This Course and Program Catalogue is effective from May 2024 to April 2025.

Not all courses described in the Course and Program Catalogue are offered each year. For a list of course offerings in 2024-2025, please consult the class search website.

The following conventions are used for course numbering:

  • 010-099 represent non-degree level courses
  • 100-699 represent undergraduate degree level courses
  • 700-999 represent graduate degree level courses

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WRIT 800.3: The Craft of Writing Fiction

This course focuses on how to write dynamic and engaging fiction. The course will focus on compositional strategies related to writing short stories and novels. The course is an intensive workshop consisting of peer critiques, a craft seminar, and discussion of assigned readings. Students will meet weekly and will be required, every week, to produce writing of their own and submit to for analysis by the rest of the class and the instructor.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Permission of the Program Coordinator is required
Restriction(s): Entry in the M.F.A. in Writing program is required.


WRIT 801.3: Poetry Workshop

Discussion of contemporary writings on the making of poetry initiates a workshop in which concepts and techniques are practised and refined.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Permission of the Program Coordinator is required
Restriction(s): Entry in the M.F.A. in Writing program is required.


WRIT 802.3: Nonfiction Workshop

Discussing the theory and practice of creative nonfiction and participating in workshop discussions of their essays and articles, students gain experience in an expanding dimension of the profession of writing.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Permission of the Program Coordinator is required
Restriction(s): Entry in the M.F.A. in Writing program is required.


WRIT 803.3: Extended Forms Capstone Workshop

This course focuses on the conceptualizing of a book-length manuscript of prose (fiction or creative nonfiction) or poetry. It is also a course meant to sharpen editing skills and the ability to construct a theoretical basis for a writing project as well as situating that writing project within its broader literary context. The theory and informing aesthetic of behind the writing project will be articulated in an Artist’s Statement. Each student will also be required to present a graduating craft talk, based on their writing project and open to other MFA students in the program. The student presenting the craft talk will be, in essence, teaching craft, using his or her own writing as a basis.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Permission of the Program Coordinator is required
Restriction(s): Entry in the M.F.A. in Writing program is required.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 800, WRIT 801, WRIT 802.


WRIT 990.0: The Profession of Writing

In a series of seminars, students in both years of the program will gain exposure to various aspects of literary professionalism and the writing life.

Restriction(s): Entry in the M.F.A. in Writing program is required.


WRIT 994.0: Research – Thesis

The Major Work culminates the MFA in Writing. The single most substantial component of the program, the Major Work has as its successful outcome an extended work of fiction, poetry, or nonfiction that is judged to be of publishable quality.

Restriction(s): Entry in the M.F.A. in Writing program is required.