The Bay Area, a place of profound literary history, is our playground. And one of the best art school environments in the country surrounds us. We emphasize a mentorship culture with award-winning, diverse faculty in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and memoir. We champion writers who critically reflect on the aesthetic and political assumptions behind their work. You?ll have access to resources and literary institutions you won?t find anywhere else, like City Lights Publishers, Litquake, and our very own Fridays in the Garden reading series.

Our two-year, 48-unit MFA Program in Writing includes workshops, craft seminars, literature courses, and mentored projects that help shape your thesis into a publishable manuscript.

We will challenge your understanding of theory, craft, and performance. From the San Francisco Renaissance to social justice narratives, your coursework will inspire you to take risks and try new styles. Our faculty, all widely published, will encourage you to experiment with multimedia and cross-genre work. One of the perks of being at an art school is the opportunity to collaborate with painters, photographers, filmmakers, bookmakers, and more. This nontraditional graduate experience is for those willing to move in new directions to find their unique voice.