Creative Writing Masters Program (MFA)

The MFA is offered as an accelerated, low-residency model, or a distance learning format, designed to meet the needs of today’s students, which emphasizes a strong commitment to excellence in craft, analysis, and creativity. Three times per year, students and faculty gather either at HCU’s campus or for a destination writers’ retreat near cities like Austin, TX. Each residency features workshops and extensive interaction with notable professional writers who serve as guest instructors, as well as ongoing mentorship from HCU’s exceptional full-time writing faculty.

When not attending these residencies, students work from home, working alongside their cohort in online, synchronous workshops and coursework. These long-distance, synchronous classes preserve HCU’s apprenticeship model, providing frequent feedback and personalized direction from each student’s writing mentors and peers. While the low-residency model allows writers to continue to live and work in their home cities, students should expect to commit considerable time every week to practicing their craft in order to successfully develop and hone their creative skills.

The accelerated schedule allows students to complete the MFA degree in two years. For professional writers, the Master of Fine Arts serves as a terminally qualifying degree. This allows successful graduates to teach at the university level. However, the program’s primary goal is to nurture students’ creative potential, ensuring that their artistic craft is sharpened and developed.

Most importantly, the core of this degree remains HCU’s steadfast commitment to providing a learning experience that instills in students a passion for academic, spiritual and professional excellence as a result of our Christian convictions. Students learn how this faith has guided writers, storytellers, and artists throughout history and will be inspired by this rich heritage as together we seek to craft new works reflecting our Creator’s goodness, truth, and beauty.

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MFA in Creative Writing — Sample Schedule

What to expect at the residencies…

Each writing residency is carefully planned to provide an ideal, concentrated creative environment for learning and lasting growth. Bond with peers in small, focused workshops and learn directly from seasoned professional writers through extended conversations in-class and over meals.
The residencies also provide an opportunity to be inspired and challenged by a wide variety of writers, as we bring together poets, fiction authors, creative non-fiction writers, screenwriters, and playwrights in cross-disciplinary discussions.

Summer Destination Retreat

For seven days in August, students travel to a Texas-based retreat location. Be inspired by a fresh locale and the beauty of God’s natural world, as we take a break from our busy lives and gather together to focus on artistry and creativity. This retreat explores how the work of great poets and authors have inspired and shaped today’s successful writers, offering students a chance to build upon a great tradition, while developing  unique voices of their own.

Winter On-Campus Residency

For three days in early February, students gather on HCU’s campus for classes and workshops. With special visiting instructors, the winter residency focuses on the craft of writing and explores how artists of faith can create in ways that reflect the goodness, truth, and beauty of our Creator.

Narrative Arts Conference

As part of the on-campus residency in February, students also have the option to gather on our campus for the HCU Narrative Arts Conference, which features a wide array of guest speakers and an opportunity to connect with writers, editors, and publishers.

Meals and lodging for the residencies are included in tuition. Students are responsible for their own travel arrangements.

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Workshop-Based Mentoring

The MFA in Creative Writing places a strong emphasis on practice and feedback, using rigorous faculty-led workshops throughout the program. Students will work closely with writing mentors and receive valuable critiques from their cohort of peers.

Study from Anywhere

The MFA in Creative Writing is offered as a low-residency program, requiring around two weeks of in-person, Texas-based instruction each year, supplemented by year-round online workshops that can be completed from anywhere in the world.

Accelerated, Terminal Degree

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a terminal degree, qualifying graduates to teach at the university-level. With intense, focused classroom instruction during the residencies and year-round online workshops, students earn the 48-credit-hour degree in about two years.

Learn from the Best

Each residency features professional writers from a variety of genres. The focused retreat structure means students have extensive face-to-face interaction with visiting authors, poets and screenwriters while year-round online workshops also facilitate feedback from HCU’s exceptional faculty and distinguished adjunct instructors.

Strong Christian Foundation

HCU is committed to providing a learning experience that instills a passion for academic, spiritual and professional excellence as a result of our Christian convictions. MFA students explore the rich heritage of our faith, which has guided storytellers, filmmakers and artists throughout history.

Workshop-Based Mentoring

The MFA in Creative Writing places a strong emphasis on practice and feedback, using rigorous faculty-led workshops throughout the program. Students will work closely with a writing mentor and receive valuable critiques from their cohort of peers.

Study from Anywhere

The MFA in Creative Writing is offered as a low-residency program, requiring approximately four weeks of Texas-based instruction across bi-annual writers retreats, supplemented by year-round, synchronous, online workshops that can be completed from anywhere in the world.

Accelerated Program

With intense, focused classroom instruction during four Texas-based residencies and year-round online workshops, students earn the 45-credit-hour terminal degree in Creative Writing in about two years.

Terminal MFA Degree

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a terminal degree. When coupled with professional work in the field, the MFA qualifies graduates to teach Creative Writing at the university-level.

Learn from the Best

Each residency features notable professional writers. The focused retreat structure means students have extensive face-to-face interaction with the visiting authors, while year-round online workshops also facilitate feedback from HCU’s exceptional writing faculty and distinguished adjunct instructors.

Strong Christian Foundation

HCU is committed to providing a learning experience that instills a passion for academic, spiritual and professional excellence as a result of our Christian convictions. MFA students explore the rich heritage of our faith, which has guided writers, storytellers, and artists throughout history.

Recent Guests

We are pleased to host a wide array of talented and experienced authors as guest speakers and instructors at each of our residencies, as well as through virtual discussions throughout the year. Our recent guests have included: