While much of the learning in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing program takes place during individualized project periods, students are required to attend at least seven seminars and the genre writing workshops during each residency. Some of these learning activities are described briefly below; required seminars are denoted by an asterisk(*).

Arts, Culture, and Society (I & II)*
These seminars explore the relationship between the arts and society. Both historical and philosophical, the material in these seminars lays the groundwork for the individual writer's understanding of the development of culture.

Aesthetics/Poetics/Critical Theory
Courses in these areas present a historical overview of various theories of "how writing is written" and assist the student in developing an individual aesthetic/critical perspective.

Orientation to the Field Study and Field Study*
MFA students must complete an approved field study. The orientation to the field Study covers such issues as how to develop field study placements and how to design learning objectives. In some instances, pre-approved field studies are available and in other instances, students develop opportunities for these learning experiences under the guidance of the program chair.

The field study involves the student in an experiential learning activity that enhances awareness of different possibilities in a writing life, such as publishing, teaching, working in media, designing Web sites, learning letterpress printing, making books, or participating in a variety of supervised internships in which writing is a component. Students design and complete this non-classroom learning experience some time during their first two semesters in the program. The project should take 4 to 12 months to complete and may extend from one term to another. The field study is not necessarily supervised or evaluated by the faculty mentor; instead, it is completed under the supervision of and evaluated by a qualified individual closely associated with the placement.

Genre Studies
Students fulfill the genre studies requirement by attending seminars and lectures focused on their chosen genre concentration. Core and visiting faculty present historical, critical, and process seminars on writing and the work of writers. Students may attend seminars in all genres during the residency periods, and they may elect to study for one project period in a genre other than their main area of study.

Genre Writing Workshops*
During each residency, all students meet in small groups with an assigned faculty workshop leader to critique student work, discuss and define personal aesthetics, develop critical faculties, and, when appropriate, participate in writing exercises.

The Short Paper, the Critical Paper Seminar, and the Critical Paper*
During the second project period, each student writes a short critical paper in preparation for writing the longer paper (25-40 pages) during the third term. This paper is based on library or online research or is an in-depth critical reaction to a topic agreed upon by the student and the mentor. The paper typically examines a topic of literary or cultural theory, or a craft issue in a genre. It may also be a literary or historical study or a biographical study. The Critical Paper Seminar, offered at each residency, reviews the methodology of academic research for the critical paper. Students learn to choose an appropriate topic, design a research plan, and prepare correct documentation according to Modern Language Association (MLA) format.

Teaching of Creative Writing
Several courses are designed to introduce practical and theoretical models of teaching creative writing. Additionally, students pursuing the Certificate in the Pedagogy of Creative Writing read selections from a list of books and articles about the teaching of writing and take a required orientation to certificate study.

The Translation Seminar and Online Conference*
Offered at each residency, the Translation Seminar exposes students to the art of translating literary texts, the workings of language, and how individual writers make language choices. Faculty and guests present issues about the art of translation and demonstrate steps in the translation process. After the residency experience, students continue in a semester-long online translation conference in which they actively participate on a weekly basis. The conference involves discussion of the writing issues that arise through the practice of translation, including theories of translation and any learning applicable to the process of writing in general. It is not necessary to know a foreign language in order to take the seminar or the conference.

Writers at Work
Lectures, field trips, and other resources illustrate ways in which creative writers earn a living in contemporary society and culture.

The Final Manuscript*
During the fourth project period, each student prepares a final manuscript of work to submit during the fifth residency. Poetry manuscripts must be a minimum of 40 pages in length; fiction and creative nonfiction manuscripts must be a minimum of 100 pages. Students completing a Dual Concentration submit a manuscript reflecting work done in both genres. Dual Concentration manuscript requirements are:

• Prose in a combination of fiction and creative nonfiction: 150 pages, 60 percent in the primary genre and 40 percent in the secondary genre
• Prose combined with poetry: 100 pages of prose, not less than 25 pages of poetry
• Poetry combined with fiction or creative nonfiction: 50 pages of poetry and not less than 50 pages of prose

Senior Seminar*
During the final residency, each student delivers a seminar on a topic related to literary studies, such as a presentation on the work of an individual author, discussion of a craft issue in a specific genre, or the elucidation of a theoretical position. All senior seminars are 50 minutes in length.

Senior Reading*
During the final residency, each graduating student delivers a public reading.

Orientations*
Specialized seminars provide students with a working knowledge of specific required and optional aspects of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA) program. The required orientations are: New Students I and II, FirstClass® Software, Certificate in the Pedagogy of Creative Writing, Field Study, Critical Paper Seminar, Final Term, and How to Teach a 50-Minute Seminar.