Milestones to Your BFA Degree

Note: This is intended as a general guide. It is not intended to replace all detailed requirements for the degree clearly outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and in your Student Degree Audit Report (aka DARS Report), found by logging in to MYBGSU. To stay on track, you should meet with an advisor about progress toward your degree by making an Academic Advising Appointment.  You can also meet with your assigned faculty mentor to discuss the major.  

FIRST TWO YEARS. You're on your way to Land's End (see the pic)! Only 16 miles to go!

MiLES 1 THROUGH 3:

In your first two years, you'll be completing general education courses, along with some courses you need for the BFA major. Go to this page to access the university catalog.  You can navigate through the College of Arts and Sciences to the Creative Writing BFA page which provides a check sheet for the degree.

MiLES 4 THROUGH 6:  You can begin taking courses toward your BFA major in your first semester.  Many students take Eng 2040, Imaginative Writing, to begin the major.  To stay on track, you MUST complete four courses within your first two years: Eng 2040, Eng 2050, Eng 2060, and Eng 2090. When you have completed THREE of these courses, and are enrolled in the FOURTH course, you MUST prepare and submit a writing portfolio during the fifth week of this FOURTH course. Your writing portfolio will be evaluated to determine if you will be invited to continue on in the BFA major and enroll in 3rd-year (e.g 3000-level) creative writing courses. You can get the guidelines for preparing the portfolio here. 

MiLE 7:

You can start to enroll in Eng 0990, Creative Writing Common Time, during the first two years. It's a fun and enriching experience involving readings and lectures by visiting writers, MFA writers, creative writing faculty, and BFA seniors. You need four semesters  of Eng 0990 to graduate.

MiLE 8:

Finally, in these two years, it's a good idea to declare a minor by going to the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) office, 205 Administration Building. You MUST have a minor to get your BFA degree. You may as well get started on it.

THIRD YEAR. You're getting there. Nine miles behind you and seven more to reach Land's End!

MiLE 9:

If you have NO semesters of Eng 0990 yet, you should enroll in it every semester, beginning fall of the third year. You need four semesters of Eng 0990 to graduate.

MiLE 10:

To give you experience in the professional applications of your degree, the BFA degree requires that you either take Eng 3870, Literary Editing and Publishing, or complete an Internship (Eng 4890) or a Co-op (Co-op 50).  For information on internships, contact the Kuhlin Hub at the Life Design Center, or consult our Careers page

MiLE 11:

In your third year, you'll mainly complete 3000-level courses for the major as well as continuing to finish up other general education requirements. During your third year, you should meet with your advisor and discuss your degree audit, to make sure you’re on track to graduate. 

FOURTH YEAR. Just the last few miles and you can smell the ocean in the air. Don't give up! Only 5 miles to go to Land's End!

MiLE 12:

In your fourth year, you will be taking the 4000-level Creative Writing workshops.  You also must enroll in the capstone class Eng 4970, Senior BFA Thesis Workshop, and complete it.  You cannot pass the course unless you complete your BFA thesis. You can get the guidelines to prepare your BFA thesis here.

MiLE 13:

As part of the BFA thesis, you must ask a creative writing faculty member to advise your BFA thesis.  Your instructor in Eng 4970 will give you a list of faculty members you can contact.  You may ask an instructor you’ve had for Eng 3120, 3130, 4120, 4130, 4140, 4210, or 4250.

MiLE 14:

Don’t forget to APPLY TO GRADUATE. You can apply on MYBGSU. You can find the dates / deadlines to apply for graduation by downloading the appropriate Academic Calendar here.

MiLE 15:

Another task you MUST complete to pass Eng 4970 is to give a public reading from work in your thesis. You'll read in Eng 0990, affectionately known as the Prout Reading Series. See the Reading Series schedule here for dates of the BFA graduation readings. Contact the Eng 0990 instructor to get on the reading schedule.

MiLE 16:

Information here about the published thesis.

THAT'S IT. YOU'VE REACHED LAND'S END! Feel the sand between your toes, sea breeze in your nostrils. Race into the oncoming breakers! Enjoy. You've earned it.