university of mississippi creative writing mfa

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M.F.A. in Creative Writing

Description.

An M.F.A. in creative writing prepares students who have decided to develop their particular literary skills to a higher level. By working closely with the well-published poets and writers in the Department of English, as well as with their fellow graduate students, the developing creative writers actively participate in a scholarly community that focuses on successfully learning the craft of writing. Upon completion of the degree, the successful student will have a completed manuscript ready for publication.

Minimum Total Credit Hours: 42

Course requirements.

Students with a B.A. must complete 36 hours of coursework with at least a B average, as well as 6 additional hours of thesis credit. Of the 36 hours, a minimum of 12 must be in creative writing workshops; at least 3 must be either Eng 679 or 683; and at least 9 must be in 700-level literature courses (3 before 1800 and 3 after). Eng 600 is required during the first fall semester of enrollment in full standing. Students may take up to 6 hours in related disciplines and/or directed readings. Writing instructors are required to take Eng 617: Teaching College English. Students with an M.A. or other graduate degree may be released from some coursework.

The M.F.A. thesis is a book-length manuscript of either poetry or prose. Students are to work with a committee of three faculty members, one of whom will be the student's supervisor.

Before submitting the M.F.A. thesis, each student must pass a four-hour written test on topics on literature and related fields. The exam is set by the student's M.F.A. committee.

An oral defense before the committee, lasting approximately one hour, is the final stage before the student is recommended for the degree.

Creative Writing

What does it mean to minor in creative writing.

A minor in Creative Writing consists of 6 English courses, including Eng 300: Intro to Creative Writing, and at least 3 courses from the following list:

• Eng 301. Poetry Workshop
• Eng 302. Fiction Workshop
• Eng 303. Nonfiction Workshop
• Eng 304. Screenwriting Workshop
• Eng 400. Advanced Poetry Workshop
• Eng 401. Advanced Nonfiction Workshop
• Eng 402. Advanced Screenwriting Workshop
• Eng 403. Advanced Screenwriting Workshop
• Eng 404. Special Topics in Creative Writing
• Eng 405. Nature Writing

Why is UM a good place to study creative writing?

The creative writing program is one of the top in the nation, with recognition as a “Top 10 University for Aspiring Writers” by CollegeMagazine.com. Our acclaimed creative writing professors include fiction writers, poets, and screenwriters who teach and mentor undergraduates. Below are some examples of their recognitions and awards.

• Beth Ann Fennelly is the Mississippi Poet Laureate and received the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship.
• Matt Bondurant’s internationally bestseller, The Wettest County in the World , was adapted into the feature film, Lawless.
• Aimee Nezhukumatahil’s work appeared in Poetry magazine and the Best American Poetry anthology, and received a Guggenheim Fellowship.
• Poet Derrick Harriell’s fictional debut with the short story, “There’s a Riot Goin’ On,” received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
• Tom Franklin’s Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter won LA Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller.
• Melissa Ginsburg has worked in editorial positions for several literary magazines.

Faculty Profile

Kiese Laymon , Hubert H. McAlexander Professor of English, is a recipient of many literary awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Award and Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. He is recognized for being a powerful literary voice for social justice and education.

After completing a degree from Oberlin College, Laymon earned a Master of Fine Arts in fiction from the University of Indiana and joined the UM faculty in 2015 first as a John and Renee Grisham Visiting Writer in Residence then a professor.

“I came to Ole Miss because I needed to be back in Mississippi. I needed to breathe the Mississippi air and I needed to be close to Mississippi kids. I love Mississippi with everything I have. I just want us to be better. I’m trying to do my part to help myself be better, but I also want to help our state be better. I think part of that is acknowledging how wonderful and incredible we have been.”

Laymon created the Catherine Coleman Initiative for the Arts and Social Justice in the Department of English to expose high school students to fine arts and creative writing. Named after his grandmother, the program aims to connect with Mississippi high school students through the arts and creative writing.

For more information

Dr. Caroline Wigginton, Chair and Associate Professor of English Department of English C128  Bondurant Hall The University of Mississippi University, MS 38677 (662) 915-7439 |  engl@olemiss.edu

Creative Writing

The MFA in Creative Writing Program is a 36-unit interdisciplinary course of study that culminates in a terminal degree that qualifies the holder to teach at the college level. The coursework includes fifteen unit hours in creative writing workshops [including bilingual creative writing when offered], three hours of literary theory, nine additional unit hours in Humanities and Film electives, three hours of electives, and six hours of thesis. We do not allow either the Humanities Internship course nor the Teaching course in our curriculum as units toward the degree. The MFA student completes a critical essay and an original creative writing manuscript in a selected genre.

Graduate Certificates

Latin American/Latinx Creative Studies 

Latin American and Latinx Creative Studies offers you creative writing opportunities to develop your intellectual interests and creative skills, while exploring diverse cultures from Latinx-America.

Writing for Media 

Our certificate in Writing for Media exposes you to a curriculum that prizes the contributions of different ethnicities, styles and cultural traditions in multiple genres. We offer a varied set of courses in screenwriting, television writing, playwriting, podcasting and creative cinema studies.

Modes of Study

Learn more about our Online Study and The Weekend Format.

Online Study

Our MFA offers two kinds of flexibility: weekend study, meeting six times per semester, and online study, which does not require your physical presence. All courses have an online component, meaning that half of the course is conducted in our course management system, Canvas. Dedicated to the tutorial element of the course (i.e., writing essays and exercises that go only to your professor), your Canvas work prepares you for your in-class meetings. In-person sessions are devoted to workshops of student writing and discussion of assigned books.  

Fully online courses are not radically different in nature from weekend ones. You still write, read, discuss, and respond to your peers' work. Quality and quantity of instruction is the same. Some professors use video conferences to provide the workshop experience; others use the platform creatively to offer written exchanges. The same professors teach weekend and online courses.   

Some students elect to complete the program exclusively online. More often, students mix and match.  

We emphasize that we do not have two separate programs. We have a single MFA program, with courses delivered in two modalities. In a given course, you will find students from the L.A. area, and those from far away.  Whether you complete 100% or 25% of your degree from a distance, online learning is an asset. Canvas make us more available to you, and helps you continue your progress as a writer without any significant gaps.  

OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS : Please note that not all states are authorized for students to enroll in our fully online MFA Creative Writing program at MSMU. Please visit our  State Authorization  webpage to confirm if you are eligible to enroll based on your state of residency.  

The Weekend Format

The Weekend format  provides an alternative way of being a graduate student for professionals with complex work and personal schedules. It redistributes the weekly coursework for a traditional fifteen-week semester into six intensive weekends of class instruction. The weekends are non-consecutive and are scheduled two to three weeks apart. Each weekend of instruction in the Weekend format is the equivalent of more than two weeks of coursework in a traditional or evening format. The adult who attends the Weekend format prepares for this intensive learning experience well in advance of the actual two days spent on campus. The Weekend format offers time for students to balance school, career and family responsibilities.  

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Center for Writers

The Creative Writing Program

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The Center for Writers offers both MA and PhD degree paths where creative writing students study alongside literary scholars and take courses from literature and creative writing faculty at the forefront of their fields. What sets this program apart from others is the spirited and collaborative relationship between faculty from different creative and literary backgrounds and the graduate students with whom they work. Students specialize in their chosen genre of fiction or poetry, but also gain expertise in particular fields of literary studies based on theme and historical period. We offer a robust and immersive graduate experience which involves taking coursework and teaching undergraduate students, as well as participating in the myriad facets of our program culture including public readings, social gatherings, professionalization workshops, and fundraisers. We also offer at least one summer graduate course, intersession courses in January or May, and an exciting British Studies program every summer.  

The MA degree in Creative Writing is a two year program that mostly consists of creative writing workshops and electives, along with at least three courses in literature and theory. Students in the MA program must write and complete an original creative thesis which they defend in the last semester of their tenure. The PhD degree is a three year program, with competitive funding for a fourth year if available. PhD students enroll in workshops, creative writing electives, and theory and literature courses, enjoying a rigorous but balanced path to completion. PhD students take a qualifying exam at the end of their first year and a written comprehensive exam when they have completed coursework. These exams are designed to underscore the students’ breadth of knowledge and give them the opportunity to read deeply in their chosen fields. The PhD student writes and defends an original dissertation at the end of their degree, working with a committee of creative writing and literature faculty.

Great writing is made from good writing. We hope to celebrate what you do well, and at the same time open space in front of you, as best we can, so that what you’ve done becomes what you could do. 

Recent Graduate Course Offerings

347 Liberal Arts Building (LAB) 118 College Dr. #5144 Hattiesburg, MS 39406

Hattiesburg Campus

 Email adam.clayFREEMississippi

 Phone 601.266.5211

Certificate in Teaching of Creative Writing Location:  AU Los Angeles Credits for Degree: 12 semester credits Standard Mode of Instruction: Low-residency Standard time to completion: 6 months

Program Overview

The Post-MFA Certificate in the Teaching of Creative Writing program, offered by the Creative Writing Department of the Division of Graduate and Professional Studies, is open to any student holding an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) or another accredited institution, and is one semester beyond the completion of the MFA degree at Antioch. During this semester, the student engages in systematic study of the theory and practice of teaching creative writing and composition, a salutary preparation for working in classroom and workshop settings at any educational level.

Although the Post-MFA Certificate in the Teaching of Creative Writing is not a formal teaching “credential,” it benefits the following groups:

• MFA holders who desire to teach, but have little teaching experience;
• MFA holders who are either college/university writing instructors or public school teachers who want to learn more about the intersection of creative and expository writing pedagogies, and to incorporate this knowledge into their teaching;
• MFA holders who desire to improve their marketability as teachers; and
• MFA holders who have teaching careers well under way and seek to improve their current positions through postgraduate professional development encouraged or required by their employers.

Note: The California Community College system does not recognize either the MFA or the Post-MFA Certificate as a valid teaching credential for instructors of English. In addition, the Post-MFA Certificate is not a program that leads to a teaching credential for secondary or elementary education.

Post-MFA Program Learning Outcomes

All Post-MFA students incorporate five program learning outcomes and activities into their project period work. The first four of these are accomplished during the student’s supervised teaching placement (overseen by the on-site supervisor) and one in the student’s independent research on creative writing pedagogy (overseen by the Post-MFA faculty).

Graduates of the Post-MFA program will:

• Accountability to all chains of command (on-site teaching supervisor, Post-MFA mentor, Creative Writing Department chair, and Creative Writing Department office)
• Professional demeanor in all activities related to the program and one’s teaching assignment
• Professional documentation, as needed
• Communicating clearly and in a timely manner with students, supervisors, and colleagues
• Engaging with the life of the department of the host institution, including attending faculty meetings (when invited)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the dynamics that exist in a particular writing classroom or online setting, including the differing viewpoints and learning styles of individual students.
• Professionally critique one’s own strengths and weaknesses as a teacher, and adjust one’s own teaching as needed.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop an assignment or lesson plan that responds to the class’s stated learning goals.
• Develop a critical vocabulary from research in pedagogy to identify and articulate various teaching methodologies and their relation to student learning styles.

Program Progression

The Post-MFA Certificate in the Teaching of Creative Writing is completed in three stages with the following learning activities:

Stage I: Pre-Project Period Residency

The entering Post-MFA Certificate student must attend a ten-day residency on the Antioch University Los Angeles campus during which the student completes the following requirements:

• “Overview of Post-MFA Certificate Program and Readings in Pedagogy” seminar/ orientation
• “Designing a Flexible Workshop Syllabus” seminar
• A Residency Workshop in their chosen writing genre
• Attend all lectures and panels involving Certificate students or pedagogy faculty
• Attend five additional Residency learning activities, such as seminars, lectures, panels, roundtables, etc. 

Post-MFA students are encouraged to generate a list of possible teaching placements (locations and supervisor contact information) before beginning in the program, and to bring it to the first on-campus residency. Students with a list of possible placements prior to Stage I will be able to make the best use of their first on-campus residency.

Stage II: Semester Project Period

During the five-month project period, Post-MFA Certificate students perform the following off-campus activities:

• Teaching Apprenticeship: every student will gain direct experience working as a professional instructor’s “Teaching Assistant.” This apprenticeship will also include some teaching-leadership of the class, guided by the professional instructor.
• Complete Teaching Practicum: every student will have the opportunity to design and lead a teaching experience for real, eager writers, whether in Antioch’s Alumni Circle, or with community organizations like PocketMFA.
• Engage with Contemporary and Urgent Texts: every student will read widely in the pedagogy of creative writing and engage regularly in vigorous zoom discussions with the faculty and other students.
• Develop a Teacher’s Toolkit: A top priority of the program is practicality and flexibility, and every student will leave the program with an immediately useful set of tools and documents to take on their journey to making a living as a creative writing instructor. 

The details of each of the above are negotiated with each student’s mentor and specified in the Project Period Contract.

Stage III: Post-Project Period Short Residency

Post-MFA Certificate students are required to attend at least the first three days of their post-project period residency. A student may choose to attend as many additional days of the post-project period residency as the student wishes. Requirements are as follows:

• Participate in the Post-MFA Panel
• Exit Meeting with Post-MFA Faculty
• Deliver the Annotated Bibliography of Readings in the Field of Writing Pedagogy

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“here you’re celebrated and challenged in the best way”.

Professor K.M. Soehnlein invites you to become a better writer and bring your full self to  USF's MFA program .

What makes the MFA program at USF distinct?

Our classes are always on the same nights, at the same time, so everyone is here in the same building together. So much happens in the hallways — on-on-the-fly conversations, plans for the future. Everyone has a chance to meet everyone else. That’s really special — and rare.

What do you find most special about the MFA writing education/experience?

The chance to bring your full self — strengths and vulnerabilities alike — to participate within an artistic community. Writing can be lonely and isolating, but here you’re celebrated and challenged in the best way.

How can pursuing an MFA support your writing process/journey now and later?

People become better writers faster when they dedicate themselves to an MFA program. It’s that simple. You’ll come to understand what you’re good at, what you need help with, and — most important of all — how to edit your own writing for the rest of your life.

Writing can be lonely and isolating, but here you're celebrated and challenged in the best way.”

How would you sum up your classroom dynamic (or teaching style) in a few words?

In seminars I talk a lot about my craft and technique, which in my experience students want to understand better. In workshops I emphasize process — what can be done in your next draft. My goal is to create a space where students feel excited to participate, learn, and write more.

Why do you teach writing?

I love being in the world of words — books, authors, writing, reading. I never get tired of it. I hope I transmit my love for this to the people who take my classes. They should leave more excited than when they started.

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Full Faculty

Matt bondurant.

Associate Professor & Director of the MFA Program Ph.D., Florida State University Office: W205 Bondurant Hall   |   662-915-6947   |    mrbondur at olemiss.edu

Beth Ann Fennelly 

Distinguished Professor M.F.A., University of Arkansas Office: W104 Bondurant Hall   |   662-915-7439   |    bafennel at olemiss.edu

Tom Franklin

Associate Professor M.F.A., University of Arkansas Office: W107-A Bondurant Hall   |   662-915-2782   |    tfrankli at olemiss.edu

Melissa Ginsburg

Associate Professor M.F.A., University of Iowa Office:  C218 Bondurant Hall   |   662-915-7439   |    mginsburg at olemiss.edu

Derrick Harriell

Associate Professor & Director of African American Studies Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Office: C130 Bondurant Hall   |   662-915-7439   |    hariell at olemiss.edu

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Professor  M.F.A., Ohio State University Office: W208 Bondurant Hall   |   662-915-6510   |    acnezhuk at olemiss.edu

Sheila Sundar 

Assistant Professor M.F.A., Boston University Office: C 213 Bondurant Hall |   662-915-7439   | smsundar at olemiss.edu

Michael Wang

Assistant Professor Ph.D., Florida State University

Teaching and Writing Interests: Teaches graduate and undergraduate fiction workshops and seminars, with special interest in speculative fiction, Asian American literature, contemporary short story, and genre writing.

Office: C213 Bondurant  |   engl at olemiss.edu

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