AY Calendar (2025-26)
AUGUST
18 · New GTAs Report to Writing Center Training (See emails from WC Staff)
18 · New GPAs Report to Watershed Lit Training (See emails from WL Staff)
22 · ALL NEW STUDENTS Introduction to Watershed Lit, Literary Journals, and Fenwick Library (12pm, Horizon Hall Kitchen, 4th Floor, Bring your lunch...drinks and desserts provided)
25 · First Day of Fall Classes
SEPTEMBER
1 · Labor Day, University Closed
2 · Last Day to Add Classes
5 · ALL NEW STUDENTS Cultural Dexterity Session (12pm, Johnson Center, Room 326 B)
8 · Last Day to Drop Classes (w/ 100% Tuition Refund)
18 · WELCOME BACK ALL STUDENTS MFA Faculty Reading (7pm, Fenwick Reading Room)
OCTOBER
7 · Spring Schedule of Classes Available on PatriotWeb (date approximate)
7-11 · Fall for the Book (https://fallforthebook.org/)
13 · Fall Break, University Closed
15 · Requests for Poetry Thesis Directors Due (2nd-Year Students Only)
22 · Poetry Thesis Directors Announced (2nd-Year Students Only)
20-23 · MFA Student Individual Advising Sessions (Info TC)
24 · Incomplete work from Spring/Summer semester due to the instructor
28 · Spring 2025 Registration Opens for Graduate Students
NOVEMBER
4 · Election Day (no classes)
26-30 · Thanksgiving Break
DECEMBER
1 · Scholarship Deadlines:
Otto Scholarship (3rd-year students only non-fellow thesis support)
Kelley Scholarship (1st- + 2nd-year students work on culturally/socially relevant topic)
5 · Completed Thesis Projects Due to the Library (Fall Graduates Only)
8 · Last Day of Classes
WINTER BREAK
2nd-Year Students: Prepare material (Thesis Proposal, Creative Sample) for 3rd-Year Fellowship and Provost Summer GRA Deadlines (See Below, ***only 2nd-Year Students are eligible***)
JANUARY
20 · Classes Resume
31 · Provost Summer GRA Apps Approximate Deadline (2nd-Year Students only, double check deadline)
FEBRUARY
3 · Last Day to Drop Classes (w/ 100% Tuition Refund)
16 · Third-Year Fellowship Apps Deadline (12 Noon, Rising 3rd-Year Students)
27 · Third-Year Fellowship Recipients Announced
MARCH
2 · Requests for Prose Thesis Directors Due (2nd-Year Students Only)
4-7 · AWP in Baltimore
9-15 · Spring Break
16 · Prose Thesis Directors Announced (2nd-Year Students Only)
Mid-March · Provost Summer GRA Recipients Notified
30 · Spring Writing Contests Deadline (Noon)
APRIL
3 · Incomplete work from Fall semester due to the instructor
Mid-April: Fall 2026 Registration Opens for Graduate Students (Date TBA)
27 · Spring Writing Contests Winners Announced
MAY
1 · Completed Thesis Projects Due to the Library by 5pm (Graduating 3rd-Year Students)
1 · Scholarship Deadline:
Raymond Scholarship (1st-year students only self-identifying as underrepresented population)
4 · Last Day of Classes
6 · English Honors Reception (5pm, CFA Tier III)
13 · Graduate Student Reading (6pm Sherwood Center)
14 · University Commencement
TBA · College of Humanities and Social Sciences Convocation
BEFORE THE END OF THE SEMESTER: (1) Signed Thesis Proposal Approval Sheet, Thesis Proposal (1-2 pages), and Representative Creative Sample (15-20 pages) emailed to the Graduate Academic Coordinator (all rising 3rd-Years); (2) Schedule MFA Exam for Summer with Graduate Academic Coordinator (rising 3rd-Year poetry students only).