What’s the Right MFA Program for You?
Choosing a writing program can feel overwhelming. Of course, you want a program that focuses on the kind of writing you want to produce, but you also need to think about the format of the program — and the practical matter of making it work with your career and family life.
A traditional MFA program has students and faculty meeting face-to-face, on campus, for all of the coursework. There are obvious benefits to this kind of program. Some people can only thrive with this kind of close interaction. But making it to that 2-hour seminar that starts at 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday can be hard to fit in. What if you have a job that expects you to be in the office between 9 and 5? What if you need to arrange childcare?
These types of challenges have given rise to the low-residency MFA program. These programs have much of the student/faculty interaction take place online. However, these programs also include an in-person residency component, where students are expected to travel to an exotic location for 1 or 2 weeks of intensive, in-person instruction. This is a great option for people who can afford to travel – and who have the ability to get away from their day jobs without putting them in jeopardy. But not everyone has this kind of flexibility. What happens if your family wants to go to Disney World, and you need to use up all your vacation in pursuit of your studies?
Happily, there is an MFA option for folks lacking the requisite flexibility to attend a traditional or low-residency program – the no-residency program. These programs are entirely online – giving students maximum flexibility to juggle their careers and family life.
The MFA Program at Albertus Magnus College is a no-residency. All of our classes are online, which enables students to fulfill their assignments on a schedule they devise. Each semester, we meet for three Saturday sessions, during which students take part in virtual workshops, listen to lectures, and enjoy time with visiting writers.
| No Residency | Low Residency* | Traditional** | |
| Access to Great Faculty | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| A Strong Foundation in Your Chosen Genre | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Avoid Using Your Vacation Time for Classwork | ✓ | ||
| Complete Work on Your Own Schedule | ✓ | ||
| Interactive Workshops | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Juggle Your Career and Family Life | ✓ |
* Low Residency programs require students to be onsite for 1 to 3 weeks each year.
** Traditional programs require students to be on campus on a daily basis.