Located in the heart of California, the Fresno State MFA Program is home to The Normal School literary magazine, the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry book contest, and lots of Fresno writers.
The Creative Writing Program enjoys a long history of literary excellence at Fresno State, dating to the late 1950s. Our Master of Fine Arts program was founded in 1995, and it features advanced training in the study of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.
Our diverse, seven-member MFA faculty has published more than 20 books from a wide range of major publishing houses, university presses, and small indie outlets.
We celebrate 24 of our MFA alumni authors who published their debut books in an 8-year span, with 8 in 2016; 3 in 2017; 4 in 2018; 1 in 2019; 3 in 2020; 3 in 2022; and 2 in 2023.
In the MFA program's 29-year year history, from 1995 to 2024, our alumni have published 41 debut books.
Our students and alumni continue to earn publishing and editing jobs, internships, and residencies at Poetry Magazine, the Academy of American Poets, Zócalo Public Square, Tin House, Lambda Literary Foundation, Milkweed Editions, Sundress Publications, CSU Summer Arts, and more.
For six years in a row, from 2014-2019, our national literary magazine, The Normal School, earned high marks for gender parity and inclusion in the VIDA Count report, ranking it among the nation's best literary publications.
The Normal School transitioned to an online publication in the fall of 2019.
Many of our students volunteer as workshop leaders and mentors at our English Department's annual Young Writers' Conference, which attracts 400-plus area high school students to visit the University.
The central San Joaquin Valley's low cost of living and proximity to all of California continues to attract writers and artists.
What our MFA students seem to appreciate the most is the supportive atmosphere of Fresno. This is a place where writers meet the friends and the literary community they will have for a lifetime.
Fresno State offers graduate students many opportunities for financial support and professional development. The University offers an array of scholarships and financial awards for travel, research, and creative activities.
Students enjoy the chance to get actively involved in the program's professional publishing and editing projects, and we offer many opportunities for students to participate in all aspects of literary events programming.
Qualified students can gain instructional experience through Teaching Associateships in our English Department's first-year writing program and tutor positions in our campus Writing Center and Graduate Student Success Center.
Our student organizations also produce scholarly and creative events and publications.
The program offers two 54-unit options: the traditional MFA in Creative Writing, and also an MFA in Creative Writing with Emphasis in Publishing and Editing.
Graduate coursework includes: seminars on genre forms and theories; wide-ranging topics courses in contemporary literature; hands-on, internship-style publishing and editing classes; and of course, writing workshops.
The student's thesis committee works closely with them on style as well as content of their thesis manuscript; it adheres to a high standard of publishable-quality work. Students are also required to give a thesis defense, write a contextualizing narrative for their work, and give a public reading at the end of their program.
Students are encouraged to enroll in our Practicum in Literary Arts course, where they serve on the editorial staff of our national literary magazine, The Normal School.
They can also enroll in our Literary Editing and Publishing course, where they serve as the editorial staff for the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, our national poetry book contest co-sponsored by Anhinga Press.
Our students make up the editorial boards of four annual campus publications:
Applications are accepted once a year in the Spring semester for admission to the following Fall semester. For Fall 2025 admission, the deadline to apply is March 1, 2025.
Admission to the MFA Program requires:
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better in the undergraduate major. (International students must score well above the university’s minimum on the TOEFL.)
• University application and required materials.
• Program application and required materials.
Applying for admission to the MFA Program is a three-part process.
Applicants must apply to BOTH the Fresno State Graduate Admissions office and also to the MFA Program in Creative Writing. We also strongly recommend applying for financial aid and scholarships.
Apply online to the Division of Research and Graduate Studies at Fresno State through the Cal State Apply website. There is a nonrefundable $70 application fee. All applicants must pay the application fee; there are no application fee waivers for CSU post-baccalaureate applicants.
Download Cal State Apply's graduate application guide for more.
For supporting materials, you must submit your official college transcripts (and TOEFL scores, if you are an international applicant) directly to the university for admissions review. Transcripts must be received in sealed envelopes directly from the institution from which you will or have graduated.
For domestic applicants, mail your transcripts to:
California State University, Fresno
Attn: Graduate Admissions
5150 N. Maple Ave., JA57
Fresno, CA 93740
For international applicants, mail your transcripts to:
California State University, Fresno
Attn: International Admissions
5150 N. Maple Ave., JA56
Fresno, CA 93740
NOTE: If your undergraduate bachelor's degree is from Fresno State, you do not need to submit an official Fresno State transcript to Graduate Admissions. (Transcripts from other institutions are still needed.)
The program application will be submitted online in the "Quadrant 4" section of your Cal State Apply application. You will answer several additional questions in Quadrant 4, and then you will be asked to upload the following:
• A brief personal statement (one or two pages) that discusses your interest, background, and goals in creative writing.
• A copy of your unofficial college transcripts for MFA faculty review (all in one document).
• A writing sample of your creative work (up to 10 poems or 25 pages of prose) to be evaluated by the creative writing committee. Prose submissions may be a continuous selection from a book-length work, such as a novel, or a collection of multiple short stories or essays. Screenplays and scripts are not accepted, as these forms are not within the primary scope of the program. Please send clean, easy-to-read copies of your work.
Letters of Recommendation (optional)
Also in Quadrant 4, you will have the opportunity to enter the names and email addresses of three recommenders, for your letters of support. Letters are now optional and are no longer required. We will not accept letters of support directly from the applicant; they must be uploaded online by your recommenders.
Your recommenders can be teachers, editors, or others familiar with your writing and academic skills, as well as your potential to contribute to the program’s environment. Letters are considered confidential.
In addition, students are strongly encouraged to fill out a general Scholarship Application for California State University, Fresno, as well as a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) . Please note that the deadline for these applications is different (read: earlier) than the program application. See our MFA Program financial assistance tab and also our English Department scholarships page for more details and support.
Please note: Though the Division of Research Graduate Studies lists April 1 as the university's deadline for applications to many programs, the MFA Program sets its application deadline earlier as March 1, 2023. Students applying must have both parts of their applications, as well as supporting materials, completed by March 1, 2023.
Also note: GRE scores are not required for admission.
International applicants should contact the office of International Student Services and Programs for additional guidelines and support.
For current costs of standard Tuition and Campus Fees at Fresno State, see the Accounting Services fee schedule page. Tuition and fees are subject to change each semester.
Creative Writing students can apply for a wide range of local, state, and federal financial assistance. These include scholarships, grants, loan programs, and more. F unding and job opportunities are competitive.
All decisions made by the Creative Writing faculty on student awards and funding are made collaboratively and are based on an evaluation of the quality of creative work and on programmatic needs.
Visit our Department of English's student funding page for full information about scholarship and financial aid opportunities. Pay closest attention to financial aid from the Division of Research and Graduate Studies (DRGS).
In addition to what's listed on the department funding page, we offer up to three nonresident fee waivers to qualified incoming students for their first year of study.
We also offer ongoing Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) funding for select students to attend and participate in national writing conferences. Travel grants are also available.
Recruitment for Teaching Associate positions (TAships) in the department takes place each spring semester for positions beginning in the fall. (Please note that recruitment for AY 2023-24 will open in March 2023.) Most TAs teach in the first-year writing program , and several teach beginning creative writing classes each semester.
Up to three positions will be awarded each fall for MFA Writing and Research Scholars in the Graduate Student Success Center at $18/hr, for a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 20 hours per week. Scholars will be working with Fresno State graduate students on class assignments as well as projects and theses. Scholars will receive training on consulting practice as it pertains to the center's philosophy while also gaining teaching and public presentation experience by actively facilitating workshops and/or colloquia focused on thesis preparation and research. Contact the center's co-coordinator, Ronald Dzerigian, for information. (Email)
Recruitment for Writing Consultant positions in the campus Graduate Student Success Center takes place each semester. Tutors consult on graduate student projects, thesis manuscripts, or papers for publication. Contact the center's co-coordinator, Ronald Dzerigian, to apply. (Email)
Recruitment for Tutor positions in the campus Writing Center takes place each semester. Tutors work as facilitators in small writing groups, in one-on-one tutoring, and in online tutoring.
The program awards up to three Student Assistant positions each year. The SAs work as editorial interns for The Normal School literary magazine, and they support the administrative staff in the program office.
The program awards up to four Student Assistant positions each fall to assist faculty in running our annual book contest, the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry.
The program awards one Student Assistant position each spring to assist faculty in running our English Department's annual Young Writers' Conference.
The program, together with the English Department and the Academy of American Poets, sponsors annual Creative Writing Prizes each spring for writers in all genres.
The Admissions Office determines the residency status of all new and returning students for purposes of tuition. Out-of-state, nonresident, and international students must pay an additional Non-Resident Tuition Fee of $396 per unit, in addition to the standard Tuition Fee and Campus Fees. The fees are subject to change each semester.
Because each student's residency status can be different and complex, students should contact the Graduate Admissions Office at graduateadmissions@mail.fresnostate.edu or 559.278.4073 for individual consultation.
Find out more about residency requirements students must meet:
Generally, establishing California residency for tuition purposes requires a combination of physical presence and intent to remain indefinitely.
An adult who, at least 366 days prior to the residency determination date for the term in which enrollment is contemplated, can demonstrate both physical presence in the state combined with evidence of intent to remain in California indefinitely may establish California residency for tuition purposes.
A minor normally derives residency from the parent(s) they reside with or most recently resided with.
Evidence demonstrating intent may vary from case to case but will include, and is not limited to:
Nonresident students seeking reclassification are required to complete a supplemental questionnaire that includes questions concerning their financial independence.
Financial independence is required, in addition to physical presence and intent, to be eligible for reclassification.
Financial independence is established if, in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the 3 consecutive calendar years preceding the reclassification application, the student:
The MFA degree in Creative Writing requires a 54-unit course of study. The program is intended to take three years, and you are limited to five years to complete the requirements. Students are accepted into the program with a focus in one of three genres: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction.
Visit the Fresno State catalog for full program information.
In consultation with the MFA adviser, each student prepares and submits a coherent program individually designed within one of the two following frameworks:
ENGL 261 — Seminar in Writing Poetry
ENGL 263 — Seminar in Writing Fiction
ENGL 265 — Seminar in Writing Creative Nonfiction
These workshops make up the heart of the coursework, and you will use them to work toward your thesis manuscript. Four sections are required, but some students choose to take more and count them as electives. It's a good idea to take one workshop nearly every semester, and to take them from different faculty. You may also choose to take a workshop outside of your genre.
ENGL 241 — Seminar in Form and Theory of Poetry
ENGL 243 — Seminar in Form and Theory of Fiction
ENGL 245 — Seminar in Form and Theory of Creative Nonfiction
One course is taken in the student's focus genre and one in either of the other two genres.
These courses in literary craft provide intensive study in the forms, styles, and technical issues in the genres. Instructors rotate, and different faculty focus on different content. The creative nonfiction course is offered in the fall semester only, and the poetry and fiction courses are offered in the spring semester only.
ENGL 250T — Seminar in Literature (topics class)
ENGL 280T — Seminar in Critical Theory (topics class)
These courses provide broad and necessary background in literary studies, and there are different topics offered each semester. Many of those topics will not be offered again while you are here, so look for topics and faculty you'd most like to take. You may choose a class that will deepen your knowledge of your chosen genre, or you may choose a class that will broaden your horizons by exposing you to something new.
Please note: The seminar paper that you write for one of these seminars is often used to fulfill your Graduate Writing Requirement (see Handbook tab), so don't put these off until the last minute!
Chosen from upper-division or graduate level courses.
In most cases, these courses will be graduate level English courses, but they may also include literary seminars, foreign language courses, or courses from other departments in art, drama, playwriting, etc. that are relevant to your plan of study.
Please note: Via the Division of Research Graduate Studies, see page 2 of the Program Adjustment Request form for a full list of Course Limitations for Graduate Programs.
Students are also encouraged to consider taking Engl 242 (Literary Editing and Publishing) and/or Engl 286 (Practicum in Literary Arts: Publishing and Programming) to gain real-world experience in professional publishing and editing. Students in Engl 242 serve as editorial assistants for the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, and students in Engl 286 serve as editors and editorial assistants for The Normal School literary magazine, both in print and online. Both projects are nationally recognized.
Engl 242 is offered in the fall semester only; 4 units, and the course is repeatable. Engl 286 is offered each semester; units vary from 1-6, with a max of 6 that count toward the degree.
ENGL 299 — Thesis
See Specific Requirements below for full details. See also the "Sequence of Engl 299 courses" tab in the program handbook, linked above, for enrollment information.
Total: 54 units
Note: At least 70% of coursework (38 units) must be at graduate (200-series) level.
ENGL 261 — Seminar in Writing Poetry
ENGL 263 — Seminar in Writing Fiction
ENGL 265 — Seminar in Writing Creative Nonfiction
These workshops make up the heart of the coursework, and you will use them to work toward your thesis manuscript. Four sections are required, but some students choose to take more and count them as electives. It's a good idea to take one workshop nearly every semester, and to take them from different faculty. You may also choose to take a workshop outside of your genre.
ENGL 241 — Seminar in Form and Theory of Poetry
ENGL 243 — Seminar in Form and Theory of Fiction
ENGL 245 — Seminar in Form and Theory of Creative Nonfiction
One course is taken in the student's focus genre and one in either of the other two genres.
These courses in literary craft provide intensive study in the forms, styles, and technical issues in the genres. Instructors rotate, and different faculty focus on different content. The creative nonfiction course is offered in the fall semester only, and the poetry and fiction courses are offered in the spring semester only.
ENGL 250T — Seminar in Literature (topics class)
ENGL 280T — Seminar in Critical Theory (topics class)
These courses provide broad and necessary background in literary studies, and there are different topics offered each semester. Many of those topics will not be offered again while you are here, so look for topics and faculty you'd most like to take. You may choose a class that will deepen your knowledge of your chosen genre, or you may choose a class that will broaden your horizons by exposing you to something new.
Please note: The seminar paper that you write for one of these seminars is often used to fulfill your Graduate Writing Requirement (see Handbook tab), so don't put these off until the last minute!
ENGL 242 — Literary Editing and Publishing
ENGL 286 — Practicum in Literary Arts: Publishing and Programming
Students are encouraged to consider taking Engl 242 and/or Engl 286 to gain real-world experience in professional publishing and editing. Students in Engl 242 serve as editorial assistants for the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, and students in Engl 286 serve as editors and editorial assistants for The Normal School literary magazine, both in print and online. Both projects are nationally recognized.
Engl 242 is offered in the fall semester only; 4 units, and the course is repeatable. Engl 286 is offered each semester; units vary from 1-6, with a max of 6 that count toward the degree.
Chosen from upper-division or graduate level courses.
In most cases, these courses will be graduate level English courses, but they may also include literary seminars, foreign language courses, or courses from other departments in art, drama, playwriting, etc. that are relevant to your plan of study.
Please note: Via the Division of Research Graduate Studies, see page 2 of the Program Adjustment Request form for a full list of Course Limitations for Graduate Programs.
ENGL 299 — Thesis
See Specific Requirements below for full details. See also the "Sequence of Engl 299 courses" tab in the program handbook, linked above, for enrollment information.
Total: 54 units
Note: At least 70% of coursework (38 units) must be at graduate (200-series) level.
In addition to coursework, students must complete a thesis manuscript, the graduate writing skills requirement, and a contextualizing narrative.
The thesis for the MFA degree in Creative Writing consists of a single book-length manuscript of fiction, a collection of poems, or creative nonfiction that works together to make a unified body of work. The thesis committee works closely with the student on style as well as content; it adheres to a high standard of publishable quality work. In their final semester, students will complete a formal defense of their thesis with their committee.
Before advancement to candidacy, the student must satisfy the Graduate Writing Skills Requirement. This requirement is met by submission and approval of a sample of scholarly writing. (This is distinct from the sample of creative work required for program admission.) See the MFA handbook tab on this webpage for more details.
In addition to the general Graduate Division requirements, students are required to complete the MFA Contextualizing Narrative assignment with a grade of B or above. Students work with their adviser to create an approved reading list for the assignment. The Contextualizing Narrative assignment consists of craft-focused annotations of approved texts that allow students to demonstrate a theoretical and critical knowledge of their genre.
For more info, see the Assignment Description (doc, 14K).
You are responsible for meeting all deadlines set by the program, your thesis chair, the Department of English, and the Division of Research Graduate Studies (DRGS). Check the DRGS dates and deadlines page for the most current info, and familiarize yourself with these important explanations of the degree process and terminology.
The program coordinator also serves as the official academic adviser for all MFA students. This person is your go-to resource for the degree process, including paperwork, policies, and any course-planning questions.
Prof. Brynn Saito is the current coordinator and adviser. We recommend you meet with him at least once per semester.
This means you have met the requirements for admission and have been formally admitted to both the University and the program.
We occasionally admit students to the University as “Conditionally Classified” to indicate that the student has not yet satisfied all program admission requirements.
You are responsible for understanding and completing all coursework and degree requirements. Read the University catalog page for the program and frequently consult the DRGS website for updates and deadlines.
You must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all your coursework, and no grade below a C is allowed to count toward your degree. Also, no CR/NC grades will count.
To graduate with distinction, you must maintain a GPA of 3.9.
This is a University requirement that is met by submission and approval of a substantial sample of scholarly and critical writing, such as a seminar paper you have written for an Engl 250T course. (This is distinctly different from the sample of creative work required for program admission.)
Submissions are made to the coordinator. This must be done before Advancement to Candidacy.
This is a crucial requirement. The completion of the ATC petition form—available here from the DRGS website—should be done by midway through your degree process. We strongly recommend the third semester.
The ATC form is tailored specifically to the year you entered the program, and it lists all courses already taken along with the courses you plan to take to complete your degree. Approval of the ATC petition form enables you to sign up for thesis units when you are ready to begin the final stages of your work here. You must complete the form in cooperation with the adviser.
To be eligible for Advancement to Candidacy, you must have earned at least a B average on all coursework to be included in the MFA degree. You must also have met your Graduate Writing Requirement, after which time you can file the ATC petition form anytime.
Check the DRGS graduate degree deadlines page carefully for ATC petition form timelines, especially if you intend to enroll in thesis units the next semester. A delay in ATC petition form approval can result in problems with your "satisfactory progress toward degree" standing, which can affect your TA position, your registration options, your Financial Aid status, etc.
Any changes to the program of study you charted on the ATC petition form—for instance, if you take classes other than you predicted—must be noted and approved by both the adviser and DRGS. Many students have to file at least one of these PAR forms— available here from the DRGS website — before they’re through.
Also worth noting: See page 2 of the PAR form for a full list of Course Limitations for Graduate Programs .
In addition to the general Graduate Division requirements, students are required to complete the MFA Contextualizing Narrative Assignment with a grade of B or above. Students work with their advisor to create an approved reading list for the assignment. The Contextualizing Narrative Assignment consists of craft-focused annotations of approved texts that allow students to demonstrate a theoretical and critical knowledge of their genre.
For more info, see the Assignment Description (doc, 14K).
This should be a book-length manuscript of publishable quality. Take the thesis very seriously, and take advantage of it. This is almost certainly the only time in your life when you will be given this kind of time, assistance, and permission to make a book. If you do it well, it could become your first published book as well as your thesis.
Don't wait to start on your thesis until the last year. If you come here to write, you should be writing toward the thesis from day one. Of course, everything you write here will not be included in the thesis, but thesis progress should be your goal from the start. You will not have time to write the whole thing from scratch during the last semester—or even the last two semesters. The 4-6 thesis units are offered as a way to give you time and the end of the program to focus intensely (with help from your committee chair) on revision, final drafts, polishing, etc.
Your committee consists of the three people who will work most closely with you to complete your thesis manuscript. After your first year of study, you should be ready to identify your first and second priority for your Thesis Committee Chair. At the end of your second year of study, you will identify and reach out to your second and third committee members. Your Chair should be a member of the MFA faculty—usually the person with whom you have worked most closely. The other two members can be MFA faculty or English Department faculty. Or, with program approval, one of your members may be from another department or outside the University.
Your Thesis Committee Chair will become your primary mentor, advisor, and advocate. Your Chair will also help you select the other two members of your committee and help identify appropriate texts for your contextualizing narrative. You will work with your Chair to plan, prepare for, draft, revise and submit your thesis. Your Chair will lead and schedule your Thesis Defense and introduce you for your third-year MFA Student Showcase Reading. They will also be one of your primary recommenders for job applications, PhD program applications, or other professional opportunities. Chair is organizing defense (2 hours).
Second and Third readers/committee members are expected to attend your Thesis Defense, contribute to the discussion, and provide a 1-2 page “letter of response” to your thesis. They are not expected to offer line-edits, copyediting, or annotations on the manuscript itself. They will also be asked to fill out a thesis assessment rubric and participate in the overall evaluation of the thesis.
The thesis Committee Assignment Form, which you'll submit in your 2nd year— available here from the DRGS website — cannot be filed until after the ATC petition form is filed and approved. All three members of your thesis committee must sign the form, as well as the program coordinator.
Beginning in your 2nd semester, you will register for a four-course sequence of 299 classes (one 1-unit course per semester) that will focus on preparing you to write, submit, and defend your thesis, while also incorporating some pre-professional training for students in things like submitting your work and applying for jobs.
Registration is arranged by the MFA Coordinator.
In your final semester, you will register for 2 units of Engl 299 with your Thesis Chair. This is done through the Supervised Course Request form, available here from the English Department website. The same form is used to sign up for an Independent Study or an Independent Reading course. It requires signatures from your Thesis Chair and the MFA Coordinator.
You must have an approved ATC petition form and thesis Committee Assignment Form already completed and approved. The number of thesis units must agree with what you listed on your ATC petition form. After approval, the Department will give you a permission number to enroll.
The MFA Thesis Defense is an hour-long formal discussion of your thesis and your writing in general. Students will be expected to give a brief (five minute) introductory presentation on their thesis. The Thesis Committee will then ask questions of the student and discuss their work for approximately 45 minutes. The student will be excused briefly while the committee deliberates on assessment of the thesis and then invited back in for a final conversation. The defense conversation will assist your committee in completing the thesis rubric (an assessment form that is filed with the department). More importantly, the defense is an opportunity for you to engage in a rich conversation about your work with your entire committee present. Your contextualizing narrative will assist you in preparing for the defense.
You will also present an excerpt of your thesis for your MFA Student Showcase Reading.
Check the DRGS dates and deadlines page for your final deadline for turning in your approved thesis. The deadline typically comes around midterm. This means that you should have your thesis very close to completion before the semester you expect to turn it in and graduate.
Please note that there is a precise and specific document format required by the University for thesis submission. The DRGS thesis consultant (currently Chuck Radke) offers workshops and individual help with this, and there is a template on the DRGS Dissertation and Thesis Office page to help you get your thesis into the required format.
This requires completing an online form and making a payment through your student portal, and electronic approval must be given by the coordinator. There is an early deadline every semester — details are here on the DRGS website .
If you don’t complete your thesis manuscript during the semester you are enrolled in thesis units, you must enroll in thesis continuation units again each semester until you complete the thesis, which will require further registration fees. The University requires that students be enrolled during the semester they graduate, even if it's being enrolled in "zero" thesis continuation units.
The final Graduate Degree Clearance form verifies that you have completed all requirements for your degree. It must be signed by your thesis chair (who will assign you a grade for your completed thesis units), the coordinator, the English Department chair, and the dean of the College.
During your final semester, you should download the Graduate Degree Clearance form — available here from the DRGS website . F ill out the top part and then give it to the coordinator, who will complete the form, obtain the grade from your chair and necessary signatures, and file it with DRGS in person.
Now, you are ready to graduate!
Prof. Brynn Saito (email)
