part 1: course summary informationstaff.brighton.ac.uk/reg/cr/progspecs/humanities/2015-16/ma...

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PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

Validation

PART 1: COURSE SUMMARY INFORMATION

Course summary Final award MA Creative Writing

Intermediate award PG Diploma in Creative Writing & PG Certificate

Course status Validation

Awarding body University of Brighton

College Arts and Humanities

School Humanities

Location of study/ campus Falmer, Grand Parade, Pavilion Parade

Partner institution(s) Name of institution Host department Course status

1. SELECT

Admissions Admissions agency Apply direct to course leader

Entry requirements

Include any progression opportunities

into the course.

Typical entry requirements. Individual offers may vary.

Applicable for 2015 entry. Check the University website for 2016

entry requirements.

Candidates for admission will normally have ONE of the

following:

an upper second class undergraduate degree or its equivalent in relevant or related Arts and Humanities discipline; OR

some professional experience in a relevant field; OR

applicants with non-standard entry requirements will be required to provide written evidence of their creative and reflective skills.

international students will need an IELTS score (or the equivalent) of no less than 7 overall with a 6.5 in writing.

Start date (mmm-yy)

Normally September

September 2015

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Mode of study Mode of study Duration of study

(standard)

Maximum registration period

Full-time MA 1 year

6 years

Part-time MA Two Years

PgDip One Year

PgCert Six Months

MA Six Years

PgDip Four Years

PgCert Three Years

Sandwich N/A Select

Distance N/A Select

Course codes/categories UCAS code TBC

Contacts Course Leader (or Course

Development Leader)

Jess Moriarty

[email protected]

Admissions Tutor Jess Moriarty

[email protected]

Examination and Assessment

External Examiner(s)

Name Place of work Date tenure expires

Professor David

Roberts

Dean of Faculty of

Performance,

Media and Music,

Birmingham City

University

31/08/2016

Examination Board(s) (AEB/CEB)

Literature and Creative Writing PG Exam Board

Approval and review Approval date Review date

Validation July 20141 July 20192

Programme Specification July 2015 July 2016

i. 1 Date of original validation.

ii. 2 Date of most recent periodic review (normally academic year of validation + 5 years).

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Professional, Statutory and

Regulatory Body 1 (if

applicable):

3



applicable):



applicable):

iii. 3 Date of most recent review by accrediting/ approving external body.

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PART 2: COURSE DETAILS

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES Aims

The aims of the course are:

The Creative Writing MA aims to enable students to:

1. acquire in-depth subject knowledge in the practice and craft of writings;

2. extend and enhance their creative processes;

3. work as part of a creative group and engage in a sensitive and critical feedback process whilst developing their critical and creative community;

4. develop a range of creative and critical skills, including creative, critical and

theoretical vocabulary;

5. interrogate innovative approaches to the writing practices and apply them to their own

processes;

6. investigate and practice a variety of modes of writing across a range of styles and genres;

7. make reflections on their own writing based on the conclusions they arrive at through in-depth research and practice;

8. develop the skills necessary to devise, conduct and conclude research at a postgraduate level.

Learning outcomes

The outcomes of the main award provide information about how the primary aims are

demonstrated by students following the course. These are mapped to external reference

points where appropriate4.

Knowledge and theory By the end of the course students will have:

1. creative and critical insight into key intellectual and scholarly

issues in practices and processes of writing;

2. independence of thought and intellectual rigour in the analysis of problems, hypotheses and practice of writing;

3. ability to construct, develop and successfully complete an independent creative study on an agreed topic;

iv. 4 Please refer to Course Development and Review Handbook or QAA website for details.

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Skills

Includes intellectual skills (i.e.

generic skills relating to

academic study, problem

solving, evaluation, research

etc.) and professional/

practical skills.

4. a high level of craftsmanship and technical command in a variety of writing practices with a view to writing for publication and/or work based-scenarios;

5. passionate engagement in the professional craft of creative writing through the practice of writing;

6. high level skills in constructing oral and written arguments, practising writing as craft and engaging in dialogue with relevant literary and creative communities.

QAA subject

benchmark statement

(where applicable)5

The MA responds to the UK QAA benchmark statements for the subject of English. It is to be noted that these benchmark statements apply to undergraduate English studies. As is currently the case with many subjects the QAA has yet to formulate national benchmark statements for English at postgraduate level. The MA fulfils many of the guideline of best practice as outlined in the HEA document http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/disciplines/English/HEA_Beyond_the_Benchmark.pdf

PROFESSIONAL, STATUTORY AND REGULATORY BODIES (where applicable) Where a course is accredited by a PSRB, full details of how the course meets external

requirements, and what students are required to undertake, are included.

N/A

LEARNING AND TEACHING Learning and teaching methods

This section sets out the primary learning and teaching methods, including total learning hours

and any specific requirements in terms of practical/ clinical-based learning. The indicative list

of learning and teaching methods includes information on the proportion of the course

delivered by each method and details where a particular method relates to a particular element

of the course.

The Creative Writing MA offers a mixture of modes of delivery and a variety of assessment

tasks. Students will benefit from dynamic workshops, master-classes, retreats and the more

traditional lecture and seminar sessions. Independent study will lead to presentations in

seminars and group discussions.

Clear guidelines on expected workloads, assessment deadlines, contact time will be provided

for students through a module outline and a student handbook, as well as additional support

from individual tutors and the Course Leader.

5 Please refer to the QAA website for details.

v.

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/disciplines/English/HEA_Beyond_the_Benchmark.pdf

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/disciplines/English/HEA_Beyond_the_Benchmark.pdf

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The learning and teaching strategy for the course is underpinned by students’ commitment to

the course and their engagement with relevant subject areas.

Teaching and learning methods used to reflect a diversity of approaches include:

Tutor-led workshops which introduce ideas relating to practice, underpinned with a range of materials in class and electronically;

Seminar and workshop sessions that give students an opportunity to engage with the subject matter in greater depth, analyse aspects of writing by combing theory and practice and engage in discussions that may be facilitated by the students themselves or the tutor;

Cross disciplinary groups and creative collaboration;

Action learning sets, learning diaries and formative assessments to enable students to develop skills in reflection, editing and redrafting;

Archive work and appropriate training in utilising primary resources (e.g., Performing Gender);

Individual tutorials that will give further opportunities for students to seek information, clarify issues, discuss in detail any controversial areas of study within their subject discipline;

Virtual Learning Environment studentcentral to provide students with additional materials that can be used for further individual study, or during seminar sessions (e.g. discussion boards, blogs and online journals);

Reading materials, particularly journal articles, that will enable students to engage with the wider literary communities and equip them with tools of how to present their own ideas, research questions and arguments;

Intensive and extended retreat scenarios.

E-learning and Blended Learning

The course will mobilise blended learning across modules as appropriate to offer greater

choice and a more effective learning experience. Utilising multiple delivery media, the course

will combine face to face classroom contact with self paced asynchronous learning formats.

This delivery will foreground communication and time management as well as the needs of

learners.

The MA will use blended learning to facilitate formative assessment, collaborative learning and

digital content across modules as embedded delivery methods. These include, but are not

limited to:

• ePDP – electronic personal development planning;

• Instructional media – podcasts, YouTube, iplayers, digital catalogues as enrichment activity

(e.g. C21 Literature, Performing Gender)

• Online assessment of portfolio work and drafts and peer comment and assessment (e.g.

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Creative Writing, Practising Rhetoric)

• Online resources (e.g. jstor, Athens, electronic archives, twitter feeds)

• Online office hours and e-tutorials and emails

• Blackboard – social software and collaborative tools including discussions, journal, blogs,

groups, buddy systems

• E-submission – Turnitin and draft feedback

• Interactive evaluation – surveymonkey

In time, the teaching team aim to develop online content and delivery and to explore existing

models of this within the university in order that this MA can be delivered on-line.

Learning and Teaching Method % of Student Effort

Lectures, workshops, seminars, tutorials, retreats, master-

classes, symposium (Stories for Screen)

25%

Independent study 75%

ASSESSMENT

Assessment methods

This section sets out the summative assessment methods on the course and includes details

on where to find further information on the criteria used in assessing coursework. It also

provides an assessment matrix which reflects the variety of modes of assessment, and the

volume of assessment in the course.

Learning Outcome Assessment method Module title Number

of

credits

1. creative and critical insight into key intellectual and scholarly issues in practise and processes of writing;

Critical essay that supports

and inspires extended

creative

piece

Anthology and critical essay

Extended creative piece and

critical commentary

Oral presentation and

example of writing

Dissertation

Poetry: Theory and

Practice

Knowing through

writing

Practising Rhetoric:

The power of good

story-telling

60

20

20

20

2. independence of Extended creative piece and Knowing through 20

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thought and intellectual rigour in the analysis of problems, hypotheses and practice of writing

critical commentary

Reflections on work-based

practice, seminar

presentation and relevant

creative product

writing

Communities of

Practice

20

3. ability to construct, develop and successfully complete an independent study project on an agreed topic;



creative

piece

Independent study and

presentation


practice, symposium


creative product

Exhibition/publication

Dissertation

Research Skills and

Training

Communities of

Practice

Narrative: The art

and design of story-

telling

60

20

20

20

4. a high level of craftsmanship and technical command in a variety of writing practices;

Creative portfolio

Reflections on experience of

working as part of an

editorial team and creative

work (to be published in the

collaborative anthology)

Creative portfolio,

presentation and

commentary

Narrative: The art

and design of story-

telling

The Process of

Publishing

Screenwriting

20

20

20

5. passionate

engagement in the

professional craft of

creative writing

through the practice of

writing;


example of writing

Presentation to invited

audience and extended

creative piece

Reflections on experience of

working as part of an

editorial team and creative

work (to be published in the

Practising Rhetoric

Prose Fiction

The Process of

Publishing

20

20

20

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collaborative anthology)

6- high level skills in constructing oral and written arguments, practising writing as craft and engaging in dialogue with relevant literary communities.


practice, seminar


creative product


example of writing



creative

piece

Communities of

Practice

Practising Rhetoric

Dissertation

20

20

60

SUPPORT AND INFORMATION

Institutional/

University

All students benefit from:

University induction week

Student Handbook: the University and you

Course Handbook

Extensive library facilities

Computer pool rooms

E-mail address

Welfare service

Personal tutor for advice and guidance

Course-specific

Additional support, specifically

where courses have non-

traditional patterns of delivery

(e.g. distance learning and

work-based learning) include:

In addition, students on this course benefit from:

Please refer to information held in studentcentral.

Creative writing anthology

Creative Retreat

Open Mic Nights

On-line journal

Opportunities for work based learning and community practice

Masterclass sessions from professional writers

Tutorials from subject tutors

Language support through the University English Language Support Programme and

Writing Advisory Service

Support from the Course Administrator

The School of Humanities has a well-established student

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support and guidance tutor

mechanism, in addition to the personal tutoring support

Guidance on information retrieval

Collection of past dissertations and research projects

A number of research arenas from the School: - English Literature seminar series - Politics, Philosophy, Aesthetics seminar series - Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics - Student Philosophy Society - C21: Centre for Twenty-First Century Writings - Centre for Study of Memory, Narrative and History - Image, Object, Text, Analysis seminar series

Subject relationships with Brighton Pavilion and Museum, Charleston House, Brighton Festival, Brighton Festival Fringe, Brighton Library, Short Fuse, Queenspark Books, Waterloo Press, First Fictions Festival, New Writing South and Myriad Editions

The University’s collections (Screen Archive South-East; Design Archives); the QueenSpark archive housed in the School of Humanities at Pavilion Parade; and local libraries, archives etc.

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PART 3: COURSE SPECIFIC REGULATIONS

COURSE STRUCTURE This section includes an outline of the structure of the programme, including stages of study

and progression points. Course Leaders may choose to include a structure diagram here.

FULL TIME ROUTE

Oct-Jan Feb-May May-Sept

Dissertation

Research Skills and Training Option 1

Practicing Rhetoric Communities of Practice

Narrative: The art and design

of story-telling

Option 2

60 credits 60 credits 60 credits = 180

credits

Students who elect to take the MA on a part time basis will be able to bespoke their pathway to

suit their specific requirements. A typical route might look like:

PART-TIME ROUTE

Year 1


Practicing Rhetoric Option 1

Narrative: The art and design

of story-telling

Communities of Practice

40 credits 40 credits

Year 2


Dissertation

Research Skills and Training Option 2

20 credits 20 credits 60 Credits

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i. Modules

ii. Status: iii. M = Mandatory (modules which must be taken and passed to be eligible for the

award) iv. C = Compulsory (modules which must be taken to be eligible for the award) v. O = Optional (optional modules) vi. A = Additional (modules which must be taken to be eligible for an award

accredited by a professional, statutory or regulatory body, including any non-credit bearing modules)

Level6

Module

code

Statu

s

Module title Credit

7 LL701 C Practising Rhetoric 20

7 Ll714 C Narrative: The art and design of story-telling 20

7 Ll715 C Communities of Practice 20

7 RDM01 C Research Skills and Training 20

7 LL703 C Dissertation 60

7 Ll716 O Prose Fiction 20

7 Ll719 O The Publishing Process 20

7 Ll717 O Poetry: Theory and Practice 20

7 Ll702 O Writing the City 20

7 LL707 O The Ethics of Fiction 20

7 LL704 O C21st Literature 20

7 LL705 O Performing Gender 20

7 LL708 O Knowing Through Writing 20

7 LL721 Representing the Arab and Islamic post-colonial

world

20

7 LL718 O Narratives of (un)belonging; writing black British

culture

20

7 LL721 O Culinary Culture and Texts 20

7 LQM23 O History Making and the Screen Archive South 20

vi. 76 All modules have learning outcomes commensurate with the FHEQ levels 0, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. List the level

which corresponds with the learning outcomes of each module.

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7 LL709 O Screenwriting 20

7. 7 AGM68 O Auto/Biographical Narrative 20

7. 7 AGM30 O Visual Narrative 20

7. 7 AGM32 O Cultures of Multi-Media Authoring and Web Design 20

7. 7. 7

LTM19 O Writing for Academic Publication 20

7. HCM04A O Creative Writing: Craft and Creative Practice 20

7. 7 LL710 O Literature and Conflict 20

Structure of the Creative Writing MA

Overview

The Creative Writing MA offers a coherent core of modules which enable students to reflect on

literature and writing as both a discipline and practice within historical and cultural contexts,

and from which students can make choices from a suite of options, including those on offer

from the wider College of Arts and Humanities provision. The programme is a good foundation

for those intending to pursue doctoral research and for those who wish to pursue postgraduate

interdisciplinary study. The course provides both a coherent core of study focussed on the

intersections between critical and creative approaches to the discipline of literary studies, and

flexibility of choice for students who want to follow only one of those approaches. Literary texts

are central to all modules within the programme: but they are considered within broader cultural

and social frameworks and alongside other types of texts and representations. The MA’s

distinctive focus is on practices of writing and creative processes. Students will have the option

of selecting modules that focus on literary theory and philosophy but the main diet of the MA is

concerned with applying advanced writing skills to creative projects and work-based scenarios.

Students will develop advanced scholarly skills in thinking and writing about and from literary

texts, through both classroom practice and assignments that are designed to offer diverse

opportunities for effective writing. Compulsory research elements are blended throughout all

the modules to enable students to extend and develop their research knowledge and skills.

Semester One

Element 1: Core Creative Writing Module One: LL701 Practising Rhetoric

Rhetoric and rhetoric studies offer a distinctive “third way” between creative and critical

approaches to the theory and practice of literature and writing, and enable students to see their

own and others writing within a long and valued tradition on the form, place(s) and functions of

effective communication. Students will be encouraged to assess and analyse a wide variety of

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literary and other genres and modes of writing (from conventional literary texts to political

speeches and advertisements), and to practice their own writing in critical, creative or

professional outputs through placing language use and affect as central to their writing and

speaking practice.

Element 2: RDM01 Research Skills and Training

This module prepares students to undertake and complete an extended research project.

Students are introduced to relevant research methods in cultural studies, historical inquiry,

literary (textual) analysis, philosophical inquiry, and critical theory; and are guided towards the

formulation of a research proposal for the Dissertation with clear aims, methodology and

sources, and a rationale for their intended treatment of the chosen topic, situated in relation to

the field of study.

Element 3: Narrative: The art and design of story-telling

Students will be required to participate in a series of projects, presentations, a theme day,

seminars, lectures and peer review. Students are advised to keep a critical diary to record

ideas, experiences and observations as they progress through the module, which will then form

the basis of their reflective project report at the end of the module.

Semester Two

Element 4: Option 1

While students can take Creative Writing option modules, they will be supported in their

decisions to shape their MA according to their research interests and will enjoy a range of

diverse and dynamic options that bear dialogic connections to their core modules. The

availability of Literature and Humanities option modules varies from year to year.

Element 5: Option Module Two

Element 6: Communities of Practice (Writer in residence module)

Every student will be asked to identify a space where they are able to become a writer in

residence. Students will be supported by their tutor in identifying and making contact with their

desired placement. They will then work to a specific brief to produce writing for that place.

Students will have one to one tutorials where they can discuss their writing and the theories

underpinning their practice.

Semester Three

Element 7: Dissertation

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Guided by tutorial supervision with appropriate subject specialists, students carry out the

creative dissertation which they devise, plan and agree during the Research Skills and Training

module. They will investigate the subject of their research through the interpretation of primary

materials, the analysis of relevant theoretical and critical debates, and the design and utilisation

of an appropriate research methodology. Presentation of the research will take the form of an

individual dissertation of 20,000 words which must be creative in its focus and accompanied by

a reflective critical commentary.

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AWARD AND CLASSIFICATION Award type Award* Title Level Eligibility for award Classification of award

Total credits7 Minimum credits8 Ratio of marks9: Class of award

Select PgCert Creative Writing Select Total credit Select 60 Minimum credit at

level of award Select

40

Select7 Select Postgraduate

Degree

Select PGDip Creative Writing Select Total credit Select 120 Minimum credit at


90


Degree

Select MA Creative Writing Select Total credit Select 180 Minimum credit at


150


Degree

*Foundation degrees only

Progression routes from

award:

Award classifications Mark/ band % Foundation degree Honours degree Postgraduate10

degree (excludes

PGCE and BM BS)

vii. 7 Total number of credits required to be eligible for the award.

viii. 8 Minimum number of credits required, at level of award, to be eligible for the award.

9 Algorithm used to determine the classification of the final award (all marks are credit-weighted). For a Masters degree, the mark for the final element (e.g, dissertation) must be in the corresponding class

of award.

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70% - 100% Distinction First (1) Distinction

60% - 69.99% Merit Upper second (2:1) Merit

50% - 59.99%

Pass Lower second (2:2) Pass

40% - 49.99% Third (3)

ix. 10 Refers to taught provision: PG Cert, PG Dip, Masters.

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EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS Please refer to the Course Approval and Review Handbook when completing this section.

The examination and assessment regulations for the course should be in accordance

with the University’s General Examination and Assessment Regulations for Taught

Courses (available from staffcentral or studentcentral).

Specific regulations

which materially

affect assessment,

progression and

award on the course

e.g. Where referrals or repeat

of modules are not permitted

in line with the University’s

General Examination and

Assessment Regulations for

Taught Courses.

In order to achieve the award of Master of Arts in Creative writing, a

student must normally: (i) have completed successfully sufficient

elements of study to gain 180 credits necessary for an MA; (ii) have

completed successfully the three Core Creative writing modules and

two of the designated Option modules and the Research Skills and

Training and Dissertation modules; (iii) have achieved an overall

average, weighted mark of at least 50% in coursework; and (iv) have

achieved an overall mark of at least 50% in the Dissertation. Those

who achieve an overall average, weighted mark of 70% or more and

who achieve a mark of 70% or more for their Dissertation will qualify

for the award of an MA in Creative writing ‘with Distinction’.

In order to achieve the award of PgDip in Creative writing, a student

must normally: (i) have completed successfully sufficient elements of

study to gain 120 credits necessary for a PgDip; (ii) have completed

successfully the three Core Creative writing modules and two of the

designated Option modules and the Research Skills and Training

module; (iii) have achieved an overall average, weighted mark of at

least 50% in coursework.

In order to achieve the award of PgCert in Creative writing, a student

must normally: (i) have completed successfully sufficient elements of

study to gain 60 credits necessary for an PgCert; (ii) have completed

successfully at least two Core Creative writing modules and/or one of

the designated Option modules; (iii) have achieved an overall

average, weighted mark of at least 50% in coursework.

Exceptions required

by PSRB

These require the approval of

the Chair of the Academic

Board

N/A

part 1: course summary informationstaff.brighton.ac.uk/reg/cr/progspecs/humanities/2015-16/ma...

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