Converse College MFA Low-Residency
Fiction | Nonfiction | Poetry

Download Application

Contact Info:
Rick Mulkey,
Director of MFA in Creative Writing,
Department of English,
Converse College,
580 East Main St.
Spartanburg, SC 29302
(864) 596-9111

Melody Boland,
Administrative Assistant to the Director,
MFA in Creative Writing,
Converse College,
580 East Main St.
Spartanburg, SC 29302
(864) 596-9678

Application Procedure

 

Admission into the low-residency MFA in Creative Writing requires completion of a two-step approval process. In addition to meeting the minimum requirements set by the Converse College Graduate School, the MFA applicant must receive approval for degree program status from the MFA program faculty and director. Only those students who receive approval for degree program status in addition to acceptance into the Converse College Graduate School may enter the low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program.

In evaluating applications for the MFA, panels composed of MFA writing faculty look for a demonstrated commitment to the art, and a level of skill that suggests the potential student is ready for graduate work in creative writing.  The main requirement for applications is a portfolio of original work: approximately 25 pages of fiction or creative nonfiction or up to 12 pages of poetry. Students will need to submit three copies of this portfolio with application. Students must also submit official transcripts from the accredited college or university from which her/his highest degree was awarded and two letters of academic and/or professional reference.

Transfer Students

  • Students currently enrolled in another MFA program (residency or low-residency) who wish to transfer to Converse College’s low-residency MFA program must submit a complete application as described below.
  • Students attending a full-residency MFA program will begin our low-residency program as first or second-semester students; any credits earned from residency MFA programs will be accepted by Converse College on a case-by-case basis.
  • Students who have successfully completed and passed one or more semesters at another accredited low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program may enter the low-residency MFA program at Converse College with one semester’s worth of credits (3 courses or up to 12 hours).

Application Deadlines

Students can begin the program in the Summer/Fall term that begins with the Summer residency, or the Winter/Spring term that begins with the January residency. Applications for the Summer/Fall term should be submitted by February 15. Applications for the Winter/Spring term should be submitted by October 1.

The following materials are required for application:

Step I

Send the following directly to the MFA Creative Writing program:

  • Sample Manuscripts (fiction: approximately 20-25 pages), or (nonfiction: approximately 20-25 pages)  or (poetry: up to 12 pages,) sent along with MFA manuscript cover sheet. Submit three copies of this writing sample.
  • Two (2) letters of academic and/or professional references to be sent from people familiar with your academic record and/or your professional record, your potential as a writer, and your intellectual curiosity and articulateness. Letter should address several of the following: motivation and intellectual ability for graduate work, understanding of major field, personal maturity and ability to contribute to a writing community, and ability to meet deadlines and work independently.
  • Submit official transcripts from the accredited college or university for all degrees awarded. A minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale is required for full admission.
  • Submit two copies of a brief personal statement (up to two typed pages) responding to the following:  Whose writing do you admire and why? Why do you want to study the writing of poetry, fiction or nonfiction? What do you hope to gain from an MFA program, especially a low-residency MFA program?
  • Submit completed Converse College Graduate School Application (PDF) and $40 application fee.

Step II

If applying for Graduate Financial Aid:

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit the form to the Office of Financial Aid at Converse College. The priority deadline for applying for federal financial aid is February 15. For more information on how to apply for subsidized and non-subsidized student loans, contact the Office of Financial Aid: (864) 596-9019.

Send Application packet,

including sample manuscripts, MFA manuscript cover sheet (PDF), letters of recommendation, transcripts, completed graduate school application (PDF) form and brief personal statement to:

Rick Mulkey,
Director of MFA in Creative Writing,
Department of English,
Converse College,
580 East Main St.,
Spartanburg, SC 29302.

or

Melody Boland,
Administrative Assistant to the Director
MFA in Creative Writing
Converse College
580 E. Main St.,
Spartanburg, SC 29302.