Creative Writing for non-mfa grad students
Electives
All graduate students in the Department of English are eligible to apply to take one creative writing workshop as an elective toward their Master's Degree requirements and one workshop as an elective toward their PhD requirements.
Graduate students in other departments and programs should consult with their academic advisors to determine which, if any, creative writing courses may be counted as electives.
Admission to individual workshops is not guaranteed, but is based on evaluation of a writing sample that must be submitted by November 1 for spring semester workshops and by April 1 for fall semester workshops. Writing samples may be given to the instructor of the workshop or to the creative writing coordinator, Ron Kuka.
The Internal & External Creative Writing Minors
Currently enrolled PhD students in the Department of English whose major field of study is in the program of Literary Studies, Composition & Rhetoric or English Language & Linguistics may apply to elect an internal Minor in Creative Writing. PhD students in other departments may, with the permission of their departments, apply to elect an external Minor in Creative Writing .
Students who have been admitted to the Minor in fall 2007 or earlier must complete 12 credits of graduate or advanced undergraduate workshops.
Students admitted to the Minor in fall 2008 and thereafter must complete 9 credits of graduate or advanced undergraduate workshops and 3 credits of an elective that is relevant to the student's work in creative writing. For the internal minor, the elective must be selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. For the external minor, the elective must be selected in consultation with the student's academic advisor.
PhD students wishing to apply for an internal or external Minor must have already completed or be currently enrolled in an advanced-level undergraduate or graduate workshop. Application for admission to the Minor consists of submitting to the MFA director or to Ron Kuka a writing sample and a 1-2 page single-spaced personal statement justifying the Minor's relevance to the student's current or future research and career plans. Writing samples and statements must be submitted by November 1 for spring semester workshops and April 1 for fall semester workshops.
Graduate students enrolled or interested in the creative writing minor are encouraged to consult with any member of the creative writing faculty prior to choosing a workshop. Questions about enrollment may be directed to Ron Kuka.
Please note that creative writing classes often appear to be closed even when there is room for additional students. This is done when all or some of the students in a workshop are admitted on the basis of writing samples, and is especially true of graduate level workshops. If you are interested in a class that appears to be closed, please contact Ron Kuka to determine the actual enrollment status.
Writing Sample Requirements
Writing samples should consist of either 10 pages of single-spaced poetry, with each new poem beginning on a new page, or up to 30 pages of double-spaced fiction.
The MA Component
As of the 2008-2009 academic year, the MA with Creative Writing Component has been discontinued. Students currently enrolled in the Component will continue to fulfill its requirements (completing the literature and theory courses required for the MA degree, but substituting two creative writing workshops (6 credits) for one elective and an English language course) but no new students will be admitted.
Other Important Information
Graduate students may take Graduate Workshops or any advanced undergraduate workshop (303, 305, 307) for graduate credit.
Graduate students must secure the course instructor's permission to enroll in these courses (except in the case of MFA students taking the Graduate Workshop in their genre).
The Graduate Fiction Workshop and the Graduate Poetry Workshop may be repeated for graduate credit. We discourage students, however, from repeating workshops with the same instructor.
Graduate students who are not in the MFA program may not take more than one creative writing workshop in any semester.
Creative Writing Minors are guaranteed admission to either a graduate workshop or an advanced undergraduate workshop, but must still submit a writing sample to the course instructor prior to registration.
A writing assignment is sometimes required for the first day of class. Check with your instructor after enrolling.