Explore the WCYA Residency
A closer look at MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults residency and semester work
VCFA’s academic calendar is divided into two semesters per year: a summer and winter semester, respectively. Each semester begins with a nine-day residency that provides a vibrant whirlwind of workshops, lectures, panels, discussions, and readings. Students, faculty, and visiting writers come together to connect and collaborate.
During residencies, students also choose their faculty advisor and develop a unique, personalized study plan for the coming semester.
In addition to their kidlit community, students are on campus with our five other MFA programs during residency: Film, Graphic Design, Music Composition, Writing, and Visual Art. Each writer will have the opportunity during residency for interdisciplinary study, work, and networking.
Upon completion of the two-year program, students will have attended five unique and invigorating residencies that guide their creative work while offering minimal disruption to their professional life and personal schedule.
WCYA offers dual-track residency options for all students. Students may elect to participate entirely in person, or entirely in the cloud (remotely). Workshops are offered in each mode; all students and faculty in an in-person workshop will be in person, and all students and faculty in a cloud workshop will be in the cloud. Some residency events, such as lectures and readings, are hybrid, meaning that both in-person and cloud participants may attend. The program focuses on intentional community-building within these modes.
WCYA students are required to select a residency option three months prior to the residency. The number of cloud faculty will be determined by the number of students who select that mode. The entire staff and faculty of VCFA remain jointly committed to supporting these dual-track residencies and the needs of the students and faculty. It is important to note that all participating students and faculty are required to participate fully in all events at each residency, regardless of whether they are in person or in the cloud.
Semester Work
Mentorship & Individualized Study
Post-residency, students return home to embark on the semester’s faculty-guided independent study project, putting in at least 25 hours a week. Students stay in close contact with their advisors, who review their work monthly and provide individualized feedback.
Our mentorship model provides more individualized feedback on student writing than most traditional classroom programs. Our faculty, students, and alumnx are at the center of a support network providing connections across every aspect of the field, from publishers and agents, to workshop leaders, teachers, and translators.
The MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults program teaches every form written for young audiences, from picture books to middle grade and young adult, and the diversity of faculty expertise reflects this breadth and depth of instruction. A 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures close personal attention to nurture individual skills, talents, and artistic vision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Do This Program Online?
Yes! VCFA’s MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults is a low-residency program, a hybrid between fully online programs and residential. During the program, you’ll attend five nine-day residencies—one at the start of each semester and one graduating residency. Each time, you’ll have the choice to attend on-campus or participate remotely. Some students travel to campus for every residency, while others choose to attend some or all of their residencies from home. Whichever option you choose, the rest of the semester work is done from where you live and shared with your advisor through an online platform.
Learn more about our low-residency model.
I have a family/full-time job or both. Can I do this program?
Actually, this program was created for those of us who can’t pull up our lives, move to a campus across the country, and live there for two years. Most of our students are juggling varying responsibilities and are hoping to deepen their craft while meeting their obligations. The low-residency model makes that possible, and the faculty and other students totally understand the struggles. You’ll learn tricks and habits that will help you build the writers’ life you want.
Learn more about our low-residency model.
Will this program help me get published?
Yes and no. The majority of your time spent in the program will be about craft. The faculty will want you to stay focused on your writing during the two-year program. They believe that the best way to get published is to be the strongest writer that you can be. A degree from VCFA opens doors in the publishing industry because agents and editors know the quality of the work that comes from our writers.
In the last semester of the program, you can begin exploring next steps and insights with your faculty. In addition, since students come in at all different points in their career, you will learn much from your fellow students and visiting writers along the way. VCFA regularly offers industry workshops for alumnx as well.
Read more about our alumnx.
How does VCFA's program differ from similar programs out there?
Founded in 1997, VCFA established the first academic program dedicated exclusively to writing for children and young adults. We are experts in the model, the style of education, and the field. So many of the finest writers have passed through our doors as students, faculty, and visiting writers that our program is a veritable who’s who of children’s literature. We offer uniquely flexible residency options, and special opportunities including the Picture Book Intensive program and our fabulous optional summer residency in Oxford and Bath, England. Our faculty comprises award-winning authors who are experts in helping writers deepen their craft while respecting their individual voice.
Learn more about our residencies abroad and the Picture Book Intensive.
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