Degree and Funding
MFA in Writing
Michener Fellows enroll in three courses (nine hours total) each Fall and Spring semester. There are no summer classes. For the 54-hour degree plan, Fellows complete 3 workshops in their primary genre and 2 in their secondary genre(s) from the fields of concentration below. They also complete 2 studies courses in their primary genre and 1 in their secondary genre. In their first semester, Fellows take a three-hour First Year Seminar course. In the third year, Fellows enroll in a year-long thesis course focused on developing a manuscript in the primary genre. Remaining hours allow for a range of electives across the UT. Additional program and degree plan information here: Michener Center Student Handbook.
Fields of Concentration
Fiction
Our goal in every fiction workshop is for the prose to be taken seriously and on its own terms. Regardless of formal distinctions—novel or short story, psychological realism or avant-garde experimentation—we want our writers to feel empowered and encouraged to produce the kinds of fiction they want to read.
Poetry
Our goal in the poetry workshop is simple: that students feel increasingly excited by and invested in poetry. That calls for an intelligently engaged and ambitious criticism that starts with a generous reading of each poem and respect for what may be an approach and intention very different from their own.
Playwriting
The playwriting concentration at MCW is a demanding, three-year course of study designed for artists committed to professional dramatic writing. The curriculum emphasizes the generation and revision of new work, both by the individual playwright and in progressive collaborations with other writers and artists.
Screenwriting
Our emphasis is, first and foremost, on writing and immersion in a community of creative writers. We also want to provide you with access to film studies and production offerings that will both focus and expand your ideas. Whether you want to write for television, film, or both, our program aims to give you the tools, time, and community to write the script that will bring your vision to the screen.
Fellowship Support
All admitted students receive an academic year fellowship of $30,000 for fall and spring semesters, and a professional development summer stipend of $4,000 for a $34,000 total annual award. In addition to the annual fellowship, the Michener Center also provides each Fellow with a $4,000 stipend for health insurance (offsets the full cost of the individual UT student health insurance plan or to use toward another plan), directly pays required tuition (approximately $9,000 annual value), and provides the opportunity for a conference attendance grant of up to $1,000 per academic year. Support is renewed each year with satisfactory progress towards the degree. Each student admitted to the program will receive equal funding.