MFA in Creative & Professional Writing
Applicant Letter
Dear MFA Applicant:
We are delighted to hear of your interest in
the Western Connecticut State University MFA in Creative and
Professional Writing Program, a low-residency program dedicated to
educating career writers for the contemporary marketplace. You will
find on this website all of the information and materials you need to
complete your application. And,
of course, I encourage you to contact me should you have any
questions or concerns.
Included on this site are a typical schedule of
required courses and a detailed description of the courses. All
students in the program will complete these courses in sequence
unless one or two of the courses are covered by transfer credit
(students are limited to 8 credit-hours of transfer credits).
However, as you will quickly determine by reading the descriptions,
our courses are unique and designed to contribute to the creation of
a community of writers who are engaged in common issues. We strongly
encourage all students to take advantage of the program’s full
potential by enrolling in all of the courses in sequence.
Also included are two application packets; one
for Graduate Studies and one for the MFA in Creative and
Professional Writing Program. The provided checklist will help you
to coordinate the completion of both applications and the required
materials. In the essay portion we are looking for a combination of
clarity of expression, logical and creative ability, understanding
of our program, and evidence of dedication to (and/or hunger for)
the writing life. Please note that while the priority application
deadline is February 1, we read applications and grant admission on
a year-round, space-available basis. Applications postmarked by Feb.
1 will receive priority consideration; those postmarked after Feb. 1
are read on a space-available basis only.
This program hosts a highly reputable faculty
of professional writers, creative writing professors, and academics
in the Western Connecticut Writing Department, complemented by
Visiting Writers of national reputation. We select Writing Mentors
specifically to meet the demand created by your genres of interest.
Please visit our website to review the faculty biographies.
Each residency features a
full slate of entertaining
and informative activities. Participants
include a variety of agents, editors, and guest writers.
But most importantly, our
residencies provide you with an opportunity for an intense week of
work with mentors and among your talented and dedicated peers. You
will discover quickly that the residencies are the heart and soul of
the program.
Your coursework in the MFA program is driven
and collaboratively designed by you; we provide the course framework and syllabus templates that
you and your faculty mentors will use to design each course. You
will work directly with your mentors to fill in the details of your
courses as you design your educational experience. It’s up to you to
select your genres of specialization, up to you to devise reading
lists and work contracts, and up to you to determine and develop
your enrichment project.
In closing, let me point out a few things you
will need in order to fully participate in the program. First, you
will need a computer and Internet access to participate in each
semester-long online multi-genre workshop; in order to conduct
research; and in order to communicate with me, with your student
colleagues, and with faculty members. Second, you’ll need to set
aside a week-long block of time to attend a week-long residency each
semester that you are enrolled (one in early August and one in early
January). Finally, you’ll need the drive and determination necessary
to get the most out of a program that you will help to design.
I am available to advise you at any and all
stages of the program. Please contact me at any time, or call the
program secretary at 203-837-8878.
We look forward to receiving your application
and hope to meet you at the next residency, if not before.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian Clements
Coordinator
(203) 837-8876
