Write With Us, The Online MFA in Creative Writing

The University of Texas at El Paso is proud to offer a fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Writers can complete the entire degree from anywhere in the world.

 Our program combines workshops with courses on theory, craft, and form; the degree plan consists of 48 hours of coursework (14 courses) followed by 6 hours of thesis. Our goal is to prepare serious writers for publishing and teaching careers. By the time they graduate, we expect our students to have completed a publishable manuscript in poetry, fiction, or non-fiction.

 The primary goal of our program is to connect our students with solid writers who will aid in their artistic and intellectual development. Our faculty are active in the literary scene of the Americas, and they offer our students plenty of opportunities to discuss their work one-on-one and to review their progress as writers.

 We are looking for writers with distinct or developing voices, who have a good sense of cross-cultural and social awareness, and a yearning to expand the practice of their craft. It's simple: if you’re good at what you do, we want you to study with us, because we can help you succeed.

 We encourage but do not favor undergraduate degrees in Creative Writing or Literature; often, our students and graduates come from various fields, from physics to theater, and all of them enrich the discussions and the writing experience.

Bilingual Option.

Do you speak, read and write in Spanish?

If so, our program is bilingual. 

Currently, all courses are taught in English, but Spanish-language writers can do all assignments and creative work in Spanish.

Our professors are bilingual.

You do not have to be bilingual. You only need to be an excellent writer in English or Spanish.

No matter where you are in the world, you can write here with us.

Acceptance to Our Program

Please keep in mind that we are a competitive program.

We do not accept everyone who applies, as our professors have a limited amount of time that they can offer developing writers. We want to give everyone the attention they deserve.

If you apply to our program, you’re Writing sample and your Statement of Purpose are two of the most important criteria for acceptance.

Show us your best writing.

Before you email us with questions, please visit our FAQ page.

Questions about our unique program that are not answered on FAQ can be  sent to onlinemfa@utep.edu.

For questions about the application process and graduate school admissions requirements, please contact Sally Vasko at the Graduate School, sbvasko@utep.edu

Deadline for Fall Admissions:  April 15

Deadline for Spring Admissions:  November 15