Creative Writing PhD drafted

Program Overview

Program Outline

PhD structure

Overview

The emphasis is not on creating two separate pieces of work, but on integration, on purposeful exploration through practice: an interdependent programme of contextual and practice-based creative work.

Both sections of the PhD must contain work of publishable quality. In the case of the contextualising research, this might mean some of the material could be turned into an article for an academic journal, but this element of the PhD must contain original, rigorous research. Together - taken as a whole - the contextual and creative elements must make a new contribution to knowledge.

Attendance and timetables

This is an independent research programme; there are no timetabled modules but you’ll need to attend supervision sessions as negotiated with your supervisors as well as monthly specialist PhD in Creative Writing forums. The frequency of supervisory sessions may vary depending on the stage of research, and whether you are full or part time, but in general these meetings would take place every couple of weeks.

There are also research training events throughout the year that will aid in your research, as well as specialist PhD in Creative Writing forums that meet eight times a year.

Paid employment

Part time students are expected to be working on their research for half of the working week but there are no specific restrictions on paid employment.

Students will, however, need to find ways to negotiate the balance between their study and their employment as they are likely to run into difficulty if they do not give the research as much time as it requires.

Individualised, subject-specific research training

Together, the student and the supervisory team negotiate a series of assignments and activities that help to advance the student’s own work while at the same time equipping him or her with the knowledge and techniques they need to complete their PhD research.

Examples of activities might include a student’s presentation of their creative writing at a PhD Master Class Writing Workshop, the submission of a treatment to a publisher, attendance of professional events hosted by the University (for example, talks by agents, publishers and writers) or leading some undergraduate creative writing seminars.

Research training might take the form of a series of one-to-one tutorials with a supervisor on the subject of their contextualising critical research, for example on narrative theory, or the presentation of a paper at a relevant academic conference, or the targeting of academic journals with material for publication.

Other research training

Each student, upon enrolment, has an individual meeting with the University’s Tutor Librarian to discuss his or her research needs. The Library and Information Service offers training in the use of their resources and on research methods and management. The University has excellent electronic resources and search engines, and is constantly updating and increasing this provision.

The Graduate College provides a series of generic training workshops for students (e.g. The Research Plan, The Viva, IT skills) and staff development workshops (e.g. The Progression Assessment Process, Appointing Examination teams).

Assessment

An examination team assesses the PhD thesis and conducts an oral examination (viva) of the student. The examination team consists of one internal examiner and one external examiner (two external examiners if the candidate has a relationship with the University beyond their PhD work, for instance through regular hourly paid teaching during the twelve months before examination paperwork is submitted).