University mfa programs

Our Prior Learning Assessment PLA option offers highly qualified students the opportunity to receive up to one full semester credit for the work they have already written or published. As an introduction to the MFA program, The Prologue is a 12 credit post-baccalaureate program that provides creative writers of all levels with two semesters of rigorous, graduate-level one-on-one mentorship to help them jumpstart or finish a book-length project.

Each residency brings together a uniquely talented group of faculty, guest writers, students, editors and agents that work, learn and have fun together while practicing and discussing the subtleties of writing and craft.

Fairfield's MFA students and alumni may be in their 20's or 80's or anywhere in between - but once they share a handful of residences at Enders Island, they are bonded for life.

To help them stay connected, informed and inspired, we offer a variety of engaging resources. The College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University is home to a vibrant community of engaged faculty, dedicated staff and passionate scholars devoted to the process of invention and discovery and excited by the prospect of producing knowledge in the service of others.

Our MFA faculty members are experienced and published authors, who work closely with graduate students to provide academic advice and individualized attention that makes their experience as productive as it is rewarding. MFA students may concentrate in one genre such as poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction or screenwriting, or they may have a dual concentration in two of these genres.

Browse videos of recent seminars and readings to experience the breadth, originality and excellence of our Enders Island residencies.

Admission requirements for the MFA in Creative Writing are based on certain criteria and are outlined in detail for your convenience. Teaching options for MFA graduates span a range of opportunities. The potential MFA students should be aware that due to changes in higher education, the full-time position teaching creative writing at a university has become a challenging position to obtain, often requiring a book publication as well as prior teaching experience.

MFA graduates who are interested in teaching will be mentored to consider the full range of teaching options if this career fits their interests. MFA students are qualified to serve as adjunct instructors at the college level. Our graduates have also transitioned into careers teaching writing at the high school level as well as designing and staffing innovative community-based writing programs.

Students within the program can choose a pedagogy track for their experience within the MFA. This involves serving as a Teaching Assistant to a graduate level workshop during their final residency with one of the faculty mentors. In addition, students can invest time in other options within this track. Students who live within the Fairfield area may also apply to serve as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate creative writing course taught at Fairfield; during this experience they meet with the professor on a regular basis to discuss pedagogy and observations, and reflect upon their own teaching goals and philosophies.

Many of the students who select the TA experience also complete a pedagogy project, which is an in-depth research experience on the teaching of writing that culminates in a page academic paper, often weaving in evidence from the TA experience or a community-based educational project.

These third-semester projects, which earn 9 credits toward the degree, are developed as part of the MFA curriculum and are discussed in depth with a program mentor. MFA Editing and Coaching Define and practice the types of editing and examine their use at different stages of revision.

Become familiar with methods of revision and editing in order to apply them to one's own writing and that of their clients. Explore the role of the editor-as-coach, and practice a coaching approach to editing. Learn strategies for building an editing and coaching clientele. Build a detailed plan that documents the writing process and prepares next steps to be taken toward novel completion.

Engage in constructive workshopping, and reflect both on one's place within a literary community and on how one's work fits within the publishing ecosystem. Cultivate self-confidence and practical outreach skills by preparing and presenting an effective "elevator" pitch of a novel.

MFA Thesis Writing II Continue writing a publication-ready novel following a detailed writing plan toward the completion of a full draft. Work to hone creative craft and critical abilities using constructive workshopping, engaging with peers in productive feedback processes. Develop practical strategies for improving work through revision. Assemble a professional portfolio including a query letter and synopsis, accumulated evidence of writing work, and a personally branded website.

Reflect critically on one's place within a writing genre, examine influential books and writers, and envision a career in writing in the context of literary citizenship. Total Credits: Minimum Hardware Requirements. Currently supported operating system from Apple.

Strongly recommended for online students. Required for campus students. Which university has the best creative writing program? And at SNHU, you'll have someone to reach out to no matter where you turn. Can you teach college with an MFA? The certificate requires 4 courses: Storytelling Editing and Coaching Engaging Online Writing Students Your choice of Seminar in Writing Instruction or Online Teaching Experience Throughout your courses, you'll learn how to develop your own approach to teaching the craft.

Online teaching is a dream realized for Kathleen Harris ' Can you get an MFA online? For many students, earning an MFA online is the only way they'd be able to make it happen. Are creative writing degrees worth it? That's why our creative writing program has a dual focus: To help you develop your writing skills while finishing your studies with a novel that's ready to be published.

To give you the tools you need for professional success — no matter where your writing career takes you. What is an Associate of Arts Degree? MFA in Creative Writing.

MFA Introduction to the Online MFA. Explore a unique culture and approach to fiction writing at SNHU that embraces practicality, diversity and community. Advanced Studies in Literature. Study classic and contemporary literature by exploring published authors' usage of creative writing craft elements.

Analyze and practice fundamentals of storytelling, including narrative arc, plot, and character development. Advanced Studies in Genre Literature. Cultivate an appreciation for several literary genres through the study of various important works, authors, key historical developments, characteristic tropes, and conventions.

The Publishing Ecosystem. Follow the journey of publication from initial manuscript submission to a finished book in a reader's hands. The Business of Writing. Explore the many methods and strategies that professional writers employ to leverage their creative talents into financially sustaining work. Finding and Reaching an Audience.

Develop strategies to find a readership and build an audience. Copy and Content Writing. Target a specific readership by applying copywriting and content writing skills.

Editing and Coaching. Define and practice the types of editing and examine their use at different stages of revision. Students are expected to satisfy the degree requirements in the genre in which they are accepted.

Electives may be taken out of genre, with the permission of the instructor. Possible English courses include:. Department of English. Undergraduate Graduate Minors and Certificates Online degrees. Tempe Campus Programs. English Film and Media Studies. The program places high esteem on well-written fiction, including horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and romance, as MFA thesis projects.

Writers interested in genre writing and young adult fiction will find several faculty members who specialize in these areas. GNU is a student-run literary publication that accepts submissions from all over the country. The process of editing a literary journal and vetting submissions from writers and MFA alumni helps students understand what editors are looking for, and the range of work that a typical literary journal receives. Adding value to the MFA experience, Montesonti and other experienced faculty members strongly encourage their students to complete electives in writing pedagogy.

Courses in Writing and Composition Pedagogy help prepare writers to teach others along the way. Regardless of your current career, or the location of your writing station, the program is designed for people with busy lives who want to complete and publish their novel, poetry, script, or creative nonfiction work.

With no GRE requirements and monthly entry dates, aspiring authors can set their plans in motion right now, backed by the support of an entire MFA program of motivated writers, successful, published authors, and a vast alumni network. For more information, be sure to visit our website.

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