EIU Master of Arts in English

Thesis in Creative Writing

The prospectus (1,000-1,500 words in length) is designed to allow students to demonstrate, to the thesis director and Graduate Studies Committee, their readiness to undertake a creative thesis. A thesis prospectus should introduce the creative work you propose to compose as part of your thesis work as well as explore the theoretical framework that will inform your writing.

To that end, a prospectus should include:

• A detailed description of the proposed creative work, including a discussion of major influences and the creative themes the work will explore.
• A detailed discussion of the theoretical framework informing the work. This should include a literature review exploring the genre within which you will be writing, and a discussion of how similar creative works will inform your work.
• A discussion of your preparation for the creative thesis. This should list relevant creative writing courses taken and explain how they have contributed to your work.
• A bibliography with at least fifteen titles
• Identification of the thesis director and committee
• Projected timeline for finishing the creative thesis

Master's Thesis Guidelines

The creative thesis itself should represent a substantial creative work (short story collection, poetry collection, novella, novel, play, or memoir, 50-80 pages in length or 25-35 pages in length for poetry) accompanied by a critical essay (3,500-5,000 words). The critical essay should include a discussion of the historical/critical influences that contributed to the writing of the thesis, a statement of your aesthetic aims and what you have learned from the process of composing a creative work in terms of craft and technique, and a discussion of the mode(s) of creative expression used in the thesis (realism, magical realism, expressionism, impressionism, satire, comedy, farce, humor, etc.). The essay should demonstrate that you have read deeply in your chosen genre. Finally, this critical essay should illustrate the creative influences—both textual and experiential—upon your work and should be followed by a complete list of Works Cited.

Graduate Studies Committee Rubric for Thesis Prospectus in Creative Writing