Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Major in Creative Writing

The program gives talented authors the opportunity to develop their craft in a formal academic program and a community of writers. The M.F.A. program offers students access to incredible resources, including readings and master classes given by acclaimed visiting writers, agent and editor talks, and facilities like the Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center in Kyle and the Clark House in Smithville. Each year, two graduates of the program hold residencies in these literary landmarks. The program provides students with graduate-level knowledge of literature and theory, as well as the skills to function as advanced practitioners within their genre. Students will demonstrate their development as artists through proficiency with the elements of craft in their area of concentration, along with a mature understanding of writerly process and discipline.The M.F.A. is considered a terminal degree, which means that graduates can teach at a university level. Many graduates are working practitioners of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and screenplays and also possess highly-developed writing skills that are valuable in a wide variety of work environments. Graduates of the Texas State program are competitive with literature doctoral students.