Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Course

Candidates submit a component of creative writing - a novel or a novella or a group of short stories or a play or a group of plays or a sequence of poems or a portfolio of creative works of various genres. The creative writing component submitted for examination as part of the thesis must be undertaken during the enrolment in the MA, under supervision. An accompanying critical commentary of the creative writing component will constitute a scholarly, self-reflexive critique, based on research into the theory and practice of the creative process focused on the student's creative writing component, the writing of which will itself be considered as an act of research into the nature of literary creativity. The critical commentary will involve thoroughly researching the various aspects of the creative writing project: the creative process, the characteristics of the attempted genre, the mechanics of handling language and narrative, the influence of other relevant writers, context, and the shaping elements in a work of art.

100 per cent

At the completion of the course, candidates will be required to submit for examination a component of their own creative writing of 20,000 to 25,000 words, together with a critical commentary of 10,000 to 15,000 words, the combined word total normally not to exceed 40,000 words or be less than 30,000 words. Approval may be given to a candidate to write a creative work component of more than 25,000 words when that greater length is appropriate to the genre. However, in this event, the critical commentary must still remain at the prescribed length of 10,000 to 15,000 words. Approval should be sought at the time of the review of candidature.

Master of Arts (Creative Writing)