MFA Roadmap

The MFA degree is a minimum of 36 credit hours. You'll find 42 hours on the Road Map below. The extra 6 hours are: 3 hours for ENG 6020 Composition Instructor's Workshop, required for students with teaching assistantships; and 3 hours for a third, additional elective, if and only if funding is available. If you have specific questions not covered here, you should consult the Graduate Catalog; Graduate Secretary Danielle Burkin at gradenglish@bgsu.edu, 419-372-6864 (for deadlines and forms to file); or the Director of Creative Writing (for academic advising).

Here's the Overall Recommended Degree Plan
(ALSO see the semester-to-semester guide below this!):

1st Year Fall: 12 hours

Eng 6300/6310 (Techniques): 3 credit hours
Eng 6320 P/F (Workshop): 3 hrs
Eng 6020 (Composition Instructor's Workshop): 3 hrs
Eng 6330 (MAR): 3 hrs

1st Year Spring: 12 hours

Eng 6320 P/F (Workshop): 3 hrs
Eng 6370 (Pedagogy): 3 hrs
Eng 6330 (MAR): 3 hrs
Elective: 3 hrs

2nd Year Fall: 8 hours: "Studio Semester"

Eng 6320 P/F (Workshop): 3 hrs
Eng 6990 (Thesis): 5 hrs

2nd Year Spring: 10 hours

Eng 6320P/F (Workshop): 3 hrs
Eng 6990 (Thesis): 1 hr
Eng 7820 P/F (Advanced Workshop): 3 hrs
Elective: 3 hrs

Here's the Handy, Detailed, Semester-to-Semester Guide:

FIRST YEAR, FALL SEMESTER. Your first roadside stop!

During your orientation/GradStep week here, we'll get you registered for classes. Contact Danielle Burkin for questions, gradenglish@bgsu.edu 419-372-6864.

You must take:

-Eng 6320, Poetry or Fiction workshop (3 hrs)
-Eng 6300, Technique of Poetry; or Eng 6310 Technique of Fiction (3 hrs)

We recommend you take:

-Eng 6020, Composition Instructors' Workshop (3 hrs)--You must take this if you have a teaching assistantship through the General Studies Writing (GSW) program.
-Eng 6330, Creative Writing and Desktop Publishing (3).

Other important thing to do:

-In all fall and spring Eng 6320 workshops you must complete one review of a book of contemporary fiction or poetry, four (4) reviews total. All or some of these reviews can be used as part of the twenty-text annotated bibliography you must prepare for your oral examination you'll take in your final semester. See guidelines here.

FIRST YEAR, SPRING SEMESTER. Your next destination!

You must take:

-Eng 6320, Poetry or Fiction Workshop (3 hrs)
-Eng 6370, Pedagogy of Creative Writing (3).

We recommend you take:

-Eng 6330, Creative Writing and Desktop Publishing (3). The second time you take this, it counts as one of your two required electives.
-Elective.

Another important thing to do:

-You need to ASK a member of the graduate faculty to work with you on your thesis, a book-length manuscript of poetry or fiction that coming fall; you'll sign up for 5 credit hours with that instructor.

-It's a good idea to continue working on your annotated bibliography for your oral examination you'll take in your final semester. Remember? You'll need at least a twenty-text bibliography. See guidelines here.

FIRST YEAR, SUMMER TERM(S). Pull over, settle a bit, and write, or take some cool summer courses--and write, too!

There are no courses required in the summer terms. This is a great time to do more work on your annotated bibliography for your oral examination you'll take in your final semester. Remember? Guidelines are here.

SECOND YEAR, FALL SEMESTER. Are we there yet? No, but you're getting there!

You must take:

-Eng 6320, Poetry or Fiction workshop (3 hrs)
-Eng 6990, Thesis Hours (5 hrs). This is considered your "Studio Semester," during which we strongly recommend you focus on your thesis. We also strongly recommend not taking additional courses over top of the 8 hours shown here. FOCUS on you your thesis.

Other important things to do:

You must approach a graduate faculty member about chairing your thesis / oral examination committee for the upcoming Spring semester (sign up for 1 credit hour with your chair). You will also need a second graduate faculty member to serve as a second member of the committee. Additionally, before the end of the semester, fill out a Topic Approval Form online. Get the form here.

SECOND YEAR, SPRING SEMESTER. Now, you're almost there!

You must take:

-Eng 6320, Poetry or Fiction workshop (3 hrs)
-Eng 6990. Thesis Hours (1 hr). REMEMBER: You MUST have at least 6 thesis hours to graduate. Make sure you have six hours by the end of the semester in which you intend to graduate. 
-Eng 7820, Advanced Poetry or Fiction Workshop (3 hrs).

We recommend you take:

-Elective--If you have not completed two electives in total, or you have funded hours remaining, this is the time to use them! Again, you MUST check with the Director of Creative Writing to see if the EXTRA 3 hours are funded.

Other important things to do:

-Apply to graduate through MyBGSU. MAKE SURE you do this very early in the semester in which you intend to graduate. Check here for IMPORTANT DEADLINES!
-Download the guidelines for formatting your thesis for submission to the Graduate College. Get the guidelines here.
-Download the Creative Writing Program's Thesis Defense and Oral Examination Guidelines and be sure you meet all the requirements. Get the requirements here.
-Schedule your thesis defense and oral examination. Contact your committee chair for this. 
-Fill out Thesis/Dissertation Defense and Manuscript Approval Form and take it to the defense. Get the form here.
-Upload an abstract of your thesis to Ohio Link. Go to the web site here. Read this site thoroughly, then scroll down to "LINK TO ETD SUBMISSION," click it and follow instructions. REMEMBER: USE THE OPTION TO ONLY FILE YOUR ABSTRACT.
-It is YOUR responsibility to file your thesis as follows: 1) your completed and signed Thesis/Dissertation Defense and Manuscript Approval Form (ETD Approval/Submission form) goes to the English Graduate Secretary in East Hall, room 211; and 2) your error-free thesis is filed with the Student Technology Assistance Center (STAC) in room 122 of Jerome Library on or before the established filing deadlines for either spring or summer semester. Get the deadlines here. Put your thesis into a brown accordion-style LETTER-SIZE (not legal) folder, the kind with the elastic band attached that goes over the top flap. Staples affectionately calls this the "expandable wallet." These folders are also available at Falcon Outfitters. See the Graduate Secretary for a sample of the folder.
-Whether graduating spring or summer semester, ALL MFA candidates must complete their defenses and examinations by the last day of class SPRING semester. You will need to complete it earlier than that if you intend to graduate spring semester--again, see the deadlines here.