Thoughts on getting a graduate degree in writing

[Spiral Stairs]

While idling on the internet recently I happened across the John Hopkins Master of Arts in Writing (http://advanced.jhu.edu/academic/writing/) program. Wow, do I have a bee in my bonnet now. The program is designed around night and evening classes, so it could work with my schedule. It's located just a few miles from my home. It can be completed at varying paces -- one to two classes at a time, two to five years total.

Over the past few years, I've occasionally toyed with the idea of pursuing an MFA. But, as a professional with a full-time job, a wife, and now a child, I never could see how that would work.

This could work, though.

The downsides are (1) time, (2) money, and (3) being left with a relatively useless degree. The upsides are (1) improvement as a writer, (2) structure and motivation (which together generate productivity for me), and (3) a credential that might grease the opening of doors for publishing.

Anyone have any thoughts? This bee is really pissing me off. I know it's ultimately a personal decision, and that may be the only answer. Then again, maybe there's a mathematical formula with which I am unfamiliar that will provide the right answer. If so, please give me the answer and show your work.

[ClaudiaGray]

What kind of writing do you want to do? Are you more interested in literary and/or mainstream contemporary fiction? In that case, you might learn a lot in an MFA program. If you are more interested in genre fiction (whether mystery, thriller, scifi, etc.), you may find the experience more frustrating.

I'm not sure that an MFA is very useful in getting published, but people you meet through an MFA might be.

[Spiral Stairs]

What kind of writing do you want to do? Are you more interested in literary and/or mainstream contemporary fiction? In that case, you might learn a lot in an MFA program. If you are more interested in genre fiction (whether mystery, thriller, scifi, etc.), you may find the experience more frustrating.

I'm not sure that an MFA is very useful in getting published, but people you meet through an MFA might be.
Literary/mainstream contemporary fiction, so I do think I'd have a lot to learn.

On the question of increasing the likelihood of publication, it's interesting. I have heard many complaints over the years by people who believe that an MFA has become a requirement for publication in top-tier literary journals or publishers (at least for literary fiction). It is true that if you scan the bio page of Ploughshares or the like, you don't see many un-degreed individuals.

(As a side note, the program I'm considering is an MA, not an MFA. Johns Hopkins has a separate, and much more selective, MFA program (which is full-time and, I'm sure, full of childless young whippersnappers). My hope is that to the extent the degree functions as a credential, the difference between the two would not be viewed as material.)

[RedScylla]

I have an MFA/MA* and have mixed feelings about it. If you want the diploma, do it. If you just want to learn, find a way to learn--classes, workshops, etc., and don't sweat the sheepskin.

The only real benefit to the MFA was that it gave me an excuse to write. My writing stopped being this dirty, secret hobby that I had to hide from people for fear of embarrassment, dismissal, mockery, etc. I was in an MFA program--ergo I was writing. I had to write. It was obligatory instead of a hobby.

Alternately, I can't say that I was taught a great deal about writing. I learned a great deal about writing, but not necessarily through any tutelage from my instructors, who were in many cases just anxious, neurotic people who had given up their writing dreams to pursue tenure.

Yeah, so I'm ambivalent.

*It was an odd degree thing, where the program was transitioning from an MA in Writing to an MFA. I got something in between and don't remember which one it says on my transcript.

[Sean D. Schaffer]

While idling on the internet recently I happened across the John Hopkins Master of Arts in Writing (http://advanced.jhu.edu/academic/writing/) program. Wow, do I have a bee in my bonnet now. The program is designed around night and evening classes, so it could work with my schedule. It's located just a few miles from my home. It can be completed at varying paces -- one to two classes at a time, two to five years total.

Over the past few years, I've occasionally toyed with the idea of pursuing an MFA. But, as a professional with a full-time job, a wife, and now a child, I never could see how that would work.

This could work, though.

The downsides are (1) time, (2) money, and (3) being left with a relatively useless degree. The upsides are (1) improvement as a writer, (2) structure and motivation (which together generate productivity for me), and (3) a credential that might grease the opening of doors for publishing.

Anyone have any thoughts? This bee is really pissing me off. I know it's ultimately a personal decision, and that may be the only answer. Then again, maybe there's a mathematical formula with which I am unfamiliar that will provide the right answer. If so, please give me the answer and show your work.


I don't think there's any mathematical formula, SpiralStairs. I think like others have pointed out that it depends on what kind of writing you want to do. Certain kinds likely require higher education.

In any case, if you want to pursue higher education, go for it. Whether your style of writing requires it or not, it definitely wouldn't hurt.


--Sean

[SmartAsh]

If you want to work on the MA to gain more experience as a writer, get feedback on your writing from other students and teachers, have a degree for the intrinsic value, then I would say to go ahead and enroll!

However, if you are thinking that the further degree will increase your chances of being published, I would advise you to save your time and money. While the degree may help you compete with other writers, I would think it through carefully and consider the possible consequences. Going to school in the evenings, on top of having a career and a family, is not an easy thing to do (I know firsthand the difficulty of attempting this, albeit for law school and not for an MA in Writing; I'll admit that the program you're considering sounds far more interesting...). Frankly, you may find it difficult to not only finish your coursework, but more importantly, to work on the projects you ultimately hope to publish. (And there's also the issues that may result from being away from the wife and child so much.)

So, ultimately, I'm suggesting that if your main goal is to gain writing creds, skip the schooling. Instead, work on your writing, work on your query letters, and eventually, I'll bet it pays off.

[Appalachian Writer]

I have an MA in English, not an MA in English education so, due to the No Child Left Behind Act, if I apply to teach in public school, I am immediately rushed to the back of the line behind all those youngsters with a BA/BS in education. In time's past, I could have been hired and given a provisional license until I took a few ed courses and then passed the PRAXIS. I can teach post-secondary, but those jobs are few and far between as an MA only qualifies me to teach on junior college level or 300 level classes and below at university, making me a forever-adjunct! An MA in writing would be nice, but as far as a day job goes, it wouldn't help very much. An MA in technical writing might send you forth on the search to write technical manuals, etc. An MFA is a terminal degree and would serve you far better than a straight MA. It might even qualify you for some university level work; however, I recently heard of a PhD program in writing and rhetoric which would possibly be more easily applied to any level of work. If you're interested, I'll send you the info.

As far as writing goes, I'd have to agree that the MA from Hopkins would be a lovely, albeit expensive, trophy, nothing more. Education is paramount when it comes to the ability to effectively communicate, but education can be garnered in many different ways. A creative writer with a good sense for language does not necessarily imply that that writer has advanced degrees. I'd palm the buzzy bee for a while and give this idea time to settle in. There are no guarantees that any degree can improve chances to become professional.

[RickN]

I have an MA in English, not an MA in English education so, due to the No Child Left Behind Act, if I apply to teach in public school, I am immediately rushed to the back of the line behind all those youngsters with a BA/BS in education.

I don't know what state you're in, but NCLB does NOT require a degree in education. Your state may require it, but the feds do not. Here in Georgia, if you want to teach high school, your Bachelor's degree must be in the field you teach and not in education. (exceptions exist for rural school districts and existing teachers)

My son is a college student who wishes to teach high-school history: an education BA isn't even a possibility (unless he wants an elementary school education or music education BA). He has to have a history or poly sci BA to be eligible for a history teaching certificate.

So you MA in English would be a huge asset here. I don't know how an MFA would be viewed.