If you aspire to become a professional writer in a specific discipline, you’ll thrive in Western’s Creative Writing 3+2 pathway. In this program, you have the opportunity to earn an MFA in Creative Writing, paired with a B.A. in English or Environment & Sustainability.
Program Overview
Discover your niche as a professional writer.
In the Creative Writing 3+2 pathway, you’ll earn your bachelor’s degree in either English or Environment and Sustainability and your MFA in Creative Writing in just five years.
As an undergraduate, you’ll be able to explore your writing interests in a variety of classes that will prepare you for graduate-level work while you discover what form of writing you are most passionate about. In your fourth year, you’ll transition into the graduate portion of the program, choosing to work in one of four Creative Writing concentrations: Genre Fiction, Screenwriting, Poetry or Nature Writing. Whichever concentration you choose, you’ll work with world-renowned writers to hone your skills, learn the business of being a professional writer and create a portfolio of publishable work.
You’ll graduate with a B.A. in English or Environment and Sustainability, and an MFA in Creative Writing, in addition to gaining ample industry knowledge and the skillset to become a successful writer in a specific discipline.
Fast track your education
Students on the Creative Writing 3+2 pathway earn their bachelor’s degree in either English or Environment and Sustainability and their M.F.A in Creative Writing in just five years.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Creative Writing English (3+2 with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing) allows students to complete the B.A. in English (ENG) and the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA) at Western in five years. To remain qualified for the 3+2, upon earning 60 credits each student must:
- maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and 3.0 within the emphasis in the major;
- earn a minimum grade of B+ in at least two English courses;
- submit an 800- to 1,000-word personal statement describing the student's writing experience and commitment to writing;
- submit a creative writing sample of at least ten pages appropriate to the MFA concentration the student is applying to;
- provide two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be an academic reference addressing the applicant's ability to succeed in a low-residency program.
If any aspect of a student's performance is found to be insufficient, the relevant MFA Concentration Director will recommend denial of acceptance to the GPCW Program Director and the Graduate Studies Dean, and the student will need to find a new emphasis or minor in order to complete the undergraduate degree. Upon meeting the requirements, and completing Year Three (reaching 93 credits in this plan-see "DEGREE PLAN") holding to the same GPA and general performance standards outlined above, the School of Graduate Studies will designate the student as an "MFA candidate in Creative Writing with provisional acceptance." Upon completion of Year Four (reaching 12 8 credits in this plan-see "DEGREE PLAN"), the student will receive their BA and the School of Graduate Studies may designate the student as an "MFA Creative Writing degree-seeking student." Students who have completed Year Four and all other requirements of the 3+2 program and all Western undergraduate requirements (120 total credits, 40 upper-division credits, general education requirements, the ENG undergraduate courses listed under the English Comprehensive Emphasis) but choose to leave the MFA program before completion of Year Five will still have completed the undergraduate ENG Comprehensive Emphasis and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree.
A minimum of 45 credits is required for the B.A. components of the emphasis including a three-credit, upper-division literature elective. In the fourth and fifth years, an additional 60 credits of Creative Writing MFA coursework results in the MFA in Creative Writing degree.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 161 | Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) | 3 |
| ENG 250 | Critical Approaches to Literature | 3 |
| ENG 358 | Global Literatures: Studies In: Topic Variable | 3 |
| ENG 371 | Literary Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| ENG 405 | Advanced Writing | 3 |
| ENG 445 | Literary Magazine Submission and Production | 3 |
| ENG 463 | Major British Authors: Cont. Lit. & Film | 3 |
| ENG 464 | Major American Authors: | 3 |
| ENG 493 | Senior Seminar I: Studies in: Social Justice | 3 |
| ENG 494 | Senior Seminar: Studies in: | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ENG 151 | Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality | |
ENG 152 | Women and Literature | |
ENG 153 | Literary Culture of the American West | |
ENG 230 | Environmental Literature (GT-AH2) | |
ENG 255 | Ancient World Literature (GT-AH2) | |
ENG 331 | Literature and Ethnicity: Studies in: | |
ENG 337 | Women Writers | |
ENG 370 | Myth and Culture | |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
ENG 300 | Creative Writing: Fiction | |
ENG 301 | Creative Writing: Poetry | |
ENG 303 | Creative Writing | |
ENG 305 | Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ENG 372 | British Literature: Medieval and Renaissance Texts | |
ENG 373 | British Literature: Milton through the Romantics | |
ENG 374 | British Literature: The Victorians to the Present Day | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ENG 384 | American Literature Early to Civil War | |
ENG 385 | American Literature-Civil War to Present | |
| Total Credits | 45 | |
Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Summer before Year 4 of 3+2 (Year 1, Summer 1 of MFA):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CRWR 600 | The Common Read & Writing Craft | 2 |
| And any ONE of the following: | 3 | |
CRWR 601 | Fundamentals of Writing Genre Fiction I | |
CRWR 630 | Foundations of Poetry | |
CRWR 660 | Scenes & Sequences | |
CRWR 681 | Introduction to Nature Writing | |
| Total Credits | 5 | |
Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Fall of Year 4 of 3+2 (Fall 1 of MFA):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select any ONE of the following pairs: | 12 | |
CRWR 608 | Genre Writing I- Romance and Mystery Fiction | |
CRWR 609 | Genre Studies I-Romance and Mystery | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 664 | Adapting the Feature | |
CRWR 665 | Feature Structure & Genre | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 634 | Poetry Now | |
CRWR 648 | Poetry Craft and Technique | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 685 | Craft of Creative Nonfiction | |
CRWR 686 | Genres of Nature Writing | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Spring of Year 4 of 3+2 (Spring 1 of MFA):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Any ONE of the following pairs: | 12 | |
CRWR 618 | Genre Studies II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction | |
CRWR 619 | Genre Writing II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 667 | Writing the Television Screenplay | |
CRWR 669 | TV Structure & Genre | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 635 | Poetry Workshop I | |
CRWR 644 | Poetic Lineages | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 680 | Writing Place: New Forms and Techniques | |
CRWR 688 | Writing about Nature and Society | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Upon successful completion of the prescribed courses listed above, University defined General Education, and elective requirements totaling 120 credits (with 40 at the 300-level or higher), students are eligible for their B.A. conferral. Students electing to complete the MFA in Creative Writing must complete the courses of their declared emphasis curriculum. 31 credits of the the following including:
Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Summer before Year 5 of 3+2 (Year 2, Summer 2 of MFA):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CRWR 694 | MFA Thesis | 2 |
| And any ONE of the following: | 3 | |
CRWR 602 | Fundamentals of Writing Fiction II | |
CRWR 640 | From Thesis to Book | |
CRWR 670 | Visual Storytelling | |
CRWR 682 | Book-Length Considerations | |
| Total Credits | 5 | |
Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Fall of Year 5 of 3+2 (Fall 2 of MFA):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CRWR 694 | MFA Thesis | 3 |
| And any ONE of the following: | 6 | |
CRWR 620 | Short Forms Genre Fiction Writing | |
CRWR 645 | Poetry Workshop II | |
CRWR 672 | Screenwriting Workshop I | |
CRWR 687 | Nature Writing Workshop | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Spring of Year 5 of 3+2 (Spring 2 of MFA):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CRWR 694 | MFA Thesis | 1 |
| Select any ONE of the following pairs: | 12 | |
CRWR 621 | Business Fundamentals for Genre Writers | |
CRWR 626 | Pedagogy & Practicum | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 673 | The Concept & The Pitch | |
CRWR 674 | Screenwriting Workshop 2 | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 649 | Special Topics in Poetry | |
CRWR 653 | The Writing Life | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 689 | Special Topics in Nature Writing | |
CRWR 695 | Professional Development in Nature Writing | |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
Core Creative Writing MFA Courses, to be taken in Summer after Year 5 of 3+2 (Summer 3 of MFA):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CRWR 697 | Special Topics | 1 |
| And any ONE of the following: | 3 | |
CRWR 604 | Career Planning for Genre Writers | |
CRWR 650 | Graduate Poetry Seminar | |
CRWR 679 | Screenwriting Thesis Production | |
CRWR 683 | Thesis Seminar in Nature Writing | |
| Total Credits | 4 | |
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| MATH | Essential Skills | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Gen Eds | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Gen Eds | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Gen Eds | 3 |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| ENG 161 | Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) | 3 |
| ENG 250 | Critical Approaches to Literature | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Gen Eds | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area II | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| ENG 230 or ENG 151 or ENG 152 or ENG 153 or ENG 255 or ENG 331 or ENG 337 or ENG 370 |
Environmental Literature (GT-AH2) or Borderlands: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality or Women and Literature or Literary Culture of the American West or Ancient World Literature (GT-AH2) or Literature and Ethnicity: Studies in: or Women Writers or Myth and Culture |
3 |
| ENG 372 or ENG 373 or ENG 374 |
British Literature: Medieval and Renaissance Texts or British Literature: Milton through the Romantics or British Literature: The Victorians to the Present Day |
3 |
| Gen Ed | Area II | 4 |
| Gen Ed | Gen Eds | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 371 | Literary Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| ENG 358 | Global Literatures: Studies In: Topic Variable | 3 |
| ENG 300 or ENG 301 or ENG 303 or ENG 305 |
Creative Writing: Fiction or Creative Writing: Poetry or Creative Writing or Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction |
3 |
| ENG 384 or ENG 385 |
American Literature Early to Civil War or American Literature-Civil War to Present |
3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENG 493 | Senior Seminar I: Studies in: Social Justice | 3 |
| ENG 464 | Major American Authors: | 3 |
| ENG Elective | Upper Division Literature | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 463 | Major British Authors: Cont. Lit. & Film | 3 |
| ENG 494 | Senior Seminar: Studies in: | 3 |
| ENG 300 or ENG 301 or ENG 303 or ENG 305 |
Creative Writing: Fiction or Creative Writing: Poetry or Creative Writing or Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction |
3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| CRWR 600 | The Common Read & Writing Craft | 2 |
| CRWR 601 or CRWR 630 or CRWR 660 or CRWR 680 |
Fundamentals of Writing Genre Fiction I or Foundations of Poetry or Scenes & Sequences or Writing Place: New Forms and Techniques |
3 |
| Credits | 5 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENG 405 | Advanced Writing | 3 |
| Choose one of the following sets: | 12 | |
CRWR 608 |
Genre Writing I- Romance and Mystery Fiction | |
CRWR 609 |
Genre Studies I-Romance and Mystery | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 634 |
Poetry Now | |
CRWR 648 |
Poetry Craft and Technique | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 664 |
Adapting the Feature | |
CRWR 665 |
Feature Structure & Genre | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 685 |
Craft of Creative Nonfiction | |
CRWR 686 |
Genres of Nature Writing | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 445 | Literary Magazine Submission and Production | 3 |
| Choose one of the following sets: | 12 | |
CRWR 618 |
Genre Studies II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction | |
CRWR 619 |
Genre Writing II- Western, Speculative, and Young Adult Fiction | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 635 |
Poetry Workshop I | |
CRWR 644 |
Poetic Lineages | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 667 |
Writing the Television Screenplay | |
CRWR 669 |
TV Structure & Genre | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 680 |
Writing Place: New Forms and Techniques | |
CRWR 688 |
Writing about Nature and Society | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| CRWR 602 or CRWR 630 or CRWR 670 or CRWR 682 |
Fundamentals of Writing Fiction II or Foundations of Poetry or Visual Storytelling or Book-Length Considerations |
3 |
| CRWR 694 | MFA Thesis | 2 |
| Credits | 5 | |
| Year Five | ||
| Fall | ||
| CRWR 620 or CRWR 645 or CRWR 687 or CRWR 672 |
Short Forms Genre Fiction Writing or Poetry Workshop II or Nature Writing Workshop or Screenwriting Workshop I |
6 |
| CRWR 694 | MFA Thesis | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| CRWR 694 | MFA Thesis | 1 |
| Choose one of the following sets: | 12 | |
CRWR 621 |
Business Fundamentals for Genre Writers | |
CRWR 626 |
Pedagogy & Practicum | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 649 |
Special Topics in Poetry | |
CRWR 653 |
The Writing Life | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 673 |
The Concept & The Pitch | |
CRWR 674 |
Screenwriting Workshop 2 | |
| OR | ||
CRWR 689 |
Special Topics in Nature Writing | |
CRWR 695 |
Professional Development in Nature Writing | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| CRWR 604 or CRWR 650 or CRWR 679 or CRWR 683 |
Career Planning for Genre Writers or Graduate Poetry Seminar or Screenwriting Thesis Production or Thesis Seminar in Nature Writing |
3 |
| CRWR 697 | Special Topics | 1 |
| Credits | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 159 | |
Careers
Take the first steps toward your dream career.
Career preparation is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling role in hundreds of professional fields after graduation.
The data is automatically collected by Lightcast, a firm that sources job market data. The statistics illustrate general trends in U.S. careers, but do not precisely represent every job and salary.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!The GPCW is deeply committed to raising funds to support our students. Each year we offer substantial direct-funding scholarships.
The GPCW is currently offering several scholarships for new, full-time MFA / M.A. students who enroll for the next academic year. Scholarships range from $2,000/yr. to $5,000/yr., depending on available funding.
Applicants may fill out the scholarship application at the same time as they complete the application for admission. Scholarship applications will be considered only after a student has been admitted to the program. Please note that once you register, these scholarships are not refundable. Should you withdraw from the program or fall below full-time enrollment, your scholarship will be forfeited.
To apply, complete the application linked below:
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Get Involved
Expand your network and apply your knowledge.
There are so many ways that you can maximize your educational experience at Western. Take advantage of these opportunities to grow personally and professionally.
- Teaching Assistantships: Students help fellow students in challenging writing courses.
- Writing Center: Work as a writing consultant for the greater campus community.
- Pathfinder Magazine: Submit your creative work for a chance to be published in Western’s annual creative work publication.
A helping hand
Writing Center consultants can help students at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming to polishing final drafts.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
Graduate Program in Creative Writing
Director
Tyson Hausdoerffer, Ph.D.Director, Graduate Program in Creative Writing
Associate Director
CMarie Fuhrman, MFAAssociate Director; Director, Poetry Concentration; Faculty, Nature Writing Concentration
Executive Assistant
Anna Stileski, M.A.Executive Assistant
Program Coordinator
Sarah GoettschGraduate Program in Creative Writing Coordinator
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Quigley Hall 117
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231
