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University of Utah

Utah, united states.

The University of Utah offers a vibrant and highly successful program exploring creative writing, committed on all levels to developing well-rounded practitioners with substantial backgrounds in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, digital writing practices, hybrid and other experimental forms, book arts, and literary history and theory.

Our program hosts a dynamic reading series and opportunities for interaction with visiting authors and scholars. Undergraduates are introduced to a variety of writing lives through small workshops and intensive focus on their work, while studying the larger ecology of contemporary publishing. In our graduate program, home to Quarterly West and Western Humanities Review, students intensify and deepen their investigation. We offer a modular MFA in Environmental Humanities, the American West, or Book Arts. Many graduates in our PhD Program, which Atlantic Monthly rated as among the top five in the country, publish widely in literary journals, place books before or soon after completing the program, win national and international awards, oversee and participate in a graduate reading series, and go on to find good academic positions.

Our renowned and aesthetically diverse faculty, whose honors include Guggenheim and NEA fellowships, Pushcart Prizes, the Berlin Prize, and other prestigious recognition of their creative work, scholarship, and teaching, includes Katharine Coles, Michael Mejia, Lance Olsen, Jacqueline Osherow, Paisley Rekdal, and Lindsey Drager.

Our students have published in national literary magazines and journals, and recent work has won the AWP Award in Poetry, the Yale Younger Poets Prize, National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, the PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award, the Flannery O'Connor Award, the Walt Whitman Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award among many other prizes and achievements.

All PhD students, and many of our MFA students, receive a comprehensive support package, and gain valuable teaching training and experience over the course of their degree. For more information about the program, faculty, past and present reading series, and available graduate student funding and fellowships, please visit our website.

creative writing university of utah

Contact Information

255 S. Central Campus Dr. Room 3500 LNCO, English Salt Lake City Utah, United States 84112-0494 Email: [email protected] https://english.utah.edu

Bachelor of Arts in English/Literature +

Minor / concentration in creative writing +, master of fine arts in creative writing +, graduate program director.

Recently written up by the ATLANTIC MONTHLY as "one of the top five PhD in Creative Writing programs in the country," the University of Utah Creative Writing Program offers MFA and PhD degrees in a lively and vibrant intellectual atmosphere. By contrast with many similar departments, students in our graduate program are not segregated by field or degree and can take the same courses together. Students also benefit from a diverse and intellectually rigorous course of study. Students at all levels can participate in editing two national literary magazines, QUARTERLY WEST and WESTERN HUMANITIES REVIEW, as well as work on the internationally renowned independent press FC2. The Program's Guest Writers Series brings in nationally renowned poets and writers, such as Robert Hass, Michael Cunningham, Percival Everett, Cole Swenson, A. Van Jordan, Ben Marcus and JoAnn Beard, while the graduate students run their own popular reading series, The Working Dog.

PhD in Creative Writing +

Katharine coles.

Wayward (poetry, Red Hen Press), Look Both Ways (memoir, Turtle Point Press), Flight (poetry, Red Hen Press), The Earth Is Not Flat (poetry, Red Hen Press)

https://faculty.utah.edu/u0032934-KATHARINE_A_COLES/hm/index.hml

Lindsey Drager

The Archive of Alternate Endings (Dzanc, 2019), The Lost Daughter Collective (Dzanc, 2017), The Sorrow Proper (Dzanc, 2015)

Michael Mejia

TOKYO (Fiction Collective 2, 2018), Forgetfulness (Fiction Collective 2, 2005

https://michaelmejiawriter.com/

Ronald Shavers

Silverfish (Clash Books, 2020)

https://roneshavers.com/bio

Jacqueline Osherow

Dead Man's Praise, Looking for Angels in New York, Conversations with Survivors

https://english.utah.edu/people/jacqueline_osherow.php

Paisley Rekdal

The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee, The Invention Of The Kaleidoscope

https://faculty.utah.edu/u0398961-PAISLEY_REKDAL/hm/index.hml

Publications & Presses +

Quarterly West

Western Humanities Review

Visiting Writers Program +

Rick Barot, Spring 2024

Reading Series +

Guest Writer Series ( https://english.utah.edu/news-and-events/events.php )

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University Writing Center

College of humanities, main navigation.

The University Writing Center (UWC) is a teaching space committed to helping students develop as writers. We believe that writers at all levels benefit from sharing their writing with knowledgeable, engaged readers.  Since the goal of tutoring is to grow one’s independence – and because students always maintain agency over their own work – our tutors will not copyedit or write papers for their clients. Instead, our tutors will be active listeners and readers; they will offer thoughtful suggestions and ask clarifying questions, help their clients to make effective rhetorical choices, and encourage them throughout their writing process – from brainstorming and outlining to drafting, revising, and editing. The UWC welcomes all currently-enrolled University of Utah students - including transfer students - and offers free, one-to-one consultations in person and online.

University Writing Center Staff

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Writing Centers, Writing Program Administration, Composition, Writing Assessment

University of Idaho, Boise State University, and Washington State University

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English with an emphasis in Literature and a minor in Latin (Pre-Law)

Creative writing, argumentative essays, personal statements, and literary analyses

English and Latin

 "I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart: I am, I am, I am." - Sylvia Plath, 

by Charles Dickens

he, him, his

Ph.D. student in Writing & Rhetoric Studies

Writing in the humanities, argumentative writing, qualitative research writing

English and some Spanish

"You will burn and you will burn out; you will be healed and come back again." - Fyodor Dostoevsky

by Haruki Murakami

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Ph.D. student in Writing & Rhetoric Studies

Outlines and Thesis Development; Style, Concision, Clarity, Coherence, and Grammar; Professional, Technical, Expository, Argumentative, Informative, and Research-based Essays (including IMRaD essays); Identifying Sources and MLA, APA, and Chicago Citations

English

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou

by J.R.R. Tolkien

he, him, his

Ph.D. student in Literary & Cultural Studies

Math and science writing; technical writing; research in the humanities and social sciences

English

""If to us, today, the bear no longer seems to be a transcendent being, we can nonetheless see that, deep in our unconscious, where language 'means' in multiple ways, the bear's sacredness is still a part of our lives." -

by Thomas Pynchon, by Tom McCarthy, or by David Markson

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Ph.D. student in Writing & Rhetoric Studies

Argumentative Research Papers, APA/MLA, Editorials, Reviews of Music and Theatre (I direct plays and musicals and have a BA in music), Decolonial Theory, Creative Writing, and Education

English

"Education is not a process of assimilating 'the truth' but as Rorty has put it, a process of learning to 'take a hand in what is going on' by joining 'the conversations of mankind'" - Kenneth Bruffee

by Fredrik Backman, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and by Alex Michaelides

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Creative Writing Ph.D. in Prose

Creative writing, personal statements, argumentative essays, and literary analyses

English

"Isn't it pretty to think so?" - Hemingway

Anything by Virginia Woolf

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Au.D. in Audiology

 

English

 "Knowing what it feels like to be in pain is exactly why we try to be kind to others." - Jiraiya

by Emily Brontë

- Faculty Writing Support

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Master's in Geography with a Paleoecology emphasis

Grant writing

English

 "Stress is a sign that you've lost the present moment." - Eckhart Tolle

by Robin Wall Kimmerer, by Dennis Genpo Merzel, and by Thich Nhat Hanh

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Psychology with a minor in Integrative Human Biology and Honors Integrated Minor in Health (Honors College)

Literary analysis and argumentative, research-based essays

English and Vietnamese

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." - Albert Einstein

by Jane Austen

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English with a minor in History (Pre-Law)

MLA Style, creative writing, argumentative essays, literary analyses, grammar, and punctuation

English and some Spanish

"You just gotta keep livin', man, L-I-V-I-N." - Matthew McConaughey

by Charles Dickens

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English with a double major in German and Music (Honors College)

Creative writing, especially songwriting; literary analysis

English and German

"I love you. I'm glad I exist." - from by Wendy Cope

by Sequoia Nagamatsu

she/they

English and Psychology (Honors College)

Literary analysis, fiction, literature reviews, formatting, punctuation, content & clarity

English and some Spanish

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - Maya Angelou

by Denis Johnson, by Margaret Atwood, and by Terrance Hayes

she, her, hers

English and Psychology with a minor in History

Academic essays, outlines/prewriting, APA citations

English

 

by Bram Stoker

she, her, hers

English with minors in Drawing and Printmaking (Honors College)

Academic writing, fiction, literary analysis, and poetry

English and Russian

"So intimitely, out there / at the pen's point or brush's tip / do world / and spirit wed" - Howard Nemerov, "Writing"

by L.M. Rio and by China Miéville

she, her, hers

English (Honors College)

Academic and creative writing, Literary analysis

English

"The scariest moment is always just before you start." - Stephen King

by J.R.R. Tolkien, by Neil Gaiman, and by Charlotte Bronte

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Film and Media Studies with minors in Arts Technology and Spanish

Essays, research essays, creative writing, and thesis building

 English

"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free."-Maya Angelou

by Emily M. Danforth

she, her, hers

History with a minor in Art History (Honors College)

Literary analyses, art analyses, and humanities research essays

English

"One must imagine Sisyphus happy." - Albert Camus

by Brandon Sanderson and by Leigh Bardugo

he, him, his

English and Journalism

Journalistic, academic, and literary analysis

English

"Can't believe how strange it is to be anything at all." - lyrics from "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel

by John Steinbeck

she, her, hers

 English Teaching with a minor in Special Education

 Academic writing, literary analyses, professional communication, creative writing, and grammar

 English, basic Spanish and ASL

"Good or Bad; Hard to Say." -- parable of the farmer

by Toni Morrison and by Gillian Flynn

she, her, hers

Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Citations, creative projects, research, scholarship essays, application essays

English and French

 "Always go a little further into the water than you feel you're capable of being in. Go a bit out of your depth. And when you don't feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you're just about in the right place to do something exciting." - David Bowie

by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

she, her, hers

Writing & Rhetoric Studies

Creative writing, grant proposals, technical writing, and grammar

English, Portuguese, and conversational Spanish

"We accept the love we think we deserve." - Stephen Chbosky

by Andy Weir and by Earnest Cline

he, him, his

Psychology and Writing & Rhetoric Studies

Technical writing, argumentative essays

English

"The mountains are calling, and I must go." - John Muir

by John Steinbeck

she, her, hers

International Studies and Writing & Rhetoric Studies

Argumentative essays, personal narratives, application materials, and poetic ethnographies

English

"Let me live, love, and say it well in good sentences." - Sylvia Plath

by Shirley Jackson

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Film & Media Arts with minors in Drawing and Arts Technology

English and some German

 "I hate Mondays." - Garfield

by Toni Morrison and by William Goldman

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Criminology (Pre-Law route)

English

"Nobody owes nobody nothin." - Rocky

by Josephine Angelini

 

she, her, hers

Social Work (Honors College)

English

 

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Psychology

English

"Everything and everyone at their own pace. Flow with not against yourself." - Akiroq Brost

by Matt Haig, by JD Vance, by John Steinbeck, and by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Biomedical Engineering

English and Polish

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller

series

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Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies

College of humanities, main navigation,  the writing & rhetoric in korea program is open to majors and minors.

Spend a semester studying Writing and Rhetoric at the Utah Asia Campus in Incheon, South Korea with us. Scholarships available.

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Faculty Publications

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Featured Courses 

WRTG Class Schedule - Spring 2024

AI Writing Tools

The introduction of new communication technologies often generates and increases anxiety. When composing on computers was introduced, people continued to worry about the new tools of writing. Spell check, Grammarly, email, and computers in the classroom, for example, were criticized for taking away people’s ability to spell, remember grammar lessons, or focus in class. Now we consider not just writing, but all of these tools to be helpful if not necessary ways of interacting with language and each other. When people learn to use writing and its tools effectively, writing becomes a powerful instrument for composition and for learning. Consistently focusing on invention strategies, drafting, and revision will complicate students' interactions with such tools as ChatGPT and help them learn how and when to use them. We understand the campus community’s concerns about the misuse and abuse of AI tools, and we pledge to work with our colleagues to address them. However, we recognize the opportunity that these new tools offer in terms of teaching and learning. 

Goals and Values

The Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies reaffirms that teaching writing in all its modalities means engaging students in the writing process by helping them see writing as invention, as intervention, as transformation—in a word, as learning. We teach students not just how to write, but when to write, for what audience, with what purpose, and yes, with which tools. We teach students to consider genre, audience, and purpose and to respect the social and linguistic diversity embedded and circulated in our own department and across the curriculum. We see writing as an integral part of student success in all university contexts and classes that teach and require written texts. Learning to write requires the development of critical tools that help students problematize the structures and the force of writing itself. We teach students how to critically engage with the tools of writing, such as ChatGPT, and their social and pragmatic implications. The Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies at the University of Utah creates a space for students to gain facility with writing technologies while they learn to understand the implications, promise, power, and responsibility of using such tools.

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Connect with Writing & Rhetoric Studies

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This newsletter is designed to highlight writing on campus & in the community, and alert readers to the recent efforts, innovations, & accomplishments of the DWRS. Readers can expect issues to feature news about individual students and faculty, workshops on campus, & new writing classes & events.

READ THE CURRENT ISSUE Now

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Undergraduate Journal

The Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Issues and Media examines issues that are relevant across global contexts, though some may be uniquely identified & experienced by individuals and groups. The online journal publishes a wide range of media/texts showcasing different perspectives & ideas.

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creative writing university of utah

Mathison & DeGrauw: Across the Disciplines

Congratulations Professor Maureen Mathison and Utah Alumni Alexandria DeGrauw!! Their article, “Leveraging Grant-Writing for Transforming Students’ Normative Views of STEM” was just published in the latest issue of Across the Disciplines.

creative writing university of utah

New WRS Publication

The Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies is excited to announce a new publication in the journal "Teaching English in the Two-Year College"! Congratulations to Professor Christie Toth and students Emily Brown, Priscilla Hansen, Laura Burnham, Adriana Zarate, Aloyious Soranno, Trey Sanders, Kathryn Henderson.

creative writing university of utah

Excellence in Writing Award Winners

We are proud to announce the winners of our 2024 Excellence in Writing Awards Ceremony. Click to read their bios and winning papers.

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Thursday  

Holiday: Independence Day

Friday  

Summer 2024 Second Half Last Day to Withdraw From Classes

Wednesday  

Holiday: Pioneer Day

Summer 2024 full-term last day to reverse cr/nc option, summer 2024 second half last day to reverse cr/nc option.

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Department of English

College of humanities, main navigation, graduate students.

creative writing university of utah

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How to Become a Writer in Utah with a BFA, MFA or Similar Creative Writing Degree

creative writing university of utah

Written by Jennifer Williams

salt lake city utah at sunrise

Utah’s formal American literary culture is young, first introduced with the arrival of the Mormons in 1847 . The influence of Mormon culture was strong and became instrumental in the development of Utah’s early social structure, giving many the solace of an insular society, and perhaps just as many others something worth pushing back against.

From then on, at least until the onset of modern literature, writings here were described as either “insider” (intended for a Mormon audience) or “observer” (intended for Utah’s larger society). Popular writings by non-Mormon authors were generally nothing complex, primarily letters and political speeches, but continued to evolve into the modern era. In fact, the first novel by a Utah author didn’t appear until 1909.

Utah’s literary history may be tinged with religious influence, but as its literary culture has evolved, from it, some of America’s most talented literary icons have been borne.

Utah’s Literary Roots Run in Wildly Different Direction

harlem mural

Susa Young Gates was an incredibly influential writer and activist in her time. Born in Salt Lake City, her mother was the 22 nd wife of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Church president, Brigham Young, whom she would later go on to biograph and defend. She started her writing career penning short stories and nonfiction pieces under the pen name “Homespun”. Gates believed deeply in causes like women’s rights and education and felt that writing was the best way for her to contribute. As her writing gained notice and her reach became more widespread, she had the incredible opportunity to converse with literary greats like Leo Tolstoy as well as to collaborate with women’s activists like Susan B. Anthony. All in all, these influences led her to accomplish a series of firsts – the first Utah author to publish a novel, John Stevens’ Courtship : A Story of the Echo Canyon War ; and founding the American West’s first college paper, College Lantern. Today, she’s remembered as one of Utah’s most influential women.

Wallace Thurman was born in Salt Lake City and grew up in a single-parent home. Thurman and his mother moved around a lot but always ended up back in Salt Lake City living with his grandmother, who ran a saloon and sold liquor without a license. His childhood was tumultuous and plagued by illness. As a teenager, he suffered several heart attacks and even fell ill during the 1918 influenza epidemic. Despite all of this, he finished school and went on to attend college in California, where he started working as a reporter and made a name for himself as a writer. Shortly thereafter, he moved to New York, where he worked as an editor for Messenger and published famous names like Langston Hughes. Thurman came to be a prominent literary figure in black artistic circles for ideas that often ran counter to well-known racial-equality writers like W.E.B DuBois. His ideas were loudly presented in his most famous work, The Blacker the Berry – a book about the realities of racial prejudice within the African American community. Nearly a century later, it remains one of the most controversial and widely read works of the Harlem Renaissance.

Today, large cities like Ogden and Salt Lake City are hubs of literary activity and booming with opportunity for fresh talent. If you’re interested in becoming a writer in Utah, getting involved with your local writing community is a good place to start. In the end, though, a successful writing career will most likely follow a formal education. Whether it’s a bachelor’s degree for up-and-coming undergrads or an MA or Master of Fine Arts (MFA) for those looking to take their writing careers to new levels, Utah offers something for all aspiring authors.

“Every time you try to encourage someone else, your own soul will be flooded with a light and glow of peace and good cheer.” ~ Susa Young Gates

Utah’s Creative Writing Classes, Courses, and Workshops Can Prepare You for a Creative Writing Degree

At this point, you’ve probably realized that there’s no specific outline to follow if you want to become a writer. There’s no neatly penciled blueprint or step-by-step guide that’s going to assure your success. Career writing is simply not that prescriptive. Writing is, by its nature, unique to the author. No two writers produce the same story, nor share the same goals, visions, passion, or style. The finished piece is so exclusive and individualistic because the author’s template – the mind – is of, course, one-of-a-kind.

Your journey as a writer starts with exploring your own mind, reflecting on your ideas, discovering your passion, and finding your vision. The first thing you’ll want to do is connect with your local writing community. Getting involved locally is the best way to network, establish relationships, and find opportunities.

The League of Utah Writers is a state-wide writing organization which aims to help writers develop skill through peer critique workshops and skill-building seminars. It has chapters throughout the state, including areas like Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Provo, so no matter where you are, you’re sure to be able to connect. The League also hosts its annual Pre-Quill Conference in Salt Lake City, which puts on writing workshops, hosts a keynote speaker, and concludes with a book signing event. And, if you want to get your name out there, you can participate in any of the group’s three annual contests – the Quills Awards, the Woolley Awards, and Typewriter Awards – or submit a piece of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry to the League’s 2023 Anthology .

If you like writing poetry, you’ll want to check out the Utah State Poetry Society (UTSPS). This group is a great connection point if you’re looking to improve your poetic skill and connect with fellow poets. The UTSPS has so much for you to get involved in – the annual poetry festival, annual writing contest, and poetry and creative writing seminars. And, with chapters in Ogden, Salt Lake City, and St. George, and even online, you’re sure to find a way to connect!

Don’t forget to check out your local literary circulars, too. This is the best way to stay up to date about events and opportunities in your local area. The Quarterly West is an online literary journal sponsored by the University of Utah. Through its partnership with the Academy of American Poets, all poems published in the Quarterly West are shared with the Academy, giving writers access to a larger audience. The journal also pays generously to winners of its poetry and prose contests, with top prize of $500 plus publication to the winner and $200 to the runner-up.

Writing Colleges in Utah Offering Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Creative Writing Provide a Path to Becoming a Writer

Bringing together your experience, carefully honed talent, and your willingness to incorporate all that feedback from hundreds of hours of workshopping, a degree in creative writing provides your last best hope for success as a professional writer.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Other Bachelor’s Degrees in Creative Writing in Utah

Brigham young university.

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES

Accreditation: NWCCU

Degree: Bachelor – BA

Private School

byu brigham young university

  • English-Creative Writing track

Weber State University

TELITHA E. LINDQUIST COLLEGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

Public School

weber state university

  • English-Creative Writing emphasis

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Other Master’s Degrees in Creative Writing in Utah

Degree:  Master – MFA

  • Creative Writing

University of Utah

the university of utah

Degree:  Master – MA

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Academic Advising Center

Undergraduate studies, main navigation, professional and technical writing, program description.

The certificate in Professional and Technical Writing prepares students for thinking about writing as a rhetorical and social act, wherein the message conveyed is not only well crafted, but meets the expectations of the audience in terms of its design and execution. Workplace documents must meet workplace standards, as well as consider target audiences. Today those messages can be in the form of texts, web pages, blogs, podcasts, and videos, as well as the more traditional messages of “print.” Because of the digital, writing can employ all of these features or some them, depending on the type of document. Courses related to various writing modalities are included in the certificate.

Academic and Career Opportunities

There is a consistent need for technical and professional writers with local companies and organizations; for in-house and national clients; medical writers to create documents for best practices and medical devices; engineering companies that require specialized documentation for products. In addition, there is a need for proposal and grant writers, in profit and non-profit organizations. Students in the WRS major who have taken advantage of the courses that will comprise the certificate are now employed by various companies in the Salt Lake Valley as proposal writers, content editors, web designers, and in publishing houses. Depending on experience, salaries range from entry-level (approximately $40,000) to the more experienced writers who begin at approximately $60,000.

  • Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies
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Professional and Technical Writing Certificate

Exploratory Classes

  • WRTG 2830 - Frameworks for Technical and Professional Communication

WRTG 4830 - Designing for Usability

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    University of Houston
   
  Jun 28, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog (Catalog goes into effect at the start of the Fall 2024 semester)    

2024-2025 Graduate Catalog (Catalog goes into effect at the start of the Fall 2024 semester)
|

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences    > Department of English    > Creative Writing, MFA

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the college graduate admission requirements   , applicants to the MFA in Creative Writing program must meet the following minimum requirements for admission to the program and for the degree:

  • The applicant should have completed 12 hours of advanced English with an average of 3.0 or better grade point average.
  • The applicant should have two years of college-level study in one foreign language or otherwise demonstrate, with a passing score on the GSFLT, a reading knowledge of a foreign language.
  • Three letters of recommendation.
  • Submission of a manuscript consisting of a maximum of 10 pages of poetry or 20-25 pages of fiction.
  • A statement of intent (1,000 or fewer words): reasons for pursuing graduate study in creative writing, which writers in the applicant’s genre the applicant is reading, and comments on those writers.
  • On a separate sheet of paper, list awards and publications of the applicant.
  • Two official copies of transcripts from each school attended.

The GRE Advanced Subject (Code 64) score is not required for MFA applicants.

  • an overall undergraduate or graduate grade point average of 3.00 or higher (on a 4‐ point scale) from an institution accredited by one of the six regional accrediting associations as specified in the UH Minimum Qualifications for Admission to Masters and Doctoral Programs ( General Admission Policy   ), or
  • a grade point average in the top 80% on other GPA scales and a combined IELTS score above 7 or TOEFL score above 79 or a DUOLINGO score above 105.

Consult the Creative Writing Program for additional information and more specific requirements.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 36 hours of approved graduate courses. these courses must be distributed over creative writing workshops and courses in literary studies. Specific requirements are as follows:

  • 15 hours in creative writing, including 9 hours in the primary genre, 3 hours of Master Workshop, and 3 hours of Poetic Forms and Techniques for poetry students, Fiction Forms and Techniques for fiction students, or Nonfiction Forms and Techniques for nonfiction students. Students are strongly encouraged to take the course in Forms and Techniques early in the MFA program.
  • 3 hours of Writers on Literature
  • 12 hours in English or American literature or other literary studies (Students should divide their courses between early and later literatures. Early British literature is defined as British literature before 1800 and early American literature is defined as American literature before 1865.)
  • 6 hours of elective courses (literature or other literary studies, workshop in the primary genre, workshop in a crossover genre, Writers on Literature, or coursework in another department that complements the student’s program). In addition, MFA students must complete a creative thesis for 6 credit hours.

In addition, MFA students must complete a creative thesis for 6 credit hours.

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Department of English

College of humanities, main navigation, graduate students.

Graduate Programs & Student Involvement

  Click the links below for information on our Master, PhD, and Creative Writing graduate programs.
You'll also be able to view current courses offered, download our student handbook, and learn about our application process, some of our alumni and creative student involvement opportunities.
 

Masters & PhD

Find information about our specific masters and doctoral studies programs in the English Department Learn More

How to Apply

Review our application system, instructions, preparation, deadlines,  checklists, and FAQs LEARN MORE

Courses Offered

Click the link below to learn more about what courses we are currently offering for the semester LEARN MORE

Creative Writing

Learn about the department's two graduate degrees in creative writing: our MFA and PhD programs LEARN MORE

Working Dog

Check out our graduate student reading series, where we feature the talent of our Creative Writing Program LEARN MORE

Alumni Spotlights

Get inspired by graduate student awards and publications from some of our distinguished alumni LEARN MORE

Graduate Language Requirements

Students in all programs, except the MFA, must demonstrate proficiency in one or more foreign language.

Graduate Student Handbook

This handbook is designed to provide you with useful information that you will need in the next few years.

book an appointment with an Academic Advisor

COMMENTS

  1. Creative Writing

    The University of Utah Creative Writing Program offers a modular MFA program in poetry, fiction and nonfiction that allows students to take courses in Environmental Humanities, the History of the American West and Book Arts while completing a manuscript in the genre of their choice. ... In creative writing, exams focus on the genre (poetry or ...

  2. English: Creative Writing

    Unleash your imagination with a minor in Creative Writing through the University of Utah. This program will give you the skills you need to take the characters and adventures in your head and turn them into written, communicable stories. The U's Department of English is committed to developing well-rounded writers, with training in literature ...

  3. Creative Writing

    Call Lifelong Learning at 801-587-5433 or use our online form. How do we tell stories? What do we include in writing, and what remains unsaid? Build your voice as we focus on a group of specific techniques for shaping and informing your creative skills including character, plot, point of view, description, dialogue, and setting.

  4. How to Apply

    Applications for Creative Writing must include: In addition to the critical sample (detailed above), a creative writing sample, either poetry, fiction, or non-fiction ... UNIVERSITY OF UTAH ADMISSIONS OFFICE 201 S 1460 E RM 250S SALT LAKE CITY UT 84112-9057. Statement of Purpose

  5. Writing/Creative Classes

    Call Lifelong Learning at 801-587-5433 or use our online form. Continuing Education at the University of Utah is your source for continuing education, technology education, professional development, career and organization training, at the University of Utah and off-campus sites in Salt Lake City and Sandy, Utah.

  6. Masters & PhD Programs

    The University of Utah Creative Writing Program offers a modular MFA program in poetry, fiction and nonfiction that allows students to take courses in Environmental Humanities, the History of the American West and Book Arts while completing a manuscript in the genre of their choice. ... In creative writing, exams focus on the genre (poetry or ...

  7. Graduate

    The University of Utah. Department of English College of Humanities. Search. Reveal Menu. ABOUT. OUR DEPARTMENT; Why English? Journals; Publications; Policies & Procedures; ... Learn about the department's two graduate degrees in creative writing: our MFA and PhD programs LEARN MORE. Working Dog. Check out our graduate student reading series ...

  8. University Writing Center

    Welcome to the University Writing Center! At the University Writing Center, we empower students to express themselves clearly and confidently, transforming ideas into impactful writing across all disciplines. Discover the support you need through one-on-one consultations and resources to elevate your writing at every academic level.

  9. Major, Minor, & Certificate

    Discover the world of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Utah! Our major is designed for the diverse needs of our students, shaping analytical thinkers and proficient writers highly valued by employers. ... Choosing Rhetoric & Writing Elective Courses. The Department of Writing & Rhetoric offers a selection of courses that you can choose ...

  10. University of Utah

    The University of Utah offers a vibrant and highly successful program exploring creative writing, committed on all levels to developing well-rounded practitioners with substantial backgrounds in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, digital writing practices, hybrid and other experimental forms, book arts, and literary history and theory.

  11. Creative Writing Bootcamp

    Call Lifelong Learning at 801-587-5433 or use our online form. In Creative Writing Bootcamp, we'll launch into a series of generative exercises designed to give you plenty of material for your own stories. In between exercises, we'll share our work in an open and joyous environment, discuss craft, and explore how to incorporate writing into ...

  12. University Writing Center Staff

    The University Writing Center (UWC) is a teaching space committed to helping students develop as writers. We believe that writers at all levels benefit from sharing their writing with knowledgeable, engaged readers. Since the goal of tutoring is to grow one's independence - and because students always maintain agency over their own work ...

  13. English

    Students of English enter a world rich with intellectual possibilities. As an English major at the University of Utah, you will study literature, creative writing, and literary discourse and theories. The U's English curriculum covers the vast range of literature written in English, from the 8th century AD until the present day.

  14. Faculty

    Jacquie Hebert. Classes Taught at Utah Asia Campus. Jacquie Hebert is an assistant professor in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies at the University of Utah Asia Campus. Prior to joining the University of Utah, Jacquie Hebert was a longtime faculty member at Douglas College in New Westminster, Canada, where she taught a wide range ...

  15. Creative Writing, Master

    Overview. Our Creative Writing Program at the University of Utah is vibrant and highly successful. We are committed on all levels to developing well-rounded practitioners with substantial backgrounds in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, digital writing practices, hybrid and other experimental forms, book arts, and literary history and theory.

  16. Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies

    The Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies is excited to announce a new publication in the journal "Teaching English in the Two-Year College"! Congratulations to Professor Christie Toth and students Emily Brown, Priscilla Hansen, Laura Burnham, Adriana Zarate, Aloyious Soranno, Trey Sanders, Kathryn Henderson.

  17. Graduate Students

    Languages & Communication Bldg 255 S Central Campus Dr., RM 3500 801-581-6168

  18. Lifelong Learning Creative Writing II

    Continuing Education at the University of Utah. 1901 E. South Campus Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84112. Send feedback. General website comment. Phone. 1-801-581-6461

  19. Writing & Literature Classes

    Continuing Education at the University of Utah is your source for continuing education, technology education, professional development, career and organization training, at the University of Utah and off-campus sites in Salt Lake City and Sandy, Utah. ... Creative Writing: 8/27/24 - 10/01/24: From Plate to Page: Writing About Food: 11/11/24 ...

  20. MFA, BFA and Other Creative Writing Degrees in Utah

    Utah's Literary Roots Run in Wildly Different Direction. Virginia Sorenson was the state's first Newbery Medal winner. She was born and raised in Utah, had a Mormon upbringing, and was intrigued by Mormon history. In fact, her very first novel, A Little Lower Than the Angels, which debuted in 1942, examined the origins of the polygamist ...

  21. Professional and Technical Writing

    The certificate in Professional and Technical Writing prepares students for thinking about writing as a rhetorical and social act, wherein the message conveyed is not only well crafted, but meets the expectations of the audience in terms of its design and execution. Workplace documents must meet workplace standards, as well as consider target ...

  22. Young Writers Workshop (Age 12-14)

    This workshop is for the student who wants to improve his or her academic writing skills and will cover all types of writing, from creative to expository and everything in between! We will incorporate individual as well as group exercises to foster a balanced learning environment. ... Continuing Education at the University of Utah. 1901 E ...

  23. Program: Creative Writing, MFA

    College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences > Department of English > Creative Writing, MFA. Admission Requirements. In addition to meeting the college graduate admission requirements , applicants to the MFA in Creative Writing program must meet the following minimum requirements for admission to the program and for the degree:. The applicant should have completed 12 hours of advanced English ...

  24. Graduate

    The University of Utah. Department of English College of Humanities. Search. Reveal Menu. ABOUT. OUR DEPARTMENT; Why English? Journals; Publications; Policies & Procedures; ... Learn about the department's two graduate degrees in creative writing: our MFA and PhD programs LEARN MORE. Working Dog. Check out our graduate student reading series ...