The MFA program has four tracks: poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and literary translation. The course of study centers on writing workshop classes in which faculty lead students in critiques of one another’s writing. Students take three workshops in their own genre, and a crossover workshop in another genre, and they take two craft classes, one in their own genre and one in another genre. They also take a course in critical theory and literature electives that help them to develop a critical vocabulary and a knowledge of various literary and cultural periods and traditions. The faculty will provide intensive discussion and supervision of student work. The program is committed to the integration of creative writing and literary studies.

The chart below explains the basic requirements for each track:

Creative Writing Track

• 4 Creative Writing Workshops: English 751, 753, 755, or 757 (i.e., three in your genre of focus, one in another genre.)
• 1 Literary Theory class: English 636.
• 2 Craft/Form Classes: English 760, 761, 762 and 763. NOTE: both craft classes can be in your genre or one in your genre and one in another genre.
• Thesis Sequence: English 758 – Thesis Workshop, and English 759 – Advanced Writing Project.
• 3 Electives:  600 or 700 level courses, either from the English Literature MA program, or from participating departments with departmental approval.
  
  

Translation Track

• 4 Creative Writing Workshops:
  – 2 Translation Workshops, English 757; and
  – 2 CW Workshops: English 751, 753 or 755.
• 1 Literary Theory class: English 636.
• 2 Craft/Form Classes: English 760, 761, 762 and 763. NOTE: both craft classes can be in your genre or one in your genre and one in another genre.
• Thesis Sequence: English 758 – Thesis Workshop, and English 759 – Advanced Writing Project.
• 3 Electives:  600 or 700 level courses, either from the English Literature M.A. program, or from participating departments with departmental approval.

Requirements for Matriculation in the MFA Program
This list is in addition to the general college requirements:

1. A minimum average grade of B in all undergraduate  work and in all English courses.
2. Three satisfactory letters of recommendation, preferably from writers and teachers of writing, addressing the candidate’s academic proficiency and writing skills.
3. A 500-word statement of interest.
4. Candidates should submit a writing sample: either 10 pages of poetry, 20 pages of prose, or two one-acts or a full-length play.
5. For the translation track, candidates should demonstrate an appropriate level of fluency in a language besides English and submit previously translated work (5-10 pages) as their writing sample. Fulfillment of these requirements does not guarantee admission; it simply makes a student eligible for consideration. All students must meet the above requirements. The MFA program does not accept non-matriculated students.
   

Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts Degree
The student must:

1. For CW Track, take four creative writing workshops (chosen from English 751, Fiction Workshop; English 753, Poetry Workshop; English 757, Creative Nonfiction Workshop; English 757, Translation Workshop). Three of these are in the student’s genre of focus while one must be in a genre outside of their genre of study. For Translation Track, take two translation workshops and two in other genres.
2. Take two craft/form courses: English 760, 761, or 762 (as applicable to genre of study)
3. Take English 636, a Literary Theory Course.
4. Take three elective courses in the English Department from the list of available graduate literature courses. Courses in literary studies outside the English Department (for example, in Comparative Literature) may also be counted towards the MFA, with permission from the MFA Director.  NOTE: Students may transfer up to 12 credits of graduate work from an accredited institution that correlates to courses in the English Department at Queens College, subject to the approval of the MFA Director. However, workshop and craft courses may not be transferred.
5. Take a thesis sequence: English 758 (Independent Study) and English 759 (Advanced Writing Project). The thesis, written in the second year of the program, will be written under the guidance of an advisor and a second reader and will consist of either: 25-30 pages of poetry; 60 pages of fiction (novel or short stories); a full-length play (or collection of one-act plays; or a quality translation of a foreign language text.

A number of our students have held internships at New York City literary organizations, including The Poetry Society of America and The Asian American Writers Workshop. We do not offer course credit for internships but we encourage students to seek out these opportunities.

Second year students may have the opportunity to compete for teaching positions within the English Department. The number of courses available for MFA students each year varies and depends on budgetary constraints, but MFA students have taught creative writing, literature and composition.

Queens College is located in one of the most linguistically-diverse places on the planet. Our MFA program is one of the rare programs to offer both a degree in Creative Writing and Literary Translation.  With our new partnership, students now have the additional option of an Advanced Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language.

In an increasingly competitive job market, where an MFA alone is often not sufficient to teach on the college-level, this Advanced Certificate in English Language Teaching will enhance the degree and give graduates other options.

For more information, see http://www.qc.cuny.edu/Academics/Degrees/DAH/LCD/Pages/ELT-certificate.aspx