Creative Writing, M.F.A.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

About the Creative Writing, M.F.A.

The Master of Fine Arts degree (M.F.A.) is a recognized terminal degree in the study in and practice of creative writing. The degree is offered onsite and shares many classes with the long-established doctoral program in English with a concentration in creative writing.

Admission to the M.F.A. program normally presumes that students hold a Bachelor of Arts or Science, generally in English or a related field, though a Humanities specialization is not required. A committee composed of graduate faculty members in the genre for which the applicant is seeking admission will examine applications–which will include a portfolio of the student’s work–and may hold a personal interview. On the basis of these evaluations, the committee will make recommendations concerning acceptance to the M.F.A. program. Students applying for the Master of Fine Arts degree program do not need to submit scores for the Graduate Record Examination.

The M.F.A. in Creative Writing requires the completion and presentation of a craft talk, thesis proposal, and creative thesis (a book-length publishable work developed in consultation with members of the Creative Writing faculty). The degree is offered with tracks in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and genre-specific translation and requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate work. Each emphasis involves a common set of core requirements: foundation courses, British, American, and Comparative literature courses, and professional development curricula. M.F.A. students in literary translation must also demonstrate reading knowledge of one language other than English.

Required Courses:

Foundations Requirements (27 credit hours; 8 courses)

ENGL 5340 - Research Methods in Literature and Languages 3 Semester Credit Hours
AND/OR
ENGL 5342 - Critical Methods 3 Semester Credit Hours
AND/OR
ENGL 5360 - History and Theories of College Composition 3 Semester Credit Hours
(two of the three)
ENGL 5067 - Methods of Teaching College Composition V1-3 Semester Credit Hours (3 credit hours)
ENGL 5390 - Writing for Publication 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 5166 - Creative Writing Practicum 1 Semester Credit Hour (6 credit hours)
ENGL 5395 - Teaching Creative Writing 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 6000 - Master’s Thesis V1-6 Semester Credit Hours (M.F.A. Thesis A & B 6 credit hours)

Prescribed Electives:

Track Requirements (15 credit hours; 5 courses)

ENGL 5370 - Creative Writing Workshop 3 Semester Credit Hours (9 credit hours)
ENGL 5367 - Forms and Techniques in Creative Writing 3 Semester Credit Hours (6 credit hours)

Breadth Component (9 credit hours; 3 courses across two different periods)

ENGL 5XXX - British Literature

AND/OR

ENGL 5XXX - American Literature

AND/OR

ENGL 5XXX - Comparative Literature

Optional Electives:

Students may take 3-6 credit hours of graduate courses outside of the courses listed above as electives instead of part of their required research hours. These courses would be considered electives on the M.F.A. degree plan. Students must consult with the Director of Creative Writing prior to enrolling in courses to determine if such courses will be applied to the M.F.A.

Recommended (3-6 credit hours; 1-2 courses)

Foreign language, linguistics, additional literature, or other field-related practices

AND/OR

Editing and Publishing course in TCR

AND/OR

Additional course(s) in the student’s selected specialization(s) or area of interest (up to 2 courses)

Notes:

Three of the track courses are ENGL 5370 Creative Writing workshops, and students are encouraged (though not required) to take at least one workshop outside of their specialization.