CMU's Creative Writing M.A. pairs you with award-winning faculty, a literary journal, and funded assistantships—preparing you to teach English at the community college level, publish your work, or apply to MFA and PhD programs.
Do more than hone your craft—develop your voice and unlock career possibilities.
Build a portfolio of short stories, novel excerpts, poems, creative nonfiction essays, or a combination of these genres in graduate-level creative writing classes.
Submit your poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to student organizations and department-sponsored publications like The Central Review and the CMICH Press Summit Series—and work as an editor at The Central Review.
Complete an exit portfolio of your strongest work, crafted closely with award-winning faculty. Two graduate assistantships—one for the Writing Center and one for Creative Writing—offer a tuition waiver, stipend, and professional development.
What to expect as a Creative Writing master's student at CMU.
Submit your poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to student organizations or department-sponsored publications like The Central Review and the CMICH Press Summit Series.
Connect with prominent poets and fiction writers who come to campus for readings and exclusive visits to creative writing classes.
Complete an exit portfolio of your strongest short stories, novel excerpts, poems, and essays—and work closely with award-winning faculty to make it the best it can be.
What writers usually ask.
Yes. For students already teaching English at the secondary level, a creative writing degree will enhance your study in the discipline. The program also prepares you to teach English at a community college.
The program offers two highly coveted graduate assistantships—one for the Writing Center and one specifically for Creative Writing. Both provide a tuition waiver and stipend, plus valuable professional development.
Graduates are equipped to teach English at a community college, share their work through publication, or pursue advanced study in MFA and PhD programs.
An admissions advisor can tell you more about assistantships and the application process.