The AWP Director's Handbook

A Publication of The Association of Writers & Writing Programs 2009

AWP has just published a new edition of The AWP Program Director's Handbook, which includes four new sets of recommendations for administrators and for teachers of creative writing.

The Director's Handbook (749KB)

Table of Contents:

• A Letter from AWP's Executive Director
  
  
• AWP Guidelines for Creative Writing Programs & Teachers of Writing

  • Introduction
  • Guidelines for Teachers of Writing
  • Hiring, Rank, and Tenure
  • Parity
  • Course Load
  • Workshop
  • Additional Recommendations
  • A Description of Writing Program Curricula
  • Additional Recommendations

• AWP Hallmarks of a Successful MFA Program in Creative Writing

  • Rigorous and Extensive Curriculum
  • Accomplished Faculty
  • Excellent Students and Support for Students
  • Strong Administrative Support
  • Other Assets and Infrastructure

• AWP Recommendations on the Teaching of Creative Writing to Undergraduates

  • Goals
  • Methods
  • General Curriculum

• AWP Hallmarks of an Effective BFA Program or BA Major in Creative Writing

  • Rigorous and Diverse Curriculum
  • Accomplished Faculty
  • Excellent Students and Support for Students
  • Administrative Support
  • Other Complementary Assets and Infrastructure

• AWP Hallmarks of an Effective Minor in the Undergraduate Study of Creative Writing

  • Rigorous and Extensive Curriculum
  • Accomplished Faculty
  • Excellent Students and Support for Students
  • Administrative Support
  • Other Complementary Assets and Infrastructure

• AWP Hallmarks of an Effective Undergraduate Program in Creative Writing at a Two-Year College

  • Rigorous and Extensive Curriculum
  • Accomplished Faculty
  • Excellent Students and Support for Students
  • Administrative Support
  • Other Complementary Assets and Infrastructure

• AWP's Recommendations Regarding Non-tenure Stream Faculty
  
  
• AWP Policy on Electronic Theses and Dissertations
  
  
• AWP Assessments

  • Introduction: Hallmarks of a Successful Program
  • Methods & Procedures
  • Fees & Expenses
  • When to Schedule an AWP Assessment

• Sample Exit Survey
  
  
• Numbers of Degree-Conferring Programs

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Friends of AWP

Why Should I Support AWP?

A Brief History of AWP

Undergraduate Hallmarks

Graduate Hallmarks

Members of AWP are invited to read the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Strategic Plan 2000 - 2010. This document details the goals, objectives, and strategies that the association will pursue throughout this decade. The complete Strategic Plan is available as a downloadable file in Portable Document Format (PDF).

2000-2010 Strategic Plan

Annual Report 2007

Annual Report 2003

If you are a member of AWP, the AWP Board of Directors encourages you to send your comments on the Strategic Plan. Write to services@awpwriter.org or to any board or staff member of AWP.