Creative Writing

Course Overview

National University Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Faculty in the MFA in Creative Writing program maintain a strong commitment to scholarly value and the active support of students in their passion for literature, film and writing. Creative writing students are expected to make important contributions to the publication of the student literary journal, The GNU, and actively participate in seminars designed to foster creative and critical debate. Courses are directed to the refinement of creative practice and academic excellence. Faculty are experienced and published writers in their fields and offer supervision in the areas of fiction, poetry, literary nonfiction, and screenwriting. Guided development of each writer s talents culminates in a final project, a publishable quality thesis in the area of specialty. This final project should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge in the chosen specialty and should make an independent contribution to existing work in that area. This program is excellent preparation for a professional career in writing, working in the areas of publishing or filmmaking, and is the minimal academic qualification appropriate for those who desire to teach writing at the college or university level. Program Learning Outcomes: Evaluate various aesthetic theories of fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, or screenwriting. Formulate practical and theoretical models of teaching and learning the writing of fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry and screenwriting. Critique specific works of literature and screenwriting. Develop publishable-quality writing in fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, or screenwriting. Evaluate different literary formats. Implement craft principles of plot, characterization, style, point of view, narrative technique, and language in the creation of fiction. Implement craft principles of plot, characterization, style, point of view, narrative technique, and language in the creation of literary nonfiction. Implement craft principles of language, style, themes, technique, rhythm, and form in the creation of poetry. Implement craft principles of plot, characterization, style, point of view, narrative technique, language, form, dialogue, and other issues of screenwriting.