Program Description
Program Administration
Consortium Members

Leveraging the best resources of the CSU campuses, California State University, Chico offers a collaborative Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree – the first in the nation to be offered by a consortium of universities. As the largest statewide university system in the country, The California State University reaches great numbers of students from a wide variety of ethnic, geographic, cultural, and economic backgrounds.  The CSU MFA Creative Writing program is fully accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The MFA in Creative Writing can be earned over a maximum of seven years, including three consecutive summers of residency on the campuses of the consortium members: Chico, Hayward, Northridge, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. CSU, Chico serves as the lead campus to recruit the top students to this program.  

A central element of this degree program is the low-residency component involving two, three-week sessions each summer. The low-residency component allows greater opportunity for part-time students from a variety of geographic regions to participate, meeting the needs of an ever more mobile population. This low-residency summer format combines the strength of a structured, intensive group environment and the flexibility of extended periods of more independent writing throughout the year. The degree is designed to be ongoing, with 24 students active each summer session. 

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Program Description
The MFA Creative Writing Consortium offers students maximum flexibility, while capitalizing on the unique character of each CSU member campus. Summer study at rotating sites with regularly rotating faculty is an essential hallmark of the MFA program. Optional study over the regular academic year also expands students' intellectual territory, with particular campus emphases such as Latino/a studies, folk literature, literary theory, creative non-fiction, and children's literature.

An integral part of the degree is electronic connections which allow students to transcend the barriers of time and space, enhancing the exchange of student work and enabling discussions of craft, process, and readings. Academic advising and degree coordination will be accomplished primarily through electronic mail and two-way video communication.  Students will have access to the Online Writers' Community to exchange ideas and information.  Only enrolled students and faculty may access this page.

The total number of units required for the degree is 50 semester units. All degree requirements are expressed in semester units. Units earned through consortium campuses operating on a quarter system will be converted at the standard of one quarter unit equivalent to two-thirds semester units. (MFA check list)

1 Quarter Unit = .67 Semester Unit
2 Quarter Units = 1.33 Semester Units
3 Quarter Units = 2 Semester Units
4 Quarter Units = 2.67 Semester Units
5 Quarter Units = 3.33 Semester Units
6 Quarter Units = 4 Semester Units

Admissions

Summer Residency

FAQ

CSU, Chico, Department of English | CSU Chico |
California State University, Chico California 95929-0250   530-898-5124
Carole Oles, MFA in Creative Writing Coordinator at coles@csuchico.edu

copyright 1999, 2000, 2001 MFA Creative Writing Consortium, California State University

Webmaster - Kyle McDowell, km44@mail.csuchico.edu This page was last updated on October 2nd, 2001