Creative Writing M.F.A.

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Minimum Requirements for Creative Writing M.F.A. Degree: 45 credits

Minimum grade of B required for F600-level courses.

Credits
General University Requirements
Complete the graduate general university requirements.
Master’s Degree Requirements
Complete the master's degree requirements.
Creative Writing Program Requirements
Complete and pass a written comprehensive examination 1
Students may advance to candidacy when their advisory committee deems that they have made satisfactory progress in both academic and writing areas.
Complete the following:
ENGL F601Theory, Criticism and Methods 23
ENGL F671Writers' Workshop9
ENGL F699Thesis6
Approved electives 36
Complete one of the following:3
ENGL F685
Teaching College Composition 4
Approved ENGL F600-level elective course 3
Literature seminars as determined by the student's advisory committee 512
Complete four of the following:
ENGL F603
Studies in British Literature: Old and Middle English
ENGL F604
Studies in British Literature: Renaissance and 17th-Century
ENGL F606
Studies in British Literature: Restoration and 18th Century
ENGL F607
Studies in British Literature: 19th Century
ENGL F608
Studies in British Literature After 1900
ENGL F609
Studies in American Literature to 1865
ENGL F611
Studies in American Literature from 1865-1918
ENGL F612
Studies in American Literature after 1918
ENGL F614
Studies in Comparative Literature
ENGL F615
Contemporary Literature
ENGL F620
Images of the North
Or other approved elective
Complete two of the following:6
ENGL F681
Forms of Poetry
ENGL F682
Forms of Fiction
ENGL F684
Forms of Nonfiction Prose
ENGL F688
Writing for Film and Television
Total Credits45
1

The comprehensive examination will take the form of a thesis proposal to be submitted no later than the student’s fourth semester of work.

2

Students are required to take ENGL F601 in their first year of study.

3

A student may petition the Thesis Advisory Committee and the department chair to take up to 6 credit hours of approved individual study (F697) to be applied toward the English M.F.A. electives requirement.

4

Required if you are a teaching assistant or planning to teach.

5

A literature class is one that does not have as its primary purpose the training of a student to be a creative writer or to teach composition. Some versions of ENGL F692 and ENGL F693 may meet this criteria.

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Admission Requirements

Complete the following general university admission requirements for graduate programs.

  1. Submit an application for admission
  2. Submit official transcripts
  3. Official test results: GRE scores are neither required nor considered for this program
  4. Submit resume/curriculum vitae
  5. Submit statement of academic goals
  6. Submit 2 letters of recommendation

International Students: Please consult UAF’s most recent application requirements regarding English language proficiency.

Additional program admission requirements and information:

  • Submit a creative writing sample - 25-40 pages of prose or 15-20 pages of poetry

  • Transcripts from all universities or colleges attended: Unofficial transcripts may be submitted with the application. Official transcripts must follow prior to matriculation.

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Roadmaps

Roadmaps provide suggested semester-by-semester study plans for programs and are based on full-time enrollment, unless otherwise specified.

  • This roadmap should be used in conjunction with regular academic advising sessions. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor or mentor each semester.
  • Certain courses and milestones must be completed in the specified semester to ensure on-time graduation.
  • Transfer credits may affect the roadmap.
  • Requirements, course availability, and sequencing may change.
  • Courses marked with (*) are recommended.
First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Program Elective3ENGL F601203
Program Elective3Program Elective3
Complete one of the following:203 
 
Program Elective
 
 9 6
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ENGL F671203ENGL F671203
ENGL F681, F682, F684, or F688263ENGL F699183
Program Elective3 
 9 6
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ENGL F681, F682, F684, or F688263ENGL F671203
ENGL F699183Program Elective3
Program Elective3 
 9 6
Total Credits 45

Footnote Definitions

General Education Requirements Degree Requirements Program & Other Requirements
1--Communication 8--Alaska Native-themed 20--Program Requirement
2--Arts 9--Communication 21--Capstone Requirement
3--Humanities 10--Computation 22--Concentration Course
4--Social Sciences 11--Ethics 23--General Elective
5--Additional Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences 12--Humanities 24--Minor Course
6--Mathematics 13--Human Relations 25--Upper Division
7--Natural Sciences 14--Humanities or Social Sciences 26--Program Elective
15--Library & Information Research
16--Mathematics
17--Natural Sciences
18--Other
19--Social Sciences

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Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes are specific, measurable statements that define the knowledge and skills students will gain by the end of the program.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  • Produce written work in their chosen discipline of a quality that is comparable to material being published in contemporary literary magazines and journals
  • Write clearly and engagingly; produce sustained coherent critical writing at an appropriate level of sophistication for graduate study
  • Complete program in a timely manner
  • Demonstrate adequate preparation to pursue a career in writing, publishing, or (with further study) in an academic career in creative writing or a related field; recognition of own work’s strengths and weaknesses; familiarity with the literary marketplace (book and journal); plans and adequate preparation to seek publication
  • Consider the graduate program at UAF to be of high quality