university of san francisco mfa creative writing

The program is designed to instruct writers in creative techniques, to nurture their individual development and vision, and to help prepare them for entry into the public life of literature.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Articulate how linguistic, formal, and aesthetic choices create literary effects on the page
• Demonstrate an understanding of the range of literary aesthetics, trends, and sensibilities-nationally and globally, past and present-as well as the political ramifications of craft choices
• Practice critical analysis of their own writing as a process, implementing drafting and revision plans for their creative projects
• Cultivate professional practices that engage in the greater literary community and form a sustained writing life

Minor Requirements (32 units)

All courses are 4 units.

Workshops (12 units)

Workshop courses can be taken more than once.

• MFA 602 - Fiction Workshop
• MFA 612 - Short Fiction Workshop
• MFA 622 - Long Fiction Workshop
• MFA 632 - Nonfiction Workshop
• MFA 642 - Poetry Workshop

Seminars (16 units)

Seminar topics change each semester, with courses offered in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and multi-genre approaches. Seminars can be taken more than once.

• MFA 605 - Foundations of Writing
• MFA 645 - Developments in Writing
• MFA 650 - Word for Word
• MFA 651 - Developments in the Novel
• MFA 653 - Research for Writers
• MFA 654 - Contemporary American Poetry
• MFA 655 - Forms of Writing
• MFA 661 - Evolution of the Short Story
• MFA 662 - Contemp. Experiments/Fiction
• MFA 664 - Poetry International
• MFA 665 - Topics in Writing
• MFA 670 - Intention and Design in Prose
• MFA 671 - Techniques of Long Fiction
• MFA 672 - The Craft of Short Fiction
• MFA 673 - Truth, Ethics, and Memory
• MFA 674 - Prosody: Meaning/Poetic Form
• MFA 675 - Teaching Creative Writing
• MFA 680 - Style in Fiction
• MFA 681 - Blurred Boundaries:Beyond Genr
• MFA 682 - Nonfiction Theory & Technique
• MFA 683 - The History of Nonfiction
• MFA 684 - Contemp Experiments Nonfiction
• MFA 685 - Professional Development
• MFA 686 - Poetics
• MFA 687 - POV and Characterization
• MFA 688 - Finding Form
• MFA 690 - Special Topics
• MFA 692 - Contemporary Global Fiction

Thesis (4-8 units)

Thesis I is an elective course strongly recommended for students whose thesis will be a book-length project. Thesis II is required for all students.

• MFA 689 - Thesis I
• MFA 699 - Thesis II

In Thesis I and Thesis II, students work one-on-one with a faculty mentor who provides extensive feedback on their work in a series of scheduled meetings.

The thesis may be a:

• poetry collection
• story collection
• essay collection
• purposeful combination of these genres

• Events & Exhibitions
• Campus Expansion
• Undergraduate
• Pre-College

CCA’s blend of theory and practice inspires students at every level to make work that matters. Select your status to learn about the application process, requirements, and deadlines, as well as contact information should you need any support along the way.

MFA Writing

Define your voice and explore your creative practice—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—alongside writers, designers, and visual artists.

Writing at CCA is dynamic

Embedded in a creative community like no other, your writing will be energized in unexpected or unconventional ways.

At CCA, you’ll join a writing community that truly sees and supports you.

We’ve grown an MFA Writing program at an arts college with 116 years of history in the San Francisco Bay Area. The workshops and seminars where we gather are places of inventiveness, self-discovery, and exuberance. Together we’ve created a close-knit community for diverse writers who are making their mark on the world.

We believe creativity is sparked when you have space to develop your ideas, and from your first to your final semester at CCA you’ll have close, sustained support from your professors through one-on-one mentorships. Our award-winning faculty includes Faith Adiele, Tom Barbash, Dodie Bellamy, Rita Bullwinkel, Jasmin Darznik, Joseph Lease, Trisha Ya-wen Low, Aimee Phan, Denise Newman, and Leslie Carol Roberts.

The Bay Area, a site of rich literary history, is our home. You’ll have access to resources and literary institutions you won’t find anywhere else, like City Lights Publishers, Litquake, and the Bay Area Book Festival. In the fall semester, we offer Tuesday Seminar, a course that brings illustrious professional writers right into the classroom with you.

MFA writing professor Faith Adiele.

An exciting blend of the emergent and established

Our MFA Writing program recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary, and we embrace the rich literary history of the Bay Area, from the Beat poetry movement and the Language poets, to the annual Litquake literary festival, to the Slam/Spoken Word scene.

Follow MFA Writing

Huge thanks to Rebecca Foust for sharing her publishing wisdom today in the studio. Some takeaways:

Aim high—it’s better than the alternative.

Be like Tom Petty—study the person a step or two ahead of you and follow their lead.

Nothing’s ever finished, so you may as well send it out.

📝 Students who couldn’t make it, you are in luck! She shared some fantastic handouts and you can find extra copies in the studio.

Our first free all-program field trip takes us to City Arts & Lectures this Thursday to hear Leila Mottley talk about her new book Nightcrawling. We meet outside the Sidney Goldstein Theater at 7. See you there, MFAW.📚🤓

By popular demand, we're devoting next week's Tuesday Coffee Hour to a practical, in-depth conversation about getting published in literary magazines. On 10/4 from 3-4 pm Rebecca Foust, poet and assistant editor of fiction at Narrative Magazine, will join us in the garden to talk about specific submission strategies and answer your questions about the publishing process. This is for writers of all genres, so come one, come all!

October Happenings! Check out the fabulous upcoming events we’ve got lined up. ✍🏻📖💫

Join a top-ranking MFA Writing program

Study.com ranks our program among the top five in California. Located in one of the world’s creative capitals, we encourage MFA candidates to explore many different forms and incorporate visual art into their work.

View the list

Studios & Shops

Practice critique, readings, and performance.

MFA students are at home in the Humanities and Sciences Graduate Center on CCA’s main San Francisco campus. Outside the studio, we write and meet alongside redwood trees in our beautiful garden. Inside, we hold our workshops, readings, and craft talks. We also host our famed Tuesday Talks series in the Humanities and Sciences Graduate Center. Today’s most dynamic writers, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Camille Dungy, Andrew Sean Greer, R.O. Kwon, sam sax, and Tracy K. Smith, read and discuss new work and lead craft talks during masterclasses. There are endless opportunities to share your writing with peers, get constructive feedback, and nurture your craft.

Support to tell your stories

We help our students locate and tell their stories; we write what we want, how we want. We embrace all forms of writing, from literary novels and poetry to science fiction and mysteries. Our MFA Writing program is designed to make sure each student finds their voice. You can explore nonfiction, fiction, and poetry during supportive workshops that celebrate voice and form. We believe in grounding our work in craft so we emphasize close reading and individualized instruction.

Expand your creative practice

In addition to our vibrant writing workshops and dynamic seminars, we encourage graduate students to immerse themselves in our diverse art and design culture. Want to learn how to design beautiful publications, paint, or make a children’s book? Access CCA’s phenomenal resources, including Risograph printers for making broadsides, audio suites for recording podcasts, and a letterpress studio for making books and zines. You’ll work with top practitioners in their fields across the college’s faculty, grow as a writer, and learn to turn your research passions and written works into literal art objects.

Frame and finish your book

You’ll get regular feedback during writing workshops and meetings with full-time faculty who believe in meeting one-on-one—not as part of any requirement, but because personalized attention is how you grow as a writer. Close reading, editorial guidance, and individualized reading lists all push our writing students toward success. We teach you craft as well as how to establish and maintain a serious writing practice.

Your creative life at CCA and beyond

From studying one-on-one with faculty mentors to participating in craft workshops with visiting writers—among the best and brightest working today—you’ll be exposed to myriad forms. You’ll learn the elements of podcasting; how to make audio stories; how to prepare a full-length manuscript; and how to collaborate with painters, filmmakers, illustrators, photographers, and more.

Your community of mentors

• Memoirist and travel writer Faith Adiele
• Novelist Tom Barbash
• Novelist Rita Bullwinkel
• Novelist and memoirist Jasmin Darznik
• Poet Joseph Lease
• Poet and performer Trisha Low
• Poet and translator Denise Newman
• Novelist Aimee Phan
• Eco-memoirist Leslie Carol Roberts

More studios, shops, and labs

Access lithography presses and a range of bookbinding equipment at the San Francisco Center for the Book

The Black-and-White Darkroom has a range of enlarging stations and two print washers

Check out DSLR cameras, lighting kits, GoPros, and more from the San Francisco campus Media Center

Study with award-winning writers

MFA Writing faculty have received major prizes, fellowships, residencies, and grants. Their books have been New York Times bestsellers and award-winning collections in fiction, hybrid essay/memoir, poetry, literary criticism, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Together they offer unique voices across multiple genres, aesthetic traditions, and vibrant writing communities.

Jasmin Darznik, Chair of MFA Writing

Chair Jasmin Darznik is a New York Times- bestselling author of three books,  The Bohemians, Song of a Captive Bird , and The Good Daughter . Born in Iran, she immigrated to America as a child and is a first-generation college graduate. After receiving a Ph.D. in English from Princeton University, she obtained an MFA in fiction from Bennington College, broadening her academic scholarship to tell stories about women who've been left out or obscured from the historical record. Her forthcoming novel, American Goddess, takes on themes of celebrity, gender, and ethnic identity in Old Hollywood. 

MFA Writing Faculty

Faith E Adiele

Tom Barbash

Rita Bullwinkel

Joseph Lease

Denise Newman

Leslie Carol Roberts

Michael Wertz

View all MFA Writing faculty

Faculty stories

Two-year intensive program

Our two-year, 48-unit MFA Writing program includes workshops, craft seminars, literature courses, and mentorships. Courses like Experiments in Life Writing, Contemporary International Fiction, and Writing As An Act of Witness will inspire you to take risks and try new styles as you hone your craft and deepen your writing practice.

One of the many perks of being at an art school is the chance to take courses outside of the writing discipline as well as to collaborate with painters, photographers, filmmakers, bookmakers, and more. This unique opportunity allows you to move in new directions as you find and express your unique voice. Preview our workshops and courses .

Year 1: Fall Semester

Year 1: spring semester, year 2: fall semester, year 2: spring semester.

Total 48.0 units

Publish your dream project

MFA in Writing program alumni have impressive success getting their work out in the world, publishing books across genres. Recent publications include:

• Tom Comitta, The Nature Book , Coffee House Press, 2023
• Dior Stephens, Cruel/Cruel , Nightboat, 2023
• Alka Joshi, The Perfumist of Paris, Harper Collins, 2023
• Sonja Swift, Echo Loba, Loba Echo , Rocky Mountain Press, 2023
• Jessamyn Violet, Secret Rules to Being a Rock Star , Three Rooms Press, 2023
• Alka Joshi, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur , Harper Collins, 2021
• Julie Lythcott-Haims, Your Turn: How to Be An Adult , Henry Holt, 2021
• Alka Joshi, The Henna Artist , Mira Publishing, a division of Harper Collins, 2019
• Rheea Mukherjee, The Body Myth , Unnamed Press, 2019
• Adam Nemett, We Can Save Us All , Unnamed Press, 2018
• Sonia Belasco, Speak of Me As I Am , Philomel Books, 2017
• Julie Lythcott-Haims, Real American , St. Martin’s Griffin, 2017
• Molly Prentiss, Tuesday Nights in 1980 , Simon & Schuster, 2017
• Catie Jarvis, The Peacock Room , Hyperborea, 2016
• Andrew Nicholson, A Lamp Brighter Than Foxfire , Colorado State, 2015
• LaTasha Nevada Diggs, TWerk , Belladonna Press, 2013

In addition to becoming published authors, our students find traction at established and emergent platforms like Medium , and also work as educators; performance artists; editors; and writers for newspapers, magazines, and marketing agencies.

Potential career paths

• Freelance writer
• Content strategist
• Arts administrator
• Social activist
• Technical writer
• Publication and production assistant
• Small press publisher

Learn about career development

News & Events

What’s happening for mfa writing students.

Reading and lecture series span disciplines

How to Apply

Make writing your top priority.

Our two-year program welcomes students of all ages, career profiles, and backgrounds, including law, advertising, tech, music, and academia. We focus on your writing sample and your letters of recommendation in making admissions decisions.

Start your application

You’ll apply to CCA and submit all required application materials via SlideRoom. Afterward, you may be contacted for an interview with a faculty member as part of the application process. Being selected for an interview doesn’t indicate applicant status or increase or decrease an applicant’s chances of being admitted into their desired graduate program. Interviews are conducted at the program’s discretion and are used to gain more insight into an application.

Create an account and start your application

MFA Writing application requirements

• Application and $70 nonrefundable application fee To be completed and submitted on SlideRoom.
• Resume/curriculum vitae Please outline your educational and professional background and relevant experiences and activities, including community work. Resumes/CVs must be in PDF document format.
• Two recommendation letters You’ll request two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources in SlideRoom by entering the contact information for your recommenders/references. They will then receive an automated email from SlideRoom with instructions for uploading their letter of recommendation.
• Unofficial college transcripts You are required to provide your complete undergraduate academic history. Students who have already taken graduate courses are encouraged to submit those transcripts, too. For international applicants, all transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Please provide an unofficial transcript from the college where you will receive or have received your bachelor’s degree, as well as unofficial transcripts for all other undergraduate coursework. Unofficial transcripts will be used for review purposes. Once you have been admitted and enrolled, all students will need to submit official, sealed transcripts showing the completion of a bachelor’s degree to our graduate admissions office by August 1 of the fall semester they begin enrollment at CCA.
• Proof of English proficiency (international applicants only) Review and plan to meet our English proficiency requirements for graduate students .
• Personal essay In a personal essay, submitted as a PDF, write 500 to 1,000 words about your writing experience, why you want to study writing at the graduate level, your educational objectives, and any critical influences on your work.
• Portfolio Your portfolio, submitted as one to two PDFs (up to 10 MB each), should consist of a selection of writing samples (totaling no more than 25 double-spaced pages) that reflect your main areas of interest. You may include poems, short stories, a section of a novel, text for performance (include video, if available), creative nonfiction, or writing for new genres. You’re welcome, but not required, to submit visual materials in support of your application, including book arts and videos. Please note: We do not accept co-written material.

For prospective student inquiries, including questions about the program or how to apply, please contact us

Graduate Admissions

+1 415-548-2271 (call, text)

Nurture your craft in a dynamic environment

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MFA Program

Poetry: D. A. Powell, Maw Shein Win, Shelley Wong Fiction: Stephen Beachy, Rita Bullwinkel, Lewis Buzbee, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Kate Folk, Vanessa Hua, Miah Jeffra, Laleh Khadivi, R. O. Kwon, Lauren Markham, K. M. Soehnlein, Susan Steinberg, Monica West Creative Nonfiction: Vanessa Hua, Miah Jeffra, Dave Madden, Lauren Markham

Visiting Writers include Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Cristina García, Aya de Leon, and Monica West.

The program offers partial funding. Some teaching assistantships and fellowships are offered.

Invisible City

The program offers small workshop classes, one-on-one mentoring, professional development, a reading series with visiting writers, the Emerging Writers Festival, Life After the MFA symposia, and more.

Thomas Burke, Liza Campbell, Matthew D. Dalton, George Dohrmann, Kate Folk, Abeer Y. Hoque, Jen Larsen, Joshua Mohr, Courtney Moreno, Thomas Peele, Craig Santos Perez, Cynthia Robinson, Wendy Tokunaga

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University of San Francisco MA in Creative Writing

Featured programs, how much does a master’s in creative writing from usfca cost, usfca graduate tuition and fees.

Does USFCA Offer an Online MA in Creative Writing?

Usfca master’s student diversity for creative writing, male-to-female ratio.

About 70.0% of the students who received their MA in creative writing in 2019-2020 were women. This is higher than the nationwide number of 66.6%.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

Around 46.7% of creative writing master’s degree recipients at USFCA in 2019-2020 were awarded to racial-ethnic minorities*. This is higher than the nationwide number of 24%.

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Creative writing mfa, program information.

In the first year, students are required to take the Introduction to Graduate Studies and the teaching practicums. Every effort is made to enroll students in the workshop and craft courses of their choice. 

Thesis committees are formed in the fall of the second year. In the third year, students submit their thesis in March. Our end-of-year event, Curtain Call, features a reading by the graduating MFAs, for the campus and community. 

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Theses from 2023 2023.

Leave the Sea , Clare Bayard

Lemons and Other Grand Delusions , Jake A. Yarnold

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Volcanoes & Other Yards , Rebeca Flores

Noted Mirrors , Dennis Spears

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Setlist , Jamin Favela

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15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024

May 15, 2024

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? If you’re considering an MFA, this article walks you through the best full-time, low residency, and online Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

What are the best Creative Writing MFA programs?

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this article, let’s start with the basics. What is an MFA, anyway?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications typically require a sample portfolio, usually 10-20 pages (and sometimes up to 30-40) of your best writing. Moreover, you can receive an MFA in a particular genre, such as Fiction or Poetry, or more broadly in Creative Writing. However, if you take the latter approach, you often have the opportunity to specialize in a single genre.

Wondering 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. Thesis projects are typically a body of polished, publishable-quality creative work in your genre—fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.

Why should I 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.

Fourth: resources. MFA programs are often staffed by brilliant, award-winning writers; offer lecture series, volunteer opportunities, and teaching positions; and run their own (usually prestigious) literary magazines. Such resources provide you with the knowledge and insight you’ll need to navigate the literary and publishing world on your own post-graduation.

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 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.

This two-year program offers an incredibly generous funding package: $39,000 teaching fellowships each year. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and the option to apply for a lecture position after graduation. Many grads publish their first book within three years (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Incoming class size: 8 students (4 per genre)
• Admissions rate: 4-8%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adichie, 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

The only MFA that offers full and equal funding for every writer. It’s three years long, offers a generous yearly stipend of $30k, and provides full tuition plus a health insurance stipend. Fiction, poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting concentrations are available. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $4,000 for the summer.

• Location : Austin, TX
• 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

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. All students receive full funding, including tuition, a living stipend, and subsidized health insurance. The Translation MFA , co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years long 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: 2.7-3.7%
• Fantastic Alumni: Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Garth Greenwell, Kiley Reid, Brandon Taylor, Eula Biss, Yiyun Li, Jennifer Croft

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

4) university of michigan.

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students in UMichigan’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 $25,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program in either fiction or poetry, 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.

• Location: Ann Arbor, MI
• Incoming class size: 18 (9 in each genre)
• Acceptance rate: 2%
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that only occasionally dips into arctic temperatures. All students are fully funded for 2 years, which includes tuition remission and a $32k yearly stipend. 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.  Fiction and Poetry Tracks are offered as well.

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

6) University of Arizona

This 3-year program with fiction, poetry, and nonfiction tracks 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’s dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program is fully funded. Moreover, teaching assistantships that provide a salary, health insurance, and tuition waiver are offered to all students. Tucson is home to a hopping literary scene, so it’s also possible to volunteer at multiple literary organizations and even do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Location: Tucson, AZ
• Incoming class size: usually 6
• Acceptance rate: 1.2% (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 

With concentrations in fiction and poetry, Arizona State is 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. Moreover, it encourages cross-genre study.

Funding-wise, everyone has the option to take on a teaching assistantship position, which provides a tuition waiver, health insurance, and a yearly stipend of $25k. Other opportunities for financial support exist as well.

• Location: Tempe, AZ
• 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.

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU also 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. Concentrations in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction are available.

• Location: New York, NY
• Incoming class size: ~60; 20-30 students accepted for each genre
• Acceptance rate: 6-9%
• 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

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. Finally, teaching positions and fellowships are available to help offset the high tuition.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: not publicized (boo)
• 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 

Sarah Lawrence offers a concentration in speculative fiction in addition to the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction choices. Moreover, they encourage cross-genre exploration. 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, and many teaching and funding opportunities are available.

• Location: Bronxville, NY
• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: not publicized
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11) bennington college.

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. The rest of the time, you’ll be spending approximately 25 hours per week on reading and writing assignments. Students have the option to concentrate in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Uniquely, they can also opt for a dual-genre focus.

The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available. Additionally, Bennington offers full-immersion teaching fellowships to MFA students, which are extremely rare in low-residency programs.

• Location: Bennington, VT
• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 25-35
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts

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, including screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. In addition, each student is matched with a faculty mentor who works with them one-on-one throughout the semester.

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

• Location: Santa Fe, NM
• Incoming class size : 21
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

VCFA is the only graduate school on this list that focuses exclusively on the fine arts. Their MFA in Writing offers concentrations in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction; they also offer an MFA in Literary Translation and one of the few MFAs in Writing for Children and Young Adults . Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, either in-person or online. Here, they receive one-on-one mentorship that continues for the rest of the semester. 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 for the full two-year program is approximately $54k.

• Location : Various; 2024/25 residencies are in Colorado and California
• 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.

UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Accordingly, this program is geared toward serious writers who want to pursue teaching and/or publishing. Intensive workshops allow submissions in Spanish and/or English, and genres include poetry and fiction.

No residencies are required, but an optional opportunity to connect in person is available every year. This three-year program costs about $25-30k total, depending on whether you are an in-state or out-of-state resident.

• Location: El Paso, TX
• Acceptance rate: “highly competitive”
• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University

This 2-year online, no-residency program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. Featuring a supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and an optional yearly field trip to Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, narrative medicine, and teaching creative writing. Moreover, core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, food/travel writing, and the personal essay. Tuition is approximately $31,000 for the entire program, with scholarships available.

• Location: Longmeadow, MA
• Incoming class size: 20
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs — Final Thoughts

Whether you’re aiming for a fully funded, low residency, or completely online MFA program, there are plenty of incredible options available—all of which will sharpen your craft while immersing you in the vibrant literary arts community.

Hoping to prepare for your MFA in advance? You might consider checking out the following:

• Best English Programs
• Best Colleges for Creative Writing
• Writing Summer Programs
• Best Writing Competitions for High School Students

Inspired to start writing? Get your pencil ready:

• 100 Creative Writing Prompts 
• 1 00 Tone Words to Express Mood in Your Writing
• 60 Senior Project Ideas
• Common App Essay Prompts

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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• Creative Writing

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Our low-residency Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing welcomes you to a vibrant community of writers and dedicated faculty, in an unsurpassed San Francisco Bay Area location.

Whether you are a poet looking to hone your craft, an aspiring novelist who wants to get that book written, or a memoirist with an urgent story to tell, our MFA Creative Writing program will help you achieve your writing goals.

The MFA program fosters a supportive community of talented writers who are encouraged to experiment across genres and with new forms of writing.

In addition to the genres of Poetry, Fiction and Creative Nonfiction, Dominican offers an optional track in Narrative Medicine, which allows students to embrace the special role that creative writing can play in the process of healing. 

I like the vision they have in the MFA program at Dominican. It’s a fabulous resource, this island of calm in the middle of a lot of chaos in this world. Catharine Clark-Sayles, MFA 2019

Low-Residency MFA Program Highlights

• Flexible low-residency format customized to meet your writing goals. 
• A dedicated mentor and opportunities to publish your work.
• Two on-campus residencies per year featuring dynamic speakers and workshops. 
• Co-curricular activities in publishing and teaching.
• An optional track in narrative medicine.

ATTEND AN INFORMATION SESSION

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Admissions and Financial Aid

A Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution of higher education is required to apply to our graduate programs.

Completed Application  —  Apply now!

• Official Transcript(s)   Official transcript(s) of coursework from each college or university attended (undergraduate and graduate) are required upon matriculation. Find complete instructions on how to submit your transcripts to Dominican  here.
• Statement of Purpose or Intent A brief essay (two pages, double spaced, 12-point font) describing writing background, professional and/or personal goals, and additional life and/or academic experience relevant to your application.
• One Letter of Recommendation (Elect a Personal Interview to waive this requirement.)
• Poetry (up to 10 pages single spaced, one long poem or up to 8 individual poems, or some combination)
• Prose: (up to 25 pages double spaced. Can be one piece or multiple pieces)
• A combination of both poetry and prose (not to exceed 25 pages)

If an application deadline falls on a weekend and/or holiday, applications will be accepted through the end of the next business day.

Learn about tuition per unit, additional fees and total tuition.

We'll also show you how a Dominican education is more affordable than you might think with support from financial aid, scholarships and loans. 

Tuition and Aid

Creative Writing Residencies

Our low-residency format consists of twice-yearly residencies and semester-long distance mentorships, allowing students to advance a writing career without disruption to work or family.

The degree consists of five residencies (three summer sessions and two winter sessions) over the course of two years. Each 8-day residency consists of morning workshops, afternoon talks, and evening readings. Four semesters of distance mentorship provide a personalized academic experience based on each student’s individual writing goals.

Current Student and Alumni Opportunities and Events

Creative writing retreats.

The MFA program offers creative writing retreats held on campus and remotely that are open to the public. Participants study with MFA faculty in small group writing workshops and close reading discussion groups. The on-campus retreats are held in the idyllic Edgehill Mansion. Faculty and participants have lunch together in Caleruega Hall and take a nature walk on campus during our outdoor journal writing activity. There is an online retreat option over Zoom that follows a similar schedule. Registration is now open for our Spring 2024 Creative Writing Retreat.  Click here for more details.

Our optional MFA track in Narrative Medicine grounds students in the art of storytelling and supports them as they take up the subject of the body and express through writing what happens when a physical or mental anguish disrupts a life.

Students will contemplate the differences between being cured and being healed of disease, and the therapeutic role creative writing can play in the process of healing.

History of Narrative Medicine The term “Narrative Medicine” typically applies to the inclusion of literary study as an integral part of the education of caregivers. In these programs, medical students, doctors, and other caregivers practice the art of attentive listening through the close reading of creative literature.

Close reading trains caregivers to follow clues to a patient’s illness that may not have a physical symptom, to listen for subtexts and hear significant metaphors within the patient’s narrative. Close reading also helps to nurture the qualities of empathy and compassion, qualities that have traditionally been nurtured by the arts and humanities.

To receive regular updates about our program, including information about upcoming admissions events, workshops and residencies, please sign up for the MFA Newsletter .

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To read prior newsletters, view the MFA newsletter archives .

Band Practice

Each week, you can join MFA students and alumni can join an online writing drop-in session. Band Practice is a supportive space to generate new writing and develop a strong writing practice.

Coffee with Classmates

At residencies, MFA students host group conversations on topics related to being a writer, the craft of writing, and the literary world. Through Coffee with Classmates students have a direct voice in the content and focus of each residency. It also provides an opportunity for students to develop their teaching and leadership skills.

MFA Student Assistantships

MFA graduate student assistant positions offer experience in writing, social media, and editorial management of the Tuxedo Literary Magazine. These positions are conducted largely remotely with occasional on-campus events.

Editorial Experience and Writing Contests

The MFA program runs various co-curricular activities that provide students with insights into literary publishing. MFA students serve as editors for the Tuxedo literary journal and review submissions to writing contests.

Graduates of the MFA program enter into a supportive and active alumni community. Our alumni have many opportunities to participate in creative writing and professional development opportunities at Dominican including:

• Weekly Band Practice writing sessions
• Teaching Assistantships at Residencies
• On-campus Creative Writing Retreats in Fall and Spring
• Select Residency events including an Alumni Reception
• Online writing workshops
• Give public readings alongside current students and faculty at local venues, writing conferences and festivals
• Publication opportunities in the MFA Newsletter and Tuxedo literary journal
• Access to a private Linkedin MFA Alumni group  

Career Paths

Graduates of Dominican’s MFA in Creative Writing program are ready to pursue a variety of careers as a writer, as well as work in related fields such as education, teaching, editing, marketing, publishing, grant writing, and nonprofit arts organizations.

Meet Our Mentors

Judy Halebsky

Judy is the author of the poetry collections “Tree Line and Sky=Empty” which won the New Issues Prize. Her chapbook “Space/Gap/Interval/Distance” won the Poets-Under-Forty award from Sixteen Rivers Press. On a MEXT fellowship from the Japanese Ministry of Culture she trained in Butoh dance at the Ohno Studio in Yokohama and studied Noh theatre at Hosei University in Tokyo. Her translations of poetry from Japanese to English include work by Yuka Tsukagoshi and Mizuho Ishida  Most recently, she has written essays on Moth-style storytelling and the poet Chana Bloch.   See full bio here.

Joan Baranow

Joan founded and teaches in Dominican’s MFA program in creative writing. Her poetry has appeared in The Gettysburg Review, The Paris Review, JAMA, Feminist Studies, Spillway, and other magazines. Her poetry has also appeared in the anthologies that focus on writing and healing: Women Write Their Bodies: Stories of Illness and Recovery (Kent State, 2007) and The Art of Medicine in Metaphors (Copernicus Healthcare, 2012). She has published four books of poetry, most recently In the Next Life (Poetic Matrix Press, 2019). A Fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and long-time member of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, she has won individual artists fellowships in poetry from the Marin Arts Council and from the Ohio Arts Council. With her husband, physician, and poet David Watts, she produced the PBS documentary “Healing Words: Poetry & Medicine.” Her second documentary, “The Time We Have,” presents an intimate portrait of a young woman facing terminal illness.   See Joan's full bio here.

Claudia Morales

Claudia Morales (1988) is an author and scholar from Chiapas, Mexico. Her debut novel, No Habrá Retorno (Coneculta Chiapas 2015, reissued by Los Libros del Perro 2021) won the prestigious National Rosario Castellanos Prize for Short Novels. Her work has been supported by the Fulbright Program and the Foundation for Mexican Letters where she was a writing fellow. Claudia's stories have been featured in Rio Grande Review 2022, The Offing Magazine 2021, Lunch Ticket 2019, Ficción Atómica (Palindroma 2020), Mexicanas: Trece Narrativas Contemporáneas (Fondo Blanco 2021) and her second novel Calao Bicorne is forthcoming in Fondo Blanco, Spring 2023.   See Claudia's full bio here.

Thomas Burke

Thomas Burke is the author of the fiction collection Where Is Home from Fithian Press. His work has been published in reviews including The James White Review, Harrington Gay Men’s Fiction Quarterly, The Chiron Review, and the Evergreen Chronicles; in webzines; and in anthologies including Queer and Catholic (Routledge). Twice nominated for a Pushcart prize, he received the Steven L. Smith Prize for Gay Fiction.   See full bio here.

Marianne Rogoff

Marianne Rogoff, PhD, is the author of the Pushcart-nominated story collection Love Is Blind in One Eye, the memoir Silvie’s Life, and numerous travel stories, short fictions, essays, and book reviews.

Since 2018, her writing has been a Finalist in Narrative magazine’s Spring Story Contest, Top 10 for the Tillie Olsen Story Award, on the Short List for the Bath International Novella-in-Flash Award, Top 10 for Sequestrum Editor’s Reprint Award, Finalist for ScreenCraft’s Cinematic Short Story Award, Semifinalist for the Tamaqua Award from Hidden River Arts for a book of essays, and Finalist for the Ernest Hemingway Flash Fiction Prize. As adjunct professor at Dominican University, she teaches fiction, creative non-fiction and the personal essay.

Kim Culbertson

Kim Culbertson is the author of the YA novels Songs for a Teenage Nomad (Sourcebooks 2010), Instructions for a Broken Heart (Sourcebooks 2011), which was named a Booklist Top Ten Romance Title for Youth: 2011 and also won the 2012 Northern California Book Award for YA Fiction, Catch a Falling Star (Scholastic 2014), The Possibility of Now (Scholastic 2016), which was named a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year (2017 edition), and The Wonder of Us (Scholastic 2017). Much of her inspiration comes from her background teaching high school since 1997. In 2012, Kim wrote her eBook novella The Liberation of Max McTrue for her students, who, over the years, have taught her far more than she has taught them. Kim also works as a fiction mentor for the Dominican University MFA in Creative Writing. She lives in Northern California with her husband and daughter.

Robert F. Bradford

Robert F. Bradford writes plays, stories, poems and songs. His work has been honored with two Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards. His writing has been published in Raven’s Perch, Strange Encounters, Pithead Chapel, and elsewhere.

Lee Kravetz

Lee Kravetz is the author of the national bestselling novel The Last Confessions of Sylvia P ., (The Millions Most Anticipated Pick and A GMA March Reads Pick) as well as acclaimed nonfiction, Strange Contagion and SuperSurvivors . He has written for print and television, including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Psychology Today, The Daily Beast, The San Francisco Chronicle, and PBS. He lives in Berkeley with his wife and two children.

Iris Jamahl Dunkle

Iris Jamahl Dunkle is an award-winning literary biographer and poet and former Poet Laureate of Sonoma County, CA. Her latest books include the biography Charmian Kittredge London: Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer (University of Oklahoma Press, 2020) and her poetry collection West : Fire : Archive (The Center for Literary Publishing, 2021).  Her next biography Done Dirty: Sanora Babb, the American West, and a Forgotten Literary Masterpiece will be published by the University of California Press in 2024. Dunkle received her MFA from New York University and her Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University. She’s received fellowships from Biographers International, Vermont Studio Center, and Millay Arts.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How will an mfa in creative writing degree help my career.

The MFA is designed to support poets and writers who wish to complete and publish a book manuscript. Thus, the focus is on honing your writing skills and learning about the publishing industry.

However, since the MFA is recognized as a terminal degree in academe, you would be eligible to apply for college-level positions. You will also be prepared for jobs that require strong writing skills, such as publishing, editing, marketing, public relations, social media and web content strategy.

Are scholarships available?

MFA Endowed Scholarship

The Matthew Henderson Award is an endowed scholarship that supports MFA students and is awarded on the basis of merit and need. All MFA students who apply for financial aid will be considered for this scholarship.

Dominican MFA Tuition Discount 

We offer a tuition discount of $300 each semester to many students enrolled in the program. 

Alpha Omicron Rho

We are home to the Alpha Omicron Rho chapter of the English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta, which offers graduate level scholarships.  

MFA Student Assistantships  

Students may apply for graduate student assistantships in writing, social media, and editorial management of the Tuxedo Literary Magazine. These positions are conducted largely remotely with occasional on-campus events.

 Tuition and Aid

What is the length of your program?

Our MFA starts with a residency and runs for two years, for a total of five residencies and four mentorship semesters.

May I take longer than two years to complete the program?

Yes. You have up to five years to complete the MFA in Creative Writing program. Consult with the graduate director to create a degree plan.

May I focus on more than one genre?

Yes, with the approval of a mentor and the graduate director.

What happens during the mentorship semesters?

During semester-long mentorships you will be writing towards the goals outlined in your individualized syllabus. Once a month you will meet with your cohort group for a workshop and one-on-one sessions with your mentor. Workshops and faculty mentor sessions are held online. Your mentor is always available for support and instruction throughout the semester.

How many students are enrolled in your program?

All MFA students attend the winter (January) and summer (June) residencies together. During the Fall and Spring mentorship semesters, students are broken out into smaller groups of three to five students per mentor, in accordance with the AWP guidelines and best teaching practices.

How can I support the MFA program at Dominican?

Thank you for supporting the MFA program. Gifts to Dominican University of California have a profound impact on our students. 

MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY

Degrees Offered

School/department.

School of Liberal Arts and Education

Course Catalog

Learning Outcomes and Course Descriptions

Program Contact

Deepa Raghupathy, MBA

Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions

• (415) 458-3748
• [email protected]
• Schedule an Appointment

Faculty, Staff and Mentors

Judy Halebsky, PhD

• Japanese Noh Theater

Joan Baranow, PhD

Natalie Babler

Claudia Morales Ramirez

Vivian Delchamps, PhD

• 19th Century Literature
• Illness, Pain, Disability

Christina Lopez, MFA

David watts, creative writing: in the news.

Poet and Filmmaker Dr. Joan Baranow: New Work Inspired by Family, Healing, Happiness

MFA Summer Residency Collaborates With Art Therapy Program

Former US Poet Laureate Among Poets Exploring Writing Across Languages

La Vida Dominican

La Vida Dominican is a program for all students, increasing educational access and connection to support services, enabling degree completion and post-graduation success. Particularly, La Vida is centering experiences of students from Latinx and other historically underserved backgrounds.

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Welcome to the Department of Creative Writing

The mission of the Department of Creative Writing is to make our writers attentive readers of the literatures of the world and socially aware members of society, who can use writing for self-expression, explorations of the possibilities of the medium, as well as in service of social causes and concerns.

Why Creative Writing at SF State?

In Creative Writing classes, students work with an active, publishing faculty. They learn by vigorous practice; by focused studies of craft; and by extensive reading, analysis and discussion of their work, as well as that of published authors.

Our well-published and well-recognized faculty teach in our undergraduate, masters and masters of fine arts program, in which they guide students in the production and revision of their craft in creative nonfiction, fiction, playwriting, poetry and literary translation. Learn more about our faculty .

A great many of our students, and alumni go on to publish imaginative work of distinction; many others are in positions of leadership in publishing firms, foundations and art organizations. View our extensive list of alumni publications .

Announcements

Endowed Chair Dr. Tonya Foster Wins 2023 C.D. Wright Award for Poetry!

Congratulations to Professor Foster! Read more about the award and Dr. Foster here . 

Congratulations, Caro De Robertis, John Passos Prize Winner!

Professor De Robertis’ named John Dos Passos Prize winner.  Read more about the award !

Tomorrow in Shanghai long-listed for the Story Prize

Tomorrow in Shanghai long listed for the Story Prize . Congratulations to Professor Chai! 

Strike! December 5th Action on SF State Campus

Creative Writers on Strike!

• July 25, 2024 The Palace of Eros - New Novel by Professor Caro De Robertis! Professor Caro De Robertis is releasing a new novel! Please read their message below for all the details. Congratulations to…
• June 10, 2024 Kiana Lew, BA CW Alumni- Debut Novel DANCE O THE STARLIT SEA Join CW BA Alumni for the launch of their debut novel, DANCE OF THE STARLIT SEA Location: Books Inc. 2251 Chestnut St., San…
• March 05, 2024 Lara Coley Debut Poetry Collection ex traction Congratulations to MFA Alumni Lara Coley on her debut poetry collection, ex traction! Lara Coley delivers her debut poetry…
• Aug 06 Dance of the Starlit Sea Book Launch Tue, August 06, 06:00 pm Books Inc. Chestnut - 2251 Chestnut St, San Francisco
• Aug 13 LAUNCH: Caro de Robertis with Ingrid Rojas Contreras / THE PALACE OF EROS Tue, August 13, 07:00 pm The Booksmith: 1727 Haight St., San Francisco, CA 94117

Trans Brilliance, Trans Futures: Leading Writers Speak Out is a Creative Writing Department virtual panel featuring three acclaimed trans writers: Julián Delgado Lopera (Lamba Award-winning author of "Fiebre Tropical"), Jo Livingstone (author and critic, winner of the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing from the National Book Critics’ Circle) and Denne Michele Norris (editor-in-chief of "Electric Literature" and author of the forthcoming novel, "When the Harvest Comes"). Moderated by Professor Caro De Robertis (John Dos Passos Prize for Literature-winning author of "The President and the Frog" and "Cantoras") Co-hosted by Creative Writing Department Acting Chair, Prof. May-lee Chai

The What’s Next Panel discusses the variety of pathways in which students might apply their Creative Writing degree. Writers Matt Ortile, Lydia Jen, Trevaughn Roach-Carter, Emily Hunt Kivel and Matthew Clark Davison share aspects of their personal writing journey post-graduation.

SF State Creative Writing Department Virtual Panel M.A. or M.F.A.: Q & A Thursday, October 26th, 2023, from 1 - 2 p.m.; featuring M.F.A. Candidates Gretchen Cion, Billy Gong & Ryan Jones and hosted by Professor and Graduate Coordinator May-lee Chai

The Department of Creative Writing presents a virtual panel of four distinguished authors describing their own pathways to publication in different genres of writing, including first publications, how they determine where and with whom they'd like to be published, working across genres, advice for emerging authors, etc. with a Q&A from audience members.

Hasti Jafari, Class of 2023 Commencement Speech

Hasti Jafari, recent graduate with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, was the class of 2023 graduate student selected to represent classmates in the College of Liberal & Creative Arts during Commencement.

Since coming to SF State from Iran, playwright and theatre artist Hasti Jafari has been extraordinarily active in the Creative Writing Department — whether they are creating a series of zines on the Jina revolution in Iran (also known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement), writing comedic plays and creative nonfiction, volunteering or teaching.

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MFA in Creative Writing Info Session | AULA

September 4 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm pdt.

Attend our upcoming  Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing  Information Session to chat with faculty and learn more about the program and genres you can choose from: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Writing for Young People, Writing for the Screen, Playwriting, Genre Jumping – Mixed Genre Experience, and Dual Concentration – Double-Genre!

This info session will be held online using Zoom on  Wednesday, September 4, 2024, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM PDT . We’ll send an email before the event with the link and details on how to connect!

AULA Admissions

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• Financing Your Education

The MFA in Writing program offers students a number of unique opportunities to help finance their degree. The fellowships and assistantship here are open only to MFA students. There are additional USF graduate student opportunities for aid detailed in the College of Arts and Sciences graduate admission site.

Writing, MFA

• Program Overview
• Reading Series
• How to Apply

Estimated Tuition

The estimated cost of the MFA in Writing Program is $1,660 per unit for the 2024-2025 academic year, with a minimum of 16 units required to be completed each academic year. Students typically take an average of 16 units in the first academic year and 16 units in the second academic year. A total of 32 units are required for the degree. Program fees are subject to adjustment annually, and the number of required units may vary based on enrollment status. Please contact director Micah Ballard ( [email protected] ) to discuss the specifics of the program.

The Dean's Scholarship

The Dean’s Scholarship grants recipients compensation for research and for conference travel. Additional benefits include the Dean's Scholar kickoff and reception, connection with other Dean's Scholars and with leaders across the college, and the chance to serve as program representatives to USF donors and Development initiatives.

To be considered for the $15,000 Dean's Scholarship towards their first year of tuition, students must apply by the program's priority deadline.

Learn about the Dean's Scholarship

Double Dons Scholarship

USF Alumni and current students can be awarded the USF Double Dons Scholarship upon admission. The scholarship covers 20% of the program tuition, and may not be stacked with other USF scholarship awards. Exceptions may apply.

Double Dons on MyUSF

Graduate Fellowships

Each year, we provide a small number of fellowships on a competitive basis. They are awarded to the top candidates in each genre. All applicants are automatically considered for a graduate fellowship; no separate application is needed. You will learn of any fellowship award at the time we notify you of your acceptance to the program.

Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowship

Recent graduates of the MFA program can apply to teach the Introduction to Creative Writing for non-majors course offered by the undergraduate English department. The fellow will teach craft fundamentals to students at a beginning level, drawing on literary models in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction; provide creative prompts for student writing and helpful feedback on student work; and foster engagement with literature and creative writing.

Lawrence Ferlinghetti Poetry Fellowship

This fellowship honors  Lawrence Ferlinghetti  who published and supported the work of writers who were outsiders — outside traditional academia or traditional social conventions. In his long career, Ferlinghetti has been a staunch proponent of First Amendment rights, including free speech. This fellowship, which provides full tuition funding, is awarded bi-annually to an applicant in poetry whose work embodies a concern for social justice and freedom of expression, interpreted in the broadest possible way.

Zivic Fellowship

The Zivic Fellowship, named after MFA alumna Jan Zivic, recognizes and supports an outstanding fiction or nonfiction student currently in the MFA program. To be considered, students must submit a writing sample and a one page statement to the MFA program. The fellowship is distributed in the fall semester of the student's second year.

MFA Zivic Fellows

• 2022 - Anagha Garudangiri
• 2021 - Jesse Herwitz & Basante Yassein
• 2019 - Sayantika Mandal
• 2018 - Lindsay Quintanilla
• 2016 - Katherine Bove & Melanie Morris
• 2015 - Ebonie Ledbetter
• 2014 - Ian Jacoby

MFA Faculty Fellow

• 2022 - Bobbie Quinn

Teaching Assistantships

The MFA in Writing Program, in conjunction with the undergraduate English department, offers several teaching assistantships to qualified students. Current students can apply for available assistantships. There are usually 8–12 positions per semester.