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1-14 of 14 results

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA •

• • Rating 4.16 out of 5   659 reviews

Freshman: Studying at the MIT has been an enlightening and enriching journey. The opportunity to learn from some of the most distinguished professors and work with bright, ambitious peers is unparalleled. The curriculum is rigorous and challenging, which I appreciate as it pushes students to their intellectual limits. MIT's focus on combining theory with practical application is particularly engaging. For example, not only did I learn the theory behind machine learning algorithms, but I also got to implement these algorithms to solve real-world problems. This hands-on approach is what sets MIT apart from many other institutions. Furthermore, MIT's culture of innovation and entrepreneurship is highly motivating. The environment encourages students to think outside the box, fostering an innovative mindset. It's also commonplace for undergraduates to work in research labs, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in various fields. ... Read 659 reviews

• grade  A+ Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 4%

Net price $30,958

SAT range 1510-1580

#1 Best Colleges in Massachusetts .

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

659 Niche users give it an average review of 4.2 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Studying at the MIT has been an enlightening and enriching journey. The opportunity to learn from some of the most distinguished professors and work with bright, ambitious peers is unparalleled. The curriculum is rigorous and challenging, which I appreciate as it pushes students to their intellectual limits. MIT's focus on combining theory with practical application is particularly engaging.... Furthermore, MIT's culture of innovation and entrepreneurship is highly motivating. The environment encourages students to think outside the box, fostering an innovative mindset. It's also... .

Read 659 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : A+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 4% ,

Net Price : $30,958 ,

SAT Range : 1510-1580 ,

Wellesley College

Wellesley, MA •

• • Rating 3.77 out of 5   623 reviews

Sophomore: As a sophomore, my knowledge may be slightly limited, but my experience with Wellesley College has been pretty good! It's a lovely campus with beautiful older buildings, small classes, and friendly students. Although the social life may be limited, I enjoy the smaller campus personally gives more of a sense of community. But I will say the dining hall food requires attention, the food served is often repetitive and gets bland quickly. Though I believe it might be because of limited resources, but that should not leave to being served chicken nuggets and fries three to four times a week. The faculty are nice and for the most part approachable, and willing to help out! There is opportunities to get involved, either through organizations or work-study. And research opportunities are available through faculty, professors (mainly in the sciences) have positions in personal labs. And various programs are available for research during the summer! Overall, so far so good and enjoying my time! ... Read 623 reviews

Acceptance rate 16%

Net price $21,862

SAT range 1400-1540

#5 Best Colleges in Massachusetts .

Blue checkmark.

WELLESLEY, MA ,

623 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says As a sophomore, my knowledge may be slightly limited, but my experience with Wellesley College has been pretty good! It's a lovely campus with beautiful older buildings, small classes, and friendly... .

Read 623 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 16% ,

Net Price : $21,862 ,

SAT Range : 1400-1540 ,

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA •

• • Rating 3.75 out of 5   567 reviews

Alum: Extremely competitive school from day 1. But - that fosters personal growth! Loved how many service-oriented opportunities there were. This was clearly a strong emphasis in the school's Jesuit identity. When HC says that faculty are there to help, it is not just an empty, overly-stated phrase. As an alum, I still reach out to faculty for advice on the job market and graduate school admissions. Truly thankful that HC has invested so much in recruiting and retaining world-class professors. ... Read 567 reviews

• grade  A Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 43%

Net price $29,198

SAT range 1240-1420

#13 Best Colleges in Massachusetts .

WORCESTER, MA ,

567 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Extremely competitive school from day 1. But - that fosters personal growth! Loved how many service-oriented opportunities there were. This was clearly a strong emphasis in the school's Jesuit... When HC says that faculty are there to help, it is not just an empty, overly-stated phrase. As an alum, I still reach out to faculty for advice on the job market and graduate school admissions. ... .

Read 567 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : A ,

Acceptance Rate : 43% ,

Net Price : $29,198 ,

SAT Range : 1240-1420 ,

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Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

• • Rating 3.49 out of 5   1,007

Berklee College of Music

• • Rating 3.86 out of 5   1,177

University of Massachusetts Boston

• • Rating 3.53 out of 5   1,419

Brandeis University

Waltham, MA •

• • Rating 3.51 out of 5   1,072 reviews

Junior: I love how community based the school is. It's small enough so that everyone is connected in some way and often when you're friends with one person they know a different friend in some way and it's like one giant family. Everyone is so incredibly nice on campus, and there are so many opportunities to participate in research or volunteering. The professors are amazing and they really care about helping every student succeed. There are so many different classes to take and they all sound so interesting - I wish I could take all of them! I feel at home here. I feel like I've found my place and my people. ... Read 1,072 reviews

Acceptance rate 39%

Net price $35,147

SAT range 1370-1530

#15 Best Colleges in Massachusetts .

WALTHAM, MA ,

1072 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says I love how community based the school is. It's small enough so that everyone is connected in some way and often when you're friends with one person they know a different friend in some way and it's... .

Read 1072 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 39% ,

Net Price : $35,147 ,

SAT Range : 1370-1530 ,

Simmons University

Boston, MA •

• • Rating 3.61 out of 5   814 reviews

Freshman: Currently, I'm a student at Simmons University. While there's a lot wrong with the school (...Bartol), there are also some great things. All of my professors have been very dedicated to seeing me succeed, and are willing to put in extra time and effort to help me. Everyone I've met is either extremely friendly, or at least cordial, and I've made some of my best friends here. The dorms aren't great, but they also aren't awful. You can put in a work order, and usually, things get fixed. If you decorate, it will feel less like a jail cell. This school is STEM-focused, so humanities majors may find resources lacking, but the professors in humanities departments will acknowledge this. It's also great for LGBT students, as you won't be the minority. However, for POC students, there is work to be done. There are a lot of events specifically for POC students, though! Don't come if you're looking to party all the time. You have to go to MIT/BU frats, and the uber charges rack up fast! ... Read 814 reviews

• grade  B Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 84%

Net price $19,026

SAT range 1140-1360

#21 Best Colleges in Massachusetts .

BOSTON, MA ,

814 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Currently, I'm a student at Simmons University. While there's a lot wrong with the school (...Bartol), there are also some great things. All of my professors have been very dedicated to seeing me succeed, and are willing to put in extra time and effort to help me. Everyone I've met is either extremely friendly, or at least cordial, and I've made some of my best friends here. The dorms aren't great, but they also aren't awful. You can put in a work order, and usually, things get fixed. If you decorate, it will feel less like a jail cell. This school is STEM-focused, so humanities majors may find resources lacking, but the professors in humanities departments will acknowledge this. It's also great for LGBT students, as you won't be the minority. However, for POC students, there is work to be done. There are a lot of events specifically for POC students, though! Don't come if you're looking to party all the time. You have to go to MIT/BU frats, and the uber charges rack up fast! .

Read 814 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B ,

Acceptance Rate : 84% ,

Net Price : $19,026 ,

SAT Range : 1140-1360 ,

Emerson College

• • Rating 3.51 out of 5   1,141 reviews

Sophomore: Emerson College is a hub of students that are open-minded, hard-working, and endlessly creative. The students and professors are often friendly and accepting, and the campus being in the heart of Boston would be fun for any college student looking to explore a historical and buzzing city. The only real downside to Emerson in my experience has been the increasing cost of tuition. If you come here, make sure you're invested in a career that points toward the arts or communication to get your money's worth! ... Read 1,141 reviews

Acceptance rate 45%

Net price $48,842

SAT range 1200-1400

#24 Best Colleges in Massachusetts .

1141 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Sophomore says Emerson College is a hub of students that are open-minded, hard-working, and endlessly creative. The students and professors are often friendly and accepting, and the campus being in the heart of... .

Read 1141 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 45% ,

Net Price : $48,842 ,

SAT Range : 1200-1400 ,

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Wheaton College - Massachusetts

Norton, MA •

• • Rating 3.6 out of 5   679 reviews

Senior: Wheaton College (MA) fosters intellectual growth, inclusive community, and lifelong connections. Wheaton College (MA) is a renowned institution known for its commitment to fostering a transformative educational experience. With a strong emphasis on academic excellence and personalized learning, the college provides students with a supportive community that encourages intellectual curiosity and personal growth. The campus boasts state-of-the-art facilities, dedicated faculty members, and a wide range of academic programs that cater to diverse interests and career aspirations. Beyond academics, Wheaton College (MA) offers a vibrant and inclusive environment where students can engage in extracurricular activities, cultural events, and service opportunities that enrich their overall college experience. Through its holistic approach to education, Wheaton College (MA) prepares students to become thoughtful leaders and engaged global citizens, equipped to make a positive impact in the world. ... Read 679 reviews

Acceptance rate 82%

Net price $28,867

SAT range 1160-1360

#27 Best Colleges in Massachusetts .

NORTON, MA ,

679 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says Wheaton College (MA) fosters intellectual growth, inclusive community, and lifelong connections. Wheaton College (MA) is a renowned institution known for its commitment to fostering a transformative... .

Read 679 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 82% ,

Net Price : $28,867 ,

SAT Range : 1160-1360 ,

Suffolk University

• • Rating 3.47 out of 5   1,056 reviews

Alum: I transferred to Suffolk in 2021, a little hesitant honestly due to its Niche score! However, Suffolk was a really rewarding and wonderful experience for me. I studied English and the professors and people I met in the department were absolutely lovely and extremely supportive. Suffolk's academics are, in my opinion, the best part of the school. Socially, it was a little hard to make friends as most students were/are commuters. Even so, the classes were always engaging and most professors were extremely understanding and nice. ... Read 1,056 reviews

• grade  B minus Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 88%

Net price $32,393

SAT range 1080-1280

1056 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I transferred to Suffolk in 2021, a little hesitant honestly due to its Niche score! However, Suffolk was a really rewarding and wonderful experience for me. I studied English and the professors and... .

Read 1056 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B minus ,

Acceptance Rate : 88% ,

Net Price : $32,393 ,

SAT Range : 1080-1280 ,

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, MA •

• • Rating 3.46 out of 5   720 reviews

Junior: I enjoy the nursing program and the students I am with. The profs are all very helpful. We as nursing students get clinical experience a year before most schools which is great! Freshman year I lived in a dorm. Since then I have been in an off campus apartment with my best friends and it has been great. The area around school is not the safest especially at night so it is important to travel with others and be aware of you surroundings. Classes are definitely tricky, but the teachers care about you. Any nursing school is difficult, but with time management, peers, and determination it is do able. I have made some friends I think I will have for life here! There are some events on campus such as shows, bingo which lots of people go to, sporting events, etc. It is a smaller school, but I prefer that. It was easier to get to know people and make friends in my opinion. Since classes are smaller there is more room to get help or ask questions. If you are considering nursing, it’s great! ... Read 720 reviews

• grade  C+ Overall Niche Grade

Acceptance rate 85%

Net price $16,862

SAT range 980-1180

FITCHBURG, MA ,

720 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says I enjoy the nursing program and the students I am with. The profs are all very helpful. We as nursing students get clinical experience a year before most schools which is great! Freshman year I lived... .

Read 720 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : C+ ,

Acceptance Rate : 85% ,

Net Price : $16,862 ,

SAT Range : 980-1180 ,

Hampshire College

Amherst, MA •

• • Rating 3.72 out of 5   427 reviews

Alum: I knew that I wanted to attend a small liberal arts school, especially one that was LGBTQ+-friendly and would be safe for me as a trans student. I found Hampshire through CTCL and when I visited campus as a junior, I fell in love with the rural, woodsy campus. I know that this school isn't right for everyone - the built-in structure is limited, and you're mostly on your own to figure out what needs to get done - but I knew what I was getting into and that experience helped me massively in learning how to advocate for myself and ask for help. Some people feel isolated in such a small student body, but I discovered my 'found family' here and it was fairly easy for me to make friends who understood my identity and respected me. I'd say the biggest thing I gained from my Hampshire education was confidence; I didn't know how much I was capable of as a teenager, but now having completed the Div III project, I get to go forth into the world knowing I'm capable of writing a book in a year! ... Read 427 reviews

Acceptance rate 75%

Net price $30,168

SAT range —

AMHERST, MA ,

427 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I knew that I wanted to attend a small liberal arts school, especially one that was LGBTQ+-friendly and would be safe for me as a trans student. I found Hampshire through CTCL and when I visited... .

Read 427 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 75% ,

Net Price : $30,168 ,

Western New England University

Springfield, MA •

• • Rating 3.67 out of 5   813 reviews

Senior: Western New England has been the best college experience I could have asked for. I have been continuously challenged by my classes while being guided and supported by many professors that I have loved. The school has many extracurriculars for any sort of interest group weather its sports, arts or technology. The dining hall has really good food and they hold events quite frequently. The campus is beautiful and has many updated buildings for both academics and residence halls while still maintaining a quaint small town feel to the campus. WNE is a great school to go to! ... Read 813 reviews

Acceptance rate 90%

Net price $30,403

SAT range 1090-1280

SPRINGFIELD, MA ,

813 Niche users give it an average review of 3.7 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says Western New England has been the best college experience I could have asked for. I have been continuously challenged by my classes while being guided and supported by many professors that I have... .

Read 813 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 90% ,

Net Price : $30,403 ,

SAT Range : 1090-1280 ,

Salem State University

Salem, MA •

• • Rating 3.38 out of 5   1,206 reviews

Senior: I really enjoyed my time at Salem State University! The campus is very accessible and there are many convenient parks, beaches and stores within walking distance. I am personally a huge fan of Halloween, making Salem, MA the perfect location for me! It was amazing being able to walk downtown in the Halloween capital of the world during the month of October. I am also a member of the women’s basketball team, making my connection to the school even stronger. ... Read 1,206 reviews

• grade  C Overall Niche Grade

Net price $18,125

SAT range 1010-1160

SALEM, MA ,

1206 Niche users give it an average review of 3.4 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says I really enjoyed my time at Salem State University! The campus is very accessible and there are many convenient parks, beaches and stores within walking distance. I am personally a huge fan of... .

Read 1206 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : C ,

Net Price : $18,125 ,

SAT Range : 1010-1160 ,

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Lesley University

• • Rating 3.42 out of 5   573 reviews

Senior: The professors really make Lesley such a fun and welcoming educational experience! They are all very enthusiastic about connecting with their students over their content and are always open to hearing how they can improve their class. I felt comfortable in learning and trying new things in classes both specific to my major and elective courses. They were always ready to encourage my engagement with the course and to meet me at my level of understanding of the topic. I hope the university is able to become better organized at an administrative level so that they can offer more classes regardless of lower enrollment numbers. ... Read 573 reviews

Acceptance rate 87%

Net price $31,928

SAT range 1000-1210

573 Niche users give it an average review of 3.4 stars.

Featured Review: Senior says The professors really make Lesley such a fun and welcoming educational experience! They are all very enthusiastic about connecting with their students over their content and are always open to... .

Read 573 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 87% ,

Net Price : $31,928 ,

SAT Range : 1000-1210 ,

Bard College at Simon's Rock

Great Barrington, MA •

• • Rating 3.27 out of 5   347 reviews

Alum: I attended Simon's Rock from 2008-2012. My academic experience was excellent, with an unparalleled level of personalized attention from faculty; seven of my courses were one-on-one tutorials. The coursework was demanding— by the time I was writing my senior thesis, I was working over 95 hours a week—but deeply intellectually fulfilling. Simon's Rock was also enormously socially enriching for me. It's where I met my husband and formed all of my closest friendships. I loved the beautiful and rural setting of the campus. However, there was very little in the way of career services, with the expectation that most students will attend graduate school. I observed that there were inadequate supports for students struggling with mental health/substance use, which was especially concerning given that the majority were legal minors. Most troublingly, the school did not respond appropriately to a classmate who stalked me, until the student ultimately attacked a faculty member. ... Read 347 reviews

Acceptance rate 80%

Net price $37,869

GREAT BARRINGTON, MA ,

347 Niche users give it an average review of 3.3 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I attended Simon's Rock from 2008-2012. My academic experience was excellent, with an unparalleled level of personalized attention from faculty; seven of my courses were one-on-one tutorials. The... However, there was very little in the way of career services, with the expectation that most students will attend graduate school. I observed that there were inadequate supports for students... .

Read 347 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 80% ,

Net Price : $37,869 ,

Catawba College

SALISBURY, NC

• • Rating 3.57 out of 5   348

Western Washington University

BELLINGHAM, WA

• • Rating 3.7 out of 5   2,324

Brown University

PROVIDENCE, RI

• • Rating 3.83 out of 5   1,065

Showing results 1 through 14 of 14

Boston University Arts & Sciences Writing

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Photo by Kalman Zabarsky for Boston University Photography. 11/23/09.

The Boston University Creative Writing Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the country, offers students the opportunity to complete the MFA degree in fiction or poetry in one year. Students complete their academic requirements, a rigorous combination of creative writing workshops and literature courses, over the course of two to three semesters. Cohort sizes are small– ten fiction writers and eight poets per year– and all admitted students for 2022-23 received full tuition coverage, basic health insurance coverage, and a stipend of $16,750. Each student is required to teach one course, either at Boston University or at a local public high school, during the fall or spring semester. We pride ourselves on being a program with an international focus: all of our students must fulfill a foreign language requirement during their time in Boston, and each will be eligible to receive a Global Fellowship allowing for travel, writing, and study anywhere outside the United States upon completing their coursework and submitting their thesis.

About the Program

Our MFA students have the opportunity to live, write, and travel anywhere in the world

Read about BU's renowned Translation Seminar

• 236 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215
• Phone: (617) 353-2510
• email: [email protected]

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Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

It's a great time to get into Creative Writing and find the best school for your undergraduate Creative Writing degree on our list of the Best Creative Writing Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

4 Year  •  Cambridge ,  MA  •  10 reviews

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit university based in Cambridge , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 1,097 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 7 %.

# 1 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Wellesley College

4 Year  •  Wellesley ,  MA  •  2 reviews

Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit university based in Wellesley , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 605 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 22 %.

# 2 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross

4 Year  •  Worcester ,  MA

College of the Holy Cross is a private not-for-profit university based in Worcester , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 819 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 39 %.

# 3 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Brandeis University

4 Year  •  Waltham ,  MA  •  10 reviews

Brandeis University is a private not-for-profit university based in Waltham , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 858 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 34 %.

# 4 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Emerson College

4 Year  •  Boston ,  MA

Emerson College is a private not-for-profit university based in Boston , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 932 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 46 %.

# 5 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Wheaton College

4 Year  •  Norton ,  MA

Wheaton College is a private not-for-profit university based in Norton , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 502 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 47 %.

# 6 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Simmons College

Simmons College is a private not-for-profit university based in Boston , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 407 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 60 %.

# 7 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Suffolk University

Suffolk University is a private not-for-profit university based in Boston , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 1,061 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 83 %.

# 8 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Hampshire College

4 Year  •  Amherst ,  MA

Hampshire College is a private not-for-profit university based in Amherst , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 325 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 62 %.

# 9 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Western New England University

4 Year  •  Springfield ,  MA

Western New England University is a private not-for-profit university based in Springfield , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 770 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 80 %.

# 10 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University

4 Year  •  Fitchburg ,  MA

Fitchburg State University is a public university based in Fitchburg , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 751 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 80 %.

# 11 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

Salem State University

4 Year  •  Salem ,  MA

Salem State University is a public university based in Salem , Massachusetts . It is an institution with an enrollment of over 1,094 bachelor’s degree candidates. The admission criteria is somewhat competitive with the acceptance rate of 81 %.

# 12 in Best Creative Writing Colleges & Universities in Massachusetts

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2023 Best Creative Writing Schools in the New England Region

In 2023, College Factual analyzed 20 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Creative Writing Schools in the New England Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,388 degrees in creative writing during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

• Best Overall Creative Writing Schools List

Choosing a Great Creative Writing School

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Creative Writing Rankings by Degree Level

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings , including this Best Creative Writing Schools in the New England Region list to help you make the college decision. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location .

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat . Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology .

Featured Creative Writing Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

BA in Creative Writing & English

Develop your creativity and gain practical skills with a creative writing degree program –featuring 100% online classes – through a bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

MFA in Creative Writing - Online

Embrace your passion for storytelling and learn the professional writing skills you'll need to succeed with our online MFA in Creative Writing. Write your novel or short story collection while earning a certificate in the Online Teaching of Writing or Professional Writing, with no residency requirement.

MA in English & Creative Writing

Refine your writing skills and take a step toward furthering your career with this online master's from Southern New Hampshire University.

Best Schools for Creative Writing in the New England Region

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the creative writing degree levels they offer.

10 Top New England Region Schools in Creative Writing

It is hard to beat Brown University if you wish to pursue a degree in creative writing. Brown is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Providence. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Brown is a great university overall.

There were roughly 35 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent year we have data available.

Wellesley College is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in creative writing. Wellesley is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Wellesley. A Best Colleges rank of #64 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Wellesley is a great college overall.

There were roughly 12 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Wellesley in the most recent data year.

Every student pursuing a degree in creative writing has to take a look at Boston University. Located in the city of Boston, Boston U is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #41 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Boston U is a great university overall.

There were approximately 18 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent data year.

Harvard University is a good choice for students pursuing a degree in creative writing. Located in the medium-sized city of Cambridge, Harvard is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.

There were approximately 17 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Harvard in the most recent data year.

Emerson is a medium-sized private not-for-profit college located in the large city of Boston. A Best Colleges rank of #117 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Emerson is a great college overall.

There were approximately 208 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Emerson in the most recent data year.

Brandeis is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Waltham. A Best Colleges rank of #102 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Brandeis is a great university overall.

There were about 20 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Brandeis in the most recent year we have data available.

Located in the suburb of Fairfield, Fairfield U is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #127 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Fairfield U is a great university overall.

There were roughly 24 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Fairfield U in the most recent data year.

Wheaton College Massachusetts is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Norton. This college ranks 28th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were about 9 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Wheaton College Massachusetts in the most recent data year.

SNHU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize suburb of Manchester. This university ranks 3rd out of 17 colleges for overall quality in the state of New Hampshire.

There were about 660 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at SNHU in the most recent data year.

Providence is a small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Providence. A Best Colleges rank of #199 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Providence is a great college overall.

There were roughly 7 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Providence in the most recent year we have data available.

Related Programs

Learn about other programs related to Creative Writing that might interest you.

Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction

Harness your passion for storytelling with SNHU's Mountainview Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction. In this small, two-year creative writing program, students work one-on-one with our distinguished faculty remotely for most of the semester but convene for weeklong intensive residencies in June and January. At residencies, students critique each other's work face-to-face, meet with major authors, agents and editors and learn how to teach at the college level.

Best Creative Writing Colleges by State

Explore the best creative writing schools for a specific state in the New England Region .

Other Rankings

Bachelor's degrees in creative writing, master's degrees in creative writing.

View All Rankings >

Rankings in Majors Related to Creative Writing

One of 4 majors within the Writing Studies area of study, Creative Writing has other similar majors worth exploring.

Most Popular Majors Related to Creative Writing

View All Creative Writing Related Majors >

Notes and References

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO .

More about our data sources and methodologies .

Popular Reports

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Best Creative Writing colleges in Boston 2023

Best creative writing colleges in boston for 2023.

Boston University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 16 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 16 Master's degrees.

Brandeis University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2020, 10 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 10 Bachelor's degrees.

Harvard University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 12 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 12 Master's degrees.

Wellesley College offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2020, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Bachelor's degrees.

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2020, 16 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 16 Master's degrees.

Emerson College offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 131 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 97 Bachelor's degrees, and 34 Master's degrees.

Simmons University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 12 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 12 Bachelor's degrees.

Lesley University offers 4 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 42 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 33 Master's degrees, and 9 Bachelor's degrees.

Salem State University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2020, 16 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 16 Bachelor's degrees.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 4 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 4 Bachelor's degrees.

List of all Creative Writing colleges in Boston

6 Best colleges for Creative Writing in Boston, MA

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Boston ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 11.3M citations received by 321K academic papers made by 6 universities in Boston was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Boston University

For Creative Writing

2. Boston College

3. University of Massachusetts - Boston

4. Northeastern University

5. Simmons University

6. Emerson College

Universities for Creative Writing near Boston

Art & design subfields in boston.

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UMass Boston

• Creative Writing MFA

Further your commitment to writing as the center of your professional life.

Intensive study and practice of fiction and poetry writing with award-winning and nationally renowned faculty at the most diverse university in New England.

UMass Boston's Creative Writing MFA offers you an intense, 3-year program and focused opportunity to further your commitment to writing as the center of your professional life. Through a combination of mentoring by accomplished faculty in a series of creative writing workshops, courses focused on the study of literature offered through the English MA Program, and electives that include the practice of literary editing, the teaching of creative writing, documentary poetics, the art of memoir, and more—you will have the guidance to develop and shape your work to the full extent of your talent.

All accepted students receive funding. Graduate assistantships offer the opportunity to work with students as teaching assistants and fellows, or in editorial positions with one of our sponsors, including 826 Boston, Hanging Loose Press, Write on the Dot, Consequence Magazine, Breakwater Review, and Arrowsmith Press.

Career Possibilities

Pursue a career as a professional writer, publishing your work in literary journals, magazines. These are just a few of the possibilities. Work as an editor and collaborate with writers to refine their work and shape the final product for publication.

Become a(n):

• Writer/Author
• Literary Agent
• Writing Instructor/Professor

Plan Your Education

How to apply.

The MFA degree requires:  six semesters of full-time study, with 9 credits required in each of the first four semesters, and 6 credits in the final two semesters, during which students will concentrate on completing a thesis in fiction or poetry under the direction of a faculty member. MFA workshops are limited to 12 students, and seminars are limited to 15. Students have the opportunity to interact with writers in our Global Voices Visiting Writer series (recent visitors have been Raquel Salas Rivera and Carole Maso) and work with visiting prose writers; recently these have included Jane Unrue, ZZ Packer, and Fanny Howe.

Deadlines & Cost

Final Deadline to apply is January 15! ** While rare, if space is available, we’ll happily consider applications after the deadline. Letters of Recommendation:  2 Writing Sample?:  Yes Other:  writing sample should be 10 manuscript pages of poetry or 20 manuscript pages of fiction

Program Cost Information: Bursar's website

Writing Workshops (24 Credits)

Complete one from below four times.

• CW 601 - MFA Poetry Workshop   6   Credit(s) or
• CW 602 - MFA Fiction Workshop   6   Credit(s)

Literature Courses (9 Credits)

Complete three graduate literature courses.

Electives (9 Credits)

Complete three from below.

• CW 605 - Memoir Workshop   3   Credit(s)
• CW 606 - Literary Editing and Publishing   3   Credit(s)
• CW 614 - The Teaching of Creative Writing   3   Credit(s)
• CW 675 - Creative Writing Internship   3   Credit(s)
• CW 697 - Special Topics in Creative Writing   1-6   Credit(s)

Students may elect courses offered by other graduate programs with approval from the graduate program director.  

• ENGL 459 Seminar for Tutors may be taken for graduate credit (see Undergraduate Catalog).
• ENGL 675 - Reading and Writing Poetry   3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 676 - Reading and Writing Fiction   3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 681 - Advanced Workshop in Poetry   3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 682 - Advanced Workshop in Fiction   3   Credit(s)

Thesis Courses (6 Credits)

Complete the course below both semesters of the third year.

• CW 699 - MFA Thesis   3   Credit(s)

Graduation Criteria

Complete 48 credits from twelve courses including four writing workshops, three literature courses, three electives, and two semesters of thesis workshops.

Capstone:   Completion of an MFA thesis of 48 to 64 pages of poetry or 100 to 200 pages of fiction written under the supervision of a thesis advisor, reviewed by a thesis committee, and subject to a public defense.

Statute of limitations:   Five years.

John Fulton,  MFA Program Director [email protected] [email protected] 617.287.6702

College of Liberal Arts

Interested in learning more about the faculty, research, and range of programs that make the College of Liberal Arts so popular?

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Major, Minor, and Concentrations

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The English major and minor at Boston College build fundamental skills in close reading, literary analysis, and critical thinking through a wide range of courses. English students study major developments in British, American, anglophone, and multicultural literatures, exploring essential human issues through multiple periods, cultures, and approaches.

Advising Information

At a Glance

Intellectual foundations.

The Literature Core and First-Year Writing Seminar provide a robust foundation for future study in the liberal arts.

First-Year Courses

Customizable Programs

Enjoy the freedom to shape a program suited to your intellectual interests while sharpening your critical thinking, analysis, argumentation, and articulation.

Personalized Advising

English majors and minors are mentored by scholars and writers who are leaders in the contemporary study of literature.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

The English department is deeply engaged with scholarship in other departments. Many English majors minor in other disciplines, while students from other departments often choose to minor in English. In addition, English is home to a number of thriving interdisciplinary concentrations, including American Studies, Asian American Studies, Creative Writing, Irish Studies, Journalism, and the Medical Humanities.

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Why Major in English?

"I chose BC’s English Program because of the robust course offerings and the relevancy of the professors. The diversity in specialties, along with the contemporary work being produced, was invaluable to me as a creative."

Why Study English?

English Language Learning (ELL)

The Program for English Language Learning (ELL) supports undergraduate students from linguistically diverse backgrounds in their mastery of English. During their first year, students can take a linked sequence of two English courses that fulfill core requirements. Students place into the sequence after completing the English language assessment during the summer before their first year.

Undergraduate Sequence

The fall ENGL 1009 First Year Writing Seminar for ELL (ENGL 1009) provides students with important linguistic support to meet the rhetorical and grammatical challenges they face in writing. 

The spring Literature Core for ELL (ENGL 1079) builds on the skills learned in ENGL 1009 and provides students the opportunity to explore literature in a small group setting (limited to 15) as they continue to refine their English writing skills.

ELL Writing Specialist Program

For those students in ENGL 1009 and 1079 sections in need of individualized language support, the ELL Writing Specialist Program pairs students with a trained specialist during the semester. Each student meets weekly with her specialist to discuss ongoing writing assignments. (Students are referred to the program by their instructors.)

Interested in ELL courses? 

Contact Lynne Anderson

“What I love most about the English program is the kindness I have received from everyone here. At first, I doubted whether I would perform well, since I was unconfident about my English. But whenever I met obstacles, there was always someone there to support me. I fall more and more in love with English Literature as I learn more.” 

Yinan Ding '25

“Growing up in a bilingual household made learning English or Spanish completely a difficult task. I enrolled in the English minor because I saw it as a great opportunity to improve my comprehension, but I stayed once I realized there were courses and resources that allowed me to explore how having a background in more than one language can be beneficial.”

Jacob Bojito Ríos '25

English Department Stokes Hall South, 4th floor

617-552-3708

Creative Writing (MFA)

We are the storytellers and the poets.

Emerson’s Creative Writing (MFA) program focuses on the practice of writing and its literary foundations and is one of the longest-running programs of its kind.

We know writing is your life. That’s why our Creative Writing (MFA) focuses on the actual practice of writing, as well as its literary foundations. Our MFA program boasts some of the most impressive faculty in writing and publishing, is home to two award-winning literary journals, and is strongly connected to the Boston publishing community. 

Focus on your passion, choosing from the areas of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and explore writing as both an art form and a professional pursuit.

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