The College of Liberal Arts offers two interdisciplinary studies programs leading toward the master's degree. These programs are the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) and the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA).

110 Worrell Hall

Phone: (915) 747-6264

E-mail: mais@utep.edu

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Gail Mortimer

The MAIS program is designed for individuals who, having completed a baccalaureate program or professional degree program at an accredited college or university, wish to expand their knowledge in areas outside of their previous training or present profession. To this end, each student will participate in the design of a plan of study consisting of courses offered by a variety of departments and including core seminars designed specifically for students in the program.

1. A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the United States (or proof of

equivalent training in a foreign institution)

2. A satisfactory grade point average (GPA) in upper-division (junior and senior level)

1. Thirty-nine semester hours of course work, no more than nine of which may be in a

single disciplinary area, and of which no more than nine may be outside of the College

of Liberal Arts. Exceptions to the nine-hour limitations may be made under unusual

circumstances. Exceptions must be approved by the MAIS Advisory Committee and

by the Graduate School.

2. A minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate-level courses; the remaining nine hours

may be selected from among graduate-level courses and/or upper-division

undergraduate courses, if approved for graduate credit.

3. A minimum of six semester hours of course work from among the MAIS core

seminars.

 

4. Successful completion of MAIS 5393 Final Project. The Final Project will be

submitted to the committee conducting the student's final oral examination. Upon

successful completion of the final examination, 2 copies of the Final Project will be

bound and submitted to the Graduate School.

5. Successful completion of the final oral examination and approval of the Graduate

112 Worrell Hall

Phone: (915) 747-5529

E-mail: lullman@utep.edu

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Leslie Ullman

The MFA with Major in Creative Writing is a program designed to provide the highest professional preparation and training to individuals who wish to pursue careers in writing or the teaching of writing. The program is interdepartmental. Students may choose to take creative writing and literature courses in English, Spanish, or a combination of the two languages. An additional concentration focuses on the literature and culture of the US-Mexico border. This concentration requires bilingual creative writing and literature and includes courses from other disciplines as well. The MFA curriculum, in both the literature and border culture concentrations, culminates in the writing of a book length manuscript of original poetry or fiction (thesis).

All applicants must meet the General Requirements listed under the Policies and Procedures section of this Graduate Studies catalog. Other specific requirements of the MFA program are as follows:

1. Minimum of 500 on verbal and 500 on the analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other evidence of ability to complete graduate-level work

3. 3. A writing sample (10 poems or 20-30 pages of fiction)

4. A Statement of Purpose, not to exceed three pages

Forty-eight (48) hours of course work, distributed as follows:

Creative writing courses 18 hours

Literature courses 18 hours

Electives 6 hours

Thesis 6 hours

1. Creative Writing Courses (18 hours) Semester Hours

ENGL or SPAN 5365 Forms and Techniques of Poetry

Six hours from

ENGL or SPAN 5366 Advanced Fiction Writing 6

ENGL or SPAN 5367 Advanced Poetry Writing

Six hours from 6

ENGL or SPAN 5368 Special Topics in Creative Writing

ENGL or SPAN 5370 Tutorial in Fiction

ENGL or SPAN 5371 Tutorial in Poetry

ENGL 5300 Introduction to Graduate Studies in English 3

or

ENGL 5320 Literary Criticism: Theory and Practice

or

SPAN 5301 Critical Approaches to Hispanic Literature

One or two courses from period survey and genre 3 or 6* courses in English,

American, and Spanish-American literature:

ENGL 5301 British Literature to 1485

ENGL 5302 British Literature 1485-1660

ENGL 5303 British Literature 1660-1832

ENGL 5304 British Literature 1832-Present

ENGL 5305 American Literature to 1860

ENGL 5306 American Literature since 1860

SPAN 5304 Hispanic Essay

SPAN 5311 Indigenous and Colonial Literature

SPAN 5314 Nineteenth Century Spanish-American Literature

SPAN 5315 Premodernist and Modernist Poetry

SPAN 5317 Postmodernist and Contemporary Poetry

SPAN 5319 Spanish-American Short Story

SPAN 5321 Twentieth Century Spanish-American Novel

One or two courses from seminars in English and 3 or 6* American Literature and

Spanish Literature:

ENGL 5351 Seminar: Studies in British Literature to 1485

ENGL 5352 Seminar: Studies in British Literature 1485-1660

ENGL 5353 Seminar: Studies in British Literature 1660-1832

ENGL 5354 Seminar: Studies in British Literature 1832-Present

ENGL 5355 Seminar: Studies in American Literature to 1860

ENGL 5356 Seminar: Studies in American Literature 1860-Present

SPAN 5332 Spanish Literature to 1500

SPAN 5333 Golden Age Drama

SPAN 5334 Golden Age Prose and Poetry

SPAN 5335 Cervantes

SPAN 5340 The Generation of 1898

SPAN 5341 Twentieth Century Spanish Literature

Analysis of literature from writer's standpoint: 3

ENGL 5327 Variable Topics in Contemporary Literature or

SPAN 5305 Literary Subgenres: Theory and Practice or

Approved Elective

4. Thesis 6

ENGL/SPAN 5399 Thesis

The thesis will consist of a book length manuscript of original fiction or poetry,

accompanied by a preface. The thesis will be prepared under the direction of a three-

member supervising committee and will be defended orally.

* Students in English may elect to take 3 hours in each of the survey and seminar blocks, and choose from the above courses plus ENGL 5325 (Genre: Theory and Practice) and ENGL 5350 (Special Topics) and/or any of the Spanish Literature courses for their remaining 6 hours.

Descriptions of all courses specified above are contained in the respective listings for the Departments of English and Languages and Linguistics.

Forty eight (48) hours of course work, distributed as follows:

Creative writing courses 18 hours

(6 hours of workshop must be in the second language)

Literature courses 15 hours

Electives 9 hours

(6 hours of literature or electives must be in the second language)

Thesis 6 hours

1. Creative Writing Courses (18 hours)

See listings under Literature concentration

2. Literature Courses (15 hours)

ENGL 5300 Introduction to Graduate Studies in English

or

ENGL 5320 Literary Criticism: Theory and Practice

or

SPAN 5301 Critical Approaches to Hispanic Literature 3

 

 

 

 

THEA 5325 Advanced Playwriting

or

SPAN 5321 20^th Century Spanish-American Novel

or

SPAN 4383 Literary Translation

or

SPAN 4317 Postmodernist and Contemporary Poetry

or

SPAN 5315 Postmodernist and Modernist Poetry 3

ENGL 5327 Special Topics in Contemporary Literature (when topic is Chicano Literature) 3

Any graduate literature seminar or survey listed in the catalogue in either the

English Department or the Languages and Linguistics Department 6

3. Core Elective Courses (9 hours)

POLS 5336 Seminar in Southwest Border Politics

POLS 6303 Seminar in Cultural, Linguistic and Political Borders

HIST 5309 Studies in Latin American History

HIST 5377 Seminar in Latin American and Border History

SOCI 5355 U.S.-Mexico Borderlands in Change

SOCI 5375 Seminar in Southwest Cultures

ART 4329 Multicultural Art in America

SPAN 5319 Spanish-American Short Story 9

or

Other electives as approved by the advisor

4. Thesis (6 hours)