Creative Writing
College of Arts and Humanities
Dean: Paul Sherwin
Department of Creative Writing
HUM 380
Phone: 415-338-1891
E-mail: cwriting@sfsu.edu
Website: www.sfsu.edu/~cwriting
Chair: Maxine Chernoff
Undergraduate and Graduate Advisers: Carter, Caspers, Chernoff, Conboy, Doris, Dungy, Glück, Hoover, Langton, Mirosevich, Orner
Faculty:
Professors: Carter, Caspers, Chernoff, Conboy, Dungy, Glück, Hoover, Langton, Mirosevich
Associate Professors: Doris, Orner
Programs
Bachelor of Arts in English Concentration in: Creative Writing
Master of Arts in English Concentration in: Creative Writing
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Program Scope
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 simultaneously.
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.
Career Outlook
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, teaching, and working for arts organizations.
Bachelor of Arts in English: Concentration in Creative Writing
Writing Competence: C W 511 or C W 512 or C W 513 satisfies the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). Majors who are first-time freshmen in Fall 2008 or later must use C W 511 or C W 512 or C W 513 to satisfy the GWAR. For students who entered college earlier, C W 511 or C W 512 or C W 513 is one of several options for satisfying the GWAR. Completion of C W 301 Fundamentals of Creative Writing and second year written composition (ENG 214 or equivalent) with a grade of C- or better is a prerequisite for C W 511 or C W 512 or C W 513.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
Program
A. (6 units)
Fundamentals of Creative Writing and Fundamentals of Creative Reading; both are prerequisites to all other Creative Writing courses; C W 302 is prerequisite to ENG 460, ENG 461, ENG 462, and all other upper division English literature courses. C W 302 must be taken at SF State; upon completion of C W 302, courses from sections E. and F. may be taken at any time. C W 301 and C W 302 may be taken concurrently:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 301 | Fundamentals of Creative Writing |
| C W 302 | Fundamentals of Creative Reading |
B. (3 units)
Course in the Craft Area selected from the following (must be taken after C W 301 and C W 302 and BEFORE workshop course.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 511 GW | Craft of Poetry - GWAR |
| C W 512 GW | Craft of Fiction - GWAR |
| C W 513 GW | Craft of Playwriting - GWAR |
C. (15 units)
Courses in the Creative Process Area and /or Workshop Areas selected from the following (One of these courses must be chosen from variable topic process courses C W 510 OR C W 600. Seek advising for substitution.):
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 506 | The Business of Creative Writing (creative process) |
| C W 507 | Writing on the Body (creative process) |
| C W 509 | Jewish Writers in the American Poetry Archives (creative process) |
| C W 510 | Creative Process - Variable Topic (creative process) 1 |
| C W 514 | World Poetry (creative process) |
| C W 520 | Writers on Writing (creative process) |
| C W 550 | Poetry Center Workshop (creative process) |
| C W 600 | Special Topics in Writing - Variable Topic 1 (workshop) |
| C W 602 | Playwriting 3 (workshop) |
| C W 603 | Short Story Writing 3 (workshop) |
| C W 604 | Poetry Writing 3 (workshop) |
| C W 605 | Writing and Performing Monologues 3 (workshop) |
| C W 609 | Directed Writing 2 (workshop) |
| C W 640 | Transfer Literary Magazine (creative process) |
| C W 675 | Community Projects in Literature (creative process) |
| C W 685 | Projects in Teaching Creative Writing (creative process) (1-4) |
| C W 699 | Independent Study (creative process or workshop) (1-3) |
| CWL 455 | Translation Workshop (creative process) |
D. (3 units)
C W 601 Work in Progress (to be taken in last year)
E. (9 units)
Courses in the Literature Area, one course to be selected from three of the following four groups.(Prerequisite for C W majors to take these courses is C W 302; once completed, courses from sections E. and F. maybe taken at any time.):
American Literature
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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 Surveys or Age (of)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| ENG 504 | The Elizabethan Age |
| ENG 509 | The Age of Humanism |
| ENG 514 | The Age of the Romantics |
The Genre
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 465/ CWL 465/ MGS 465 |
Modern Greek Poetry |
| 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 U.S. Poetry |
| ENG 559 | Middle and Late 20th Century Poetry in the U.S. |
| ENG 570 | Medieval and Renaissance Drama |
| ENG 571 | The Tragedy of Blood, Comedy of Humors |
| ENG 573 | American Drama |
| ENG 574 | Modern British Drama |
Individual Authors
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 426/ MGS 426 |
Kazantzakis |
| CWL 425 | Individual Authors |
| ENG 580 | Individual Authors |
| ENG 581 | Chaucer |
| ENG 583 | Shakespeare: Representative Plays |
| ENG 584 | Shakespeare: Selected Plays |
| ENG 586 | Milton |
F. (3 units)
Three units selected from Writing from the American Experience or Global Literatures in English (substitution may be made with adviser's approval). (Prerequisite for C W majors to take these courses is C W 302; once completed, courses from sections E. and F. maybe taken at any time.):
Global Literatures in English (More course offerings in this category will become available over time.)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 497/ MGS 497 |
Modern Greek Literature |
| ENG 451/ JS 451 |
Jewish Literature of the Americas |
| ENG 631 | Words, Culture, & Change |
| ENG 632 | Literature of Exile and Migration |
Writing from the American Experience
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| AA S 363 | Survey of Philippine Literature |
| AA S 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 / WGS 545 | American Radical Women Writers |
| ENG 546/ JS 546/ WGS 546 |
20th Century American Jewish Women Writers |
| ENG 618 | Studies in Gay and Bisexual Literature |
| MGS 397 | Greek American Literature |
| LTNS 305 | Latina/o Studies Creative Writing Workshop |
| LTNS 560 | Contemporary Latina/o Literature |
| WGS 541 | Women Writers and Social Change |
| WGS 547 | Contemporary Asian American Women Writers |
| WGS 551 | Lesbian Literature |
G. (3 units)
Three units selected from Theory and Language Studies:
Theory and Language Studies
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| AFRS 440 | Black Oratory |
| ENG 420 | Introduction to the Study of Language |
| ENG 422 | History of the English 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 615 | Imagery, Metaphor, and Symbol |
| ENG 613/ WGS 544 |
Feminist Literary Criticism |
| HUM 410 | The Modern Revolution |
| HUM 415 | Contemporary Culture |
| HUM 432 | Nietzsche and Postmodernism |
Total for major: 42
Master of Arts in English: Concentration in Creative Writing
Admission to the Program
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 December 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.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
Level One: Statement of purpose and writing sample (15 - 20 pages fiction, or 15 poems, or 1 full-length play or 2 short plays) scored 8.0 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10 based on the following criteria: 1) fluency and precision of expression; 2) ability to embody and illustrate ideas creatively; and 3) appropriateness of the applicant’s interests, life experiences and goals to the program. Level Two: Satisfactory completion of C W 893 Written M.A. Creative Project on the following criteria: thesis deemed by two faculty readers to be publishable in part or whole (book, chapbook and/or literary journals).
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.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
Program
Writing courses selected from the following: (9 units)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 803 | Advanced Short Story Writing 2 |
| C W 804 | Advanced Poetry Writing 2 |
| C W 807 | Developing the Novel |
| C W 808 | Novel Writing 2 |
| C W 809 | Directed Writing for Graduate Students 2 |
| C W 899 | Special Study |
Creative Process courses selected from the following: (9 units)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 785 | Graduate Projects in the Teaching of Creative Writing |
| C W 806 | The Business of Creative Writing |
| C W 810 | Seminar in the Creative Process 1 |
| C W 814 | Contemporary World Poetry |
| C W 820 | Writers on Writing |
| C W 825 | Playwright's Theatre Workshop |
| C W 840 | Fourteen Hills Literary Magazine 3 |
| C W 850 | Poetry Center Workshop |
| C W 860 | Teaching Creative Writing |
| C W 866 | Craft of Translation |
| C W 875 | Community Projects in Literature 3 |
| C W 899 | Special Study |
Upper division/graduate literature courses in the English, Comparative and World Literature, or Theatre Arts Departments, to be taken on advisement. (9 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| C W 893 | Written M.A. Creative Project | 3 |
Minimum total: 30
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Admission to the Program
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 December 15 for the fall semester.
Applicants from creative writing programs at other colleges or universities may transfer 9 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 SF State, the M.F.A. is a 30-unit degree as described below.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
Level One: Statement of purpose and writing sample (15 - 20 pages fiction, or 15 poems, or 1 full-length play or 2 short plays) scored 8.0 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10 based on the following criteria: 1) fluency and precision of expression; 2) ability to embody and illustrate ideas creatively; and 3) appropriateness of the applicant’s interests, life experiences and goals to the program. Level Two: Satisfactory completion of C W 893 M.F.A. Written Creative Work on the following criteria: work deemed by two faculty readers to be publishable as a book and evaluated along the following criteria: 1)ability to use the craft of the art form to illustrate ideas, vision, and imagination creatively, using fresh, precise language; 2)ability to suggest, via the craft to the art form, a subtext and themes that display the writers’ complex relationship with her/his ideas, vision, imagination, and form (story, poem, dramatic monologue and/or play); and 3)mastery of at least one genre form per the above.
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.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
Program
Writing Workshops at the M.F.A. Level
A minimum of 6 units selected from the following: (6 units)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 853 | M.F.A. Workshop in Fiction 4 |
| C W 854 | M.F.A. Workshop in Poetry 4 |
| C W 855 | M.F.A. Workshop in Playwriting 4 |
| C W 856 | M.F.A. Workshop in Short Plays 2 |
M.A./M.F.A. level Creative Process Directed Writing/Special Study/Writing Workshops
Units selected from the following: (12 units)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 785 | Graduate Projects in the Teaching of Creative Writing |
| C W 803 | Advanced Short Story Writing 2 |
| C W 804 | Advanced Poetry Writing 2 |
| C W 806 | The Business of Creative Writing |
| C W 807 | Developing the Novel |
| C W 808 | Novel Writing 2 |
| C W 809 | Directed Writing for Graduate Students 2 |
| C W 810 | Seminar in the Creative Process 1 |
| C W 814 | Contemporary World Poetry |
| C W 820 | Writers on Writing |
| C W 825 | Playwright's Theatre Workshop 2 |
| C W 840 | Fourteen Hills Literary Magazine 3 |
| C W 850 | Poetry Center Workshop |
| C W 853 | M.F.A. Workshop in Fiction 4 |
| C W 854 | M.F.A. Workshop in Poetry 4 |
| C W 855 | M.F.A. Workshop in Playwriting 4 |
| C W 856 | M.F.A. Workshop in Short Plays 2 |
| C W 860 | Teaching Creative Writing |
| C W 866 | Craft of Translation |
| C W 875 | Community Projects in Literature |
| C W 899 | Special Study |
Creative Process courses at the M.F.A. level. Minimum of 6 units selected from the following: (6 units)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| C W 880 | M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Fiction 1, 2 |
| C W 881 | M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Poetry 1, 2 |
| C W 882 | M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Playwriting 1, 2 |
Literature or Theatre Arts courses or Graduate Creative Process courses: (12 units)
Upper division/graduate (300 level and above) literature courses in the English or Comparative and World Literature or Theater Arts Departments, to be taken on advisement, with the consent of an M.F.A. adviser. Theater Arts courses include TH A 401, 660, 705.
Graduate Creative Writing process courses include C W 785, 806, 810, 814, 820, 825, 840, 850, 860, 866, 875, 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. (C W 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 401, 660, 705) (12 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| C W 893 | Written M.F.A. Creative Work | 6 |
Minimum total: 54
Priority in M.F.A. classes is given to classified M.F.A. students accepted in the genre of the course.
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 from SF State, the M.F.A. degree requires an additional 30 units composed of the following elements:
Units chosen in M.F.A.-level workshops (C W 853, 854, 855, or 856) (6 units)
Units chosen in M.F.A.-level Creative Processes classes (C W 880, 881, or 882) 1, 2 (6 units)
Units selected in the Correlative area listed above (12 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| C W 893 | Written M.F.A. Creative Work | 6 |
Footnotes
