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Program FAQs

How many students are in the MFA program?

The total number of students in the Program during 2018-2019 was 19. Admission is offered yearly to up to 10 applicants (divided equally between fiction and poetry).

What is the difference between terms (quarters) versus semesters?

The University of Oregon is term-based (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer). Each term is 11 weeks including finals.

What is the typical MFA student course load?

CRWR MFA students take 9-16 credit hours each term. CRWR workshops and seminars are each generally three hours long with a short break in the middle, once each week. Because CRWR Writing & Conferences are one-on-one tutorials, the duration varies with each instructor. A student’s schedule for each term usually consists of a Workshop, a Seminar, and a Writing & Conference (replaced by Terminal Creative Project [thesis] hours in the second year), although this can vary slightly depending on course availability. In addition, students seeking second-year funding take composition pedagogy courses (through the Department of English) during Winter and/or Spring term(s) of their first year.

How large are the workshops?

The limit for each workshop is 10 students.

What does the typical Terminal Creative Project look like?

The CRWR MFA Terminal Creative Project [thesis] is a book-length manuscript and is defined as “a sustained piece of imaginative writing (poetry or fiction) of high literary merit.” It is not an essay.

Can I take a course outside of the program?

Subject to the Director’s approval, other graduate courses (500-level or higher) may be used to satisfy part of the MFA Seminar requirement.

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