English

Creative Writing Courses

 

From the UMSL Bulletin

Talk to your advisor about new courses not yet on this list!


2030 Introduction to the Writing of Poetry (3) [C,H]

Prerequisite: Englsh 1100 or equivalent. An introduction to the writing of poetry and an exploration of contemporary poems as models for the writer. Students who have taken Englsh 2060 may not take Englsh 2030 for credit. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

2040 Introduction to the Writing of Fiction (3) [C,H]

Prerequisite: Englsh 1100 or equivalent. An introduction to the writing of fiction and an exploration of contemporary short stories as models for the writer. Students who have taken Englsh 2060 may not take Englsh 2050 for credit. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

2050 Introduction to the Writing of Plays (3) [C,H]

Prerequisite: Englsh 1100 or equivalent. An introduction to the writing of plays and an exploration of contemporary plays as models for the writer. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

2060 Introduction to the Writing of Poetry and Fiction (3)

Prerequisites: Englsh 1100 or equivalent. An introduction to the writing of poetry and fiction and an exploration of contemporary poems and short stories as models for the writer. Students who have taken Englsh 2030 or 2040 may not take Englsh 2060 for credit. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

3030 Poetry Writing Workshop: Lyric and Form (3)

Prerequisites: Englsh 2030 or 2060 or the equivalent or consent of instructor. Workshop in poetry writing. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

3040 Fiction Writing Workshop: Narrative Techniques (3)

Prerequisites: Englsh 2040 or 2060 or the equivalent or consent of instructor. Workshop in fiction writing. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

3500 Special Studies (1-3)

Prerequisites: A course in the area of proposed work and consent of instructor. Individual work, with conferences adjusted to needs of the student. May not be used to meet specific English department distribution and language requirements. May be repeated for a maximum total of three hours credit.

4130 Advanced Poetry Writing Workshop (3)

Prerequisite: Englsh 3100 or equivalent; Englsh 2030 or 3030 or consent of instructor; recommended prerequisite: 2330. Advanced workshop in poetry writing. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

4140 Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop (3)

Prerequisite: Englsh 3100 or equivalent; Englsh 2040 or equivalent or consent of instructor. Advanced workshop in fiction writing. The course counts toward the Certificate in Writing.

4985 Editing Litmag (3)

Prerequisites: Englsh 3100 or equivalent and at least two creative writing courses. Course is primarily for students nearing the end of their certificates in writing. Students in this course create Litmag, the UMSL student literary magazine. Students will call for submissions; they will read and select work to be published; and they will produce the magazine, dealing with issues like format, budget, proofreading, print run, advertising, distribution, and publicity. The course is offered only in the spring and culminates with the publication of Litmag in late April.

5100 Graduate Workshop in Poetry (3)

Prerequisite: Open to students in the MFA program and to others with permission of instructor. Consists of a writing workshop in which the poetry written by the students enrolled in the course is discussed and analyzed by the instructor and members of the class. Students taking this course will be expected to write original poetry throughout the course. May be repeated for maximum graduate credit of fifteen hours.

5110 Graduate Workshop in Fiction (3)

Prerequisite: Open to students in the MFA program and to others with permission of instructor. Consists of a writing workshop in which the fiction (short stories or chapters of a novel) written by the students enrolled in the course is discussed and analyzed by the instructor and members of the class. Students taking this course will be expected to write original fiction throughout the course. May be repeated for maximum graduate credit of fifteen (15) hours.

5120 Graduate Workshop in Poetry and Fiction (3)

Prerequisite: Open to students in the MFA program and to others with consent of the instructor. Consists of a writing workshop in which the poetry and fiction written by the students enrolled in the course are discussed and analyzed by the instructor and members of the class. Students taking this course will be expected to write original poetry and/or fiction throughout the course. May be repeated for maximum graduate credit of fifteen (15) hours.

5130 Graduate Workshop in the Novel (3)

Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor, based on submission of sample of novel manuscript. A writing workshop in which a novel written by the student is discussed and analyzed by the instructor and members of the class. Students must have a complete novel manuscript (50,000 words minimum) ready for discussion by the beginning of class. May be repeated for maximum graduate credit of fifteen (15) hours.

5140 Graduate Workshop in Nonfiction (3)

Prerequisites: Open to students in the MFA program and to others with permission of the instructor. A variable-topics writing workshop focusing on one or more of the following forms: personal essay, memoir, travel writing, literary journalism, biography, or other types of literary nonfiction. May be repeated for maximum graduate credit of fifteen (15) hours.

5170 Techniques, Methods, and Effects in Fiction Writing (3)

Prerequisites: Open to students in the MFA program and to others with consent of the instructor. This course analyzes the technical choices made by important contemporary fiction writers in the area of point of view, tone, seeing, form, and plot structure, and it examines the effects of those choices. Close consideration is given to fictional techniques that contribute to a story's characterization, tension, interest, reliability, drama, irony, and humor. The course is primarily for creative writers.

5190 Literary Journal Editing (3)

Prerequisite: Open to students in the MFA program who have had at least two graduate writing workshops and to others with permission of the instructor. In this course students serve as the first readers of all submissions to the university's literary magazine, Natural Bridge. Students will read and evaluate poems, short stories, and essays and recommend a body of work to the editorial board of the magazine. The editorial board will then consider the class consensus in its final selection of material for publication. In addition to this primary task of editorial selection, students will also be involved in the production of an issue of the magazine. May be repeated for maximum graduate credit of nine hours.

5200 MFA Readings (3)

Prerequisites: Open to students in the MFA program and to others with consent of the instructor. This is an independent readings course. In consultation with an MFA faculty member, students choose works from the MFA Reading List and read them with the goal of broadening and sharpening their technical skills as writers. Students ordinarily choose works in one genre: poetry, the short story, or the novel. Each week the student reads and reports on at least one work. The course may be taken only once.

5950 Studies in Magical Realism: Myth and Tale (3)

 

Prerequisite: Open to students in the MFA program and to others with consent of the instructor. Consists of a half writing workshop, half literary exploration in which fiction writers and poets will be encouraged to write magical realism. May be taken once.

6010 Final Writing Project (3-6)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of 15 hours in graduate creative writing courses or permission from instructor. An independent writing tutorial taken by students after theyhave completed all other creative writing course work. Completion of the project requires a substantial body of original poetry or fiction. May be repeated for maximum graduate credit of six (6) hours.

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