Low-residency program
A low-residency program is a form of education, normally at the university level, which involves some amount of distance education and brief on-campus or specific-site residencies—residencies may be one weekend or several weeks. These programs are most frequently offered by colleges and universities that also teach standard full-time courses on campus. There are numerous Master's degree programs in a wide range of content areas; one of the most popular limited residency degree programs is the Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. The first such program was developed by Evalyn Bates and launched in 1963 at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.
There are low-residency MFA programs in creative writing, visual arts, photography, and painting. Other graduate programs that can earn a student a degree include Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Accounting. A few schools offer limited residency undergraduate options: Goddard College, Prescott College, Lesley University, New Hampshire Institute of Art, and Union Institute & University.
Structure
Programs vary, but an intensive, low-residency model requires students to come to campus every six months for 1-2 weeks, during which time students engage in a variety of activities and lectures during the day, and create detailed study plans. During the non-residency semester periods, students study independently, sending in "packets" to their faculty mentors every month or so. The content of the packets varies with each individual, but focuses on research, writing, and reflection related to each student's individualized study plan. A few schools, such as Western State Colorado University, actually conduct live online classes via Skype each week during the non-residency periods as well as having instructors reading students' work and provide written feedback weekly.List of colleges with low-residency programs
United States
- Antioch University Los Angeles, MFA in Creative Writing
- Antioch University,
- Arcadia University, MFA in Creative Writing
- Ashland University
- *MFA Poetry
- *MFA Creative Nonfiction
- *MFA Fiction
- *MFA Interdisciplinary
- Augsburg University,
- Bastyr University
- Bennington College
- *MFA in Writing
- *MA in Teaching a Second Language
- Boston Architectural College
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- Burlington College,
- California College of the Arts,
- Carlow University,
- Chatham University,
- College of Saint Elizabeth,
- Converse College
- Drew University,
- Eastern Kentucky University
- Fairleigh Dickinson University,
- Fairfield University,
- Goddard College
- *MFA Creative Writing
- *MFA Interdisciplinary Arts
- *BFA Creative Writing
- *MA & BA Individualized Studies
- *MA & BA Education
- *MA & BA Psychology & Counseling
- *BA & MA Health Arts & Sciences
- *BA in Sustainability
- Goucher College
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- Hamline University,
- Jacksonville University
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- Lesley University
- *Master of Science Ecological Teaching and Learning
- *Master of Arts Expressive Therapies
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- Maine College of Art,
- Marylhurst University,
- Marywood University,
- Massachusetts College of Art and Design,
- Mills College,
- Miami University,
- *MFA in Fiction
- *MFA in Creative Nonfiction
- *MFA in Poetry
- Montclair State University,
- Murray State University,
- Naropa University, MFA in Creative Writing
- New England College
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- New Hampshire Institute of Art
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- Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, program now terminated
- Oklahoma City University,
- Oregon State University Cascades, MFA in Creative Writing
- Pacific Lutheran University,
- Pacific Northwest College of Art,
- Pacific University,
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
- Pine Manor College,
- * MFA in Fiction Writing
- * MFA in Creative nonfiction
- * MFA in Poetry
- * MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults
- * MFA in Comics & Graphic Narratives
- * Applied Track in Pedagogy
- Prescott College
- * Ph.D. in Sustainability Education
- * Master of Arts in Humanities
- * Master of Arts in Environmental Studies
- * Master of Arts in Adventure Education
- * Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
- * Master of Arts in Education
- * Bachelor of Arts in Education
- * Bachelor of Arts in Human Development
- * Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Culture
- * Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability and Environmental Studies
- Queens University of Charlotte
- Reinhardt University, MFA in Creative Writing
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- * MFA in Studio
- * MFA in Writing
- Seattle Pacific University, MFA in creative writing
- Seton Hill University,
- Sierra Nevada College
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- Skidmore College,
- Sofia University
- *MA in Spiritual Guidance
- *MA in Women's Spirituality
- *MA in Counseling Psychology
- Southern New Hampshire University,
- Spalding University,
- SIT Graduate Institute,
- St. Edwards University in Austin, TX
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- Stephens College
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- *MFA in Creative Practice
- *PhD in Studio Art
- University of Alaska Anchorage, MFA in creative writing
- University of California, Riverside: Palm Desert Graduate Center,
- University of Hartford
- *MFA Photography
- *MFA Illustration
- *MFA Interdisciplinary
- University of Illinois:
- University of Nebraska,
- University of New Orleans, creative writing
- University of Pennsylvania,
- University of Southern Maine, Stonecoast MFA Program in Creative Writing
- University of Tampa,
- University of Texas-El Paso, MFA in Creative Writing
- Vermont College of Fine Arts
- *MFA in Writing
- *MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults
- *MFA in Visual Arts
- *MFA in Graphic Design
- *MFA in Music Composition
- , MFA in Creative Writing
- Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers, MFA in Creative Writing
- West Virginia Wesleyan College, MFA in Creative Writing
- Western Connecticut State University, MFA in Creative and Professional Writing
- Western State Colorado University
- *MFA in Genre Fiction
- *MFA in Poetry
- *MFA in Screen and Television Writing
- *MFA in Publishing
- Wilkes University, MFA in Creative Writing
Canada
- Emily Carr University of Art and Design,
- University of British Columbia,
Europe
- ArtEZ University of Arts MA Theatre Practices
- Bath Spa University PhD in Creative Writing
- European Graduate School, MA and PhD
- Freie Universität MA in Visual and Media Anthropology
- Kingston University, London,
- University of Oxford MSt in Creative Writing
Asia
- City University of Hong Kong