Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a 48-hour degree program for students who wish to become professional writers of playwriting, fiction, or poetry. The program requires students to take two sections of ENGL 6100: Literary Forms (one in and one out of genre), twelve hours of workshop in their genre, three to six hours of workshop out of their genre, three to six hours for thesis writing, and eighteen hours of elective credit, six of which must be from literature courses.

Graduates from the MFA program pursue their writing careers in a variety of ways. Sometimes they decide to teach the craft of writing at the college or university level, and many of our students go on to doctoral study in prestigious programs such as those at the University of Georgia, the University of Iowa, the University of Houston, and Ohio University.

The MFA meets the minimal academic qualification appropriate for those who wish to teach the craft of writing at the college or university level.

Improving the future of our communities and our world. It starts with our students. Our innovative educational approach and leading-edge research opportunities prepare students for successful careers and a better future.

Western Michigan University is a learner-centered research university, building intellectual inquiry and discovery into undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in a way that fosters knowledge and innovation, and transforms wisdom into action. As a public university, WMU provides leadership in teaching, research, learning, and service, and is committed to enhancing the future of our global citizenry.

Western Michigan University offers experiences that enable discovery and promote creativity and research. We are committed to pursuing inquiry, disseminating knowledge, and fostering critical thinking that encourages life-long learning. Our scholarship creates new knowledge, forms a basis for innovative solutions, leads to economic development, and makes substantial contributions to society.