A Practical Education for Working Writers

Students in our MFA program understand that one of the most important skills a professional writer can have is versatility. Students choose a creative genre as well as a professional genre.

Here, there is no genre hierarchy or arbitrary boundary between genres. All students take workshops and courses with writers of all genres and styles, learning how different approaches and craft techniques can inform their primary and second genres. Our students are poets and grant writers; playwrights and copy editors; horror novelists and technical writers; investigative journalists and speech writers; young adult authors and PR specialists; and so much more!

Our low-residency model allows students to build a writing habit into their professional and personal lives. Through internships and teaching practicums, students apply their coursework in their field of choice. These features, in tandem with our emphasis on multiple genres, are some of the reasons why our student success rate is so high: 87% of graduates go on to publish books and/or work full-time as professional writers or educators.

We encourage you to explore the links below and feel free to contact Associate Professor/MFA Coordinator Anthony D’Aries with any questions: dariesa@wcsu.edu

Program Goals

The MFA in Creative and Professional Writing seeks to provide writers with the skills they need to maintain professional writing careers.

Objectives

Students in the MFA in Creative and Professional Writing program will:

1.  acquire the ability to produce publishable-quality writing,

2.  engage in experiential learning in the fields of writing, publishing, or teaching, and

3.  acquire familiarity with professional expectations of flexible and adaptive career writers.  

Learning Outcomes

1.  Students will demonstrate ongoing competence in one creative and one practical genre.

2.  Students will produce publishable work in one creative and one practical genre.

3.  Students will demonstrate either proficiency to teach writing or practical knowledge of  a professional application in the writing world.

4.  Students will demonstrate awareness of traditions, conventions, and innovations in one creative and one practical genre.