Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I Be Enrolled Part-Time?
- Yes. You may attend as a part-time student with a minimum of 6 credits
per semester.
- When Do Classes Meet?
- MFA Poetry classes are held Monday-Thursdays; each class meet one day per week and is scheduled for one of three regular time blocks:
12:30-3:20pm, 3:30-6:20pm, or 6:30-9:20pm.
- How Is the Program Structured?
- The MFA Poetry Program is 40 credits, structured to be completed in two years of full-time study. The 40 credits include: 3 workshops, 3 craft seminars, 3 literature seminars, 3 electives, 1 Thesis Development Seminar (in fall of the second year) and 1 hour of thesis advising (in
spring of the second year).
- What Kind of Background Does a Successful Applicant Typically Have?
- Our students’ backgrounds are far-reaching and various; successful applicants hold undergraduate degrees in everything from English to philosophy and history, come from all over the country and submit a range of work. Successful applicants demonstrate commitment to the writing, poetics, and a familiarity with the diverse aesthetics and traditions of the field.
- Are There Any Program-Specific Scholarships Available?
- Students may opt to take the Composition Theory & Praxis course, which, upon successful completion, qualifies them to teach Writing and Rhetoric courses as a Graduate Student Instructor (paid position). For a complete listing of College-wide scholarships, click here.
- Who Are the Core Faculty?
- For a listing, click here.
- Who Are Some Noteworthy Alumni?
- Graduates of the Columbia College MFA Creative Writing--Poetry program have gone on to establish national reputations. Below is a partial listing of some of their accomplishments:
- Hanna Andrews (MFA '07): a/long/division (Tilt Press, 2009)
- Kristy Bowen (MFA '07): girl show (Ghost Road Press, 2009), in the bird museum (Dusie Press, 2008), The Fever Almanac (Ghost Road Press, 2006), Feign (New Michigan Press, 2007)
- Tyler Flynn Dorholt (MFA '09): Dog the Man a Star (Scantily Clad Press, 2009)
- Kate Dougherty (MFA '08): We Trundle We Ignite (Scantily Clad Press, forthcoming)
- Brandi Homan (MFA '07): Bobcat Country (Shearsman Books, 2010), Hard Reds (Shearsman Books, 2008), Two Kinds of Arson (dancing girl press, 2007)
- Russell Jaffe (MFA '08): G(*)D (Pudding House Press, forthcoming)
- Becca Klaver (MFA '07): LA Liminal (Kore Press, 2010), Inside a Red Corvette: A 90s Mix Tape (the greying ghost press, 2008
view general graduate study FAQ
