Program Details
OSU-Cascades’ Low-Residency MFA in Writing is a two-year 54-74 credit program comprised of synchronous virtual classes, asynchronous coursework, and four ten-day residencies.
To complete the course of study for the Low-Residency MFA in Writing, the student’s record must indicate the following:
- Full participation in four residency sessions
- An accumulation of 54-74 graduate credits*
- Completion of ethics training seminar
- Broad reading in literature and contemporary letters, as evidenced by the critical introduction to the thesis and the annotated bibliography of 15-18 texts
- A thesis manuscript of literary merit and publishable quality
- Completion of oral examination, per graduate school guidelines
Year One*
|
Fall - 10 Weeks |
Residency 1 |
Winter - 10 Weeks |
Spring - 10 Weeks | Residency 2 | Summer - 10 Weeks |
|
Reading for Writers (3) |
Mentoring Meetings |
Compassionate Critique (3) |
Workshop (3) |
Mentoring Meetings |
Critical Studies 1 (2) |
|
Foundations 1 (3) |
Program One-Read with Distinguished Visiting Writer (DVW) |
Critical Studies 2 (2) |
Foundations 2 (3) |
Program One-Read with Distinguished Visiting Writer (DVW) | Independent Study (1-3) |
| Independent Study (1-3) | Participation in Events/Community Engagement | Independent Study (1-3) | Independent Study (1-3) | Concentrated Writing Time | |
| DVW Seminar | DVW Seminar | ||||
| 6-9 credits | 5-8 credits | 6-9 credits | 3-5 credits |
Year Two*
|
Fall - 10 Weeks |
Residency 3 |
Winter - 10 Weeks |
Spring - 10 Weeks | Residency 4 | Summer - 10 Weeks |
|
Adv. Workshop 1 (3) |
Mentoring Meetings |
Foundations 4 (3) |
Adv. Workshop (3) | Mentoring Meetings | Thesis (6-9) |
|
Foundations 3 (3) |
Participation in Events/Community Engagement |
Critical Studies 4 (2) |
Pedagogy or Publishing (one-class required) (2) |
Concentrated Writing Time |
Pedagogy or Publishing (optional) (2) |
| Critical Studies 3 (2) | Program One-Read with Distinguished Visiting Writer (DVW) | Independent Study (1-3) | Revision (2) | Program One-Read with Distinguished Visiting Writer (DVW) | |
| Independent Study (1-3) | DVW Seminar | Independent Study (1-3) | DVW Seminar | ||
| 8-11 credits | 5-8 credits | 7-10 credits | 6-11 credits |
*Subject to change.
Mentor meetings are part of the MFA experience and allow students to interact 1:1 with faculty and are crucial to students’ development as writers. Faculty will coach students through the creation of new material and the revision of existing material, help students connect what they are reading to what they are writing, and provide substantial and consistent feedback on students’ material.
Residencies consist of three major components: scheduled academics, writing time and creative exploration events.
During these biannual residency periods, students meet with their cohort of students, core faculty mentors, and distinguished visiting writers. Students should expect to sharpen writing skills, diversify portfolios, establish a community of colleagues and peers, deepen understanding of the writing life and explore the craft of creative writing from a variety of perspectives.
These writing retreats seed conversations between students and their faculty mentors and also, significantly, between students across all genres of study.
Example residency day:
- Morning: optional special topic workshop (topics vary and are unique to faculty interests) or 1:1 faculty mentor meeting.
- Lunch or dinner with the program or your cohort
- Evening literary event
- Plenty of free time for writing, exploring and meeting with faculty or peers.
This is an example and subject to change.
Total Credits: 49
Required Core: 28 credits
WR 526 Reading for Writers
WR 529 Compassionate Critique
WR 536 Revision
WR 570 Critical Studies: Reading Difference, Power and Privilege
WR 571 Critical Studies: Writing Difference, Power and Privilege
WR 572 Critical Studies: Community Engagement
WR 574 Critical Studies: Critical Introduction
WR 503 Thesis
WR 538 Creative Writing Pedagogy or WR 542 Publishing
WR 502 Independent Study
Foundations
Select four courses from the following: 12 credits
WR 550 Poetry Foundations 1: Prosody
WR 551 Poetry Foundations 2: Transnational Translations
WR 552 Poetry Foundations 3: Poetics
WR 553 Poetry Foundations 3: Experimental Forms
WR 554 Fiction Foundations 1: Narrative Conventions
WR 555 Fiction Foundations 2: Short Fiction
WR 556 Fiction Foundations 3: Narrative Design
WR 557 Fiction Foundations 4: Experimental Forms
WR 558 Creative Nonfiction Foundations: Narrative
WR 559 Creative Nonfiction Foundations: Documentary
WR 560 Creative Nonfiction Foundations: Lyric
WR 561 Creative Nonfiction Foundations: Experimental Forms
Group A
Select one course from the following: 3 credits
WR 530 Introduction to Writing Poetry
WR 531 Introduction to Writing Fiction
WR 532 Introduction to Writing Creative Nonfiction
WR 539 Creative Writing Workshop in Spanish: Taller de Creación Literaria en Español
Group B
Select two courses from the following: 6 credits
WR 533 Advanced Poetry Writing Workshop
WR 534 Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop
WR 535 Advanced Creative Nonfiction
WR 539 Creative Writing Workshop in Spanish: Taller de Creación Literaria en Español
- Produce and defend an original significant contribution to knowledge
- Demonstrate mastery of subject material
- Conduct scholarly or professional activities in an ethical manner