university of montana mfa creative writing ranking

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University of Montana, Missoula

Montana, united states.

Founded in 1920, the University of Montana Creative Writing Program is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the country. We offer long winters, brilliant peers, a diverse and engaged faculty, excellent funding, and community that lasts long after the program ends.

We provide students with a variety of awards, fellowships, scholarships and TA positions. TA’s teach one class per semester in exchange for a tuition waiver + a generous stipend. We provide excellent training for teaching both composition and creative writing. We also offer Truman Capote Scholarships (tuition waivers and stipends without the obligation of teaching).

Students take 4 workshops in fiction, nonfiction or poetry; 1 techniques course; 4 literature or special topics courses; and a year-long, one-on-one mentorship with a faculty member that results in a thesis manuscript. We offer elective courses in critical theory, film, storytelling and teaching with a focus on preparing writers to teach a variety of courses at the college level. More than 50 of our graduates hold tenure-line teaching positions in creative writing at universities across the country; 12 of them are directors of creative writing programs.

Former students have published widely (over 27% of our graduates have books with reputable publishing houses). Our alumni include Sandra Alcosser, Kim Barnes, Judy Blunt, Kevin Canty, Emily Danforth, Rick DeMarinis, Michael Fitzgerald (CEO of Submittable), David Gilbert, Andrew Sean Greer, Shannon Hale, Frances Hwang, Megan Kruse, Melissa Kwasny, Aryn Kyle, Stephanie K. Land, J. Robert Lennon, Abi Maxwell, Neil McMahon, Deirdre McNamer, Colin Meloy (The Decemberists), Janisse Ray, Steven Rinella, Kim Todd, Amanda Eyre Ward, James Welch, Robert Wrigley, Khaty Xiong, William Finnegan - winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Autobiography and Andrew Sean Greer, winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

We offer direct access to agents, editors and publishers with an annual Writers at Work conference. Our program actively assists students in creating successful careers with writing. University of Montana alumni generously donate their time and expertise, providing a network of mentorship for current students.

Students direct their own reading series, Second Wind, pairing second year MFA students with community writers. They also edit and publish CutBank, a noted literary journal featuring poetry, prose, art and critical work by both emerging and established artists. The Editor-in-Chief receives full funding.

Each year the program welcomes in semester-long visiting writers in both poetry and prose. We also sponsor frequent readings and workshops by short-term visiting writers. Recent visitors include Sherwin Bitsui, Marilyn Chin, Charles D'Ambrosio, Timothy Donnelly, Pete Fromm, Alexandra Fuller, Walter Kirn, William Kittredge, Catherine Lacey, Chang-rae Lee, Sandra Lim, Barry Lopez, Alice Notley, Peter Orner, Susan Orlean, Gregory Pardlo, D.A. Powell, Claudia Rankine, Mary Szybist, Jess Walter, Tracey Kidder and Dara Weir.

Beginning spring of 2023, UM's Creative Writing Program will welcome the first James Welch Distinguished Native American Writer to campus for the semester. This annual chair was established in honor of Montana author James Welch, a internationally celebrated Native American author who wrote poetry, fiction and nonfiction, but is best known for his novels Winter in the Blood and Fools Crow.

Contact Information

32 Campus Drive Liberal Arts Building 112 Missoula Montana, United States 59812-6120 Phone: (406) 243-2275 Email: [email protected] http://hs.umt.edu/creativewriting/

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing +

Undergraduate program director, bachelor of arts in english/creative writing option +, master of fine arts in creative writing +, graduate program director.

The MFA program in fiction, nonfiction or poetry can be completed in two years. Students who choose to attend part-time may take three years. Candidates must complete 45 graduate semester hours and submit a thesis.

A prose thesis may be a novel, group of short stories, or collection of essays, and the minimum length is 80 pages. A poetry thesis requires a minimum of 40 pages. With committee permission, an MFA could comprise work in both prose and poetry.

The total number of students varies slightly from year to year but generally ranges between 45 and 50. That number includes first-year, second-year and third-year students in prose and poetry.

All workshops are capped at 15 students but are often smaller.

Students take 4 workshops in fiction, nonfiction or poetry; 1 techniques course; 4 literature or special topics courses; and a year-long, one-on-one mentorship with a faculty member that results in a thesis manuscript. We offer elective courses in critical theory, film, storytelling and teaching with a focus on preparing writers to teach a variety of courses at the college level. More than 50 of our graduates hold tenure-line positions in creative writing at universities across the country; 13 of them are directing these creative writing programs.

Director of Creative Writing

Chair, Department of English

http://hs.umt.edu/creativewriting/people/core-faculty.php

Robert Stubblefield

Director of the BFA in Creative Writing

Fiction and Nonfiction

Erin Saldin

Christopher dombrowski.

Assistant Director of Creative Writing

Emily Ruskovich

Brian blanchfield.

Poetry/Nonfiction

Publications & Presses +

The Oval, undergraduate literary magazine

Visiting Writers Program +

Alex Smith: 1 semester, Screenwriting

Smith Henderson: 1 semester, Fiction workshop

Kim Barnes: Distinguished Kittredge Visiting Writer

Sarah Hulse: Fiction Adjunct Professor

Stephen Graham Jones: Distinguished Welch Visiting Native American Writer

Reading Series +

Second Wind ( http://hs.umt.edu/creativewriting/readings/second-wind.php )

MFA Thesis Readings ( http://hs.umt.edu/creativewriting/readings/mfa-thesis.php )

UM Creative Writing Series ( http://hs.umt.edu/creativewriting/readings/visiting-writer-series.php )

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The Best 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2023

April 7, 2023

Whether you studied at a top creative writing university , or are a high school dropout who will one day become a bestselling author , you may be considering an MFA in Creative Writing. But is a writing MFA genuinely worth the time and potential costs? How do you know which program will best nurture your writing? This article walks you through the considerations for an MFA program, as well as the best Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

First of all, what is an MFA?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications require a sample portfolio for entry, usually of 10-20 pages of your best writing.

What actually goes on in a creative writing MFA beyond inspiring award-winning books and internet memes ? You enroll in workshops where you get feedback on your creative writing from your peers and a faculty member. You enroll in seminars where you get a foundation of theory and techniques. Then you finish the degree with a thesis project.

Reasons to Get an MFA in Creative Writing

You don’t need an MFA to be a writer. Just look at Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison or bestselling novelist Emily St. John Mandel.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons you might still want to get a creative writing MFA. The first is, unfortunately, prestige. An MFA from a top program can help you stand out in a notoriously competitive industry to be published.

The second reason: time. Many MFA programs give you protected writing time, deadlines, and maybe even a (dainty) salary.

Third, an MFA in Creative Writing is a terminal degree. This means that this degree allows you to teach writing at the university level, especially after you publish a book.

But above all, the biggest reason to pursue an MFA is the community it brings you. You get to meet other writers, and share feedback, advice, and moral support, in relationships that can last for decades.

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

Here are the different types of programs to consider, depending on your needs:

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

These programs offer full-tuition scholarships and sweeten the deal by actually paying you to attend them.

• Pros: You’re paid to write (and teach).
• Cons: Uprooting your entire life to move somewhere possibly very cold.

Full-Time MFA Programs

These programs include attending in-person classes and paying tuition (though many offer need-based and merit scholarships).

• Pros: Lots of top-notch programs non-funded programs have more assets to attract world-class faculty and guests.
• Cons: It’s an investment that might not pay itself back.

Low-Residency MFA Programs

Low-residency programs usually meet biannually for short sessions. They also offer one-on-one support throughout the year. These MFAs are more independent, preparing you for what the writing life is actually like.

• Pros: No major life changes required. Cons: Less time dedicated to writing and less time to build relationships.

Online MFA Programs

Held 100% online. These programs have high acceptance rates and no residency requirement. That means zero travel or moving expenses.

• Pros: No major life changes required.
• Cons: These MFAs have less name-recognition

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

The following programs are selected for their balance of high funding, impressive return on investment, stellar faculty, major journal publications , and impressive alums.

Fully Funded MFA Programs

1) johns hopkins university, mfa in fiction/poetry (baltimore, md).

This is a two-year program, with $33,000 teaching fellowships per year. This MFA offers the most generous funding package. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and a guaranteed lecture position after graduation (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Incoming class size: 8 students
• Admissions rate: 11.1%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adiche, Jeffrey Blitz, Wes Craven, Louise Erdrich, Porochista Khakpour, Phillis Levin, ZZ Packer, Tom Sleigh, Elizabeth Spires, Rosanna Warren

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center (Austin, TX)

A fully-funded 3-year program with a generous stipend of $29,500. The program offers fiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $3,000 for the summer.

• Incoming class size : 12 students
• Acceptance rate: a bone-chilling less-than-1% in fiction; 2-3% in other genres
•   Alumni: Fiona McFarlane, Brian McGreevy, Karan Mahajan, Alix Ohlin, Kevin Powers, Lara Prescott, Roger Reeves, Maria Reva, Domenica Ruta, Sam Sax, Joseph Skibell, Dominic Smith

3) University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is a 2-year program on a residency model for fiction and poetry. This means there are low requirements, and lots of time to write groundbreaking novels or play pool at the local bar. Most students are funded, with fellowships worth up to $21,000. The Translation MFA, co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years, but with more intensive coursework. The Nonfiction Writing Program is a prestigious three-year MFA program and is also intensive.

• Incoming class size: 25 each for poetry and fiction; 10-12 for nonfiction and translation.
• Acceptance rate: 3.7%
• Fantastic Alumni: Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Garth Greenwell, Kiley Reid, Brandon Taylor, Eula Biss, Yiyun Li, Jennifer Croft

4) University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students U-Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. This is a big university town, which is less damaging to your social life. Plus, there’s lots to do when you have a $23,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program, with an impressive reputation. They also have a demonstrated commitment to “ push back against the darkness of intolerance and injustice ” and have outreach programs in the community.

• Incoming class size: 18
• Acceptance rate: 4% (which maybe seems high after less-than-1%)
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University (Providence, RI)

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that doesn’t dip into arctic temperatures. Students are all fully-funded for 2-3 years with $29,926 in 2021-22. Students also get summer funding and—you guessed it—that sweet, sweet health insurance.

In the Brown Literary Arts MFA, students take only one workshop and one elective per semester. It’s also the only program in the country to feature a Digital/Cross Disciplinary Track.

• Incoming class size: 12-13
• Acceptance rate: “highly selective”
• Alumni: Edwidge Danticat, Jaimy Gordon, Gayl Jones, Ben Lerner, Joanna Scott, Kevin Young, Ottessa Moshfegh

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

6) university of arizona (tucson, az).

This 3-year program has many attractive qualities. It’s in “ the lushest desert in the world ”, and was recently ranked #4 in creative writing programs, and #2 in Nonfiction. You can take classes in multiple genres, and in fact, are encouraged to do so. Plus, Arizona dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program pays $20,000 a year, and offers the potential to volunteer at multiple literary organizations. You can also do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Incoming class size: 9
• Acceptance rate: 4.85% (a refreshingly specific number after Brown’s evasiveness)
• Alumni: Francisco Cantú, Jos Charles, Tony Hoagland, Nancy Mairs, Richard Russo, Richard Siken, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, David Foster Wallace

7) Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ):

Arizona State is also a three-year funded program in arthritis-friendly dry heat. It offers small class sizes, individual mentorships, and one of the most impressive faculty rosters in the game. Everyone gets a $19,000 stipend, with other opportunities for financial support.

• Incoming class size: 8-10
• Acceptance rate: 3% (sigh)
• Alumni: Tayari Jones, Venita Blackburn, Dorothy Chan, Adrienne Celt, Dana Diehl, Matthew Gavin Frank, Caitlin Horrocks, Allegra Hyde, Hugh Martin, Bonnie Nadzam

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

8) new york university (new york, ny).

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU is private, and has one of the most accomplished faculty lists anywhere. Students have large cohorts (more potential friends!) and have a penchant for winning top literary prizes.

• Incoming class size: 40-60
• Acceptance rate: 6%
• Alumni: Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Ocean Vuong

9) Columbia University (New York, NY)

Another 2-3 year private MFA program with drool-worthy permanent and visiting faculty. Columbia offers courses in fiction, poetry, translation, and nonfiction. Beyond the Ivy League education, Columbia offers close access to agents, and its students have a high record of bestsellers.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: 21%
• Alumni: Alexandra Kleeman, Rachel Kushner, Claudia Rankine, Rick Moody, Sigrid Nunez, Tracy K. Smith, Emma Cline, Adam Wilson, Marie Howe, Mary Jo Bang

10) Sarah Lawrence (Bronxville, NY)

Sarah Lawrence offers speculative fiction beyond the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction course offerings. With intimate class sizes, this program is unique because it offers biweekly one-on-one conferences with its stunning faculty. It also has a notoriously supportive atmosphere.

• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: N/A
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11 bennington college (bennington, vt).

This two-year program boasts truly stellar faculty, and meets twice a year for ten days in January and June. It’s like a biannual vacation in beautiful Vermont, plus mentorship by a famous writer, and then you get a degree. The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available.

• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 40
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM)

This two-year program emphasizes Native American and First Nations writing. With truly amazing faculty and visiting writers, they offer a wide range of genres offered, in screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

Students attend two eight-day residencies each year, in January and July, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At $12,000 a year, it boasts being “ one of the most affordable MFA programs in the country .”

• Incoming class size : 22
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

One of few MFAs where you can study the art of the picture book, middle grade and young adult literature, graphic literature, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry for young people. Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, in Vermont. You can also do many travel residencies in exciting (and warm) places like Cozumel.

VCFA boasts amazing faculty and visiting writers, with individualized study options and plenty of one-on-one time. Tuition is $48,604.

• Incoming class size: 18-25
• Acceptance rate: 63%
• Alumnx: Lauren Markham, Mary-Kim Arnold, Cassie Beasley, Kate Beasley, Julie Berry, Bridget Birdsall, Gwenda Bond, Pablo Cartaya

ONLINE MFAS

14) university of texas at el paso (el paso, tx).

The world’s first bilingual and online MFA program in the world. UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Intensive workshops allow submitting in Spanish and English, and genres include poetry and fiction. This three-year program costs $14,766 a year, with rolling admissions.

• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University (Long Meadow, MA)

This 2-year online program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. A supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and a potential field trip in Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, Narrative Medicine, and teaching. Core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, and the personal essay. The price is $785/credit, for 39 credits, with scholarships available.

• Incoming class size: 20
• Acceptance rate: an encouraging 78%
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Prepare for your MFA in advance:

• Best English Programs
• Best Creative Writing Schools
• Writing Summer Programs

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs – References:

• https://www.pw.org/mfa
• The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students , by Tom Kealey (A&C Black 2005)
• Graduate School Admissions

Julia Conrad

With a Bachelor of Arts in English and Italian from Wesleyan University as well as MFAs in both Nonfiction Writing and Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, Julia is an experienced writer, editor, educator, and a former Fulbright Fellow. Julia’s work has been featured in  The Millions ,  Asymptote , and  The Massachusetts Review , among other publications. To read more of her work, visit  www.juliaconrad.net

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The 10 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in the US

The talent is there. 

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

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

They really need guidance about how and when to publish. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

University of Oregon (Eugene, OR)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brown University (Providence, RI)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The 10 Best MFA Creative Writing Programs [2024]

Many people have a talent for stories, but not everyone will become a successful author. In many cases, people simply need to hone their skills – and the best MFA creative writing programs are the key.

If you have an undergrad degree and are looking for the next step in your academic adventure, you’re in luck: We’ve scoured MFA creative writing rankings to find you the best programs.

Table of Contents

The 10 Best MFA Creative Writing Programs

1. johns hopkins university – krieger school of arts & sciences.

Master of Fine Arts in Fiction/ Poetry

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins is a world-renowned private research university. Their Master of Fine Arts in Fiction/Poetry is one of the best MFA creative writing programs anywhere. Students take courses and receive writing practice (in fiction or poetry) at the highest level. This MFA program also offers the opportunity to learn with an internationally renowned faculty.

• Duration:  2 years
• Financial aid:  Full tuition, teaching fellowship (for all students set at $33,000/year)
• Acceptance rate: 11.1%
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Founded: 1876

2. University of Michigan –  Helen Zell Writers’ Program

Master of Fine Arts

The University of Michigan is a public research university – and the oldest in the state. Its Master of Fine Arts program is one of the best MFA creative writing programs in the country, exposing students to various approaches to the craft. While studying under award-winning poets and writers, students may specialize in either poetry or fiction.

• Duration: 2 years
• No. of hours: 36
• Financial aid: Full funding
• Acceptance rate:  26.1%
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Founded: 1817

3. University of Texas at Austin – New Writers Project

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

The University of Texas at Austin is a well-known public research university with around 50,000 students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. It offers one of the best MFA programs for creative writing, aiming to enhance and develop its students’ artistic and intellectual abilities.

• Duration:  3 years
• Financial aid:  Full funding
• Acceptance rate:  32%
• Location:  Austin, Texas
• Founded:  1883

4. University of Nebraska – Kearney

Master of Arts

The University of Nebraska strives to provide quality, affordable education, including its online MA English program. Students can focus on four areas, including Creative Writing (which provides experiential learning in either poetry or prose).

• Credit hours: 36
• Tuition : $315 per credit hour
• Financial aid :  Grants, Work-study, Student loans, Scholarships, Parent loans
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• Location: Online
• Founded: 1905

5. Bay Path University (Massachusetts)

MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing

Bay Path University is a private university with various programs at undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate levels (including women-only undergraduate programs). This creative non-fiction writing program is one of the first fully online programs in the country. No matter their location, students are able to develop their creative writing skills and knowledge – in a range of literary genres.

• Credits:  39
• Tuition: $775 per credit
• Financial aid :  Federal Stafford loan, Student loans
• Acceptance rate: 78%
• Founded:  1897

6. Brown University (Rhode Island)

MFA in Literary Arts

Brown is a world-famous Ivy League university based in Providence, Rhode Island. Its two-year residency MFA in Literary Arts is designed for students looking to maximize their intellectual and creative exploration. The highly competitive program offers extensive financial support. In fact, over the past 20 years, all incoming MFA students were awarded full funding for their first year of study (and many for the second year).

• Tuition:  $57,591  (but full funding available)
• Financial aid :  Fellowship, teaching assistantships, and stipends.
• Acceptance rate: 9%
• Location: Providence, Rhode Island
• Founded:  1764

7. University of Iowa (Iowa)

MFA in Creative Writing

The University of Iowa is a public university located in Iowa City. As one of the most celebrated public schools in the Midwest, students learn under established professors and promising writers during their two-year residency program.

• Credits:  60
• Tuition: $12,065 for in-state students, and $31,012 out-of-state
• Financial aid :  Scholarships, teaching assistantships, federal aid, and student loans.
• Acceptance rate: 84%
• Location: Iowa City, Iowa

8. Cornell University (New York State)

Cornell is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York. This highly competitive program accepts only eight students annually, and just two from each concentration. Not only do students enjoy a generous financial aid package, but they also have the opportunity to work closely with members of the school’s celebrated faculty.

• Tuition:  $29,500
• Financial aid :  All accepted students receive a fellowship covering full tuition, stipend, and insurance.
• Acceptance rate: 14%
• Location: Ithaca, New York
• Founded:  1865

9. Columbia University ( NYC )

MFA in Fiction Writing

Founded in 1754, Columbia University is the oldest tertiary education institution in New York – and one of the oldest in the country. The school offers a Writing MFA in nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and literary translation. The fiction concentration promotes artistic and aesthetic diversity, with a diverse teaching staff and adjunct faculty from a wide range of diverse experience.

• Credits:  60 points
• Tuition:  $34,576
• Financial aid :  Scholarships, fellowships, federal aid, work-study, and veterans’ grants.
• Acceptance rate: 11%
• Location: NYC, New York
• Founded:  1754

10. New York University (NYC)

New York University (NYU) is known for delivering high-quality, innovative education in various fields. Located in the heart of NYC, the institution’s MFA in Creative Writing boasts celebrated faculty from poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction backgrounds. This dynamic program fosters creativity and excellence through literary outreach programs, public reading series, a literary journal, and special seminars from visiting writers

• Credits:  32
• Tuition:  $53,229
• Financial aid :  Fellowships, scholarships, and federal aid.
• Location: NYC
• Founded:  1886

Common Courses for MFAs in Creative Writing 

As part of your master’s in creative writing program, you’ll usually need to complete a number of compulsory courses, along with certain electives. Common courses you’ll need to take include:

• Literary theory
• History of storytelling
• Genre conventions
• Market trends
• Marketing manuscripts to publishers
• Thesis or dissertation

Typical Requirements for Applying to an MFA Creative Writing Program

Besides the application form and fee, most MFA in creative writing programs have standard requirements. While the following are the most typical requirements, always check with the specific program first:

Make sure your resume  includes all relevant information to showcase your interests, skills, and talent in writing.

2. Writing Sample(s)

MFA creative writing program selection committees look for applicants who are serious about writing. Therefore, they typically ask for at least one 10-20 page writing sample. The best samples showcase talent in your preferred area of writing (e.g., fiction, non-fiction). MFA poetry programs have varied sample requirements.

3. Transcripts

You’ll need to show your undergraduate degree (and possibly high school) transcript.

4. Statement of Purpose

A statement of purpose is usually 1-2 pages and shows your passion for writing and potential to succeed in the program.

5. Recommendation Letters

Most programs require letters of recommendation from academic or professional contacts who know you well.

Related reading: How to Ask a Professor for a Grad School Recommendation

6. GRE Scores

Some MFA programs require GRE scores (though this is not the case for all universities). If you happen to need some assistance while studying for your GRE or GMAT, be sure to check out Magoosh for easy test prep!

What Can Creative Writers Do After Graduation?

As a creative writer with an MFA, you’ll have a variety of career options where your skills are highly valued. Below are a few of the common jobs an MFA creative writing graduate can do, along with the average annual salary for each.

Creative Director ( $90,389 )

A creative director leads a team of creative writers, designers, or artists in various fields, such as media, advertising, or entertainment.

Editor ( $63,350)

An editor helps correct writing errors and improve the style and flow in media, broadcasting, films, advertising, marketing , and entertainment.

Academic Librarian ( $61,190)

An academic librarian manages educational information resources in an academic environment (such as a university).

Copywriter ( $53,800 )

Copywriters typically work to present an idea to a particular audience and capture their attention using as few words as possible.

Technical Writers ($78,060)

Technical writers are tasked with instruction manuals, guides, journal articles, and other documents. These convey complex details and technical information to a wider audience.

Writer ( $69,510 )

A writer usually provides written content for businesses through articles, marketing content, blogs, or product descriptions. They may also write fiction or non-fiction books.

Social Media Manager ( $52,856 )

A social media manager is responsible for creating and scheduling content on social media, and may also track analytics and develop social media strategies.

Journalist ($ 48,370 )

Journalists may work for newspapers, magazines, or online publications, researching and writing stories, as well as conducting interviews and investigations.

Public Relations Officer ( $62,800)

A public relations officer works to promote and improve the public image of a company, government agency, or organization. This is done through work such as: preparing media releases, online content, and dealing with the media.

Lexicographer ( $72,620 )

Lexicographers are the professionals who create dictionaries. They study words’ etymologies and meanings, compiling them into a dictionary.

Can You Get a Creative Writing Degree Online?

Yes, a number of institutions offer online master’s degrees , such as Bay Path University and the University of Nebraska. Online courses offer a high degree of flexibility, allowing you to study from anywhere – and often on your own schedule. Many students can earn their degrees while continuing with their current job or raising a family.

However, students won’t receive the full benefits of a residency program, such as building close connections with peers and working with the faculty in person. Some on-campus programs also offer full funding to cover tuition and education expenses.

Pros and Cons of an MFA in Creative Writing

Like anything, studying an MFA in Creative Writing and pursuing a related career can have its benefits as well as drawbacks.

• It’ll motivate you to write.

Many people are talented but struggle sitting down to write. An MFA program will give you the motivation to meet your deadlines.

• You’ll have a community.

Writing can be a solitary pursuit. It can be hard to connect with others who are just as passionate about writing. An MFA program provides students with a community of like-minded people.

• Graduates have teaching prospects.

An MFA is one option that can help you find a teaching job at the university level. Unlike some majors that require a Ph.D. to enter academia, many post-secondary instructors hold an MFA.

• Not always the most marketable job skills

Although an MFA in Creative Writing will provide several useful skills in the job market, these are not as marketable as some other forms of writing. For example, copywriting arguably has a wider range of job prospects.

• It could limit your creativity.

There is a risk that your writing could become too technical or formulaic, due to the theories learned during your MFA. It’s important to know the theory, but you don’t want to let it limit your creativity.

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

A master’s in creative writing typically takes between 2-3 years to complete. Unlike other master’s degrees’ accelerated options, creative writing program requirements require a greater number of workshops and dissertations.

Alternatives to Creative Writing Majors

There are plenty of similar majors that can set you on the path to a career in the creative writing field. Consider alternatives like an MA in English , literature, humanities, media studies, and library sciences.

Related Reading: Master’s in Fine Arts: The Ultimate Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What can i do with an mfa in creative writing .

An MFA graduate could teach creative writing at a secondary or college level. They may pursue a career in advertising, publishing, media, or the entertainment industry. They could also become an author by publishing fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

Are MFA Creative Writing Programs Worth It?

Having an MFA opens doors to a range of well-paid careers (more on that above). If you’re skilled in writing – and want to make a decent living with it – an MFA program might be an excellent choice.

How Do I Choose an MFA in Creative Writing?

First, consider whether an on-campus or online MFA program is best for you (depending on your lifestyle and commitments). Another key consideration is a university with renowned authors on their teaching staff who will give you the highest levels of training in creative writing. Also, consider your preferred focus area (e.g., fiction, poetry, nonfiction) .

What Are MFA Writing Programs?

An MFA in writing or creative writing is an advanced program that teaches students the art and practice of writing. During these programs, students hone their writing skills and equip themselves to publish their own work – or pursue a career in media, teaching, or advertising.

Can You Teach with an MFA? 

Yes! Teaching is one of the many career options an MFA provides . An MFA in creative writing can qualify you to be a teacher in creative writing (in schools or the higher education sector).

Is It Hard to Be Admitted to MFA Creative Writing Programs?

MFA creative writing programs are relatively competitive. Therefore, not all applicants will get into the program of their choice. However, if you are talented and ambitious that becomes more likely. Having said that, the most prestigious universities with the best MFA creative writing programs accept a small percentage of the applicants.

What Is the Best Creative Writing Program in the World? 

A number of creative writing programs are known for their famous faculty and excellent courses, like the Master of Fine Arts in Fiction/ Poetry from Johns Hopkins and the MFA in Literary Arts from Brown University . Outside the US, the most celebrated English program is likely the University of Cambridge’s MSt in Creative Writing.

How Hard Is It to Get an MFA in Creative Writing?

An MFA is an intensive, highly-involved degree that requires a certain amount of dedication. Anyone with a passion for creative writing should find it rewarding and satisfying.

Should I Get an MA or MFA in Creative Writing?

Whether you choose an MA or MFA in creative writing depends on your own interests and career ambitions. An MFA in creative writing is ideal for anyone passionate about pursuing a career in fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction. An MA is a broader degree that equips students for a wider range of career choices (though it will qualify them for many of the same roles as an MFA).

Can I Get Published Without an MFA?

Absolutely. However, studying for an MFA will equip you with a range of skills and knowledge that are extremely helpful in getting your work published, from honing your craft to submitting your manuscript to working with publishers.

What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs with a Master’s in Creative Writing?

An MFA in creative writing can help you land a range of jobs in the creative and literary fields. The highest-paying jobs for graduates with a master’s in creative writing include creative directors ($90,000) and technical writers ($78,000).

Key Takeaways

An MFA in creative writing program will hone your talents and develop the skills you need to become a successful writer. The best MFA creative writing programs will give you incredible knowledge of the field while developing your practical skills in fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

The acceptance rate for the best MFA writing programs is fairly low, so it’s crucial to understand the requirements well and prepare thoroughly. To help you with your application, check out our guide to applying to grad school .

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Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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University of Montana

Missoula , MT

http://www.cas.umt.edu/creativewriting

Degrees Offered

Fiction, Poetry, CNF

Residency type

Program length.

45 semester hours (2-3 years)

Part-time study

Financial aid.

Scholarships and awards available

Teaching opportunities

Editorial opportunities.

yes, with Cutbank and The Oval .

Cross-genre study

• Kim Barnes MFA (Fiction) 1995
• Judy Blunt MFA (CNF) 1994
• Renée Branum MFA (CNF) 2017
• Ralph Burns MFA (Poetry) 1977
• David Allan Cates MFA (Fiction)
• Claire Davis MFA (Fiction) 1993
• Rick DeMarinis MFA (Fiction) 1967
• Chris Dombrowski MFA (Poetry) 2001
• Ben Fowlkes MFA (Fiction) 2006
• David Gilbert MFA (Fiction) 1995
• Andrew Sean Greer MFA (Fiction) 1996
• Frances Hwang MFA
• Brian Kevin MFA 2009
• Megan Kruse MFA (Fiction) 2010
• Melissa Kwasny MFA (Poetry) 1999
• Melissa Leavitt MFA
• J. Robert Lennon MFA (Fiction) 1995
• David Long MFA (Fiction) 1974
• Allyson Goldin Loomis MFA
• Andrew Martin MFA (Fiction) 2013
• Abi Maxwell MFA (Fiction) 2009
• Brenda Miller MFA
• Catherine Venable Moore MFA (Poetry) 2008
• Alicia Mountain MFA (Poetry) 2015
• Caroline Patterson MFA (Fiction) 1994
• Janisse Ray MFA (CNF) 1997
• Sharman Apt Russell MFA
• Brandon Shimoda MFA (Poetry) 2006
• Sandra Simonds MFA (Poetry)
• Ed Skoog MFA (Poetry)
• Diana Spechler MFA
• Rachel Toor MFA (CNF) 2006
• Emma Törzs MFA (Fiction) 2012
• Liza Ward MFA (Fiction) 2002
• Keema Waterfield MFA (CNF) 2011
• Evan Morgan Williams MFA (Fiction) 1991
• Robert Wrigley MFA (Poetry) 1976

Send questions, comments and corrections to [email protected] .

Disclaimer: No endorsement of these ratings should be implied by the writers and writing programs listed on this site, or by the editors and publishers of Best American Short Stories , Best American Essays , Best American Poetry , The O. Henry Prize Stories and The Pushcart Prize Anthology .

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Creative Writing Profs Dispute Their Ranking–No, the Entire Notion of Ranking!

Almost 200 creative writing professors have signed an open letter to poets & writers, criticizing its 2012 rankings of mfa/phd, sign up for our daily newsletter.

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According to a statement attached to the letter, Poets & Writers first offense is that it does not take into account a program faculty’s reputation (reputation being the only thing a university or a career in creative writing have to offer anyway).

The rankings are based on polls of prospective creative writing program students about where they’re planning to apply, as well as the scholarship and financial aid money the schools offer.

“It’s analogous to asking people who are standing outside a restaurant studying the menu how they liked the food,” said Leslie Epstein, novelist and Boston University program director.

“If the Poets & Writers list were entitled ‘MFA Programs Most Frequently Applied to by Readers of One Blog’ that would be accurate. I’m puzzled that Poets & Writers, a fine publication, continues to publish this misleading list,” said Deborah Landau, a poet who is unlikely to win the Jackson Prize this year.

It’s perhaps not surprising tensions are high. Poets & Writers, the journal of author interviews and prize application deadlines, is mostly circulated among creative writing students and professors that make up the list. However, most of the top ten programs are represented among the undersigned.

Full letter below.

AN OPEN LETTER FROM CREATIVE WRITING FACULTY REGARDING THE POETS & WRITERS PROGRAM RANKINGS

The people who have signed this letter have all taught as creative writing program faculty. Many of us are now program directors and serve as members of our admissions committees. Most of us also hold MFA and/or doctoral degrees. We hope our collective experience and expertise will provide good counsel to anyone thinking about applying to writing programs.

To put it plainly, the Poets & Writers rankings are bad: they are methodologically specious in the extreme and quite misleading. A biased opinion poll—based on a tiny, self-selecting survey of potential program applicants—provides poor information. Poets & Writers itself includes on its website a disclaimer suggesting the limitations of these rankings, recommending that potential applicants look beyond them. Regrettably, the information appears on a separate page.

What’s worse, if a program decides against encouraging a bad process by choosing not to provide information, P&W’s process insists on including that program as though the information was negative, a procedure we think is unethical, as well as statistically misleading. The P&W rankings, in their language and approach, labor to create the impression that the application process between applicants and programs is adversarial. It is not, as any proper, sensible survey of MFA students and alumni would indicate. Instead of asking such students and alumni about quality of instruction, or anything else about actual program content, P&W’s rankings are heavily skewed toward viewing a program’s financial aid offer as the final arbiter of that program’s overall quality. We agree that financial aid must be a serious consideration, but a student’s relationship with his or her faculty—what and how one learns—is at least equally as important.

In economic times like these, there is no immediate correspondence between any degree and employment. This is particularly true of the MFA in creative writing and PhD in English with a creative dissertation. While we work hard to help our graduates find jobs, it is essential to understand that creative writing for the vast majority is not a profession. Some writers earn their living as teachers, but others are lawyers, full-time homemakers, doctors, editors, business owners, sales clerks, and mechanics. No applicant should consider pursuing a creative writing degree assuming the credential itself leads to an academic job. And no applicant should put her or himself in financial peril in order to pursue the degree.

Our best advice is to do your research through the programs you’re considering. If you are able to visit those programs, ask to sit in on classes and for the contact information of current and recent students. Talk to people you respect about different programs. Read work by the instructors.

Most programs have basic academic and financial information available on their websites. But don’t hesitate to ask questions of the program directors, admissions committee members, and students presently attending the programs. This kind of commonsensical research will help you find a program suited to your hopes and talents.

Jonathan Aaron, Emerson College Lee K. Abbott, Ohio State University Jonis Agee, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Marla Akin, University of Texas Michener Center for Writers Julianna Baggott, Florida State University Sally Ball, Arizona State University Aliki Barnstone, University of Missouri – Columbia Steven Barthelme, University of Southern Mississippi Jocelyn Bartkevicius, University of Central Florida Robin Behn, University of Alabama Erin Belieu, Florida State University Karen E. Bender, University of North Carolina Wilmington April Bernard, Skidmore College Mark Bibbins, The New School Mary Biddinger, The University of Akron Scott Blackwood, Roosevelt University Robert Boswell, University of Houston David Bosworth, University of Washington Mark Brazaitis, West Virginia University Lucie Brock-Broido, Columbia University Ben Brooks, Emerson College John Gregory Brown, Sweet Briar College Andrea Hollander Budy, Lyon College Janet Burroway, Florida State University Robert Olen Butler, Florida State University Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum, University of California, San Diego Scott Cairns, University of Missouri – Columbia Kara Candito, University of Wisconsin – Platteville Kevin Canty, University of Montana at Missoula Mary Carroll-Hackett, Longwood University Michelle Carter, San Francisco State University Alexander Chee, Columbia University Alan Cheuse, George Mason University Jeanne E. Clark, California State University Chico Brian Clements, Western Connecticut State University Mick Cochrane, Canisius College Michael Collier, University of Maryland Gillian Conoley, Sonoma State University Bob Cowser, St. Lawrence University Jennine Capó Crucet, Florida State University Kelly Daniels, Augustana College R. H. W. Dillard, Hollins University Chitra Divakaruni, University of Houston Jim Dodge, Humboldt State University Timothy Donnelly, Columbia University Michael Dumanis, Cleveland State University Camille Dungy, San Francisco State University Karl Elder, Lakeland College Leslie Epstein, Boston University Elaine Equi, New York University David Everett, Johns Hopkins University Kathy Fagan, Ohio State University Andrew Feld, University of Washington Elizabeth Stuckey-French, Florida State University Ned Stuckey-French, Florida State University Forrest Gander, Brown University Eric Gansworth, Canisius College Steve Garrison, University of Central Oklahoma Maria Gillan, Binghamton University, State University of New York Michele Glazer, Portland State University Tod Goldberg, University of California, Riverside Palm Desert Eric Goodman, Miami University of Ohio Jaimy Gordon, Western Michigan University Carol Guerrero-Murphy, Adams State College Corrinne Clegg Hales, California State University, Fresno Rachel Hall, State University of New York at Geneseo Barbara Hamby, Florida State University Cathryn Hankla, Hollins University James Harms, West Virginia University Charles Hartman, Connecticut College Yona Harvey, Carnegie Mellon University Ehud Havazelet, University of Oregon Steve Heller, Antioch University Los Angeles Robin Hemley, University of Iowa DeWitt Henry, Emerson College Michelle Herman, Ohio State University Laraine Herring, Yavapai College Sue Hertz, University of New Hampshire Tony Hoagland, University of Houston Janet Holmes, Boise State University Garrett Hongo, University of Oregon Ha Jin, Boston University Arnold Johnston, Western Michigan University Diana Joseph, Minnesota State University, Mankato Laura Kasischke, University of Michigan Catherine Kasper, University of Texas at San Antonio J. Kastely, University of Houston Richard Katrovas, Western Michigan University Christopher Kennedy, Syracuse University Richard Kenney, University of Washington David Keplinger, American University James Kimbrell, Florida State University David Kirby, Florida State University Binnie Kirshenbaum, Columbia University Karen Kovacik, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Stephen Kuusisto, Syracuse University Deborah Landau, New York University Jeanne Larsen, Hollins University David Lehman, The New School Dana Levin, Santa Fe University of Art and Design Lisa Lewis, Oklahoma State University Catherine Lewis, Purchase College, State University of New York Samuel Ligon, Eastern Washington University Robert Lopez, The New School Denise Low, Haskell Indian Nations Kirsten Lunstrum, Purchase College, State University of New York Patrick Madden, Brigham Young University Megan Marshall, Emerson College Michael Martone, University of Alabama Cate Marvin, College of Staten Island, The City University of New York Gail Mazur, Emerson College Janet McAdams, Kenyon College Shara McCallum, Bucknell University Karen Salyer McElmurray, Georgia College & State University Heather McHugh, University of Washington Sarah Messer, University of North Carolina Wilmington Jennifer Militello, River Valley Community College Wayne Miller, University of Central Missouri Debra Monroe, Texas State University Dinty W. 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University of Montana Catalog 2023-2024

English b.a. - creative writing.

The Creative Writing program is predicated on the model of the workshop, and focuses on three areas of study: poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Undergraduates who select the creative writing concentration fulfill some of the same requirements as those in literature, while also participating in a series of small writing workshops, gaining the techniques needed to craft poetry and/or prose that work towards artistic excellence. Graduate students pursuing an M.F.A. degree complete a series of writing workshops and seminars designed to develop their creative work and expand their understanding of literary technique. The Creative Writing faculty is augmented each year by visiting Hugo and Kittredge fellows. The program sponsors the graduate literary magazine,  CutBank , now in its fourth decade of publishing works of poetry, prose and art. Additionally, undergraduate students have the opportunity to contribute to and edit their own literary magazine,  The Oval .

Bachelor of Arts - English; Creative Writing Concentration

General education requirements.

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the  General Education Section of the catalog. 

Degree Specific Credits:  43-57

Required Cumulative GPA:  2.0

Foundation Courses

Minimum Required Grade: C

Upper-Division Creative Writing Courses

Rule:  Complete all categories.

Upper-Division English Electives

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Modern & Classical Language Requirement

Note:  Students may either take four sequential semesters (101, 102, 201, 202) of a modern or classical language or exemplify proficiency through examination (available through the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature Department).

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2023-24 University of Montana Academic Catalog

A PDF of the entire 2023-2024 Catalog.

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MFA Students

Our students come from all over the country—all over the world—and the work they produce is as singular as they are. What they have in common is a lifetime membership in the Pitt writing community. Since our MFA program began,  our graduates have published an impressive number of books in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry . In the past 20 years, our students have won major book publication and literary prizes, including the Barnard Women Writers Award, the Nelson Algren Award, The Drue Heinz Literature Prize, and the Whiting and Tufts Awards for emerging writers.

In the last few years alone, they have won or been finalists for fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; the 2008 Slapering Hol Press chapbook competition; the 2008 Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction; Wordstock 10 Short Fiction competition; International Association of Business Communicators’ Award of Honor in News Writing and Feature Writing; the 2008 National Magazine Award; the 2008 National Poetry Series contest (judged by Yusef Komunyakaa); the 2007 Cleveland State University Poetry Center Open Competition; and the 2008 Fence/Motherwell prize.

For more information about the professional activities of our graduates, please check out our  Twitter  and  Facebook  pages.

Current and Recent MFA Students

Lila Bonow , Poetry  -  [email protected]

Lila Bonow (she/her) is a poet from a counterculture family in Seattle, Washington. She is interested in memory, performance,  the significance of place to the diasporic , the  lacunae between deeds and desires,  and artificial waterfalls. Currently, Lila is working on a collection focused on film, Blackness, voyeurism, and obsession.

Before pursuing her MFA in Poetry at the University of Pittsburgh, Lila spent five years working as a radical reproductive rights activist for the organization, Shout Your Abortion. She holds a BA in English with an Emphasis in Creative Writing from Seattle University. She loves dressing up, being immersed in water, walking, and sleeping. 

Aya Burton ,  Poetry  -  [email protected]

Aya Burton was raised in Massachusetts and is pursuing an MFA in poetry. She holds a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing from Scripps College. Before coming to Pitt, she co-taught and mentored in English classes and multi-genre writing workshops for K-12 students in the Inland Empire, CA and southern Spain. Her work explores states of flux in time and place.

Abdelrahman ElGendy , Nonfiction -  [email protected]

Abdelrahman ElGendy is an Egyptian writer from Cairo based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a six-year political prisoner in Egypt between 2013 and 2020. While in prison, ElGendy started and earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Ain Shams University.

He is a Dietrich fellow at the University of Pittsburgh's Nonfiction Writing MFA, a Heinz fellow at Pitt's Global Studies Center, a 2021 Logan Nonfiction fellow, a 2023 Tin House Workshop scholar, an awardee of the 2023 Katharine Bakeless Nason Award in Nonfiction by Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and a finalist for the 2021 Margolis Award for Social Justice Journalism.

ElGendy's writing is engaged with counter-narratives of history, the role of writing and art as forms of resistance, and what it means to inhabit spaces designed to erase you—and insist on being.

His writing appears in the Washington Post, New Lines Magazine, the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP), Mada Masr, and elsewhere. You can find him at https://www.abdelrahmanelgendy.com/ and on Twitter @El_Gendy_95

Sofia Garner , Fiction   -  [email protected]

Tyler Henderson , Fiction   -  [email protected]

Miles Johnson ,  Poetry -  [email protected]

Miles believes that the world would be better off if there were no borders at all, but manages to rep his home, Washington DC, with fervor and gratitude. He loves: his Granny and all the other Black folks who watch out and over him; following NBA basketball, even to his own emotional detriment; and playing video games. You can find (some of) his work at  blackandoutside.com , and if you're lucky you can find him on Twitter and Instagram @blackandoutside.

Laura Kenney ,  Poetry -  [email protected]

Laura Kenney is a holobiont composed of many living organisms, one of which is human. They are also a writer of poetry, nonfiction, and experimental texts; a film and digital photographer; and a conceptual artist. Their poetry has been published in Ghost City Review and High Shelf , among other outlets, and their visual art has been exhibited at the David Winton Bell Gallery and The Granoff Center for the Arts, among other venues. They received their bachelors in Literary Arts at Brown University as a  first-generation college graduate. In addition to making a home in their body, Laura also makes a home in Providence, Rhode Island, where abandoned tunnels, archival residues, and mycelial blooms inspire their work. You can find more at laura-kenney.com .

Jason Kuo , Nonfiction  -  [email protected]

Jason Kuo is a writer and attorney.  He earned his BA from Yale University and his JD from New York University School of Law.  He is interested in cults, corporations, diasporic communities and meaning-making in contemporary society.

Sangi Lama , Fiction -  [email protected]

Sangi Lama is a writer from Hetauda, Nepal. She immigrated to the United States at the age of four and grew up in Beaverton, Oregon. Her writing explores love, family, and separation through Nepali and Nepali American experiences. 

She graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and previously worked as the Marketing Assistant at Tin House. 

She is an MFA candidate in Fiction and a current Dietrich Fellow.

Sandra Lee , Fiction -  [email protected]

Sandra Lee is an MFA candidate in Fiction at the University of Pittsburgh. She is working on an interlinked short story collection about members of a Korean American church in Queens.

Abigail Lee ,   Nonfiction  -  [email protected]

David Lo ,   Poetry  -  [email protected]

Anna Millard ,  Fiction -  [email protected]

Anna Denise Millard is a fiction MFA candidate with a BA in Playwriting from Emory University. She's worked for 8 years as a professional advertising and editorial writer in NYC, from writing commercial scripts for ADT Security to celebrity gossip articles for Refinery29 and billboards for The Wall Street Journal. Her short stories have been published in The Dillydoun Review and her plays have been produced at Essential Theatre in Atlanta. Her areas of interest include the American South, film criticism and theory, and media studies. Her writing takes frivolity very seriously.

Hans Park ,   Fiction  -  [email protected]

Avery Robinson , Poetry -  [email protected]

M. Avery Robinson is a Black poet and punk from Central Florida. They received their BA in Creative Writing at Florida State University, where they interned at the Southeast Review and were the recipient of the 2022 Academy of American Poets Award.

Their work dances in the liminal soundscapes between hip-hop, punk-rock, anime, and Black folklore, transitioning between them as they follow their ear to every note. With an eye for where history intercepts the present, they behold not just the suffering of their bloodline, but the pleasure and mosh-pits of Black euphoria in America’s Southeast too. Their poems have appeared in Interim Magazine, museum of americana, Saw Palm, and are forthcoming in Obsidian and Hunger Mountain. If not at workshop or reading a book, you’ll find them wherever the music’s the loudest.

Kandala Singh , Poetry -  [email protected]

Kandala (she/her) is a writer, qualitative researcher and teaching artist from New Delhi, India.

Kandala works as a creative writing coach, and holds a joint Masters degree in Human Rights Practice from the Universities of Gothenburg, Roehampton and Tromsoe. She has worked on gender and development issues in India for over a decade.

Her poems appear in Rattle, Eclectica, Hindustan Times, Sweet: A Literary Confection and Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English,  among other places. S he is the recipient of a Dietrich Fellowship from the University of Pittsburgh, and a 2023 Katherine Bakeless Contributor Award in Poetry from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. 

She reads poetry for Epiphany Magazine . You can find her at www.kandalasingh.com .

Megan Valley ,  Nonfiction -  [email protected]

Megan Valley is a writer and journalist from Michigan pursuing an MFA in creative nonfiction. She earned her B.A. in English and the Program of Liberal Studies at the University of Notre Dame and was most recently a Report For America corps member covering local education issues in southwest Illinois. Her writing is focused on the environment, Catholic culture, local news, and so-called wellness culture. 

Andrey Vinogradov ,   Nonfiction  -  [email protected]

Kira Witkin , Nonfiction - [email protected] 

Kira Witkin is an essayist and journalist with more than 100 bylines published/forthcoming for NPR, The Missouri Review, The Dallas Morning News, and other publications. She is writing a reported memoir about self-described alien “abductees,” including her own UFO-chasing father, to explore the politics and stigmatization of belief. Kira’s writing has been recognized through the Robert Hayden Scholarship, the Dietrich Fellowship for Creative Writing, and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Awards. Find her on Twitter @KiraWitkin and her website, KiraWitkin.com .

The Department of English offers the Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing for students committed to pursuing the writing life. This three-year degree provides advanced graduate-level coursework in writing, language, literature, as well as studies in a related field.

Workshops in poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction are at the heart of the creative writing program, while courses in the Reading as Writers and Topics in Advanced Writing series enable writers to explore a variety of issues relating to contemporary themes in American and world literature. The program encourages experimentation across genres, fostering the discovery of new and varied forms for a developing voice.

Our program is committed to the goal of improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of departmental operations. Diversity, here, includes but is not limited to: race, indigeneity, gender identity, sexual orientation, caste, religion, cultural/educational background, (dis)ability, nationality, and socioeconomic status.

Please view our  graduate handbook  for more information.

Requirements for the MFA Degree

The MFA thesis, completed in the spring of your third year in the program, is a book-length manuscript suitable for publication. The minimum length for prose is 120 pages and the minimum length for poetry is 50 pages. (Some students, in consultation with their advisors, have completed multi-genre theses.) Feel free to consult the bound MFA theses on the bookshelf in the Assistant Director's office in 112 Pillsbury.

Class of 2024: Your thesis is due to your committee on Monday, April 22, 2024. Please work out specific arrangements (e.g. time, format) with your committee.

The MFA booklist will consist of 20 books of your choice, books that have been particularly influential or useful to you in the composition of your work. The list must include at least one book from each genre. The booklist should be assembled during your first and second years in the program. Strive for a balanced list, keeping classic as well as contemporary works in mind. Please keep your thesis advisor updated on your progress assembling the booklist.

Class of 2024: Your booklist is due to your committee on Monday, April 29, 2024.

During the fall of your third year, in the context of the thesis seminar, you'll devise a topic for your MFA essay (see below). During early spring of your third year, you'll consult with your thesis advisors about the MFA essay. In April of your third year, one week after the due date for the MFA thesis, you must give the completed essay, along with the booklist, to your thesis director and second reader, in preparation for your defense. Note: no changes to the thesis or other materials may be made between the date when you hand them in and the defense. Commentary and feedback on the MFA essay will take place within the context of the defense.

What should the MFA essay look like? This is a literary essay, personally voiced and intellectually rigorous. It is 2,500–3,500 words long (10–15 pages, double-spaced). It should focus on a specific topic (e.g. structure in experimental fiction; trauma and memoir; urban settings in contemporary poetry) as evidenced in your booklist and in your own work. You do not need to admire all of the works on your list; nor are you expected to discuss all twenty selections from your booklist in your essay. The essay is not a "hoop" through which you must jump, it can serve as both a preface to your thesis and as a way of reflecting on your own writing process and on the place of your own work within a larger tradition.

Class of 2024: your booklist and essay are due to your committee on Monday, April 29, 2024.

Thesis defense

The MFA defense will take place in May. Students who are deemed not ready to defend will be discouraged from doing so. At the defense, you will read briefly from and discuss your creative work (for about 30 minutes) and then field questions from audience members (30 minutes) about your thesis. The first portion of your defense is open unless otherwise requested. The second portion of your defense (60 minutes) will consist of you and your committee members only; this portion is closed to the public. Your committee will ask questions about the thesis, booklist and essay. After a brief private discussion with each other, your committee members may either sign off on the thesis as is, or ask for revisions to the thesis–or the essay.

MFA Thesis Defenses will take place May 6-10, 2024.

The Thesis is due April 22, 2024. The MFA essay and booklist are due April 29, 2024.

Thesis advising

At least two faculty members of your choice will work with you as advisors on your final manuscript.

• In some circumstances, you may be able to petition by letter to the Director of the Creative Writing Program to have an affiliate faculty member serve as your second reader. Approval will rest on your previous coursework experience with the instructor and whether funds are available to pay them for the additional work.
• If you choose to have two co-advisors , one of the two must be a member of the creative writing faculty; the other may be a faculty member of any department. You will divide your four thesis credits (and the workload) between your co-advisors; often, this means you will work with one advisor in the fall semester (for two credits), and the other advisor in the spring (for two credits).

It is your responsibility to seek out faculty who you think will be the most supportive of you as a writer, regardless of department.

Note: Mentorship is a mutual endeavor. Make use of faculty office hours to introduce yourself to potential advisors.

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English – Creative Writing – Bachelor’s Degree Program (BA, BFA)

Study creative writing at the university of montana.

Join one of the oldest and most prestigious creative writing programs in the nation. We offer outstanding opportunities to hone your writing skills for publication, prepare for jobs in the private sector or develop a portfolio for applying to an MFA program.

At UM, you can pursue creative writing as a concentration of the bachelor’s degree in English , or as a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree — we are the only program in Montana to offer both. The BA offers a unique focus of literary study, allowing you to explore various works while creating your own stories, poems and essays. The BFA combines a workshop-based approach with a rigorous literature component, offering expanded internship and professional development opportunities. Both programs give you the unique opportunity to work with faculty from our nationally-ranked graduate program, as well as visiting writers who are known around the world.

The creative writing major at UM is distinguished by small, intimate classes that foster mentorship and personal attention. Collaborative workshops in fiction, nonfiction and poetry encourage you to explore diverse genres, as you learn to read with attention to writing craft and apply those lessons to your own creative works.

estimated average salary of UM's English bachelor's degree alumni

years ago the University of Montana added creative writing to the curriculum, only the second university in the US to offer creative writing as a subject of study.

Other degree options for English at UM

• Bachelor of Arts in English – Literature Bachelor's
• Bachelor of Arts in English – Teaching Bachelor's
• Minor in English Minor

What can you do with an English degree?

As a creative writing major, you’ll develop communication, creative thinking, computer proficiency and teamwork skills that are all among the top skills sought by employers. Whether your goal is to become a published author, pursue a job in business or take your studies to the next level in a top master’s degree program, you’ll be well prepared to launch the next stage of your career.

Graduates of our creative writing degree have gone on to operate their own businesses, work for advertising agencies, write speeches for political candidates, edit for presses or magazines and do research for corporate entities. They are hired by banks, independent newspapers, nonprofits, internet corporations and environmental groups. When you major in creative writing at UM, your potential opportunities are almost limitless.

Creative writing jobs

We have a long tradition of growing successful writers, communicators and educators. Examples of potential careers with an English major that connect to creative writing include:

• Web content developer
• Technical writer
• Social media writer
• Campaign organizer

Creative writing salaries

According to recent data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, writers and authors earn an average of $69K  per year nationally (and an average of $70K  here in Montana).

We estimate that the average salary of our English bachelor’s degree graduates is $69,839 .

“I never thought I’d get the chance to write for my supper full-time, especially right out of college, but that is exactly what’s happened. Part of what got me the jobs I have now was my experience as an editor with the Oval, lobbying ASUM for funds and being personable with people from all walks of life. These are things I learned to value through interaction with writers and readers in the Creative Writing program…and as part of the dynamic Oval staff.” -  Brenna Rietmann, UM creative writing student

Experiential learning in the English major

Hands-on opportunities to apply your skills in the real world help make UM one of the best colleges for English majors, and nowhere is this more true than in our creative writing program. Experiences you gain in workshops, staffing and producing literary magazines, participating in internships and more will help you develop as a professional, practice meeting deadlines and hone your communication and collaboration skills.

Internships in the creative writing degree

As a creative writing major at UM, your opportunities are limited only by your imagination. Our students find internships with a wide range of nonprofits and local businesses — assisting with writing, editing and promotional work. We also offer internship opportunities with a variety of literary magazines and writers’ organizations including Cutbank, High Desert Journal, The Oval, and Beargrass Writer’s Workshop — and new internships are in the works all the time.

Literary and publishing experience in creative writing

Creative writing majors are at the forefront of our undergraduate literary magazine, The Oval, which publishes the best of our fiction, nonfiction and poetry from across campus. You’ll get a hands-on look at small press operations — from the call for submissions through editing and design to publication and marketing. If you’re interested in publishing work, we also encourage you to volunteer as a junior editor at CutBank Literary Magazine, which is led by our MFA creative writing program.

Study abroad for English majors

Explore other languages and cultures through one of our study abroad programs. We offer a variety of overseas opportunities and generally accept literature and writing credits taken in other countries toward our English bachelor’s degree. Learn more about study abroad opportunities at the University of Montana .

Career development in the English degree

When you major in creative writing at UM, you can count on getting the support you need to hit the ground running when you graduate, and faculty who are ready to go the extra mile to help you succeed. You’ll also benefit from the vibrant literary and arts community here in Missoula.

Readings, whether hosted by local bookstores or UM, are a great way to meet other aspiring writers. Our Montana Writers LIVE class, for example, showcases Missoula and Montana’s amazing community of local and regional writers reading from their work and answering your questions.

As you engage in internships with local businesses, community mentors will provide insight into different ways you can apply your skills — ways that your ability to research, analyze, summarize, write and edit fit into the operation of a small business, a homeless shelter or a political campaign. 

You can also participate in a wide variety of clubs and activities related to English and creative writing, including The Oval and Prose and Poems, volunteer for the Montana Book Festival and get involved with numerous other campus and community literary organizations and activities.

Creative writing faculty

One of the incredible opportunities you’ll have as an undergraduate in the creative writing degree at UM is to work with faculty from our nationally-ranked graduate program.

Our faculty include Guggenheim Fellows, New York Times Bestsellers, and National Endowment for the Arts Fellows. They are winners of the American Book Award, Montana Governor’s Arts Award, and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, among others. They serve as judges for the National Book Award, the PEN Faulkner award, and travel and lecture around the globe. Most of all, they share a powerful dedication to recognizing and nurturing developing writers.

Creative writing scholarships

Creative writers at UM are supported by thousands of dollars in scholarships each year, as well as those they may apply for as English majors. Explore creative writing scholarships and awards .

Creative writing major requirements

As a creative writing major, you’ll focus on crafting work in three areas of study: fiction, nonfiction and poetry. As you advance in your program, you’ll also have the opportunity to design an independent course of study based on your personal interests, allowing you to focus on a particular author, subgenre or school of writing. 

View all classes for the Bachelor of Arts in English – Creative Writing .

View all classes for the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing .

Launch UM virtual tour.