George Mason University

Students who want to do a reading list project develop a 20-author list the same way students do who are preparing to take the comprehensive exam.  The list is submitted to the chair of the student's thesis committee along with a statement about the rationale.  As he or she reads, the student compiles an annotated bibliography that is submitted to the chair of the students thesis committee (this copy is returned to the student) and the director of the MFA program (this copy is kept in the student's file).

The bibliography should elaborate the lisnes of influence noted in the rationale to show how the works fit together, and should include the student's annotations about the works, their styles, themes, literay devices, or other noteworthy traits.  This project may be done for academic credit when approved by the English Department as meeting its requirements for an independent study.  It does not have to be done for academic credit.  The bibliography is not graded if it is not part of academic study.

Prose students also have the option of developing their own projects tailored to their post-MFA goals.  The magnitude of these projects should approximate that of a 20-author exam or reading project.  Students opting to complete a project work with their thesis directors and may seek the advice or input of the MFA program director as they devise the project.  The project may be done for credit (as an independent study) but does not have to be.  If it is done for credit, the project must meet the English Department's requirements governing for-credit independent studies.  If the project is done for credit, the credits will count as electives unless specifically approved for other purposes.

Examples of projects include:

Successfully serving at least one year as editor of an on-campus journal, such as Phoebe or So to Speak, or serving at least one year as a department or category editor, such as fiction or nonfiction editor, or sub-editor, such as primary reader of manuscripts submitted in fiction or nonfiction.  Completion of the project requires a final, sythesizing paper to the thesis Director, who may suggest sharing the paper's contents with other editors at the journal.

Completing an editing project, such as an anthology of short stoires selected around a common theme or style of characteriszation or setting.  A project proposal should specify exact tasks to be undertaken, such a works for inclusion and writing headnotes, introductions, and other editorial material.  Although students are encourages to seek publication opportunities for the project, successful completion of the project does not require that the project be accepted for publication.

Teaching creative writing workshops to a special audience.  This cannot include normal creative writing courses but can include a special series of workshops or writing seminars developed for and taught to elementary or high school students, or an adult-learning workshop at a senior center, etc.  The project proposal should specify the stpes to be included such as necessary pedagogical preparation, workshop developement, the teaching itself, plus a post-experience self-evaluation or in-progress observation if actual teaching is included.

MFA Project Proposal Form