Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Lead Faculty: Mr. Frank Montesonti

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Lead Faculty: Mr. Frank Montesonti Faculty Advisor: Frank Montesonti * (310) 662-2159 * fmontesonti@nu.edu The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing offers students the opportunity to master advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained activity in creative writing in the areas of fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting. Guided development of each writers talents culminates in a final project, a publishable quality thesis in the area of specialty. This final project should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge in the chosen specialty and should make an independent contribution to existing work in that area. This program is excellent preparation for a professional career in writing, working in the areas of publishing or filmmaking, and is the minimal academic qualification appropriate for those who desire to teach writing at the college or university level. Faculty in the MFA in Creative Writing program maintain a strong commitment to scholarly value and the active support of students in their passion for literature, film and writing. Creative writing students are expected to make important contributions to the publication of the student literary journal, The GNU, and actively participate in seminars designed to foster creative and critical debate. Courses are directed to the refinement of creative practice and academic excellence. Faculty are experienced and published writers in their fields and offer supervision in the areas of fiction, poetry, literary nonfiction, and screenwriting. Application Requirements To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the University graduate admission requirements listed in the general information. In addition, applicants in creative writing should submit portfolios of their writing directly to: fmontesonti@nu.edu. The portfolio should include 20-40 pages of fiction or literary nonfiction (usually two to three short stories or essays), or 10-20 pages of poetry, or a completed screenplay, or a substantial sample of work in several forms. Based on the portfolio, applicants may be advised to complete one or more of the following undergraduate courses prior to enrolling in the advanced writing workshops: ENG 365 - Creative Writing Prerequisite: ENG 100, and ENG 101 LIT 443 - World of the Short Story Prerequisite: LIT 100 LIT 446 - Studies in Poetry Prerequisite: LIT 100 LIT 450 - Studies in the Novel Prerequisite: LIT 100 LIT 456 - Studies in Drama Prerequisite: LIT 100

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Evaluate various aesthetic theories of fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, or screenwriting.
2. Formulate practical and theoretical models of teaching and learning the writing of fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry and screenwriting.
3. Critique specific works of literature and screenwriting.
4. Develop publishable-quality writing in fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, or screenwriting.
5. Evaluate different literary formats.
6. Implement craft principles of plot, characterization, style, point of view, narrative technique, and language in the creation of fiction.
7. Implement craft principles of plot, characterization, style, point of view, narrative technique, and language in the creation of literary nonfiction.
8. Implement craft principles of language, style, themes, technique, rhythm, and form in the creation of poetry.
9. Implement craft principles of plot, characterization, style, point of view, narrative technique, language, form, dialogue, and other issues of screenwriting.

Requirements

• MCW 600 Pedagogy of Creative Writing
• MCW 610 Textual Strategies
and choose three of the following courses:
• MCW 630 Seminar in Fiction
• MCW 645 Seminar in Poetry
• MCW 650 Seminar in Creative Nonfiction
• MCW 685 Basics of Screenwriting

• MCW 630A Advanced Workshop in Fiction
AND
• MCW 630B Adv Workshop in Fiction
OR
• MCW 640A Advanced Workshop in Poetry
AND
• MCW 640B Advanced Workshop in Poetry
OR
• MCW 650A Adv Workshop in Lit Nonfiction
AND
• MCW 650B Adv Workshop in Lit Nonfiction
OR
• MCW 680A Adv Workshop in Screenwriting
AND
• MCW 680B Adv Workshop in Screenwriting

Approved courses (other courses may be approved by lead program faculty)
• ENG 600 Seminar in Literary Theory
• ENG 610 Multicultural Literature
• ENG 620A Literary Period or Movement I
• ENG 620B Literary Period or Movement II
• ENG 640 Seminar in Poetry
• ENG 660 Seminar in Literary Hypermedia
• ENG 655 Composition Pedagogy
• ENG 670 Comparative Literary Studies
• ENG 680A Seminar in a Theme I
• ENG 680B Seminar in a Theme II
• ENG 690A Major Author Seminar I
• ENG 690B Major Author Seminar II
• ENG 665 Film Theory
• ENG 666 Film History: The Silents
• ENG 667 Film History: American Film
• ENG 668 Film Genre Studies
• ENG 669 World Film
• ENG 685 Great Directors: American
• ENG 686 Great Directors: International
The remaining two electives may be from the above list, or additional MCW workshops that the student has not already taken as part of her/his specialized study. These include:
• MCW 630A Advanced Workshop in Fiction
• MCW 630B Adv Workshop in Fiction
• MCW 640A Advanced Workshop in Poetry
• MCW 640B Advanced Workshop in Poetry
• MCW 650A Adv Workshop in Lit Nonfiction
• MCW 650B Adv Workshop in Lit Nonfiction
• MCW 680A Adv Workshop in Screenwriting
• MCW 680B Adv Workshop in Screenwriting
• MCW 635 Writing for Young Adults

• MCW 660 Thesis I (Practicum)
• MCW 670 Thesis II (Revision)

Program Information

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Online Education

This program is available online.

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