Creative Writing, M.F.A. Curriculum

The M.F.A in Creative Writing is a two-year, 36 credit graduate program. All students receive a Pass or Fail grade in all of their course work.

The low-residency model of the Brooklyn Writers Foundry exists to help students grow as writers through supporting the exploration of their talents, while providing balance between their literary aspirations and their daily lives. Graduates of this program receive a dynamic education culminating in an advanced, terminal degree that prepares them for work and artistic success in a variety of fields through our comprehensive curriculum:

Workshop (MFA-520)
As the core class in the Creative Writing MFA program, each workshop is small in size and allows for generous individual attention. The first half of this class will be satisfied through in-person group meetings during the residency periods. Students will turn in new and ongoing literary projects, both long and short, to be closely examined in the form of written comments and discussion led by core faculty. The second half of the course will be completed remotely, through work turned in to the individual instructor each month, which will receive feedback in the form of written comments and distance correspondence.  

Craft Seminar (MFA-510)
This is a six-week reading course aimed at understanding, appreciating and putting into practice the craft of writing. During residency sessions, the seminars will be conducted as large in-person classes utilizing lectures and creative prompts to explore the elements of craft found within the published texts. In the subsequent weeks after each residency period, these group classes will continue to meet via online modalities such as Zoom. 

Master Lecture Series (MFA-500)
Four distinguished authors will visit each residency period to deliver lectures on a topic of their choice related to literary craft and/or notable works of creative writing. Following their lecture, each author will present a reading of their work to the MFA community and answer questions from students. 

Writing Life & Publishing (MFA-530)
A wide-ranging selection of in-person mini-classes and panel discussions with editors, literary agents, and publishing industry professionals. This course brings together students of all genres to broaden perspectives on a variety of literary topics related to the life of a working writer and how to navigate the vast landscape of publishing. 

Creative Thesis (MFA-540)
Following the successful completion of three semesters of coursework with a total of twenty-seven credits earned, students will be assigned one faculty member to work with closely through regular online conferences to advise their final thesis project consisting of 100 pages of prose or 60 pages of poetry. During their fourth residency, students will meet with their thesis advisors and begin their projects independently during workshop class hours, to be completed by the end of their fifth and final residency period. Each project upon reaching fruition is assigned a final grade by the advisor and is then submitted to the department for final approval.

Thesis Forum (MFA-550)
This in-person forum takes place during a student’s fifth and final residency. It consists of a reading from the student’s creative thesis and a presentation covering the critical influences and craft elements present in the project. This reading is designed to be the culminating moment in a student’s educational experience at St. Joseph’s University, and all faculty members and students in the program are highly encouraged to attend. Even though MFA students are registered during this final residency for only 3 credits, they are considered full-time, as they are engaged in substantial academic effort equivalent to a full course load, and therefore retain full-time status for the purposes of enrollment, financial aid, and visa eligibility.