To be admitted to the Creative Writing Option, students must first apply and be accepted by the Graduate School at CSULA.

Once accepted by the University, students apply directly to the Creative Writing Option in the English Department by first meeting the requirements for admission to the Master's Program in English and then by submitting a portfolio of their best creative work for consideration by the department's creative writing faculty.

Students are admitted to the Creative Writing Option by the department's creative writing faculty based on the strength of the writing in the students' portfolios.

The Portfolio

The portfolio should contain:

1. A maximum of 20 pages of fiction (one or two short stories, or a novel excerpt that includes a one-page synopsis),  or about eight pages of poetry.

2. A description of the creative writing courses the student has taken, where and when they were taken, and with whom.

3. A list of any publications or awards, with the date of publication or award.

4. A one-page essay explaining why the student wants to pursue a graduate degree in creative writing at CSULA, what he or she hopes to get out of the time spent here, and what the student thinks he or she can contribute to the program.

All of the above documents should be typed or word processed and double-spaced.

Please include your name, address, and telephone number, and allow at least three weeks for a response. If you wish your portfolio returned, please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.