MFA HandbookResidential Bilingual mfa Program

Department ofCREATIVE WRITING

university of texas, el paso500 W. University Ave. lart 415

El Paso, tx 79968

Contents

Introduction 1

e CreativeWriting Department 2O ce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O ce Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Phones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Mailing Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

MFACurriculum 4First Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4First, Second and ird Year . . . . . . . . . . 5

ird Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Independent Study 7Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Advising Policies 8Types of Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Coursework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

esis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Grading 11Grades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Dropping Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Incomplete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Teaching Assistantships 12What is a Teaching Assistantship? . . . . . . . 12Teaching Assistantship Assignments . . . . . . 12

Tuition and Scholarships 15Paying for Tuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Estimated Living Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Información para estudiantes internacionales 17Seguro de Salud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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mfa handbook

Vivienda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Teaching in the Department of CreativeWriting 19Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Applying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Why teach creative writing? . . . . . . . . . . 20While you teach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Working on Your esis 21esis Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Choosing Your esis Director . . . . . . . . . 21Submitting Your esis Proposal . . . . . . . . 22Forming A esis Committee . . . . . . . . . 23Writing Your esis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Defense and Graduation 27Graduation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Suggested Deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

A er Graduation 29International Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Ph.D. Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Applying for Teaching Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . 30Publication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Letters of Recommendation . . . . . . . . . . 30

Bilingual CreativeWriting Students’ Organization 32O cers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Current O cers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Frequently Asked uestions 34

Advisor List: 2012–2013 36Je Sirkin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Luis Arturo Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Lex Williford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36José de Piérola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Daniel Chacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Ben Saenz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Sasha Pimentel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Rosa Alcalá . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Acknowledgments 38

Feedback 39

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Introduction

Welcome to the Bilingual mfa in Creative Writing. is hand-book is intended to provide you with information that willmake it easier to navigate your way through the following threeyears of study atutep. Consult theContents (page ii) for the in-formation you are looking for. Some sections have hyperlinks—in blue—which you can click on if you are reading this doc-ument on a computer. If the information you are looking foris not in Contents, try the Frequently Asked uestions section(page 34). Finally, if the information you are looking for is notin this handbook, contact the Director of Graduate Studies atjdepierola@utep.edu.

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e Creative Writing Department

e CreativeWritingDepartment atutepwas created to fosterintellectual and creative growth for students pursuing an under-graduate major or minor in creative writing, and a mfa in cre-ative writing both on campus and online.

Our Bilingual mfa in Creative Writing is the only one of itskind in the world, and it attracts students—from the Amer-icas and beyond—who want to pursue their development aswriters in a uniquely situated university and intellectual com-munity. We understand bilingualism not as a requirement thatour students uently speak both languages, but rather as the co-existence of Spanish and English in the same classroom.

officee Creative Writing o ce is located in the Liberal Arts Build-

ing Room 415. e best way to get to our o ce is through theside entrance at the corner ofHawthorne St. andUniversity Av-enue. In themain o ce youwill nd ourChair, Benjamin Sáenzand our Administrative Assistant, Lori de Los Santos, as well asa conference space you can use to study and work when thereare not meetings or defenses scheduled.

office hoursHours are as followswhen the university is in full session (hoursare reduced during intersession and during the summer).

• Main O ce: Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm• Should you need to talk with our chair, please, make an

appointment with our Administrative Assistant at lde-loss@utep.edu.

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the creative writing department

phones• Main O ce Phone: 1-915-747-5713• Main O ce Fax: 1-915-747-5523

mailing addressCorrespondence for faculty and chair should be addressed to:

Department of Creative WritingUniversity of Texas, El Paso500 W. University Ave. lart 415El Paso, TX 79968

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MFA Curriculum

During your three years of studies, you will need to completethe coursework described in this chapter. Some courses, such asthose required for rst-year students or thesis hours for third-year students, must be taken in the corresponding semesters.

e order in which you take the other courses will depend onyour overall plans for your mfa, which you should discuss withyour advisor.1

Regardless of how you plan your coursework, if you are afull time student, you should complete yourmfa in three years.Please, consider the following:

• You need to complete 48 hours coursework in 6 semesters.• In your rst 5 semesters, you need to register in 9 hours (3

courses) to be considered a full time student (a requirementfor all students holding a teaching assistantship; see page 12).

• You may take courses in our summer sessions. ese coursesmay count towards your 48 hour requirement, but they do

not count towards your 9 hours requirement to be a full timestudent in Fall and Spring.

• You will enroll in crw 5398 esis I in your h semester,concurrently with two other courses to complete your fulltime requirement.

• crw 5399 esis II, which you take in your sixth, and lastsemester, counts as full time enrollment.

first yearrequired form and theory (9 hours)

ese are required courses that must be taken during your rstyear. Usually crw 5321 is taught in Fall, whereas crw 5364 andcrw 5365 are taught one in Fall and Spring, respectively.

• crw 5321 Narrative eory and Poetics• crw 5364 Forms and Techniques of Fiction• crw 5365 Forms and Techniques of Poetry• Optionally, a pedagogy class in the Department of English

(eng 5346) or Language and Linguistics (ling 5308) for stu-dents holding a TA who want to be eligible to teach in those

1If you do not know who your advisor is, check the Advisor List (page 36).– 4 –

mfa curriculum

departments. Either one of these courses will be counted asone of your electives (see the section below).

first, second and third yearworkshop and/or variable topics (15 hours)Only three in a single genre. Sometimes crw 5368 VariableTopics and crw 5382 Studies in Form are taught as Literaturecourses. Check the Course Catalog before you enroll in thesecourses.

• crw 5366 Advanced Fiction Writing• crw 5367 Advanced Poetry Writing• crw 5369 Advanced Playwriting• crw 5371 Writing the Novel• crw 5372 Advanced Screenwriting• crw 5373 Advanced Creative Non ction• crw 5374 Ten Problems for the Fiction Writer• crw 5381 Writing Children’s Literature• crw 5368 Variable Topics• crw 5382 Studies in Form

literature (12 hours)ese courses require reading at least six book-lengthworks, and

an analytical nal project, although they may also include cre-ative assignments.

crw 5368 and crw 5382 may be counted as LiteratureCourses if they ful ll these requirements, but such courses willnot count towards theworkshop and/or variable topics require-ments above.

note: In exceptional cases, one graduate level literaturecourse may be taken from another department, such as Englishand Language and Linguistics, with your advisor’s approval.

• crw  5368 Variable Topics• crw  5370 Literary Translation• crw  5375 Writing Comics and Visual Culture• crw  5376 Writing About Popular Music• crw  5377 Rewriting America Since 1960s• crw  5378 e Politics of Narration• crw  5379 Ka a and the Art of Fiction• crw  5380 e Physics of Creative Writing• crw  5382 Studies in form• crw  5383 History of the Short Story Form• crw  5384 Forms in the Prose Poem and the Short Story

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mfa handbook

• crw  5385 Forms in the Contemporary Short Story• crw  5386 Minding Fiction• crw  5387 Contemporary Latin American Novel• crw  5388 Storytelling in Film and Literature• crw  5389 High Modernism in Latin America

electives (6 hours)ese are graduate-level courses taken from any department

with an advisor’s approval. e pedagogy course counts as oneelective.

¶ independent study (3 hours)is is not a course per se but a way of taking a course, and it is

designed to allow your development as a writer. You can take anindependent study from any department with your advisor’sapproval. It may replace a literature or an elective course. Seethe Independent Study chapter (page 7) for more details.

third yearthesis (6 hours)• crw 5398 esis I• crw 5399 esis II (can only be taken in the last semester,

and counts as a full course load).

e thesis should consist of a book-length original creativemanuscript presented by a critical preface. For the thesis, stu-dentsmaywrite ction, poetry, non ction, screenor stage plays,or works of literary translation. Each candidate is required tosubmit a thesis proposal and a sample of the thesis-in progressbefore enrolling in esis I. e thesiswill be preparedunder thedirection of a three-member supervising committee and will bedefended orally. See Working on Your esis (page 21) for moredetails.

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Independent Study

An independent study may replace a workshop, variable topicsor literature course. Independent study is designed to allow youto explore a particular area of interest not o ered as a regularcourse during your three years in the program.

guidelines• You are not required to take an independent study, nor are

you guaranteed one.• Make sure you ask for an independent study within the area

of interest, research or creative work of the professor you ask.• Ask a professor at least one semester in advance, and bemind-

ful of the requirements below.

requirementsPrior to registering in your Independent Study, you need topresent a proposal. e proposal must be approved by the pro-fessor you will be taking the Independent Study with, and bythe Director of Graduate Studies.

Your Independent Study Proposal will consist of the follow-ing:

• A brief letter stating how the proposed independent studywill contribute to your development as awriter or to thewrit-ing of your thesis.

• A detailed syllabus for the course. e syllabus may followany format, but it must include:

◦ An introduction◦ A list of readings◦ A means of evaluation◦ A list of assignments◦ A weekly break down of readings, evaluations and assign-

ments

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Advising Policies

You will be assigned an advisor to guide you during the threeyears of your mfa (see Advisor List on page 36). Your advi-sor is meant to help you design an overall plan of developmentfor your mfa, including the coursework, ful llment of require-ments, and to help you with registration. Your advisor is yourmain contact with our department, and you should meet withhim or her whenever you have concerns or questions regardingyour academic responsiblities.

You might request a change of advisor at any semester, butif you decide to do so, you will need to contact the Director ofGraduate Studies as early as possible, preferably at the beginningof a semester.

Every semester you are required to meet in person with youradvisor to discuss the courses you are planning to take the fol-lowing semester. e courses you choosemust t an overall planof development as a writer as you pursue your mfa. Once youand your advisor have agreed upon your coursework,make sure

that she or he lls out your Advising Sheet and li s your holds,so you may proceed to registration.

Keep in mind the following policies regarding your study inour program:

types of coursesfirst-year Students must complete these requirements be-

fore they can enroll in anyother course. If a course is not avail-able in their rst semester, they must enroll in that courseduring their second semester. is requirement applies topart-time students too.

workshops Courses under the advanced writing orvariable topics category focus on your own writing;most of these classes follow the workshop format and the -nal project is creative. Students may take up to three work-shop courses in each category.

literature Courses o eredunder the literatureheadingin the mfa curriculum (page 5) focus on analytical read-ing; most of these classes follow the seminar format and thenal project is an analytical paper. ese courses require read-

ing at least six book-length texts, and the writing of an ana-lytical nal project of at least 15 pages.

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advising policies

electives Students may take any graduate level course atutep as an elective.

independent studies Each student is allowed one indepen-dent study (crw 5390) during the course of the mfa. eproposed independent study should not duplicate a coursethat we regularly o er. It is recommended the independentstudy be taken in the second year of study (for more infor-mation, see Independent Studies on page 7).

coursework1. We do not accept undergraduate courses for graduate credit,

no exceptions. Language study does not count towards thedegree.

2. Students funded byutep, whether through theDepartmentof English or the Department of Creative Writing, must en-roll in nine hours (three courses) each semester to maintaintheir TA eligibility.

3. We strongly recommend that students not enroll in morethan nine hours per semester.

4. A er six semesters of study on assistantship (plus one nalsummer if necessary), the university will charge students out-of-state tuition if they continue to enroll, unless they are res-

idents of Texas. Students funded by the Department of Cre-ativeWriting for six semesters of studies do not receive exten-sions.

5. e Department Chair, in consultation with the Director ofGraduate Studies, makes TA assignments. ey are not doneby petition of students. Assignments are calibrated to servethe needs of theDepartment ofCreativeWriting and are sub-ject to change from semester to semester.

6. e renewal of teaching assistantships fromyear to year is notautomatic; it is contingent on satisfactory progress in bothcoursework and TA assignments.

thesis• esis directors have the prerogative of giving both binding

and non-binding instructions for manuscript revision whenworking on an mfa thesis with a student. Students must im-plement these binding instructions.

• Students are responsible for asking their thesis directorswhenin doubt. Students should not switch thesis directors during

esis II. If a change is to bemade, this determination shouldhappen no later than the end of the esis I semester.

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mfa handbook

• Students may take only one set of thesis hours at a time: rstcrw 5398, in their next-to-last semester, and then crw 5399in the following semester. Students may take crw 5399 asmany times as needed; however, we expect them to completetheir thesis within three years.

• Students may write their theses in absentia, as long as theynish their coursework, and as long as the thesis committee

agrees. Regardless of how they complete their thesis, studentsmust be physically present for their defense.

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Grading

grades• e grading system for graduate students at utep goes from

A to F, in full letter increments. ere is no B+ or A-.• To keep a good standing as a graduate student, your gpa

must remain at 3.0 or higher.• e Graduate School will automatically withdraw from the

program students with more than three B grades.• Make sure you understand the grading policy in each class

you take.

dropping courses• Except for a family emergency, we strongly discourage stu-

dents from dropping their classes. Nevertheless, should youneed to withdraw from a class, consult the Academic Calen-dar. Usually the deadline to drop a class is around Week 8.

• If you hold a Teaching Assistantship, you must remain a fulltime student (9 hours); otherwise, your appointment will becanceled.

incomplete• Students who cannot complete the assignments of a course

will earn either an F or an I (incomplete), depending on thepolicies of that particular course.

• Students with an incomplete need to make arrangementswith the instructor to ful ll the requirements.note: It is thestudent’s responsibility to make these arrangements.

• A student who does not complete the necessary assignmentswithin a year of the course’s completion will receive an F forthat course.

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Teaching Assistantships

what is a teaching assistantship?Depending on the strength of their application, some incomingstudents are awarded a teaching assistantship. is is a part-timeassignment (20 hour per week) meant to help them pay for tu-ition, living expenses and books. e possible duties for a teach-ing assistant in the Department of Creative Writing are one ofthe following:

• Help in the department’s o ce• Assist one of the program directors• Edit the Rio Grande Review, our literary journal• Help with the organization of the ”Congreso de Literatura

Mexicana”• Help in the Revista de Literatura Mexicana• Teach introductory courses in our department• Teach introductory courses in the Department of Language

and Linguistics

• Assist one of the professors in a research project

teaching assistantship assignmentsNew students do not teach until their second and third years.For rst-year students, we try to spread out other kinds of as-signments in a way that will bene t both the department andthe students themselves.

Students given assistantships on the budget of other depart-ments such as English and Humanities give service exclusivelyto those departments. ose students are not available for de-partmental assignments such as Rio Grande Review or teachingcreative writing. Some of the students on our budget teach forEnglish or Language and Linguistics as well, on a loan basis, butare eligible for other assignments.

When we make assignments, the order is as follows:

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teaching assistantships

first• Needs of the Creative Writing Department, e.g., o ce sta ,

teaching our own courses (awarded on a competitive basis),and Rio Grande Review (awarded on a competitive basis).Any rst- or second-year student may apply to edit the mag-azine the following year.

• O ce sta is hand-picked based on aptitude for the joband/or previous experience, and usually students continue inthe job for 2 or 3 years.O ce sta are evaluated every year, areexpected to perform at a high level and put the priorities ofthe o ce rst at all times, and this performance determineswhether the TA will be continued.

• Editors for the Rio Grande Review are appointed for one yearonly. Editing the rgr is a privilege, not a right. e o ce, themagazine budget, and the equipment all belong to the de-partment. e rgr is not a freestanding entity and shouldnot be edited as such. It is not a professional journal but aneducational opportunity, a place to learn and even to makemistakes while still focusing on quality. No sta member isexpected to workmore than an average of 20 hours per week,irrespective of the magazine’s self-perceived needs. e rulefor them is the same as for all other TA assignments. Stais accountable to the rgr advisor and the department chair,

and regular brie ngs are required. Please remember that be-ing named an editor is a TA assignment, just like any other,and all the same expectations and accountability hold as thosein other TA positions.

• rgr sta is determined annually by each prospective teampresenting a written proposal which is then vetted, transpar-ently and equitably, by a committee consisting of: the full fac-ulty of the Creative Writing Department and the two gradu-ate student reps selected from the o cers of the bcwso.

All of the above are half-time assignments, unless otherwisespeci ed.

second• A er the needs listed under the previous heading are covered,

assistants are assigned to the respective Directors: Graduate,Undergraduate, Online. e quali cations for these crucialassignments are similar to those for o ce sta . Again, thoughthese students may apply for other opportunities, we will tryto maintain continuity in these positions, since there is tech-nical training involved (Embark, Banner, caps, dnn), and ade nite learning curve.

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mfa handbook

third• Most remaining second- and third-year students are then as-

signed to other departments (English/Spanish) for teaching,as we are able. We work out these schedules in consultationwith the respective departments.

• Continuing to teach is contingent on success in the class-room and in the training/pedagogy programs the allied de-partments o er. Bear in mind that you report directly to thecoordinator in the appropriate department (Sasha Pimentelin crw, Hector Enríquez in l&l, Beth Brunk-Chavez ineng). If there is a legitimate grievance or perceived inequity,our chair will get involved as a nal resort, a er you have triedworking things out with the coordinator.

fourth• Finally, some students are assigned to other jobs, such as as-

sisting a professor in his or her classroom, with online coursedevelopment, or with some other project. e rst optionsfor these assignments are rst-year students, as they cannotyet teach. Second- and third-year students may be availableonly if they are not given any assignments under the headingsone through three.

• Please do not lobby for a particular assignment. ese willalways be determined and made by the o ce, not by indi-vidual professors. Lobbying a professorwill not increase yourchances of achieving a particular assignment.

• Please donot askus to substitute an assignmentwehave givenyou unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances.

fifth• First-year students enrolled in a pedagogy class (either ling

5308 or eng 5346) are not to exceed 10 hours weekly averagein that semester. In any other case, teaching assistantships are20-hour perweek assignments (usuallymadeupof combinedassignments).

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Tuition and Scholarships

paying for tuitionAll graduate students at utep, including those with a teachingassistantship appointment, are expected to pay for tuition. einformation below should help you ful ll this obligation. Fol-low the links to obtain more up to date information under eachcategory.

complete and submit fafsae nancial aid process begins a er you submit the Free Ap-

plication for Federal StudentAid (fafsa). e information yousubmit is used to determine your eligibility for grants, loans andwork study. Our school code is 003661.

important: For best results, submit your application byFebruary 14 (mark your calendar).

job opportunitiesIf you are admitted to the program without a teaching assis-tantship it is still possible to work on campus. Contact JobMine at 915-747-5640 or careers@utep.edu.

financial aid resourcesfor graduate studentsCollege students have a number of options available for nanc-ing their education. e most common types of assistance in-clude grants, loans, work study and scholarships. Additional re-sources including private loans, internships and fellowships arealso available.

Information for aid resources can be found at the O ce ofScholarships and Financial Aid. All loan forms can be found onthe Financial Aid page under “Forms” as well as informationabout topics below under “Funding”.

• Federal Grants• State Grants and Programs• Student Loans• Workstudy• Tax Credits and other Programs• Waivers

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mfa handbook

• Scholarships• Additional Financial Aid Resources• PLUS Loans for Graduate and Professional Degree Students

estimated living expensese following tables show an estimate of expenses for gradu-

ate students at utep. Keep in mind that some of the line itemsmight not apply to you. For instance, if you plan to live nearutep, and walk to the university, your transportation expenseswill be much lower than those estimated. In the same fashion,most of the books in the courses are available in the Main Li-brary, whichwill lower that line item too. e 12month columnconsiders taking courses during summer.

living at home12 mos 9 mos

Tuition and fees $ 6,485.00 $ 5,486.00Books and Supplies  $ 1,047.00  $ 870.00Transportation $ 2,800.00  $ 2,100.00Personal Expenses  $ 2,296.00  $ 1,722.00Room and Board  $ 5,354.00  $ 4,334.00total  $ 17,982.00  $ 14,512.00

on campus12 mos 9 mos

Tuition and fees $ 6,485.00 $ 5,486.00Books and Supplies  $ 1,047.00  $ 870.00Transportation $ 2,800.00  $ 2,100.00Personal Expenses  $ 2,296.00  $ 1,722.00Room and Board  $ 11,474.00  $ 8,924.00total  $ 24,102.00  $ 19,102.00

off campus and students with dependents12 mos 9 mos

Tuition and fees $ 6,485.00 $ 5,486.00Books and Supplies  $ 1,047.00  $ 870.00Transportation $ 2,800.00  $ 2,100.00Personal Expenses  $ 2,296.00  $ 1,722.00Room and Board  $ 14,895.00  $ 11,490.00total  $ 27,523.00  $ 21,668.00

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Información para estudiantesinternacionales

seguro de saludLa universidad ofrece a todos los estudiantes la posibilidad deenrolarse en el plan BlueCross/BlueShield. Tenga en cuenta, sinembargo, que este plan requiere el pago parcial por los servicios,por lo que algunos estudiantes optan por usar los servicios dedoctores y sobre todo dentistas de Ciudad Juarez, a liados conBlueCross/BlueShield.

Para obtener información más reciente sobre la cobertura,consulte el catálogo en formato pdf: Bene cios BlueCross.

importante: Cada año hay una sesión de orientación paraEstudiantes Internacionales a la que es importante asistir, yaque aclara muchas dudas para quienes empiezan su maestría enutep. Para más información, visite la página siguiente: StudentOrientation.

viviendaLa universidad está ubicada en una zona de El Paso donde es fá-cil encontrar alojamiento que permite caminar a la universidad,y a lamayoría de servicios cercanos. Lamejor formade obtener lainformación más actualizada es contactando a otros estudiantesque ya hayan vivido en el area. Sin embargo, estas son algunasopciones, para ofrecer una idea de lo que está disponible.

sunset height areaHighlander apartments1700 Hawthorne St$525 por mes, para una sola persona. Incluye todos los servicios

1127 Los Angeles St. ApartmentsDesde $375 para una sola persona. No incluye los servicios

down town301 East River AveCasas compartidasDesde $330–560 Incluye todos los servicios

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mfa handbook

dormitorios utepMiner VillageSummit Hall, 2401 N. Oregon StDesde $380 habitación compartidahttp://sa.utep.edu/housing/

Miner Hieghts apartments300 W. Schuster Ave.Desde $385 habitación compartidahttp://sa.utep.edu/housing/

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Teaching in theDepartment of Creative Writing

Second and third-year students with a teaching assistanshipfunded by our department, and in good academic standing,are eligible to teach one of our introduction to creative writingcourses. Because we o er few courses, the process is competeti-tive, and requires you to submit an application early in Springof each year to be considered for teaching the following year.

requirements• To have completed the “Teaching Creative Writing Collo-

quium” scheduled for Spring each year• To hold a Teaching Assistantship funded by the Department

of Creative Writing• To be in good academic standing and be a full time student• To submit an application

applyingStudents will not be considered for teaching unless they submitan application to theDirector ofUndergraduate Studies duringSpring of each year. e application should consist of:

• letter of application in which you state why youwantto teach, andwhy youwill be a good instructor for one of ourintroduction to creative writing courses

• A complete syllabus, including assignments, readings andgrading policies, broken down by week2

2For samples, contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies– 19 –

mfa handbook

why teach creative writing?• To gain teaching experience• To work with undergraduate student writers• To use knowledge learned in the program outside of their

own writing• To develop and execute a syllabus and lesson plans• To improve your own writing through teaching

while you teach• Use faculty and fellow students as resources.• Pick works and selections in each genre you are passionate

about.• Organize your syllabus carefully.• Find a grading system which works best for you such as En-

grade or Blackboard.• Make sure the coursematerials, assignments and activities are

something you would enjoy yourself as a writer or poet.

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Working on Your esis

Your nal project for our mfa program will consist of a book-length manuscript of a publishable quality. Even though youare expected to complete your thesis during your last year (crw5398 esis I &crw 5399 esis II), you should discuss withyour advisor your plans as early as possible, so that your course-work becomes the basis of your thesis. is section is intendedfor third-year students, but both rst- and second-year studentwill bene t from it.

thesis requirementsPage length requirements by genre:

• Fiction: 120 pages.• Poetry: 60 pages.• Screenplay: 90 pages.• Translation: see the requirements for the speci c genre above.

choosing your thesis directorEarly in your fourth semester, at the end of your second-year,you should approach amember of the faculty todiscusswhethershe or he can serve as your thesis director. Before you do so, keepthe following in mind:

• Approach a faculty member with whom you have taken atleast two courses.

• Read as much of his or her work as possible to familiarizeyourself with your future thesis director’s poetics, and makesure that she or he is a good match for you.

• If the faculty member turns you down, it does not mean thatshe or he does not consider your work valuable. e mostcommon reason is possible overcommitment.

• Approach your prospective thesis director early.• Once a member of the faculty has agreed to be your thesis di-

rector, you should request the Director of Graduate Studies’approval.

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mfa handbook

submitting your thesis proposalBefore beginning to work on your thesis, you must prepare athesis proposal, whichmust be approved by your thesis directorand theDirector ofGraduate Studies. is usually happens dur-ing your fourth semester in the program (see Suggested Dead-lines on page 28).

e thesis proposal is meant to help you articulate plans andgoals for your thesis. It will also allow your thesis director to geta sense of what you would like to achieve, and help him or heradvise you accordingly.

the thesis proposalYou are free to articulate and organize your thesis proposal asyou and your thesis director see t. Nevertheless, it should in-clude the following sections:

• A statement outlining your project in terms of structure,themes, issues explored and the main intent.

• A discussion of the sources and references that you are andwill be using during the writing of your thesis.

• A discussion of the form or forms you are choosing and theirrelationship with the main intent of your thesis.

• A bibliography with the theoretical and/or literary frame-work for your proposed project.

• A tentative schedule for the completion of your rst dra ,circulation of your thesis among the readers, revision and de-fense.

• Awriting sample of about 10poems (or sequence) or 20pagesof ction (a short story or full chapter).

submitting your proposalAlthough the proposal is the rst step to securing a thesis di-rector, you might consider meeting with your proposed thesisdirector prior to writing the proposal. Since your proposed the-sis director is ideally someone who knows your work and ten-dencies, he or she can help you clarify the direction your thesisshould take, and assist you in developing the proposal and bib-liography.

• e proposal should be submitted and approved by your the-sis director and theDirector ofGraduate Studies prior to reg-istering for esis I (the rst semester of your thesis writingyear).

• e proposal should be submitted rst to your thesis direc-tor, and a er he/she endorses it, to the Director of GraduateStudies.

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working on your thesis

• e cover page of your proposal should include two signa-ture lines, one for your esis Director and the other for theDirector of Graduate Studies (see below).

César Vallejo, esis Director

Gertrude Stein, Director of Graduate Studies

• Your thesis director and/or the Director of Graduate Stud-ies may ask for revisions prior to formal approval. erefore,submit the proposal with enough time to address any con-cerns prior to registering.

forming a thesis committeeOnce your thesis proposal has been approved and you havesecured your thesis director, start thinking about your thesiscommittee—your thesis director will help you in the process. Acommittee consists of your director and two additional readers(referred to as your second and third readers). Your thesis direc-tor and second reader should be Department of Creative Writ-ing faculty; the third reader is considered an “outside reader,”or someone teaching at utep but not in the Department ofCreativeWriting. Ideally, these second and third readers shouldhave some familiaritywith your genre andwith you as a student.

writing your thesisYou will spend two semesters working on your thesis. Duringthis time, youwillwork closelywith your thesis director. It is im-portant that you discuss a work plan and mutual expectations;in other words, how o en you will meet, how many pages ordra s you are to present for each meeting, etc.

Aside from the creative work, an important aspect of yourthesis is the 15–20 page critical preface. e preface, like the pro-posal, outlines the scope and details of the project, and situatesit within an historical, literary, and/or theoretical frame. ese

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mfa handbook

prefaces have sometimes included biographical in uences, buta critical approach is emphasized. During esis I, begin dis-cussing with your thesis director what he or she considers a suc-cessful preface, and the issues that will need to be explored inyour particular preface. Ask your director when he would liketo start seeing rst dra s of your preface.

working with your thesis directorEach thesis director has a di erent approach to their functions.Nevertheless, early in the process, you should ask about your di-rector’s approach and state how much involvement you expectfrom him or her. Nevertheless, keep inmind that your thesis di-rector will sign his or her name to your thesis, and therefore willdo so only if she or he is comfortable with the quality of yourwork.

While you work on your thesis, consider the following:

• Be considerate and polite with your thesis director’s time.esis Directors are not compensated for the time they invest

in helping you with your thesis.• Follow your thesis director’s preferred means to submit your

work.

• Make sure you have established clear deadlines with your the-sis director and you aremeeting them. Should you experienceany problems, contact your thesis director as soon as possible.

• Keep all scheduled appointments, and be on time.• Your thesis director will give you suggestions and comments

on your work, they can be Binding or Non-Binding. Your di-rectormayuse other terms—make sure youunderstand theseaccording to the following two categories.

◦ binding: ese are required changes. Your thesis direc-tor will not sign your thesis if you do not implement thesechanges.

◦ non-binding: ese are changes that in your esis Di-rector’s estimation will improve your work, but he or sheis leaving it up to you the nal decision of incorporatingthem in your thesis.

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working on your thesis

working with your readersHaving a thesis committee a ords you a level of advising whichyouwill not ndoutside yourmfaprogram—youwill bework-ing with three professional writers—and it only makes sensethat you take full advantage of it. As you work on your thesis,consider the following options for your second and third read-ers.

• Make sure you follow your readers’ requirements to submityour work.

• Submit the nal version of your thesis as early as possible sothat they will have enough time to read your manuscript.

• Setup follow upmeetings with your second and third readersto talk about their suggestions and comments.

• Be courteous and considerate with their time, readers are notcompensated for the time they invest in your thesis.

critical preface guidelinese critical preface is an essential part of your thesis. is is a

self-critical, re exive introduction to your thesis as a project, butalso in terms of its poetics and its aesthetic statement. You willdiscuss with your thesis director his or her speci c requirementsfor your critical preface. Nonetheless, all Prefaces will follow theRequirements and Structure detailed below.

Requirements• Critical approach• 15–20 pages / 4,500–6,000 words• Bibliography: e books consulted, quoted and referenced in

your preface. Use the mla format. e pages in the bibliog-raphy do not count towards the 15–20 pages requirement foryour Preface.

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mfa handbook

Structuree order, emphasis and detail of each element in the following

list will be determined by your thesis director. But all prefaceswill include the three sections outlined below:

• project: Scope of the project — brief history of the project• poetics & assessment: Discussion of the poetics that in-

forms the project— technical di culties found andhow theywere overcome — critical assessment of the process

• framework: Discussion of the historical, literary or theo-retical tradition frame — bibliographical in uences

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Defense and Graduation

You will defend your thesis towards the end of your sixthsemester, while you are registered in crw 5399 esis II. isnormaly happens in the Spring semester. Keep inmind that youwill need to ll out the paperwork in advance in order to be in-cluded in the graduation ceremonies, and to avoid paying extrafees. Visit the O cial Calendar.

graduationAs you approach the semester in which you plan to defendyour thesis, and therefore graduate, you should familiarize your-self with Graduate School deadlines. On their website, you willnd information regarding thesis formatting guidelines, when

to submit your thesis, application for graduate degree, and com-mencement:

http://graduate.utep.edu

Be aware that deadlines for graduation begin early in thesemester. Also, you must submit a dra of your thesis to thegraduate school prior to your defense, and then a nal versiona erwards.

formsese are the forms you will need to ll out before you apply

for graduation. Make sure you download them in advance, andmeet with your advisor if you have any doubts about how to llthem out.

• Application for Graduate Certi cate• Application for Graduate Degree• Degree Plan Form

defenseDuringcrw esis II, discusswith your thesis directorwhetherhe or she thinks your thesis will be ready on time for your de-fense. If so, set a defense date that is acceptable to your commit-tee, and reserve a room with our administrative assistant. De-fenses have o en been conducted in our o ce, but if it is notavailable, you can request any other room in Liberal Arts. Youwill nd on the Graduate School website the Defense Comple-

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mfa handbook

tionForm that youneed topresent to your committee a er yourdefense. If you successfully pass your defense, it will be signedby the three members. You will then le it along with the nalversion of your thesis with the Graduate School.

formse day of your defense, you need the following forms ready.

• Defense/Completion Form for Master’s students• First page of your thesis. Use the esis Formating Guide-

lines.

suggested deadlinesYou should discusswith your advisor andwith your thesis direc-tor the deadlines that will allow you to graduate on your targetdate (see Academic Calendar). e following dates are providedonly as guidelines:

second-year students• Choose a esis Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 11• Submit you thesis proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 16

third-year students• Create your Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 23• Begin working on your esis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 23• Complete dra of your esis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 14• Begin working on your Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 14• Graduation Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 18• Complete Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 28• Circulate your esis & Preface among the members of your

Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 2• esis Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 4• Graduate School Application (last day) . . . . . . . . . . . May 9

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A er Graduation

OurBilingualmfa in CreativeWriting is a terminal degree. ismeans that you are now ready to apply for jobs which requiresuch quali cation, and devote yourself to writing. e follow-ing are the possibilities you might want to consider.

international studentsoptional practical trainingLos estudiantes internacionales puede optar por solicitar la con-versión de su visa de estudiantes a una que les permite traba-jar por un año después de su graduación dentro del programaOptional Practical Training. Este programa está diseñado paraofrecer a los estudiantes la oportunidad de adquirir experiencialaborar real después de nalizados sus estudios.

Los estudiantes interesados deben solicitar la opt dentro delos 60 días previos o 60 días posteriores a fecha de graduaciónen la O cina de Programas Internacionales de utep: http://sa.utep.edu/oip/opt/

oportunidades de trabajoDespués de su graduación, los estudiantes de nuestro programatienen la oportunidad de trabajar en las siguientes instituciones:

• Departamento de Languages and Linguistica en utep• Diario El Paso• Comité organizador del Congreso de Literatura Mexicana

Contemporáneautep• Uno de los community colleges en El Paso

ph.d. programsEven though your mfa is a terminal degree, you may decide tocontinue your studies in a Ph.D. program. When consideringthis option, keep the following in mind:

• Most Ph.D. programs are completed in at least ve years.Usually, coursework completed elsewhere is not accepted.

• If you have plans to apply to a Ph.D. program, keep in mindthat the application deadlines usually fall anywhere betweenNovember and January of the year prior to the academic yearin which you will start your studies, usually in Fall.

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mfa handbook

• If you plan to ask for letters of recommendation, be courte-ous and considerate to your recommenders by following theguidelines under letters of recommendation below.

applying for teaching jobsis is one of themost commonoptions available tomfa gradu-

ates. Should you choose this route, keep in mind the following:

• e jobmarket is very competitive. Do not get discouraged ifyou do not get a job interview the rst time you apply for ajob.

• It helps to have publications, particularly in book form.• Consider teaching at a community college to build your re-

sume and gain experience.• If you need references, ask your thesis committee and your

teaching supervisor, they will be able to write a more person-alized letter for you.

• If you need letters of recommendation, follow the guidelinesunder letters of recommendation below.

publicationManyof our students go on topublish their thesis in book form.Should that happen, do not forget to:

• Let us know, so we can add links and the good news to ourwebsite.

• Acknowledge our program, as well as your thesis director.• Keep on writing, even when the demands of the new publi-

cation seem to take all your time.

letters of recommendationWhether you plan to continue your studies, apply for a job orpursue other academic endeavors, it is very likely that you willneed letters of recommendation from our faculty. Keep the fol-lowing pointers in mind:

• Ask for the letters at least one month in advance.• It is better that you ask facultymemberswithwhomyouhave

taken at least two courses, or from whom you have been ateaching assistant, or have had as your thesis director.

• As a matter of courtesy, have the following ready for each ofthe institutions you are applying to.

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after graduation

◦ Letter’s addressee◦ Institution◦ Department or program◦ Mailing address

• important: For each letter that needs to bemailed throughtheUSPostal Service, hand your recommender a properly ad-dressed and stamped envelope.

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Bilingual Creative Writing Students’Organization

e bcwso (Bilingual Creative Writing Students’ Organiza-tion) is a non-pro t organization created by our residentialmfastudents. e goals of the bcwso are:

• Represent mfa students at our monthly Faculty Meetings• Organize events to promote the work of our mfa students• Organize fundraisers to create opportunities for mfa stu-

dents to attend conferences• Hold cultural events, such as conferences, readings andwork-

shops

officerse bcwso’s o cers elected every year are:

president Represents the body of students, and in uencesthe policies of the bcwso and attends the monthly FacultyMeetings.

vice-president Seconds the President in functions, and alsoattends the monthly Faculty Meetings.

treasurer In charge of all the bookkeeping functions.press secretary Keeps meeting minutes, and all informa-

tion pertaining the bcwso, and in charge of promotion andoutreach.

electionsElections are held every year around the rst week of class (endof August). Usually, the current o cers will call for a plenarymeeting to which all graduate students attend, but particularlyrst-year students. It has been customary that the new o cers

are elected among incoming students, but it is possible thatsecond- and third-year students are elected aswell.Nevertheless,at least one o cer from the previous year should remain—in adi erent role—to ensure continuity.

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bilingual creative writing students’ organization

Once the election is completed, the transfer of duties musthappen within a week, and it is usually the case that the newo cers attend the rst Faculty Meeting in Fall. Should you beinterested in becoming a bcwso o cer, contact the organiza-tion.

current officerspresident: Adelmar Rodriguezvice-president: Dennis Gonzáleztreasurer: Diana Esparza-Larapress secretary: Tafari Nugent

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Frequently Asked uestions

ese are some of the most frequently asked questions. If thequestion you have in mind is not here, and not answered else-where in this handbook, please contact the Director of Gradu-ate Studies: jdepierola@utep.edu.

Can online students transfer to the residential program?Online students may opt to transfer to the residential program.Nevertheless, only nine hours of coursework are transferable.

is usually covers the required courses for the rst semester ofrst-year students.

Can a residential student take online courses?Yes. Nevertheless, it is discouraged that residential students takemore than three online courses throughout their mfa, a er allyou have made the e ort to come all the way to El Paso to workdirectly with our faculty.

Can I ask for a leave of absence?Yes.Make an appointment with theDirector of Graduate Stud-ies as soon as you have decided to take a leave of absence. epossible arrangements vary depending on how far in advanceyou have requested your leave of absence, themost favorable arethose arranged ahead of time. e maximum time for a leave ofabsence is one year.

Can I take crw 5399 esis II more than once?Yes. You may enroll in crw 5399 esis II as many times as youneed. Nevertheless, we strongly discourage students from tak-ingmore than six semesters, as your thesis directormight not beable to continue working with you. In addition, keep in mindthat students with a teaching assistantship will not be fundedbeyond the sixth semester.

Can I take literature courses in other departments?e Literature requirement must be ful lled with courses of-

fered in our department. Our Literature courses, though fo-cused on critical reading andwriting, are designed bywriters forwriters. Nevertheless, you may use your two elective courses totake graduate courses in any department. In exceptional cases,and when the particular course will help you with your thesisproject, your advisor may authorize you to substitute one liter-

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frequently asked questions

ature course for its equivalent from the English or Language andLinguistics departments.

– 35 –

Advisor List: 2012–2013

jeff sirkin• Jesse Mancias• Monica Reyes• Angel Valenzuela• Angela Howard• Chandra Edwards

luis arturo ramos• Rodolfo Gallinar• Carlos Espinoza• Luis Alvarez Marin• Paul Guillen• Héctor Cisneros Vazquez

lex williford• Carla Newman• Renee Morales• Riley H. Welcker

josé de piérola• Margarita Ruiz-Soto• Agustín Abreu• Elizabeth Levesque• Juan Pablo Plata• Jesus Silveyra• Dennis Gonzalez

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advisor list: 2012–2013

daniel chacon• All online students• Mari Gomez• Julio A. Gómez Molinet• Adelmar Alvin Ramirez

ben saenz• Fabian Molina• Carlos Villegas Uribe• Jennifer Falcon• Byron Sun• Diana Esparza-Lara

sasha pimentel• Jonathan Nehls• Jose Durango• Tafari Nugent

rosa alcalá• Sylvia Aguilar-Hermosillo• Diego Murcia-Letona• Blake Nemec• Yasmin Ramirez• Joseph McBirnie

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Acknowledgments

is handbook is based on previous information written byRosaAlcalá and JohnnyPayne. e following students have alsocontributed suggestions and ideas: Yasmin Ramirez and JoséDurango. e nal dra received and contributions from: BenSáenz, Lex Williford, Je Sirkin and Christine Foerster.

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Feedback

Like any other human enterprise, this is a work in progress,and your comments, suggestions and corrections are welcomed.Please, direct them to the Director of Graduate Studies at

jdepierola@utep.edu.

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Composed for mfa in creative writing at utepusing EB Garamond in 11 points.

Version 1.0.0 (April 5, 2013)