Oct 30, 2025  
Graduate Catalog 2025-2026 
    
Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

Creative Writing, MFA


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Offered Online-Synchronous 

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, offered by the Thomas Wolfe Center for Narrative at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Asheville, is designed to help students with a passion for writing hone their skills and develop their vision. Students can specialize in fiction, poetry or creative nonfiction. Students may also select classes from the Narrative Healthcare Certificate Program, also offered by the center.

Program Overview

The MFA in creative writing combines literary study and writing workshops to help students develop their skills as critical readers, hone their craft as writers and expand their abilities to improve their own and others’ work.  At the heart of the program are small, supportive, intensive writing workshop experiences facilitated by experienced writers and teachers.  Classes are offered through online, synchronous sessions, allowing students to join the program from anywhere.

Faculty

All faculty in the program are appropriately credentialed. In addition to established writers, a variety of community professionals employed in various relevant settings will provide instruction and guidance.

Program Structure

This program is flexible enough to fit the schedule of anyone, whether entering directly from an undergraduate program, in mid-career or considering a career change. Courses are held in the evenings for the convenience of working students. The length of time to complete this program varies based on class load and the scheduling of classes. The program can be completed on average in three years or can be taken at a pace conducive to the student’s schedule.

Program Admission Requirements

Visit Graduate Admission for the most current Program Admission Requirements.

Literary Study: (15 hours)


Students must repeat ENG 505 at least four times with different topics and subtitles for 12 of the required 15 hours. Students may repeat ENG 505 a fifth time OR complete WRI 548 once to fulfill the 15 hour requirement.

Foundational Writing Workshops (9 hours)


Complete the following courses:

Additional Writing Workshops (15 hours)


Students will complete an additional 15 hours of writing workshops. Courses may be repeated with different topics and subtitles.

Theses Workshops (6 hours)


Total Credit Hours: 45


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