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San Francisco State University

California, united states.

The Creative Writing Department at San Francisco State University was established in l968; before that, writing courses were taught in the English Department. In 1991, the M.F.A. degree was added in response to an increasing, nation-wide demand for a terminal degree in the field.

We offer three degree programs: B.A. in Creative Writing, M.A. in Creative Writing, and M.F.A. in Creative Writing. Our curriculum reflects our commitment to a variety of styles, subjects, and approaches, recognizing the complexity and breadth of contemporary writing. Graduates of our Creative Writing Program, Graduate and Undergraduate (creative nonfiction, fiction, playwriting, poetry and starting in 2016, literary translation), are instructed in literary analysis and develop their craft to constructively critique their own work and that of others.

The Creative Writing Department offers several awards in short fiction, the novel, playwriting, and poetry. Students publish two literary magazines, Transfer and Fourteen Hills: The SFSU Review. Each year four to six current graduate students are given part-time teaching positions.

Contact Information

1600 Holloway Avenue Creative Writing Department San Francisco California, United States 94132-4162 Phone: 415-338-1891 Email: [email protected] http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu

Michelle Carter

Publications include Hillary And Soon-Yi Shop For Ties (Dramatic Publishing), Ted Kaczynski Killed People With Bombs (Dramatic Publishing). Awards include PEN USA Literary Award in Drama (2012, 2003); Susan Glaspell Award (2010); NEA Grant in Literature; Sloan Foundation Grant; Gulf & Western Foundation Grant; residency, Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/michelle-carter

Nona Caspers

San Francisco Arts Commission Cultural Equity Grant (2011), Glimmer Train Fiction Award (2010), National Endowment for the Arts Grant (2008). Publications include Little Book of Days (2009) , Heavier than Air: Stories (University of Massachusettes Press 2006) winner of the Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction.

http://www.nonacaspers.com

Maxine Chernoff

Recipient of National Endowment for the Arts grant (2013). Recent books of poetry are Without , To Be Read in the Dark, A House in Summer, The Turning (Apogee Press, 2008). With Paul Hoover, she translated The Selected Poems of Friedrich Hölderlin, (Omnidawn Press, 2008), which received the 2009 Pen U.S.A. Translation Award.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/maxine-chernoff

Matthew Clark Davison

Awards include San Francisco Arts Commission Cultural Equity Grant. Work published in The Atlantic Monthly, Per Contra, The Creosote Journal, Lodestar Quarterly, Mississippi Review, The Pacific Review, Argestes and other journals. Runs the Douglass Street Lab.

http://www.matthewclarkdavison.com/

Donna de la Perriere

The recipient of a 2009 Fund for Poetry award, Donna de la Perrière is the author of Saint Erasure and True Crime. Her work has appeared in Agni, American Letters and Commentary, Colorado Review, Denver Quarterly, Five Fingers Review, New England Review & Bread Loaf Quarterly, New American Writing, Volt, and other journals. De la Perrière curates the Bay Area Poetry Marathon reading series every summer at The Lab, a gallery and performance space located in San Francisco's Mission district.

http://donnadelaperriere.net/

Steve Dickison

Director of the American Poetry Archives and SFSU Poetry Center. Author of poetry collection Disposed, co-editor of Prison Culture.

http://www.sfsu.edu/~poetry/staff.html

Anne Galjour

Plays produced include Okra, Bird in the Hand, Hurrican. Awards include Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Award, the American Theatre Critics Association Osborn Award for Emerging Playwright.

http://annegaljour.com/

Paul Hoover

Thirteen poetry collections, including desolation : souvenir, In Idiom and Earth, Sonnet 56, Edge and Fold, Poems in Spanish. Awards include PEN-USA Translation Award, Carl Sandberg Award, NEA Fellowship in Poetry.

http://paulhooverpoetry.blogspot.com/

Andrew Joron

Publications include Force Fields, Science Fiction, Invisible Machines, The Removes, Fathom, The Sound Mirror, Trance Archive: New and Selected Poems, The Cry at Zero: Collected Prose, Collected Poems of Gustaf Sobin, ed., and The Collected Poems of Philip Lamantia, ed.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/andrew-joron

Chanan Tigay

Author of the forthcoming Unholy Scriptures: Fraud, Suicide, Scandal—and the Bible that Rocked the Holy City, and two long works of nonfiction, The Special Populations Unit: Arab Soldiers in Israel’s Army (McSweeney’s) and Nuclear Meltdown, (Rodale Press). His journalism has appeared in publications including Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle and The Jerusalem Post. Awards include UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism’s 2011-2012 Investigative Reporting Fellowship and residency fellowships at Yaddo, the Blue Mountain Center and the Mesa Refuge.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/chanan-tigay

May-lee Chai

https://may-leechai.com/

Caro De Robertis

http://www.carolinaderobertis.com/

Michael David Lukas

http://michaeldavidlukas.com/

Tonya Foster

https://tonyafosterpoet.com

Joseph Cassara

https://www.josephcassara.com

Publications & Presses +

Fourteen Hills

Reading Series +

Poetry Center Reading Series ( http://poetry.sfsu.edu/ )

VelRo Reading Series ( https://www.facebook.com/VelRoReadings )

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Master of Fine Arts in Art

The 60-unit, Master of Fine Arts in Art program at SF State is completed in two years and is designed to provide professional competency for the student pursuing a career as an artist including working in public roles. The master of fine arts in art program at SF State is interdisciplinary and allows students to work across media or focus their studio practice within traditionally defined areas of ceramics, digital media and emerging technology, painting and drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture or textiles.

Disciplines

The master of fine arts in the art program at SF State is interdisciplinary and allows students to work across media or focus their studio practice within traditionally defined areas of ceramics, digital media and emerging technology, painting, and drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture or textiles.

Studio Space 

All master of fine arts in art students have access to graduate studio space on the main SF State campus. A communal graduate space located on the second floor of the Fine Arts building provides studios for up to 10 graduate students. Other, medium-specific studio spaces located throughout the building are available to graduate students based upon need. 

Additional details about the master of fine arts in the art are available from the SF State bulletin (Catalog).

• Degree Requirements
• Course Descriptions

• Admissions Requirements
• Application Procedures
• Transfer of Credit
• Written English Proficiency Requirement
• Completion of the Degree
• Visiting Artist Lecture Series

M.F.A. students have access to all of the School of Art facilitates as well as individual and communal M.F.A. studio workspaces. Our faculty are distinguished and professionally active artists and art historians. Students work closely with a graduate advisor/mentor to chart their individual paths through the program, including studio seminars, critiques, and individually supervised tutorials. Coursework and seminars in art history and other academic fields complement studio courses, and students are encouraged to develop rigorous research and writing skills to enrich and complement their art practice. All students are provided with individual studio spaces, and there are opportunities for teaching, either as a teaching assistant or instructor of record. Our vibrant visiting artist program introduces students to artists in the Bay Area and beyond, connecting students to the local art community. The M.F.A. degree culminates with a written thesis report and a thesis exhibition in which students exhibit an original body of work. The program may be completed in 2 years.

For graduates, the normal load during spring and fall is from nine to 15 units per semester and seven units during the summer. For international students, immigration regulations require a minimum academic load of 12 units for undergraduates and eight units for graduates for spring, fall, and summer semesters.

Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae

• Categories should include Education, Exhibitions, Publications, Special Activities and Awards, Related Employment.
• List information with the most recent activity first.

Creative Work Portfolio

• The submitted portfolio is one of the most critical components of the application.
• The Graduate Selection Committee, composed of the entire full-time art faculty, screens documentation of work in search of candidates with strong artistic direction and with the promise of continuing in a sustained, independent, and exploratory manner.
• Portfolios not meeting the following requirements will not be reviewed. The organization of your materials is an element that will be considered in evaluating your application.
• The Selection Committee will review a maximum of 20 images from each candidate.
• Images should be labeled with the work’s title, date, media, size, and other significant information.
• Where appropriate, other documentary material is admissible in place of images. This may include films, audio and/or video, or web-based work. If applicable, please include a link in the PDF of the URL for the video and/or digital-based work.
• Due to time constraints, time-based digital media and films should be cued and cannot exceed three minutes. Short segments should be excerpted from longer pieces. Full-length versions of time-based media can be included as a supplement but should be labeled as such. These versions will not be considered during the first round of the review process.

Written Statement

• Please submit a 500 – 1,000 word artist statement that addresses the following: Describe the significance of your work and the concepts, research, and/or processes that drive your studio practice within the context of contemporary artistic practice. Why do you think you are prepared for a  master of fine arts program in studio art and what do you hope to get out of the graduate-level study?

Letters of Recommendation

• Three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals qualified to testify to the applicant's capabilities and readiness to enter graduate study in art.

Transcripts

• Provide transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended.

Application Procedures and Admission to the Program

Applications for the M.F.A. in Art program are accepted October 1 through February 1 for admission the following fall semester. Late applications will not be accepted.

The graduate admission application to SF State consists of a two-part review.

Part One: The Division of Graduate Studies reviews your application for general university admission requirements and requires you to upload copies of transcripts from every college or university attended, including study abroad coursework, community college coursework even if transfer credit appears on your degree transcript.  Upload all transcripts to the Program Materials “documents” section of this application. Make sure you resolve any financial obligations at previously attended institutions so they will release your transcripts.  You must submit clear legible copies of transcripts that document your complete academic history. 

Part Two: The School of Art will review your application for program and discipline-specific criteria. Applicants must complete the Cal State Apply application by the February 1 deadline to be considered for admission. 

Part 1: Apply to the Division of Graduate Studies (Cal State Apply)

• Apply online through  Cal State Apply  for a Graduate Program. You will be required to create a personal login to manage your application. Select "San Francisco" for campus, and "Art" for the degree program. 
• Pay the $70 USD application fee online by credit card at the moment you submit your application.
• upload copies of transcripts from every college or university attended, including study abroad coursework, community college coursework even if transfer credit appears on your degree transcript.  Upload all transcripts to the Program Materials “documents” section of this application.  If selected for admission, you will be required to submit official transcripts.  If an International Applicant, TOEFL Scores of 550 or better or Internet-Based Test TOEFL Scores of 80 or better are required, taken within two (2) years of the semester you wish to attend. The TOEFL is a requirement by the CSU and cannot be waived.

Part 2: Upload Supplemental Materials for the Program to Cal State Apply

Compile the following supplemental documents for your program file ahead of time to upload in the "Program Materials" portal of the Cal State Apply application:

Program application requirements include:

• An undergraduate art degree or equivalent preparatory degree, with three units of contemporary art history taken within the last five years. If the applicant does not complete this upon admission to the program, enrollment in a contemporary art history class during the first semester is required.
• A 3.0-grade point average in the last 60 units completed in the undergraduate degree.
• M.F.A. admissions application (details below).

WICHE-WRGP 

We are pleased to announce that the M.F.A program is now part of the  Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)  which enables students in  16 Western states and territories  to enroll in participating public graduate programs as nonresidents, yet pay the lower resident tuition rate.

All transfer of credit must be approved on a course-by-course basis by a graduate advisor, the graduate coordinator, and the Office of Graduate Studies. This transfer should be arranged before the first semester of graduate studies begins.

A maximum of 12 units total may be transferred towards credit for the master of fine arts in art degree.

• A student previously enrolled in an accredited master of fine arts in art program may transfer up to 12 units from that program.
• A student who has taken graduate courses in an unclassified post-baccalaureate status may transfer no more than six units in studio, and six units of other, creditable, coursework, for a total of 12 units.
• A student who has accrued credits both as an enrolled candidate in an accredited master of fine arts in the art program and taken courses in an unclassified post-baccalaureate status may transfer no more than 12 units total.

All students in graduate programs at SF State must demonstrate Level One (entry) and Level Two (exit) writing proficiency in accordance with university, departmental, and or programmatic guidelines.

Level One is satisfied by the successful completion of  ARTH 700 .

Level Two is satisfied by the successful completion of  ART 706 .

To complete the M.F.A., students must satisfy all University and Department requirements. Department requirements are described in detail in the M.F.A. General Information Brochure. In addition to the satisfactory completion of the course of study, other requirements include satisfactory performance on yearly departmental reviews, a creative work exhibition and review, and creative work documentation (generally in the form of a written thesis report). The department accepts transfer units on a course-by-course basis, only upon advisement, and in accordance with the limits established in the section entitled Transfer of Credit for Previous Graduate Work of the M.F.A. General Information Brochure. If the creative work project is not complete in the final semester of the program, students must enroll in  ART 899  in the semester they intend to graduate. Students are required to be enrolled during the semester in which they graduate.

The following artists and scholars have participated in the visiting artist lecture series and graduate course,  ART 780 , in the M.F.A. program.

• Esteban Samayoa
• Astria Suparak
• Liz Hernandez
• Ricki Dwyer
• Natani Notah
• Aaron Harbour
• Marcela Pardo
• Wendy Red Star
• Nadiah Rivera Fellah
• Genevieve Quick
• Miguel Arzabe
• Glen Helfand
• Delia Brown
• Jennifer Locke
• Leila Weefur
• Sarah Thornton
• Leah Rosenberg
• Jennifer Wofford
• Ala Ebtekar
• Jessamyn Lovell
• Alicia McCarthy
• Terry Berlier
• Christian L. Frock
• Taraneh Hemami
• Jacqueline Gordon
• Patricia Maloney
• Richard Walker
• Rodney Ewing
• Sanaz Mazinani
• Patricia Piccinini
• Lindsey White
• John Zurier
• Zarouhie Abdalian
• Matt Borruso
• Matthew Hale
• Karrie Hovey
• John Roloff
• Chris Sollara
• Jonn Herschend
• Desiree Holman
• Josie Iselin
• Jason Jagel
• Stephanie Syjuco
• Amir Fallah
• Hong Seon Jang
• Nora Ligorano
• Marshall Reese
• Tracy Snelling
• Travis Sommerville
• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: (415) 338-2176

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CCA’s blend of theory and practice inspires students at every level to make work that matters. Select your status to learn about the application process, requirements, and deadlines, as well as contact information should you need any support along the way.

MFA Writing

Define your voice and explore your creative practice—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—alongside writers, designers, and visual artists.

Writing at CCA is dynamic

Embedded in a creative community like no other, your writing will be energized in unexpected or unconventional ways.

At CCA, you’ll join a writing community that truly sees and supports you.

We’ve grown an MFA Writing program at an arts college with 116 years of history in the San Francisco Bay Area. The workshops and seminars where we gather are places of inventiveness, self-discovery, and exuberance. Together we’ve created a close-knit community for diverse writers who are making their mark on the world.

We believe creativity is sparked when you have space to develop your ideas, and from your first to your final semester at CCA you’ll have close, sustained support from your professors through one-on-one mentorships. Our award-winning faculty includes Faith Adiele, Tom Barbash, Dodie Bellamy, Rita Bullwinkel, Jasmin Darznik, Joseph Lease, Trisha Ya-wen Low, Aimee Phan, Denise Newman, and Leslie Carol Roberts.

The Bay Area, a site of rich literary history, is our home. You’ll have access to resources and literary institutions you won’t find anywhere else, like City Lights Publishers, Litquake, and the Bay Area Book Festival. In the fall semester, we offer Tuesday Seminar, a course that brings illustrious professional writers right into the classroom with you.

MFA writing professor Faith Adiele.

An exciting blend of the emergent and established

Our MFA Writing program recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary, and we embrace the rich literary history of the Bay Area, from the Beat poetry movement and the Language poets, to the annual Litquake literary festival, to the Slam/Spoken Word scene.

Follow MFA Writing

Huge thanks to Rebecca Foust for sharing her publishing wisdom today in the studio. Some takeaways:

Aim high—it’s better than the alternative.

Be like Tom Petty—study the person a step or two ahead of you and follow their lead.

Nothing’s ever finished, so you may as well send it out.

📝 Students who couldn’t make it, you are in luck! She shared some fantastic handouts and you can find extra copies in the studio.

Our first free all-program field trip takes us to City Arts & Lectures this Thursday to hear Leila Mottley talk about her new book Nightcrawling. We meet outside the Sidney Goldstein Theater at 7. See you there, MFAW.📚🤓

By popular demand, we're devoting next week's Tuesday Coffee Hour to a practical, in-depth conversation about getting published in literary magazines. On 10/4 from 3-4 pm Rebecca Foust, poet and assistant editor of fiction at Narrative Magazine, will join us in the garden to talk about specific submission strategies and answer your questions about the publishing process. This is for writers of all genres, so come one, come all!

October Happenings! Check out the fabulous upcoming events we’ve got lined up. ✍🏻📖💫

Join a top-ranking MFA Writing program

Study.com ranks our program among the top five in California. Located in one of the world’s creative capitals, we encourage MFA candidates to explore many different forms and incorporate visual art into their work.

View the list

Studios & Shops

Practice critique, readings, and performance.

MFA students are at home in the Humanities and Sciences Graduate Center on CCA’s main San Francisco campus. Outside the studio, we write and meet alongside redwood trees in our beautiful garden. Inside, we hold our workshops, readings, and craft talks. We also host our famed Tuesday Talks series in the Humanities and Sciences Graduate Center. Today’s most dynamic writers, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Camille Dungy, Andrew Sean Greer, R.O. Kwon, sam sax, and Tracy K. Smith, read and discuss new work and lead craft talks during masterclasses. There are endless opportunities to share your writing with peers, get constructive feedback, and nurture your craft.

Support to tell your stories

We help our students locate and tell their stories; we write what we want, how we want. We embrace all forms of writing, from literary novels and poetry to science fiction and mysteries. Our MFA Writing program is designed to make sure each student finds their voice. You can explore nonfiction, fiction, and poetry during supportive workshops that celebrate voice and form. We believe in grounding our work in craft so we emphasize close reading and individualized instruction.

Expand your creative practice

In addition to our vibrant writing workshops and dynamic seminars, we encourage graduate students to immerse themselves in our diverse art and design culture. Want to learn how to design beautiful publications, paint, or make a children’s book? Access CCA’s phenomenal resources, including Risograph printers for making broadsides, audio suites for recording podcasts, and a letterpress studio for making books and zines. You’ll work with top practitioners in their fields across the college’s faculty, grow as a writer, and learn to turn your research passions and written works into literal art objects.

Frame and finish your book

You’ll get regular feedback during writing workshops and meetings with full-time faculty who believe in meeting one-on-one—not as part of any requirement, but because personalized attention is how you grow as a writer. Close reading, editorial guidance, and individualized reading lists all push our writing students toward success. We teach you craft as well as how to establish and maintain a serious writing practice.

Your creative life at CCA and beyond

From studying one-on-one with faculty mentors to participating in craft workshops with visiting writers—among the best and brightest working today—you’ll be exposed to myriad forms. You’ll learn the elements of podcasting; how to make audio stories; how to prepare a full-length manuscript; and how to collaborate with painters, filmmakers, illustrators, photographers, and more.

Your community of mentors

• Memoirist and travel writer Faith Adiele
• Novelist Tom Barbash
• Novelist Rita Bullwinkel
• Novelist and memoirist Jasmin Darznik
• Poet Joseph Lease
• Poet and performer Trisha Low
• Poet and translator Denise Newman
• Novelist Aimee Phan
• Eco-memoirist Leslie Carol Roberts

More studios, shops, and labs

Access lithography presses and a range of bookbinding equipment at the San Francisco Center for the Book

The Black-and-White Darkroom has a range of enlarging stations and two print washers

Check out DSLR cameras, lighting kits, GoPros, and more from the San Francisco campus Media Center

Study with award-winning writers

MFA Writing faculty have received major prizes, fellowships, residencies, and grants. Their books have been New York Times bestsellers and award-winning collections in fiction, hybrid essay/memoir, poetry, literary criticism, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Together they offer unique voices across multiple genres, aesthetic traditions, and vibrant writing communities.

Jasmin Darznik, Chair of MFA Writing

Chair Jasmin Darznik is a New York Times- bestselling author of three books,  The Bohemians, Song of a Captive Bird , and The Good Daughter . Born in Iran, she immigrated to America as a child and is a first-generation college graduate. After receiving a Ph.D. in English from Princeton University, she obtained an MFA in fiction from Bennington College, broadening her academic scholarship to tell stories about women who've been left out or obscured from the historical record. Her forthcoming novel, American Goddess, takes on themes of celebrity, gender, and ethnic identity in Old Hollywood. 

MFA Writing Faculty

Faith E Adiele

Tom Barbash

Rita Bullwinkel

Joseph Lease

Denise Newman

Leslie Carol Roberts

Michael Wertz

View all MFA Writing faculty

Faculty stories

Two-year intensive program

Our two-year, 48-unit MFA Writing program includes workshops, craft seminars, literature courses, and mentorships. Courses like Experiments in Life Writing, Contemporary International Fiction, and Writing As An Act of Witness will inspire you to take risks and try new styles as you hone your craft and deepen your writing practice.

One of the many perks of being at an art school is the chance to take courses outside of the writing discipline as well as to collaborate with painters, photographers, filmmakers, bookmakers, and more. This unique opportunity allows you to move in new directions as you find and express your unique voice. Preview our workshops and courses .

Year 1: Fall Semester

Year 1: spring semester, year 2: fall semester, year 2: spring semester.

Total 48.0 units

Publish your dream project

MFA in Writing program alumni have impressive success getting their work out in the world, publishing books across genres. Recent publications include:

• Tom Comitta, The Nature Book , Coffee House Press, 2023
• Dior Stephens, Cruel/Cruel , Nightboat, 2023
• Alka Joshi, The Perfumist of Paris, Harper Collins, 2023
• Sonja Swift, Echo Loba, Loba Echo , Rocky Mountain Press, 2023
• Jessamyn Violet, Secret Rules to Being a Rock Star , Three Rooms Press, 2023
• Alka Joshi, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur , Harper Collins, 2021
• Julie Lythcott-Haims, Your Turn: How to Be An Adult , Henry Holt, 2021
• Alka Joshi, The Henna Artist , Mira Publishing, a division of Harper Collins, 2019
• Rheea Mukherjee, The Body Myth , Unnamed Press, 2019
• Adam Nemett, We Can Save Us All , Unnamed Press, 2018
• Sonia Belasco, Speak of Me As I Am , Philomel Books, 2017
• Julie Lythcott-Haims, Real American , St. Martin’s Griffin, 2017
• Molly Prentiss, Tuesday Nights in 1980 , Simon & Schuster, 2017
• Catie Jarvis, The Peacock Room , Hyperborea, 2016
• Andrew Nicholson, A Lamp Brighter Than Foxfire , Colorado State, 2015
• LaTasha Nevada Diggs, TWerk , Belladonna Press, 2013

In addition to becoming published authors, our students find traction at established and emergent platforms like Medium , and also work as educators; performance artists; editors; and writers for newspapers, magazines, and marketing agencies.

Potential career paths

• Freelance writer
• Content strategist
• Arts administrator
• Social activist
• Technical writer
• Publication and production assistant
• Small press publisher

Learn about career development

News & Events

What’s happening for mfa writing students.

Reading and lecture series span disciplines

How to Apply

Make writing your top priority.

Our two-year program welcomes students of all ages, career profiles, and backgrounds, including law, advertising, tech, music, and academia. We focus on your writing sample and your letters of recommendation in making admissions decisions.

Start your application

You’ll apply to CCA and submit all required application materials via SlideRoom. Afterward, you may be contacted for an interview with a faculty member as part of the application process. Being selected for an interview doesn’t indicate applicant status or increase or decrease an applicant’s chances of being admitted into their desired graduate program. Interviews are conducted at the program’s discretion and are used to gain more insight into an application.

Create an account and start your application

MFA Writing application requirements

• Application and $70 nonrefundable application fee To be completed and submitted on SlideRoom.
• Resume/curriculum vitae Please outline your educational and professional background and relevant experiences and activities, including community work. Resumes/CVs must be in PDF document format.
• Two recommendation letters You’ll request two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources in SlideRoom by entering the contact information for your recommenders/references. They will then receive an automated email from SlideRoom with instructions for uploading their letter of recommendation.
• Unofficial college transcripts You are required to provide your complete undergraduate academic history. Students who have already taken graduate courses are encouraged to submit those transcripts, too. For international applicants, all transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Please provide an unofficial transcript from the college where you will receive or have received your bachelor’s degree, as well as unofficial transcripts for all other undergraduate coursework. Unofficial transcripts will be used for review purposes. Once you have been admitted and enrolled, all students will need to submit official, sealed transcripts showing the completion of a bachelor’s degree to our graduate admissions office by August 1 of the fall semester they begin enrollment at CCA.
• Proof of English proficiency (international applicants only) Review and plan to meet our English proficiency requirements for graduate students .
• Personal essay In a personal essay, submitted as a PDF, write 500 to 1,000 words about your writing experience, why you want to study writing at the graduate level, your educational objectives, and any critical influences on your work.
• Portfolio Your portfolio, submitted as one to two PDFs (up to 10 MB each), should consist of a selection of writing samples (totaling no more than 25 double-spaced pages) that reflect your main areas of interest. You may include poems, short stories, a section of a novel, text for performance (include video, if available), creative nonfiction, or writing for new genres. You’re welcome, but not required, to submit visual materials in support of your application, including book arts and videos. Please note: We do not accept co-written material.

For prospective student inquiries, including questions about the program or how to apply, please contact us

Graduate Admissions

+1 415-548-2271 (call, text)

Nurture your craft in a dynamic environment

Related programs

Visual & Critical Studies

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• Graduate Programs
• Creative Writing

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Our low-residency Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing welcomes you to a vibrant community of writers and dedicated faculty, in an unsurpassed San Francisco Bay Area location.

Whether you are a poet looking to hone your craft, an aspiring novelist who wants to get that book written, or a memoirist with an urgent story to tell, our MFA Creative Writing program will help you achieve your writing goals.

The MFA program fosters a supportive community of talented writers who are encouraged to experiment across genres and with new forms of writing.

In addition to the genres of Poetry, Fiction and Creative Nonfiction, Dominican offers an optional track in Narrative Medicine, which allows students to embrace the special role that creative writing can play in the process of healing. 

I like the vision they have in the MFA program at Dominican. It’s a fabulous resource, this island of calm in the middle of a lot of chaos in this world. Catharine Clark-Sayles, MFA 2019

Low-Residency MFA Program Highlights

• Flexible low-residency format customized to meet your writing goals. 
• A dedicated mentor and opportunities to publish your work.
• Two on-campus residencies per year featuring dynamic speakers and workshops. 
• Co-curricular activities in publishing and teaching.
• An optional track in narrative medicine.

ATTEND AN INFORMATION SESSION

participate in a workshop or event

Admissions and Financial Aid

A Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution of higher education is required to apply to our graduate programs.

Completed Application  —  Apply now!

• Official Transcript(s)   Official transcript(s) of coursework from each college or university attended (undergraduate and graduate) are required upon matriculation. Find complete instructions on how to submit your transcripts to Dominican  here.
• Statement of Purpose or Intent A brief essay (two pages, double spaced, 12-point font) describing writing background, professional and/or personal goals, and additional life and/or academic experience relevant to your application.
• One Letter of Recommendation (Elect a Personal Interview to waive this requirement.)
• Poetry (up to 10 pages single spaced, one long poem or up to 8 individual poems, or some combination)
• Prose: (up to 25 pages double spaced. Can be one piece or multiple pieces)
• A combination of both poetry and prose (not to exceed 25 pages)

If an application deadline falls on a weekend and/or holiday, applications will be accepted through the end of the next business day.

Learn about tuition per unit, additional fees and total tuition.

We'll also show you how a Dominican education is more affordable than you might think with support from financial aid, scholarships and loans. 

Tuition and Aid

Creative Writing Residencies

Our low-residency format consists of twice-yearly residencies and semester-long distance mentorships, allowing students to advance a writing career without disruption to work or family.

The degree consists of five residencies (three summer sessions and two winter sessions) over the course of two years. Each 8-day residency consists of morning workshops, afternoon talks, and evening readings. Four semesters of distance mentorship provide a personalized academic experience based on each student’s individual writing goals.

Current Student and Alumni Opportunities and Events

Creative writing retreats.

The MFA program offers creative writing retreats held on campus and remotely that are open to the public. Participants study with MFA faculty in small group writing workshops and close reading discussion groups. The on-campus retreats are held in the idyllic Edgehill Mansion. Faculty and participants have lunch together in Caleruega Hall and take a nature walk on campus during our outdoor journal writing activity. There is an online retreat option over Zoom that follows a similar schedule. Registration is now open for our Spring 2024 Creative Writing Retreat.  Click here for more details.

Our optional MFA track in Narrative Medicine grounds students in the art of storytelling and supports them as they take up the subject of the body and express through writing what happens when a physical or mental anguish disrupts a life.

Students will contemplate the differences between being cured and being healed of disease, and the therapeutic role creative writing can play in the process of healing.

History of Narrative Medicine The term “Narrative Medicine” typically applies to the inclusion of literary study as an integral part of the education of caregivers. In these programs, medical students, doctors, and other caregivers practice the art of attentive listening through the close reading of creative literature.

Close reading trains caregivers to follow clues to a patient’s illness that may not have a physical symptom, to listen for subtexts and hear significant metaphors within the patient’s narrative. Close reading also helps to nurture the qualities of empathy and compassion, qualities that have traditionally been nurtured by the arts and humanities.

To receive regular updates about our program, including information about upcoming admissions events, workshops and residencies, please sign up for the MFA Newsletter .

join our Email list

To read prior newsletters, view the MFA newsletter archives .

Band Practice

Each week, you can join MFA students and alumni can join an online writing drop-in session. Band Practice is a supportive space to generate new writing and develop a strong writing practice.

Coffee with Classmates

At residencies, MFA students host group conversations on topics related to being a writer, the craft of writing, and the literary world. Through Coffee with Classmates students have a direct voice in the content and focus of each residency. It also provides an opportunity for students to develop their teaching and leadership skills.

MFA Student Assistantships

MFA graduate student assistant positions offer experience in writing, social media, and editorial management of the Tuxedo Literary Magazine. These positions are conducted largely remotely with occasional on-campus events.

Editorial Experience and Writing Contests

The MFA program runs various co-curricular activities that provide students with insights into literary publishing. MFA students serve as editors for the Tuxedo literary journal and review submissions to writing contests.

Graduates of the MFA program enter into a supportive and active alumni community. Our alumni have many opportunities to participate in creative writing and professional development opportunities at Dominican including:

• Weekly Band Practice writing sessions
• Teaching Assistantships at Residencies
• On-campus Creative Writing Retreats in Fall and Spring
• Select Residency events including an Alumni Reception
• Online writing workshops
• Give public readings alongside current students and faculty at local venues, writing conferences and festivals
• Publication opportunities in the MFA Newsletter and Tuxedo literary journal
• Access to a private Linkedin MFA Alumni group  

Career Paths

Graduates of Dominican’s MFA in Creative Writing program are ready to pursue a variety of careers as a writer, as well as work in related fields such as education, teaching, editing, marketing, publishing, grant writing, and nonprofit arts organizations.

Meet Our Mentors

Judy Halebsky

Judy is the author of the poetry collections “Tree Line and Sky=Empty” which won the New Issues Prize. Her chapbook “Space/Gap/Interval/Distance” won the Poets-Under-Forty award from Sixteen Rivers Press. On a MEXT fellowship from the Japanese Ministry of Culture she trained in Butoh dance at the Ohno Studio in Yokohama and studied Noh theatre at Hosei University in Tokyo. Her translations of poetry from Japanese to English include work by Yuka Tsukagoshi and Mizuho Ishida  Most recently, she has written essays on Moth-style storytelling and the poet Chana Bloch.   See full bio here.

Joan Baranow

Joan founded and teaches in Dominican’s MFA program in creative writing. Her poetry has appeared in The Gettysburg Review, The Paris Review, JAMA, Feminist Studies, Spillway, and other magazines. Her poetry has also appeared in the anthologies that focus on writing and healing: Women Write Their Bodies: Stories of Illness and Recovery (Kent State, 2007) and The Art of Medicine in Metaphors (Copernicus Healthcare, 2012). She has published four books of poetry, most recently In the Next Life (Poetic Matrix Press, 2019). A Fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and long-time member of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, she has won individual artists fellowships in poetry from the Marin Arts Council and from the Ohio Arts Council. With her husband, physician, and poet David Watts, she produced the PBS documentary “Healing Words: Poetry & Medicine.” Her second documentary, “The Time We Have,” presents an intimate portrait of a young woman facing terminal illness.   See Joan's full bio here.

Claudia Morales

Claudia Morales (1988) is an author and scholar from Chiapas, Mexico. Her debut novel, No Habrá Retorno (Coneculta Chiapas 2015, reissued by Los Libros del Perro 2021) won the prestigious National Rosario Castellanos Prize for Short Novels. Her work has been supported by the Fulbright Program and the Foundation for Mexican Letters where she was a writing fellow. Claudia's stories have been featured in Rio Grande Review 2022, The Offing Magazine 2021, Lunch Ticket 2019, Ficción Atómica (Palindroma 2020), Mexicanas: Trece Narrativas Contemporáneas (Fondo Blanco 2021) and her second novel Calao Bicorne is forthcoming in Fondo Blanco, Spring 2023.   See Claudia's full bio here.

Thomas Burke

Thomas Burke is the author of the fiction collection Where Is Home from Fithian Press. His work has been published in reviews including The James White Review, Harrington Gay Men’s Fiction Quarterly, The Chiron Review, and the Evergreen Chronicles; in webzines; and in anthologies including Queer and Catholic (Routledge). Twice nominated for a Pushcart prize, he received the Steven L. Smith Prize for Gay Fiction.   See full bio here.

Marianne Rogoff

Marianne Rogoff, PhD, is the author of the Pushcart-nominated story collection Love Is Blind in One Eye, the memoir Silvie’s Life, and numerous travel stories, short fictions, essays, and book reviews.

Since 2018, her writing has been a Finalist in Narrative magazine’s Spring Story Contest, Top 10 for the Tillie Olsen Story Award, on the Short List for the Bath International Novella-in-Flash Award, Top 10 for Sequestrum Editor’s Reprint Award, Finalist for ScreenCraft’s Cinematic Short Story Award, Semifinalist for the Tamaqua Award from Hidden River Arts for a book of essays, and Finalist for the Ernest Hemingway Flash Fiction Prize. As adjunct professor at Dominican University, she teaches fiction, creative non-fiction and the personal essay.

Kim Culbertson

Kim Culbertson is the author of the YA novels Songs for a Teenage Nomad (Sourcebooks 2010), Instructions for a Broken Heart (Sourcebooks 2011), which was named a Booklist Top Ten Romance Title for Youth: 2011 and also won the 2012 Northern California Book Award for YA Fiction, Catch a Falling Star (Scholastic 2014), The Possibility of Now (Scholastic 2016), which was named a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year (2017 edition), and The Wonder of Us (Scholastic 2017). Much of her inspiration comes from her background teaching high school since 1997. In 2012, Kim wrote her eBook novella The Liberation of Max McTrue for her students, who, over the years, have taught her far more than she has taught them. Kim also works as a fiction mentor for the Dominican University MFA in Creative Writing. She lives in Northern California with her husband and daughter.

Robert F. Bradford

Robert F. Bradford writes plays, stories, poems and songs. His work has been honored with two Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards. His writing has been published in Raven’s Perch, Strange Encounters, Pithead Chapel, and elsewhere.

Lee Kravetz

Lee Kravetz is the author of the national bestselling novel The Last Confessions of Sylvia P ., (The Millions Most Anticipated Pick and A GMA March Reads Pick) as well as acclaimed nonfiction, Strange Contagion and SuperSurvivors . He has written for print and television, including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Psychology Today, The Daily Beast, The San Francisco Chronicle, and PBS. He lives in Berkeley with his wife and two children.

Iris Jamahl Dunkle

Iris Jamahl Dunkle is an award-winning literary biographer and poet and former Poet Laureate of Sonoma County, CA. Her latest books include the biography Charmian Kittredge London: Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer (University of Oklahoma Press, 2020) and her poetry collection West : Fire : Archive (The Center for Literary Publishing, 2021).  Her next biography Done Dirty: Sanora Babb, the American West, and a Forgotten Literary Masterpiece will be published by the University of California Press in 2024. Dunkle received her MFA from New York University and her Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University. She’s received fellowships from Biographers International, Vermont Studio Center, and Millay Arts.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How will an mfa in creative writing degree help my career.

The MFA is designed to support poets and writers who wish to complete and publish a book manuscript. Thus, the focus is on honing your writing skills and learning about the publishing industry.

However, since the MFA is recognized as a terminal degree in academe, you would be eligible to apply for college-level positions. You will also be prepared for jobs that require strong writing skills, such as publishing, editing, marketing, public relations, social media and web content strategy.

Are scholarships available?

MFA Endowed Scholarship

The Matthew Henderson Award is an endowed scholarship that supports MFA students and is awarded on the basis of merit and need. All MFA students who apply for financial aid will be considered for this scholarship.

Dominican MFA Tuition Discount 

We offer a tuition discount of $300 each semester to many students enrolled in the program. 

Alpha Omicron Rho

We are home to the Alpha Omicron Rho chapter of the English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta, which offers graduate level scholarships.  

MFA Student Assistantships  

Students may apply for graduate student assistantships in writing, social media, and editorial management of the Tuxedo Literary Magazine. These positions are conducted largely remotely with occasional on-campus events.

 Tuition and Aid

What is the length of your program?

Our MFA starts with a residency and runs for two years, for a total of five residencies and four mentorship semesters.

May I take longer than two years to complete the program?

Yes. You have up to five years to complete the MFA in Creative Writing program. Consult with the graduate director to create a degree plan.

May I focus on more than one genre?

Yes, with the approval of a mentor and the graduate director.

What happens during the mentorship semesters?

During semester-long mentorships you will be writing towards the goals outlined in your individualized syllabus. Once a month you will meet with your cohort group for a workshop and one-on-one sessions with your mentor. Workshops and faculty mentor sessions are held online. Your mentor is always available for support and instruction throughout the semester.

How many students are enrolled in your program?

All MFA students attend the winter (January) and summer (June) residencies together. During the Fall and Spring mentorship semesters, students are broken out into smaller groups of three to five students per mentor, in accordance with the AWP guidelines and best teaching practices.

How can I support the MFA program at Dominican?

Thank you for supporting the MFA program. Gifts to Dominican University of California have a profound impact on our students. 

 MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY

Degrees Offered

School/department.

School of Liberal Arts and Education

Course Catalog

Learning Outcomes and Course Descriptions

Program Contact

Zoe P. Blalock, MA

Graduate Admissions Counselor

• (415) 257-0169
• [email protected]
• Schedule an Appointment

Faculty, Staff and Mentors

Judy Halebsky, PhD

• Japanese Noh Theater

Joan Baranow, PhD

Natalie Babler

Claudia Morales Ramirez

Vivian Delchamps, PhD

Christina Lopez, MFA

David watts, creative writing: in the news.

Poet and Filmmaker Dr. Joan Baranow: New Work Inspired by Family, Healing, Happiness

MFA Summer Residency Collaborates With Art Therapy Program

Former US Poet Laureate Among Poets Exploring Writing Across Languages

Start your dominican journey.

• Request Info

Make this the year you finally write! Dust off that manuscript that has been sitting in a drawer, get a fresh new notebook, turn on some music, find yourself a little inspiration and begin. 

Joining the San Francisco Creative Writing Institute means more than just taking a class — it’s your invitation to our vibrant community of students and alumni who continue an open exchange of ideas. Join us and join our community.

Our Upcoming Workshops

Advanced prose: summer plot sprint, method writing, creative writing summer camp, art of the chapbook, who we are....

We’re an independent creative writing institute based out of San Francisco. Founded in 2015, we offer writing workshops in several genres to writers of all experience levels from all walks of life. We encourage people to share their work and connect with peers and mentors. Our instructors are published working writers, professors, editors and master teachers.

Our Teachers

Nick Mamatas

Award-winning Author of 100 short stories, 10 novels, dozens of essays and articles & an editor from Viz Media.

Alexandra Kostoulas

Founder & Director of San Francisco Creative Writing Institute

Tongo Eisen-Martin

Winner Of The American Book Award, California Book Award. Poet-in-Residence At Cambridge University

Our Instructors have taught at these Universities

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Creative Writing, MFA

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: MFA Creative Writing

The MFA in creative writing at ASU has always been an unswervingly student-first program. Through small classes, intimate workshops and one-to-one mentoring, the centuries-old apprenticeship model thrives within the New American University. Poets and fiction writers work with outstanding faculty who have published more than 80 books and garnered national and international attention through awards and honors that include:

• Guggenheim, Howard Foundation, Lannan Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and United Artists fellowships
• international Griffin Poetry Prize and Whiting Award
• multiple Pulitzer Prizes
• two medals of achievement from the National Society of Arts and Letters
• two Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets
• Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets

Additionally, in concert with the Master of Fine Arts program, several campus entities contribute to the MFA experience: the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing offers students a wide range of fellowships, support for professional development, and other teaching and leadership opportunities including a Community Outreach Graduate Assistantship. The Center for Imagination in the Borderlands brings writers and other artists for intensive workshops, classes and public events, and offers an artistic development and teaching assistant fellowship and two research assistantships. The Master of Fine Arts program also hosts a newly inaugurated series of craft lectures and an alumni reading series.

Furthermore, students have access to a variety of additional professional development opportunities, including serving on the editorial board of an international literary journal Hayden's Ferry Review, translation experience through the Thousand Languages Project and internships with award-winning independent literary press Four Way Books.

Sally Ball , Director of Creative Writing, Professor

Justin Petropoulos , Program Manager

Faculty in Creative Writing

The ASU MFA in Creative Writing is and has always been an unswervingly student-first program. Through small classes, intimate workshops, and one-to-one mentoring, the centuries-old apprenticeship model thrives within the New American University. Creative writing has been a part of the department of English since the 1930s. With the inception of the MFA degree in 1985, creative writing became an ascendant unit; the program was ranked within the top 20 MFA programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

ASU Creative Writing is distinguished by an outstanding faculty that has garnered national and international attention: Guggenheim and NEA fellowships, a Pulitzer Prize and several Pulitzer nominations, two Flannery O’Connor Awards, the Western States Book Award, PEN/Faulkner finalist recognition, the Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets, a Lannan Literary Fellowship, the International Griffin Poetry Prize, the Western Literature Association Distinguished Achievement Award, and two Medals of Achievement from the National Society of Arts and Letters.

The program's alumni are equally impressive, having won the Iowa Short Fiction Award, the Pen Southwest Book Award, the Prairie Schooner Book Prize, the May Swenson Poetry Award, the Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award, and numerous Pushcart Prizes. They are the recipients of grants from the NEA and Fulbright and Stegner Fellowships.

Currently, all students admitted to the MFA program who submit a complete and approved teaching assistantship application are awarded a TA by the Department of English. Each assistantship carries a three course per year load and includes a tuition waiver and health insurance in addition to the TA stipend ($24,586 per year) . Graduate students with assistantships must enroll in a minimum of six credit hours each semester.

In addition, students have diverse opportunities for additional financial and professional support via The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, including:

• Graduate Assistantships in arts education and community programming (providing stipends and tuition remission)
• Creative Research Fellowships and other funding and scholarship opportunities
• Travel Funding to support tabling and presenting during the annual AWP Conference
• A robust visiting writer event series , with exclusive opportunities to learn from and engage with highly acclaimed authors
• Free admission to the annual Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference
• Opportunities to moderate author panels and read creative work during the Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference and other events
• A professional development program series for creative writing students, with a focus on creative lives, careers, and opportunities during and after graduation

The program requirements include 48 hours of study evenly divided between writing courses and literature courses designed to inform that writing. While students are expected to satisfy these requirements in the genre in which they were accepted, the program encourages cross-genre study, and electives can include courses taken outside of the creative writing program, even outside the English department. Courses such as “Creative Writing and the Professions” and “Internship for Community Outreach” encourage students to envision life beyond graduation. The Creative Writing Program at ASU has been able consistently to offer MFA students among the best funding packages in the nation through teaching and research assistantships, which are renewable for each of the program's three years. Additionally, in concert with the CWP, the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing offers a variety of graduate assistantships, international writing and teaching scholarships, and thesis fellowships to continuing students. Students who accept the TA offer are required to take the TA seminar, a pedagogy and training course designed to assist graduate students during their first year. TA seminar is credited as a literature elective. Successful TAs have the opportunity to teach introductory creative writing to undergraduates, under the supervision of one of the program faculty. In the second year students assemble their thesis committees and identify a committee chair. The second year is also when one-on-one mentorship begins. In the spring of the third year, students typically focus on completing the thesis manuscript with their committee chair.

Degree Requirements

48 credit hours including a written comprehensive exam and the required applied project course (ENG 593)

Coursework (39 credit hours)

Other Requirement (6 credit hours) ENG 592 Research (6)

Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) ENG 593 Applied Project (3)

Additional Curriculum Information The creative writing program requires 48 credit hours of study evenly divided between writing courses and literature courses designed to inform that writing.

While students are expected to satisfy these requirements in the genre in which they were accepted, the program encourages cross-genre study, and electives can include courses taken outside of the creative writing program or even outside of the English department.

A written comprehensive exam and an applied project are required.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants should have an undergraduate major in English or creative writing; however, exceptional students who do not have either of these undergraduate majors may be admitted on the basis of writing excellence.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• creative manuscript
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency . Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency. Please note that official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The personal statement should include the applicant's writing background, intended area of specialization and a brief self-evaluation of recent work (double-spaced, up to three pages or 750 words). The creative manuscript should be up to 20 pages of poetry or up to 30 pages of prose (prose should be double-spaced). Students applying for a teaching assistantship must submit a statement of teaching philosophy and an academic writing sample.

Courses and Electives

Mfa course requirements - fiction.

A 48-hour Program of Study

For additional information please contact Justin Petropoulos , Program Manager of Creative Writing

WRITING COURSES (24 hours)

Students are expected to satisfy the degree requirements in the genre in which they are accepted. Exceptions must be approved by the director of creative writing, the chair of the student’s supervisory committee, the dean of the Graduate College, and the instructor. Electives may be taken out of genre, with the permission of the instructor.

Required (15 hours)

• ENG 592 Research (Fiction) (6 hours)*
• ENG 593 Applied Project (Fiction) (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (Fiction) (3 hours)
• ENG 563 Forms of Fiction (3 hours)

*Research Hours are dedicated the development of a student's creative thesis with the support of their committee.

Electives (choose 9 hours)

• ENG 505 Writing Workshops (Special Topics)(3 hours)
• ENG 591 Seminar, Selected Topics* (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (Fiction) (3-6 hours)
• ENG 663 Fiction Genres* (3 hours)
• ENG 680 First Book Seminar (3 hours)

LITERATURE COURSES (24 hours)

Required (9 hours).

• ENG 538 Studies in Modern and Contemporary American Literature (3 hours)
• ENG 539 Studies in Modernist and Postmodern Literature and Theory (fiction topics, 3 hours)
• ENG 665 Creative Methods, Fiction (3 hours)

Electives (choose 15 hours)

Any 400, 500, or 600 level English course relevant to the student’s program of study, and up to six hours of credit in class work outside the department of English (for example, courses at the 400, 500, or 600 level in theater, music, dance, photography, fine printing and bookbinding, papermaking, or editing and publishing), subject to the approval of the director of creative writing, the chair of the student’s supervisory committee (if designated), and the dean of the Graduate College.   Possible English courses include:

• ENG 537 Studies in Modern and Contemporary British Literature (3 hours)
• ENG 543 Studies in Anglophone Literatures (3 hours)
• ENG 545 Studies in Women’s Literature (3 hours)
• ENG 550 Translation (3 hours)
• ENG 584 Internship* (3-6 hours)
• ENG 591 Seminar (Selected Topics, 3 hours)
• ENG 593 Pedagogy (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (TA Seminar) (4 hours)
• ENG 598 Special Topics* (3 hours)
• ENG 667 Writing for the Professions (3 hours)

 *May be repeated for credit if topics are distinct.

MFA COURSE REQUIREMENTS - POETRY

For information about the program please contact Justin Petropoulos , Program Manager of Creative Writing

• ENG 592 Research Hours (6hours)*
• ENG 593 Applied Project (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Graduate Poetry Workshop (3 hours)
• ENG 562 Forms of Poetry (3 hours)

 *Research Hours are dedicated the development of a student's creative thesis with the support of their committee.

• ENG 505 Writing Workshop (3 hours)
• ENG 594 Conference and Workshop (Poetry) (3-6 hours)
• ENG 662 Poetic Genres* (3 hours)
• ENG 539 Studies in Modernist and Postmodern Literature and Theory (poetry topics, 3 hours)
• ENG 665 Creative Methods, Poetry (3 hours)

Any 400, 500, or 600 level English course relevant to the student’s program of study, and up to six hours of credit in class work outside the department of English (for example, courses at the 400, 500, or 600 level in theater, music, dance, photography, fine printing and bookbinding, papermaking, or editing and publishing), subject to the approval of the director of creative writing, the chair of the student’s supervisory committee (if designated), and the dean of the Graduate College.   Possible English courses might include:

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Analyze and critique the writing of other creative writers.
• Explicate their creative works articulately.
• Create original fiction or poetry that incorporates theoretical and foundational literary knowledge.

Career Opportunities

A Master of Fine Arts in creative writing graduate is prepared primarily for the professional creation of new art, including fiction, poetry and other written forms. In addition to working as novelists, poets and short story writers, graduates go on to careers in education, arts administration, media and entertainment, and in political and community organizations. Career examples include:

• book designer or marketer
• book or magazine editor
• creative writing professor
• essayist or journalist
• grant writer and developer
• literary or events coordinator
• nonprofit administrator
• public relations and communications manager
• screenwriter
• secondary education teacher

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-3168

• Search SF State Search SF State Button SF State This Site

Department Resources

The Department of Creative Writing has many resources for your education. Other departments on campus are here to help you too.

Scholarships

The Creative Writing Department offers scholarships in specific genres. To apply please go to  BAM/Academic Works  and search by scholarship. In order to apply for scholarship opportunities you must first fill out a general application on the BAM/Academic Works page. You can also view all  College of Liberal & Creative Arts scholarships . For more information, click on each scholarship name below. Applications for Fall will be announced by department email when they open. Please keep an eye on your email.

Clark-Gross Award in the Novel*  $100

OPEN TO ALL CREATIVE WRITING MAJORS  ENROLLED IN BOTH FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS.

• Scholarship Intent:  This is a yearly contest, with a monetary prize given for the best original written work of a novel or novel-in-progress, written by a Creative Writing student, either B.A. or M.A. or M.F.A.
• Applicants are all those Creative Writing students who have submitted a manuscript of their work of short fiction to the Creative Writing Department.
• Applicants/recipients must be enrolled in the semester in which the award is disbursed (spring semester).   
• Major:  Creative Writing      
• Class Level:   Undergrad: Any;  Grad: 2nd B.A./Masters/M.F.A.
• Enrollment Status:  Any
• Enrollment Requirement:  Undergrad: 1 UNIT;  Grad: 1 UNIT
• Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and/or CA Dream App:  Not a Requirement
• Citizenship:  Any

James Milton Highsmith Drama Award*  $1000

• Scholarship Intent:  Award for a Creative Writing student, or students, for a play of any length with lesbian or gay themes.
• Criteria:  Original plays intended for stage production, which have not previously been published. Musicals, radio plays, teleplays and screenplays are not eligible.  
• Major:  Creative Writing       
• Class Level:   Undergrad: Any, Grad: 2nd B.A., Masters, M.F.A.
• Enrollment Status : Continuing
• Enrollment Requirement : Undergrad: 1 UNIT;  Grad: 1 UNIT

This award is made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of James Milton Highsmith.

Daniel Langton Poetry Prize*  $100

• Scholarship Intent:  Prize for achievement in writing by a Creative Writing Student.
• Major:  Creative Writing
• Class Level:  Undergrad: Any;  Grad: 2nd B.A., M.A., M.F.A.
• Enrollment Status:  Continuing
• Enrollment Requirement:  Undergrad: 1 unit;  Grad: 1 unit

Anne Fields Poetry Contest* $100  

Available in the Spring semester only . OPEN TO ALL CREATIVE WRITING MAJORS  ENROLLED IN BOTH FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS.

• Scholarship Intent : Recognize achievement in poetry writing by awarding a prize for the best poem from a qualified student.
• Criteria:  Must be enrolled half-time in he semester in which the poetry is submitted for this prize.
• Undergrad : Any;  Grad: 2nd B.A., M.A., M.F.A. Creative Writing
• Class Level : Undergrad: Any;  Grad: 2nd B.A., M.A., M.F.A.
• Enrollment Status: Any

Elizabeth June Madden-Zibman Scholarship*  $5,000

• Scholarship Intent:  Scholarship for Creative Writing majors, graduate or undergraduate, enrolled full-time with verified financial need per Financial Aid and a minimum 3.0 GPA.  Candidates must demonstrate on-campus or off-campus involvement in a literary or poetry journal, active support of poetry readings by regular attendance or with event organization activities.  Candidates submit an essay or poem or short story of any length on a topic of concern to women, women's issues or women's experience in society.

The donor asks that  the candidates to read this https://sfsu.academicworks.com/donors/elizabeth-june  and, while doing so, to think about Lizzie, what it might have been like to be her as a student at SFSU at the end of the 1970s.

• Students who meet the AB540 definition are eligible to apply.  
• Must show financial need based on the FAFSA or CA Dream Application as provided by the Financial Aid Office.
• Candidates must demonstrate on-campus or off-campus involvement in a literary or poetry journal.
• Must demonstrate active support of poetry readings either by regular attendance or with event organization activities.
• Must submit an essay or poem of any length on a topic of concern to women, women's issues or women's experience in society and should discuss personal values such as the importance of higher education, health and physical education, social justice, empathy and openness to life experience.
• Class Level:  Undergrad: Any; Grad: Masters/M.F.A.
• Enrollment Status:  Continuing and Entering
• Enrollment Requirement:  Undergrad: 12 units;  Grad: 8 units
• Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and/or CA Dream App:  Yes
• Citizenship:  US Citizen/Perm Res
• GPA:  Undergrad GPA: 3.0; Grad GPA: 3.0

Wilner Short Fiction Prize*  $100

• Scholarship Intent:  This is a yearly contest, with a monetary prize given for the best original work of short fiction, written by a Creative Writing student, either B.A. or M.A. or M.F.A.
• Applicants are all those Creative Writing students who have submitted a manuscript of their work of short fiction to the Creative Writing Department.  
• Applicants/recipients must be enrolled in the semester in which the award is disbursed (spring semester).
• Class Level:   Undergrad: Any, 2nd B.A.; Grad: Masters/M.F.A.

Marcus Second Year Graduate Student Scholarship*  TWO AWARDS OF $2,500

OPEN ONLY TO SECOND YEAR M.A. or M.F.A. CREATIVE WRITING MAJORS  ENROLLED IN BOTH FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS.

• Scholarship Intent:  For graduate students in any of the genres who have shown their commitment to rich and ambitious writing and translation.  Students upload a work-in-progress that demonstrates attention to craft, cultural/social awareness and the complexity of human experience.  The recipient would also be a student for whom this award would make a significant difference in their ability to focus on their studies and their writing.
• ​ Open to graduate students who will be entering their second year.
• Students upload a work in progress and a brief description (no more than 200 words) of how this award would make a difference in their ability to focus on their studies and their writing.
• Along with the following:
• Playwriting Submissions: 20-40-pages.
• Fiction and Creative Non-fiction Submissions: 20 pages.
• Poetry Submissions: 10 pages.
• Translation submissions: 10 to 20 pages.
• Class Level:  Grad: Masters/M.F.A. or M.A. (must be entering second year of graduate study)
• Enrollment Status:  Continuing SF State student
• Enrollment Requirement:  Grad: 1 unit
• Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and/or CA Dream App:  Not a requirement
• GPA:  Grad: 3.0

Kathryn A. Manoogian* Scholarship (Amount Varies)

OPEN TO M.A. & M.F.A. CREATIVE WRITING MAJORS  ENROLLED IN BOTH FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS.

• Scholarship Intent:  For one or two new or continuing graduate students in Creative Writing awarded on the basis of merit and financial need.
• All creative writing graduate students will be considered based on merit and financial need. 
• *Must apply for financial aid* using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Application.
• Must have financial need as determined by FAFSA or the California Dream Application.
• Students who meet the AB540 definition are eligible to apply.   
• Class Level:  Grad: M.A. or M.F.A.
• Enrollment Requirement:  Grad: 3 UNITS
• Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and/or CA Dream App : Yes
• Citizenship:  US Citizen

Joan Gelfand Creative Writing Scholarship *

• Awarding Department:  Creative Writing Department
• Scholarship Intent:  To inspire success in publication through student support, this scholarship shall be open to undergraduates who have completed introductory writing courses and at least one semester.
• Criteria: 1.) Open to Creative Writing BA undergraduate students who have completed at least one semester and introductory writing courses. 2.) Students must be currently enrolled, full-time. 3.) Applicants must supply a writing sample (either 3-5 poems, 5 pages of fiction, or 5 pages of a play or manuscript). 4.) Scholarships shall be open to all regardless of immigration status.
• Major:  Creative Writing BA
• Class Level:  Other: Student who have completed at least 1 semester and introductory writing courses.
• Enrollment Status:  Continuing and entering students
• Enrollment Requirement:  Undergrad:* 12; Grad: * N/A
• Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and/or CA Dream App:  No
• Minimum GPA:  No minimum GPA required

Tillie Olsen Prize - Creative Writing/Women Gender

• Awarding Department:  Creative Writing and Women and Gender Studies
• Scholarship Intent:  To award one $500 prize this year to a Creative Writing major whose writing is judged to be the best entry for that year and reflective of the issues or concerns or themes expressed in Tillie Olsen’s life work.
• Criteria:  The prize will be awarded annually, alternatively to an undergraduate student currently attending SF State majoring in Creative Writing or Women and Gender Studies(WGS).
• Major:  Multiple: Creative Writing or Women and Gender Studies
• Class Level:  Undergrad: Any, Grad: N/A
• Enrollment Requirement:  Undergrad: 1 UNIT; Grad: N/A
• Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and/or CA Dream App:  Not a Requirement
• GPA:  HS GPA: N/A; Undergrad GPA: N/A; Grad GPA: N/A

*Award is coordinated with financial aid, according to State and Federal regulations.

The Marcus Recruitment, Bernice Ruben Arnold, Brainard, Dickey & Ylvisaker Scholarships

As long as a general application has been completed in bam/academic works , all newly admitted m.a. and m.f.a. students are automatically considered for these scholarships:.

• The Marcus Recruitment Scholarship  (two prizes annually of $7,500)
• Joe Brainard Fellowship  (Two or more prizes annually. Amount varies between $1000-$5000)
• The William Dickey Fellowship in Poetry  (Two or more prizes annually. Amount varies between $500 – $5000)
• Awarding Department:  Creative Writing
• Scholarship Intent:  To be able to offer a fellowship to an entering MFA students. This fellowship will attract applicants to our program.
• Criteria: 1) No Application; All applicants to the MFA program. 2) Selection will be based on quality of writing, 2 recommendation letters and undergraduate GPA.
• Major:  Single: Creative Writing
• Class Level:  Undergrad: N/A; Grad: Masters
• Enrollment Status:  Entering MFA student
• Enrollment Requirement:  Undergrad: N/A; Grad: 3 UNITS
• Scholarship Intent:  The purpose of the Bernice Ruben Arnold Scholarship is to assist the Creative Writing Department in its desire to diversify its graduate student body through its promotion and recruitment of people from under-served communities.
• Students starting year one (1) of their Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing may apply
• Students must be enrolled in at least six (6) units per semester to receive the scholarship.
• Applicants must supply a writing sample for consideration.
• Students should demonstrate a commitment to promoting the values of diversity and cross cultural competency in Creative Writing.
• Citizenship is not a requirement.
• Scholarship is open to all students pursuing a Masters or M.F.A.
• Preference will be granted to students who self-report financial need and are first generation college students.
• Major:  Single: Creative Writing Masters and M.F.A.
• Enrollment Status:  Entering student
• Enrollment Requirement:  Undergrad: N/A; Grad: 6 UNITS
• Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and/or CA Dream App:  Not a requirement
• GPA:  HS GPA: N/A; Undergrad GPA: N/A; Grad GPA: N/A

*These scholarships are coordinated with financial aid awards according to State and Federal regulations.

Looking for additional scholarship opportunities not offered by our department? Please review the Outside Resources tab on this page!

Take Place! Reading Series

Students come from all over the world to enroll in our undergraduate and graduate programs, which  makes for an exceptionally gifted and committed student body. Creative Writing graduate students host the Take Place! reading series, working hard to develop a sense of community in the Creative Writing Graduate Programs. Follow Take Place! on  facebook!

Social Media

The Creative Writing Department posts regular updates to all of our social media pages and they are a great resource for our writers! Please read below for the type of postings available on each platform. Please follow or view the pages below.

The  Creative Writing Department Tumblr page  lists submissions opportunities, contests, writing conferences, fellowships, and residencies. You do not need a Tumblr account to see any of the content.  See our tags page for your specific interests.

The  Creative Writing Department Facebook page  lists events of interest to the student body and the larger local writing community. You do not need a Facebook account to see the content.

The  Creative Writing Department Twitter page  lists San Francisco State University specific announcements such as deadlines and annual events such as commencement, as well as events and announcements about the general writing community. You do not need a Twitter account to see any of the content. This account is run bon one of our Creative Writing professors! 

The Creative Writing Department Instagram  features images of our event flyers, event announcements, calls for submissions and more.

Outside Resources

Here are a few resources available outside of San Francisco State University to foster community and help one grow as a writer.

This is by no means a complete list.

Classes & Individual Writing Instruction

The Lab: Writing Classes with Matthew Clark Davison  or find The Lab on Facebook

Jane Ganahl

Playwrights Foundation  or find the Foundation on Facebook

San Francisco State University College of Extended Learning  or find the CEL on Facebook

San Jose State University Open University

The San Francisco Writers’ Grotto  or find the Writers' Grotto on Facebook

UC Berkeley Extension Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Writing

UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media

The Writing Salon  or the Writing Salon on Facebook

Bookstores with Events

Books, Inc . or find Books, Inc. on Facebook

The Booksmith  or find The Booksmith on Facebook

Green Apple Books  or find Green Apple Books on Faceboo k

Moe’s Books  or find Moe's Books on Facebook

Reading Series and Other

Edify Online | Connect and Engage  Finds, qualifies, connects and manages independent instructors for Institutions providing online courses. Working with edX, MIT, Harvard, IBM and multiple other partner institutions to find qualified and willing facilitators for some of their online courses. These are paid, completely online opportunities to teach what you love to learners around the world! 

Entropy Magazine's Where to Submit List

The Grotto Fellowship  or find The Grotto Fellowship on Facebook

Kearny Street Workshop  or find Kearny Street on Facebook

LGBTQIA Scholarships

Litquake  or find Litquake on Facebook

Mill Valley Literary Review- Free Submissions for Creative Writing Students!

Poetry Flash  or find Poetry Flash on Facebook

Small Press Traffic  or find Small Press on Facebook

Scholarships for LGBTQ College Students

Guide to Volunteering

Senior Care Aging Matters Scholarship (for students who are caring for their aging loved ones)

SF State Creative Writing Videos

With assistance from the Marcus Funds, students, faculty, staff vidographers, and alumni, Creative Writing has created some wonderful video content for your review. Get to know our professors, hear from our students, and share some emotions by watching our video content !

• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: (415) 338-1891

Office Hours

Quick links.

• Undergraduate Advising Center
• SF Bulletin
• Academic Calendar

Enter a Search Term

Mfa program cultivates lifelong practice and community.

Professor Lewis Buzbee discusses how the MFA program at USF fosters continuous practice, community, and individuality in writing.

What makes the MFA program at USF distinct?

That there is no “USF style.” We welcome writers in all genres and aesthetics, from YA novels to the most experimental works. The range of sensibilities among the faculty allows for this approach. We don’t want you to write like us; we want to help you find who you are as a writer.

What do you find most special about the MFA writing education/experience?

The pairing of workshops and seminars, how they complement each other. Reading literature in the seminars leads to a greater understanding of the strategies you can use in your own work. And the workshop helps you expand your notion of the possibilities of the literature. There’s a clear connection between the two. As readers and writers, we understand that your best tool in progressing in your work is the vast and deep reading that occupies you.

How can pursuing an MFA support your writing process/journey now and later?

First there’s the focus on habit and discipline. For two years, you’ll be writing regularly and with purpose, establishing a practice that will carry you beyond MFA into what is, one hopes, a life-long practice. I also feel like the community that you find at USF is crucial. To be among like-minded folk, never having to “explain” the weird life you’ve chosen, is a great source of confidence and continuity. So many MFA friendships go on to become long-term communities. Writing is a lonely life, in many ways, and finding that community can be essential to continuing.

So many MFA friendships go on to become long-term communities.”

How would you sum up your classroom dynamic (or teaching style) in a few words?

Possibility. I love opening up big discussions, whether in workshop or seminar, all pointed to what comes next in the writing. It’s always about what comes next. We don’t come to class to judge or dismiss, but to find ourselves reaching toward bigger and better questions.

Why do you teach writing?

It’s fun, that simple. I mean, talking to people about books and writing, in an engaged classroom? Can’t beat that. But also because it’s made me a smarter writer, and I hope, a better one. I get as much from the writers in my class as I give to them (or even hope to give to them). It’s a collaborative process, and that collaboration makes us all smarter.

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Professors Celebrate a Year in Books

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Master of Fine Arts in Art

The Master of Fine Arts program in Art provides a dynamic interdisciplinary environment within which students are encouraged to develop their creative practice as professional artists. The School of Art has facilities for printmaking, painting and drawing, sculpture, photography, textiles, digital media, and emerging technology, and ceramics. MFA students have access to all of the School of Art facilitates as well as individual and communal MFA studio workspaces. Our faculty are distinguished and professionally active artists and art historians. Students work closely with a graduate advisor/mentor to chart their individual path through the program, including studio seminars, critiques, and individually supervised tutorials. Coursework and seminars in art history and other academic fields complement studio courses, and students are encouraged to develop rigorous research and writing skills to enrich and complement their art practice. All students are provided with individual studio spaces, and there are opportunities for teaching, either as a teaching assistant or instructor of record. Our vibrant visiting artist program introduces students to artists in the Bay Area and beyond, connecting students to the local art community. The M.F.A. degree culminates with a written thesis report and a thesis exhibition in which students exhibit an original body of work. The program may be completed in 2 or 3 years, depending on how many classes are taken each semester. Students should decide before the beginning of their first semester whether they intend to complete the program in 2 or 3 years and meet early on with the graduate coordinator to plan accordingly. Students who choose the 2-year option must pass their first semester review without reservations and consult with the graduate coordinator before continuing with the 2-year option.

Admission to Program

Application procedures.

Applications for the master of fine arts in art program are accepted October 1 through February 1 for admission the following fall semester. Late applications will not be accepted.

The graduate admission application to SF State consists of a two-part review. Part One: The Division of Graduate Studies reviews your application for general university admission requirements and requires you to upload copies of transcripts from every college or university attended, including study abroad coursework, community college coursework even if transfer credit appears on your degree transcript. Upload all transcripts to the Program Materials “documents” section of this application. Make sure you resolve any financial obligations at previously attended institutions so they will release your transcripts. You must submit clear, legible copies of transcripts that document your complete academic history. Part Two: The School of Art will review your application for program and discipline-specific criteria. Applicants must complete the Cal State Apply application by the February 1st deadline to be considered for admission. 

Part 1: Apply to the Division of Graduate Studies (Cal State Apply)

• Apply online through Cal State Apply for a Graduate Program. You will be required to create a personal login to manage your application. Select "San Francisco" for campus, and "Art" for the degree program. 
• Pay the $55 USD application fee online by credit card at the moment you submit your application.

Upload copies of transcripts from every college or university attended, including study abroad coursework, community college coursework even if transfer credit appears on your degree transcript. Upload all transcripts to the Program Materials “documents” section of this application. If selected for admission, you will be required to submit official transcripts. If an International Applicant, TOEFL Scores of 550 or better or Internet-Based Test TOEFL Scores of 80 or better are required, taken within two (2) years of the semester you wish to attend. The TOEFL is a requirement by the CSU and cannot be waived.

Part 2: Upload Supplemental Materials for the Program to Cal State Apply

Compile the following supplemental documents for your program file ahead of time to upload in the "Program Materials" portal of the Cal State Apply application:

Program application requirements include:

• An undergraduate art degree or equivalent preparatory degree, with three units of contemporary art history taken within the last five years. If the applicant does not complete this upon admission to the program, enrollment in a contemporary art history class during the first semester is required.
• A 3.0 grade point average in the last 60 units completed in an undergraduate degree.
• M.F.A. admissions application (details below).

Master of Fine Arts Admissions Application Requirements:

Current resume/curriculum vitae.

• Categories should include Education, Exhibitions, Publications, Special Activities and Awards, and Related Employment.
• List information with the most recent activity first.

Creative Work Portfolio

• The submitted portfolio is one of the most critical components of the application.
• The Graduate Selection Committee, composed of the entire full-time art faculty, screens documentation of work in search of candidates with strong artistic direction and promise of continuing in a sustained, independent, and exploratory manner.
• Portfolios not meeting the following requirements will not be reviewed. The organization of your materials is an element that will be considered in evaluating your application.
• The Selection Committee will review a maximum of 20 images from each candidate.
• Images should be labeled with the work’s title, date, media, size, and other significant information.
• Where appropriate, other documentary material is admissible in place of images. This may include films, audio and/or video, or web-based work. If applicable, please include a link in the PDF of the URL for video and/or digital based work.
• Due to time constraints, time-based digital media and films should be cued and cannot exceed three minutes. Short segments should be excerpted from longer pieces. Full-length versions of time-based media can be included as a supplement but should be labeled as such. These versions will not be considered during the first round of the review process.

Written statement

• Please submit a 500 – 1,000 word artist statement that addresses the following: Describe the significance of your work and the concepts, research, and/or processes that drive your studio practice within the context of contemporary artistic practice. Why do you think you are prepared for a  master of fine arts program in studio art and what do you hope to get out of graduate-level study?

Letters of Recommendation

• Three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals qualified to testify to the applicant's capabilities and readiness to enter graduate study in art.

Transcripts

• Provide transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended.

Transfer of Credit for Previous Graduate Work

All transfer of credit must be approved on a course-by-course basis by a graduate advisor, the graduate coordinator and the Office of Graduate Studies. This transfer should be arranged before the first semester of graduate studies begins.

A maximum of 12 units total may be transferred towards credit for the master of fine arts in art degree.

• A student previously enrolled in any accredited master of fine arts in art program may transfer up to 12 units from that program.
• A student who has taken graduate courses in an unclassified post-baccalaureate status may transfer no more than six units in studio, and six units of other, credible, coursework, for a total of 12 units.
• A student who has accrued credits both as an enrolled candidate in an accredited master of fine arts in art program and taken courses in an unclassified post-baccalaureate status may transfer no more than 12 units total.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Able to produce professional creative work – generate a cohesive body of work.

2. Sophisticated understanding of a range of visual art practices.

3. Able to discuss historic, cultural, and contemporary theory related to their own creative work.

4. Must demonstrate commitment to a career in art and potential to grow artistically.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

All students in graduate programs at SF State must demonstrate Level One (entry) and Level Two (exit) writing proficiency in accordance with university, departmental, and or programmatic guidelines.

Level One is satisfied by the successful completion of ARTH 700 .

Level Two is satisfied by the successful completion of ART 706 .

Completion of the Degree

To complete the M.F.A., students must satisfy all University and Department requirements. Department requirements are described in detail in the M.F.A. General Information Brochure. In addition to satisfactory completion of the course of study, other requirements include satisfactory performance on yearly departmental reviews, a creative work exhibition and review, and creative work documentation  (generally in the form of a written thesis report).  The department accepts transfer units on a course-by-course basis, only upon advisement, and in accordance with the limits established in the section entitled Transfer of Credit for Previous Graduate Work of the M.F.A. General Information Brochure. If the creative work project is not complete in the final semester of the program, students must enroll in ART 899 in the semester they intend to graduate. Students are required to be enrolled during the semester in which they graduate.

Art (M.F.A.)  — 60 units

Studio requirements (30 units), studio electives (9 units).

Nine units by advisement. Suggested courses:

Academic Requirements (12 units)

Academic electives (9 units).

Nine units by advisement may be taken in any department and may include additional academic art history courses/seminars in theory, criticism, history, and directed experience. See MFA Handbook for a list of suggested courses in other departments in the University. Suggested courses in the School of Art: