Doctorate in Creative Writing Degree Requirements
Course Requirements:
90 graduate-level quarter hours.
60 hours of course work must be in formal classes, excluding ENGL 5995 and 5991, non-ENGL courses and tutorials.
5 courses distributed over three groups of major literary periods: Old English/medieval and Renaissance; 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and contemporary; and rhetoric and theory. Students must take at least one course in one period and at least two courses in the other two periods.
Graduate tutorials:
• ENGL 4100
• ENGL 4000 Graduate Colloquium
Graduate teaching seminars:
• ENGL 4830 Seminar in Teaching
• ENGL 4831 Seminar in Teaching
• ENGL 4832 Seminar in Teaching
4 writing workshops:
• 3 in the genre of specialization and 1 in another genre.
• ENGL 3017 Travel Writing—Fiction & Fact
• ENGL 3025 The Art of Reviewing
• ENGL 3037 Literary Translation
• ENGL 4001, 4002, 4003 Seminar Creative Writing—Poetry
• ENGL 4011, 4012, 4013 Seminar Creative Writing—Fiction
• ENGL 4000 Seminar Creative Writing—Nonfiction
• ENGL 4000 Seminar Creative Writing—Mixed Genres
• ENGL 4017 Travel Writing
• ENGL 4025 The Art of Reviewing
• ENGL 4650 Literary Translation
Non-Course Requirements:
Preliminary advancement to candidacy.
Advancement to candidacy.
A dissertation of publishable quality that makes a significant contribution to its field. This will take the form of an extended scholarly and critical work (usually between 150 and 250 pages) OR a creative work (fiction or poetry). The creative dissertation must include a critical preface that situates the dissertation in its literary context.
Oral examination. When the dissertation is completed, it must be defended by the candidate. The defense must take place by April 30. No dissertation defenses will be held during the summer quarter. The candidate is therefore advised to set the defense date as far in advance as possible. The defense takes the form of a discussion with the committee concerning the content, context and implications of the work. The dissertation committee consists of the director, two other readers from the English department and an outside chair.
Tool (reading knowledge of one language) proficiency may be established by completing one of the following:
• Passing a standard reading examination accredited by the department.
• Passing, with a grade of B or better, a 3000-level literature course in the language.
• Successful completion of the Bibliography and Research Methods class in the English department.
• Selection and successful completion of a cognate course in another department that will augment specific skills. This course must be approved by the graduate committee.
• Successful completion of Old English, followed by a 2-hour Beowulf tutorial, followed by an intermediate Old English tutorial. (This option will no longer require a petition to the graduate committee.)
• Successful completion of a graduate translation class (students must secure approval of instructor). The language requirements must be completed 1 quarter before graduation.
Prospectus review. By the end of the winter quarter of the third year, students must submit a Dissertation Area Proposal to the director of graduate studies. This proposal is a brief description of the proposed area of the dissertation; it must be signed by at least two dissertation committee members. Before the end of the third quarter of the third year of study, all students should complete the prospectus review. This is an oral discussion based on the written dissertation prospectus and conducted by the director of graduate studies and a committee consisting of the first two readers of the dissertation. The prospectus should be approximately 2,500–3,000 words and should be presented to the exam committee well in advance of the exam. For creative writing students, the prospectus should discuss the theoretical and generic origins of the project, its methodology and artistic goals.
Written comprehensive exam. At the beginning of the third year of study, and after 60 hours of completed course work, all students will take a written comprehensive exam covering four areas of study: 1) an author or major figure; 2) a genre; 3) a period; and 4) a second period or special topic. All choices must be approved by examiners and the graduate director. Students will prepare a reading list for each area in consultation with examiners. All lists must be signed by both examiners and on file with the graduate director by March 30 or the student will not be allowed to take the exam the following fall.