Program Overview

English, Ph.D., Creative Writing Concentration

The Ph.D. program in English, Concentration in Creative Writing, is one of the top 15 in the U.S., as ranked by Poets & Writers. The program offers graduate students the opportunity to work closely with our award-winning faculty while living and writing in Atlanta, an international city with a vibrant literary culture.

Program Details

• Admissions Requirements
• Curriculum
• Tuition
• Goals & Outcomes
• Description

Admissions Requirements

• A master's degree in English or a closely related discipline from an accredited college or university
• A 10-20 page critical writing sample
• A portfolio including a minimum of 10 poems; or two or three works of fiction totaling no fewer than 30 and no more than 50 pages

Curriculum

For Fiction Writers

• 12 hours of ENGL 8030 Fiction Writing
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Fiction (3)
• ENGL 8202 Contemporary Fiction Craft (3)
• Three hours of courses in or strongly related to area of primary specialty
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Poetry (3)
• Six hours of courses in or strongly related to area of secondary specialty
• Three hours of language study, unless satisfied at M.A. level
• Three hours of literary theory/critical methodology/cultural studies, unless satisfied at M.A. level

For Poets

• Twelve hours of ENGL 8020 Poetry Writing
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Poetry (3)
• ENGL 8201 Contemporary Poetry (3)
• ENGL 20th-Century American and British Poetry Craft I (3)
• ENGL 8160 Form and Theory of Literary Craft in Fiction (3)
• Three hours of courses in or strongly related to area of primary specialty
• Six hours of courses in or strongly related to area of secondary specialty
• Three hours of language study, unless satisfied at M.A. level
• Three hours of literary theory/critical methodology/cultural studies, unless satisfied at M.A. level

Application Deadlines

• Fall: February 15
• Spring: Does not admit
• Summer: Does not admit

Funding Opportunities

We award a limited number of teaching assistantships to incoming Ph.D. students. These assistantships include a tuition waiver and stipend in exchange for teaching and additional professionalization activities. All applicants are considered for funding; no separate application is required.

Career Outcomes

Alumni hold full-time positions at Texas A&M University, Spelman College, the University of Rhode Island, Norfolk State University, University of West Georgia, Augustana College, California Polytechnic University, Fort Lewis College, the Savannah College of Art and Design, and elsewhere.

Program Description

Our students publish—recently with Random House, Algonquin Books, St Martin's, Alice James Books, Bloomsbury, Anhinga Press, and Louisiana State University Press—and win important prizes and fellowships, including the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship, the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, the Walter E. Dakin Fellowship from The Sewanee Writers' Conference, and the Georgia Author of the Year Award.

Our faculty include Danielle Cadena Deulen, Beth Gylys, John Holman, Sheri Joseph, and Josh Russell. Visiting writers & editors enrich the program by giving readings and leading workshops and Q&As.

Research Areas

The program offers opportunities for research in creative writing, with a focus on fiction and poetry. Students work closely with faculty to develop their writing skills and produce original work.

Tuition and Fees

For information on estimated costs, please refer to the university's cost calculator or student financial services.

Duration

The Ph.D. is designed to be completed in five years. A minimum of 36 hours of coursework is required beyond the M.A. or M.F.A. with focus in Fiction; a minimum of 39 hours of coursework is required beyond the M.A. or M.F.A. with focus in Poetry.