Degree Requirements
THE
MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEGREE
The course of study leading to the degree is very flexible. The candidate must
satisfactorily complete four semesters of graduate work, totaling at least
48 semester hours. Up to 18 semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred,
but this does not change the residence requirement. Roughly half of the candidate's
work during residence will be in actual writing courses in the program, while
the rest of the work can include graduate courses in other departments or programs.
The Master of Fine Arts Examination
In each student's last semester of work, he or she is required to take a written exam which may be prepared at home.
Thesis
In each student's last semester, he or she is required to submit as a thesis a fiction or poetry manuscript of substantial length.
PH.D.
WITH CREATIVE DISSERTATION
The Program in Creative Writing
confers only the M.F.A. degree. However, it is possible for unusually
well qualified students in the Department of English
Ph.D. program to obtain permission to submit a creative dissertation for
that degree. In such a case, all application and course work deadlines
and requirements
are those of the English Department's Ph.D. program, and the Program in
Creative Writing assumes responsibility only for granting permission
to do the creative
dissertation and approving it once it is completed.
An applicant interested in the Ph.D. with creative dissertation should:
1. Request information on the English Department's Ph.D. program from Director of Graduate Study, Department of English.
2. After being admitted to the Ph.D. program in English, send a manuscript (which should be a portion of the work intended for the creative dissertation) to the Program in Creative Writing, indicating clearly that he or she is applying for permission to do a creative Ph.D. dissertation. (For specific requirements regarding manuscript submissions, see Admissions Requirements.)
While the standards for admission to the M.F.A. program are formidable, those for approval of the creative dissertation are more so. Denial of a manuscript for the creative dissertation does not jeopardize that person's candidacy for the Ph.D. with scholarly dissertation or for the M.F.A program in writing.