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Creative Writing MA
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Objectives
The MA in Creative Writing offers aspiring fiction writers and poets a one year apprenticeship (or two years part-time) during which time they will study literary technique through reading and discussing the work of other contemporary writers in seminars, and will have the opportunity to develop their own work via regular workshops and individual tutorials. Fiction writers may choose to focus on writing a novel or on writing short stories. All students will have the opportunity to attend one of the six week masterclasses taught by Professor Martin Amis.
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Entry requirements
Entry requirements: A First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent, in English or a closely related area.
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Academic title
Creative Writing MA
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Course description
Module details
In semester one, students may choose to take two workshops - one in fiction writing and one in poetry -- or they may take one workshop and one seminar - typical seminars will be "The Art of Short Fiction" and "Poetics".
In semester two students wishing to focus on poetry writing will take a poetry workshop and a seminar on Contemporary Poetry; students wishing to focus on fiction writing will take a fiction writing workshop and a seminar in Contemporary Fiction.
Career opportunities
Some of our students will go on (sometimes several years after completing their studies) to become published writers but most will not. The primary purpose of the Creative Writing MA in Manchester is therefore not to produce published writers but to help writers fulfil their potential and to help them understand and enjoy the literary traditions within which they are working. Graduates may go on to work in publishing, journalism, Arts administration, or (perhaps via a PhD programme) into university teaching.
Progression and assessment
Students take 60 credits worth of courses in semester one and 60 credits worth of courses in semester two. To complete the MA, students are required to take 180 credits in total;
-All poetry and fiction writing workshops meet for two hours per week, and are worth 30 credits. Students will also be offered three individual half-hour tutorials per semester in order to discuss the progress of their writing. Each workshop is assessed by a portfolio of poetry or fiction.
-Seminars also meet for two hours per week and are also worth 30 credits. They will usually be assessed by one 6,000 word essay or the equivalent.
-Over the summer students complete a 15,000 word "dissertation" which consists of a group of poems, a selection or short stories, or an extract from a novel. This is worth 60 credits.
Other programs related to creative writing