Academics

We believe the best way to deliver a creative writing program and build a strong community is through in-person workshops. However, for the sake of flexibility, we offer one synchronous online (Zoom) course per semester, and our publishing practicum has a hybrid option. Regardless of mode, we believe in small, intimate classes and cap workshops at 12 students.

Because students do not choose a genre track, they take classes in various styles and forms each semester. We believe exposure to diverse approaches makes for stronger writers.

Please visit our courses page to see what a traditional semester looks like.

The MFA in Creative Writing and Literature degree requires 46 credit hours, 40 of course work and a six-credit thesis. Here is how credits are distributed:

Required Introduction to the MFA Program (4 Credits)

CWL 500 - Introduction to Graduate Writing, 4 credits
A seminar that introduces students to one another, to the faculty, to the program in Creative Writing and Literature, and to issues in contemporary writing. Offered in conjunction with the "Writers Speak" lecture series. Students will attend the regular series of readings sponsored by the Creative Writing program and meet at weekly intervals under the direction of a faculty advisor to discuss and write about topics raised in the lecture series, as well as issues generated from seminar discussions and assigned readings.

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
Regular submission, discussion, and analysis of students’ work in one or more areas of fiction. Students will examine relevant works that illustrate point of view, character development, dialogue, plot, setting, theme, motif, and other aspects of fiction. Topics have included Short Story, Novel, Novella, Beginning the Novel, Advancing the Novel, Writing Everything, Fiction Writing, Children’s Literature, The Popular Novel, and The Comic Novel.

CWL 520 - Forms of Poetry, 4 credits
Regular submission, discussion, and analysis of students’ work in one or more areas of Poetry. Topics have included Powers of Poetry, Metaphor: The Poem As Object, Verse & Meter, Poetry and Poetics, Refined Challenges: Writing New Poems by Imitation, Poetry for Non-Poets, and Contemporary Forms of Poetry. First Book, a thesis workshop for poets, is offered under CWL 570.

CWL 530 - Forms of Scriptwriting, 4 credits
Regular submission, discussion, and analysis of students’ work in one or more contemporary areas of scriptwriting, with special emphasis on writing for film and theater. Topics have included Advanced Playwriting, Screenwriting, Fiction into Film, Musical Book, and Adaptation.

CWL 535 - Writing in Multiple Genres, 4 credits
Regular submission, discussion, and analysis of students’ work in two or more genres of creative writing. Topics have included Three Characters in Search of an Author; Imagining What You Know; What We Write About When We Write About Love; Fiction, Fact and the Heart of the Story; Writing about Place; Writing Everything; and Writing on Location.

CWL 540 - Forms of Creative Nonfiction, 4 credits
Regular submission, discussion, and analysis of students’ work in one or more contemporary fields of nonfiction writing. Topics have included Advanced Creative Nonfiction, Autobiography, Biography, Blogs and Alternate Forms, Expository Writing, The Journal, Historical Inquiry, Memoir, The Personal Essay, and Social Commentary.

CWL 550 - Forms of Professional and Scientific Writing, 4 credits
Regular submission, discussion, and analysis of students’ work in one or more contemporary modes of professional writing. Topics have included Advanced Professional Writing, Speechwriting in the Digital World, and Writing in the Public Sector.

CWL 570 - Advanced Writing Workshop, 4 credits
The focus is on work in progress and the development of an existing manuscript. The workshop is open to students who are pursuing a book-length project and who want to be exposed to the work of others in varying genres. Strongly recommended for students preparing for the thesis.

CWL 575 - Writers Conferences, 1-6 credits
The summer sessions at Southampton are intensive programs of creative writing workshops in all genres, including children’s literature, together with lectures, readings, seminars, and panels featuring nationally distinguished authors. These conferences encourage participation by visiting students, new writers, established writers, teachers of writing, and editors who will be admitted by application and may receive academic credit upon request. Graduate students may take any Writers Conference sponsored by the MFA program for academic credit.

TAF 650/CWL 530 - Forms of Scriptwriting, 4 credits
Regular submission, discussion, and analysis of students’ work in one or more contemporary areas of scriptwriting, with special emphasis on writing for film and theater. Topics have included Advanced Playwriting Workshop, Independent Film Screenwriting, Feature Film Screenwriting, Fiction into Film, and Advanced Scriptwriting Workshop. This course is offered in conjunction with the MFA in Theatre and Film. Admission is by permission of the director.

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

CWL 560 - Topics in Literature for Writers, 4 credits
A seminar for writers concentrating on one area of literary study, to be announced in the course schedule. The course may examine a contemporary or historical trend in literature, the rise of a specific genre, a social issue expressed in literature, an issue in literary theory, or any other topic of relevance and concern to students of writing. The emphasis will be on scholarly analysis. Topics have included Contemporary Fiction for Writers, Contemporary Poetry for Writers, The Russian Novel and Contemporary Fiction, Literature by Women, Southern Renaissance, French Literature, Children’s Literature, Theory and Criticism for Writers, Classic Plots, and Topics in American Humor.

CWL 565 - Special Topics in Writing, 4 credits
A seminar concentrating on a specific topic or concern in writing. The particular theme of the course will be announced in the course schedule. Topics may include, among others, studies of character development, the uses of humor, writing about place, finding one’s voice, and narrative style. Written work will be supported by the reading of related texts. Topics have included Publishing and Editing for Writers, Humor and Truth, Character Development, Writing for Children and Young Adults, Plot Development, Reading and Writing Comedy, Building Real Characters, The Evolution of Prose Poetry, Finding One’s Voice, Seriously Funny, and Writing about Place.

CWL 588 - Independent Study, 1-4 credits
Independent studies in topics chosen by the student are arranged through an individual instructor. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor and program director.

*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
Under the guidance of a faculty advisor, students will learn the essentials of arts administration. This may include assisting in the coordination of reading and lecture series, planning and administering conferences, or other writing and arts administration activities.

CWL 581- Practicum in Teaching Writing, 3 credits
Students take the seminar in preparation for teaching undergraduate or secondary school classes. This course provides hands-on experience and instruction in the basics of writing pedagogy, including designing writing assignments, sequencing assignments, motivating writing, writing skill development, and evaluating writing. Students will also be given a preliminary overview of the major theories driving composition pedagogy.

CWL 582 - Practicum in Publishing and Editing, 1-4 credits
Under the guidance of the faculty advisor, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing through the MFA’s literary magazine, TSR: The Southampton Review, and through the program’s newsletter.

MFA Thesis (6 credits)

CWL 599 Thesis
Every student in the MFA program in Creative Writing and Literature must complete a thesis that is a publishable, book-length work. It may be fiction, nonfiction, poetry, a series of related short pieces, or some other creative writing project approved by the student’s advisor.

Advising

All students have the option to meet with the program director or faculty advisor before the start of classes to discuss her or his first semester’s coursework.

Southampton Campus/SBU Main Campus Requirement

In order to graduate, each student needs to receive at least 4 credits on either the Southampton campus or Stony Brook’s main campus. This requirement can be easily fulfilled by attending the Southampton Writers Conference for two summers (2 credits each) or by taking a Saturday course during the semester. Our teaching practicum is often taught on main campus for 3 credits. Occasionally, we offer a 1-credit "sizzle" course in Southampton during the semester.

Time Limits

The time limit for the MFA is three years for full-time study and five years for part-time study. A student’s full- or part-time status is based on registration, and the limit may be modified if enrollment switches between part- and full-time. The student may petition for an extension of time limit for the degree. Such requests must be filed before the limit is exceeded and must contain a significant justification.

Transfer Credits

The program permits the transfer of up to 12 hours of credit in suitable graduate work done elsewhere that resulted in a grade of B or better. To obtain transfer credit, the student must make special application to the program, submit official transcripts and provide course descriptions or syllabi. Transfer credits are only approved at the discretion of the academic department and the Graduate School. Courses older than five years will be accepted only in rare circumstances. No courses that have been credited toward another degree, such as an MA or an MFA in a different field, can be transferred.

Thesis Quick Links:

About that Thesis...

What. Every student in the MFA program in Creative Writing and Literature must complete a thesis that is a publishable, book-length work. The genre may be fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or a script for the visual media. Some students choose to submit a collection of short stories. The thesis is judged solely on the quality of its intelligence and its writing.

When. After taking 24 graduate credits as a full-time student or 28-32 credits as a part-time student, and while completing remaining coursework, MFA students can consider registering for thesis. Most students spend two to three semesters preparing and completing their thesis. The program will also schedule workshops on thesis preparation as necessary during the academic year. This degree audit form will help you determine whether you’ve taken all of the other courses you need to earn your degree.

This thesis planning form, which you’ll need to get signed in order to register for a thesis, will help you organize your thoughts about what you are writing, and who your advisor and readers should be. Fill it out to the best of your ability before you approach a faculty member to be your advisor.

Thesis credits are flexible and can be stretched out over as many semesters as you think you’ll need to complete your creative work. Students must allot several weeks during their final thesis semester to meet the administrative requirements of the degree. You need to be registered for at least 1 credit of thesis during the semester in which you graduate, unless you are graduating in a summer term, in which case you can enroll in CWL 599 for 0 credits. Thesis requires a minimum of 6 credits. If you need an extra semester but you have taken all 6 credits of thesis already, you will have to purchase additional credits beyond the requirement to remain enrolled.

Who. Students petition a faculty member to serve as thesis advisor. The advisor is a member of the faculty of the MFA in Creative Writing and Literature program who has expertise in your thesis genre. It is usually someone with whom you have taken at least one course or workshop. Generally speaking, the thesis advisor provides guidance and criticism in the completion of the project, although the advisory role varies somewhat by genre as well as by individual faculty and student preferences. We see your thesis as a chance for you to establish your own professional habits as you complete a major work under the guidance of a faculty advisor. You will no longer be receiving the line-by-line edits often enjoyed in workshops. Rather, you will be focusing on the challenge of completing a novel, memoir, essay collection, poetry collection, short story collection, script or other written work. Your advisor will help you with this aspect of the process -- conceptualizing the thesis and carrying out the project.

After a faculty member agrees to serve as a thesis advisor, he or she will guide you in the selection of a thesis committee, which will consist of your advisor, one other member of the faculty in Creative Writing and Literature, and one outside reader knowledgeable in your field of interest. These second and third readers offer fresh eyes and new insights on the manuscript. Readers expect to see the final draft of the thesis, and their role is secondary to that of your thesis advisor. Readers generally will either approve or disapprove your thesis and provide brief commentary. The commentary varies by reader and can be as short as a paragraph or as long as a page. The reader review is generally succinct and may touch upon such aspects of the work as craft, language, originality, artistic relevance, intellectual depth, etc. Sometimes, readers may want to discuss a thesis draft with the advisor or MFA director, and may ask the advisor or director to incorporate the reader’s observations into his or her own comments to the student in order to simplify the process of giving and getting feedback. You should provide each of your readers with a hard copy of your manuscript.

Where. After the manuscript is written to the satisfaction of both MFA student and advisor and the thesis has been given to the second and third readers, the student must submit the thesis to the Creative Writing Program.

For the Creative Writing Program, students submit a bound copy of the manuscript with these specifications:

black buckram cover
hardcover binding
gold lettering on the spine in lower case with capitalization of first letters of words only (eg.: Last Name, Title of Work, Year)
8 ½ x 11” interior page size
Opening pages reflect the thesis template

This graduation checkout form, will help you organize the process of completing the SUNY Stony Brook and program requirements for graduation. This form must be completed in order for the program to certify to the Graduate School that the degree requirements have been met.

Download the graduation checkout form

Fill out your Thesis Completion Form and generate your signature page. Please make sure you have your thesis advisor's and readers' official titles before beginning.

There are many online binderies that can do this job. Here are two:

Thesis on Demand

http://thesisondemand.com/

Book1One

http://www.book1one.com/AcademicBooks/ThesesDissertations.aspx

One local bindery is C & H Bookbinding www.chbook.com. ProQuest is another option, but historically this company has taken longer to deliver bound copies. A third company is Bridgeport National Bindery, Inc., www.bnbindery.com.

Whether you use an online or bricks-and-mortar bindery, direct it to send the pre-paid bound copy to:

MFA Program in Creative Writing and Literature
Chancellors Hall Room 238
Stony Brook Southampton
239 Montauk Highway
Southampton, NY 11968
Phone: 631-632-5030

Thesis Formatting

Pages

Your pages can be single or double-sided

Fonts

Standard fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial are recommended. Fonts should not be smaller than 15 characters per inch. Size 12 font is recommended.
Exceptions for font size will be made in the case of format style, when larger type is used for chapter or division headings, or if it is necessary to change type for equations, symbols or figure captions.
If you are unsure whether your font is acceptable, please have it checked by the Program.
The font must be consistent throughout the text. Fonts can differ for tables/figures/graphs, etc., but all main text (in the preliminary pages, main body, and reference material) should be in the same font.
Font color must be black for all main text. Colored font can be used for charts, graphs, maps, etc.

Margins

All margins must measure 1 inch. 1½ inches for all margins is also acceptable. The pages are trimmed if the document is bound, so it is important to adhere to these specifications.
The right-hand margin of the text may be justified or ragged.
Page numbers should be contained in the above margin requirements. However, page numbers may be placed at the 1” margin, but should not be placed lower than ½”.
The text of your manuscript may be single or double-spaced, although single-spacing is preferred. One and a half inch spacing is also acceptable.
The first line of each paragraph should be indented using a standard tab indent.
The first line of the text of each chapter or major division should be about 1” (approximately 6 single spaces) below the last line of the chapter title or section heading, or may start on a new page.

Pagination

Please use page numbers.
Preliminary pages are numbered in lower-case Roman numerals at the bottom center. All preliminary pages are numbered except for the Title Page and Copyright Page, which is optional.
Arabic numerals begin with 1 on the first page of the first chapter.
Every page in the main body must be consecutively numbered in Arabic numerals centered at the top or bottom of the page.
The placement of page numbers in the main body must remain consistent throughout the thesis.
Page numbers should be contained in the margin requirements and may be placed at the 1” margin, but should not be placed lower than ½”.

Advanced Certificate in Creative Writing

The Advanced Certificate is designed for working adults who have completed a BA and who are interested in master’s level instruction, but who cannot commit to a full-time course of study. A sixteen credit-hour concentration, it allows students to take a maximum of four courses over 4-6 semesters in the MFA program. While certificate students have access to the same courses as Masters students, they are not eligible for Graduate or Teaching Assistantships. Certificate students who later apply successfully to the MFA program can transfer up to 12 of the credits they earned. Certificate applicants prepare the same materials and follow the same instructions as for an MFA application, explained on the Admissions page, with two exceptions:

Select Certificate from the Intended Degree dropdown menu
Select Creative Writing and Literature Certificate Program from the Intended Program dropdown menu

APPLY HERE

Questions? Please email cwgrad@stonybrook.edu.

Courses by Semester

2026

CWL MFA Fall 2026 Course List coming soon!

All CWL courses are 4 credits unless noted otherwise.

All classes are In Person unless noted otherwise.

NB: Spring semester begins Monday, January 26. Last day of regularly scheduled classes is Saturday, May 9. The official end of term is Wednesday, May 20.
Registration begins Nov. 3, 2025 Full Academic Calendar.

Course requests should be put through our online form.

MANHATTAN

CWL 510.S60 (55067): Writing the Fantastical - Marissa Levien

Thursdays. 6-8:50PM

What happens to a story when we leave realism behind? Do the same craft rules apply? What does it take to write a fantastical story and write it well? In this class we'll workshop two stories per student and read examples of short stories in many fantastical genres including horror, spec, sci-fi, magical realism, and fantasy. Authors will include Kelly Link, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carmen Maria Machado, Octavia Butler, Arthur C. Clarke, Mariana Enriquez, and more.

CWL 535.S60 (55068): Writing in Multiple Genres: Humor Writing - Patricia Marx

Wednesdays. 6-8:50PM

“Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.”—James Thurber

“Comedy has to be based on truth. You take the truth and you put a little curlicue at the end.” —Sid Caesar

“Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” —Mel Brooks

“. . .An amateur thinks it's really funny if you dress a man up as an old lady, put him in a wheelchair, and give the wheelchair a push that sends it spinning down a slope towards a stone wall. For a pro, it's got to be a real old lady.”—Groucho Marx

“What is comedy? Comedy is the art of making people laugh without making them puke.” —Steve Martin

“You know, crankiness is the essence of all comedy.”—Jerry Seinfeld

“Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.” –E.B. White

“Patty Marx is the best teacher in the Creative Writing Program.”—Patricia Marx

One of the above quotations is false. Find out which one in this humor-writing workshop, where you will read, listen to, and watch comedic samples from well-known and lesser-known humorists, and complete weekly writing assignments. Students already working on projects are welcome to develop them. You will learn a thing or two and you will have fun - or else!

CWL 560.S60 (53030): Topics in Literature for Writers: Long Form Fragmented Narrative- Robert Lopez

Wednesdays. 2:30-5:20PM

In this class we'll read and discuss fragmented/fractured long-form narrative in novels and creative nonfiction. We will examine how these writers employ form and challenge tradition and then we'll write our own pastiches based on these works. We'll read books by Renata Adler, Renee Gladman, Mary Robison, David Shields, Fernando Pessoa, Juan Rulfo, Elizabeth Hardwick, and others.

SOUTHAMPTON

CWL 510 S.01 (53573): Forms of Fiction: Advancing Fiction - Robert Reeves

Tuesdays. 6-8:50 PM

This workshop welcomes creative writers with projects either well underway or just beginning—primarily in fiction, regardless of length, form, or genre, but also including work more broadly described as ‘narrative prose.” In short: all storytellers are welcome.

Each week, we’ll workshop stories-in-progress, attuning ourselves as much as possible to each writer’s goals and intentions. Our focus will be thoughtful, constructive responses, aimed at helping each project move forward through a process of revision, always doing our utmost to evaluate the work on its own terms. For guidance and inspiration, we’ll read and discuss a wide range of fiction – some contemporary, some classic. Readings will include selections I assign as well as models suggested by workshop members. And finally, since writing is hard labor, we’ll do our best to have a little fun along the way.

CWL 520.S01 (55071): Forms of Poetry: Art of Voice; Or, The Great Southampton Poetry Voice-Off - Molly Gaudry

Select Saturdays. 11AM-5PM

Meeting dates: Jan 31 (11:00-12:00 on Zoom), and in person on Feb 7, Feb 21, Mar 7, Mar 28, Apr 11, Apr 25, May 9.

Our Saturdays will begin with an open mic, during which you’ll share your Signature poem resulting from the previous meeting’s reading and homework. Then we’ll move into a timed Technical Challenge, for which you’ll produce a range of poetic forms, structures, and “movements.” We’ll break for lunch; then we’ll come back to discuss published collections and workshop your own Showstopper poems. While this class is designed for poets and the poetry-curious, prose writers may also benefit from studying voice-focused techniques and further expanding their range as writers. Required Books: Tony Hoagland’s The Art of Voice: Poetic Principles and Practice; Ross Gay’s Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude; Chen Chen’s When I Grow Up I Wish to Be a List of Further Possibilities; E. Briskin’s Orange; Claire Wahmanholm’s Meltwater.

CWL 580.S01 (55395): Practicum in Arts Administration: Murder We Wrote - Christian McLean

Tuesdays, 12:30-2:20pm (1-4 credits)

We’re going to create a Murder Mystery and, in doing so, learn important skills in arts/event management. The course provides education in marketing, design and software that will boost your résumé and increase your workplace skill set. We’ll examine work/volunteer opportunities in local arts organizations and you will design an MFA event from the ground up. Learn the basics of Photoshop, InDesign, Mailmerge, Google Docs/Sheets, Constant Contact.

Completion of at least 6 program credits or permission of instructor required.

STONY BROOK MAIN CAMPUS

CWL 581.S01 (55351): Practicum in Teaching Writing - Christine Kitano

Thursdays. 9:30am to 12:20pm (3-credits)

This course is designed to prepare graduate students to teach undergraduate courses in creative writing. We will cover basic pedagogical models with special consideration to conducting a creative classroom in an academic setting. Course assignments will include class observations, sample teaching demonstrations, and work toward a teaching portfolio (teaching statement, sample syllabi) for future job applications. The course will also include a unit on teaching poetry to prepare students to teach the three-genre "Introduction to Creative Writing" (CWL 202) course at Stony Brook. Note that class meetings will be in-person on Stony Brook's main campus on Long Island. Successful completion of this course is required for all who plan on working as a Graduate Instructor or TA.

While the course will be based on main campus in Stony Brook, NY, we won't necessarily be meeting together every single week. There will be weeks when you will be observing other courses which means you'll have some flexibility in what day/time to be on campus. If you have questions or concerns, email me directly (christine.kitano@stonybrook.edu).

ONLINE

CWL 510.S30 (53596): Forms of Fiction: The Short Story - Amy Hempel

Mondays. 6-8:50PM

We will use a range of narrative strategies to strengthen two stories by each student over the semester. The instructor will bring in one or two contemporary stories to read each week, stories that make successful use of these same strategies. These will include work by such writers as Joy Williams, Sherry Sonnet, Mary Robison, Davy Rothbart, Paulina Flores, Edward P. Jones, Nami Mun, Ayse Papatya Bucak, Manual Gonzales, and more Joy Williams.

CWL 682.S30 (53006): Practicum in Publishing and Editing: Reading Like a Book Editor - Alison Fairbrother

Mondays. 11AM-1:50PM (1-4 credits)

This course is designed to give writers a strong foundational understanding of book publishing. What are editors looking for? How do I craft compelling query letters? Where does my novel fall on the literary-commercial spectrum? What does upmarket mean? This course will engage with these questions and more. We will learn how editors evaluate projects for acquisition, how they approach editing on the page, and how different stakeholders work together to bring a book from concept to marketplace. We will engage in real-world editorial decision making, using sample manuscripts from BookEnds. We'll hone our editing skills using sample novel drafts, and we'll practice crafting copy for our own works in progress, sharpening our ability to talk about our writing in formal pitches to agents and editors. While no writer should write toward the market, we can be savvy about the industry, understanding its trends, dynamics, and standards. Editors at major publishing houses will be visiting class throughout the semester.

THESIS

(1-6 credits)

53574 CWL 599 V01 Karen Bender

53572 CWL 599 V02 Magdalene Brandeis

53577 CWL 599 V03 Carla Caglioti

53578 CWL 599 V05 Amy Hempel

53579 CWL 599 V06 Kaylie Jones

53580 CWL 599 V07 Christine Kitano

53581CWL 599 V08 Matthew Klam

53582 CWL 599 V09 Robert Lopez

53583 CWL 599 V10 Patricia Marx

53584 CWL 599 V11Christian McLean

53586 CWL 599 V13 Susan Minot

53587 CWL 599 V14 Julie Sheehan

53588 CWL 599 V15 Molly Gaudry

53597 CWL 599 V16 Lou Ann Walker

2025

All CWL courses are 4 credits unless noted otherwise. FLM courses 1-3 credits.

All classes are in person unless noted otherwise.

Fall semester begins Monday, August 25. Last day of regularly scheduled classes is Monday, December 8. The official end of term is Thursday, December 18.

Registration begins April 7, 2025. Full Academic Calendar

GRADUATE COURSES IN Manhattan (in-person)

CWL 500.S60 (95529) - Introduction to Graduate Creative Writing

Christian McLean

Wednesday, 6:00-8:50 PM, 4 credits

Part ethics, part studio, part special guest appearances and craft conversations, this course is designed to get you thinking about how you would like to exist in the creative world, both in this program and beyond. You’ll explore recent and current events in writing, dig into literary magazines, and spend time generating work. You’ll explore craft. You’ll engage with contemporary writers in and outside of our faculty. The course is designed with you and your MFA experience at the forefront.

CWL 510-S60 (92834) - Forms of Fiction - Short Story - FULL

Amy Hempel

Monday, 6:00-8:50 PM, 4 credits

Submission and discussion of two short stories, plus weekly reading of exemplary contemporary stories and personal essays provided by the instructor. Authors will include Joy Williams, Ayse Papatya Bucak, Aaliyah Bilal, Bret Anthony Johnston, Morgan Talty, Taylor Koekkoek, and more. All elements of powerful stories will be examined, as well as a range of narrative strategies available to all.

CWL 520.S60 (92859) - Forms of Poetry - Mining the Museum

L.B. (Laura) Thompson

Seven Saturdays (9/6, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, 10/18, 11/01, 11/15), 11AM - 4:50PM, 4 credits

This course in hybrid and intertextual forms of poetry takes its title from visual artist Fred Wilson’s revelatory recontextualizations of museum collections. How can we interact with fine art to understand, critique, and generate new poetic texts? Museum/archive visits to consider Fred Wilson's techniques for interrogating collections will be an early point of exploration. Public art and its legal backchannels, as well as altered books by Tom Phillips, Jen Bervin, Ronald Johnson, Janet Holmes, and Terrance Hayes, are examples of ways our perspectives can emerge in original poetic compositions arising from art. The techniques we will cultivate in this course are designed to serve projects in any genre.

CWL 535.S60 (92852) - Writing in Multiple Genres - Risking Form and Language

Robert Lopez

Wednesdays, 2:30-5:20 PM, 4 credits

In short fiction and essays: In this class we'll read and write prose works that employ innovative forms and push language in fresh directions. We'll be on the lookout for the unexpected, the surprising turn of syntax and diction that can startle readers and reveal complex truths and emotions. We'll read stories and essays by Joy Williams, Garielle Lutz, Renee Gladman, John Keene, Samuel Beckett, Anne Carson and others.

CWL 565.S60 (92855) - Special Topics in Writing - The Novella

Susan Minot

Tuesdays, 6:00-8:50 PM, 4 credits

The novella, caught between the short story and the novel, may have the best aspects of each: an intensity and velocity demanded by its length alongside an extra length capable of taking the tale farther and deeper. The novella length—for our purposes up to 160 pages, but as short as 50-- fits Joan Didion’s wish for a book: one which one is able to read in one sitting. It is a stellar, if not the most appealing, form. In this seminar we will read one novella each week and examine its form and content, noting how each writer utilizes its benefits and mines its limitations. Students will be responsible for procuring the books/reading themselves, preferably before class begins, or close to it. Selections will be chosen from: James Baldwin, Claire Keegan, Karen Russell, William Maxwell, Jenny Offill, Juan Rulfo, Rachel Cusk, Leo Tolstoy, Katherine Anne Porter, David Vann, Anne Carson, Louise de Vilmorin, Agatha Christie.

FLM 550.S60 - Teaching Practicum - Karen Offitzer

Thursdays, 2:30-5:20 PM, 3 credits

This is a weekly seminar in teaching at the University level, with special emphasis on teaching in the creative arts, specifically creative writing and filmmaking. Open to students in our Creative Writing, Film and TV Writing programs, this course plunges into the basics of pedagogy, exploring learning styles, discovering a teaching philosophy, designing syllabi for undergraduate courses, creating assignments and rubrics for grading assignments, and practicing these skills in a classroom setting. You’ll get hands-on experience and mentoring through visits to undergraduate classes and teaching opportunities, and will gain an understanding of what works best for helping undergraduate students learn. Particular focus will be on discussing issues that arise when teaching creative endeavors such as writing and filmmaking. OPEN TO FLM, TV AND CWL STUDENTS

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

CWL 535.S01 (92873) - Writing in Multiple Genres - Write Your Head Off*

Robert Reeves

Tuesdays, 6:00 - 8:50 PM, 4 credits

In a letter to her agent, Flannery O’Connor wrote, "I have to write to discover what I am doing.” In Aspects of the Novel, E.M. Forster puts it this way: “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?" This generative workshop welcomes writers seeking to “discover” new work in short fiction, personal essay, and creative nonfiction, but we won’t worry too much about labeling pages that don’t yet exist. In class, we’ll work from prompts, discuss each other’s work, and pause from time to time to consider issues important to contemporary writers, but mostly – take a deep breath – we will write. The justification for all the intense labor, frustration, and self-doubt? Simply this: the only way to get to the amazing pages trapped inside of you is to write your way there. That path can require hard work, so it’s only fair that, along the way, we try to have a little fun.

Course title borrowed from Melissa Bank’s renowned generative workshop.

CWL 560.S01 (95536) - Topics in Literature for Writers - Experimental Literature

Susan Scarf Merrell
Tuesdays, 2:30 - 5:20 pm, 4 credits
Nothing great ever comes from following the rules. Or does it? What is experimental literature? How can we think about it as writers, in terms of craft “lessons” that we can learn to use in our own work? This class will examine risk-taking in literature, with a very heavy reading load, weekly annotations on craft, the writing of responsive short fiction, and student presentations. Texts include Moby-Dick, Herman Melville, As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner, The Waves, Virginia Woolf, Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, Labyrinths, Jorge Luis Borges, Beloved, Toni Morrison, The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead, and some experimental short stories.

CWL 580-S01 - Arts Administration

Carla Caglioti

To Be Arranged, 1-4 credits

Under the guidance of a faculty advisor, students will learn the essentials of arts administration. This may include assisting in the coordination of reading and lecture series, planning and administering conferences, or other writing and arts administration activities.

online

CWL 510.S30 (95530) - Forms of Fiction - Creating Characters - A Lab in Writing Characters You Can't Stop Reading About

Karen Bender

Thursdays, 6:00-8:50 PM, 4 credits

How do you create characters from the inside out? How do you create them through interiority, dialogue, action, interaction? In this class, which will be held on zoom, we will read two or three short stories per class, examining ways that writers create great and memorable characters. We will see how motivation leads to action, how "unlikable" characters can be compelling, how characters exist across time. We will read stories by writers including Tillie Olsen, Mavis Gallant, Haruki Murakami, Yiyun Li, Edward P. Jones, Joy Williams, Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum, Jamaica Kincaid, and others. The class is also a workshop, and each student will turn in two pieces, stories, or chapters, which we will read with an eye to developing both major and minor characters within a work.

CWL 582-S01 – (92861) - Practicum in Publishing and Editing

Lou Ann Walker

Tuesday, 11:00 AM-1:50 PM, 1-4 credits

Under the guidance of editors and advisors, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing TSR: The Southampton Review. Yes, the P&E Practicum is designed to give you experience in editing a literary and arts review. But here’s the secret: This practicum also provides an excellent means for you to build your skills as a writer. For example, as you read submissions in Submittable, you’ll be seeing what works and doesn’t work in cover letters. You’ll be examining successful structures in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You’ll be acquiring editing diagnostic tools. And you’ll be drilling down to what works line by line throughout a creative piece. We’ll discuss word choices, juxtapositions, imagery, symbolism, all that good stuff.

THESIS

CWL 599.V01 (91310) Karen Bender

CWL 599.V02 (91311) Magdalene Brandeis

CWL 599.V03 (91312) Carla Caglioti

CWL 599.V05 (91314) Amy Hempel

CWL 599.V06 (91315) Kaylie Jones

CWL 599.V07 (91316) Christine Kitano

CWL 599.V08 (91317) Matthew Klam

CWL 599.V09 (91318) Robert Lopez

CWL 599.V10 (91319) Patricia Marx

CWL 599.V11 (91320) Christian McLean

CWL 599.V12 (91321) Susan Scarf Merrell

CWL 599.V13 (91322) Susan Minot

CWL 599.V14 (91323) Julie Sheehan

CWL 599.V15 (91324) Molly Gaudry

CWL 599.V16 (91325) Lou Ann Walker

CWL 599.V17 (91330) Emma Walton Hamilton

CWL 599.V18 (91359) Carla Caglioti

All CWL courses are 4 credits unless noted otherwise. FLM courses 1-3 credits.

All classes are In Person unless noted otherwise.

NB: Spring semester begins Monday, January 27. Last day of regularly scheduled classes is Saturday, May 10. The official end of term is Wednesday, May 21.
Registration begins Nov. 4, 2024 Full Academic Calendar.

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

CWL 510.01, Forms of Fiction: The Short Story in Particular: Amy Hempel

Tuesdays 6:00-8:50pm

The title of this course comes from the required text: WRITING IN GENERAL AND THE SHORT STORY IN PARTICULAR, by Rust Hills (available in paperback). This is a writing workshop that aims to amplify what a story can be, using examples of contemporary fiction and several personal essays. We'll aim for stories that answer a reader's fundamental question: Why are you telling me this? Depending on the class size, you can expect to submit two to three stories over the semester for class discussion, along with discussion of key narrative strategies employed in the stories and essays I will hand out weekly by such writers as Kathryn Scanlan, Kimberly King Parsons, Jo Ann Beard, Davy Rothbart, Taylor Koekkoek, and many more.

CWL 560.S01, Topics in Literature for Writers: Epic Echoes: Susan Scarf Merrell

Tuesdays, 2:30 - 5:20pm

Students will begin with Homer’s Iliad* and Odyssey and then go on to read a range of fictions based on those works, including parts of Joyce’s Ulysses, and such books as As I Lay Dying, The Wizard of Oz, The Penelopiad, Observatory Mansions, Ransom, Beloved, and In the Distance. We will become proficient in recognizing the echoes of earlier work in more recent fiction, and students will also produce epic journey fictions of their own.

CWL 580.S01, Practicum in Arts Administration: Christian McLean

Thursdays, 11am-1:50pm

This course teaches important skills in arts/event management. It provides education in marketing, design and software that will boost your résumé and increase your workplace skill set. We’ll examine work/volunteer opportunities in local arts organizations and you will design an MFA event from the ground up. Learn the basics in Photoshop, Mailmerge, Google Docs/Sheets, Constant Contact, plus Facebook and Twitter ads. Completion of at least 6 program credits or permission of instructor required.

CWL 588.01 – Independent Study: Radical Approach to Narrative: Frederic Tuten

Saturdays (Feb 8-zoom, Feb 22, March 8)

This class will examine alternative narrative structures. I want to discuss ways of thinking and approaching storytelling or, generally speaking, fiction. I think there are ways of entertaining your conception of writing fiction in radical directions as writers. We will read fiction and watch films that would seemingly disregard conventional structures–plot, round characters, arc of the action, etc.

In this regard, I hope to talk about such books as David Markson’s This is Not a Novel or A Reader’s Block and surrealist “novels” like Andre Breton’s Nadja and Djuna Barnes’ “novel” Nightwood. I want to show such films as An Andalusian Dog by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí and Andrzej Zulawski’s Possession.

My idea is to make this an exciting experience, one that I hope will reinvigorate (or invigorate) your thoughts and behaviors as a writer.

While most of the work will take place on two Saturdays in Southampton, a zoom class will occur earlier in the semester.

GRADUATE COURSES IN Manhattan (in-person)

CWL 588.V07 Independent Study: Ekphrasis

Christine Kitano

3 Saturdays Saturday, February 1 (Zoom), Saturday, March 1 (Meet at museum, TBD), Saturday, April 5 (Meet at SBU Manhattan campus) 1 credit

From the Greek for "description," an ekphrastic poem describes and responds to another work of art. One might wonder about the function of ekphrasis–why read about a painting or film instead of experiencing the work itself? What does a poem do that other art forms do not? On the other end of the spectrum, one might wonder if all poems are, in essence, ekphrastic. In this class we'll consider what it means to write an ekphrastic poem and investigate what makes for a "good" or "successful" ekphrastic enterprise. We'll take advantage of our location in the art capital of the world to experience works of art first-hand, then experiment with how to write about these experiences. Class assignments will consist of creative responses. Topics discussed will be of use to all genres of writing and film. Open to all, from poetry die-hards to the poetry-curious.

CWL 540.S60 Forms of Creative Nonfiction: Memoir

Lou Ann Walker

Wednesday, 2:30-5:20pm, 4 credits

We could even retitle this course “Life: A Story.” In addition to reading new masters of the memoir form, you’ll be writing in order to discover themes in your life. We'll be touching on narrative subjects such as the reliability of memory, point of view, tackling the accuracy of dialogue, as well as how to portray other characters in your life—memoir is not just about the “I.” You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish during this semester. Our reading list will be finalized at the beginning of our class meetings depending on what will be most useful to you as writers, but excerpts of some of the works we’ll be considering include: The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom; Out of Egypt by André Aciman; Educated by Tara Westover; The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer; The Color of Water by James McBride; Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez; Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey; When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanith; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah.

CWL 560.S60 Topics in Literature for Writers: Within and Without in Creative Nonfiction - Going Beyond Straight Memoir

Robert Lopez

Wednesday, 6:00-8:50pm, 4 credits

In this class we'll read books by writers who tackle CNF in a more global and comprehensive manner than straight memoir. These writers add an element of journalism and scholarship to the work and we'll compare this with a few writers who only employ a personal narrative to examine big issues. We'll read John D'Agata, Eula Biss, Claudia Rankine, Chloe Cooper Jones, Kiese Laymon, and others.

Course includes attendance of all Writers Speak events in Manhattan.

CWL 570.S60, Advanced Writing Workshop: Re-Visioning Your Story

Karen Bender

Thursday, 6:00-8:50pm, 4 credits

Revision is a writer's superpower, and this class will be a workshop/lab in which you work on one story, chapter or essay throughout the semester. Students turn in a first draft of their work, we'll workshop it, and each student will get a personalized revision exercise to start the process going. Students turn in a fully revised second draft of the work as a second submission. We'll look at revision as a process that happens in stages--from creating the architecture of the story, to deepening characters, to creating scenes vs. summary, to honing language at the end. We will also be reading different drafts of published writers' work and do in-class writing that will help you explore your work in progress. We'll see how re-visioning can be as playful and creative as a first draft. We'll also research magazines that could be a good fit for your project and send the work out the last day of class.

CWL 582.S60, Practicum in Publishing & Editing

Lou Ann Walker & Scott Sullivan

Monday, 11:00am-1:50pm, 1-4 credits

Under the guidance of editors and advisors, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing TSR: The Southampton Review. Yes, the P& E Practicum is designed to give you experience in editing a literary and arts review. But here’s the secret: This practicum also provides an excellent means for you to build your skills as a writer. For example, as you read submissions in Submittable, you’ll be seeing what works and doesn’t work in cover letters. You’ll be examining successful structures in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You’ll be acquiring editing diagnostic tools. And you’ll be drilling down to what works line by line throughout a creative piece. We’ll discuss word choices, juxtapositions, imagery, symbolism, all that good stuff.

NOTE: One instructor will be online the other in Manhattan. This course will be taught jointly. You may take this course in either place.

Manhattan/ Main CAMPUS/ online

FLM 550.S01 #54161 Teaching Practicum (also counts toward CWL581 and TVW550)

Karen Offitzer

Thursdays, 9:30am-12:20pm, 3 credits

This is a weekly seminar in teaching at the University level, with special emphasis on teaching in the creative arts, specifically creative writing and filmmaking. This course plunges into the basics of pedagogy, exploring learning styles, discovering a teaching philosophy, designing syllabi for undergraduate courses, creating assignments and rubrics for grading assignments, and practicing these skills in a classroom setting. You’ll get hands-on experience and mentoring through visits to undergraduate classes and teaching opportunities and will gain an understanding of what works best for helping undergraduate students learn. Particular focus will be on exploring issues that arise when teaching creative endeavors such as writing and filmmaking. Classes will be held at the Manhattan Center for Creative Writing and Film and Main Campus (Stony Brook) according to schedule below.

Scheduled Meetings (subject to change):

Jan 30 MANHATTAN CENTER FOR CREATIVE WRITING AND FILM

Feb 6 MANHATTAN CENTER FOR CREATIVE WRITING AND FILM

Feb 13 ZOOM

Feb 20 ZOOM

Feb 27 MAIN CAMPUS (STONY BROOK) MELVILLE N3035

Mar 6 MAIN CAMPUS (STONY BROOK) MELVILLE N3035

Mar 13 ZOOM

Mar 20 SPRING BREAK

Mar 27 MANHATTAN CENTER/MAIN* MELVILLE N3035

Apr 3 MANHATTAN CENTER/MAIN* MELVILLE N3035

Apr 10 MANHATTAN CENTER/MAIN* MELVILLE N3035

Apr 17 MANHATTAN CENTER/MAIN* MELVILLE N3035

Apr 24 MANHATTAN CENTER/MAIN* MELVILLE N3035

May 1 ZOOM MANHATTAN CENTER/MAIN: Manhattan-based students can attend MANHATTAN CENTER location for these 5 classes.

online

CWL 510.S30: Forms of Fiction, Fiction Workshop

Susan Minot (online)

Monday, 6:00-8:50PM, 4 credits

Students will submit their pages (under 10 pages) for VERY close scrutiny twice during the semester, and will also edit the pages for fellow classmates’ submission. Our focus will be on different forms of fiction: flash fiction, the novella, the short story, the novel and exploring what elements they share and what elements are unique to each. Therefore, reading samples of the various forms will be read from the masters. Among them: James Baldwin, Claire Keegan, Jorge Luis Borges, Karen Russell, Eve Babitz, William Maxwell, Jenny Offill, Juan Rulfo, Lydia Davis, Samuel Beckett, Colette, Leo Tolstoy, Alice Munro, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Agatha Christie.

CWL 582.S30: Practicum in Publishing & Editing

Lou Ann Walker & Scott Sullivan (hybrid)

Tuesdays, 11:00am-1:50pm, 1-4 credits

Under the guidance of editors and advisors, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing TSR: The Southampton Review. Yes, the P& E Practicum is designed to give you experience in editing a literary and arts review. But here’s the secret: This practicum also provides an excellent means for you to build your skills as a writer. For example, as you read submissions in Submittable, you’ll be seeing what works and doesn’t work in cover letters. You’ll be examining successful structures in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You’ll be acquiring editing diagnostic tools. And you’ll be drilling down to what works line by line throughout a creative piece. We’ll discuss word choices, juxtapositions, imagery, symbolism, all that good stuff.

NOTE: One instructor will be online the other in Manhattan. This course will be taught jointly. You may take this course in either place.*

EGL 588.01 Writing Workshop Creative Nonfiction

David Weiden

Online Asynchronous, 3 credits

This course examines the structures and techniques used in creative nonfiction, focusing on the subgenres of literary journalism, cultural criticism, personal essay, lyric essay, social commentary, and memoir. Students will analyze texts from a critical perspective, focusing on both content and form, and will learn the methods and techniques of creative nonfiction, including dialogue, scenes, setting, prose, narrative distance, and revision. Discussions, writing activities, and peer critiques will be utilized, and students will write and revise an essay in the subgenre of their choice. No previous experience in creative writing or creative nonfiction is necessary for this course.

TVW 525.S65 (#) Topics in Film: TV Guest Series: Alan Kingsberg

Mon, 7:30-9:20 pm (1 cr)

A moderated guest series featuring in-depth discussions with TV writers and producers about their scripts, series and careers.   Meets four times during the Fall semester.

FILM and TV WRITING

FLM 652.S60 Screenwriting III

Lenny Crooks

Thursdays,5:30-8:20, 3 credits

Students must have the first two acts of a screenplay already completed.

Subject to availability.

2024

All CWL courses are 4 credits unless noted otherwise. FLM courses 1-3 credits.

All classes are In Person unless noted otherwise.

NB: Fall semester begins Monday, August 26. Last day of regularly scheduled classes is Monday, December 9. Official end of term is Thursday, December 19. Full Academic Calendar.

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

CWL 500-S01 – 95360 - Intro to Graduate Writing: Christian McLean

Wednesday, 5:30-8:20 PM

Part ethics, part studio, part special guest appearances and craft conversations, this course is designed to get you thinking about how you would like to exist in the creative world, both in this program and beyond. You’ll explore recent and current events in writing, dig into literary magazines, spend time generating and sharing work. You’ll read craft books. You’ll meet MFA faculty. The course is designed with you and your MFA experience at the forefront. Please note that CWL 500 is a requirement and we encourage you to take this course in your first year. (Will be offered in Manhattan in Spring ’25).

CWL 510-S01 – 95366 - Forms of Fiction: Starting Your Novel: Susan Scarf Merrell

Tuesdays, 2:30-5:20 PM

What we’re not going to do: workshop pages that aren’t ready to be seen. What we are going to do: workshop your plan, your characters, your reasons for exploring the ideas you’re exploring. We’ll read some how-to guides on novel structure, and perhaps some contemporary novels. We’ll explore the many ways novels are shaped. We’ll talk POV, structure, voice, character. We’ll do some in-class writing and much in-class reading and talking. We’ll figure out how to break the Novel Monster down into manageable writing projects, and we’ll protect each other and our vulnerable manuscripts as they take shape. Requirement: A good idea for a novel.

CWL 540-S01 – 96906 - Forms of Creative Nonfiction: The Lyric Essay: Molly Gaudry

Thursday 2:30-5:20 PM

The lyric essay is a hybrid genre that accepts and rejects elements of both the personal essay and lyric poetry traditions. Blending nonfiction’s personal I and poetry’s lyric I, the lyric essay is (among other things) a highly performative genre especially well-suited for the dramatization of intense and particularly traumatic self-expression. But it is also flexible enough to allow for more playful, lighthearted subject matter and forms. As this course privileges generation over revision there are no formal workshops, but you will have time in class to share lyric essays-in-progress, to begin to compile these toward a possible memoir-in-essays, and to receive substantial feedback throughout the semester. Readings will include selections from the following:

The Lyric Essay as Resistance: Truth from the Margins, Zoë Bossiere & Erica Trabold

A Primer for Poets and Readers of Poetry by Gregory Orr

The Sound of Undoing: A Memoir in Essays by Paige Towers

The Book of (More) Delights: Essays by Ross Gay

The Loneliness Files: A Memoir in Essays by Athena Dixon

Everybody Come Alive: A Memoir in Essays by Marcie Alvis Walker

A Harp in the Stars: An Anthology of Lyric Essays, Randon Billings Noble

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

CWL 565-S01 – 95361 - Special Topics in Writing: SF/Fantasy: Easy to Read, Not Easy to Write: Kaylie Jones

Thursday, 5:30-8:20PM

Those of us who avidly read Science Fiction and Fantasy have excellent ideas for the kind of book we’d like to write. We set out on this task, only to realize that creating a strange new world populated by alien laws, customs, and beings is so much more complicated and difficult than we at first thought. We will focus on this aspect of SF and Fantasy writing, looking at successful examples in these genres.

CWL 580-S01 – 95353 - Practicum in Arts Admin: Carla Caglioti

TBD

CWL 582-S01 – 95355 - Practicum in Publishing and Editing: Lou Ann Walker and Scott Sullivan

Tuesday, 11:00 AM-1:50 PM - In Person/Hybrid (This course will be taught jointly in both locations)

Under the guidance of editors and advisors, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing TSR: The Southampton Review. Yes, the P& E Practicum is designed to give you experience in editing a literary and arts review. But here’s the secret: This practicum also provides an excellent means for you to build your skills as a writer. For example, as you read submissions in Submittable, you’ll be seeing what works and doesn’t work in cover letters. You’ll be examining successful structures in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You’ll be acquiring editing diagnostic tools. And you’ll be drilling down to what works line by line throughout a creative piece. We’ll discuss word choices, juxtapositions, imagery, symbolism, all that good stuff.

GRADUATE COURSES IN Manhattan(in-person)

CWL 510-S60 – 95307 - Forms of Fiction: The Short-Short Story from Tolstoy to Today: A Workshop

Amy Hempel

Tuesdays, 5:30-8:20 PM

In this course we will read and discuss short-short stories and prose poems from several countries and centuries, drawing mostly from contemporary examples. Students will write frequently in one or both forms, after we look at the specific requirements of each, a variety of definitions, and differences, and similarities. As one practitioner noted, “The short-short is like a regular story, only more so.”

CWL 520-S60 – 95352 - Forms of Poetry: Questions of Travel

Julie Sheehan

Seven Saturdays (9/7, 9/21, 10/5, 10/19, 11/2, 11/16, 12/7), 11AM-4:50PM

This is a course in description, foundational to the lyric impulse, for both experienced poets and the poetry-curious. And, since we can't describe something without developing an opinion about it, it's also a course in point of view. From Brazil to Bronzeville, from islands to ideals, we'll explore the idea of place and journey as poetic tropes in both contemporary practitioners and their antecedents. We will read eclectically: William Shakespeare, Gwendolyn Brooks, Elizabeth Bishop, Nate Marshall, Anthony DiPietro. We will investigate the settings around us. We will travel through food. And we will journey in our own poetry through prompts in the spirit of the readings. With luck, we’ll have a revelation or two, and, by semester’s end, a clutch of new poems.

CWL 535-S30 – 95310 - Writing in Multiple Genres: Guess the Genre: Fiction that Feels like Nonfiction and Nonfiction that Feels Like Fiction: Karen Bender

Thursday, 5:30-8:20 PM

How do authors get personal experience on the page, either through the vehicle of fiction or nonfiction? How do writers make their work feel immediate, urgent; what to leave in and what to leave out? How is curation of experience different in each genre, or is it? We will be reading work by Alexander Chee, Annie Ernaux, Carmen Maria Machado, Ocean Vuong, Patricia Lockwood, Eve Babitz, and others, looking at the way they craft their narratives. Students will be workshopping two pieces of fiction or nonfiction, and don't have to reveal what genre it is.

CWL 535-S60 – 95341 - Writing in Multiple Genres: Writing about Social Justice: Robert Lopez

Wednesday, 2:30-5:20 PM

In this workshop we'll ask and address questions--how do we derive the authority, expertise, and the imagination to write about social issues while maintaining our allegiance to the creation and manifestation of art? How can we contribute to the vital conversations of the day? We'll read writers such as Garnette Cadogan, Claudia Rankine, Valeria Luiselli, Hanif Abdurraqib, Eula Biss, and others to see how they go about this vital endeavor. We will look within and without to create work that is both artistic and impactful, personally and globally.

CWL 582-S01 – 95355 - Practicum in Publishing and Editing: Scott Sullivan & Lou Ann Walker

Tuesdays, 11AM-1:50 PM - In Person/Hybrid (This course will be taught jointly in both locations)

Under the guidance of editors and advisors, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing TSR: The Southampton Review. Yes, the P& E Practicum is designed to give you experience in editing a literary and arts review. But here’s the secret: This practicum also provides an excellent means for you to build your skills as a writer. For example, as you read submissions in Submittable, you’ll be seeing what works and doesn’t work in cover letters. You’ll be examining successful structures in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You’ll be acquiring editing diagnostic tools. And you’ll be drilling down to what works line by line throughout a creative piece. We’ll discuss word choices, juxtapositions, imagery, symbolism, all that good stuff.

GRADUATE COURSES IN virtually

CWL 560-S30 – 95367 - Topics Literature for Writers: The Glory of the Short Story: Susan Minot

Monday, 5:30-8:20 PM - Online Synchronous

Alice Munro recognized the short story is “an important art.” Jorge Luis Borges said, “I find that in a short story you get just as much complexity and you get it in a more pleasurable way as you get out of a long novel.” Focus in this seminar will be on the various modes of the short story as executed by its masters. Style, structure and content are handled differently by each artist and in class discussions, we will explore the varieties of storytelling and discover the many versions of the greatness of this form, with some attention to the short short, as well as to poetry. Students will write weekly assignments of the stories read, and submit work once. Reading will include: Anton Chekhov, Claire Keegan, Raymond Carver, Flannery O'Connor, James Baldwin, Anne Carson, Georges Saunders, Shirley Jackson, John Cheever, Samantha Hunt, Ernest Hemingway, Lorrie Moore, Jorge Luis Borges, Lydia Davis, Franz Kafka, Amy Hempel, Steven Millhauser, Gina Berriault,…

GRADUATE Film & TV COURSES open to CWL (in-person in Manhattan)

FLM 550.S60 (#) Teaching Practicum: Karen Offitzer

Thurs, 2:30-5:20 PM (3 cr.)

This is a weekly seminar in teaching at the University level, with special emphasis on teaching in the creative arts, specifically creative writing and filmmaking. Open to students in our Creative Writing, Film and TV Writing programs, this course plunges into the basics of pedagogy, exploring learning styles, discovering a teaching philosophy, designing syllabi for undergraduate courses, creating assignments and rubrics for grading assignments, and practicing these skills in a classroom setting. You’ll get hands-on experience and mentoring through visits to undergraduate classes and teaching opportunities, and will gain an understanding of what works best for helping undergraduate students learn. Particular focus will be on discussing issues that arise when teaching creative endeavors such as writing and filmmaking. OPEN TO FLM, TV AND CWL STUDENTS

Based on WS and classroom availability

FLM 650.S60 (#) The Advance Party: Lenny Crooks

Tues, 8:20-11:10pm (3 cr)

The Advance Party challenges all you know about screenwriting as you progress from a blank page to a short form screenplay. We start with a character - each student creates a single character and learns how to describe their character in an authentic way. If the class size is 10 then there will emerge 10 characters and you will choose which of these characters will interact with your own. We then focus on the natural story as an essential element in this organic approach to screenwriting. As we progress, each of your stories will evolve, not out of traditional plot driven characterization but out of the characters' authentic actions and reactions to situations created by you. Caps at 12 students. Priority will be given to those students on the writing track.

The Advance Party process was first utilized by Andrea Arnold to write her Cannes prize winning feature ‘Red Road.’

Based on WS and classroom availability:

FLM 652.S60 (#), Screenwriting III: Jim Jennewein

Wednesday 8:20-11:10 (3cr)

This is an intensive writing workshop designed to help students as they finish or revise feature length screenplays. Classes will be devoted to workshopping student ideas and scripts. Students must come in with clear goals for the semester. These goals must be approved by the instructor. In workshop we will consider emotional impact, visual storytelling force, dramatic structure, character, story arcs, scene construction, pacing, embedded values, the creation of meaning - or “What are we left with at the end?,” and all other aspects of screenwriting. You must present your work in class and be engaged with the work of your classmates. We will read and view produced screenplays to deepen our understanding of how these stories work on us - and how they are written on the page. OR SBSNC 9

TVW 525.S65 (#) Topics in Film: TV Guest Series: Alan Kingsberg

Mon, 7:30-9:20 pm (1 cr)

A moderated guest series featuring in-depth discussions with TV writers and producers about their scripts, series and careers.   Meets four times during the Fall semester.

THESIS

CWL 599.V01 51933 Julie Sheehan

CWL 599.V02 51907 Matthew Klam

CWL 599.V03 51940 Christine Kitano

CWL 599.V04 51941 Kaylie Jones

CWL 599.V05 51942 Carla Caglioti

CWL 599.V06 51943 Genevieve Crane

CWL 599.V07 51944 Robert Lopez

CWL 599.V08 51945 Paul Harding

CWL 599.V09 51946 Susan Merrell

CWL 599.V10 51947 Susan Minot

CWL 599.V11 51948 Robert Reeves

CWL 599.V12 51949 Lou Ann Walker

CWL 599.V13 51950 Amy Hempel

CWL 599.V14 51951 TBA (Molly Gaudry)

CWL 599.V15 51953 Robert Reeves THESIS PLANNING

CWL 599.V16 51954 Magdalene Brandeis

All CWL courses 4 credits unless noted otherwise. FLM courses 2-3 credits.

Regularly scheduled classes for the Spring 2024 semester begin on Monday, January 22^nd and end on Saturday, May 4^th. The semester ends Wednesday, May 15. For other important dates about registering, adding or dropping, etc. please check the Graduate School calendar here:

https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/registrar/calendars/_graduate-calendar-spring-2024.php

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

CWL 510.S01 #54121 Forms of Fiction: The Short Story in Particular

Amy Hempel

Mondays 5:30 - 8:20 p.m., 4 credits

Members of this short story workshop will submit two-three stories that feature some of the narrative strategies we will discuss, including ways to strengthen a reminiscence, how far the use of voice can go, and the language of the workplace. The aim is to amplify what a story can be, what it can do. Weekly supplemental reading will include contemporary stories and poems from writers including E.C. Osundu, Ayse Papatya Bucak, Kimberly King Parsons, Nami Mun, Danielle Evans,, Sharon Olds, Davy Rothbart, Sherry Sonnett, and many more.

CWL 520.S01 51964, Forms of Poetry: The Sentence; Prose Poetry; Flash Fiction

Christine Kitano

Thursdays 2:30 – 5:20pm, 4 credits

In this course, we will focus on the expressive possibilities of the sentence. The first part of the semester will be dedicated to studying the sentence as both grammatical unit and aesthetic tool. Then, we’ll see how to build prose poems and flash stories by wielding syntax to further the imaginative vision. Many of us learned to write “by ear,” so don’t worry if you never learned to diagram a sentence or are unsure about the difference between a phrase and a clause. This course is designed for both grammar nerds and skeptics, and for both poets and prose writers. We can all benefit from deeper investigation into the structures of language as we continue to hone our craft.

CWL 540.S01 54166 Forms of Creative Nonfiction: Ways of the Memoir

Lou Ann Walker

Mondays, 2:30 – 5:20, 4 credits

We could even retitle this course “Life: A Story.” In addition to reading new masters of the memoir form, you’ll be writing in order to discover themes in your life. We'll be touching on narrative subjects such as the reliability of memory, point of view, the accuracy of dialogue, as well as portraying other characters in your life—memoir is not just about the “I.” You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish during this semester.

Our reading list will be finalized at the beginning of the class depending on what will be most useful to you as writers, but some of the works we’ll be considering include: Solito by Javier Zamora; All that She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tina Miles; Women We Buried, Women We Burned by Rachel Louise Snyder; The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom; Out of Egypt by André Aciman; Educated by Tara Westover; The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer; The Color of Water by James McBride; Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey; The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls; Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal by Jeanette Winterson; When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanith; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates; Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah.

CWL 550.S01 54201, Forms of Professional Writing: The Business of Being a Writer

Emma Walton Hamilton

Wednesdays, 2:30 - 5:20P, 4 credits

“I’m a writer, not a business-person!” So says every new writer who hopes to avoid the challenges of marketing, promoting and otherwise managing their work. But being a professional writer is 50% writing and 50% business, and without the business part, the chances of being a successful writer are few and far between.

The Business of Being a Writer course is an overview of what it takes to be a professional writer in today’s world, from submissions to agents and editors through book deals, the publication process, marketing and PR for authors, and more. The focus is on demystifying the business side of being a writer, finding the creativity within it, and maybe even learning to enjoy the process. Coursework includes lectures, readings and discussion on the various topics, plus writing assignments, presentations, and feedback on fellow students’ written material.

CWL 560.S01 54144, Topics in Literature for Writers: Experimental Literature

Susan Scarf Merrell
Tuesdays, 2:30 - 5:20 pm, 4 credits
Nothing great ever comes from following the rules. Or does it? What is experimental literature? How can we think about it as writers, in terms of craft “lessons” that we can learn to use in our own work? This class will examine risk-taking in literature, with a very heavy reading load, weekly annotations on craft, the writing of responsive short fiction, and student presentations. Texts include Moby-Dick, Herman Melville, As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner, The Waves, Virginia Woolf, Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, Labyrinths, Jorge Luis Borges, Beloved, Toni Morrison, The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead, and some experimental short stories.

CWL 580.S01 51934, Practicum in Arts Administration

Christian McLean

Thursdays, 11 am – 1:50 pm , 1 – 4 credits

This course teaches important skills in arts/event management. It provides education in marketing, design and software that will boost your résumé and increase your workplace skill set. We’ll examine work/volunteer opportunities in local arts organizations and you will design an MFA event from the ground up. Learn the basics in Photoshop, Mailmerge, Google Docs/Sheets, Constant Contact, plus Facebook and Twitter ads. Completion of at least 6 program credits or permission of instructor required.

CWL 581.S01 54145, Practicum in Teaching Writing

Julie Sheehan

Wednesday, 10:00am – 12:50pm, 3 credits

This course is being taught at the West, Main Stony Brook, Campus and will meet in the Melville Library, N3060

See the WEST CAMPUS course list for the description.

Practicum in Publishing & Editing

Lou Ann Walker & Scott Sullivan

Tuesdays, 11:00am – 1:50pm, 1 – 4 credits

NOTE: One instructor will be in Southampton and the other in Manhattan. This course will be taught jointly. You may take this course in either location, or online.

CWL 582.S01 51932 (use this section and class number if you’ll be taking the course either In person in Southamptonoronline)

CWL 582.S60 56239 (use this section and class number if you’ll be taking the course In person in Manhattan)

Under the guidance of editors and advisors, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing TSR: The Southampton Review. Yes, the P& E Practicum is designed to give you experience in editing a literary and arts review. But here’s the secret: This practicum also provides an excellent means for you to build your skills as a writer. For example, as you read submissions in Submittable, you’ll be seeing what works and doesn’t work in cover letters. You’ll be examining successful structures in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You’ll be acquiring editing diagnostic tools. And you’ll be drilling down to what works line by line throughout a creative piece. We’ll discuss word choices, juxtapositions, imagery, symbolism, all that good stuff.

MANHATTAN

CWL 510.S60 54167, Forms of Fiction: Re-Visioning Your Story

Karen Bender

Tuesdays, 2:30 – 5:20pm, 4 credits (Limited Hybrid)

Revision is a writer's superpower, and this class will be a workshop/lab in which you work on one story, chapter or essay throughout the semester. Students turn in a first draft of their work, we'll workshop it, and each student will get a personalized revision exercise to start the process going. Students turn in a fully revised second draft of the work as a second submission. We'll look at revision as a process that happens in stages--from creating the architecture of the story, to deepening characters, to creating scenes vs. summary, to honing language at the end. We will also be reading different drafts of published writers' work and do in-class writing that will help you explore your work in progress. We'll see how re-visioning can be as playful and creative as a first draft. We'll also research magazines that could be a good fit for your project and send the work out the last day of class.

CWL 535.S61 51961, Writing in Multiple Genres: Humor Writing

Patricia Marx

Tuesdays, 5:30 – 8:20 pm, 4 credits

“Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.”—James Thurber

“Comedy has to be based on truth. You take the truth and you put a little curlicue at the end.” —Sid Caesar

“Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” —Mel Brooks

“. . .An amateur thinks it's really funny if you dress a man up as an old lady, put him in a wheelchair, and give the wheelchair a push that sends it spinning down a slope towards a stone wall. For a pro, it's got to be a real old lady.”—Groucho Marx

“What is comedy? Comedy is the art of making people laugh without making them puke.” —Steve Martin

“You know, crankiness is the essence of all comedy.”—Jerry Seinfeld

“Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.” –E.B. White

“Patty Marx is the best teacher in the Creative Writing Program.”—Patricia Marx

One of the above quotations is false. Find out which one in this humor-writing workshop, where you will read, listen to, and watch comedic samples from well-known and lesser-known humorists, and complete weekly writing assignments. Students already working on projects are welcome to develop them. You will learn a thing or two and you will have fun - or else!

CWL 535.S62 53282, Writing in Multiple Genres: Flash Fiction and Nonfiction Writing

Robert Lopez

Wednesdays 2:30 – 5:20pm, 4 credits

Brevity is the soul of wit, so said Polonius. We will aim to write narratives that deliver an emotional impact inside very strict parameters. Every writer will come up with flash pieces of 300, 600, and 1000 words and we will see how much we can achieve within these constraints, which are often liberating. We'll read flash writers like Kim Chinquee, Kathy Fish, Jamaica Kincaid, Diane Williams, Abigail Thomas, Eula Biss, Justin Torres, and others.

FLM 550.S60 #54161 Teaching Practicum

Karen Offitzer

Thursdays, 2:20-5:10pm, 3 credits

Prerequisite: Six credits of writing workshops or permission of program/instructor.

This is a weekly seminar in teaching at the University level, with special emphasis on teaching in the creative arts, specifically creative writing and filmmaking. This course plunges into the basics of pedagogy, exploring learning styles, discovering a teaching philosophy, designing syllabi for undergraduate courses, creating assignments and rubrics for grading assignments, and practicing these skills in a classroom setting. You’ll get hands-on experience and mentoring through visits to undergraduate classes and teaching opportunities, and will gain an understanding of what works best for helping undergraduate students learn. Particular focus will be on discussing issues that arise when teaching creative endeavors such as writing and filmmaking.

CWL 565.S61 Special Topics in Writing: Infinite New Yorks

Tim Horvath

Every Other Saturday, 11:00am – 4:50pm, 4 credits   (Seven Class Sessions: 1/27, 2/17, 3/2, 3/30, 4/13, 4/27, 5/4)

Another story/novel/poem/play set in New York? In this class, we’ll see how the city has been refracted in innumerable ways in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, and we’ll find the angles and interstices from which to add our own visions of the city to the infinite array. By reading passages from works such as Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, Nicholson Baker’s The Mezzanine, Toni Morrison’s Jazz, Daphne Palasi Andreades’s Brown Girls, Teju Cole’s Open City, Weike Wang’s Joan is Okay, Siri Hustvedt's The Blazing World, Jamel Brinkley's Witness, Jonathan Lee’s The Great Mistake, and Kim Stanley Robinson's New York 2140, we’ll wander through fictional New Yorks past, present, and even future. We'll also dive into poetry, including Langston Hughes, Frank O'Hara, Federico Garcia Lorca, and Eileen Myles, a play, and nonfiction from writers such as Philip Lopate and Prudence Peiffer. We'll go on field trips and do site-specific writing, exploring art galleries and food markets, the High Line, the theater district, and perhaps an outer borough. In all, as have so many before us, we'll triangulate ourselves, language, and this mesmerizing, consuming, infuriating, exhilarating city.

Practicum in Publishing & Editing

Lou Ann Walker & Scott Sullivan

Tuesdays, 11:00am – 1:50pm, 1 – 4 credits

NOTE: One instructor will be in Southampton and the other in Manhattan. This course will be taught jointly. You may take this course in either location, or online.

CWL 582.S01 51932 (use this section and class number if you’ll be taking the course eitherIn person in Southamptonoronline)

CWL 582.S60 56239 (use this section and class number if you’ll be taking the course In person in Manhattan)

Under the guidance of editors and advisors, students will be exposed to the hands-on process of editing and publishing TSR: The Southampton Review. Yes, the P& E Practicum is designed to give you experience in editing a literary and arts review. But here’s the secret: This practicum also provides an excellent means for you to build your skills as a writer. For example, as you read submissions in Submittable, you’ll be seeing what works and doesn’t work in cover letters. You’ll be examining successful structures in fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and poetry. You’ll be acquiring editing diagnostic tools. And you’ll be drilling down to what works line by line throughout a creative piece. We’ll discuss word choices, juxtapositions, imagery, symbolism, all that good stuff.

ONLINE

CWL 535.S60 51965, Writing in Multiple Genres: Creating Stories When You Can’s Stay Silent

Thursday, 2:30-5:20

Matthew Klam

Most writers need multiple drafts, and when the work succeeds it does so because the author is entangled, involved, a little obsessed. Creative writing, both fiction and nonfiction, uses all sorts of techniques and tools, uses the intimacy and intensity of great memoir, the confessional power of a first person essay, the disruptive surprise of humor. It uses lists, and stretches of pure dialogue, and plenty of straight up reportage and hard-won observation. The best writing can and should come right at us, should defy our expectations. It can be structured in a classical or experimental way, or a mix of approaches to fit the subject.

We'll look at examples of the form by fiction writers and non fiction writers like by Jo Ann Beard, Jon Krakauer, Justin Torres, Adam Haslett, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mary Karr, Mary Gaitskill, Kiese Laymon, John Jeremiah Sullivan, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and many others. We'll examine their structure in the way a carpenter might study a beautiful house. We'll look at half page essays and eyewitness accounts, masterworks of longform journalism, essays, chapters of books, comics by Allison Bechdel and Adrian Tomine, sections of plays, and whatever else inspires us. How is it that some writers are able to create real character development and tension in a few lines or pages? We'll talk about that too. In this class we'll write, read, and discuss, while also workshopping your pieces-in-progress in a helpful, constructive manner.

CWL 565.S01 54202, Special Topics in Writing: The Post-Novel

Jennifer Solheim

Thursdays, 5:30 – 8:20pm, 4 credits

ONLINE

“Post-” refers to “after,” often in terms of the aftermath of a social disaster or revolution. “Post” can also be defined as a stake or stay in the ground, meant to offer support. In this course, we will look at novels that offer grounding in the wake of collective trauma and social transformation to consider how elements of fiction can orient and stabilize readers within a fictional universe that is inherently unstable. In considering works such as Nella Larsen’s Passing (1929), Georges Perec’s W: Or The Memory of Childhood (1972), Leni Zumas’s Red Clocks (2018), Albert Camus’ The Stranger (1942) and Kamel Daoud’s The Meursault Investigation (2015), students will write toward a grounded post- narrative for workshop, along with response questions and leading discussion about setting, character, action, plot, and narrative strategy to support their aims for their own work.

WEST (MAIN) CAMPUS

CWL 581.S01 54145, Practicum in Teaching Writing

Julie Sheehan

Wednesday, 10:00am – 12:50pm, 3 credits

Melville Library N3060

This course plunges into the basics of pedagogy, including designing writing assignments, sequencing them, grading them, and creating syllabi for creative writing, composition and literature courses. You’ll get hands-on experience and mentoring through visits to undergraduate writing classes taught by your colleagues. You’ll get a preliminary overview of writing pedagogy on your way to devising your own. Most importantly, you’ll ask and ask again, “What is teachable about writing, and who am I to teach it?” (You need permission of the director and at least 6 program credits under your belt to take this class.)

THESIS

CWL 599.V01 51933 Julie Sheehan

CWL 599.V02 51907 Matthew Klam

CWL 599.V03 51940 Christine Kitano

CWL 599.V04 51941 Kaylie Jones

CWL 599.V05 51942 Carla Caglioti

CWL 599.V06 51943 Genevieve Crane

CWL 599.V07 51944 Robert Lopez

CWL 599.V08 51945 Paul Harding

CWL 599.V09 51946 Susan Merrell

CWL 599.V10 51947 Susan Minot

CWL 599.V11 51948 Robert Reeves

CWL 599.V12 51949 Lou Ann Walker

CWL 599.V13 51950 Amy Hempel

CWL 599.V14 51951 TBA (Molly Gaudry)

CWL 599.V15 51953 Robert Reeves THESIS PLANNING

CWL 599.V16 51954 Magdalene Brandeis

FILM and TV Courses Possibly Open to CWL Students

FLM 550.S60 #54161 Teaching Practicum

Karen Offitzer

Thursdays, 2:20-5:10pm, 3 credits

Prerequisite: Six credits of writing workshops or permission of program/instructor.

This is a weekly seminar in teaching at the University level, with special emphasis on teaching in the creative arts, specifically creative writing and filmmaking. This course plunges into the basics of pedagogy, exploring learning styles, discovering a teaching philosophy, designing syllabi for undergraduate courses, creating assignments and rubrics for grading assignments, and practicing these skills in a classroom setting. You’ll get hands-on experience and mentoring through visits to undergraduate classes and teaching opportunities, and will gain an understanding of what works best for helping undergraduate students learn. Particular focus will be on discussing issues that arise when teaching creative endeavors such as writing and filmmaking.

Academics

Class Experience

Academic Requirements

Academic Regulations

Thesis

Thesis Formatting

Certificate Program

Courses by Semester

2026

CWL MFA Fall 2026 Course List

CWL MFA Spring 2026 Course List

2025

CWL MFA Fall 2025 Course List

GRADUATE COURSES IN Manhattan (in-person)

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

online

THESIS

CWL MFA Spring 2025 Course List

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

GRADUATE COURSES IN Manhattan (in-person)

Manhattan/ Main CAMPUS/ online

online

FILM and TV WRITING

2024

CWL MFA Fall 2024 Course List

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

GRADUATE COURSES IN Manhattan(in-person)

GRADUATE COURSES IN virtually

GRADUATE Film & TV COURSES open to CWL (in-person in Manhattan)

THESIS

CWL MFA Spring 2024 Course List

GRADUATE COURSES IN SOUTHAMPTON (in-person)

MANHATTAN

ONLINE

WEST (MAIN) CAMPUS

THESIS

FILM and TV Courses Possibly Open to CWL Students