About the M.F.A. Program | Visiting Writers | Application Information The Writing Seminars offers a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in fiction and poetry. Students admitted to the M.F.A. program will enroll in two years of course work, and produce a substantial manuscript in the form of a novel or collection of fiction or poetry. M.F.A. candidates will be chosen on the basis of a manuscript evaluation, college transcripts, GRE scores and appropriate letters of recommendation that testify to the students' ability and willingness to undertake serious study in the literary arts. Since all students will receive financial aid in the form of full tuition and a teaching assistantship, applicants should be able to demonstrate aptitude for college teaching. The program will require two full years of residency in Baltimore. Students will enroll each semester in two courses: a writing workshop in poetry or fiction and a second course in craft or literature taught within the department. Poets will study with Dave Smith, John T. Irwin and Greg Williamson, among others. Fiction-writers will take courses with Alice McDermott, Stephen Dixon, Jean McGarry and Tristan Davies. At the end of the first year, students will present half of their theses for faculty review. Successful completion of this work is a requirement for continuation in the second year. The M.F.A. degree in The Writing Seminars is designed for students committed to the study and practice of literary writing at the highest level of accomplishment. Approximately five poets and six fiction-writers will be admitted annually. They will maintain continuous enrollment in workshops, forms courses and selected electives in literature studies. Our procedure emphasizes genre-informed discussions, faculty conferences, independent readings of various texts, and interactions with visiting writers. Culminating in a book-length thesis, and guided by faculty, this immersion in the practice of writing is intended to establish habits and skills necessary to lead the life of a writer. Students applying to the M.F.A. program should have a bachelor's degree and sufficient study in a foreign language to pass a multiple-choice or translation test at the second-year college level. Having a second language allows a writer the syntactic flexibility to experiment with the first, and to develop and refine a literary voice with a deeper understanding of language. Recent visiting writers include W.S. Merwin, J.D. McClatchy, Paula Fox, William H. Gass, C.K. Williams, Debora Greger, John Barth (Professor Emeritus in The Writing Seminars), Andrew Hudgins, Julian Barnes, Edna O'Brien, Robert Coover, Max Apple, C.D. Wright, Harold Bloom, David Kestenbaum, Ann Cummins, Stephen Dunn, Andrew Hudgins, ZZ Packer, Erin Belieu, Carol Frost, J. Robert Lennon, Joseph Harrison, Michael Waters, Charles Martin, Maxine Clair, William H. Pritchard, Paul Muldoon, Jahan Ramazani, and Sarah Shun-lien Bynum.
| Applicants interested in obtaining information about the part-time MA writing program should visit the website for the Advanced Academic Programs (AAP), which is a separate though related entity at Johns Hopkins. See http://advanced.jhu.edu/writing Prerequisites for Admissions to the Writing Seminars
Any applicant to the graduate program must have earned a bachelor's degree. The Application
Online applications are required. Apply online at: https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=jhu-grad
(application fee of $75 charged to credit card)
The supporting documents consist of the following: - Three recommendation letters and accompanying forms
- Writing sample
- Goal statement (critique of work)
- Official transcripts
- GRE scores
TOEFL or IELTS scores (for those applicants whose native language is not English)
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must insure that three former teachers (or editors familiar with the applicant's writing) write letters of recommendation and fill out and sign the recommendation form. At least one letter should specifically address the applicant's writing. Recommenders have the option of sending their letters electronically as part of the on-line application. If they choose to send letters by mail, the form may be downloaded at http://www.grad.jhu.edu/admissions/letters.htm and sent to the recommenders by the applicant. Recommenders should be asked to include the recommendation form along with the letter, seal the envelope and sign across the seal and return directly to the applicant.
Writing Sample
The writing sample must be sent electronically. M.F.A Poetry applicants must submit ten poems (not to exceed 25 double-spaced pages). MFA Fiction applicants must submit a maximum of three short stories or a self-contained section of a novel (40 double-spaced pages maximum).
Statement of Purpose (Critique of Work)
MFA applicants should include in their writing sample a two-page introduction and critique of their work. This statement should give admissions faculty a view to the scope and thoughtfulness of the work submitted and a sense of the student's ability to contribute in the writing workshops. The statement of purpose should be submitted electronically.
Transcripts
Applicants should arrange for official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work (including overseas study and college work which may be shown as transfer credits on another transcript) to be sent by the appropriate registrar's office/s to the applicant in sealed envelopes.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Applicants must have taken the GRE within the last five years and direct the Educational Testing Service to submit official notification of the scores directly to Johns Hopkins University. Please note: JHU Institution code is 5332; Department code is 2503. Any application lacking GRE scores will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. In addition, we strongly suggest that the MFA applicant take the Advanced section in English Literature. The applicant must take the GRE no later than December.
Application Deadline
January 15 is the application deadline. The applicant is advised to request letters of recommendation, transcripts, and GRE notification long before the deadline.
Mailing Instructions
Official transcripts and recommendation letters and forms (for those recommenders who choose not to send them electronically) should be sent by the applicant in one envelope to the following address:
Johns Hopkins University
Graduate Admissions Office
Whitehead Hall 101
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
ATTN: Application for Admission for Graduate Study Please note
The Graduate Admissions Office will only accept regular mail, certified mail, UPS, DHL and Fedex deliveries. All materials should be postmarked no later than January 15.
International Applicants
International applicants should visit the Office of International Student and Scholar Services web site for pertinent information. See http://www.jhu.edu/~isss/.
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About the M.F.A. Program | Visiting Writers | Application Information |
