Chaminade University of Honolulu

Professional Master of Fine Arts in Writing

Write Boldly. Think Deeply. Create Fearlessly.

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School of Humanities, Arts & Design

Turn Your Passion for Writing Into a Profession.

As Hawai’i’s only Professional Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA) program, we equip you with the tools to pursue publication, teaching, editing, or creative industry careers. You’ll build a professional portfolio, strengthen your writing across genres, and learn to navigate the publishing landscape. Join a supportive community of peers and faculty who will challenge you, encourage you, and celebrate your growth—you’ll develop a strong body of work and the confidence to share your writing with the world.

Terms & Deadlines

Accelerated Fall Term Begins: October 12, 2026
Priority Application Deadline: May 1, 2026
Application Deadline: September 11, 2026

A program built around you.

The Professional MFA program is designed to fit your schedule and life responsibilities. Take classes online, explore multiple genres, discover new forms, and immerse yourself in an environment where creativity leads. Rooted in a Pacific and Marianist sensibility, the curriculum brings together creative writing, digital storytelling, and thoughtful AI integration.

100% online

36 total credit hours

Finish as few as 12 months,
10-week terms

Cohorted program

Optional in-person residency
(professional preparation focused)

WASC-accredited program

Program Details

Upon completion of the Professional MFA in Writing, students will be able to:

  1. Clearly articulate in writing the process of understanding, analyzing, critiquing, and participating in the processes of knowledge production.
  2. Analyze and respond to cultural phenomena such as AI and demonstrate in their writing practice an engagement with social issues, such as social justice, economicjustice, and environmental sustainability.
  3. Describe and define a critical and practice-based interest in and creative facility with alternate modes of authorship, such as writing with AI, collaborative modes of thinking, making and organizing.
  4. Create texts, performances, videos, and other projects that cross or combine various genres and media (interdisciplinary).
  5. Identify and explore influences of place, culture, the environment, and the natural world in their written work.

CURRICULUM (36 total credit hours)

Foundations of Craft and Process Courses

  • The Writer’s Mind: Creativity, Consciousness, and Craft 
  • Writing in the Age of AI

Genre and Applied Storytelling Courses

  • Narrative Design for Page and Screen
  • Speculative Worlds and Social Imagination
  • Poetics and the Personal Voice

Professional and Digital Practice Courses

  • Publishing Studio: From Manuscript to Market
  • Writing for Change: Storytelling, Culture and Community

Pacific Residency and Master Class: Onsite or Online Course

  • Writers in Residence: Pacific Place, Culture and Collaboration

Teaching and Professional Development Course

  • Pedagogy and Mentorship in Writing

Creative Thesis Sequence Requirements

  • Thesis I: Research and Proposal
  • Thesis II: Composition and Revision
  • Thesis II: Defense and Publication

Professional MFA students can opt into a short in-person residency designed to strengthen professional skills and technological fluency. This immersive experience also allows students to encounter Hawai‘i firsthand—connecting with the islands’ rich literary traditions and vibrant cultural landscapes.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Chaminade University has been accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the nationally recognized agency for accreditation of post-secondary institutions in its area of the United States.

General Admission Requirements

  • Completed Chaminade application
  • Hold at least a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college/university in the U.S. or equivalent from a foreign institution
  • Official college transcripts
  • Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
  • Current resume or CV
  • Personal statement
  • Manuscript/writing sample
  • Two (2) letters of recommendation

Visit the Graduate Admissions website for more information.

Cost of Attendance

Please visit the Graduate Cost of Attendance webpage for tuition rates and fees.

Additional Resources

NEXT STEPS

Request Information
Join a Virtual Info Session – Coming Soon
Start Your Application

If you have any Professional MFA program questions, please contact Dr. Cheryl Edelson at [email protected] or (808) 735-4826.

For admissions questions, please contact Admissions at [email protected] or (808) 739-8524.