The Creative Writing MFA offers a workshop-intensive program in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, emphasizing the art and craft of creative writing and concentrating on the student's written work. The program encourages hybrid and experimental forms.
The MFA program emphasizes the study of craft and published writing alongside the closely analyzed production of original work by students. Opportunities for professional development as writers, teachers, and editors abound. Our prolific, dedicated faculty members have won numerous prestigious awards for their work and have served as officers in national professional organizations. The MFA program in Creative Writing offers workshop courses in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, emphasizing the art and craft of creative writing and concentrating on the student's written work.
The minimum total hours required for the Creative Writing MFA is 36 credit hours, including a minimum of nine required credit hours of graduate writing workshop classes. Each candidate will write a book-length creative thesis. There is no nonthesis option in Creative Writing.
Total Credit Hours Required: 36 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Program Prerequisites
Students are required to have a proficiency in American and British Literature as reflected by completing at least one survey course in each field. Students with baccalaureate degrees in subjects other than English whose transcripts do not clearly indicate successful completion of such courses will be required to complete survey courses in British and American literature as co-requisites before the thesis defense. The particular courses that satisfy these co-requisites are selected in consultation with the MFA program director.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Core - 9 Hours- Complete all of the following
- Complete at least 3 of the following:
- CRW6025 - Advanced Graduate Writing Workshop (3)
- CRW6920 - Fiction Workshop (3)
- CRW6921 - Multi-Genre Workshop (3)
- CRW6922 - Novel Workshop (3)
- CRW6923 - Nonfiction Workshop (3)
- CRW6924 - Poetry Workshop (3)
- While the student is expected to concentrate their workshop study in their chief genre, multi-genre proficiency is encouraged. Additional credit hours beyond the required 9 credit hours in workshops that include their chief genre are recommended to assist the student in developing better writing and publication skills.
Specialization - 6 Hours- Complete at least 2 of the following:
- LIT6039 - Studies in Contemporary Poetry (3)
- LIT6097 - Studies in Contemporary Fiction (3)
- LIT6076 - Studies in Contemporary Nonfiction (3)
- CRW5130 - Form and Theory in Creative Writing (3)
Elective Courses
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Restricted Electives - 9 Hours- Earn at least 9 credits from the following:
- CRW6720 - Professional Development in Creative Writing (3)
- CRW6721 - Literary Journal Editing (3)
- CRW6976 - Scholarship and Publication Models (3)
- CRW6806C - Teaching Creative Writing (3)
- CRW5948C - Creative Writing Service Learning (3)
- CRW6946 - Internship (1 - 99)
- CRW6025 - Advanced Graduate Writing Workshop (3)
- CRW5130 - Form and Theory in Creative Writing (3)
- LIT6216 - Issues in Literary Study (3)
- LIT6936 - Studies in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Theory (3)
- ENC5705 - Approaches to Teaching College Composition (3)
- LIT6276 - Teaching College Literature (3)
- CRW6920 - Fiction Workshop (3)
- CRW6921 - Multi-Genre Workshop (3)
- CRW6922 - Novel Workshop (3)
- CRW6923 - Nonfiction Workshop (3)
- CRW6924 - Poetry Workshop (3)
- CRW5937 - Special Topics (3)
Unrestricted Electives - 6 Hours- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- Students will select 5000-level or 6000-level courses with the following prefixes: CRW, LIT, ENC, ENG, DIG, including Independent Study. With approval from the Program Director, students may take courses outside the department to fulfill this requirement.
Thesis
6 Total Credits
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: CRW 6971 Thesis 3 Credit Hours The candidate will complete a book-length manuscript of publishable quality, written and revised in CRW 6971 Thesis, that meets both departmental and university requirements for the thesis.
Grand Total Credits: 36
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
