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The two-year Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program provides specialization in Poetry or Prose, operating under the English Department's Creative Writing Program. Established in 1947 by Theodore Roethke, the program maintains its legacy of influential workshops through current faculty members: David Bosworth, David Crouse, Rae Paris, and Maya Sonenberg (Prose), along with Linda Bierds, Andrew Feld, Richard Kenney, and Pimone Triplett (Poetry). These distinguished instructors hold prestigious awards including MacArthur, Guggenheim, and NEA fellowships. Alumni publications constitute a notable contribution to American literary history, with the program consistently ranked in the nation's top ten.
Participants engage in prose and poetry workshops while studying literary genres, historical periods, and critical theory. Degree requirements include submitting a Creative Manuscript (comprising either 30+ poems, 100 pages of short fiction/essays, or 150 pages of a book-length work), a Critical Essay (20-30 pages analyzing the student's literary influences and creative development), and an Oral Defense (featuring dialogue with faculty about the creative work, critical essay, and writing process, potentially including manuscript excerpts).
Participants engage in prose and poetry workshops while studying literary genres, historical periods, and critical theory. Degree requirements include submitting a Creative Manuscript (comprising either 30+ poems, 100 pages of short fiction/essays, or 150 pages of a book-length work), a Critical Essay (20-30 pages analyzing the student's literary influences and creative development), and an Oral Defense (featuring dialogue with faculty about the creative work, critical essay, and writing process, potentially including manuscript excerpts).
Equivalent of a four-year Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. 3.0 GPA in last 90 quarter credits or 60 semester credits
English Proficiency:
The Graduate School is temporarily accepting official test scores for both the Duolingo English Test and the TOEFL ITP Plus For China to assist international students with remote testing options. This policy is currently in effect through the autumn 2021 admission cycle (i.e., students enrolling in autumn 2021).
TOEFL iBT - Minimum Required Score (ELP Required): 80; Recommended Score (ELP Satisfied): 92 or higher
TOEFL pBT - Minimum Required Score: 500
Duolingo: Minimum Required Score (ELP Required): 105; Recommended Score (ELP Satisfied): 120 or higher
IELTS: Minimum Required Score 6.5