Flexible Low-Residency Programs

Flexibility in Scheduling

At the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing, we understand the lives of writers because we’re writers too. That’s why we offer the most flexible low-residency writing programs you’ll find.

We hold residencies in months when travel is easier for many writers. Our upcoming residency dates:

• Fall (on campus): November 14 – 21, 2026
• Spring (on campus): May 21 – 29, 2027
• Summer (virtual): June 19 – 26, 2027

And we offer two semester lengths, so you can customize your weekly workload during independent study. Here’s how it works:

Standard Schedule

The standard schedule includes two semesters a year. Each semester begins with a residency in Louisville. On this track, MFA students graduate in two years. Students in the MAW program graduate in one year. Certificate students finish in about 6 months.

Extended Schedule

The extended schedule includes one semester a year, allowing for a more leisurely pace and spreading the cost of tuition over a longer period of time. Semesters begin with spring residency held in Louisville or with the virtual summer residency, as shown below. On this track, MFA students graduate in four years, MAW students in two years. Certificate students finish in about nine months. And students enjoy a break during the springtime months.

The coursework and tuition are the same regardless of the semester length. You can mix and match standard and extended semesters, or take a leave of absence and extend your study even longer.

Flexibility in Studies

Flexibility is also our pledge for the content of your studies. Independent study courses are tailored to fit your individual writing goals. Special offerings include a teaching seminar, a book-length manuscript workshop, a full semester of study in translation, and more. MFA students have the option to study in two genres while still graduating on time in four semesters.

Take a look at our faculty page to learn about our outstanding teachers from a wide range of backgrounds. Their varied viewpoints will help you develop into a more rounded writer.

Perhaps most important, low-residency programs teach you how to integrate writing into your daily life, in the thick of your other commitments. You won’t get that opportunity in campus-based programs, where you step away from “real life” for two or three years to do nothing but write—and then are left to figure out how to keep writing once you’ve gone back to your job and family responsibilities.

Once you’ve graduated, we’ll continue to be there for you. Check out our alumni page to see the many ways we support our alums.

For more information, email schoolofwriting@spalding.edu.