MFA Creative Writing and Environment at Iowa State University

Programme overview

An interdisciplinary MFA combining creative writing workshops, literature coursework, environmental fieldwork, study outside English and one-on-one work with a major professor. It focuses on writing about the natural world in fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama.

What you will study

54 graduate credits including a 6-credit book-length thesis, 3 credits of environmental fieldwork and 12 credits in other disciplines (e.g. Landscape Architecture, Anthropology, Environmental Science), plus creative writing and English courses.

Career pathways

Writers, teachers, editors and environmental educators.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate College requirements: 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) Academic Records/Transcripts Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement.) Proof of English Proficiency. Programme-specific requirements: Pearl Hogrefe Fellowship in Creative Writing application information Three letters of recommendation (LOR) Application for Teaching Assistantship statement Writing Sample Portfolio All nonnative speaking applicants must provide an audio/video of spontaneous spoken English emailed to [email protected]. Program Requires GRE: No Program Requires GMAT: No

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Entry terms for first-year applicants include Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027. International undergraduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted up to one year before the intended start date; applying at least six to eight weeks in advance is strongly recommended.

Graduate application fee: $60 for domestic applicants and $100 for international applicants (nonrefundable), a separate fee for each program applied to; some programs postpone fee collection until after review. Deadlines are set by each graduate program.

Apply through the official page: https://apps.admissions.iastate.edu/apply/online/

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