ENG 453 - Masterclass in Creative Writing

Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): Minimum of 6 creative writing classes, one of which is ENG 451 Reading for Writers: Aesthetic Theory and another is an independent study where the shape and scope of the Masterclass in Creative Writing is first explored. Instructor permission required.
The Masterclass in Creative Writing is designed for students of demonstrated exceptional ability and commitment. Students enrolled in the Masterclass in Creative Writing will spend a semester working closely with a creative writing faculty mentor on a cohesive collection of poems, short stories, essays or a two-act play, screenplay or novella, totaling between 60-85 pages, depending on the genre. At the end of the semester, students will give a reading to the public and also have a formal defense with 3 creative writing faculty (their mentor, the Director of the Creative Writing Program, plus 1-2 other creative writing faculty members); this defense will focus on the student’s artistic manifesto, an argument for an aesthetic, and writing process. Interested students must complete an application proposal, which requires the signatures of both the creative writing faculty mentor and Director of the Creative Writing Program. This course is only open to Creative Writing Minor students. It is only offered during the Spring semester.