ENG610 Introductory Group and Independent Writing and Reading Credit: 16 semester hours

This course begins with pre-assignments including the worksheet submission for the workshop booklet. The residency delivers a rigorous curriculum of workshops, lectures, conferences, and readings. The residency is followed by a period during which the student completes the ENG610 Semester Independent Study Plan. The plan, which is created by the student and the mentoring instructor, includes five extensive assignments of original creative writing, an individualized reading list, and short critical essays. One critical essay is exchanged among other program students. Students submit residency, midsemester, and end-of-semester evaluations, and a Cumulative Bibliography of books and scripts read.

ENG620 Intermediate Group and Independent Writing and Reading Credit: 16 semester hours

This course begins with pre-assignments including the worksheet submission for the workshop booklet. The residency delivers a rigorous curriculum of workshops, lectures, conferences, and readings. The residency is followed by a period during which the student completes the ENG620 Semester Independent Study Plan. The plan, which is created by the student and the mentoring instructor, includes five extensive assignments of original creative writing, an individualized reading list, and short critical essays. One critical essay and one piece of original work are exchanged among other program students. Students submit residency, midsemester, and end-of-semester evaluations, and a Cumulative Bibliography of books and scripts read. Prerequisites: ENG610 or the equivalent and permission of Program Director or Associate Program Director

ENG630 Advanced Group and Independent Writing and Reading: Emphasizing Critical Writing Credit: 16 semester hours

This course begins with pre-assignments including the worksheet submission for the workshop booklet. The residency delivers a rigorous curriculum of workshops, lectures, conferences, and readings. The residency is followed by a period during which the student completes the ENG630 Semester Independent Study Plan. The plan, which is created by the student and the mentoring instructor, includes five extensive assignments of original creative writing, an individualized reading list, one short critical essay, and a critical essay which is a minimum of 20 pages. Students submit residency, midsemester, and end-of-semester evaluations, and a Cumulative Bibliography of books and scripts read. The student selects a published work for a Small Group Discussion, which the student leads at the next residency. Prerequisites: ENG610, ENG620 and permission of Program Director or Associate Program Director

ENG640 Advanced Group and Independent Writing and Reading: Emphasizing the Creative Thesis CollectionCredit: 16 semester hours

In ENG640, students attend two residencies, one at the beginning and one at the end of the semester (the Graduation Residency). Both residencies deliver a rigorous curriculum of workshops, lectures, conferences, and readings. The first residency is followed by a period during which the student completes the ENG640 Student Independent Semester Study Plan. The plan, which is created by the student and the mentoring instructor, includes five extensive assignments of original creative writing, culminating in the completion of the creative thesis, an individualized reading list, and two short critical essays. In addition to the work on the creative thesis, the plan should also include new writing to help establish a transition to the writing life after the MFA is awarded to the student. During the Graduation Residency, the student delivers a Graduation Lecture, a Graduation Reading, and participates in a Thesis Discussion. For both residencies students submit residency, midsemester, and end-of-semester evaluations; a Cumulative Bibliography of all books and scripts read. Prerequisites: ENG610 ENG620 ENG630

Opportunity for an Enrichment Semester

Spalding MFA students may wish to add an enrichment semester prior to receiving the degree. The enrichment semester focuses entirely on a student’s original creative writing and does not include any critical writing or written commentaries on a reading list. The semester may focus on additional instruction in the major area of concentration or on a particular project in the major area of concentration or on a genre in a minor area of concentration. Students may only study areas to which they have applied and been accepted. An advantage of folding a fifth semester into the program as opposed to taking a post-graduate semester is that students may still obtain financial aid (if eligible) if the student has not yet graduated.

ENG 650 Creative Writing—MFA Enrichment Residency and Semester (16 semester hours)

This course includes a pre-assignment of the worksheet submission for the workshop booklet and an intensive brief residency of workshops, lectures, conferences, and readings. The residency is followed by a semester during which the student completes the ENG650 Semester Independent Study Plan through independent study with his or her mentor. The plan, which is created by the student and the mentoring instructor, includes no more than five packets of original writing. Students submit midsemester and end-of-semester evaluations. ENG650 does not substitute for ENG610, ENG620, ENG630, or ENG640. Prerequisites: ENG620

Opportunity for a Teaching Practicum in Creative Writing

Spalding MFA students may wish to add ENG660, a professional development semester that concentrates on the teaching of creative writing prior to receiving the degree. The teaching practicum semester begins with a residency workshop that focuses on developing the vocabulary and critical skills necessary for teaching a course in creative writing. When the ENG660 students return home, they develop curriculum and syllabi under the mentorship of an MFA Faculty member. The student also puts skills into practice in a teaching practicum in the student’s home community. The practicum is arranged by the student (under the guidance of the mentor) and may include a more formal collegiate setting or smaller writing class held in a community center or church. The reading list includes pedagogical titles and anthologies appropriate for teaching. The prerequisites for this course are ENG610 and ENG620. ENG660 does not take the place of the four MFA core courses and may not be offered each semester. An advantage of folding an additional semester into the program as opposed to taking a post-graduate semester is that students may still obtain financial aid (if eligible) if the student has not yet graduated.

ENG660 Teaching Practicum in Creative Writing–MFA Residency & Semester (16 semester hours)

Teaching Practicum in Creative Writing serves MFA students (or graduates of MFA programs) who would like to pursue a specialization in the teaching of creative writing. This 16-hour course follows the regular MFA semester schedule and begins with the standard MFA residency. During the residency, ENG660 students take part in a workshop that focuses on the teaching of writing in different genres. Students also attend special teaching lectures and presentations. Students attend lectures in areas outside their concentration to gather a wider perspective for teaching. During the independent study portion of the semester, ENG660 students arrange a teaching practicum with the help of their mentor, read and write widely on creative writing pedagogy, and develop a syllabus and course management strategies. Students submit midsemester and end-of-semester evaluations. ENG660 does not substitute for ENG610, ENG620, ENG630, or ENG640. Prerequisites: ENG620

Grading
Grading consists of discursive evaluations. The appropriate faculty members submit residency evaluations of students for workshops on the quantity, manner, and quality of workshop participation. The faculty mentor evaluates the work sent in packets throughout the semester and recommends at the end of the semester that credit will be Awarded, Not Awarded, or Incomplete, although incompletes are very rare and must be arranged with the mentor and program director. For students to remain in the Program, evaluations of Credit Awarded must be received at the end of each semester. If evaluations of Credit Not Awarded are received, a semester may be repeated one time. All tuition and appropriate fees are required. If at the end of the repeated semester the student does not receive Credit Awarded evaluations, the student is not allowed to continue in the program.