byu masters in creative writing

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Prepare for Graduate School

Ryan Chase in the gardens prior to graduation.

A degree in English provides you a great foundation for graduate school and professional degrees such as law or medical school. Why? Because it teaches the close reading, analysis, and writing required by most graduate programs.

Check out the advising website for class recommendations that prepare you for these programs. But in addition to taking classes, there's more to do to get ready for grad school.

As you get ready for graduate school, consider the following information about

Application process
Graduate schools
Professional degrees

Also check out the BYU-Idaho Guide to Graduate School .

The Application Process

Applying to graduate school or a professional program takes time and money. Be wise with both. Here are some recommendations as you begin this process.

Selecting Schools

Most school counselors will recommend a three-tiered system for selecting schools. Apply to your dream school, a credible second-tiered school, and a sure thing.

Be realistic about the entry requirements. Can you go to Harvard with a degree from BYU-Idaho? Yes. And our graduates have been very successful there. But these applicants had excellent GPAs, as well as impressive internships, activities, and other experiences. Remember that the degree you earn is the bare minimum. If you want to go to a top-tier graduate school, you will need much more to stand out than just a GPA. Check out Student Opportunities for ways to build your application portfolio.

Here are some other considerations when selecting a graduate program.

Time Management

Applying to graduate school takes time. Start pulling together your application materials at least a semester before the application deadline.

Letters of Recommendation

Graduate programs require letters of recommendation, and your professors will be your best resource. They can talk about your current academic abilities and your potential in graduate school.

If you are planning to go to grad school, don't sit in the back of the classroom and never make comments. Your professors will write more effective letters if they know you. Take more than one class from the instructor. Visit them during their office hours. A strong letter might help out a weak GPA or poor GRE/LSAT score.

You can ensure a better letter of recommendation by doing the following.

Give the instructor plenty of time to write your letter.
Provide a sample of the work you completed in class, and remind the instructor of the projects that you completed in the class.
Explain your career goals and how you've prepared to meet them.
Describe your activities and experiences outside of the classroom.

Personal Statements

Most graduate programs require a personal statement. This short essay will be one of the most significant components of the application portfolio.

First, the personal statement is your writing sample. Like all good writing, have a claim that your essay will support. Typically, your implied claim will be "You want me in your graduate program because . . ." Provide evidence through concrete details that support your claim. Revise, revise, revise. Then proofread. Make sure there are no grammatical or mechanical errors.

Show your personality. Many graduate programs want to feel confident that you are a fit for their program. Choose experiences and examples that are unique to you. Check out BYU Law School's checklist for writing personal statements . Its suggestions apply to most graduate programs.

Graduate School

With a degree in English, you may consider a Master's degree in a liberal arts program such as English, Creative Writing, Art History, or many other areas of study. Here are some considerations for graduate school.

In graduate school, you may choose to specialize, selecting to focus on a general MA (Master of Arts) in literature, rhetoric and composition, or technical writing. Creative writers typically choose between an MA in literature and an MFA, which is a terminal degree for creative writing.

Undergrad Courses

As you plan your undergraduate degree, find out if the graduate program you want requires a foreign language. Then you can use your elective credits to meet this requirement.

Some graduate schools require the GRE, or Graduate Record Examinations. Some programs require the general exam , which focuses on reasoning, basic math, and analytical writing.

Other programs may require a subject-specific exam such as the Literature in English test. If you need to take the subject-specific exam, take careful notes in your survey and literature classes. These will be invaluable as you review for this test.

Considering the graduate school's application deadlines, determine the best time to take the GRE. Take a few practice tests (you can find free tests online). Typically, you'll take the exam at least one semester before the application deadlines. This will give you plenty of time to retake the exam, if necessary.

ISU/BYU-Idaho MA Partnership

BYU-Idaho has partnered with ISU to help you earn your MA while finishing your undergraduate degree.

Professional Degrees

Professional degrees are advanced degrees that focus on professional practice rather than specific subject matter. Most common professional degrees are medical, law, pharmacy, business, and social work.

A degree in English provides an excellent foundation for professional degrees because you will be trained in analysis, close reading, logic, and writing. These skills will help you succeed in both your program and your profession.

Even if you choose a major other than English, consider how English electives can improve your chances for success in your professional degree. Check out the advising website for recommendations of specific classes that will prepare you for your career.

Selecting a Graduate School

Finding a graduate school that fits your needs.

Here are just a few areas to consider as you apply to graduate schools.

Areas of Study

Find the program that best suits your career goals. Some MA programs are primarily literature and creative writing based. Others specialize in rhetoric/composition or technical writing. Other programs are more diverse. Consider emerging fields such as Digital Humanities and Culture or Communication in Digital Media.

Believe it or not, graduate programs will help you pay for school. The magic word is funding. Ask what type of funding the program will provide through scholarships or by providing graduate students teaching and research job opportunities. Some programs will waive out-of-state tuition.

So, ask about funding and teaching opportunities. These will build your résumé and reduce your overall debt.

In graduate school, your relationship with specific faculty is a key part of the graduate experience. What's the school's reputation for faculty/student relationships? Larger graduate programs might give you less time with faculty but more research opportunities. Talk to graduates from the program to find out about their experiences with their faculty.

Here are just a few comments from alumni about how their experience working with faculty shaped their graduate experience:

Perhaps because the master's program is their terminal degree, [the faculty] focus their attention on that level of graduate study.
[I] still meet with a favorite faculty member for lunch when [I] make an occasional visit to Boise.
My professors fanned my fire about academics, and when I graduated, I received compliments about my thesis work. It was a breakthrough experience for me.

Job Placement

Consider how the program gives you opportunities outside the classroom. Any more, the degree is the bare minimum for employers. What did you do beyond your coursework? Look for programs that extend beyond the classroom. Will you have a chance to teach your own classes? Will they all be first year composition course or will you get a chance to teach a variety of classes? Does the program give you opportunities in areas such as writing programs and ESL program? These programs, if you take advantage of them, go a long way toward making you more attractive on the job market.

Remember that you'll be living there for 2-5 years. Find a place that appeals to your lifestyle.

And don't forget online programs. More and more you'll find programs that offer all or some of their degree online. When looking at online programs, look for accredited, not-for-profit programs. These are more widely accepted, particularly if you are planning on an academic career.

School Rankings

Talking to graduates who have experienced the program offers key insights into the school. But also check out the school's overall reputation.

The U.S. News and World Report annual ranks graduate schools and programs. Here's their ranking of English programs for 2017.

You can also find some key rankings for MFA and Creative Writing Programs:

Poets and Writers Ranking of MFA programs
10 MFA programs
The Atlantic's Top 10 List
Poets and Writers Compendium of Graduate Programs in creative writing (2016)

Here are the top 5 PhD programs in creative writing:

Florida State University
University of Houston
University of Nevada at Las Vegas
University of Southern California
University of Utah

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Brigham Young University

Utah, united states.

The BYU Creative Writing MFA is a two-year program requiring 26 hours of coursework and 6 thesis hours. An annual retreat at Capitol Reef National Park and an internship in the teaching of introductory creative writing, plus a weekly visiting writers series, enhance students' experiences in the program and prepare them for lifelong writing and teaching. BYU's English Department devotes all of its graduate resources to master's students, combining reasonable tuition with significant financial support. In addition to Creative Writing, graduate faculty provide depth in British and American literature and rhetoric and composition.

Most English master's students are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the university's sponsoring institution, and come from the United States and Canada. We encourage applicants from a variety of undergraduate majors and institutions.

Admissions decisions are based on the strength of an applicant's writing sample, personal statement, recommendations, and GRE scores. Consideration is given to the perceived fit between student interest and faculty expertise.

Contact Information

Department of English 4138 JFSB Provo Utah, United States 84602 Phone: (801) 422-3054 Email: [email protected] Fax: 8014228673 english.byu.edu

Bachelor of Arts in English/Literature +

Undergraduate program director, minor / concentration in creative writing +, master of fine arts in creative writing +, graduate program director, john bennion.

John Bennion writes fiction and essays about the arid lands of Utah. Breeding Leah and other Stories (1991) and Falling Toward Heaven (2000) were both published by Signature Books. He has published in Southwestern Review, Hotel Amerika, AWP Chronicle, English Journal, and others.

Chris Crowe

Chris Crowe writes fiction and nonfiction for young adults. His most recent novel is Death Coming Up The Hill (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2014).

Joey Franklin

Kimberly johnson.

Kimberly Johnson is the author of three poetry collections, most recently Uncommon Prayer. Other publications include books of poetry in translation from Latin and Ancient Greek and a scholarly study of 17th-century poetry. She has edited an anthology of devotional poetry, Before the Door of God, and a collection of essays on Renaissance literature.

Lance Larsen

Michael lavers.

Michael Lavers' poems have appeared in Best New Poets 2015, Arts & Letters, West Branch, 32 Poems, The Hudson Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, and elsewhere. He is the winner of the 2016 University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor's International Poetry Prize.

Patrick Madden

Patrick Madden is the author of two essay collections, Sublime Physick and Quotidiana , and co-editor of After Montaigne . Winner of fellowships from the Howard and Fulbright foundations, he curates www.quotidiana.org and, with David Lazar, edits the 21st Century Essays series at Ohio State University Press.

John Talbot

John Talbot is the author of two volumes of poetry, The Well-Tempered Tantrum and Rough Translation. His poems and translations appear in leading journals and in anthologies (from Norton, Yale, and others). He writes about poetry, ancient and modern, in The New Criterion, Yale Review, The Weekly Standard, and elsewhere.

Stephen Tuttle

Stephen Tuttle completed his PhD in literature and creative writing at the University of Utah in 2006 and joined the English faculty of Brigham Young University that same year. He teaches fiction writing and literature courses, focusing on the short story.

Spencer Hyde

Ann dee ellis, publications & presses +.

Literature and Belief

Reading Series +

BYU English Reading Series ( ers.byu.edu )

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BYU Graduate Students Host Third Annual Novel Writing Conference

With increasing interest in writing young adult literature, byu graduate students strive to help undergraduate students find the literary resources and connections they need to be successful..

From amateur authors to the practically-published, it is no secret that everyone appreciates a leg-up to help them succeed. BYU creative writing graduate students understand this, and for the past three years have planned and organized the summer Young Adult Novelist Conference (YANCON), an undergraduate writing conference designed to help students improve their writing and learn more about the path to publication.

YANCON was originally founded to support the rise of young adult literature and the authors behind these stories. Rebecca Cazanave, a graduate student who has helped orchestrate the event for the past two summers, explained, “There’s a ton of interest at BYU in novel writing, specifically young adult, and students are looking for ways to learn more.”

The conference serves many purposes, even beyond teaching interested students about young adult novel writing. Cazanave noted, “One of our objectives for YANCON is to help writers find each other and to create writing communities at BYU.”

Cazanave continued, “If students are interested in writing in any capacity, apply to YANCON. The application process requires a writing sample, but I wouldn’t let that intimidate anybody. It’s definitely catered to an undergraduate audience, so we take writers wherever they are. And we have diversity of experience. Some people [have] practically no experience, [and] some people have finished several novels.”

Thanks to the grants from the College of Humanities, YANCON is free of charge to BYU undergraduate students. Even though the conference was held remotely this year due to coronavirus concerns, the conference was a huge success, and the staff is already preparing for next year’s event.

YANCON provides a place for writers of all abilities to come together and learn more about the genre that they love. This conference has grown in numbers each year, and Cazanave hopes it will continue to thrive.

—Heather Bergeson (English, ’22)

Writing Like the Award-Winners

The Poetic Pursuits of English Professors

Becoming Both the Creator and the Critic

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BYU McKay School of Education External Relations Team

Part-time job.

The McKay School of Education (MSE) is looking for a student with excellent writing, communication, project management, and social media strategy skills to join the External Relations team as a marketing and recruitment assistant for undergraduate and graduate recruitment efforts.

Student will assist with carrying out marketing and recruitment strategy and projects for undergraduate and graduate recruiting efforts for the programs in the MSE. Assistant will coach student ambassadors (current students in the MSE that serve as brand ambassadors) to write content for blogs, emails, and social media that inspires others to join the School of Education. Must be highly organized and adept at managing multiple projects and deadlines. Shifts are flexible during weekday work hours that is compatible with class schedules.

Daily responsibilities include managing recruitment projects for the team of student ambassadors, working with other social media specialists to create engaging content (news releases, features, newsletters, and create quarterly reports) as well as managing and creating paid social media campaigns.

Candidates should:

Have excellent writing skills
Have strong interpersonal skills
Be familiar with content marketing strategy
Be familiar with social media strategy and paid social content
Have the ability to manage multiple projects.
Be self-motivated, creative, and interested in a leadership role

Pay Range: $15-$17/hourly depending on experience.

Application Instructions: Deadline is May 1, but review of applicants will begin immediately. Email a resume to [email protected]

Most Beautiful Metro Stations in Moscow

Visiting Moscow? Get yourself a metro card and explore Moscow’s beautiful metro stations. Moscow’s world-famous metro system is efficient and a great way to get from A to B. But there is more to it; Soviet mosaic decorations, exuberant halls with chandeliers, colourful paintings and immense statues. Moscow’s metro is an attraction itself, so take half a day and dive into Moscow’s underground!

The best thing to do is to get on the brown circle (number 5) line since the most beautiful metro stations are situated on this line. The only exception is the metro stop Mayakovskaya one the green line (number 2). My suggestion is to get a map, mark these metro stops on there and hop on the metro. It helps to get an English > Russian map to better understand the names of the stops. At some of the metro stops, the microphone voice speaks Russian and English so it’s not difficult at all.

Another thing we found out, is that it’s worth taking the escalator and explore the other corridors to discover how beautiful the full station is.

Quick hotel suggestion for Moscow is the amazing Brick Design Hotel .

These are my favourite metro stations in Moscow, in order of my personal preference:

1. Mayakovskaya Station

The metro station of Mayakovskaya looks like a ballroom! Wide arches, huge domes with lamps and mosaic works make your exit of the metro overwhelming. Look up and you will see the many colourful mosaics with typical Soviet pictures. Mayakovskaya is my personal favourite and is the only stop not on the brown line but on the green line.

2. Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya metro station is famous for its yellow ceiling. An average museum is nothing compared to this stop. Splendour all over the place, black and gold, mosaic – again – and enormous chandeliers that made my lamp at home look like a toy.

3. Novoslobodskaya Station

The pillars in the main hall of Novoslobodskaya metro station have the most colourful stained glass decorations. The golden arches and the golden mosaic with a naked lady holding a baby in front of the Soviet hammer and sickle, make the drama complete.

4. Prospect Mira Station

The beautiful chandeliers and the lines in the ceiling, make Prospekt Mira an architectural masterpiece.

5. Belorusskaya Station

Prestigious arches, octagonal shapes of Socialistic Soviet Republic mosaics. The eyecatcher of Belorusskaya metro station, however, is the enormous statue of three men with long coats, holding guns and a flag.

6. Kiyevskaya Station

The metro station of Kiyevskaya is a bit more romantic than Belorusskaya and Prospect Mira. Beautiful paintings with classical decorations.

7. Taganskaya Station

At the main hall Taganskaya metro station you will find triangle light blue and white decorations that are an ode to various Russians that – I assume – are important for Russian history and victory. There is no need to explore others halls of Taganskaya, this is it.

8. Paveletskaya Station

Another and most definitely the less beautiful outrageous huge golden mosaic covers one of the walls of Paveletskaya. I would recommend taking the escalator to the exit upstairs to admire the turquoise dome and a painting of the St Basil’s Cathedral in a wooden frame.