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Creative Writing

Master of Fine Arts

Take your writing to new heights.

Regis University’s Mile-High MFA in Creative Writing is a low-residency program that lets you stay at your job and close to your family while pushing you to make time for writing. You’ll leave the program with a polished thesis manuscript, along with an action plan for putting your writing into practice in the world.

The Mile-High MFA provides students one-on-one instruction in poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction, with optional semester studies in scriptwriting, graphic narrative, picture books or editing. Along with theory, workshops, seminars and readings by accomplished authors, the MFA program’s unique focus combines a thorough instruction in the craft and business of writing with the practical application of writing as a career.

The Mile-High MFA is a place for writers from various backgrounds, genres, specializations and aesthetics to come together and learn from one another in an open and supportive environment. We value writers who are socially engaged, who critically examine the assumptions and social privileges of discourse, and who seek to further a literature and community that respects and values diverse perspectives and authorships.

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Program Snapshot

Program Format
Remote correspondence-based courses with on-campus residencies twice per year

Credits for Completion
54-78 credit hours

Tuition for the 23-24 Academic Year
$721 per credit hour

Degree Overview

The Mile-High MFA requires the successful completion of four 16-week writing semesters and five ten-day residencies. Students will begin with an Orientation at their first residency and end with an MFA Degree Ceremony in their final residency. Following each residency (except the last) will be a semester-long study in which students will work one-on-one with a faculty mentor. By their final residency, students will have written and revised 240-400 pages of prose (fiction, nonfiction) or 160-240 pages of poetry, hybrid or flash fiction, along with at least 16 book annotations, a thesis proposal, a book-length thesis, a critical preface to their thesis, a Writing in the World Action Plan and an MFA Portfolio.

Writing in the World

During the residencies, you will attend seminars on the real-life applications of writing. By your final residency, you’ll submit a Writing in the World Action Plan in which you describe how you will use your writing talents to contribute to your community, either in a professional capacity or through community outreach. Examples include running a writing workshop at a local prison or library, writing for a nonprofit, organizing a reading series or running an after-school “Teen Writers” workshop.

Career Preparedness

In addition to study in the major genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, our program offers single-semester studies in graphic narrative, picture books, scriptwriting and editing, as well as internships in teaching and publishing.

Program Details

Get all the details on our Mile-High MFA creative writing program, including course requirements, application materials and a sample course sequence. And explore the Academic Catalog for full descriptions of all courses.

Program Specializations

Dual-Genre

This specialization will require 12 additional semester hours, for a total of 67 credits. Dual-genre students will take three residency workshops and three semesters in their main genre (i.e. the genre in which they will write their MFA thesis) and two residency workshops and two semesters in their secondary genre.

Creative Writing Pedagogy

This specialization will require 12 additional semester hours, for a total of 67 credits. Creative Writing Pedagogy students will take four 3-credit ($555 per credit) 8-week online courses (Writing as Social Action; Creative Writing in the Literature Classroom; Literary Criticism and Theory; and Writing and Rhetoric of Nonfiction) via Regis University’s MA in Literature and Creative Writing.

professor and student talking while seated on a bench outside

Residency Overview

Twice a year, in January and July, students will attend ten-day residencies, from Friday evening to the following Sunday afternoon, with an “Intermezzo” on Wednesdays. Residencies are inspiring, invigorating gatherings of like-minded writers that provide students with the opportunity to learn their craft, workshop their writing, attend readings by award-winning writers and immerse themselves in the writing life. Our brilliant yet down-to-earth faculty mentors will eat, drink and converse with students, providing lessons and advice on writing and the publishing world.

During each residency students will meet (either in person or via phone or Zoom) with the faculty mentor they will be working with during the succeeding semester and (together with that mentor) finalize a semester study plan. Out-of-town students will work with the program director to arrange for housing in a hotel or on-campus residence hall.

How to Apply

To apply to the Mile-High MFA Creative Writing program, you will need:

Completed online application
Official degree-bearing bachelor's transcript(s) from a regionally accredited university
Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher preferred
3.2 GPA or higher in English/writing classes preferred
Demonstration of exceptional writing ability
Personal interview (via phone)
Two recommendation forms
Essay
Resume

The first step in the application process is to contact an admissions counselor, who can evaluate your prior learning credit, provide information regarding financial aid and tuition assistance and help you through the entire application process. A faculty phone or virtual interview may be required after review of your admissions application.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year: $721 per credit hour
For information on program-specific fees visit regis.edu/cost. Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Total program credits: 54-78
A $350 nonrefundable enrollment deposit is required to secure your place in the program, and will be applied toward your tuition.

Curious about financial aid options? Regis offers a variety of scholarships, grants and other programs to help you pay for school. Visit Financial Aid to learn more.

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Important Dates

Admission is awarded on a rolling basis. However, application deadlines are as follows:

January term:
Priority Deadline: October 15
Regular Deadline: November 15
Final/Deposit Deadline: December 1

July term:
Priority Deadline: May 15
Final Deadline: June 15
Deposit Deadline: July 1

A Culture of Excellence

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is offered by the Creative Writing Department within Regis College.