Master of Fine Arts in

Creative Writing & Poetics

Develop your creative voice and earn a master's degree at the University of Washington Bothell

Image: LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs performing an opening keynote at a Fall Convergence event

What Writing Can Be

Find your voice as a writer while inquiring into the social, cultural and technological aspects of writing. How is writing an ethical, political and aesthetic endeavor?

Our students experiment across genres and are encouraged to extend their practice beyond the page, drawing upon media, art and performance.

Our unique curriculum includes workshops, seminars and opportunities to participate in readings, conferences and festivals.

Earn your degree with flexible evening classes designed for working professionals. Join a creative community and gain valuable skills for a vibrant writing career.

Learn more about our program below.

Explore the UW Difference

Designed For

Writers who want to join a supportive community of literary peers and gain the credentials to work in diverse industries or teach at the college level

Program Highlights

Experimental and hybrid forms
Critical thinking about contemporary literature and art
Exploration across genres and media
Community and collaboration with faculty
Visiting writers and artists
Connection with Seattle’s thriving literary scene

Degree You’ll Earn

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing & Poetics

Program Length

2 years / 6 quarters

When Classes Meet

Evenings; part-time and full-time options available

Autumn 2026 Application Deadline

February 1, 2026

Our Faculty

Joe Milutis

MFA Program Director

Writer, media artist with interests in theory and the avant-garde

Amaranth Borsuk

Associate Professor

Works at the intersection of print and digital media

Ching-In Chen

Assistant Professor

Hybrid writer, community organizer and performer

Jeanne Heuving

Professor

Writer and scholar; prose and poetry

Affiliate Instructors

Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore

Author, editor and critical thinker — writing that refuses boundaries

Richard Chiem

Author, editor, organizer

Nadine Antoinette Maestas

Poet and scholar

Evan Peterson

Speculative and interactive fiction author, poet, game writer and monsterologist

Kristina Lee Podesva

Hybrid writer-visual artist, publishing practices, conceptualism and Daoist aesthetics

Alumni Accomplishments

MFA alumni go on to publish their work, found literary journals and small presses, study in doctoral programs and build literary communities in Seattle and beyond. Here are some recent stories:

MFA CWP cohort 2025

“Experiencing all these different artistic approaches was phenomenal. It was absolutely worth every second I could spend in class to learn.”

TERRELL FOX

Creative Writer, Editor, Mediator and Leader
Alum, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing & Poetics

Image credit, Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore: Dorothy Edwards/Crosscut | Image credit, Richard Chiem: Bella Petro

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing & Poetics Develop your creative voice and earn a master's degree at the University of Washington Bothell Image: LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs performing an opening keynote at a Fall Convergence event