Creative Writing Program

The Creative Writing Program at the University of Oregon is a two-year, fully-funded residency in which Master of Fine Arts (MFA) students concentrate in either poetry or fiction. The program emphasizes the workshop, integrating concentrated time for writing with craft seminars and individualized reading tutorials.  Each year we invite six writers for our Reading Series: recently we’ve hosted Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Elizabeth McCracken, and Justin Torres on the fiction side; in poetry, Ocean Vuong, Solmaz Sharif, and Robin Coste Lewis.    

We offer two tracks for undergraduate study: a minor in Creative Writing, with workshops, seminars, and literature courses, as well as the Walter and Nancy Kidd Creative Writing Workshops, a unique yearlong studio experience in which students pursue their passion for creative writing in small classes with the support of peers and a graduate mentor. Follow us on Instagram to learn more about our program.

Diversity Statement


Creative Writing News and Events

CREATIVE WRITING, ENGLISH - This June, we celebrate Pride Month and the diverse identities of alumni identifying as LGBTQ+. Three College of Arts and Sciences alumni — Whitney Donielson, English, '11; Kevin Thomas, biology, '85; and Morgan Thomas, creative writing, '16— are featured in the UO Alumni Association's Shout publication.
CREATIVE WRITING, PHILOSOPHY - Two professors — Garrett Hongo and Colin Koopman — have been named 2023 Presidential Fellows in Arts and Humanities. They'll use the funding to work on book projects.
CREATIVE WRITING - Undergrads Cecelia Gibbons and Phillip Chan won the annual Walter and Nancy Kidd Memorial Writing Competition in Poetry and Fiction. “They made our judges’ job very difficult with so many worthy entries,” said Kidd Program Director Brian Trapp. “It just speaks to the immense creative powers of our students as both storytellers and poets.”

All news »


Three Minute Thesis Competition
Nov21
Three Minute Thesis Competition Nov 21 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Women in Economics Club
Nov21
Women in Economics Club Nov 21 Allen Hall
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire"
Nov21
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire" Nov 21 Miller Theatre Complex
Human Physiology Seminar Speaker: Dr. David Doolette, Scientific Director, U.S. Navy Experimental Diving Unit
Nov22
Human Physiology Seminar Speaker: Dr. David Doolette, Scientific Director, U.S. Navy Experimental Diving Unit Nov 22 Lawrence Hall
Organic/Inorganic/Materials Chemistry Seminar: Hazardous Waste Determinations and New TSCA Legislation at University of Oregon
Nov22
Organic/Inorganic/Materials Chemistry Seminar: Hazardous Waste Determinations and New TSCA Legislation at University of Oregon Nov 22 Willamette Hall
Cultural Rhythms - Dance Traditions From Around the World
Nov22
Cultural Rhythms - Dance Traditions From Around the World Nov 22 Yamada Language Center
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire"
Nov22
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire" Nov 22 Miller Theatre Complex
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire"
Nov23
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire" Nov 23 Miller Theatre Complex
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire"
Nov24
University Theatre Presents "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire" Nov 24 Miller Theatre Complex
Department of History Coffee Hour
Nov26
Department of History Coffee Hour Nov 26 McKenzie Hall

All events »

What You Can Do with a Creative Writing Degree

Our alumni have a long history of success with publishing, translation, fellowships, and prizes. Recent graduates have received Wallace Stegner Fellowships, the Dylan Thomas Award (University of Wales), the Amy Lowell Scholarship, the Philip Levine Prize in Poetry, the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award, and other honors. Many of our graduates have launched successful careers working for:

  • Newspapers, magazines, and book publishers
  • Media companies
  • Colleges and universities
  • Marketing and advertising agencies
  • Research institutes
Loїc-Aime-Mulatris

How a Creative Writing MFA Enhances Your Life

“My time in the MFA was incredibly enriching for both my work and my life. The program's dual commitments to the tradition and our own individual sensibilities proved invaluable for me. The lessons learned therein continue to inform and instruct my poetry as well as my living.”

—Loїc-Aime-Mulatris, MFA in poetry, '21

Our Degree Programs

Students in the Creative Writing Program can pursue a minor or an MFA. We also offer Kidd Workshops, a unique studio experience in which students workshop their creative work in small classes with the support of peers and a graduate mentor.

Undergraduate Degrees
 
Graduate Degrees
 
Author reading to students

Develop as a Literary Artist

Deepen your intellectual life and expand your writing skills within a community of like-minded peers in our Kidd Workshops, and hear from award-winning writers in our annual Reading Series.

Person sitting at desk

Learn from Experts in the Field

Our faculty comprises award-winning authors and poets, including Pushcart Prize winners, National Endowment for the Arts recipients, and honorees of the Walt Whitman and O. Henry awards. In addition to a broad range of novels, nonfiction books, and poetry collections, their work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Best American Short Stories, and many other venues.

Scholarships and Funding

The Creative Writing Program offers awards for both undergraduate and graduate students. Our MFA program fully funds students during their two-year residency program.

Undergraduate Scholarships  
Graduate Funding

Academic Support

Our academic advisors can help students understand their major or minor requirements, plan their course of study, explore study abroad opportunities, and more.

Undergraduate Advising  
Support for Graduate Students