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Frequently Asked Questions about the Stonecoast MFA Program The Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing requires 60 graduate credits. The credits are earned over a two-year period including a total of five ten-day residencies. Each residency, except for the final "graduation" residency, is followed by a semester-long writing project. Students work closely with a faculty mentor on this project, by means of mail, email and sometimes telephone or audiotaped responses. Students must choose a focus in one genre, but may spend one semester or part of one semester on cross-genre projects given appropriate faculty supervision and approval of the Program Director. During the third semester each student researches and writes, under the guidance of the mentor, either a 25-35 page critical essay or documentation of an internship or collaborative project incorporating text-based research. A low-residency Program is a creative and innovative approach to the traditional MFA program. Designed to be accessible to adults with family and work commitments, and to students at any stage of life who prefer to work alone, the program takes full advantage of the possibilities of distance learning in order to educate writers in their craft. During the intensive and challenging semiannual residencies, shared workshops, seminars, readings, and social events help form strong community bonds that often become lifelong literary friendships. ^top What is a Semester? A semester for the Stonecoast MFA is considered to be the combination of the ten-day residency and the six-month period of mentored writing that follows the residency. ^top How many credits will I receive per semester? One full semester is a total of 15 credits. For administrative purposes, each residency is assigned six graduate credits and the mentored writing portion of each semester is assigned nine graduate credits. The very last residency-the fifth residency-does not carry academic credit, but serves to complete the program and allow time for students to fulfill their requirements for graduation. There is a residency fee of $425.00 for the fifth/graduation residency. ^top How will the course work be graded? Because of the subjective and relative nature of creative work, letter grades or group rankings are not assigned. Each semester's course work is assigned a passing or failing grade by the faculty mentor. Pass indicates a grade of C- or better in a pass-fail course. The MFA office submits a grade for student work after each residency and assigned faculty mentors submit a grade for work submitted in packets at the end of the mentored writing portion of the semester. A passing grade indicates that the mentor finds the student's work of acceptable quality to reflect graduate standards. A failing grade indicates that the mentor does not deem the student's work of acceptable quality to meet the standard for graduate-level work. The mentor also submits a written evaluation of the student's work at the middle and end of each semester. This written evaluation of the student by the faculty member is of great importance. For a full description of the various registration policies, please refer to the USM Graduate Catalogue or visit the graduate web site. Grades for the residency are based on attendance and participation in all required residency activities and written evaluations of workshops and seminars attended. Grades for semester projects are based on the quality of the writing and on whether the student has completed all required assignments according to the semester plan. In judging the quality of the writing, the faculty mentor will consider whether the writing is at the graduate level using the following criteria: For Creative Nonfiction: In general, mentors will look for evidence that the writer has not just reported what happened, but has transformed experience and observations into art. Indications of that transformation include:
For Fiction and Popular Fiction:
For Poetry:
^top How should I register for the courses? Once a student has been accepted and has returned the yellow confirmation form to Graduate Admissions indicating that they will attend the program, the MFA office will take care of registration for courses. All subsequent registration will also be done by the MFA office. If there is a question about registration, please contact the MFA office at 207-780-5262. ^top What kinds of students come to Stonecoast? Stonecoast welcomes a remarkably diverse range of students, from all over the country and other countries as well, and from a great range of cultural and educational backgrounds. A typical class might include a nationally-recognized writer seeking to earn a professional degree, a retired doctor or accountant, a recent college graduate in English or biology, and a working lawyer or artist or teacher or lobsterman or screenwriter or carpenter or psychologist looking to change a career or simply to enrich a life. All share their dedication to writing and their excitement about their craft, and all find a welcoming, stimulating, and enriching literary and creative community at Stonecoast.
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Will I graduate with a book? Your creative thesis, completed during your fourth semester under the guidance of a facuty mentor, is designed to be a manuscript "of publishable quality." And many Stonecoast graduates have indeed gone on to publish their creative theses as books. In fact, the Stonecoast program sponsors, with New Rivers Press, the recently-launched Stonecoast Book Prize for books by Stonecoast alums. That said, we encourage Stonecoast students to bide their time, respect their art, and not to rush manuscripts into print until they are completely ready. While every writer is different, it is not unusual for a thesis to undergo much change and revision after, as well as before, graduation. ^top
Where is the residency held? The residency is a ten-day period, twice a year. For the most part, the academic portion of the residency is held at the Stone House in Wolf's Neck State Park in Freeport, Maine. Overnight housing is available to students and faculty at the Bowdoin Campus during the summer residency and at a Freeport hotel during the winter residency. There is an additional fee for housing and food service if a student selects those options. The room and board package covers all meals for the summer residency, but, during the winter residency, students must make their own dinner arrangements because Bowdoin and its cafeteria are not available to us at that time. You will be provided with a list of restaurant recommendations for the Freeport area in your student packet at the winter residency. Please also be aware that we will do everything we can to accommodate special dietary needs as long as you inform us by the deadline for room and board sign-up. We strongly encourage students to elect the residential option arranged for the program, as it helps to involve the student more rewardingly in the Stonecoast community; however, students may certainly elect to commute or to make their own housing and board arrangements. Due to the force of some Maine winters, we especially recommend the room and board option for the winter term. ^top How are mentors selected? During the residency, students get to know faculty members through the workshops, seminars, readings and at various social gatherings. Students will also have the opportunity to interview faculty members during scheduled interview sessions where faculty will discuss their approach to the semester projects. These conferences will help determine if a faculty member is a good fit for the student's goals for the semester. Near the end of the residency, each student will give the MFA staff a list of three faculty members with whom they would like to work. The Director and Associate Director match students with mentors through reference to these lists, and in consultation with the faculty. The list of faculty/student matches is posted the morning before the last day of the residency, and many students meet with their mentors to discuss the coming semester in person on the last day before the residency ends. Please note that the timing of the posting of the mentor matches is subject to change due to a variety of variables. ^top What is included in the five packets completed during each semester? During the first week of the semester, each student is responsible to send the MFA office a copy of an individualized study plan for the semester which has been drawn up in consultation with the mentor. This plan details when the packets will be due and what will be included, as well as a preliminary reading list for the semester. Before the first packet is due, the student is responsible for sending the MFA office a final version of the reading list incorporating the mentor's suggestions and signed by both student and mentor. While the semester plans will vary from student to student depending on the genre and on the work the student has done prior to that semester, there are basic requirements for the semester project which every student must fulfill. These are as follows: Each packet will contain no more than 25 pages for students in prose, and 15 pages for students in poetry, including significant revisions and annotations of readings on the reading list. Annotations may consist, at the mentor's discretion, of either 2-3 short annotations of 2-1/2 to 3 pages each, or a single longer annotation. Sample annotations are posted here. ^top What happens if I don't turn in my immunization form? We must have your immunization form on file with health services in order to register you. If we can't register you, Federal financial aid requirements will not be met and you may be asked to return your financial aid monies. If you have any questions or problems meeting this essential requirement, please call Health Services at 207-780-4504 or visit: http://www.usm.maine.edu/health/ and click on the immunization info link. ^top Who are my contacts for assistance during the Residency and the semester? The staff of the Stonecoast MFA office is available during normal business hours to answer students' questions about the program or residency, but may refer students to other offices for specific information in several areas. Our main office number is (207) 780-5262; please feel free to contact us with your questions and concerns. During the residency, the Stonecoast Staff is at the Stone House. Please inform your emergency contact that staff will have a USM cell phone. The number will be provided in your student packet upon your registration. We strongly recommend that if you have a cell phone with you while traveling, you provide our office with that number so that we may contact you in case of emergency. For help with e-mail and computer problems, students may contact the Help Desk at (207) 780-4029, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or the Tech Support Hotline at (800) 696-4357, open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For assistance with billing questions, please call Student Billing at (207) 780-5200 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For help with Financial Aid issues, please call the Financial Aid office at (207) 780-5250. This office is also open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ^top
What is the difference between summer and winter residency? Daytime classes and events are held at the Stone House during both residencies, providing the program with continuity and a sense of home. During the Summer residency, accommodations are provided by Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Students who opt for room and board will be assigned to a specific dormitory on the Bowdoin campus. Please keep in mind that you will be sharing bathroom and shower facilities with other same-sex MFA students. Students will have access to campus facilities such as computer labs, photo copiers, the library, art museum, gymnasium, laundry and study areas. Downtown Brunswick is within walking distance and features a large grocery store complete with pharmacy and photo developing center. There is also a local bookstore, a health food store, coffee shops, a movie theatre, a music store, a brew pub, an ice cream shop and a variety of ethnic restaurants. Weather during the summer residency can vary from hot and sunny to uncomfortably muggy to rainy to slightly cold. Please pack a wardrobe adaptable to these possible weather conditions. During the Winter residency, students who opt for room and board enjoy hotel accommodations in Freeport. The hotel provides a continental breakfast, a workout area, a pool, a 24-hour coffee and tea station, fresh baked cookies, and cleaning services. The hotel is situated next to a large grocery store complete with a pharmacy and photo developing center and several restaurants are within walking distance. Downtown Freeport is a walk or a short drive from the hotel and offers the advantage of outlet shopping, restaurants, coffee shops, a bookstore, and of course, L.L. Bean! (Open 24/7) Weather during the Winter residency is typically cold, snowy, windy and oppressive. Temperatures are barely warm enough to sustain human life. A wardrobe consisting of layers is advisable. Layers will also be helpful at the Stone House where temperatures vary from room to room
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What should I bring to the residencies? Summer and Winter
Suggested for Winter (hotel accommodations):
Suggested for Summer (dormitory accomodations):
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Related Links: What is a Semester?How many credits will I receive per semester? How will the course work be graded? How should I register for the courses? Where is the residency held? How are mentors selected? What is included in the five packets completed during each semester? What happens if I don't turn in my immunization form? Who are my contacts for assistance during the residency and the semester? What should I bring to the residencies? |
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