Course details

Summary

Complete your large-scale creative writing project with an award-winning novelist and a lively, committed and diverse community of other writers.

Programme overview

The MCW is for writers working on a large-scale creative writing project: a novel, short story collection, full-length work of creative nonfiction, or poetry collection.

Subjects available in this programme

• Creative Writing

The programme is convened by the award-winning novelist and short story writer, Paula Morris. Acclaimed poet Selina Tusitala Marsh co-supervises poets in the programme

Creative Writing

English, Drama and Writing Studies offers a range of challenging, practice-based creative writing courses built around seminars and workshops.

In addition to their classes, our creative writing students enjoy numerous opportunities to engage with Auckland’s vibrant cultural scene, working at the Auckland Writers Festival and on projects for the New Zealand Society of Authors and New Zealand Book Council.

Programme structure

The MCW is a one-year, full-time programme of study with entry in Semester One only. You will enrol in CREWRIT 797 Creative Writing (120 points).

If you are writing a novel, short stories or creative non-fiction, you are expected to produce a portfolio of between 40,000 and 80,000 words. Poetry collections should have a minimum of 80 pages.

You’ll attend two weekly classes during semester: the workshop and the seminar.

In the workshop, you will submit drafts of stories, poems and novel sections for discussion and feedback, and take part in weekly writing exercises.

The weekly seminar is a forum for thinking and talking about writing. In these classes we discuss published work and explore the key issues of technique you need to consider in your work.

The seminar hosts a range of visitors, including local and international writers; practitioners from the world of film, radio and theatre; and speakers from the publishing and literary arts world.

Where could this programme take you?

This programme will equip you with the skills you need to finish your book through putting pen to paper. Our graduates have published books with a range of publishers including Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, Auckland University Press, Huia and USP Press. These graduates include Linda Olsson, Emily Perkins, John Adams, Sonja Yelich and Renee Liang.

Entry criteria

To enrol in a MCW you need to have completed one of the following at a recognised university (or similar institution):

• A four-year bachelors degree
• An honours degree
• A three-year bachelors degree, and a professional qualification in writing or at least three years of professional experience in writing

Professional experience can include previously published creative writing, working in a field involving writing such as journalism or copywriting, involvement in writers’ groups or participation in writing events.

English language requirements:
IELTS 6.5; TOEFL (iBT) 90; TOEFL (paper-based) 575; CAE or CPE 176; PTE 58; MELAB 85.