Overview

About Nonfiction Writing at The University of Iowa

Students will:

develop a common understanding and appreciation of the history and range of traditions of nonfiction writing including forms such as the essay, lyric essay, memoir, journalism, and experimental writing;
explore and practice the range of narrative strategies, prose styles, and approaches to stylistic analysis through workshop courses;
develop familiarity and experience with a range of research skills necessary to support the rigorous practice of nonfiction, including major theoretical approaches, and engage in reading-intensive discussions exploring new fields of nonfiction, including new writing technologies and media;

develop an individual teaching philosophy and practical skills for teaching creative nonfiction writing, including designing courses for different audiences, crafting syllabi, producing exercises, maintaining vibrant classroom discussions, and learning helpful strategies for providing constructive feedback to the writing of others;

Careers

An Our Alum page on the Department of English website provides information about Nonfiction Writing Program graduates.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Foundations of Creative Writing: Craft, Practice, Pleasure

Literary Readings Attendance

English at Work

Criticism and Theory

Disability in Literature and Cultural Theory

Literature, Culture, and Women

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-19 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-14 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

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Credits

48 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Iowa City, United States

Disciplines

Language Studies Creative Writing View 856 other Masters in Language Studies in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

A U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an equivalent degree from another country as determined by the Office of Admissions.

A minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00, or the foreign equivalent as determined by the Office of Admissions.

English Proficiency Requirements

You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants)

A statement of purpose (no more than 500 words) explaining your reasons for choosing this degree program

A résumé or curriculum vitae

A 20- to 30-page writing sample representing any form of literary nonfiction, such as a personal essay, cultural commentary, in-depth portrait, interview, memoir, or feature story

Three letters of recommendation

A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts from all post-secondary institutions

Financial Statement

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32776 USD / year

≈ 32776 USD / year
Out-of-State

32776 USD / year

≈ 32776 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

13829 USD / year

≈ 13829 USD / year

Living costs

Iowa City

United States

1187 - 1841 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Nonfiction Writing.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

About Nonfiction Writing at The University of Iowa

Careers

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Iowa City

Financing

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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