University of Southern California Masters in Professional Writing

Reviewer's Name:

Andrea Wilson Woods

Review Date

March 20, 2009

Year of Graduation:

2008

Review Title:

Know who you are and what you want

Full Review of the Program:

I went into this program to get a degree for something I was already doing -- writing a nonfiction book.

Noel, M.G., and Madelyn were wonderful teachers and mentors to me. My first nonfiction book proposal won sixth place in a national writing competition, and I couldn't have done it without Noel. My first personal essay in the MPW program also received an honorable mention in the Writer's Digest annual contest. Maybe I walked in the door with some raw talent, but it took great teachers to nurture it.

I completely disgree with the person who said skip the technical writing class. I'm so tired of writers who think they cannot learn anything in a technical writing class or they don't need to because an "editor" will fix their mechanical errors. That being said, maybe that person had a bad teacher that semester. That particular class rotates among a variety of instructors.

I also liked that I was forced out of my comfort zone by taking screenwriting, fiction, and poetry, which I discovered I loved. Syd Field is a fantastic teacher; he made me wish I was a screenwriter. His classes were organized and the assignments were well-structured. I love that guy!

P.S. I also experienced the "transition"; we didn't have a permanent dean for most of the time I was in the program, but I still made it work for ME.

Advice to Prospective Students:

1. Know what you WANT
2. Determine what you NEED
3. DO the work -- don't waste your time, your peers' time, or your professors' time.