Masters Degree and Diploma
Creative Writing
For further information and an application form contact:
Dr. Wayne Price
Programme Co-ordinator
MLitt in Creative Writing
School of Language & Literature
King's College
Aberdeen AB24 3UB
Scotland
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1224 272555
Fax: +44 (0) 1224 272624
E-mail: w.price@abdn.ac.uk
Website: www.abdn.ac.uk/english/postgraduate/creativewriting
Introduction
The MLitt in Creative Writing is a taught postgraduate programme designed to offer a supportive, constructive learning environment where students will be encouraged to develop both their creativity and technical ability in all the fundamental aspects of imaginitive writing. It also introduces students to, and prepares them thoroughly for, the processes and challenges involved in publishing creative work, whether poetry or prose. The courses are taught by a team of widely published creative writers including Alan Spence, Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen and author of The Pure Land, the Ulster novelist, screenplay and short story writer Bernard MacLaverty, author of Cal, and Aberdeen poet Sheena Blackhall. The programme also benefits enormously from the presence at the University of Aberdeen of The Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies (RIISS), the Word Festival and the University's annual visiting writer-in-residence scheme, drawing on the regular presence of internationally renowned visiting authors to offer workshops, seminars and readings complementing the core teaching provision. In addition to the creative writing courses offered in principles of style and effect, poetry and prose, students may choose supplementary courses from a broad range of options offered by the School of Language & Literature relevant to their own creative interests.
Course Structure
In the first half-session students will be required to take one core course as an introduction to fundamental principles of effective creative writing. Also on offer alongside this will be the optional component Creative Writing I: Poetry and a choice of one or two elective course(s) from the School of Language and Literature, chosen in consultation with the programme coordinator. The second half-session hosts Creative Writing II: Prose and two shorter core courses, the first designed to prepare students for publication and the second to support students in their preparatory work towards their dissertation folio which may be in poetry or prose. As in the first half-session, elective options will also be available from the School of Language & Literature. MLitt students are required to write a folio dissertation over the course of the summer.
First Half-Session Core:
Creativity and Craft
First Half-Session Optional:
Creative Writing I: Poetry
1-2 elective course(s) within the School of Language & Literature
Second Half-Session Core:
Preparing for Publication
Folio Dissertation Preparation
Second Half-Session Optional:
Creative Writing II: Prose Fiction
1-2 elective course(s) within the School of Language & Literature
Masters Stage (Summer)
Portfolio Dissertation in Creative Writing
Who Can Take This Degree?
The MLitt is designed for anyone with an undergraduate degree in the Humanities who wishes to explore and develop their creative potential in writing. The School of Language and Literature is keen to attract students irrespective of age or nationality, and welcomes overseas students and mature students returning to study. No specialised knowledge or prior experience in creative writing or publishing is assumed and the core courses will provide all the grounding necessary for personal creative development in writing and the self-reflexive discipline necessary for the successful preparation and presentation of a completed folio of work. Students can take this course as a Diploma (without the dissertation folio), a stand-alone one-year (full-time) or two-year (part-time) Masters degree, or as a first step towards an MPhil or PhD (subject to admission to a further degree programme at Aberdeen or elsewhere). Please note that immigration regulations prevent an overseas student from studying part-time.
Entrance Requirements
The standard entrance requirement is a good first degree in any Humanities discipline. UK applicants should normally have a 2.i or above, though applicants with non-standard qualifications are also invited to apply. International students will be considered on the basis of their transcripts and references. Non-native speakers of English need to have a minimum of IELTS at 6.5 or TOEFL at 580.
Cost
Full-time nationals and students from EU countries pay £3,240 per annum in postgraduate fees and part-time £1,620. Students from non-EU countries pay £8,750 per annum. Accommodation and food would be expected to cost between £5K and £8K per year. Books and excursions will also cost extra.
Grants And Scholarships For Study At Aberdeen
The College of Arts and Social Sciences has a number of generous Postgraduate Studentships offered competitively to outstanding students. Details are available via the website: www.abdn.ac.uk/cass
Scottish students with a first class honours degree may apply to the Carnegie Trust: www.carnegie.org.uk
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) offer Studentships which provide fees and maintenance for UK students and fees only for European Union students: www.ahrc.ac.uk
The Overseas Research Student (ORS) scheme makes awards competitively to outstanding non-EU nationals undertaking a research degree, usually a PhD, and lowers the fees payable to British levels. Taking the MLitt in the Novel may enhance a student's chance of obtaining ORS funding towards a PhD at the end of their MLitt course: www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/ORS
What If I Do Not Want To Write A Folio Dissertation?
Students who attend and satisfactorily complete all compulsory and optional courses, but who do not write a folio dissertation, will be awarded a diploma in Creative Writing.
For international students, all postgraduate taught programmes, beginning in September 2008, have a deadline of the 1 st of July 2008. Any application received after this date, will not be considered for September 2008, but instead will be considered for the next available intake, either January 2009 or September 2009. For more information on the intakes for each programme please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/prospectus/pgrad/ Please note this deadline is to ensure students have sufficient time to complete the application process and apply for their visa, and arrive in Aberdeen in time of the start of their programme.
There is no programme deadline for those students classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes.