Graduation Requirements for the Ph.D. in English Creative Writing Concentration (PH5232)
Doctoral students in Creative Writing specialize in either poetry or prose (fiction and/or creative nonfiction), taking three workshops in their own specialization as well as at least one workshop in another genre. Students also complete course work in literature and take comprehensive exams in a literary period to discover and articulate connections between the achievements of particular authors and literary traditions and their own creative work.
Graduation Requirements
The Ph.D. in English requires a minimum of 90 hours, including any credited from prior graduate work. Students must fulfill the requirements for one of the three concentrations (Creative Writing, Literary History, or Rhetoric and Composition). The Director of Graduate Studies will determine which specific courses may fulfill each requirement category.
Professional English Courses
The following professional courses are required for all students:
- ENG 5890 - Teaching College English
- ENG 5950 - Introduction to English Studies
- 8 credit hours chosen from the following:
Electives
Complete 12 credit hours of English courses as advised by the Director of Graduate Studies (courses listed in the “Professional English Courses” requirement do not fulfill this requirement).
Creative Writing Concentration Requirements
Creative Writing Workshops
Complete a minimum of 16 credit hours of workshops selected from:
- ENG 7470 - Creative Writing Workshop: Poetry
- ENG 7480 - Creative Writing Workshop: Nonfiction
- ENG 7490 - Creative Writing Workshop: Fiction
ElectiveComplete at least one additional course (4 hrs) from Literary History or Rhetoric and Composition.
Advanced Requirements
All students must successfully complete a comprehensive examination; Literary History and Rhetoric and Composition students must also successfully defend a dissertation prospectus. A minimum of 6 hours of ENG 7940 should be completed for the comprehensive exam.
Culminating Experience
All students complete a dissertation, a book-length manuscript typically at least 200 pages in length, and defend their work to a committee of faculty members both within and outside of the department. A minimum of 6 dissertation hours (ENG 8950) is required and a maximum of 45 dissertation hours (ENG 8950) may count toward degree requirements.