Creative Writing Concentration

UMass Lowell’s Creative Writing program nurtures aspiring writers, inviting them to participate in our vibrant literary community. 

Whether you are an English major concentrating in Creative Writing or just love writing and want to add a creative writing minor, our program offers a theory-and-practice approach to writing poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction—with an emphasis on craft, in the intimate setting of the traditional creative writing workshop.

Distinguished Faculty

Creative writing students work directly with our award-winning faculty in three genres: poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction.

• Maggie Dietz (poetry) is the author of Perennial Fall (Jane Kenyon Award), That Kind of Happy and If You Would Let Me.
• Andre Dubus III (fiction/memoir) is the author of several books, including most recently his essay collection, Ghost Dogs, and the novels Such Kindness, Gone So Long, the New York Times bestsellers House of Sand and Fog (National Book Award finalist) and The Garden of Last Days, and a memoir, Townie.
• Sandra Lim (poetry) is the author of Loveliest Grotesque, The Wilderness (Barnard Women Poet’s Prize) and The Curious Thing.
• Maureen Stanton (creative nonfiction) is the author of Killer Stuff and Tons of Money (Massachusetts Book Award), Body Leaping Backward: Memoir of a Delinquent Girlhood and The Murmur of Everything Moving: A Memoir.

Writers on Campus Program

The Writers on Campus program brings diverse writers to UML each semester to visit classes and give a reading. Visiting writers have included literary luminaries such as:

• Russell Banks
• Kay Ryan
• Anita Shreve
• Tom Perrotta
• Steve Almond
• Robert Pinsky
• Marilyn Chin
• Claudia Rankine
• Tyehimba Jess
• E.J. Levy
• Eduardo C. Corral
• Marianne Leone
• Rajiv Mohabir
• Elizabeth Strout
• Naomi Shihab Nye

Annual Literary Journal, The Offering

Help produce UML’s literary journal, The Offering, published annually in print and digital formats. You'll gain hands-on experience in editorial and production work, submit your own work for publication and participate in a public reading.

Creative Writing Courses

Creative writing majors take a minimum of 36 credits, including:

• Foundation courses
• Writing workshops in three genres (poetry, fiction and nonfiction)
• Literature courses
• Capstone course

Creative writing minors take 18-24 credits, including: 

• Introduction to Creative Writing (required)
• Three writing workshops at the 3000-4000 level 
• Any two English courses

Scholarships for Creative Writers

• The Stephen and Tabitha King Scholarship is provided through a generous endowment from Stephen and Tabitha King.
• The Sampas Scholarship honors the legacy of John Sampas, who served for many years as the literary executor for world-renowned writer and son of Lowell Jack Kerouac.

Internships in the Publishing Field

Our program offers numerous opportunities to intern with partner organizations where students can gain real-world experience and put their writing skills to work.

Career Options

Our alumni have been accepted to prestigious graduate programs in creative writing, earning full scholarships toward M.F.A. degrees; have earned positions in the publishing field; and have become published authors. 

Career Areas

• Literary writing
• Writing for nonprofit organizations
• Content creation
• Teaching
• Publishing
• Publicity and public relations
• Marketing
• Editorial fields

Graduate School Placements

• New York University
• Warren Wilson College
• Southern New Hampshire University
• Oklahoma State University
• Colorado State University
• Boston University