MFA in Creative Writing Program & Post-MFA Certificate in the Teaching of Creative Writing Program Summer/Fall 2018 Residency & Semester Student Handbook June 14 – 24, 2018 MFA ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2018-2019 MFA SUMMER/FALL 2018 SEMESTER MFA Priority Application Deadline for Summer/Fall 2018-----------------February 15, 2018 Financial Aid Deadline for Summer/Fall 2018------------------------------ February 15, 2018 MFA Online Registration for Continuing Students begins----------------------Monday, April 23, 2018 (Note: $100 late registration fee applies beginning June 7, 2018, last day of online registration.) MFA Summer/Fall 2018 Residency----------- Thursday, June 14, 2018–Saturday, June 24, 2018 MFA Summer/Fall Project Period---------- Monday, June 25, 2018–Sunday, November 18, 2018 MFA WINTER/SPRING 2019 SEMESTER MFA Priority Application Deadline for Winter/Spring 2019-----------------August 15, 2018 Financial Aid Deadline for Winter/Spring 2019------------------------------ August 15, 2018 MFA Online Registration for Continuing Students begins----------------------Monday, October 29, 2018 (Note: $100 late registration fee applies beginning November 29, 2018, last day of online registration.) MFA Winter/Spring 2019 Residency----------Thursday, December 6, 2018–Saturday, December 15, 2018 MFA Winter/Spring 2019 Project Period---------- Monday, December 24, 2018–Sunday, May 19, 2019 MFA Residency and Semester Student Handbook June 2018 1 Antioch University Los Angeles Creative Writing Department 400 Corporate Pointe, Culver City, CA, 90230 Phone: (310) 578-1080 x202 fax: (310) 822-4824 https://www.antioch.edu/los-angeles/degrees-programs/creative- writing-communication-studies/creative-writing-mfa/ RESIDENCY AND SEMESTER STUDENT HANDBOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS MFA Academic Calendar/Upcoming Semester Dates .................................................... inside cover Mission ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Instructions for Reading this Handbook ....................................................................................... 3-4 Program Options and Requirements ........................................................................................... 5-15 Residency Requirements by Cohort ............................................................................................... 16 Reading Material ............................................................................................................................ 17 Mentor Selection ............................................................................................................................ 17 MFA Program Documentation Timetable ................................................................................ 18-19 Post-MFA Program Documentation Timetable ........................................................................ 20-21 Residency Schedule .................................................................................................................. 22-27 Seminar and Presentation Descriptions ..................................................................................... 28-53 Faculty and Guest Artist Biographies ....................................................................................... 54-64 Faculty and Guest Artist Publications ....................................................................................... 65-71 Residency Accommodations ..................................................................................................... 72-75 Local Transportation ................................................................................................................. 75-76 Weather .......................................................................................................................................... 76 Emergency Numbers ...................................................................................................................... 76 Tuition and Fees ........................................................................................................................ 77-79 Financial Aid .................................................................................................................................. 80 Registrar Policies and Procedures ............................................................................................. 81-83 Academic Policies and Procedures ........................................................................................... 84-88 Blank Page for Notes ..................................................................................................................... 89 “How to Get to Antioch” Map…………………………………………………………...back cover 2 MFA Residency and Semester Student Handbook June 2018 ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY LOS ANGELES MFA IN CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM MISSION The MFA in Creative Writing program is designed to develop writers who work well in professional, academic, and/or community settings. Its two main goals are to train writers in the skills of their craft and to educate them about the role of the arts in society. The MFA program has a specific commitment to help develop awareness of and appreciation for culturally diverse writers and traditions. MFA graduates will demonstrate: Mastery of creative writing skills of at least one of the following genres: fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and writing for young people. Critical reading, writing, and thinking skills required of a literary artist. Knowledge of ethical dilemmas and social values of the literary arts. Commitment to a broad range of issues and activities associated with a literary writer engaged with the societies in which the writer lives and works. MFA Residency and Semester Student Handbook June 2018 3 INSTRUCTIONS FOR READING THIS HANDBOOK This handbook contains important information to help you prepare for the residency, which begins on Friday, June 15. This handbook should be read in conjunction with the AULA General Catalog, which may contain more detailed information on the topics covered here. Students may access the General Catalog at any time via this link on the website: aulacatalog.antioch.edu. In addition, entering MFA students are required to attend the New Student Orientation on Thursday, June 14 at 5:30 p.m. Continuing MFA and Post-MFA students should plan to arrive on campus on Friday morning, June 15, 2018. Please consult the residency schedule to determine the first activity for your color cohort. For scheduling purposes, each student is considered part of a color-designated cohort, based on your progress in the MFA program, which are as follows: Final Residency MFA students: Saffron Cohort (yellow) Fourth (4th) semester MFA students: Emerald Cohort (green) Third (3rd) semester MFA students: Azure Cohort (blue) Second (2nd) semester MFA students: Aubergine Cohort (purple) First (1st) semester MFA students: Cardinal Cohort (red) Post-MFA students: Post-MFA Cohort (Dual Concentration and/or Professional Development Semester students in their 5th or 6th semesters do not fall into a specific group.) Read carefully through the seminar descriptions in this handbook. In addition to helping you plan which learning activities to attend, the following information details the assignments to be done before you arrive on campus. MFA students are required to attend a minimum of seven learning activities and first-semester Post-MFA students are required to attend a minimum of six learning activities. A learning activity can be a seminar, panel, or Q & A taught by a faculty member or guest presenter, or a series of graduating student presentations. (Note: Graduating student presentations are grouped into series of two, three, or more presentations. Students are required to attend a full series of presentations in order for it to count as one learning activity.) Participation in your assigned MFA genre writing workshop or Post-MFA workshop— which meets four times—counts as one learning activity. Beyond the requirement, you are welcome and encouraged to attend as many seminars and lectures as you wish. In addition, students must attend two community activities (at least one “brown-bag” lunch-time student reading and one graduating student reading) every residency. Various orientation meetings and group discussions are also held throughout the residency, some of which may be required for students in your color cohort. A complete listing of events required for all cohorts appears on page 16. Note and complete any assignments that are required before attending seminars. These are identified in each seminar or presentation description under “Required Readings.” Though all students are welcome to attend any seminar, please do not participate in class discussion if you have not completed the reading, so that the discussion does not get off track. It is unlikely that you will have time during the residency to do much reading, so we strongly suggest you complete this reading before your arrival. During each residency, time is set aside in the schedule for MFA students to read their work to fellow students. These are noted as “Brown Bag Student Readings.” Students generally request a ten-minute slot by email and are selected through a lottery. Student volunteers or faculty members host these readings 4 MFA Residency and Semester Student Handbook June 2018 and keep time for each student. Continuing students, new students, and Post-MFA students are