Pennsylvania State University offers two areas of focus for undergraduate writing majors: creative and professional writing. Creative writing majors engage in writing workshops and literary theory courses intended to prepare students for postgraduate education. The professional writing major focuses on building a portfolio and collaborative writing projects to help students prepare for writing in the workplace. Penn State also offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing which was ranked in the top 50 MFA programs in the United States by Poets and Writers magazine.
Pennsylvania State University
Department of English
117 Burrowes Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-0258
psu.edu
A private catholic college located in west Philadelphia, Rosemont College was founded in 1921 and offers graduate programs in creative writing and publishing. Rosemont was ranked in the top 100 Best Colleges in 2010 by U.S. News and World Report. Creative writers can earn their degree with an emphasis on fiction, poetry or playwriting. Rosemont also offers a graduate degree in publishing with many course offerings on the editorial process. Several tuition management plans are available to lessen the financial burden on students.
Rosemont College
1400 Montgomery Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-1699
610-527-3826
rosemont.edu
Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania offers both an undergraduate major and minor in creative writing. Senton Hill has been named a Best Northeastern College six times by The Princeton Review. For writer's seeking a master's degree, Seton Hill offers a low-residency graduate program in writing popular fiction. This unique program is one part writing technique study and one part market analysis, teaching writers how to successfully sell their work. Senton offers several scholarships to its students, including two Rooney scholarships and the Mira scholarship for writers in suspense, thriller or romance genres.
Seton Hill University
One Seton Hill Drive
Greensburg, PA 15601
724-834-2200
sentonhill.edu
Temple University offers the only Creative Writing graduate program in the city of Philadelphia. The Princeton Review ranked Temple University in their 2010 Top 371 Colleges list. The program is home to the distinguished Poets and Writers reading series which takes place in a week-long residency during the academic year. Students can focus on the genre of their choice, be it poetry, fiction or non-fiction. Financial aid for students is available through teaching assistantships, scholarships and fellowships.
Temple University
1801 N. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-204-7000
temple.edu
The English department at the University of Pittsburgh is the largest in the School of Arts and Sciences. It was ranked in the Best Colleges 2010 report by U.S. News and World Report of National Universities. Undergrads can major in composition, literature, writing or film studies. The graduate department offers an MA in English and an MFA in Writing, with emphasis on either poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction. Many courses have limited enrollment to ensure individual instruction opportunities. The University of Pittsburgh publishes "Hot Metal Bridge," the university's literary magazine. MFA students can apply for one of 24 teaching assistantships to earn financial aid.
University of Pittsburgh
Department of English
526 Cathedral of Learning
4200 Fifth Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15260-0001
412-624-4141
pitt.edu