The MFA in Creative & Professional Writing Course Descriptions
First Year Courses
WRT 543,
579 Online Multi-Genre Workshops
(4
credits)
The
student
will
participate
regularly
with
student
colleagues
and
with
an
instructor
in
on-line
discussion
of
student
work
in multiple
genres.
The
course
will
help
students
to develop
the
capacity
to
analyze,
edit,
and
discuss
their
own
work and
the
work
of
others.
It
will
also
train
them
to
benefit
from
editorial
observations
and
critiques.
The
workshop
instructor
may
also
introduce
outside
texts
and
writing
exercises.
WRT
536 Reading for Writers I (Primary Genre)
(4
credits)
This
guided,
self-designed
course
provides
the
writer
with
a
foundation
of
readings
in the
genre. Under the
guidance
of
a
professional writer
in the
genre,
each
student will develop
a substantial
reading list of
"classics"
of
the particular writing
field
as well as the work of
important
contemporary
practitioners.
WRT 539 Genre
History, Criticism and Theory
(4
credits)
Under
guidance
of a
professional
writer
or
scholar
in the
writing
field,
the
student
will
design
a specific
curriculum
for
achieving
a
working
awareness
of the
history,
range
of criticism,
and
critical
theory
associated
with
the
writing
genre.
Reading
will
certainly
be
a part
of
this,
but papers
or
interviews,
attendance
at lectures,
formal
courses
or
other
modalities
may
also
be
a part
of
this
course.
WRT
542 Writing
in the Primary
Genre
I
(4 credits)
With
the
guidance
of
a
faculty
mentor,
the
student
will
research,
develop,
and
write
a customized
project
or
projects
for
the
course.
WRT 537 Reading for Writers II (Second Genre)
(4
credits)
The
rationale
for
this
course
is
the
same
as that
for
Reading
for
Writers
I. However,
depending
upon
the
student's
individual
background
and
choices
of genres,
the
second
genre
may
be
less
familiar
to
the
student
and,
therefore,
may
require
extra
attention.
Under
the
guidance
of a
professional
writer
in the
genre,
each
student
will
develop
a substantial reading
list
of
books
the
student
should
be
familiar
with.
WRT
576 Writing in the Primary Genre II
(4 credits)
This second
required
course
in the primary
genre
will
further develop
the
writer's
skills.
Again,
students
will
research,
develop,
and
write
a
project
or projects
for
the
course.
WRT 578
Writing in the
Second Genre
(4
credits)
The
professional
writer
needs
the
ability
to
move
from
one
genre
of writing
to another.
The
program,
therefore,
requires
the
student
to
concentrate
on
a
second
genre
of writing.
With
the
guidance
of a faculty
mentor,
the
student
will
research,
develop,
and
write
a project
or projects
for
this
course.
Second Year Courses
WRT 582,583 Online Multi-Genre Workshops
(4
credits)
The
student
will
participate
regularly
with
student
colleagues
and
with
an
instructor
in
on-line
discussion
of
student
work
in multiple
genres.
The
course
will
help
students
to
develop
the
capacity
to
analyze,
edit,
and
discuss their
own work
and the
work
of
others.
It
will also
train
them
to benefit
from
editorial
observations
and critiques.
The
workshop
instructor may
also
introduce
outside
texts
and
writing
exercises.
WRT
577 Writing in the Primary
Genre
III
(4 credits)
This
third
required
course
in
the primary
genre
will
further
develop
the
writer's
skills.
Again,
students
will
research,
develop,
and write a project or projects for the course.
WRT 569 Internship or Teaching Practicum (4 credits)
The
program
requires
students
to
gain hands-on experience as writers and/or teachers of writing.
The
student
will
work
as
a
teacher
or
coach
of
writing
under
the
tutelage
of a
qualified
mentor.
Alternatively,
the
student
may
participate
in an
internship
to
gain
experience
in a
chosen
field.
The
student
will
be
required to keep
a journal of his
or her
experience
and
to write a substantial
evaluation
of the experience.
This course is sometimes offered as an independent study, sometimes
as a group online course.
WRT 571 The
Individual and Aesthetic Process
(4 credits)
The program requires students to develop a sense of their own voices and to learn how to be self-critical about their writing. The student will write a theory of writing that examines his or her own view of what makes effective and significant writing. The goal is to develop standards of value appropriate to the genre in which the writer wishes to excel. The writer must articulate a theoretical basis that involves awareness of critical perspectives on his or her principal genre.
WRT 584
Thesis
(8 credits)
The student will write a book-length piece of writing in the primary genre. The writer will develop this thesis in consultation with a thesis director and second reader. The program requires students to complete the thesis in a publishable form as judged by the thesis advisor and M.F.A coordinator and reviewed by the M.F.A. committee.
