Graduate FAQ for Prospective Students
FOR APPLICANTS
The Application Deadline is January 15th.
Click here for an application.
Click here for Financial Aid information.
Why choose the
Creative Writing-Fiction Programs at
- The Story Workshop Method
Our core fiction classes are taught using the Story Workshop® approach, a dynamic, process-based method of teaching that draws fully on students’ wide-ranging backgrounds and experiences. The Story Workshop® method emphasizes permission for, and development of, your own unique voice and story content. You’ll learn to tap your imagination’s potential for creative problem solving as you explore the interrelated processes of reading, listening, perceiving, experiencing, oral telling, critical thinking, and writing—all in an atmosphere that stresses positive rather than negative critiquing.
- Degree Options
We offer three graduate degree options: a 45-hour M.F.A. in Creative Writing-Fiction, 39-hour M.A. in the Teaching of Writing, and a 63-hour Combined M.F.A in Creative Writing-Fiction/M.A. in the Teaching of Writing.
- Elective Writing and Critical Reading
and Writing Classes
We offer one of the widest selections of elective/specialty writing courses of any graduate program in the country. In addition to core Fiction Writing and Prose Forms classes, we offer Fiction Writers and Publishing, Freelance Applications of Fiction Writing Training, Small Press Publishing, Story in Graphic Form, Science Fiction Writing, Young Adult Fiction, Playwriting, Creative Nonfiction, and many other courses taught by professionals who are active in their fields. Our Critical Reading and Writing classes offer unique approaches to the study of the reading and writing processes of famous writers. A complete listing of our course offerings can be found by clicking here.
- Community
Columbia College Chicago is the
largest, most diverse arts and media college in the country and is located in
the South Loop, the heart of one of the most artistically vibrant cities in the
region. The Fiction Writing Department is a major
part of the
- Flexibility
Students can enroll full- or part-time and take evening classes. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. We welcome older, working adults as well as recent college graduates.
- Preparation for a Career in Writing
The skills you learn in our classes, the broad range of courses we offer, and our relationships with local, national, and international writing communities will help prepare you for a career in many fields as you develop your fiction and grow personally. In addition to publishing fiction, creative nonfiction, plays, and other forms, our graduate students undertake careers in teaching, publishing, technical writing, editing, feature writing, film, video, advertising, and many other fields. A number of our graduate students have published their theses, including Don De Grazia, American Skin (Touchstone, 2000); Brian Costello, The Enchanters Vs. Sprawlburg Springs (Featherproof Books, 2005); Cris Burks, Neecy’s Lullaby (Harlem Moon, 2006); Stephanie Kuehnert, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone (MTV Books, upcoming June 2008).
For Applicants
What degrees do you
offer?
We offer three graduate programs: an M.F.A in Creative Writing-Fiction, an M.A. in the Teaching of Writing, and a Combined M.F.A. in Creative Writing-Fiction/M.A. in the Teaching of Writing.
Do I need to have a
degree in English to apply?
No. We have students in our programs that come from a variety of undergraduate and nontraditional backgrounds. If a student has taken few major-period undergraduate literature courses, he or she may be required to take the full component of four graduate-level Critical Reading and Writing courses.
Do I need to take the
GRE?
We do not require the GRE.
Do you have rolling
admissions?
We enroll students only once a year in the fall, with the application deadline during the previous winter and decisions made in early spring.
What writing samples
do I submit?
Submit thirty pages of double-spaced writing in roughly equal amounts of fiction and expository prose. Twenty pages of fiction and ten pages of expository prose are acceptable. Poetry, plays, or screenplays may be submitted but will be accepted only in addition to the required writing samples. For the expository manuscript, you may submit any form of professional writing, although we prefer photocopies of essays written for college courses, if recent. Two copies of each submission are required.
How do I increase my
chances of acceptance?
Submit your very best work. We are looking for writing with an active, developed sense of scene, story movement, and voice. Any subject is acceptable. In your self-assessment essay, tell us a story about yourself. Although we receive many applications with writing of good quality, sometimes we may decide that the work would not be a good match with the writing and teaching of our faculty, and therefore the applicant probably would not benefit from our programs.
Can I get personal
feedback on my application?
Because of the number of applications we receive, as well as to guard the confidentiality of the admission process, we cannot comment on individual applications before or after decisions are made.
What type of
financial support or scholarships do you offer?
A number of scholarships for new and continuing students are
available through the
Do you offer Teaching
Assistantships?
We do not offer Teaching Assistantships for first-year students. However, students qualified for the Tutor Training and Practice Teaching classes are required to teach in individual or classroom situations, and most of these positions offer at least some compensation. In addition, work-aide positions may be available in the department and around the campus.
What if my
undergraduate grade point average was below 3.0?
If we find that your writing and application are of particular merit, then the department chair may choose to waive the prerequisite.
Would visiting the
Fiction Writing Department and meeting with the Graduate Program Director
improve my chances of being accepted?
You are welcome to visit Columbia College Chicago to decide if you want to apply to one of our programs, but meetings with the faculty will not increase your chances of being accepted. The Graduate Program Director is happy to meet with prospective students, but admission decisions are made by a graduate faculty committee. If you would like to schedule a visit to the College or attend one of the graduate open houses offered each year, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Do the Graduate Programs
have a low-residency option?
The Graduate Programs offer no low-residency options.
Can students attend
the Programs part-time?
Yes. A part-time course load is 6 credit hours of classes, or 2 classes per semester. A full-time course load is 9 credit hours or 3 classes per semester. All of our classes meet once a week. Our core graduate classes generally meet in the evening, in part to accommodate many students who work during the day.
What are the degree
requirements for the M.F.A. in Creative Writing-Fiction?
The M.F.A. degree is 45 units of study:
27-30 hours of writing courses
8-12 hours of electives in Critical Reading and Writing
6 semester hours of creative thesis
In addition, all students must take a Bibliography and Research class. If such a class was completed successfully at the undergraduate level or if the student has extensive experience in a variety of research methods and techniques, he or she may apply for a waiver of this requirement, following the process outlined in the Fiction Writing Department Graduate Handbook.
How long does a
graduate program take to complete?
Generally, full-time students take 6 semesters to complete the M.F.A. Part-time students take longer to complete the degree. Students in the M.F.A. and Combined Degree programs must complete all requirements, including the thesis, within seven years of entry into the program. M.A. students must complete all requirements within five years.
Does the M.F.A. offer
concentrations?
Yes. You may select a 6-hour concentration, with options in Teaching, Creative Nonfiction, and Playwriting.
What is the M.A. in the Teaching of Writing Program?
Focusing on an intensive training in the Story Workshop approach, the M.A. in the Teaching of Writing prepares you to teach both expository and fiction writing at the college and secondary levels, with applications to playwriting, screenwriting, poetry, technical writing, and a variety of other modes. In the M.A. program, you will explore the close relationship between your teaching ability and the development of your writing. The study of pedagogy and the hands-on practice teaching will enhance your credentials when seeking teaching positions. Frequently, M.A. candidates are employed teachers who want to develop their writing and teaching ability; others are newcomers to the field.
The M.A. in the Teaching of Writing does not offer a certification program to teach in public schools.
What are the degree
requirements for the M.A.?
The M.A. in the Teaching of Writing is 39 units of study:
21 credit hours of writing courses
9 credit hours of tutor training and practice teaching
3 credit hours of Survey of Methods and Research in the Teaching of Writing
3 credit hours of electives in Language Issues in the Classroom, Dialects in Fiction Writing, Sociolinguistics, Critical Reading and Writing, or a similar course
3 credit hours of a two-part thesis (one part creative, one part pedagogical research)
What is the Combined
M.A./M.F.A. Program?
If you have an interest in intensively developing your own fiction, as well as in teaching writing, the combined M.F.A./M.A. is an attractive and increasingly popular option. The combined degree can give you an advantage in pursuing a career in the teaching of writing.
Students are accepted into the M.A. portion of the Combined Program conditionally. After completing 12 credit hours, you may request formal acceptance into the M.A. in the Teaching of Writing. Your work in all classes is reviewed by graduate faculty as a precursor to this decision. Combined Degree candidates work closely with a faculty advisor or the Graduate Programs Director to determine their program of study.
What are the
requirements for the Combined M.A./M.F.A.?
The Combined degree is 63 units of study:
39 credit hours (all requirements for the M.A. in the Teaching of Writing), plus
9 additional credit hours of Fiction Writing workshops, including the Thesis Development course or equivalent
9 credit hours of Critical Reading and Writing courses
6 additional credit hours of creative thesis
What are Core Fiction
Writing classes?
Core classes are required Story Workshop fiction and prose forms writing classes that every student must take. These include Fiction Writing I, Fiction Writing II, Prose Forms, Fiction Writing: Advanced, Advanced Prose Forms, and Thesis Development. Fiction Writing: Advanced is repeatable for credit. Advanced Prose Forms can be taken in lieu of Fiction Writing: Advanced. Certain non-Story Workshop Fiction Seminar and Novel Writing classes may also be applied to the core requirements with prior approval of your grad advisor, the Graduate Programs Director, or the Department Chair.
Do you accept
transfer credit?
We may accept up to 6 semester hours of graduate-level coursework toward the M.A. degree or up to 12 semester hours of credit toward the M.F.A degree. However, the Fiction Writing Department is under no obligation to accept transfer hours, and we encourage you to consult with the department’s Director of Graduate Programs prior to your decision to apply. Transfer hours cannot be applied to core Fiction Writing courses.
If I’m accepted, can
I defer my entrance into the programs?
You can defer your entrance for up to one year. If you find you must defer, you’ll need to contact the Graduate Admissions Office as soon as possible after your acceptance.
Are Study Abroad and
Semester in
Yes, absolutely, though we recommend that you read the Graduate Handbook carefully and consult with your graduate advisor in order to formulate the best possible program to meet your needs, as well as all course requirements.
Questions or comments? Please contact Eliza Fogel at eliza.fogel@loop.colum.edu.