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Programme: PhD specialising in Creative Writing

The Unit for Creative Writing is an established programme that offers Master's and PhD degrees in Creative Writing. Students may work in any of the following languages: English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Setswana, isiNdebele, Sepedi, French, and German. The MA and PhD degrees consist of a creative work (for example, a volume of poetry or short stories, a novel, a dramatic work for the theatre or a screenplay) as well as a scholarly component (a dissertation or thesis). Many gifted writers have found their creative and intellectual home in the Unit. We foster creativity, the power of imagination and the skilful use of language; and aim to help students produce publishable or performable work.

Programme Information

• The programme is offered by the Faculty of Humanities, Department: Unit for Creative Writing.
• Minimum duration of study: 2 years
• Total credits: 360
• NQF level: 10

Admission Requirements

General Admission Regulations

1. All applications must be accompanied by the following documents:
   1. Certified full academic transcripts from undergraduate to current level
   2. Certified copy of ID or passport
   3. A research concept note (not applicable to honours or coursework master's degrees): A description of the proposed research field indicating a research topic and the broad scope of the proposed study, not exceeding 500 words.
2. All applicants with international qualifications must submit the following documents, subject to provision number 9:
   1. A SAQA evaluation of the completed qualification or a comprehensive Foreign Qualification Report
   2. TOEFL or IELTS or Pearson Test of English or Oxford Test of English test results (if applicable)
   3. Certified copy of passport.
3. All postgraduate applications are subject to departmental admissions processes.
4. Admissions is based on the content of and performance in the prior degree, bridging arrangements (where required), academic merit and prior work experience (if applicable).
5. Admission to all qualifications is subject to supervisory capacity and/or research projects in the field of specialisation in a department, therefore the relevant department has the right to limit the number of students per year.
6. Complying with the minimum admissions requirements, does not automatically guarantee admission to the degree.
7. Proposed research studies for masters and doctoral applicants should align with the research focus of the relevant department.
8. If a qualifying candidate has expressed an interest in a field of study that the relevant department cannot accommodate, the applicant may be considered for an alternative project.
9. All postgraduate applicants must be proficient in English as English is the official language of tuition, communication and correspondence at the University of Pretoria. Candidates who cannot provide evidence that previous studies were completed in English, must submit TOEFL or IELTS or Pearson Test of English or Oxford Test of English test results with their application.
10. All applicants must be computer literate.
11. All students need to have access to an internet enabled device, as well as consistent email and internet access.
12. Allowance will be made for the diversity profile of students in accordance with the University strategy.

Minimum Admissions Requirements

1. Relevant master's degree (NQF level 9)
2. Portfolio of creative work

Other Programme-Specific Information

1. A student must work under the guidance of a supervisor for at least one academic year.
2. A student who does not comply with the requirements for the degree within the third academic year, must obtain permission from the Deputy Dean for Postgraduate Studies for each succeeding year of registration.

Core Modules

• KSK 990: Thesis: Creative writing 990
  • Credits: 360.00
  • Module content: The thesis should demonstrate creative achievement appropriate to a doctoral degree in one of the following genres:
    • poetry,
    • drama and screenplays,
    • prose (fiction),
    • prose (creative non-fiction: biography or autobiography), or
    • literary translation/adaptation.
  • The creative component should be a complete work, or set of complete shorter works and should in substance be the equivalent of at least (in fiction) a full-length novel or a collection of short stories, or (in poetry) a book-length collection of poems, or (in drama) a full-length play or a collection of at least three one-act plays.
  • The theoretical component should be substantive scholarly/academic research on a related topic.
  • The language of tuition depends on the language in which the creative and theoretical components are written.