Creative Writing at Adelaide The University of Adelaide Australia
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Creative Writing
Discipline of English
The University of Adelaide
SA 5005 Australia

Email
Phone: +61 8 8303 5627
Fax: +61 8 8303 5130

Postgraduate Programs by Coursework

The University of Adelaide offers a challenging opportunity to earn a Masters degree, a Graduate Diploma or a Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing by coursework. Students go on to publish, work in the creative industries and teach. This Creative Writing Program is one of the most dynamic and flexible in the country, enabling students to work alongside writers such Brian Castro and Jill Jones. Visitors to the Program have included David Malouf, Hazel Rowley, Marina Warner and Murray Bail. In the last three years the Program has produced such prominent writers as: Stefan Laszczuk (The Goddamn Bus of Happiness, I Dream of Magda), Carol Lefevre (Nights in the Asylum, If You Were Mine), Rachel Hennessy (The Quakers) and Sean Williams (Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, #1 New York Times hardcover bestseller list). 2009-2010 visiting writers include Steve Conte, Gail Jones, Helen Garner, Susanna Moore and Olive Senior.
 

Graduate Certificate in Food Writing

Convenor & Teaching Staff

Jill Jones, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing

Teaching staff include Professor Barbara Santich, Jill Jones and Professor Brian Castro. In 2009 Guest Lecturers included writers Gay Bilson, Dr Kerryn Goldsworthy, Marion Halligan and David Sly.

Aims

The Graduate Certificate in Food Writing articulates with the Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing: it gains students credit for a full semester of the Graduate Diploma (Creative Writing). It is designed to:

  • introduce students to the varieties, contexts and issues of food writing and develop food writing skills in a range of styles and approaches.

Typical students are very interested in food and wine, not only eating and drinking and cooking, but also in the history, culture and politics of food and drink. In addition, students aim to develop their writing skills and to publish.

Content and Methods

The course is taught through discussions, workshops and writing exercises, in an intensive on-campus situation and then online:

  • The intensive section runs for one week and involves face-to-face study on campus at the University, with workshops and presentations by both University staff and specialist lecturers;
  • The online study is one semester (12 weeks).

The course commences early February for the one-week on-campus study (there can be assistance with accommodation options). The remainder of the course is online, so it can be considered a course by distance education.The online component will start late February,continues through first semester to about June, and will require you to submit written material approximately every two weeks. During this period the online or Virtual Classroom is used for discussions among students and instructor. While a convenient time for everyone is taken into account, you may have to come online in the early morning or late evening. Each week you might spend around three hours on reading, another hour on participation (the Virtual Classroom) and as much time as you can spare on your assignments. There will be 6-7 assignments of varying lengths to be completed in the online study period.

Opportunities for employment include journalism—not only newspapers but magazines of all kinds, and also electronic media; marketing and PR is another possibility.  

The Penny's Hill/Adelaide Review Food Writing Prize is awarded annually: winners are published in The Adelaide Review. Previous winners include Vikki Moore ('The Last Lunch', 2007), Hilary Duns and Marianne Robins (joint winners 2008) and Cassie Harrex (2009). Harrex's evocative article about the Spanish resort town of San Sebastian, 'Pintxos Nights', was published in the August 2009 edition of The Adelaide Review. Harrex writes about San Sebastian's great tradition of pintxos: ‘These are the Basque version of tapas, each just a mouthful, and they are piled high between the beer taps and wine bottles on almost every bar countertop throughout the city.' Read Cassie Harrex's article here.

 

Critical dates
 4 DecemberClosing date for applications - via SATAC
4 January(approx) Last day for late applications
 JanuaryOffers made followed by enrolment
 

(Potentially late offers made) All successful FW students will be sent a letter telling them of the timetable for the intensive week, and about enrolment.

31 Jan Last day to add online
8-12 FebruaryCourse commences on campus for a week
Semester 1Course follows semester 1 dates

Eligibility, Application, International Students

Eligibility

The Graduate Certificate in Food Writing articulates with the Graduate Diploma (Creative Writing). At 12 points Food Writing is the equivalent to first semester's work in Creative Writing.

Applicants should have a bachelor's degree or equivalent, or relevant professional experience (e.g., journalism) and an excellent portfolio of creative or journalistic writing.

The portfolio of writing should be:

  • a representative selection of work, published or unpublished,
  • 10-20 pages, double-spaced, 2.5 cm margins, A4, name and page number on each, cover sheet (of your own devising) with contact details and contents of portfolio.

If you need to work on a portfolio now, here are some suggestions. Commence reading from such publications as Marion Halligan's Eat My Words, Gay Bilson's Plenty: Digressions on Food, Barbara Santich's Looking for Flavour, the anthology Forked Tongues from the Creative Writing Program. then try writing about similar issues. Try writing, for example:

  • restaurant reviews
  • wine reviews
  • about recipes
  • about individual food items
  • about travel and food
  • about the history of food
  • about cooking implements
  • about food in your family
  • about food in literature, or film or visual art

Send the portfolio to:
Dr Patrick Allington
School of Humanities
University of Adelaide
Adelaide SA 5005

Application

Graduate Certificate in Food Writing: go to the SATAC (university section) website and find the course

International Students

You will not normally need an international student visa for the brief period of on-campus study.

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Graduate Certificate/Graduate Diploma/Masters by Coursework

The 2009 Creative Writing Masters of Arts by Coursework Writing Handbook incorporates the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma. Note: the 2010 Handbook is pending.

Convenor: Jill Jones. Email: jill.jones@adelaide.edu.au   

Aims

Coursework degrees in the Creative Writing Program offer a flexible series of workshops, seminars and electives. From 2010, mid-year intake will be available, and classes will be offered in early evenings, depending on demand. 

Content and Methods

The MA Coursework is a three-semester program. It takes three full semesters (1 1/2 years) full-time to complete. It is possible to complete a Graduate Certificate in one semesester (full-time load) or a Graduate Diploma in two semesters (full-time load).

Creative Writing coursework students will explore writing practices while also developing a grounding in research and critical analysis. Creative writing coursework at the University of Adelaide offers a series of workshops and seminars designed to:

  • encourage writing creativity, and
  • develop skills in honing of creative writing such as using form and structure in writing, developing felicity in using various elements of language and self-editing skills.

Also included are components that study a range of 20th and 21st century writing examples (both Australian and international), and which focus on important creative and critical challenges to writers.

Courses for 2010 will include:

Writing Project: ENGL 5005

A workshop-based course which encourages students to work through a series of writing exercises stimulated by a range of different subjects or approaches, as well as introducing them to a variety of texts. For those proceeding to the MA, it provides a grounding for Advanced Writing Project.

Writers on Writing: ENGL 5006

This course examines theories of writing practice and encourages students to think as writers about their writing as well as critical literary issues.

Poetics and Process: ENGL 5008

A reading and writing course which focuses on particular aspects of genre (defined as fiction, poetry, non-fiction) and craft through exercises and class discussion of both poetics and texts in various genres. Note: This may be adapted to one genre or various genres, eg Poetry and Process: Fiction, depending on demand.

Editing for Writers: ENGL 5009

This course focuses on two areas: self-editing for writers to assist students in their writing projects; and an introduction to the work of editing in the book trade and media, including magazines, newspapers and digital media.

Advanced Writing Project: ENGL 5500

The final semester of the MA. Students would be required to undertake a structured program of seminars on research and writing/editing, regularly attend and present at internal Discipline seminars and undertake individual supervision from staff at various stages throughout the semester.

Eligibility, Application,  International Students, Enrolment

Eligibility

Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma: Completed higher education bachelor degree or equivalent, and portfolio of creative writing.

MA semester: Then entry into the MA requires completion of the Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing at distinction level or higher.

Students with an Honours degree in English or Creative Writing at distinction level or higher, including an excellent portfolio of creative writing, may also be admitted into the program and receive credit for the first year of study by coursework.

The portfolio should contain:

  • a representative selection of your best works or work in progress (published and/or unpublished), preferably in the genre you hope to work in.
  • published work: include copies or lists of publications (for short works such as a short story: photocopies of published work and publication information such as cover of publication and date/place of publication)
  • 15 pages of prose (or about 12-15 poems), A4, double-spaced (if poetry, adhere to publishing conventions), 2.5 cm margins, name and page number on each
  • a description of the proposed MA project (up to one page in addition to the portfolio): your description of the project you wish to work on in the MA, what kind of creative work, what concepts and ideas you hope to explore.  
  • cover sheet with contact details and contents of portfolio

Assessment within the courses is configured around writing skills, originality, craft, insight, understanding, potential to continue to develop, and presentation. You will not receive feedback on your portfolio. If you wish it to be returned, please send a stamped, addressed envelope with the portfolio. Unreturned portfolios are shredded and recycled.

    At the time of your application, send the portfolio NOT TO SATAC but to:
    Dr Patrick Allington
    School of Humanities
    University of Adelaide
    Adelaide SA 5000

Application

Domestic students: see the University's Application and Admission (postgraduate coursework), and use the blue navigation bar on the left-hand side to navigate to all relevant information such as 'Selection Criteria' and 'Postgraduate Programs'. Apply through SATAC.

International Students

Queries: Use the Online Enquiry Form.  

See the international student website for how to apply and the relevant forms (see: http://international.adelaide.edu.au/apply/appforms/ and select the Postgraduate Coursework Application Form).

Enrolment

See the University Enrolment site for dates.

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Fees, Scholarships and Fee-Help


Fees

  • For coursework programs, please see the Course Planner and the Faculty website (ro see the links in the courses above).
  • For research programs:
    • Domestic students: currently, all commencing higher degree by research students enrolled in a research degree at the University of Adelaide are awarded a Research Training Scheme (RTS) place. The RTS place entitles the student to a maximum period of two years of HECS exempt candidature (FTE) to undertake a Masters program.
    • International students.

Scholarships

Fee-help for domestic students
Click here for information on FEE-HELP: To be eligible for FEE-HELP you have to be an Australian citizen.