Creative Writing, M.F.A.
DEPARTMENT
Department of English
Lisa Weston, Chair
Peters Business Building, Room 382
559.278.2553
FAX: 559.278.7143
www.fresnostate.edu/english/
MN in English, Minor
MA in English - Literature Option, M.A.
MA in English-Literature & Composition Theory Option, M.A.
MFA in Creative Writing, M.F.A.
BA in English - English Major Option, B.A.
MN in Creative Writing, Minor
BA in English - English Education Option, B.A.
MA in English-Rhetoric and Writing Studies Option, M.A.
CERT in Composition, Certificate of Adv. Study
CRED in Single Subject Credential - English
English is a general major or minor designed to give proficiency in skills that traditionally have been among the most highly
prized by society: an ability to read with comprehension and critical judgment; to communicate accurately and clearly both
orally and in writing; to grasp difficult ideas and think logically; to do research and organize materials; to make ethical and
moral judgments from an historical and humanistic framework; and to appreciate literature and the arts.
The core of the English major consists of four basic kinds of courses in the upper division: literary history courses, literary
genre courses, literacy seminars, and writing courses. The masterpiece courses apply to the minor and may meet General
Education requirements. The department also offers courses in mythology and folklore, methods of research, film, and
women's studies.
The Subject Matter Program for teaching credential candidates contains a number of specific prerequisites and special required
courses, some of which are outside the Department of English. For specific program requirements, consult with the credential
adviser each semester.
Please note: The Composition Theory Option has been suspended as of May 2015.
REQUIREMENTS
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Requirements
The M.F.A. in Creative Writing offers advanced degree training to talented students who wish to gain expertise in the writing
of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. It assumes that, as in music or the visual arts, the best education for the artist includes:
training in the history and traditions associated with the student's discipline, training in theoretical and formal approaches to
the craft, and extensive practice with critique of student work by peers and faculty writers. The program combines studio and
academic approaches, providing the student with substantial critical workshop experience and a solid background in theory
and literature. In addition to a traditional literature based course of study, we offer the Emphasis in Publishing and Editing for
those students who wish to gain professional training and experience in the field.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program requires: a baccalaureate degree from an accredited
institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better in the undergraduate major (foreign students must score 600 or better on the TOEFL);
three letters of recommendation from teachers, editors, or others familiar with the applicant's writing and academic skills; and
a writing sample of the student's creative work (up to 10 poems or 20 pages of prose) to be evaluated by the creative writing
admissions committee. The advanced GRE is not required.
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California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 1
Degree Requirements
In consultation with the M.F.A. adviser, each student prepares and submits a coherent program individually designed within
one of the two following frameworks:
M.F.A. in Creative Writing
ENGL 261 or 263 or 265 (16 units)
ENGL 241, 243, or 245 (8 units)
(one course in the student's focus genre and one in either of the other two genres)
ENGL 250T or 280T (12 units)
Approved electives (upper-division or graduate level courses) (12-14 units)
ENGL 299 (Thesis) (4-6 units)
Total (54 units)
Note: At least 70% (38 units) of coursework must be at graduate (200) level.
M.F.A. in Creative Writing: Emphasis in Publishing and Editing
ENGL 261 or 263 or 265 (16 units)
ENGL 241, 243, or 245 (8 units)
(one course in the student's focus genre and one in either of the other two genres)
ENGL 250T or 280T (8 units)
ENGL 286S and/or ENGL 242 (8 units)
Approved electives (upper-division or graduate level courses) (8 -10 units)
ENGL 299 (Thesis) (4-6 units)
Total (54 units)
Note: At least 70% (38 units) of coursework must be at graduate (200) level.
Specific Requirements
Thesis. The thesis for the M.F.A. in Creative Writing consists of a single book-length manuscript of fiction, a collection of
poems, or creative nonfiction that works together to make a unified body of work. The thesis committee works closely with the
student on style as well as content; it adheres to a high standard of publishable quality work. In lieu of a formal defense, the
graduating student is required to give a public reading from his or her work.
Graduate Writing Requirement. Before advancement to candidacy, the student must also satisfy the Graduate Writing Skills
Requirement. This requirement is met by submission and approval of a sample of scholarly writing. (This is distinct from the
sample of creative work required for program admission.) See English Department's Advising Booklet for more information.
Subject Examination. In addition to the general Graduate Division requirements, students are required to pass the M.F.A.
exit examination with a grade of B or above. Each student works with his or her adviser to create a reading list which will
be approved by a three member committee. The exam consists of essay questions that allow the student to demonstrate a
theoretical and critical knowledge of the craft, through using texts from his or her approved reading list.
FACULTY
The English Department consists of 24 full-time faculty whose teaching fields cover every area of literary studies and the
humanities, including film and folklore. Most of the faculty have published books, textbooks, and articles in their disciplines,
five have received outstanding teaching awards at the university, and one has received an outstanding teaching award for the
entire CSU system. In addition, the faculty includes a number of lecturers, part-time instructors and teaching assistants, and the
department operates an English writing lab staffed by tutors trained to work with students on an individual basis.
Name
Degree
Email
Phone
Adisasmito-Smith, Steven E
Doctor of Philosophy
sadisasmito@csufresno.edu
559.278.2714
www.fresnostate.edu
California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 2
Name
Degree
Arce, William
Email
Phone
warce@csufresno.edu
Baer, Kristin A
Master of Arts
kristinbaer@mail.fresnostate.edu
Beberian, Katie J
Bachelor of Arts
kbeberian@mail.fresnostate.edu
Bernthal, Craig A
Doctor of Philosophy
craigb@csufresno.edu
559.278.4766
Beynon, John C
Doctor of Philosophy
jbeynon@csufresno.edu
559.278.2240
Bushman, Johanna M
Second Master of Arts
jobushman@csufresno.edu
Church, Steven
Master of Fine Arts
stchurch@csufresno.edu
559.278.3919
Crisco, Virginia
Doctor of Philosophy
vcrisco@csufresno.edu
559.278.4918
Daher, Brandon
Master of Arts
bdaher@csufresno.edu
559.278.4141
Dominguez, David A
Master of Fine Arts
dadominguez@csufresno.edu
Espinoza, Alex
Master of Fine Arts
aespinoza@csufresno.edu
Firstman, Carole A
Master of Fine Arts
daisy1027@mail.fresnostate.edu
Fujinami, Erin M
Bachelor of Arts
emarie@mail.fresnostate.edu
Garza Gonzalez, Ana R
Master of Fine Arts
anagarza@csufresno.edu
Gilewicz, Magdalena
Doctor of Philosophy
magdag@csufresno.edu
559.278.4926
Godfrey, Kathleen
Doctor of Philosophy
kgodfrey@csufresno.edu
559.278.4919
Hales, Corrinne
Doctor of Philosophy
connieh@csufresno.edu
Hales, John R
Doctor of Philosophy
johnhal@csufresno.edu
Harding, Cecile R
Master of Fine Arts
charding@csufresno.edu
Hendrix, Howard
Doctor of Philosophy
howardh@csufresno.edu
559.278.2898
Hendrix, Laurel L
Doctor of Philosophy
laurelh@csufresno.edu
559.278.2898
Henry, Jeremiah A
Bachelor of Arts
jhenry0302@mail.fresnostate.edu
Henson, Christi L
Doctor of Philosophy
chrishe@csufresno.edu
Hernandez, Melanie
Doctor of Philosophy
melanieh@csufresno.edu
Hooper, Stefani D
Master of Arts
stefanihooper@csufresno.edu
www.fresnostate.edu
559.278.5833
559.278.3006
559.278.2140
California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 3
Name
Degree
Email
Hughes, Courtney N
Master of Fine Arts
hughesc@csufresno.edu
Ibarra, Gabriel J
Master of Fine Arts
gpoet@mail.fresnostate.edu
Jarrar, Randa
Master of Fine Arts
rjarrar@csufresno.edu
559.278.4928
Jenkins, Ruth Y
Doctor of Philosophy
ruthj@csufresno.edu
559.278.4922
Kachadoorian, Melanie W
Master of Fine Arts
mweger@csufresno.edu
Keller, Kyle J
Bachelor of Arts
jimkeller@mail.fresnostate.edu
Kolofer, Megan M
Master of Arts
mkolofer@mail.fresnostate.edu
Krongaus, Sheldon
Master of Arts
sheldonk@csufresno.edu
Lawrence, Joy T
Master of Arts
joyl@csufresno.edu
Lee, Christine H
Master of Fine Arts
christinel@csufresno.edu
Lewis, Jennifer W
Bachelor of Arts
jjlewis@mail.fresnostate.edu
Mandaville, Alison
Doctor of Philosophy
amandaville@csufresno.edu
Maniquiz, Michael
Master of Fine Arts
mmaniquiz@csufresno.edu
Mayer, Jennifer M
Master of Arts
jennmayer06@mail.fresnostate.edu
McWalters Robertson, Kathleen T
Master of Arts
kathleenmr@csufresno.edu
Najmi, Samina
Doctor of Philosophy
snajmi@csufresno.edu
Nichols, Tanya R
Master of Fine Arts
tanichols@csufresno.edu
Paul, Mary W
Master of Arts
mpaul@csufresno.edu
Powell, Elizabeth S
Juris Doctor
epowell@csufresno.edu
Russell, Wanda H
Master of Fine Arts
wandar@csufresno.edu
Santikian, Leslie A
Master of Fine Arts
lsantikian@mail.fresnostate.edu
Scadding, Tomaro M
Master of Arts
tscadding@mail.fresnostate.edu
Scheid, Elizabeth A
Master of Arts
escheid@csufresno.edu
Skeen, Timothy D
Doctor of Philosophy
tskeen@csufresno.edu
Starr, Rebecca I
Doctor of Philosophy
rstarr@csufresno.edu
www.fresnostate.edu
Phone
559.278.2660
559.278.4924
California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 4
Name
Degree
Email
Stone, Kirk D
Master of Fine Arts
kistone@csufresno.edu
Sutton, Lucille M
Master of Fine Arts
lsutton@csufresno.edu
Tricic, Lejla
Master of Fine Arts
ltricic@csufresno.edu
Venezia, Brenda R
Bachelor of Arts
brendavenezia@csufresno.edu
Wall, Clare-Marie
Doctor of Philosophy
clarew@csufresno.edu
559.278.2248
Walton, James E
Doctor of Philosophy
jamesw@csufresno.edu
559.278.4913
Wang, Bo
Doctor of Philosophy
bwang@csufresno.edu
559.278.4923
Watkins, Christine K
Bachelor of Arts
cwatkins@csufresno.edu
Webley, Margaret M
Master of Fine Arts
mwebley@csufresno.edu
Wein, Toni
Doctor of Philosophy
twein@csufresno.edu
559.278.2207
Weston, Lisa M
Doctor of Philosophy
lisaw@csufresno.edu
559.278.4927
Yang, Andre
Master of Fine Arts
dreyang@mail.fresnostate.edu
www.fresnostate.edu
Phone
California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 5