Average Overall Rating
Average Quality of Faculty
Program Description
In the beautiful lakes region of Western Kentucky, something extraordinary is happening. Masters in their craft—some of the most widely respected novelists, poets and essayists working today—are guiding a group of talented and diverse writers in Murray State University's Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing program. Murray State hosts an affordable MFA, which is a two-year 48-credit-hour program, with four intensive 9-day residencies and one-to-one study with prize-winning faculty mentors. The select and eclectic students that make up this competitive MFA program come from Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville, Kansas City, Louisville, Conway (Arkansas), and many more American cities and towns, big and small. They are professional journalists, radio announcers, television producers, professors and teachers, horse farmers, web designers, entertainers, parents and friends. They come to Murray State seeking a competitive, low-residency, affordable alternative to the traditional MFA program. They end up finding much more—an excellent faculty and a bubbling cauldron of peer talent, mixed in a package of open-mindedness and artistry that moves.
Student Reviews
Order by: Most Recent | Year of Graduation | Helpfulness
MSU's MFA program provides a great balance of scholarship and creative writing experience.
Review of the Program:
I have returned to school after 25 years. The MFA program at Murray is a wonderful blend of scholarship and…
Jacqueline Kohl | '2010
Believe the non-hype
Review of the Program:
Don't be mislead by my capsule review. It's not negative hype, but a lack of hype, owing to Murray's low-key…
Larry O. Dean | '2009
Best Kept Secret
Review of the Program:
I'm a poet finishing his thesis this semester.
I'm an extremely independent learner, and Murray's program has…
Scott L. Woodham | '2009
Best Bang for Your Buck!
Review of the Program:
I am heading into my thesis semester in the Writing for Young People genre. I chose Murray State because it…
Amanda Grossman | '2010
Outstanding Murray State University MFA Program
Review of the Program:
I am finishing my first year in Murray State University's MFA: Writing Fiction Program and have found it to be…
James B. Goode | '2011
A Great Program and Experience
Review of the Program:
When I started researching low-residency programs two years ago, I had not heard of Murray State. I'm so glad that…
Chris Cutler | '2010
Low-Residency Exceeds Expectations
Review of the Program:
There aren't that many low-residency options out there, and here in the Midwest / South we are lucky to have…
Richard Thomas | '2011