Course of Study

(For the Landscape, Ecology, and Community concentration and its course of study, please click here.)

Presented below is an outline for full-time study, which includes for two summers participating in a two-week residency (Fishtrap and on-campus) and for two academic years taking a pair of 3- or 4-cr courses each quarter (fall through spring), a genre-specific workshop and a special topics class. For those seeking a lighter course load, some part-time study is possible by way of attending a third summer on-campus residency and/or regularly enrolling in a variety of 1-cr practicum offerings and substituting four practicum credits for a regular 4-cr course. Please note: To be eligible for federal financial aid, a graduate student must take a minimum of 4.5 credits in a given term.

First Year

Summer Residency—Fishtrap and EOU (two weeks in July)  
WR 550 Residency: Generative Workshop (Fishtrap)2 cr hr
WR 541 Residency: Workshop (in your primary genre)2 cr hr
WR 542 Residency: Craft Class2 cr hr
Summer Post-Residency  
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing (a follow-up to WR 541)1 cr hr
Fall Term—Distance 
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing (workshop)4 cr hrs
ENGL 536 Themes in Literature/Film4 cr hrs
Winter TermDistance 
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing (workshop)4 cr hrs
WR 536 Themes in Writing/Rhetoric3 cr hrs
Spring Term—Distance 
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing (workshop)4 cr hrs
WR 510 Special Topics in Writing4 cr hrs
WR 609 Practicum (taken in any term either year; click on link to see options)1 cr hr

Second Year

Summer—Residency 
WR 550 Residency: Generative Workshop (Fishtrap)2 cr hr
WR 541 Residency: Workshop (in your primary genre)2 cr hr
WR 542 Residency: Craft Class2 cr hr
Post-Residency 
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing (a follow-up to WR 541)1 cr hr
Fall—Distance 
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing4 cr hrs
WR 510 Special Topics in Writing (workshop)4 cr hrs
Winter—Distance 
WR 660 Thesis2-3 cr hrs (students enroll in 6 thesis credits total in their second year)
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing (workshop)4 cr hrs
Spring—Distance   
WR 660 Thesis3-4 cr hrs
WR 552 Individualized Studies: Projects in Writing (workshop)4 cr hrs

Third Summer

WR 661 Thesis Presentation (a reading) and Submission0 cr hrs
Total60 cr hrs

  • maximum of 60 graded credit hours in English/Writing at the 500- level or above.
  • At least 4 credit hours in WR 552 (one workshop class) must be in genres other than your principle genre.
  • WR 550 Residency: Generative Workshop (Fishtrap workshop) is graded S/U.
  • Post-Residency WR 552 (1 cr) is devoted to the polishing work begun in the Summer Residency.
  • minimum grade of “B-“ and a cumulative GPA of 3.00 (or better) is required in all courses counting toward the degree.