Department of English
Graduate Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificates provide additional certified training after only 15 hours
of study. Graduate Certificate admission and completion forms can be found
on the Graduate Certificate web site.
The requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing are outlined
below. Use the navigation menu to the right to find information on the Department's Graduate
Certificate program in Comparative Literary Studies.
Graduate Certificate Program in Creative Writing
Overview
The USF English Department welcomes applications from students who wish to develop
their skills as poets and writers of fiction and non-fiction. The certificate program
provides a structured learning environment and supportive atmosphere for students
who do not wish to pursue a traditional graduate degree in English. The program
is also open to all USF students currently seeking the M.A. and Ph.D. in English
or related fields, and who wish to gain a certified concentration in creative writing.
Admission Requirements
Students entering the Graduate Certificate Program in Creative Writing will be required
to have earned a B.A. in English or a related discipline, with a minimum overall
GPA of 3.0; submit a two to three page personal statement explaining their experiences
with literary studies and why they wish to pursue the certificate; submit a sample
of their creative work: either a selection of five poems or ten to twelve pages
of fiction or non-fiction; and submit a graduate certificate department approval
form available from the Graduate Certificate
Office by calling (813) 974-2442.
Application Procedure
Applicants should send an official copy of their undergraduate or graduate transcripts,
their personal statement, their work samples, and their graduate certificate departmental
approval form to:
Graduate Director
Department of English, CPR-107
University of South Florida
4202 East Fowler Ave.
Tampa, FL 33620-5550
Program Description and Courses
The program will require 15 credit hours of course work for certification. It will
be divided into two parts: 9 credit hours (3 courses) of a core curriculum and 6
credit hours (2 courses) of elective courses, as follows:
Core Curriculum (required courses):
- One 6000 level literature course
- Two of the following:
- CRW 6130 Fiction Writing (3)
- CRW 6331 Poetry Writing (3)
- CRW 6137 Nonfiction Writing (3)
Electives:
- CRW 6130, CRW 6331, CRW 6236 (If not taken as part of the core curriculum)
- ENG 6018 Literary Criticism I
- LIT 6096 Studies in Contemporary Literature
- LIT 6934 Selected Topics in Literature
Department Contact
To learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing, contact:
John Fleming
Program Coordinator, Creative Writing
Phone: (813) 974-9567
Email: jfleming@cas.usf.edu