Admission Requirements for Prospective Students (see separate section below for prospective auditor requirements):

1. Completed Online Graduate Program Application. (The application requires a 750-1000 word Statement of Purpose which can be pasted into the application on screen 5.)

2. Follow the online application instructions for the submission of supplemental materials to the Graduate Admission Office, electronically or through the mail:

Graduate Admission Office, West Virginia Wesleyan College, 59 College Avenue, Buckhannon, WV 26201 / 304.473.8510, 800.722.9933 gradadmission@wvwc.edu

–Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework

–Two recommendations from knowledgeable and relevant recommenders using the Recommendation Form (a more detailed letter is welcome and may be attached; recommendations may be emailed or mailed by recommenders directly to the Graduate Admission Office; at least one recommender should be familiar with the applicant’s creative work)

–Current curriculum vitae/résumé

–Writing Sample: Each applicant must submit a writing sample in the genre for which he or she is applying: 15 poems for poets, or 20 double-spaced pages for fiction and creative nonfiction labeled as such. Select your best, rather than sending additional pages or poems. Fiction writers should note that, although the program welcomes speculative fiction (literary fiction infused with the fantastic), the work should avoid the formulaic style of mass-market genre fiction. Those interested in the cross-genre semester should note that all applicants first apply to the program in a primary genre and begin with a 49-credit-hour program of study; those interested in cross-genre study may apply to add the secondary genre concentration after they have completed one year in the program.

The MFA Admission Committee gives preference to applicants with a 3.0 GPA in their undergraduate work, and those who have significant course work in English and writing. No GRE scores are required.

Admission Requirements for Prospective Auditors (non-degree students):

1. Completed Audit Application Form with Statement of Purpose

2. Writing Sample: Each applicant must submit a writing sample in the genre for which he or she is applying: 15 poems for poets, or 20 double-spaced pages for fiction and creative nonfiction labeled as such. Select your best, rather than sending additional pages or poems. Note that, for Ireland Residency audit applicants, a writing sample is not required.

3. Current curriculum vitae/résumé

4. One recommendation letter from a knowledgeable and relevant recommender (enclosed with the application form or mailed/emailed by the recommender directly to the Graduate Admission Office)

5. Official transcript that gives evidence of a Bachelor’s Degree (enclosed with the application form or mailed/emailed by the institution directly to the Graduate Admission Office)

Please submit all application materials in hard copy through the mail or electronically as scanned PDFs to: Graduate Admission Office, West Virginia Wesleyan College, 59 College Avenue, Buckhannon, WV 26201  gradadmission@wvwc.edu

Admission Procedures:

Complete applications will be reviewed as received. The MFA Graduate Admission Committee will read all applications and make recommendations about admittance to the MFA Director. The MFA Director will make the recommendation for admission to the Dean who makes the final admission decision. Applicants (including applicants for audit) are notified of admission decisions by email and mail, generally within four weeks of receipt of the complete application. Accepted students and auditors are required to submit a $200 enrollment/auditor deposit, if domestic, and $500, if international, upon receipt of acceptance to secure a place in the program. The deposit will be applied to the student’s first-semester tuition and fees, or to the auditor’s residency fees. Once accepted, students and auditors may choose to begin the program in either the Winter or Summer residency period.