denver creative writing phd

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Office: University College Student Support Center Mail Code: 2211 S. Josephine St., Denver, CO 80208 Phone: 303-871-2291, 800-347-2042 Email: [email protected]   Web Site:  http://www.universitycollege.du.edu

This program empowers aspiring writers to become published authors and, through their work, influence our ongoing cultural conversation. We encourage students to read widely and with professional attention to mastering the craft of their chosen genre. While developing a clear understanding of the literary marketplace, students learn to cultivate their individual identities as writers, create personal brands that forcefully present their writing to the public, and establish connections with the broader community of working writers. Since imaginative writing testifies to truths that would otherwise pass through the world unnoticed or misunderstood, the authors who produce it expand awareness in their readers, and through those readers, enhance the awareness of countless other people. We find this process inspiring, and through this program seek to share that inspiration with all our students.

Program Outcomes

This program prepares students to:

Craft writing with a keen awareness of the limits and opportunities of the writing's genre

Cultivate writing routines and habits that support creative productivity

Develop a sophisticated knowledge of literary structures and reader expectations

Apply professional editing standards to evaluate both published writing and writing for their peers

Assess their own writing and learn how to enhance its strengths and eliminate its weaknesses

• Define their audiences and write in ways that move and entertain them

Master of Arts in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Creative Nonfiction Writing

The Professional Creative Nonfiction Writing Concentration is designed for aspiring writers whose ambition is to become published authors of memoirs, personal essays, travel writing, and other forms of creative nonfiction. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work.

This degree prepares students to:

• Identify and analyze the basic elements of creative nonfiction as found in the works of master creative nonfiction writers
• Apply their knowledge of creative nonfiction fundamentals and genres to their own creative work
• Discover and cultivate personal habits of thought and behavior that sustain their creative efforts
• Create strategies for developing a professional writing presence designed to cultivate an audience for their work

Master of Arts in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Dramatic Writing

The Professional Dramatic Writing Concentration is designed for aspiring playwrights, screenwriters, and spoken word artists whose ambition is to become published authors of plays, films, and other individual and collaborative forms of professional performance. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work.

• Identify and analyze the basic elements of drama as found in the works of master playwrights, screenwriters, and spoken word artists
• Apply their knowledge of drama’s fundamentals and genres to their own creative work
• Create strategies for developing a professional writing presence designed to cultivate an audience for their dramatic works

Master of Arts in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Fiction Writing

The Professional Fiction Writing Concentration is designed for aspiring writers whose ambition is to become published authors of short stories, novels, and collaborative works in particular genres. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work.

• Identify and analyze the basic elements of fiction as found in the works of master fiction writers
• Apply their knowledge of fiction fundamentals and genres to their own creative work

Master of Arts in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Poetry Writing

The Professional Poetry Writing Concentration is designed for aspiring poets whose ambition is to become published authors of individual poems and collections of poetry. The coursework helps poets progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work.

• Identify and analyze the basic elements of poetry as found in the works of master poets
• Apply their knowledge of poetry fundamentals and genres to their own creative work
• Create strategies for developing a professional writing presence designed to cultivate an audience for their poetry

Certificate in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Creative Nonfiction Writing

The Professional Creative Nonfiction Writing Certificate is designed for aspiring writers whose ambition is to become published authors of memoirs, personal essays, travel writing, and other forms of creative nonfiction. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work. Students will also gain additional skills and knowledge in professional creative writing through elective coursework.

Certificate in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Dramatic Writing

The Professional Dramatic Writing Certificate is designed for aspiring playwrights, screenwriters, and spoken word artists whose ambition is to become published authors of plays, films, and other individual and collaborative forms of professional performance. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work. Students will also gain additional skills and knowledge in professional creative writing through elective coursework.

Certificate in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Fiction Writing

The Professional Fiction Writing Certificate is designed for aspiring writers whose ambition is to become published authors of short stories, novels, and collaborative works in particular genres. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work. Students will also gain additional skills and knowledge in professional creative writing through elective coursework.

Certificate in Professional Creative Writing with a Concentration in Professional Poetry Writing

The Professional Poetry Writing Certificate is designed for aspiring poets whose ambition is to become published authors of individual poems and collections of poetry. The coursework helps poets progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work. Students will also gain additional skills and knowledge in professional creative writing through elective coursework.

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN PROFESSIONAL FICTION WRITING

The specialized graduate certificate in Professional Fiction Writing is designed for aspiring writers whose ambition is to become published authors of short stories, novels, and collaborative works in particular genres. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work.

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN PROFESSIONAL CREATIVE NONFICTION writing

The specialized graduate certificate in Professional Creative Nonfiction Writing is designed for aspiring writers whose ambition is to become published authors of memoirs, personal essays, travel writing, and other forms of creative nonfiction. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work.

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN PROFESSIONAL POETRY WRITING

The specialized graduate certificate in Professional Poetry Writing is designed for aspiring poets whose ambition is to become published authors of individual poems and collections of poetry. The coursework helps poets progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work.

SPECIALIZED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN PROFESSIONAL DRAMATIC WRITING

The specialized graduate certificate in Professional Dramatic Writing is designed for aspiring playwrights, screenwriters, and spoken word artists whose ambition is to become published authors of plays, films, and other individual and collaborative forms of professional performance. The coursework helps writers progress toward mastering the fundamentals of their craft, understanding the rich tradition of genres and individual masterworks in which that craft is rooted, and creating a personal presence in the creative marketplace to support the largest possible audience for their work. 

Master's Degree Admission

Degree and gpa requirements.

• Bachelor's degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.
• Grade point average: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree. An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution supersedes the minimum standards for the baccalaureate. For applicants with graduate coursework but who have not earned a master’s degree or higher, the GPA from the graduate work may be used to meet the requirement. The minimum GPA is a cumulative 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework undertaken.
• Program GPA requirement: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for this program is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

English Language Proficiency Test Score Requirements

The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:

• Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80 with minimum of 20 on each sub-score
• Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5 with minimum of 6.0 on each band score
• Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176
• Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115

English Conditional Admission: No, this program does not offer English Conditional Admission.

Certificate Admission

Master of arts in professional writing with a concentration in professional creative nonfiction writing, degree requirements.

Minimum number of credits required: 48

Students will work with their Academic Advisor to determine the best set of courses to choose for their electives.

In University College graduate-level programs, grades of C or greater are considered passing, whereas grades of C- or lower are considered failing. Courses with a grade of C- or below will not count toward meeting degree or certificate requirements. Also, no more than one-fourth of the hours accepted toward the degree be grades of “C”. A cumulative and program grade-point average of 3.0 or better must be maintained at all times.

Master of Arts in Professional Writing with a Concentration in Professional Dramatic Writing

Master of arts in professional writing with a concentration in professional fiction writing, master of arts in professional writing with a concentration in professional poetry writing, certificate in professional writing with a concentration in professional creative nonfiction writing.

Minimum number of credits required: 24

Certificate in Professional Writing with a Concentration in Professional Dramatic Writing

Certificate in professional writing with a concentration in professional fiction writing, certificate in professional writing with a concentration in professional poetry writing, specialized graduate certificate in professional fiction writing, specialized graduate certificate in professional creative nonfiction writing, specialized graduate certificate in professional poetry writing, specialized graduate certificate in professional dramatic writing.

PWRI 4000 Masterworks: Fiction (4 Credits)

A "masterwork" of fiction is a literary text that has achieved both broad recognition for artistic excellence and an extraordinary level of influence within and beyond its culture of origin. In this course, students will engage such works from an aspiring writer’s point of view, drawing on them to develop a deeper understanding of the way structure, style, character, theme, and cultural values work together in the most powerful fiction works of modern times. Discussions and writing assignments will focus on how exposure to the fiction of different countries can help us see our own literary and cultural assumptions with fresh eyes.

PWRI 4001 Portfolio Foundations (0 Credits)

Master’s and certificate-seeking students in Professional Creative Writing must register for and take Portfolio Foundations in their first quarter in the program. Students must complete the course and assessment-related tasks, including writing their learning goals, in order to pass the course. Non-completion of this required course will result in a no-pass grade on student transcripts.

PWRI 4010 Writing Fiction: Foundational Concepts, Skills, and Practice (4 Credits)

This is a workshop-based course on the fundamentals of writing fiction. It touches on popular subgenres such as literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, suspense, mystery, historical fiction, satire, romance, and more. Students will read, discuss, and create presentations on works by established fiction writers; experiment with craft concepts in their own stories; provide and receive constructive feedback in a supportive workshop environment; and maintain a consistent writing practice throughout the course.

PWRI 4020 Writing the Short Story (4 Credits)

The dramatic elements of the short story are distinct from any other form of fiction. This workshop is for writers who plan to seriously study the form of the contemporary short story, and to apply their learning to their own projects. Students focus equally on reading published works and writing/revising an original short story, as well as discussing aspects of publishing. Weekly writing exercises, readings, and workshops of student stories will be combined to provide the most direct, effective training in this dynamic form. (It is strongly encouraged that students take PWRI 4010 Writing Fiction: Foundational Concepts, Skills, and Practice prior to this course.).

PWRI 4030 Writing the Novella (4 Credits)

This course concentrates on the craft of writing a form of fiction that combines the intense thematic focus of short stories and the complex character development typical of the novel. The novella offers writers the opportunity to create an extended story without juggling the complexities of multiple points of view, intricate plot lines, and difficult-to-manage back stories. Typically concerned with a character’s emotional and personal development rather than the interaction of many characters in a complicated social context, the novella usually takes place in one location or in a larger but well-defined setting. Novellas are common in genres such as mystery and science fiction, and because of their strong focus and relative brevity, they are widely considered the perfect form for adaptation to the stage, film, and television.

PWRI 4100 Masterworks: Creative Nonfiction (4 Credits)

A “masterwork” of creative nonfiction is a literary text that has achieved both broad recognition for artistic excellence and an extraordinary level of influence within and beyond its culture of origin. In this course, students will engage such works from an aspiring writer’s point of view, drawing on them to develop a deeper understanding of the way structure, style, character, theme, and cultural values work together in the most powerful works of modern creative nonfiction. includes popular sub-genres such as narrative nonfiction, memoir, the personal essay, travel writing, humor, criticism, nature and science writing, literary journalism, and experimental forms. The primary focus will be fundamentals and techniques of creative nonfiction to be used in virtually every sub-genre. Discussions and writing assignments will focus on how exposure to the creative nonfiction of different countries can help us see our own literary and cultural assumptions with fresh eyes.

PWRI 4110 Writing Creative Nonfiction: Foundational Concepts, Skills, and Practice (4 Credits)

This course concentrates on the craft of writing nonfiction, which includes popular subgenres such as narrative nonfiction, memoir, the personal essay, travel writing, humor, criticism, nature and science writing, literary journalism, and experimental forms. The primary focus will be fundamentals and techniques of creative nonfiction to be used in virtually every sub-genre. Students will later apply these classic skills in courses devoted to various nonfiction sub-genres, such as memoir. Class discussions will emphasize essential writing skills and professional approaches to research, taking advantage of a supportive workshop format. Students will express their ideas about both craft and content and workshop their writing with a view toward professional publication.

PWRI 4120 Writing the Personal Essay (4 Credits)

The author Dinty Moore describes the personal essay as being for writers who want to capture a bit of life, producing a written record of their better thoughts. Like the short story in fiction, the personal essay is one of the original forms of creative nonfiction. It is a lively form that has tracked through the ages—from ancient archetypes to the school of Enlightenment essayists, 19th-century realists and romantics to robust 20th-century conventionalists, and on to Digital Age innovators where it deeply informs blogs, social media posts, and other contemporary writings. Conventions of the craft are covered in this course, but students will not be expected to embrace creativity-stifling rules. The work will be hands-on, with workshopping that pushed students to pursue new pathways and fresh approaches in their personal essay writing.

PWRI 4130 Writing the Memoir (4 Credits)

The memoir is as popular as ever – tales of persistence and overcoming odds grip us like no other. Students in this course will concentrate on the craft of writing the memoir, a work of creative nonfiction rooted in and focused on the writer's memories. Unlike personal essays, memoirs foreground the writer's past to illuminate the complex development of understanding that past. This aim results in works that are typically book-length, in which the writer applies the techniques of creative nonfiction to describe and make observations and draw conclusions from personal experience. Class discussions emphasize essential writing skills, techniques for exploring and recording memories, and professional approaches to the research required to make the past come to life for the reader. Taking advantage of a supportive workshop format, students will share their ideas about craft and content with a view toward book publication.

PWRI 4140 Natural Science and Literature (4 Credits)

This class will explore the practice – and art – of nonfiction writing about science and nature. Students will begin with an examination of influential historical works and move into contemporary writing on science and nature. The class will be a sort of journey, from ruminative essays on the individual in nature to impassioned (and science-heavy) explorations of ecosystem destruction to exuberant studies of love and sex in the animal kingdom. Students will seek to understand the narrative and linguistic machinery that make these pieces of writing “tick” through discussions, short writing exercises, brief reviews, and workshop participation. This course will also address the development of students' own writing. Specifically, students will seek understanding of the writing techniques that can be used to make the complex fields of science and nature accessible subjects of writing intended for mainstream or literary publications. The key challenge will be to find a topic, a format (memoir, essay, narrative journalism), a structure, and a voice suitable for creating a single, sustained piece of writing that each student will devise, draft, workshop, and polish throughout the course.

PWRI 4200 Masterworks: Poetry (4 Credits)

Poetry is the most ancient of the written arts, so there are thousands of poetry masterworks—far too many to be usefully studied in a single course. That's why this course focuses on the one resource that every poet must develop in order to write well: a personal "poetic lineage." Students will learn how to explore the work of other poets and identify significant parts of their poetic lineages. They will also learn how to use that exploration to develop, expand, and refine their own poetic lineage, which will shape and nourish their poetry over a lifetime.

PWRI 4210 Writing Poetry: Foundational Concepts, Skills, and Practice (4 Credits)

This course is a combination of readings in poetry and poetics, brief lectures, and open discussions focused on the interplay of image, metaphor, rhythm, emotions and ideas in the expressive form of writing called poetry. Students will learn to tap the imaginative sources that all creative writing springs from and flow those energies into poetic form. The instructor will provide examples to illustrate successful uses of key poetic concepts and help students explore, through a range of open-ended exercises, various approaches to expressing themselves fully and clearly. Students will also develop practical critiquing skills with the aim of helping themselves and their classmates write with greater subtlety and power.

PWRI 4220 Writing Traditional Verse and Contemporary Song Lyrics (4 Credits)

This course focuses on the shared building blocks of traditional formal poetry and contemporary song lyrics: meter and rhyme, repetition, and verse/stanza structure. Beginning with simple constructions like limericks and nursery rhymes, and moving swiftly into more sophisticated verse organizations like the sonnet, the villanelle, the ballad, and the popular song, students will explore a variety of existing examples, then produce their own pieces that follow (or break) the established rules of each form. The course will take a workshop format, in which students will generate, share, and receive feedback on their formal experiments; the focus will be on developing a more finely tuned ear for form, and on deploying "traditional" poetic techniques in relevant, radical, and inventive ways. (NOTE: The ability to sing or play an instrument is NOT required for this course; when discussing and writing songs, students will focus on the texts only, not the harmonic/melodic elements of songwriting craft.).

PWRI 4230 Writing Improvisational Verse and Prose Poetry (4 Credits)

This course focuses on the writing of improvisational verse and prose poems, certainly the most popular forms of poetry today both in America and around the world. The course will explore a wide variety of approaches to non-metrical verse and examine how poetry sounds when it appears in prose form. Using a workshop format, students will generate, share, and receive feedback on their poetic experiments, with an emphasis on developing a more finely tuned ear for cadence and phrasing. Robert Frost famously wrote that writing what he called “free verse” was like “playing tennis with the net down.” This course aims to demonstrate why Frost was wrong.

PWRI 4300 Masterworks: Drama (4 Credits)

A “masterwork” of drama is a play or screenplay that has achieved both broad recognition for artistic excellence and an extraordinary level of influence within and beyond its culture of origin. In this course, students will engage such works from an aspiring writer’s point of view, drawing on them to develop a deeper understanding of the way structure, style, character, imagery, theme, and cultural values work together in some of the most powerful dramatic works of modern times. The course will also explore the impact of stagecraft, the needs of actors, and vision of directors on the way a play is developed. Discussions and writing assignments will focus on how exposure to the drama of different countries can help us see our own literary and cultural assumptions with fresh eyes.

PWRI 4310 Writing Drama: Foundational Concepts, Skills, and Practice (4 Credits)

This course uses readings of dramatic texts, brief lectures, writing assignments, and the performance of those writings to develop the skills required to write for the stage. Students learn the essentials of drama, including the design of effective plots, the creation of vivid characters, and the writing of performable dialogue. Students also explore the effects of drama’s necessarily collaborative process and varieties of stagecraft on the way playwrights shape their texts. Examples illustrate successful uses of key dramatic techniques and help students explore various approaches to expressing themselves fully and clearly through a range of open-ended exercises. Students also develop practical critiquing skills with the aim of helping themselves and their classmates create compelling plays that appeal to both theater professionals and theatrical audiences.

PWRI 4320 Writing the Screenplay (4 Credits)

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the industry standard elements of screenwriting. Through readings, film viewings, written analyses, online discussions, and creative exercises, students will learn how to write original stories for a visual medium, use prescriptive filmic story structure (“screenplay formatting”), and identify key elements that make a script successful. With these tools in hand, students will create the first act of an original feature-length screenplay, develop an outline ("script treatment") for the entire film, and finish the course prepared to complete the project and present it to the film-making industry.

PWRI 4330 Writing for Personal Performance (4 Credits)

This course focuses on writing texts that the authors aim to perform themselves, including spoken word poetry, storytelling, one-person plays, presentations in TED Talk and other formats, and even standup comedy. Using a variety of readings and recorded performances, brief lectures, and writing assignments, the course helps writers develop the skills required to shape their work for public performance. Students learn to distinguish between their “page voice” and their “performance voice” so that they can produce more effective texts for performance. Using a supportive workshop format and class discussions, students will apply practical critiquing skills with the aim of helping themselves and their classmates create compelling performance pieces that appeal to audiences of all kinds.

PWRI 4340 Literature to Film (4 Credits)

In this course, students will examine the adaptation of literary works into films. Through close study of modern literary works and the film interpretations of each, the course will focus on the challenging process of transitioning from one narrative form to another. The course aims at enhancing the critical skill of students as readers and viewers of film as well as their creative abilities as writers. This is accomplished through a combination of close reading, study of the visual vocabulary of film, and scripting workshops designed to highlight the considerations that go into the crafting of film scripts based on previously published works.

PWRI 4410 Writing and Healing (4 Credits)

In this course, students evaluate theoretical and practical aspects of written expression as it relates to healing. Students analyze foundational concepts of healing through the lens of contemporary creative literature. Students apply these concepts to their writing practice through journaling processes, written therapeutic strategies, and poetic techniques aimed at cultivating self-awareness and personal growth. Through a course-long inquiry into the concept of “healing,” students will learn to articulate how their writing processes enhance their writerly identities and develop a practical set of therapeutic, expressive techniques for everyday use.

PWRI 4420 Writing as Translation (4 Credits)

In its literary sense, translation is the closest reading possible, and learning its processes enables a deeper reading of our own work. Effective translation—of our own writing or that of others—depends on intimate attention to the many elements of literary writing. This course examines common translation practices and examples with emphasis on elements such as syntax, word choice, pacing, setting, and imagery, with the goal of enhancing the student’s knowledge of and skill with those elements. Once acquainted with translation processes, students apply them to their own work. Assignments are completed in English and no second language is required.

PWRI 4430 Writing for Television (4 Credits)

This course provides an overview of two important television writing skills: the creation of a pilot for an original series and the writing of a “spec,” which is writing an original idea for a television show that currently exists (a requirement in the pursuit of employment as a TV writer). Students will intensively study the structure, character build, template, theme, and franchise involved in the development of TV shows (both half hour and hour long), as well as learn about the current business of TV. Since this is an intensive writing and workshopping course, students will be required to submit their work to and to give constructive criticism to their fellow writers. Prerequisite: PWRI 4320 Writing the Screenplay.

PWRI 4500 The Writing Life: Concepts, Practices, and Professionalism (4 Credits)

This course aims to provide aspiring writers a basic knowledge of the creative and professional tools they will need to succeed, whatever their individual goals or life situation. This course tackles questions and challenges common to all writers at one time or another. Primary considerations include: What exactly does it mean to be a writer? What are my motivations for wanting to write? How can I identify and prioritize writing projects? How do I move my writing projects forward from concept to completion? These primary challenges require writers to narrow their creative focus and to cultivate habits of thought and behavior that sustain creative efforts in a world full of distractions, obligations, and competing claims on their time.

PWRI 4510 Literary Genres for Writers (4 Credits)

PWRI 4520 The Writers Workshop (4 Credits)

A writer writes" is the universal mantra of the writing life, but one of the critical steps in developing a work in progress is getting constructive feedback. Unfortunately, all too often, a writer ends up disappointed because the feedback received is superficial, too polite, or little more than proofreading. This course teaches students to workshop in a meaningful way, responding to content, focus, coherence, and organizational issues. Students learn to elicit more feedback from their workshop colleagues, demonstrating the relationship between reader and writer. The class will explore a variety of genres, and each student produces short exercises and longer projects that demonstrate a grasp of various aspects of the writing craft.

PWRI 4540 Children's Literature: From Picture Books to Books for Young Adults (4 Credits)

This course offers an introductory study of children's literature, from toddler board books and easy readers to chapter books and books for young adults. It is designed primarily for students interested in writing for children and those planning to teach children’s literature, though new and soon-to-be parents would find it illuminating as well. Touching on all the major categories/levels and subgenres of children’s literature, students will learn to identify the unique characteristics of each and apply definable quality standards to assess a wide range of particular texts from both creative and analytical points of view. Note that, though students may do some creative writing, this is not a course in writing children’s literature.

PWRI 4560 Writing Books for Children (4 Credits)

This course concentrates on the craft of writing three distinct categories of children’s fiction: the picture book, the early/easy/transitional reader and novels for older readers (chapter book, middle grade and young adult novel). Within each category, students have a unique opportunity to explore storytelling for a specific young audience whose members vary in age, reading interest and reading ability. Note that this course covers narrative fiction only; nonfiction, though a valuable genre of children’s literature, is beyond the scope of this course. Prerequisite: PWRI 4540 Children's Literature.

PWRI 4600 Breaking the Chains of Genre: An Exploration of Hybrid Literatures (4 Credits)

Hybrid genre, cross-genre, multi-genre, or mixed genre literature is literature that combines writing from different genres to create one text. The text created might be fragmentary or unified; it might be coherent or disjointed. Cross-genre literature is not new, but contemporary authors are more frequently pushing on the boundaries between genres in their creative and scholarly writing to produce rich, open, polyphonic texts as a result. How has cross-genre literature been deployed in different literary and cultural traditions? What advantages does cross-genre literature provide for the writer and for the reader? This course will explore the ways in which authors have experimented with mixing genres in different cultural traditions and writing disciplines as well as how this genre-bending has enabled them to accomplish various creative, narrative, and rhetorical purposes. Required Prerequisite: PWRI 4510 .

PWRI 4701 Topics in Literature (4 Credits)

This course is designed to provide a deep dive into advanced topics of special interest to creative writers. Topics may range from close studies of established masterworks to examining the latest trends in developing genres or wrestling with several works by living masters.

PWRI 4702 Topics in Writing (4 Credits)

This course is designed to provide a deep dive into advanced topics of special interest to creative writers. Topics may range from close studies of compositional techniques used in established masterworks to examining the development of new genre forms or wrestling with texts whose approaches are drawn from multiple genres.

PWRI 4901 Professional Creative Writing Capstone Project (4 Credits)

The Creative Capstone Project provides students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained through the degree program to create a culminating projecting consisting of three major parts: a creative core (fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or some other kind of creative writing); a researched analysis essay exploring an idea, issue, or problem that is closely related to the creative core (however, the essay is not about the creative core); and a reflection essay placing the creative core and the analysis essay in the context of the student's coursework at University College and his or her writing goals for the future. The student will select an appropriate Capstone advisor who is knowledgeable in the field of study to work closely with and whom can guide the project. Please see the Creative Capstone Project Guidelines for additional details. Note: For the creative core, students should not attempt a genre they have not written in at least one of their University College courses. Prerequisites: a Capstone Proposal that has been approved by both the Capstone Advisor and the Academic Director, acceptance as a degree candidate, and completion of at least 40 quarter-hours (including all core courses) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

PWRI 4917 Market Research for Writers (4 Credits)

All writers considering a professional career path must not only learn their craft, but they must also learn to navigate the landscape of the publishing world, researching the industry’s history and its future. A professional writer, including those interested in self-publishing, must understand the relationships between agents, editors, publishing houses, and booksellers. They must understand the process of manuscript submission and acquisition, learning copyright and contractual basics. A career writer must also develop an author platform, cultivating that professional, public persona critical to success. Important Note: This course provides students with critical information they need to understand the publishing industry and thrive within it as professional writers. While it does not deal directly with content-oriented research related to project development, the analytical and synthesizing skills it teaches can help to enhance that kind of research as well.

PWRI 4920 Portfolio Capstone (4 Credits)

The Portfolio Capstone course provides students the opportunity to reflect upon the work they have done throughout their graduate studies at University College and synthesize their learning. Students in the Portfolio Capstone produce deliverables that include: (1) a thorough annotation of their portfolio, a process requiring critical and creative thinking about their educational experience, and (2) a pinnacle project that identifies, analyzes, and elaborates significant themes in their program experience, evaluates their accomplishments, connects their coursework to their professional goals, and assesses those goals in the context of their chosen field.

PWRI 4980 Internship (0-4 Credits)

The PWRI internship is designed to offer students a practical educational experience in an industry-related setting. The internship is an individualized learning experience that is directly related to the knowledge and skills covered in the PWRI master’s degree program. Students are responsible for finding their own internship site and proposing their internship ideas. University College sends notification to all PWRI students if they hear of internship possibilities. Students may also work through the DU career center to explore opportunities for internship experiences. The objectives, activities, responsibilities, and deliverables for the internship are defined in a training plan that is developed by the student jointly with the internship supervisor at the sponsoring organization. The training plan is approved by the academic director. Prerequisites: The student must be unconditionally accepted in the PWRI degree program, have completed a minimum of 28 hours of graduate coursework, including at least two core courses, and have earned a GPA of 3.0 or better. Enrollment must be approved by the academic director.

PWRI 4991 Independent Study (1-4 Credits)

This is an advanced course for students wishing to pursue an independent course of study. The student must be accepted in a degree program, have earned a grade point average of 3.0 or better, have obtained the approval of the department director, and have completed the Independent Study form and filed the form with all appropriate offices before registering for the independent study. Independent Study is offered only on a credit basis and only for degree candidates.

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At a Glance

Classes Begin June 17

Format Asynchronous and Hybrid Online

Term Length 10 Weeks

Admission No GRE or GMAT

4 Course Certificate Tuition $12,896

Duration As few as 6 months

6 Course Certificate Tuition $19,344

Duration As few as 12 months

Master's Degree Tuition $38,688

Duration As few as 18 months

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Skills You’ll Learn

Craft writing with a keen awareness of the limits and opportunities of the writing’s genre

Cultivate writing routines and habits that support creative productivity

Define your audience and write in ways that move and entertain them

Concentrations

Professional creative nonfiction writing.

Master’s Degree Certificate

Professional Dramatic Writing

Professional fiction writing, professional poetry writing, professional creative writing at du stories of impact.

See how the University of Denver is leading the conversation on creative writing and developing professionals in the field with these stories of impact from our community.

Faculty Spotlight: Joseph Hutchison Publishes New Collection

Faculty Spotlight: Annie Dawid Explores Her Battle With Depression and Fascination with Jonestown

Alumnus Spotlight: New Graduate Plans to use Degree to Share Stories From the Past

Flexible Online Classes

We understand the demands of balancing work, friends and family, and school can be challenging. That's why at University College, you can complete your program entirely online. Our online learning platform makes it easy to work anywhere at any time.

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English and Literary Arts - Creative Writing

As one of the top creative writing doctoral programs in the country, we offer motivated poetry and fiction writers the chance to refine their creative work while building a portfolio of literary criticism and scholarly writing. Our workshops integrate contemporary literature with creative exploration. In addition to poetry and fiction, we offer workshops and literature courses in areas such as nonfiction, travel writing, oral literature and narratology.

Our PhD is a theoretical doctorate: an experience that builds creative thinking alongside critical reading and research. Writers go on to publish novels, poetry collections and critical literary works. They hold tenure track positions at notable universities, edit long-standing journals and are represented by major presses. 

Learn more about the program .

Our Program Offers:

A small community of engaged writers selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants. We accept six or seven writers per year, totaling about 20 writers in the program at a time.

Creative dissertation options that allow writers to spend time working toward a book-length manuscript of publishable quality as part of their time in the program.

Teaching opportunities in creative writing workshops and literature courses as part of the Graduate Teaching Assistant Professional Development Sequence.

Editing opportunities with the Denver Quarterly , a premier journal for American and international poetry, fiction, reviews, essays and cross-genre works.

A core group of actively publishing creative writing faculty, as well as a dedicated group of literary faculty who specialize in areas such as African American literature, Latin@/x literature, Native American literature and Digital Humanities.

Explore contemporary and historical literatures while refining your own creative voice.

Are you ready to learn more about the Creative Writing concentration at DU?

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Degree Requirements

• Students in the Creative Writing concentration will complete 90 graduate-level quarter hours. 
• 48 of these hours will be in formal classes (excluding tutorials, independent study and independent research courses).
• Non-coursework includes comprehensive exams, dissertation proposal and prospectus, a dissertation of publishable quality that makes a significant contribution to its field, and an oral defense.

See the DU Graduate Bulletin  for full requirements. 

Featured Faculty

Graham Foust

Associate Professor

Joanna Howard

Assistant Professor

Professor and Phipps Chair

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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff. In the Literary Magazines database you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to know before submitting your work to the publications that share your vision for your work.

Whether you’re pursuing the publication of your first book or your fifth, use the Small Presses database to research potential publishers, including submission guidelines, tips from the editors, contact information, and more.

Research more than one hundred agents who represent poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers, plus details about the kinds of books they’re interested in representing, their clients, and the best way to contact them.

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Find publishers ready to read your work now with our Open Reading Periods page, a continually updated resource listing all the literary magazines and small presses currently open for submissions.

Since our founding in 1970, Poets & Writers has served as an information clearinghouse of all matters related to writing. While the range of inquiries has been broad, common themes have emerged over time. Our Top Topics for Writers addresses the most popular and pressing issues, including literary agents, copyright, MFA programs, and self-publishing.

Our series of subject-based handbooks (PDF format; $4.99 each) provide information and advice from authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers. Now available: The Poets & Writers Guide to Publicity and Promotion, The Poets & Writers Guide to the Book Deal, The Poets & Writers Guide to Literary Agents, The Poets & Writers Guide to MFA Programs, and The Poets & Writers Guide to Writing Contests.

Find a home for your work by consulting our searchable databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, and more.

Poets & Writers lists readings, workshops, and other literary events held in cities across the country. Whether you are an author on book tour or the curator of a reading series, the Literary Events Calendar can help you find your audience.

Get the Word Out is a new publicity incubator for debut fiction writers and poets.

Research newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications that consistently publish book reviews using the Review Outlets database, which includes information about publishing schedules, submission guidelines, fees, and more.

Well over ten thousand poets and writers maintain listings in this essential resource for writers interested in connecting with their peers, as well as editors, agents, and reading series coordinators looking for authors. Apply today to join the growing community of writers who stay in touch and informed using the Poets & Writers Directory.

Let the world know about your work by posting your events on our literary events calendar, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

Find a writers group to join or create your own with Poets & Writers Groups. Everything you need to connect, communicate, and collaborate with other poets and writers—all in one place.

Find information about more than two hundred full- and low-residency programs in creative writing in our MFA Programs database, which includes details about deadlines, funding, class size, core faculty, and more. Also included is information about more than fifty MA and PhD programs.

Whether you are looking to meet up with fellow writers, agents, and editors, or trying to find the perfect environment to fuel your writing practice, the Conferences & Residencies is the essential resource for information about well over three hundred writing conferences, writers residencies, and literary festivals around the world.

Discover historical sites, independent bookstores, literary archives, writing centers, and writers spaces in cities across the country using the Literary Places database—the best starting point for any literary journey, whether it’s for research or inspiration.

Search for jobs in education, publishing, the arts, and more within our free, frequently updated job listings for writers and poets.

Establish new connections and enjoy the company of your peers using our searchable databases of MFA programs and writers retreats, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

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Each year the Readings & Workshops program provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops. Learn more about this program, our special events, projects, and supporters, and how to contact us.

The Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community, providing them with a network for professional advancement.

Find information about how Poets & Writers provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops.

Bring the literary world to your door—at half the newsstand price. Available in print and digital editions, Poets & Writers Magazine is a must-have for writers who are serious about their craft.

View the contents and read select essays, articles, interviews, and profiles from the current issue of the award-winning Poets & Writers Magazine .

Read essays, articles, interviews, profiles, and other select content from Poets & Writers Magazine as well as Online Exclusives.

View the covers and contents of every issue of Poets & Writers Magazine , from the current edition all the way back to the first black-and-white issue in 1987.

Every day the editors of Poets & Writers Magazine scan the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know.

In our weekly series of craft essays, some of the best and brightest minds in contemporary literature explore their craft in compact form, articulating their thoughts about creative obsessions and curiosities in a working notebook of lessons about the art of writing.

The Time Is Now offers weekly writing prompts in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to help you stay committed to your writing practice throughout the year. Sign up to get The Time Is Now, as well as a weekly book recommendation for guidance and inspiration, delivered to your inbox.

Every week a new author shares books, art, music, writing prompts, films—anything and everything—that has inspired and shaped the creative process.

Listen to original audio recordings of authors featured in Poets & Writers Magazine . Browse the archive of more than 400 author readings.

Ads in Poets & Writers Magazine and on pw.org are the best ways to reach a readership of serious poets and literary prose writers. Our audience trusts our editorial content and looks to it, and to relevant advertising, for information and guidance.

Start, renew, or give a subscription to Poets & Writers Magazine ; change your address; check your account; pay your bill; report a missed issue; contact us.

Peruse paid listings of writing contests, conferences, workshops, editing services, calls for submissions, and more.

Poets & Writers is pleased to provide free subscriptions to Poets & Writers Magazine to award-winning young writers and to high school creative writing teachers for use in their classrooms.

Read select articles from the award-winning magazine and consult the most comprehensive listing of literary grants and awards, deadlines, and prizewinners available in print.

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PhD Program

Poetry: Graham Foust, Bin Ramke, Jennifer Soong Prose: Patrick Cottrell, Poupeh Missaghi, Selah Saterstrom, Joanna Howard (Director)

The program offers full funding through teaching fellowships.

Denver Quarterly

In addition to poetry and fiction, the program offers workshops and literature courses in areas such as nonfiction, travel writing, oral literature, and narratology.

Mona Awad, Jen Bervin, Dan Beachy-Quick, Jen Denrow, Danielle Dutton, Jennifer Foerster, Richard Greenfield, Joanna Howard, Christine Hume, Kristen Iversen, Poupeh Missaghi, TaraShea Nesbit, Martin Riker, Joanna Ruocco

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Jennifer Loyd

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Jennifer has a B.A. in English from CU Denver and an MFA in Creative Writing/Poetry from Purdue University, where she was managing editor for Sycamore Review and taught composition and creative writing. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Southern Review , Prairie Schooner , Natural Bridge , New South , and Colorado Gardener . She is currently pursuing her PhD in English from Texas Tech University. When not writing, she is devoted to running, yoga, and building a real estate empire. Jennifer loves teaching because she believes the classroom is a sacred space where teacher and student grow, connect, and change. Pronouns: she/her/hers

Hear Jennifer pronounce her name! 

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2024-2025 academic catalog, creative writing minor, introduction.

Please click here to see English department information.

Students who have an interest in writing poetry or fiction may enroll in the creative writing minor. The creative writing minor gives students the opportunity to complement their area of major study with experience writing and reading poetry or fiction.

These program requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their major, minor and CLAS advisors to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.

Program Delivery

• This is an on-campus program.

Declaring This Minor

• Please see your CLAS advisor.
• Click  here  to go to information about declaring a major/minor.

General Requirements

Students must satisfy all requirements as outlined below and by the department offering the minor.

• Click here for information about Academic Policies

Program Requirements

• Students must complete a minimum of 15 ENGL credit hours.
• Students must complete a minimum of six upper-division (3000-level and above) ENGL credit hours.
• Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the minor and must achieve a minimum cumulative minor GPA of 2.0. Courses taken using P+/P/F or S/U grading cannot apply to minor requirements.
• Students must complete a minimum of nine ENGL credit hours with CU Denver faculty.

Program Allowances or Restrictions

• Courses counted in a minor cannot be counted toward any English Major or English Writing, Rhetoric,  and   Technology  Major.  

Students may complete both  ENGL 3020 Poetry Workshop  and  ENGL 3050 Fiction Workshop . One will apply as a required course and one will apply as an elective.

Students who complete both ENGL 3020 Poetry Workshop  and  ENGL 3050 Fiction Workshop  can choose an additional Poetry or Fiction elective course.

To learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes for this program, please visit our website .  

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English Department Faculty and Staff

The strength of our English program stems from our experienced faculty, who regularly publish scholarly writing and research in addition to fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Our faculty and staff are here to support all your needs while you're a DU student, from academic advising to career support.

Sheila Lorraine Carter-Tod

Executive Director, University Writing Program & Associate Professor of English

Director, Black Studies; Interim Director, Leadership Studies

[email protected]

303-871-7447 (Office)

Patrick Cottrell

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Clark Davis

[email protected]

303-871-2900 (Office)

Donna Beth Ellard

Associate Professor

[email protected]

303-871-2901 (Office)

Rachel Feder

[email protected]

303-871-2755 (Office)

Graham Foust

Professor; Director of Undergraduate Studies

Associate Chair

[email protected]

303-871-2896 (Office)

[email protected]

303-871-2855 (Office)

[email protected]

303-871-4571 (Office)

Tayana Hardin

Director of Graduate Studies

[email protected]

303-871-2860 (Office)

Douglas D. Hesse

[email protected]

303-871-2266 (Office)

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