Note: This is intended as a general guide. If you have specific questions not covered here, you should consult the Graduate Catalog; Mary Jo Smith at mjsmith@bgsu.edu, 419-372-2576 (for deadlines and forms to file); or the Director of Creative Writing (for academic advising). IMPORTANT: COURSE REQUIREMENTS HERE ARE THE MINIMUM FOR THE MFA DEGREE AS SHOWN ON THE TENTATIVE DEGREE PLAN YOU'LL PREPARE (TDP). YOU MAY HAVE COURSEWORK IN EXCESS OF THIS, BUT, EXCEPT WHERE NOTED, YOU MUST COMPLETE THESE!

-Eng 6020, Composition Instructors' Workshop (3 hrs)--You must take this if you have a teaching assistantship through GSW.
-Eng 6330, Creative Writing and Desktop Publishing (3). We recommend you take this your first semester. One semester is required. If you take it a second semester, it will count as one of your two (2) required electives.

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 6990. Thesis Hours (3 hrs). You need to ASK a member of the graduate faculty to get you started on your thesis, a book-length manuscript of poetry or fiction.
-Eng 6370, Pedagogy of Creative Writing (3).

You may need to take:

-Eng 6330, Creative Writing and Desktop Publishing (3). One semester of this course is required for the degree, but if you take it a second time you may count it as one of your two required electives. We recommend this.

Other important things to do:

-You MUST complete a Tentative Degree Program (TDP) and submit it to Mary Jo Smith. She makes a copy for your file and sends it to the Graduate College. You can get the form here. When you fill it out, ONLY indicate the minimum courses you plan to take to get the degree. ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT: THE COURSE REGMEN FOR THE MFA IS PRETTY WELL SET. THE LEEWAY IS IN THE 'REQUIRED ELECTIVES.' IF YOU CHANGE EITHER OR BOTH OF 'REQUIRED ELECTIVES' YOU MUST FILL OUT AN ADDENDUM THAT YOU CAN GET HERE. THE GRADUATE COLLEGE CHECKS THE TDP AGAINST YOUR FINAL TRANSCRIPT TO BE SURE YOU TAKE THE COURSES YOU PROMISED TO TAKE. Save yourself a headache at graduation and keep your TDP current--all the way until you graduate!

-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. You may, however, take them, and they may count toward your degree. Note: If an Eng 6320, Fiction or Poetry Workshop, is offered, you may count it as one of the two electives required for the degree. If you are a winner of a Devine Award, you will still need to take 6 credit hours in the summer. See the Director if you have questions about this. ALSO, 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 (2 hrs). 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.

You may need to take:

-Eng XXXX, Required Elective. We recommend that you take this now (or before this) so that you have time to prepare your thesis in the coming spring semester.

Other important things to do:

You must approach a graduate faculty member about chairing your thesis / oral examination committee for the upcoming Spring semester. 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 and get your committee members to sign it. Once you have signatures, give it to Mary Jo Smith. You do NOT need a Graduate Faculty Representative signature. 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). Sign up for thesis hours with the graduate faculty member who agreed to chair your thesis. 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).

Other important things to do:

-Apply to graduate. Go to this page and MAKE SURE you do this very early in the semester in which you intend to graduate. Check here for IMPORTANT DEADLINES!
-MAKE A FINAL CHECK: IF YOU HAVE CHANGED REQUIRED COURSES (INCLUDING REQUIRED ELECTIVES) IN YOUR TDP YOU MUST FILL OUT AN ADDENDUM THAT YOU CAN GET HERE. THE GRADUATE COLLEGE CHECKS THE TDP AGAINST YOUR FINAL TRANSCRIPT TO BE SURE YOU TAKE THE COURSES YOU PROMISED TO TAKE. Save yourself a headache at graduation and keep your TDP current--all the way until you graduate!
-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 ETD Approval / Submission Form and take it to the defense. Get the form here.
-Upload an abstract of your thesis to Ohio Link. Get to the web site here.
-It is YOUR responsibility to file your completed, error-free thesis, along with the completed, signed ETD Form, with the Graduate College on or before their established filing deadlines for either spring or summer semester. Get the deadlines here. Whether graduating this semester or the 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.

SECOND YEAR, SUMMER TERM(S).

You may think the journey is over, but as the proverb goes, a journey of one-thousand miles must begin with one step. Your MFA is that first, big step. And in your second year, you may take another step by continuing on to take summer courses!

There are no courses required in the summer terms. You may, however take them, and they may count toward your degree. Note: If Eng 6320, Fiction or Poetry Workshops are offered you may count these as a 'REQUIRED ELECTIVE' for the degree. If you are a winner of a Devine Award, a non-service fellowship, you will still need to take 6 credit hours in the summer. See the Director if you have questions about this. IF YOU TAKE SUMMER COURSES, BE SURE TO DELAY YOUR GRADUATION FOR SUMMER. You'll need to reapply to graduate here. You'll also need to sign up for 1 thesis hour minimum, polish your thesis a bit (based on direction from your thesis defense committee) and file it with the Graduate College by the SUMMER filing deadline.

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