The New School established a Master's in Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing in 1996, after six decades of offering non-credit writing workshops. The Graduate Writing Program, as it was called in promotional material distributed by The New School, was situated in the Schools of Public Engagement, formerly known as the Adult Division, the "founding" division of the New School for Social Research as it was conceived in 1919.

Robert Polito was the first director of the Graduate Writing Program, who joined the Adult Division faculty of The New School in 1989. Designed as a full-time, four semester program, the MFA in Creative Writing was largely modeled on the workshop method of instruction, in which a teacher who was also a prominent professional writer would work closely with students on their individual manuscripts, rather than give lengthy lectures. Courses in literature, as well as writing forums, which existed as part of the New School’s special events and reading series, would complete the program curriculum.

The initial program offered four writing concentrations: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Writing for Children (after 2017, Writing for Children and Young Adults). As of Fall 2024, a fifth concentration was added in Arts Writing. Also included in the curriculum as of 2025 are literary readings sponsored by organizations such as the Cave Canem Foundation, The Story Prize, National Book Foundation (presenters of the National Book Awards), National Book Critics Circle, Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), PEN America, Academy of American Poets, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Poetry Society of America, and Publishing Triangle.

As of 2025, the Creative Writing Program is directed by John Reed, and the MFA Writing chairs are: Laura Cronk, Poetry; Caron Levis, Writing for Children and Young Adults, Coordinator; Helen Schulman, Fiction; and Margaret Rhee, Arts Writing.

The “Forum on Writing for Children” (prior to 2017) or “Writing for Children and Young Adults Forum” (after 2017) is one of the five literary forum special event series held by The New School Creative Writing MFA program. Forum events are held several times a semester, and typically feature a single writer, or two writers, presenting a reading, participating in a moderated discussion, and then answering questions from the audience. The Forum on Writing for Children was first held in 1996, alongside the creation of the Creative Writing program.

Sources:

Course Catalogs, New School Course Catalog Collection, 1919-2017, The New School Archives Digital Collections, New York, New York.

“Creative Writing Program.” The New School. Accessed May 20, 2025. https://www.newschool.edu/writing/.

Dickey, Elizabeth. “New School MFA Writing Program Proposal with Accompanying Memorandum to New School Provost Judith Walzer.” January 11, 1995. The New School Schools of Public Engagement Executive Dean's Office Records, NS.02.01.04, The New School Archives Digital Collections, New York, New York.

George Calderado (1996). Fall 1996 Special Programs at The New School [press release]. New School Office of Communications, George Calderaro Records. The New School Archives and Special Collections. /digital.archives.newschool.edu/index.php/Detail/objects/NS030103_000075>

The New School (1997). New School Bulletin 1997 Fall Vol. 55 No. 1 [catalog]. New School Course Catalog Collection. The New School Archives and Special Collections. /digital.archives.newschool.edu/index.php/Detail/objects/NS050101_ns1997fa>