Program Overview
The MFA at Augsburg University is designed to accommodate writers who work full-time, live outside of Minnesota, or simply desire the flexibility of a low-residency experience. This two-year program offers one-on-one work with mentors throughout the year, features an annual ten-day summer residency, and provides the opportunity to join a lifelong community of writers.
Genres
- Creative Nonfiction
- Fiction
- Playwriting
- Poetry
- Screenwriting
Concentrations
- Teaching
- Publishing
Features
- Two-year program
- Annual summer residency
- Online classrooms
- One-on-one mentor work
- Student to mentor ratio of 5:1
Summer Residency
Begin the program with a ten-day summer residency in the Twin Cities, participating in daily workshops, readings, and mini-courses that focus on literary craft as well as career skills in teaching, editing, publishing, book arts, and advertising. The program includes three summer residencies.
Fall and Spring Semesters Online
The first and second residencies are each followed by two off-campus semesters of work with faculty mentors in virtual classrooms that make use of online and other technologies. Each semester, MFA candidates enroll in a Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading course, during which a faculty mentor guides the student’s production of work and study of craft. In addition, students enroll in a craft paper course during their third off-campus semester and a thesis course in the fourth. Cross-genre work is allowed and encouraged.
Traditional Plan of Study
Augsburg’s Traditional MFA in Creative Writing program can be completed in nine courses (46 credits) over two years by taking the three summer residencies, four long-distance mentorship and reading courses (fall and spring semesters), a craft paper course, and a thesis course.
- First Year
- Summer Residency I (6 credits), held for ten days in the Twin Cities, includes a workshop in the student’s declared genre, as well as readings and lectures. To earn credit for the residency, students must complete reading and writing assignments in the weeks before and after the residency (Summer Term 2).
- Fall Semester I (6 credits), Mentorship and Creative and Critical Reading course. This work is conducted remotely, via computer, phone, and/or mail. Students work closely with their mentor and other writers in their declared genre.
- Spring Semester I (6 credits), Mentorship and Creative and Critical Reading course — this time in a genre outside the student’s chosen area of specialization. This work is conducted remotely, via computer, phone, and/or mail.
- Second Year
- Summer Residency II (6 credits), held for ten days in the Twin Cities, and including a workshop in the declared genre, as well as readings and lectures. To earn credit for the residency, students must complete reading and writing assignments in the weeks before and after the residency.
- Fall Semester II, Mentorship and Creative and Critical Reading course (6 credits) and a Craft Paper course (2 credits) in which students complete a craft paper examining some aspect of writing. This work is conducted remotely, via computer, phone, and/or mail.
- Spring Semester II, Mentorship and Creative and Critical Reading course (6 credits) and a Thesis course (2 credits) in which students complete their thesis. This work is conducted remotely, via computer, phone, and/or mail.
- Third Summer
- Summer Residency III (6 credits), held for ten days in the Twin Cities, and including a workshop in the declared genre, as well as readings and lectures. Graduating students give a public craft talk and a reading from their thesis (students should prepare for this work during their second year). To earn credit for the residency, students must complete reading and writing assignments in the weeks before and after the residency.
Optional Courses of Study
- Extended Study. Designed for students who wish to prolong their studies in a single genre, this option has students completing at least five mentored and reading semesters instead of the standard four. At least four of these semesters should be used to study the student’s declared genre.
- Mixed Genre. Designed for students who want to more deeply immerse themselves in a secondary genre, this option has students completing at least five mentored and reading semesters, including three in the student’s primary declared genre and at least two in a different genre.
- Post-MFA. Designed for students who already have an MFA, this option allows students to drop into the program for a single residency or semester of study — or longer. Students seeking this option should contact the program director, as the director’s approval is required.
- Career Concentration Option. Designed for students who wish to better prepare themselves for the job market, this option allows students to enroll in electives in teaching, and/or publishing. This work is usually completed alongside a traditional or extended/mixed genre course of study. The career concentration courses are also available as post-MFA studies. Career concentrations includes:
- Teaching Practice and Theory – The Concentration in Teaching is a one-semester program (4 credits) combining practical and theoretical pedagogy to better prepare students who intend to teach. Students work with accomplished writing faculty as they consider curriculum and syllabi development. Students gain teaching experience by completing an internship in the teaching of writing. Prerequisite: teaching practice and theory seminars during summer residencies.
- Publishing: Howling Bird Press Book Prize – The Concentration in Publishing is a two-semester experience (8 credits total) designed to introduce students to various aspects of the trade, including acquisition, editing, graphic design production, marketing and distribution. Each year, students work with experienced faculty to select and publish the winner of the Augsburg Howling Bird national competition. During the second semester, students work as the staff and editors of Howling Bird Press; in exchange for this workload, students pay a registration fee rather than full tuition for the semester. Prerequisite: seminars in publishing during summer residencies.
Course Listing
ENL 531 – Residency in Creative Writing: Fiction
ENL 532 – Residency in Creative Writing: Nonfiction
ENL 533 – Residency in Creative Writing: Poetry
ENL 534 – Residency in Creative Writing: Screenwriting
ENL 535 – Residency in Creative Writing: Playwriting
ENL 536 – Residency in Creative Writing: Multi-Genre
ENL 541 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading: Fiction
ENL 542 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading: Nonfiction
ENL 543 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading: Poetry
ENL 544 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading: Screenwriting
ENL 545 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading: Playwriting
ENL 546 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading: Multi-Genre
ENL 547 – Craft Paper: Fiction
ENL 548 – Craft Paper: Nonfiction
ENL 549 – Craft Paper: Poetry
ENL 550 – Craft Paper: Screenwriting
ENL 551 – Craft Paper: Playwriting
ENL 552 – Craft Paper: Multi-Genre
ENL 553 – Thesis: Fiction
ENL 554 – Thesis: Nonfiction
ENL 555 – Thesis: Poetry
ENL 556 – Thesis: Screenwriting
ENL 557 – Thesis: Playwriting
ENL 558 – Thesis: Multi-Genre
ENL 559 – Thesis
ENL 560 – Craft Paper
ENL 561 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading – Half-time: Fiction
ENL 562 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading – Half-time: Nonfiction
ENL 563 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading – Half-time: Poetry
ENL 564 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading – Half-time: Screenwriting
ENL 565 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading – Half-time: Playwriting
ENL 566 – Mentorship and Critical and Creative Reading – Half-time: Multi-Genre
Concentration Courses:
ENL 525 – Teaching Writing: Practice and Theory
ENL 527 – Publishing I
ENL 528 – Publishing II
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.