There are multiple areas of study in a Creative Writing degree.
There are dozens of graduate schools that offer masters degrees in creative writing. Many encourage emphasis in multiple genres such as poetry, short stories or non-fiction while others allow degrees in one specialized area. Programs culminate in a Master of Fine Arts and always require published work for consideration of graduation. Most programs offer comparable courses and all require the faculty to submit articles or written works on a regular basis. Location is often a factor people consider when searching for the best school. This article examines a few in the Western United States that have been highly rated for their quality of life.
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho, home to 21,000 students and located in Moscow, offers technology-based education in a small-town setting. Its picturesque campus is in the heart of the Palouse region of Northern Idaho. UI offers small class sizes by accepting only 10-15 applicants each year. Its diverse students can designate a specific genre such as fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction, but multiple areas are recommended. The three-year program requires 54 credit hours including publishing, literary theory and editing. Scholarships and assistantships are available and the application deadline for admittance is January 15. Tuition for a two-semester year is $6,100 for residents and $17,800 for out-of-state residents as fo 2011. UI has a visiting writers series and a literary magazine.
University of Utah
In 2010, the University of Utah, located in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountain range in Salt Lake City, was named one of the top five Ph.D. programs in the country for Creative Writing and Literature by "The Atlantic Monthly." Its guest writer series draws top poets and authors and is offered to over 30,000 students. Courses across genres are required of all graduate students and provide expert knowledge and insights from the diverse faculty. Applications for 12-15 graduate students are accepted each year and they comprise the editorial staff of Quarterly West and are required to work on the Western Humanities Review. The two-year program requires genre-specific courses, workshops, studies in theory and practice equaling 27 credit hours, and six hours of thesis research. Special research and outreach projects include community writing and family literacy projects. Fellowships and teaching assistants are awarded based on varying factors such as merit, gender and genre. Tuition averages $4,500 per semester in 2011.
Colorado State University
Located in Fort Collins at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado State University's enrollment is about 26,500. In 2010, the beautiful city was named the sixth best place to live by "Money Magazine." The school of Fine Arts offers the intimacy of a small graduate program with the intensity of an expert faculty and stresses cross-genre studies including poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, women's studies, literature and teaching. Fellowships are available for students with past teaching experience. 2011 annual tuition is about $9,100 and the degree requires 48 credit hours including 12 hours in thesis work.
Arizona State University
ASU, the largest university in the nation, is located in Mesa and is home to more than 66,000 students. The Master of Art Creative Writing degree requires 48 credit hours which includes a mixture of writing and literature courses. More than 250 students are accepted into the program each year but classes remain small and focus is on combining faculty and students in writing workshops, mentoring and professional development. Graduate tuition is $7,100 per year as of 2011 and assistantships are offered to every poet and fiction writer in the program. The school hosts a Distinguished Writer Series and teaching abroad program. Students have opportunities to edit Hayden's Ferry Review.
Tags: Creative Writing, credit hours, each year, requires credit, requires credit hours