Creative Writing
Courses
CW 500 Reading as a Writer I 3.0 Credits
This is a course whose purpose is to teach and promote the use of active reading as a methodology of acquiring expertise in creative writing. Reading as a Writer I will give students a common language with which to discuss current fiction, not as the springboard for criticism, but as the wellspring for creation and inspiration.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CW 501 Reading as a Writer II 3.0 Credits
This is a course whose purpose is to teach and promote the use of active reading as a methodology of acquiring expertise in creative writing with special focus on advanced considerations of genre and technique. This class features meet-ups with published guest authors on asynchronous Discussion Boards. Guest authors will share with students their own creative and professional journeys, their literary influences, and will discuss how to use published works as guidebook, inspiration, and as a customizable writer’s tool box.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CW 510 Prepared to Publish 3.0 Credits
Prepared to Publish is designed to give MFA creative writing students knowledge of and practice in the situations, roles, and skills they might encounter in their future publishing endeavors (whether as authors with big publishers or small presses, as self-publishers who take on the task of publishing their own books, or as professionals on the editorial or business side of publishing). Students will learn about such topics as editing, copy editing, book production, author rights and contracts, working with agents and editors, small press book publication, book cover design, interior book layout, building an author website, social media and book promotion, and literary magazines.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CW 550 Creative Writing Workshop 3.0 Credits
This is a creative writing workshop whose purpose is to introduce core principles and give students a common language with which to create, analyze, and discuss creative writing within a workshop environment. Subjects covered include specificity, sensory language, symbolic language, character development, vivid scene crafting, organization/structure, and treatment of significance or themes.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CW 555 Creative Writing Packet Exchange I 1.0-3.0 Credit
This is a creative writing mentorship course whose purpose is to enable students to practice and develop their craft, taking into consideration craft lessons learned in prior quarters. This course also emphasizes the importance of revision strategies. The format of the class is a packet exchange. The quarter will begin with a conversation between mentor and student in which they will discuss the nature of the project the student will work on and complete during the quarter. The student will then send their mentor three packets of writing on pre-arranged dates. The mentor will review and critique the student’s efforts and return work on a pre-set date with a line edit and a robust editorial note.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 9 credits
Prerequisites: CW 550 [Min Grade: B]
CW 556 Creative Writing Packet Exchange II 1.0-3.0 Credit
This is a creative writing mentorship course whose purpose is to enable students to practice and develop their craft. This course also emphasizes the professional aspect of developing market awareness for one’s own work. The format of the class is a packet exchange. The quarter will begin with a conversation between mentor and student in which they will discuss the nature of the project the student will work on and complete during the quarter. The student will then send their mentor three packets of writing on pre-arranged dates. The mentor will review and critique the student’s efforts and return work on a pre-set date with a line edit and a robust editorial note. Students are expected to demonstrate an awareness of prior critique – in reflection and in the creation of new writing.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 9 credits
Prerequisites: CW 555 [Min Grade: B]
CW 600 Creative Writing Craft Residency 3.0 Credits
The residency will provide opportunity for intensive study and community building for the MFA cohort. Daily schedule consists of peer-critique, faculty-led master workshop, faculty talks and career development modules. As the inaugural residency in the MFA sequence, this course will introduce core craft principals and orient students for the course of study. Prior to the workshop students complete reading assignments and submit 20-30 page double-spaced works-in-progress for faculty-led workshop critique and analysis.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 1 times for 6 credits
CW 601 Professional Residency in New York 3.0 Credits
This is a residency for creative writers with an intensive focus on career development. Course consists of peer-critique, faculty-led master workshop, and intensive career development modules. Topics covered include platform building, social media tools, personal publication roadmap, pitch strategies, networking and agent searches. In advance of the workshop students complete reading assignments and submit 20-30 page double-spaced works-in-progress for faculty-led workshop critique and analysis.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 1 times for 6 credits
CW 602 MFA Creative Writing Graduation Residency 3.0 Credits
This is a residency with a daily schedule that consists of peer-critique, faculty-led master workshop, and career development modules. As the capstone residency, this course will allow students to present their thesis work to peers and mentors and to develop professional and aesthetic (craft) strategies for post-graduation success. The residency will also teach students to situate themselves within a creative tradition and to develop networks for post-graduation creative and professional support.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: CW 600 [Min Grade: B] and (CW 601 [Min Grade: B] or CW 601 [Min Grade: CR])
CW 653 Creative Writing Intensive Course Abroad 3.0 Credits
This is an Intensive Course Abroad in Creative Writing. The location and availability of the course will change according to faculty availability and other programmatic details. The Drexel MFA encourages travel experiences as a formative part of a writer’s education. The program consists of touring, community engagement, craft exercises, workshop and study of work by local authors and screenwriters. Prior to the course, students complete reading assignments and submit 20-30 page double-spaced works-in-progress for faculty-led workshop that will take place abroad.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 1 times for 6 credits
CW 654 Writing Pedagogy 3.0 Credits
This is a pedagogy course whose purpose is to familiarize students with effective teaching modalities for undergraduate composition or fiction writing courses. The course will run in different versions, with an emphasis on creative writing or compositional pedagogy depending upon the cohort. Subjects covered include syllabus creation, grading, Drexel core principals, university resources, teaching strategies and subject-specific materials. Weekly assigned readings will inform discussions and be used for assignment materials. Students will receive focused instruction on common qualities of impactful writing, and on experiential techniques designed to elicit effective writing from students.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CW 655 Fiction Writing Workshop II 3.0 Credits
This is an advanced fiction-writing workshop whose purpose is to introduce core principals, and give Drexel MFA students a common language with which to create, analyze and discuss fiction within a workshop environment. Subjects covered can include: specificity, sensory language, symbolic language, character development, vivid scene crafting, and plot structure. The format of the class is a weekly peer-workshop meeting. Students post and share their own fiction in a rotating schedule and are required each week to engage in conversation while offering their own constructive criticism of all submitted work. Students will receive instruction on common qualities of impactful writing and on techniques designed to encourage the development of an author’s unique style and voice.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CW 690 Thesis Development 1.0-3.0 Credit
This is a course whose purpose is to enable students to begin thesis planning and execution. The quarter will begin with an in-depth conversation between instructor and student in which they will discuss the scope of the thesis project and student’s particular interests as related to the creation and development of a publishable piece of work. Student will then propose two separate thesis topics. Instructor will review student efforts and make suggestions and give advice on best creative and professional course forward.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 9 credits
Prerequisites: CW 556 [Min Grade: B]
CW 691 Thesis Packet Exchange I 1.0-3.0 Credit
This is a course whose purpose is to enable students to commence and ultimately complete their capstone thesis project which is the culminating experience of the Drexel MFA. The quarter will begin with an in-depth conversation between instructor and student in which they will discuss the scope of the thesis project and student’s plan for producing an ambitious publishable piece of work. Instructor will review student efforts and make suggestions and give advice on best creative and professional course forward.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 9 credits
Prerequisites: CW 690 [Min Grade: B] or CW 690 [Min Grade: CR]
CW 692 Thesis Packet Exchange II 1.0-3.0 Credit
This is a course whose purpose is to enable students to complete their capstone thesis project, which is the culminating experience of the Drexel MFA. The quarter will begin with an in-depth conversation between instructor and student in which they will discuss the scope of the thesis project and student’s plan for producing an ambitious publishable piece of work. Instructor will review student efforts and make suggestions and give advice on best creative and professional course forward.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 9 credits
Prerequisites: CW 691 [Min Grade: B] or CW 691 [Min Grade: CR]
CW I599 Independent Study in Creative Writing 0.0-12.0 Credits
This course recognizes that writers have a variety of inspirations and that direct experience can provide raw material for story creation. Students are invited to propose Independent Study projects of any kind. Students are also invited to propose Independent Studies that draw inspiration from Drexel’s unique resources, such as the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program or the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection. Independent studies may also be inspired by subject matter far outside of university collections. The format of the class depends upon the particular project and will be determined in collaboration with the MFA director, the course instructor and the student.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CW I699 Independent Study in Creative Writing 3.0 Credits
This course recognizes that writers have a variety of inspirations and that direct experience can provide raw material for story creation. Students are invited to propose Independent Study projects of any kind. Students are also invited to propose Independent Studies that draw inspiration from Drexel’s unique resources, such as the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program or the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection. Independent studies may also be inspired by subject matter far outside of university collections. The format of the class depends upon the particular project and will be determined in collaboration with the MFA director, the course instructor and the student.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CW I799 Community Based Learning Independent Study 0.0-12.0 Credits
Students will develop and deliver innovative programming that uses creative writing to teach, inspire and make art with vulnerable and/or underserved populations. The format of the class depends upon the community setting and will be determined in collaboration with the MFA director, the community partner and the student. Student finds a community partner, develops teaching/enrichment plan, creates schedule for implementation and follows through on implementation. Or, student joins a Community Based Learning project which is already in progress. If this is the case, the student’s initial proposal must explain the student’s unique role in the project. Collaborative initiatives are encouraged.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CW T580 Special Topics in Creative Writing 3.0 Credits
This is a variable topics Course for the Drexel MFA in Creative Writing. The purpose of the course is for students to gain experience in specific genres and/or techniques such as but not limited to: dialogue writing, the hero’s journey, memoir writing, creative non-fiction writing, comedy writing or writing from history. Emphasis is placed on revision, preparation for publication, and on identifying possible sources for publication.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CW T680 Special Topics in Creative Writing 0.0-9.0 Credits
The purpose of the course is for students to gain experience in specific genres and/or techniques such as but not limited to: dialogue writing, the hero’s journey, memoir writing, creative non-fiction writing, comedy writing or writing from history. Emphasis is placed on revision, preparation for publication, and on identifying possible sources for publication. This is the second Special Topics course in the MFA sequence, and is intended for students taking a Special Topics course in their second year of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
