creative writing degree virginia

Creative Writing (M.F.A.)

The M.F.A. in Creative Writing is designed to be completed in three years. Students may specialize in Fiction or Poetry.

About Our Program

Our three-year M.F.A. degree offers tracks in Poetry and Fiction, and all students are fully and equally funded via GTA-ships of more than $20,000 per year. We encourage cross-genre experimentation, offer additional courses in creative nonfiction, playwriting, new media creative writing, and literary editing, and all students have the opportunity to teach creative writing and composition, as well as serve as editors of our literary journal,  The New River Journal .

Campuses:  

Virginia Tech Blacksburg Campus

Type of Instruction:

Residential/On Campus

What You'll Study

The M.F.A. in Creative Writing is designed to be completed in three years. Students may specialize in Fiction or Poetry. A minimum of 49 hours is required for this terminal degree. A series of creative writing workshops, courses in form and theory, new media writing, composition pedagogy, and literature and theory electives are designed for students wishing to pursue careers as writers or writer/scholars at the college level. Students also have the opportunity to work as editors on The New River: a Journal of Digital Writing and Art . A creative thesis, a written final exam, and an oral defense are required.

The 49 hours required for the degree must be distributed as follows:

• Creative Writing Workshops: 15 hours (6704/Fiction, 6714/Poetry, 6724/Playwriting, 6734/Creative Nonfiction, 6744/New Media Writing); at least 9 hours must be in the designated specialty; students are encouraged to explore other genres in 6 hours of workshops.
• Form and Theory Courses: 6 hours (5734/Form and Theory of Fiction, 5744/Form and Theory of Poetry).
• GTA Training and Composition Pedagogy: 3 hours.
• Creative Writing Pedagogy and Practicum: 3 hours.
• Editing a Literary Journal (5774): 6 hours 
• Research & Thesis (5994): 6 hours; a book-length creative thesis (a collection of poetry; a collection of short stories, or a novel)
• Graduate English courses: 9 hours; students may use an independent study in Editing a Digital Journal to help fulfill this requirement.

Why choose this program?

• Our three-year M.F.A. degree offers tracks in Poetry and Fiction, and all students are fully and equally funded via GTA-ships of more than $20,000 per year. We encourage cross-genre experimentation, offer additional courses in creative nonfiction, playwriting, new media creative writing, and literary editing, and all students have the opportunity to teach creative writing and composition, as well as serve as editors of our literary journal, The New River Journal .
• In the years since the program started, we’ve been consistently ranked among the top 30 programs in the country by Poets & Writers in their  M.F.A. rankings .
• The faculty members in our creative writing program at Virginia Tech are accomplished, prize-winning, innovative, and diverse: Ed Falco ,  Evan Lavender-Smith ,  Khadijah Queen ,  Lucinda Roy , Sophia Terazawa , and Matthew Vollmer .
• Our program is small—we admit 4–5 students a year in each genre—and we pride ourselves on the diversity and rigor of our program, our respect for our students’ voices, our financial support for our students, the individual attention students receive from faculty, and our robust  Visiting Writers Series . 
• Our  students  and  alumni  are exceptional; they have  published books , received prestigious awards and fellowships for their writing, and gone on to further success as writers, teachers, and professionals.
• All students have the opportunity to to hold editorial positions and gain publishing experience working on the digital journal, The New River Journal .
• Emily Morrison Prizes in Fiction and Poetry, and other M.F.A. writing awards offered each year.

Admissions and Tuition

Admissions requirements.

• Minimum GPA 3.0 (4 Scale)
• TOEFL/ IELTS score required  (if applicable)

Learn more about admissions requirements 

Application Deadline

January 21, 2025. 

Current Students

Funding opportunities.

The Department of English has a limited number of  graduate assistantships and fellowships  available for students applying for full time study on the Blacksburg Campus. Entering students can apply for such funding as part of their admissions application.  No separate application  required.

• All students equally and fully funded through Graduate Teaching Assistantships.
• GTA-ships include tuition remission, health insurance, and stipends of more than $20,000 per year for all three years of the program

Find out what loans are available as a graduate student and other opportunities.

Other Graduate Programs

If you have questions about the M.F.A. Program, please contact:

Marie Trimmer Graduate Programs Coodinator 310 Shanks Hall 540-231-4659  [email protected]

Matthew Vollmer 431 Shanks Hall 540-231-8322l [email protected]

Faculty In Creative Writing

• --> General Item Ed Falco -->
• --> General Item Janine Joseph -->
• --> Bio Item Janine Joseph , bio -->
• --> Bio Item Evan Lavender-Smith , bio -->
• --> Bio Item Sophia Terazawa , bio -->
• --> Bio Item Matthew Vollmer , bio -->
• --> Bio Item Khadijah Queen , bio -->
• --> Bio Item Lucinda Roy , bio -->

M.F.A. Bookshelf

Best Creative Writing colleges in Virginia 2024

Best creative writing colleges in virginia for 2024.

University of Virginia-Main Campus offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Master's degrees.

George Mason University offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 47 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 26 Master's degrees, and 21 Bachelor's degrees.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 8 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 8 Master's degrees.

Old Dominion University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 12 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 12 Master's degrees.

Virginia Commonwealth University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 9 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 9 Master's degrees.

Hollins University offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2022, 28 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 16 Bachelor's degrees, and 12 Master's degrees.

Liberty University offers 6 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 139 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 105 Bachelor's degrees, 19 Associate's degrees, and 15 Master's degrees.

Roanoke College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2022, 7 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Bachelor's degrees.

Sweet Briar College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2022, 3 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 3 Bachelor's degrees.

Randolph College offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 9 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Master's degrees, and 2 Bachelor's degrees.

Find local colleges with Creative Writing majors in Virginia

List of all creative writing colleges in virginia.

2025 Best Colleges with Creative Writing Degrees in Virginia

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1-7 of 7 results

George Mason University

• Fairfax, VA ·
• · Rating 3.72 out of 5   5,126 reviews
• grade  B+ Overall Niche Grade
• Acceptance rate 90%
• Net price $18,479
• SAT range 1140-1350

#11 Best Colleges in Virginia. Blue checkmark. 4 Year, FAIRFAX, VA. 5126 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars. Featured Review: Senior says My experience at George Mason University has been incredibly positive, especially as an introvert. I appreciate the flexibility of online options, which allow me to stay home and work from my PC that... Read 5126 reviews. Overall Niche Grade: B+, Acceptance Rate: 90%, Net Price: $18,479, SAT Range: 1140-1350,

Liberty University

• Lynchburg, VA ·
• · Rating 4.14 out of 5   8,490 reviews
• Acceptance rate 99%
• Net price $29,913
• SAT range 1040-1250

#13 Best Colleges in Virginia. Blue checkmark. 4 Year, LYNCHBURG, VA. 8490 Niche users give it an average review of 4.1 stars. Featured Review: Alum says Liberty University is a great school that offers great military discounts. I had great communication with my professors and the chat workers as well. Everyone was very helpful and extremely friendly.... Read 8490 reviews. Overall Niche Grade: B+, Acceptance Rate: 99%, Net Price: $29,913, SAT Range: 1040-1250,

Roanoke College

• Salem, VA ·
• · Rating 3.67 out of 5   773 reviews
• grade  B minus Overall Niche Grade
• Acceptance rate 80%
• Net price $29,169
• SAT range 1070-1260

Blue checkmark. 4 Year, SALEM, VA. 773 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars. Featured Review: Sophomore says The campus is beautiful and feels incredibly safe. The professors are engaging (with a few exceptions, of course) and genuinely care about your feedback and learning experience. The food is really... Read 773 reviews. Overall Niche Grade: B minus, Acceptance Rate: 80%, Net Price: $29,169, SAT Range: 1070-1260,

Mary Baldwin University

• STAUNTON, VA
• · Rating 3.43 out of 5   643

Columbia University

• NEW YORK, NY
• · Rating 3.83 out of 5   1,386

Virginia Wesleyan University

• VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
• · Rating 3.53 out of 5   767

Hollins University

• Roanoke, VA ·
• · Rating 3.62 out of 5   568 reviews
• Acceptance rate 72%
• Net price $21,207
• SAT range 1070-1290

Blue checkmark. 4 Year, ROANOKE, VA. 568 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars. Featured Review: Alum says I was a graduate student at Hollins, so my experience will be different from those of a residential undergraduate. Academics are not particularly rigorous, and since Hollins is a small liberal arts... Read 568 reviews. Overall Niche Grade: B minus, Acceptance Rate: 72%, Net Price: $21,207, SAT Range: 1070-1290,

Emory & Henry University

• Emory, VA ·
• · Rating 3.67 out of 5   264 reviews
• Acceptance rate 97%
• Net price $20,834
• SAT range 960-1150

Blue checkmark. This school participates in Niche Direct Admissions. 4 Year, EMORY, VA. 264 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars. Featured Review: Junior says I have liked my three years so far. It is a small campus, but a beautiful campus. The professors are all pretty understanding as I was a student athlete which made my education that much better! Read 264 reviews. Overall Niche Grade: B minus, Acceptance Rate: 97%, Net Price: $20,834, SAT Range: 960-1150,

Sweet Briar College

• Sweet Briar, VA ·
• · Rating 3.59 out of 5   430 reviews
• grade  C+ Overall Niche Grade
• Acceptance rate 76%
• Net price $28,408
• SAT range 1020-1360

Blue checkmark. 4 Year, SWEET BRIAR, VA. 430 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars. Featured Review: Junior says Sweet Briar College is awesome! As an engineering student, I loved all the hands-on learning. We worked on real projects and used cool, high-tech labs. The campus is super unique, with beautiful... Read 430 reviews. Overall Niche Grade: C+, Acceptance Rate: 76%, Net Price: $28,408, SAT Range: 1020-1360,

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Randolph College

• · Rating 3.53 out of 5   267 reviews
• Acceptance rate 95%
• Net price $22,886
• SAT range 930-1140

Blue checkmark. 4 Year, LYNCHBURG, VA. 267 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars. Featured Review: Sophomore says I've loved my stay at Randolph, mostly because it's a very small school which is what I wanted. I would say Randolph is not a party school, but more of a school that's very quiet and let's you focus... Read 267 reviews. Overall Niche Grade: C+, Acceptance Rate: 95%, Net Price: $22,886, SAT Range: 930-1140,

University of Maine at Farmington

• FARMINGTON, ME
• · Rating 3.64 out of 5   436

ECPI University - Newport News, VA

• NEWPORT NEWS, VA
• · Rating 4.43 out of 5   14

ECPI University - Manassas, VA

• MANASSAS, VA
• · Rating 4.29 out of 5   7

Showing results 1 through 7 of 7

Department of English

College of humanities and sciences, mfa in creative writing.

Our selective and academically rigorous 48-credit, three-year program is designed to provide talented writers with the opportunity to work closely with both outstanding faculty and gifted peers.

Students will strengthen their craft, develop their literary aesthetics, enrich their understanding of existing traditions and compositional possibilities, and participate actively in the life of the literary community at large.

The primary tracks are poetry and fiction, and admission is highly competitive. In addition to the poetry and fiction workshops, there are courses available that focus on writing drama, nonfiction, and screenplays, as well as courses that provide practical experience in editing.

The basic requirements to complete the MFA degree program are simple and straightforward, and include 12 semester hours of writing workshops, 12 hours graduate literature courses, and six to 12 hours of thesis work. Thesis hours enable students to produce a substantial creative writing thesis, a requirement of graduation.

Concentrations

In addition to completing a thesis, fiction students will learn effective approaches for creating sustained works of fiction distinguished by a nuanced use of appropriate narrative elements, techniques and conventions and will demonstrate a highly developed proficiency in understanding and creating story structures.

Degree Details

Learning Outcomes

How to Apply

Students in the poetry concentration will gain skillful use or knowledge of major poetic devices and classic poetic forms in addition to completing a thesis.

We have expanded creative nonfiction/CNF work and created the new dual genre concentration to allow our MFA students to formally add CNF to their academic concentrations.

Program Highlights

Increased financial support.

Graduate assistantship stipends have greatly increased, and now range from $14,000 up to $22,000 a year (plus tuition waiver). All current full-time MFA students are funded.

Teaching Opportunities

Assistantships not only offer teaching opportunities in writing and rhetoric coursework, but also undergraduate creative writing classes as well.

Travel Funding

We have newly established travel stipends for MFA students for summer writing conferences and study abroad travel, as well as yearly travel funding and registration waivers for students attending the annual AWP conference.

Assistantship Options

Assistantship assignments also include the opportunity to coordinate VCU’s national literary awards , including the Cabell First Novelist, Levis Reading Prize, and Tarumoto Prize in short fiction.

Dual Genre Concentration

Independent study and internships.

We offer three-year course requirements that enable MFA students to design up to six credits of independent study and six credits of professional internships, including opportunities to work in electronic publishing (editorial, web design, digital sound editing, and more) via the program’s nationally prominent online literary journal, Blackbird .

Small Workshops

We boast an excellent 4 to 1 student to faculty ratio. Our program has nine full-time MFA faculty and approximately 30 graduate students.

Coursework Options

We have additional and regular offerings in screenwriting, form and theory coursework , and literary editing/publishing seminars.

Active Authors

Every one of our full-time faculty members has a recent or forthcoming book publication .

Faculty Specialties

We have recent faculty hires in both fiction and creative nonfiction.

A polished, book-length creative thesis is the capstone project of the MFA curriculum. Assessment of learning outcomes are conducted through a comprehensive review of each student’s thesis by the student’s thesis director and second reader (always a member of the MFA faculty ). In addition, to determine each student’s comprehension of the literary antecedents and cultural contexts of their work, and to evaluate the written and oral articulation of personal aesthetics, an exit interview (or in some cases, a traditional “thesis defense”) will be conducted by members of the MFA faculty.

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.

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Search courses, creative writing major, program curriculum.

In accordance with university guidelines, courses satisfying degree core requirements may not be double counted to satisfy other areas of a degree (e.g. Pathways).

Note: All English courses above the 1000-level have as a pre-requisite completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement—i.e., completion of ENGL 1106 First-Year Writing or COMM 1016 Communication Skills .

Satisfactory Progress toward the B.A. in English, Major in Creative Writing

Satisfactory progress toward the B.A. in English, Major in Creative Writing, requires that upon having attempted 72 credits (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, credit by examination, and course withdrawal), students must have passed 12 of the required credits in the English Core (Section I) and have attained a GPA of 2.0 or better both within the major and overall.

Graduation Requirements

The B.A. in English with a Major in Creative Writing requires 39 hours in English, distributed as follows, and 120 hours overall. In accordance with university guidelines, courses satisfying degree core requirements may not be double counted to satisfy other areas of a degree (e.g. Pathways).

Note: All English courses above the 1000-level have as a pre-requisite completion of the First-Year Writing Requirement — i.e., completion of 1106 or COMM 1016. Some courses required for this major have other pre-requisites/co-requisites and/or enrollment requirements. Please refer to the Undergraduate Catalog or consult your advisor for information about the specific pre-req/co-req or enrollment requirements for a specific course.

In order to graduate, students must complete the degree with a GPA of 2.0 or better both within the Creative   Writing Major and overall. All English courses above the 1000-level are factored into the in-major GPA.

Foreign Language Requirements

Foreign Language Requirement

• 3 years in high school  or
• 2 years in high school +  an 1106 foreign language (e.g., FR, GR, SPAN)  or
• L ess than 2 years in high school + an 1105-1106 foreign language (e.g., FR, GR, SPAN) grouping.

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