Degree Requirements

The English Department offers the degree of Master of Fine Arts. Students typically fulfill their M.F.A. requirements in two years. A total of 36 semester hours of coursework, including the Master's Thesis, is required for the M.F.A. These hours will be chosen in consultation with the Graduate Creative Writing Adviser.

Course requirements for M.F.A. in English

• 12 hours E385N or E386L or WRT 380 (graduate writing workshops)
• 6 hours E380F or WRT 380 (Literature for Writers or Studies, topics vary)
• 3 (or more) additional hours in English, WRT, or Anglophone Literature at the discretion of the Graduate Adviser
• 6 hours Thesis (698A & 698B)
• Up to 6 hours of Conference Course for thesis preparation in the first year
• Up to 6 additional hours may be taken outside of English
• Up to 3 hours of courses may be taken at the upper-division undergraduate level

About the Master's Thesis:

Students admitted to the Creative Writing graduate program must complete the Master's Thesis as well as other applicable program requirements to receive the degree. For the M.F.A. degree, the Master's Thesis must consist of a body of creative work. Students typically complete their graduate training with Master's Thesis hours (E 698A & 698B) in their second year. Master's candidates must be registered for E 698B during the same semester in which they receive the degree.

The Master's Thesis must be supervised by two members of the Creative Writing faculty: a supervising professor and a second reader. The Master's Thesis supervisor must be a member of the English Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). The Thesis is to be formatted according to Graduate School specifications, signed by the student's supervising professor and a second reader, and submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. In addition, students apply to graduate through the Office of Graduate Studies early in the semester they expect to complete the M.F.A., and must submit their reports by the last class day of that semester to the Graduate School.  THE ENGLISH GRAD OFFICE DOES NOT REQUIRE A COPY OF THE THESIS.  For graduation deadlines and guidelines for Master's candidates, visit the Office of Graduate Studies page.

Meeting Professional Responsibilities

All students admitted into the Creative Writing graduate program are expected to serve as Teaching Assistants (TAs). In order to remain in good standing and thus continue in the program, they must therefore not only meet the requirements established by the Graduate School, but they must also successfully execute their professional responsibilities as TAs. Should a TA fail to execute his or her responsibilities, a committee composed of the supervising professor, the GSC Chair, and the Graduate Adviser will be convened to make a binding decision about termination.

Failure to meet professional responsibilities includes, but is not limited to, such things as the following: failure to grade and return student papers and exams in a timely manner; failure to meet classes; failure to attend faculty lectures (as a TA); failure to turn in grades at the end of the semester; and conducting a discussion section in a way that undermines the purpose of the class.

Switching genres or degree programs:

M.F.A. Students who wish to switch genres or degree programs during their current study are discouraged from doing so, as it may entail additional coursework and/or prolonged enrollment. Creative Writing students are expected to submit their Master's Thesis in the genre (fiction or poetry) specified in their applications. Students who wish to change genres before or during their study must obtain the approval of two members of the Creative Writing faculty and the Director of the Creative Writing.

Grades:

All courses counting for the M.F.A. Degree must be taken on a letter-grade basis, with this exception: 6 hours of minor coursework, which may be taken on a CR/NC basis. Students must maintain a 3.0 average to remain in the M.F.A. program.

Progress:

Students earning the Master's degree will make normal progress by completing the M.F.A. requirements within four long semesters (two years). Continued financial support is contingent upon timely and successful completion of coursework in each semester. (The Office of Graduate Studies requires that all work for the Master's degree be completed within one six-year period.)

Continuing study beyond the M.F.A.:

The University of Texas at Austin does not offer a Ph.D. in Creative Writing. Students admitted into the Creative Writing program who wish to continue into the Ph.D. program in English must apply for formal admission. They will need to complete two steps:

1. Submit an application to the Graduate Adviser. This will include a letter declaring their intention to proceed to the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination and a statement of purpose. They should also include a writing sample of a critical or scholarly paper written in a graduate English course at the University. This application will be reviewed by the admissions committee, which will approve or deny a student's eligibility for Ph.D. qualification. Please visit the English Graduate Programs' Application Procedures page for a complete list of the required application materials.
2. Earn a 3.5 G.P.A. in the 33 hours of graduate English courses required for the M.A. Since creative writing hours do not count toward the Ph.D. degree, students with an M.F.A. in English generally cannot register for creative writing courses once they have qualified for the Ph.D. program.