General Information
The MFA in Creative Writing trains students to write in a variety of genres and to study literature from the point of view of a working writer. Recent graduates have become not only published authors of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, and screenplays, but also journalists, editors, publishers, and college-level and secondary-level teachers. The degree program culminates in the submission and oral defense of a thesis consisting of a creative work of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and/or scriptwriting. The MFA in Creative Writing normally takes six semesters to complete. Fellowships and teaching assistantships are available on a competitive basis.
Admission requirements
• A BA degree, with English major or at least 18
semester hours of English.
• Satisfactory scores on the verbal and analytical writing
sections of the GRE General Test (approximately
600/5.0).
• Submission of a complete application by January 1
(December 1 for international applicants).
Coursework
Students must take 45 hours of coursework (15 courses) in the following areas:
4 courses (12 hours) of writing workshops (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, scriptwriting, publishing).
4 courses (12 hours) in Literature.
2 courses (6 hours) in two of the following: Studies in Poetry; Studies in Fiction; Studies in Literary Movements.
2 courses (6 hours) of electives.
9 hours of credit for thesis writing.
Foreign language requirement
Students earning the Creative
Writing must complete a foreign language requirement,
either before or after enrolling at CU-Boulder, by:
• Completing a fourth-semester (second-semester
sophomore) college language course with a grade of
C or better; or
• Presenting other evidence of competence in a foreign
language to the director of Graduate Studies.
Application Requirements
Applications are available to process online via the Office of Admissions website.
This link directs you to the online application service, ApplyYourself
www.colorado.edu/prospective/graduate/apply/application.html
The address to send by mail is:
Graduate Admissions
Department of English
CU Boulder
Hellems 101 / 226 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0226
If you are an international applicant, please visit this link for additional information on required testing and documents.
http://www.colorado.edu/prospective/international/index.html
•Applicants are eligible to apply for one English Graduate program in any given admission session. If you are applying for the MFA in Creative Writing, you will not be eligible to apply for the MA in Literature.
•English Department Graduate Program Applications are accepted exclusively for Fall Admission. Deferral to start in any semester other than that of your admission year is available through petition only due to exceptional circumstances.
The application deadline of January 1st, 2008 for Fall 2008 admission has passed. Applications for Fall 2009 will be accepted beginning Summer 2008.
•Domestic Applications, with all materials, are due to the English Department no later than January 1, 2008.
•International Applications, with all materials, are due to the Office of Admissions, International Admissions Team (IAT) no later than December 1, 2007.
THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS ARE REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION
Please note, due to security and authenticity issues, we are unable to accept ANY electronic application materials unless they are submitted through the online application system, ApplyYourself.
• Complete/submitted application from ApplyYourself
http://www.colorado.edu/prospective/graduate/apply/application.html
• Three letters of recommendation (a fourth is optional).
• Tuition Classification Form for those seeking Colorado resident tuition.
• Teaching Appointment Application for those seeking TA positions. Please visit this link for the application.http://www.colorado.edu/English/acadprograms/gradteachapp.htm
• Nonrefundable application fee of $50 ($70, for international students). Check, cashier’s check, or international money order in U.S. funds made out to the University of Colorado.
• Two official copies of transcript(s) from each college or university attended.
• A statement of purpose (1–2 pages).
• Writing sample. A polished manuscript of original creative work (10 pages of poetry; 25 pages of fiction or non-fiction creative prose or screenplay or stage play; or some combination of the above).
• Scores on the GRE General Test sent to the Department of English. The GRE Subject Test is optional for the MFA in Creative Writing. For reporting purposes, the UCB Institution Code is 4841. The Subject code is 2503.
International Applicants
International applicants must submit the following materials, and mail all application materials to
Office of Admissions
Regent Administrative Center 125
University of Colorado
65 UCB, Boulder, CO
80309-0065 USA.
International applicants are urged to consult the Office of Admissions web site at http://www.colorado.edu/prospective/international/index.html for further information about admission to and study at the University of Colorado and Boulder.
• International Student Application for Admission
• Financial Statement for International Applicants with the required documentation.
• Scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or acceptable equivalent examination. Students who speak English as a native language or who have completed at least one year of full-time academic study at a U.S. institution at the time of application are exempt from this requirement.
• All other materials specified above.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to send them to ssengl@colorado.edu.
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