Why Study Creative Writing?
In Belmont's MFA in Creative Writing at Belmont, you will take courses designed to build on strengths and knowledge from your undergraduate experiences, broaden your awareness of literature and writing and prepare you for the life of a writer.
The graduate faculty is committed to fostering the skills of critical reading as well as creative writing and increasing student expertise in their chosen genre of study: fiction, poetry or creative nonfiction.
The pursuit of an MFA in Creative Writing may begin as a place to hone your craft as a writer, and many successful career novelists and freelance writers graduate from MFA programs. The intensive writing experience of an MFA will train you for a variety of careers in journalism, marketing, public relations, arts administration, publishing, library science, content creation and education.
We welcome you to explore what the MFA in Creative Writing at Belmont University can provide. We would love for you to join our community of working writers, guided by faculty members who are accomplished writers themselves and who will guide you toward being writers who engage with their core beliefs–intellectually, spiritually, and personally– to serve with humility, as a reflection both of who you are and the stories you must learn to tell.
Goals of Belmont’s Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing:
- Promote effective, creative and reflective reading, writing and imaginative thinking
- Present literature and the craft of writing within historical and cultural contexts
- Introduce students to diverse strategies for interpreting literature of others and of their own
- Explore the structures, complexities and development of creative writing genres
- Integrate local and global learning experiences into the curriculum taught by working writers;
- Develop skills necessary to be a working writer by employing current professional standards and emerging technologies–and to think critically about these resources and tools;
- Engages students in independent research and long-term writing projects, such as a thesis
Career Possibilities
- Journalism
- Marketing
- Public Relations
- Arts Administration
- Publishing
- Library Science
- Content Creation
- Education
Program Details
Courses You'll Take
Curious about your coursework? View requirements for this degree in the course catalog.
Application Deadline
Fall: August 1
Spring: November 15
Summer: May 1
Admissions Requirements
- Application Form: Apply Online using the BU4U application portal.
- Application Fee: Submit a $50 non-refundable application fee.
- Official Transcripts: Applicants must have an undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.0. Official transcripts showing all collegiate work should be sent to: Belmont University Office of Admissions, 1900 Belmont Blvd, Nashville TN 37212-3757. Official electronic transcripts can be accepted, and must be sent through a secure third party (i.e. Student Clearinghouse, or Parchment). Request them be sent to: belmontadmissions@belmont.edu.
- Recommendations: Two academic and/or professional recommendations are required. These are only received through the online application portal. Neither recommendations may be from a relative and at least one must be from a professor.
- Statement of Purpose: Submitted as part of the application, the statement of purpose is an essay of less than 500 words from one of the following topics: 1) Your goals for an M.F.A. in Creative Writing 2) Your reasons for pursuing an M.F.A. in Creative Writing 3) Your genre interest (Fiction, Poetry or Creative Nonfiction) 4) If your background is not in English or Creative Writing, your strengths in preparation for this program.
- Writing Sample: The writing sample should be a creative writing sample in your preferred genre of study (poetry, short story or novel excerpt, or creative nonfiction). Please contact the director of the program if you have questions.
- Interview: Applicants may be invited to interview with us as part of the application process. This informal interview will give us a chance to answer any questions, and will help us learn a little more about you and your interests in creative writing.
Application Status: Applicants are accepted on a rolling admissions pattern; thus, you will be notified of the admissions committee's decision shortly after the admissions portfolio is completed. To check on the status of your application, check your BU4U portal.
Financial Aid
There are several types of federal financial aid available to graduate students. Please visit our Graduate Admissions & Aid website to learn more.
Assistantships
Graduate Assistantships are available through the Office of Student Organization and Activities each year. Applications are due in early Spring.
Internships, Fellowships and Employment
Internships, fellowships, and part-time employment help fund the cost of graduate school while giving valuable career enrichment experience.
Opportunities include tutoring positions and summer teaching associateships at Belmont's Writing Center, employment at the library and internships at local independent schools. Application deadlines vary, but most applications are due in early Spring. Please contact the Director of Graduate Studies for more information.
Scholarships
We offer partial scholarships to full-time students on a competitive basis. In addition, we also offer partial reimbursement for research and conference travel.
There are also several sources of external scholarships available, such as these scholarships offered by West End United Methodist Church for those who are in or pursuing careers in teaching.
Employee Tuition Reimbursement
Many companies offer tuition reimbursement for graduate school, including Vanderbilt University, Comcast, AT&T, Procter & Gamble, UPS, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Best Buy. Check with your employer to see if they offer reimbursement.
Military Benefits
Military members qualify for financial assistance, and Belmont University is a Yellow Ribbon University. For more on military benefits, click here.
Tuition and Fees
Click here to determine your total estimated costs per semester for courses in the Graduate English program.
Belmont may provide links to scholarship opportunities offered by independent third parties. These programs are not funded, administered, or awarded by Belmont University, and Belmont does not control eligibility criteria, selection decisions, or the content of third-party websites. Links are provided for informational convenience only and do not constitute University sponsorship, endorsement, or partnership.
Belmont University offers Cumberland University English and Creative & Professional Writing graduates a guaranteed acceptance pathway.
Requirements:
- 3.3 GPA
- Referral and letter of recommendation from Cumberland University English Faculty
- Submit Belmont University Graduate Application
Please contact Admissions Coordinator, Addison Wallace, to inquire about Graduate Assistantships or for more details about the Guaranteed Acceptance Pathway.
Dr. Kai Harris
Award-winning author of What the Fireflies Knew
“When I started grad school, I didn’t have much direction. I knew I loved reading and writing, but I wasn’t sure where that could take me. During my time in the English graduate program at Belmont University, I discovered that I wanted to be an author, and I wrote the story that eventually became my first novel. I will forever be grateful for my time in the program because it taught me to never give up on my dreams, and showed me that I am capable of more than I ever imagined.”
Dr. Gary McDowell
Professor of MFA in Creative Writing
“Writers have long searched for mentorship, instruction and community in their educational journeys toward mastery, mastery both of craft and, through modeling, of pedagogical strategies appropriate to creative writing instruction. Additionally, reading and writing are acts of love and survival pursued for the intense pleasures of creativity and imagination, and for the human need to communicate. The Belmont University MFA in Creative Writing will blend mentorship, instruction, and community-formation that will allow our students to achieve mastery under the tutelage of working writers/professors.”
Request Information
Contact Us
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Sophie Chua
Admissions Coordinator
(615) 460.8335