Creative Writing and Literature

The Creative Writing and Literature program at Stony Brook Southampton emphasizes creative work in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. However, the program also extends its emphasis beyond the familiar categories of creative expression to treat all forms of writing as equally relevant to understanding and mastering a world constructed out of words. Students are free to take workshops in all genres, in the belief that writing outside the lines informs their primary areas of interest.

Courses are taught by a full-time core faculty of three, joined by a part-time faculty of distinguished visiting writers whose teaching and lecturing assignments rotate among the fall, spring, and summer sessions. These distinguished visitors provide creative breadth to the writing program, offering coverage in areas of writing that are essential in contemporary society, in particular fiction, non-fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, and writing for children.

The 46 academic credits for the MFA program is divided among required courses that introduce students to the profession and discipline of writing and the skills necessary to teach writing to others; advanced writing workshops in a variety of writing genres; seminars designed to focus closely on an issue or type of contemporary writing; graduate-level literature courses; and an MFA thesis intended to be a publishable, book-length work. The program is offered in two academic semesters, two six-week summer sessions, and a credit-bearing writers conference.

The MFA in Writing and Literature degree requires 40 credits of course work and a six credit thesis for a total of 46 credits. Following are the specific requirements.

A. Required Introduction to the M.F.A. Program (4 credits)

• CWL 500 Introduction to Graduate Writing

B. Six of the following writing workshops (24 credits)

Students select six writing workshops from the following. Individual courses under each category will be labeled according to the content of the course. Although courses may be repeated for credit, students are strongly encouraged to experiment among the disciplines.

• CWL 510 Forms of Fiction. Individual courses within the fiction category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Short Story Collections, Beginning the Novel, Advancing the Novel, etc.
• CWL 520 Forms of Poetry. Individual courses within the poetry category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Prose Poems.
• CWL 530 Forms of Scriptwriting. Individual courses within the scriptwriting category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Screenplay, Playwriting, etc.
• CWL 535 Writing in Multiple Genres. Individual courses within the scriptwriting category will be labeled according to the genres covered.
• CWL 540 Forms of Creative Nonfiction. Individual courses within the nonfiction category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, etc.
• CWL 550 Forms of Professional and Scientific Writing. Individual courses within the professional and scientific writing category will be labeled according to the form covered. For example, Speech Writing, Writing in the Digital World, Writing about Science, etc.
• CWL 570 Advanced Writing Workshop. This course is for manuscripts in progress across writing disciplines and is strongly recommended for students preparing to take the thesis.
• CWL 575 Writers Conference

C. Two or more of the following special topic writing and literature seminars (8 Credits)*

• CWL 560 Topics in Literature for Writers
• CWL 565 Special Topics in Writing
• CWL 588 Independent Study

*With the approval of the Writing Program director, this requirement may be filled through taking the following graduate English Literature courses offered at Stony Brook University: EGL 501 Studies in Chaucer, EGL 502 Studies in Shakespeare, EGL 503 Studies in Milton, EGL 503 Studies in Genre, EGL 520 Studies in Renaissance, EGL 525 17th-Century Literature, EGL 530 Studies in Restoration Literature, EGL 535 Studies in Neoclassicism, EGL 540 Studies in Romanticism, EGL 545 Studies in Victorian Literature, EGL 547 Late 19th-Century British Literature, EGL 550 20th-Century British Literature, EGL 555 Studies in Irish Literature, EGL 560 Studies in Early American Literature, EGL 565 19th-Century American Literature, EGL 570 20th-Century American Literature, EGL 575 British and American Literature, EGL 584 Topics in Genre Studies

D. One or more of the following practicums (4 credits)*

*With the permission of the director, a course in writing or literature may be substituted in place of the practicum requirement.

• CWL 580 Practicum in Arts Administration
• CWL 581 Practicum in Teaching Writing
• CWL 582 Practicum in Publishing and Editing

E. MFA Thesis (6 credits)

• CWL 599 Thesis

• Letters of recommendation from three instructors or writing professionals familiar with your written work.
• A statement discussing your reasons for graduate study (1-2 pp, submitted with the online application)
• A writing sample consisting of up to 10 pages of poetry, single-spaced, or 30 pages of prose, double-spaced (submitted with the online application). Your name should appear on the writing sample.
• A single sheet listing your address, phone number, email address, and title(s) of submission(s).
• A copy of your résumé or c.v. (submitted with the online application)