Writing in the City: NYU's Creative Writing Program (Updated)

NYU's creative writing offerings leverage the Washington Square location to provide workshop-based instruction, public readings, and professional-development activities. Undergraduates can take workshops and pursue a structured minor ; graduate students receive intensive mentorship, teaching experience, and access to NYU's visiting-writer events. For current degree specifics, consult NYU's program pages.

Writing in the City: NYU's Creative Writing Program

New York University's creative writing offerings sit at the center of Manhattan's literary life, anchored by the Washington Square campus in Greenwich Village. The neighborhood's history of writers, small presses, and public readings gives students daily access to a living literary scene.

Why location matters

Studying in Greenwich Village puts workshops, bookstores, readings, and publishing opportunities within walking distance. That access lets students test work at open mics, attend visiting-author events, and meet editors and peers outside the classroom.

Undergraduate study

Undergraduates at NYU can enroll in creative writing courses across the university's schools and departments. Many students interested in writing combine workshops with broader study in literature, composition, or related majors. NYU also offers a formal minor in creative writing that structures a sequence of workshops and literature courses for undergraduate students.

These classes emphasize craft through small workshops, revision, and exposure to contemporary writers. Public readings and student-run journals offer a chance to publish and present work to local audiences.

Graduate study and workshops

Graduate-level creative writing at NYU centers on small, intensive workshops, one-on-one mentoring with faculty, and opportunities to teach and edit. Graduate students participate in seminars, craft classes, and professional-development sessions about publishing and teaching. NYU's graduate program also organizes public readings and seminars that bring working writers to campus.

Specific degree structures and concentrations (for example, an MFA, MA, or other graduate degrees) and admission details change periodically; check NYU's current program pages for the latest degree offerings and requirements. ¹

Reading series and community

A long-standing part of NYU's writing life is its visiting-writer and reading series. These events regularly feature established and emerging authors and are often open to the public, giving students front-row access to current literary conversations. Faculty and visiting writers also lead craft talks, book panels, and specialized seminars.

Practical advantages

Students benefit from close faculty feedback in workshop settings, frequent opportunities to read publicly, and the chance to connect with New York-based literary resources: independent presses, journals, and internship placements. Coursework typically balances workshop time with literature seminars and professional-development offerings.

In a nutshell

NYU's creative writing environment combines city-centered opportunity with workshop-driven craft training. Whether you are an undergraduate exploring workshops or a graduate student seeking concentrated mentorship, the program is structured to connect writers to peer communities, public readings, and the professional literary world.

1. Confirm current availability and requirements for NYU's undergraduate minor in Creative Writing and citation URL.
2. Confirm exact graduate degree offerings (MFA, MA, other degrees), concentrations, and admission requirements for NYU's Creative Writing graduate program and citation URL.
3. Verify whether specific reading series are open to the public and list of recent notable visiting writers (if needed) and citation URL.