The Massachusetts Center for Renaissance Studies, located in Amherst, has recently announced two new writing prizes open to all five-college undergraduate students. The Francis Bacon Prize will go to the best scholarly or critical paper no longer than 20 pages on any subject or text on the Renaissance, from 1400 to 1700. The Petrarch Prize is awarded to the best creative work that draws upon ideas, texts or forms of writing during the Renaissance.

The Francis Bacon prize is named for the essayist and scientist who invented the scientific method. Submitted pieces may be from work that originated in the writer’s class, but this is not a requirement. The Petrarch prize can include works of poetry, fiction or memoir. It is named for the 14th century Italian poet and humanist, who was the first major lyric poet of the Renaissance.

The center’s staff, upon wanting to honor undergraduates, developed the contests, said Arthur Kinney, the director of the Center.

Judges will include Renaissance faculty from the five colleges. Winners will be awarded book prizes and certificates at a public ceremony to take place at the center on Friday, May 3.

The deadline for this first annual contest is April 23. Writers should submit blind copies of their work with a cover sheet that includes name, address, and phone number to: Renaissance Center, PO Box 2300, Amherst, 01004.

For more information, call the Renaissance Center at 577-3600.