MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics - University of Washington Bothell

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MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics - University of Washington Bothell

Applications are now open for the MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics: an innovative interdisciplinary

The MFA poses the central questions of poetics, inquiring into the social, cultural, and technological aspects of writing to ask: How is creative writing an ethical, political and aesthetic endeavor? What forms might creative writing take in an interconnected, transnational society? How does new media alter the environment and possibilities for creative writing? Each academic year kicks off with t

he Fall Convergence, a gathering of nationally and internationally renowned writers and artists to engage topics in contemporary poetics. The year closes with the Spring Festival, where graduating students share their thesis work publicly and receive a benedictory reading from a student-nominated invited speaker. Program Highlights
-Focus on experimental writing and hybrid forms
-Vibrant roster of visiting writers, conferences, and festivals
-Evening program designed for students with jobs and other commitments
-Optional residency in second year
-Flexible part-time or full-time thesis completion
-Connections to Seattle’s thriving literary and arts scene

09/05/2026

The MFA is excited to welcome back affiliate faculty member and fiction writer Richard Chiem for the 2026–27 academic year!

Richard Chiem is the author of You Private Person (Sorry House Classics, 2017), and the novel, King of Joy (Soft Skull, 2019), which was long listed for the 2020 PEN Open Book Award. He was named a 2019 Writer to Watch by the Los Angeles Times. He was also a judge for the 2023 PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. His work has appeared in City Arts Magazine, NY Tyrant, and Gramma Poetry, among other places. His book, You Private Person, was named one of Publisher Weekly's 10 Essential Books of the American West. He lives in Seattle.

In the tradition of writers and teachers such as Gordon Lish and the NY method of workshopping, Richard brings a ton of knowledge on minimalist fiction, experimental storytelling across mediums, and the publishing world.

Find out more about Richard's publications and interviews visit his website at https://www.richardchiem.com

We are still accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year for a few more days, until September 7th, and will be opening the portal for the next academic year early in the fall. Contact [email protected] for information.

Image Credit: Bella Petro

08/18/2026

Last Call for Fall Admissions!

We’re not saying summer is over yet, we’re just saying that maybe it’s time for that MFA after all. If you’re like us, we’re looking forward to the new school year and for the return of soft rain to measure the dark and ponderous days together. We will be closing our admission window for entrance into this upcoming cohort on Labor Day, September 7th at midnight.

Applications for the following year will open soon after in the fall. Keep in mind that we accept admissions on a rolling basis, in general, and are here to advise you along the way.

For general questions about the program or the application process please visit our website or contact [email protected]

To set up time to speak with a current student, please use current student MFA coordinator’s email: [email protected] and leave a brief message about your writing or artistic interests and any questions you may have formulated and we’ll set up a time to talk.

08/04/2026

The MFA is excited to welcome back new affiliate faculty member Kristina Podesva for the 2026–27 academic year!

Kristina Lee Podesva is an artist, writer, and editor, working between visual art and experimental writing. Her current research examines artistic and literary experiments using the index and indexical signs as primary material. As a way of making sense of complex histories, her recent projects take up the index as a “site of processing,” including photographs taken by her Korean mother of the family and home during the 1980s. Inspired by the precedents of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha and Yoko Ono, she seeks possibilities inherent in artistic, poetic, and transcendent conversions of the past, memory, and the “mother-relation”.

Kristina will be presenting current research as part of our Poetics Convergence on October 2nd and 3rd. Stay tuned for the full Fall Convergence schedule and registration information coming soon.

Find out more about Kristina’s other conceptual and text-based projects at https://www.kristinaleepodesva.com/

We are still accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year, and will be opening the portal for the next academic year early in the fall. Contact [email protected] for information.

07/20/2026

We're pleased to announce the line-up for our annual Fall Convergence held this year on October 2nd and 3rd!

This year's event will include a Friday night reading in Seattle, WA (location TBD) hosted by the Gamut Literary Series and a full day of panels replete with lunch on the UW-Bothell campus on Saturday. Our featured panelists and readers include Terri Witek , Kristina Podesva , Amaranth Borsuk , Kazim Ali , Nadine Maestas , Joe Milutis , Sarah Mangold , Lee Ann Brown , Jeanne Heuving , Prageeta Sharma , with a keynote presentation by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Rae Armantrout .

As always, literary events hosted by UW-Bothell's MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics are free and open to the public.

We will post the full schedule and registration information later in the summer. Please stay tuned for more information.

07/13/2026

Ricardo Ruiz is an award-winning author, recent MFA graduate, and veteran of the United States military. He was able to attend with support of the GI Bill (& Ch. 33 Post-911 Bill) to cover 100% of tuition and housing costs while pursuing his MFA in the Creative Writing & Poetics program at UW-Bothell. His first book, We Had Our Reasons, was a Washington State Book Award winning poetry collection in collaboration with other members of his Mexican farming community in Eastern Washington. In his forthcoming work, Doctrine of Echoes, Ruiz will take us through his three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a staff sergeant in combat. Featuring photos taken on his iphone by himself and fellow soldiers during their station. Ruiz’s new project will weave images and poetry in order to convey the complexities of US military indoctrination and combat.

Reminder that US Military personnel, their spouses and children are eligible for free tuition and housing! Reach out to the UW-Bothell campus for veteran resources’ information and guidance or our graduate office [email protected]

07/06/2026

Accepting Applications!

There is still room to join our cohort starting this Fall 2026!

While our priority registration for funding closes in February, we do offer rolling admissions year-round. So, if you are taken by the sudden inspiration to start an MFA this fall, here is your chance!

Contact [email protected] for information.

Applications for this year’s cohort will be considered up until Labor Day.
Applications for the 2027-28 cohort and the February 2028 priority deadline will open later in the fall.

06/24/2026

New graduate profile!

Please check out this new article about recent MFA graduate Marlene Elliott whose energy and ambition led her to attain her master’s degree at 68. Her thesis work was an eco-philosophical homage to Richard Brautigan’s Trout Fishing in America.

See story for direct link.
https://www.uwb.edu/news/2026/06/12/engaging-with-creativity-is-the-right-thing-to-do-at-any-age

“I wrote that novel. I did it. And I never could have done it without the MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics. It was like they held up a big lantern for me and said ‘Hey, come this way.’”

The next information session for the Creative Writing & Poetics program is Monday, October 12th, 2026 at 4:30pm on Zoom. Applications for the 2027–28 academic year will open soon—stay tuned and check the link in our bio for more information.

Applications are still open for fall 2026!

06/15/2026

Congratulations graduates!

06/06/2026

Pictures from our rehearsal for today's Spring Festival, honoring the thesis work of our graduating students. Join us today at North Creek Center at UW-Bothell!

04/17/2026

Earlier this week was Gamut's second Office Hours event, conversations and readings between students and faculty. The theme was Gothic and Horror writing, with presentations from students Erik Keevan, Leanne Machado, affiliate instructor Evan J. Peterson and director Joe Milutis. Gamut's next Office Hours event will be next week, Monday, April 20 at 7 pm . The topic will be Visual Poetry, and will include presentations from Associate Professor Amaranth Borsuk, with students Ashley Gilland, MK Reed, and Angelica Urquizo.

Photos by Joe Milutis, MK Reed, Angela Urquizo and Erik Keevan

Address

18115 Campus Way NE
Bothell, WA
98011

Website

http://www.uwb.edu/mfa

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