Frequently Asked Questions

Please refer to the main FAQ page for additional questions related to Admission. If you cannot find the answers to your questions on this Web site, please contact the School of Continuing Studies’ Admission Office at (312) 503-1083.

Program Information:

What are the advantages of the Northwestern creative writing degrees?
Both the MA and MFA programs allow you to realize your goals in a flexible manner. The programs are designed to accommodate individuals who work, have families, or have other commitments that do not allow them to be in class during the day.

What is the total number of courses required to complete each degree? Is there a thesis requirement?
The MA program requires successful completion of a 10-course curriculum. The required thesis is a writing project and counts as the student's final course. The MFA program requires successful completion of 18 courses. The program requires a more substantial thesis, which counts as the student's final two courses.

When and where do classes meet?
Creative writing courses are held on the Chicago Lakefront and Evanston campuses. Classes typically meet weeknights (Monday-Thursday) from 7-9:30 pm.

What do you mean by "Creative Nonfiction?"
Examples of creative nonfiction can be found in many places, including The New Yorker magazine, collections such as The Best American Essays, and web journals such as www.creativenonfiction.org and they cover topics ranging from personal experience to political economy. Creative Nonfiction elevates the "facts" to art by using the tools of creative writing. The story and the skills of writing are equal partners in creative nonfiction, and the successful writer of such texts will need to be well-read and invested in learning the finer points of the writer's craft.

Will my Master of Arts in Creative Writing be conferred through the School of Continuing Studies? How will my diploma read?
If you are a student who began taking courses in the MA program Winter 2009 or later, your degree will be conferred by the School of Continuing Studies, and your diploma will state this fact. If you began taking courses prior to Winter 2009, your degree will be conferred by The Graduate School, and your diploma will state this fact. Please note that this is an administrative technicality only; the academic quality and rigor of the program is identical for all students.

Will my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing be conferred through the School of Continuing Studies? How will my diploma read?
Yes. Your degree will be conferred by Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies and your diploma will state this fact.

Who will be teaching my courses?
Writing workshops and elective courses are led by published, critically acclaimed authors with demonstrated teaching expertise in their genre, some of whom are full-time members of Northwestern University's faculty.

Can I complete this degree while working full time?
Yes. Due to the rigorous nature of Northwestern study, students who work full-time are strongly encouraged to pursue their degree on a part-time basis.

How long will it take for me to complete my program?
You are allowed a maximum of five years to complete a master's degree. MA students may complete their degree requirements in as little as two years, and MFA students may complete their degree in as little as 3 years.

Can I transfer in credits from another graduate program?
No coursework may be transferred in from outside Northwestern University to fulfill degree requirements. However, up to three courses taken in the Professional Graduate Series in Creative Writing or as a Nondegree Special Student at Northwestern University may be applied to the program. MCW graduates and current students may be eligible to transfer additional credit to the MFA, if appropriate. Likewise, MFA students may transfer additional credit to the master's program in creative writing.

Are there any online courses available?
Not at this time.

How large are the class sizes?
Workshops are capped at 15 students to ensure individual attention in a productive atmosphere. Most other courses do not have more than 20 students.

Can I take just one course?
Yes. If you do not want to pursue the entire degree or feel that you need professional or academic upgrades in a certain area, you can take courses on an individual basis as a Nondegree Special Student or Visiting Scholar or pursue a Professional Graduate Series certificate program.

What would earning this degree do for my career?
Generally, students pursue an advanced degree in creative writing in order to develop their writing. However, the credential of having taken a master's degree or other graduate level work at Northwestern University will look impressive on any résumé. The advantage of the creative writing programs specifically is their focus on the core skills of creative writing. By emphasizing the basics of form, you can apply what you learn in the creative program to any career that requires good writing. Furthermore, we offer courses designed to help you go on to teach writing or work in the publishing industry. A master's degree is standard for teaching at the college-level.

Admissions:

How can I strengthen my Writing Portfolio?
Fiction writers may wish to review books like John's Hersey's The Writer's Craft, Janet Burroway's Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, Frank O'Connor's The Lonely Voice or E. M. Forster's Aspects of the Novel. Brenda Miller's Tell it Slant and Eudora Welty's collection The Eye of the Story would be helpful for nonfiction writers. Poetry candidates should take a look at publications such as Best American Poetry and the winners included in the Pushcart Prize anthologies.

Applicants are also encouraged to consider taking an advanced writing workshop on the undergraduate level before applying to a graduate creative writing program. This educational experience provides the opportunity to develop a stronger writing portfolio and command of the fundamentals of the craft. More information on SCS undergraduate workshops is available at: http://www.scs.northwestern.edu/courses/?Department=ENGLISH.

How do I apply for entry into the program?
All MA and MFA applicants must submit the following items:

• Complete Online Application for Admission
• A nonrefundable application fee of $75. This fee must be paid by credit card online, see online application.
• One copy of official transcripts from all previous college or university academic work. THIS INCLUDES BOTH CREDIT AND NONCREDIT COURSEWORK. (Note: Students submitting international transcripts must also present a course-by-course evaluation of previous academic work.)
• Two Letters of Recommendation that speak to your potential to succeed in a graduate writing program. While we prefer letters from current or former instructors, people who know you professionally may also write recommendations if they can speak authoritatively and comparatively to the skills valued by a creative writing program. Letters speaking mainly to your personality or letters written by laypersons will not help you.
• One copy of a 300-word statement of intent indicating why you want to be in the program, how you've been preparing for it (reading and writing), and what you imagine you will do after you finish.
• A résumé or curriculum vitae.
• Four copies of a brief (5-10 pages) critical essay on a major work of fiction, nonfiction or poetry. In the essay you should analyze a text or texts for things like theme, style, historical or cultural context, etc. It should attend to the author's craft rather than be merely an opinion piece.
• Four copies of a 20-page writing portfolio containing one or more pieces, with all or the majority of the pieces in the concentration you wish to study (fiction, creative nonfiction or poetry). A fiction portfolio should emphasize character development and emotional complexity. Both fiction and nonfiction writers need to be wary of first-person narratives that do not demonstrate their own reasons for unfolding as they do. The piece has to go beyond the mere sequence of the things the author has experienced. Press releases, "straight" journalism, and academic papers are not part of a writing portfolio.
• (optional) A separate written description of any additional study or experience in creative writing.

How will my application be evaluated?
Your application will be evaluated by a team of faculty and Admissions representatives. The following considerations will guide the Admissions Committee in reviewing your application:

• The Writing Portfolio demonstrates an applicant’s creativity, ability to develop voices, mastery of English grammar and fundamentals of style, as well as their potential as a writer. The quality of the writing portfolio is the primary (though not exclusive) basis upon which admissions decisions are based.
• The Statement of Purpose demonstrates if one’s academic and vocational goals are appropriate for this degree. This statement will also aid the committee in determining if a student possesses the necessary writing skills and intellectual maturity for succeeding in this program.
• The Critical Essay is used to evaluate one’s ability to critique literature using the tools of the trade.

How do I reapply if I have been rejected?
Students who have not been accepted into the MA or MFA program may reapply after one year. In the meantime, it may be helpful and fun to take a writing course at the undergraduate level. We regularly offer courses on fiction and creative nonfiction. Check out the undergraduate English offerings on the SCS website at: http://www.scs.northwestern.edu/ugrad/.