Program Overview

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Course Overview

The Iowa Prose Workshop - He Tuhinga nō Tāwāhi, course code CREW 258, is a topic in creative writing that entails reading and writing fiction. Students will lead conversations about the stories they read, submit original manuscripts for workshop, and participate in class discussions.

Course Details

• Dates: 5 Jan 2027 to 7 Feb 2027
• Starts: Trimester 3
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,156.00 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,893.60 for international students
• Lecture Start Times:
  • Tuesday 10.00am
  • Thursday 10.00am
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 200 hours or 40.0 hours per week for 5 weeks
• Points: 20
• Availability: Limited entry

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: 40 pts, and an appropriate standard in written composition
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught By

The course is taught by the International Institute of Modern Letters — Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be communicated once the course has begun.

About This Course

This course will be delivered on campus. All CREW undergraduate courses are limited entry, with acceptances into the courses by selection. Application documents are required for the selection process.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Write fiction marked by an improved understanding of craft
2. Continue developing a distinctive individual prose style
3. Constructively edit and comment on others' fiction
4. Discern how best they personally operate as a writer

How This Course Is Taught

The course will be delivered on campus, with students writing and revising short stories or excerpts from a longer piece by the end of the trimester. Most classes will include one or more long writing exercises, along with in-class discussion, weekly reading, and note-taking.

Assessment

• Weekly Written Commentaries and Exercises: 20%
• CREW 258 Final Portfolio: 80%

Mandatory Requirements

To pass this course, students must:

1. Participate in all workshops except in extenuating circumstances
2. Meet the hand-in deadlines for any set exercises, the weekly written commentaries, and the final folio for assessment

Group Work

Each workshop involves group discussion and readings. Students will write weekly commentaries on work by their fellow students prior to that work being workshopped by the group.

Lecture Times and Rooms

• Dates: 4 January 2027 to 7 February 2027

What You'll Need to Get

Students will need to bring thirteen copies of their work to class when they are up for workshop, incurring an additional expense for photocopying.