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M.F.A. in Creative Writing

M.F.A. in Creative Writing

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M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Western Kentucky University

Established in 2015, the M.F.A. in Creative Writing is a 3 year program designed to give creative writers focused time to hone their craft while they develop key skills in teaching, writing, editing, publishing, and academic professionalism. Our program consists of 48 credit hours of graduate coursework with tracks in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and scriptwriting, and mandatory concentration in composition and rhetoric (ENCR), literature (ENLI), or teaching English as a second language (ENTL). The multidimensional coursework challenges our students to produce publishable works in their chosen track, and acquire two years experience teaching ENG 100 at WKU. Up to five students are fully funded for three years, ensuring a low faculty-student ratio, ample resources, and one-to-one guidance to achieve a delicate balance between creative writing and highly marketable literary and linguistic scholarship.

Program Information

Creative Writing (0478)

  • Graduate
  • Master of Fine Arts
  • Arts & Letters
  • English

Overview

The MFA program provides students pursuing vocations in creative writing the opportunity to acquire the background and knowledge required to be leading citizens of what Vachel Lindsay calls the “Republic of Letters.” The program prepares students for lives as writers of novels, short fiction, creative nonfiction, scripts, and poetry and related pursuits such as teaching, literary editing and publishing.  In addition to intensive creative writing, students will complete four classes in a secondary concentration as part of the MFA. Students can select a concentration in literature, composition/rhetoric, or teaching English as a second language in order to give them additional options for employment after graduation. In total, the three-year residential program consists of 48 credit hours of graduate course work, culminating in the completion of a publishable creative thesis in fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, or creative nonfiction.  

To apply for a funded graduate assistantship, download and submit the application on the department's program webpage: https://www.wku.edu/english/mfacw/index.php.

Concentration(s)

  • Composition and Rhetoric (ENCR)
  • Literature (ENLI)
  • Teaching English as a Second Language (ENTL)

Program Admission

  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
  • A twenty-page creative writing sample consisting of work in at least one of the following genres: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or screenwriting. The spacing and formatting of the writing sample should fit conventions of the selected genre.
  • A statement of purpose consisting of one or two single-spaced pages describing the applicant’s background and interest in creative writing and how the WKU MFA program could help with the applicant’s literary pursuits.
  • A curriculum vita or resumé, maximum two-pages.
  • Optional: Students who are interested in applying for one of our funded graduate assistantships must download and submit the GA application along with the required application materials. The completed GA application must include a one-page statement addressing interests, skills, or experiences that make them highly qualified for a graduate assistantship position of teaching introductory college writing classes. The link to the GA application form is found on the department's program website: https://www.wku.edu/english/mfacw/index.php.
  • Although not required, undergraduate creative writing courses are highly recommended

Program Requirements (48 hours)

Course List
Required Courses
ENG 507Introduction to Creative Writing Studies3
ENG 510Graduate Rhetoric and Writing3
ENG 512Reading as a Writer3
ENG 501Graduate Writing Workshop9
or ENG 403G Writing Memoir and Autobiography
or ENG 474G Advanced Poetry Writing
or ENG 475G Advanced Fiction Workshop
ENG 515Internship3
ENG 599Thesis Research and Writing6
Electives 1
Literature course3
Select 6 additional hours 6
Select a concentration12
Total Hours48
1

Students may take the six hours of elective courses from any of the concentration courses so long as they have not counted them as part of the core or secondary concentration. In order to earn TESL certification as a secondary concentration, students must complete one TESL course as one of their free electives.

Composition & Rhetoric Concentration

Course List
Select 12 hours from the following:12
ENG 401G
Advanced Composition
ENG 402G
Editing and Publishing
ENG 410G
Composition Theory and Practice in Writing Instruction
ENG 412G
Theories of Rhetoric and Persuasive Writing
ENG 415G
Writing and Technology
ENG 597
Special Topics in English
ENG 598
Advanced Directed Study
Total Hours12

Literature Concentration

Course List
Select 12 hours from the following:12
ENG 489G
The British Novel
ENG 490G
American Novel
ENG 493G
American Poetry
ENG 495G
Southern Literature
ENG 497G
Women's Literature
ENG 504
Studies in American Literature
ENG 514
Studies in British Literature
ENG 524
Studies in World Literature
ENG 534
Studies in Genre
ENG 586
Seminar in British Writers
ENG 596
Seminar in American Writers
ENG 597
Special Topics in English
ENG 598
Advanced Directed Study
Total Hours12

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Concentration

Course List
Select 12 hours from the following:12
ENG 407G
Linguistic Analysis
ENG 408G
Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics
ENG 471G
TESL Practicum
ENG 565
Integrated Teaching English as a Second Language
ENG 566
Seminar in Teaching English as a Second Language
ENG 598
Advanced Directed Study
Total Hours12

Cost

Please consult the current tuition rates as posted on the WKU Graduate School Tuition page.

Funding

Our program awards 5 competitive graduate assistantships each year. Our graduate assistantship provides a three-year apprenticeship that prepares our graduates to teach at the collegiate level and provides both a monthly stipend and substantial, but not full, tuition support.

During the first year, GAs serve as embedded tutors within our ENG 100E/105 courses and assist in the Writing Center, receiving mentorship from the instructors of record, the Colonnade Coordinator, and the Writing Center Director. During years 2 and 3, most GAs independently instruct 2 course sections of ENG 100, Introduction to College Writing. Some GAs are chosen to do administrative work. Dependent upon departmental needs, exceptional GAs may also be offered the opportunity to teach ENG 200, Introduction to Literature, or ENG 203, Introduction to Creative Writing.

GAs are classified as Kentucky residents for tuition and fee purposes.

Applicants must download and complete the Graduate Assistant application located here.

Applicants must meet the requirements of both the Graduate School and the Department of English to be considered for admission.

Graduate School Application Requirements

  • Applicants must complete the online graduate application and pay a non-refundable application fee. 
  • Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be submitted to the Graduate School.
  • Transcripts must demonstrate a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. 
  • International students may need to demonstrate English proficiency through standardized tests like TOEFL or IELTS. 

M.F.A. in Creative Writing Application Requirements

  • Applicants should have completed a minimum of four undergraduate English courses beyond general education requirements.
  • At least two of the courses should be upper-level English courses. Undergraduate creative writing courses are highly recommended to establish basic skills.          
  • All upper-level English courses should have a grade of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).
  • Applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). If you have a GPA below 3.0 and would like to appeal for admission, please contact the Graduate Program Advisor.
  • No GRE scores are required.
  • Applicants for which English is their second language must score a minimum of 26 on the TOEFL Speaking and Writing sections for admission and 28 on the Speaking and Writing sections to be considered for the Graduate Assistantship. Equivalent scores on the IELTS of 6 and 7, respectively, are also accepted. Duolingo scores are not accepted.

M.F.A. in Creative Writing Application Required Materials

  • Applicants must submit a one- to two-page letter of application that explains the appeal of the MFA program at WKU and how this degree is expected to contribute to your goals as a writer and scholar. Applicants should include contact information for three references who can support your application to the program.
  • Applicants should submit a sample of original creative work, which should be comprised of one of the following:
    • up to 20 pages of prose fiction;
    • 10-15 pages of poetry;
    • up to 25 pages of screenwriting (e., a short screenplay, multiple short screenplays, the beginning of a feature-length screenplay, or the beginning of a TV pilot teleplay);
    • alternatively, up to 20 pages of a blend of any of the above genres (e.g., prose fiction and poetry) could also be considered.
  • Currently, we are not accepting applicants for the creative nonfiction track.
  • Applications are due each year by February 1st.

M.F.A. in Creative Writing Graduate Assistant Application Process

  • Applicants must download and complete the Graduate Assistant application located here.
  • Applicants must submit a one- to two-page letter of application that explains their qualifications and experiences which make them exceptional candidates for the Graduate Assistantship.
  • Applicants must send the completed application and letter to the Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Trini Stickle, at stickle@wku.edu, by February 1st.
  • Applicants must also request two letters of recommendation be sent directly to the Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Trini Stickle, at stickle@wku.edu, by February 1st.

For all inquiries, contact Dr. Nancy W. Dinan, M.F.A. Director, at nancy.dinan@wku.edu, or Dr. Trini Stickle, Graduate Program Advisor, at trini.stickle@wku.edu. 

Reading Series

Each semester, the M.F.A at WKU hosts reading events to allow students to learn from and mingle with distinguished writers and scholars. These events are open to the public, and the semester’s schedule is available on the English Department's Calendar. 

 

Post M.F. A. Fully Funded PhD Programs in Creative Writing (U.S.)

University of Southern California (USC) – PhD in Creative Writing & Literature

  • All admitted students receive full tuition remission, year-round health and dental benefits, and a stipend.
  • USC PhD CW

University of Houston – PhD in Literature and Creative Writing

  • Offers a 5-year teaching assistantship with a starting stipend of $20,104 for 9 months. Additionally, students receive fellowships and 50% coverage of medical insurance.
  • UH PhD CW

Florida State University – PhD in English (Creative Writing)

  • Provides full funding to all admitted students, including tuition remission and a stipend.
  • FSU PhD CW

University of Illinois at Chicago – PhD in English with Creative Dissertation

University of Nebraska–Lincoln – PhD in English (Creative Writing)

  • Offers full funding through teaching assistantships, including tuition remission and a stipend.
  • UN-L PhD CW

University of Cincinnati – PhD in Creative Writing and Literature

  • Most students are funded by teaching assistantships, with opportunities for editorial work and fellowships. Fifth-year support is generally available.
  • College of Arts and Sciences

Texas Tech University – PhD in English (Creative Writing)

  • All admitted students receive full funding through teaching assistantships.
  • TTU CW PhD

University of Tennessee, Knoxville – PhD in English with Creative Writing Dissertation

  • Fully funded program providing extensive hands-on experience within the English Department.
  • UT English Dept.

University of Utah – PhD in English (Creative Writing)

  • All admitted students are fully funded, with a 2/1 teaching load.
  • UU PhD CW

University of Denver – PhD in Literary Studies

  • Fully funded for the first three years with a Graduate Teaching Assistantship covering tuition, health insurance, and a stipend for the academic year.
  • UD PhD LS

Additional programs can be found at New Pages Graduate Creative Writing Programs or through the AWP Guide to Writing Programs (AWP account required to view).

 

Small Presses Offering Opportunities to MFA Students

Howling Bird Press (Augsburg University)

  • Affiliation: Augsburg University's MFA in Creative Writing program
  • Opportunities: MFA students can enroll in a publishing concentration, gaining hands-on experience in editing, production, and marketing.
  • Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, and playwriting
  • Website: Howling Bird Press Augsburg University

Stillhouse Press (George Mason University)

  • Affiliation: George Mason University
  • Opportunities: Run by students and alumni, offering practical experience in publishing.
  • Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry
  • Website: Stillhouse Press

Susquehanna University Press

  • Affiliation: Susquehanna University
  • Opportunities: Operates as a university publisher and undergraduate learning lab, involving students in various aspects of publishing.
  • Genres: Literary fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry
  • Website: Susquehanna University Press

 Alice James Books

  • Affiliation: Independent; formerly affiliated with the University of Maine at Farmington
  • Opportunities: Offers internships and emphasizes publishing emerging poets.
  • Genres: Poetry
  • Website: Alice James Books

CavanKerry Press

  • Affiliation: Independent; member of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP)
  • Opportunities: Publishes emerging and mid-career poets; seeks manuscripts from a broad range of writers.
  • Genres: Poetry, nonfiction
  • Website: CavanKerry Press

Mayapple Press

  • Affiliation: Independent; member of CLMP and the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)
  • Opportunities: Focuses on works that straddle conventional categories, including those by emerging writers.
  • Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction
  • Website: Mayapple Press

Coffee House Press

  • Affiliation: Independent; based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Opportunities: Publishes literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, often by emerging voices.
  • Genres: Literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry
  • Website: Coffee House Press

See also Poets & Writers Small Presses Database, which allows filtering by genre, submission period, and other criteria.

And, Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) regularly posts calls for submissions, including opportunities suitable for MFA students.

 

Internship

Students are encouraged to pursue internships that are of particular professional and scholarly interest.

The list below serves only to demonstrate individual examples and the range of possibilities.

 

Literary Journals and Anthologies
The Baltimore Review

  • Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
  • Details: Accepts up to three poems or prose pieces up to 5,000 words. No submission fee; offers payment upon publication.
  • Submit: Baltimore Review Submissions

Cool Beans Lit

  • Genres: Short Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Visual Art, Photography
  • Details: Seeks fresh content that stokes the senses for their Summer 2025 issue.
  • Submit: Cool Beans Lit Submissions CLMP

Black Warrior Review

  • Affiliation: University of Alabama
  • Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Comics, Art
  • Details: One of the oldest graduate student-run literary journals in the U.S., known for publishing both emerging and established writers.
  • Website: Black Warrior Review

The Missouri Review

  • Affiliation: University of Missouri
  • Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction
  • Details: Publishes quarterly and hosts the annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize with substantial awards.
  • Website: The Missouri Review

Permafrost

  • Affiliation: University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Visual Art
  • Details: The northernmost literary journal in the U.S., staffed by MFA students, featuring a mix of emerging and established voices.
  • Website: Permafrost Magazine

Welter

  • Affiliation: University of Baltimore
  • Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction
  • Details: Graduate student-run publication accepting international submissions, with a new print issue released every spring.
  • Website: Welter Magazine

Clarion

  • Affiliation: Boston University
  • Genres: Poetry, Prose, Reviews, Interviews
  • Details: Publishes annually and is open to submissions from all writers, regardless of university affiliation.
  • Website: Clarion Magazine

Hunger Mountain

  • Affiliation: Vermont College of Fine Arts
  • Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Young Adult, Children's Writing, Visual Art
  • Reading Period: May 1 to October 1
  • Details: Publishes both online and in print, showcasing a diverse range of voices and genres.
  • Website: Hunger Mountain

 

Anthologies Currently Seeking Submissions

The World We See: Women Poets on Neurodivergence

  • Publisher: TRP: The University Press of SHSU
  • Genres: Poetry
  • Details: Focuses on women and non-binary poets exploring themes related to neurodivergence, including ADHD and Autism.
  • Submit: Submission Details

Exposed Bone Vol. III

  • Publisher: Exposed Bone Publishing, LLC
  • Genres: Uncanny Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction
  • Details: Seeks work that challenges expectations and pushes boundaries, encouraging the sly, weird, and charming.
  • Submit: Submission Details

Constellate: Student Anthology Vol. II

  • Affiliation: Old Dominion University
  • Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction
  • Details: Aims to publish creative writing pieces from students, including memoirs and other nonfiction works.
  • Submit: Constellate Submission Info Old Dominion University

Additional Resources for Submission Opportunities

  • Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP): Regularly updated calls for submissions from literary magazines and presses.
  • NewPages: Comprehensive guide to current and upcoming submission opportunities, including contests and anthologies.
  • Poets & Writers: Extensive database of literary magazines, including submission guidelines and reading periods.

Fiction

Dr. Nancy Wayson Dinan

Assistant Professor and M.F.A. Interim Director

nancy.dinan@wku.edu

Nancy Wayson Dinan earned her B.B.A.: Management Information Systems in 2001 from the University of Texas at Austin and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 2013 from The Ohio State University. In May 2020, Dr. Dinan earned her Ph.D. in English Literature with a creative dissertation from Texas Tech University.

Dr. Dinan is the former editor for the Iron Horse Literary Review, and her work has appeared in the Paris Review Daily, Arts & Letters, Texas Observer, the Cincinnati Review, and others. She is the author of the novel Things You Would Know if You Grew up around Here.

Nancy Dinan

Dr. David Bell

Professor

david.j.bell@wku.edu

David Bell’s most recent books are the young adult thriller SHE’S GONE (Sourcebooks Fire November, 2022) and THE FINALISTS (Berkley/Penguin July, 2022). He has published thirteen other novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages. His novella, "Rides A Stranger," was published by Mysterious Press in 2013, and his short fiction has appeared in Cemetery Dance, Western Humanities Review, Backwards City Review, and other journals. In 2013, CEMETERY GIRL was awarded the prestigious Le Prix Polar International de Cognac for the best crime novel of the year, and in 2022, his novel, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, was a finalist for the Edgar Award given by the Mystery Writers of America. His books have appeared on USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Amazon, and Indiebound bestseller lists.

David Bell

Poetry

Dr. Tom Hunley 

Professor

tom.hunley@wku.edu

Tom C. Hunley holds degrees from University of Washington, Eastern Washington University, and Florida State University. He is the author of seven full-length poetry collections, most recently What Feels Like Love: New and Selected Poems (C&R Press, 2021); seven chapbooks, most recently Adjusting To The Lights (winner of the 2020 Rattle Chapbook Prize); and two textbooks, most recently The Poetry Gymnasium: 110 Proven Exercises to Shape Your Best Verse (McFarland & Co., Inc., 2012, second edition 2019).  He is the co-editor, with Alexandria Peary, of Creative Writing Pedagogies for the Twenty-First Century (Southern Illinois University Press, 2015). He has also written for a variety of literary publications such as Another Chicago Magazine, Crab Orchard Review, Crazyhorse, Five Points, Michigan Quarterly Review, New Orleans Review, New York Quarterly, North American Review, Rosebud, TriQuarterly, Verse Daily, The Writer, The Writer’s Chronicle, and Poetry Daily. His poems have been featured several times on Garrison Keillor’s NPR program, The Writer’s Almanac. He and his wife, Ralaina, have been married since 1996, and they have four children. In his spare time he enjoys playing guitar and bass guitar.

Tom Hunley

Screenwriting

Prof. Jessica Folk

Associate Professor

jessica.folk@wku.edu

Jessica L. Folk is an Associate Professor at Western Kentucky University. Originally from New York, she holds an M.F.A. in Screenwriting from Chapman University. She primarily writes stories about queer women, identity, loss, and untold stories from history. Her screenplays have received various honors and awards at both national and international screenplay festivals and conferences, including the 25th Annual Beverly Hills Film Festival, the LGBTQ+ Los Angeles Film Festival, the Austin Film Festival, Script Awards Los Angeles, the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition, the California Women’s Film Festival, multiple ScreenCraft competitions, the Richmond International Film Festival, the Nashville Film Festival, the Big Apple Screenplay Competition, the University Film & Video Association juried screenplay competition, and others.

Jess Folk

 

Emer Alan Hatch

Fiction

Emer Alan Hatch is a third-year MFA candidate in Creative Writing at Western Kentucky University, where he focuses on speculative fiction. His work explores the intersection of language, technology, and myth. With a background in information technology, he examines how the evolution of virtual space reshapes our perception of the natural world and reimagines our need for myth. He lives in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Emer Alan Hatch

Brennan Miller 

Fiction

Brennan Miller is a third-year MFA fiction writer at Western Kentucky University. After cutting his teeth on writing short fiction, he is currently attempting a novel for his thesis. Originally hailing from Massachusetts, his time at Western has seen him forge a strong and supportive community, improve his craft as a writer, and learn the hard way that Southern summers are not for the faint of heart. 

Brennan Miller

Heather Neidlinger 

Poetry

Heather Neidlinger is a third-year MFA student with a concentration in poetry.  She is a WKU alum with a BA in both Psychology and English and calls Bowling Green home.  Her work often lingers in the crossroads between nature, mundane human experiences, and grief.  She is a winner of AWP’s 2025 Intro Journal Awards and has a piece forthcoming in Quarterly West. 

Heather Neidlinger

Don Sergent

Don Sergent, a third-year MFA candidate, has spent more than 40 years working in journalism and public relations and is now a full-time grandfather and part-time freelance writer. Earning both a bachelor's degree in journalism and master's degree in communications at Morehead State University, Sergent spent his journalism career working for newspapers and magazines in Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana and South Carolina. Sergent spent nearly six years as a news reporter for the Daily News in Bowling Green, where he was recognized with numerous Kentucky Press Association awards. Sergent also spent more than a decade working as a public relations specialist for Warren County Public Schools in Bowling Green. Seargent, a native of Harlan County, resides in Bowling Green with his wife Becky Hunter Sergent. Both of his children earned degrees at WKU and continue to live and work in Bowling Green.

Don Sergent

Abner Welp

Screenwriting

Abner Welp, a third year MFA student, was born and raised in Oregon. A graduate of the University of Oregon, he spent his formative years on a farm, where he discovered early on that one of the best ways to go beyond the isolated hills and valleys, as beautiful as they are, was through imagination and storytelling. Today, he is a screenwriter with diverse interests.

Abner Welp

 

Rachel Baiman

Fiction & Creative Non-fiction

Rachel Baiman, a second year M. F. A. student, writes creative non-fiction and fiction, and is a folk musician based in Nashville, TN.  She is a regular contributor to No Depression Magazine and The Bluegrass Situation, and her work has been featured in Litmosphere: the Journal of Charlotte Lit. 

Rachel Baiman

Blaze Beaty

Fiction

Blaze Beaty, a second year MFA student, who is studying fiction with a focus on dark comedy and magical realism. She is originally from Nashville, TN, but graduated with her bachelor's degree from Western Kentucky University in 2023 with a double major in creative writing and philosophy. Some of her favorite authors include Ottessa Moshfegh, Chuck Palahniuk, and David Sedaris, or anything with strange and funny characters. During her time teaching, she hopes to inspire students to enjoy reading and develop a passion for learning within and beyond the classroom.

Blaze Beaty

Michael J. Collins

Creative Non-fiction

Michael J. Collins, a second year M. F. A. student, is a public radio host and journalist from Finchville, Kentucky. He primarily writes non-fiction but enjoys fiction and poetry as well. He hopes his work in any genre fosters community, acceptance, and self-forgiveness. He finds peace in nature and with his cat, Pope Francis.

Michael J. Collins

Brooke Gross 

Creative Non-fiction

Brooke Gross is a part-time MFA student studying Creative Nonfiction, having previously received a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Science in Information Sciences from the University of Tennessee. She has written a short poetry collection, Traitorous Muse, which is available on Amazon. Though Brooke continues to write poetry and fiction, with pieces appearing in anthologies from Wildscape Lit and Arcana Poetry Press, her thesis work is centered around postpartum depression. Brooke is also an Instruction & Outreach Librarian at WKU and has published several scholarly articles on data literacy, artificial intelligence, and information literacy instruction. 

Brooke Gross

Kendrick Mahoney 

Screenwriting

Growing up in a small farming town, Kendrick Mahoney found a passion for being outdoors at the same time he found a passion for telling stories. While mainly loving screenwriting and filmmaking, he also dabbles in fiction and creative-nonfiction writing, with pieces having been published in Bridge Eight Press and Half and One. Currently, Kendrick Mahoney is pursuing his MFA in Creative Writing from Western Kentucky University.

Kendrick Mahoney

Jeremy McAnulty 

Screenwriting

Jeremy McAnulty is a second-year MFA candidate concentrating in screenwriting and literature. His work draws on a background in sociology, often exploring deviant behavior and systems of oppression. He loves to travel, has a hound dog named Burt, and has moonlighted as a bartender over the years. After earning his MFA, he plans to teach creative writing and to continue telling stories as a writer, consultant, and developmental editor across mediums.

Jeremy McAnulty

Miriam Story

Poetry

Miriam Story, a second-year MFA candidate in poetry, originates from Russell Springs, Kentucky. In 2024, Story received her BA in literature from WKU, holding minors in both creative writing and Asian religions and cultures. While she enjoys writing about her Appalachian roots, she thinks the best subjects are gray beaches, a good pot roast, and Jimmy Carter.

Miriam Story

Pamela Bennett Byarlay

Fiction

Pamela Bennett Byarlay, a first year MFA studnt, is a fiction writer from Versailles, Kentucky. She is a long list winner for the 2024 winter Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest, a freelance blogger, and a former English teacher to foreign language speakers in Spain. Bennett Byarlay is currently working on her debut novel. She loves coffee but she’s trying to drink tea because she read somewhere that it’s good for you. She hates tea, though. 

Pamela Bennett Byarlay

Madison Heckman

Screenwriting

Madison Heckman, a first year M.F. A. student, earned her BFA at Western Kentucky University, majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in Film. She writes screenplays and short fiction, specializing in feminist horror. She received the 2025 Seneca Falls Personal Empowerment Award and Outstanding Film Minor. She also runs a monthly public horror event known as Sinister Sundays in Louisville and spent nearly two decades acting at local haunted attraction, Skeleton's Lair. 

Madison Heckman

Jessica Levine

Poetry

Jessica Levine, first year MFA student, is a queer, neurodivergent writer from Nashville, Tennessee. She is a WKU alumna with a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing and a minor in theatre. While her primary focus is poetry, she also writes creative nonfiction, fiction, and stage plays. She was the 2025 recipient of the Outstanding Student in Creative Writing Award and the Browning Literary Club Poetry Award. She leads a journaling workshop with Refuge Bowling Green and occasionally says things that make sense.

Jessica Levine

Tazha Mattingly 

Fiction

Tazha Mattingly is a first year M. F. A. student in creative writing, who is interested in all aspects of the romance genre including the romance fantasy and dark romance subgenres. She is from Nashville, TN, and joined Western Kentucky University after completing military service with the Marine Corps. She received her BA in English literature at WKU in 2025. She's looking forward to her time learning and cultivating her craft working with the faculty and her peers. 

Tazha Mattingly

Daniel Rusiecki

Screenwriting

Daniel Rusiecki, a first year M. F. A. student, whose emphasis is in Screenwriting, blends emotional realism with Shakespearean tragedy, aiming to capture the quiet devastations of everyday life. With aspirations to direct, Daniel seeks to craft films that linger—stories that don't just entertain, but haunt, challenge, and invite audiences into deeper reflection.

Daniel Rusiecki

Stephanie Smith

Fiction

Stephanie Smith is a first year MFA student who earned her BA in creative writing at Florida State University. Stephanie writes fairytale, whimsical, and horror inspired fiction. She is an avid digital artist who compliments her fiction with digital illustrations and graphic novels. She also has way too many novel ideas. Her work can be found in The Experience literary magazine. She is a lover of French impressionist music, ballet, the color pink, and all things elegantly gothic.

Stephanie Smith

Mackenzie Marovich

Fiction

Class of 2025

Mackenzie Marovich is a fiction writer from Northwest Indiana. Before joining the MFA program at WKU, she received her Bachelor's in English at Centre College, where she also played basketball. Her shelves are filled with authors like Jodi Picoult, Kristin Hannah, and Ann Patchett. Mackenzie uses her work to delve into the complex relationships between family and within friendships, as well as exploring the emotion of grief. Since graduation, Mackenzie has jumped into the world of "big girl jobs," but hopes to continue to unearth new stories to tell wherever she goes. 

Mackenzie Marovich

Susanna Skelton 

Poetry

Class of 2025

Susanna Skelton (she/her) is currently fulfilling a professional writing role in addition to crafting her next poetry collection. She remains dedicated to following her passion for teaching English to speakers of other languages as well, appreciating and taking great inspiration from the rich cultural exchanges. Susanna has recently been featured in Sheepshead Review and has a piece forthcoming in Eclectia Magazine. She values the WKU community and prioritizes being an active literary citizen. 

Susanna Skelton

Birhanu Tadesse Gessese

Fiction

Class of 2025

Birhanu Tadesse Gessese is an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Fiction) graduate from the class of 2025. He writes under the pen name Masamune Belay, a combination of the first name of the Ethiopian hero Belay Zeleke, and the last name of the legendary Japanese samurai Date Masamune. The pen name alchemizes the warriors’ heroic and poetic resilience in the face of death and is a symbol for his lifelong mission to bring the human consciousness to a spiritual unification. Birhanu plans to move to Japan in the coming years and write anthropological short stories.  

Birhanu Tadesse Gessese

 

See English Department Alumni

M.F.A. Graduate’s Theses are publicly available on WKU’s digital commons. Applicants and current students are encouraged to access them as samples for their future projects. A few publications may not be available due to embargo. 

WKU English Graduate School Forms and Templates (Faculty and Students Only)

Readings on M.F.A. in Creative Writing, Graduate Studies, and Professionalism

English Department Events

Academic Pie Hour
  • Zoom
  • 2:00pm
Grad Writing Spaces
  • Grise 300
  • 2:00pm
Tammy Oberhausen MEJWM Celebration of Writing
  • WKU Alumni Center Robertson-Feix Grand Ballroom
  • 6:00pm

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The M.F.A. in Creative Writing at WKU was established in 2015. It expanded to a 3 years program in the Fall 2021. 

Yes. Students have to pick one of four available concentration options to fulfill their masters degree requirement. The available concentrations are Rhetoric and Composition, Language and Literature, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and English Literature. See Program Requirements and Coursework.

Bowling Green’s living cost falls within a high medium range with a monthly average of $1600. Applicants are strongly advised to research the variety of housing options and gauge their finances for three years. Due to the program’s rigorous nature, students are not encouraged to take part-time jobs when the semester is in-session.

No, WKU does not provide housing for graduate students. Graduate students are responsible for arranging housing and transport.

 

English Department News

WKU Creative Writing MFA Candidate Wins Prestigious National Award

Apr 23rd, 2025

Poet Heather Neidlinger, a teaching graduate assistant and second-year student in WKU’s three year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Creative Writing program, has won the highly-competitive Intro Journal Award....

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Second Year MFA Students Travel to Los Angeles for AWP

Apr 15th, 2025

Students from WKU’s Creative Writing Graduate program traveled to Los Angeles, California on March 26th to attend the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference (AWP)....

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First Things First: Your Story, Your Words to showcase creative writing for Sex...

Apr 3rd, 2025

On Wednesday, April 9 at 5 p.m. in Cherry Hall 125, the Gender & Women’s Studies Program and Hope Harbor will present First Things First: Your Story, Your Words....

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 Last Modified 9/30/25