|
Candidates may apply to do a Master of Fine Arts
degree either in Creative Writing or in Translation.
The MFA in Creative Writing requires sixty hours of
coursework, with up to eighteen hours transferable
for students holding the MA in English. Most degree
candidates will spend at least three years
completing the curriculum. The coursework is of
three kinds: 1) workshop sessions in which student
work is read and discussed; 2) theory classes in
which the techniques of poetry and fiction are given
intensive attention; and 3) advanced classes in
English and American literature, with the hours
divided about equally between 20th-century and
pre-20th-century readings. Students who earn the MFA
in Creative Writing will have both a broad knowledge
of literature and a firm understanding of the
history and techniques of poetry and fiction.
The MFA in Translation offers training in the
practice and theory of literary translation. In
particular, it focuses on the translation of
literary works from other languages into English. It
is closely allied to the MFA Program in Creative
Writing and operates on the assumption that a
translation of a literary work is an act of creative
writing. Students take at least 12 hours of
translation workshops, 24 hours of study in the
literature of source languages, as well as formal
study of the techniques of poetry and fiction, and
one semester each of poetry and fiction workshop. A
candidate for the degree must have reading knowledge
of two foreign languages.
All candidates for the MFA degree produce a
book-length thesis. Most spend at least three years
completing the curriculum. The program also offers
workshops in screenwriting and creative non-fiction.
|