Department of EnglishPhD in English

Concentration in Creative Writing

Our graduate creative writing workshops focus on fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and literary translation, and the PhD degree plan prepares students for the publication of their first book and, oftentimes, their second book, in one of these genres.

Writing workshops are limited to ten students, allowing for personalized feedback, low professor/student ratios, and a strong sense of camaraderie.

In addition to 12 hours of workshops, the PhD curriculum includes pedagogy courses in first-year writing, literature, and creative writing; required seminars in literary studies, research methods, and critical theory; and an occasional forms course—all degree credits that prepare our graduates for generalist as well as creative writing tenure-track jobs in academia. Often, course requirements have been fulfilled during a student's MA degree and can transfer in. Additionally, we offer career development training—seminars in publishing, editorial positions, workshops on the academic job search, and conferences to develop professional networks. Students must also acquire or demonstrate reading knowledge of two foreign languages or high proficiency in one foreign language. Students interested in other fields of study may take up to 15 hours of coursework to constitute a degree minor—for instance, in a field like art history, philosophy, or women's studies.

In the third year, students must pass qualifying examinations in their primary genre. The fourth and fifth years are devoted to completing the dissertation—a book-length manuscript, typically a collection of poems, a collection of short stories or nonfiction essays, a novel or book-length work of creative nonfiction.

Join us in Lubbock, Texas, where you will be part of a supportive and engaged literary community. Our PhD offers exceptional academic breadth and specialization as well as an inclusive and diverse group of faculty and graduate students actively pursuing an academic career and connections to the broader Lubbock community.

The Creative Writing Program hosts the Creative Writing Reading Series, which brings multiple guest speakers to campus every semester.

Come write with us on the South Plains. Make your impression.

Welcome from the Director

Welcome to our PhD in English with a Creative Writing concentration. Here, creative work is research, and innovation drives inquiry. You'll join a community of bold thinkers exploring new forms, technologies, and ideas. We're excited to support your growth as a writer, scholar, and literary change maker.
—Dr. Curtis Bauer