Program Overview

About the NEOMFA

The Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA) is the nation’s only consortial MFA creative writing program. Founded in 2005, the NEOMFA combines the resources of three gateway institutions: The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, and Kent State University. Prospective students apply to the program and to a single gateway university of their choice, then take courses and attend events across all three schools. Graduates receive a diploma from their gateway university indicating the recommendation of the NEOMFA faculty.

Degree Path

The NEOMFA offers a terminal Master of Fine Arts degree requiring 48 credit hours of study. Coursework consists of writing workshops, craft and theory seminars, and literature/elective classes. Additional requirements include an internship and long-form thesis project. NEOMFA students choose a primary genre among fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and playwriting, but also take classes in other genres. Full-time students can complete the program in three years, and part-time students in up to six years. 

Support

Each of our gateway universities offers competitive graduate assistantships with tuition remission and stipend. The NEOMFA also offers two to three program ambassador scholarships, and individual gateway universities have their own awards. All of our campuses have offices to assist with financial aid, tuition assistance, wellness, and other needs. 

Community

The NEOMFA invites students into a community of engaged and active writers. Program events include student readings and meetups, Visiting Writer salons, and our annual Playwrights Festival. NEOMFA students regularly present work in regional reading series and conferences. Recent alumni publications include releases with Carnegie Mellon University Press, Haymarket Books, Flatiron Books, Burnside Review, New Mundo, and Bottlecap Press. Recent plays by NEOMFA writers have appeared at Congo Square Theatre Company in Chicago and Rubber City Theatre in Akron.

Guidance

The NEOMFA's core faculty members are drawn from all three consortium schools. In addition to the primary genres noted above, they are accomplished in other modes including flash fiction and solo performance. Recent faculty publications include Hilary Plum's State Champ (Bloomsbury, 2025) and Mary Biddinger's The Girl with the Black Lipstick (Black Lawrence Press, 2025). Each gateway university designates one faculty member as its NEOMFA campus coordinator. Along with the primary NEOMFA staff, the campus coordinators are the best sources for information regarding the program.

New student welcome event.

NEOMFA graduates at May 2025 reading. 

Aumni reading 2026.

Student reading series.

Faculty Hilary Plum with guest Eugene Lim.

NEOMFA Graduation Reading in May 2024.

AWP26 Baltimore.

Student meetup at Cleveland Lakefront Park.

Faculty Catherine Wing and Anthony Tognazzini.