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:
Student Learning Outcomes Upon completion of the Creative Writing MFA students will be able to:
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:
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 .
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
This Master’s degree requires 36 units distributed as follows:
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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English and literary arts - creative writing - phd, admission requirements.
Terms and Deadlines
Degree and GPA Requirements
Additional standards for international applicants.
For the 2025-2026 academic year
See 2024-2025 requirements instead
Final submission deadline: December 16, 2024
Final submission deadline: Applicants cannot submit applications after the final submission deadline.
Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.
Masters degree: This program requires a masters degree as well as the baccalaureate.
University GPA requirement: The minimum grade point average for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver must meet one of the following criteria:
A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the baccalaureate degree.
A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree.
An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution or the recognized equivalent from an international institution supersedes the minimum GPA requirement for the baccalaureate.
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework completed for applicants who have not earned a master’s degree or higher.
Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), C1 Advanced or Duolingo English Test are required of all graduate applicants, regardless of citizenship status, whose native language is not English or who have been educated in countries where English is not the native language. Your TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years from the test date.
The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:
Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80
Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5
Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176
Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115
Additional Information:
Read the English Language Proficiency policy for more details.
Read the Required Tests for GTA Eligibility policy for more details.
Per Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulation, international applicants must meet all standards for admission before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued, [per U.S. Federal Register: 8 CFR § 214.3(k)] or is academically eligible for admission and is admitted [per 22 C.F.R. §62]. Read the Additional Standards For International Applicants policy for more details.
Transcripts, letters of recommendation.
Required Essays and Statements
Writing Sample
We require a scanned copy of your transcripts from every college or university you have attended. Scanned copies must be clearly legible and sized to print on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper. Transcripts that do not show degrees awarded must also be accompanied by a scanned copy of the diploma or degree certificate. If your academic transcripts were issued in a language other than English, both the original documents and certified English translations are required.
Transcripts and proof of degree documents for postsecondary degrees earned from institutions outside of the United States will be released to a third-party international credential evaluator to assess U.S. education system equivalencies. Beginning July 2023, a non-refundable fee for this service will be required before the application is processed.
Upon admission to the University of Denver, official transcripts will be required from each institution attended.
Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. Academic recommendations preferred. Letters should be submitted by recommenders through the online application.
Essay instructions.
Applicants should submit a sample of critical prose (e.g., a seminar paper, scholarly publication, or excerpt from thesis or other longer work demonstrating familiarity with the conventions of academic research and writing) not to exceed 20 pages.
Personal statements should be 2 pages maximum and should address the applicant's past academic experience, future scholarly goals, and their suitability for graduate study and research in our program.
The résumé (or C.V.) should minimally include the applicant's educational history, work experience, academic experience (including research opportunities or presentations), selected publications, and/or volunteer work.
Applicants must submit representative samples of creative work (for Prose, no more than 30 pages; for Poetry, 5 - 10 poems).
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Your submitted materials will be reviewed once all materials and application fees have been received.
Our program can only consider your application for admission if our Office of Graduate Education has received all your online materials and supplemental materials by our application deadline.
Application Fee: $65.00 Application Fee
International Degree Evaluation Fee: $50.00 Evaluation Fee for degrees (bachelor's or higher) earned from institutions outside the United States.
Applicants should complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15. Visit the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.
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Research in english and creative writing.
Our research extends from the early modern to the contemporary and is characterised by a strongly interdisciplinary approach and ethos. We host two long-established research groups, Postcolonial Literatures and the History of Books and Reading, with additional groupings in creative writing, literature and music, life-writing, and the writing of the romantic period.
The English discipline runs three discipline-centred research groups and three interdisciplinary groups:
Colleagues from the English department are involved with a variety of partners including the Knowledge Media Institute humanities festivals such as Being Human ; Belfast Imagine! Festival of Politics and Ideas , the Cambridge Science Festival ; cultural organisations such as Scottish Book Trust , Institute of English Studies , The Cowper & Newton Museum , Verbal Arts Centre ; interdisciplinary partners Theatre Without Borders , and the Insight Centre; educators such as The Brilliant Club , and charities such as The Reader .
Creative writing colleagues have established partnerships outside The Open University with the John Hewitt International Summer School | Digital Literary Festival (johnhewittsociety.org) , Open the Door | Glasgow Women's Library , the AyeWrite Festival .
Recent projects include Researching the uses of Creative Writing during Covid with frontline NHS Health Care Workers , Expressive Writing workshops with survivors of gender-based violence in Iraq , a Viaro Energy sponsored Expressive Life Writing website for frontline health care workers (in English, Italian and Arabic). Creative writers have also been instrumental in the interdisciplinary project Stitches and stories: a different kind of research impact – OU Psychology and Counselling .
Members of the English and Creative Writing discipline have either led or contributed to a number of major externally funded research projects. For details on these projects, follow the links below:
Creative writing colleagues have established partnerships outside The Open University with the John Hewitt International Summer School | Digital Literary Festival (johnhewittsociety.org) , Open the Door | Glasgow Women's Library , the AyeWrite Festival .
Recent projects include Researching the uses of Creative Writing during Covid with frontline NHS Health Care Workers , Expressive Writing workshops with survivors of gender-based violence in Iraq , a Viaro Energy sponsored Expressive Life Writing website for frontline health care workers (in English, Italian and Arabic). Creative writers have also been instrumental in the interdisciplinary project Stitches and stories: a different kind of research impact – OU Psychology and Counselling .
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One creative writing lecturer requested anonymity due to fears of professional retaliation. Pseudonyms and gender neutral pronouns were used to protect sources’ identities and improve readability.
Many of Stanford’s creative writing lecturers will be phased out over the next two years, as the University restores the Jones Lectureship’s term limit as part of the restructuring of the Creative Writing Program.
The restructuring, executed under the recommendation of a working group formed after the lecturers secured pay raises last September, was announced in a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 21 by Humanities and Sciences dean Debra Satz, Humanities and Arts senior associate dean Gabriella Safran and Creative Writing Program co-director Nicholas Jenkins. The working group was composed of creative writing faculty members but no Jones Lecturers.
The Jones Lectureship came with a four-year cap that only began to be enforced on fellows hired after 2019, but over the course of the years, some lecturers have stayed longer than the terms of the program. With the restoration of the original term-limited appointments, however, all current Jones Lecturers — including those hired prior to 2019 — will be let go within the next two years.
Some lecturers have already been affected; for instance, Rose Whitmore was dismissed in 2023 after winning that year’s Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Prize.
For Casey, a lecturer who requested the use of a pseudonym due to fear of professional retaliation, the Wednesday meeting felt cold and awkward.
“It was like we were garbage,” Casey said. “They didn’t even acknowledge how difficult this news would be, and when they did give us time to ask questions, the way they fielded the questions, particularly [Jenkins], it was just very cold and very dismissive.”
Safran disagreed with Casey’s characterization in a statement on behalf of the Creative Writing Program and the School of Humanities and Sciences. The Daily also reached out to the University for comment but has not obtained a response.
During the Wednesday meeting, the deans told the lecturers that they would be “cycled out.” They clarified that it meant the lecturers’ jobs would be “terminated,” Jones Lecturer Tom Kealey told The Daily. Some lecturers will be teaching for an additional year, while others will be teaching for two more years. Kealey called the situation a “future fire.”
“We were brought in to discuss the ‘restructuring’ of the overall program, and then we were all fired,” Kealey said. One lecturer even told him the meeting felt like the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones.
Five minutes after the meeting, an email from Christina Ablaza, the administrative director of the Creative Writing Program, informed the lecturers that they could sign up for one-on-one meetings to discuss their individual situations.
Lecturers to be affected by the decision were frustrated that they had no say in the phase-out. But Satz and Safran do not have voting power in the working group either — only the faculty members do. The faculty members made the decision “to fire all 23 of their junior colleagues” in what Kealey called a “secret meeting.”
“I got the impression that the deans themselves were confused as to why the professors had voted to fire them,” Kealey said.
Kealey believed that 10 out of all the creative writing faculty members on the working group only taught 13 undergraduate classes last year, while the same number of Jones Lecturers would have taught 50 classes. Lecturers also advise about 90% of students in the Creative Writing Program and 50% of students in Department of English, he estimated.
Many students expressed concerns that they will lose a strong community of creative writing peers and classes. They are also confused as to what the program will look like in the future.
Students are receiving information from each other, lecturers, a recently created Instagram page called “ripstanfordcw” (which stands for rest in peace, Stanford creative writing) and even from Fizz, an anonymous social media platform. The confusion comes a week before course enrollment is set to begin on Sept. 5.
Students have tried to voice their displeasure with the current decision. A petition , started by Kyle Wang ’22 M.A. ‘23, has received over 600 signatures from students and alumni. He began the petition after talking to some of his friends about the positive impact many of the Jones Lecturers have had on their lives. Other community membes tried to write emails to University administrators.
In an online announcement published on Wednesday, Aug. 28, the Creative Writing Program states that Stanford will increase “the number of creative writing classes to better meet high student demand as well as ensuring competitive compensation for both the lecturers and fellows.” According to the statement, more details will be released in the fall.
“I know they said that they were having meetings and they’re reworking [the program], but it’s not very transparent,” said English major Skya Theobald ’25.
Mia Grace Davis ’27, a prospective English major, wanted to take “English 190E: Novel Writing Intensive,” a class known for its popularity and limited enrollment, in the fall. Now she is not even sure if it will be offered in the future.
For Davis, the main appeal of Stanford had always been its Creative Writing Program, but “it’s kind of falling apart as we’re watching it,” she said.
To students who have taken numerous creative writing classes like Theobald, it doesn’t make sense why lecturers are being cycled out when the program wants to meet the growing demand for creative writing.
Prospective English major Annabelle Wang ’27 said what’s happening has even made her reconsider her course of study.
“It definitely makes the English major less desirable,” she said of the phase-out. “I think for students and the student experience, it’s going to be a really big loss. A lot of community is going to be lost.”
Theobald also expressed concerns the variety of creative writing classes will be reduced. A lot of them such as “English 190G: The Graphic Novel” and “English 190E: Novel Writing Intensive” are rarely offered at other universities, but incoming freshmen now may not have the same opportunities to explore those classes. For instance, specialized classes like “The Graphic Novel” may not be offered again if the lecturers who teach them are let go, Kealey said.
Students felt that the Jones Lecturers have shaped the way they view their own writing. Lydia Wang ’27 had often struggled to understand the value of her writing, but her lecturers were the ones to help her realize there is a place in the world for what she creates.
“That’s the type of impact that really changes people, and when people change, they can change the world as well,” she said. “So I really hope that Stanford learns to value the humanities, and especially creative writing, because we’re creating change, and we’re creating something for ourselves.”
Some lecturers remain hopeful that the restructuring, which is ongoing, will be reconsidered.
“I may be naive, but I still believe in Stanford. I think Stanford is much better than this,” Kealey said. “I think as light is shed on this, enough people are going to say, ‘This doesn’t make our university better. It makes our university much worse.’”
Judy N. Liu '26 is the Academics desk editor for News and staff writer at The Daily.
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This free course includes reading and writing activities that are geared to developing the use of memory, observation and the senses. The aim is to develop your perceptual abilities, honing your capacity to see detail in the world. You will be encouraged to start seeing the familiar in a new way and to make good use of your own personal history.
This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the Open University course A215 Creative writing [ Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. ( Hide tip ) ] .
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Course details. This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits. with a broad introduction to the arts and humanities before learning how culture affects the creative process of writing. , you'll focus on your creative writing and English literature studies with two compulsory modules. , you'll complete your degree with an advanced ...
Creative Writing courses. Whether you're looking to develop your own writing skills and editorial practice for your profession or for purely personal interest, our creative writing courses have much to offer you. Choose below from our range of qualifications. Creative Writing Degrees. Stage 1 120 credits. Stage 2 120 credits. Stage 3 120 credits.
The Open University honours degrees in which you can study creative writing includes English Literature and Creative Writing, and the Arts and Humanities (Creative Writing) degree where creative writing will be your specialism in a broader study of the arts and humanities. Honours Degrees (9)
To quote Oscar Wilde: 'Literature always anticipates life. It does not copy it, but moulds it to its purpose'. If you enjoy reading and writing, take one of the degree programmes offered by the Department of English and Creative Writing. We will enable you to anticipate life the better by reading critically, writing effectively, thinking creatively and supporting your
This degree course offers a stimulating and wide-ranging introduction to English literature and creative writing. You'll have the opportunity to study and interpret literature from different historical periods and diverse cultural settings - including translations - and to develop your writing skills in several genres including fiction; poetry; life writing; and scriptwriting for film ...
The Open University's two-year MA in Creative Writing has been designed by a team of practising writers. The MA is taught online, meaning that wherever you are you will have access to teaching materials, workshops and forums. One of the most exciting aspects of the MA is its flexibility, offering four distinct strands - fiction, poetry ...
Welcome to the discipline of English and creative writing at The Open University. We teach a wide range of literature, offering you the opportunity to engage with writing from the time of Shakespeare up to the present day. You can include English language and creative writing courses as part of your degree. Around 11,000 students a year study ...
Exploring Virginia... This free course introduces Virginia Woolf's last novel... Learn more to access more details of Exploring Virginia Woolf's Between the Acts. Free course. 6 hours. Level: 2 Intermediate. This resource is part of the University Ready hub. Find more resources like this on the hub homepage.
This free course, Start writing fiction, will give you an insight into how authors create their characters and setting s. You will also be able to look at the different genre s for fiction. If you identify as being from a Black background, you could be eligible to study our MA in Creative Writing for free.
The way we teach Creative Writing is unique. All of our tutors are successful, often award winning, published writers. Studying with us, you'll be a better w...
MA in Creative Writing. Course code: F71. This qualification is an opportunity to develop your skills as a writer in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and scriptwriting for film, radio and the stage. You'll be able to write in a genre of your choice and experiment with at least one other through practical and inspiring activities.
The writing study and desk of Dylan Thomas, Laugharne, Wales Since 2003 The Open University has recruited over 50,000 students to its undergraduate and postgraduate creative writing modules. These have proved enormously popular with students and have been acclaimed by publishers, leading authors, and teachers at other universities. Our modules are devised and run by a team of published writers ...
Entry requirements. You must hold a UK honours degree (or equivalent), preferably with at least a 2:1 classification. Although your degree does not need to be in Creative Writing or a closely related subject, you will need some knowledge of the subject to successfully complete this qualification, as the MA in Creative Writing assumes all ...
I just finished A215 and I'm about to take my first Stage 3 course: A335 Literature in transition. I'm enjoying it a lot although I'd recommend buying the A215 coursebook "Creative Writing" by Linda Anderson and see how you get on because I didn't find my tutor particularly helpful and there's a big difference between a £25 book ...
Study English with Creative Writing at the leading London university for English Studies. City is ranked 1st in London and 6th in the UK in the National Student Survey 2024. ... Join us at our Postgraduate Open Evening to learn more about our postgraduate courses and discover all the benefits of studying at City, University of London.
Creative Writing modules OU level 1. Discovering the arts and humanities; OU level 2. Creative writing; Literature matters; Telling stories: the novel and beyond; OU level 3. Advanced creative writing; English literature from Shakespeare to Austen; Literature in transition: from 1800 to the present; Access modules. Arts and languages Access module
This degree course offers a stimulating and wide-ranging introduction to English literature and creative writing. You'll have the opportunity to study and interpret literature from different historical periods and diverse cultural settings - including translations - and to develop your writing skills in several genres including fiction; poetry; life writing; and scriptwriting
About Creative Writing at ASUThe Creative Writing Program encourages all interested students, ... after entering the university, meet with an English advisor to change to this major and concentration. ... Completion of the concentration in creative writing is open only to those who pass through Portfolio Review.
Summary. MA in Creative Writing. This qualification is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills as a writer in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and scriptwriting for film, radio and the stage. You will be able to write in a genre of your choice and experiment with at least one other through practical and inspiring activities.
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 ...
This free course, Creative writing and critical reading, explores the importance of reading as part of a creative writer's development at the postgraduate level. You will gain inspiration and ideas from examining other writers' methods, as well as enhancing your critical reading skills. Examples will cover the genres of fiction, creative ...
English & Writing Using language to form connections College of Arts and Sciences. Location: Crete. Degree Type: Undergraduate. The English and Writing major is designed to prepare students for a variety of professions Recent graduates include actors, professional writers, award-winning teachers, online content creators, filmmakers, nurses and nurse practitioners, optometrists, attorneys ...
Creative writing. This module takes a student-centred approach to creative writing, offering a range of strategies to help you develop as a writer. The emphasis is highly practical, with exercises and activities designed to ignite and sustain the writing impulse. The five-part module starts by showing ways to use your memory and experience in ...
Degrees and GPA Requirements Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution. Masters degree: This program requires a masters degree as well as the baccalaureate. University GPA requirement: The minimum grade point average for admission consideration for ...
Our research extends from the early modern to the contemporary and is characterised by a strongly interdisciplinary approach and ethos. We host two long-established research groups, Postcolonial Literatures and the History of Books and Reading, with additional groupings in creative writing, literature and music, life-writing, and the writing of the romantic period.
Mia Grace Davis '27, a prospective English major, wanted to take "English 190E: Novel Writing Intensive," a class known for its popularity and limited enrollment, in the fall.
English courses. Studying English at The Open University is an exciting way to expand your skills and knowledge. Depending on the course you choose, you can study stimulating literature from an exciting range of periods and settings, find out about how the English language is used in a variety of global contexts and develop your creative writing skills.
This OpenLearn course provides a sample of Level 1 study in Creative Writing [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. ] . You might be particularly interested in the following courses offered by The Open University: A215 Creative Writing; A363 Advanced Creative Writing; BA English Literature and Creative Writing
Introduction. This free course includes reading and writing activities that are geared to developing the use of memory, observation and the senses. The aim is to develop your perceptual abilities, honing your capacity to see detail in the world. You will be encouraged to start seeing the familiar in a new way and to make good use of your own ...
Welcome to the home of distance learning and online courses - for over 50 years The Open University has helped over 2 million learners to open up their futures. Find an OU course that's respected by employers, can help with career progression and gives you the flexibility to earn while you learn. Request a prospectus