Students who have received a TA in their first year can apply for one in their second year by submitting a short letter by February 1 to the Director of Graduate Studies, requesting renewal. TAs are not automatically renewed, and are never awarded for more than two years. Second-year renewals are the norm in the M.F.A. program, but are less common for M.A. students. All must participate in a seminar in teaching composition. Faculty may nominate outstanding students in the M.F.A. program at the end of their first year for a Prose or Poetry Fellowship.
Fellows teach one section of introductory creative writing.
The department nominates up to three qualified candidates each year for Bertha Morton Fellowships and Scholarships, which are University-wide graduate awards administered by the Graduate School. These awards are available to entering students and to continuing students. Criteria for selection include honors, professional credentials and especially evidence of scholarly or creative achievement. Some record of publication at the time of applying is usually necessary for success. Graduate students in the humanities are also eligible to apply for the Erasmus Scholarships administered by the Department of Philosophy, which reward commitment to ethical principles in professional life.