MFA in Creative Writing Term Two (Residency and Tutorial Period)

Term two extends the student’s accomplishments in term one and begins with a 10-day residency. In plenary sessions and smaller group settings, program faculty offer presentations on elements of craft, as well as seminars on aesthetic issues and works from the literary canon, often involving pertinent concerns across genres. Students participate in faculty-guided genre workshops, small group sessions with mentors, individual conferences and more general discussion sessions. They also attend readings and lectures by guest faculty and visiting writers and talks by editors and publishers. As in term one, assigned readings focus on principles of craft and techniques appropriate to the genre and the development of the writing life, providing the opportunity for deeper analysis of works from a writer’s point of view and a broader understanding of literary traditions. Each term two student also assumes a more central role in seminars by serving as respondent in at least one session.

The term two residency is followed by a five-month tutorial period with four submissions, at prescribed intervals, of original creative writing and annotations on readings. These submissions are critiqued by the faculty mentor. The nature and direction of the reading and writing projects during the tutorial period are determined by a plan of study worked out by the student and faculty mentor during the residency. Each plan is tailored to build upon work thus far accomplished, as well as to address the specific needs and interests of the student.

Credits

12 credits