best creative writing program in florida

Best Creative Writing colleges in Florida 2024

Best creative writing colleges in florida for 2024.

University of Miami offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 19 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 12 Bachelor's degrees, and 7 Master's degrees.

Florida State University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 7 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Master's degrees.

University of Florida offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 11 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 11 Master's degrees.

University of South Florida offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Master's degrees.

University of Central Florida offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 13 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 13 Master's degrees.

Florida Atlantic University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 9 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 9 Master's degrees.

Florida International University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 9 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 9 Master's degrees.

The University of Tampa offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city.

Stetson University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 3 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 3 Master's degrees.

Ringling College of Art and Design offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Bachelor's degrees.

Find local colleges with Creative Writing majors in Florida

List of all creative writing colleges in florida.

Florida State University

FSU | The English Department

The English Department

Creative writing.

Consistently ranked among the top writing programs in the country, Florida State University’s Creative Writing Program has an internationally recognized reputation of excellence. Among our faculty are winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and the National Poetry Series. Our faculty is not only dedicated to the craft of their own writing, but is also widely known for strong mentorship and committed teaching.

Our students are respected as some of the strongest emerging and established voices in writing today, frequently going on to meaningful careers in academia, and publishing their work with some of the most respected presses in the country. Located in the heart of Tallahassee, a capital city with Southern charm, our program offers a thriving community to all writers who are looking to strengthen their craft while building life-long relationships in writing.

For questions about the Creative Writing Program, and/or graduate admissions, please e-mail  [email protected] . 

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English Department

405 Williams Building Tallahassee,

Florida 32306-1580

Phone: (850) 644-4230

Program Contacts

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11 Best colleges for Creative Writing in Florida

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Florida ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 44.8K citations received by 4.14K academic papers made by 11 universities in Florida was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

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

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

1. University of South Florida

For Creative Writing

2. Florida State University

3. University of Florida

4. University of Central Florida

5. University of Miami

6. Florida International University

7. Florida Atlantic University

8. University of North Florida

9. Nova Southeastern University

10. Florida Gulf Coast University

11. Rollins College

Closest to Florida states to learn Creative Writing

Art & design subfields in florida.

University of South Florida

Department of English

TAMPA | ST. PETERSBURG | SARASOTA-MANATEE

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Creative writing mfa.

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of South Florida is a funded three-year degree.  MFA students receive a full tuition waiver and the teaching assistantship comes with a stipend and health insurance. Each year we accept an average of nine students who write comics, creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry.

Our award-winning faculty include John Fleming, Julia Koets, Jarod Roselló, Natalie Scenters-Zapico, Heather Sellers (program director), and Jake Wolff. We value children’s literature, YA, eco literature, speculative fiction, historical fiction, documentary poetics, poetry of mindfulness, formal poetry, memoir, lyric essay, and hybrid and experimental work, alongside traditional genres.

Our program is tightly knit and sincerely supportive. Workshops are positive and generative. We offer many opportunities for students to read their work publicly, to participate in writing groups and internships, and to work in literary editing and publishing. Saw Palm , our literary magazine, gives students hands-on editorial experience.

As part of the Literary Editing and Publishing course, students have started literary magazines, edited anthologies, written book reviews and weekly columns, and started freelance copyediting and writing businesses. The Spoonbill Reading Series allows MFAs to read alongside faculty. A monthly Nonfiction Salon is open to all writers. The USF Lecture Series and the USF Humanities Institute bring in guest speakers. Recent visitors to the creative writing program include Jericho Brown, Terrance Hayes, Chen Chen, and Naomi Nye.

MFAs typically take three courses and teach two courses. Our teaching training is superb. First year MFAs teach first year writing in our thriving and diverse undergraduate program; they are supported by a pedagogy practicum and official mentoring. Second year students have the opportunity, as courses are available, to teach creative writing courses. A creative writing pedagogy practicum, one of the few in the country, prepares students to design and deliver high quality introductory creative writing courses.

Department of English

Creative writing.

Students wishing to pursue a concentration in creative writing should bear in mind that four years of study at the undergraduate level is the beginning of a long apprenticeship; there is little profit in believing that one “discovers one’s voice” in the course of a few years of study, or, indeed, that such a discovery, a narrowing to a singularity, is ever to be desired. Diversity and experimentation are crucial throughout a writer’s career and perhaps at no time more important than in the initial stages of exploration and the acquisition of skills. Students are encouraged, therefore, to take workshops in both poetry and fiction, to take literature courses from various centuries and continents, and to take a wide variety of supplementary courses in English. The Creative Writing model, when sufficiently diverse, is adequate preparation for admission to graduate writing programs.

Category I: At least two, but not more than six, upper-division creative writing workshops. Students are encouraged to take one workshop in an alternate genre:

• CRW 3310 Adv. Sem: Poetry
• CRW 4906 Senior Adv. Workshop in Poetry
• CRW 3110 Adv. Seminar in Fiction Writing
• CRW 4905 Senior Adv. Workshop in Fiction

Category II: One course from two of three subcategories:

• LIT 3374 The Bible as Literature

Before 1600:

• ENL 3210 Medieval English Lit.
• ENL 4220 Ren Lit. 16th Century
• ENL 4311 Chaucer

From 1600 to 1800:

• AML 4213 Am Col-Fed Period
• ENL 3112 Eng Novel: 18th-C
• ENL 3230 Age of Dryden/Pope
• ENL 3234 The Long 18th Century: Themes and Interpretation
• ENL 3235 The Long 18th Century: Imaginative Genres
• ENL 3350 Age of Johnson
• ENL 4221 Ren Lit: 17th-C
• ENL 4333 Shakespeare

Category III: One course from each subcategory:

19th century:

• AML 3031 Am Literature I
• AML 3605 African-Am Lit II
• AML 4225 19th-C Am Lit/Cult
• AML 4311 Major Fig. of Am. Lit
• ENG 4953 Dept Seminar
• ENL 3122 Eng Novel: 19th C
• ENL 3240 Romantic Period
• ENL 3251 Victorian Lit
• LIT 4930 Special Topics

20th century:

• AML 3041 Am Literatures II
• AML 3607 African-Am Lit. II
• AML 3284 Am Women’s Lit.
• AML 3285 Am. Lit.
• AML 4170 Am. Lit Forms
• AML 4242 20th-C Am Lit/Cult.
• AML 4282 Genders & Sexualities in Am Lit/Culture
• AML 4311 Maj Fig in Am. Lit
• AML 4453 Am. Lit/Culture
• AML 4685 Race & Ethnicity
• ENG 4953 Senior Seminar
• ENL 3132 Eng Novel: 20th-C
• ENL 3154 20th-C Brit Poetry
• ENL 4273 20th-C British Lit

Choose remaining electives from Categories II–V

Category iv. literature, general.

• AML 4685 Ethnic Literature
• LIT 3003 Forms of Narrative
• LIT 3041 Studies in Drama
• LIT 3173 Jewish Literature
• LIT 3362 Age of Avant-Garde
• LIT 4194 Afr Lit. in English
• LIT 4322 The Folktale
• LIT 4331 Children’s Lit

Category V. Theory

• ENG 3010 Modern Criticism
• ENG 3011 Major Theorists
• ENG 4060 Hist of Eng Lang

Department of English faculty who regularly teach courses in this model include:

• Uwem Akpan –  Creative Writing (Fiction)
• Camille Bordas –  Creative Writing (Fiction)
• Michael Hofmann  –  Creative Writing (Poetry)
• David Leavitt  –  Creative Writing (Fiction)
• William Logan  –  Creative Writing (Poetry)
• Ange Mlinko  –  Creative Writing (Poetry)

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http://www.as.miami.edu/english/creativewriting/

Master of Fine Arts in Fiction and Poetry

The University of Miami’s MFA Program in Creative Writing offers a fully funded, two-year course of study in the writing of poetry, fiction, or cross-genre literature while providing substantial training in the teaching of creative writing and composition. Students may apply to receive a third year of funding, during which graduate students focus on professional development and publication as they continue to teach undergraduate writing courses. The program features a broad multilingual focus in a vibrant, multicultural city unlike any other. Enrollment is kept deliberately small to maximize student-teacher interaction, and faculty at UM are supportive of the linguistic and cultural differences that writers bring to their art.

Full Funding

The James Michener Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships support all our graduate students. Awards include a full tuition waiver and an annual stipend. MFA candidates teach one section of Introduction to Creative Writing per semester during their second year in the program or one section each of Creative Writing and Composition.

The Third Year

Students who proceed into a third year will teach Creative Writing and Composition, with additional professional development options in literary magazine editing and communications/public outreach. They will receive faculty mentorship towards professional development.

Graduates of the MFA in Creative Writing have gone on to publish award-winning novels, books of poetry, and creative nonfiction; have been awarded Stegner Fellowships and other residencies; and have gone on to find employment in teaching and publishing.

Curriculum Requirements 

Third Year Option:

ENG 820  is required for third year students. Students make take up to 6 credits in electives during their third year.

Required electives must be literature or forms courses, or other graduate courses at the university.

Sample Plan of Study

The MFA in Creative Writing Program provides its students with a thorough understanding of how to write publishable novels, collections of stories, and books of poetry in order to contribute to the global literary canon; a range of critical and craft-based strategies in order to attain their creative and artistic vision; the skills needed to establish their own expertise, voice and style within the literary genre of their choice; the necessary preparation for careers in the production of contemporary literatures and arts administration within and outside of the academy; and training to teaching in two- and four-year colleges and in research universities. In addition to guiding our students in the writing and revision of their creative theses, we work to assist them in publishing their books, developing a forum for the reading of these works, and obtaining appropriate employment.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of how to write publishable novels, collections of short stories and books of poetry in order to contribute to the global literary cannon.
• Students will master a range of critical and craft-based strategies in order to attain their creative and artistic vision and demonstrating the skills needed to establish their own expertise, voice and style within the literary genre of their choice by submitting a final portfolio and by participating in the Closing Conversation.
• Students will cultivate the necessary skills for careers in the production of contemporary literatures and arts administration.

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Creative Writing

Program Overview

Associate in Arts (A.A.)

We live in a world of language. Maybe you want to write a novel, become a poet, compose a memoir, or produce digital content. Sharpen your writing skills by practicing your craft and developing an eye for artistic expression.

Career Outlook: Writers and Authors

Written communication is essential to all industries. Writers and authors develop content for diverse audiences and deliver it through a variety of platforms. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects demand for writing work to grow 9% by 2030. The median annual salary for writers and authors in 2021 was $69,510. While many writers are self-employed, others work at news agencies, tech companies, and in the entertainment industry.

A.A. Program Overview

Find and amplify your voice through the power of creative writing. In this program, you'll foster relationships with other artistic and literary thinkers through small classes and writing workshops. Coursework introduces you to foundational writing concepts — such as voice and diction — and lets you explore the craft of writing through literature.

The program capstone gives you an opportunity to share your work with a live audience prior to graduation.

"I learned a lot about myself as a writer and gained the confidence that I needed to move forward. The workshops are amazing because you're not limited to working in your genre. You get a different experience with each professor, too. The program was really the start to my own writing community."

— Amanda Lynn Brockner, '22

Collaborative Writing Workshops

Master a range of writing techniques by completing four distinct workshops. You'll engage in meaningful dialogue and revisions of your work, and experience what it's like to be part of a community of writers. Workshop courses include a general introduction to creative writing, along with a focus on poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

Our Creative Writing Degree is Available 100% Online

In addition to completing this degree in-person, our creative writing program is also available 100% online. For creative writing students, this involves courses that you can complete on your own time and scheduled workshops that allow you to collaborate with other students in real-time. Learn more about FLCC online learning .

Join Our Creative Writing Club

Dead Poets Society is a student-led club for those who are drawn to poetry, fiction, and other forms of expression. The club works closely with the Creative Writing program to host a number of literary events and activities throughout the year — including public readings, author visits, film nights, and producing a 'zine.

Edit and Produce a Literary Journal

Learn how to manage submissions, communicate with authors, and edit manuscripts for publication by working on FLCC's literary journal, isotrope .

Design and produce a literary journal from the ground up while introducing readers to new authors and their creative visions. A journal of this caliber is rare among community colleges and provides you with a unique hands-on learning experience.

isotrope features poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual arts. The journal showcases emerging talent from around the world.

Read the Latest Issue

A.A. Program Outcomes

Program learning outcomes.

Upon completion of this degree program, students will have the ability to:

• Develop ideas, drafts, and polished work within multiple literary genres.
• Critique, revise, edit, and complete original creative works. Analyze and reflect upon one's writing process, including aesthetic choices, experiential intent, and revision strategies. Examine one's contribution to projects associated with gathering, evaluating, and promoting College's literary journal.
• Use effective, emotive oral presentation skills in order to publicly read one's original work.
• Use multiple social media formats in order to develop copy, including promotional material for the College's literary journal.

Seamless Transfer Opportunities

FLCC has transfer articulation agreements with various four-year schools in the region. These partnerships allow you to transfer into a bachelor's program with full junior standing. For creative writing, these colleges include:

• Excelsior College
• Hobart and William Smith Colleges
• SUNY Oswego

These schools offer bachelor's degrees in creative writing or English with a focus in creative writing:

• Canisius College
• Ithaca College
• SUNY Binghamton
• SUNY Brockport
• SUNY Geneseo
• SUNY Plattsburgh
• SUNY Potsdam
• SUNY Purchase
• Syracuse University
• University at Buffalo

Four-Year Career Pathways

Employers need good writers. Many journalists, lawyers, teachers, and marketing professionals have creative writing backgrounds. Prepare to enter the job market with the skills and creativity needed for success.

Creative writing graduates are well qualified to transfer into a bachelor's program or pursue careers and internships in a variety of fields, including:

• Advertising
• Content Creation

Low-Cost Tuition and Scholarship Opportunities

Earn a quality education at an affordable rate. With our low cost-per-credit and general scholarship opportunities , you can maximize your potential with minimal debt. 80% of students are awarded scholarships or financial aid that help with the cost of college.

The Creative Writing faculty bring a wide range of artistic expertise to the classroom. Full-time faculty hold master's degrees in English or MFAs. You'll learn from accomplished poets, novelists, and essayists who write everything from true-crime drama to young adult fiction. Each faculty member has a distinct approach to the craft of writing, which will introduce you to a variety of valuable methods and techniques.

Curriculum Requirements

Sample Schedule

Academic Resources

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Map out a path toward your future career, and discover opportunities related to this area of study.

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"To study creative writing is to immerse oneself deeply in what are arguably our greatest human gifts - language and imagination! They define our experiences and open our senses to the significance of our existence."

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Mfa in creative writing.

Our Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing provides the practicing writer the skills necessary to meet the professional standards and expectations of their chosen genre and is intended as the terminal degree for those intending to teach creative writing.

Housed at the Biscayne Bay Campus and set amidst the tropical beauty, social diversity and cultural dynamism of Miami, the program offers small seminars, intense mentoring, and a dedicated faculty who are highly successful and award-winning working writers including Lynne Barrett , Richard Blanco , Debra Dean ,  John Dufresne ,  Denise Duhamel ,  Campbell McGrath ,  Les Standiford  and  Julie Wade .

The deadline to apply for admission to the Fall 2025 semester (there are no Spring admissions) is Friday, January 10, 2025 .

Students are selected on the basis of demonstrated talent and the desire to join a hard-working, mutually supportive community of writers. Coursework includes workshops, literature offerings, and form and theory classes on Plot, Character, and Poetics. The program places great emphasis upon preparation and completion of a publishable book-length creative thesis. Graduates of the program have gone on to successful careers as authors , professors , teachers , editors , and arts administrators . Program graduates have have published more than 200 books (and counting), including several bestsellers, received prestigious literary awards and residencies, and had their work adapted into award-winning films. 

Gulf Stream Magazine

Produced by the Creative Writing program.

Graduate Catalog

Thesis Process

Program Contacts

Lester Standiford Professor; Director and Founder of the Creative Writing Program   305-919-5965   [email protected]  AC1 344

Nicholas Garnett Program Assistant (Clerical)   305-348-2874   [email protected]  AC1 339

Second annual First-Year Writing Program Writing Contest winners

FIU@Home: Create chemical poetry

The power of an English major

  Creative Writing in CASE News

Department of English MMC: 11200 SW 8 Street, DM 453 Miami, FL 33199 Tel:   305-348-2874 BBC: 3000 NE 151 Street, AC1-335 North Miami, FL 33181 Tel:   305-919-5857

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2024 Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools in Florida

College Factual reviewed 6 schools in Florida to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of creative writing. Combined, these schools handed out 87 master's degrees in creative writing to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Master’s Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Creative Writing School for Your Master's Degree

Overall Quality Is a Must

The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to creative writing students as compared to other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of creative writing students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized creative writing related body.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for creative writing students working on their master's degree.

More Ways to Rank Creative Writing Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings , including this Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools in Florida list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Creative Writing in Florida

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for creative writing students seeking a a master's degree.

Top Florida Schools for a Master's in Creative Writing

University of South Florida - Main Campus is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in creative writing. Located in the large city of Tampa, USF Tampa is a public university with a very large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from University of South Florida - Main Campus

Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in creative writing needs to look into University of Central Florida. Located in the suburb of Orlando, UCF is a public university with a fairly large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from University of Central Florida

It is hard to beat University of Florida if you want to pursue a master's degree in creative writing. UF is a very large public university located in the city of Gainesville. More information about a master’s in creative writing from University of Florida

It is difficult to beat Florida State University if you wish to pursue a master's degree in creative writing. Florida State is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Tallahassee. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Florida State University

Located in the small city of Boca Raton, FAU is a public university with a fairly large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Florida Atlantic University

Located in the large suburb of Miami, FIU is a public university with a fairly large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Florida International University

Located in the city of Tampa, UT is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from The University of Tampa

Stetson is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of DeLand. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Stetson University

Related Programs

Learn about other programs related to Creative Writing that might interest you.

Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction

Harness your passion for storytelling with SNHU's Mountainview Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction. In this small, two-year creative writing program, students work one-on-one with our distinguished faculty remotely for most of the semester but convene for weeklong intensive residencies in June and January. At residencies, students critique each other's work face-to-face, meet with major authors, agents and editors and learn how to teach at the college level.

English (I Have a Bachelors)

Best Creative Writing Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Creative Writing Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in creative writing, best doctorate degrees in creative writing, best bachelor's degrees in creative writing, best overall in creative writing.

View All Rankings >

Rankings in Majors Related to Creative Writing

Creative Writing is one of 4 different types of Writing Studies programs to choose from.

Majors Similar to Creative Writing

Notes and references.

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO . More about our data sources and methodologies .

Popular Reports

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University of Florida

Creative Writing

Program information.

The Department of English offers the Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing. Complete descriptions of the minimum requirements for the M.F.A. are provided in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog. Full information concerning courses of study is available from the graduate coordinator or by visiting https://mfa.english.ufl.edu/ .

Degrees Offered with a Major in Creative Writing

• Master of Fine Arts

Requirements for these degrees are given in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.

English Departmental Courses

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Creative Writing

Program Options

Joint Concentration

Students in the Creative Writing AOC cultivate imaginative literacy and cognitive flexibility by studying multiple genres, understanding craft from a cross-cultural perspective, and applying their creative skills both on and off the page. 

About the Creative Writing Area of Concentration

The holistic AOC in Creative Writing encourages students to explore aesthetics and methods across and between disciplines and genres.

In addition to instruction in the craft of writing and the history of literary art, coursework in Creative Writing develops core skills—like empathy, respect for other points of view, and critical thought—necessary to sustain creative livelihoods after graduation: whether that involves teaching, professional writing, using writing to inform or enrich a corresponding career, or—like Marianne Moore, William Carlos Williams, T.S. Eliot, Ted Kooser, and Michael Cunningham—writing and publishing books alongside a “day job.”

In keeping with this goal, students in Creative Writing practice engaging with the politics and issues of the larger world; building community via the literary arts; and responding to tense cultural issues and challenging situations precisely, directly, and creatively.

“The Creative Writing AOC will help students explore their value as artists and learn how to flex their creative muscles both on and off the page.” Emily Carr Visiting Assistant Professor of Creative Writing 

Featured Course

• Writing Environments

In this intermediate craft seminar, we will study and produce creative projects that speculate on the ways in which humans and their environments interact. We will interpret “environments” in the broadest possible sense—the earth’s vast biosphere, its urban spaces, and its online sometimes-spaces that we may or may not call home.

Recent Courses

• Electronic Literature: Intermediate/Advanced Creative Writing Workshop
• Beginnings and Endings: A Beginning Creative Writing Workshop
• How a Woman Becomes a Lake and Other Unheroic Acts: A Craft Seminar in Gender and Genre Bending
• The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Reading as a Writer Seminar
• Uncategorizable: A Multi-Media Poetry Workshop

Career Pathways

• YA Fiction Author
• Magazine Editor
• Technical Communications
• Small Press Publisher
• Marketing and Communications
• College Composition Instructor
• Advertising

Humanities Division

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Email Address

Ace Academic Center 116

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 12 best creative writing colleges and programs.

College Info

Finding a dedicated creative writing program at a school you're excited about can be a real challenge, and that's even before you start worrying about getting in. Nonetheless, there are some great options. In order to help you find the best school for you, this list rounds up some of the best colleges for creative writing in the United States .

The Best Creative Writing Programs: Ranking Criteria

You should never take college rankings as absolute truth —not even the very official-seeming US News ones. Instead, use these kinds of lists as a jumping-off place for your own exploration of colleges. Pay attention not just to what the rankings are but to how the rankings are determined.

To help with that, I'll explain how I came up with this highly unscientific list of great creative writing colleges. I started by narrowing my search down to schools that offered a specific creative writing major. (If you don't see a school you were expecting, it's likely because they only have a minor.)

In ranking the schools, I considered five major criteria:

• #1: MFA Ranking —If a school has a great graduate creative writing program, it means you'll be taught by those same professors and the excellent graduate students they attract. Schools with strong MFA programs are also more likely to have solid alumni networks and internship opportunities. However, many schools with great undergrad programs do not offer MFAs, in which case I simply focused on the other four options.
• #2: General School Reputation —The vast majority of your classes won't be in creative writing, so it's important that other parts of the school, especially the English department, are great as well.
• #3: Extracurricular Opportunities —One of the key advantages of majoring in creative writing is that it can provide access to writing opportunities outside the classroom, so I took what kind of internship programs, author readings, and literary magazines the school offers into consideration.
• #4: Diversity of Class Options —I gave extra points to schools with a variety of genre options and specific, interesting classes.
• #5: Alumni/Prestige —This last criterion is a bit more subjective: is the school known for turning out good writers? Certainly it's less important than what kind of education you'll actually get, but having a brand-name degree (so to speak) can be helpful.

The Best Creative Writing Schools

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of schools! The exact numbering is always arguable, so look at it as a general trend from absolutely amazing to still super great, rather than fixating on why one school is ranked #3 and another is ranked #4.

#1: Northwestern University

Northwestern's undergrad creative writing program boasts acclaimed professors and an unparalleled track record of turning out successful writers (including Divergent author Veronica Roth and short-story writer Karen Russell).

Outside the classroom, you can work on the student-run literary journal, intern at a publication in nearby Chicago, or submit to the Department of English's yearly writing competition . The university is also home to a top journalism program , so if you want to try your hand at nonfiction as well, you'll have plenty of opportunities to do so.

#2: Columbia University

Like Northwestern, Columbia is home to both a world-class creative writing program and a top journalism school (plus one of the best English departments in the country), so you have a wide range of writing-related course options. Columbia also benefits from its location in New York City, which is bursting at the seams with publishing houses, literary journals, and talented authors.

#3: University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's big draw is the infrastructure of its graduate Writers' Workshop, which is often considered the best MFA program in the country.

As an English and Creative Writing major here, you'll take classes from great young writers and established professors alike, and get to choose from a wide range of topics. This major provides transferable skills important for a liberal arts major with a creative focus. You'll also have access to the university's impressive literary community, including frequent readings, writing prizes and scholarships, and the acclaimed literary journal The Iowa Review .

#4: Emory University

Emory is renowned for its dedicated undergrad creative writing program , which draws the very best visiting scholars and writers. Students here have the chance to attend intimate question-and-answer sessions with award-winning authors, study a range of genres, compete for writing awards and scholarships, and work closely with an adviser to complete an honors project.

#5: Oberlin College

A small liberal arts school in Ohio, Oberlin offers very different advantages than the schools above do. You'll have fewer opportunities to pursue writing in the surrounding city, but the quality of the teachers and the range of courses might make up for that. Moreover, it boasts just as impressive alumni, including actress and writer Lena Dunham.

#6: Hamilton College

Hamilton is another small college, located in upstate New York. It's known for giving students the freedom to pursue their interests and the support to help them explore topics in real depth, both inside and outside the classroom. Hamilton's creative writing program takes full advantage with small classes and lots of opportunities to intern and publish; it also has one of the best writing centers in the country.

#7: Brown University

Brown's Literary Arts program offers one of the top MFAs in the US as well as an undergraduate major . For the major, you must take four creative writing workshops and six reading-intensive courses, which span an array of departments and topics, from music and literature to Middle East studies and Egyptology.

#8: Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University has an excellent creative writing MFA program, lots of super specific class options, and a number of scholarships specifically earmarked for creative writing students. This school’s undergraduate English program also offers a concentration in creative writing that allows students to specialize in a specific genre: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. If you’re interested in exploring your potential in a specific writing genre, Washington University could be a great pick for you.

#9: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT might not be a school you generally associate with writing, but it actually has an excellent program that offers courses in digital media and science writing, as well as creative writing, and provides plenty of guidance on how graduates can navigate the tricky job market.

Not to mention the school is located in Cambridge, a haven for book lovers and writers of all kinds. Though it probably isn’t a good fit for students who hate science, MIT is a great place for aspiring writers who want to build writing skills that are marketable in a wide range of industries.

#10: University of Michigan

University of Michigan is one of the best state universities in the country and has a top-notch MFA program. This school’s undergrad creative writing sub-concentration requires students to submit applications for admittance to advanced creative writing courses. These applications give students crucial practice in both building a writing portfolio and articulating their interest in creative writing to an audience who will evaluate their work. If you're looking to attend a big school with a great creative writing major, this is a fantastic choice.

#11: Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins is another school that's known more for engineering than it is for writing, but, like MIT, it has a dedicated writing program. As a major here, you must take not only courses in prose, poetry, and literature, but also classes on topics such as philosophy and history.

#12: Colorado College

Colorado College is a small liberal arts school known for its block plan , which allows students to focus on one class per three-and-a-half-week block. The creative writing track of the English major includes a sequence of four writing workshops and also requires students to attend every reading of the Visiting Writers Series.

Bonus School: New York University

I didn't include NYU in the main list because it doesn't have a dedicated creative writing major, but it's a great school for aspiring writers nonetheless, offering one of the most impressive creative writing faculties in the country and all the benefits of a Manhattan location.

How To Pick the Best Creative Writing School for You

Just because Northwestern is a great school for creative writing doesn't mean you should set your heart on going there. (The football fans are completely terrifying, for one thing.) So where should you go then?

Here are some questions to ask yourself when looking at creative writing programs to help you determine the best school for you:

Does It Have Courses You're Interested In?

Look at the course offerings and see whether they interest you. While you can't predict exactly what classes you'll love, you want to avoid a mismatch where what you want to study and what the program offers are completely different. For example, if you want to write sonnets but the school focuses more on teaching fiction, it probably won't be a great fit for you.

Also, don't forget to look at the English courses and creative writing workshops! In most programs, you'll be taking a lot of these, too.

What Opportunities Are There To Pursue Writing Outside of Class?

I touched on this idea in the criteria section, but it's important enough that I want to reiterate it here. Some of the best writing experience you can get is found outside the classroom, so see what kind of writing-related extracurriculars a school has before committing to it.

Great options include getting involved with the campus newspaper, working on the school's literary journal, or interning at the university press.

Who Will Be Teaching You?

Who are the professors? What kind of work have they published? Check teacher ratings on Rate My Professors (but make sure to read the actual reviews—and always take them with a grain of salt).

If you're looking at a big school, there's a good chance that a lot of your teachers will be graduate students. But that's not necessarily a bad thing: a lot of the best teachers I had in college were graduate students. Just take into consideration what kind of graduate program the school has. If there's a great creative writing MFA program, then the graduate students are likely to be better writers and more engaged teachers.

What Are the Alumni Doing Now?

If you have a sense of what you want to do after you graduate, see if any alumni of the program are pursuing that type of career. The stronger the alumni network is, the more connections you'll have when it comes time to get a job.

What About the Rest of the School?

Don't pick a school for which you like the creative writing program but dread everything else about it. Most of your time will be spent doing other things, whether hanging out in the dorms, exploring off campus, or fulfilling general education requirements.

Many schools require you to apply to the creative writing major, so make doubly sure you'll be happy with your choice even if you aren't accepted to the program.

What's Next?

Are you sure a creative writing major is the right fit for you? Read our post on the pros and cons of the major to help you decide what path to take in college.

For more general advice about choosing a college, check out our complete guide to finding the right school for you. Some major factors to consider include deciding whether you're interested in a small college or a big university , an in-state or out-of-state institution , and a public or private school .

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Cambridge, MA ·
• · Rating 4.16 out of 5   661 reviews
• grade  A+ Overall Niche Grade
• Acceptance rate 4%
• Net price $20,232
• SAT range 1530-1580

#3 Best Colleges in America .

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

661 Niche users give it an average review of 4.2 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says Great place to be challenged, learn, and grow. A safe environment to fall and fail. Lots of support and resources available but you need to take the initiative to reach out about them .

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Overall Niche Grade : A+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 4% ,

Net Price : $20,232 ,

SAT Range : 1530-1580 ,

Columbia University

• New York, NY ·
• · Rating 3.82 out of 5   1,366 reviews
• Net price $22,058
• SAT range 1490-1580

#6 Best Colleges in America .

Blue checkmark.

NEW YORK, NY ,

1366 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says As a biochemistry student at Columbia University, my experience was extraordinary. The Core Curriculum was a highlight, exposing me to literature, philosophy, art history, and music. This... Beyond academics, I loved engaging with the community through Peer Health Exchange (now S-HEAL), where I educated high school students on health and wellness. This experience enhanced my... Writing for The Spectator allowed me to make scientific concepts accessible, improving my ability to articulate ideas clearly. Additionally, Columbia’s vibrant arts scene, from Miller Theatre... Overall, Columbia offered a holistic education, blending rigorous science, arts, and community involvement, preparing me well for the future. .

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Net Price : $22,058 ,

SAT Range : 1490-1580 ,

University of Pennsylvania

• Philadelphia, PA ·
• · Rating 3.9 out of 5   1,361 reviews
• Acceptance rate 7%
• Net price $26,123
• SAT range 1500-1570

#7 Best Colleges in America .

PHILADELPHIA, PA ,

1361 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

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Acceptance Rate : 7% ,

Net Price : $26,123 ,

SAT Range : 1500-1570 ,

Vermont State University Johnson

• JOHNSON, VT
• · Rating 3.19 out of 5   341

Azusa Pacific University

• · Rating 3.78 out of 5   2,795

Moreno Valley College

• MORENO VALLEY, CA
• · Rating 3.75 out of 5   463

Dartmouth College

• Hanover, NH ·
• · Rating 3.88 out of 5   747 reviews
• Acceptance rate 6%
• Net price $19,208
• SAT range 1500-1580

#8 Best Colleges in America .

HANOVER, NH ,

747 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

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Acceptance Rate : 6% ,

Net Price : $19,208 ,

SAT Range : 1500-1580 ,

Brown University

• Providence, RI ·
• · Rating 3.84 out of 5   1,083 reviews
• Acceptance rate 5%
• Net price $26,723

#10 Best Colleges in America .

PROVIDENCE, RI ,

1083 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says My experience has been absolutely incredible. As everyone says, the open curriculum really makes a world of difference as it allows you to choose your own path and not be hampered by requirements... .

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Acceptance Rate : 5% ,

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Northwestern University

• Evanston, IL ·
• · Rating 3.7 out of 5   1,493 reviews
• Net price $22,095
• SAT range 1490-1570

#15 Best Colleges in America .

EVANSTON, IL ,

1493 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

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SAT Range : 1490-1570 ,

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Washington University in St. Louis

• Saint Louis, MO ·
• · Rating 4.11 out of 5   1,575 reviews
• Acceptance rate 12%
• Net price $23,432

#16 Best Colleges in America .

SAINT LOUIS, MO ,

1575 Niche users give it an average review of 4.1 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says I am a sophomore at WashU. The depth of the education and the number of opportunities (if you seek them) can be life-changing. The business school is super good at hosting recruitment events if your... The undergraduate student body is tight-knit and mostly extremely friendly. People are very smart but not obnoxious or entitled. Campus life is great because many of the undergrads (freshmen,... .

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Acceptance Rate : 12% ,

Net Price : $23,432 ,

Carnegie Mellon University

• Pittsburgh, PA ·
• · Rating 3.71 out of 5   1,483 reviews
• Acceptance rate 11%
• Net price $33,499

#20 Best Colleges in America .

PITTSBURGH, PA ,

1483 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Carnegie Mellon University suits those who believe in working hard, working hard, and playing hard occasionally. The academics are demanding and challenging, which ultimately creates dedicated,... .

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Acceptance Rate : 11% ,

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University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Ann Arbor, MI ·
• · Rating 3.96 out of 5   4,723 reviews
• Acceptance rate 18%
• Net price $19,318
• SAT range 1350-1530

#21 Best Colleges in America .

ANN ARBOR, MI ,

4723 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says The University of Michigan takes a lot of pride in calling itself the best university in the world, but while finishing up my sophomore year I could not agree more. There is such a healthy balance... .

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Acceptance Rate : 18% ,

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University of Chicago

• Chicago, IL ·
• · Rating 3.81 out of 5   1,297 reviews
• Net price $36,991

#23 Best Colleges in America .

CHICAGO, IL ,

1297 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says Starting out at this university was not easy for me since I had to face many challenges on my own, away from family and friends I had back home. However, I had adjusted to the quarter system and... .

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Johns Hopkins University

• Baltimore, MD ·
• · Rating 3.68 out of 5   1,410 reviews
• Net price $24,034
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#24 Best Colleges in America .

BALTIMORE, MD ,

1410 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Overall, my undergraduate experience at Johns Hopkins was great. The academics were challenging without being destructive to student mental health and there were always numerous clubs, involvement... .

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Net Price : $24,034 ,

SAT Range : 1520-1570 ,

University of Southern California

• Los Angeles, CA ·
• · Rating 3.99 out of 5   4,050 reviews
• Net price $36,808
• SAT range 1450-1550

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LOS ANGELES, CA ,

4050 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says I absolutely love the University of Southern California! Besides the amazing weather, USC is a diverse and supportive environment with tons of school spirit. With so many schools and majors to choose... .

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Emory University

• Atlanta, GA ·
• · Rating 3.84 out of 5   1,618 reviews
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• SAT range 1430-1550

#36 Best Colleges in America .

ATLANTA, GA ,

1618 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says Emory's strong academic environment, combined with its diverse student body, has significantly broadened my perspectives and academic interests. I've particularly enjoyed the rigorous coursework and... .

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Net Price : $26,680 ,

SAT Range : 1430-1550 ,

Wellesley College

• Wellesley, MA ·
• · Rating 3.77 out of 5   637 reviews
• Acceptance rate 14%
• Net price $21,362

#37 Best Colleges in America .

WELLESLEY, MA ,

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

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Acceptance Rate : 14% ,

Net Price : $21,362 ,

University of Texas - Austin

• Austin, TX ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   6,779 reviews
• Acceptance rate 31%
• Net price $17,434
• SAT range 1230-1500

#42 Best Colleges in America .

AUSTIN, TX ,

6779 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

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Acceptance Rate : 31% ,

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SAT Range : 1230-1500 ,

University of Miami

• Coral Gables, FL ·
• · Rating 3.86 out of 5   3,077 reviews
• Acceptance rate 19%
• Net price $36,467
• SAT range 1310-1480

#52 Best Colleges in America .

CORAL GABLES, FL ,

3077 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

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Acceptance Rate : 19% ,

Net Price : $36,467 ,

SAT Range : 1310-1480 ,

Hamilton College

• Clinton, NY ·
• · Rating 3.72 out of 5   488 reviews
• Net price $24,503
• SAT range 1420-1540

#54 Best Colleges in America .

CLINTON, NY ,

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

Featured Review: Alum says Looking back on my experience, I feel as though I didn't appreciate everything Hamilton College did for me. When you're in the moment, it's easy to see all the bad and be frustrated with things like... .

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Net Price : $24,503 ,

SAT Range : 1420-1540 ,

University of Washington

• Seattle, WA ·
• · Rating 3.79 out of 5   4,684 reviews
• Acceptance rate 48%
• Net price $10,603
• SAT range —

#60 Best Colleges in America .

SEATTLE, WA ,

4684 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says The University of Washington offers a vibrant school life characterized by a welcoming atmosphere and warm-hearted professors who genuinely care about their students' success. Interactions with... .

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Acceptance Rate : 48% ,

Net Price : $10,603 ,

Macalester College

• Saint Paul, MN ·
• · Rating 3.81 out of 5   477 reviews
• Acceptance rate 28%
• Net price $36,095
• SAT range 1340-1500

#62 Best Colleges in America .

SAINT PAUL, MN ,

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

Featured Review: Freshman says I'm only a freshman, so take my opinions with that in mind, but I am immensely fortunate to have chosen to attend Mac. Students that go to this school are kind and from countless backgrounds and... .

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Acceptance Rate : 28% ,

Net Price : $36,095 ,

SAT Range : 1340-1500 ,

Haverford College

• Haverford, PA ·
• · Rating 3.93 out of 5   269 reviews
• Net price $23,476
• SAT range 1430-1540

#70 Best Colleges in America .

HAVERFORD, PA ,

269 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says My experience at Haverford College has been wonderful. The Honor Code definitely plays a huge role with this. I have always felt safe walking at night on campus and am able to leave my belongings... .

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Net Price : $23,476 ,

SAT Range : 1430-1540 ,

Purdue University

• West Lafayette, IN ·
• · Rating 3.83 out of 5   5,155 reviews
• grade  A Overall Niche Grade
• Acceptance rate 53%
• Net price $12,576
• SAT range 1200-1470

#79 Best Colleges in America .

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN ,

5155 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Academically challenging school that heavily focuses on STEM majors. If you are in liberal arts, there is a nice community but it is small and not nearly as funded as the STEM programs. Campus is... .

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Overall Niche Grade : A ,

Acceptance Rate : 53% ,

Net Price : $12,576 ,

SAT Range : 1200-1470 ,

Colby College

• Waterville, ME ·
• · Rating 3.85 out of 5   635 reviews
• Acceptance rate 8%
• Net price $16,951

#80 Best Colleges in America .

WATERVILLE, ME ,

635 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Great experience! So far I have enjoyed the amazing community filled with wonderful professors and students I can now call friends. With the opening of the new Athletic Center and Gordon center, I am... .

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Acceptance Rate : 8% ,

Net Price : $16,951 ,

University of Pittsburgh

• · Rating 3.75 out of 5   4,366 reviews
• Acceptance rate 49%
• Net price $24,286
• SAT range 1280-1470

#84 Best Colleges in America .

4366 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says I love living on and around campus. Living in Oakland has really made me fall in love with Pittsburgh. We have access to so many things around Pittsburgh such as free access on Pittsburgh Regional... .

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Acceptance Rate : 49% ,

Net Price : $24,286 ,

SAT Range : 1280-1470 ,

National University

• La Jolla, CA ·
• · Rating 3.98 out of 5   1,177 reviews
• Acceptance rate 55%
• Net price $30,527
• SAT range 750-1170

#90 Best Colleges in America .

LA JOLLA, CA ,

1177 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Attending National University fully online has been a unique experience for me. While I miss the in-person interactions and campus atmosphere, I appreciate the flexibility and convenience that their... .

Read 1177 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 55% ,

Net Price : $30,527 ,

SAT Range : 750-1170 ,

Southern Methodist University

• Dallas, TX ·
• · Rating 3.86 out of 5   1,580 reviews
• Acceptance rate 52%
• Net price $45,094
• SAT range 1370-1510

#95 Best Colleges in America .

DALLAS, TX ,

1580 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Absolutely amazing university. Professors know you and genuinely care about your success. Opportunity to be a big fish in a smaller pond. Extremely easy to take classes outside of your major, and... .

Read 1580 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 52% ,

Net Price : $45,094 ,

SAT Range : 1370-1510 ,

Pepperdine University

• · Rating 3.76 out of 5   1,369

Reinhardt University

• WALESKA, GA
• · Rating 3.83 out of 5   499

New York Film Academy - Los Angeles

• BURBANK, CA
• · Rating 3.85 out of 5   122

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Florida Atlantic University at Boca Raton, a diverse community with all of the cultural advantages of a major metropolitan setting, is located three miles from the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Students in the MA and MFA programs specialize in fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction, pursuing half of their coursework in creative writing workshops and half in literature and theory seminars. Both programs require completion of a creative thesis and feature small, rigorous workshops and seminars. The MFA is a 48 credit hour program. Students complete seven courses in writing workshops/special topics, six courses in literature/literary theory, ENG 6009 Research Methods for Advanced Literary Study, and six credit hours of thesis. The MA is a 30 credit hour program, consisting of four courses in writing workshops/special topics and three courses in literature/literary theory, plus ENG 6009 Research Methods for Advanced Literary Study, as well as six credit hours of thesis. Interdiscliplinary coursework is also available, in such fields as screenwriting and playwriting, through the School of the Arts in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters.

Each year in addition to the traditional workshops in fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry, a number of special topics courses are available to students. Recent examples have included The Poem in Practice, Writing The Short Story Sequence, Writing the First Novel, Teaching Creative Writing, and Writing Across Genres. Recent offerings in literature have included History of the English Language, Women in Literature, Latino Literature and Theory, James Joyce, Langston Hughes, Jane Austen, William Faulkner, Thinking Like a Poet, African-American Autobiography, American Science Fiction and The Cold War, and Food and Identities in Asian-American Literature. Thesis hours are conducted one-on-one with individual faculty.

The Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs

By Terry Helms | April 19, 2011

• University of Central Florida. Recently named one of the nation’s biggest party schools, and why not? It’s in Orlando, so there’s more than just the weather to celebrate — Disney World is only a short car-trip away. But locale aside, who knew that UCF fully funds nearly all its incoming students? The faculty roster may not boast many superstars, but neither do most other programs’ faculties, and ultimately it’s the quality of teaching that matters, not public acclaim for professors’ writing. If you want to attend a large, vibrant university in the midst of a large, vibrant, warm-weather city — and be fully funded in the bargain — UCF is for you. It’s no coincidence that four programs on this list are located in Florida; MFA applicants consistently under-apply to Florida programs (even University of Florida, a Top 25 program overall and certainly the best MFA program in the state, receives only half the applications it should).
• Ohio State University. Nobody can explain why this program isn’t Top 25 — perhaps even Top 20 — every year. Sure, it’s already popular, but it remains half as popular as it should be. Three years in an AIER-rated Top 15 “mid-size metro” with a strong faculty, a reasonable teaching load, and a vibrant university community deserves a close look from any serious MFA applicant. Every year OSU is outside the Top 25 (especially in poetry), something is grievously wrong with the national MFA picture.
• University of Miami. Knocking on the door of the Top 50 in all categories of assessment, Miami will someday soon make the leap to the Top 50 and stay there. It’s a great university in a great city, and it deserves — and has — a great, well-funded MFA program. If you’re looking for a fully-funded-for-all MFA experience in a big city (and there are only around five such experiences available nationally), you’ve found your place.
• University of Texas at Austin [Department of English]. This is the other MFA program at the University of Texas. The program at the Michener Center is already one of the most well-known and highly-selective in America; what many don’t realize, however, is that the MFA run by the university’s English Department is also fully funded — albeit less generously — and its students get to workshop alongside Michener faculty and students. Plus, it’s in Austin, as happening a college city as one could hope for. You can expect this program to crack the national Top 50 sometime in the next 24 to 36 months, but for now it’s still a hidden gem. No other university in America (except the University of Iowa, which offers both the Writers’ Workshop and the Nonfiction Writing Program) has two separate and distinct MFA programs, though the difference between Iowa and Texas is that both of Iowa’s programs are incredibly selective. Applicants looking to slip into a Michener-grade experience through the back door should take the hint.
• University of New Orleans. The Big Easy is coming back — in a big way. The MFA at UNO offers both a full- and low-residency option, and frankly there’s no reason not to leap at the former. Many students get full funding, you can take classes in screenwriting and playwriting as well as poetry and fiction, and there are summer programs available in both Europe and Mexico. There’s much to be excited about here.
• Oklahoma State University. The prospect of living in Stillwater won’t set many eyes agog or causes many hearts to flutter, but the fact remains that the Okies don’t currently crack the Top 100, and they certainly should. Lots of full funding packages are available, there’s a creative writing doctoral program at the university along with the MFA — meaning, by and large, a higher quality workshop experience than one might otherwise expect — and yet almost no one applies. That should change.
• Florida Atlantic University. Last year the report on FAU was simply this: “A dark horse among dark horses.” This year the program earns a slightly more robust entry, as a spotlight is cast on the following program features: three genres of study are available; the program fully funds many admittees; it’s located three miles from the beach; and it’s woefully under-applied to. All of which are great reasons to consider applying to this under-ranked and under-rated gem.
• Florida State University. Tallahassee gets mixed reviews, and some worry the program has gotten too large for its own good, but it’s three years of full funding at a university with not only a creative writing MFA but a top-notch creative writing doctorate, too (currently ranked second nationally). It may not deserve to be a Top 20 program in the national MFA rankings, but its recent fall in this year’s yet-to-be-released rankings (to #72) is entirely unwarranted. Right now there’s better than even odds it makes a return to the Top 50 next year.
• Georgia College & State University. The whole operation here gives off a warm vibe, and why not: it’s a well-funded, intimate program that’s been flying below the radar for years. Yet now it’s within hailing distance (nine spots) of an Honorable Mention classification in the forthcoming national MFA rankings, and it really does deserves to make the jump to that next level. A better rural Southern program you’d be hard-pressed to find.
• Iowa State University. What was said last year bears repeating, especially with the program making the jump to Honorable Mention status in the national rankings this year: the secret’s almost out of the bag on Iowa State, and what’s not to like? It’s three fully funded years in one of AIER’s Top Five college towns (PDF) at a program to which few apply. ISU’s unique focus on the environment (as well as interdisciplinary work and one-on-one mentoring) are stand-out features.
• Minnesota State University at Mankato. It’s a program you keep hearing good things about, even if you’re not entirely sure why. Maybe it’s the fact that the English Department offers a total of 30 full-tuition-remission teaching assistantships, and they’ll let you stay three years if you want. Maybe it’s the sense that this is a friendly, inviting program. Who knows. In any event, it makes the list, and while it may not be this grouping’s strongest entrant, by all accounts it deserves to be here.
• New Mexico State University. Students insist the program’s website is outdated, and that NMSU actually fully funds the majority of its incoming students. We’ll take the students at their word. Certainly, the program gives all the signs of hosting a lively literary community, and that’s reflected in its slow creep up the national rankings (currently #82). As with Minnesota State, it’s certainly not the strongest program on this list, but nevertheless it’s worth watching.
• North Carolina State University. Rumor has it that NCSU will soon become part of what’s become a national trend among MFA programs: only admitting students who can be fully funded through grants, fellowships, or assistantships, and thereby becoming a “fully funded program” under the current national assessment scheme via the back door. Well, why not? If the rumor’s true, you’re looking at a possible Top 50 program in the years ahead (it’s already Top 30 in selectivity, and just outside the Honorable Mention category of the national rankings). Poet Dorianne Laux is the star of the faculty here.
• Northern Michigan University. A tiny program in the scenic UP that funds surprisingly well. It oughtn’t be as obscure as it is. As with so many — in fact, far too many — MFA programs, NMU’s website reveals little significant information about the program and thereby does it (and its applicants) no favors. But the sense in the creative writing community is that something good is happening here.
• Oregon State University. With all the attention paid to the University of Oregon’s fully funded MFA program, Oregon State somehow gets overlooked. Corvallis isn’t Eugene, sure, and OSU can only fund many, not all, incoming students, it’s true, but the fact remains that OSU ranks just outside the Top 50 in poetry, just outside the Top 25 in nonfiction, in the Top 40 for placement, and in the Top 50 for selectivity. If you can get in with full funding, there’s no reason not to go.
• San Diego State University. Hundreds of California residents apply to MFA programs every year, and a sizable percentage of those would stay close to home if they could. Unfortunately, the Golden State has the smallest percentage of fully funded MFA programs of any state in America as a function of population, if not landmass (that latter distinction goes to the great state of Alaska, whose state university at Fairbanks nearly made this list). Still, if you’re looking to apply to California programs SDSU should be on your list, especially if you’re a poet (the poetry faculty is especially strong). Tons of assistantships are available, the website (unlike 90% of MFA program websites) is fantastic (albeit a little vague about the actual quantity of student funding opportunities), and there’s a top-notch literary magazine on-site, too.
• Temple University. Attention poets: Temple has an MFA program. Philadelphia has long been one of the great cities for American poets to live in, and now that Temple has transformed from a non-terminal MA to a terminal MFA, it’s suddenly worth a second look. Is it still a program in transition? Sure. But it’s also ranked 109th nationally, so the fact that it has a way to go is part and parcel of it appearing on this list. The faculty here is amazing, even if the funding is not (or not yet) — though it’s said that it’s much better for poets than for fiction-writers, in keeping with the program’s strong ties to the Philadelphia poetry community.
• University of Arkansas. With Ohio State, University of Arkansas is one of two current Top 50 programs to make this list (and for the record, University of Nevada at Las Vegas was quite nearly the third). This is a four-year, fully funded program in a nice college town, and it offers literary translation as well as poetry and fiction tracks. It’s in the top tier in practically any measure you’d care to name, and yet it cannot — cannot — seem to crack the national Top 30, which is especially odd given that a similarly long, similarly well-funded southern program (University of Alabama) has been impossible to dislodge from the Top 20 for years now. The difference between the two programs isn’t great enough to explain the ranking difference. More poets and fiction-writers should apply here, it’s that simple.
• University of California at Riverside. Trying to get funding information on California MFA programs requires more than a little detective work. UCR is rumored to fund many of its students well; only the program’s webmaster knows for sure, however, and he’s not telling. Whatever the truth of the matter, a few things are for certain: the program offers five genres of study; it (wisely) requires rather than merely encourages cross-genre work; the faculty is excellent; and the fact that the university has an undergraduate creative writing major (the only one in California) tells you how committed the entire university is to creative writing. The location is also a plus: a large city (300,000+) within a short distance of Los Angeles.
• University of Kansas. What was said last year still applies: this now-Honorable-Mention program offers three years of well-funded creative writing study, and KU is one of the few U.S. universities that cares enough about creative writing to host both a creative writing doctorate and an MFA. And did you know Lawrence, Kansas is deemed a Top 10 college town nationally by AIER? The 2/2 teaching load is daunting, but there’s still a lot of reasons to be excited about KU.
• University of Utah. Back in 1996, the creative writing program at Utah was ranked in the Top 20 nationally — largely due to a creative writing doctoral program that still ranks among the Top 10. It’s a mystery why the MFA program at Utah (now ranked #115) isn’t more popular, given that almost a third of incoming students are fully funded, everyone gets to workshop with some of the best creative writing doctoral students in the world, and Salt Lake City is by all accounts a surprisingly nice (and surprisingly progressive) place to live for a couple years. The literary arts community here deserves much more attention than it’s getting from applicants.
• Virginia Commonwealth University. For years now VCU has been in and out of the national Top 50 — it depends on the year — but in a just world it would consistently be on the inside looking out. And it has nothing to do with the spotlight recently shone on Richmond by the successes of two of its college basketball programs (VCU made the Final Four in 2011, and University of Richmond the Sweet 16). No, what’s happening here is that a three-year, well-funded program in a Top 15 mid-size metro (according to AIER) is being overlooked. This should be a perennial Top 50 program, and someday soon it will be.
• Western Michigan University. Kalamazoo is a larger and more vibrant college town than many realize, and now that — as word has it — the MFA program at WMU is seeking only to admit students it can fully fund (much like North Carolina State, above), applying to be a Bronco just seems like good sense. As with some other programs on this list (Florida State, Utah, and, to a lesser extent, Oklahoma State) students at Western Michigan get to workshop with some of the nation’s most talented MFA graduates — the creative writing doctoral program at the university is ranked among the top dozen nationally. Perhaps that’s why student satisfaction here appears to be so high? WMU is knocking on the door of an Honorable Mention classification in the national rankings, and if it goes public with its plan to become fully funded it will achieve that classification and perhaps even more — a Top 50 designation, too.
• West Virginia University. They’ve been cagey about their funding in the past, but reports are that the funding is actually excellent and that the program’s annual applicant pool is swelling. It’d be hard to argue that the program should be ranked much higher than it is — it makes the Top 60 nationally in the forthcoming national rankings — but it still isn’t spoken of as much as you’d expect.
• Wichita State University. The graduate creative writing program perhaps best known for being the place Albert Goldbarth teaches at has enjoyed a sudden bump in the rankings, from just outside the Top 100 to just inside the Top 80. And the ride may well continue; there’s still relatively little competition for admission to WSU, a real surprise given that this is a well-funded three-year program with a light teaching load.

All of these programs (with the exception of University of Arkansas and Ohio State) will need to spend much more time on their online promotional materials in order to make the jump from this list to the bigger one: the Top 50 national rankings, as published by Poets & Writers. Applicants to these (and, really, all) programs need to know precisely what percentage of incoming students receive the equivalent of a full tuition waiver and a livable stipend, as well as see some hard data on how selective their target programs are. Until that happens, most of these programs will continue to be unjustly underrated rather than justly highly-ranked. And, not for nothing, nearly all of these programs (with a few notable exceptions: Florida State, Iowa State, Ohio State, University of Arkansas, University of Miami, and University of Texas at Austin, all fully funded programs) could do with even more full-funding packages for incoming students.

For those keeping count, this is the second year this list has been compiled. Last year’s list can be found here . Feel free to discuss these and other programs in the comments section below.

Source: Huffington Post, HUFFPOST COLLEGE,  The Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs (2011-2012) . Posted: 04/18/11 11:23 AM ET, by Seth Abramson.

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Harvard Law School and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Seth Abramson is the author of two collections of poetry, Northerners (Western Michigan University Press, 2011), winner of the 2010 Green Rose Prize, and The Suburban Ecstasies (Ghost Road Press, 2009). Presently a doctoral candidate in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he is also the co-author of the forthcoming third edition of The Creative Writing MFA Handbook (Continuum, 2012).

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MFA in Creative Writing Program Guide

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Whether focusing on poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, a creative writing degree prepares students for a multitude of career options. Spanning two years, a master of fine arts (MFA) program trains you to become a skilled writer, communicator, and editor who can receive and apply feedback effectively. This adaptable skill set enables you to work in industries like education, publishing, and journalism. Professionals in these fields flourish in business, where they can apply their skills to promote products, reach consumers, and maintain a company's brand. A creative writing degree can also bolster a student's chances of obtaining a publishing deal.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects growth for master's in writing careers through 2032, including an 4% increase for writers and authors , a 6% increase for public relation specialists , and an 7% increase for technical writers . This guide provides prospective students with the academic and career information necessary to find the MFA program that best suits their needs.

What are the best MFA programs? Here are our top 5:

Popular online master's in writing programs.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Should I Get an MFA in Creative Writing?

Creative writing degrees are highly versatile. Students of all academic and professional backgrounds may enroll in an MFA program to strengthen their writing, develop editing skills, and cultivate professional relationships. In addition to gaining in-depth knowledge of literary genres, students benefit from classes in technical, journalistic, and business-oriented writing. Regardless of what areas they specialize in, writers learn to articulate complex and artistic ideas persuasively, which enables them to pursue occupations with nearly any company or organization.

Master's in writing programs also incorporate experiential learning and professional development opportunities into their curricula. Students attend writing conferences, writers' retreats, and guest speaker sessions. These events allow them to meet other writers and professionals in the field. It also exposes them to career opportunities. Additionally, MFA candidates benefit from university fellowships and internships, which typically center on editing, publishing, and teaching.

Creative writing degrees represent one of the fastest growing university programs in the U.S. According to the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) 2015 report, 30% of MFA full-residency programs enjoyed an enrollment increase. Distance education represents a viable option for students, especially low-residency programs that allow working professionals to earn their degrees while maintaining career and family responsibilities.

On the other hand, campus-based options offer opportunities for students to directly collaborate with a community of artists. This camaraderie empowers students and cultivates creative and professional relationships that last long after graduation. Traditional MFA programs especially suit learners who transition into graduate-level academics immediately after earning their bachelor's.

What Can I Do With an MFA in Creative Writing?

Through MFA programs, students develop creative writing, editing, critical-thinking, and professional leadership skills. Though common perceptions of writers paint them as loners, creative writing degrees necessitate collaboration. Students discuss famous literary works and each other's writing in workshops that help them become better orators and listeners. Even the thesis process requires communication because candidates must work with their advisers to revise their projects and prepare them for publication. Therefore, MFA graduates become exceptional team members, who give, take, and apply criticism effectively. These writers also possess strong grammatical and rhetorical skills, which they apply to diverse genres, including poetry, memoir, search engine optimization, and grant writing.

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These writers create content for blogs, journals, magazines, films, video games, and television series. They can also sell their own fiction, nonfiction, and poetry through either a publishing firm or a self-publishing platform. Depending on their specific position, authors can work independently or in project teams with technicians, designers, and managers. Median Annual Salary: $73,690*

Technical Writer

Also referred to as technical communicators , these writers craft how-to manuals and instruction guides for companies and organizations. Technical writers ensure that these materials are standardized and dispersed across all of a company's channels. Though students can pursue this career with a bachelor's, an MFA opens more doors through advanced skill and leadership training. Median Annual Salary: $80,050*

Postsecondary Teacher

As a terminal degree, the MFA prepares students for work as college and university instructors . Professors teach courses in their own genre, such as conventional literature classes or writing-intensive workshops. They also pursue creative projects, research, and publication. Like other educators, postsecondary teachers develop curricula, assess testing standards, and support university administration. Median Annual Salary: $79,870*

Public Relations Specialist

These professionals work in teams to cultivate and maintain a positive public image for their business or organization. Their work involves creating and implementing promotional and social media branding campaigns. Public relations specialists also handle press releases, field requests from news outlets, and write speeches for the company's top executives. MFA graduates typically need additional training to obtain this position, either through on-the-job experience or a certificate program. Median Annual Salary: $66,750*

Marketing Manager

These leaders work with teams of writers , graphic designers, sales agents, and advertisers to create and actualize promotional campaigns. They also negotiate marketing contracts, maintain budgets, and train employees. Additionally, marketing managers analyze brand effectiveness using data-analytical methods. As a high-level career, these professionals need a graduate degree, extensive continuing education, and at least five years of relevant work experience. Median Annual Salary: $131,870*

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

How to Choose an MFA in Creative Writing Program

When researching prospective master's in writing programs, students need to consider cost, length, and location. In general, graduate students can secure substantial funding through scholarships, grants, and fellowships. The most competitive MFA programs boast full tuition coverage and stipends. However, students should look at their financial situation practically, discerning how much they can afford without resorting to loans. They should also seek out private scholarships through local companies and professional organizations.

Most universities follow a two-year timeline as established by the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the first accredited MFA program in the U.S. However, creative writing represents a highly malleable field with different pedagogical philosophies and curricular design choices. Certain programs last three years, while others last up to five. Relatedly, prospective students should consider whether they want to enroll part or full time. Online and low-residency MFA programs often facilitate part-time enrollment, while traditional programs often require full-time participation.

Distance learners should note that remote creative writing degrees typically use a hybrid format, requiring them to attend conferences and summer retreats. Coursework and specializations reflect other important considerations. These factors fluctuate based on faculty interests and the school's overall direction. Some master's in writing programs highlight the American literary canon, while others focus on works from writers who occupy marginalized identities. And still others break with tradition altogether, emphasizing experimental writing styles and multimedia forms.

Finally, MFA applicants need to factor in location. For traditional students, this includes heightened tuition prices due to out-of-state residency status. Learners should also look into job prospects and cost of living. Many of the most popular programs are located in cities where rent is high and employment is competitive.

Programmatic Accreditation for MFA in Creative Writing Programs

To confer valid degrees, colleges and universities need to earn accreditation at the national, regional, and/or programmatic level. Schools with a religious or vocational focus typically seek out national accreditation. Schools may also earn the more prestigious regional accreditation from one of six organizations depending on their location. Students should look for nonprofit higher education institutions with national or regional accreditation. Students should confirm a school's accreditation status before starting the admission process.

In addition to national and regional backing, colleges and universities may also receive programmatic accreditation. For example, teaching programs usually need to earn the support of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation if they want to uphold state licensure standards. Creative writing degrees stand out because they do not subscribe to formal programmatic accreditation. However, many MFA programs are AWP institutional members . Students who enroll at participating schools benefit from scholarship opportunities, writer-to-writer membership programs, and conference discounts.

MFA in Creative Writing Program Admissions

Creative writing degrees generally require standard admission materials. These comprise academic transcripts, resume/CV, recommendation letters, personal statement, and standardized test scores. Candidates should consult their prospective schools' websites for details, including the admissions deadline.

Conventional requirements aside, the most important part of an MFA candidate's application is their writing sample. Programs typically require students to declare genre specialization in fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction. A student's choice dictates the bulk of classes they take and their thesis requirement. Specifics vary by program, but poets can expect to submit around 10-15 pages worth of poetry. Fiction and nonfiction writers usually turn in 25-30 pages of prose. Crafting an effective writing sample requires time, so students should plan accordingly. They should also look into the program's guiding aesthetic. Some MFA programs prefer traditional works, while others find experimental narratives more engaging and indicative of a writer's potential.

Prerequisites

Bachelor's degree, professional experience, minimum gpa, admission materials, application:, transcripts:, letters of recommendation:, test scores:, application fee:, what else can i expect from an mfa in creative writing program.

Graduate creative writing degrees center on three specializations: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. However, MFA programs aim for a holistic approach to the writing craft. This means that a poet must also take fiction and nonfiction classes, whether they be literature seminars or intensive writing workshops. Students also pursue coursework outside the three genres. Beyond some core classes, topics vary greatly based on faculty specializations.

Courses in an MFA in Creative Writing Program

While coursework differs based on the individual program, an MFA degree plan typically breaks down into four parts: literature courses, writing workshops, independent study, and thesis hours. Students can expect literature classes to encompass both classic and modern works. Independent study allows students to take classes outside the three main genres. Possible topics include journalism, gender studies, technical writing, and grant writing.

Reading Across Genres

MFA programs operate under the philosophy that experimenting across genres builds better writers. In this class, students learn how to effectively interact with works in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Learners also develop the skills to analyze how such fundamental ideas, like plot, character, and point of view, operate in each genre to achieve desired effects.

Poetic Forms

This class provides students who already write poetry with the knowledge and practice to advance their art. Unlike the workshop, this craft class emphasizes literary analysis that enables writers to break down a poem into component parts. Topics include meter, rhyme, rhythm, stanza pattern, and lineation. Students also delve into traditional and experimental poetic forms.

As one of the most popular creative nonfiction forms, the memoir tells the personal story of an individual or a community. In this course, writers learn the art of memoir through ideas like tone, voice, structure, and subtext. They also develop knowledge of subgenres, including the autobiographical memoir and those that deal with food, travel, family, addiction, and grief.

The Short Story

This narrative form represents the premier learning tool for MFA fiction students due to its relative brevity and popularity with literary magazines. This course provides writers with an in-depth study of the short story form, focusing on narrative arc, pacing, characterization, and internal/external action. Students also learn about short story history by reading the works of famous authors, such as Donald Barthelme, Alice Munro, and Octavia E. Butler.

Writing Workshop

While the structure of the workshop varies by MFA program and individual professors, this course always focuses on providing students with the feedback needed to improve their writing. Workshops also help students develop skills as editors and book reviewers. In addition to submitting creative work, students need to turn in written analyses of other students' writing.

How Long Does It Take to Get an MFA in Creative Writing?

Like other master's programs, creative writing degrees typically take two years, or 36 credits. Some schools follow a three-year curriculum. A student's enrollment status affects the timeline. Online and low-residency MFA programs provide more flexibility, allowing students to accommodate busy schedules by taking courses part-time. They may also offer accelerated degree plans that let students finish seminars and workshops in as few as 12 months.

Full-residency programs prefer a structured approach, similar to cohort learning, in which all students in the program take the same classes every semester, advancing through their degree work at a communal pace. Relatedly, MFA candidates who receive fellowships may not take more than the standard course allotment each term due to how university tuition waivers work.

Finally, the nature of a student's capstone project also affects their degree timeline. Many writers want their MFA thesis to be publishable manuscript, so they often take additional semesters to polish their work before submission and defense.

How Much Is an MFA in Creative Writing?

According to Peterson's , a higher education organization, graduate students who attend a public university pay $30,000 in average annual tuition, while those who attend private institutions pay $40,000 each year. However, prices vary with individual schools. The University of New Orleans and Columbia University offer two popular creative writing degrees. UNO's yearly graduate tuition is $8,892 for Louisiana residents and $13,462 for non-residents. Columbia charges $28,230 per semester.

MFA programs operate under the jurisdiction of the college of liberal arts or arts and sciences. This means they usually charge rates that match other graduate programs in that area. The most renowned and competitive creative writing degrees offer every student a full tuition waiver and monthly stipends. Other MFA programs provide institutional and departmental scholarships. Students should also seek out awards from professional organizations and businesses.

Beyond tuition and related fees, students need to consider cost of living, particularly housing. Websites like Payscale and Numbeo allow students to calculate living expenses using city-specific data. They can also compare prices between locations. MFA students should set aside money from conference attendance because these events represent important professional development opportunities for new writers. Research and technology costs also warrant consideration. Fortunately for writers, their field does not require expensive machinery or software. However, they should prepare to face high printing costs.

Certifications and Licenses an MFA in Creative Writing Prepares For

American grant writers' association (agwa) certified grant writer.

Organizations highly value grant writing, making it one of the most lucrative professions for freelancers. AGWA's certification series offers courses on proposal writing, program development, and review. Candidates take the exam in person, which comprises handwritten and computer-based sections. Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree to qualify for the program.

American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) Medical Writer Certified

AMWA operates an intensive, exam-based certification program that enables writers to demonstrate their knowledge and improve their marketability. The in-person test consists of 125 multiple-choice questions and takes 2.5 hours. To be eligible, applicants need to possess at least a bachelor's degree in any field and two years of paid medical communication experience.

Society for Technical Communication (STC) Certified Professional Technical Communicator

Operated by STC, this program offers technical writers three certification levels: foundation, practitioner, and expert. The foundation certification exam covers such topics as project planning, analysis, content management, organizational design, and written and visual communication. The exam costs $250 for STC members and $495 for nonmembers.

American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) Copywriting Certifications

AWAI offers multiple training and certification options for copywriters. These include an accelerated foundation program, a master's program, and an advanced training program for seasoned professionals. Copywriters can also pursue training in specialized topics, such as web/online content, business-to-business copywriting, grant writing, resume writing, and event travel writing. Furthermore, AWAI offers membership that comes with benefits like discounts and a career database.

American Copy Editors Society (ACES) Certificate in Editing

Through ACES , writers can enroll in fundamental and advanced certification programs. Fundamental level classes cover topics like clarity, accuracy, and search engine optimization. The advanced program comprises courses in copyright/fair use, fact-checking, and numeracy. To obtain the certificate, students need to pass individual assessments that come after every module.

Resources for MFA in Creative Writing Students

Duotrope provides the tools writers need to locate agents and publishers. The website also operates a massive database of literary magazines and journals, which writers use to submit and track work for publication.

Poets & Writers

Poets & Writers offers the resources writers need to publish, promote, and develop their art. The organization also operates writing contests, workshops, networking events, and a database of MFA programs.

Writer's Digest

This organization regularly publishes articles on writing tips, literary discussions, and new books. Writer's Digest also operates numerous writing competitions, including those for poetry, fiction, and self-published books. Writers can strengthen their craft through free webinars and paid workshops.

Literary Hub

Literary Hub provides an interactive platform for writers to discuss craft, design, and literary criticism. The website also highlights relevant pop culture and political issues. Additional resources include book reviews, daily fiction, and podcasts.

Literary Marketplace

Facilitated by Information Today Inc., Literary Marketplace operates the world's largest searchable database of publishers, literary agents, and industry events. Users benefit from 180 search terms, enabling them to find publishers by size, location, and genre.

Professional Organizations for MFA in Creative Writing Students

MFA programs offer valuable academic training and networking opportunities, which new writers can bolster through engagement with professional organizations. These organizations facilitate literary databases, award competitions, topical webinars, and in-person writing workshops. Furthermore, students can take advantage of insider information and first-hand accounts to find the master's in writing programs that best suit them. Perhaps the greatest benefit of writer's organizations is their networking and community-building events. These include readings, guest speaker series, and annual conferences, like the AWP Conference and Bookfair which draws over 12,000 attendees each year.

Association of Writers and Writing Programs

Individual membership provides access to the writer's calendar, job list, and the writer to writer mentorship program. Members also enjoy career guidance and discounts on literature and conference attendance. Students can take advantage of the organization's comprehensive guide to writing programs.

Academy of American Poets

As the largest professional organization for poets, the academy offers up-to-date publishing news, award programs, and job opportunities. Members also benefit from a variety of creative networking events.

National Writers Union

Established in 1981, the NWU advocates for the rights and economic advancements of its members, who work in diverse writing and education fields. Operating 12 regional chapters, the union provides members with legal advice and promotional support. Emerging writers benefit from a searchable talent database.

The Authors Guild

As the oldest and largest professional organization for writers, the Authors Guild offers legal assistance, online seminars, media liability insurance, and an expansive resource library. Members also gain access to discounts, conferences, and awards.

Freelancers Union

The organization supports independent workers through government policy advocacy and community engagement programming. Members benefit from health, dental, and life insurance assistance. Freelancers Union also provides retirement support. Membership is free.

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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

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Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life, Revised Edition

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In this practical guidebook, Philip Gerard, author and founder of the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s MFA program in creative writing, walks through the genre of creative nonfiction—how it came to be defined and what it takes to craft a compelling, true story. Gerard combines journalistic skills with the art of storytelling in the eleven chapters covering subjects such as research, interviewing, mystery and structure, law and ethics, and revision. Writers will learn the challenges and steps to mastering the craft of creative nonfiction with Gerard’s generous instruction and advice. “The hardest part of writing creative nonfiction is that you’re stuck with what really happened—you can’t make it up,” writes Gerard. “You can be as artful as you want in the presentation, draw profound meanings out of your subject matter, but you are stuck with real people and real events. You’re stuck with stories that don’t always turn out the way you wish they had turned out.”  

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