creative writing programs sf

Make this the year you finally write! Dust off that manuscript that has been sitting in a drawer, get a fresh new notebook, turn on some music, find yourself a little inspiration and begin. 

Joining the San Francisco Creative Writing Institute means more than just taking a class — it’s your invitation to our vibrant community of students and alumni who continue an open exchange of ideas. Join us and join our community.

Our Upcoming Workshops

Precision editing: taking your poetry to the next level, intro to fiction, the poetry workshop, drop-in writing workshop, creative writing summer camp, art of the chapbook, who we are....

We’re an independent creative writing institute based out of San Francisco. Founded in 2015, we offer writing workshops in several genres to writers of all experience levels from all walks of life. We encourage people to share their work and connect with peers and mentors. Our instructors are published working writers, professors, editors and master teachers.

Our Teachers

Nick Mamatas

Award-winning Author of 100 short stories, 10 novels, dozens of essays and articles & an editor from Viz Media.

Alexandra Kostoulas

Founder & Director of San Francisco Creative Writing Institute

Tongo Eisen-Martin

Winner Of The American Book Award, California Book Award. Poet-in-Residence At Cambridge University

Our Instructors have taught at these Universities

We’ve Been Published By

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• Events & Exhibitions
• Campus Expansion
• Undergraduate
• Pre-College

CCA’s blend of theory and practice inspires students at every level to make work that matters. Select your status to learn about the application process, requirements, and deadlines, as well as contact information should you need any support along the way.

MFA Writing

Define your voice and explore your creative practice—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—alongside writers, designers, and visual artists.

Writing at CCA is dynamic

Embedded in a creative community like no other, your writing will be energized in unexpected or unconventional ways.

At CCA, you’ll join a writing community that truly sees and supports you.

We’ve grown an MFA Writing program at an arts college with 116 years of history in the San Francisco Bay Area. The workshops and seminars where we gather are places of inventiveness, self-discovery, and exuberance. Together we’ve created a close-knit community for diverse writers who are making their mark on the world.

We believe creativity is sparked when you have space to develop your ideas, and from your first to your final semester at CCA you’ll have close, sustained support from your professors through one-on-one mentorships. Our award-winning faculty includes Faith Adiele, Tom Barbash, Dodie Bellamy, Rita Bullwinkel, Jasmin Darznik, Joseph Lease, Trisha Ya-wen Low, Aimee Phan, Denise Newman, and Leslie Carol Roberts.

The Bay Area, a site of rich literary history, is our home. You’ll have access to resources and literary institutions you won’t find anywhere else, like City Lights Publishers, Litquake, and the Bay Area Book Festival. In the fall semester, we offer Tuesday Seminar, a course that brings illustrious professional writers right into the classroom with you.

MFA writing professor Faith Adiele.

An exciting blend of the emergent and established

Our MFA Writing program recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary, and we embrace the rich literary history of the Bay Area, from the Beat poetry movement and the Language poets, to the annual Litquake literary festival, to the Slam/Spoken Word scene.

Follow MFA Writing

Huge thanks to Rebecca Foust for sharing her publishing wisdom today in the studio. Some takeaways:

Aim high—it’s better than the alternative.

Be like Tom Petty—study the person a step or two ahead of you and follow their lead.

Nothing’s ever finished, so you may as well send it out.

📝 Students who couldn’t make it, you are in luck! She shared some fantastic handouts and you can find extra copies in the studio.

Our first free all-program field trip takes us to City Arts & Lectures this Thursday to hear Leila Mottley talk about her new book Nightcrawling. We meet outside the Sidney Goldstein Theater at 7. See you there, MFAW.📚🤓

By popular demand, we're devoting next week's Tuesday Coffee Hour to a practical, in-depth conversation about getting published in literary magazines. On 10/4 from 3-4 pm Rebecca Foust, poet and assistant editor of fiction at Narrative Magazine, will join us in the garden to talk about specific submission strategies and answer your questions about the publishing process. This is for writers of all genres, so come one, come all!

October Happenings! Check out the fabulous upcoming events we’ve got lined up. ✍🏻📖💫

Join a top-ranking MFA Writing program

Study.com ranks our program among the top five in California. Located in one of the world’s creative capitals, we encourage MFA candidates to explore many different forms and incorporate visual art into their work.

View the list

Studios & Shops

Practice critique, readings, and performance.

MFA students are at home in the Humanities and Sciences Graduate Center on CCA’s main San Francisco campus. Outside the studio, we write and meet alongside redwood trees in our beautiful garden. Inside, we hold our workshops, readings, and craft talks. We also host our famed Tuesday Talks series in the Humanities and Sciences Graduate Center. Today’s most dynamic writers, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Camille Dungy, Andrew Sean Greer, R.O. Kwon, sam sax, and Tracy K. Smith, read and discuss new work and lead craft talks during masterclasses. There are endless opportunities to share your writing with peers, get constructive feedback, and nurture your craft.

Support to tell your stories

We help our students locate and tell their stories; we write what we want, how we want. We embrace all forms of writing, from literary novels and poetry to science fiction and mysteries. Our MFA Writing program is designed to make sure each student finds their voice. You can explore nonfiction, fiction, and poetry during supportive workshops that celebrate voice and form. We believe in grounding our work in craft so we emphasize close reading and individualized instruction.

Expand your creative practice

In addition to our vibrant writing workshops and dynamic seminars, we encourage graduate students to immerse themselves in our diverse art and design culture. Want to learn how to design beautiful publications, paint, or make a children’s book? Access CCA’s phenomenal resources, including Risograph printers for making broadsides, audio suites for recording podcasts, and a letterpress studio for making books and zines. You’ll work with top practitioners in their fields across the college’s faculty, grow as a writer, and learn to turn your research passions and written works into literal art objects.

Frame and finish your book

You’ll get regular feedback during writing workshops and meetings with full-time faculty who believe in meeting one-on-one—not as part of any requirement, but because personalized attention is how you grow as a writer. Close reading, editorial guidance, and individualized reading lists all push our writing students toward success. We teach you craft as well as how to establish and maintain a serious writing practice.

Your creative life at CCA and beyond

From studying one-on-one with faculty mentors to participating in craft workshops with visiting writers—among the best and brightest working today—you’ll be exposed to myriad forms. You’ll learn the elements of podcasting; how to make audio stories; how to prepare a full-length manuscript; and how to collaborate with painters, filmmakers, illustrators, photographers, and more.

Your community of mentors

• Memoirist and travel writer Faith Adiele
• Novelist Tom Barbash
• Novelist Rita Bullwinkel
• Novelist and memoirist Jasmin Darznik
• Poet Joseph Lease
• Poet and performer Trisha Low
• Poet and translator Denise Newman
• Novelist Aimee Phan
• Eco-memoirist Leslie Carol Roberts

More studios, shops, and labs

Access lithography presses and a range of bookbinding equipment at the San Francisco Center for the Book

The Black-and-White Darkroom has a range of enlarging stations and two print washers

Check out DSLR cameras, lighting kits, GoPros, and more from the San Francisco campus Media Center

Study with award-winning writers

MFA Writing faculty have received major prizes, fellowships, residencies, and grants. Their books have been New York Times bestsellers and award-winning collections in fiction, hybrid essay/memoir, poetry, literary criticism, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Together they offer unique voices across multiple genres, aesthetic traditions, and vibrant writing communities.

Jasmin Darznik, Chair of MFA Writing

Chair Jasmin Darznik is a New York Times- bestselling author of three books,  The Bohemians, Song of a Captive Bird , and The Good Daughter . Born in Iran, she immigrated to America as a child and is a first-generation college graduate. After receiving a Ph.D. in English from Princeton University, she obtained an MFA in fiction from Bennington College, broadening her academic scholarship to tell stories about women who've been left out or obscured from the historical record. Her forthcoming novel, American Goddess, takes on themes of celebrity, gender, and ethnic identity in Old Hollywood. 

MFA Writing Faculty

Faith E Adiele

Tom Barbash

Rita Bullwinkel

Joseph Lease

Denise Newman

Leslie Carol Roberts

Michael Wertz

View all MFA Writing faculty

Faculty stories

Two-year intensive program

Our two-year, 48-unit MFA Writing program includes workshops, craft seminars, literature courses, and mentorships. Courses like Experiments in Life Writing, Contemporary International Fiction, and Writing As An Act of Witness will inspire you to take risks and try new styles as you hone your craft and deepen your writing practice.

One of the many perks of being at an art school is the chance to take courses outside of the writing discipline as well as to collaborate with painters, photographers, filmmakers, bookmakers, and more. This unique opportunity allows you to move in new directions as you find and express your unique voice. Preview our workshops and courses .

Year 1: Fall Semester

Year 1: spring semester, year 2: fall semester, year 2: spring semester.

Total 48.0 units

Publish your dream project

MFA in Writing program alumni have impressive success getting their work out in the world, publishing books across genres. Recent publications include:

• Tom Comitta, The Nature Book , Coffee House Press, 2023
• Dior Stephens, Cruel/Cruel , Nightboat, 2023
• Alka Joshi, The Perfumist of Paris, Harper Collins, 2023
• Sonja Swift, Echo Loba, Loba Echo , Rocky Mountain Press, 2023
• Jessamyn Violet, Secret Rules to Being a Rock Star , Three Rooms Press, 2023
• Alka Joshi, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur , Harper Collins, 2021
• Julie Lythcott-Haims, Your Turn: How to Be An Adult , Henry Holt, 2021
• Alka Joshi, The Henna Artist , Mira Publishing, a division of Harper Collins, 2019
• Rheea Mukherjee, The Body Myth , Unnamed Press, 2019
• Adam Nemett, We Can Save Us All , Unnamed Press, 2018
• Sonia Belasco, Speak of Me As I Am , Philomel Books, 2017
• Julie Lythcott-Haims, Real American , St. Martin’s Griffin, 2017
• Molly Prentiss, Tuesday Nights in 1980 , Simon & Schuster, 2017
• Catie Jarvis, The Peacock Room , Hyperborea, 2016
• Andrew Nicholson, A Lamp Brighter Than Foxfire , Colorado State, 2015
• LaTasha Nevada Diggs, TWerk , Belladonna Press, 2013

In addition to becoming published authors, our students find traction at established and emergent platforms like Medium , and also work as educators; performance artists; editors; and writers for newspapers, magazines, and marketing agencies.

Potential career paths

• Freelance writer
• Content strategist
• Arts administrator
• Social activist
• Technical writer
• Publication and production assistant
• Small press publisher

Learn about career development

News & Events

What’s happening for mfa writing students.

Reading and lecture series span disciplines

How to Apply

Make writing your top priority.

Our two-year program welcomes students of all ages, career profiles, and backgrounds, including law, advertising, tech, music, and academia. We focus on your writing sample and your letters of recommendation in making admissions decisions.

Start your application

You’ll apply to CCA and submit all required application materials via SlideRoom. Afterward, you may be contacted for an interview with a faculty member as part of the application process. Being selected for an interview doesn’t indicate applicant status or increase or decrease an applicant’s chances of being admitted into their desired graduate program. Interviews are conducted at the program’s discretion and are used to gain more insight into an application.

Create an account and start your application

MFA Writing application requirements

• Application and $70 nonrefundable application fee To be completed and submitted on SlideRoom.
• Resume/curriculum vitae Please outline your educational and professional background and relevant experiences and activities, including community work. Resumes/CVs must be in PDF document format.
• Two recommendation letters You’ll request two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources in SlideRoom by entering the contact information for your recommenders/references. They will then receive an automated email from SlideRoom with instructions for uploading their letter of recommendation.
• Unofficial college transcripts You are required to provide your complete undergraduate academic history. Students who have already taken graduate courses are encouraged to submit those transcripts, too. For international applicants, all transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Please provide an unofficial transcript from the college where you will receive or have received your bachelor’s degree, as well as unofficial transcripts for all other undergraduate coursework. Unofficial transcripts will be used for review purposes. Once you have been admitted and enrolled, all students will need to submit official, sealed transcripts showing the completion of a bachelor’s degree to our graduate admissions office by August 1 of the fall semester they begin enrollment at CCA.
• Proof of English proficiency (international applicants only) Review and plan to meet our English proficiency requirements for graduate students .
• Personal essay In a personal essay, submitted as a PDF, write 500 to 1,000 words about your writing experience, why you want to study writing at the graduate level, your educational objectives, and any critical influences on your work.
• Portfolio Your portfolio, submitted as one to two PDFs (up to 10 MB each), should consist of a selection of writing samples (totaling no more than 25 double-spaced pages) that reflect your main areas of interest. You may include poems, short stories, a section of a novel, text for performance (include video, if available), creative nonfiction, or writing for new genres. You’re welcome, but not required, to submit visual materials in support of your application, including book arts and videos. Please note: We do not accept co-written material.

For prospective student inquiries, including questions about the program or how to apply, please contact us

Graduate Admissions

+1 415-548-2271 (call, text)

Nurture your craft in a dynamic environment

Related programs

Visual & Critical Studies

Ripe Fruit Writing

School of Creative Writing

Creative Writing Classes in San Francisco, CA

In-person and hybrid options (in-person or on zoom).

Ripe Fruit School of Creative Writing  is the only writing program that offers a progressive, step-by-step series of creative writing classes in the San Francisco – Bay Area . Our intensive writing workshops follow a path of growth custom-designed for beginning and emerging writers.  Students graduate with confidence and competence to take on any writing project.

Ripe Fruit ’s effective and innovative curriculum has provided encouragement, stimulation, and training to over 8000 professional and aspiring writers since 1991. Leslie Kirk Campbell, founder and director of Ripe Fruit School of Creative Writing, has experience teaching poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, memoir and personal essay. She is an imagination activist, master writing teacher, writing coach, and award-winning author who is passionately committed to the development of writers in every genre and at all levels.

Course Descriptions         What Makes Ripefruit Unique

Find Your Writing Voice  ( Ripe Fruit 1 ,  The Writing Faith )

Ripe Fruit Creative Writing first level classes teach you perception, imagination, compassion & commitment.   Learn  the six qualities it takes to be a great writer and put them into immediate practice in a safe and intimate environment.  Excavate  your wild mind and cultivate your own inimitable voice.  Experience  the encouragement and inspiration, the freedom and lucid structure you’ve been longing for.  Deepen  your writing faith.

For more info on foundational creative writing classes and workshops:  Ripe Fruit 1 ,  The Writing Faith

Memoir Writing & Personal Essay Writing  ( Soulfood One-Day ,  Soulfood Class )

A dynamic process of creative expression and self-integration for new and experienced writers.  Discover  where memory and imagination intersect.  Learn  how to re-enter your life and locate the stories that must be told. You will create a portfolio of autobiographical writings that move the heart, engage the intelligence, and have a lasting impact on you, the author, and your audience.  This is your chance to write straight from the heart.

For more info on memoir writing classes and workshops.   Soulfood One-Day ,  Soulfood Class

Fiction Writing  ( Ripe Fruit lll Fiction Writing )

You want to write that stop-them-in-their-tracks short story? Let me tell you a secret. It’s not the content that counts. It’s  HOW YOU TELL IT . By starting from the ground up, you will learn to tell a great story; a story that engages your reader sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, page by page so that, in the end, they are changed by it.

For more info on fiction writing classes.  Ripe Fruit lll Fiction Writing

Creative Writing Graduate Programs in the San Francisco Bay Area

1-5 of 5 results

University of San Francisco College of Arts and Sciences

San Francisco, CA •

University of San Francisco •

Graduate School

University of San Francisco ,

Graduate School ,

SAN FRANCISCO, CA ,

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA •

• • Rating 4.26 out of 5   34 reviews

Alum: As a former student at Saint Mary's College, I can confidently say that the best part of my experience was my exceptional education. The dedicated and supportive teachers fostered a stimulating learning environment, encouraging us to think critically and strive for academic excellence. The picturesque campus provided a tranquil setting for studying and reflection. Most importantly, the coursework was thoughtfully designed, balancing theoretical knowledge and practical application. However, what truly made my time at Saint Mary's memorable was the strong sense of camaraderie among students, creating a supportive and inclusive community. Overall, the education I received at Saint Mary's College was unparalleled and prepared me for future success in my career. ... Read 34 reviews

Blue checkmark.

MORAGA, CA ,

34 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says As a former student at Saint Mary's College, I can confidently say that the best part of my experience was my exceptional education. The dedicated and supportive teachers fostered a stimulating... .

Read 34 reviews.

Mills College at Northeastern University Graduate Programs

Oakland, CA •

Mills College at Northeastern University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Alum: I did a Post Baccalaureate in Pre-Medicine and the instructors and advisors were top-notch. I learned a lot and did very well. Highly recommend although they have been taken over by another school Northwestern they are still a great school and campus! ... Read 2 reviews

Mills College at Northeastern University ,

OAKLAND, CA ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I did a Post Baccalaureate in Pre-Medicine and the instructors and advisors were top-notch. I learned a lot and did very well. Highly recommend although they have been taken over by another school... .

Read 2 reviews.

Miami University - College of Creative Arts

Miami University •

Graduate School •

San Francisco Bay University

FREMONT, CA

• • Rating 3 out of 5   2

Houston Christian University

HOUSTON, TX

• • Rating 4.2 out of 5   25

College of Humanities and the Arts - San Jose State University

San Jose, CA •

San Jose State University •

San Jose State University ,

SAN JOSE, CA ,

California College of the Arts

• • Rating 4.5 out of 5   4 reviews

Master's Student: The application process was very smooth. The admissions team gave me good advice about how to put together my portfolio. ... Read 4 reviews

4 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The application process was very smooth. The admissions team gave me good advice about how to put together my portfolio. .

Read 4 reviews.

Wilkes University

WILKES-BARRE, PA

• • Rating 4.21 out of 5   24

College of Arts and Sciences - American University

American University •

WASHINGTON, DC

San Francisco State University

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

• • Rating 4.19 out of 5   52

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• Request Info
• MFA in Creative Writing - Mission & History

• MFA in Creative Writing
• Admission Requirements
• Program Curriculum
• Tuition & Financial Aid
• The Brenda Hillman Writing Room

Mission & History

Reading and writing to change lives..

Our MFA in Creative Writing program is a full-time residential degree program in the San Francisco Bay Area, offering students the chance to devote two years to the study of poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction alongside award-winning faculty and a devoted community of literary artists. 

Founded in 1995, our program combines studio writing workshops and literary analysis, including courses in the craft of writing in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

To date, more than 380 students have received degrees from the SMC MFA in Creative Writing. Alumni have published more than 60 books, appeared in countless journals and magazines, and won many distinguished literary prizes. Others have started internationally known presses and publications like Omnidawn and the East Bay Review, and founded important reading series in the Bay Area such as Woolsey Heights, East Bay Poetry Summit, Literary Arts & Wine and the Studio One Reading Series.

After nearly 30 years, the SMC MFA in Creative Writing continues to thrive, distinguishing itself by its award winning faculty and its opportunities for students in the areas of teaching, publishing, and community engagement. We welcome students from all backgrounds and walks of life to our mission style campus each fall—a setting that feels like a writing retreat with easy access to Oakland, San Francisco and all the Bay Area has to offer. 

SMC MFA Core Values

We are committed to maintaining an inclusive community built upon diversity and multiculturalism in which all members of our community are valued. Our faculty and staff support our students as artists and as individuals, guiding their creative work and their development as emerging writers.

We welcome all styles of writing. We emphasize a craft-oriented approach, acknowledging that writing is an ongoing process helped along by shared reading.

We are dedicated to making the writing workshop a place where all students can come together in good faith, with the intention of helping one another become the best writers and readers they can be. The writing classroom is a place where all participants are respected as artists and as individual in our shared community. It is also a space where writers can take necessary (though not gratuitous) artistic risks, make inevitable mistakes, and learn from them in a supportive and forgiving environment so that they become more informed artists and individuals.

As a literary community, we understand the power of language and that, in the context of literature, it can be charged, volatile, and even upsetting. While we do not police language in creative work, we understand its impact both in and outside the classroom, and encourage ongoing dialogue about its power and effect in literature and the world.

Values to Hold While in Community

• respect for all persons
• respect for divergent points of view
• exploring conflicts with care
• active listening
• recognizing our privileges
• owning our intentions and impact within the group dynamic
• no direct attacks on our fellow classmates or their creative work

Statement of Solidarity

We believe our program is made stronger by the diverse communities that call our nation home. We recognize the cultural, artistic, and economic contributions of immigrants and refugees. We cherish and will defend fundamental Constitutional rights, like due process and religious freedom, that are foundational for our democracy. We stand in solidarity with immigrants, refugees, and marginalized peoples—our neighbors, friends, and family members.

Engage in an intense study of poetry and poetics alongside a dedicated community of writers who aspire to break new ground in the literary arts.

Whether your fiction is set in a recognizable present day, the distant past, a dystopian near future, or a world as yet unimagined, our faculty are here to help you bring your characters and their stories to life on the page.

Our community welcomes creative nonfiction in all its hybrid forms, including lyric and personal essays, literary journalism, autotheory and criticism, and new forms that you are inventing to tell your singular story. 

Mentors who make a difference.

Our award-winning faculty work closely to support students as artists and as individuals, guiding their creative work and their development as emerging writers. Core faculty include Marilyn Abildskov, Chris Feliciano Arnold, and Matthew Zapruder.

Classmates who inspire.

"The writers I’ve met in this program have become my confidantes. They taught me that every author is unique; each of them has a voice so wonderfully their own that I learned there’s no comparing our styles. We are learning to embrace not just different perspectives, but our own words as being derived from our experiences."—Kiran Bains Sahota, Fiction '21

"Though sharing your work with others is always nerve-wracking, my first semester of workshop has been truly transformative. The environment is always helpful, supportive, and light-hearted. The Creative Nonfiction cohort is enthusiastic about my work and genuinely wants to help me become a better writer." —Hannah Wohlenberg, Creative Nonfiction '22

Alumni who lead literary lives.

MFA Degree alumni have gone onto publish novels, short story collections, memoirs, graphic novels, young adult, fantasy, and middle grade novels, poetry collections and more, but more importantly, they have graduated prepared to lead a sustainable life in the literary arts.

Here are some of the jobs MFA alumni are doing now: Bookseller, Copywriter, Creative Director, Creative Writing Instructor in Higher Ed, Curriculum Developer, Deputy Director in Nonprofit, Director of Content, Development Officer, Editor, English & Humanities Teacher, k-12, Grant Writer, Novelist, Publicist, Publisher, Screenwriter, Story Editor, Writing Center Director, and Vice Principal, among others.

School and Department Information

Chris Feliciano Arnold Director, MFA in Creative Writing [email protected] 925-631-8556

Collin Skeen Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment  [email protected] 925-631-4190

© 2024 Saint Mary’s College of California

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• Program Overview

The two-year, 32-unit program begins each fall, with courses on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:15 p.m. On Tuesdays, workshops in each genre (fiction, poetry, and nonfiction) focus on student manuscripts in a peer setting of supportive critique. On Thursdays, literature seminars focus on traditions, styles, craft elements and developments, and literary models.

Writing, MFA

• Reading Series
• Financing Your Education
• How to Apply

Program Timeline

Requirements include three workshops, four elective seminars, and two semesters of one-on-one thesis work.

Professional Opportunity

We create as many opportunities as possible for our students to connect with literary culture in the city of San Francisco and beyond. Opportunities include internships at literary journals such as Zyzzyva  and Zoetrope , at magazines such as Mother Jones  and Wired , at publishing houses such as City Lights and Chronicle Books, and at literacy organizations such as 826 Valencia and Streetside Stories. Students participate in literary and service organizations including Poets and Writers, Zoetrope, California Poets in the Schools, the Litquake literary festival, the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference, and the Bay Area Book festival. A seminar on teaching writing is offered for those interested in pursuing the profession, with teaching assistantships  available in undergraduate courses in English literature and creative writing.

Creative Writing

Ruth asawa san francisco school of the arts.

The Creative Writing program at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, created in 2001, is a rigorous, accelerated discipline for highly motivated students who want to study the art and craft of writing. CW maintains a total enrollment of about thirty students. As with all arts disciplines at Ruth Asawa SOTA , admission is by audition , and class takes place in the afternoon, following the morning’s academic classes and lunch.

CW students work closely with  artists-in-residence  — working writers representing a variety of genres. Creative Writing I students (generally freshmen and sophomores) will spend much of their time working directly with Heather Woodward, Program Director. After demonstrating the requisite development in both writing and individual maturity, students move in the junior year to Creative Writing II, where the majority of instruction is with one of our artists-in-residence. The two sections do combine at various times in the year.

Before graduating, all CW students complete a Senior Thesis, an important component of the CW program. Working under the individual mentorship of an established writer in the community, each senior C-dub will produce a manuscript of substantial length that demonstrates the writing skills developed while in SOTA Creative Writing. The manuscript can be a collection of poems or short stories, a play, a novella or novel. Students design and create chapbooks or other publications as the culmination of their thesis, the release of which we celebrate with a reading.

In addition to the daily schedule, students are presented with many options – some mandatory – to attend readings and other literary or artistic events in the city at large. For example, Creative Writing partners with San Francisco Art & Film ; students are required to attend their Cine Club film screenings and write responses to the films. Creative Writing also has three performances scheduled each year, and in each case the week prior is devoted to preparation and rehearsal.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is SOTA a typical San Francisco high school, with admission by choice/lottery? No.  Admission to SOTA and Creative Writing is by audition only. More information is available on our Audition  page and in the Apply tab of the  main SOTA website .

What kind of writing goes on? Creative Writing focuses primarily on poetry, prose, and playwriting. However, many CW artists-in-residence work with innovative approaches that cross traditional arts boundaries.

Do I have to perform? Performance is an important element of SOTA’s Creative Writing program, and definitely  not  optional. The department produces three shows each year, and students also appear at off-campus readings and events throughout the City.

What if I have other talents and interests? No use denying it: the arts disciplines at SOTA, including Creative Writing, make significant demands on student time. Still, many students continue to participate and excel in areas beyond their emphasis. C-dubs have been dedicated dancers, musicians, and photographers; they have donated significant time to community groups; they have interned at museums throughout the city; they have participated in Mock Trial and the theater. It’s not always easy, but possible, and can add perspective and depth to the work produced within the department.

Are Creative Writing students published? CW students are heavily represented in  umläut , the literary magazine produced by the department with submissions from students throughout the school. CW students have appeared both in print and in countless web magazines, and have received awards in many local, regional, and national contests.

What are the expectations for involvement beyond the classroom? San Francisco is a dynamic city and CW students are urged to take full advantage of the opportunities it offers. Frequent field trips to readings, art installations, lectures, plays, etc. help students see themselves as part of a larger artistic community. We also venture beyond the city. At the beginning of each year the department takes an overnight trip to the Marin Headlands. In 2017 we spent a week in New Orleans, visiting with the creative writing departments of two high schools, participating in a literary festival, and engaging in a range of cultural activities.

Are there opportunities for parent involvement? Yes, parent help is welcome, needed, and, dare we say, expected in Creative Writing.  Parents serve as liaisons between department head Heather Woodward, the PTSA, and other parents; they provide publicity for performances, and sell concessions at these same events; they lend their time on audition days to speak with parents of prospective C-dubs, and lend their homes for various department events. Grant applications written by parents — along with financial contributions  from  parents —  have funded artists-in-residence and department supplies and software. To emphasize the importance of parent involvement, at least one parent/guardian is required to meet with director Heather Woodward at the outset of the prospective student’s audition.

What about college? Many parents wonder how college opportunities are affected by the intense, early focus of an arts school education. We can say that CW grads overwhelmingly go on to higher education, and do so at a wide range of national and international schools. The list of schools accepting SOTA C-dub graduates includes Harvard, Yale, Columbia, NYU, Princeton, Sarah Lawrence, McGill, University of Edinburgh, Mills, Bard, UC Berkeley, UCLA and others. Individual effort always trumps program elements, of course, but C-dub applications certainly get a boost from the emphasis on high-level writing and analytical skills, from close contacts with working writers, and from four years of internship, community service, and performance experience.

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The program is designed to instruct writers in creative techniques, to nurture their individual development and vision, and to help prepare them for entry into the public life of literature.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Articulate how linguistic, formal, and aesthetic choices create literary effects on the page
• Demonstrate an understanding of the range of literary aesthetics, trends, and sensibilities-nationally and globally, past and present-as well as the political ramifications of craft choices
• Practice critical analysis of their own writing as a process, implementing drafting and revision plans for their creative projects
• Cultivate professional practices that engage in the greater literary community and form a sustained writing life

Minor Requirements (32 units)

All courses are 4 units.

Workshops (12 units)

Workshop courses can be taken more than once.

• MFA 602 - Fiction Workshop
• MFA 612 - Short Fiction Workshop
• MFA 622 - Long Fiction Workshop
• MFA 632 - Nonfiction Workshop
• MFA 642 - Poetry Workshop

Seminars (16 units)

Seminar topics change each semester, with courses offered in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and multi-genre approaches. Seminars can be taken more than once.

• MFA 605 - Foundations of Writing
• MFA 645 - Developments in Writing
• MFA 650 - Word for Word
• MFA 651 - Developments in the Novel
• MFA 653 - Research for Writers
• MFA 654 - Contemporary American Poetry
• MFA 655 - Forms of Writing
• MFA 661 - Evolution of the Short Story
• MFA 662 - Contemp. Experiments/Fiction
• MFA 664 - Poetry International
• MFA 665 - Topics in Writing
• MFA 670 - Intention and Design in Prose
• MFA 671 - Techniques of Long Fiction
• MFA 672 - The Craft of Short Fiction
• MFA 673 - Truth, Ethics, and Memory
• MFA 674 - Prosody: Meaning/Poetic Form
• MFA 675 - Teaching Creative Writing
• MFA 680 - Style in Fiction
• MFA 681 - Blurred Boundaries:Beyond Genr
• MFA 682 - Nonfiction Theory & Technique
• MFA 683 - The History of Nonfiction
• MFA 684 - Contemp Experiments Nonfiction
• MFA 685 - Professional Development
• MFA 686 - Poetics
• MFA 687 - POV and Characterization
• MFA 688 - Finding Form
• MFA 690 - Special Topics
• MFA 692 - Contemporary Global Fiction

Thesis (4-8 units)

Thesis I is an elective course strongly recommended for students whose thesis will be a book-length project. Thesis II is required for all students.

• MFA 689 - Thesis I
• MFA 699 - Thesis II

In Thesis I and Thesis II, students work one-on-one with a faculty mentor who provides extensive feedback on their work in a series of scheduled meetings.

The thesis may be a:

• poetry collection
• story collection
• essay collection
• purposeful combination of these genres

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San Francisco State University

California, united states.

The Creative Writing Department at San Francisco State University was established in l968; before that, writing courses were taught in the English Department. In 1991, the M.F.A. degree was added in response to an increasing, nation-wide demand for a terminal degree in the field.

We offer three degree programs: B.A. in Creative Writing, M.A. in Creative Writing, and M.F.A. in Creative Writing. Our curriculum reflects our commitment to a variety of styles, subjects, and approaches, recognizing the complexity and breadth of contemporary writing. Graduates of our Creative Writing Program, Graduate and Undergraduate (creative nonfiction, fiction, playwriting, poetry and starting in 2016, literary translation), are instructed in literary analysis and develop their craft to constructively critique their own work and that of others.

The Creative Writing Department offers several awards in short fiction, the novel, playwriting, and poetry. Students publish two literary magazines, Transfer and Fourteen Hills: The SFSU Review. Each year four to six current graduate students are given part-time teaching positions.

Contact Information

1600 Holloway Avenue Creative Writing Department San Francisco California, United States 94132-4162 Phone: 415-338-1891 Email: [email protected] http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu

Michelle Carter

Publications include Hillary And Soon-Yi Shop For Ties (Dramatic Publishing), Ted Kaczynski Killed People With Bombs (Dramatic Publishing). Awards include PEN USA Literary Award in Drama (2012, 2003); Susan Glaspell Award (2010); NEA Grant in Literature; Sloan Foundation Grant; Gulf & Western Foundation Grant; residency, Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/michelle-carter

Nona Caspers

San Francisco Arts Commission Cultural Equity Grant (2011), Glimmer Train Fiction Award (2010), National Endowment for the Arts Grant (2008). Publications include Little Book of Days (2009) , Heavier than Air: Stories (University of Massachusettes Press 2006) winner of the Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction.

http://www.nonacaspers.com

Maxine Chernoff

Recipient of National Endowment for the Arts grant (2013). Recent books of poetry are Without , To Be Read in the Dark, A House in Summer, The Turning (Apogee Press, 2008). With Paul Hoover, she translated The Selected Poems of Friedrich Hölderlin, (Omnidawn Press, 2008), which received the 2009 Pen U.S.A. Translation Award.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/maxine-chernoff

Matthew Clark Davison

Awards include San Francisco Arts Commission Cultural Equity Grant. Work published in The Atlantic Monthly, Per Contra, The Creosote Journal, Lodestar Quarterly, Mississippi Review, The Pacific Review, Argestes and other journals. Runs the Douglass Street Lab.

http://www.matthewclarkdavison.com/

Donna de la Perriere

The recipient of a 2009 Fund for Poetry award, Donna de la Perrière is the author of Saint Erasure and True Crime. Her work has appeared in Agni, American Letters and Commentary, Colorado Review, Denver Quarterly, Five Fingers Review, New England Review & Bread Loaf Quarterly, New American Writing, Volt, and other journals. De la Perrière curates the Bay Area Poetry Marathon reading series every summer at The Lab, a gallery and performance space located in San Francisco's Mission district.

http://donnadelaperriere.net/

Steve Dickison

Director of the American Poetry Archives and SFSU Poetry Center. Author of poetry collection Disposed, co-editor of Prison Culture.

http://www.sfsu.edu/~poetry/staff.html

Anne Galjour

Plays produced include Okra, Bird in the Hand, Hurrican. Awards include Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Award, the American Theatre Critics Association Osborn Award for Emerging Playwright.

http://annegaljour.com/

Paul Hoover

Thirteen poetry collections, including desolation : souvenir, In Idiom and Earth, Sonnet 56, Edge and Fold, Poems in Spanish. Awards include PEN-USA Translation Award, Carl Sandberg Award, NEA Fellowship in Poetry.

http://paulhooverpoetry.blogspot.com/

Andrew Joron

Publications include Force Fields, Science Fiction, Invisible Machines, The Removes, Fathom, The Sound Mirror, Trance Archive: New and Selected Poems, The Cry at Zero: Collected Prose, Collected Poems of Gustaf Sobin, ed., and The Collected Poems of Philip Lamantia, ed.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/andrew-joron

Chanan Tigay

Author of the forthcoming Unholy Scriptures: Fraud, Suicide, Scandal—and the Bible that Rocked the Holy City, and two long works of nonfiction, The Special Populations Unit: Arab Soldiers in Israel’s Army (McSweeney’s) and Nuclear Meltdown, (Rodale Press). His journalism has appeared in publications including Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle and The Jerusalem Post. Awards include UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism’s 2011-2012 Investigative Reporting Fellowship and residency fellowships at Yaddo, the Blue Mountain Center and the Mesa Refuge.

http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/chanan-tigay

May-lee Chai

https://may-leechai.com/

Caro De Robertis

http://www.carolinaderobertis.com/

Michael David Lukas

http://michaeldavidlukas.com/

Tonya Foster

https://tonyafosterpoet.com

Joseph Cassara

https://www.josephcassara.com

Publications & Presses +

Fourteen Hills

Reading Series +

Poetry Center Reading Series ( http://poetry.sfsu.edu/ )

VelRo Reading Series ( https://www.facebook.com/VelRoReadings )

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Creative Writing

College of liberal & creative arts.

Dean: Dr. Ifeoma Kiddoe Nwankwo

Department of Creative Writing

Humanities Building, Room 573 Phone: (415) 338-1891 Email: [email protected] Website: http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu

Chair: Andrew Joron Undergraduate and Graduate Advisors: Carter, Caspers, Chai, Chernoff, Conboy, De Robertis, Hoover, Joron, Mirosevich, Tigay

Program Scope

The Department of Creative Writing offers undergraduate and graduate programs. The three degree programs emphasize the primary importance of the study and practice of imaginative writing in the genres of creative nonfiction, fiction, literary translation, playwriting, and poetry. The core literature classes assure that students will continue to absorb and be trained in a study of the best literature of the past. In Creative Writing classes, students work with an active, publishing faculty. They learn by vigorous practice; by focused studies of craft; and by extensive reading, analysis, and discussion of their work, as well as that of published authors.

The undergraduate major combines the study of literature from a variety of departments, including English, Comparative World Literature, Ethnic Studies, and Women and Gender Studies, with the experiential needs of the writing student. Students who enter this program should do so only under the strongly held assumption that they have abilities as writers that may be fostered and trained by such a discipline as is described here. It is hoped that this combined program of writing and literature will lead students to a cohesive study and discipline that combines breadth with intensity.

Accordingly, some greater latitude of choice in literature courses is allowed in the creative writing major. Ample guidance of the creative writing advisors helps ensure that students will not be deprived of a sense of the history of literature.

The two graduate programs differ in scope. Both programs are distinguished by innovative classes. Both include seminars, opportunities for community projects, and a thesis. Students may apply for admission to either the Master of Arts in Creative Writing (30 units) or the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (54 units). In no case will a student be admitted to both programs simultaneously.

The Master of Arts in Creative Writing serves a double purpose: to provide the help of a faculty of professional writers and critics in developing the student's own potential as a professional writer and as a teacher of creative writing/composition.

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is regarded as the terminal degree in the field. The M.F.A. in Creative Writing offers extended experience in small seminars and individual instruction with faculty. It also develops the student's understanding of the history and theory of literature and incorporates correlative patterns of study in elective areas such as other cultures, other arts, technical studies, and/or the teaching of writing.

The Creative Writing Department has a strong core faculty and invites visiting renowned authors to campus every semester through Writers on Writing and the Marcus Fund for Excellence in Creative Writing guest series, curated by the Marcus Endowed faculty.

Career Outlook

The career goal is to inspire, train, and encourage writers of creative nonfiction, fiction, literary translation, plays, and poetry. Many celebrated and distinguished writers are graduates of the department. In the job market, good writers with the ability to use language creatively, craft a story, and think critically and creatively are hard to find. The skills developed in creative writing translate well into non-profit/corporate writing and editing; publishing; teaching; and working for arts organizations.  Start-up companies in the Bay Area appreciate applicants and employees who have studied poetry, fiction, playwriting and creative nonfiction as well as those who have skills and experience in translation.

Michelle Carter (1988), Professor in Creative Writing . M.A. Stanford University.

Nona Caspers (2002), Professor in Creative Writing . M.F.A. San Francisco State University.

Maxine Chernoff (1994), Professor in Creative Writing . M.A. University of Illinois, Chicago.

Paul Hoover (1999), Professor in Creative Writing . M.A. University of Illinois.

Associate Professor

May-Lee Chai (2018), Associate Professor in Creative Writing . M.F.A. San Francisco State University.

Carolina De Robertis (2016), Associate Professor in Creative Writing . M.F.A. Mills College.

Andrew Joron (2014), Associate Professor in Creative Writing . B.A. University of California at Berkeley.

Chanan Tigay (2012), Associate Professor in Creative Writing . M.F.A. Columbia University.

Assistant Professor

Joseph Cassara (2020), Assistant Professor in Creative Writing . M.F.A. Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

Tonya M. Foster (2021), Assistant Professor in Creative Writing . Ph.D. Graduate Center, City University of New York.

Michael David Lukas (2018), Assistant Professor in Creative Writing . M.F.A. University of Maryland.

Dodie Bellamy (2000), Lecturer in Creative Writing . M.S. Indiana University, Bloomington.

Matthew Clark Davison (2003), Lecturer in Creative Writing . M.F.A. San Francisco State University.

Donna De La Perriere (2004), Lecturer in Creative Writing . M.F.A. Brown University.

Steve Dickison (1999), Lecturer in Creative Writing . B.A. University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Anne Galjour (2001), Lecturer in Creative Writing . B.A. Nicholl's State University.

Junse Kim (2009), Lecturer in Creative Writing . M.F.A. Goddard College.

Truong Tran (2004), Lecturer in Creative Writing . M.F.A. San Francisco State University.

• Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing
• Minor in Creative Writing
• Master of Arts in Creative Writing
• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

C W 101 Introduction to Creative Writing (Units: 3)

The creative writing process. Exercises in writing poetry, fiction, and dramatic scripts. Selected readings of exemplary stories, poems, and plays. Open to all students.

• E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019

C W 300 Welcome to Creative Writing: Developing a Writing Practice in Community and Navigating the Degree (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to Creative Writing majors.

C W 301 Fundamentals of Creative Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; ENG 114 or equivalent; non-majors admitted with permission of the instructor.

C W 302 Fundamentals of Creative Reading (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; GE Area A2; non-majors admitted with permission of the instructor.

C W 467 On the Cultural Frontlines: Contemporary Trends in Israeli Art (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

C W 497 Modern Greek Literature (Units: 3)

Introduction to Greece's major modernist and postmodernist writers. Exploration of experimental writing techniques using 20th Century literature. (This course is offered as MGS 497 and C W 497 . Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C W 501 Graphic Memoir and Biography (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: ENG 216 or ENG 218 or equivalent.

C W 506 The Business of Creative Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisite for C W 806 : Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor. Prerequisites for C W 506 : Restricted to Creative Writing majors and minors; upper-division standing; C W 101 or C W 301 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or permission of the instructor.

C W 507 Writing on the Body (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; C W 101 or C W 301 .

C W 510 The Creative Process (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors and minors; C W 101 or C W 301 with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.

• The Short-Short Story
• American Poetics
• Nature Poetry
• Beat Poets in the American Poetry Archive
• Characterization
• Investigating Voice
• Personal Narrative
• Introduction to Narrative
• Rhythms of Poetry
• Style in Fiction
• The Poetics of Place
• Speculative Fiction
• The Researched Creative Essay
• Geography in Narrative
• Reimagining Narratives
• Lit of Contempt Hatred Obsessn Narrative Catalysts
• California Fiction: Landscape as Literature

C W 511GW Craft of Poetry - GWAR (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; GE Area A2; C W 301 or equivalent.

• Graduation Writing Assessment

C W 512GW Craft of Fiction - GWAR (Units: 3)

C W 513GW Craft of Playwriting - GWAR (Units: 3)

C W 514 Contemporary World Poetry (Units: 3)

Prerequisite for C W 814 : Graduate Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor. Prerequisites for C W 514 : Upper-division Creative Writing majors; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; permission of the instructor. Non-Creative Writing majors permitted with the permission of the instructor.

C W 520 Writers on Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisite for C W 820 : Graduate standing or permission of the instructor. Prerequisite for C W 520 : Upper-division standing; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or permission of the instructor.

C W 550 Poetry Center Workshop (Units: 3)

Prerequisite for C W 850 : Graduate standing or permission of the instructor. Prerequisite for C W 550 : Upper-division standing; GE Area A2; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or permission of the instructor.

C W 600 Special Topics in Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; non-majors admitted with permission of the instructor.

• The Uses of Personal Experience
• Journal Writing as a Source for Creative Writing
• Women's Workshop

C W 601 Work in Progress (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to senior Creative Writing majors.

C W 602 Playwriting (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; C W 301 and C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW ; or permission of the instructor.

C W 603 Short Story Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing and English Education majors; C W 301 ; C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW ; non-majors admitted with permission of the instructor.

C W 604 Poetry Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; C W 301 and C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW .

C W 605 Writing and Performing Monologues (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing, English Education, and Theatre Arts majors; TH A 130 . For C W majors: C W 301 ; C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW .

C W 606 Art of Revision: from Draft to Manuscript (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: C W 101 or C W 301 ; C W 302 ; C W 512GW or C W 603 .

C W 609 Directed Writing for B.A. Students (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors and permission of the instructor.

C W 640 Transfer Literary Magazine (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to English (Creative Writing) majors; C W 301 or permission of the instructor.

C W 659 Practicum in Teaching (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; C W 101 or C W 301 ; C W 302 *; C W 511GW * or C W 512GW * or C W 513GW *. Required for undergraduates serving as Creative Writing Graduate Instructional Aides.

C W 675 Community Projects in Literature (Units: 3)

Prerequisite for C W 875 : Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor. Prerequisites for C W 675 : Restricted to Creative Writing majors; upper-division standing; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or permission of the instructor.

C W 685 Projects in the Teaching of Creative Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Advanced undergraduate standing in Creative Writing and approval of the chair; a grade of C or better in course in which student will be aide.

C W 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

C W 785 Graduate Projects in the Teaching of Creative Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Creative Writing; a grade of B or better in the course or its equivalent in which the student will be an aide; permission of the instructor.

C W 803 Advanced Short Story Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate students in Creative Writing or permission of the instructor.

C W 804 Advanced Poetry Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor.

C W 806 The Business of Creative Writing (Units: 3)

C W 807 Developing the Novel (Units: 3)

C W 808 Novel Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate students in Creative Writing; C W 807 ; or permission of the instructor.

C W 809 Directed Writing for Graduate Students (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor. Apply to instructor during the semester prior to desired enrollment.

C W 810 Seminar in the Creative Process (Units: 3)

• Nonfiction: Moral Issues
• Oral Poetics
• The Novella
• What the Body Knows
• Uses of Time in Narrative
• Building Characters
• New York School Poetry
• Documentary Poetics
• The Mask: Persona Poem
• The Poetics of Extremity
• Poetry of Trauma
• Law in Literature
• Art of Narrative
• Plays: Reading/Viewing
• Craft of Poetry
• Prose Writers in the Archives
• Contemporary Non-fiction
• Visions of Childhood
• Experimental Fiction
• The Prose Poem
• Autobiography
• Centering on Language
• Mad Girls Bad Girls:Transgressive Writing by Women
• Writing as Translation
• Contemporary World Fiction
• Border Crossing Narratives
• History, Trauma, and the Unreal
• Working Cross-Genre

C W 814 Contemporary World Poetry (Units: 3)

C W 820 Writers on Writing (Units: 3)

C W 825 Playwright's Theatre Workshop (Units: 3)

C W 840 Fourteen Hills Literary Magazine (Units: 3)

C W 850 Poetry Center Workshop (Units: 3)

C W 852 Workshop in Creative Nonfiction (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor.

C W 853 M.F.A. Workshop in Fiction (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor.

C W 854 Workshop in Poetry (Units: 3)

C W 855 Workshop in Playwriting (Units: 3)

C W 859 Practicum in Teaching (Units: 3)

C W 860 Teaching Creative Writing (Units: 3)

C W 866 Craft of Translation (Units: 3)

C W 867 Theory of Translation (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students with a working knowledge of a language other than English.

C W 875 Community Projects in Literature (Units: 3)

C W 880 M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Fiction (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor.

• The Poetics of Narrative
• The Art of Subtext in Fiction
• The Art of Short Fiction
• Discovery and Development
• Writing in its Public Context
• Individual Vision: Fiction
• The Displaced Person
• Writing into Dailyness
• The Real Thing
• Creative Nonfiction
• Earning Dramatic Emtn: Fulfilling Intent Narr Tech
• Risk & Reward:Pushing Ourselves in Fiction Writing
• Voices within Voices: Interiority and Polyphony
• Vampires, Androids, and Detectives

C W 881 M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Poetry (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to MFA in Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor.

• Contemporary US Poets & History
• Imagining the Book
• Open Work: The Long Poem
• Poetics of Indeterminacy
• Individual Vision: Poetry
• Literary Mapping: Mixed-Genre Place-Based Literatu
• Kinship and Community
• Translate and Transpose
• Poets and Their Thinkers
• Poetry Machines
• Poetics of Listening
• Poems From Nature
• The Lyric Documentary

C W 882 M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Playwriting (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or permission of the instructor.

• Architectonics of Plays
• Contemporary American Playwrights
• Adapting for the Stage
• Plays and Politics
• Playwrights' Virtual Theater Workshop
• The Comedic Play

C W 893MA Written M.A. Creative Project (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and major adviser; approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) for the Master of Arts in English: Creative Writing and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.

C W 893MFA Written M.F.A. Creative Work (Units: 6)

Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and major adviser; approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) for the Master of Fine Arts and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.

C W 899 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

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CBS Bay Area Feature on the Black Literary Achievement Club

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Ms. Bartkowski is our December Teacher of the Month!

We are delighted to announce Annie Bartkowski as our December 2022 Teacher of the Month! Ms. Bartkowski is a 6th, 7th, and 8th…

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Ms. Lum is our November Teacher of the Month!

We are delighted to announce Grace Lum as our November Teacher of the Month! Ms. Lum is a 9th and 12th grade teacher…

Meet the newest (returning) members of our community — the Alumni Board!

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The San Francisco Standard spoke with our Executive Director, co-founders, students, volunteers, and an alum for this story on our 20th Anniversary. Watch the video…

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826 Valencia’s Teacher of the Month Award Returns and Seeks Your Nominations!

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Ms. Huang is our September Teacher of the Month!

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826 Valencia Team on KQED Forum

KQED Forum interviewed the 826 Valencia leadership team and played a number of student podcasts on the air. Find the piece here.  …

Mr. Blue, Carl, and Captain Rick—Reflections from 826 Valencia’s 2nd student, 20 years later

By Matt Werner I first heard of 826 Valencia when Dave Eggers moved back to San Francisco in 2001.

2022 Personal Statement Workshops

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Story Xperiential and 826 Valencia collaborate to create a short story reel!

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826 Valencia Team on KQED Newsroom

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Seeking new volunteers for the upcoming school year!

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Mr. Amsler is our May Teacher of the Month!

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Ms. A is our April Teacher of the Month!

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826 Valencia Alumni Spotlight: Osvaldo and Sofia Marquez

During our 20-year history, 826 Valencia has counted on thousands of dedicated volunteers to support more than tens of thousands of students.

San Francisco Standard Story on Raising Children in the Tenderloin

The San Francisco Standard spoke to 826 Valencia Programs Manager Precediha Dangerfield for a recent story on the challenges mothers face while raising children in…

Celebrate National Poetry Month with #PizzaPoetry

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Sarah Carp is our March Teacher of the Month!

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ABC7 Story Features Black Literary Achievement Club Student

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Sarah Esmaili is our March Volunteer of the Month!

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Diane Dolloff is our February Teacher of the Month!

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Dave Becker is our February Volunteer of the Month!

As we celebrate 826 Valencia’s 20th Anniversary this year, we’re especially appreciative of the volunteers who have been with us for a long…

Kiani Mitchell is our January Teacher of the Month!

It’s the start of the new year and we are ready to celebrate another teacher. This month, we’re excited to honor Ms. Kiani…

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Bronwyn Baker is our December Teacher of the Month!

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Our November Volunteer of the Month is Shreeya Goel!

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2022 Young Authors’ Book Project

We are thrilled to announce the 2022 Young Authors’ Book Project (YABP). The YABP is one of our most in-depth tutoring …

Heidi Seretan is our November Teacher of the Month!

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Ms. Trisha Huynh is our October Teacher of the Month

We are delighted to announce Trisha Huynh as our October Teacher of the Month! Ms. Huynh is a fourth grade teacher and an…

Debra Netkin is Our September Teacher of the Month!

We’re delighted to announce Debra Netkin as our September Teacher of the Month! Mz. Debra is a first grade…

A Message From Our Executive Director

Dear Community, It is with great pride that I share with you that, after a year and a half of distance…

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For Current Volunteers: Reopening Update and Volunteer Requirements

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Resources for teaching and learning about anti-Asian racism

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The 2021 Bookeaters’ Bash (with young authors and special guest Zadie Smith!)

You’re invited! Join us for a virtual celebration and inspiring at-home hour of words, wit, and wonder, featuring special guest Zadie Smith and…

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Black Lives Matter.

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826 Valencia Programs Go Digital

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Update: Our Programs During COVID-19

I am a rushing river, adapting to change. I can go with the flow, getting…

SFUSD and 826 Valencia Closures

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Meet our March Teacher of the Month, Lenore Kenny

We are delighted to announce Lenore Kenny as our March Teacher of the Month! Ms. Kenny is an educator who has acted as…

A message to volunteers about COVID-19

Dear valued volunteers, The health and safety of our 826 Valencia community is very important to us, and as such we are…

The 2020 Bookeaters’ Bash: Postponed

Save the date for this inspiring benefit event in support of our free writing, tutoring, and publishing programs.

The importance of wonderful spaces for students: 826 Chapters in Newsweek

Former executive director of 826michigan, Amanda Uhle, wrote about the need for students to have wonderful and weird spaces in Newsweek.

2020 scholarship applications are now open!

In 2020, 826 Valencia will be awarding multiple $20,000 scholarships to outstanding high school seniors in SFUSD. To be eligible, students must: Have participated in…

Meet Paul Cartier, Volunteer of the Month

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Before we turn the page on 2019 and close out a great year of programming, events, and community fun, there are a few things left…

Get involved with the Young Authors’ Book Project!

Mark your calendars for one of our most in-depth tutoring experiences and sign up!

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Our three centers are known for their whimsy and wonder, but they weren’t magically imbued with such qualities. We had some pretty special folks who…

Meet Debra Asher, our November Volunteer of the Month

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Three cheers for our November Teacher of the Month!

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Meet our October Volunteer of the Month!

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Meet Tadd Scott, our October Teacher of the Month

We’re thrilled to announce Tadd Scott as our October Teacher of the Month! An English teacher — and 826 teacher-partner — from Mission High School…

The 826 Quarterly Vol. 28 release party!

‘Twas a crisp Saturday night in the Mission when we welcomed folks from far and wide into our Mission Center for a celebratory (and cookie-filled)…

We’ve got 900 butterflies in our windows — here’s why

900 butterflies made out of paper, ribbon, and pipe cleaners currently grace the windows of 826 Valencia’s three locations. Each butterfly, as well as the…

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We’re delighted to announce Tasha Pasternack as our September Teacher of the Month! Tasha is an English teacher at Balboa High School, where she’s recognized…

Mark your calendars: Personal Statement Weekend is coming!

826 Valencia is proud to announce our eleventh annual weekend-long personal statement tutoring event, The Great San Francisco Personal Statement Weekend, on November 2 and…

Our team just grew (by a lot!)

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Our volunteers are like lighthouses in the wave-filled ocean of life. We’ve been especially thankful for Amy Sheth, our September volunteer of the month, as…

Student podcasts featured at Diaspora Voiced

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Meet Mitchell, our Volunteer of the Month!

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Check out our most recent (and most caffeinated) collaboration

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Meet our 2019 scholarship winners!

We are proud of each and every one of our students every year, but once in a while we get to honor a select few…

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Young Authors’ Workshop participant CJ MacKnight featured on KALW

CJ MacKnight, a longtime 826 student and participant in our Young Author’s Workshop was featured on KALW — along with two other young media makers…

Get to Know Volunteer of the Month Bratati Karmakar!

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Meet our summer 2019 interns

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“From Guatemala to a U.S. university: my American Dream”

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Meet Volunteer of the Month Christine Innes

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Young authors celebrate We All Belong: reflections about borders

On the evening of May 23, a small crowd gathered at The Beat Museum, located in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. They were there to…

Teachers of the Month: Jennifer Stangland and Kristy Morrison

We’re happy to wrap up the school year by announcing our April and May Teachers of the Month, Ms. Jennifer Stangland and Ms.

We’re now accepting applications for the 2019 Young Authors’ Workshop!

Each summer, 826 Valencia hosts its annual Young Authors’ Workshop (YAW), a three-week writing camp open for students entering grades ten through twelve, who are…

Meet our 2019 spring interns!

We recently welcomed a new amazing intern cohort for the spring. Keep reading to get to know the fabulous crew powering our programs.

Our Mission Bay Center’s doors are now open!

We're open for business! Stop by our new Mission Bay Center to see what our excitement is all about.

Nominate a teacher for our Teacher of the Month Award

Nominate a teacher in your life for our Teacher of the Month Award and let them know how special they are!

Get Involved

Volunteers make our work possible! There are a bunch of ways to help out.  Learn more and get involved.

Our programs are funded almost entirely by donations from people like you. Support 826 Valencia today.

Learn about our Programs

There’s a lot going on at our centers after school, from homework help to creative writing prompts.

Teachers, bring your classes to 826 Valencia for a day of high-energy storytelling fun.

We bring volunteer tutors into schools to provide individualized support with writing projects.

These writing classes are offered in the evenings and on weekends and are open to all students, ages 8 to 18.

Scholarships, personal statement support, and youth leadership opportunities to help students prepare for their future.

The learning doesn’t stop in the summertime at 826 Valencia.

Student Voices

Keep in touch.

SF Creative Writing Institute to offer week-long summer camp

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Announcement Message

In this one week-workshop style summer camp, teens will write stories, novel excerpts, nonfiction, and poetry in a fun, inclusive environment. 

Our goal is self-expression. Our methods are learning by doing, teaching young writers to find their unique voice, try out different styles in their writing, and follow the artistic process to see where it leads. 

Taught by working artist and college English instructor.

Ages: 

Date: .

Aug. 12-16, 2024

Time: 

12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Location: 

Harvey Milk Center for the Arts 

50 Scott Street 

San Francisco, Calif. 94117

Cost: 

Use code SAVE50 to get early bird discount of 50 percent off before July 1. 

SFUSD neither endorses nor sponsors the organization or activity described in this announcement. This distribution is provided as a community service.

Announcement Links

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Welcome to the Department of Creative Writing

The mission of the Department of Creative Writing is to make our writers attentive readers of the literatures of the world and socially aware members of society, who can use writing for self-expression, explorations of the possibilities of the medium, as well as in service of social causes and concerns.

Why Creative Writing at SF State?

In Creative Writing classes, students work with an active, publishing faculty. They learn by vigorous practice; by focused studies of craft; and by extensive reading, analysis and discussion of their work, as well as that of published authors.

Our well-published and well-recognized faculty teach in our undergraduate, masters and masters of fine arts program, in which they guide students in the production and revision of their craft in creative nonfiction, fiction, playwriting, poetry and literary translation. Learn more about our faculty .

A great many of our students, and alumni go on to publish imaginative work of distinction; many others are in positions of leadership in publishing firms, foundations and art organizations. View our extensive list of alumni publications .

Announcements

Endowed Chair Dr. Tonya Foster Wins 2023 C.D. Wright Award for Poetry!

Congratulations to Professor Foster! Read more about the award and Dr. Foster here . 

Congratulations, Caro De Robertis, John Passos Prize Winner!

Professor De Robertis’ named John Dos Passos Prize winner.  Read more about the award !

Tomorrow in Shanghai long-listed for the Story Prize

Tomorrow in Shanghai long listed for the Story Prize . Congratulations to Professor Chai! 

Strike! December 5th Action on SF State Campus

Creative Writers on Strike!

• March 05, 2024 Lara Coley Debut Poetry Collection ex traction Congratulations to MFA Alumni Lara Coley on her debut poetry collection, ex traction! Lara Coley delivers her debut poetry…
• February 06, 2024 Exciting developments from Professor Tonya Our wonderful professor — Dr. Tonya Monique Foster — has accomplished quite a few feats within the past year and has more op…
• December 13, 2023 Congratulations to our 2023 Creative Writing Scholarship Winners! We are announcing our Creative Writing 2023 scholarship winners! Competition was fierce, and we are proud to announce the fo…
• Apr 29 Virtual Conversation with Noah Grey Rosensweig, Literary Agent Mon, April 29, 04:00 pm Online
• May 13 GREENHOUSE 2024: Memories Mon, May 13, 07:30 pm The Lab, Creative Arts Building 104
• May 14 GREENHOUSE 2024: Gender Studies Tue, May 14, 07:00 pm The Lab, Creative Arts Building 104
• May 15 GREENHOUSE 2024: Saffron Stain Wed, May 15, 07:00 pm The Lab, Creative Arts Building 104
• May 16 GREENHOUSE 2024: Glue Thu, May 16, 07:00 pm The Lab, Creative Arts Building 104

Trans Brilliance, Trans Futures: Leading Writers Speak Out is a Creative Writing Department virtual panel featuring three acclaimed trans writers: Julián Delgado Lopera (Lamba Award-winning author of "Fiebre Tropical"), Jo Livingstone (author and critic, winner of the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing from the National Book Critics’ Circle) and Denne Michele Norris (editor-in-chief of "Electric Literature" and author of the forthcoming novel, "When the Harvest Comes"). Moderated by Professor Caro De Robertis (John Dos Passos Prize for Literature-winning author of "The President and the Frog" and "Cantoras") Co-hosted by Creative Writing Department Acting Chair, Prof. May-lee Chai

The What’s Next Panel discusses the variety of pathways in which students might apply their Creative Writing degree. Writers Matt Ortile, Lydia Jen, Trevaughn Roach-Carter, Emily Hunt Kivel and Matthew Clark Davison share aspects of their personal writing journey post-graduation.

SF State Creative Writing Department Virtual Panel M.A. or M.F.A.: Q & A Thursday, October 26th, 2023, from 1 - 2 p.m.; featuring M.F.A. Candidates Gretchen Cion, Billy Gong & Ryan Jones and hosted by Professor and Graduate Coordinator May-lee Chai

The Department of Creative Writing presents a virtual panel of four distinguished authors describing their own pathways to publication in different genres of writing, including first publications, how they determine where and with whom they'd like to be published, working across genres, advice for emerging authors, etc. with a Q&A from audience members.

Hasti Jafari, Class of 2023 Commencement Speech

Hasti Jafari, recent graduate with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, was the class of 2023 graduate student selected to represent classmates in the College of Liberal & Creative Arts during Commencement.

Since coming to SF State from Iran, playwright and theatre artist Hasti Jafari has been extraordinarily active in the Creative Writing Department — whether they are creating a series of zines on the Jina revolution in Iran (also known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement), writing comedic plays and creative nonfiction, volunteering or teaching.

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Click here for objectives    

Creative Writing courses:

Requirements

The creative writing program’s goal is to develop the writing skills and encourage the creative talents of undergraduate students. The curriculum for the major and minor includes both traditional literature and beginning and advanced creative writing courses in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, expressive writing, popular genre writing, and script writing. All writing courses include a substantial reading requirement, but with emphasis on craft. The faculty includes regular members of the English Department as well as writers-in-residence from the Northwest. A student interested in the major or minor in English/Creative Writing should speak with the director.

In order to earn the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English/Creative Writing, students must complete a minimum of 180 quarter credits, with a cumulative and a major/program grade point average of 2.00, including the following:

I. Core Curriculum Requirements

Module i: engaging academic inquiry.

• UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
• UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning (or MATH 1010 or above)
• UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation
• UCOR 1400 - Inquiry Seminar in the Humanities
• UCOR 1600 - Inquiry Seminar in the Social Sciences
• UCOR 1800 - Inquiry Seminar in the Natural Sciences (or BIOL 1610/1611, 2200, CHEM 1500/1501, PHYS 1050/1051, 1210/1211)

Module II: Engaging Jesuit Traditions

• UCOR 2100 - Theological Explorations
• UCOR 2500 - Philosophy of the Human Person
• UCOR 2900 - Ethical Reasoning

Module III: Engaging the World

• UCOR 3100 - Religion in a Global Context
• UCOR 3600 - Social Sciences and Global Challenges
• UCOR 3800 - Natural Sciences and Global Challenges

II. College of Arts and Sciences Requirements

• Modern Languages 1150, 1250, 1350, or equivalent (15)

Students earning this major must demonstrate competency through the level of 1350 in a language other than English. This competency is ordinarily achieved by successful completion of the three-course sequence: 1150, 1250, and 1350. Because these courses are a college requirement, no course in the sequence may be taken on a pass/fail, correspondence, or audit basis. Placement into other than the beginning course of the sequence is achieved by acceptable performance on the Modern Language Competency Examination. See the Modern Languages and Cultures Department for details on the examinations. Courses used to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences modern language requirement may not be used to fulfill major requirements.

Choose one of the following three courses:

• HIST 1200 - Constructing Past and Present I
• HIST 1210 - Constructing Past and Present II
• HIST 2310 - US in the World

III. Major Requirements

60 credits in English, including:

• ENGL 2000 - Literary Studies

Choose three of the following four courses (15):

• ENGL 2010 - Encountering British Literatures
• ENGL 2020 - Encountering American Literatures
• ENGL 2030 - Encountering Intercultural Literatures
• ENGL 2050 - Encountering Creative Writing

Required areas: (15)

Choose a total of fifteen credits of upper-division courses, including:

• Pre-1800 Literature (5)
• 1800-Present Literature (5)
• One of the above courses or additional Pre-1800 or 1800-Present Literature must be CT
• Any one of the above courses or an additional elective must be Intercultural/Intersectional Literature
• One course may satisfy multiple requirements within the 15 credit Required Area requirement.
• Courses which satisfy the CT requirement vary each quarter and will be identified in the schedule of courses.

Choose courses from the following categories (3000-4000 level): (20)

Complete at least one course from Forms and one from Hybrids . The remaining 10 credits may be selected from either category.

Complete at least one course from the following:

• ENGL 3110 - Writing Non-Fiction
• ENGL 3120 - Writing the Personal Narrative
• ENGL 3130 - Writing Fiction: Storytelling Principles
• ENGL 3140 - Writing Fiction: Novels
• ENGL 3150 - Writing Lyric Poetry
• ENGL 3180 - Multimedia Scriptwriting
• ENGL 3190 - Writing Fiction: Hypoxic Short Forms
• ENGL 3111 - Digital Fiction
• ENGL 3121 - Writing Prose: The Long Form
• ENGL 3131 - Podcasting: A Story in Sound
• ENGL 3141 - Queer Experience and Poetic Memoir
• ENGL 3151 - Hybrid/Interdisciplinary Poetry
• ENGL 3161 - Writing Self, Society, Story
• ENGL 3171 - Travel Writing: Near and Far
• One of the above courses must be Intercultural/Intersectional Creative Writing

Senior Synthesis Capstone: (5)

• ENGL 4900 - Senior Synthesis Capstone

Additional Information

Literature (2000-level).

2000-level courses are foundational to the advanced study of literature and creative writing. Students will learn to identify different literary genres and conventions, and to develop close reading skills. In “Encounters” courses students will develop an understanding of English and American literary history and of literatures that reflect on transnational and transcultural differences.

Creative Writing

These courses focus on the craft of imaginative writing in four genres (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, scripts) and are available to all students, though priority may be given to English and English/Creative Writing majors.

• ENGL 3100 - Writers Workshop Abroad
• THTR 4040 - Playwriting

Literature (3000-level)

3000-level courses build on the skills of close reading developed in 2000-level courses, extend students’ repertoire of interpretive strategies, and teach sound habits of scholarship needed for success in 4000-level courses. 3000-level courses offer a wide range of approaches to literature. Instructors’ teaching strategies and course assignments aim to help students read with sophistication, develop theoretical awareness, and understand disciplinary methods of inquiry and analysis. 3000-level courses are designed for both majors and non-majors. English Majors are advised to complete 3010   , 3011   , 3012   , 3013   , or 3014   before taking a 4000-level literature course.

• ENGL 3010 - Lit to 1500 Context and Theory
• ENGL 3011 - Lit 1500-1800 Context and Theory
• ENGL 3012 - Lit 1800 - Present Context and Theory
• ENGL 3013 - American Literature Context and Theory
• ENGL 3014 - Intercultural/Intersectional Context and Theory
• ENGL 3080 - History of the English Language
• ENGL 3230 - Medieval Marvels
• ENGL 3270 - Arthurian Romance
• ENGL 3450 - Irish Literature
• ENGL 3470 - Modern Drama
• ENGL 3510 - American Novelists
• ENGL 3520 - American Poets
• ENGL 3530 - American Drama
• ENGL 3540 - What is Ethnic American Literature?
• ENGL 3630 - Modern African American Literature
• ENGL 3720 - Literature of India
• ENGL 3730 - African Literature
• ENGL 3820 - Introduction to Film Analysis
• ENGL 3840 - Ecocriticism
• ENGL 3910 - Special Topics
• ENGL 3960 - Directed Study

Writing (3000-level)

3000-level writing courses are designed for writers in any discipline who wish to learn advanced strategies for producing effective prose in a variety of academic, civic, or professional contexts. Prerequisites are UCOR 1100 or equivalent transfer credit, plus junior standing or permission of instructor.

• ENGL 3040 - Advanced Writing: Argument and Persuasion
• ENGL 3090 - Tutoring Writing: Theory and Practice

Literature (4000-level)

Courses with a 4000 number are advanced studies in literature and writing that build on the research writing skills developed in 3000-level courses. 4000-level courses have three goals: first, to help students gain a depth of understanding of a focused series of texts, e.g. on a major theme, by one or two authors, or in a particular genre; second, to help students gain an understanding of various theories and methods of literary criticism, as well as learn to apply them to the central texts of the course; and third, to assist students in the writing of a major scholarly paper or creative portfolio. The literary paper will demonstrate close reading, the raising of a   literary question in relation to debates among the critics, and the pursuit of an extended and persuasive literary argument.

• ENGL 4210 - Medieval Masculinities
• ENGL 4230 - Medieval Sexualities
• ENGL 4310 - Donne and His Critics
• ENGL 4430 - Time Travels
• ENGL 4510 - Indigenous American Literature
• ENGL 4550 - Americans in Paris
• ENGL 4720 - Writing Resistance: Women in Non-Western Cultures
• ENGL 4730 - Postcolonial Literature and Theory
• ENGL 4850 - Major Author Seminar
• ENGL 4910 - Special Topics
• ENGL 4950 - Internship
• ENGL 4960 - Independent Study
• ENGL 4990 - Directed Research

Departmental Honors

• English/Creative Writing with Departmental Honors, BA    

University Honors

• English/Creative Writing and University Honors Program, BA    
• English/Creative Writing with Departmental Honors and University Honors Program, BA    

• Precepting at YSN
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2024 Program for Humanities in Medicine Health Professions Creative Medical Writing and Art Contest: “Care Taker” by Terri Motraghi

Yale university’s 2024 program for humanities in medicine (phm) health professions creative medical writing and art contest awarded first prize in poetry to terri motraghi, a clinical research nurse and online msn candidate in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specialty. to read more about yale school of nursing (ysn)’s other prize winners in this contest, please visit ysn news ., by terri motraghi, to read more about yale school of nursing (ysn)’s other prize winners in this contest,  please visit ysn news ..