Volume 263
Issue 19
05/09/2016
Arizona State University Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
Type of program: Community writing and education center
Genres offered: Fiction, poetry
Tuition and financial aid: $125 for one-day workshops; $225 for four-week workshops; scholarship opportunities available for Arizona teachers
What makes the Virginia G. Piper Center stand out?
For students in need of something more flexible than an M.F.A., the Piper Center offers a comprehensive slate of writing classes, readings, and events, including “Your Novel Year,” an 18-month course focused on developing and revising a complete novel.
Chatham University Low-Residency
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Type of program: Low-residency and on-campus options
Genres offered: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, plus concentrations in travel writing, teaching, publishing, and nature writing
Tuition and financial aid: $37,926 for a 42-credit program; a limited number of research, special-project, and teaching assistantships are available to help defray the cost of tuition
What makes Chatham stand out?
Chatham has a unique focus on nature and environmental and travel writing, with specific courses tailored to these subjects. The low-residency and full-time options give students flexibility.
University of Idaho M.F.A. Creative Writing
Location: Moscow, Idaho
Type of program: Full-time; three years
Genres offered: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
Tuition and financial aid: $4,111 (in-state), $11,113 (out-of-state); various fellowships available
What makes University of Idaho stand out?
Faculty includes prose writer Kim Barnes and poet Robert Wrigley, plus incoming poetry faculty Michael McGriff. The program is small, and students are encouraged to experiment across genres. Courses in long-form prose writing are also offered. Students can also apply for the “Writing in the Wild Fellowship,” which offers one to three weeks of writing time in remote wilderness locations.
The New School
Location: New York, N.Y.
Type of program: Full-time
Genres offered: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children and young adults, and dual-genre concentrations
Tuition and financial aid: $56,880 for a two-year program; scholarships offered to cover a percentage of tuition
What makes the New School stand out?
New York City offers incredible access to hands-on experience in publishing, through M.F.A. courses and internships facilitated through the program. Opportunities include the M.F.A.’s Writing and Publishing Lab, which lets students use new and traditional technologies to produce works using text and images; the Freeman’s Journal seminar, in which students help produce an internationally recognized literary magazine distributed by Grove Press; and work on LIT, the New School M.F.A. program’s literary journal.
The University of Tampa Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Tampa, Fla.
Type of program: Low-residency
Genres offered: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
Tuition and financial aid: $7,716 per semester; $1,500 for the fifth; culminating residency (for the 2015–2016 academic year); merit-based scholarships offered
What makes the University of Tampa stand out?
Faculty includes Jessica Anthony, Sandra Beasley, and Alan Michael Parker. Residencies feature lectures and readings by authors such as Eula Biss and Patricia Smith. Throughout the year, between residencies, students work one-on-one with faculty. There is also a focus on preparing students for life after the M.F.A. and exposure to editors, publishers, and literary agents.
This article was sponsored by the MFA programs featured above.
