Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing Online, M.F.A.

The MFA in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing is a fully online, asynchronous, terminal degree for students who wish to focus on writing and publishing creative work in genres typical of “commercial” trade publishing (fantasy, science-fiction, horror, mystery, thrillers, romance, young adult, and other genres). This program offers students the chance to workshop their fiction, study the history of the genres, and learn about the publishing processes.

Graduates of the MFA in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing will exhibit the following Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

Students will develop their creative writing skills as they create, revise, and collaborate on manuscripts.
Students will read and analyze literature with the goal of gaining an understanding of the history of various genres of popular fiction, in addition to their context within the fields of literature and creative writing.
Students will explore the variety of opportunities for publication and understand the benefits and limitations of each for the contemporary writer.
Students will demonstrate the ability to produce and market a body of writing that reflects an understanding of the literature and the marketplace.
Students will collaborate with one another to edit and help develop their creative work.

Admission Requirements

Students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent. In addition, they must submit two letters of recommendation. Applicants for admission to the Online MFA in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing program may have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than writing or English.

Applicants for the MFA program are required to submit a recent creative writing sample (15 double-spaced pages). The quality of the writing sample, as judged by the faculty, will be a primary factor in determining admission.

Degree Requirements

The MFA in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing requires 36 credit hours of online courses, including 16 credits of writing workshop courses, 8 credits of literature courses, 8 credits of publishing courses, and 4 credits for the master’s thesis. At the conclusion of their coursework, students submit and defend a manuscript of a novel or excerpt of a novel to a thesis committee for approval. Students are expected to complete the degree requirements within five years.

Required Courses

Workshop Courses

Students are required to complete 16 credits, in any combination, from the following writing workshop courses:

PF 610 - Writing Workshop in Popular Fiction
PF 612 - Special Topics in Popular Fiction Writing
*These courses are repeatable

Literature Courses

Students are also required to complete 8 credits, in any combination, from the following literature courses:

PF 615 - Why So Popular? A Study of the Appeals of Genre Fictions
PF 616 - Topics in the History of Popular Forms
Note: In certain cases, WR 600 may be taken on campus in place of one literature course.
*PF 616 is repeatable if the specific Topic is different.

Publishing Courses

Students are also required to complete 8 credits, in any combination, from the following publishing courses:

PF 630 - Introduction to the Publishing Process for Writers
PF 631 - Topics in Writing and Publishing
PF 632 - Introduction to Book Design for Writers
* PF 631 is repeatable if the specific Topic is different.

MFA Thesis

For completion of the MFA degree, students are required to submit a polished long-form narrative of publishable or near-publishable quality. The thesis will consist of a novel or a novel excerpt that is a minimum of 100 pages with a three- to five-page synopsis. When nearing completion of the program, a student applies for a thesis committee and works closely with the committee chair to develop the final manuscript and schedule an online defense of the thesis.

PF 699 - MFA Thesis