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MFA in Creative Writing

Program Outline

Course Load 

The MFA degree plan consists of 48 credit hours. Additionally, the vast majority of students complete a three-hour IA Practicum course, which considers effective pedagogical strategies. 

Students typically complete five nine-hour semesters and one six-hour semester, for a total of 51 hours. Each graduate course is typically assigned three credit hours. This means students enroll in three classes in all but one semester of study. 

Required Courses

  • 12 credit hours of workshop (ENG 5315). After completing workshops in their first two semesters, students may take a break to apply what they've learned to their work. Students should plan to take one workshop during their second year and one workshop during their third year. 

  • 3 credit hours of Form & Theory of Fiction (ENG 5320) or Poetry (ENG 5322) 

  • 3 credit hours of Literary Techniques (ENG 5395), also known as Problems in Language and Literature courses. (Note: Literary Techniques may be repeated three times for nine Cognate credits.)

  • 15 credit hours in Literature courses, which may include three hours of ENG 5312, Internship in Porter House Review, and up to six hours of ENG 5323, Studies in Autobiography and Memoir.

  • 6 degree hours of Thesis work (ENG 5399A and ENG 5399B)

  • 9 degree hours in Open Cognate, the electives category of the degree plan