phd creative writing usyd

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Creative writing

The Creative Writing discipline supports practice-based and critical research and PhD study focused on creative writing. This research activity is associated with the discipline's Contemporary Cultures of Writing Research Group. The core activity in this type of PhD study is the creation of a book-length work of literature (or script equivalent) and an accompanying critical reflective thesis, which elucidates the research and creative strategies involved in making the work. In this way the essence of the Creative Writing PhD is research through creative practice. The final creative work emerges from and embodies the research questions, and the decisions and discoveries made while producing the work. We welcome applications from candidates suitably qualified and with appropriate writing experience and ability.

We expect well-structured proposals which set out specific research questions and clearly outline creative and critical approaches. A substantial writing sample is also required.

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) and a strong academic and creative record, usually evidenced by an MA in Creative Writing and relevant publications. If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English . 

Potential research projects

• Fiction – novel and short stories
• Creative Nonfiction – including life writing
• Script for stage, radio or screen

Current/recent research projects

• The Longest Fight: a novel and Getting into the Ring: an investigation of archetypes of the boxing hero, the creative influences of boxing reportage, and the role of personal memories in historical fiction.
• Freethinkers, a novel, and Inventing history: how do research, imagination and memory fuse creatively in the writing of an historical novel?
• Darkness Is Never Absolute: Ekphrasis of the Formless and Near-Black Paintings.
• The Other Mothers: Exploring adoption, surrogacy and egg donation through life writing.
• The Electric: A novel and critical commentary investigating narrative disruption in sign language, cinemagoing, and trauma.
• Longing to belong: an investigation into the potential for alternative storytelling techniques.
• A Sudden Light: a practice-led exploration of the significance and potential of the contemporary timeslip novel.

Potential supervisors

• Dr Emily Bullock
• Dr Siobhan Campbell
• Dr Donall Mac Cathmhaoill
• Dr Fiona Doloughan
• Dr Edward Hogan
• Dr Lania Knight
• Dr Derek Neale
• Dr Heather Richardson
• Dr Samuel Sargeant
• Dr Emma Sweeney
• Dr Jane Yeh

Some of our research students are funded via the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership ; others are self-funded.

For detailed information about fees and funding, visit  Fees and studentships .

To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see  Current studentships .

• Creative Writing at The Open University
• Recent and current creative writing PhD students
• The Contemporary Cultures of Writing Research Group

Get in touch

If you have an enquiry specific to this research topic, please contact:

Dr Molly Ziegler / Dr Ed Hogan Email: FASS-EnglishCreativeWriting-Enquiries Phone: +44 (0)1908 652092

If you’re interested in applying for this research topic, please take a look at the application process .

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Application deadline: December 1

The program provides dual emphasis in literature and creative writing, culminating in the dissertation, which combines critical analysis with creative originality. Roughly half of the dissertation is based on original research, that is to say, research contributing to knowledge which enriches or changes the field. Doctoral candidates not only read and write texts as finished products of scholarship in researching their creative work’s literary and historical milieu, but also consider the text as writers create it, then compose texts as writers, a process that goes to the source of the study of literature and of literature itself. This integration of literature and creative writing is reflected in the structure of the dissertation, which introduces the creative work within a context of critical inquiry, bringing together the examination and embodiment of the literary act, a new model of scholarship and creative innovation.

PhD candidates in literature and creative writing must pass the same departmental screening examination taken by PhD candidates in Literature who are not working in the area of creative writing. The exam tests students in various areas of emphasis (British literature, American literature, poetry, prose, etc.) and literature and historical periods as a measure of their preparedness to undertake independent research.

The literature and creative writing student takes 64 units in all, 32 in literature, 24 in creative writing workshops and seminars and 8 units of dissertation studies credits.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to study in the department of English include: scores satisfactory to the department in both the verbal and quantitative General Test and the literature Subject Test of the Graduate Record Examinations; evidence of experience and ability in creative writing, as demonstrated by a creative writing sample; evidence of competence in writing English and interpreting English literature, as demonstrated by a sample of written work by the applicant on literary subjects; a satisfactory written statement by the applicant of aims and interests in graduate work; letters of recommendation from at least three college instructors; and grades satisfactory to the department earned by the applicant at other institutions. This program will accept applicants with BA degrees or transfer students with an MA or MFA in creative writing.

Degree Requirements

These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Graduate School    section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.

Graduate Curriculum and Unit Requirements

The graduate curriculum is divided into 500-level foundation courses and 600-level advanced courses. The 500-level courses offer fundamental work in theory and in the history of British and American literatures and cultures. The 600-level courses feature advanced studies in theory, creative writing seminars and workshops and special topics. Although students will normally take 500-level courses leading up to the screening procedure (see Screening Procedure) and 600-level courses thereafter, students after consultation with their advisers may be permitted to take 600-level courses in the first semester of their graduate training.

The student’s course work must total at least 64 units. No more than eight units of 794 Doctoral Dissertation and no more than four units of 790 Research may count toward the 64 units. A maximum of 12 transfer units, approved by the graduate director, is allowed toward the 64 units minimum required by the PhD (See Transfer of Course Work .)

The student will be assigned a faculty mentor in his or her first semester in the graduate program and will be encouraged in subsequent semesters to begin putting together an informal qualifying exam committee. The makeup of the qualifying exam committee may change as the interests of the student change. The faculty mentor and informal qualifying exam committee will assist the student in planning a program of study appropriate to the student’s interests leading to the screening procedure.

Screening Procedure

At the end of the student’s fourth semester (second semester for students who enter with an MA or MFA degree or near equivalent), the student will sit for a departmental examination, which is part of a comprehensive screening procedure. Rarely, and only with the approval of the graduate director and the graduate committee, will a student be allowed to postpone the departmental examination and the screening procedure, and then only for one year. Prior to the screening procedure, the student will be allowed to take a maximum of four units of independent study ( ENGL 590   ), and that independent study will normally be used to prepare for the departmental examination; all other units must be in the 500- or 600-level seminar.

Qualifying Exam Committee

Immediately following successful completion of the screening procedure, the student will nominate formally a five-member qualifying exam committee, including a chair and three other members from the English Department who are in the student’s areas of interest and an outside member from another PhD-granting department. The committee must be in place and approved by the Graduate School at the time the student chooses a dissertation topic, writes the dissertation prospectus and schedules a qualifying examination.

Qualifying Examination

Following completion of course work, the student must sit for a qualifying examination, at a time mutually agreed upon by the student and the qualifying exam committee.

This is a field examination given in the subject of the student’s proposed dissertation research. No less than one month before the qualifying examination, the student will submit to the qualifying exam committee a dissertation prospectus. The prospectus, it is understood, will not be a polished dissertation proposal, but at a minimum it should display a strong knowledge of the subject, much of the relevant secondary material and other contexts crucial to the writing of the dissertation, and should present a workable plan of attack as well as a reasonably sophisticated understanding of the theoretical assumptions involved in the subject.

The qualifying examination will consist of both written and oral portions with special emphasis areas in creative writing. It will focus on the dissertation area and its contexts with the specific format and content of the examination being negotiated among the student and all members of the examination committee. Upon successful completion of the qualifying examination the student proceeds to the writing of the doctoral dissertation.

Dissertation

The final stage of the program is the submission of a creative dissertation that makes an original, substantial and publishable contribution to creative literature: a book of poems, a novel, a collection of short stories.

Foreign Language

PhD students are required to demonstrate proficiency in at least one foreign language. This may be demonstrated by completing a course in the literature of that language at the 400 or 500 level (with a grade of B [3.0] or better) or by passing a foreign language exam that tests proficiency in reading comprehension and translation. PhD students may also be required to demonstrate proficiency in additional languages, as determined by the qualifying exam committee in view of the student’s proposed field of research.

Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing

Below is school-specific information for a phd in creative writing, general uq information can be found  here ..

The Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing, enables students to undertake a major creative writing project and a related critical essay. Students can work in the genres of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, drama, or screen writing. Students study the research, composition, and editorial skills necessary for a career in writing.  Students at a PhD level also develop their capacities for critical writing about creative writing practice. National and international students are encouraged to apply.

Course of Study

The Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing requires a minimum of three years of full-time study or six-years of part-time study. In order to have the degree conferred, the students must complete:

ENGL9000 Advanced Research Methods  (ARM): a highly recommended course  for all research higher degree students in the School of Communication and Arts

HDR Progress Review : designed to help students and advisors monitor progress of the thesis

WRIT9510 Creative Writing Workshop: an online workshop offered to creative writing students in the first semester of the second year of candidature

The Thesis (maximum 80,000 words): a creative project and related critical essay that together examine an aspect of creative-writing practice and generates original knowledge to make a significant contribution to the creative writing discipline.

It is expected that during the candidature students will disseminate their creative and/or critical research to peers and research communities in the School, University and at conferences. Students are also encouraged to endeavour to publish work in high-quality outlets.

The thesis is composed of an interrelated creative project and critical essay that together present and examine an element of practice. The creative project should display originality, a critical understanding of genre, and make a significant contribution to the practice. It typically takes the form of (1) a work of prose of approximately 60,000 words; or (2) a poetry manuscript of approximately 96 pages; or (3) a screenplay for a feature film; a script for a number of episodes of a television series or full-length theatre production; or a script for radio production or any other medium as approved by the advisory team.

The critical essay may employ a wide variety of approaches and rhetorical strategies. It should demonstrate expert understanding of the discipline, reflect critically on practice, and locate the work in relation to current theory and criticism. Appropriate approaches include (1) a reflection on an issue germane to creative writing practice, such as the processes or techniques of creative writing within a genre or within the creative project; or (2) an examination of the contexts and conditions of the candidate’s creative writing or the critical, industrial, or historical issues relevant to the candidate’s creative project; or (3) an exploration of a scholarly issue of genre, theory, representation, or themes in other creative works of demonstrated relevance to the candidate’s creative project. The critical essay is typically between 20,000 and 30,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding a list of cited works.

Where the creative project is substantially shorter than is typical for this degree (see above), a longer critical essay may be required. Likewise, where the creative work contains substantial scholarship and research (such as in a biography, history, or research-based creative non-fiction), the requirements for the critical essay may be modified. Students in the program will usually have two advisors (a principal and an associate) drawn from the creative writing staff and/or members of the School with a PhD who have a strong involvement in producing or assessing creative writing.

Students in the program will have two advisors (a principal and an associate) drawn from the creative writing staff and/or members of the School with a PhD who have a strong involvement in producing or assessing creative writing.

Eligibility

Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing preferably will hold a good bachelor degree, or a bachelor degree with honours, plus a substantial record of publication appropriate to the proposed project. A cognate masters degree with a substantial research-practice component (such as a Master of Philosophy in Creative Writing) may form part of the record of publication.

Domestic and International Scholarships

Applicants for the Doctorate in Creative Writing may be eligible for a scholarship if (1) they are accepted into the doctoral program by the School; and (2) they have a strong academic and publishing record. Further information on  domestic and international scholarships  can be accessed from the  UQ Graduate School  website.

Application

Applicants can discuss the degree program with Creative Writing staff prior to making an Expression of Interest.   But formal discussions will follow the submission of completed  Expression of Interest form  to Dr Veny Armanno ( [email protected] ) and cc  [email protected] . A completed Expression of Interest form should be accompanied by:

1. A one page description of project: this should provide 200 to 250 words on the proposed creative project and 100 to 150 words on the proposed accompanying critical work

2. A one-page Resume: a chronology of relevant publications and experience.

3. A Writing Sample: a sample of twenty pages of creative work that demonstrates proficiency in the chosen genre and a sample (of up to 10 pages) of academic or essay writing.

Detailed information on  application procedures  can be found at the  UQ Graduate School  website. The number of places in the program are limited and entry is highly competitive. Applicants will be assessed on the quality of their publishing and academic record, the qualities of the work samples, and the suitability and strength of their research proposal.

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Creative Writing PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Creative Writing

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Join us online on the 19th June or 26th June to learn more about studying and researching at Edinburgh.

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Research profile

The PhD in Creative Writing offers committed and talented writers the opportunity to study Creative Writing at the highest level.

Supported by an expert supervisory team you will work independently towards the production of a substantial, publishable piece of creative writing, accompanied by a sustained exercise in critical study.

The academic staff you will be working with are all active researchers or authors, including well-published and prize-winning writers of poetry, prose, fiction and drama. They include:

• Dr Jane Alexander - Fiction
• Dr Lynda Clark - Fiction
• Dr Patrick Errington - Poetry
• Dr Miriam Gamble - Poetry
• Dr Alan Gillis - Poetry
• Nicola McCartney - Drama
• Dr Jane McKie - Poetry
• Dr Allyson Stack - Fiction
• Kim Sherwood - Fiction
• Alice Thompson - Fiction

Find out more about the programme and our team

Training and support

We encourage you to share your research and learn from the work of others through a programme of seminars and visiting speakers.

We have an in-house Writer-in-Residence, annual writing prizes, and a range of opportunities to learn from experts in the publishing industry.

We also offer access to opportunities provided by the Sottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities.

Our postgraduate journal, Forum, is a valuable conduit for research findings and provides an opportunity to gain editorial experience.

• Forum: postgraduate journal of culture and the arts

A UNESCO World City of Literature, Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study, write, publish, discuss and perform prose, poetry and drama.

Take a PhD with us and you will be based in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) in the historic centre of this world-leading festival city.

Our buildings are close to:

• National Library of Scotland (where collections include the Bute Collection of early modern English drama and the John Murray Archive)
• Edinburgh Central Library
• Scottish Poetry Library
• Scottish Storytelling Centre
• Writers’ Museum
• Traverse Theatre

We have strong links with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which annually welcomes around 1,000 authors to our literary city.

There are lots of opportunities to write and share your work, from Forum to The Selkie, which was founded by Creative Writing students in 2018 to showcase work by people who self-identify as underrepresented.

Around the city, you’ll find library readings and bookshop launches, spoken word gigs, cabaret nights and poetry slams, including events run by celebrated publishing outlets, from Canongate and Polygon / Birlinn to Luath Press, 404 Ink, Taproot Press and Mariscat.

You will have access to the University’s many literary treasures, which include:

• William Drummond library
• Lewis Grassic Gibbon library
• Hugh MacDiarmid library
• Norman MacCaig library
• W.H. Auden collection
• Corson collection
• works by and about Sir Walter Scott
• Ramage collection of poetry pamphlets

The Centre for Research Collections also holds a truly exceptional collection of early Shakespeare quartos and other early modern printed plays. These have been put together by the 19th century Shakespearean James Halliwell-Phillipps, the correspondence of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle (the focus of one of the major editorial projects in Victorian studies of the last half-century), and the extensive Laing collection of medieval and early modern manuscripts.

You will also have access to letters and papers by - and relating to - authors including:

• Christopher Isherwood
• Rudyard Kipling
• John Middleton Murry
• Walter de la Mare
• George Mackay Brown
• Compton Mackenzie

Many of the University's Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre, Computing Labs, and dedicated PhD study space in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC).

Look inside the PhD study space in LLC

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK masters degree, or its international equivalent, in creative writing, normally with distinction.

We may also consider your application if you have equivalent qualifications or experience. For additional information please refer to the pre-application guidance in the 'How to apply' section.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

• Fees and costs

Read our general information on tuition fees and studying costs:

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding.

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.

• Find out more about scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• 50 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: Creative Writing
• School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.

Start date: September

Awards: PhD (36 mth FT, 72 mth PT)

Application deadlines

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

• How to apply
• Pre-application guidance

Before you formally apply for this PhD, you should look at the pre-application information and guidance on the programme website.

This will help you decide if this programme is right for you, and help us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve.

The guidance details the writing samples you should send us as part of your application (either fiction or poetry, along with a shorter sample of your academic writing).

It will also give you practical advice for writing your project summary – one of the most important parts of your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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Creative Writing Courses

Find the best Creative Writing Courses

Griffith University

Graduate Certificate in Creative and Professional Writing

Graduate Certificate

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Creative and Professional Writing, applicants must:

• hold a bachelor degree or higher from a recognised University (or another tertiary education institution of equivalent standing).

Note: Degrees from overseas institutions must be assessed as equivalent to a recognised Australian bachelor-level degree.

• Swinburne University of Technology

Master of Arts (Writing)

Masters (Coursework)

Business Writing Skills

Graduate certificate of writing, doctor of philosophy by prior publication.

Doctorate (PhD)

The following University policy will apply for this program:

• Higher Doctorates by Publication Policy

Applicants will require the following:

• be established researchers and be of international standing in their respective field on the basis of their ongoing record of academic work, and for whom admission to the PhD program is inappropriate;
• the applicant is either sole author or primary author;
• have been subjected to peer review and published in quality outlets of international standard;
• do not incorporate work that has previously been submitted for the award of a degree;
• may be presented as an integrated theme.
• be researchers in areas of strategic importance to the University and be consonant with the academic aims and objectives of the Element to which admission is sought;
• the Element is able to provide the necessary resources and supervision expertise;
• an applicant who has already been awarded a doctoral level qualification will not be admitted to candidature;
• an applicant who is pursuing, or who has previously pursued within the previous five years, a higher degree research or equivalent program will normally not be admitted to candidature.

Australian National University (ANU)

Doctor of Letters

Graduate diploma of writing.

Graduate Diploma

Graduate Diploma of Arts (Writing)

Monash University

Doctor of Creative writing

Master of writing, creative writing courses overview.

Creative writing is a form of artistic expression through written language. It is a way for the writer to express their feelings, thoughts, and ideas in a way that resonates with them and others. Postgraduate study in this field is a way for students to sharpen their skills not only as writers but as editors, publishers, and connoisseurs of literature.

People have been expressing themselves through language since the earliest days of humankind. The invention of the written word in 3200 BCE began a tradition of transcribing tales and sagas orally passed down through generations. The great works of Homer, the Indian Vedas, Sanskrit poems and Mayan codices have paved the way toward a future in which literature still thrives.

Postgraduate students of creative writing, therefore, uphold an ancient tradition of storytelling. In striving to master their craft, they pay homage to the great writers that came before and inspire those to come.

Is creative writing for me?

Creative writing is for anyone with a passion for storytelling. It requires a great deal of patience, persistence, humility, and dedication to become proficient. Those that are passionate about developing their skills, however, are rewarded with work befitting their toil. If this sounds like you, then creative writing could very well be a great fit.

Study pathway

Graduate certificates, diplomas and master degrees are available in creative writing. Each is designed for people with various levels of commitment and career progression.

Certificate level courses provide students with immersion in the literary world through close ties to local writers, festivals, performances, and readings. Courses like those offered by the  University of Sydney  provide students with the opportunity to improve their editing and structuring ability over the course of six months in conjunction with these relationships. Prospective students must achieve a high result in an English language proficiency test to enter, in addition to either professional experience in a relevant field or a bachelor degree from any field.

Diploma level graduate courses grant students the opportunity to develop a broad array of literary skills through workshops. Macquarie University’s Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing is a great example of this, providing students with the opportunity to take units from master-level programs that appeal to their specific interests and apply them to their diploma. These courses take a year of full-time study to complete or two years full time, with similar entry requirements to certificate level courses.

The Master of Creative Writing is a two-year degree aimed at professionals already in the editing, publishing or creative writing industry. Those offered by the University of Melbourne are an example, providing students with the opportunity to publish in university journals and build relationships with published writers. A prior bachelor degree in any field is necessary for entry, with at least a 70% GPA in this particular case.

Employment options

Professional editor.

Creative writing graduates are well-suited to becoming editors for companies like  Hyland and Byrne  and  Lexington Writing Firm . This sort of career is perfectly suited, as it provides writers with the chance to exercise their literary and structural knowledge in the pursuit of improving others’ work.

Advertising copywriter

The world of advertising is in constant need of catchy slogans, creative campaigns, and new ideas to entice consumers. Creative writing graduates are poised to do this well, finding themselves at companies like  Showpony Advertising  and  McCann  where they can utilise all they learned about proper phrasing, editing and grabbing a reader’s attention.

Fluency in writing is essential to any news story, which is something creative writing graduates bring to the table. Creativity combined with proficiency in optimal phrasing go a long way for companies like  Reuters ,  Informa , and  UBM . There is much to be learned on the job in the way of investigation, interviewing and acquiring stories, but a creative writing qualification puts students in good stead to get their foot in the door.

Specialisations

Writing is as broad as the number of topics that can be written about. The following are just a few of the available specialisations:

• Business columnist
• Commissioning editor
• Copy editor
• Ghostwriter
• Grant writer
• Science fiction author
• Screenwriter
• Speechwriter

Advice for Creative Writing Courses

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Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature

Get a ph.d. in creative writing and literature.

Admission to the creative writing program is extremely competitive, with up to 20 new students across the two genres selected each year from the hundreds of applications received from around the world. The curriculum for Ph.D. students emphasizes creative writing and literary study. The city of Houston offers a vibrant, multi-cultural backdrop for studying creative writing at the University of Houston. With a dynamic visual and performing arts scene, the Houston metropolitan area supplies a wealth of aesthetic materials.

Overview of Admissions Requirements

Minimum requirements for admission.

• M.A. in English or M.F.A. in Creative Writing  
• 3.5 GPA in graduate studies 

Application Deadline

The admissions deadline for our Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature is January 15.

For more admissions information, visit the How to Apply web page for our Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature.  

History of the Creative Writing Program

Over the years many more internationally acclaimed writers have made the Program their home, including Mary Gaitskill, Richard Howard, Howard Moss, Linda Gregg, Adam Zagajewski, Daniel Stern, David Wojahn, Edward Hirsch, Alan Hollinghurst, Mark Strand, David Wagoner, Philip Levine, Charles Wright, Claudia Rankine, Kimiko Hahn, Mark Doty and Ruben Martinez.

Current faculty includes Erin Belieu, Robert Boswell, Audrey Colombe, Chitra Divakaruni, Nick Flynn, francine j. harris, Antonya Nelson, Alex Parsons, Kevin Prufer, Brenda Peynado, Martha Serpas, Roberto Tejada, and Peter Turchi.

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PhD in Creative Writing

Program overview.

The PhD in Creative Writing and Literature is a four-year course of study. Following two years of course work that includes workshop, forms classes, pedagogical training, and literature, students take exams in two areas, one that examines texts through the lens of craft and another that examines them through the lens of literary history and theory. Recent examples of the genre area include Comic Fiction, History of the Love Lyric, and Fantasy; recent examples of the scholarly area include History of the Novel, 20th Century American Poetry, and Modern & Contemporary British Fiction. In the first two years, students take three courses per semester; the teaching load throughout the program is one class per semester. Every PhD student has the opportunity to teach creative writing, with many also teaching literature classes. Most students are funded by teaching, with two or three at a time funded by editorial work at  The Cincinnati Review or Acre Books, and others funded in their dissertation year by college- or university-level fellowships. Fifth-year support, while not guaranteed, has generally been available to interested students in the form of student lecturerships, which carry a 2-2 load. The Creative Writing PhD at the University of Cincinnati has maintained over the last decade more than a 75% placement rate into full-time academic jobs for its doctoral graduates. Two-thirds of these positions are tenure-track.

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• All Creative Writing Graduate Courses
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APPLICATION  DEADLINE:  December 1st   of each year.

We do not mail out nor accept hard copy applications. Please upload all application materials electronically to the online application.

• Apply online :  https://gradadm.usc.edu/apply/ . Upload to your application the following required materials.
• Creative writing sample : Fiction or Nonfiction (approximately 25 pages) or Poetry (approximately 10 – 12 pages). Please do not send entire manuscripts. Select and send only the approximate number of pages requested.
• Critical writing sample:  A scholarly critical work (10 – 25 pages). Book reviews will not satisfy this requirement.
• Statement of purpose (no more than 3 pages, single-spaced).
• Diversity, Inclusion, and Access Statement (optional): Diversity presents itself in many different forms, and it is our goal to cultivate an environment that values diverse backgrounds, approaches, and perspectives. Feel free to provide a statement (no more than 1 page single-spaced) of how your particular perspective may contribute to the synergy of a diverse learning community.
• Three letters of recommendation:  The online application will prompt you to list the names and email addresses of your recommenders. Each recommender will receive an email with specific instructions on how to upload the letter. We do not accept hard copies of letters of recommendation.
•   GRE General Test Score:  As of August 15, 2022, the GRE General Test is no longer required!
• Transcripts,  2 copies :  (1.) Upload an  unofficial  copy of your university-issued transcripts to the application.  (2.) Request  official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework, and send to the following address: USC Office of Graduate Admission 3601 South Flower St. #112 Los Angeles, CA 90089-091

          OR    [email protected]

         E-transcripts:  USC now accepts official electronic transcripts, provided they meet the guidelines set by USC Graduate Admissions: https://gradadm.usc.edu/lightboxes/us-students-transcript-requirements/ .

Do not send any other materials or correspondence to this email address yourself.

Electronic transcripts e-mailed to any other address will not be downloaded, resulting in a delay of your file review.

Questions? Check out our  FAQs  page.

We appreciate your interest in our program and look forward to receiving your application.

Ph.D. in Creative Writing & Literature

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The Art of Fellowship

Arts and literary fellows enable students to connect with their creative side—and each other

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Jesse Han is a fifth-year PhD candidate in astrophysics. Most of the time, you can find him studying “galactic fossils” to reconstruct the history of the Milky Way galaxy. When he’s not in the lab or observatory, though, chances are you’ll find Han dancing—swing dancing, to be specific. Han has entered Lindy Hop competitions up and down the East Coast. For the last year, though, he’s brought his  passion for jazz music and movement to the role of arts fellow at the Student Center at Harvard Griffin GSAS.  

“My philosophy is to do what you like to do—and a lot of it,” he says. “I love making people smile, particularly on the dance floor. So, I became an arts fellow.”

From dancing to painting, writing, knitting, and even cooking, the Student Center arts and literary fellows enable their peers at Harvard Griffin GSAS to take a break from their studies and engage their creative sides. Best of all, they create a welcoming atmosphere where students can express themselves free of judgment. 

The Joy of Expression

Han’s cohort, Arts Fellow Sudarshana Chanda, a sixth-year PhD candidate in history, wants students to veer out of their comfort zones and feel the freedom of trying something new at the events she organizes. “You're not handling a fragile lab specimen,” she says. “You're painting or knitting or dyeing fabric. It's okay to spill or make mistakes! I think people find that immensely liberating.” 

This year Chanda has organized workshops on indigo dyeing, block printing, and collage in collaboration with the Materials Lab in the basement of the Harvard Art Museum. She also fondly remembers the huge crowd that trudged through a cold January day to take part in a sushi event she helped organize with the Student Center food literacy fellows. “There’s real joy to be found in creative expression, even if it is something you never imagined you might be good at,” she says. The arts fellows also organize trips to local museums and as well as private gallery tours sometimes connected to heritage and celebratory months. 

It was at a knitting circle organized by the 2022-2023 arts fellows that Mahia Bashir began her journey to becoming a Student Center literary fellow. For the last year, the PhD student in history has helped students make art with words. To that end, she and her cohort, third-year comparative literature student Adam Koutajian, organized reading circles, poetry events, book clubs, and writing workshops throughout the past year to provide spaces for students to connect with, appreciate, and produce the written word. Along the way, the fellows also created opportunities for students to connect. 

“There are so many ways for students to interact through literary programming,” Bashir says. “Whether it’s a literary salon with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, an excursion to a local bookstore, or simply sharing a poem that’s especially meaningful, we try to provide opportunities for readers and writers to engage with the words and the people they love.” 

Encounters with New Cultures

Koutajian’s passion for literature is matched by his enthusiasm for creating spaces where students can learn about new cultures. A highlight of the past year for him was the continuation of  International Poetry Night where students read poems in their native languages with the literary fellows providing English translations. “Listening to students recite poetry in their mother tongues is always a deeply moving experience,” he says.

The literary fellows’ work culminates each year with the publication of The Graduate Review . Marking the 30th anniversary of its founding in 1994, the journal features poems, short stories, and photographs produced by Harvard Griffin GSAS students. (Students can find writing and art from three decades of The Graduate Review on the third floor of Lehman Hall.) This year’s issue explores themes of identity and belonging, loss, introspection, and healing.

"We spent much of the spring semester working on the review,” Bashir says. “It has been a rewarding experience to read all the wonderful submissions and think about how they speak to each other. We are so grateful to our contributors who entrust their work to the review and very excited for the graduate community to engage with it."

The Student Center arts and literary fellows give students the opportunity to bring beauty into their lives—often with their own hands—whether on canvas, the dance floor, the page, or even in the kitchen. In doing so, they also facilitate encounters with works—and minds—from different periods, regions, and genres. As Mahia Bashir says simply, “We are trying to showcase the diversity of creative expression that our community has to offer.”

The literary fellows invite all members of the School’s community to join them for the Graduate Review issue  launch party on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 p.m. in Lehman Hall’s fireside room. Have a question for the Student Center fellows? Is there an event you’d like to see on campus? Want to learn more about student leadership?  Contact the Student Center !

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Whether you are a casual environmentalist or plan to make a career of it, take time during Earth Month 2024 to care for your environmental health by looking through the events and resources offered by Harvard's Office for Sustainability. 

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2024 Doti Awards Honor Graduate Students in Education and English The annual award acknowledges outstanding academic accomplishment, scholarly and creative work and service by graduating master's and doctoral students.

Chapman University has announced the recipients of the 2024 James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Awards, the university’s highest honor for graduate students.

This year’s honorees are Katelyn Kitchens, a doctoral candidate in education , and Audrey Fong, a candidate for a dual Master of Arts in English and Master of Fine Arts in creative writing .

The Doti Awards are bestowed annually to an outstanding graduating master’s and doctoral student with a distinguished record of academic accomplishment, scholarly/creative activity and/or service. The award recipients’ names are permanently inscribed on the Doti Award trophy, which incorporates artist Nick Hernandez’s sculpture Emergence, on display in Argyros Forum. The recipients receive a desk-size copy of the trophy with a cash award of $1,000 and are recognized at their college’s commencement ceremony.

Katelyn Kitchens, Ph.D. Education, Attallah College of Educational Studies

Attallah’s faculty say Kitchens is a brilliant and exceptionally outstanding doctoral student. The faculty describes them as a highly ethical, committed and intellectually rigorous scholar-activist and teacher.

Kitchens successfully defended their Ph.D. dissertation in March 2024 on “New Ways of Being White: White Families Striving to Cultivate Antiracist Familial Cultures,” an expansive work based on a critical ethnographic study of white families committed to raising anti-racist children. The work is important, theoretically grounded and methodologically rigorous. Their chosen dissertation topic reflects their long-standing commitment to anti-racism. As a white person, Kitchens has personal experience with whiteness studies and engaging with others in anti-racist work.

Within the doctoral program, they developed a strong foundation in the theories that frame their work, including Marxist humanism, critical pedagogies and theories of whiteness. Kitchens also has strong instincts toward decolonizing and humanizing praxis. They are well recognized among faculty and peers as highly ethical and collaborative and evidence a commitment to the growth and learning of all those around them. Kitchens is especially committed to equity for racialized students and to the preservation and restoration of the cultural strengths, epistemologies and resources of historically oppressed communities.

These strengths, along with their excellent writing skills, have led to a significant record of emerging scholarship, research and teaching pursuits. Currently, Kitchens is co-authoring several research manuscripts. Kitchens has already published an impressive six publications (one is in press) and is planning a book based on their dissertation. Their scholarship is highly collaborative with Indigenous colleagues and other people of color, evidencing allyship with these communities. Kitchens’ numerous presentations at conferences and community settings exemplify a keen awareness and commitment to engage with the community beyond the academy.

Kitchens is also a gifted educator of children and adults. They have taught numerous courses in higher education, and faculty are certain that this has included challenging coursework, high expectations and humanizing pedagogy. A faculty mentor shared that conversations with Kitchens revealed their tremendous love and empathy for all peoples.

It’s notable that in a world where Indigenous communities are often wary of the dominant group, Kitchens has been invited to teach and work at an Indigenous tribal school. They recognize and value the opportunity that has been given to them and are continuously reflecting on their responsibility as a white person to that community and its peoples. Kitchens’ previous work in Montessori schools has also provided important insights into humanizing, democratic and life-giving pedagogies that inform their development. Furthermore, Kitchens has a strong social justice background. They served on the Montessori for Social Justice Board of Directors for five years.

At Chapman, Kitchens has been an active member of the Paulo Freire Democratic Project, supported guest talks and co-led teach-ins during the Black Lives Matter protests. Attallah faculty believe Kitchens is an outstanding student with a brilliant future ahead.

Audrey Fong, MA/MFA English and Creative Writing, Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

Wilkinson’s faculty say Fong’s academic excellence and professional leadership are exceptional. She has used the dual program to set her own ambitious professional path. Importantly, Fong has used her own ongoing learning growth to contribute to the university and to the larger literary culture. She is the only graduate student who has taught Asian American Studies at Chapman University, and she’s also a graduate student instructor in English. She continues to open students to new ideas and texts and also works with Stephanie Takaragawa, associate professor of sociology, across disciplines on a variety of projects and programming.

Fong’s creative and scholarly achievements are unusually strong for a graduate student. She has presented at the Asian American Studies Conference and the College English Association Conference, in addition to others. She will present again this spring at the Asian American Studies Conference and is making a name for herself in that field. She also has a chapter forthcoming in an anthology about food and memory, an essay published in the literary journal South Dakota Review, and she’s placed several interviews with Asian American writers in Adroit Journal.

This important cultural work and her entrepreneurial spirit led Fong to found her own journal, Soapberry Review. Anna Leahy, director of the MFA in creative writing program, shared that she is awestruck by Fong’s ability to launch this project while excelling at all the other work we expect of graduate students and instructors. This project focuses on reviews of books and interviews with Asian American writers, filling a void in literary culture rather than replicating existing projects. Fong has encouraged other MFA students and alumni to read Asian American books and submit reviews for publication at Soapberry Review.

Faculty point to Fong’s mature understanding of a scholar-writer’s practice. She has a keen ability to turn conference presentations into journal publications, a professional practice that few graduate students in the humanities recognize and embrace. Also, she turns practical experience — the marketing internship with Red Hen Press and the social media work at UCI — into original intellectual and cultural production. She recognizes that her accomplishments as a scholar-writer have the power to change culture.

To continue honing her craft, Fong is entering the Ph.D. program at the University of Southern California, another program that combines creative writing and literature. Wilkinson’s faculty is convinced that will lead to even more achievement.

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ENGL1014: Creative Writing

2024 unit information.

Creative writing, reading and thinking are core skills. This unit offers a practical and critical introduction to the development of a reflective creative writing practice across a range of different literary forms. Students will be guided through the process of generating ideas, drafting, workshopping, editing and revision to produce a portfolio of creative writing. The unit will emphasise creative writing as a dynamic mode of engaging with forms and ideas.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or university school:, english and writing, enrolment rules, learning outcomes.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

• LO1 . understand and pursue your own creative writing practice as a means of developing a portfolio of creative work
• LO2 . demonstrate critical reflection about your creative writing and practice
• LO3 . participate in the workshop environment as a valuable form of teamwork by learning to respond constructively to other’s work and suggestions
• LO4 . refine your writing through attentive listening, reading, drafting and revision
• LO5 . demonstrate awareness of reading and writing across a range of different literary forms.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about  modes of attendance  on our website.

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