An Unusual Question

[Patstarks3]

Hi Folks. 

 

I'm new to the forum and have a somewhat unusual question. Not even sure if you guys can help, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

 

I am a fiction writer actively seeking an agent/publisher, etc. I have my undergrad degree from SUNY Albany and an MFA in fiction writing from the New School. I believe that getting my MFA in creative writing was a waste of time because I'm not interested in aspiring or pseudo writers critiquing my work.  I now believe a deep study of literature is by far more essential than those awful writers workshops that usually don't offer much in the way of constructive advice.

 

Flash forward seven years. I really want to go back to school to continue my study of literature. When I was in college, I had semesters that nearly wore me out, studying the Bible and Dante and Milton, and I can remember never feeling more fulfilled and creatively electrified. I want to experience that again (I realize than an MA or PhD would be far more intensive; I'm just referring to the general feeling), but here's my conundrum: I don't really want to learn another language (I wish I had earlier, but that's now water under the bridge, I guess), and, truth be told, I don't really care about the degree. I'm in this purely for the sake of being able to experience the literature more thoroughly under the tutelage of professors, and, to ultimately foster a more thorough foundation for my own work.

 

And so, here I am. I guess the most practical question I have is how hard is it to fulfill the language requirements and, additionally, are there programs which don't require it? (A cursory search has revealed to me that there are many more MA programs that either don't require it, or that their requirements are far more lenient.) Also, is there any way to study literature deeply without entering a degree program? Most of the "Continuing Education" courses I've examined seem like less than what I'm looking for.

 

I'd appreciate any guidance the forum can provide on these somewhat unusual stipulations. Thanks in advance. I look forward to your responses.

 

Danny 

[TakeruK]

I am not in your field. But if you said the same thing about my field (i.e. replace "literature" with "astronomy" in your post), then I would recommend that you do not go to graduate school just for the sake of learning more literature/astronomy at an advanced level. An MA program would be expensive but I guess if you have the money to pay for it, then who am I to judge how you spend it!

 

I think your idea to find a way to learn this without a degree program is the best path though. Here are some ideas I have about learning literature at an advanced level:

 

1. Online open courses, such as Coursera.

2. Build a relationship with a university near you and maybe you can sit in on their literature courses or attend seminars? Maybe you can offer some services to the department/school first to establish a good relationship. For example, maybe you can offer to run some free writing workshop/seminars for students (maybe do this through the department, the school's Writing Center, or via the English student society). 

3. Find other people with similar interests in your community (maybe going through a university might help you find people) and start your own group to read about, analyze and discuss literature.

 

(Note: These ideas were generated by thinking what I would advise you if you said "astronomy" instead of "literature" and then I tried to transfer the information. Sorry if there are "problems in translation" in doing this!)

[Crafter]

I am also not in your field, but I find TakeruK's advice on attending classes without being enrolled a good idea. Why don't you go to your local University and try to establish a good relationship with some departments in your area, ask the professors if you can sit on their classes and see how that goes.

 

If you don't care for the degree, I don't see a reason to enroll in a Graduate Program.

[quirkycase]

I feel you on this, PatStarks3.  One of my passions is philosophy, which I minored in as an undergrad.  Getting a degree in it wouldn’t have been (or be) particularly beneficial for me personally, but I do really miss participating in an environment that facilitates in-depth discussions and analysis of texts.  Reading philosophy on my own without that dialog just isn’t as fulfilling.

 

Since literature isn’t my field, I can’t speak to program requirements and such.  But I agree with TakeruK and Crafter’s advice and suggestions for non-degree route methods.  Developing a relationship with a university and getting involved with the Writing Center seems like a great idea.  When I worked in a college tutoring center (mainly as a writing tutor), English professors often volunteered some of their time in the Writing Center, so we had good relationships with the faculty.  It could definitely be a good way to involve yourself in the university and possibly sit in on classes.

Edited May 28, 2015 by ashso

[Crafter]

I would like to add that those sweet memories of your Dante's readings while a very passionate discussion evolved is what you remember from that particular class. But sometimes, not all professors are as good as that one we remember the most. I have been through 2 degrees before and the "same" class in a different school and a different professor were soooooo far away from each other that I remembering not liking a particular subject that now I am passionate about.

 

So, enrolling and paying for a complete program based on your previous experiences during class may not be a good choice because it may end up a bit disappointing. Check out and try to attend only classes that match your expectations and interests.

[TakeruK]

I would like to add that those sweet memories of your Dante's readings while a very passionate discussion evolved is what you remember from that particular class. But sometimes, not all professors are as good as that one we remember the most. I have been through 2 degrees before and the "same" class in a different school and a different professor were soooooo far away from each other that I remembering not liking a particular subject that now I am passionate about.

 

So, enrolling and paying for a complete program based on your previous experiences during class may not be a good choice because it may end up a bit disappointing. Check out and try to attend only classes that match your expectations and interests.

 

I'd like to echo this too. Even for courses in my field (which I'm passionate about!) can be presented very differently from professors because of different perspectives. There is one course in astronomy that I've taken three times now (one at each of the schools I've been to) and they have all been completely different, despite the title and syllabus being basically the same.

[brown_eyed_girl]

I agree with others that there are great options, like auditing local college courses or enrolling in university extension classes, that might fulfill some of your desires. Maybe even joining an erudite book club or local literature society with some meaty discussion groups. I'd also say that if you don't care about the degree and aren't motivated to fulfill requirements that don't personally excite you (like languages), a structured graduate program - especially a PhD program, if you are considering them as well - are probably not for you. Of course loving your field and being excited by it are a big part of why most of us pursue grad school, but it's a big commitment, whether of money, time, blood/sweat/tears, or all of the above. On the other hand if you've given it a lot of thought and really do want the degree, I definitely wouldn't let languages stand in your way. I know people who've fulfilled requirements by taking summer language intensives, for example.    

[juilletmercredi]

Join a book club. Go to some lectures at a nearby university. Or take some graduate classes as a non-degree student. But definitely do NOT get a PhD just for the sake of taking some classes in literature with professors.

 

First of all, discussion and shared learning is a big part of the PhD, and many PhD-level classes do involve getting critiqued by your classmates. In doctoral programs, you put away the student-teacher dynamic; you are a junior colleague, and so are your classmates, and you collaborate and work together to evaluate each other's work and scholarship. There's a reason they call it peer review.

 

Second of all, PhDs are not about the coursework - the coursework is almost an afterthought, and a more minor part of the program. PhDs are about scholarship. You have to produce new knowledge in the field. Literature PhD students spend a lot of time writing about existing literature, not producing their own necessarily.

 

If you have the money to spare and/or don't mind incurring vast amounts of unnecessary debt, an MA program might not be a bad idea. MA programs - particularly ones that are coursework only - will fulfill your needs; they are primarily coursework based, rely less on scholarship, and will give you your fix of taking more literature classes under the tutelage of professors. You'll be required to adopt reading proficiency in a language for most because they'll want you to read the text in the original language - often required to do the deep kind of delving you want to do.