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  4. MFA Program: Year 2

Year 2: Requirements, Expectations & Deadlines

Updated October 2026

Program Emphasis

During the second year in the MFA Program, students should be completing the core MFA course requirements.  In this timeframe, students also formally constitute their Thesis Committee.  During the second year, students are expected to take nine courses and have a 50% TA position (or other form of financial support).  If available, students may be able to take a 4-unit 500-level course connected to their TA position, which typically includes pedagogical training and related coursework. 

During the first two years of study, students should make every effort to complete the core (most specific) course requirements, leaving the most flexibility for the third year (remaining electives and MFA Thesis writing).

Course Requirements (Year 2) *
Fall (4th Quarter) Winter (5th Quarter) Spring (6th Quarter)
LTWR-215 LTWR-215 LTTH-250 or LTTH-255
Elective Course Option LTWR-295 LTWR-295
500-level Course or Elective Course Option 500-level Course or Elective Course Option 500-level Course or Elective Course Option

* Recommended course plan, based on typical course offerings and progress priorities.


Additional Expectations & Deadlines

Fourth Quarter:

  • Attend the MFA Cohort Meeting.
  • Meet with primary faculty advisor to discuss degree progress and professional development.  Keep faculty advisor informed of progress, pressing or looming decisions, and any emerging difficulties in course of study.
  • Update professional development plan in consultation with faculty advisor (recommended).  See the MFA Professional Development information on the "Lit Dept & PhD Overview" page of the handbook.
  • Work to confirm the remaining members of the Thesis Committee.  See “Thesis Committee Constitution” below.
  • Review your up-to-date MFA Worksheet in your "SHARED Progress" folder in your Google Drive. If any courses are listed as "NEED PETITION", fill out and submit a MFA Seminar Requirements Petition for review. Enter comments on your MFA Worksheet if you want to request any changes be made.
  • Plan out and register in Winter courses. Contact advising staff at mfawriting@ucsd.edu if you have any questions about your planned courses.

Fifth Quarter:

  • Meet with primary faculty advisor to discuss degree progress and professional development.  Keep faculty advisor informed of progress, pressing or looming decisions, and any emerging difficulties in course of study.
  • Complete annual Spring Evaluation self-assessment (March).
  • Submit “Committee Constitution Request” to formalize the committee.  See “Thesis Committee Constitution” below.
  • Review your up-to-date MFA Worksheet in your "SHARED Progress" folder in your Google Drive. If any courses are listed as "NEED PETITION", fill out and submit a MFA Seminar Requirements Petition for review. Enter comments on your MFA Worksheet if you want to request any changes be made.
  • Plan out and register in Spring courses. Contact advising staff at mfawriting@ucsd.edu if you have any questions about your planned courses.

Sixth Quarter:

  • Meet with primary faculty advisor to discuss degree progress and professional development.  Keep faculty advisor informed of progress, pressing or looming decisions, and any emerging difficulties in course of study.
  • Review and sign annual Spring Evaluation (May).
  • Review your up-to-date MFA Worksheet in your "SHARED Progress" folder in your Google Drive. If any courses are listed as "NEED PETITION", fill out and submit a MFA Seminar Requirements Petition for review. Enter comments on your MFA Worksheet if you want to request any changes be made.
  • Plan out and register in Fall courses. Contact advising staff at mfawriting@ucsd.edu if you have any questions about your planned courses.
    • Note: Your Fall courses should mostly complete your MFA Worksheet, if you want to be eligible to apply to teach your own course (as an Associate Instructor) in the Summer after Year 3. The absolute deadline for completing your MFA Worksheet - and being eligible for this opportunity - will be Winter Quarter of Year 3 (Eighth Quarter). 

Thesis Committee Constitution

Through the 4th Quarter, students should meet with prospective committee members during office hours or by appointment to talk about their final project and timeline (quarter during which you will submit your final manuscript, hold your thesis discussion, and graduate). Students will ask them to serve on their committee, and work with their Committee Chair to identify alternative options if any faculty declines to serve. 

By the end of the 5th Quarter, the student must have their committee members confirmed, and the student must submit their committee details to the advising staff for official constitution.  The student must complete the “Committee Constitution Request” form online (see the “Forms” page of the website).  The advising staff then submits an online request to Grad Division to officially constitute the Thesis Committee.  The student, along with their entire committee, will receive a notification email from Grad Division when the committee has formally been approved and constituted.  Changes to the committee may happen after this point, if needed (see “Program: Year 3” for the Committee Reconstitution process).

Thesis Committee Requirements

  • The Thesis Committee must have 4-5 committee members
  • The Chair must have tenure and must be a permanent MFA faculty member
  • With Co-Chairs – one of the Co-Chairs must have tenure, and both must be MFA faculty
  • The required outside (of the department) faculty member may only be a committee member
  • At least 3 Literature Department (ladder-rank) faculty must be on the committee
  • No more than one member of the committee may be a retired faculty, and they may not serve as Chair or Co-Chair
  • Non-UCSD faculty may only serve as the fifth member of the committee, and they may not fulfill the Chair, Co-Chair, or outside-member positions
  • A complete table of Grad Division’s allowed roles and memberships for Doctoral Committees can be found at http://grad.ucsd.edu/academics/progress-to-degree/committees.html, but keep in mind that the rules listed above must also be met.
Note:  The policies listed here (and on the online form) are the minimum requirements for a thesis committee.  The committee constitution request that a student submits (meeting all minimum requirements) is still a request to the department, which may or may not be approved for various reasons.  If a committee configuration is denied by the department, the advising staff will assist the student in explaining what needs to be adjusted.  Please contact the advising staff at mfawriting@ucsd.edu for any questions.