Semester Description | Master of Fine Arts in Writing

Worksheets: Submit four poems, no more than 10 pages in all, or a prose piece of up to 4000 words for faculty and peer review.
Peer Review: Prepare detailed comments on all manuscripts in workshop group.
Study Proposal: Submit a semester study proposal that includes writing goals, areas of interest, and a tentative reading list.

Workshops: Receive close critique and participate in critique for others.
Presentations and Readings: Attend lectures, classes, presentations, readings, and discussions by writers and degree candidates.
Advisor Conferences: Participate in strategy sessions with advisor to design an individualized semester study plan.
Study Plan: Refine initial study proposal and define goals, reading list, projects, and deadlines for the guided study.
Residency Review: Submit required responses to craft talks, classes, roundtable discussions, and lectures.

Workload: Devote 20-25 hours per week to implement study plans and projects.
Creative Project: Develop a body of carefully edited work (20-30 pages prose, 10-15 poems).
Exchanges/Packets: Submit work to advisor (5-6 exchanges, approximately every 3 weeks).
Reading: Complete assigned readings (20 works per semester).
Reading Responses: During the first two semesters, write commentaries on 10-15 of the assigned readings. During the last two semesters, create an annotated bibliography for the assigned readings.
Log: Keep record of exchanges with advisor.
Midterm Assessment: Assess progress toward goals in study plan.
Semester Assessment: Evaluate semester progress.

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