I have a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from San Jose State University. It’s a relatively new program, as far as MFA programs go, and I debated with myself for a while before deciding on an MFA instead of an MA. A desire to focus on my own creative work was foremost in the decision, and that the degree is terminal, theoretically qualifying the holder to teach at the university level, also played a part. The latter part was rendered moot, though, because I didn’t do any graduate or teaching assistant work while I was getting my degree. Without any teaching experience, I’m unlikely to be considered for a teaching position, especially with English departments reducing their staffs. But that’s all right because at some point during the three-year program, I decided I don’t want to teach. I have a job in a creative field already, I reasoned, one that enables me to work on my writing while doing something related to my education, and, despite the recent setback of having my hours reduced, I still think it was sound reasoning.
But what about the MFA itself? Was it worth getting? Was the SJSU program a good one? Let’s talk about that.
The Program
SJSU’s creative writing MFA program is somewhat rare in that it requires students to complete workshops in both a primary and secondary genre (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or scriptwriting) and also to complete a good number of literature courses. It’s 48 units total, 9 in your primary genre (mine was fiction) and 6 in your secondary (mine was nonfiction), 6 units of professional development (a “Materials and Methods” class and an independent professional experience project). I often tell people I have an MFA in creative writing and literature because of this — the program requires more literary units than workshop ones. This, for me, was an attraction; I am devoted to literature and I wanted to study it at a graduate level.
My Experience in the Program
The Good
Literature Courses
Except for one notable exception, these were well-structured, challenging, and free from bullshit. The professors at SJSU tend to stay away from theory-heavy treatments of literature, with concentration more on formal, philosophical, and historical elements. The university’s Steinbeck Center proved very valuable as I labored on a paper on The Pastures of Heaven and Professor Krishnaswamy’s Globalization and Literature seminar offered an opportunity to study contemporary works of literature.
Nonfiction Workshop
I like writing assignments in workshops, and Professor Cathleen Miller gives good assignments that help you develop your craft. I had the most fun in her workshops, too, thanks in no small part to my friends Gary and Nigel.
Lurie Professors
An endowment to the university allows the English department to hire a well-known writer every Spring semester. The writer teaches an undergraduate course and a graduate workshop. I was lucky enough as an undergrad to take courses from former California Poet Laureate Al Young (he called me a “quintessential Californian”) and Simon Winchester, whose reporter’s sensibility helped me streamline not just my writing but my thinking as well. As a graduate, I took a fiction workshop from the late James D. Houston, whose wisdom and experience gave me an example to emulate. Other Lurie professors have included Ursula K. LeGuin and ZZ Packer.
Center for Literary Arts
The CLA has brought in some great writers for on campus literary events — most notably for me, Neil Gaiman and Salman Rushdie. It’s inspiring to hear writers speak about writing when you’re concentrating on the development of your own craft.
The Students
I met a lot of great people who are also wonderful writers while in the MFA program. It’s nice to be around people for whom writing is a given and who don’t struggle to come with writerly topics of conversation with you, awkwardly asking, “So… where do you get your ideas?”
The Not-So-Good
No Consistent Guidance for My Primary Genre
I must stress that this is something that is no longer the case in the program. Unfortunately, though, for those of us in the program at the time, the fiction professor left after my first semester, so I didn’t have a consistent guide in my primary genre. My other professors were not lacking, but I wanted something of a part-time mentor for my fiction, and I did not get one.
Politics
I wrote a little bit about this in my last post. University departments are full of personal politics, and I learned very quickly to shrug off stuff like reported conversations with the program director about me. (For example, I hadn’t taken any creative writing classes as an undergraduate at SJSU, and, as reported to me, the program director said this explained why “no one had ever heard of” me.)
That Myth and Symbolism Seminar
It seems a little harsh to single out one seminar as a bad point, I know, but I was so unhappy with this course. It had no defining structure, meandering discussions, and absolutely de-motivated me. It’s like it sucked all the academic ability I have in me right the hell out of my brain and body. I got my worst grade in any college course I’ve ever taken in this class, a B-, and it was totally my fault because I couldn’t be bothered to do the uninspiring weekly homework assignments. It was just dead awful.
That Ouroboros Feeling
In graduate school, specifically in a field like literature or creative writing, it seems that professors can often fall into the trap of thinking that their role is to create people who will eventually perform their role who will eventually teach their students to perform their role, and so on. Which is not really an outlandish attitude to have, but sometimes it can be a little inflexible, especially considering that an MFA degree is a professional degree, with the goal of producing people who are practicing artists or work professionally in a creative field. Which I totally do. But I was not allowed to use my job for my professional work units — I did a one-day comics writing workshop instead.
People Asking Me, “So What Are You Going to Do Now?”
This isn’t the fault of the MFA program; it’s just a common pitfall of getting a graduate degree, I suppose. My answer is usually “I’m already doing it.” Seriously, everyone. Stop asking me this.
