Columbia College Chicago

Program Information

Degree Offered

M.F.A. - Creative Writing - Poetry

Format: Campus

Program Description:

Columbia College Chicago offers a unique two-year degree program dedicated to the genre of poetry. Students are encouraged to explore a variety of poetic styles and will bolster their imaginative and critical writing abilities alongside dedicated peers and engaged poet-professors. Their classroom practice is complemented by professional practice through internships and publication opportunities which help launch students into careers as writers, teachers, editors, and publishers. Graduates of this program have a sophisticated understanding of poetry as a contemporary and historical practice, a mature body of work, and valuable experience working in a professional literary environment. Columbia students take advantage of the school's wide network of scholars and its close relationship to local arts organizations such as the Poetry Foundation and Chicago Poetry Center. An active monthly-reading series offers students a chance to hear and meet nationally-renowned poets such as Alice Notley, Harryette Mullen, and D.A. Powell. In addition, each spring Columbia hosts the Elma Stuckey Liberal Arts & Sciences Emerging Poet-in-Residence, a poet from an underrepresented community who brings diverse cultural, ethnic, theoretical, and national perspectives to his or her writing and teaching. The 2009-10 Poet-in-Residence was Sandra Lim and in 2010-11 the College welcomes Jaswinder Bolina, author of Carrier Wave, winner of the 2006 Colorado Prize for Poetry. The curriculum is structured around Poetry Workshops, Craft Seminars and Literature Classes, and culminates in the creation of a book-length manuscript. Students develop writing skills in tandem with their creative, critical, and aesthetic understanding of the discipline. All courses lead to the ultimate project of a poetry thesis. Students work one-on-one with a core faculty member to revise and complete this significant project of publishable quality, which often serves as a point of entry to the literary field.

Accreditation:

Accredited at graduate and undergrad levels by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Also accredited as teacher training institution by Illinois State Board of Education

# of Credits Required:

40

International Student Requirements:

International students are required to submit an official TOEFL score of 100 or greater on the internet based test. For more information about requirements for international students at the graduate level, please visit our website.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Cost Per Credit Hour:

$721.00 USD

Tuition In-State Full Time:

27360 USD

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Master's Colleges & Universities I

Institution Sector: Private not-for-profit

Locale: Large City

Size & Settings: 10,000 - 19,999