Master of Fine Arts Program
Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction
MFA 2007-2008 Handbook (click on to view)
Penn State has long been an important site for reading and writing. In 1894 Fred Pattee became the nation's first Professor of American Literature and made our English department a pioneering center for the study of writing produced in the United States. In the middle of the twentieth century, Theodore Roethke, Joseph Heller, and John Barth wrote some of their most significant books while on the faculty at Penn State, and Joseph Grucci founded the innovative literary journal Pivot while teaching creative writing here. Writers who have studied at Penn State include Aga-Shahid Ali, Diane Ackerman, Anjana Apachna, John Balaban, Nomi Eve, Cary Holladay, Jane Miller, Elisabeth Rose, and Eric Shade.
In 1984 Penn State began offering a three-year studio/research program in poetry writing, fiction writing, or creative nonfiction writing leading to the Master of Fine Arts Degree. It provides an opportunity for students of superior ability in imaginative writing to develop their skills and critical judgment through the practice of writing and the study of literature with an accomplished permanent faculty of authors who are also devoted teachers. Our program is small, comprising a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 3:1, and the admissions process is competitive. Our course of study is highly adaptable to individual interests, and our students have access to the resources and courses of a large and prestigious English Department and strong graduate community. Each student in our program receives financial support in the form of a teaching assistantship, and the department provides excellent pedagogical training in creative writing and composition. In addition to course work and teaching, our students benefit from a vibrant array of reading series and conversations with visiting writers.
Current MFA faculty include William J. Cobb , Robin Becker, Charlotte Holmes, Julia Kasdorf, Brian Lennon, Josip Novakovich, and Toby Thompson. This year we're happy to bring to campus Alicia Ostriker as a poet-in-residence, and the Allegheny Mountains Reading Series includes Charles Simic, George Saunders, Elizabeth Nunez, Lydia Davis, and Stephen Graham Jones.
The three-year program allows ample time to fulfill the degree requirements and complete a book-length work of publishable quality. The program also provides talented writers with a serious context and strong support for their work during their time at State College, while helping them to prepare for literary careers. Authors who have graduated from our program include Peter Chilson, Rita Ciresi, David Keplinger, Dierdre O'Connor, Lisa Roney, and Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon. Our alumni have published an impressive array of books and earned numerous national awards and achievements as writers and editors. Please browse through these pages, and if you find you have questions that are not answered herein, feel free to contact us.
MFA Admission Requirements
While it is recommended that applicants have an undergraduate major in English or Creative Writing, the program does not discourage applicants from other undergraduate disciplines. Regardless of the undergraduate major, applicants should have a 3.2 grade-point average on a 4.00 scale. Students should submit a one to two page statement of purpose regarding your education background, current interests, and future professional plans. Scores for the general aptitude section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), three letters of recommendation, and transcripts from all undergraduate work are also required. In addition to these requirements, applicants must also submit writing samples from their genre of interest. Because the writing portfolio is the most important criterion for selection into the Program, writing samples should demonstrate enough skill and experience to suggest that by the end of the program students will be able to meet the writing project requirement. For fiction and creative nonfiction, at least thirty pages are required; for poetry, at least twelve poems. All manuscripts should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope if the material is to be returned. Applicants should retain copies of all work submitted. Since decisions about admission are usually made in February or March for the fall semester, applicants should take the GRE in October and submit all materials, including GRE scores, to the English Department graduate office before January 15. A separate electronic application must also be filed with the Graduate School. These forms can be obtained from our web site.
Teaching Opportunities & Fellowships
The department awards the Katey Lehman Fellowship for one year to an incoming student in fiction or poetry. The Lehman fellowship provides a stipend, remission of all tuition fees, and requires the teaching of one course. In addition to this department fellowship, others, such as minority fellowships, are available from the College of Liberal Arts and the Graduate School. Teaching Assistantships in both lower and upper level composition courses are available on a competitive basis. In addition to teaching these courses, qualified students will be offered the opportunity to teach in the genre of their interest. Teaching Assistantships provide a stipend and full remission of tuition and related fees. Summer teaching is often available and provides opportunity for additional income. Include a sentence in your personal statement of your desire to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship. Decisions concerning Assistantships and Fellowships are usually made in February and March. No prior teaching experience is necessary, and students who are anxious about teaching for the first time will find themselves guided by a teaching practicum and friendly, experienced mentors.
