Temple University College of Liberal Arts
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing
Philadelphia, USA
Master degree
DURATION
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
STUDY FORMAT
Key Summary
About: The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing at Temple University’s College of Liberal Arts is a 33-credit program completed over two years. You’ll work in small workshops and one-on-one manuscript tutorials in fiction and poetry, plus craft, special-topics and literature seminars. Electives across the humanities, arts, theater and film let you expand skills. You’ll finish with a publishable manuscript and learn submission strategies for literary journals, publishers and agents. Keywords: creative writing, MFA, fiction, poetry, workshops, manuscript, publishing, literary craft.
Career Outcomes: Graduates work in advertising, arts administration, editing, grant writing, journalism, public relations and teaching roles.
Our MFA students work closely with faculty in fiction and poetry over the course of two years, participating in small workshops and one-on-one tutorials as well as special topics, literature and craft classes. Students can also take electives in the humanities, arts, theater, film and other graduate programs throughout the university. Become a part of a close-knit cohort within a thriving urban setting.
Become an experienced fiction writer or poet with the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University. Develop your individual voice and techniques, define your aesthetics, and gain the critical skills needed to realize your creative vision. The 33-credit Creative Writing MFA provides you with essential resources to hone your craft, including
small writing workshops;
courses ranging from special topics to craft;
one-on-one manuscript tutorials; and
graduate seminars in the arts, humanities and literature.
Students in the MFA Program in Creative Writing graduate with a fully formed manuscript of publishable quality, written under the guidance of the department’s accomplished faculty members and visiting authors. Through this master's degree program, you’ll also learn how to prepare your work for submission to literary journals, publishers and agents. Graduates have been published by numerous trade and small presses, and their works have earned prestigious grants, prizes and residencies.
In addition to launching your literary career, earning your MFA leads to work in several professional areas, including advertising, arts administration, book and magazine editing, grant writing, journalism, public relations and teaching.
