The Art & Practice of the Personal Essay

Subject MULT90044 (2015)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2015.

Credit Points: 6.25
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Semester 2, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 27-Jul-2015 to 25-Oct-2015
Assessment Period End 20-Nov-2015
Last date to Self-Enrol 07-Aug-2015
Census Date 31-Aug-2015
Last date to Withdraw without fail 25-Sep-2015


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: Intensive, 3 hours x 4, total 12 hours
Total Time Commitment:

Total 85 Hours
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Anthony Birch, Dr Eddie Paterson, Dr Elizabeth Macfarlane, Prof Kevin Brophy

Contact

Office of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Arts

Email: arts-research@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This 12-hour seminar series will examine writing that explores complex ideas and issues in personal, engaging, and creative ways. These seminars will examine rhetorical, narrative, and poetic strategies of the personal essay as a contribution to public intellectual discourse, as well as the kinds of occasions that give rise to the essay (personal crises, social issues, shifts in sensibility in a society, ethical dilemmas). Some essayists we might read: Montaigne, Swift, A.D. Hope, Annie Dillard, Kate Jennings, Joan Didion, David Foster Wallace. Possible texts: Best Australian Essays: a ten year collection (black Inc 2011), The New New Journalism (Vintage 2005). This is relevant to humanities researchers directly, but could be useful to science and social science researchers who wish to explore and extend their prose techniques
Learning Outcomes:

To provide advanced intensive instruction in a topic or area of scholarship in the humanities, social sciences or creative arts. A student who completes this subject should have:

  • enhanced knowledge of the topic or area of scholarship taught in the module;
  • an ability to reflect upon their own research work in relation to the content of the module;
  • enhanced engagement with leading-edge research in Arts today.
Assessment:
  • one 500-word essay proposal. Due during the teaching period (20%)
  • one 2000-word personal essay. Due within four weeks of completion of teaching (80%)
Prescribed Texts: None
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Related Course(s): Ph.D.- Arts

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