English, Ph.D., Creative Writing Concentration

• A master’s degree in English or a closely related discipline from an accredited college or university;
• A 10-20 page critical writing sample;
• A portfolio including a minimum of 10 poems; or two or three works of fiction totaling no fewer than 30 and no more than 50 pages. One of the two or three fiction samples may be an excerpt of a longer work (novel, novella, etc.), and fiction samples may include short-short/flash fiction, but we ask that the applicant send at least one complete, stand-alone example of short fiction of 15 pages or more. The Portfolio should be uploaded to the “Writing Sample” section of the online application.

For application and admissions requirements, see the graduate catalog.

For fiction writers:

• 12 hours of ENGL 8030 Fiction Writing
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Fiction (3)
• ENGL 8202 Contemporary Fiction Craft (3)
• Three hours of courses in or strongly related to area of primary  specialty
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Poetry (3)
• Six hours of courses in or strongly related to area of secondary specialty
• Three hours of language study, unless satisfied at M.A. level
• Three hours of literary theory/critical methodology/cultural studies, unless satisfied at M.A. level

For poets:

• Twelve hours of ENGL 8020 Poetry Writing
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Poetry (3)
• ENGL 8201 Contemporary Poetry (3)
• ENGL 8203 20th-Century American and British Poetry Craft I (3)
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Fiction (3)
• Three hours of courses in or strongly related to area of primary specialty
• Six hours of courses in or strongly related to area of secondary specialty
• Three hours of language study, unless satisfied at M.A. level
• Three hours of literary theory/ critical methodology/cultural studies, unless satisfied at M.A. level

For course requirements, see the graduate catalog.

We award a limited number of teaching assistantships to incoming Ph.D. students. These assistantships include a tuition waiver and stipend in exchange for teaching and additional professionalization activities (research assistantships, editorial assistantships, etc.). All applicants are considered for funding; no separate application is required.

When funding allows, we award to incoming Ph.D. and MFA Creative Writing students The Paul Bowles Fiction Fellowship, the Virginia Spencer Carr Prose Fellowship and several scholarships. There is no additional application for these fellowships and scholarships. All applicants are considered.

From 2003 to 2017, the Department of English has tracked employment data on 129 graduates of our Ph.D. program:

77% have faculty and/or administrative appointments at a 2- or 4-year college or university

9% are employed in private business or industry

6% are secondary or middle school teachers

5% have postdoctoral fellowships

1% are self-employed or work for the government or a nonprofit organization