university of dallas creative writing

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Writing Lab

Welcome to the ud writing lab.

The Writing Lab is closed for the summer and will reopen for the fall 2024 semester.

Sign up for an Appointment

For in-person sessions, meet your tutor in Braniff 304 (or possibly in Braniff 332 when two tutors are offering evening hours). 

For online sessions, meet your tutor in the Zoom meeting via the link in the Google calendar event 1-2 minutes before the designated time.

When signing up, please make sure that your UD EMAIL ADDRESS is displayed in the upper-right-hand corner of the appointments calendar. This will ensure that the time zones of your calendar and ours are synchronized.

Undergraduate students may only sign up for one appointment per assignment per day.

If you are having trouble signing up for a Writing Lab session, please email the Writing Lab at [email protected] or the Writing Lab Director, Susan E. Matassa at [email protected]. 

For further instructions regarding both on-campus and online appointments, see below.

Tutoring Hours

Sunday: 6:00-10:00pm

Monday:  1:30pm-10:00pm

Tuesday:  11:30am-10:00pm

Wednesday:  10:00am-3:00pm and 6:00pm-10:00pm

Thursday:  10:00am-10:00pm

Friday: 11am-3:00pm

Saturday:  Closed

What is the Writing Lab?

The Writing Lab exists to help students improve their mastery of the skills of composition — invention, organization, and style. Focusing primarily on the student’s development, we neither edit nor proof-read papers; instead, we help students discern areas for improvement in their writing and guide them as they work on those areas. All the tutors in the Lab are graduate students at UD. We work with students on papers from across the Core, not just Lit Trad papers, including scientific writing and applications to various scholarships and programs.

General Guidelines for your visit to the Writing Lab

Important Note: In order to maximize this time, please complete the "Upload your documents" step and the "Sign in" step listed below BEFORE your session begins. 

Appointment Guidelines

• Sign up:  For an online session, pick a slot in the "Writing Lab Online" Google appointment calendar using the link above.  For an in-person session in Braniff 304, pick a slot in the "Writing Lab In-Person" Google appointment calendar using the link above.
• Upload your documents: Send copies of your documents to [email protected]. To streamline your session, complete this step BEFORE your session begins. Give your documents unique, recognizable names, such as your last name and the date of your session. You need to share:   Your paper (the most recent draft!) The prompt for your paper (if you have it)
• Sign in: Follow this link to sign in. To make your session as efficient as possible, please complete this step BEFORE your session begins.
• Come: Arrive a few minutes before the time of your appointment. If making an in-person visit, bring either a laptop or a hard copy of your paper to the session so that you and your tutor can see the same words, punctuation, formatting, etc. Also provide a copy of your paper prompt.   For an online session, open the invitation to the Zoom video conference you will have received in your inbox. 
• No shows: if for any reason you cannot make the session you signed up for, cancel the Google Meet appointment on your Calendar. If you have not done so half an hour before your session was scheduled to start, and you fail to come, that will be counted as a no show. Any student who has three no shows in a semester without reasonable notification could be banned from the Lab for the rest of the semester.

Other Important Information and Lab Rules

• If you are 10 or more minutes late to your appointment, an appointment is not guaranteed.
• Please note that your session's fruitfulness will correspond to your own preparedness. So please come with specific questions about your draft or outline, and prepare yourself to think and learn about the arts of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Your tutor will not create a thesis for you (that would constitute plagiarism!) or provide your provisional thesis with textual argumentation. Instead, he or she will help you to develop your thoughts about the subject as you present it in your paper.
• Your session is only 25 minutes long. Due to the conversational nature of this kind of learning, you should NOT expect to work through an entire paper in one session. Instead, you are more likely to focus intently upon a few areas of improvement.
• Undergraduates are limited to one 25 minute slot per day per assignment.
• Tutors are not allowed to edit, review, or critique take-home, out-of-class exams without the written consent of the exam-giving instructor.
• Tutors will comment on grammar, syntax, organization, and/or argumentation of the draft presented.  Their task is to show where the paper needs to improve, not to re-write the paper.  For that reason, tutors will point out consistent errors in grammar and syntax, but not correct them all.  Similarly, tutors will point out problems with evidence use or information flow, but they will not generate the paper's argument, evidence, or information. 

Should you have any questions regarding the Lab, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Director:

Ms. Susan E. Matassa Adjunct Instructor of English and Writing Lab Director Writing Lab: Braniff 304 Email:  [email protected]

Other Writing Lab Resources

Click Here to be taken to a Marking Guide with links to explanations of Common Errors and exercises to help you correct those errors.

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Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

Literature Graduate Programs

Join our community of scholars, creative writers, and translators who share a commitment to transnational and interdisciplinary approaches to literary study and practice.

Our graduate programs in literature provide a flexible context to pursue research across a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches, and theoretical debates. In addition to coursework in literary studies, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in creative writing and/or literary translation workshops as well as seminars in other disciplines such as film studies, the history of ideas, philosophy, and the visual and performing arts.

Doctor of Philosophy in Literature

Students pursuing the PhD in literature may, if their coursework supports it, submit a translation or creative writing project as part of their dissertation.

Forty-five semester credit hours of which at least 24 are taken as organized graduate-level courses in Literature (LIT).

Required Courses: 36 semester credit hours 

LIT 6300  Proseminar in Literary Studies

ARHM 6310  Team-Taught Interdisciplinary Seminar

LIT 7300  Academic Writing Workshop

18 semester credit hours of organized graduate-level  LIT  courses

9 semester credit hours of  LIT 8305  Field Exam Preparation

Elective Courses: 9 semester credit hours

Nine semester credit hours of electives in any graduate-level courses.

Students in all PhD programs in the Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology are expected to demonstrate intermediate-level reading proficiency in a foreign language (equivalent to two years of foreign-language study at the undergraduate level). Students must fulfill the language requirement before scheduling doctoral field examinations. 

As part of its approval of a dissertation proposal, the Graduate Studies Committee will consider the appropriateness of a candidate’s language preparation for the research or creative project. Faculty members chairing field examinations and dissertations should ensure that students possess the necessary language proficiency to carry out their proposed doctoral research. 

The requirement can be satisfied upon enrollment in a PhD program by demonstrating evidence of one or more of the following: 

• Completion of a second-semester, intermediate-level foreign language course or higher (e.g., an undergraduate literature course in a foreign language) with a grade of B or better. 
• Completion of a graduate course taught in a foreign language or with more than 25% of its required readings in a foreign language. 
• An undergraduate major, graduate degree, or certificate in a foreign language. 
• Successful completion of graded coursework at a foreign university at which the primary language of instruction is not English. 
• A degree in any discipline from a foreign university at which the primary language of instruction is not English. 

The requirement can be satisfied during graduate study at UT Dallas in one of the following ways: 

• Completion of a second-semester, intermediate-level foreign language course or higher at UT Dallas or elsewhere with a grade of B or better. 
• Successful completion of  LIT 6326 : Translation Workshop with a grade of B or better. 
• Successful completion of one of the following:  HUMA 6330 : French Workshop;  HUMA 6331 : Spanish Workshop;  HUMA 6333 : German Workshop with a grade of B or better.
• Passing a written translation exam in an approved foreign language at UT Dallas.

The doctoral field examination consists of two written sections and an oral defense. The examining committee, composed of three members of the faculty (at least two of whom are faculty in the Literature Program), oversees definition and preparation of the two broad examination fields. Initial committee formation must take place during the semester in which students complete thirty-six semester credit hours of coursework, which will typically be followed by nine semester credit hours of  LIT 8305 : Field Exam Preparation. Students complete their doctoral field examination ideally during the semester in which they complete 45 semester credit hours, but no later than the semester in which they complete 54 semester credit hours.

Students are formally advanced to PhD candidacy when they have successfully completed the doctoral field examinations and received final approval for dissertation topics. Students should submit a preliminary dissertation proposal for consideration during the oral section of the doctoral field examination. After that examination, a four-person supervising committee is formed, normally from the examining committee plus an additional faculty member, to oversee dissertation work. The supervising committee must then approve a formal dissertation proposal before the student submits it to the Graduate Studies Committee for final approval.

Each candidate then writes a doctoral dissertation, which is supervised and defended according to general University regulations.

Toni Muñoz-Hunt,

PhD in Literature, Spring 2021

“Shortly after I received my undergraduate degree, I was looking for an institution with a strong interdisciplinary education where I could make my way and fashion my own academic plan. I met with a few local universities, and I felt most at home when I stepped foot onto this wonderfully diverse campus.”

Master of Arts in Literature

The MA in Literature can provide you with a flexible context to pursue research across a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches and theoretical debates. In addition to coursework in literary studies, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in creative writing and/or literary translation workshops as well as seminars in other disciplines, such as film studies, the history of ideas, philosophy and the visual and performing arts.

Choose between the professional option (coursework only and no foreign language requirements) and the research option (coursework with foreign language requirements plus a portfolio). If you choose the research option, you may, if your coursework supports it, submit a translation or creative writing project as part of your portfolio.

Thirty-three semester credit hours of which at least 18 semester credit hours are taken as organized graduate-level courses in Literature (LIT).

Required Courses: 21 semester credit hours 

LIT 6300 : Proseminar in Literary Studies

15 semester credit hours of organized graduate-level  LIT  courses

Free Electives: 12 semester credit hours 

Twelve semester credit hours of electives in any graduate-level courses.

Students in the professional option must complete 33 semester credit hours of coursework. They are not required to complete a portfolio or meet the foreign language requirement.

Students in the research option must complete 33 semester credit hours of coursework, fulfill a foreign language requirement, and complete a portfolio.

The research option MA degree requires demonstrated proficiency in an approved foreign language. The requirement can be satisfied upon enrollment in the MA program by demonstrating evidence of one or more of the following: 

• Successful completion of one of the following:  HUMA 6330 : French Workshop;  HUMA 6331 : Spanish Workshop;  HUMA 6333 : German Workshop with a grade of B or better. 
• Passing a written translation exam in an approved foreign language at UT Dallas. 

Two research papers or a creative project plus a scholarly essay originating in or completed for graduate courses are revised and presented in a portfolio for evaluation by a master’s committee.

Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing

The Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing focuses on the theory and practice of creating literary works.

The certificate consists of four graduate creative writing workshops, which can be completed in one genre or in more than one genre.

More information on this certificate can be found in the University Catalog .

Graduate Certificate in Literary Translation

The Graduate Certificate in Literary Translation focuses on the history, theory, and practice of literary translation. Students will learn to study and produce literary translations.

The certificate consists of four courses: two foundational courses in the theory and practice of translation; one of two advanced courses in translation studies; and a seminar or workshop related to the student’s area of research.

Program Highlights

Research Opportunities

Our graduate students conduct and present research national and internationally. See graduate student accomplishments.

Faculty Mentors

Our faculty members will help you gain the knowledge, skills and support you need for a rewarding career. Meet Literature faculty .

Dr. Nomi Stone

Assistant professor of literature and creative writing

“I love the hybridity and cross-pollination at UT Dallas. I’m an anthropologist and a poet — a scholar who also writes creatively — so this is just the exact right fit for me. Braiding these things together is my passion. I haven’t seen a place that does collaboration as well as this place. I see a real investment in bringing seemingly disparate things together.”

Contact Information

Dr. Charles Hatfield Associate Professor and Program Head Phone: 972-883-2780 Email:  [email protected]

Kelly Erb Graduate Academic Advisor Phone: 972-883-6176 Email:  [email protected] Office:  JO 4.508C

Graduate Advising Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology The University of Texas at Dallas, JO31 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021 Phone: 972-883-4706 Email:  [email protected]

Office of Admission and Enrollment 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021 972-883-2270 or 1-800-889-2443 [email protected] utdallas.edu/enroll

Doctoral Application Deadlines

Ma application deadlines.

• Degrees, Minors & Certificates
• Graduate Student Writing Resources

Reach out to us  to get more information about your program of interest.

Review the Bass School’s  graduate application process and requirements.

Writing Center

The Writing Center provides constructive feedback and writing support for undergraduate and graduate students through one-on-one tutoring sessions.

For additional resources and writing tips, explore the Writing Center YouTube Channel .

How do I schedule my Writing Center appointment?

Make an appointment online . Choose “In-person Writing Center Appointment” to meet with a consultant on campus. Choose “Virtual Writing Center Appointment” to get asynchronous feedback on your document. You can choose your day/time/tutor. Appointments must be made at least 12 hours in advance. 

How can I share my document with my tutor?

Any time before or during your appointment, log on to SSCOnline. You can upload your paper by clicking your appointment and then the “file” button. You can also type notes to your tutor to ask questions or share your assignment instructions.  

How can I pull my extra credit report for my appointment?

You can pull your report from SSCOnline. Please see the link on the right-hand side, “Click Here for Helpful Appointment Videos,” to watch a short tutorial on pulling your visit report.

What is the Creative Writing Group?

The Creative Writing group is an extension of the Writing Center that focuses on workshopping creative literary pieces (e.g., short stories, poems, creative nonfiction, screenplays, potential novels, etc.). We can offer grammar critique, but we mainly focus on content editing and genre structure. We meet in the Writing Center, MC 1.310. For more academic papers — such as rhetorical analyses or research reports — that focus more on grammar, citations, and analysis, or for long-term writing improvement, we suggest scheduling a Writing Center appointment or visiting Lo-Fi drop-in hours.

What are Lo-Fi drop-in hours?

The Writing Center opens after regular office hours for you to have a relaxing space to work on any writing assignment. We dim the lights and play soft lo-fi music, and you can work independently or have a drop-in session with a Writing Center Peer Leader. We meet in the Writing Center, MC 1.310.

Writing Center Mission Statement

The UTD Writing Center philosophy stems from the peer-to-peer model of collaborative learning. Students and Peer Leaders engage in one-on-one conversations about their work and Peer Leaders will lead sessions by asking open-ended, engaging questions which allow the student to take ownership of their own writing. The Writing Center aims to provide direct, honest feedback to students in each tutoring session. The main goal of our Writing Center is to help the writer, not just the piece of writing.

Contact the Writing Center

[email protected] Location: MC 1.310

Spring 2024 Hours

Undergraduate session hours .

In person:  Monday: 10am-5pm Tuesday: 10am-2pm, 3pm-6pm Wednesday: 10am-5pm Thursday: 10am-5pm Friday: 10am-4pm

Virtual: Saturday 9am-3pm Sunday 10am-2pm Low-fi Drop-in Hours: Tuesday: 4pm-6pm

Graduate Session Hours 

In person:  Tuesday: 11am-2pm Wednesday: 11am-2pm Thursday: 1pm-4pm Friday: 1pm-4pm

Virtual:  Wednesday: 3pm-5pm Saturday: 10am-12pm

View Helpful Appointment Videos

How to Download Extra Credit/Attendance Reports

Workshop and Events

Late Night Write Night: Monday, March 25th, 7pm-10pm in MC 1.310

Long Night Against Procrastination: TBD Poetry Month Celebration: Tuesday, April 30th, 6pm-8pm in MC 1.310

Writing Groups

Creative Writing Group: Thursdays 7-9pm in MC 1.310 Complete Interest Form Here

For Faculty/Staff:

Student Success Center The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080-3021 972-883-2111

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English Creative Writing Ph.D.

Want more info.

We're so glad you're interested in UNT! Let us know if you'd like more information and we'll get you everything you need.

Why Earn an English Creative Writing Ph.D.?

The Ph.D. program is designed to give you a broad, solid foundation in the academic profession, while at the same time preparing you to conduct original, in-depth research or to compose original works of literature. You'll benefit from the guidance of a nationally recognized faculty with a strong record of publication in prestigious journals like PMLA, Philological Quarterly, The Paris Review and Granta.

We make every effort to foster our graduate students' success and help them attain their educational and career goals.

While at UNT, our students have published their work in nationally and internationally recognized journals and magazines, including The New Yorker , Shakespeare and SEL: Studies in English Literature . They have placed books with presses like Button Poetry, the University of Georgia Press and the University of Wisconsin Press. And they have won prestigious awards and fellowships, including grants from the Newberry Library and from the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Reason rigorously, subtly and independently
• Analyze minutely sources and narratives
• Identify and address interpretative complexity
• Develop and contribute new knowledge
• Convey knowledge in self-designed courses

English Creative Writing Ph.D. Highlights

What can you do with an english creative writing ph.d..

Many recent Ph.D. graduates have gone on to tenure-track positions at other institutions all over the country, including Texas Women's University (Texas), Radford University (Virginia), St. Catherine University (Minnesota), Valparaiso University (Indiana), SUNY-Potsdam (New York) and Brigham Young University (Utah).

English Creative Writing Ph.D. Courses You Could Take

Learn More About UNT

Explore more options.

Creative Writing Master's

English Ph.D.

It’s easy to apply online. Join us and discover why we’re the choice of nearly 47,000 students.

Department of English

Creative Writing at UNT

Welcome to Creative Writing at the University of North Texas. We offer a Ph.D. in English with a concentration in creative writing , an M.A. in creative writing , and an undergraduate major with a concentration in creative writing. At UNT, we've fostered a thriving literary community enriched by our Visiting Writers Series and by our national journal, American Literary Review .

Corey Marks Director of Creative Writing [email protected] (940) 565-2126

For more details about the application process, please contact the department's Graduate Office:

(940) 565-2273

_____________________

Pictured (L-R): Kimberly Grey, Daniel Peña, Sarah Perry

Click here for creative writing faculty profiles.

_________________________________________________

Spring 2024 Events

Unt's visiting writers series presents andrew boryga.

Please join us for the latest installment of UNT's Visiting Writers Series, featuring Andrew Boryga and his debut novel, Victim .

When: Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Where: 4PM - Craft Talk and Q&A in Curry 103

8PM - Reading and Signing in Art 223 (in the CVAD building, located at the corner of W Mulberry and S Welch)

Andrew Boryga began his career writing for a local newspaper in the Bronx at age 16. Two years later, he had worked his way into an internship with The New York Times . Since then, his nonfiction work has appeared frequently in the Times, as well as The New Yorker , The Atlantic , The Paris Review , The Daily Beast , and many other outlets. Now, his debut novel, titled Victim , is being released by Penguin Random House. Find a snippet of it here: https://lithub.com/victim/ .

"A thrilling work that requires a sense of openness and surrender, not only does [Victim] place the onus on us to decide whether Javi is a victim, a victimizer or both, it also forces us to interrogate our own complicity in the commodification of being a casualty." - New York Times

"A pointed satire of the culture of victimhood… Boryga's experiences as a journalist making a name for himself just as society was grappling with diversity inform this razor-sharp satire of the ways race and class can be exploited." - Washington Post

Copies will be available for sale and signing.

Add this date to your UNT Event Calendar here: https://calendar.unt.edu/event/unts-visiting-writers-series-presents-andrew-boryga .

UNT's Alumni Reading Series presents Matt Morton and Jessica Murray

Join us for a reading and book-signing with alumni Matt Morton and Jessica Murray.

Thursday, March 7th, 2024

Where: ART 223 (in CVAD Building)

MATT MORTON

Matt Morton is the author of Improvisation Without Accompaniment , winner of the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize, selected by Patricia Smith (BOA Editions, 2020), and the chapbook What Passes Here for Mountains (Carnegie Mellon, 2022). His poems have appeared in AGNI , Gettysburg Review , Harvard Review , the Los Angeles Review of Books , Missouri Review , and elsewhere. He has received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Fulbright Program, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and the Sewanee Writers' Conference. He holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin, an MFA from the Johns Hopkins University Writing Seminars, and a PhD in English from the University of North Texas. He serves as associate editor for 32 Poems and teaches high school English and creative writing in Missoula, Montana.

Website: mattmortonpoetry.com

JESSICA MURRAY

Jessica Murray is the author of the poetry collection Breakfast in Fur (Galileo Press, 2022). Her poems, essays, reviews, and one poetry manifesto appear in the Birmingham Review , The Boiler , Cherry Tree , Cortland Review , Free State Review , Hapden - Sydney Review , Memorious , Painted Bride Quarterly , and other journals. She has an MFA from University of Florida and a doctorate from University of North Texas and lives in Austin, Texas.

Website: murrayjessica.com

Social Media Links

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Doctor of Philosophy in Literature

Program description.

The graduate program in literature brings together scholars, creative writers and translators who share a commitment to transnational and interdisciplinary approaches to literary study and practice. The PhD in literature provides students with a flexible context in which to pursue research across a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches and theoretical debates. In addition to coursework in literary studies, students have the opportunity to participate in creative writing and/or literary translation workshops as well as seminars in other disciplines, such as film studies, the history of ideas, philosophy and the visual and performing arts.

Students pursuing the PhD in literature may, if their coursework supports it, submit a translation or creative writing project as part of their dissertation.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions such as: teacher/educator, writer, editor, publisher, translator and critic. Career settings may include higher education, nonprofits, cultural and historical organizations, publishing houses, government agencies, international development organizations, museums and archives, business/corporate entities and independent consulting.

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Application Requirements

Visit the  Apply Now  webpage to begin the application process.  

Applicants to the Doctoral degree program should have:  

• A baccalaureate degree (BA or MA) or its equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education, normally in an arts and humanities field.  
• Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must submit 3 letters of recommendation from faculty, or other individuals, able to judge the candidate’s potential for success in the program.  
• Admissions Essay: Applicants must submit a 650-word narrative essay, which should be reflective rather than factual. The essay should address the applicant’s academic interests and goals and indicate how the program would enable such pursuits.  
• A writing sample: Submit an academic writing sample (e.g., a seminar paper or a critical essay). 
• International applicants must submit a TOEFL score of at least 80 on the internet-based test.  Scores must be less than two years old. See the  Graduate Catalog  for additional information regarding English proficiency requirements for international applicants.  
• Each application is considered holistically on its individual merits. You must submit all supporting documents before the Graduate Admissions Committee can review your application. 
• The Graduate Record Examination is not required. 

Deadline:  The application deadline is January 15. All applications completed by the deadline will be reviewed for admission. Applications submitted or completed after January 15 may be reviewed for admission only if spaces remain within the upcoming cohort and will be reviewed in order by the date the application file became complete.

Contact Information

Literature Graduate Programs Email: [email protected]

Dr. Charles Hatfield Associate Professor and Program Head Phone: 972-883-2780 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Advising Pia K. Jakobsson Phone: 972-883-4706 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Admissions Phone: 972-883-6176 Email: [email protected] Request Bass School Graduate Program Information

Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology The University of Texas at Dallas, JO31 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021

Request More Information

Contact Email

We have received your request for more information, and thank you for your interest! We are excited to get to know you and for you to explore UT Dallas. You’ll begin receiving emails and information about our beautiful campus, excellent academic programs and admission processes. If you have any questions, email  [email protected].

The University of Texas at Dallas respects your right to privacy . By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails and calls from a representative of the University.

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Creative Writing

How do you tell your story? Develop your voice – one word, one memory at a time – with the creative writing courses offered through community education.

With a variety of course options available to you in creative writing, you can ex​pand your knowledge and practice in your specific areas of interest, including:

• examining different writing styles
• developing your literary voice
• using enriched language, like metaphors and similes
• exploring techniques for overcoming writers block
• self-publishing and book signing best practices

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Creative Writing

Creative writing at SMU allows you to practice the arts of writing poetry and fiction under the guidance of widely published writers. In the workshop atmosphere of their classes, you will learn to craft your writing in ways that will pay off whether you intend to write novels or run a country. Those who earn the English major with a creative writing emphasis will add broad knowledge of literature and the skills of analytic writing and research to their own writing. Although our central purpose is to produce confident, articulate, and imaginative writers who will take their places in the world, our graduates include many publishing writers whose work has appeared in a wide range of literary and professional venues.

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Did you know

Dedman College has an active alumni network with over 10,000 alumni in Dallas County and over 36,000 worldwide.

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Featured story slideshow, master of fine arts in creative writing & poetics.

Image: LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs performing the opening keynote at the 2019 Fall Convergence

UW Bothell: Where Writers and Artists Converge

Find your voice as a writer while inquiring into the social, cultural and technological aspects of writing. How is writing an ethical, political and aesthetic endeavor?

Our students experiment across genres and are encouraged to extend their practice beyond the page, drawing upon media, art and performance.

Our unique curriculum includes workshops, seminars and opportunities to participate in readings, conferences and festivals.

Earn your degree with flexible evening classes designed for working professionals. Join a creative community and gain valuable skills for a vibrant writing career.

Learn more about our program below.

Explore the UW Difference

Designed for.

Writers who want to join a supportive community of literary peers and gain the credentials to work in diverse industries or teach at the college level

Program Highlights

• Experimental writing, hybrid forms and performance
• Critical thinking about contemporary literature and art
• Exploration across genres and media
• Hands-on collaboration with faculty
• Visiting writers and artists
• Connection with Seattle’s thriving literary community

Degree You'll Earn

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing & Poetics

Program Length

2 years / 6 quarters

When Classes Meet

Evenings; part-time and full-time options available

Autumn 2024 Application Deadline

February 1, 2024

Our Faculty

Anida Yoeu Ali

Senior Artist-in-Residence

Investigates the artistic, spiritual and political collisions of a hybrid transnational identity

Amaranth Borsuk

MFA Program Director Associate Professor

Works at the intersection of print and digital media

Naomi Macalalad Bragin

Associate Professor

Dancer, writer and performance ethnographer

Ching-In Chen

Assistant Professor

Hybrid writer, community organizer and performer

Jeanne Heuving

Founding Director

Teaches classes in creative writing and poetics, literature and cultural studies

Ted Hiebert

Seattle-based interdisciplinary artist and theorist

Joe Milutis

Writer and media artist

Outcomes Worth the Investment

Alumni accomplishments.

MFA alumni go on to publish their work, found literary journals and small presses, study in doctoral programs and build literary communities in Seattle and beyond. Here are some recent stories:

• MFA's Talena Lachelle Queen’s new exhibit at Paterson Museum
• MFA alumni Amy Hirayama and Emily Mundy teach workshops in somatic exploration
• MFA alum Troy Landrum Jr. selected as Wa Na Wari Fellow

Average annual salary for writers and authors in Washington state in 2022

Projected annual job growth for writers and authors in Washington state (2020–30), which is much faster-than-average job growth

* Source: O*Net Online

“ Having other people come from an experimental poetry section, which I didn’t even know was a thing. And then also Filipino mythology and folklore, and people who are brilliant poets who use sound poetry — how the words sound and feel in your mouth as opposed to how they look on the page. Experiencing all these different artistic approaches was phenomenal. It was absolutely worth every second I could spend in class to learn .”

TERRELL FOX

Creative Writer, Editor, Mediator and Leader Alumnus, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing & Poetics

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• Tanya Robertson

Notable: Tanya Robertson

The Associate for Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) has selected Tanya Robertson (English) for the Season 20 Writer to Writer Mentorship Program. AWP's mentorship program, Writer to Writer, matches emerging writers with published authors to work toward the mentees' writing goals. Season 20 of Writer to Writer runs May 6 through July 26, 2024. AWP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides support, advocacy, resources, and community to writers, college and university creative writing programs, and writing organizations. Our mission is to amplify the voices of writers and the academic programs and organizations that serve them while championing diversity and excellence in creative writing.

Campus Units:

People in the news.

UNLV Congratulates Outstanding Spring 2024 Graduates

President Keith E. Whitfield honors six graduates who have shown exemplary commitment to both the community and their studies.

Pioneering Professor Russell T. Hurlburt Receives Distinguished Nevadan Award

The longtime psychologist opens up about groundbreaking research on inner experience and why the award was a surprise.

The Interview: Rosalyn Jimenez

The pre-professional senior advisor helps students 'shop' for the experiences they need to become the person they want to be.

This degree is approved for distance education by the WSCUC.

Bachelor of Arts in English

Program planners for each option are available on the Department website or in the Department office. Students should consult with Department faculty advisors when choosing a program in English and regularly as they progress towards their degrees.

The Department of English can refer students to one of the coordinating faculty advisors. Regular office hours for all English faculty are posted near the Department office, and information sheets are available detailing which faculty members regularly advise for specific options.

ENGL 100B   , a general education foundation course, is not part of any English option. Some options permit or require courses from other departments; if approved by a faculty advisor, options may also include other courses outside English. Because some courses meet requirements in several options, students can often change options with no significant loss of credit towards the required total; students also regularly double major in two options in English.

In addition to the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in English, English majors must meet the following requirements for University graduation:

• Each lower division course counted towards the English major must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. A course in which a grade lower than a “C” is received must be retaken and successfully completed prior to enrolling in any course for which it is a prerequisite.
• ENGL 380   , required of all English majors, must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. If a grade lower than a “C” is received, ENGL 380    must be retaken and successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better prior to enrolling in any course for which it is a prerequisite.

Option in Creative Writing

(120 units)

The Creative Writing option is designed for students who wish to write as well as study fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction. Exposure to traditional and recent literature is essential for anyone seeking to master the forms and conventions of writing creatively for the literary marketplace.

This option consists of 45 units, 31 of which must be taken in the upper division, including the following:

Lower Division:

Take all of the following (11 units total):.

• ENGL 180 - Appreciation of Literature (3 units)
• ENGL 250A - Survey of English Literature (4 units)
• ENGL 250B - Survey of English Literature (4 units)
• ENGL 270A - Survey of American Literature (4 units)
• ENGL 270B - Survey of American Literature (4 units)

Take one of the following:

• ENGL 204 - Introduction to Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction (3 units)
• ENGL 205 - Introduction to Creative Writing: Fiction (3 units)
• ENGL 206 - Introduction to Creative Writing: Poetry (3 units)

Upper Division:

Take one of the following courses (3 units):.

• ENGL 304 - Intermediate Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction (3 units)
• ENGL 305 - Intermediate Creative Writing: Fiction (3 units)
• ENGL 306 - Intermediate Creative Writing: Poetry (3 units)
• ENGL 307 - Intermediate Creative Writing: The Novel (3 units)

Take the following:

• ENGL 380 - Approaches to English Studies (4 units)

Take nine units from the following:

• ENGL 404 - Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction (3 units)
• ENGL 405 - Creative Writing: Short Story (3 units)
• ENGL 406 - Creative Writing: Poetry (3 units)
• ENGL 407 - Creative Writing: Novel (3 units)
• ENGL 499 - Directed Studies (1-3 units)

Take three of the following classes in recent literature, literary genres, major writers, and literary criticism:

• ENGL 340 - American Indian Literature (3 units)
• ENGL 370 - Chicana/o and Latina/o Literature (3 units)
• ENGL 385 - The Short Story (3 units)
• ENGL 386 - Poetry (3 units)
• ENGL 459 - English Literature of the Twentieth Century (1900‑Present) (3 units)
• ENGL 460 - Anglophone Postcolonial Literature (3 units)
• ENGL 466 - Irish Literature in English (3 units)
• ENGL 467A - The English Novel (3 units)
• ENGL 467B - The English Novel (3 units)
• ENGL 469 - Selected Topics - Major English Writers (4 units)
• ENGL 470 - American Ethnic Literatures (3 units)
• ENGL 474 - Twentieth-Century American Literature (3 units)
• ENGL 475 - The American Short Story (3 units)
• ENGL 476A - American Poetry (3 units)
• ENGL 476B - American Poetry (3 units)
• ENGL 477A - The American Novel (3 units)
• ENGL 477B - The American Novel (3 units)
• ENGL 478 - American Drama (3 units)
• ENGL 479 - Selected Topics - Major American Writers (4 units)

Take electives to make up a total of 45 units chosen from the classes listed above and/or any upper-division English courses.

College of Arts & Sciences

Congratulations to the 2024 Creative Writing Awards Finalists!

Posted in Announcement  |  Tagged Award , Department of English , News

Students, faculty, and staff gathered on April 30, 2024 in Copley Formal Lounge to celebrate our Creative Writing Awards finalists. We’d like to share their names here as well as feature the digital publication, New Points North 2024 , their prize-winning works!

2024 Creative Writing Award Winners

Bernard M. Wagner Medal 

Winner: Genevieve Jobson for “Sunday”

Runners Up:

Caroline Chou for “elegy for a neon rooftop”

Alison Karki for “Language Lessons from my Grandmother”

Annabelle Bonner Medal 

Winner: Josephine Wu for “Shark Body”

Honorable Mentions:

Cassandra Leahy for “The Jonathans”

Ollie Shirley for “My Brothers Keeper”

Lynch Pendergast Medal

Winner: Maya Kominsky for “History Repeating”

Second Place: Kirit Minhas for “Contrasting Derivations of Sovereignty”

Ora Mary Pelham Poetry Prize  

Winner:  Clayton Kincade for “A Sonnet to my Scottish Forefathers”, in “Other boys”

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Creative Writing

CRWT 2301 ( ENGL 2307 ) Introduction to Creative Writing (3 semester credit hours) An introduction to writing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction in a workshop setting. Prerequisite: RHET 1302 . (3-0) S

CRWT 3306 Fiction Workshop (3 semester credit hours) The practice and study of fiction writing in a workshop setting. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 2301 . (3-0) S

CRWT 3308 Nonfiction Workshop (3 semester credit hours) The practice and study of nonfiction writing in a workshop setting. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 2301 . (3-0) T

CRWT 3330 Translation Workshop (3 semester credit hours) The practice and study of literary translation in a workshop setting. Emphasis is on the translation of literary texts into English. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). (3-0) S

CRWT 3351 Poetry Workshop (3 semester credit hours) The practice and study of poetry writing in a workshop setting. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 2301 . (3-0) Y

CRWT 3354 Screenwriting Workshop (3 semester credit hours) The practice and study of writing scripts for film and television. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). (3-0) S

CRWT 3355 Comics Workshop (3 semester credit hours) The practice and study of graphic literature in a workshop setting. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 2301 . (3-0) R

CRWT 4307 Advanced Fiction Workshop (3 semester credit hours) An advanced workshop on fiction writing. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 3306 . (3-0) T

CRWT 4309 Advanced Nonfiction Workshop (3 semester credit hours) An advanced workshop on nonfiction writing.May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 3308 . (3-0) R

CRWT 4353 Advanced Poetry Workshop (3 semester credit hours) An advanced workshop on poetry writing. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 3351 . (3-0) R

CRWT 4355 Advanced Screenwriting Workshop (3 semester credit hours) An advanced workshop on writing scripts for film and/or television. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisite: CRWT 3354 . (3-0) Y

CRWT 4370 Advanced Topics in Creative Writing (3 semester credit hours) May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisites: ( CRWT 2301 and 3 semester credit hours from the following: CRWT 3306 , CRWT 3308 , CRWT 3330 , CRWT 3351 , CRWT 3354 , CRWT 3355 ) or instructor consent required. (3-0) R

CRWT 4V71 Independent Study in Creative Writing (1-3 semester credit hours) Independent study under a faculty member's direction. Signature of instructor and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies on proposed project outline required. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisites: Upper-division standing and instructor consent required. ([1-3]-0) R

Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies

College of humanities, main navigation, excellence in writing | 2024 winners.

Kathrine Dykes | Best Paper in WRTG 1010 | "Narcissistic Personality Disorder: A Romanticized Death of the Human Soul"

I am a pre-computer science major hoping to pursue a career in software development—assuming I survive all the math required to graduate. Beyond my academic pursuits, I am the chaos coordinator of my three young children and an incredibly spirited Texas heeler dog. In my spare time, I enjoy writing, making handcrafted soap, and coding. 

When Professor Fochs gave us the assignment to write about a real-world or mythological monster, I was excited to explore and discuss society's role in perpetuating cycles of psychological violence, particularly focusing on narcissistic abuse and the devastating and lifelong implications it has on victims. The realities of narcissistic abuse are widely misunderstood, and broken systems often fail to protect victims, refusing to acknowledge the depth and complexities of emotional violence. 

My paper aims to examine some of these issues with the hope that my research and perspectives will provide clarity and validation for someone affected by emotional abuse as they attempt to navigate and recover from their traumatic experiences. Read her paper here

Lochlan Rockwood | Best Paper in WRTG 2010 | "The Magic of Miyazaki: Animating a Climate Conscious Generation"

Hello! My name is Lochlan Rockwood, and I was born and raised here in Salt Lake City, Utah. This city is a place that ignited my love for the outdoors with its stunning mountains and ski slopes. I’m a Computer Science major here at the University of Utah, where I blend my tech skills with my passion for nature. This drives my projects and aspirations to innovate for environmental sustainability. Winning this award is a humbling affirmation of my work. I’m grateful for the recognition and excited about future contributions at the intersection of technology, media, and the environment.

Jacqueline Huynh | Writing Within the Disciplines | "Recommendation Report: Nike and Environmental Sustainability"

Hi, my name is Jacqueline Huynh. I am currently a predental student at the U of U majoring in Information Systems and minoring in Chemistry.  

The piece I wrote is an analysis of environmental sustainability within the fashion world, particularly Nike. I am passionate about fashion, but I recognize the environmental impact it can have, and I believe it's crucial for companies like Nike to adopt more sustainable practices. Through my analysis, I discussed the current state of sustainability within Nike and proposed potential solutions for improvement.

I will be graduating with my degree in IS in 2025 and hopefully attending dental school soon after. Read her paper here

Mia Bailey | Critical and Rhetorical Theories | "Not to Be Spoken: An Essay on Feminist Rhetoric & Gendered Space"

Mia Bailey is a non-traditional student Major in Writing & Rhetoric Studies. She is interested in marginalized communities, particularly women, and how throughout history the most marginalized groups attempt to subvert power in unexpected ways.

Her paper Not To Be Spoken – Feminist Rhetoric and Gendered Space in Ancient Athens is an attempt to consider how the voices of women in Ancient Greece can reveal themselves in the settings, landscapes, and speeches of ancient texts. It is often difficult for historians to trace the influence of marginalized groups, because those voices are not preserved in the historical record. If we wish to understand how those without political power interacted in ancient societies, we need to look deeper in the ways gendered space was utilized to represent the feminine. Marginalized voices can also reveal themselves in how those with power appropriate the voices of the others in order to persuade and influences others.

My biggest goal for my education is to become the best writer and researcher I possibly can, in order to use my pen as a sword — and provide an outlet for the voices for those largely forgotten in history. I’m extremely interested in the voices of women in the American West, and their lost contributions to the historical record. Read her paper here

Emily Brown | Writing as a Social Practice/Rhetorical Action | "Symposium: Students Guiding Pathways"

Emily Brown is a Writing & Rhetoric Studies major at the U with an interest in public communications. In 2021, Emily served on the SLCC Student Senate where she focused on resource connection for students. Her piece expresses concerns on the Guided Pathways model both through her experience as a student and senator.

Emily Brown coauthored the winning project with Priscilla Hansen, Laura Burnham, Yazmin Zarate, Aloyious Soranno, Trey Sanders, and Katie Henderson. This piece will be published in the journal Teaching English in the Two-Year College  and will be available to read in the near future. Stay tuned!

Priscilla Hansen | Writing as a Social Practice/Rhetorical Action | "Symposium: Students Guiding Pathways"

• My course of studies are Economics and WRS
• I chose my topic for the paper based on my personal experiences at SLCC and wanted to highlight the positive experiences I had as a student at SLCC due to Guided Pathways

My goal for my education is to complete my bachelor's with at least a 3.5 GPA.  As a former foster kid, I hope to empower the underprivileged in writing and help those that don't understand, have an understanding of our economic systems and how they can use them to help themselves. 

Laura Burnham | Writing as a Social Practice/Rhetorical Action | "Symposium: Students Guiding Pathways"

Laura Burnham graduated in December of 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Writing and Rhetoric Studies. She was part of the Writing Studies Scholars program and worked as a peer mentor. In 2023, she joined the undergraduate research team looking at the Guided Pathways Program implemented in many community colleges nationwide. She chose to join this team because she attended SLCC while the school was using Guided Pathways and wanted to assess the program.

Yazmin Zarate | Writing as a Social Practice/Rhetorical Action | "Symposium: Students Guiding Pathways"

I am Yazmin Zarate, and I started to take classes in 2018 at Salt Lake Community College with the goal of completing my general education and transferring to the U. After taking WRTG 3030 and WRTG 3020 in the summer, I decided to major in writing rhetoric studies. I graduated in Spring 2022 with my General Studies AA and I graduated this Summer 2023 at the University of Utah.

My name is Aloyious Soranno and I am a senior majoring in Writing and Rhetoric with a minor in Media Studies. 

My essay in the symposium tackles the issue of college readiness. The CCRC indicates that many students require developmental education courses, which don't count towards their degree. While shortening these courses may improve completion rates, simply eliminating them without alternatives isn't effective. Programs like ASAP at CUNY offer support and institutional credits, showing promise in improving student outcomes. I have seen from my own personal experiences how remedial coursework can be beneficial, but alternatives like co-requisite programs may offer even better results.

As a student who took remedial courses my first year of college, I see the benefits of keeping such courses around. 

As I enter my final semester as an undergraduate, I wonder what will be next for me. I have longed for a position within a marketing team somewhere. Although that is still my goal, I am faced with the possibility of continuing my education in grad school. Of course, that is always a possibility but one that, until recently, I haven't given much thought about. I am excited and anxious for this next chapter. 

My name is Trey Sanders. I am 36 years old. I love long walks in Memorial Park with my fiancé Lindsay, and our dog Sweetie. When I’m not studying, I’m playing video games with my friends, and playing basketball whenever I can make the time for it. I’ve been a non-traditional student for 7 years, and I will be graduating this summer; walking next spring. Thank you to Christie for being such a great mentor and for nominating our group for this award. Without her guidance this project wouldn't have turned out the way it did. And to the team, Priscilla, Al, Emily, Laura, Yazmin, and Katie, you were all so great to work with and I loved reading about your own experiences on this journey.

Katie Henderson | Writing as a Social Practice/Rhetorical Action | "Symposium: Students Guiding Pathways"

Katie Henderson is a senior attending school part-time at the University of Utah where she is dual-majoring in Anthropology and Writing & Rhetoric. She is also a wife, a mom, and a twenty-year veteran of the mortgage industry. She’s interested in human history, behavior, and ecology, and how research in these areas might be leveraged to facilitate responsible and ethical interactions amongst humans, and between humans and the planet. After graduating, she hopes to use her education and work experience to contribute to a more sustainable and humane human experience through research, public outreach, and social activism.

Chris Moore is pursuing a BS Political Science and BS Philosophy 

My video essay, titled Contemporary Warfare: Losing the Human, is an exploration of the convergence between postmodern theory and contemporary warfare. I wanted to hone some of the topics I learned in not only Max Werner’s 3019 class, for which this essay was submitted for as an assignment, but other ones as well. It's not a particularly comprehensive video essay given the time constraints imposed but I was nonetheless happy to at least discuss the salient parts of an issue I scantly encounter. And especially have it recognized considering I chose this class purely out of interest, with no attachment or obligations to academic requirements.

I hope to graduate at the end of next spring and if possible next fall with a double major. With that said, I am largely unsure where I want my education to lead me. I have always hoped of graduate school, wanting to pursue further higher education, but at this moment this is a mere consideration. Listen to his piece here

As a 40-something, my challenges with the academy as a non-traditional first-generation student have looked a little different than those typically associated with the undergraduate experience, and that's with the cushion of privilege. My paper is an autoenthnography exploring the hurdles I've experienced as a child of generational poverty getting a later start in higher education than the system is built for - despite an increase across the country of students like me. I'm currently a student of the Honors College pursuing degrees in English and Writing & Rhetoric Studies. I intend to work towards my master's and ultimately be the first in my family to hold a PhD. I hope to use my education at the U, my background in reading intervention, and experience with students from historically marginalized communities to inform me as an educator at the secondary and collegiate levels. Read her paper here

I'm a graduate student at the U's environmental humanities program. My research and creative interests revolve around ecological ethics and its cultivation via entertainment media and play.

I'm grateful to the environmental humanities program and Elizabeth Calloway (English) and Brett Clark (Sociology) for illuminating the linkages between ecological ethics and basketball and how it can be studied and communicated. Professor Clark introduced me to Ross Gay's narratives on the nonpossessive citationality of basketball, and Professor Calloway instructed me in using ethnography and historical analysis to investigate its ecological merits.

Nicole Clawson won the Excellence in Writing Award for best Conference Paper or Publication for her Tanner Humanities Fellowship Work-in-Progress talk, "'We’re Just People. We’re Not These Crazy Guys with Guns': Rhetorical Narratives and Officer Identity Performance."

Her dissertation, "Flexible Identity and Ideology: Rhetorical Narratives of Rural Law Enforcement Officers," was successfully defended in February. She will join Brigham Young University's English faculty as a visiting professor in the fall.  Read her paper here

Lisa Harris is a second-year Phd student in Writing and Rhetoric Studies. She is the current Graduate Assistant Writing Program Administrator. Her scholarly interests include Feminist Rhetorics, Narrative and Identity, Writing Emergencies, and Graduate Student Instructors. This conference paper originally began in Dr. Jenny Andrus's Ancient Rhetoric class. Lisa will be presenting it this May at the RSA conference in Denver. 

Read her paper here

Dr. Jonathan W. Stone is an Associate Professor of Writing & Rhetoric Studies at the University of Utah and the current Director of First-year Writing. He teaches classes on rhetorical theory and history—from ancient to contemporary contexts and across rhetoric’s multiple modes. Dr. Stone’s current research is focused on the ongoing impact of the persisting mythos of the American West on contemporary and historical efforts at environmental protections, indigenous sovereignty, and racial justice. Dr. Stone is also engaged in work that theorizes the rhetorical affordances of sound. He has published work on recorded sound’s influence in historical, cultural, and vernacular contexts, usually as folksongs, but also as popular music, religious podcasts, and radio programs.

Dr. Stone’s NEH supported book,  Listening to the Lomax Archive  was published in 2021 by the University of Michigan Press. The book investigates the careers of John A. Lomax and his son Alan during the Great Depression with focus on field recordings made for and stored by the Library of Congress's archive at the American Folklife Center.

For the past four years, I have studied English Teaching with a minor in Special Education. After my upcoming graduation, I plan to complete my Master's of Education at the University of Washington and continue on to my English teaching career!

Tiffany Buckingham Barney has been teaching as a graduate assistant for the WRS department for two years. She’s taught Intermediate Writing (2010) and Scientific Writing (3014), and will be teaching Introduction to Academic Writing (1010) in the fall. She’s taught face-to-face and hybrid, and will soon be adjusting a course to an online format for the department.

Tiffany’s goals for the future include writing a dissertation on the topic of computerized writing assessment, graduating with a PhD from the WRS department, working in higher education administration and/or the education tech industry, and becoming a professor.

Tiffany enjoys learning, teaching, and laughing at her own jokes. Her family often tells her that the only thing funny about her jokes is that she thinks they’re funny.

Catherine Goodman has taught writing courses at the U since 2015, beginning with Intermediate Writing and later expanding to Business Writing and Scientific Writing. She has also taught Business Plans/Proposals, as well as Advanced Writing for the U’s Department of Social Work. Catherine created an online Writing Workshop for the David Eccles School of Business MBA Program and also facilitated a 6-week Creative Writing Workshop in the Utah State Prison as part of the Utah Prison Education Project. 

A Utah native, Catherine received her Master of Arts Degree in British & American Literature from the University of Utah and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from Utah State University.  She lives just outside the Salt Lake Valley and loves to read, foster rescue dogs, and roam the trails. She also enjoys writing poetry and would love to write a novel someday! 

Congratulations to all!

• 7 Inspiring Climate Change Solutions
• Avian Influenza Status Update
• Karrigan’ Börk’s Award-Winning Water Rights Solution

Creative Writing a Gateway to Creative Climate Solutions

How poetry and art are crucial in the climate crisis .

• by Malia Reiss
• May 06, 2024

“Raging Floods.” “Climate Migrants.” “Coral Reefs Gone.” These are the kinds of stories spanning today’s headlines. As temperatures are rising globally, morale is steadily sinking. 

New solutions are needed to combat this crisis, environmentally and emotionally. UC Davis creative writing master’s students and professors say that creative storytelling and art may be the keys to helping the world process these changes, and that collaborations with scientists can give rise to new, innovative solutions.

“Art and poetry are going to play a pivotal role in adapting human behavior to these new circumstances that are vastly different from anything we’ve known,” said poetry master’s student Trevor Bashaw . 

Imagining a better (or worse) future 

Free of limitations, art is a portal to reimagine the world.

In 2020, UC Davis English professor Michael Ziser and geology professor Nicholas Pinter took graduate students on a white water rafting trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. They also invited two famous science fiction writers, Paolo Bacigalupi and Kim Stanley Robinson , both of whom write about a climate-apocalyptic world. 

“The advantage science fiction writers have is that they have license to completely reimagine things,” said Ziser. “They can just pose a solution and think about how it may work out. It encourages people to imagine, what world do they prefer to be a part of?” 

The authors and students entered the Grand Canyon on March 10, 2020. They emerged two weeks later to a world shut down amid a global pandemic. The merging of science and science fiction felt all too relevant.

Bacigalupi’s thriller novel, The Water Knife , tells a dark, futuristic story where the Southwestern U.S. is engaged in a violent war for water. Bacigalupi attended the Grand Canyon trip with graduate students studying the same river system he wrote about drying up. 

Robinson's novels also explore what the future may look like under continued corruption and failure to address world crises like climate change. On the trip, students read Robinson's Pacific Edge, part of his series depicting the future of California. 

By inviting these authors, Pinter and Ziser hoped to encourage the merging of art and science and to give graduate student scientists a new way of looking at the future of their study systems. 

“Any channel by which we can get more people from different walks of life to be thinking about these problems, the better,” said Ziser. “These problems require our coordinated response as a civilization.” 

Collaborations between scientists and artists can generate solutions that one party may not have been able to accomplish on its own. 

“Everyone is being asked to hyperspecialize, and I think that age is over,” said Ziser. “We need to keep a multi-pronged approach to understanding the world.” 

To poetry master’s student Bashaw, the divide between art and science isn’t clean cut, and separating the two can limit progress.

“The sciences and the arts have a lot to learn from each other, in terms of knowledge bases and methodologies,” said Bashaw. “The writer’s workshop is a lot more similar to a lab than people may realize; a lot of scientific discoveries were made through creative accidents; and art is pushed forward by technological advances.”  

With collaborations like these, new ways of thinking can emerge. Art can be a limitless tool toward furthering scientific discovery. 

“Everything is trapped by its genre. But when we try to imagine something radically different, we create something bigger,” said Pinter. 

Where processing has a place 

For creative solutions to be acted upon, policymakers, scientists, and the public need to reach common ground. UC Davis creative writing master’s students contend that art and writing not only generate innovative solutions, but also open gateways to these solutions. 

“With climate change, there’s a lot of grieving that we need to do as a community,” said Bashaw. “I don’t think we have even emotionally accepted it’s occurring.” 

Bashaw thinks that only when humanity can process the climate crises can the world come together to carry out solutions. To them, art is where processing has a place.

“In art and poetry, there can be more room for love and feeling and all of these things that make us human,” said Bashaw.

In their own writing, Bashaw draws parallels between processing the queer experience and processing the climate crisis. They describe their writing as “queer eco-poetics,” which focuses on how individuals relate to nature and constructed  environments. 

“Poetry can transform what feels scary into all kinds of different things and bring a sense of peace,” said Bashaw. “I want people to feel seen without shame.  I think of my writing as home-making and finding peace within place.” 

Connie Pearson, a creative nonfiction master’s student at UC Davis, also believes that art can bring to life the human emotional experience within major world crises.

“It’s a real sweet spot: seeing what’s going on, combined with how somebody is processing,” said Pearson. 

Pearson’s work comprises personal essays centered around her experiences being an animal activist. By diving into her vulnerable and personal experience, she hopes to humanize the activism she’s been part of since 1980. 

“Vulnerability is so crucial in writing,” said Pearson. “I connect so much more to pieces written from the personal lens.” 

Processing and healing 

Climate change is a global phenomenon, and will require everyone working together to reach a solution. This is a daunting task, but with solutions posed by both scientists and artists together, and with a shift in mindset, the future could heal. 

“Art allows you to sit with the unknown and ambiguity in a way that’s not paralyzing, but exciting,” said Bashaw. “We need to help people process and confront this looming phenomenon.”

Malia Reiss is a science news intern with UC Davis Strategic Communications. She studies environmental science and management at UC Davis.

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Kat Kerlin, UC Davis News and Media Relations, 530-750-9195, [email protected] 

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Office of the Vice President for Research

Ahi supports creative endeavors from six faculty members.

From bringing veterans’ experiences to the stage with the help of augmented reality to exploring the art of Indian printmaking, six University of Iowa faculty members will cultivate a wide range of scholarly and creative projects with the support of the Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI).   

The Office of the Vice President for Research backs AHI, a competitive, internally reviewed grant program that supports scholars in the humanities or creative, visual, and performing arts. The program provides up to $7,500 for a standard grant, $10,000 for a major conference, and $30,000 for a major project grant.

“These projects highlight the role of the arts and humanities in understanding our own inner worlds and the past and present issues of the world we share,” said Kristy Nabhan-Warren, associate vice president for research, professor and V.O. and Elizabeth Kahl Figge Chair of Catholic Studies. “We are excited to see these faculty bring their visions to wider audiences with the support of AHI funds.”

The spring 2024 winners are:

Major Project Grants

Mary beth easley, associate professor, theatre arts, college of liberal arts and sciences (clas) aratorio for the mis_remembered: an immersive ar/vr musico-theatre work.

Easley is collaborating with theatre arts lecturer Mark Bruckner, recent MFA graduate and freelance designer Kalen Novak, and MFA playwriting alumnus and freelance librettist Sandy Dietrick to create ARatorio for the Mis_Remembered. ARatorio  is a live musico-theatre work that will merge historical practices of documentary theatre with augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies to create an immersive memorial to the stories of staff and student veterans. Drawing on interviews conducted in collaboration with the university’s Iowa Veterans Education and Transition Office (IVETS), the project aims to engage audiences in the stories of these soldiers, capturing their experiences and memories of service in a far more nuanced and arresting way than the combat stories portrayed in mainstream media. The AHI award will support the final phase of the project, culminating in a public, multimedia performance in summer 2025. The performance will include   live streaming and VR headsets.

Anita Jung, professor, art and art history, CLAS Video Project for the Waswo Collection of Indian Printmaking 

Jung will create a feature-length video to contextualize the Waswo Collection of Modern and Contemporary Indian Printmaking housed at the Stanley Museum of Art . The Waswo Collection comprises over 300 prints by 100 artists and is paramount to preserving India’s fine art printmaking heritage. Jung will collaborate with videographer Pooja Usha and independent art and culture manager Amit Kumar Jain to incorporate more than 60 interviews with living artists featured in the collection, some of which Jung conducted during a Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Award in 2022. In 2025, the team will spend two months in India, conducting 10 to 15 additional artist interviews and visiting government-run studios across the country. The documentary will accompany an exhibition at the Stanley and will be housed by the Iowa Digital Library.

Standard Grants

Sarah bond, associate professor, history, clas pasts imperfect: writing and publishing for the public.

Bond is collaborating with Melissa Febos, professor of English; Tom Keegan, head of the UI Libaries’ Digital Scholarship and Publishing Studio; Lauren Lessing, Stanley Museum of Art director; Christopher Merrill, director of the International Writing Program; and Jen Teitle, assistant dean in the Graduate College to host a public panel and workshop at the Stanley Museum of Art on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The event will explore how academics can write for the public from pitch to publication, taking an interdisciplinary approach to developing, publishing, and amplifying the writing of scholars and graduate students, especially those from historically marginalized and diverse backgrounds. Derek (DK) Nnuro, author and curator of special project at the Stanley, will moderate a panel discussion featuring Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief at Hyperallergic; Stephanie Wong, editor and writer at the University of Michigan Alumni Magazine and a PhD candidate in history at Brown University; and Jennifer Banks, senior executive editor for religion and the humanities at Yale University Press. The event will be recorded as part of a larger public writing forum and toolbox website helping scholars here at Iowa and beyond to write and publish public-facing work that meets the public where they are, and then introduces the populace to the work done within the academy. The departments of History and Classics are also sponsoring the event.

Horacio Castellanos Moya, associate professor, Spanish and Portuguese, CLAS Revisiting Exile

Castellanos Moya will address the long periods of his life spent living in exile through a non-fiction project. After receiving death threats in his native El Salvador for his controversial novel Revulsion, Thomas Bernhard in San Salvador , Castellanos Moya left the country and lived in Madrid, Mexico City, Guatemala City, and Frankfurt from 1997 to 2006. In 2023, Castellanos Moya settled permanently in the US. He will revisit the four cities in which he stayed, comparing the past and present not only of his worldview and personal circumstances, but also the cultural and political environs of each city. The author of 13 novels and three collections of essays, Castellanos Moya will blend memoir, travel literature, and essay in his first autobiographical book.

Matthew Hill, associate professor, anthropology, CLAS A World Teeming with Dogs: Dogs at the Intersection of White Colonizers, Enslaved Africans, and Native Americans in Colonial Virginia

Hill will explore human-animal relationships and the influence of human social structures by studying the archaeological remains of 40 dogs from seven sites occupied by white landowners and enslaved people in colonial-era Virginia. From the 17 th to 19 th century, white Europeans, European Americans, native North Americans, and enslaved African people in Virginia lived in close geographic proximity but were separated by race, class, and culture. Numerous dogs lived among these distinct communities and were imagined to be separated along the same boundaries as their human companions. Hill will analyze genetics, dietary isotopes and bone size and shape to determine whether dogs from White European American and enslaved African communities mated with each other, ate different foods, were of different sizes and shapes, and had different life histories.

Johanna Kasimow, assistant professor, theatre arts, CLAS The Grüb: A new performance work that probes sensations of hiding and rhythms of survival

Kasimow is the instigator, director, and co-writer of The Grüb, an experimental, semi-autobiographical play created in collaboration with Eva Steinmetz and Alex Tatarsky, and designer Maiko Matsushima. The piece probes sensations of hiding and rhythms of survival across generations, drawing on the experience of Kasimow’s father, who, as a young boy, spent nearly two years hiding with his family from the Nazis in a pitch-black hole underneath a barn outside Vilnius, Lithuania. The family called it the “grüb”—Yiddish for “grave.” The piece is a theatrical diptych, split between a woman’s apartment and an underground pit, and draws on multiple theatrical traditions, including clown, melodrama, grotesque, and hyper-realism. Kasimow hopes to premiere the piece in 2026 or 2027.