Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA)

MFA Program

See writers who attended this program
Program Established: 
2005
Location: 
Akron, Cleveland, and Kent, OH
Genre: 
Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Residency: 
Full
Duration: 
3 Years
Incoming Class Size: 
15
Application Deadline: 
January 15, 2025
Application Fee: 
$40–45
Website: 
https://www.neomfa.org
Contact E-mail: 
neomfa@kent.edu
Contact Name: 
Mary Biddinger
Core Faculty Includes: 

Poetry: Mary Biddinger, Caryl Pagel, Catherine Wing
Fiction: Hilary Plum, Imad Rahman, Anthony Tognazzini
Creative Nonfiction: David Giffels, Caryl Pagel, Hilary Plum
Playwriting: Mike Geither

Funding/Employment Opportunities: 

The program offers partial funding. The majority of students are funded with teaching and graduate assistantships; the program also offers opportunities with journals, presses, and poetry centers.

Affiliated Publications/Publishers: 

Rubbertop Review, Kent State University Press, University of Akron Press, Cleveland State University Poetry Center, Wick Poetry Center

Other Features: 

The program also offers a degree in playwriting.

The NEOMFA is a consortium of The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, and Kent State University. Students enroll at one university, but can take classes at all three. The program hosts a visiting writing series and a reading series. Other features include the Cleveland State University Poetry Center and the Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University. 

Application fees vary per university from $40 to $45.

The deadline for full-time applicants seeking funding (fall matriculation) is January 15. The deadlines for part-time applicants and students not seeking funding are November 15 (spring matriculation) and April 15 (fall matriculation).