Total credits required for graduation:  42 credit hours

Students choose to focus on one or more of the following genres:

English: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction

Communications Studies: Screenwriting

Theatre: Playwriting

Residency requirements

A minimum of 33 hours must be completed at UMKC.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students must complete two years or four college-level semesters of a foreign language or must pass (with a “C”) the final exam of the second-year, second-semester college course in a foreign language. Unless taken at or above the 200 level, these
courses will not count toward graduation. With the approval of their advisor and the MFA Director, students can fulfill the 4th semester of the requirement by taking Old English or another language course

Courses and credits required for the major:  42 credit hours

Literature Requirement: 12 hours minimum

Students choose from among more than 65 literature courses listed in Appendix A.  Their principal focus will be in the core genre in which they plan to write their final portfolio, but they may also reach into other genres as well.  With their advisor’s permission, students may also choose courses from other departments.

Creative Writing and Media Studies Requirement: 12 hours minimum

Students will complete at least three courses in their core genre chosen from among the 28 “Craft, Workshop, and Production courses” listed in Appendix B. With advisor’s permission, other courses may apply.

Interdisciplinary Requirement: 6 hours minimum

Students choose at least one “Craft, Workshop, and Production Course” outside their focus genre and one other course that is also outside their focus genre. 

Thesis Requirement: 6 hours minimum (see details below)

Free elective credits:  0 to 6 credit hours

From Appendix A, students complete sufficient credit hours to bring the total of all requirements to 42 credit hours.  With advisor’s approval, students may also select electives from other departments. 

Requirements for thesis, internship or other capstone experience

In consultation with the faculty, the student will chose a thesis committee comprised of three members: a thesis director from the MFA faculty and two other faculty members approved by the director and selected from the MFA faculty, the faculty of another institution, or the faculties of the Departments of English, Communication Studies, or Theatre.  Under the guidance of the thesis director, the student will complete a publishable or producible manuscript of one of the following:

▪     Book of poems (48-80 pages).

▪     Book of short stories or creative non-fiction essays (180 pages).

▪     Novel or novel-length non-fiction essay (minimum of 180 pages).

▪     Full-length or several one-act plays

▪     Full-length or several short screen plays

▪     Full-length cross-genre work, with the permission of the thesis director

At the completion of the writing project the student will meet with his or her committee for a one-hour defense of the thesis.

Any unique features, such as interdepartmental cooperation

Although administered by the Department of English, the interdisciplinary MFA in Creative Writing and Media Arts will allow students the option of developing their writing focus in the Department of Theatre or in the Department of Communication Studies.  The Theatre Department’s MFA degrees in Acting and Technical Theatre thus extend and complement the range of curricular possibilities for students.  The flexibility of the program will permit students to tailor their programs to meet their personal needs and interests and to experiment with and to create new forms of literature.   Students must complete at least six hours outside their writing focus area including one creative writing, craft workshop or production course chosen from those listed in Appendix A.

Thesis directors may approve courses in other departments that may be highly valuable for particular student programs, e.g., History for documentary film, Foreign Language for translation, Philosophy for aesthetics and theoretical/experimental approaches, and Art.  Collaborative directed studies may be offered to allow two or more students to use two or more genres/media.  Students may also seek collaborative opportunities in the Conservatory of Music and Dance and in Computer Science.  

MFA in Creative Writing & Media Arts Program of Study Worksheet