Writing Australia

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Total expected time commitment is 170 hours across the semester, including class time.

Admission to the postgraduate diploma or honours in creative writing, or the Master of Creative Writing, Publishing & Editing

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

In this subject students study a number of recent Australian literary works selected from a range of genres. The emphasis is on contemporary work. The approach will include discussion of ways of reading, and production of creative responses to the selected texts. Students will read one significant work in preparation for each weekly class.

Students successfully completing this subject will:

• respond at a high level both critically and creatively to contemporary Australian writing;
• conduct research to develop a scholarly text on an aspect of Australian writing;
• develop a self-initiated creative project;
• take responsibility and show leadership within a group situation;
• be able to engage in public discourse through the written word and in groups; and
• understand further the range of possibilities and difference in Australian literary culture.

Essay of 2000 words 40% (due during semester), creative work 3000 words or equivalent 60% (due during the examination period). Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% (or 10 out of 12) classes in order to qualify to have their written work assessed. Any student who fails to meet this hurdle without valid reason will not be eligible to pass the subject. All required written work must be submitted in order to pass the subject. Essays submitted after the due date without an extension will be penalised 2% per day. Essays submitted after two weeks of the assessment due date without a formally approved application for special consideration or an extension will only be marked on a pass/fail basis if accepted.

A reading list will be published on the subject LMS site.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject students will have developed further their skills and knowledge in:

• critical and creative thinking;
• academic scholarship;
• seeking knowledge through a range of sources;
• synthesizing knowledge from a range of fields;
• participating in group activities towards shared goals;
• engaging in public discourse through written word and group work; and
• valuing difference within our culture and valuing different cultures.