creative writing graduate programs in north carolina

Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Melissa Crowe

The Department of Creative Writing offers an intensive studio-academic apprenticeship in the writing of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing. Courses include workshops in the three genres, special topics and forms courses, as well as a range of courses in literature. While students are accepted in, and expected to demonstrate mastery of one genre, they are encouraged to study, and must show proficiency in, a second genre. Students, in consultation with their advisors, tailor their course schedules to their own professional and educational interests, selecting a variety of courses in creative writing, literature, criticism, rhetoric and composition, film studies, and applicable cultural studies. Though the M.F.A. is a terminal degree designed for writers wishing to pursue various career paths in teaching, writing, publishing, and community arts organization, students are urged to pursue the degree primarily as a way of mastering their art by rigorous study and practice among a community of other dedicated writers. The M.F.A. degree without supporting publication credentials does not guarantee employment.

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing are required to submit the following five items to the Graduate School before the application can be processed.

• A typed manuscript in the applicant’s primary genre, labeled “poetry,” “fiction,” or “creative nonfiction”: 10 pages of poetry, 30 pages of fiction, or 30 pages of creative nonfiction (double-space prose, single-space poetry). The manuscript should demonstrate mastery of basic craft and unmistakable literary promise. Applicants are advised not to apply with a mixed-genre manuscript.
• An application for graduate admission.
• Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate).
• At least three recommendations from individuals in professionally relevant fields addressing the applicant’s achievement and promise as a writer, and ability to successfully complete graduate study.
• An essay (300-500 words) on the applicant’s goals in pursuing the M.F.A., including previous educational experience.

An applicant must have successfully completed an appropriate undergraduate degree (usually, but not necessarily, a B.A. in English or a B.F.A in creative writing), with at least a “B” average in the major field of study. Acceptable fulfillment of all the above constitutes the minimum requirements for, but does not guarantee, admission to the M.F.A. program.

In general, we are seeking candidates who show artistic commitment and literary promise in their writing, and whose academic background indicates they are likely to succeed not only in graduate study but as publishing professional writers. Therefore, in evaluating candidates, the admissions committee places great emphasis on the quality of the manuscript.

Applications must be received by the published deadline . All interested applicants will be considered for graduate assistantships, which will be awarded on a competitive basis as they become available.

Degree Requirements (48 total credit hours)

• An M.F.A. candidate must successfully complete a minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate study: 21 credit hours in writing ( CRW 530   ,  CRW 540   ,  CRW 542   , CRW 544   , CRW 546   , CRW 548   , CRW 550   ); six credit hours of thesis ( CRW 599   ); and 21 credit hours in other graduate literature courses, ( CRW 501   , CRW 503   , CRW 523   , CRW 524   , CRW 525   , CRW 543   , CRW 545   , CRW 547   , CRW 560   , CRW 580   , CRW 581   , CRW 591   , CRW 594   , CRW 598   ; ENG 502   , ENG 504   , ENG 505   , ENG 506   , ENG 507   , ENG 508   , ENG 509   , ENG 511   , ENG 513   , ENG 514   , ENG 560   , ENG 561   , ENG 564   , ENG 565   , ENG 566   , ENG 572   , ENG 580   ) with an option of substituting up to six of those credit hours of study in a related discipline, as determined by the student’s advisor, the M.F.A. coordinator, and the chair of the Department of Creative Writing.
• An M.F.A. candidate is required to complete at least 12 credit hours of writing workshop courses in a primary genre (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction).
• An M.F.A. candidate is required to complete a minimum of six credit hours in a secondary genre, which must include at least one 3-hour writing workshop ( CRW 530   , CRW 542   , CRW 544   , CRW 546   , CRW 548   , CRW 550   ). Forms courses ( CRW 543   , CRW 545   , CRW 547   ) may be used to fulfill the remaining hours.
• A maximum of 9 credit hours in secondary genre(s) workshop courses will count toward fulfilling the 21 hour writing requirement.
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) must be maintained in all graduate course work; a “B” average is required for graduation.
• An M.F.A. candidate must complete a substantial book-length thesis manuscript of literary merit and publishable quality acceptable to the thesis committee: this ordinarily will be a novel; a novella; a collection of short stories, poems, or essays; a single long poem; a long nonfiction narrative; or some combination of the foregoing within the primary genre.
• An M.F.A. candidate must pass the Master of Fine Arts examination.
• A maximum of six credit hours of graduate course credit may be transferred from another regionally accredited institution in partial fulfillment of the M.F.A. UNCW regulations will be applied in determining the transferability of course credits, and requests for transfer credit must be approved by the M.F.A. coordinator, the chair of the Department of Creative Writing, and the Graduate School.
• The M.F.A. program is designed to be completed in three calendar years. All requirements must be completed within five calendar years.

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M.A. in English: Creative Writing

The diverse field of Creative Writing studies involves the writing of prose, poetry, and drama for the page, screen, and stage. At UNC Charlotte, the Creative Writing Concentration offers studies in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Faculty seek to familiarize aspiring writers with the techniques and theories of poetics and prose while helping them delve more deeply into their chosen genre. Integral to a creative writer’s experience at UNC Charlotte is the studio workshop, where students draft and share work and critique their peers’ writing. Also important are issues of craft, the literary history of a writer’s genre, the culture of publishing (book, magazine, and online), and sustained independent work toward a long-form capstone project.

Creative Writing faculty at UNC Charlotte have achieved national distinction with award-winning books and work published in The Southern Review , Kenyon Review , Missouri Review , Esquire, Denver Quarterly, McSweeney’s, Glimmer Train, Colorado Review, Gettysburg Review, New Stories from the South , and many others. They have won awards such as the Editor’s Choice at New Issues Poetry & Prose; the Poets & Writers Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award in Fiction; the Raz/Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize; a variety of artist residences; and fellowships from the North Carolina Arts Council and elsewhere. Faculty hold MFAs or PhDs from Purdue University, the University of Denver, and Vanderbilt University.

Students completing the MA Concentration in Creative Writing will be well-prepared for MFA and Ph.D. programs in the field. Undergraduate and MA students from Charlotte have been accepted with funding to a number of graduate programs, including at Columbia University, the North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Colorado at Boulder, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, NC State, and New Mexico State University.

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Click here for information about 1. guidance regarding MFA programs; and 2. the capstone experience in creative writing, including descriptions of the project and thesis options, as well as samples of prospectuses, help with critical introductions to creative work, and other helpful materials.

University Catalog 2024-2025

Creative writing (mfa).

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Welcome to graduate studies in English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Our department offers a full range of graduate programs, including the Master of Arts, the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and the Doctor of Philosophy.

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Helpful links, master of fine arts in creative writing.

• The Graduate School

“I continue to be grateful for everything I learned at Queens–I find I appreciate it and value it more and more. The faculty is wonderful–I’m still processing all that they taught me, four very different perspectives on my work and on fiction-writing in general–but I really think the size of the small groups is the program’s biggest strength. ​I feel that I really got to know every person I was in small group with, and several of those friendships continue to flourish, so many years out of the program.” – Susan Woodring ’03, Author of the novel Goliath, St. Martins, 2012

Meet Our Program: Workshops and Tutorials, Acclaimed Faculty, Post-Graduation Support

The Queens University Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a low-residency studio arts program that provides an immersion in the discipline of writing. We designed it to help you write what you most want to write, to bring your work to its highest artistic levels, and to hone your craft without uprooting your life.

Workshops & Tutorials . Our program operates in two distinct ways: Our workshop model allows you to receive feedback from your fellow writers, to advance your critical skills, and to build a writing community that extends well beyond your degree. In addition to the workshop aspect of our program, our students always get access to an individual, personalized tutorial. Each term, our students choose between the workshop model or the 1-on-1 tutorial model. You decide what’s best for you.

Acclaimed Faculty . In our program, you will benefit from an experienced and accomplished faculty that includes more than 30 highly acclaimed writers, including Ada Limón, the Poet Laureate of the United States. Get personalized attention with our 4:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Networking & Post-Graduation Support . You can continue to benefit from the Queens community long after you graduate as we host annual professional development opportunities. Meet with agents and editors from New York and California at the Annual Professional Development Weekend for Writers. Our staff will also help you access jobs in teaching and writing if that’s something you’re interested in exploring.

Flexible Program . The program is built to fit your schedule, with two weeks of in-person residency each year and distance learning across all terms, and our students have the option to accelerate or extend their programs to suit their unique needs.

Strengthen Your Skills . You’ll have plenty of ways to expand your writing and editorial skills including with our literary magazine, Qu , or with the Southern Review of Books . You can also take advantage of our Book Development Program and work one-on-one with a top New York editor.

Program Highlights

• Duration : 2 years, with options to accelerate or lengthen
• Credit hours : 52
• Cost per credit : $815
• Total tuition : $42,380
• Modalities : Low residency, with distance learning throughout the year
• Concentrations : Fiction, including Young Adult; Creative Nonfiction; Poetry; Writing for Stage & Screen
• Flexible program : Low residency with two week-long residences in Charlotte each year (or one two-week residency in Latin America).
• Immersive travel experiences , including annual trips to Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Post-Master’s Certificate is available

Your Degree in Action

The Queens MFA in Creative Writing sets you up for success in a variety of different fields:

• Our alumni have published 125 books in the last five years.
• 70% of alumni have been published in magazines or journals.
• 64% of alumni have gone on to teach.
• 48% of alumni have gone on to hold MFA-relevant professional positions.

Notable works by recent alumni include:

• Maria, Maria (W.W. Norton 2022), by Marytza Rubio ’16 . Long-listed for the 2022 National Book Award. 
• Perpetual West (Algonquin 2022), by Mesha Maren ’14 . Made the 2022 “most anticipated book” lists of at least 6 publications including Oprah Daily, LitHub, and The Millions. Her debut novel, Sugar Run , was a New York Times Editor’s Choice. She joined the Creative Writing faculty at Duke in 2019. 
• Ghost in a Black Girl’s Throat (Red Hen Press 2021) by Khalisa Rae ’16 , featured in Publisher’s Weekly, Book Riot, and The Root. 

In 2022, Ada Limón joined the select list of 24 distinguished poets who have been named the Poet Laureate of the United States by the Library of Congress. Limón has taught in the Queens MFA program since 2014.

Selected Courses

• Gateway I, Reading as a Writer
• Gateway II, Literary Reviewing
• Gateway III, Shaping the Whole Work
• Gateway IV, Teaching Creative Writing
• Craft Seminars in Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction and Writing for Stage and Screen
• Critical Theory for Creative Writers
• Questioning the Literary Canon

Program Contact

Samantha Willingham Program Coordinator, MFA [email protected] 704-337-2499

Meet Your Professors

Our program has more than 30 highly acclaimed writers as instructors, including Ada Limón, the Poet Laureate of the United States.

Message from the Director

At Queens, you will find dedicated professionals committed to helping you take your work to the next level. This is a program designed to help you to pursue your passion, write what you most want to write, and bring your work to its highest artistic achievement.

A benefit of the Queens workshop model is you have more writers looking at your work during your time with us, you have more opportunity to advance your own critical skills, and you have every chance to build a writing community for yourself that extends well beyond your degree.

But Queens is not only a workshop program; it’s also full of individual, personalized mentoring. Students choose between the workshop model or a one-to-one tutorial model each and every term. All students, regardless of their choice, will have time to discuss with their instructor (a different one each semester) their literary development and aspirations. Join us on campus or travel with us internationally. Or both! Get real editorial experience working on our literary magazine and contributing to the Southern Review of Books. 

Beyond graduation, we bring editors and agents from New York and California to meet with our alumni in five-person groups. Our staff will help you access jobs in teaching and writing, should that be something you’re interested in exploring.

Consider what makes Queens so distinctive: our low student-to-faculty ratio, our pioneering model that utilizes mentoring and workshop approaches, our alumni curriculum, and more than fifty wonderful and illustrious instructors who teach in our program.

We look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

Fred Leebron MFA Program Director

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Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts

Department of English

College of Arts and Letters

This program, which involves completing a creative thesis, allows you to balance academic course work in English with the serious study of creative writing.

University Requirements

To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units. You must additionally complete:

• All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
• All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
• All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

Read the full policy here .

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Purpose Statement The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing balances the study and practice of creative writing with academic coursework in English. Students participate in writing workshops in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, undertake coursework in literature, and study critical theory. MFA candidates will present a creative thesis of between 45 to 120 pages, depending on genre.  The MFA Program at Northern Arizona University allows you to:   

• live and write in the beautiful, vibrant city of Flagstaff
• focus on poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction
• participate in intensive writing workshops with dedicated professors

Student Learning Outcomes   Upon completion of the Creative Writing MFA students will be able to:

• Examine, explicate, analyze and evaluate literary texts of considerable difficulty in order to determine the place of the student’s own work within a literary tradition.
• Develop the student’s own critical and aesthetic position, based on recognizing, understanding, and interpreting critical positions and literary arguments of other authors.
• Read and respond thoughtfully and thoroughly to work by other MFA students in order to hone the critical, intellectual, and analytical skills that are crucial to success in a broad range of literary, artistic, cultural and professional fields.
• Investigate the world of literary publishing in order to discover suitable journals, magazines and/or quality trade book publishers to which the student author can submit his/her own finished work.
• Refine skills in drafting, revising and editing in a primary literary genre with the goal of producing a polished creative manuscript of marketable quality.
• public readings,
• interviewing other writers,
• attending outside readings,
• writing book reviews,
• serving on editorial boards, and
• organizing literary events.

Graduate Admission Information

The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College. Admission requirements include the following:

• Transcripts.
• Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies. Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy .

Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• 2 letters of recommendation
• Writing sample
• Personal statement or essay

Master's Requirements

This Master’s degree requires 36 units distributed as follows:

• Creative Writing courses: 12 units
• Supportive coursework: 12 units
• Electives chosen with your advisor’s approval: 6 to 9 units
• Thesis: 3 to 6 units (if 6 units of thesis are selected, it will reduce the number of units of electives required for the degree)
• 500- and 600-level creative writing courses, some of which may be repeated for 9 units of credit (12 units)
• Coursework in literature, literary criticism, literary theory, and/or readings in creative writing (12 units) 
• Electives chosen with your advisor's approval (6-9 units)
• ENG 699 , for the research, writing, and revision of an approved thesis. Please note: You may end up taking more than the 6 units of thesis credit you can count toward your degree because you must register for it each semester while you are working on your thesis. (3-6 units)
• Note that up to 6 units of 400-level literature courses may count toward degree, with advisor approval

Additional Information

Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

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