mfa in creative writing iowa

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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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The Nonfiction Writing Program

The Nonfiction Writing Program is one of the oldest—and boldest—nonfiction programs in the nation, located in America's most cherished literary city.

Our faculty are outstanding mentors because they are published working writers, nationally recognized scholars, and pedagogical pathbreakers. Through small workshop-style classes, they will help you hone your creative talent and empower you to tell your stories through essays, memoir, literary journalism, travelogue, biography, and other genres. And you'll have unique opportunities to immerse yourself in writing, from attending readings to editing journals to selecting winners of national awards. 

For the past forty years, the Nonfiction Writing Program has encouraged students to explore new approaches to creative nonfiction while also developing an appreciation for the deep history of the genre.

In small, aesthetically diverse courses such as Forms of the Essay, Readings in Nonfiction, Radio Essays, Literary Journalism, Memoir, Travelogues, and A History of the Essay, the Nonfiction Writing Program strives to create an atmosphere that’s both supportive and challenging, generating discussions and debates in a dynamic community.

During the program’s three years of study, our students receive funding through fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching positions as instructors in writing and literature. They're also eligible for an additional $50,000 in research grants every year to help them pursue their own writing projects.

Occasionally our students travel abroad in a series of overseas writing workshops that are led by the program's faculty, and while on campus they help judge the Iowa Prize in Literary Nonfiction and the annual Krause Essay Prize for innovative essays.

Outside of the classroom, students in the NWP help run a variety of literary organizations, including two highly popular reading series for graduate students, Anthology and Speakeasy. They help read submissions for the national literary magazine The Iowa Review and also edit their own journal The Essay Review .  And finally, they give back, volunteering their time as writing instructors in the Lloyd-Jones Institute for Outreach, through which we offer free and immersive classes in creative writing to people throughout Iowa and beyond.

Krause Essay Prize

Founded in 2006, the Krause Essay Prize is awarded each year to the work that best exemplifies the art of essaying.

Recent NWP News

NWP Alum Jonathan Gleason Wins Inaugural Yale Nonfiction Book Prize

Tisa Bryant's Unexplained Presence re-released by Wave Books, with afterword by Margo Jefferson

NWP Visiting Professor News

NWP Alum Hannah Bonner to Read with Poet Dan Wriggins at Prairie Lights Books

NWP students and alumni featured by Graduate College

Krause Essay Prize Ceremony to Celebrate Chris Dennis

NWP Students Barr and Jones Awarded Marcus Bach Fellowship

NWP Alumni Abildskov and Taffa Awarded NEA Fellowships

Congratulations, bennett sims, finalist for the story prize, recent publications by nwp alumni.

Writers' Workshop

The Iowa Writers' Workshop

Two-year full-residency Master of Fine Arts in fiction and poetry

For more than 80 years writers have come to Iowa City to work on their manuscripts and to exchange ideas about writing and reading with each other and with the faculty. Many of them have gone on to publish award-winning work after graduating. With the spirit of an arts colony and the benefits of the research University of which we are a part, the Writers' Workshop continues to foster and to celebrate American literature in all its varied forms.

About the Writers' Workshop

How to Apply

Kevin Brockmeier speaks with James Alan McPherson in 1994

Program News

Jayne anne phillips wins 2024 pulitzer prize for fiction, workshop faculty and alumni named 2024 guggenheim fellows, ada zhang winner of a 2024 whiting award in fiction, justin torres wins the 2023 national book award for fiction, upcoming events.

Book Matters: Louisa Hall and Bennett Sims in conversation with Donika Kelly

Prompt for the Planet: Community Promises

Ling Ma Reading and Q & A

Creative Writing and Environment

Iowa State University’s three-year MFA program in Creative Writing and Environment cultivates in its students an interdisciplinary approach to research and writing. The program's unique design allows writers to develop a heightened environmental imagination that finds expression in quality, publishable works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. The program is designed to prepare students for careers as writers, teachers, editors, and environmental educators. The MFA degree requires 54 hours of graduate credit: a core of creative writing courses, a book-length thesis (6 credits), experiential environmental fieldwork (3 credits), and 12 credits in disciplines other than English (such as Landscape Architecture, Anthropology, Environmental Science, among many others) relevant to an individual student's research interests and thesis project.

Degrees Offered:

• Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

• Median time to earn the master’s: 2.8 years  (Methods)

Graduate Program Office

Learning goals.

• Demonstrate understanding of craft and professional practice through coursework, workshops, and completion of refined imaginative literary manuscripts in multiple genres
• Identify, research, and examine—through coursework, fieldwork, and literary practice—the natural world and the environmental imagination
• Broaden and deepen understanding of literary and theoretical traditions of the major genres and the methodologies of craft analysis and practice
• Broaden and deepen understanding of the cultural and natural environment through significant coursework in environmental courses available at Iowa State University both within and beyond the MFA program and English Department
• Design, write, workshop, refine, and defend a significant body of publishable- or production-quality imaginative writing, including a full-length thesis manuscript, which demonstrates professional understanding and application of craft and technique, literary tradition, and the environmental imagination
• Gain practical training and experience in creating and fostering a healthy literary community and sustaining a professional life in letters through teaching and research assistantships and internships, literary journal editorial internships and positions, as well as land stewardship, reading series, and other outreach opportunities

Admission Requirements

Graduate College Requirements:

• 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
• Academic Records/Transcripts
• Minimum 3.0 GPA  (Program may alter requirement.)
• Proof of English Proficiency.

Program Specific Requirements:

• Pearl Hogrefe Fellowship in Creative Writing application information
• Three letters of recommendation (LOR)
• Application for Teaching Assistantship statement
• All nonnative speaking applicants must provide an audio/video of spontaneous spoken English emailed to [email protected].
• NOTE: Nonnative speakers of English may NOT be required to submit English proficiency test scores (see below). Review downloadable Graduate Application Instructions document .
• Program Requires GRE: No
• Program Requires GMAT: No
• Program Will Review Without TOEFL or IELTS: No

International Requirements:

• Financial Statement:   Application

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines:

January 5 (once per year for fall semester entry only). Early application completion is encouraged.

Application Details:

This program is open to domestic and international students.

Application Instructions

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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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I'm super into writing, and I wanna pursue an MFA in creative writing after I finish my undergrad. Are there any fully funded MFA programs out there that I should be considering? Thanks in advance!

Hey there! It's awesome that you're passionate about writing and want to pursue an MFA in creative writing. There are quite a few fully-funded MFA programs you can consider. When a program is fully-funded, it typically means that accepted students receive a stipend or tuition waiver, allowing them to complete the program without incurring any additional debt. Keep in mind, however, that the level of funding and resources may vary among different programs and institutions. Here are some prominent fully-funded MFA programs in creative writing:

1. University of Iowa – Iowa Writers' Workshop: This is one of the most prestigious creative writing programs in the United States and offers full funding for all students.

2. Cornell University: Cornell's MFA program is highly regarded and offers full funding, including a stipend, to all its students.

3. Vanderbilt University: Vanderbilt offers full funding, which includes tuition waivers and stipends, to all MFA students in creative writing.

4. University of Texas at Austin – Michener Center for Writers: This program offers generous fellowships to all its students, making it highly sought after.

5. University of Michigan: The MFA program at the University of Michigan offers full funding through a combination of teaching assistantships and fellowships.

6. The Ohio State University: The creative writing program at Ohio State provides full funding and support for its MFA students.

These are just a few examples, but there are many other fully-funded MFA programs out there. When looking at different programs, be sure to research the faculty, the program's reputation, the alumni network, and professional development opportunities in addition to funding. This will help you find the program that's the best fit for your writing goals and aspirations. Good luck!

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University of Iowa Fully Funded MFA in Writing

University of iowa.

The University of Iowa based in Iowa City, IA offers a two-year residency Writers’ Workshop program which culminates in the submission of a creative thesis (a novel, a collection of stories, or a book of poetry) and the awarding of an MFA degree. The program typically admits up to fifty graduate students each year – approximately twenty-five each in the fiction and poetry programs. Financial assistance is available for all students enrolled in the program, in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships. All financial aid packages include tuition.

• Deadline: Dec 15, 2024 (Confirmed)*
• Work Experience: Any
• Location: North America
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Iowa State University

Iowa, united states.

MFA PROGRAM IN CREATIVE WRITING AND ENVIRONMENT

The MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment is an interdisciplinary fine arts writing program housed in the Department of English. The first of its kind in the country, this three-year (54 credit) terminal degree combines intensive study of creative writing with required coursework in literature, as well as an interdisciplinary core of environmental coursework in disciplines other than English. MFA candidates also complete an environmental fieldwork experience, allowing them the opportunity to gain real-world skills and hands-on experience as they prepare to enter the job market. In the final year of the program, writers work one-on-one with faculty mentors on a book project for the completion of their thesis work.

The range of creative writing courses taught in the Department of English by the MFA program faculty includes undergraduate and graduate writing courses in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and screenplay writing, as well as a variety of special topics courses including Magazine Writing, Teaching Creative Writing, Travel Writing, Coming-of-Age Narratives, Short Story Cycles, Stories of Suburbia, Native American Storytelling, The Unreliable Narrator, and Where Social and Environmental Justice Meet. The program has sponsored study abroad courses in London, Ireland, and Trinidad/Tobago.

MFA FACULTY

Our five full-time MFA faculty are actively publishing books and journal pieces. The work of our faculty has garnered numerous literary honors and awards such as NEA Fellowships; a PEN USA Award; the Faulkner Award; the Elle Lettres Award from Elle Magazine; an American Library Association Award; honors at the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s New American Playwrights Project; honors from the Smithsonian CultureFest; honors at the Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition; the Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Fiction; the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction; and the Willa Award for the Contemporary Novel. The books of our faculty have been positively reviewed in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times.

At present, the MFA Program has thirty-one active graduate students. Our MFA candidates come from a range of colleges around the country, including Stanford University, Michigan State University, Colorado State, Marquette University, Ithaca College, University of Utah, and University of Kentucky among others. Their previous undergraduate and graduate degrees include more traditional BA and MA degrees in English as well as undergraduate or graduate degrees in disciplines outside of English, including Environmental Studies, Animal Ecology, Wildlife Biology, and Microbiology.

Our current students are actively publishing their work in literary journals such as Ninth Letter, Cincinatti Review, Cimarron Review, Passages North, dislocate, South Loop Review, Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, and Yemassee. Several of our current students have recently published books, including the following: Molly Backes (The Princesses of Iowa, 2012); Emily Horner (A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend, 2012); Eric Fisher Stone (The Providence of Grass, 2018); Allison Boyd Justus (Solstice to Solstice to Solstice: Poems, 2017).

Our alums are actively publishing and pursuing careers in green education, publishing and/or academe. Some recent alumni book publications are as follows: Lindsay Tigue (System of Ghosts, 2016); Melissa Sevigny (Mythical River: Chasing the Mirage of New Water in the American Southwest, 2016); John Linstrom (Ed, The Holy Earth: The Birth of a New Land Ethic, 2015); Marissa Landrigan (The Vegetarian's Guide to Eating Meat: A Young Woman's Search for Ethical Food, 2017); Taylor Brorby (Crude: Poems About Place, Energy, and Politics, 2017); Ander Monson (Neck Deep and Other Predicaments, 2007; Letter to a Future Lover: Marginalia, Errata, Secrets, Inscriptions, and Other Ephemera Found in Libraries, 2015; Vanishing Point: Not a Memoir, 2010); Xavier Cavazos (Diamond Grove Slave Tree, 2015); Lauren K. Alleyne (Difficult Fruit, 2014), Lucas Southworth (Everyone Here Has A Gun, 2013), Chloe Clark (The Science of Unvanishing Objects, 2018); Colin Rafferty (Hallow This Ground, 2016), Matthew Layne Glasgow (deciduous qween: poems, 2019).

In addition, our current students and alums have recently co-edited the following anthologies: Prairie Gold: An Anthology of the American Heartland (Co-Editors, Lance Sacknoff, Xavier Cavazos, and Stefanie Brook Trout); Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in America (Co-Editors, Taylor Brorby and Stefanie Brook Trout); and Sunvault: Stories of Eco-Speculation (Co-Editors, Phoebe Wagner and Bronte Christopher Wieland).

ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD EXPERIENCE

The ethical design of the MFA program aims to put students into the real world and prepare them for, among other things, careers in environmental education and green jobs. All students in the MFA program complete three credits of a fieldwork experience (English 560), which supplies them with practical, hands-on experience with environmental organizations. Our students have studied medicinal herbs in Spain, assisted world renowned primatologists in Senegal, volunteered on a mustang rescue ranch in Arizona, worked in museums, and done farming and publicity work on CSAs.

PRACTICUM OPPORTUNITIES

MFA students have the opportunity to gain professional experience in publishing and teaching creative writing through the following arranged courses: English 589: Literary Editing Practicum, a publishing practicum which involves co-editing our national literary journal, Flyway: Journal of Writing and Environment; and English 559: Creative Writing Teaching Internship, which offers MFA students the opportunity to teach small, breakout creative writing workshop to undergraduate students.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

The MFA Program makes every effort to offer assistantship support to all the students admitted to the MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment. At present, starting teaching assistantships for MFA students total $19,200 ($2,133 paid out over 9 months). Teaching assistants also receive a full tuition waiver scholarship (approximate value $8,950) and health insurance coverage.

THE EVERETT CASEY NATURE CENTER & RESERVE

In 2009, the MFA Program received the gift of a field teaching station situated fifteen miles from the ISU campus. The Casey Reserve is a 76 acre site that includes a section of Bluff Creek that oxbows between two timbered bluffs in Boone County. Future plans are to build a structure on the property to make the site more accessible and useful for field teaching. The property has been the site for many graduate writing projects, and MFA students have frequently taken their own students out to tackle a place-focused, freshman writing assignment.

FELLOWSHIPS & SCHOLARSHIPS

Pearl Hogrefe Creative Writing Fellowship: An endowment from the estate of Pearl Hogrefe allows the MFA program to recruit one talented writer to our program each year with the offer of full support without the obligation to teach for the first year of study. Partial Hogrefe Fellowships are also awarded on a competitive basis.

The Agrestal Scholarship and Lakeside Lab Residency: The MFA program partnered with ISU’s Lakeside Lab Field Station in 2009 to establish a summer residency in which students study with the state’s best ecologists and teach nature writing to younger students. The Residency Program allows a student to spend a semester in residence at Lakeside Lab while completing on a book about ecology and the natural world.

Contact Information

MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment 527 Farmhouse Lane, 203 Ross Hall, English Dept. Ames Iowa, United States 50011-1054 Phone: (515) 294-3173 Email: [email protected] https://engl.iastate.edu/graduate-students/mfa-program-in-creative-writing-and-environment/

Master of Fine Arts in MFA in Creative Writing & Environment +

Graduate program director.

An innovative MFA program that fuses creative writing workshops, cross-disciplinary coursework, and intensive field experience to help writers cultivate an understanding of the imprint of place, the natural world, and the environmental imagination on the poems, stories, and essays we create. From Homer's Odyssey to Melville's Moby Dick, from Black Elk to Black Boy, from Virginia Woolf to Tobias Wolff, the literary arts acknowledge an inherent connection between the imprint of place and environment on the stories and images that shape the work of literary writers. Iowa State University's three-year MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment emphasizes creative writing--poetry, fiction, and nonfiction--that explores the literary and environmental imagination in creative writing.

The human story finds its structure in geology and geography, both natural and constructed, and in the complex and rapidly-changing cultural and natural landscape. With more people sharing our planet's finite space, and with our planet and its systems imperiled, an educated attention to place in the broadest sense of the term is vital. Through a program of study that includes a rigorous combination of creative writing workshops, fieldwork experience, and cross disciplinary study, our MFA program offers gifted writers an original and intensive opportunity to document, meditate on, mourn, and celebrate the complexities of our transforming natural world.

Students in this MFA program will:

     -learn to write with skill and knowledge about place as a personal, political, and natural manifestation.

     -gain a cultural-historical understanding of environmental complexity through cross-disciplinary coursework.

     -become familiar with literary works that expand environmental and place-based consciousness.

     -produce publishable creative works in workshops and master classes.

     -utilize critical insight to evaluate their own writing and the writing of others.

     -receive experience and training in editing and publishing through participation with Flyway Literary Magazine.

     -benefit from practical real-world knowledge through fieldwork and internship opportunities.

     -complete a book-length manuscript of publishable quality under the guidance of a major professor.

The Creative Writing Program offers advanced imaginative writing workshops in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and a master workshop, as well as a pedagogy course on teaching creative writing. A summer course,Writing the Long Project, allows writers to work on an extended project, such as a novel, memoir, or book-length poetry manuscript. Special topics creative writing courses in the last few years have included the following titles and subjects: (1) The Unreliable Narrator; (2) Writing to the Extremes: Reading the Literature of Extremity; (3) Writing the Novella; (4) Illness as Metaphor; (5) Narrative Strategies: Reading Native American Writing; (6) Travel Writing; and (7) Re-Imagining the West.

Each year the Creative Writing Program schedules writers, editors, and publishers for readings and to work with students in the classroom. Iowa State University is home to the annual Pearl Hogrefe Visiting Writers Series. For more information, contact the Graduate Studies Office, Teresa Smiley, (515) 294-2477, or e-mail ([email protected]).

Barbara Haas

Barbara Haas (University of California-Irvine) coaxes from her CNF essays raw facts and empirical data the kind of nonfiction narrative that is at once grounded in information but also emotionally evocative. Instead of discovering and advancing original science about an eco-issue, or conducting research on it, her CNF involves aggregating and synthesizing existing knowledge with historical data, cultural happenings and contemporary events (ecological hazards, natural disasters, food issues, climate change and the like) in order to probe mysteries, illustrate basic truths and tell a good story.

This approach allows her to search out odd pockets of meaning, forge creative links, make connections between disparate elements and ultimately examine the social and cultural implications of the human drama beneath the sheer weight of numbers, facts and information. Her purpose is to contribute to an ongoing global debate or conversation about nature, ecology and culture. She has traveled extensively in service of this aim. Post-Soviet environmental issues in Russia are an enduring passion. Creating new media CNF essays for handheld devices allows her to indulge a guilty pleasure.

Her short stories have appeared in such journals as Glimmer Train, The Antioch Review, Georgia Review, Quarterly West, Western Humanities Review and others. She is a repeat contributor of fiction to The North American Review, Virginia Quarterly Review and the Hudson Review. The U.S. government has endorsed her work in the form of a National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship in Fiction.

Her short story collection is When California Was an Island.

https://engl.iastate.edu/directory/barbara-haas/

Debra Marquart

Debra Marquart (Moorhead State University) is the author of six books including, Small Buried Things: Poems (2015), The Horizontal World: Growing Up Wild in the Middle of Nowhere (2007), and a co-edited anthology of experimental writing, Nothing to Declare: A Guide to the Prose Sequence (2016). A Professor of English in the MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment at Iowa State University, Marquart is also the Senior Editor of Flyway: Journal of Writing & Environment. She has delivered over 250 invited readings and keynotes at universities and conferences from New York and Washington to Greece and Ireland. Her environmental poem, “Lament,” was selected for inclusion in Best American Poetry 2016.

Marquart is the recipient of over 50 grants and awards including an NEA Fellowship, a PEN USA Nonfiction Award, the Wachtmeister Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Normal Poetry Prize, the Paumanok Poetry Award, and Elle Magazine’s Elle Lettres Award. Her short story collection, The Hunger Bone: Rock & Roll Stories, which draws in her experiences as a road musician, was awarded the Headwaters Prize (New Rivers Press, 2001), and her poetry collection, From Sweetness, won the Pearl Poetry Award (Pearl Editions, 2002). Marquart’s first poetry collection, Everything’s a Verb, was awarded the Minnesota Voices Award.

Also a singer-songwriter, Marquart has recorded two CDs with her band, The Bone People: Orange Parade (original songs) and A Regular Dervish (jazz-poetry). With The Bone People, Marquart has adapted her poetry to auditory landscapes and backgrounds of music to enhance the auditory and performative quality of poetry. She continues to perform her jazz poetry and music with The Bone People and as a solo artist.

Marquart’s work has been featured on the BBC, and on three NPR programs—Morning Edition, Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac, and Tom Ashbrook’s On Point. She is currently working on two projects: a book of poems about the oil boom in her home state of North Dakota; and a memoir, entitled The Listening Room: Notes on a Life in Music, which is an acoustic ecology on the art of listening, an autobiography of dreaming and catastrophe, and a meditation on the pleasures of making and performing music.

https://engl.iastate.edu/directory/debra-marquart/

David Zimmerman

David Zimmerman (University of Alabama) attended Emerson College for film studies and then went on to earn an MFA in creative writing at the University of Alabama. He has worked as a publicist at St. Martin’s Press in NYC and taught writing at Georgia Southern University, Dilla University College in Ethiopia, South College in Savannah and the University of Wisconsin, where he was also a fiction fellow at the Wisconsin Institute of Creative Writing. His books include a novella, Socket, published by Anvil Press, and two novels published by Soho Press—The Sandbox, published in 2010, and Caring is Creepy, published in 2012.

https://engl.iastate.edu/directory/david-zimmerman/

K. L. Cook (Warren-Wilson College) is the author of three award-winning books of fiction. His first book, Last Call (Univ. of Nebraska Press, 2004), a collection of linked stories chronicling three decades in the life of a West Texas family, won the inaugural Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Fiction. The Girl from Charnelle (William Morrow/Harper Perennial, 2006-2007), a novel, won the Willa Award for Best Contemporary Fiction and was an Editor’s Choice selection of the Historical Novel Society, a Southwest Book of the Year, and a finalist for the James Jones First Novel Award. His most recent book, Love Songs for the Quarantined (Willow Springs Editions, 2011), a thematically linked story cycle, won the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction and was a Longlist Finalist for the Frank O’Connor International Story Prize.

Cook’s stories and essays have appeared in such journals and magazines as Glimmer Train, One Story, Harvard Review, The Writer’s Chronicle, Poets & Writers, Threepenny Review, Brevity, Louisville Review, Shenandoah, and American Short Fiction. His work has also been anthologized in Best American Mystery Stories 2012, Best of the West 2011, The Prairie Schooner Book Prize: Tenth Anniversary Reader, Teachable Moments: Essays on Experiential Education, Now Write: Fiction Exercises from Today’s Best Writers and Teachers, and When I Was a Loser. Other honors include the 2011 Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Short Story about the American West, the Grand Prize from the Santa Fe Writers Project, an Arizona Commission on the Arts fellowship and grant, and residency fellowships to the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, Ucross, and Blue Mountain Center.

Before coming to Iowa State, Cook was a Professor of Creative Writing and Literature at Prescott College—a private liberal arts college with an environmental and social justice mission—where he also served as the Chair of the Arts & Letters Department and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. He has also taught, as a Distinguished Visiting Professor, at St. Lawrence University, University of Oklahoma, Wichita State University, and Our Lady of the Lake University. Since 2004, he has been a member of the graduate faculty of Spalding University’s Brief-Residency MFA in Writing Program.

https://engl.iastate.edu/directory/k-l-cook/

Charissa Menefee

Charissa Menefee (Southern IL U-Carbondale, 1992) is a playwright, poet, director, and performer. Her chapbook, When I Stopped Counting, is available from Finishing Line Press, and her poetry can also be found or is forthcoming in Adanna, Poetry South, Terrene, Poets Reading the News, The Paddock Review, Twyckenham Notes, Amygdala, The Indian River Review, Footnotes, Dragon Poet Review, Telepoem Booths, and collections such as The Hippocrates Prize for Poetry & Medicine Anthology, Surprised By Joy, and The Poeming Pigeon: In the News. Her collection, I Am Trying to Remember When You Remembered Me, was in the finals for the 42 Miles Press Poetry Award and the semi-finals for The Washington Prize, and her poem, “Get the Story,” was a finalist for the Charter Oak Historical Award. She is a 2018 Writer-in-Residence at the Fairhope Center for the Writing Arts.

Dr. Menefee has been a Tennessee Williams Scholar in Playwriting at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and a finalist for the Julie Harris Playwright Award. Her plays have been honored by the Utah Shakespeare Festival's New American Playwrights Project, Pandora Festival of New Plays, American College Theatre Festival, Arizona Theatre Conference, Christian H. Moe Awards, and City of Charleston Literary Arts Awards. Pretty Lucky is included in 105 Five-Minute Plays for Study and Performance (Smith & Kraus). Recent productions include Our Antigone, adapted from Sophocles, premiered at Story Theatre Company (Iowa); Your Soup, Sir, part of Paula Vogel's UBU ROI Bake-Off at the Playwrights Center (Minnesota); Sarah's Poem, premiered in Rover Dramawerks' 365 Women a Year Festival (Texas); Check Your Ticket, included in the What She Said Festival at The Underground Theatre (Minnesota); and Lydia's Plan, named Best Play in the Theatre Lawrence Short Play Festival (Kansas). How Long is Fifteen Minutes? was supported by a research grant from Iowa State University's Center for Excellence in the Arts & Humanities and recently featured in Tennessee Women's Theatre Project's Women's Work Festival; the anchoring monologue is in production as a short film, directed by the author. Dr. Menefee has been involved with about two hundred plays, as writer, director, producer, dramaturg, actor, designer, and technician. She was co-founder and co-producer, with playwright Micki Shelton, of Tomorrow’s Theatre Tonight, a new play reading and development series that ran for nearly a decade in Arizona.

Current projects include two new collections of poetry, Last of the Shepherds and The Poet Donates His Minutes; a new full-length historical drama; and a novel.

https://engl.iastate.edu/directory/charissa-menefee/

Christiana Langenberg

Christiana Louisa Langenberg (University of Minnesota) is the author of the bilingual collection of stories Half of What I Know. “Half of What I Know shows that even the small episodes of life leave their mark. Christiana Langenberg’s talent and imagination are so powerful in Half of What I Know, it is impossible to overlook the vision and meticulous craft she inscribes in each of these stories,” said Deborah Marie Poe, fiction editor of Drunken Boat Online Journal of Art and Literature. “Langenberg keeps us teetering at the edge of some crash, ultimately demonstrating that life’s treasures eclipse the wrecks.”

Christiana’s second collection of stories, Here is What You’ll Do, was a finalist in the 2010 Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is the recipient of the Drunken Boat Panliterary Award for Fiction, the Chelsea Award for Short Fiction, the Great River Writers’ Retreat, the Louisville Literary Arts Prose Prize and a multiple Pushcart Prize nominee. Her stories have been published in The Huffington Post, Passages North, Glimmer Train, Dogwood, New South, Lumina, Storyglossia, Drunken Boat, So To Speak, Literary Salt, Carve, Chelsea, Green Mountains Review, American Literary Review, and a variety of literary formats.

Christiana is the Advising Coordinator for undergraduate English majors and the Advising Coordinator for the Women’s and Gender Studies program. She teaches primarily undergraduate Creative Writing classes, such as the Write Like a Woman course she created in 1998 and has been teaching writing for nearly 30 years. She has taught in residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed adolescents, a maximum security prison and at universities in Minnesota and Colorado, as well as the Midwest Writing Center’s annual writing conference. In June 2013, as the David R. Collins invited speaker, she delivered a keynote address, “Between Word Greed and Abandonment: Learning to Love the Process,” at the Midwest Writing Center conference. At ISU she has graduate faculty status and has taught the Graduate Fiction Workshop.

Christiana is currently working on two separate book projects: one a collection of essays about the differences between Italian and American women’s perceptions of body image, confidence, swagger and self-esteem; the other a series of nonfiction pieces (in experimental narrative forms) about the issues of “otherness” that children with multiple disabilities must navigate as they invariably fight the K-12 education system. The Winter 2014 issue of Passages North included her award-winning lyric essay “Foiled,” a braided narrative about the tragic death of a Vietnamese immigrant and the complexities of raising a child with multiple disabilities. She also writes the food blog for Luke’s Organic at http://lukesorganic.com/wordpress/

https://engl.iastate.edu/directory/christiana-langenberg/

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Awards, Scholarships, and Grants

The Department of English at Iowa State University provides several monetary awards to students each year. These awards, some granted directly by the department and others made possible through the generous donations of former students and faculty members, are intended to reward academic excellence and to provide financial assistance to students to enable them to continue or complete their educations.

Each spring, applications are available for the various competitions. Committees of faculty serve as judges. These committees reserve the right not to make awards during years when either an insufficient number of applications is received or none of the entries is deemed exemplary.

• Undergraduate

Undergraduate scholarships and awards

For any of these undergraduate awards and scholarships, visit  https://www.financialaid.iastate.edu/scholarships/ to fill out the OneApp.  Once you have submitted the General portion of the application, look for these recommended opportunities to apply.  You can also download a printable awards grid for reference . For questions, contact [email protected] .

Critical Literary Analysis Writing Award

The Critical LITERARY ANALYSIS Writing Award is given annually to undergraduate (any major) and graduate students with demonstrated ability in critical, analytical writing ABOUT LITERARY TEXT/S. Applicants must submit a single piece of critical, analytical writing originally written for a LITERATURE course in the English Department at Iowa State University (including course papers submitted during the current academic year). The amount of the two awards varies, up to $200 each.

Undergraduate essays will be judged separately from graduate essays. Criteria for evaluation include originality of thesis, command of material, and quality of exposition.

Submissions must be typed, double-spaced, and between 6 and 25 pages in length.

Cross-Disciplinary Linguistics Scholarship

The Cross-disciplinary Linguistics Scholarship is given annually to an undergraduate linguistics major with demonstrated skill and enthusiasm for linguistic theory and practice. This $250 award will go to a student whose academic career shows promise in leading to a future directly related to theoretical or applied linguistics. NOTE: Applicants must have at least 1 year left before graduating with their BA in linguistics.

To apply, provide a 2–3 page essay describing your interests in and goals for your study of linguistics, including any specific experience that is related to your study of linguistics. The selection of a recipient for the award will be made by a committee of faculty members from the Cross-Disciplinary Linguistics Program whose selection will be based on the submitted essay.

Herta David Scholarships in English

Two Herta David Scholarships in English ($2,000 each) are given annually to Iowa State undergraduates (sophomores, juniors, or seniors) majoring in English. Applicants must be from challenging family backgrounds and have financial need. Previous recipients of the Herta David Scholarships in English are eligible to apply for the award in subsequent years as long as they meet the stated requirements and are making satisfactory progress toward their degrees.

To apply, provide a brief essay of up to 500 words explaining your unique challenging family situation and financial need and how this scholarship will benefit you.

Aubrey E. Galyon Scholarship

The Aubrey Galyon Scholarship is given annually to an ISU student completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the year of application and commencing work at an accredited institution toward a PhD in literature, linguistics, or rhetoric. This award ($400) will go to a student whose academic record demonstrates the excellence necessary for doctoral study; strong preference will be given to students showing potential for original theoretical work in their chosen fields. When other factors seem equal, the financial need of applicants will be considered.

To apply, provide an essay (300–500 words) explaining why you intend to pursue doctoral studies in literature, linguistics, or rhetoric. If applicable, also include a brief statement (150–200 words) of financial need. The recipient of the award will be chosen by a committee of faculty members representing the linguistics program and the departments of English and WLC (World Languages & Cultures).

Freda Huncke Endowment Awards

The Freda Huncke Endowment Awards of $1,000 each are given annually to five students (freshmen, sophomores, or juniors) majoring in English who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and expository writing ability. Applicants must be full-time students. Preference will be given to students planning to teach. Former winners may reapply.

Quentin G. Johnson Award

The Quentin G. Johnson Award is given annually in honor of Professor Johnson’s commitment to the teaching of linguistics. The award is made to a student (undergraduate or graduate) who has a strong academic record and who shows promise in the study of linguistics.

To apply, provide all three of the following: (1) an expository essay written for an ISU linguistics course, (2) a separate essay explaining your interest in linguistics and the role your linguistics work is likely to play in your career, and (3) a brief (150–200 word) statement of financial need. The selection of a recipient will be made by a committee of linguistics faculty members from the Department of English and will be based on the clarity and effectiveness of the submitted essay, as well as the evidence of aptitude in and commitment to the study of linguistics. In addition, some preference may be given to applicants with a demonstrated financial need.

Will C. Jumper Scholarship

The Will C. Jumper Scholarship is given annually to an Iowa State undergraduate of any major who demonstrates excellence in poetry writing. Submit a poetry portfolio of up to 10 pages for the committee’s consideration. The award is made solely on the basis of the excellence of the work submitted.

James and Rachel Lowrie Family Awards

The James and Rachel Lowrie Family Awards are given in recognition of a junior or senior (any major) whose oral and written performance in English courses at Iowa State University demonstrates outstanding growth, perception, and capability in the study of literature.

CANDIDATES WILL BE NOMINATED BY A FACULTY MEMBER  and selected by a committee of staff and students. Interested applicants must ask faculty members to nominate them, or faculty members may inform students of their willingness to serve as nominators. Faculty members should email their nominations (either as attachments or directly within the body of the email) to Christiana Langenberg ( [email protected] ), Advising Coordinator . These letters should specifically address the student’s “outstanding growth, perception, and capability in the study of literature.”

Kurt Moody Creative Writing Award

The Kurt Moody Creative Writing Award of $500 is given annually to an Iowa State undergraduate student who demonstrates excellence in creative writing. Students from any area of the university are eligible to submit a portfolio of writing (should not exceed 25 pages) for the committee’s consideration. The work submitted is restricted to any one of the following genres or may include any combination of them: fiction writing, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, or playwriting. The award is made solely on the basis of the excellence of the work submitted, and no special consideration is given to those students who submit material in more than one genre.

Albert L. Walker Excellence-In-English Awards

The Albert L. Walker Excellence in English Award is given annually to undergraduate and graduate students with demonstrated ability in the study of literature. In honor of Professor Walker, former chair of the Department of English, three awards of $300 each will be awarded, one to an undergraduate English major, one to an undergraduate majoring in a subject other than English, and one to a graduate student (any major) who has taken at least one graduate course in literature at ISU.

To apply, provide an essay of no more than 500 words explaining the way that a specific literary text of your choosing illustrates what you have found to be enriching or satisfying about your study of literature.  The selection of a recipient will be made by the members of the Walker Award Committee and will be based upon the clarity and effectiveness of the submitted essay and upon academic achievement and performance in the study of literature.

Pearl Hogrefe First-Year Student Scholarship in Creative Writing

The English Department’s Pearl Hogrefe Creative Writing Fund awards the First-Year Scholarship in Creative Writing in the amount of $1,000 toward tuition for up to two Iowa State University students with first-year student status (0-30 credits) whose work exemplifies promise or talent in one of the genres of creative writing.

For consideration, students must submit up to 10 pages of creative writing (e.g., poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction essays, or excerpts of plays, screenplays, or novels).  Mixed genre submissions are acceptable.  The award is made solely on the basis of the excellence of the work submitted. A letter of recommendation (for example, from a former teacher) that attests to the student’s promise and talent in creative writing and a high school GPA of 3.0 or more are required.

Submissions (10-page writing sample, letter of recommendation, proof of high school or ISU GPA) should be typed, double-spaced, scanned as one set of documents (Word or PDF), and emailed to K. L. Cook ( [email protected] ) or Charissa Menefee ( [email protected] ), Creative Writing Area Coordinators. Submissions must be postmarked by July 31 to be considered. Because this scholarship is open to incoming freshmen, all students will be notified by the first week of classes in August.

Pearl Hogrefe Sophomore Scholarship in Creative Writing

The English Department’s Pearl Hogrefe Creative Writing Fund awards the Sophomore Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 toward tuition to up to two promising sophomores (between 32–59 overall credits applied to degree program) who exhibit original and imaginative use of form and language, show evidence of having promise in creative writing, and have a GPA in the major of at least 3.0. Submissions should include one or two short stories or a collection of poems, screenplay or play excerpt, or nonfiction essay—any/all totaling not more than 5,000 words. Candidates will also include the name of one Creative Writing faculty member who has agreed to serve as a reference.  Materials will be submitted as a portfolio during the English Department spring awards and scholarship submission process.  Name must be left OFF of portfolio itself.

Pearl Hogrefe Junior Scholarship in Creative Writing

The English Department’s Pearl Hogrefe Creative Writing Fund awards the Junior Scholarship in the amount of $1,500 toward tuition to up to two juniors (60-89 credits applied to degree program) who have taken at least one, preferably two creative writing classes and combine unique ideas and fresh choices in language with bold reaches into original and imaginative use of form and language; show evidence of having produced a significant body of creative writing; and have a GPA in the major of at least 3.0. Submissions should include one or two short stories or a collection of poems, screenplay or play excerpt, or nonfiction essay—any/all totaling not more than 6,000 words. Candidates will also include the name of one Creative Writing faculty member who has agreed to serve as a reference. Materials will be submitted as a portfolio during the English Department spring awards and scholarship submission process.  Name must be left OFF of portfolio itself.

Pearl Hogrefe Senior Scholarship in Creative Writing

The English Department’s Pearl Hogrefe Creative Writing Fund awards the Senior Scholarship in Creative Writing to up to two seniors (90+ credits applied to degree program) with outstanding originality and potential whose work exhibits an unusual perspective and unique voice not necessarily measured by conventional standards and with a GPA in the major of at least 3.0. Submission should include any of the following: short stories, a collection of poems, screenplay or play excerpt, or nonfiction essay—any/all totaling not more than 7,000 words. Candidates will also include the name of one Creative Writing faculty member who has agreed to serve as a reference. Materials will be submitted as a portfolio during the English Department spring awards and scholarship submission process.  Name must be left OFF of portfolio itself.

Pamela Henry Lassahn Scholarship in Technical Communication

The Pamela Henry Lassahn Scholarship in Technical Writing is available to students of junior or senior class standing majoring in Technical Communication in the Department of English.  Recipients shall have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have demonstrated financial need, have a minor or a designated area of concentration in a technical or scientific field, and provide a written recommendation from a faculty member.

To apply, 1) specify if your minor or designated area of concentration is a technical or scientific field, and 2) provide the name and email address of a faculty member who can write a reference regarding your ability and commitment to study in your chosen area of study.

Graduate scholarships, fellowships and awards

To be considered for any of these graduate awards, scholarships, and grants please review the information below. A helpful downloadable grid summary is available below. For questions, contact Bethany Gray ( [email protected] ).

English Department Graduate Spring Awards

Paul l. and carolyn errington award.

The Paul L. and Carolyn Errington Award is presented annually to a graduate student in English who demonstrates excellence in environmental literary criticism. This award honors Paul L. and Carolyn Errington for the many contributions they made to the advancement of the environmental humanities. The amount of this award is $300.

To apply, applicants will be asked to upload an expository essay originally written for an ISU graduate English course. The essay should be a work of—or on a subject directly related to—environmental literary criticism. Submissions must be typewritten, double-spaced, and no longer than 30 pages (a recommended length of 12–20 pages).

The selection of recipients will be made by a committee of faculty members from the Department of English and will be based upon the clarity and effectiveness of the submitted essay.

Spring 2024 applications deadline:   April 1, 2024

Applications should be submitted via this online form.

To apply, applicants will be asked to submit an essay (300–500 words) explaining why you intend to pursue doctoral studies in literature, linguistics, or rhetoric. If applicable, you will also be asked to provide a brief statement (150–200 words) of financial need.

Recipients of the scholarship will be chosen by a committee of faculty members representing the linguistics program and the departments of English and WLC (World Languages & Cultures).

Pearl Hogrefe Grants in Creative Writing

One or more Pearl Hogrefe Grants in Creative Writing of $1,000 will be awarded during the spring semester to graduate students who show extraordinary promise in creative writing. These awards are open to all graduate students at Iowa State and will be given on the basis of a qualitative evaluation of competitive entries. Current Hogrefe Fellows are not eligible to apply.

In addition, one or more Pearl Hogrefe Grant Recognition Awards of $500 will also be given.

Applicants will be asked to submit original fiction, poetry, drama, and imaginative nonfiction for the award competition. Several recent pieces showing range, development, and promise usually make a stronger submission by an applicant than does a single outstanding piece. All entries should be typewritten, double spaced, and should not exceed twenty-five pages. Applicants should not put their name on the submitted work.

Judges for the competition will be the members of the Pearl Hogrefe Fund Advisory Committee and the Coordinator of the Creative Writing Program.

Applications should be submitted via this online form. 

To apply, applicants will be asked to submit all of the following: a brief (150–200 word) statement of financial need submitted directly into the online application form; one double-spaced, typewritten document containing (1) an expository essay written for an ISU linguistics course, and (2) an essay explaining their interest in linguistics and the role their linguistics work is likely to play in their career.

The selection of recipients will be made by a committee of linguistics faculty members from the Department of English and will be based on the clarity and effectiveness of the submitted essay as well as the evidence of aptitude in and commitment to the study of linguistics. In addition, some preference may be given to applicants with a demonstrated financial need.

W. Paul Jones Scholarship

The W. Paul Jones Scholarship is given to a doctoral student in the Rhetoric and Professional Communication Program in recognition of scholarly excellence. The award honors Professor Jones’ dedication to the teaching of writing and to the use of clear and precise language in imparting technical and scientific information.

Applicants will be asked to submit a scholarly paper written after admission to the ISU PhD Program in Rhetoric and Professional Communication. This work may be a seminar paper written for an ISU graduate course, a conference paper, or a paper prepared for publication, as long as its subject is rhetoric or professional communication. The applicant must have been a full-time ISU graduate student for at least one semester during the current academic year and must not have completed the preliminary doctoral examination at the time of application.

Scholarship recipients will be selected by a committee of graduate faculty members from the Department of English, and the decision will be based solely upon the scholarly merit of the submitted work.

Albert L. Walker Award

The Albert L. Walker Excellence in English Award is given annually to undergraduate and graduate students with demonstrated ability in the study of literature. In honor of Professor Walker, former chair of the Department of English, three awards of $300 each will be awarded: One to an undergraduate English major, one to an undergraduate majoring in a subject other than English, and one to a graduate student (any major) who has taken at least one graduate course in literature at ISU.

To apply, applicants will be asked to provide an essay of no more than 500 words, explaining the way that a text of your choosing illustrates what you have found to be interesting or satisfying about your study of literature.

Selection of a recipients will be made by the members of the Walker Award Committee and will be based upon the clarity and effectiveness of the submitted essay and upon academic achievement and performance in the study of literature.

Richard R. Wright Award

The Richard Wright Award is given annually to a graduate student who demonstrates ability in expository writing. In honor of Professor Wright’s commitment to the teaching of writing, especially technical and scientific writing, this award will go to students whose academic career shows promise in business/technical communication or rhetoric/composition.

To apply, applicants will be asked to provide a brief (150–200 word) statement of financial need and to upload an expository essay written for an ISU graduate English course.

The selection of recipients will be made by a committee of faculty members from the Department of English and will be based upon the clarity and effectiveness of the submitted essay. In addition, some preference may be given to applicants with a demonstrated financial need.

Applications should be submitted via this online form.  .

English Graduate Program Awards, Fellowships and Grants

Outstanding service by a graduate student award.

The  Outstanding Service by a Graduate Student  award recognizes the contributions of students who show a pattern of service throughout their degree programs at Iowa State University. The award is intended to recognize those students who volunteer consistently and engage in a range of service opportunities at the program, department, college, university, and/or professional level. Recipients are awarded $100 and an honor cord to be worn at the graduation ceremony. Students are nominated for these awards  by their area faculty  during the semester in which they graduate (summer graduates should be nominated in the prior spring semester).

Full award details:  Call for Nominations Outstanding Service Award

For Fall graduates:   November 1, 2023

For Spring/Summer graduates:   April 1, 2024

Nominations should be submitted via the online  Nomination Form – Outstanding Service by a Graduate Student

Graduate Student Leadership Award

The  Graduate Student Leadership  award recognizes graduate students who have taken on leadership roles in the program, department, college, university, and/or profession, and who have actively encouraged, advised, and mentored other students as they entered leadership roles. Recipients are awarded $100 and an honor cord to be worn at the graduation ceremony. Students are nominated for these awards  by their area faculty  during the semester in which they graduate (summer graduates should be nominated in the prior spring semester).

Full award details:  Call for Nominations Leadership Award

Nominations should be submitted via the online  Nomination Form – Graduate Student Leadership Award

Freda Huncke Endowment Graduate Teaching Fellowship

The Freda Huncke Endowment Graduate Teaching Fellowships were established to enable excellent new students to develop teaching expertise and get a solid start on academics when beginning one of our graduate programs in the English Department. Preference is given to new students whose teaching experience is judged excellent by supervisors or faculty recommenders or whose potential for excellence in teaching is evident in their application files. Recipients are chosen by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the ISU English department in cooperation with the graduate faculty in our graduate programs.

These fellowships provide selected students with an award equivalent to teaching the equivalent of one course reducing their teaching load during their first year in the program. Recipients receive the same benefits as other graduate assistants, including tuition scholarships and the same stipend level as other teaching assistants teaching a full load. The fellowship, teaching, and graduate coursework at Iowa State University should constitute the student’s full-time occupation during the fellowship semester.

Pearl Hogrefe Fellowship in Creative Writing

Pearl Hogrefe Fellowship in Creative Writing  offers a talented writer one academic year to study creative writing full time at Iowa State University and focus on his/her creative work without distraction.

Graduate Student Research Grant Program

The  English Department Graduate Student Research Grant  supports graduate student research by providing funding for research projects or creative activity which require substantial resources to carry out. The grant is a competitive funding opportunity requiring a well-developed grant proposal written for a cross-disciplinary audience. Funding may be used for costs associated with the research process (see CFP for restrictions and examples). The funding may be used for dissertation/thesis projects as well as other projects with the potential to lead to peer-reviewed publication or creative activity; however, dissertation/thesis projects will be prioritized. To be eligible, students must participate in a professional development activity related to grant writing (see opportunities listed in the CFP) to develop a research grant proposal. Grants up to $1,000 per project may be requested.

See the full Call for Proposals for details:  Graduate Student Research Grant Call for proposals

Proposals for the 2023-2024 academic year deadline:   November 1, 2023

Proposals should be submitted via the  online submission form .

F. Wendell Miller Scholarship Program

Miller Scholarships are for new highly talented students, either domestic or from around the world. They are awarded to programs by the ISU Graduate College based on an annual application process. Recipients selected by these programs receive funding with earnings from a $27 million estate bequeathed equally to Iowa State University and the University of Iowa by F. Wendell Miller, an attorney and farm manager from Rockwell City.

Research and Teaching Awards

Research and teaching excellence award (rea/tea) nominations.

Awards are offered each semester according to the information below to recognize students. Research Excellence Awards are to recognize outstanding research or creativity as seen in their theses and dissertations and who are academically superior and able to not only do research, but develop a well-written product. Teaching Excellence Awards are meant to recognize and encourage outstanding achievement by graduate students in teaching.

All nomination and student documents are due by 11:59 p.m. on the announced deadlines below and must be submitted electronically via links provided in the Call for Nominations.

REA TEA Call for Nominations

Professional Travel Support

Graduate and professional student senate (gpss) professional advancement grants (pag) program.

Professional Advancement Grants (PAG) are provided to graduate and professional students by the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) to help defray expenses related to professional meeting and conference travel. Please see the full award description, deadline, and application process on the Graduate College Website.

• Professional Advancement Grant (PAG) Application

NOTE: Professional travel funding may also be available from the English Department.

The Department of English may contribute funding—on a competitive basis and subject to fund availability—for students in English Department graduate majors who are presenting at conferences (for example, serving on a panel, presenting a paper, or conducting a workshop). You may use travel funds for reimbursement of meeting registration fees at conferences, room and board, or other travel expenses. The maximum amount of professional travel funding from the department per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) will be determined for each degree level at the beginning of each academic year. To apply for Departmental funding, find more information in the  Graduate POS Manual Section 1.9.2.

Tuition scholarships

For tuition purposes, all graduate assistants are assessed tuition equal to resident tuition rates. English Department graduate students holding 1/2 (or greater) assistantship appointments receive tuition scholarships at the level determined by the Graduate College (75% MA, 100% MFA, and 100% PhD during the academic year; the same percentage levels apply in summer according to the number of enrolled credits).  Students on at least 1/4-time assistantship appointments receive half of the standard tuition scholarship benefit (37.5% MA, 50% MFA, and 50% PhD).

Additional Graduate College Awards:  https://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/academics/awards/

"So You Want an MFA?: Everything You Need to Know."

For the Program in Creative Writing's annual MFA Panel, "So You Want an MFA?: Everything You Need to Know", current faculty and recent alumni will be here to chat about and take questions on their MFA experiences as poets, prose writers, and academics. Please come with questions on the MFA application process, the MFA experience, programs, the academy, PhDs, etc. This is open to all students interested in potentially pursuing an MFA in creative writing. Registration available at crwr.eventbrite.com. 

Panelist Bios

Jennifer Chukwu received her BA from the University of Chicago and is currently a Writing and Research Advisor in U of C's Creative Writing Program. Her writing is weird, sad, and sometimes funny. She received her MFA in Fiction from Brown University. Her debut novel, The Unfortunates, will be published in Summer 2022 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (US) and The Borough Press (UK). She was a 2019 LAMBDA Fellow, and her work has appeared in Black Warrior Review , DIAGRAM, TAYO , and elsewhere. She’s been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Best of Net, and was short-listed for Tarpaulin Sky Press’ 2020 Book Award. 

Dan Cronin graduated from the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program (NWP) in 2019. While at Iowa he was elected Student Ambassador of the NWP, and he hosted both the Speakeasy and Anthology reading series. He was the Inaugural 2019 Englert Arts Fellow and he has taught courses and master classes at the University of Iowa, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He is currently back in Iowa City to finish his book. Rachel Girty is a writing and research advisor at the University of Chicago. A classical singer and cross-genre writer, she holds an MFA from the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan, where she won a Hopwood Award. Her poetry and fiction have appeared in Sinister Wisdom, Pretty Owl Poetry, Body Parts Magazine , and elsewhere. She is currently working on her first novel.

Julie Iromuanya is the author of Mr. and Mrs. Doctor (Coffee House Press, 2015), a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction, the Etisalat Prize for Literature (now 9 Mobile Prize for Literature), and the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize for Debut Fiction. She was the inaugural Herbert W. Martin Fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Dayton, and earned her B.A. at the University of Central Florida, and her M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is an assistant professor and director of undergraduate studies in the Program in Creative Writing at the University of Chicago.

Dan Raeburn is the author of Vessels , a memoir, as well as Chris Ware , a book of comics criticism. He studied creative writing as an undergraduate at the University of Iowa and got his MFA in Writing & Literature from the low-residency program at Bennington College.

Margaret Ross is the author of A Timeshare , winner of the Omnidawn 1st/2nd Book Prize in 2015. Her recent poems and translations have appeared in Best American Poetry 2021, Chicago Review , the New Republic , the Paris Review , and Yale Review . Her work has been supported by a Wallace Stegner Fellowship, a Fulbright fellowship, and residencies from Yaddo. She received an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and currently teaches at the University of Chicago where she is a Harper-Schmidt Fellow and collegiate assistant professor of creative writing.

Rebecca Sacks is a graduate of the Programs in Writing at the University of California, Irvine. She worked for several years at Vanity Fair before moving to Tel Aviv, where she wrote dispatches for publications such as The Paris Review’s The Daily, The Millions, and Tablet. Her first novel, City of a Thousand Gates , was published in February by HarperCollins.

Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts

Department of English

College of Arts and Letters

This program, which involves completing a creative thesis, allows you to balance academic course work in English with the serious study of creative writing.

University Requirements

To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units. You must additionally complete:

• All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
• All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
• All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

Read the full policy here .

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Purpose Statement The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing balances the study and practice of creative writing with academic coursework in English. Students participate in writing workshops in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, undertake coursework in literature, and study critical theory. MFA candidates will present a creative thesis of between 45 to 120 pages, depending on genre.  The MFA Program at Northern Arizona University allows you to:   

• live and write in the beautiful, vibrant city of Flagstaff
• focus on poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction
• participate in intensive writing workshops with dedicated professors

Student Learning Outcomes   Upon completion of the Creative Writing MFA students will be able to:

• Examine, explicate, analyze and evaluate literary texts of considerable difficulty in order to determine the place of the student’s own work within a literary tradition.
• Develop the student’s own critical and aesthetic position, based on recognizing, understanding, and interpreting critical positions and literary arguments of other authors.
• Read and respond thoughtfully and thoroughly to work by other MFA students in order to hone the critical, intellectual, and analytical skills that are crucial to success in a broad range of literary, artistic, cultural and professional fields.
• Investigate the world of literary publishing in order to discover suitable journals, magazines and/or quality trade book publishers to which the student author can submit his/her own finished work.
• Refine skills in drafting, revising and editing in a primary literary genre with the goal of producing a polished creative manuscript of marketable quality.
• public readings,
• interviewing other writers,
• attending outside readings,
• writing book reviews,
• serving on editorial boards, and
• organizing literary events.

Graduate Admission Information

The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College. Admission requirements include the following:

• Transcripts.
• Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies. Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy .

Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• 2 letters of recommendation
• Writing sample
• Personal statement or essay

Master's Requirements

This Master’s degree requires 36 units distributed as follows:

• Creative Writing courses: 12 units
• Supportive coursework: 12 units
• Electives chosen with your advisor’s approval: 6 to 9 units
• Thesis: 3 to 6 units (if 6 units of thesis are selected, it will reduce the number of units of electives required for the degree)
• 500- and 600-level creative writing courses, some of which may be repeated for 9 units of credit (12 units)
• Coursework in literature, literary criticism, literary theory, and/or readings in creative writing (12 units) 
• Electives chosen with your advisor's approval (6-9 units)
• ENG 699 , for the research, writing, and revision of an approved thesis. Please note: You may end up taking more than the 6 units of thesis credit you can count toward your degree because you must register for it each semester while you are working on your thesis. (3-6 units)
• Note that up to 6 units of 400-level literature courses may count toward degree, with advisor approval

Additional Information

Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

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Creative Writing

Master of Fine Arts

Write toward a more just world.

Regis University’s Mile-High MFA in Creative Writing is a low-residency program that lets you stay at your job and close to your family while pushing you to make time for writing. You’ll leave the program with a polished thesis manuscript, along with an action plan for putting your writing into practice in the world.

The Mile-High MFA provides students one-on-one instruction in poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction. Along with theory, workshops, seminars and readings by accomplished authors, the MFA program’s unique focus combines a thorough instruction in the craft and business of writing with the practical application of writing as a career.

Jesuit Vision The Mile-High MFA celebrates the ways in which storytelling impacts our social and cultural lives, promotes social justice, and enacts change in the world. Our program is a place for writers from various backgrounds, genres, specializations, and aesthetics to come together and learn from one another in an open and supportive environment. We value writers who are socially engaged, who critically examine the assumptions and social privileges of discourse, and who seek to further a literature and community that respects and values diverse perspectives and authorships. Our program emphasizes anti-racist, liberatory, and humanist pedagogies, stemming from the Jesuit values central to our university.

• Fiction (YA, Speculative, Literary, Flash, Hybrid)
• CNF (memoir, essays, historical narratives)
• Poetry (any/all)

Not sure if this is the creative writing program for you? Compare the Mile-High MFA in Creative Writing with the Master of Arts with specializations in Creative Writing and Literature

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Program snapshot.

Program Format Online: Semester-based courses On Campus: Four 10-day residencies

Credits for Completion 78 credit hours

Tuition for the 24-25 Academic Year $721 per credit hour

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View Full Degree Curriculum and Requirements

Degree Overview

The Mile-High MFA requires the successful completion of four 16-week writing semesters and five ten-day residencies. Students will begin with an Orientation at their first residency and end with an MFA Degree Ceremony in their final residency. Following each residency (except the last) will be a semester-long study in which students will work one-on-one with a faculty mentor. By their final residency, students will have written and revised 240-400 pages of prose (fiction, nonfiction) or 160-240 pages of poetry, hybrid or flash fiction, along with at least 16 book annotations, a thesis proposal, a book-length thesis, a critical preface to their thesis, a Writing in the World Action Plan and an MFA Portfolio.

Writing in the World

During the residencies, you will attend seminars on the real-life applications of writing. By your final residency, you’ll submit a Writing in the World Action Plan in which you describe how you will use your writing talents to contribute to your community, either in a professional capacity or through community outreach. Examples include running a writing workshop at a local prison or library, writing for a nonprofit, organizing a reading series or running an after-school “Teen Writers” workshop.

Career Preparedness

In addition to study in the major genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, our program offers a Graduate Workshop exploring the publishing world (market trends, working with agents, first book deals, query letters, and more).

Program Specializations

This specialization will require 12 additional semester hours, for a total of 67 credits. Dual-genre students will take three residency workshops and three semesters in their main genre (i.e. the genre in which they will write their MFA thesis) and two residency workshops and two semesters in their secondary genre.

Creative Writing Pedagogy

This specialization will require 12 additional semester hours, for a total of 67 credits. Creative Writing Pedagogy students will take four 3-credit ($555 per credit) 8-week online courses (Writing as Social Action; Creative Writing in the Literature Classroom; Literary Criticism and Theory; and Writing and Rhetoric of Nonfiction) via Regis University’s MA in Literature and Creative Writing.

BA/MFA Dual-Study Degree

The BA/MFA dual-study degree allows undergrads to earn a semester’s worth of credit towards their master’s degree while completing undergraduate credits, so students can earn a master’s degree in one year.

Prerequisites

• Three undergraduate creative writing courses with grades of B+ or better.
• Undergraduate Major or Minor in English or Writing, with 3.0 GPA or better in EN courses.

Program Features

• 12 undergraduate credits are applied to the MFA degree (6 for the first semester, 3 for the intervening 9-day residency, and 3 for the second semester) during the student’s senior year.
• Student completes the MFA degree in three semesters instead of four and attends four residencies instead of five.
• A five-page writing sample in the genre they will want to study in graduate school
• A one-page letter of interest; and
• A letter of recommendation from a Regis College English writing instructor

Residency Overview

Twice a year, in January and July, students will attend ten-day residencies, from Friday evening to the following Sunday afternoon, with an “Intermezzo” on Wednesdays. Residencies are inspiring, invigorating gatherings of like-minded writers that provide students with the opportunity to learn their craft, workshop their writing, attend readings by award-winning writers and immerse themselves in the writing life.

Residency Features

• Orientation for New Students
• Morning Genre Workshops
• Community Lunch (catered)
• Afternoon Craft Seminars, Panels, and/or Readings

Thesis Defenses

• Student/Faculty Semester Study Plan Meetings

MFA Degree Ceremony

Morning workshops.

The Mile-High residencies offer concentrated periods of time when students can hone their writing in small peer workshops orchestrated and facilitated by our faculty. The workshops will take place every morning and include some writing lessons/prompts by the faculty member, critiques of student work by faculty and peers, and group discussions of a variety of writing issues. Students will attend a minimum of six of the seven workshop classes to receive credit for their residency.

Afternoon Craft Seminars/Panels/Readings

In the afternoons, students will attend seminars on the theory and craft of writing, as well as panels on interpretations of canonical and contemporary works, on examples of “Writing in the World” projects (ways in which one may make use of their writing talents for the public good), on the teaching of writing, and on the business of writing and publishing, and readings by current students, alum, faculty, or visiting writers. Students will attend a minimum of ten craft seminars, panels, and/or readings to receive credit for the workshop portion of their residency.

A unique feature of the Mile-High MFA, our Wednesday “Intermezzo” is an opportunity for students to pull back from their busy activities and enjoy what our campus, the Mile-High City, and the Rocky Mountains have to offer, or to enjoy some quiet writing time. Revitalized by their Intermezzo experience, and with a strengthened sense of community among students across genres, students will dive into the second half of their residencies with renewed fervor and focus.

Every residency will feature public thesis defenses, when our graduating students will formally defend their theses.

At the end of each residency we will celebrate our graduating students in an MFA Degree Ceremony. All students, as well as family and friends of the graduates, are invited to attend. The ceremony includes a formal welcome from our Assistant Director; an excerpted reading of the best Critical Preface of the graduating class; excerpts from the graduates’ theses; and descriptions of the graduates’ Writing in the World Plans.

Residency Schedule Overview

• 9:30 a.m.-noon: Genre Workshops
• Noon-12:45 p.m.: Lunch (catered)
• 1-2:30 p.m.: Afternoon Craft Seminars, Readings, Visiting Guest Writers (across genres)
• 2:30-4:30 p.m.: Thesis Defenses (of graduating students)
• 4:30-5:30 p.m.: Individual Study Plan Meetings (for upcoming semester)
• Final Evening: MFA Degree Ceremony (reading & celebration of graduating student’s work)

How to Apply

To apply to the Mile-High MFA Creative Writing program, you will need:

• Completed online application
• Official degree-bearing bachelor's transcript(s) from a regionally accredited university
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher preferred
• 3.2 GPA or higher in English/writing classes preferred
• Demonstration of exceptional writing ability
• Personal interview (via phone)
• Two recommendation forms

The first step in the application process is to contact an admissions counselor, who can evaluate your prior learning credit, provide information regarding financial aid and tuition assistance and help you through the entire application process. A faculty phone or virtual interview may be required after review of your admissions application.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year: $721 per credit hour Total program credits:  78 Tuition is one part of the overall cost of attendance, which includes all expenses students may have, including basic living costs. For more information about tuition, fees and your estimated cost of attendance, visit our Cost of Attendance for Adult Undergraduates and Graduate Students page . Tuition and fees are subject to change.

A $350 nonrefundable enrollment deposit is required to secure your place in the program, and will be applied toward your tuition.

Curious about financial aid options? Regis offers a variety of scholarships, grants, and other programs to help you pay for school. Visit Financial Aid to learn more.

Important Dates

Admission is awarded on a rolling basis. However, application deadlines are as follows:

January term: Priority Deadline: October 15 Regular Deadline: November 15 Final/Deposit Deadline: December 1

July term: Priority Deadline: May 15 Final Deadline: June 15 Deposit Deadline: July 1

A Culture of Excellence

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is offered by the Creative Writing Department within the English Department in Regis College.

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• Explore Our Key Jesuit Values

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What's the difference?

The purpose of your MFA in Creative Writing cover letter is to 1. introduce yourself to the program directors as a creative writer and scholar. 2.Tell us a bit about your creative writing background, 3. your previous experience working within a writing community (academic or otherwise), 4. your writing influences, 5. your writing goals, and 6. why you believe our low-residency program model will be a good fit for you. Directors are looking for the following in your overall application materials: 1. Preparedness for a graduate degree program: 2. Awareness of genre conventions (in creative writing sample) 3. Awareness of aesthetic tradition (writers your work is inspired by).

Submit a short story, chapter excerpt, personal essay, memoir excerpt, or series of poems (each poem on its own page) representative of the genre you are applying in. Genres are: Fiction (literary, speculative, young-adult), Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry.