Did you miss the VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE on Nov. 19? No worries: just email your questions to Professor Andrew Milward.
Situated in historic Lexington and surrounded by the awesomeness of thoroughbred horse farms and bourbon distilleries, the University enjoys a rich literary heritage dating back to 1947, when Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist A.B. Guthrie first offered courses in fiction. Graduates of the English Department include Gurney Norman, Frank X Walker, Bobbie Ann Mason, Rebecca Gayle Howell, Wendell Berry, Kayla Rae Whitaker, Maurice Manning, Bianca Spriggs, Patrick O’Keefe, Holly Goddard Jones, and James Baker Hall. The MFA Program in Creative Writing builds upon that rich history by offering students access to a diverse faculty in fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction.
The course of study for the UK MFA in Creative Writing is very flexible and interdisciplinary in scope, combining a curriculum of studio and research. We place emphasis on fostering both the artistic process of the student and said student's literary study and related creative work.
Program Details
The core of the curriculum consists of writing workshops that concentrate on the production of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The second-year thesis hours (ENG 768) are dedicated to shaping each student’s work into book form. In addition, students must defend their thesis in an oral exam. Total credits must add up to 30 hours of coursework following a plan drawn up by the MFA creative writing faculty. The Department offers funding in the form of Teaching Assistantships (with a tuition scholarship, health insurance, and stipend of at least $19,000 each year - students funded through UK must take three courses each semester).
The thesis component of the MFA degree consists of a substantial body of original writing and an oral examination. Both are required for successful completion of the MFA degree. The thesis will be a substantial body of original writing—over 120 pages of fiction (short stories, novella or novel), non-fiction, or a collection of approximately 48 poems. A committee of three faculty members chosen by the student and approved by the Director of Creative Writing must approve the thesis.
Course Requirements
- 12 hrs - ENG 607 workshops (one ENG 607 per semester for 4 semesters)
- 6 hrs - ENG 608 craft classes
- 3 hrs - any ENG literature graduate seminar course (600+ level)
- 3 hrs - any other graduate course
- 6 hrs - ENG 768 or other graduate courses
Application Details:
Did you miss the VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE on Nov. 19? No worries: just email your questions to Professor Andrew Milward.
Students are admitted for the Fall semester only. We will begin reviewing applications on January 15, 2025 and admissions decisions will be communicated to applicants by April 15, 2025. Please be sure to fill out the teaching assistant application form and upload it with your online admissions application. For application details, see here. If you have additional questions, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Andrew Milward.