Program Overview

Environmental Writing Course

Overview

The Environmental Writing course is designed to enable students to understand the tools of persuasive and intelligent environmental writing that has the potential to change hearts and minds. The course will cover various aspects of environmental writing, including creative writing skills, exploration of contemporary trends and styles, and discussion of published examples of environmental literature.

Learning and Teaching

The module will be delivered through 10 two-hour sessions, made up of lectures, class discussions, small group work, and debates. Class sessions will be supplemented by resources available via the university's learning platform. Workshops will include:

• Creative writing skills: fundamental terminology and concepts relevant to environmental writing
• Exploration of contemporary trends, styles, and developments in environmental writing and ecocriticism
• Discussion of published examples of environmental literature and creative non-fiction
• Revision, feedback, and reflection
• Publishing environmental writing

Coursework and Assessment

To award credits, students will need to provide evidence of the knowledge and skills they have gained or improved. The most important element of assessment is that it should enhance learning. Students will develop a portfolio of writing encompassing different genres within environmental writing of around 1,500 words.

Reading Suggestions

Students will be provided with a range of extracts from environmental literary texts and creative non-fiction. Recommended texts include:

• D'Avanzo, Charlene. "Climate Fiction as Environmental Education." Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 99.4 (2018): 1-3.
• Garrard, Greg. . Routledge, 2011.
• Mies, Maria, and Vandana Shiva. . Zed Books, 1993.
• Morton, Timothy. Ecology without nature: Rethinking environmental aesthetics. Harvard University Press, 2007.

Library and Computing Facilities

As a student on this course, you are entitled to join and use the University's library and computing facilities.

Accessibility

The university aims to provide a confidential advice and support service for any student with a long-term medical condition, disability, or specific learning difficulty. Support services include one-to-one advice, pre-enrolment visits, liaison with tutors, material in alternative formats, arrangements for accessible courses, assessment arrangements, loan equipment, and dyslexia screening.

Part-time Courses for Adults

The university offers a range of part-time courses in humanities, languages, business, computing, politics and law, science and environment, and social studies.