. Research in Art Theory and Practice for Children.

Individualized study focusing on art skill and knowledge development related to children’s art learning experiences. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit. Teaching experience or admission to graduate degree program and permission of instructor required.

ARTT 5377. Research in Art Theory and Practice for Adolescents and Adults.

Individualized study focusing on art skill and knowledge development related to adolescent and/or adult art experiences. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit. Teaching experience or admission to graduate degree and permission of instructor required.

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