Overview
Through online group courses and one-on-one tutorials, as well as a week on campus, you'll hone your craft and find your voice.
Key learning outcomes
Through the Harvard University master’s degree in the field of Creative Writing and Literature you will:
- Master key elements of narrative craft, including characterization, story and plot structure, point of view, dialogue, and description.
- Develop skills across multiple genres, including fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing.
- Analyze works of literature and learn how to approach these texts as a writer and a scholar.
- Practice the art of revision as a means to hone your voice as a writer.
Program overview
The degree includes 12 courses with one week on campus.- Get started. You begin by completing two stipulated degree courses as outlined on the degree requirements page. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your commitment and ability to perform well as a Harvard student.
- Apply to the program. While you are completing your second degree course, you submit your application. We have application cycles in the fall, spring, and summer.
- Continue your studies, online and on campus. As you progress through the program, you can choose from courses offered online and on campus all year round, fall, spring, and summer.
- Complete your thesis. You work one-on-one with a thesis director on an original creative writing piece of a minimum of 50 pages. The thesis might be a novel (or part of a novel), a collection of short stories, a screenplay, play, or work of nonfiction. In the end, you produce a creative body of work worthy of publication.
- Graduate with your Harvard degree. You participate in the annual Harvard Commencement, receiving your Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, field: Creative Writing and Literature.
Programme Structure
The Master of Liberal Arts, Creative Writing and Literature degree field consists of 12 courses. A one-week, on-campus writer’s residency is required.
12 Graduate Courses
The degree is customizable. Within the program curriculum, you choose the creative writing and literature courses that meet your personal learning goals.
- Proseminar
- Advanced fiction writing
- 3 creative writing courses
- 1 creative writing independent study
- 2 literature courses
- 1-week, on-campus writer's residency
- Crafting the Thesis Proposal
- Master’s Thesis Part One
- Master’s Thesis Part Two
Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 12 months
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting
- Apply before
-
- Starting
- Apply before
-
Language
Credits
Delivered
Disciplines
Creative Writing Literature View 835 other Masters in Literature in United StatesAcademic requirements
English requirements
Other requirements
General requirements
Admissions: Earn Your Way In
To begin the admission process, you simply register—no application needed—for the following two graduate-level degree courses (available online).
- HUMA 101 Proseminar: Elements of the Writer's Craft
- Before registering, you'll need to pass our online test of critical reading and writing skills or earn a B or higher in EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities.
- You have two attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in the proseminar (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt). The proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.
- Advanced fiction writing
- Before you enroll in any degree-applicable courses, you must possess a four-year regionally accredited US bachelor's degree. You cannot already have or be in the process of earning a master's degree in Creative Writing or a related field. Foreign bachelor’s degrees must be evaluated, and the Admissions Office makes final determinations about eligibility.
Tuition Fee
-
International
35760 USD/yearTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 35760 USD for the full programme during 12 months. -
National
35760 USD/yearTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 35760 USD for the full programme during 12 months.
Living costs for Cambridge
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Financing
Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.
Funding
Studyportals Tip: Students can search online for independent or external scholarships that can help fund their studies. Check the scholarships to see whether you are eligible to apply. Many scholarships are either merit-based or needs-based.