Consumer Information Disclosure Form

       A uniform website public disclosure form for DETC accredited institutions.

General Information:

Name of Institution:  Northwest Institute of Literary Arts

Address: Mailing: P.O. Box, 639, Freeland, WA 98249

              Physical: 5577 VanBarr Place S1, Freeland, WA

Year Founded:  2004                 First Accredited: 2010               Accreditation Expires: 2015

CEO/President:  Allan Ament, JD

Accreditation(s) and Agency E-mail Contact Information: Distance Education and Training Council, Brianna@detc.org

State Approval and E-mail Contact Information: Degree Authorization Agency, Higher Education Coordinating Board, State of Washington laurab@hecb.wa.gov

Participation in Funding Programs: Title IV Federal Student Loans; Veteran’s Educational Benefits

Mission & Description:

Institution Mission Statement: http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/mfa/Catalogue/mission_statement.htm

Areas of Special Focus:  Creative Writing

Description of Institution: The Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (NILA) is a non-profit corporation chartered by the State of Washington.

NILA contains four branches: The Whidbey Writers Workshop low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing; the Whidbey Island Writers Conference; the Whidbey Island Writers Association, which offers workshops and other opportunities to local and regional writers; and Soundings Review literary magazine.

The Institute’s Whidbey Writers Workshop low-residency Master of Fine Arts is a 60-credit degree. Candidates must focus on one of four genres: fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or writing for children and young adults. Each semester begins with a ten-day intensive residency on Whidbey Island, Washington State, and continues for an additional sixteen weeks online. A minimum of four semesters and five residencies are required to complete the degree. A maximum of six years are allowed to complete the degree.

The Institute’s program offers a mix of workshops, courses in craft, and directed readings, culminating in the preparation of a manuscript of publishable quality. All students are required to take English 500, The Profession of Writing, designed to explore the business side of the writing profession. An additional post-graduate five-credit course in methods of teaching creative writing is available

Admission to the program is based primarily on the creative writing sample submitted as part of the admissions process, though transcripts and recommendations are also required. Applicants must focus on a single genre for the admission process. Changes in genre after admission may be made only with the permission of the faculty.

http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/mfa/Catalogue/catalogue.htm

Courses/Programs/Degrees: Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Average Program Tuition/Cost per credit hour:  http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/mfa/Catalogue/tuition_and_fees.htm

Success Indicators:

Average Completion/Graduation Rate for Students:  89%

Percentage of students surveyed who responded that they—

Achieved their learning goals: 97.6%

Would recommend the institution to a friend:  100%

Were satisfied with their studies:  100%

 

Other Disclosures of Outcomes:

14 of 27 alumni, 2007-2011, have responded to our survey of their activities since graduation.

Among them, they’ve achieved the following:

• 11 books and 2 chapbooks published

• 181 pieces published  in periodicals (poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for children, young adults, and/or adults)

Professional activities include:

•  editing

• teaching

• conference presentations

• newspaper columns

• scriptwriting

• writing for online sites as staff

• interviewing writers for publication

• book reviewing

• writer-in-residence

• literary organization board members