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University of Southern California Masters in Professional Writing

Average Overall Rating

Program Description

The Masters in Professional Writing program at USC combines five disciplines: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and writing for stage and screen, taught in small workshops. As a student, you will have a one-on-one mentorship with professional writers. There are also frequent guest lectures by important members from the entertainment, publishing and writing fields. The focus of the program is both on craft and well how to actually make a living as a writer.

Average Student Ratings

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Student Reviews

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Know who you are and what you want

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Review of the Program:

I went into this program to get a degree for something I was already doing -- writing a nonfiction book.…

March 20, 2009 | 13 of 21 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Andrea Wilson Woods | '2008

Writing Can Only Be HONED - not taught.

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Review of the Program:

The program works if a) you're a natural writer, b) you're motivated, c) you don't make excuses and you work…

March 20, 2009 | 8 of 14 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Chabala | '2008

No program anywhere is perfect; you get what you put into it.

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Review of the Program:

First, I'd note that I attended under previous administration. From what I can see as a very distant overseas alumnus,…

March 19, 2009 | 10 of 19 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Lyle Skains | '2005

It was eye-opening, and I learned a lot.

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Review of the Program:

I am aware that a lot of stuff in the program was (allegedly) lacking. However, I found great professors, wonderful…

March 19, 2009 | 15 of 27 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Bryan Maldonado | '2008

Changed my life and made me a better writer

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Review of the Program:

I can't imagine a better experience than I had at USC, even despite that major administrative changes began the semester…

March 19, 2009 | 15 of 25 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Will Entrekin | '2008

Interdisciplinary bliss.

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Review of the Program:

My biggest problem in this program is that there are so many doors opening that I can't decide which one…

March 19, 2009 | 14 of 25 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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April Davila | '2010

California Pulp

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Review of the Program:

I began the program in 2005 before the administration changed. I witnessed some bad things about the program: bad teachers…

March 18, 2009 | 16 of 27 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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LA | '2007

I thought the program was fine

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Review of the Program:

There's a lot of truth in some of the criticism. In my 3 years in the program (graduated 2008), I…

March 18, 2009 | 9 of 15 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Lisa | '2008

The program is a mixed bag, but the real problem is the students.

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Review of the Program:

There are some great professors and some weak ones, there are ways in which the program is good, and ways…

March 18, 2009 | 11 of 20 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Dante | '2008

You Get Out What You Put In

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Review of the Program:

When I started in the MPW program in 2005-2006, I had no expectations. I believed myself to be a decent…

March 18, 2009 | 14 of 20 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Bill McConnell | '2008

You got to give some..to get some.

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Review of the Program:

Second semester in and the truth is I've had my doubts and I've also had my moments of creative overflow.…

March 18, 2009 | 9 of 15 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Shideh Etaat | '2010

Wonderful Community

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Review of the Program:

I was in MPW long before most of the reviewers (thus far), so my experience is vastly different.

March 18, 2009 | 14 of 25 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Hippie Chick | '1993

The Good, The Bad, and The Enh..

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Review of the Program:

My first semester in the program proved to be a prediction for my overall experience. I had Mel Shavelson for…

March 18, 2009 | 8 of 16 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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WriterGal | '2007

Not worth it.

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Review of the Program:

As one of the few poetry "majors" in the program, I felt that I learned nothing during my time at…

March 17, 2009 | 24 of 36 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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LWM | '2008

Only as good as you are.

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Review of the Program:

It's getting better now as USC is paying greater attention to the program. The faculty is excellent overall with accomplished…

March 17, 2009 | 8 of 14 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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L.A. Writer | '2007

A Mixed Bag

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Review of the Program:

MPW is a mixed bag, but it's getting better. They're gradually taking out the coffee-flavored bits and replacing them with…

March 17, 2009 | 18 of 30 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Jimbo | '2008

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Contact

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Los Angeles, California
West

Admissions

Full-time: Yes

Part-time: Yes

Length of Program: 2 Years

Low Residency: No

Student Body

Genre

Fiction
Poetry
Creative Non-fiction
Screenwriting
Playwriting