best creative writing programs in nyc

Creative Writing Program

The New School invites you to join a community of diverse writers, become part of New York City’s publishing world, and build a network of support on campus and beyond. Our prestigious MFA Creative Writing program is designed to help you develop your writing in supportive workshops and literature seminars led by an internationally recognized faculty and renowned authors.

books published annually by alumni and faculty

annual writing events, including the National Book Awards Finalist Reading

of admitted MFA students awarded merit-based university scholarships (2020–2021)

MFA in Creative Writing

As an MFA student at The New School, you can choose your concentration—in Arts Writing, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Writing for Children and Young Adults—and receive personalized faculty mentorship and faculty and peer critiques. Innovative courses in publishing and multimedia storytelling engage you in the development of literature. Popular graduate minors include Impact Entrepreneurship and Transmedia and Digital Storytelling . Or you can apply to WriteOn NYC! , a New School–funded fellowship program providing MFA students with high-quality teaching experience in area middle schools and high schools. All students benefit from evening classes and events, which enable them to work or attend responsibilities during the day while enrolled in a  full-time program.

Related Programs

In addition to the renowned MFA in Creative Writing, The New School offers other programs and opportunities for writing students. These include noncredit courses and summer intensives, as well as an undergraduate major in the Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students, the Writing and Democracy Honors Program, and undergraduate minors in related fields. Summer Writing Intensive Continuing Education Courses Writing & Democracy Honors Program BA in Creative Writing Undergraduate Creative Writing Courses

• Meet our faculty

The Writer’s Life in NYC

Creative Writing students come to The New School from across the United States and around the world to live the writer's life in New York City. Evenings with agents and editors, offered exclusively for MFA students, provide informal opportunities to meet publishing professionals.

The New School Bookshelf

We are proud to feature books recently published by The New School's Creative Writing community.

Sigrid Nunez, Faculty

Hurricane Child

Kacen callender, mfa '14.

The Impeachers

Brenda wineapple, faculty.

The January Children

Safia elhillo, mfa '15.

Mira Jacob, Faculty and MFA '01

Events & news.

• The Vera List Center for Art and Politics Presents New School New Books Event Series
• Adrian Madlener, History of Design and Curatorial Studies ’18, Explores Design Through Writing and Research
• The Vera List Center for Art and Politics Hosts Reading Room Featuring Faculty Books
• Richard Barone, School of Jazz and Contemporary Music Faculty Member, Debuts New Book about Music Scene in 1960’s Greenwich Village
• New Faculty Achievements from Across The New School Include Fellowships, Grants, and More
• Alexandra Kleeman, SPE Assistant Professor of Writing, Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship in Fiction

Take The Next Step

• Request Info

Submit your application

Undergraduates.

To apply to any of our undergraduate programs (except the Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs) complete and submit the Common App online.

Undergraduate Adult Learners

To apply to any of our Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

To apply to any of our Master's, Doctoral, Professional Studies Diploma, and Graduate Certificate programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

Creative Writing (MFA)

Program description.

The MFA Program in Creative Writing consists of a vibrant community of writers working together in a setting that is both challenging and supportive. This stimulating environment fosters the development of talented writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The program is not defined by courses alone, but by a life built around writing.

Through innovative literary outreach programs, a distinguished public reading series, an exciting public student reading series, special literary seminars with visiting writers, and the production of a high-quality literary journal, students participate in a dynamic literary community actively engaged in all aspects of the literary arts—writing, reading, teaching, publishing and community outreach. Students also have the opportunity to enjoy America's most literary terrain; New York University is situated in the heart of Greenwich Village, a part of the city that has always been home to writers.

The MFA in Creative Writing is designed to offer students an opportunity to concentrate intensively on their writing. This program is recommended for students who may want to apply for creative writing positions at colleges and universities, which often require the MFA degree. The MFA program does not have a foreign language requirement.

All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the  general application requirements , which include:

• Academic Transcripts
• Test Scores  (if required)
• Applicant Statements
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation , and
• A non-refundable  application fee .

See Creative Writing for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

Special project, program information.

Taken in four separate semesters. Students are required to take workshops in the genre in which they were admitted to the program.

Craft courses may be repeated provided they are taught by different instructors.

With the permission of that department and of the director of the CWP. 

Additional Program Requirements

A creative special project in poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction consisting of a substantial piece of writing—a novel, a collection of short stories or essays, a memoir, a work of literary nonfiction, or a group of poems—to be submitted in the student’s final semester. The project requires the approval of the student’s faculty adviser and of the director of the CWP.

The MFA degree may also be earned through the Low Residency MFA Writers Workshop in Paris. Under this model, degree requirements remain the same, although Craft courses and Workshops take the form of intensive individualized courses of study with the faculty, including three substantial packet exchanges of student work per semester. All students earning the MFA degree through the low-residency program must also participate in five ten-day residencies in Paris, which involve a diverse series of series of craft talks, lectures, readings, special events, faculty mentorship meetings, and professional development panels.

Sample Plan of Study

Please note : The following is a sample plan of study for a student enrolled in the poetry track. Fiction and creative nonfiction plans of study would parallel the below, substituting the Workshop requirements accordingly (i.e., Workshop in Fiction or Workshop in Creative Nonfiction, respectively).

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

• Graduate students in the Creative Writing Program at NYU work intensively with faculty mentors in writing workshops and individual conferences to learn and master the basic elements of the craft of fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.
• Students are expected to read widely and deeply, and to acquire a broad practitioner’s knowledge of literature in their declared concentration (poetry, creative nonfiction, or fiction).
• Students are taught to read carefully and critically, and in doing so learn to read as writers. By studying great novels, poems, and works of literary nonfiction by other writers, students learn how to write their own.
• The two-year program of intensive study culminates in the completion of a creative thesis— a novel, a collection of stories or essays, or a collection of poems. The thesis manuscript, ideally, is a working draft of a first book. Many program alumni go on to publish books and win awards for their writing.

Grading and GPA Policy

Nyu policies, graduate school of arts and science policies, program policies.

To qualify for the degree, a student must have a GPA of at least 3.0, must complete a minimum of 24 points with a grade of B or better, and may offer no more than 8 points with a grade of C (no more than 4 points with a grade of C in creative writing workshops). A student may take no more than 36 points toward the degree.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page . 

Print Options

Send Page to Printer

Print this page.

Download Page (PDF)

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

MFA in Creative Writing

At Adelphi University, we offer residencies in New York City and semester-long creative mentorships with accomplished and devoted faculty.

Our MFA in Creative Writing program allows you to tailor a flexible and practical curriculum to your artistic goals. In addition, to help with tuition, all accepted students will receive partial scholarships.

Each step of the way, our NYC Creative Writing program aims to prepare you for the life of a working writer, especially as you navigate today’s shifting and vital literary landscape.

Writing in New York City

We see the writer’s life as an ongoing conversation and adventure. At the five-day New York City residencies in August and January , you’ll work closely with distinguished writers, and you’ll also be introduced to editors, literary agents and leaders at literary nonprofits. Our August residency will be held at the Center for Fiction in downtown Brooklyn. We offer concentrations in Fiction, Poetry and Creative Nonfiction, with workshops that culminate in the final thesis course, in which students complete a book-length manuscript. You may choose to focus on any one genre; you may design a path that explores two or more genres; or you may decide to work in a hybrid form.

Our MFA in Creative Writing program focuses intently on craft, with an emphasis on revision and close reading. We also offer practical guidance in publishing, teaching and building a sustainable life as a writer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse writing community, and our goal is to help you find your own best approach to craft.

What are the benefits of a low-residency MFA?

A low-residency MFA Creative Writing program takes into account the complexity of each writer’s life and welcomes students who may have demanding work schedules or family obligations. This academic framework includes in-person learning at the intensive five-day residencies in New York City, and—during the semester—with small online classes and individualized mentorship. By the end of the two-year, 39-credit program, you’ll complete a thesis, your own book-length manuscript.

Why choose to do your MFA at Adelphi University in New York?

The low-residency structure, which features exciting and innovative creative writing residencies in New York City, is a convenient option for students who may already have established careers in other fields, or who aren’t able to relocate to pursue an advanced degree.

Also, Adelphi’s MFA is one of the most affordable low-residency programs at a private university. To help with tuition, all accepted students will receive partial scholarships.

The low-residency program is a transformation of Adelphi’s long-standing traditional MFA program, whose alumni have gone on to publish books, found literary organizations and enter publishing and teaching careers.

Adelphi’s faculty are accomplished, award-winning writers who are active in the literary world, and they are devoted and innovative teachers.

Our MFA in Creative Writing program features our core creative writing faculty:  Jan-Henry Gray ,  Katherine Hill ,  Maya Marshall ,  Igor Webb , and  René Steinke . They are joined every year by distinguished guest writers as well as visitors from the literary and publishing world.

Meet Our MFA in Creative Writing Faculty

Dedicated and successful writers themselves, our MFA faculty are all gifted teachers and highly skilled mentors for our writing students. Their goal is to help each student explore — and perfect — their own literary style and voice.

Jan-Henry Gray

Assistant Professor

He has received fellowships from Kundiman  and  Undocupoets as well as awards from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, the Juniper Summer Writing Institute and the Academy of American Poets. In 2019, he co-organized Writers for Migrant Justice, a nationwide reading and fundraiser for Immigrant Families Together. He also served as a mentor for the Asian Prisoner Support Committee, a teaching artist for City Lore (New York City) and a co-curator for Meanwhile (Chicago). Born in the Philippines and raised in California, he currently lives in New York.

Katherine Hill

Associate Professor

Maya Marshall

René Steinke

Professor, Director

I came to Adelphi for my MFA in Creative Writing because even though I’d been working as a journalist before I joined the program, I wanted to learn the art of storytelling from a different perspective. I’m happy to say the program has made me a more confident storyteller.

The Residency, “Manhattan Week”

The residencies  take place over five days in mid-August and mid-January, when students meet with the creative writing faculty, guest writers and New York-based literary and publishing professionals. Students reside in a local NYC hotel for the duration of the residency. In addition to workshops, lectures, individual conferences, publishing presentations and readings, faculty and students meet together for meals, and there is also time set aside for connecting with peers.

Our August residency will be held at the Center for Fiction in downtown Brooklyn.

Fall and Spring Semesters

Our MFA Creative Writing curriculum offers you the chance to chart your own path. You can choose to focus on writing a novel, for instance, or you may choose to write poetry one semester and nonfiction the next, as you work toward a thesis that combines both. Our program also offers practical courses in helping you create a working writer’s life, with guidance in publishing, teaching, literary advocacy and creating your own literary community.

Program Info

Application requirements.

We accept applications on a rolling basis. We will continue to review applications  for the Fall until July 1. Accepted students will be considered for partial scholarships.

Applicants should submit the following:

• Online application form . The $60 fee is waived for this program.
• Final transcript stating bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution
• Official transcripts from all institutions attended
• Personal statement: Tell us something about your writing life and what you hope to accomplish during the program. Tell us what you have read, are now reading and what you intend to read. Describe your current literary interests, your current or future challenges, and anything else you think is important for us to know about you. Please limit your essay to 1,000 words.
• Poetry: 10–15 pages (approximately a dozen poems).
• Fiction: Maximum of 30 pages, double-spaced, which can consist of one or more stories or part of a novel. If an excerpt from a longer work is submitted, please include a one-paragraph description of the work as a whole.
• Creative nonfiction: Maximum of 30 pages, double-spaced, which can consist of one or more pieces or part of a longer work. If an excerpt from a longer work is submitted, please include a one-paragraph description of the work as a whole.
• Mixed-genre work: Maximum of 30 pages, double-spaced.
• Encouraged, but not required:  One letter of reference from an academic or professional contact who can tell us about your work ethic and your ability to engage with others within an academic/artistic community

Related Programs

Awards & recognition.

Program Director

• [email protected]
• 516.877.4027
• Harvey Hall 213

Graduate Admissions

• Mon, Tues, Wed, Thu: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm Fri: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
• Current Students
• Parents & Families
• Alumni & Friends
• Local Community
• Student Profile
• Apply for Aid 
• Billing 
• Loans 
• One-Stop Student Services 
• Pay Your Bill 
• Refunds 
• Scholarships & Grants 
• Tuition & Costs 
• Tuition Insurance 
• Add/Drop a Course 
• Change Major/Minor 
• Course Search 
• Degree Audit 
• Enrollment/Degree Verification 
• Forms & Guidance 
• Register for Classes 
• University Bulletin (Course Catalog) 
• Academic Calendar 
• Academic Petitions 
• Academic Resources 
• Advisement 
• Final Exams 
• General Education 
• Grading Policies 
• International Services 
• Learning & Writing Centers (Tutoring) 
• Mentoring 
• Study Abroad 
• Assistive Technology 
• Bridges to Adelphi (Neurodiversity) 
• Housing Accommodations (Section 504) 
• Learning Disability & ADHD Support 
• Student Access Office 
• Athletics (Adelphi Panthers) 
• Bookstore 
• Clubs & Activities (MyAULife) 
• Commuter Student Services 
• The Delphian (Student Newspaper) 
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging 
• Dining Services & Meal Plans 
• Interfaith Worship 
• Locker Rentals 
• Lost & Found 
• Multicultural Center 
• Residential Life & Housing 
• Student & Community Engagement 
• Career & Professional Development 
• Internships 
• Job Search (Handshake) 
• Leadership & Development 
• On-Campus Jobs 
• Prep for Success (Kaplan Career Core) 
• Care Team 
• Community Concerns & Resolution 
• Conduct & Community Standards 
• Report Harassment 
• Title IX 
• Apply to Graduate 
• Commencement 
• Health Insurance & Waiver 
• Health Portal 
• Health Services Center 
• Immunization Requirements 
• Infectious Disease Prevention (COVID-19) 
• Mental Health Counseling & Support 
• Mindfulness Center 
• Nutritionist/Dietitian 
• Panther Pantry & Food Insecurity 
• Recreation & Fitness 
• University Libraries 
• My Library Account 
• Library Services 
• Clery Act 
• Emergency Notifications (RAVE) 
• Parking 
• Report Suspicious Behavior (BIT Team) 
• Shuttle Schedule 
• Help Desk (Tech Support) 
• Linkedin Learning 
• Technology Services 
• Disclosures & Info 
• Student Consumer Info 
• Student Disclosure 
• Academic Catalog 
• Financial Scholarly Support 
• Curriculog 
• Library 
• Navigate 
• OARAA 
• Provost 
• Research & Sponsored Programs 
• Administrative Calendar 
• Alice Brown Early Learning Center (Childcare) 
• Brand & Style Guide 
• Community Discounts 
• Emergency Notification (RAVE) 
• Faculty Payroll & Course Load 
• Faculty Senate 
• FCPE 
• Human Resources 
• LinkedIn Learning 
• Paid Time-Off 
• Public Safety & Transportation 
• Technology 
• Share Your News or Story 
• University News 
• University Events 
• Administrative Calendar
• Accounts Payable 
• Benefits 
• Concerns and Resolutions 
• Contracts 
• Handshake / Post Jobs 
• Staff Council 
• Parents & Families Info
• Career Services
• High School Programs
• Tuition & Financial Aid
• Watch the Ceremony 
• FERPA 
• General Education Requirements 
• Registrar 
• Paying a Bill 
• Accessibility Office 
• Availability of Employees 
• Campus Map 
• Handbooks & Brochures 
• Health Services 
• Parents & Families Association 
• Athletics 
• Performing Arts Center 
• Adelphi Gold 
• Discounts & Benefits 
• Jobs at Adelphi 
• Networking 
• Order a Transcript 
• Performing Arts Center
• Camps 
• High School Programs 
• Pre-College Programs 
• Art Exhibitions 
• Adult Fitness Program 
• Gym Membership 
• Continuing Education & Professional Development 
• Community Auditing Program 
• Credit for Prior Learning 
• Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program 
• Hy Weinberg Center for Communication Disorders 
• Institute for Parenting 
• Literacy Center 
• Mental Health Services 
• Social Training Center 
• Become a Mentor 
• Center for Nonprofit Leadership 
• Reserve Event Space 

You are now leaving the Adelphi University website...

Adelphi is not responsible for the content of third-party sites. External sites may have different Privacy and Security policies than Adelphi University. You should review the policies of any third-party website before you provide personal or confidential information.

Go back Continue

• Skip to Main
• Welcome Message
• Literary Journals
• Join Our Listserv
• Administration and Staff

FAQ for Prospective Graduate Students

Fellowships and literary outreach.

• Teaching Opportunities
• NYU GSAS Online Application
• Graduate Student Handbook
• External Literary Opportunities
• Low-Residency MFA in Paris
• Undergraduate Creative Writing Abroad
• FAQ for Undergraduate Students
• Academic Credit for Internships
• Awards & Special Events
• Fall 2023 Undergraduate Workshops
• Winter 2024
• Fall 2024 Undergraduate Workshops
• MFA Community News
• Alumni Books
• Recent Faculty Books
• NYU CWP Faculty & Alumni Events AWP 2024
• Writers in Florence
• Writers in New York
• Writers in Paris
• Summer 2024 Workshops on Campus
• Classic Podcasts & Videos
• Recent Podcasts & Videos
• Spring 2017
• Spring 2018
• Spring 2019
• Spring 2020
• Virtual Events 2020
• Spring 2021 Virtual Events
• Spring 2022
• Yusef Komunyakaa: A Celebration
• Spring 2023
• Spring 2024

The NYU Creative Writing Program

is among the most distinguished programs in the country and is a leading national center for the study of writing and literature.

Graduate Program

The graduate Creative Writing Program at NYU consists of a community of writers working together in a setting that is both challenging and supportive.

Low Residency MFA Workshop in Paris

The low-residency MFA Writers Workshop offers students the opportunity to develop their craft in one of the world's most inspiring literary capitals.

Undergraduate Program

The undergraduate program offers workshops, readings, internships, writing prizes, and events designed to cultivate and inspire.

Spring 2022 Reading Series

The lively public Reading Series hosts a wide array of writers, translators, and editors, and connects our program to the local community.

Creative Writing Program

Low-residency mfa writers workshop in paris, undergraduate, washington square review, literary journal, a sample residency calendar, write in paris, scholarships and grant opportunities, program of study, dates and deadlines, creative writing, recent highlights from the mfa community.

• Alum Bruna Dantas Lobato   won the 2023 National Book Award in translation

• Faculty member Sharon Olds received the Joan Margarit International Poetry Prize from King Felipe VI in July 2023

• Alumni  Tess Gunty  and  John Keene   each won a 2022 National Book Award in fiction and poetry , respectively

• Books by faculty members  Sharon  Olds  and  Meghan O'Rourke;  and alums  Tess Gunty, John Keene ,  and  Jenny Xie  were named finalists for the 2022 National Book Awards; books by alum  Rio Cortez and faculty member Leigh Newman were also longlisted

• Alum  Ada Limón   has been named the nation's 24th Poet Laureate  by the Library of Congress

• Alum  Amanda Larson 's debut poetry collection  GUT  was selected by Mark Bibbins as the winner of the Poetry Society of America Norma Farber Book Award

• Alum  Sasha Burshteyn  was named a 2022 winner of the 92Y Discovery Prize. Alums Jenna Lanzaro and JinJin Xu were also named semi-finalists for the prize.

• Alum Clare Sestanovich was selected as a  2022 5 under 35 Honoree  by the National Book Foundation

• Alum  Maaza Mengiste  was awarded a  2022 Guggenheim Fellowship

• Visiting graduate faculty member  Brandon Taylor 's collection  Filthy Animals  was named a 2021/22  finalist for The Story Prize  and was shortlisted for the  2022 Dylan Thomas Prize

• Alum  Raven Leilani  won the 2021 Clark Fiction Prize, Dylan Thomas prize, the 2020 Kirkus Prize for Fiction and the Center for Fiction 2020 First Novel Prize for her debut novel  Luster,  and was named a finalist for the 2021 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, the Gotham Book Prize, the 2021 PEN/Hemmingway Award for Debut Novel, the 2021 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award

• Alum Desiree C. Bailey 's debut poetry collection  What Noise Against the Cane  was longlisted for the 2022 Dylan Thomas Prize and was also named a finalist for the 2021 National Book Award in Poetry and the 2022 Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and was published as the winner of the 2020 Yale Series of Younger Poets

• Senior faculty member  Sharon Olds  was named the 2022 recipient of the Poetry Society of America's Frost Medal for distinguished lifetime achievement in poetry

You can read more MFA Community news here and find a list of forthcoming and recently published books by alumni here .   NYU CWP alumni include  Aria Aber, Amir Ahmadi Arian, Julie Buntin, Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Isabella Hammad, Ishion Hutchinson, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Maaza Mengiste, John Murillo, Gregory Pardlo, Morgan Parker, Nicole Sealey, Solmaz Sharif, Peng Shepherd, Ocean Vuong, Jenny Xie,  and  Javier Zamora. 

Announcements

Ocean Vuong joins the NYU Creative Writing Program Faculty

Mary Gabriel, Author of “Ninth Street Women”, Receives the NYU/Axinn Foundation Prize

Claudia Rankine joins the NYU Creative Writing Program Faculty

Classic podcasts from the lillian vernon reading series.

Anne Carson

Zadie Smith and Jeffrey Eugenides

Terrance Hayes

Where to find us.

Faculty Spotlight

Jeffrey Eugenides is the author of acclaimed novels The Virgin Suicides, Middlesex, and The Marriage Plot. His latest collection is Fresh Complaint. 

Katie Kitamura’s most recent novel Intimacies was longlisted for the National Book Award and named a Best Book of 2021 by numerous publications.

Sharon Olds is a previous director of the Creative Writing Program. Her 2012 collection Stags Leap was awarded the T.S. Eliot Prize and a Pulitzer.

Claudia Rankine is a recipient of the 2016 MacArthur Fellowship, and the author of six collections including Citizen and Don’t Let Me Be Lonely.

Darin Strauss is the author of several acclaimed novels, including the most recent The Queen of Tuesday: A Lucille Ball Story.

Hari Kunzru is the author of six novels, including the most recent Red Pill, and White Tears, a finalist for the PEN Jean Stein Award.

Foer was listed in Rolling Stone's "People of the Year," Esquire's "Best and Brightest," and The New Yorker's "20 Under 40" list.

Ocean Vuong is the author of the bestselling novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and the poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds.

Terrance Hayes’s most recent publications include American Sonnets for My Past And Future Assassin and To Float In The Space Between.

Masters in Creative Writing Programs in the New York City Area

1-25 of 25 results

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - New York University

• New York, NY ·
• New York University ·
• Graduate School
• · Rating 4.8 out of 5   10 reviews

New York University ,

Graduate School ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

10 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am enrolled specifically in the Magazine concentration. My professors have all been helpful with helping me succeed and are willing to stay back to go over something I don't understand. There are... .

Read 10 reviews.

Fairfield University College of Arts and Sciences

• Fairfield, CT ·
• Fairfield University ·

Fairfield University ,

FAIRFIELD, CT ,

Rutgers University Graduate School - Newark

• Newark, NJ ·
• Rutgers University - Newark ·
• · Rating 4.29 out of 5   7 reviews

Blue checkmark.

Rutgers University - Newark ,

NEWARK, NJ ,

7 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says The program offers real insight into courses a student can be taking in medical or dental school. Courses often have recorded lectures, so it is easy to take notes, and professors are eager to answer... .

Read 7 reviews.

Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences

• Lesley University ·
• Graduate School ·
• CAMBRIDGE, MA
• · Rating 4.75 out of 5   4

College of Charleston

• CHARLESTON, SC
• · Rating 4.33 out of 5   15

College of Arts and Sciences - American University

• American University ·
• WASHINGTON, DC

The Schools of Public Engagement at The New School

• The New School ·
• · Rating 4.67 out of 5   6 reviews

The New School ,

6 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The value I received was critical to my growth as a writer. The New School gives out so much financial scholarships, and it really helped me decide to attend a Master's program. My program also... .

Read 6 reviews.

College of Arts and Sciences - Stony Brook University, SUNY

• Stony Brook, NY ·
• Stony Brook University, SUNY ·
• · Rating 3 out of 5   3 reviews

Stony Brook University, SUNY ,

STONY BROOK, NY ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 3 stars.

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says In the Physics Department, the classes are wide-ranging and generally well taught. They are challenging and require the amount of effort expected of a very good graduate education. However, the... Many students wish to do research in String Theory, but there is little funding available and many students are admitted. Funding in most other areas of the department are adequate enough that most... .

Read 3 reviews.

College of Arts and Sciences - Adelphi University

• Garden City, NY ·
• Adelphi University ·

Adelphi University ,

GARDEN CITY, NY ,

• Find college scholarships

Drew University

• Madison, NJ ·
• · Rating 4.21 out of 5   24 reviews

MADISON, NJ ,

24 Niche users give it an average review of 4.2 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The faculty of the Drew Theological Seminary is mainly exceptional. They are engaging because it is not only about imparting knowledge but also about helping their students hone their skills so that... .

Read 24 reviews.

Hofstra University's School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts

• Hempstead, NY ·
• Hofstra University ·

Hofstra University ,

HEMPSTEAD, NY ,

Sarah Lawrence College

• Bronxville, NY ·
• · Rating 4.3 out of 5   23 reviews

BRONXVILLE, NY ,

23 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says The most incredible, nurturing, supportive program ever. I am so privileged to have had significant merit and intellectual support from SLC. I am beyond indebted to this institution. .

Read 23 reviews.

CUNY Brooklyn College School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts

• Brooklyn, NY ·
• CUNY Brooklyn College ·

CUNY Brooklyn College ,

BROOKLYN, NY ,

CUNY Queens College School of Arts and Humanities

• Queens, NY ·
• CUNY Queens College ·

CUNY Queens College ,

QUEENS, NY ,

Pratt Institute School of Liberal Arts and Sciences

• Pratt Institute ·

Pratt Institute ,

• Sponsored Find Student Loan Options
• Online Professional and Technical Writing Programs
• Public Administration Graduate Programs

St. Joseph's University, New York

• · Rating 4.75 out of 5   12 reviews

12 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Administrator says College can be a very exciting and transformative time in a student's life. It's a place where you'll have the opportunity to learn new things, meet new people, and gain experiences that can shape... One of the most significant changes when transitioning from high school to college is the level of independence that you'll have. You'll be responsible for managing your time, balancing academic and... Of course, college can also be challenging at times. You'll likely encounter academic and personal challenges, and you may feel overwhelmed or stressed at various points. However, with the right... Overall, college can be a wonderful and fulfilling experience, and it's up to you to make the most of your time there. .

Read 12 reviews.

Division of Humanities & the Arts - CUNY City College of New York

• CUNY City College of New York ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

CUNY City College of New York ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The psychology program at CUNY City College of New York continues to surprise me with interesting classes like Gender and Psychology as well as Trauma and resilience. It shows the deep and diversity... .

Read 1 reviews.

School of Arts and Sciences - CUNY Hunter College

• CUNY Hunter College ·
• · Rating 5 out of 5   5 reviews

CUNY Hunter College ,

5 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The teachers are highly engaged with student development but are working filmmakers themselves which is not only inspiring but so helpful for the quality of our education. .

Read 5 reviews.

College of Arts and Communication - William Paterson University of New Jersey

• Wayne, NJ ·
• William Paterson University of New Jersey ·

William Paterson University of New Jersey ,

WAYNE, NJ ,

School of Arts - Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus

• Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus ·

Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus ,

Manhattanville College Creative Writing Program

• Purchase, NY ·
• Manhattanville College ·

Manhattanville College ,

PURCHASE, NY ,

Columbia University School of Professional Studies

• Columbia University ·
• · Rating 4.73 out of 5   22 reviews

Columbia University ,

22 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The Sustainability Management program (SUMA) provides a great opportunity for students that are currently working while completing the degree part-time but also fosters a community of close-knit... .

Read 22 reviews.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - Long Island University

• Brookville, NY ·
• Long Island University ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   2 reviews

Long Island University ,

BROOKVILLE, NY ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says My experience at Long Island University was amazing. My major as a Graduate was Public Administration. The professors and faculty staff for this program are amazing. If you ever needed to talk to... .

Read 2 reviews.

St. Francis College

• Brooklyn Heights, NY ·
• · Rating 4.33 out of 5   6 reviews

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, NY ,

6 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I attended St. Francis College for undergrad from Fall 2013-Spring 2017. It was a very pleasant experience. Most of the classes were great. The professors were caring and passionate about their... .

CUNY Queens College Aaron Copland School of Music

• · Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Other says Aaron Copland School of music has the best faculty and program. The quality of the education is extraordinarily high and you can experience virtually all areas of music field in one school. .

CUNY Queens College Graduate School of Library and Information Studies

• · Rating 4.5 out of 5   2 reviews

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I really enjoyed the dual degree program I was in at Queens College. The professors were engaging and truly cared about the students. I appreciated the swift switch to online courses in the midst of... The main concerns that I had with the program was the lack of communication between students and faculty. Students concerns were dealt with but not in an appropriate and reasonable timeframe. .

CUNY Queens College School of Business

Cuny queens college school of earth and environmental sciences.

The New School for Social Research

• NEW YORK, NY
• · Rating 2.5 out of 5   2

The New School College of Performing Arts

• · Rating 4.88 out of 5   8

College of Health Professions - Sacred Heart University

• Sacred Heart University ·
• BRIDGEPORT, CT

Showing results 1 through 25 of 25

Best Creative Writing colleges in New York 2024

Best creative writing colleges in new york for 2024.

Columbia University in the City of New York offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 174 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 124 Master's degrees, and 50 Bachelor's degrees.

Cornell University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 7 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Master's degrees.

New York University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 66 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 66 Master's degrees.

Binghamton University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2022, 44 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 44 Bachelor's degrees.

Stony Brook University offers 4 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 25 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 21 Master's degrees, and 4 Bachelor's degrees.

Syracuse University offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 12 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 10 Master's degrees, and 2 Bachelor's degrees.

University at Buffalo offers 3 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 10 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 10 Certificates.

University of Rochester offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 13 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 13 Bachelor's degrees.

CUNY Hunter College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 16 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 16 Master's degrees.

CUNY City College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 31 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 31 Master's degrees.

Find local colleges with Creative Writing majors in New York

List of all creative writing colleges in new york.

• Twitter Facebook Pinterest
• Highest Paid
• Popular Online
• Non-Traditional

2024 Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools in New York

College Factual reviewed 14 schools in New York to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of creative writing. Combined, these schools handed out 397 master's degrees in creative writing to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Master’s Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Creative Writing School for Your Master's Degree

A Great Overall School

The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to creative writing students as compared to other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of creative writing students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized creative writing related body.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for creative writing students working on their master's degree.

More Ways to Rank Creative Writing Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings , including this Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools in New York list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Creative Writing in New York

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in creative writing.

10 Top New York Schools for a Master's in Creative Writing

Columbia University in the City of New York is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a master's degree in creative writing. Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Columbia University in the City of New York

It's hard to beat New York University if you want to pursue a master's degree in creative writing. NYU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York. More information about a master’s in creative writing from New York University

Every student who is interested in a master's degree in creative writing needs to take a look at Syracuse University. Located in the midsize city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Syracuse University

It's difficult to beat The New School if you wish to pursue a master's degree in creative writing. Located in the large city of New York, New School University is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from The New School

SUNY Stony Brook is a very large public university located in the suburb of Stony Brook. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Stony Brook University

Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Cornell University

CCNY is a fairly large public college located in the city of New York. More information about a master’s in creative writing from The City College of New York

Hofstra is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Hempstead. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Hofstra University

Located in the large suburb of Bronxville, Sarah Lawrence is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College

Located in the suburb of Purchase, Manhattanville is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. More information about a master’s in creative writing from Manhattanville College

Related Programs

Learn about other programs related to Creative Writing that might interest you.

Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction

Harness your passion for storytelling with SNHU's Mountainview Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction. In this small, two-year creative writing program, students work one-on-one with our distinguished faculty remotely for most of the semester but convene for weeklong intensive residencies in June and January. At residencies, students critique each other's work face-to-face, meet with major authors, agents and editors and learn how to teach at the college level.

English (I Have a Bachelors)

Best Creative Writing Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Creative Writing Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in creative writing, best doctorate degrees in creative writing, best bachelor's degrees in creative writing, best overall in creative writing.

View All Rankings >

Rankings in Majors Related to Creative Writing

Creative Writing is one of 4 different types of Writing Studies programs to choose from.

Notes and References

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO . More about our data sources and methodologies .

Popular Reports

Compare your school options.

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best of New York for free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy New York without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to Do
• Food & Drink
• Time Out Market
• Coca-Cola Foodmarks
• Attractions
• Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

The 17 best writing classes in NYC

Harness your inner Zadie Smith at these stellar writing workshops for every type of writer on every type of budget

Whether you want to write the next murder mystery and hope it gets picked up by Hollywood directors, or  you want to ensure that your work emails and reports are concise, grammatically correct and rhetorically sound , these writing classes in NYC will help you put those ideas onto paper. And hopefully into some of the best independent bookstores and NYC libraries (fingers crossed!). The remarkable literary institutions employ authors-cum-teachers to teach courses in everything from personal essays to poetry, so you’re sure to find a discipline that suits you. And if you need inspiration, re-reading the best books about New York should do the trick. Enjoy.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to classes in NYC RECOMMENDED: The best BYOB painting classes in NYC

This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our   affiliate   guidelines .

An email you’ll actually love

NYC writing classes

1.  Advanced Business Writing

Once you have your grasp on the essentials of grammar and writing (like knowing what a semicolon actually does), you’ll want to enroll in a more advanced course to ensure every word you write is chosen with precision. In this course, you’ll learn how to analyze your audience, shape your tone and message for persuasion, education or communication and you’ll work on various strategies for planning your writing and ensuring that you are utilizing rhetorical tools and informative structures properly. At the end of the course, you’ll have sample writing projects that you can add to your job portfolio and you will be ready to use your writing as a tool to further your career.

2.  Effective Business Writing

While creatives may want to learn how to write the next great American novel, there are a lot of professional reasons that one might want to improve their writing skills. Virtually every job will require some form of communication between individuals and departments and the ability to write coherent emails, proposals, memos or updates is an important skill if you want to survive in an office environment. Learning the fine art of grammar and the practical skills needed to communicate cleanly will pay dividends in the long-term.

3.  Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks

One of the most inviting aspects of creative writing is how diverse of a field it is once you scratch the surface. Whether you are interested in writing poetry, short-fiction, long-form prose or even creative non-fiction or memoirs, you won’t need to look hard to find a vibrant community of fellow writers. In this introductory creative writing course, you can learn fundamental skills that can be applied to almost any genre of writing and you can get hands-on experience working in fictional and non-fictional styles to acclimate yourself to the variety of different styles of writing that you can learn and practice.

4.  Fiction Writing Level 1: 10 Week Workshop

If you are interested in flexing your creative muscles, you can enroll in an introductory fiction and poetry workshop to start looking for your own personal muse. In this course, students will all about the process of writing fiction and poetry. No one writes a world-changing poem on their first go and this class is about learning the art of revising, editing and expanding on your work in order to take the germ of an idea and turn it into a completed piece that expresses your own creative desires. Whether you are looking to write short form poetry or you want to write a 13-book series in your favorite brand of genre fiction, learning these basic techniques will be a vital boon to your work.

5.  Grammar Essentials

English grammar is incredibly (and often needlessly complicated). Did you know that the reason you aren’t supposed to split infinitives is because someone in the 19th century wanted English to sound more like Latin? Well, if the basics of grammar continue to give you problems, you should consider enrolling in a course like this one. Here, you’ll get practical lessons in the art of writing clean sentences that clearly communicate your intended message and ensure that your writing isn’t giving readers the wrong impressions.

6.  Just Write

One of the biggest stumbling blocks that new writers face is that they overthink the preparation work and skimp on the writing work. Like any skill, you learn to write by practicing and the best way to do that is to write. In this regularly-held three-hour seminar, writers are encouraged to do just that: sit around a table and bang out some words while enduring the silent judgment of their peers (who are also using this as a time they are forced to write). While there is time for discussion, critique (and socializing), the outline of this program is simple: Just write.

7.  Business Writing Bootcamp

If you want a complete business writing education, consider enrolling in a business writing bootcamp. This course pairs the grammar lessons and technical writing skills of an introductory course with the rhetorical and persuasive writing training of an advanced writing course. This makes it a one-stop experience for students with minimal writing experience to start to master the important aspects of business writing. Improve your career opportunities and help improve the quality of your persuasive and informative projects with one of these immersive bootcamps.

8.  Personal Essay Writing Intensive

The personal essay has become a rather popular form of writing for mass consumption in recent years, particularly as the barriers to publishing short form content have been lowered (were one truly inclined, social media platforms make it almost effortless). In this class, you’ll learn how to brainstorm ideas and plan out the structure of the personal essay and how to build both pathos and ethos in your experiences and arguments. Similar to memoir writing, personal essay writing is about leveraging your own personal experience as a rhetorical tool and it is practical whether you are trying to persuade an audience, sell yourself to a company or institution or make a profession out of Op-Ed writing.

9.  Stand-up Comedy One Day Intensive

Do you want to perform? Want to make people laugh? Want to tour the country? Well, consider learning stand-up comedy. While professional stand-up comedians make it look off-the-cuff, the process of writing a good stand-up routine involves a lot of fine-tuning and revision, particularly as you workshop jokes and tighten the set. In this intensive course, you’ll get a chance to try out some new material, get feedback and start the process of refining your jokes in front of professional comedy writers. Whether you are hoping to punch up a bit or start your first routine, this intrusive course will help you start refining your comedic voice.

10.  The Editor’s Eye Intensive

Not all aspects of writing are about being creative. Making sure that your work is properly edited, free of errors and written as tightly as you would prefer is an essential step to getting your work published. This course will help students learn the basics of editing so that they can identify things like improper grammar, incorrect word usage, clunky and awkwards sentences and overly verbose writing. This program also aims to help students develop the professional skills needed to work as an editor (since companies hire professional editors and freelance writers who don’t like editing will pay a pretty penny to have someone else handle it).

11.  Screenwriting I: 10-Week Workshop

If you have an idea that you think would be perfect for the big screen, you should consider enrolling in this immersive screenwriting workshop. Writing a screenplay isn’t like writing other forms of long-form fiction, so you’ll want to get focused training on how to write scripts that are cinematic, compelling and, most importantly, marketable. You’ll learn the art of writing dialogue, stage directions and providing actors and directors with the information they need to bring your vision to life. Whether you are interested in arthouse cinema or want to pen the next famous blockbuster, you’ll benefit from taking this course.

12.  Memoir Writing Intensive

If the personal essay aims to make an argument, then the memoir aims to tell a story. In this course, you’ll learn the art of transforming your personal experience into a compelling narrative that entices readers and helps make a broader point about how your experiences tell us something about the world. Slightly distinct from creative non-fiction, memoir writing is possibly the most personal style of writing that you can engage in. While memoirs have traditionally been associated with powerful heads of state and significant thinkers, the genre has become more welcoming to the perspective of the everyday, and in  this course, you’ll learn how your own lived experiences can become the thing of memoir greatness.

13.  Songwriting Intensive

Acclaimed songwriter Taylor Swift was recently named Time Magazine ’s Person of the Year, suggesting that writing music can have globe altering implications. If you want to learn the basics of professional songwriting and emulate your favorite music icon, consider enrolling in this songwriting course. This course will teach students how to write popular music, how to craft a perfect tune to go along with the lyrics and how to market the music to studios, producers and labels. This course covers a range of different genres, so whether you want to write R&B, pop, rockabilly, hip-hop or smooth jazz, this course will help you develop your skills and start writing the next great earworm.

14.  Playwriting Intensive

Live theater is one of the oldest forms of creative writing, dating back, at least to the early Grecians (and likely existed in some form even before the development of systematized writing). If you want to flex your inner Shakespeare, Beckett or Tennesse Williams, consider enrolling in this intensive playwriting course. You’ll learn how to transform the empty stage into a real world and you’ll learn how to write your plays to give the actors the tools they need to deliver the best performances possible. Writing for the stage is its own unique challenge and this course will give you the experience you need to start staging your own masterwork. Plus, for any aspiring Hammersteins, the course can also help you begin to write musicals.

15.  Plot 1: Mechanics 3-week Intensive

Hollywood screenplays, like all narrative, rely on structure to scaffold the story and build audience investment. Whether you are working with the traditional three-act structure most common to feature films, the five-act structures of classic stage plays or the one or two act structures common to modernist works, you’ll want to understand why narratives are structured in certain ways and how to use these structures to your advantage when writing a screenplay. This course will teach students the math that goes into writing a structured screenplay and give them hands-on practice scaffolding their story beats.

16.  Social Media Content Marketing: Blogs & Twitter at Noble Desktop

A lot of professional writing for mass audiences is now done online, with blogs and Twitter being important places to communicate and persuade your audience (like this article is doing now and in this class you’ll learn whether or not meta commentary like this helps your content marketing). In this class, you’ll get hands-on experience working with professional content writers to help you set goals, build marketing strategies and create a voice for your company or organization. You will also learn how to create a coherent brand identity for your online content and how to use platforms like Twitter to expand your reach, build a customer base and keep that base engaged with your content.

17.  Character Creation

Characters can really make or break a story. This Character creation class is a compact workshop for character creating and development, to help give you the skills to make your story work. The workshop will focus on areas like principles of characterization, consistency and effects of dialogue, plus more to help with your character-building and storytelling. It's a two-hour session with a teacher, working anywhere that suits you both and 1-2-1 to ensure you have thorough guidance and help. 

Looking for literary inspiration?

12 New York places you’ll recognize from literature

• Things to do
• Literary events

Readers’ starry-eyed expectations won’t be let down by these iconic literary landmarks

[image] [title]

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Copyright agent
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Claim your listing
• Local Marketing Solutions
• Advertising

Time Out products

• Time Out Worldwide

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 12 best creative writing colleges and programs.

College Info

Finding a dedicated creative writing program at a school you're excited about can be a real challenge, and that's even before you start worrying about getting in. Nonetheless, there are some great options. In order to help you find the best school for you, this list rounds up some of the best colleges for creative writing in the United States .

The Best Creative Writing Programs: Ranking Criteria

You should never take college rankings as absolute truth —not even the very official-seeming US News ones. Instead, use these kinds of lists as a jumping-off place for your own exploration of colleges. Pay attention not just to what the rankings are but to how the rankings are determined.

To help with that, I'll explain how I came up with this highly unscientific list of great creative writing colleges. I started by narrowing my search down to schools that offered a specific creative writing major. (If you don't see a school you were expecting, it's likely because they only have a minor.)

In ranking the schools, I considered five major criteria:

• #1: MFA Ranking —If a school has a great graduate creative writing program, it means you'll be taught by those same professors and the excellent graduate students they attract. Schools with strong MFA programs are also more likely to have solid alumni networks and internship opportunities. However, many schools with great undergrad programs do not offer MFAs, in which case I simply focused on the other four options.
• #2: General School Reputation —The vast majority of your classes won't be in creative writing, so it's important that other parts of the school, especially the English department, are great as well.
• #3: Extracurricular Opportunities —One of the key advantages of majoring in creative writing is that it can provide access to writing opportunities outside the classroom, so I took what kind of internship programs, author readings, and literary magazines the school offers into consideration.
• #4: Diversity of Class Options —I gave extra points to schools with a variety of genre options and specific, interesting classes.
• #5: Alumni/Prestige —This last criterion is a bit more subjective: is the school known for turning out good writers? Certainly it's less important than what kind of education you'll actually get, but having a brand-name degree (so to speak) can be helpful.

The Best Creative Writing Schools

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of schools! The exact numbering is always arguable, so look at it as a general trend from absolutely amazing to still super great, rather than fixating on why one school is ranked #3 and another is ranked #4.

#1: Northwestern University

Northwestern's undergrad creative writing program boasts acclaimed professors and an unparalleled track record of turning out successful writers (including Divergent author Veronica Roth and short-story writer Karen Russell).

Outside the classroom, you can work on the student-run literary journal, intern at a publication in nearby Chicago, or submit to the Department of English's yearly writing competition . The university is also home to a top journalism program , so if you want to try your hand at nonfiction as well, you'll have plenty of opportunities to do so.

#2: Columbia University

Like Northwestern, Columbia is home to both a world-class creative writing program and a top journalism school (plus one of the best English departments in the country), so you have a wide range of writing-related course options. Columbia also benefits from its location in New York City, which is bursting at the seams with publishing houses, literary journals, and talented authors.

#3: University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's big draw is the infrastructure of its graduate Writers' Workshop, which is often considered the best MFA program in the country.

As an English and Creative Writing major here, you'll take classes from great young writers and established professors alike, and get to choose from a wide range of topics. This major provides transferable skills important for a liberal arts major with a creative focus. You'll also have access to the university's impressive literary community, including frequent readings, writing prizes and scholarships, and the acclaimed literary journal The Iowa Review .

#4: Emory University

Emory is renowned for its dedicated undergrad creative writing program , which draws the very best visiting scholars and writers. Students here have the chance to attend intimate question-and-answer sessions with award-winning authors, study a range of genres, compete for writing awards and scholarships, and work closely with an adviser to complete an honors project.

#5: Oberlin College

A small liberal arts school in Ohio, Oberlin offers very different advantages than the schools above do. You'll have fewer opportunities to pursue writing in the surrounding city, but the quality of the teachers and the range of courses might make up for that. Moreover, it boasts just as impressive alumni, including actress and writer Lena Dunham.

#6: Hamilton College

Hamilton is another small college, located in upstate New York. It's known for giving students the freedom to pursue their interests and the support to help them explore topics in real depth, both inside and outside the classroom. Hamilton's creative writing program takes full advantage with small classes and lots of opportunities to intern and publish; it also has one of the best writing centers in the country.

#7: Brown University

Brown's Literary Arts program offers one of the top MFAs in the US as well as an undergraduate major . For the major, you must take four creative writing workshops and six reading-intensive courses, which span an array of departments and topics, from music and literature to Middle East studies and Egyptology.

#8: Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University has an excellent creative writing MFA program, lots of super specific class options, and a number of scholarships specifically earmarked for creative writing students. This school’s undergraduate English program also offers a concentration in creative writing that allows students to specialize in a specific genre: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. If you’re interested in exploring your potential in a specific writing genre, Washington University could be a great pick for you.

#9: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT might not be a school you generally associate with writing, but it actually has an excellent program that offers courses in digital media and science writing, as well as creative writing, and provides plenty of guidance on how graduates can navigate the tricky job market.

Not to mention the school is located in Cambridge, a haven for book lovers and writers of all kinds. Though it probably isn’t a good fit for students who hate science, MIT is a great place for aspiring writers who want to build writing skills that are marketable in a wide range of industries.

#10: University of Michigan

University of Michigan is one of the best state universities in the country and has a top-notch MFA program. This school’s undergrad creative writing sub-concentration requires students to submit applications for admittance to advanced creative writing courses. These applications give students crucial practice in both building a writing portfolio and articulating their interest in creative writing to an audience who will evaluate their work. If you're looking to attend a big school with a great creative writing major, this is a fantastic choice.

#11: Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins is another school that's known more for engineering than it is for writing, but, like MIT, it has a dedicated writing program. As a major here, you must take not only courses in prose, poetry, and literature, but also classes on topics such as philosophy and history.

#12: Colorado College

Colorado College is a small liberal arts school known for its block plan , which allows students to focus on one class per three-and-a-half-week block. The creative writing track of the English major includes a sequence of four writing workshops and also requires students to attend every reading of the Visiting Writers Series.

Bonus School: New York University

I didn't include NYU in the main list because it doesn't have a dedicated creative writing major, but it's a great school for aspiring writers nonetheless, offering one of the most impressive creative writing faculties in the country and all the benefits of a Manhattan location.

How To Pick the Best Creative Writing School for You

Just because Northwestern is a great school for creative writing doesn't mean you should set your heart on going there. (The football fans are completely terrifying, for one thing.) So where should you go then?

Here are some questions to ask yourself when looking at creative writing programs to help you determine the best school for you:

Does It Have Courses You're Interested In?

Look at the course offerings and see whether they interest you. While you can't predict exactly what classes you'll love, you want to avoid a mismatch where what you want to study and what the program offers are completely different. For example, if you want to write sonnets but the school focuses more on teaching fiction, it probably won't be a great fit for you.

Also, don't forget to look at the English courses and creative writing workshops! In most programs, you'll be taking a lot of these, too.

What Opportunities Are There To Pursue Writing Outside of Class?

I touched on this idea in the criteria section, but it's important enough that I want to reiterate it here. Some of the best writing experience you can get is found outside the classroom, so see what kind of writing-related extracurriculars a school has before committing to it.

Great options include getting involved with the campus newspaper, working on the school's literary journal, or interning at the university press.

Who Will Be Teaching You?

Who are the professors? What kind of work have they published? Check teacher ratings on Rate My Professors (but make sure to read the actual reviews—and always take them with a grain of salt).

If you're looking at a big school, there's a good chance that a lot of your teachers will be graduate students. But that's not necessarily a bad thing: a lot of the best teachers I had in college were graduate students. Just take into consideration what kind of graduate program the school has. If there's a great creative writing MFA program, then the graduate students are likely to be better writers and more engaged teachers.

What Are the Alumni Doing Now?

If you have a sense of what you want to do after you graduate, see if any alumni of the program are pursuing that type of career. The stronger the alumni network is, the more connections you'll have when it comes time to get a job.

What About the Rest of the School?

Don't pick a school for which you like the creative writing program but dread everything else about it. Most of your time will be spent doing other things, whether hanging out in the dorms, exploring off campus, or fulfilling general education requirements.

Many schools require you to apply to the creative writing major, so make doubly sure you'll be happy with your choice even if you aren't accepted to the program.

What's Next?

Are you sure a creative writing major is the right fit for you? Read our post on the pros and cons of the major to help you decide what path to take in college.

For more general advice about choosing a college, check out our complete guide to finding the right school for you. Some major factors to consider include deciding whether you're interested in a small college or a big university , an in-state or out-of-state institution , and a public or private school .

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

The Writers Studio

The Original School of Creative Writing and Thinking, est. 1987

The Writers Studio New York

IN-PERSON CLASSES

NYC Level 1, 2, and Advanced Poetry classes will be held in person at the Village Community School at 272 West 10th Street in the West Village. Proof of vaccination and masks are required to attend in-person classes.

VIRTUAL CLASSES

For those NYC Level 1 students who prefer a virtual class, there will be a Thursday class held via Google Meet. NYC Level 3/4 and NYC Memoir classes will continue to meet at their scheduled times via Google Meet.

Any NYC classes that meet remotely are open to students from outside of the New York City area.

The Writers Studio, founded in 1987 by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Philip Schultz, offers ongoing writing workshops — both on site and online — designed to help students discover and nurture their own voices. We welcome students at all stages, from those who have only dreamed of writing fiction or poetry to those with MFAs hungry for additional serious, ongoing instruction. Students provide the desire to write and the willingness to learn, and we provide the structure, the technical know-how, the professional feedback and the friendly community to enable them to reach their full potential.

Our in-person New York City classes take place in an informal classroom setting in lower Manhattan. We understand how vulnerable students can feel sharing their words with a room full of strangers, so we take care to make everyone feel at home. In just a couple of weeks, a remarkable degree of solidarity and trust tend to develop in each workshop.

In Level 1, the emphasis is on building a solid foundation in craft as students do exercises designed to introduce them to a wide array of new narrative approaches. We also teach students to give constructive, supportive feedback. We work to assure that critiques build on each other, so that students never leave the class with a head full of conflicting reactions and suggestions. As students move up through the levels, the basic structure of the workshops remains the same, but the level of sophistication grows across the board. Assignments become more challenging to meet the increasing skill and understanding of the students. In the upper levels students are generally working on longer pieces, but they continue to do exercises, always honing their skills and deepening their understanding.

All students new to The Writers Studio in New York City start at Level 1. Since we approach teaching with our own method and vocabulary, even experienced writers with publications and/or MFAs will find plenty that is new and challenging in Level 1.

We also encourage our New York City students to take advantage of our other local events: the Craft Class and our ongoing reading series. Each year we showcase the work of favorite literary journals, new and established published authors, and the work of our own students and teachers. Students invite their families and friends to these events, which helps us introduce The Writers Studio to the larger community.

For more information, please call us at (212) 255-7075 or visit us on Facebook .

Available NYC Courses

The writers studio, online and local communities.

New to The Writers Studio? Start here .

San Francisco

Hudson river towns, craft class, tutorial program, all memoir courses.

Mona Awad, Chanelle Benz, Jonathan Dee, Matt Grzecki, Sarah Harwell, Brooks Haxton, Mary Karr, Christopher Kennedy, George Saunders, Bruce Smith, Dana Spiotta

The MFA program in Creative Writing at Syracuse has long been regarded as one of the best in the country. Each year six students are admitted in poetry and six in fiction to work closely in small workshops with an accomplished group of writers. Coursework includes a strong emphasis on the study of literature. Six semesters are usually needed to complete the M.F.A.

Applicants must upload a sample of fiction or poetry with their online application through CollegeNet no later than December 15, as well as complete the online graduate application for graduate study.  Admission is based primarily on the writing sample, but also upon the academic record. Thus, letters of recommendation should address not only the student’s creative work, but also his or her general preparedness for advanced graduate study. Likewise, in their personal statements on the application for graduate study, students should state their reasons for pursuing an M.F.A. in creative writing as well as describe their own backgrounds as writers.

Submit online Graduate Application via ApplyWeb by DECEMBER 15th. 

• FICTION APPLICANTS: UPLOAD your 20 page maximum writing sample with your CollegeNet application by DECEMBER 15.
• POETRY APPLICANTS: UPLOAD your 10-12 POEMS with CollegeNet application by December 15 . Do NOT mail in your poetry writing sample.

Candidates must complete 48 credits of coursework, which includes 9 credits of workshop, a minimum of 9 credits in forms courses, a 3-credit second-year essay seminar, 12 to 15 credits in other English department courses, 6 to 9 credits of electives outside the department, and 6 credits for the preparation of the thesis (a collection of poems or stories or a novel).

For more information about our graduate programs, visit our department web site at english.syr.edu .

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Writing, editing and revision in student’s primary literary genre, leading to a creative manuscript of publishable quality

2. Reading in ways that contribute to a student’s writing

3. Analyzing and writing with care about literary texts

4. Responding thoughtfully and critically to work by other MFA students

5. Demonstrate writerly discipline by accepting criticism from professionals and rewriting accordingly, writing regularly, and developing a life-long reading list

6. Place their own work in the context of a broad range of issues and activities associated with a literary writer and the communities in which the writer lives and works

7. Teach composition and research writing to undergraduates and conduct one-on-one tutoring sessions in a Writing Center

MFA Graduate Awards

First year MFAs come in on a Creative Writing Fellowship award which carries no teaching duties. The award comes with a stipend and a 24 credit hour tuition scholarship.

Second and third year students are funded by teaching assistantships. Teaching assistantships include a 24 credit hour tuition scholarship and a stipend of $20,000. Second year TAs will have full responsibility for teaching/consulting in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. They are expected to attend regular staff meetings and workshops and participate in a mentoring group. There is a review of each teaching assistant’s performance as a teacher. Third year students will teach in the English Department, courses to be determined on an as needed basis.