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Boston University MFA Program in Creative Writing, one of the oldest and most prestigious programs in this country. Our alumni in poetry include Elizabeth Alexander, Erin Belieu, Rafael Campo, Melissa Green, Glyn Maxwell, Carl Phillips and Don Share; in fiction, our alumni include Peter Ho Davies, Arthur Golden, Ha Jin, Jhumpa Lahiri, Askold Melnyczuk, and Melanie Rae-Thon. The Atlantic magazine has ranked our program among the top five percent of all creative writing programs for the distinction of its faculty and alumni, and has ranked ours among the top ten programs overall.

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Boston University MA in Creative Writing

Creative Writing is a concentration offered under the writing studies major at Boston University. We’ve gathered data and other essential information about the master’s degree program in creative writing, such as diversity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more.

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• Graduate Cost
• Online Learning
• Student Diversity

Featured Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

MFA in Creative Writing - Online

Embrace your passion for storytelling and learn the professional writing skills you'll need to succeed with our online MFA in Creative Writing. Write your novel or short story collection while earning a certificate in the Online Teaching of Writing or Professional Writing, with no residency requirement.

MA in English & Creative Writing

Refine your writing skills and take a step toward furthering your career with this online master's from Southern New Hampshire University.

Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction

Harness your passion for storytelling with SNHU's Mountainview Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction. In this small, two-year creative writing program, students work one-on-one with our distinguished faculty remotely for most of the semester but convene for weeklong intensive residencies in June and January. At residencies, students critique each other's work face-to-face, meet with major authors, agents and editors and learn how to teach at the college level.

How Much Does a Master’s in Creative Writing from Boston U Cost?

Boston u graduate tuition and fees.

In 2019-2020, the average part-time graduate tuition at Boston U was $1,777 per credit hour for both in-state and out-of-state students. The average full-time tuition and fees for graduate students are shown in the table below.

Does Boston U Offer an Online MA in Creative Writing?

Online degrees for the Boston U creative writing master’s degree program are not available at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Boston U Online Learning page.

Boston U Master’s Student Diversity for Creative Writing

Male-to-female ratio.

Of the students who received their master’s degree in creative writing in 2019-2020, 50.0% of them were women. This is less than the nationwide number of 66.6%.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

Around 25.0% of creative writing master’s degree recipients at Boston U in 2019-2020 were awarded to racial-ethnic minorities*. This is about the same as the nationwide number of 24%.

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies .

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Quotes, Comments, and Cheers from BU’s 151st Commencement

There were chants of “Ken! Ken! Ken!” and other notable quotes, comments, and cheers from graduating students, their families, and BU faculty

BU was loud. BU was proud. Here are a few standout quotes from throughout the day.

Molly Callahan

Janice checchio.

Boston University was buzzing on Sunday for the University’s 151st Commencement exercises. 

Thousands of friends and family had traveled to campus to cheer on their graduates, and students were awash in their vibrant red robes. Street vendors hawked colorful bouquets and stuffed animals, and protesters supporting three different causes—Boston University Graduate Workers Union striking for a new contract, BU Residence Life workers demanding more support, and a robust pro-Palestine movement—banged drums and chanted on Harry Agganis Way. And then there was the impressive lineup of speakers during the actual ceremony on Nickerson Field. 

BU was loud. BU was proud. Here are a few standout quotes from throughout the day. 

“We’re feeling great; this is an exciting day for everyone at BU,” said Beatrix Tambunan, whose daughter, Sarah Knotts (CGS’22, Sargent’24), graduated with a degree in health sciences. “She really grew during her years at BU. She took on immense responsibilities as an RA [resident assistant], and we fully support her choices.”

“She’s my first-born, almost done with college!” said Maristelo Rapo, whose daughter, Alexis Rapo (CAS’24), studied political science at BU. Rapo said her family is originally from Brazil, but moved to Dover, Mass., more than a decade ago. “BU has been an amazing experience for Alexis—the friendships she’s made will take her around the world!”

“BU gave me who I am,” said Michael Arellano (CAS’24, GRS’24), this year’s Commencement student speaker. “BU gave me who I want to be. BU gave me you. Con cariño, con abrazo, con mil gracias.”

“President Freeman, fellow classmates, and Boston University’s newest alumni, it is our overwhelming pleasure to present the record-breaking 2024 Class Gift in the amount of $59,172!”—Yadira Cabrera (COM’24), who presented this year’s Class Gift alongside Amanda Brown (COM’24) and Sage Winkler (Questrom’24)

“Greetings, BU graduates! This is an exciting—and emotional—moment for me. I spoke on this stage at my Commencement in 1999, and, to be honest, I couldn’t believe I was there. I was a former trailer-park resident, beneficiary of the free school lunch program, and Pell Grant recipient. It was a long time before I realized that I deserved to be there that day. So today, I want to start out by sparing you any second-guessing: You deserve this.”—Jenny Gruber (ENG’99), president of the BU Alumni Association

Addressing Claudia Goldin, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on Sunday, Kenneth Freeman, BU president ad interim, said: “You are the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University. Your research explores the history of women’s quest for career and family, including the advent of the birth control pill…” and here Freeman had to stop for thunderous applause from the graduating students in the audience, before resuming: “…and the link between gender imbalances at home and inequity in the workplace. Your most recent book has been translated into 15 languages.”

“Your journey is not predetermined, which at times can make it unnerving,” said David Grann (GRS’94), who delivered this year’s Commencement address and received an honorary degree. “Surely there will be things out there you won’t find at BU, mates. But that is also what makes it an adventure—a journey of discovery. I doubt you will regret the things you dare to try, as opposed to things you don’t. I certainly never regretted trying to write fiction; it shaped the writer I am. And often the most rewarding moments of our quests are the ones born of seeming setbacks, the ones that opened our eyes to new possibilities and led to triumphant ends we could not imagine.”

“I love those guys.”—Harvey Young, dean of the College of Fine Arts and a College of Arts & Sciences professor of English, as CFA graduates cheered raucously while he presented the candidates for degrees

“Mr. President, I have the honor to present the candidates for Masters of the Universe.”—Susan Fournier, dean of the Questrom School of Business, during an improvised moment as she presented the candidates for degrees

“Upon the recommendation of the faculty, and by the authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts given to the Trustees of Boston University—and entrusted by them to me—I hereby confer upon you the degrees that you have earned, together with all appropriate honors, privileges, and responsibilities, in token of which you will be granted diplomas.”—Kenneth Freeman, BU president ad interim. “On your shoulders rests the enormous responsibility for guiding our nation and the world, and for addressing the substantial challenges we face. You are the future for this University, for this country, and for humanity.”

“Ken! Ken! Ken!”—Graduates and attendees as Ahmass Fakahany (Questrom’79), president of the BU Board of Trustees, thanked Ken Freeman for his service as interim president and announced that incoming president Melissa Gilliam will take over the post starting July 1.

“Free free free Palestine!”—a crowd of pro-Palestine protesters on Harry Agganis Way following the ceremony. About 100 graduates, some wearing keffiyehs or waving Palestinian flags, walked out of the ceremony following Commencement speaker David Grann’s speech.

“I feel overwhelmed, happy, sad, excited—so many emotions,” said Shafali Verma (CAS’24) right after the ceremony ended. “Some of my best memories are the times I spent with friends in our dorms, just hanging out, debriefing at 11 p.m. That’s what I’ll miss.” 

“I’m sad that this era of my life is coming to a close,” said Andrea Morales (CAS’24, COM’24), “but I’m excited for what’s to come.”

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Senior Writer

Molly Callahan began her career at a small, family-owned newspaper where the newsroom housed computers that used floppy disks. Since then, her work has been picked up by the Associated Press and recognized by the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2016, she moved into a communications role at Northeastern University as part of its News@Northeastern reporting team. When she's not writing, Molly can be found rock climbing, biking around the city, or hanging out with her fiancée, Morgan, and their cat, Junie B. Jones. Profile

Associate Creative Director, Photography

Janice Checchio has been an art director, editorial designer, photo editor, photographer, or some combination of the aforementioned for 12 years. After seven years at The Boston Phoenix and Stuff Boston Magazine , she returned to direct photography at Boston University, where she had received a BFA in Graphic Design. She lives a photo–ready life in Dorchester with her husband, son, and way too many pairs of glasses. Profile

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'It’s a creative community': Creative writing class in Lawrence connects its housed, unhoused community

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Brian Daldorph taught creative writing at the Douglas County Jail for 20 years until the COVID-19 pandemic ended the class, now he teaches a class of housed and unhoused people at the Homeless Resource Center in Lawrence.

After the Douglas County Jail class — which Daldorph wrote a book about and won the 2024 Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Literary Nonfiction award — ended in 2021, Daldorph said he wanted a different sort of challenge.

Daldorph was already a volunteer at the Homeless Resource Center when a former director suggested he bring the creative writing class to the center.

So, he began teaching the class again in August 2023.

“It’s for unhoused people in our community but also for the community as well, so that everybody can come together in the class,” Daldorph said.

Daldorph enjoys giving people the opportunity to write creatively.

“I’ve learned so much, I mean, it’s a great opportunity for me to meet people, to hear their stories and do my own writing, which is kind of inspired by the class," he said.

One student in particular stands out.

“Lee is just dynamic," Daldorph said.

Lee was present for class on Tuesday, May 28.

“The class is filled with different types of people that are in different situations in their lives," she said.

Lee said she began taking the class seven months ago because of her own situation; she says she's a survivor of domestic abuse and lost custody of her children.

Lee is also homeless.

“It’s a break, it’s kind of a break, and it’s something, you know, that a lot of people that come here look forward to because it’s about being around people that are trying to do the same thing," she said.

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A Voice for Everyone

The BU Creative Writing Global Fellowships

follow our MFA candidates as they travel the world for inspiration

• Current Fellows
• Past Fellows

A generous donor, Robert Hildreth, has made it possible for us to send most of our students abroad after they complete their degree requirements. The Robert Pinsky Global Fellows in Poetry and the Leslie Epstein Global Fellows in Fiction may go to any country and do there what they wish, for a typical stay of up to three months. After a year of study with our faculty–our core faculty members are Leslie Epstein and Ha Jin (fiction) and Karl Kirchwey and Robert Pinsky (poetry)–we are very pleased to offer our students an experience that will continue to challenge as well as delight.

The Global Fellowship adventure is not only intended to help our MFA candidates grow as writers, but also to widen eyes, minds, and hearts–from which better writing and poetry might eventually flow. Our students have traveled to every continent but Antarctica (so far), to places such as Greenland , Patagonia , Iran , Bhutan and Thailand , Cuba , Russia , and Brazil . Please follow the links in our navigation bar to read about each fellow’s journey.

Please click here for details on how to apply to the MFA program.

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