An independent directory of dedicated creative writing degrees in the United States
University of New Mexico · Department of English Language and Literature
A three-year, 48-hour MFA combining workshops in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction with craft seminars, literature, pedagogy, and professional writing electives. Students pass a written comprehensive examination and complete and defend a book-length creative dissertation. Teaching assistantships, awarded competitively, carry a stipend, tuition remission up to 12 credits per semester, and health insurance.
The department describes a dedicated MFA Program in Creative Writing with genre workshops and a book-length creative dissertation; applicants seek an MFA in fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.
Source: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026We list dedicated creative writing degrees only. Eligibility rules
FictionPoetryCreative Nonfiction
Source: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026As listed on the program's official page on October 9, 2026. Listing does not mean a faculty member is teaching or supervising new students in a given year.
Source: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026| Genre | Length | Requirement as published |
|---|---|---|
| Poetry | up to 20 pages | Ten to fifteen poems, not to exceed 20 pagesSource: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
| Fiction | up to 7500 words | One or multiple stories, or a novel excerpt, not to exceed 7,500 words totalSource: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
| Creative Nonfiction | 15–20 pages | 15-20 pages of nonfiction proseSource: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness: programs rarely publish comparable figures.
Application deadline
January 15 · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026Funding / priority deadline
January 15 (teaching assistantship application, part of admission) · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: english.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026| Category | Amount | Basis and year |
|---|---|---|
| In-state — Graduate, Main Campus, NM resident tuition, 1 to 11 hours (per hour)From the school's rate table for this level | $352.78 | per credit · Fall 2026Calculated$16,933.44 total = 48 credits × $352.78 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, residency or travel costs, and any rate change during the program.Source: bursar.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
| In-state — Graduate, Main Campus, NM resident tuition, 12+ hours (flat rate)From the school's rate table for this level | $4,233.36 | per semester · Fall 2026Source: bursar.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
| Out-of-state — Graduate, Main Campus, non-resident tuition, 12+ hours (flat rate)From the school's rate table for this level | $13,764.48 | per semester · Fall 2026Source: bursar.unm.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
Competitive full funding
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Same degree level, nearby or in the same format. Listed for discovery, not ranked.
Creative Writing Programs is independent and not affiliated with University of New Mexico. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.