Creative Writing Concentration (Concentration Website)

The Master's Degree in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing
is an advanced degree with a specialty in the writing of original poetry,
fiction, scripts and plays, or creative nonfiction. Because ours is a studio
writing program, primary emphasis is on the student's writing experience:
students are encouraged to take the writing workshop in their genre of
study as many as three times for credit. The program is designed
according to guidelines established by the Association of Writers and
Writing Programs, which is the primary source for information on creative
writing programs in English. Abiding by AWP's principles, instruction in
the Creative Writing concentration is only offered face-to-face.

The study of contemporary literature and the forms, craft, themes, and
aesthetics of writing are incorporated into the workshops and also offered
in separate seminars. The MA with a Concentration in Creative Writing is
designed for writers who want to continue their study with an MFA, DFA,
or PhD; who wish to become qualified to teach creative writing and/or
English at the community college level; or who simply wish to better their
creative writing.

Course Work and Other Requirements

Students must complete at least 33 semester hours, of which 18 must
be in the Creative Writing concentration. Students may take a maximum
of 12 hours of workshop class (5840, 5850, 5860, 5890) for credit
towards their degree; up to 9 of those hours may be taken in any single
genre workshop. 18 semester hours in Creative Writing includes no more
than 12 s.h. of workshops and a complement of CW electives to equal 18
s.h. 

Workshops
Any one workshop may be taken for credit up to three times.   

Engl 5840: Poetry   
Engl 5850: Fiction   
Engl 5860: Creative Nonfiction   
Engl 5890: Scriptwriting   

CW Electives 
6865: Special Topics seminar  
6870: Literature from the Writer's Perspective  
6880: Directed Readings in Creative Writing

Research Skills           
Engl 6805: Research for Creative Writers
or
Engl 7005: Bib & Methods

General Electives
6 s.h.

Students wishing to receive a graduate teaching assignment must
complete Engl 6625: Teaching Composition.

Research Skills Competency Requirement  

MA-Creative Writing students may fulfill the research skills requirement
by proving their Foreign Language Proficiency. Students seeking to
demonstrate a reading knowledge of a foreign language will be assessed
in one of the following ways: 

A. Passing an advanced course in a foreign language (ECU equivalent of
2000-level or above) within five years prior to admission to the graduate
school. 

B. Passing a 2000-level course at ECU approved by the Department
of Foreign Languages and Literatures in a language approved by the DGS.
 
C. Passing a graduate-level reading knowledge course offered by the ECU
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures [currently FORL 6000].
[Course does not count toward degree program.] 

D. Passing a translation project supervised by a member of the ECU faculty
who has been approved by the DGS. The project will be a translation of
scholarly prose chosen by the student in consultation with the faculty
member.The translation should be 2500 words [approximately ten
double-spaced pages]. The supervising faculty member will notify the DGS
in writing of the successful completion of the project.  

E. Passing a creative writing translation project supervised by a member
of the ECU faculty who has been approved by the DGS. The project will be
a translation of creative writing selected from the genre in which the
student is studying. It will be chosen by the student in consultation with
the faculty member who is supervising the project. The translation should
be 6-8 poems, or a short story, or a novel or play excerpt of at least 10
pages. The supervising faculty member will notify the DGS in writing of the
successful completion of the project.   

Comprehensive Assessment Requirement

 1. Thesis Option: a collection of original poetry, fiction, creative 
     nonfiction, or drama. Produced according to Graduate School 
     criteria.  (6 s.h.)         

 2. Non-Thesis Option: contact Alex Albright for details.