Academic Requirements

As of Fall 2010, the MFA in Writing and Literature degree requires 40 credits of course work and a six-credit thesis for a total of 46 credits. Following are the specific requirements:

Required Introduction to the MFA Program (3 Credits)

CRW 500 - Introduction to Graduate Writing, 4 credits

Six or more of the following writing workshops (24 Credits):

Students select a minimum of six writing workshops from the following for a total of 24 credits. Individual courses under each category will be labeled according to the content of the course. Although courses may be repeated for credit, students are strongly encouraged to experiment among the disciplines.

CWL 510 - Forms of Fiction, 4 credits Individual courses within the fiction category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Short Story Collections, Beginning the Novel, Advancing the Novel, etc.

CWL 520 - Forms of Poetry, 4 credits Individual courses within the poetry category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Prose Poems.

CWL 530 - Forms of Scriptwriting, 4 credits Individual courses within the scriptwriting category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Screenplay, Playwriting, etc.

CWL 540 - Forms of Creative Nonfiction, 4 credits Individual courses within the nonfiction category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, etc.

CWL 550 - Forms of Professional and Scientific Writing, 4 credits Individual courses within the professional and scientific writing category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Speech Writing, Writing in the Digital World, Writing about Science, etc.

CWL 570 - Advanced Writing Workshop, 4 credits This course is for manuscripts in progress across writing disciplines and is strongly recommended for students preparing to take the thesis.

CWL 575 - Writers Conferences, 1-6 credits

Two or more of the following special topic writing and literature seminars (8 Credits)*

CWL 560 - Topics in Literature for Writers, 4 credits

CWL 565 - Special Topics in Writing, 4 credits

CWL 588 - Independent Study, 1-4 credits

*With the approval of the Writing Program director: EGL 501 Studies in Chaucer, EGL 502 Studies in Shakespeare, EGL 503 Studies in Milton, EGL 503 Studies in Genre, EGL 520 Studies in Renaissance, EGL 525 17th-Century Literature, EGL 530 Studies in Restoration Literature, EGL 535 Studies in Neoclassicism, EGL 540 Studies in Romanticism, EGL 545 Studies in Victorian Literature, EGL 547 Late 19th-Century British Literature, EGL 550 20th-Century British Literature, EGL 555 Studies in Irish Literature, EGL 560 Studies in Early American Literature, EGL 565 19th-Century American Literature, EGL 570 20th-Century American Literature, EGL 575 British and American Literature, EGL 584 Topics in Genre Studies. If students select to take English literature courses to fulfill this requirement the credit load may increase from eight credits to nine or ten (depending upon course selection).

One or more of the following practicums (4 credits)*

With the permission of the director, a course in writing or literature may be substituted in place of the practicum requirement.

CWL 580- Practicum in Arts Administration, 1-4 credits

CWL 581- Practicum in Teaching Writing, 3 credits

CWL 582 - Practicum in Publishing and Editing, 1-4 credits

MFA Thesis (6 credits)

CWL 599 Thesis