Course Catalogue

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A practical, one-week creative writing course that enables students to develop their own original literary work in response to the urban environment. We contextualise the writer in the city by examining such concepts as the literary flâneuse as urban explorer and the poetics of place, as well as exploring some of the narratives of the built environment and the ways in which the wild takes root in the city. Students learn about the wider context of urban and experimental writing through seminars, workshops and the production of literary non-fiction, fiction, poetry or hybrid work.

Over one teaching week:

5 x 1 hr seminar

5 x 2 hr workshop

1 x 0.5hr tutorial

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The standard assessments for this course are:

■ The portfolio assessment consists of one of more pieces of creative work (3000 words or equivalent for poetry or hybrid forms) plus critical commentary of 300 words - 100%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the portfolio, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ Identify the concept of urban literature through reference to specific texts, authors and theories

■ Examine genres employed in urban writing e.g. memoir, experimental writing, poetry, hybrid forms

■ Develop the practical skills of close reading and workshop critique of creative works in progress

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Describe and analyse the role of place in informing literature relating to the urban environment

■ Compose high quality original creative work

■ Critique samples of creative work through close reading and discussion