How do students typically pay for their studies at Mills? What are my financial aid options?
How can I apply for a graduate assistantship?
What sort of teaching experience or training can I get through the graduate programs in English?
How long is the program? How many classes can I expect to take each semester?
Is it possible to attend your programs part time?
When are your courses offered? Is it possible to work full time while in the program?
Can I apply to the MFA program in more than one genre (concentration)?
What opportunities are there to work outside my genre in the MFA program?
I am moving to Mills from out of the area. What housing options are available for graduate students at Mills?
How does the non-resident semester work?
May I complete the non-resident semester at Mills?
When does the exhibition take place? How will it be installed?
Will there be campus housing for the final week?
How do students typically pay for their studies at Mills? What are my financial aid options?
The English Department works very hard to provide as much scholarship funding as is possible to all students, though we are unable to offer full funding to any student. The department offers both merit- and need-based forms of funding. Students are also advised to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority deadline in order to be considered for need-based scholarships from the English Department. Whatever scholarships are awarded in the first year will be awarded again in the second year of study. If you are awarded a graduate assistantship in the second year, this is an additional source of funding (see below).
All prospective students are also advised to apply for federal and state financial aid in the form of loans.
How can I apply for a graduate assistantship?
Graduate assistantships are only awarded to students for their second year of study. All first-year students have the chance to apply in the spring of their first year for these competitive assistantships. These assistantships are not need-based. Details regarding application deadlines are distributed with the applications each spring.
What sort of teaching experience or training can I get?
The English Department offers three classes in pedagogy, one of which you can take as your elective course: ENG 271 Theories of Creativity and the Teaching of Creative Writing, offered in the spring; ENG 272 Theories and Strategies of Teaching Writing, which focuses on composition and is offered in the fall; and ENG 286 Teaching English as a Second Language, offered in the spring. ENG 272 requires a practicum, typically in a local community college classroom as a teaching assistant. Many of our alums have utilized connections made during these practicum experiences when job hunting after graduation.
In Book Art, MFA students can offer undergraduate workshops outside of class hours. While there is no academic credit received for teaching the workshops, they provide valuable experience in workshop preparation, pacing and articulating craft practice.
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How long is the program? How many classes can I expect to take each semester?
The program is two years, plus a non-resident semester. You will take three courses each semester in order to finish within the two years. The non-resident semester is an additional credit.
Is it possible to attend your programs part time?
Given the rigorous nature of this program and the need to follow the sequence of courses, part time attendance is not possible.
When are your courses offered? Is it possible to work full time while in the program?
While part-time work is certainly possible, the length and timing of the studio classes and the need to follow a specific course sequence mean full-time work is not really possible.
Can I apply to the program in more than one creative writing genre (concentration)?
Yes, but if you are accepted in more than one area, you will need to choose one area of concentration when you enroll. An application to more than one genre will be reviewed by separate faculty committees in that area, and you may or may not be accepted into one or both genres, i.e. both prose and poetry.
What opportunities are there to work outside my primary writing genre?
You will need to take all three of your writing workshops in your primary genre. However, you can choose to take a workshop in a second genre as your elective course. Placement will depend on the availability of open slots in other workshops. You could also take a craft class as your elective. These classes are designed for MFA students and often include creative assignments in response to readings in contemporary literatures.
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I am moving to Mills from out of the area. What housing options are available for graduate students at Mills?
Mills offers a variety of housing options for graduate students to live on our beautiful residential campus. Graduate women have the option of residing in one of our historic mediterranean-style residence halls that accept graduate students. Men and women can enjoy our new Courtyard Townhouses which overlook the Bay Area. We also offer family housing and some specialty housing choices. When you apply to Mills, please indicate your interest in on-campus housing, and you will be sent a separate housing application.
Many students moving from out of the area also choose to live off campus. Some popular neighborhoods include those around Lake Merritt, Piedmont Avenue, and Rockridge. Craigslist is a good reference to start looking for local housing.
A car is definitely useful in the east bay, but many of our students do not drive and use public transit instead. There is a campus shuttle which goes to the Rockridge BART station on its way to UC Berkeley. There is also an AC Transit bus stop right outside the Mills front gate. For full information on local public transit, visit www.511.org.
How does the non-resident semester work?
Once you have finished your formal course work and completed your creative writing thesis, you will have an additional semester to complete your book art thesis and prepare for your exhibition. You may do this in any geographic location. The program will work with you to identify a mentor-advisor who will give you support during your non-resident semester. A nominal fee will cover this support. If you need to work in a studio such as a letterpress studio the program will again work with you to locate what you need. You will be responsible for any fees charged by the studio, as well as for the materials you will need to complete your thesis. You and your advisor will stay in contact with your Mills supervisor who will help to keep track of your progress.
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May I complete the non-resident semester at Mills?
The non-resident semester is an opportunity for you to work with someone other than Mills faculty, exposing you to other creative points of view. Therefore, staying at Mills for the non-resident semester would only be permitted in rare instances. The cost for this would be significantly higher than for working off campus.
When does the exhibition take place? How will it be installed?
You will return to Mills for one week in January following your non-resident semester. During this week you will install your work in the graduate exhibition, attend a final critique, and participate in a final seminar with your student cohort and Mills faculty. The exhibition opening will take place at the end of this week. The non-resident semester fee will cover this final week.
Will there be campus housing for the final week?
We anticipate that there will be housing on campus for those returning students who need it. At this point we are unable to state costs for the housing.
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