The English Department at Ashland University currently houses one graduate program: the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. The MFA in Creative Writing is a low-residency program in poetry and creative nonfiction, with intensive 14-day summer residencies and individual study with writing mentors during fall and spring semesters. In addition to these individual studies, course work during fall and spring semesters features regular online discussions during which students and faculty contribute substantial postings about assigned texts and topics.
Cultivating New Voices in Contemporary Literature
The English Department at Ashland University currently houses one graduate program: the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. The MFA in Creative Writing is a low-residency program in poetry and creative nonfiction, with intensive 14-day summer residencies and individual study with writing mentors during fall and spring semesters. In addition to these individual studies, course work during fall and spring semesters features regular online discussions during which students and faculty contribute substantial postings about assigned texts and topics.
Program Governance
The MFA Program is governed by the MFA Faculty Committee, consisting of the following members:
- MFA Director (Stephen Haven)
- MFA Administrative Director (Sarah M. Wells)
- Resident Faculty Mentor (Daniel W. Lehman)
- Ashland University English Department Chair (Deborah Fleming)
- Ashland University Faculty Representative (Matthew Tullis)
- Two Elected MFA Core Faculty Members who are not regular members of the Ashland University English Department (Ruth L. Schwartz, Bob Cowser, Jr.)
Faculty
The faculty of the MFA Program includes four full-time Ashland University graduate faculty members and thirteen honored visiting graduate faculty members. The honored visiting graduate faculty members often hold faculty positions at other institutions and are always selected based on their teaching ability and writing accomplishments. For more about the MFA faculty, click here.
Home of Literary and Publishing Excellence
Two nationally recognized contributors to contemporary literature reside in the Graduate English Department at Ashland University: River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative and the Ashland Poetry Press. River Teeth is co-edited by Ashland University graduate faculty members Joe Mackall and Daniel W. Lehman and managed by the MFA program’s administrative director, Sarah M. Wells.
Ashland Poetry Press is directed by Stephen Haven, who also directs the MFA program at Ashland, edited by graduate faculty member Deborah Fleming, chair of the English Department, and managed by Sarah M. Wells. Students enrolled in both the undergraduate and graduate divisions of the institution have the opportunity to work with the journal and the press during their studies at Ashland. Visit the press website or River Teeth’s website for more information.
