MFA vs. COVID
UC Davis & New School
Hey friends,
In the interest of sharing honest and up-to-date info on the schools you’re applying to, we’ve put together the twice-monthly “MFA vs COVID-19” series. Below are two anonymous reports from current MFA students on how their programs and universities are supporting their learning, safety, creativity, labor, and funding in response to the pandemic.
Our generous respondents have offered their personal perspectives, but of course, experiences vary within programs. KIT, and definitely reach out to programs directly if you want more info <3
UC DAVIS (Poetry)
1. COVID Overall, how would you rate your experience of your program’s handling of COVID precautions (online instruction? Relevant campus policies?)? Are your classes hybrid, online-only, or proceeding as usual in-person? How have your program’s decisions affected your ability to write?
I think that UC Davis handled precautions pretty well. They went entirely remote for Spring 2020 right after COVID hit, and are still doing remote for Fall 2020. I’m not sure how things will look for Winter and Spring quarters in 2021, but so far they seem to be taking things very seriously. As for the Creative Writing program, the instructors and directors have been very open and transparent. Many instructors started canceling classes and meeting with students via video conferencing at the beginning of March, before the university officially went online. The English Department was very understanding of students who also teach and provided a lot of resources about how to teach online, as well as clearly stated that they do not expect us to be able to perform at the same level of in-person teaching. Many of my classmates (including myself) drastically lowered the workload for our students and ourselves and the department was 100% ok with it.
2. FUNDING How secure does funding look for current or incoming students? How transparent, clear, and timely are messages regarding $$?
I don't believe funding has changed due to COVID, although I can’t be completely certain. If it’s without change, UC Davis's Creative Writing program is I think legally required to say that they can’t guarantee a teaching assistantship (which covers all tuition including fees and provides a stipend of about $22k/year), but that at least for the last four years they have provided every student with a teaching assistantship or readership. We’ve had students be the director's assistant (scanning readings, uploading files, etc.) for the same amount of funding as a TAship in dire circumstances, so I know they try their best to make sure no one has to pay. They also offer one student a fellowship without teaching requirements. The only thing that isn’t transparent about the funding is summer funds. Summer funds change every year based on the program’s “extra” budget. It has ranged from 1k-$500, which isn’t a lot but more than some MFAs offer. You have to wait to find out how much it will be. Because it’s a public university, students are required to show proof of California residency in order to gain funding for their second year of study. (The first year covers out of state funding but the second year does not.) They offer very simple instructions on how to do this, and everyone has been able to do it thus far. With COVID [though], one might be attending the program from another state, so I am not sure how this would work!
3. ATMOSPHERE Do you feel like faculty and your fellow students want to/are able to support your work? How often are you meeting with your professors and is professor availability affecting your work?
The atmosphere was the best part of my experience at UC Davis. My cohort and faculty were so supportive. Beyond the three readers of my thesis committee, the other professors I worked with in the English Department were so beyond kind and attentive to my work. The program does a graduate reading series, and almost the entire creative writing department would attend and we would all go out for drinks afterwards. The cohorts are so supportive of one another, and they are filled with love. Professors work with all students across genres and highly encourage collaborations with other departments on campus as well!
NEW SCHOOL (Fiction)
1. COVID
Different faculty have different abilities with teaching online and some are much better than others. It is important to learn which ones are and which ones aren’t. The New School MFA program is 100% online for the fall and spring semester 2020/21. The school was also flexible, giving the second-year students the ability to start on their thesis a semester early (meaning forgoing workshop and focusing on generating a book-length project with a thesis advisor, which usually happens in the final spring semester). A group of us started our thesis in the fall, which has been helpful. They've done a decent job at pivoting literary events and master classes online as well.
2. FUNDING
Funding remains the same as far as I know, at up to 75% tuition remission based on the merit of the application. However, the larger New School administration just implemented significant layoffs so I’m not sure how this will affect future funding.
3. ATMOSPHERE
The camaraderie and supportive community is unparalleled. It is a shockingly uncompetitive program and people make an effort to show up for each other—at events, in workshop and so on. I am currently working on my thesis and my advisor is wonderfully available and supportive.