Nature Writing

Provides students with an immersive residency experience involving attendance at lectures, craft talks, readings, panels, seminars, workshops, and other literary events. Requires significant work prior to the residency in the form of on line readings and discussions relating to the work of visiting artists. After the residency, all students complete substantive written work relating to their residency experience. Must be repeated three times for credit.

This course surveys major works in nature writing and environmental literature and examines the history, culture, philosophies and policies shaping them, as well as their real-world impacts. Through intensive freewriting, creative storytelling, workshopping, editing and rewriting, students learn effective techniques in descriptive, narrative, analytical and persuasive writing. Strong emphasis is placed on establishing productive writing practices, engaging in publication and developing professional vision.

Where has nature writing been and where is it going? The course examines works which have changed public policy or opinion and encourages writers to enter that conversation by exploring place-based activities at the summer residency.

Professor and advanced students work together on presentation of thesis, mentoring second-year students, and applying their thesis work to the contemporary conversation via publication, internships, volunteering and engagement with community.

Intensive survey of the creative nonfiction genre. Focuses on the entire genre, examining the subgenres of memoir, social and political writing, writing about science, historical writing, etc., while placing emphasis on writing about the natural world. Students read, analyze and write works in each sub-genre.

Survey of contemporary writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Includes drafting and completing substantial work in each genre, as well as significant workshopping of peers' work.

Bridges the gap between the reading public and the scientific community. Provides students with examples of contemporary science writing and craft techniques used in science writing. Students read extensively and complete substantial work of their own, as well as engage in workshopping of their peers' work.

Surveys and connects creative work responding to the natural world with social phenomena, including politics, education, eco-philosophies and social movements. Students read, analyze, write and workshop peers' work.

Offers advanced study of special topics in nature writing as chosen by the professor. Examples of special topics include climate change, soil science, indigenous traditions, eco-feminism, etc.

Culmination of the curriculum for all MFA concentrations. In consultation with a thesis adviser, students complete either a single, book-length work or a book-length collection of shorter works. The work (or works) must be of professional quality and suitable for both public reading and thesis binding. Must be taken three times for credit, in the Fall, Spring and Summer of the final year of coursework.

This course helps students develop as writing professionals. It teaches students how to prepare their creative manuscripts for publication, write a cover or query letter, generate a professional CV or resume, become involved with a professional publication, and teach. Students identify short- and long-term professional and creative goals and explore job opportunities.

This course provides non-GPCW graduate students with an introduction to creative nonfiction as a compelling vehicle for writing about nature and the environment. Students examine major works of the genre and consider the history, culture, philosophies and policies shaping them, as well as their real-world impacts. Through intensive freewriting, creative storytelling, workshopping, editing and rewriting, students learn effective techniques in descriptive, narrative, analytical and persuasive writing. Strong emphasis is placed on developing a professional writing practice that supports scientific and other professional work.