Creative WritingCreative WritingProfessors—Carter, Chernoff, Conboy, Glück, Hoover, Langton
Associate Professor—Dungy, Mirosevich
Assistant Professors—Caspers, Doris, Orner
B.A. in English: Concentration in Creative Writing
M.A. in English: Concentration in Creative Writing
M.F.A. in Creative Writing
The Department of Creative Writing offers undergraduate and graduate programs. The three degree programs emphasize the primary importance of the study and practice of imaginative writing in the genres of poetry, fiction, playwriting, and nonfiction. All three degree programs combine an intense workshop requirement and a variety of special topic creative process classes with requirements in the English Department. The core literature classes assure that students will continue to absorb and be trained in a study of the best literature of the past. In Creative Writing classes, students work with an active, publishing faculty. They learn by vigorous practice; by focused studies of craft; and by extensive reading, analysis, and discussion of their own work, as well as that of published authors.
The undergraduate major combines the academic specifications of the traditional English major with the experiential needs of the writing student. Students who enter this program should do so only under the strongly held assumption that they have abilities as writers that may be fostered and trained by such a discipline as is described here. It is hoped that this combined program of writing and literature will lead students to a cohesive study and discipline that combines breadth with intensity.
Accordingly, some greater latitude of choice in literature courses is allowed in the creative writing major. Students' studies will lead them to a degree in English with a creative writing emphasis. Ample guidance of the creative writing advisers helps insure that students will not be deprived of a sense of the history of literature. In this regard they will continue to be fully qualified as potential graduate students in English as well as prepared should they wish to continue as M.A. or M.F.A. candidates in a creative writing program.
The two graduate programs differ in scope. Both programs are distinguished by innovative classes. Both include seminars, opportunities for community projects, and a thesis. Students may apply for admission to either the Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Creative Writing (30 units) or the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (54 units). In no case will a student be admitted to both programs.
The Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Creative Writing serves a double purpose: to extend and broaden the student's familiarity with literature, and to provide the help of a faculty of professional writers and critics in developing the student's own potential as a professional writer. The Creative Writing Department has a strong core faculty and invites several visiting faculty each semester.
The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is regarded as the terminal degree in the field. The M.F.A. in Creative Writing offers extended experience in small seminars and in individual instruction with faculty. It also develops the student's understanding of the history and theory of literature, and incorporates correlative patterns of study in elective areas such as other cultures, other arts, technical studies, and/or the teaching of writing.
The career goal is to train and encourage writers of poetry, fiction, plays, and nonfiction. Many celebrated and distinguished writers are graduates of the department. In the job market, good writers are hard to find. The skills developed in creative writing translate well into corporate editing, publishing, and arts organization positions.
On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Courses in the Writing Courses Area selected from the following (must include CW 302 and CW 301 as a prerequisite to all writing courses): | 12 | |
| CW 301 | Fundamentals of Creative Writing (prerequisite to all writing courses) | |
| CW 302 | Fundamentals of Creative Reading (prerequisite to all writing courses) | |
| CW 403 | Short Story Writing One 1 | |
| CW 404 | Poetry Writing One 1 | |
| CW 405 | Playwriting 2 | |
| CW 600 | Special Topics in Writing 3 | |
| CW 603 | Short Story Writing Two 2 | |
| CW 604 | Poetry Writing Two 2 | |
| CW 605 | Writing and Performing Monologues | |
| CW 609 | Directed Writing 2 | |
| CW 699 | Independent Study | |
| Courses in the Creative Process Area selected from the following: | 9 | |
| CW 506 | The Business of Creative Writing | |
| CW 507 | Writing on the Body | |
| CW 509 | Jewish Writers in the American Poetry Archives | |
| CW 510 | Creative Process 3 | |
| CW 514 | World Poetry | |
| CW 520 | Writers on Writing | |
| CW 550 | Poetry Center Workshop | |
| CW 640 | Transfer Literary Magazine | |
| CW 675 | Community Projects in Literature | |
| CW 685 | Projects in Teaching Creative Writing (1-4) | |
| CW 699 | Independent Study | |
| CWL 455 | Translation Workshop | |
| Course in the Craft Area selected from the following: | 3 | |
| CW 511 | Craft of Poetry | |
| CW 512 | Craft of Fiction | |
| CW 513 | Craft of Playwriting | |
| CW 601 | Work in Progress (to be taken in last semester) | 3 |
| Courses in the Literature Area, one course to be selected from three of the following four groups: | 9 | |
| American Literature Sequence, including Age of American Renaissance | ||
| ENG 525 | Studies in American Literature | |
| ENG 526 | Age of the American Renaissance, 1830-1860 | |
| ENG 527 | American Literature, 1860-1914 | |
| ENG 528 | American Literature, 1914-1960 | |
| ENG 529 | American Literature, 1960-Present | |
| Literature in English Sequence, including Age of Chaucer | ||
| ENG 460 | Literature in English I: Beginnings to 17th Century | |
| ENG 461 | Literature in English II: 18th and 19th Centuries | |
| ENG 462 | Literature in English III: The Twentieth Century | |
| ENG 501 | Age of Chaucer | |
| The Genre Sequence | ||
| CW / CWL / MGS 465 | Modern Greek Poetry | |
| CW / MGS 497 | Modern Greek Literature | |
| CWL 450 | Greek and Roman Drama | |
| CWL 495 | Short Fiction | |
| ENG 550 | The Rise of the Novel | |
| ENG 551 | Nineteenth Century English Novel | |
| ENG 552 | Modern British Novel | |
| ENG 553 | Classic American Novel | |
| ENG 554 | Modern American Novel | |
| ENG 555 | The Short Story | |
| ENG 556 | Modern American Poetry | |
| ENG 557 | Modern British Poetry | |
| ENG 558 | Early 20th Century Poetry in the U.S. | |
| ENG 559 | Middle and Late 20th Century Poetry in the U.S. | |
| ENG 570 | Medieval and Renaissance Drama | |
| ENG 571 | The Tragedy of Blood, The Comedy of Humors | |
| ENG 572 | English Drama: Restoration and Eighteenth Century | |
| ENG 573 | American Drama | |
| ENG 574 | Modern British Drama | |
| The Individual Authors Sequence | ||
| CWL 425 | Individual Authors | |
| ENG 580 | Individual Authors | |
| ENG 581 | Chaucer | |
| ENG 583 | Shakespeare: Representative Plays | |
| ENG 584 | Shakespeare: Selected Plays | |
| ENG 586 | Milton | |
| MGS 426 | Kazantzakis | |
| 3 Units selected from Theory and Language or Writing from the American Experience or Global Literatures in English (substitution may be made with adviser's approval) | 3 | |
| Global Literatures in English (More course offerings in this category will become available over time.) | ||
| ENG/JS 451 | Jewish Literature of the Americas | |
| ENG 631 | Post-Colonial Literature in English | |
| Theory and Language | ||
| AFRS 440 | Black Oratory | |
| ENG 420 | Introduction to the Study of Language | |
| ENG 600 | Theory of Literature | |
| ENG 610 | History of Criticism | |
| ENG 611 | Modern Criticism | |
| ENG 612 | Studies in Theory and Criticism of Literature | |
| ENG 613/ WOMS 544 |
Feminist Literary Criticism | |
| ENG 615 | Imagery, Metaphor, and Symbol | |
| Writing from the American Experience | ||
| AAS 363 | Survey of Pilipino Literature | |
| AAS 406 | Asian American Workshop in Creative Writing | |
| AFRS 400 | Black Arts and Humanities | |
| AFRS 411 | African American Literature | |
| AIS 360 | Modern American Indian Authors | |
| ENG 545 / WOMS 545 | American Radical Women Writers | |
| ENG / JS / WOMS 546 | 20th Century American Jewish Women Writers | |
| ENG 618 | Studies in Gay and Bisexual Literature | |
| MGS 397 | Greek American Literature | |
| RAZA 305 | Creative Writing Workshop | |
| RAZA 560 | Contemporary Literature of La Raza | |
| WOMS 541 | Women Writers and Social Change | |
| WOMS 547 | Contemporary Asian American Women Writers | |
| WOMS 551 | Lesbian Literature | |
| Total for major | 39 | |
Students interested in this program must submit a meaningful sample of their writing (fifteen to twenty pages of fiction, fifteen to twenty poems, or a full-length stage play or two short plays), two letters of recommendation, and transcripts, along with the Creative Writing Department application form. Submissions should be sent to the Creative Writing Office by January 15 for the fall semester. Applicants from graduate creative writing programs at other colleges or universities may transfer six units to the M.A. program, on review and recommendation of the Creative Writing Admissions Committee and approval of the Division of Graduate Studies. For further clarification, contact the Creative Writing Department. Students accepted into the program with an undergraduate major that is not English are accepted conditionally. Such students, in consultation with the graduate coordinator, must make up undergraduate course deficiencies (up to twelve units) in addition to the requirements. Admission to the M.A. does not imply admission to the M.F.A. Students who wish to earn both degrees must finish the M.A. before beginning the M.F.A. degree.
Level One: the writing proficiency of the student is monitored on a continuing basis as each course in the program is completed. Level Two: satisfactory completion of CW 893.
On-line course descriptions are available. Selected upper division courses offered by the department may be used for the master's degree upon approval of a departmental adviser. Enrollment is not required in the semester of graduation.
| Program | Units | |
| Writing courses selected from the following: | 9 | |
| CW 803 | Advanced Short Story Writing | |
| CW 804 | Advanced Poetry Writing | |
| CW 805 | Advanced Playwriting | |
| CW 807 | Developing the Novel | |
| CW 808 | Novel Writing | |
| CW 809 | Directed Writing for Graduate Students 2 | |
| CW 824 | Advanced Novel Workshop (6) | |
| CW 899 | Special Study | |
| Creative Process courses selected from the following | 9 | |
| CW 785 | Projects in Teaching Creative Writing | |
| CW 806 | The Business of Creative Writing | |
| CW 810 | Seminar in the Creative Process | |
| CW 814 | World Poetry | |
| CW 820 | Writers on Writing | |
| CW 825 | Playwright's Theatre Workshop | |
| CW 840 | Fourteen Hills Literary Magazine | |
| CW 850 | Poetry Center Workshop | |
| CW 860 | Teaching Creative Writing | |
| CW 866 | Craft of Translation | |
| CW 875 | Community Projects in Literature | |
| CW 899 | Special Study | |
| Upper division/graduate literature courses in the English or Comparative Literature Departments, to be taken on advisement | 9 | |
| CW 893 | Written M.A. Creative Project | 3 |
| Minimum total | 30 | |
Students interested in this program must submit a meaningful sample of their writing (15-20 pages of fiction, 15-20 poems, or a full-length stage play or 2 short plays), two letters of recommendation, and transcripts, along with the Creative Writing Department application form. Submissions should be sent to the Creative Writing Office by January 15 for the fall semester.
Applicants from creative writing programs at other colleges or universities may transfer nine units to the M.F.A. program, on review and recommendation of the Creative Writing Admissions Committee and approval of the Division of Graduate Studies. For further clarification, contact the Creative Writing Department.
Students in the Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Creative Writing at San Francisco State who wish to enter the M.F.A. program are required to apply for admission and are subject to the same admission standards as are all other applicants. For students entering with an earned M.A. in English: Creative Writing from SFSU, the M.F.A. is a 30-unit degree as described below.
Level One: the writing proficiency of the student is monitored on a continuing basis as each course in the program is completed. Level Two: satisfactory completion of CW 893.
On-line course descriptions are available. Selected upper division courses offered by the department may be used for the degree upon approval of a department adviser. Enrollment is not required in the semester of graduation.
Priority in M.F.A. classes is given to classified M.F.A. students accepted in the genre of the course.
| Program | Units | |
| Units selected from the following courses including at least 6 units at the M.F.A. level (CW 853, 854, 855, or 856) | 18 | |
| CW 803 | Advanced Short Story Writing 1 | |
| CW 804 | Advanced Poetry Writing 1 | |
| CW 805 | Advanced Playwriting 1 | |
| CW 807 | Developing the Novel 1 | |
| CW 808 | Novel Writing 1 | |
| CW 809 | Directed Writing for Graduate Students 2 | |
| CW 824 | Advanced Novel Workshop (6) 1 | |
| CW 853 | M.F.A. Workshop in Fiction 1 | |
| CW 854 | M.F.A. Workshop in Poetry 1 | |
| CW 855 | M.F.A. Workshop in Playwriting 1 | |
| CW 856 | M.F.A. Workshop in Short Plays 1 | |
| CW 899 | Special Study | |
| Creative Process courses at the M.F.A. level. Units selected from the following: | 6 | |
| CW 880 | Craft and Process Tutorial in Fiction 1 | |
| CW 881 | Craft and Process Tutorial in Poetry 1 | |
| CW 882 | Craft and Process Tutorial in Playwriting 1 | |
| Literature courses or Graduate Creative Process courses | 12 | |
| Courses numbered 400-level and above may be chosen as follows: literature courses in the English Department, Comparative and World Literature, or in other departments with the consent of the M.F.A. adviser. Graduate process courses include CW 785, 806, 810, 814, 820, 825, 840, 850, 860, 866, 875, 876, 880, 881, 882, 899. | ||
| Correlative courses related to the candidate's interests and planned with the approval of the M.F.A. adviser. Sequences and patterns are especially appropriate. (CW 860, along with the English Department's course in the teaching of composition, is an option in this sequence. For students planning a culminating project in playwriting, the following courses in Theatre Arts are acceptable: TH A 460, 711, 740) | 12 | |
| CW 893 | Written M.F.A. Creative Work | 6 |
| Minimum total | 54 | |
For students with a B.A. degree, the M.F.A. degree is 54 units as stated above.
For students with an earned M.A. in English: Concentration in Creative Writing, the M.F.A. degree requires an additional 30 units composed of the following elements:
| Units chosen in M.F.A.-level workshops (CW 853, 854, 855, or 856) | 6 | |
| Units chosen in M.F.A.-level Creative Processes classes 2 (CW 880, 881, or 882) | 6 | |
| Units selected in the Correlative area listed above | 12 | |
| CW 893 | Written M.F.A. Creative Work | 6 |
Footnotes