MFA in Creative Writing in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

The English Language and Literature Department's Creative Writing program provides an exclusive M.F.A. degree with specializations in poetry or fiction. Annually, we admit just eight students—four per concentration—ensuring personalized attention. This intimate program structure enables us to provide substantial financial assistance, with full information available on our departmental site. Despite our small cohort, we boast an extensive graduate faculty with expertise spanning diverse literary, theoretical, and cultural disciplines. The curriculum includes a semesterly graduate writing workshop plus six additional credit-bearing courses, with a minimum of four focusing on English/American literature, Comparative Literature, modern/classical language literature, or cultural studies (typically two courses per semester in the first year, one in the second). First-year students gain hands-on experience as Editorial Assistants for Epoch, the department's literary journal. The M.F.A. culminates in creating a book-length creative work: a poetry collection, short stories, or novel.

Special Committee System. Each student assembles a dedicated Special Committee that offers tailored guidance. Cornell's unique Special Committee approach empowers students to craft individualized study plans within departmental guidelines, fostering close faculty-student collaboration that supports academic freedom and adaptable degree progression. This committee oversees all scholarly work and evaluates student development through regular consultations.