A low-residency program (or limited residency program) is a form of education, normally at the university level, which involves some amount of distance education and brief on-campus or specific-site residencies—residencies may be one weekend or several weeks. These programs are most frequently offered by colleges and universities that also teach standard full-time courses on campus. There are numerous Master's degree programs in a wide range of content areas; one of the most popular limited residency degree programs is the Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. The first such program was developed by Evalyn Bates and launched in 1963 at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.
There are many low-residency MFA programs in creative writing and Master of Arts programs in a wide range of content areas, and a few schools that offer limited residency undergraduate options: Goddard College, Prescott College, Lesley University, New Hampshire Institute of Art, and Union Institute & University.
Programs vary, but in the intensive low-residency model requires students to come to campus every six months for 1-2 weeks, during which time students engage in a variety of activities and lectures during the day, and create detailed study plans. During the non-residency semester periods, students study independently, sending in "packets" to their faculty mentors every month or so. The content of the packets varies with each individual, but focuses on research, writing, and reflection related to each student's individualized study plan. A few schools, such as Western State Colorado University, actually conduct live online classes via Skype each week during the non-residency periods as well as having instructors reading students' work and provide written feedback weekly.
Antioch University Los Angeles, MFA in Creative Writing
Antioch University, Ph.D. in Leadership and Change
Arcadia University, MFA in Creative Writing
Ashland University
MFA Poetry
MFA Creative Non-Fiction
MFA Interdisciplinary
Augsburg College, MFA in Creative Writing
Bastyr University MS in Midwifery
Bennington College
MFA in Writing
MA in Teaching a Second Language (MATSL)
Boston Architectural College
Master of Architecture, DIstance
Master of Architecture, Sustainable Design
Master of Design Studies, Historic Preservation
Master of Design Studies, Design for Human Health
Burlington College, Independent Degree Program
California College of the Arts, MFA in Comics
Carlow University, MFA in Creative writing
Chatham University, MFA creative writing
College of Saint Elizabeth (Morristown, New Jersey), M.A. in Theology
Converse College (Spartanburg, South Carolina) MFA in Creative Writing
Drew University (Madison, New Jersey), MFA in Poetry
Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Kentucky) MFA in Creative Writing
Fairleigh Dickinson University, MFA in Creative Writing
Fairfield University, MFA in Creative Writing
Goddard College
MFA Creative Writing
MFA Interdisciplinary Arts
BFA Creative Writing
MA & BA Individualized Studies
MA & BA Education
MA & BA Psychology & Counseling
BA & MA Health Arts & Sciences
BA in Sustainability
Goucher College
MFA in Creative Nonfiction
Master of Arts in Cultural Sustainability (MACS)
Master of Arts in Historic Preservation
Master of Arts in Arts Administration
Hamline University, MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults
Jacksonville University
MFA in Choreography
MFA in Visual Arts
Lesley University
Master of Science Ecological Teaching and Learning
Master of Arts Expressive Therapies
MFA in Creative Writing
MFA in Visual Arts
Maine College of Art, MFA in Studio Arts
Marylhurst University (Portland, Oregon), B.A. in English Literature & New Media
Marywood University, MFA in Graphic Design or Illustration
Massachusetts College of Art and Design, MFA in Studio Arts
Mills College, MFA in Translation
Montclair State University, MFA in Dance
Murray State University, MFA in Creative Writing
Naropa University, MFA in Creative Writing
New England College
MFA Program in Poetry
Ms in Sport & Recreation Management
New Hampshire Institute of Art
MFA in Photography
MFA in Visual Arts
MFA in Creative Writing
MFA in Writing for Stage and Screen
Oklahoma City University, Red Earth MFA in Creative Writing
Pacific Lutheran University, Rainier Writing Workshop
Pacific Northwest College of Art, MFA in Visual Studies
Pacific University, MFA in Creative Writing
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Pine Manor College, Solstice Low-Residency MFA Program
MFA in Fiction Writing
MFA in Creative nonfiction
MFA in Poetry
MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults
MFA in Comics & Graphic Narratives
Applied Track in Pedagogy
Prescott College
Ph.D. in Sustainability Education
Master of Arts in Humanities
Master of Arts in Environmental Studies
Master of Arts in Adventure Education
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
Master of Arts in Education
Bachelor of Arts in Education
Bachelor of Arts in Human Development
Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Culture
Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability and Environmental Studies
Queens University of Charlotte
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
MFA in Studio
MFA in Writing
Seattle Pacific University, MFA in creative writing
Seton Hill University, MFA in Writing of Popular Fiction
Sierra Nevada College
MFA in Creative Writing
MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts
Skidmore College, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS)
Sofia University (formerly the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology)
MA in Spiritual Guidance
MA in Women's Spirituality
MA in Counseling Psychology
Southern New Hampshire University, Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction
Spalding University, MFA in Creative Writing
SIT Graduate Institute, Masters in International Education
Transart Institute
MFA in Creative Practice (Studio)
PhD in Studio Art (Practice-based PhD)
University of Alaska Anchorage, MFA in creative writing
University of California, Riverside: Palm Desert Graduate Center, MFA in creative writing
University of Illinois: MS in Library and Information Science
University of Nebraska, MFA in creative writing
University of New Orleans, creative writing
University of Pennsylvania, MA in Applied Positive Psychology
University of Southern Maine, Stonecoast MFA Program in Creative Writing
University of Tampa, MFA in Creative Writing
University of Texas-El Paso, MFA in Creative Writing
Vermont College of Fine Arts
MFA in Writing
MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults
MFA in Visual Arts
MFA in Graphic Design
MFA in Music Composition
Western New England University, MFA in Creative Writing
Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers, MFA in Creative Writing
West Virginia Wesleyan College, MFA in Creative Writing
Western Connecticut State University, MFA in Creative and Professional Writing
Western State Colorado University
MFA in Genre Fiction
MFA in Poetry
MFA in Screen and Television Writing
MFA in Publishing
Wilkes University, MFA in Creative Writing
University of British Columbia, MFA Creative Writing
Bath Spa University (Bath, England) PhD in Creative Writing [1]
European Graduate School (Saas-Fee, Switzerland, and Valletta, Malta), MA and PhD
European Humanities University (Lithuania)
Kingston University, London (Kingston upon Thames, England), MFA/MA Low Residency in Creative Writing
City University of Hong Kong MFA Creative Writing
