Creative Writing, MFA
Join a community of writers and scholars who are dedicated to helping you explore the craft of writing and refining your authentic voice. Whether you’re seeking to sharpen your creative practice or prepare for exciting career paths in writing, publishing, and academia, our MFA in creative writing opens doors and sets you up for continued success.
Program Overview
The Creative Writing MFA program enables students to hone their craft in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, preparing them to become insightful storytellers.
This program is a great fit for aspiring novelists, poets, and writers who seek to grow their knowledge of literary techniques, craft, and genre. You will take courses with writing workshops and roundtables, receiving and giving feedback to fellow writers, all while learning about literature and literary movements.
Whether you want to teach or to become the next best-selling author, this remarkably collaborative environment exposes you to peers and faculty who will challenge you to excel.
Why Study Creative Writing?
Pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville means you will receive generous funding, learn from acclaimed writers, and gain literary and publishing experience. This transformative environment prepares you to flourish and excel in whatever future path you choose.
Fully Funded Students
At UT, every accepted student in our MFA program is fully funded, serving as a teaching assistant, writing center tutor, or instructor while receiving a tuition waiver and stipend. This gives you real-world classroom experience and the space to perfect your creative craft.
Learn From Acclaimed Writers
You won’t just collaborate with peers and faculty; our Creative Writing Reading Series invites guest writers and poets to campus, giving you opportunities to learn about their writing and publishing processes.
Gain Literary and Publishing Experience
At UT, you will benefit from working at our graduate student-run journal, Grist, and participating in our Chiasmus reading series. These opportunities prepare you to share your work with other writers and learn editorial and project management skills.
What Can You Do with an MFA in Creative Writing After Graduation?
In the Creative Writing program at UT, students grow as artists by tuning their skills in writing, editing, research, and project management. Through editorial opportunities and internships facilitated by acclaimed faculty, students prepare for careers in English, literature, publishing, communications, fine arts, and more.
Many creative writing graduates go on to work in literary and content fields as novelists, poets, and screenwriters. Others go into publishing as editors or agents, or into marketing and advertising as marketing specialists, creative directors, content strategists, or advertising managers. In media and entertainment, they become narrative designers, television writers, and video game story writers. Some become teachers or creative writing professors.
The writing, technical, and artistic skills gained in this program prepare students a wide variety of fields that require creative thought and original writing.
Featured Courses
ENGL 580 Fiction Writing
This course includes advanced fiction projects under the supervision of an instructor and time for independent study.
ENGL 581 Colloquium in Poetry Writing
In this course, students will conduct a major poetic project or a continuation of a project begun in 463. The course also includes individual consultation with instructor which supplements class analysis and readings in contemporary poetry and theory.
ENGL 507 Applied Criticism: The Rhetoric of Literary Forms
Students will study the application of ways in which major critics have analyzed form in poetry and prose fiction.
ENGL 694: Studies in Film
This course covers advanced work in film history and analysis.
Complementary Majors, Minors, and Certificates
Looking to enhance your degree? Consider these programs as a complement to your primary major.
Looking For More Options?
The College of Arts and Sciences offers students the broadest range of academic programs and opportunities for research and creative activities at the University of Tennessee, powered by faculty expertise across every discipline.
Admissions and Aid
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