earn a masters degree

I’m more than halfway through my MFA year and it’s going well. I don’t know if I’ll get a published book out of it, but I will have completed one of my other goals on this list, “write a nonfiction book”. My MFA thesis is a memoir about my time in college. I hope to have it published, of course, but I’m completely cynical about what it takes to break into the publishing world, and I’m not hopeful.

Last semester (January-June 2009) I did a lot of critical reading and writing and worked on my creative thesis. In June I learned about publishing and teaching. This semester (July-December 2009) I’m continuing work on my manuscript and fulfilling an internship with Etruscan Press.

If all goes well, I’ll be graduating with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in January 2010. Wish me luck!

After that, it’s on to a Ph.D. program, though I don’t think I’ll be studying writing. Or, I may teach English and writing for a while and pay off my loans (see my “get out of debt” goal) and go back to school for a Ph.D. when I have a better idea of what I want to study. I’m leaning toward psychology, but I don’t know what kind other than just generally.

I have a lot of work to do.

Finished my second semister May 12! Took two courses where I received an A in one and a B in the other. Total GPA is now 3.0 and I have 12 total units towards my degree. Praise God!

I have been doing some research on the University of Oregon’s PPPM program. I believe this may be the correct avenue to take for my current academic goals.

Looks like the cost is going to be substantial…surprise, surprise!

Education is everything to me. I want to learn more and know more than I could imagine. Getting a masters degree means more power in my field, which is one of the most important things to me.

I’m looking at my diploma right now. The symbol and culmination of years of blood, sweat and tears.

I was in a lit program, and just wanted my degree so that I could get a ten grand raise as a schoolteacher. It paid off—literally. I enjoyed much of the coursework, and would love to teach some community college classes, but all in all, I’m not any better off after having completed my masters.

The big, ugly process of applications and waiting to hear back is over, and I’ve accepted an offer from a school and plunked down a deposit. Starting grad school full time in August!

I finished the requirements for a Master of Arts in Creative Writing in January and was somehow talked into another year of school to earn a Master of Fine Arts (the terminal degree in my field). So, I have another year and should be finished in January 2010 if all goes as planned. I’ll be keeping this thing open until I earn the MFA because I don’t want to create another “to do” list item and… well, it IS still a Masters… isn’t it?

I had a dream in which I was talking to my friends, who asked me what I’d be doing after that. I said I wanted to earn a Ph.D. in psychology. I woke up unable to decide if that was a goal-setting dream or a nightmare.

I want to earn a Master’s Degree…I’m not sure in what yet…but, I will get one…soon…hopefully start Fall 2009