Objectives
The MA in Creative Writing and New Media aims to: -Provide a prestigious addition to career portfolios in the creative and cultural industries, including writing for publication both in print and online, web content development, the entertainment and games industries, and careers in teaching, new media and arts development. -Create an effective grounding in postgraduate study leading to doctoral research -Open up new opportunities for existing creative practitioners -Provide a thorough introduction to the applications of creative writing in the contemporary technological arena -Develop and enhance personal creativity and innovation. By the end of their programme of study, students with an MA in Creative Writing and New Media will : -Show a critical awareness of the interdisciplinary relationship between creative writing and new media -Critically evaluate the role of the writer in the contemporary digital and print publishing environment -Synthesise and debate core practice-based approaches to the development of writing in a transliterate context -Apply creative practice research methods to critique, analyse and evaluate writing -Gather, analyse and interpret information from a wide range of sources to inform creative and critical practice -Demonstrate an ability to produce original, fluent, high-quality writing -Demonstrate and apply an understanding of modes of editorial and workshop skills in an online environment
Course description
Programme
The course is designed for writers interested in exploring the potential of new technologies in their writing. It has a unique commitment to the connections between writing and new media and offers an excellent online learning experience combined with intensive study during the autumn Campus Week. Students receive one-to-one tutorial support, participate in lively workshops, and have the opportunity to create collaborative and interactive projects. The programme also provides encounters with a wide range of professional writers, innovators and mentors. The course has creative applications in the workplace and community as well as in writing, teaching and publishing, all culminating in an atmosphere which is challenging, interdisciplinary, and international.
The MA in Creative Writing and New Media is broad in range and flexible in structure. Students will, in consultation with the programme leader, choose a Practice-based Dissertation topic which speaks to their own interests and allows them to pursue a particular genre, form, platform, or critical issue in greater depth. It will also encourage reflection on writing and new media in the twenty-first century and make sure students are aware of major developments in this and cognate areas. Full research training at the appropriate level is provided in the form of the compulsory Methods module. One major feature of the MA is that staff offer modules within their research specialisms, giving students the opportunity to be at the cutting edge of new discoveries and developments within fields of, for example, transliteracy, digital fiction, and creative nonfiction.
The following aims and learning outcomes signal our commitment to deliver a high quality educational experience to our MA students.
All students take the following compulsory modules: Methods, Laboratory, Practice-based Dissertation, and choose two from the following optional modules: Creative Nonfiction, Writing for the Creative Industries, E-Poetry (new for 2008, subject to validation); and Fiction.
Teaching/assessment
Approximately 95% of this course takes place online. There is a five-day campus-based workshop in Leicester during the autumn when attendance is compulsory. Teaching is principally based in a 'Blackboard' managed learning environment via discussion boards, online lectures, and live workshops in the chat room. Students will also be introduced to other media including blogs (online journals), MOOs (text-based virtual environments), and wikis (collaborative software). The course will include tutor-student mentoring as well as peer-to-peer critiquing, and the Campus Workshop provides an opportunity for students and tutors to come together to further develop their learning in an offline environment. Excellent support is available for students new to online learning.
Compulsory Campus Week
When budgeting, remember to add on the cost of traveling to Leicester and B&B accommodation for the compulsory Campus Week. Please note that lunch, dinner and snacks are included in the overall course fee but, for your own flexibility, the course fee does not include the cost of B&B accommodation during Campus Week. We will recommend a range of accommodation at special university rates and help you secure a booking appropriate to your needs.
Creative Retreat
There is an optional Creative Retreat weekend following on from Campus Week, where all students past and present can meet to share work and develop new ideas.
