Creative Writing English (3+2 with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing)

Creative Writing English (3+2 with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing) allows students to complete the B.A. in English (ENG) and the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA) at Western in five years. To remain qualified for the 3+2, upon earning 60 credits each student must: 

  • maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and 3.0 within the emphasis in the major;
  • earn a minimum grade of B+ in at least two English courses;
  • submit an 800- to 1,000-word personal statement describing the student's writing experience and commitment to writing;
  • submit a creative writing sample of at least ten pages appropriate to the MFA concentration the student is applying to;
  • provide two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be an academic reference addressing the applicant's ability to succeed in a low-residency program.

If any aspect of a student's performance is found to be insufficient, the relevant MFA Concentration Director will recommend denial of acceptance to the GPCW Program Director and the Graduate Studies Dean, and the student will need to find a new emphasis or minor in order to complete the undergraduate degree. Upon meeting the requirements, and completing Year Three (reaching 93 credits in this plan-see "DEGREE PLAN") holding to the same GPA and general performance standards outlined above, the School of Graduate Studies will designate the student as an "MFA candidate in Creative Writing with provisional acceptance." Upon completion of Year Four (reaching 12 8 credits in this plan-see "DEGREE PLAN"), the student will receive their BA and the School of Graduate Studies may designate the student as an "MFA Creative Writing degree-seeking student." Students who have completed Year Four and all other requirements of the 3+2 program and all Western undergraduate requirements (120 total credits, 40 upper-division credits, general education requirements, the ENG undergraduate courses listed under the English Comprehensive Emphasis) but choose to leave the MFA program before completion of Year Five will still have completed the undergraduate ENG Comprehensive Emphasis and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree.

A minimum of 45 credits is required for the B.A. components of the emphasis including a three-credit, upper-division literature elective. In the fourth and fifth years, an additional 60 credits of Creative Writing MFA coursework results in the MFA in Creative Writing degree. 

ENG 161Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1)3
ENG 250Critical Approaches to Literature3
ENG 358Global Literatures: Studies in: The Underworld3
ENG 371Literary Theory and Criticism3
ENG 405Advanced Writing3
ENG 445Literary Magazine Submission and Production3
ENG 463Major British Authors:3
ENG 464Major American Authors:3
ENG 493Senior Seminar I: Studies in: Criminal Justice3
ENG 494Senior Seminar: Studies in:3
Select one of the following: 3
Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Women and Literature
Literary Culture of the American West
Environmental Literature (GT-AH2)
Ancient World Literature (GT-AH2)
Literature and Ethnicity: Studies in:
Women Writers
Myth and Culture
Select two of the following: 6
Creative Writing: Fiction
Creative Writing: Poetry
Creative Writing
Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction
Select one of the following: 3
British Literature: Medieval and Renaissance Texts
British Literature: Milton through the Romantics
British Literature: The Victorians to the Present Day
Select one of the following: 3
American Literature Early to Civil War
American Literature-Civil War to Present
Total Credits45


Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Summer before Year 4 of 3+2 (Year 1, Summer 1 of MFA):

CRWR 600The Common Read & Writing Craft2
And any ONE of the following: 3
FUNDMT WRITING GENRE FICTION I
Foundations of Poetry
Scenes & Sequences
Introduction to Nature Writing
Total Credits5


Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Fall of Year 4 of 3+2 (Fall 1 of MFA):

Select any ONE of the following pairs:12
Genre Writing I- Romance and Mystery Fiction
Genre Studies I-Romance and Mystery
OR
Adapting the Feature
Feature Structure & Genre
OR
Poetry Now
Poetry Craft and Technique
OR
Craft of Creative Nonfiction
Genres of Nature Writing
Total Credits12


Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Spring of Year 4 of 3+2 (Spring 1 of MFA):

Any ONE of the following pairs:12
Genre Studies II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction
Genre Writing II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction
OR
Writing the Television Screenplay
TV Structure & Genre
OR
Poetry Workshop I
Poetic Lineages
OR
Writing Place: New Forms and Techniques
Writing about Nature and Society
Total Credits12


Upon successful completion of the prescribed courses listed above, University defined General Education, and elective requirements totaling 120 credits (with 40 at the 300-level or higher), students are eligible for their B.A. conferral. Students electing to complete the MFA in Creative Writing must complete the courses of their declared emphasis curriculum. 31 credits of the the following including:

Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Summer before Year 5 of 3+2 (Year 2, Summer 2 of MFA):

CRWR 694MFA Thesis2
And any ONE of the following: 3
FUNDM WRITING GENRE FICTION II
From Thesis to Book
Visual Storytelling
Book-Length Considerations
Total Credits5


Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Fall of Year 5 of 3+2 (Fall 2 of MFA):

CRWR 694MFA Thesis3
And any ONE of the following: 6
Short Forms Genre Fiction Writing
Poetry Workshop II
Screenwriting Workshop I
Nature Writing Workshop
Total Credits9


Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Spring of Year 5 of 3+2 (Spring 2 of MFA):

CRWR 694MFA Thesis1
Select any ONE of the following pairs:12
Business Fundamentals for Genre Writers
Pedagogy & Practicum
OR
The Concept & The Pitch
Screenwriting Workshop 2
OR
Special Topics in Poetry
The Writing Life
OR
Special Topics in Nature Writing
Professional Development in Nature Writing
Total Credits13


Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Summer after Year 5 of 3+2 (Summer 3 of MFA):

CRWR 697Special Topics1
And any ONE of the following: 3
CAREER PLANNG FOR GENRE WRITER
Graduate Poetry Seminar
Screenwriting Thesis Production
THESIS SEMINAR IN NATR WRITNG
Total Credits4
Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
MATHEssential Skills 3
Gen Ed Gen Eds 3
Gen Ed Gen Eds 3
Gen Ed Gen Eds 3
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
 Credits16
Spring
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
ENG 161 Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) 3
ENG 250 Critical Approaches to Literature 3
Gen Ed Gen Eds 3
Gen Ed Area II 4
 Credits16
Year Two
Fall
Elective 3
ENG 230
Environmental Literature (GT-AH2)
or Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
or Women and Literature
or Literary Culture of the American West
or Ancient World Literature (GT-AH2)
or Literature and Ethnicity: Studies in:
or Women Writers
or Myth and Culture
3
ENG 372
British Literature: Medieval and Renaissance Texts
or British Literature: Milton through the Romantics
or British Literature: The Victorians to the Present Day
3
Gen Ed Area II 4
Gen Ed Gen Eds 3
 Credits16
Spring
ENG 371 Literary Theory and Criticism 3
ENG 358 Global Literatures: Studies in: The Underworld 3
ENG 300
Creative Writing: Fiction
or Creative Writing: Poetry
or Creative Writing
or Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction
3
ENG 384
American Literature Early to Civil War
or American Literature-Civil War to Present
3
Elective 3
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ENG 493 Senior Seminar I: Studies in: Criminal Justice 3
ENG 464 Major American Authors: 3
ENG Elective Upper Division Literature 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credits15
Spring
ENG 463 Major British Authors: 3
ENG 494 Senior Seminar: Studies in: 3
ENG 300
Creative Writing: Fiction
or Creative Writing: Poetry
or Creative Writing
or Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction
3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credits15
Summer
CRWR 600 The Common Read & Writing Craft 2
CRWR 601
FUNDMT WRITING GENRE FICTION I
or Foundations of Poetry
or Scenes & Sequences
or Writing Place: New Forms and Techniques
3
 Credits5
Year Four
Fall
ENG 405 Advanced Writing 3
Choose one of the following sets: 12
Genre Writing I- Romance and Mystery Fiction
Genre Studies I-Romance and Mystery
OR
Poetry Now
Poetry Craft and Technique
OR
Adapting the Feature
Feature Structure & Genre
OR
Craft of Creative Nonfiction
Genres of Nature Writing
 Credits15
Spring
ENG 445 Literary Magazine Submission and Production 3
Choose one of the following sets: 12
Genre Studies II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction
Genre Writing II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction
OR
Poetry Workshop I
Poetic Lineages
OR
Writing the Television Screenplay
TV Structure & Genre
OR
Writing Place: New Forms and Techniques
Writing about Nature and Society
 Credits15
Summer
CRWR 602
FUNDM WRITING GENRE FICTION II
or Foundations of Poetry
or Visual Storytelling
or Book-Length Considerations
3
CRWR 694 MFA Thesis 2
 Credits5
Year Five
Fall
CRWR 620
Short Forms Genre Fiction Writing
or Poetry Workshop II
or Nature Writing Workshop
or Screenwriting Workshop I
6
CRWR 694 MFA Thesis 3
 Credits9
Spring
CRWR 694 MFA Thesis 1
Choose one of the following sets: 12
Business Fundamentals for Genre Writers
Pedagogy & Practicum
OR
Special Topics in Poetry
The Writing Life
OR
The Concept & The Pitch
Screenwriting Workshop 2
OR
Special Topics in Nature Writing
Professional Development in Nature Writing
 Credits13
Summer
CRWR 604
CAREER PLANNG FOR GENRE WRITER
or Graduate Poetry Seminar
or Screenwriting Thesis Production
or THESIS SEMINAR IN NATR WRITNG
3
CRWR 697 Special Topics 1
 Credits4
 Total Credits159