mfa thesis novel

By Ian M. Rogers

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Ian M. Rogers

Vine Leaves Press

19 April 2022

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Creative ne're-do-well Flip Montcalm isn't cut out for office life, so he jumps at the chance to join an MFA program in the rural Midwest. Broke and infatuated with the 20th century literary canon, he alienates his writing workshop with five hundred pages of existential dread, can't name a single player on the university football team, and is actively trying to steal a rival writer's girlfriend.

Flip needs a new novel idea fast, so he turns to his cohorts for help: a career PhD student who hasn't written in a decade, a professor with no opinions, a narcissist whose novels read like action movies, and a frat boy underplaying his suburban privilege. As he fights off academic conformity and obsessive football fans, Flip faces the challenge of writing a novel that'll not only satisfy his artistic passions, but might even get him a better job.

A delicious romp through the smudged halls of academe, this book will make you laugh out loud, as pretenders, druggies, hapless romantics, and the slightly talented do battle in fiction, trying to invent a book that will save them from the fate of ordinary life.

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MFA Thesis Novel

Ian M. Rogers

Description

Creative ne're-do-well Flip Montcalm isn't cut out for office life, so he jumps at the chance to join an MFA program in the rural Midwest. Broke and infatuated with the 20th century literary canon, he alienates his writing workshop with five hundred pages of existential dread, can't name a single player on the university football team, and is actively trying to steal a rival writer's girlfriend.

Flip needs a new novel idea fast, so he turns to his cohorts for help: a career PhD student who hasn't written in a decade, a professor with no opinions, a narcissist whose novels read like action movies, and a frat boy underplaying his suburban privilege. As he fights off academic conformity and obsessive football fans, Flip faces the challenge of writing a novel that'll not only satisfy his artistic passions, but might even get him a better job.

A delicious romp through the smudged halls of academe, this book will make you laugh out loud, as pretenders, druggies, hapless romantics, and the slightly talented do battle in fiction, trying to invent a book that will save them from the fate of ordinary life.

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Ian M. Rogers

Vine Leaves Press (2022)

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Warner's Ian M. Rogers presents MFA Thesis Novel

Please join us as we celebrate our first in-person author event of the year

With the return of Warner's own

Ian M. Rogers

Creative ne'er-do-well Flip Montcalm isn't cut out for office life, so he jumps at the chance to join an MFA program in the rural Midwest. Broke and infatuated with the 20th century literary canon, he alienates his writing workshop with five hundred pages of existential dread, can't name a single player on the university football team, and is actively trying to steal a rival writer's girlfriend.

Flip needs a new novel idea fast, so he turns to his cohorts for help: a career PhD student who hasn't written in a decade, a professor with no opinions, a narcissist whose novels read like action movies, and a frat boy underplaying his suburban privilege. As he fights off academic conformity and obsessive football fans, Flip faces the challenge of writing a novel that'll not only satisfy his artistic passions, but might even get him a better job.

A delicious romp through the smudged halls of academe, this book will make you laugh out loud, as pretenders, druggies, hapless romantics, and the slightly talented do battle in fiction, trying to invent a book that will save them from the fate of ordinary life.

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MFA Thesis Novel Book Club Guide & Author Interview

Cool news from the MFA Thesis Novel front : this month Vine Leaves Press and I released the MFA Thesis Novel Book Club Guide , which includes an author interview with yours truly and discussion questions for the novel.  It’s free for download from the link above, and starting this month, it’s included with the eBook version of the novel as a bonus.

Here’s a quick snippet:

Q: What inspired you to write MFA Thesis Novel?

A: As the novel itself hints, MFA Thesis Novel sprang from my experience in graduate school at the University of Nebraska, though my program was technically an MA. I was workshopping a novel based on my time working in Japan, but the subject matter and the style I was writing in were so foreign that people around me couldn’t relate to the book. At the same time, the program seemed to be pushing us to build up longer and more impressive CVs rather than improve our writing, which I found disconcerting. Like Flip, it took me a long time to realize which parts of the program were helpful and which parts weren’t conducive to the career path I was looking for.

Read the rest of the interview here . Continue reading »

2023 Reflections: What Went Well, and What Didn’t

I’m not going to lie: 2023 was a rough year.

Though 2023 started off on an optimistic note, and the first half went really well, the second half took a major nosedive as my productivity, organization, and overall mood went WAY down.

So what happened? How did the year spiral downward, how did I handle it, and where does that leave me in 2024?

Let the 2023 reflections begin. Continue reading »

What Happened When My Entire Life Got Upended

I’ve had a rough couple of months because of something REALLY bad that happened back in the fall.  At first I wasn’t sure how to talk about it online, or even if I wanted to reveal it because it involved my family.  Fortunately, though, the problem’s cooled way down in the past month, and in thinking about what a crazy time it’s been, I decided I wanted to write about it frankly and honestly .

What happened is a long and complicated story, so please bear with me while I explain some intricate details, simplify others, and leave a handful of moments vague to protect some people’s anonymity.

In telling this story, though, I want to share that 1) Sometimes really bad things happen that make it incredibly difficult to do creative work, and 2) Dealing with those problems, and ultimately solving them, is a vital skill.

Here’s the story: Continue reading »

A Signed a Contract for My Second Novel!!!!!!!

Big news! Last month I signed a contract with Vine Leaves Press to publish my second novel, Carcrash Parker and the Haven of Larpers , in 2025.  This is the Secret New Novel I’ve been talking about on this blog for literally years .  Vine Leaves published my first novel, MFA Thesis Novel , in spring 2022 and were super-great to work with, so it was only natural that I wanted to publish Carcrash Parker and the Haven of Larpers with them as well.

What’s Carcrash Parker and the Haven of Larpers actually about, you ask?  Well, LARPing (a.k.a. Live-Action Role-Playing) for one.  More specifically, it’s about fantasy role-playing in the real world, with a group of twentysomethings on a quest to rescue a lost Commodore 64 from some bullies in the New Hampshire woods.

Also, it’s narrated in ye olde fantasy English speak, with wizards and maidens and stuff, even though it’s the real world. And the characters talk a lot about ’80s movies.

That’s the bare-bones gist. If you’re wondering why I waited so long to mention the deal in the age of same-day instant internet news, the answer is that I’ve been held up with a little Non-Creative Work Issue that I’ll be talking about in another post.  For now, if you want to know more, read on to find out how the deal happened and what comes next. Continue reading »

Creative People Should Speak Out Against Bad Business Practices

I’ve blogged before about how I avoid buying things on Amazon (especially books!) whenever possible, since I don’t want to give money to a gigantic corporation that’s not only made the publishing landscape worse for authors and small publishers, it’s wreaked havoc on the retail economy as a whole.

I avoid Amazon because I want to make better decisions about where my money goes, how I live my life, and most importantly, how I portray myself as a writer and a creative person.  For me, this was about making a REALLY important decision:

Am I the kind of writer who stands up for what I believe in, or the kind of writer who takes the easy route?

When I built my author webpage, I intentionally set up the page for MFA Thesis Novel in a way that encouraged people to buy it literally anywhere except Amazon , then put a link to the Amazon page at the bottom, if readers absolutely had to get it there.  This seemed like a good balance between clarifying what kinds of buying options I wanted readers to consider (independent bookstores, Bookshop.org , and other non-Amazon online options ) while also acknowledging the unfortunate reality that Amazon controls an enormous share of the book-buying market, and many readers (especially casual ones) are likely to go there first. Continue reading »

To Blog or Not to Blog? Is Regular Blogging Worth It?

June was a busy month for me: I got back into working on my Secret New Novel draft (which won’t be Secret for much longer!), I had a few editing jobs that needed finishing, and I’m *still* unpacking and organizing after my move back in April .

As a result, I realized that I needed a blogging break, and took the last two weeks of June off.  For several years now, I’ve been blogging regularly every week with very few weeks missed, but during June, blogging felt less important than the other, more urgent matters demanding my attention.

Of course, the world didn’t come to an end because I didn’t blog for two weeks.  Instead, I felt more in control of my workload , and felt like I was prioritizing based on what needed to be done. Continue reading »

Go Outside. Every. Single. Day.

When I was younger and thinking about my path to a creative life , I used to worry about being stuck at home.  If I was working on novels and desk work all day, I reasoned, I’d be tied to my desk at home, which meant I’d be cooped up never seeing anyone.  That sounded pretty lonely.  And depressing.

Part of this fear, I think, stemmed from a rough patch I went through after college where I wasn’t working regularly. During that year I spent a lot of time at home, sleeping late, taking care of my mother’s hyper-energetic dogs, and in general not doing much of anything because I didn’t have a work routine or good work habits yet.

After I entered the Day Job world, though, I realized that Day Jobs provided a way to get out of my house , accomplish set goals , and in general provide structure to my life.

I stayed in this mindset for a long time, easing out of it only when I had my first work-from-home job , and later in Japan during COVID-19 restrictions , when I also spent a lot of time at home.

Now that I structure my own writing and editing life , though, I have almost the opposite problem: I’m so comfortable with my at-home working routine that I get sucked into it, doing so much at my desk and around the apartment that before I know it Continue reading »

Networking Is NOT a Dirty Word

Last Saturday I went to the New Hampshire Writer’s Project yearly writer’s conference , the largest writing conference in my area.  It was a chance to hear a keynote speaker, participate in writing workshops, and learn more about marketing and promotion.

All that stuff was pretty useful, I guess (read: it was a lot of stuff I already knew), but one thing about the conference made me really, REALLY glad I went: the chance to meet people.

I wrote last week about how you present yourself as a creative person when you’re meeting people in social situations like weddings .  This applies even more in professional situations, where people actually WANT to know about your creative work and expect you to present yourself as a creative professional.  These situations can be even easier, I think, because in these situations, people are actively interested in learning about the work you do, since it’s potentially in the same realm as what they do.

In this post I want to talk a bit about how I’ve tackled networking and conference-type situations over the years, what I’ve learned, and where I screwed up. Continue reading »

Presenting Yourself Like a Boss (And a Creative Person)

A few days ago I attended a friend’s wedding in central Pennsylvania, where I also served as the officiant (i.e., the person who conducts the ceremony).  It was a fun time for sure, and I got to meet a lot of new, interesting people while I was there.

The majority of wedding guests seemed to be in their early 30s, though there were a few Gen X-ers there as well.  I also really only knew the bride and groom, so after the ceremony I found myself in a position to sit down at a random table and introduce myself to people I didn’t know.  (All the weddings I’ve been to in the last two decades have been for close friends and family, so this was a relatively new experience.)

As such, when it came time to introduce myself and people asked me the “What do you do?” question, without thinking, I naturally responded with, “I’m a writer.”

And people thought that was really cool. Continue reading »

Side Hustle Highlights: Language Teaching

Last week I talked about my adjunct job mentoring students in an online MFA program , where I work with students during the Fall and Spring semesters to show them the ropes of what an editor does . It’s a cool job that pays decently, and it’s helped me grow as a teacher and professional while also helping me make some good contacts.

This week, though, I want to highlight two of my other side hustles: teaching English as a Second Language online, and teaching Japanese in person. Both are steady sources of income that help me sustain my freelance lifestyle , and both help me use my teaching skills in ways I find interesting and stimulating.

So, without further ado, here’s how the side hustle teaching game works: Continue reading »

Side Hustle Highlights: Online University Teaching

Somebody asked me the other day whether I was still teaching after I left my university job in Japan last year .  However, their actual question seemed to be Are you teaching full-time as your main job? which of course is a solid No.

I thought about the best way to answer, and finally replied with Yes, but not as my main job .

Whille I get most of my income from editing jobs these days, I worked as a teacher for a long time, first as a tutor and substitute teacher in New Hampshire, then at a private school in Japan , then in grad school teaching undergrad essay writing, then again in Japan .  I worked other jobs in between, of course , but over my working life I’ve definitely spent more time teaching than doing anything else.

Teaching is fun and interesting to me because I enjoy tackling the problem of how best to present material to students, and how to help them build their ideas in interesting ways.  The editing and coaching work I do uses a lot of those same principles as I help writers express their ideas in the fullest, clearest way possible, Continue reading »

Funding Your Projects with Kickstarter: A Micro-Interview with Miranda Reeder of Harlevin Visual Novels

Today I want to talk about Kickstarter, which I don’t have a ton of (read: any) experience with, so I turned to fellow writer, artist, and friend of But I Also Have a Day Job Miranda Reeder .  Under her online handle Min , Miranda runs Harlevin Games , a visual novel studio whose releases can be found on Steam and Itch.io .

What’s a visual novel, you ask?  Think of it like an interactive novel that you play through like a video game, where you can choose your own path through the story.  Visual novels can include images, music, and voice acting, and many allow you to customize your own characters.

Overall, they’re a cool way of taking stories to the next level in ways that traditional books and graphic novels can’t quite do, without the investment needed in a full video game experience.

Miranda and I spoke waaaaaaaaaay back in 2020 about her path to making visual novels like Arena Circus and The Pretenders Guild , but her new project is far more ambitious, involving collaborations with other artists, musicians, and voice actors.  She and her collaborators at Fablesoft Studios did a Kickstarter for their dark fairy tale game Twisted several years back, but her new project, Celestial Crowns , is an even bigger step forward.  (You can check out the trailer below!) Continue reading »

Her MFA Thesis Became an Acclaimed Novel. Here’s How Lisa Taddeo Did It

Lisa Taddeo’s debut novel, Animal , began as her thesis at the Creative Writing Program. Photo courtesy of Taddeo

Alum to read from Animal tonight at annual Ha Jin Visiting Lecture Series

Rich barlow.

In the first paragraph of Animal , Joan, the novel’s protagonist, watches her married lover fatally shoot himself while she dines at a restaurant.

It’s downhill from there for Joan in Lisa Taddeo’s acclaimed fiction debut, published in June.

As the tale unfolds, “Joan suffers, commits or bears witness to rapes, child molestation, suicide and murder,” the New York Times review says . “In the midst of the financial crisis of 2008, a Wall Street trader pays her a thousand dollars to kick him in the testicles. There’s also a forced abortion, a pregnancy test taken at gunpoint and a stunningly graphic miscarriage that leaves the expectant mother covered in blood and holding the fetus in her hand.”

Taddeo (GRS’17) will read from Animal (Simon and Schuster, 2021) tonight, Wednesday, November 17, at 7 pm, by Zoom, for BU’s annual Ha Jin Visiting Lecture Series. The novel, begun as her thesis for BU’s Creative Writing Program, grew, in part, out of her own struggles . Her father died in a car accident when she was 23 (she’s 41 now); lung cancer killed her mother five years after that. When she was pregnant with her daughter, now six years old, doctors found a growth on Taddeo’s pancreas that they said was likely to kill her. She defied their prediction.

“I hope BU students can see what extraordinary work Lisa Taddeo has been doing,” says award-winning novelist Ha Jin (GRS’93), a William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor and College of Arts & Sciences professor of creative writing and the lecture series’ namesake. “The novel was actually started in our program, and we are proud of its publication. It shows that our students have been doing serious work.” 

With Lisa Taddeo

Bu today: animal was your thesis. how did your studies influence you to write it.

Lisa Taddeo: I was reading so much Natalia Ginzburg at the time, and just so engaged with the blunt work of writers like Lucia Berlin and Grace Paley, women writers who had dealt with so much hardship. And as someone who has also been through a gauntlet early in life, I wanted to write about the fury and fever of being a woman, in all its bloody glory. 

BU Today: What did you set out to do in writing Animal ?

Lisa Taddeo: I love the Cesar Cruz quote, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,” and with Animal , I was aiming for the former. I wanted to speak to the people who had been through a lot in their lives, I wanted to write a book for those people, those who had been bloodied by life, so that they might feel less alone. 

BU Today: You’ve said that you haven’t enjoyed your success as a writer. Can you explain?

Lisa Taddeo: I’m a very anxious person, and much of what comes with success—travel, speaking at events—kicks up a lot of fear in me, and it inhibits me from writing. So that success kind of prevents me from doing the only thing I want to do, the only thing that is cathartic and feels right to me, which is writing. But without the success, it would not be as easy to keep writing, and so it’s a catch-22 and a problem I am grateful to have. I just wish the success had happened to the version of me who exists in the clouds, without panic. 

BU Today: Animal has gotten rave reviews, while your first, nonfiction, book, Three Women (Simon & Schuster, 2019), which explores the emotional and sexual lives of three women over eight years, was a number-one New York Times best seller. Which comes more easily to you, writing fiction or nonfiction?

Lisa Taddeo: Fiction is easier. Mainly because I’ve read more fiction in my life. 

BU Today: What are you currently working on?

Lisa Taddeo: My collection of stories, Ghost Lover (Simon & Schuster, 2022), comes out this summer. And I’m also working on a nonfiction book about grief. And I’m currently in production on the Showtime adaptation of Three Women , which should be out next fall. 

Lisa Taddeo will read from Animal, virtually, on Wednesday, November 17, beginning at 7 pm. Find more information and register here . The Ha Jin Visiting Lecture series, made possible by a gift from former BU trustee Robert J. Hildreth, brings internationally renowned fiction writers to BU to teach master classes and give public lectures.

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Rich Barlow is a senior writer at BU Today and  Bostonia  magazine. Perhaps the only native of Trenton, N.J., who will volunteer his birthplace without police interrogation, he graduated from Dartmouth College, spent 20 years as a small-town newspaper reporter, and is a former  Boston Globe  religion columnist, book reviewer, and occasional op-ed contributor. Profile

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Michener Fellow's MFA Thesis Becomes Best-Selling Novel

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A novel written by Michener Center Fellow Lara Prescott (M.F.A ’18) as her master’s thesis at UT Austin has become a New York Times bestseller.

“The Secrets We Kept,” published by Knopf in September, is based upon the real-life story of how the CIA smuggled copies of Boris Pasternak’s classic novel “Doctor Zhivago” into Russia during the Cold War to subvert the Soviet Union.

The novel sparked a bidding war among publishers to acquire the rights. Additionally it has sold for publication in 28 countries and been acquired for adaptation for film or television.

Characters in the novel include two secretaries who were pulled from the typing pool at the CIA for the mission, and Pasternak’s mistress and muse Olga, who served as the inspiration for the character of Lara in “Doctor Zhivago.”

Prescott began writing the novel in 2015 as a creative writing student at UT Austin after reading newly declassified documents about the CIA’s clandestine involvement in the Russian publication and dissemination of “Doctor Zhivago.”

The Michener Center for Writers is a three-year, fully funded M.F.A. program at UT Austin. The center offers accepted fellows full funding packages without teaching duties, enabling them to commit to writing full time.

“My time here at the Michener Center was really special” Prescott said. “I knew the first time that I came ... that this was a close-knit family and more than an M.F.A. program.

“That’s what I took away from the program the most: the friends I made, the people I will stay in touch with my entire life and read their books when they’re published, as well as the mentorship I received from the amazing faculty.”

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Online MFA in Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts

Earn an MFA in Creative Writing Online

• $637/credit (48 credits total)
• Transfer up to 12 graduate credits
• 100% online – no residency required
• Four fiction genres to choose from
• Career-focused certificate included
• No application fee or GRE/GMAT scores required

Online MFA in Creative Writing Program Overview

Share your story with the world and let the power of storytelling take your career to new heights with an online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing . As one of the only programs available that encourages a focus on genre fiction, our online MFA lets you hone your craft in an area specific to your strengths and interests. You'll also learn about the business side of creative writing, preparing you to market your work in the real world.

While most MFA programs require a residency, Southern New Hampshire University's online MFA in Creative Writing can be completed entirely online, with no travel necessary.

“Traditional MFA programs, whether full-time or low residency, are out of reach for many writers,” said Paul Witcover , associate dean of creative writing. “The SNHU online MFA was designed to make the MFA experience accessible to all fiction writers, opening the door to diverse voices excluded for too long from the literary conversation. Our program is dedicated to giving writers the tools to succeed on the page and beyond it.”

Graduates leave the program with a completed and revised novel in one of our four offered genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance and Speculative. With the included certificates in either online teaching of writing or professional writing , you'll have the skills to support your writing career, no matter where it takes you.

.st0{fill:#21386D;} What You'll Learn

• The business and technical sides of professional writing
• How to navigate the publishing ecosystem, identify agents and editors, and market your work to appeal to decision-makers
• Using social media to gain a following and build your brand
• How to teach writing in a classroom setting

.cls-1 { fill: #21386d; } How You'll Learn

At SNHU, you'll get support from day 1 to graduation and beyond. And with no set class times, 24/7 access to the online classroom and helpful learning resources along the way, you'll have everything you need to reach your goals.

The Value of an Online MFA

Emily Jones ’20 embraced a transformational experience through the online MFA in Creative Writing program, which supported her in taking her writing career to the next level. “I can now say, without even a hint of imposter syndrome, that I am a writer,” said Jones. “And that is because of Southern New Hampshire University.”

Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, writers and authors made a median annual salary of $69,510 in 2021, while editors made $63,350. 1

“Our mission is to give students a degree and associated practical skills they can use to forge successful pathways in academia, business, or by blazing their own career trail,” said Paul Witcover , associate dean of creative writing.

Earning one of the included certificates in online teaching of writing or professional writing will also be an invaluable addition to your resume for part-time, full-time and freelance jobs in a variety of fields, including:

• Higher education. Instruct writing courses in higher education settings. In 2021, postsecondary teachers made a median annual wage of $79,640, and you can expect to see a 12% growth in available positions through 2031, according to the BLS. 1
• Advertising. Use your storytelling skills in a way that influences consumer action. As a copywriter, you could find yourself doing any number of writing projects from crafting emails and ads to writing entire commercials.
• Marketing. If you're more comfortable with long-form prose, many businesses have invested in content writers who create quality content such as blog posts, ebooks and podcasts to attract and retain customers.
• Entertainment. Good at building suspense or setting up punchlines? From movies and plays to comedy and podcasts, being a good storyteller and writer is important to finding success in the entertainment industry.
• History. Every person's life has a plot, but it takes writers like you to tell their stories in a compelling way. Help readers relive the experiences of historic figures and pop culture icons as a biographer.

Higher Education

Instruct writing courses in higher education at a college or university, either in-person or online.

Advertising

Influence consumer action through copywriting, from print ads to digital advertising and broadcast commercials.

Create written content such as blog posts, ebooks and podcasts to attract and retain customers.

Entertainment

From movies and plays to comedy and podcasts, writers often find success in the entertainment industry.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts favorable job growth in postsecondary education. And while statistics are not available for all job settings mentioned above, the BLS reports the following:

.cls-1 { fill: #21386d; } Job Growth

The BLS predicts an 8% growth in available postsecondary teaching positions through 2032. 1

.cls-1 { fill: #21386d; } Potential Salary

Writers and authors made a median annual salary of $73,150 in 2022, while editors made $73,080 and postsecondary teachers made $80,840. 1

Understanding the Numbers When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors — like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

Start Your Journey Toward an Online MFA in Creative Writing

If you're looking to earn your Master of Fine Arts online, you've found the right program. Even though there are no residency requirements, you'll still interact frequently with other students and faculty members in asynchronous discussions, critique workshops and within our online writer’s community, where students come together to share industry news, extend writing tips and develop critique partnerships.

"I liked MFA-514 (Advanced Studies in Genre Literature) best," said student Jamilla Geter . "It was a great look into the different genres. It really helped me narrow down what genre I wanted to write in."

"Though it was not writing exactly, its connection to it – especially in our digital world – was made clear almost immediately," she said. "Writing is not just providing content of value to your readers, but also creating avenues of access so those readers can find your content. This course helped me to understand that and to learn how I can create those avenues."

Besides allowing you to focus on your own creative interests, part of our 48-credit online MFA curriculum requires you to choose from 2 certificate offerings designed to round out your education and better prepare you for a multitude of writing-related careers.

The first choice is a Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching of Writing , which is tailored to those who see themselves teaching in an online classroom setting as a supplement to their writing careers. Students practice approaches to editing and coaching, learning how to establish a virtual instructor presence and cultivate methods for supporting and engaging students within online writing communities.

Learn more about the online teaching of writing graduate certificate .

Students can also choose the Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing , which highlights the technical and business opportunities available to writers. Students will develop a range of skills, such as copywriting, social media, marketing principles and/or content generation, learning many of the freelancing skills integral to today’s project-driven economy.

Learn more about the professional writing graduate certificate .

All of our courses are taught by accomplished authors and industry professionals who know both the craft and business of creative writing. They will work closely with you to develop both your creative and professional skill set.

"All instructors within my program were extremely knowledgeable and helpful," Warden said. "I learned a lot about the different career paths my instructors chose. ... The course instruction, along with their anecdotal experiences, helped in offering knowledge in different areas of our field.

MFA Program Thesis

The thesis for the Online MFA in Creative Writing is required to be a novel of at least 50,000 words in one of the four genres the program offers: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, and Speculative.

Every Southern New Hampshire University online MFA student who graduates from the program will do so with a revised novel manuscript in their chosen genre, which is completed in a three-course thesis series. Throughout your tenure in the program, you can either work on a singular idea that you will develop during the three thesis courses, or you can begin a new project for your thesis. You can also combine elements of the four genres offered in the program for your thesis. For example, your thesis might be a YA Speculative Fiction novel.

"My three thesis classes for the MFA degree were the most helpful," said Kathleen Harris '21 . "I was actually writing a book as my thesis, so it was both enjoyable and advantageous for the degree. And it was the end of a very long milestone of accomplishments."

Minimum Hardware Requirements Component Type   PC (Windows OS)   Apple (Mac OS)   Operating System  Currently supported operating system from Microsoft.   Currently supported operating system from Apple.  Memory (RAM)  8GB or higher  8GB or higher  Hard Drive  100GB or higher  100GB or higher  Antivirus Software  Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.  Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.  SNHU Purchase Programs  Visit Dell   Visit Apple   Internet/ Bandwidth  5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100 ms Latency  5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100 ms Latency  Notes:   Laptop or desktop?   Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility.  Note:   Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10.  Office 365 Pro Plus  is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for  Microsoft 365 plans  for business, education and government.  Antivirus software:  Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers.  if (typeof accordionGroup === "undefined") { window.accordionGroup = new accordion(); } accordionGroup.init(document.getElementById('f756dce5bd874c61855f6f6e92d88470')); University Accreditation

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer a 25% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually. *Note: students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional Costs: Course Materials ($ varies by course). Foundational courses may be required based on your undergraduate course history, which may result in additional cost.

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What does it take to get an MFA from RISD? These thesis projects will give you some idea

T he 2024 RISD Graduate Thesis Exhibition opened to the public at the Rhode Island Convention Center last Wednesday and will remain open through June 1, which is RISD graduation day, and also online at risdgrad.show . Wednesday evening's reception gave a first look at the thesis work of more than 200 MFA grads in sculpture, painting, architecture, industrial design, jewelry, ceramics, graphic arts, furniture design and more.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: What does it take to get an MFA from RISD? These thesis projects will give you some idea

Celebrating Graduate Excellence in Research, Mentorship, and Scholarship at UCF

Each year, students and faculty at UCF demonstrate incredible dedication to their work. Many go above and beyond to produce high-quality research while helping others reach their potential. The College of Graduate Studies recognizes students and faculty members annually for their exceptional teaching, research, and service through the Graduate Awards for Excellence.

At the awards ceremony during Student Research Week, several graduate students were recognized for their exceptional achievements in teaching and research. Additionally, other students and faculty members were acknowledged for their academic excellence during Founders’ Day.

This year, the awards expanded to include greater recognition of the arts — an area that may not always receive the attention it deserves. The new Award for Outstanding Graduate Creative Work, spearheaded by Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) member and MFA feature film production student Tolulope Ogunrinde, recognizes the merit of creative scholarship and the incredible value art brings to our community.

This award aims to acknowledge and celebrate the significant creative contributions made by graduate students in various fields, including but not limited to film, visual arts, performing arts, literature, and digital media. The award also provides a platform for graduate students to showcase their talents, gain recognition for their achievements, and receive support and encouragement as they pursue their creative endeavors.

“The inspiration behind creating the Award for Outstanding Graduate Creative Work stemmed from one of my goals as a member of the Graduate Student Advisory Council, which is to promote creative works among graduate students at the university,” says Ogunrinde. “By highlighting the outstanding creative work of graduate students, I hope to inspire future generations of scholars and artists to push the boundaries of creativity and make meaningful contributions to their respective fields. I believe that by recognizing and honoring excellence in creative work, we can foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and artistic expression within our graduate community and beyond.”

The Graduate Student Advisory Council also presents the Award for Excellence by a Graduate Student Researcher. This self-nominated award recognizes outstanding graduate student-level research and creative scholarship at UCF, allows students to share their research with the UCF community, and provides an opportunity for the GSAC to acknowledge and reward exceptional students.

Award for Outstanding Graduate Creative Work — Njeri Kinuthia, College of Arts and Humanities.

Njeri Kinuthia is a graduate student in the studio art and design MFA program . She is an immensely talented artist who creates multidimensional pieces representing her Kenyan heritage and feminist values. Her artistic style is multifaceted and uses various mediums, including fabric, canvas, and everyday objects. Kinuthia uses her art to raise awareness of gender and racial inequality while advocating for change. She loves incorporating bright and colorful fabrics from her hometown, and her background in fashion design enhances the visual appeal of her pieces, all while seamlessly integrating important social messages into her artwork.

Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching — Hannah Bevan, College of Sciences.

Hannah Bevan is a graduate student in the conservation biology doctoral program . She is a graduate teaching associate in the Mammalogy Lab, where she is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for students to learn and enjoys sharing her passion for biology. Her course focuses on the theoretical and methodological aspects of modeling species distributions through habitat suitability and connectivity analyses to inform effective conservation management decisions.

Award for Excellence by a Graduate Teaching Assistant — Mousam Hossain, College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Mousam Hossain is a doctoral student in the computer engineering doctoral program and teaches computer organization. As a graduate teaching assistant, she guides students on assembly language programming using the MARS simulator and Verilog coding using design and simulation tools. Besides her teaching responsibilities, she conducts research in the Computer Architecture Lab focusing on reconfigurable and evolvable hardware. Her love for computer engineering is channeled into her teaching as she helps students better understand computer organization and build a solid foundation in the subject.

Award for Excellence by a Graduate Student Researcher (Doctoral – Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities) – James Rujimora, College of Community Innovation and Education

James Rujimora is in the counselor education doctoral program , conducting research on the potentially traumatic experience of caring for a child with a chronic medical illness, specifically among parents and guardians. He found that raising a child with a serious diagnosis can take a major psychological toll on caregivers, leading to concerning levels of secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma. Now, he plans to utilize his research findings to enact meaningful change. By partnering with local organizations to develop targeted on-site interventions that provide parents and guardians with the support they desperately need during this challenging time, sharing his findings through peer-reviewed journals across multiple disciplines, and connecting with family advocacy organizations to inform caregiver-centric policies on the federal and state levels, he aims to support parents going through such struggles.

Runner-up (STEM): Joseph Goode, College of Medicine

Honorable Mention (STEM): Edwin Davidson, College of Sciences

Award for Excellence by a Graduate Student Researcher (Master’s – Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities) – Melanie Cedeño-López, College of Sciences

Melanie Cedeño-López is in the Feature Film Production MFA program. For her thesis, she produced a feature-length documentary film called “La Buena Cosecha” which explores the remarkable contributions of Latino business owners in the United States. The film’s exploration of the economic impact of Latinos in the U.S. revealed their high entrepreneurship rates, job creation, and substantial contributions to consumption and capital formation, reflecting their growing wealth. She aims to continue sharing positive stories about Latinos making a meaningful impact on society.

Joint Runner-up (Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities) Njeri Kinuthia, College of Arts and Humanities

Joint Runner-up (STEM): Manisha Thenuwara, College of Community Innovation and Education

Award for Outstanding Master’s Thesis (Engineering, Physical Science, Mathematical Sciences, and Life Sciences) – Tajnuba Hasan, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Tajnuba Hasan is from the mechanical engineering master’s program and mentored by Tuhin Das.

Hasan’s thesis is titled: “Control of the Spar-Buoy Based Wind Turbine Floating Platform Through Mooring Line Actuation.”

Hasan’s thesis focused on a critical challenge within the burgeoning field of offshore wind energy, specifically addressing the stability of floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) platforms in challenging ocean environments. Her research proposes a novel approach to stabilize FOWTs by concurrently designing the mooring system and control strategy. Unlike conventional methods that exclusively focus on control design, this work recognizes the interdependence between platform dynamics and mooring configuration, thereby advancing the field of renewable energy.

Award for Outstanding Master’s Thesis (Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, Business, Fine Arts, and Health Sciences) – Jason Pagan, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Jason Pagan is from the kinesiology master’s program and mentored by Matt Stock.

Pagan’s thesis is titled: “Resistance Training Adaptations in Older Adults Exhibit Task Specificity.”

Pagan’s thesis focuses on examining how exercise and movement specificity determine the extent of improvements in strength and mobility in older adults. Adults lose muscle strength as they age, which can lead to gradual loss of mobility, chronic pain, and poor quality of life. Pagan found that strength training can help mitigate and even reverse these effects. His findings have important implications for designing senior community exercise programs when equipment access may be limited. His primary thesis manuscript is currently undergoing peer review in a top gerontology journal.

Honorable Mention: Cole Taylor, College of Arts and Humanities

Award for Outstanding Dissertation (Engineering, Physical Science, Mathematical Sciences, and Life Sciences) – Ce Zheng, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Ce Zheng is a graduate of the Computer Science doctoral program and mentored by Chen Chen.

Zheng’s thesis is titled: “Reconstructing 3D Humans from Visual Data.”

Zheng’s dissertation focuses on artificial intelligence-based solutions for human pose estimation (HPE) and human mesh recovery (HMR). At the time when Ce started his doctoral studies, the challenges posed by HPE and HMR were significant. Ce recognized the need for a more efficient and cost-effective solution, leading to the development of groundbreaking techniques for accurate 3D HE and HMR directly from images and videos. These advancements have not only eliminated the dependence on costly motion capture systems but have also significantly impacted the broader research community.

Honorable Mention: Swarnadeep Seth, College of Sciences

Award for Outstanding Dissertation (Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, Business, Fine Arts, and Health Sciences) – Corey Seavey, College of Medicine

Corey Seavey is a graduate of the Biomedical Sciences doctoral program and mentored by Bradley Willenberg.

Seavey’s dissertation is titled: “New Tools and Platforms for Mosquito Behavior, Control, and Bite-Site Biology Investigations.”

Seavey’s research focused on using technology to create new methods of studying mosquito-borne diseases and ultimately mitigate their impact. Through his work, he developed two innovative tools to help deepen our understanding of mosquito behavior and enhance control strategies. The first tool is a unique flight chamber designed to study spatial repellents – specific airborne chemicals that form an invisible barrier, deterring mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases away from humans. The second tool is a model system called BITES that mimics a mosquito biting a human, which can be used to study the mosquito-bite site more closely and potentially better understand disease transmission. These new tools can lead to improved mosquito control strategies, thereby reducing mosquito-borne diseases worldwide.

Honorable Mention: Ratna Okhai, College of Community Innovation and Education

Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching – Debbie Hahs-Vaughn, College of Community Innovation and Education

Debbie Hahs-Vaughn is a professor and academic program coordinator in the Department of Learning Sciences and Educational Research. She teaches a subject known to be challenging for many people – quantitative statistics. “Statistics is an integral component of graduate education but at the same time is also difficult for many students to understand,” Hahs-Vaughn says. “On top of this, not everyone learns the same so it’s important to present material in multiple ways to reach students.”

Despite the demanding nature of her subject matter, she is regarded as an excellent instructor who makes herself available to students and offers highly constructive feedback. Her recognition with this award is a testament to her exceptional teaching abilities. Her passion for statistics, eagerness to teach her students, and supportive nature have allowed her students to succeed under her direction.

“Being recognized through the Excellence Award for Graduate Teaching is an incredible honor and is incredibly motivating to continue to work on improving my instruction,” she says.

The college recipients of the Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching are:

• College of Arts and Humanities: Julia Listengarten, professor, School of Performing Arts
• College of Business: Lealand Morin, assistant professor, Department of Economics
• College of Engineering and Computer Science: George Atia, associate professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• College of Health Professions and Sciences: Morris Beato, associate professor, School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences
• College of Nursing: Desiree Díaz, professor, Department of Nursing Practice
• College of Optics and Photonics: Romain Gaume, associate professor
• College of Sciences: Thomas Dolan, associate professor, School of Politics, Security and International Affairs
• Rosen College of Hospitality Management:  Juhee Kang, associate professor, Department of Hospitality Management Services

Award for Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Postdoctoral Scholars – Mubarak Shah, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mubarak Shah is a trustee chair professor of computer science and the founding director of the Center for Research in Computer Vision. The Pegasus Professor has mentored more than 20postdoctoral scholars during his tenure at UCF, many of whom have gone on to work for prominent universities, companies, and organizations such as Meta and Nvidia. Two co-founded startups and three are now successful faculty members at UCF.

“My philosophy always has been to mentor postdocs to achieve their goals of getting faculty jobs in highly ranked universities or jobs in top tech companies with strong R&D. I mentored them how to publish in a top-quality venue, and how to write successful proposals and how to guide research projects of graduate and undergraduate students,” Shah says. Watching his pupils find success is one of the most fulfilling aspects of his career.

Two exceptional faculty members are selected each year who show great dedication and guidance in the mentorship of doctoral students for the Award for Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students in the following disciplines: Health Sciences, Engineering, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, Business and Fine Arts.

This year, the two faculty members recognized for their excellence in mentoring doctoral students are Ahmad Elshennawy and Robert Dvorak.

Award for Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students (Health Sciences, Engineering, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences ) – Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Ahmad Elshennawy is a professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems and Director of the UCF Quality Institute. Elshennawy has over thirty years of experience as a researcher, academic, and consultant in the United States and abroad. His areas of teaching expertise include quality and reliability engineering, quality systems and management, six sigma quality, and statistical process control.

Award for Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students (Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, Business, and Fine Arts) – Robert Dvorak, College of Sciences

Robert Dvorak is a professor in the clinical psychology program and director of the REALE-TIME Lab. His work focuses on cognitive, affective, and behavioral self-regulation in health-compromising behaviors, such as substance use and eating pathology. In his lab, he works alongside his students to develop mobile and web-based interventions to reduce involvement in health-compromising behaviors.

Mentoring his students and seeing them grow into wonderful scholars and people is what drives him to continue his work. “I’ve found that the key to being a good mentor isn’t teaching, or guiding, or providing opportunities, or support,” Dvorak says. “Those are all important, but the most important thing, at least from my perspective, is helping these amazing people see in themselves what I see in them.”

The 2024 Excellence Awardees represent a level of distinction in research, mentorship, and academic scholarship that goes above and beyond expectations. To learn more about the Graduate Awards of Excellence, visit the College of Graduate Studies website .

Story from Celebrating Graduate Excellence in Research, Mentorship, and Scholarship at UCF by By Mila Chial for UCF Today

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Anita de Monte Laughs Last: Reese's Book Club Pick (A Novel) Paperback – March 4, 2025

REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK • New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a mesmerizing novel about a first-generation Ivy League student who uncovers the genius work of a female artist decades after her suspicious death A Most Anticipated Book of 2024: TIME, The Washington Post , Refinery 29 , Barnes & Noble, Marie Clare, Real Simple, Entertainment Weekly, LA Daily News, LitHub, The Millions, TODAY.com, HipLatina, Book Riot, Kirkus, and more! “ Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a cry for justice. Writing with urgency and rage, Gonzalez speaks up for those who have been othered and deemed unworthy, robbed of their legacy." ―The Washington Post " Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez asks some big questions, like who in art or history is remembered, who is left behind or erased and WHY. I have goosebumps just talking about this story." ― Reese Witherspoon 1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten―certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret. But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite.

• Print length 352 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Flatiron Books
• Publication date March 4, 2025
• Dimensions 5.38 x 1 x 8.25 inches
• ISBN-10 125078624X
• ISBN-13 978-1250786241
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

"The novel is the best, most elusive combination: a thought-provoking and a brilliantly entertaining triumph." ―NPR “ Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a cry for justice . Writing with urgency and rage, Gonzalez speaks up for those who have been othered and deemed unworthy, robbed of their legacy." ―The Washington Post "Admirers of Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut, Olga Dies Dreaming , will be pleased to encounter in Gonzalez’s follow-up novel, Anita de Monte Laughs Last, not one but two protagonists who echo the titular Olga’s best qualities. Like Olga, they are Latina women of vision and will, who emphatically refuse to be put in a corner." ―New York Times Book Review " Unflinching and thought-provoking. " ―People "This rollicking page-turner from the bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming includes of-the-moment commentary about who succeeds and why." ―Real Simple "Incandescent." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review) “The writing is absolutely fabulous, the story is gripping, and the characters are memorable. Outstanding. ” ―Library Journa l (starred review) "Gonzalez’s sophomore outing deserves a mouse on her doorstep in gratitude... This is a brutal but ultimately heartwarming and certainly thought-provoking novel of Latinx magic, family, and feminine power." ―Booklist (starred review) "Part campus novel, part ghost story, Xochitl Gonzalez’s second novel fearlessly takes on racism and misogyny in the rarefied world of fine art and art history... Anita de Monte Laughs Last boldly questions the choices behind what we are taught and demands that the complete story be disclosed." ―BookPage (starred review) "Gonzalez has that particular penchant for navigating perspectives in a voice that’s at once delightfully humorous and sobering." ― Elle "An uncompromising message, delivered via a gripping story with two engaging heroines." ―Kirkus (starred review) "Gonzalez’s newest novel is a dynamic exploration of love, art, and power." ―LitHub "A new captivating novel that explores othering, erasure, power, and legacy through the lens of two women of color navigating the art scene years apart." ―TODAY.com "Gonzalez crafts excoriating and whip-smart commentary on the art world’s Eurocentric conceptions of beauty and the racism faced by first-generation students of color. This is incandescent." ― Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Funny, piercing, and full of moxie, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is unsparing in its assessment of what goes on behind the castle walls, the price people pay to be accepted into those hallowed halls, and what it takes to liberate oneself from the dangers that lurk within. Really, what Xochitl Gonzalez has written is an affirmation for anyone who's ever had to 'work twice as hard to get half as much.' Anita de Monte Laughs Last is rollicking, melodic, tender, and true. And oh so very wise." ―Robert Jones, Jr., author of The Prophets , a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction "Bravo! A remarkable story about reclaiming what has been erased. Reader, enjoy!” ―Ana Castillo, author of So Far From God

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Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flatiron Books (March 4, 2025)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 125078624X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250786241
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.38 x 1 x 8.25 inches
• #1,328 in Hispanic American Literature & Fiction
• #9,189 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)

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About the author

Xochitl gonzalez.

Xochitl Gonzalez is the New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming. Named a Best of 2022 by The New York Times, TIME, Kirkus, Washington Post, and NPR, Olga Dies Dreaming was the winner of the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize in Fiction and The New York City Book Awards. Gonzalez is a 2021 M.F.A. graduate from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her non-fiction work has been published in Elle Decor, Allure, Vogue, Real Simple, and The Cut. Her commentary writing for The Atlantic was recognized as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. A native Brooklynite and proud public school graduate, Gonzalez holds a BA from Brown University and lives in her hometown of Brooklyn with her dog, Hectah Lavoe.

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