ubc masters of fine arts creative writing

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Degrees & Programs

Matt Rader Creative Writing Program Coordinator 250.807.98092 [email protected]

Creative Writing

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Why study Creative Writing at UBC’s Okanagan campus?

Join a strong writing community.

Engage in lively discussions with fellow writers and faculty at community events, readings, and workshops where students are warmly welcomed.

learn from the best 

Study under a faculty of award-winning writers dedicated to helping students experiment with their prose and grow as writers. A visiting writer’s series and Writer-in-Residence program provide additional opportunities to meet, and learn from, accomplished writers.

build your portfolio

Create a varied body of work and build your portfolio during hands-on projects. Students are actively involved in writing projects, chapbook production, magazine editing, student anthology production, and community learning projects.

Broad Range of Knowledge

UBC Okanagan’s liberal arts degree prepares students for global citizenship by integrating foundational knowledge with interdisciplinary opportunities in social justice, sustainability and Indigenous content. Students who earn a BA degree graduate with a broad range of knowledge and the ability to think critically, be creative, problem solve and communicate effectively.

Co-op experience

Put your classroom learning to the test with Co-op job placements throughout the region and beyond. Co-op helps you to gain beneficial skills such as how to build your resumé, apply for jobs, expand your professional network and earn money to pay for tuition.

what you need to know

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing is a four-year UBC degree with courses in poetry, creative non-fiction, short fiction, novel, playwriting, screenplay, writing with media, editing and publishing, spoken word, and writing and community learning. It is designed to build students’ range and confidence to the professional level, while familiarizing them with practical aspects of the writing life. Students apply to major in Creative Writing after the completion of their first year.

Students also have the opportunity to study Creative Writing as a minor in combination with another discipline or to combine their major in Creative Writing and the requirements of another BA program that offers a combined major (currently Art History and Visual Culture, Cultural Studies, and English).

Additionally, courses are offered that appeal to and benefit students in a variety of disciplines, including management, science, and medicine. The Power of Story and The Power of Metaphor offer creative tools for framing and understanding human experience and perception.

The Creative Writing program provides students with the opportunity to study literature and literary criticism as well as key aspects of the writing process—from crafting a scene, to pacing a story, working with imagery, and hooking a reader’s interest. Classes are taught by professional writers with a wealth of knowledge and experience they share with students at intimate workshops designed to build students’ range and confidence as they grow as writers. Students are encouraged to share their work and hone their skills with faculty who are actively involved in the editing process.

An intimate learning community is a hallmark of our program. Upper-year classes are capped at 15 students.

UBC Okanagan’s Creative Writing program offers a wide variety of foundational and advanced courses in poetry, creative non-fiction, short fiction, novel, playwriting, screenplay, writing with media, and editing and publishing. Several intensive summer courses are offered on campus and at the Woodhaven Eco Culture Centre in Kelowna.

Sample courses:

• CRWR 150 – Introduction to Writing Poetry and Non-fiction
• CRWR 250 – Writing Workshop in Creative Writing: Screenwriting
• CRWR 472 – Editing and publishing

View course descriptions for the 2020-2021 academic year. Browse here for all Creative Writing courses and their descriptions in the Academic Calendar.

The following links take you to Creative Writing program details in the Okanagan Academic Calendar, a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services, and academic policies at The University of British Columbia:

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing:

• Major in Creative Writing
• Combined Major with Creative Writing
• Minor in Creative Writing

Prospective Majors in Creative Writing can declare a major at the end of first year. to declare your major, contact the Creative Writing Program Coordinator  Matt Rader  to set up an appointment.

Find out more about the required courses and how to declare your major .

Communications and Rhetoric Certificate

Students can receive a Certificate in Communications and Rhetoric by completing 15 credits through courses from four thematic interdisciplinary and relational clusters, and a final capstone project. This is an add on to any major; some credits can be double counted.

For your application to be considered, you’ll need to do three things:

• Meet general requirements (e.g., graduate from secondary school)
• Demonstrate a certain level of English competency
• Meet specific requirements for the degree you’re applying to.

Then, UBC will take a closer look at your application. We’ll read your Personal Profile to get a sense of who you are and what you’ve achieved.  We’ll also look at all of your Grade 11 (junior level) and Grade 12 (senior level) courses, paying special attention to the courses that relate to the degree you’re applying to.

Find your specific requirements at  you.ubc.ca

Students are encouraged to apply for a major or minor in Creative Writing at the end of their first year, provided they have a combined average of 70% (B-) in 6 credits of 100-level Creative Writing courses and 3 credits of 100-level English. Refer to the Academic Calendar for  required courses  to major or minor in Creative Writing.

Review the  First-Year English Requirements .

Application Deadlines  Plan ahead to ensure you meet  important deadlines  and other target dates listed at you.ubc.ca.

Tuition Fees UBC Okanagan’s fees compare favourably with universities of the same high calibre. See  Financial Planning  for helpful resources, and add up your first-year costs with our Cost Calculator.

Apply to UBC at you.ubc.ca—there are just five steps in the application process. Soon you could be studying at one of the world’s top universities.

Check out the  steps to apply to UBC , and be sure to choose “Okanagan campus.”

Or let our Student Recruitment & Advising experts guide you: call 1-877-807-8521.

Declaring your major

Students can enrol at UBC for their first year as a general BA student, to declare your major after the first year, simply book an appointment with Creative Writing Program Coordinator.

Your Career Options

Earn a UBC degree respected by employers around the globe. Build a broad foundation and great career potential with undergraduate studies in Creative Writing. Job opportunities range from arts journalist and web writer, to novelist and publisher.

• Abstract Writer
• Advertising Copywriter
• Arts Administrator
• Arts Journalist
• Author/Writer
• Bibliographer
• Communications/public relations professional
• Copy editor
• Fundraising/grant writer
• Video game writer
• Historical museum assistant
• Literary agent
• Manuscript reader
• Market research analyst
• Media planner
• Newspaper/magazine journalist
• Office manager
• Policy and procedures analyst
• Proofreader
• Radio/TV program assistant
• Reviewer for newspapers and magazines
• Screen/television script writer
• Script consultant
• Song writer
• Speech writer
• Technical writer
• Writing instructor
• Writing centre director
• Advertising agencies
• Book Publishers
• Corporate and consulting firms
• Federal, provincial and municipal governments
• Industry, political, professional, social and trade organizations
• Publishers of national, regional or specialty magazines
• Radio and television stations

Learn and earn with  Co-op , a paid opportunity for students to enrich their education with work experience. At UBC’s Okanagan campus, sign up for Co-op to: build your resumé with professional experience; learn valuable tips on how to successfully apply for jobs; expand your network of industry contacts; and earn money to pay for tuition. Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 or by  email .

The UBC Okanagan  Arts Career Apprenticeship Program  (UBCO ACAP) connects upcoming arts, humanities and social sciences graduates from the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies with Okanagan-based employers for one-year, paid, early career opportunities.

The  Master of Fine Arts  (MFA) degree with a specialization in Creative Writing at UBC Okanagan provides students with the theoretical and practical tools involved in advanced creative writing.

UBC Okanagan also has an  Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies  (IGS) program in which students may have a Creative Writing department faculty member as their primary supervisor.

Gain Valuable Experience

Learning experiences beyond the classroom help prepare you for a career and life after university. Expand your horizons while studying abroad, conducting meaningful research, or working in the community with your UBC colleagues.

• See the world through  Go Global , a UBC program for exchange and study with more than 150 international partner institutions.
• Travel to conferences or competitions with financial assistance available through the  Tuum Est Student Initiative Fund , which provides financial support up to $3,500.
• Follow your ideas and get a head start on your career. Our professors engage students in research projects,  labs and centres  that range from Indigenous studies and the study of animal ethics to digitized cultural history.
• Take part in  Eco Art Incubator , a research initiative that provides students and artists with a platform from which to work, as well as access to artist-friendly resources for conservation and ecological initiatives.
• Investigate opportunities offered through the  Centre for Culture and Technology (CCT) , an interdisciplinary institute that engages in multiple forms of art, media, and information technologies as vehicles for the exploration and expression of community, culture, and identity.
• FCCS faculty run the  AMP Lab , which houses projects that engage the work of the humanities, adding value to cultural artifacts through interpretation and analysis in a digital context.

Get a financial boost to start your research experience and help pay for travel and other expenses. Merit-based cash awards also look impressive on your resumé.

• The Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Undergraduate Research Awards ($2,500) provide undergraduate students support to engage in research and creative activities over the summer months.
• The  FCCS Community Engagement Award  recognizes activities that make a significant and positive impact on communities beyond the university.
• More  scholarships and bursaries  are available for Creative Writing students.
• Apply to be an  undergraduate  or graduate teaching assistant and gain invaluable experience managing group discussions, marking, and assisting professors with paperwork.
• Learn through doing, create strong connections, and develop professional skills with a campus job arranged by  UBC’s Work Study Program. 
• Meet a community need and get practical experience by volunteering for a  Community Service Learning  project — a life-changing experience.
• Co-op  puts your classroom learning to the test, allowing you to explore career options while earning money. Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 pr by  email .
• More Employment Opportunities in FCCS

Meet Your Peers and Profs

Find out what students, faculty, and alumni have to say about the Creative Writing program at UBC’s Okanagan campus:  ourstories.ok.ubc.ca .

Lauren Marshall

Anne Fleming, UBC Professor

Joe Dermo, UBC Alumnus

Welcome to ubc’s okanagan campus.

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the 40 best universities in the world. In the psychology program at UBC’s Okanagan campus, you gain all the benefits of attending a globally respected university while studying in a close-knit learning community.

• Get a glimpse into life on UBC’s Okanagan campus at you.ubc.ca .
• Take a virtual tour of our state-of-the-art labs, modern facilities, campus residences.
• Visit the campus for a personal guided tour led by a student ambassador.
• Tour the campus, city and lake with this interactive 360-degree Kelowna From Above * video. * Best viewed in Chrome and Firefox 

On the first day of university, faculties offer “Meet the Faculty” sessions where you can get to know the Dean, professors, and the staff who provide student support. It’s all part of UBC Okanagan’s new student orientation: CREATE .

Attend an orientation tailored to your needs as an aboriginal student, domestic student, international student, or student living in residence. You can even register your parents for an orientation that includes a workshop and campus tour.

• Peer mentors are a great resource — ask questions and learn from students who’ve been there, done that.
• Navigate your studies with the help of a professor, your Program Advisor .
• Use the library which offers print, audiovisual and electronic research materials, a leisure-reading collection and loaner laptops. It also offers research consultations, instruction and workshops.
• The library’s Writing and Resource Centre can help you articulate your ideas. Pursue your research in a range of subject areas and scholarly genres, including essay writing, grammar, presentation skills, punctuation, thesis development, and coursework.
• Familiarize yourself with resources designed to help you succeed. Student Services offers a variety of academic supports , from study sessions to tutoring and writing workshops.

Take advantage of the many opportunities to get involved and stay active—from workout space in the new Hangar Fitness Centre, to athletic courts, intramurals, fitness classes, and varsity athletics.

Learn more at Sports and Recreation , which includes links to fitness facilities, sport clubs, intramurals and recreation programs, as well as the nationally ranked UBC Okanagan Heat varsity teams that compete in the Canada West Universities Athletics Association.

• Make friends with similar interests, attend events, and explore career options in the  Creative Writing Course Union .
• Follow our  Creative Writing program on Facebook  to keep up to date on events and connect with our community on campus and beyond.
• Branch out, get involved in student life, and have fun by joining a  club or association .

Meet new people while living in a study-oriented environment with easy access to academic and personal support.

UBC Okanagan offers modern residence living surrounded by hiking and biking trails. One of the newest residences, Purcell, includes a rooftop patio that offers a panoramic view of the campus and the Okanagan Valley.

Find out more about living in residence at you.ubc.ca.

UBC’s Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic development with a population of more than 150,000 people—the fourth fastest growing population in Canada. In fact, the Okanagan Valley is rated one of the best communities in Canada to grow your business.

More than 160 buses travel daily from campus to key locations such as Kelowna’s cultural district and thriving downtown waterfront. The campus is two minutes from the Kelowna International Airport, one of the Top 10 busiest airports in Canada.

UBC Okanagan is situated within the First Nations territory of the Okanagan Nation, whose spirit of stewardship for the land is reflected in the university’s respect for sustainability.

A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards and orchards, and snow-capped mountains, the Okanagan Valley features sweeping stretches of lakeside and endless mountain trails for biking and hiking.

Explore the Okanagan lifestyle at you.ubc.ca.

Apply to UBC today!

Already applied? Check your status or accept your offer .

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Distance) (MFA)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Go to programs search

Creative Writers are at the heart of our cultural industries. Poets, novelists, screenwriters, playwrights, graphic novelists, magazine writers: they entertain, inform and inspire. For more than 15 years, UBC's Creative Writing program has been educating writers through distance education in a program which complements our long-standing on-campus MFA program.

A studio program with the writing workshop at its heart, the distance MFA focuses on the work created by students as the primary text. Through intensive peer critique and craft discussion, faculty and students work together with the same goal: literary excellence.

The MFA granted to distance students is the same degree as granted to on-campus students, and the same criteria of excellence in multiple genres of study apply.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

UBC's Optional-Residency (Distance) MFA was the first distance education MFA program in Canada and remains the only full MFA which can be taken completely online. It is designed to be uniquely flexible, allowing students across Canada and around the world to study writing at the graduate level while still living in their local communities and fulfilling career and family obligations.

The program is unique globally for its multi-genre approach to writing instruction: students are required to work in multiple genres during the course of the degree. As a fine arts program rather than an English program, students focus on the practice of writing rather than the study of literature. Students may work on a part-time basis, taking up to five years to complete the degree.

My time in the Creative writing grad program at UBC has given me the discipline and focus I need to complete long-form writing pieces and larger poetry projects.

Kwaku Darko-Mensah Jnr.

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, program instructions.

The optional residency MFA (distance) program only has a July intake.

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 90

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Distance) (MFA)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Options

Graduates of the MFA program have found success in varied fields related to writing and communication. The MFA qualifies graduates for teaching at the university level and many graduates have gone on to teach at colleges and universities in Canada, the United States and overseas as well as holding writing residencies. Many publish books and win literary awards. Others go on to work in publishing, and graduates have become book and magazine editors.

Although the MFA is a terminal degree, some graduates go on to further study in PhD programs in the US, UK and Australia.

The Optional-Residency MFA is particularly well suited to teachers: our teacher-students have been able to gain an advanced degree while continuing their careers.

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Belcourt, Billy-Ray (Fiction; Nonfiction; Poetry)
• Hopkinson, Nalo (Creative writing, n.e.c.; Humanities and the arts; Creative Writing: Speculative Ficton, Fantasy, Science Fiction, especially Other Voices)
• Irani, Anosh
• Koncan, Frances
• Leavitt, Sarah (Autobiographical comics; Formal experimentation in comics; Comics pedagogy)
• Lee, Nancy (Fiction; Creative Writing)
• Lyon, Annabel (Novels, stories and news)
• Maillard, Keith (Fiction, poetry)
• Marzano-Lesnevich, Alex (Nonfiction)
• McGowan, Sharon (Planning of film productions from concept to completion)
• Medved, Maureen (Fiction, writing for screen)
• Nicholson, Cecily (Languages and literature; Poetry)
• Ohlin, Alix (Fiction; Screenwriting; Environmental writing)
• Pohl-Weary, Emily (Fiction; Writing for Youth)
• Svendsen, Linda (Fiction, television)
• Taylor, Timothy (fiction and nonfiction)
• Vigna, John (Novels, stories and news; Fiction, Literary Non-Fiction, Creative Writing)

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Same Academic Unit

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Theatre (MFA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Film Production and Creative Writing (MFA)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Further Information

Specialization.

Creative Writing combines the best of traditional workshop and leading-edge pedagogy. Literary cross-training offers opportunities in a broad range of genres including fiction, poetry, screenplay, podcasting, video game writing and graphic novel.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

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Creative Writing

This two-year studio program offers workshops in the following genres: fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, writing for children, translation, stage play, radio, television, song lyric and libretto, screenwriting, new media, and writing for graphic forms.

This program is also offered at UBC's Okanagan Campus

Program information.

• Campus: Vancouver
• Length 2 yrs
• Co-op Yes You can combine your studies with full-time, paid work at top local and international organizations.
• Honours No You can study intense specialization in a single field.

The Creative Writing program offers a two-year studio course, with instruction by faculty who work in a variety of literary and dramatic forms. The program leads to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing or a joint degree with another department, in which Creative Writing serves as half of the Double Major.

Campus features

The Creative Writing program is the editorial home of western Canada’s oldest literary periodical, PRISM International, which publishes the best in contemporary writing and translation from Canada and around the world.

• PRISM International

What can you do with this major after graduation?

Career opportunities vary widely across a range of fields including publishing, communications, marketing, public relations, social media, non-profit, government, tourism, education, and others.

There are many career paths that can combine your academics, skills, and experience with your different interests, including:

• Arts administrator
• Book publishing manager
• Communications manager
• Communications policy researcher
• Community centre coordinator
• Community organizer
• Careers with Creative Writing

Your future

A UBC education will introduce you to people and ideas from around the world, open doors to new opportunities, and take you places you never imagined. You’ll graduate not only with expertise in your chosen field, but with the skills you need to continue growing, learning, and evolving with your career over time.

Related programs

You’ll find these pages helpful, deep dive into ubc programs and get a taste of campus life on snapchat, meet al, a lover of books and bacteria who double majored in english literature and microbiology, ready to choose your degree.

• Creative Writing Programs
• Opportunities
• Prospective Students
• MFA Program Options
• Optional Summer Residency
• How to Write a Novel
• Writing for Video Games
• Communications Support
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Indigenous Engagement
• Prize for Best New Fiction
• Job Opportunities

The UBC Creative Writing Major program is unique, offering undergraduate apprentice writers in their third year or beyond the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in an advanced, self-contained studio program.

We take a limited number of students each year, basing admissions primarily on evaluation of a portfolio of original writing.

Program Outcomes

As a Major in Creative Writing, you will cover a range of writing genres in depth. You work and learn in small genre-based writing workshops, guided by faculty who are themselves published and working writers, alongside peers who are as committed and engaged as you in the process of becoming a writer. This active, collaborative and highly participatory learning environment builds skills and confidence, equipping you for a writing future, and beyond.

While building your own identity, personality and skills as a writer and adding strong new material to your portfolio, you will also develop invaluable skills in peer-working, collaborative communication and creative problem solving, skills employers love.

You will graduate with a grounding in the professional standards and expectations for your chosen genres – screen, stage, fiction, comics, and more – equipping you to work in those fields.

Program Requirements

All CRWR 400 courses are dedicated to the Major, allowing us to offer a focused and closed studio program. The studio is the writing workshop; your original writing and that of your peers will comprise the principal text and subject for discussion in all workshop courses. Our expectation is that this material will be of high quality and interest, showing exemplary and new directions in technique that can be shared and studied.

To earn this degree, you must complete 36 credits in 400 level CRWR workshop courses, across at least four genres, plus completing the other elective courses and credits needed to meet your specific UBC degree requirements. This takes a minimum of two years; the demands of the workshop limit students to 9 workshop credits per term, and all 36 credits must be earned within the Major.

We welcome applications from current UBC students and from others; however, external applicants must have applied to UBC for admission to be considered for the BFA program. The deadline for UBC application is in mid-January each year.

Admission to the Major is by application only, and restricted to students about to enter at least their third undergraduate year, as formally determined by UBC Vancouver. Only those with formal third year standing can be enrolled into the Major. This is an official policy requirement and can’t be set aside.

If you are eligible to apply, you will submit a portfolio-based application to the program, through an online form. The application window is only open for a short period, beginning in January, and admits students to our Major for the subsequent Winter Session – for instance, students who applied in early 2023 were admitted as Majors for the 23W academic year, and started their studies in September 2023.  There is only one application cycle per year.

As there are limited places available, this is a highly competitive process, and one with unique and distinct criteria and requirements. If you are interested in applying, or learning more, you should carefully read the Guidelines for Prospective CRWR Majors , which gives the most up-to-date, detailed and precise information.

The Guidelines explain how standing is determined, and give details for those outside UBC interested in applying, as well as anyone interested in applying this Major to a Double Major program. It also contains detailed information on how to put together your portfolio for submission.

External applicants, please note – you must apply to UBC as well as directly to the program, and UBC admission deadlines precede our programs deadline.

The program cannot make exceptions for students who fail to follow the guidelines, and all applications are covered by the terms set out in those guidelines.

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Fine Arts - Creative Writing, B.F.A.

Calculating your course load.

The number of credits you need depends on which program you’re in. Select from the list below to find your program’s course load information.

When you're calculating your course load, the table headings refer to the following:

• Credits: 100% of a full-time course load for September - April
• 60% session: 60% of a full-time course load for September - April
• 60% term: 60% of a 1-term full-time course load
• 40% session: 40% of a full-time course load for September - April 
• 40% term: 40% of a 1-term full-time course load

Full-year course credits are divided into 50% in Term 1 and 50% in Term 2. Make sure you maintain minimum enrolment in each term.

N/A credits: If your program and year level credit requirements are listed as N/A, please contact your Enrolment Services Advisor . ES advisors are available to help all students.

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Film Production

The MFA in Film Production program is designed for students with a comprehensive background in filmmaking who wish to pursue a specific creative vision in an academic environment.

Program Overview

The film production master’s degree focuses on the areas of directing, screenwriting, and producing live action narrative or documentary film. The MFA is a two-year course of resident study. As part of the program, MFA students must complete their thesis, which is a self-funded, original film.

Our objective is to develop the student’s intellectual, creative and technical skills as they prepare to embark on professional careers in the film industry. Our faculty are industry leaders in Canadian film and television. MFA students will work closely together with faculty members and gain hands-on experience in their field of interest.

Degree Requirements

Students in the MFA Film Production program must complete a total of 36 credits, following these guidelines:

• FIPR 533: Advanced Problems in Directing (6 credits)
• FIPR 534: Producing for Film and Television (6 credits)
• The 12-credit thesis requirement can normally be met with the completion of a professionally finished film 20 minutes long (shorter works to be considered on a case-by-case basis) and full written documentation and evaluation of the process
• Productions longer than 40 minutes may be eligible for 15 or 18 credits on a case-by-case basis
• Most students choose these electives from the following courses:
• CRWR 506: Advanced Writing for Television (6 credits)
• CRWR 514: Advanced Writing for the Screen (6 credits)
• FIPR 535: Alternative Cinema Production (6 credits)
• FIPR 536: Documentary Development and Production (6 credits)
• CINE 534A: Seminar in Cinema Studies (3 credits)
• CINE 435B: Seminar in Cinema Studies (3 credits)
• Alternate courses to fulfill the 6 to 12 credits of electives must be chosen in consultation with the MFA Advisor

Applications are now open. Apply by: Jan 15, 2024.

The film production master’s program only selects a handful of students. For those interested in applying to a future intake, please refer these application instructions:

• Submit your UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies application
• Attach a copy of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended and are currently enrolled in. If your transcripts are in a language other than English you must also provide a certified translation
• Include a resume of film and related experience
• Include a portfolio of completed films where you were a primary creator. These must be shared via accessible links, otherwise your application may be rejected
• A description of each film you have submitted (title, length, production company) and your role on each project.
• A proposal for a thesis film. If your thesis is a feature-length film, you must also submit an alternate proposal for a shorter film. This proposal must include a description of the film, an outline, treatment or draft script and a proposed one-page budget
• A statement of intent describing your reasons for wanting to complete the MFA Program

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You are reading the 2024/25 Academic Calendar. The 2023/24 version remains in effect until August 31, 2024 and is available here .

Creative Writing

The School of Creative Writing offers undergraduate courses that lead to the B.F.A. degree. For current offerings, visit Creative Writing .

Admission to the Program

Students must have 3rd year standing 1 in order to enter the Major. Each spring the Program will accept applications to enter the Major the following September. Year 2 students who anticipate they will achieve Year 3 standing at the end of the Winter Session (see Promotion Requirements and students in Year 3 or higher, including transfer students, are welcome to apply. As the Major is highly competitive and the number of places is strictly limited, students must ensure they submit their full application by the deadline indicated on the Creative Writing website. For more information, visit Creative Writing for details on deadlines, the admission process, and current offerings.

All students should view the Guidelines for Prospective Creative Writing BFA Majors for specific guidelines and course descriptions before submitting their manuscript.

1 Normally reached at 54 credits

Major in Creative Writing

Lower-level requirements.

Students must complete 3 credits of 200-level CRWR 1 , or the equivalent.

1 These credits should normally be completed prior to applying to the Major. Note that success in a lower level course does not assure admission to the Major program; applicants are accepted based on the quality of the entire application package.

Upper-level Requirements

Students must complete 36 credits of CRWR 400-level courses in at least four different genres.

Students may not take more than 36 credits of CRWR 400-level courses, with a maximum of 18 credits per genre, where those genres are defined as follows:*

• Poetry (CRWR 401)
• New Media (CRWR 402, CRWR 410)
• Children and Young Adult (CRWR 403)
• Nonfiction (CRWR 405, CRWR 455)
• Dramatic Writing for the Screen (CRWR 406, CRWR 416, CRWR 456) •
• Dramatic Writing for the Stage (CRWR 407, CRWR 457)
• Graphic Forms (CRWR 408)
• Fiction (CRWR 409, CRWR 419)
• Lyric Forms (CRWR 411)
• Indigenous Writing (CRWR 420) 1

*CRWR 440 is a special topics course which rotates among genres and is assigned by the Undergraduate Advisor depending on the term/instructor.

*CRWR 430 is a non-workshop class that does not count towards the four-genre requirement.

Creative Writing offers courses in multiple genres, but may not offer classes in each genre every year. For current offerings and information on the genres taught, please visit Creative Writing .

1 A maximum of 6 credits is permitted from CRWR 420 and/or its graduate equivalent CRWR 521.

Double Major in Creative Writing and Another Subject

Students who have completed all the requirements for a Double Major in Creative Writing and another subject falling within the B.A. program may choose to graduate with either a Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Arts provided they have completed the overall degree requirements of their chosen degree (please see B.A. Requirements or B.F.A. Requirements ).

Minor in Creative Writing

A Minor in Creative Writing is available, for further information please see B.A. Minor in Creative Writing .

Individual Courses

CRWR 400-level courses are restricted to students registered as Majors in Creative Writing; other students interested in upper-level creative writing courses are advised to consult Creative Writing .

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