Something about cap and gown season always makes me think about going back to school. Going to graduate school can be a wonderful experience. I earned a masters degree in theology several years ago, attending school part-time while working full-time, and loved almost every minute of it. Graduate school allows you to focus on a subject you are deeply interested in while spending time with others who share your passion. It can truly be a little slice of heaven. It also gives you credentials to (hopefully!) further your career.

The September/October 2011 issue of Poets and Writers featured several articles about the pros and cons of going for a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing. While obviously one can write and write well without a sheepskin attesting to that fact, it can allow one the time and space to focus on and hone one’s writing. Let’s face it, many of us work a bit better with an outside force compelling us to write. Perhaps more importantly, an MFA is one’s ticket to being able to teach in a college creative writing program. If such a job is desired and obtained, it can free a writer to write purely for the love of it while working a day job that is also enjoyed.

If you decide to take the plunge and search for an MFA program, here are some things to consider.

Do you want a full-residency, low-residency, or totally on-line program? What will work best with your life obligations? Is there a particular geographic area you would like to study in? Do you work best with others or more independently?

Who are the writers who teach in the program? Find and read their work. Are these people you would want to work with and learn from?

What type of classes does the program offer? For example, if you are interested in studying editing, bookmaking, or publishing, you will want to take classes in those subjects in addition to your writing.

Ask the program for the names of some recent graduates so that you can talk to them and ask them their impressions of the education that they received. What doors has it helped open for them?

What funding is available for students? An MFA is most likely not something you want to go into debt for. How will you pay for your education? What grants are available? What teaching positions are offered to students?

If any of you have pursued or obtained an MFA, I’d love to hear your comments on what else writers should consider before pursuing an advanced degree in writing, and whether you would recommend taking that route.

 

Anne Faye writes from Western Massachusetts and is the author of The Rose Ring and Through the Open Window, and blogs at http://www.annefaye.blogspot.com/. You can follow her on Twitter at @AnneMFaye