MFA综合考试

1. When the Exam Will Be Administered:

A. 学生 are usually advised to sign-up for the exam the semester before they expect 交论文:1.e. usually the semester before their expected graduation 日期. But some students elect to take the exam the semester they turn in their thesis (并期望毕业). 

2. 阅读书目说明:

  1. The MFA综合考试 requires students to write three essays: one in the primary 类型, one in the 二级类型, and one that asks students to reflect on the experience 写论文的时间. For the exam you will be required to cite (include brief close readings from) approximately 6 to 8 works in the primary and 3 to 4 in the secondary. In order to be prepared for a variety of essay prompts, we recommend that students read widely in both of their 类型--certainly from more works than ultimately required 在考试中被引用. In consultation with their thesis directors, students will devise a personalized list consisting of a narrower selection of works from the lists (described below) as well as any additional works of comparable literary quality that they find pertinent to their writing and/or scholarship.

  2. You should confer with your thesis director (and readers) several times during the semester prior to taking the exam to develop your final version of your reading list. Only works on this personalized, director-approved list will be cited on the exam.

  3. You may substitute up to 4 works of your own choosing on your Primary Genre reading; and up to 2 works in your 二级类型. Works that you substitute must be material that your Thesis Committee members approve. You should avoid substituting works that your Committee members are not knowledgeable of. 

3. The Questions and Exam Procedure

  1. Three essay questions will be assigned to students, who will receive the exam prompts on Friday, 9:00 AM, and must turn in their examinations no later than Monday, 5 PM. The students will not know in advance exactly what specific topics or issues will 在考试中被涵盖. The exam questions in general require students to demonstrate 他们的技能如下:
        1. 文本细读
        2. Application of literary theory and/or poetics--when appropriate or relevant
        3. Demonstration of knowledge of literart craft within the student's primary or secondary 类型
        4. Demonstration of knowledge of the Modern and Postmodern canon(s) within the primary 第二种类型. Including issues of how canons change (or have changed) to become more inclusive and to represent a wider range of traditions and/or counter-canons.
        5. Demonstration of the student's understanding of their own literary production in relation 其他作家的作品.
  2. Generic Description of Questions:
        1. Primary Genre Question: Will concern craft, 历史, 理论, 至关重要的, and/or canonical issues concerning works from the exam reading list in the candi日期’s primary 类型.
        2. Secondary Genre Question: Will concern craft, 历史, 理论, 和/或关键问题 in the student's 二级类型. 学生 will write their answer based on reading works from their 第二类型的阅读清单.
        3. Thesis Question: The third question will concern craft, 历史, 理论, 和/或关键问题 relating to the student's own creative writing thesis, described in relation to their work’s connection to (or the influence of) other writers in the student's primary 类型. Secondary 类型 influences may also be discussed (but are not required to be) 在他们的回答中.

4. 阅读书单