Creative Writing
College of Liberal & Creative Arts
Dean: Dr. Andrew Harris
Department of Creative Writing
Humanities Building, Room 573
Phone: (415) 338-1891
Email: cwriting@sfsu.edu
Website: http://creativewriting.sfsu.edu
Chair: Nona Caspers
Undergraduate and Graduate Advisors: Carter, Caspers, Chai, Chernoff, Conboy, De Robertis, Hoover, Joron, Mirosevich, Tigay
Program Scope
The Department of Creative Writing offers undergraduate and graduate programs. The three degree programs emphasize the primary importance of the study and practice of imaginative writing in the genres of creative nonfiction, fiction, literary translation, playwriting, and poetry. All three degree programs combine an intense workshop requirement and a variety of special topic creative process classes with requirements in the English Department. The core literature classes assure that students will continue to absorb and be trained in a study of the best literature of the past. In Creative Writing classes, students work with an active, publishing faculty. They learn by vigorous practice; by focused studies of craft; and by extensive reading, analysis, and discussion of their work, as well as that of published authors.
The undergraduate major combines the academic specifications of the traditional English major with the experiential needs of the writing student. Students who enter this program should do so only under the strongly held assumption that they have abilities as writers that may be fostered and trained by such a discipline as is described here. It is hoped that this combined program of writing and literature will lead students to a cohesive study and discipline that combines breadth with intensity.
Accordingly, some greater latitude of choice in literature courses is allowed in the creative writing major. Studies will lead them to a degree in English with a creative writing emphasis. Ample guidance of the creative writing advisors helps ensure that students will not be deprived of a sense of the history of literature. In this regard they will continue to be fully qualified as potential graduate students in English as well as prepared should they wish to continue as M.A. or M.F.A. candidates in a creative writing program.
The two graduate programs differ in scope. Both programs are distinguished by innovative classes. Both include seminars, opportunities for community projects, and a thesis. Students may apply for admission to either the Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Creative Writing (30 units) or the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (54 units). In no case will a student be admitted to both programs simultaneously.
The Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Creative Writing serves a double purpose: to extend and broaden the student's familiarity with literature and to provide the help of a faculty of professional writers and critics in developing the student's own potential as a professional writer. The Creative Writing Department has a strong core faculty and invites several visiting faculty each semester.
The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is regarded as the terminal degree in the field. The M.F.A. in Creative Writing offers extended experience in small seminars and individual instruction with faculty. It also develops the student's understanding of the history and theory of literature and incorporates correlative patterns of study in elective areas such as other cultures, other arts, technical studies, and/or the teaching of writing.
Career Outlook
The career goal is to train and encourage writers of creative nonfiction, fiction, literary translation, plays, and poetry. Many celebrated and distinguished writers are graduates of the department. In the job market, good writers are hard to find. The skills developed in creative writing translate well into corporate editing, publishing, teaching, and working for arts organizations.
Professor
MICHELLE CARTER (1988), Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1980), M.A. (1982), Stanford University.
NONA CASPERS (2002), Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1985), University of Minnesota; M.F.A. (1996), San Francisco State University.
MAXINE CHERNOFF (1994), Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1972), M.A. (1974), University of Illinois, Chicago.
ROY CONBOY (1991), Professor of Creative Writing; B.S. (1974), Eastern New Mexico University; M.F.A. (1976), University of California, Irvine.
PAUL HOOVER (1999), Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1968), Manchester College; M.A. (1973), University of Illinois.
Associate Professor
MAY-LEE CHAI (2018), Associate Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1989), Grinnell College; M.A. (1992), Yale University; M.A. (1994), University of Colorado Boulder; M.F.A. (2013), San Francisco State University.
CAROLINA DE ROBERTIS (2016), Associate Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1996), University of California, Los Angeles; M.F.A. (2007), Mills College.
ANDREW JORON (2014), Associate Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1979), University of California at Berkeley.
CHANAN TIGAY (2012), Associate Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1998), University of Pennsylvania; M.F.A. (2004), Columbia University.
Assistant Professor
JOSEPH CASSARA (2020), Assistant Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (2012), Columbia University; M.F.A. (2016), Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
TONYA FOSTER (2021), Assistant Professor of Creative Writing; B.A. (1988), Tulane University; M.F.A. (1999), University of Houston; M.Phil. (2014), Ph.D. (2018), City University of New York.
MICHAEL DAVID LUKAS (2018), Assistant Professor of Creative Writing; A.B. (2003), Brown University; M.F.A. (2006), University of Maryland.
Lecturer
DODIE BELLAMY (2000), Lecturer in Creative Writing; B.A. (1973), M.S. (1977), Indiana University, Bloomington.
MATTHEW CLARK DAVISON (2003), Lecturer in Creative Writing; B.A. (1996), M.F.A. (2000), San Francisco State University.
DONNA DE LA PERRIERE (2004), Lecturer in Creative Writing; B.A. (1982), Mercer University; M.A. (1988), University of Georgia; M.F.A. (1989), Brown University.
STEVE DICKISON (1999), Lecturer in Creative Writing; B.A. (1980), University of Minnesota, Duluth.
ANNE GALJOUR (2001), Lecturer in Creative Writing; B.A. (1980), Nicholl's State University.
JUNSE KIM (2009), Lecturer in Creative Writing; B.S. (1990), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; M.F.A. (2000), Goddard College.
TRUONG TRAN (2004), Lecturer in Creative Writing; B.A. (1992), University of California, Santa Cruz; M.F.A. (1995), San Francisco State University.
C W 101 Introduction to Creative Writing (Units: 3)
The creative writing process. Exercises in writing poetry, fiction, and dramatic scripts. Selected readings of exemplary stories, poems, and plays. Open to all students.
Course Attributes:
- E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019
- C1: Arts
C W 301 Fundamentals of Creative Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; ENG 114 or equivalent; non-majors admitted with consent of the instructor.
C W 302 Fundamentals of Creative Reading (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; GE Area A2; non-majors admitted with consent of the instructor.
C W 465 Modern Greek Poetry in Comparative Perspective (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to English (Creative Writing or English Education) majors.
(This course is offered as MGS 465, CWL 465, and C W 465. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
C W 467 On the Cultural Frontlines: Contemporary Trends in Israeli Art (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: GE Area A2.
(This course is offered as JS 467, BECA 467, C W 467, and TH A 467. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
C W 497 Modern Greek Literature (Units: 3)
Introduction to Greece's major modernist and postmodernist writers. Exploration of experimental writing techniques using 20th Century literature.
(This course is offered as MGS 497 and C W 497. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
C W 501 Graphic Memoir and Biography (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: ENG 216 or ENG 218 or equivalent.
(This course is offered as ENG 300 and C W 501. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
C W 506 The Business of Creative Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 806: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisites for C W 506: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; upper-division standing; C W 101 or C W 301 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor. Non-Creative Writing majors permitted with the consent of the instructor.
(C W 806/C W 506 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 507 Writing on the Body (Units: 3)
Concerns themes of human sexuality and gender in their psychological, social, political, moral, and aesthetic dimensions, combined with personal experience and personal expression. Sexual values are examined through artistic expression and analysis of expressive works.C W 508 Introduction to Environmental Literature (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Environmental Sustainability
- UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
C W 510 The Creative Process (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; C W 101 or C W 301 with a grade of C or better; non-majors admitted with consent of the instructor.
C W 511GW Craft of Poetry - GWAR (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; GE Area A2; C W 301 or equivalent.
Course Attributes:
- Graduation Writing Assessment
C W 512GW Craft of Fiction - GWAR (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; GE Area A2; C W 301 or equivalent.
Course Attributes:
- Graduation Writing Assessment
C W 513GW Craft of Playwriting - GWAR (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; GE Area A2; C W 301 or equivalent.
Course Attributes:
- Graduation Writing Assessment
C W 514 Contemporary World Poetry (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 814: Graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisites for C W 514: Upper-division Creative Writing majors; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; consent of the instructor. Non-Creative Writing majors permitted with the consent of the instructor.
(C W 814/C W 514 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 520 Writers on Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 820: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisite for C W 520: Upper-division standing; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor.
(C W 820/C W 520 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 550 Poetry Center Workshop (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 850: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisite for C W 550: Upper-division standing; ENG 114; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor.
(C W 850/C W 550 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 600 Special Topics in Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; non-majors admitted with consent of the instructor.
C W 601 Work in Progress (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to senior Creative Writing majors.
C W 602 Playwriting (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; C W 301 and C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW; or consent of the instructor.
C W 603 Short Story Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing and English Education majors; C W 301; C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW; non-majors admitted with consent of the instructor.
C W 604 Poetry Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; C W 301 and C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW.
C W 605 Writing and Performing Monologues (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing, English Education, and Theatre Arts majors; TH A 130. For C W majors: C W 301; C W 511GW or C W 512GW or C W 513GW.
(This course is offered as TH A 605 and C W 605. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
C W 606 Art of Revision: from Draft to Manuscript (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: C W 101 or C W 301; C W 302; C W 512GW or C W 603.
C W 609 Directed Writing for B.A. Students (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Creative Writing majors and consent of the instructor.
C W 640 Transfer Literary Magazine (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to English (Creative Writing) majors; C W 301 or consent of the instructor.
C W 659 Practicum in Teaching (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; C W 101 or C W 301; C W 302*; C W 511GW* or C W 512GW* or C W 513GW*. Required for undergraduates serving as Creative Writing Graduate Instructional Aides.
C W 675 Community Projects in Literature (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 875: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisites for C W 675: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; upper-division standing; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor.
(C W 875/C W 675 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 685 Projects in the Teaching of Creative Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Advanced undergraduate standing in Creative Writing and approval of the chair; a grade of C or better in course in which student will be aide.
C W 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
C W 785 Graduate Projects in the Teaching of Creative Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Creative Writing; a grade of B or better in the course or its equivalent in which the student will be an aide; consent of the instructor.
C W 803 Advanced Short Story Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate students in Creative Writing or consent of the instructor.
C W 804 Advanced Poetry Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 806 The Business of Creative Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 806: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisites for C W 506: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; upper-division standing; C W 101 or C W 301 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor. Non-Creative Writing majors permitted with the consent of the instructor.
(C W 806/C W 506 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 807 Developing the Novel (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 808 Novel Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate students in Creative Writing; C W 807; or consent of the instructor.
C W 809 Directed Writing for Graduate Students (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor. Apply to instructor during the semester prior to desired enrollment.
C W 810 Seminar in the Creative Process (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 814 Contemporary World Poetry (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 814: Graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisites for C W 514: Upper-division Creative Writing majors; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; consent of the instructor. Non-Creative Writing majors permitted with the consent of the instructor.
(C W 814/C W 514 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 820 Writers on Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 820: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisite for C W 520: Upper-division standing; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor.
(C W 820/C W 520 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 825 Playwright's Theatre Workshop (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 840 Fourteen Hills Literary Magazine (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate students in Creative Writing; or consent of the instructor.
C W 850 Poetry Center Workshop (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 850: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisite for C W 550: Upper-division standing; ENG 114; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor.
(C W 850/C W 550 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 852 M.F.A. Workshop in Creative Nonfiction (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate M.F.A. Creative Writing students; priority enrollment is given to M.F.A. Creative Nonfiction students; open to other M.F.A. genre and M.A. Creative Nonfiction students on a space-available basis only, to be determined at the first class meeting.
C W 853 M.F.A. Workshop in Fiction (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 854 M.F.A. Workshop in Poetry (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 855 M.F.A. Workshop in Playwriting (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 856 M.F.A. Workshop in Short Plays (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 859 Practicum in Teaching (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 860 Teaching Creative Writing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 866 Craft of Translation (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 867 Theory of Translation (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students with a working knowledge of a language other than English.
C W 875 Community Projects in Literature (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for C W 875: Restricted to graduate Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
Prerequisites for C W 675: Restricted to Creative Writing majors; upper-division standing; C W 301 or C W 101 with a grade of C or better; GPA of 3.0 or higher; or consent of the instructor.
(C W 875/C W 675 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
C W 880 M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Fiction (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 881 M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Poetry (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to MFA in Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 882 M.F.A. Craft and Process Tutorial in Playwriting (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to M.F.A. in Creative Writing students or consent of the instructor.
C W 893MA Written M.A. Creative Project (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor and major adviser; approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) for the Master of Arts in English: Creative Writing and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
C W 893MFA Written M.F.A. Creative Work (Units: 6)
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor and major adviser; approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) for the Master of Fine Arts and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
C W 899 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.