Young Adult Fiction

This subject is not offered in 2016.

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Admission to the Master of Creative Writing, Publishing and Editing; the Bachelor of Arts Honours (Creative Writing); Postgraduate Certificate in Arts (Creative Writing); or Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Creative Writing).

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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/

This subject will explore the transitory space occupied by the young adult, and the literature that is produced for teenagers. Students will critically engage with texts from this relatively new literary genre, and creatively navigate the space between childhood and adulthood. Exploring the historical development, trends, characteristics and common misconceptions of Young Adult literature, this subject will place Young Adult literature in the broader context of literary criticism and cultural studies.

Note: this subject is offered every second year and alternates with CWRI90010 Writing for Children.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• be able to apply advanced theoretical, aesthetic and analytic skills to interpreting critical and creative texts;
• be able to tackle new problems in the production and reception of young adult literature with confidence and openness to contemporary artistic directions;
• have a sound working knowledge of themes and conventions of contemporary young adult literature; and
• participate effectively in group discussions and collaborative learning; and demonstrate an understanding of the wider public significance of their knowledge and skills.

An essay on an aspect of young adult literature which incorporates literary criticism or cultural theory 2000 words 40% (due mid-semester); creative work 3000 words or equivalent 60% (due in the examination period).

Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass the subject.

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Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games, Scholastic Australia, 2009

Margo Lanagan, Sea Hearts, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2012

David Levithan, How They Met and Other Stories, Text Publishing, Melbourne, 2014

There will also be readings available through the LMS electronic site for this subject.

• P Hunt, Children’s Literature: the Development of Criticism, Routledge, 1990.
• K Reynolds, Radical Children’s Literature: Future Visions and Aesthetic Transformations in Juvenile Fiction, Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
• J Kristeva, Powers of Horror, Columbia University Press, 1982.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will acquire the following skills:

• critical thinking and analysis;
• the ability to think creatively;
• an openness to new ideas;
• written communication;
• communicating thoughts and knowledge;
• time management and planning; and
• practices and ethics in the field of creative writing.

This subject is offered in alternate years and will be offered for the first time in 2013.