MFA Creative Writing
Academic Year 2020/2021
Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90)
UCD offers two graduate courses in creative writing, an MA and MFA.
The MFA programme is a more advanced degree to the MA, and in some instances can follow on from the MA. It differs from the MA by being genre-specific. It also offers courses in creative writing pedagogy and the opportunity to avail of teaching experience on UCD's undergraduate electives in Creative Writing. MFA students will also be part of a smaller cohort which offers very close supervision of a work in progress for the duration of an academic year. It is best suited to students who are working to complete a full-manuscript and have already taken courses in craft and/or related fields.
Develop your own writing skills under experienced tuition and supervision
Structural and line editing of the work in progress is a core component and class groups in this module are from two to four students
Taught by experienced, published staff of international reputation
Who should apply?
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes
This course is suited to students who have already acquired the skills associated with a course in creative writing and have a work in progress to which they now wish to devote the greater part of an academic year with a a view to offering that work for publication.
Course Description
The lectures, seminars, workshops and supervision meetings aim to provide committed writers with taught classes on theories and practices of writing, presentation and editing techniques, creative reading of selected texts, and supervision of a major writing project. Among the important issues addressed on an ongoing basis are voice and structure. Every effort is made to ensure that a student progresses on these as well as many other fronts.
UCD is associated with some of Ireland's greatest writers
UCD has long been associated with some of Ireland's greatest writers, including James Joyce, Flann O'Brien, Mary Lavin, Anthony Cronin, Maeve Binchy, John McGahern, Neil Jordan, Conor McPherson, Colm Tóibín, Hugo Hamilton, Joseph O'Connor, Emma Donoghue and many others. The distinguished playwright, Frank McGuinness, is Professor of Creative Writing, and internationally acclaimed novelist, Colm Tóibín is Adjunct Professor.
Programme Outcomes
On successful completion of the programme, students will have expertise in close editing and overall structuring a work of fiction / a collection of poetry.
An in-depth knowledge of successful works in the field / genre in which they are working.
An ability to select , negotiate, adapt and implement approaches / techniques appropriate to the work in progress.
Mastery of pacing, narrative coherence and ending.
Insight into the different sources and methods of research, with particular emphasis on the assimilation of same into the work in progress.
Competence in preparing a manuscript, a synopsis and a biog. for presentation to a literary agent / publisher.
Participated in a weekly visiting writer's programme, contributed to an anthology and attend a selection of the literary events and festivals for which the city is renowned.
Optional: a broad overview of the pedagogic principals underlying the teaching of creative writing, together with an ability to construct a programme based on same and suited to the developmental stage of students in question [b] An opportunity to teach an undergraduate elective in Creative Writing.
An ability to select , negotiate, adapt and implement approaches / techniques appropriate to the work in progress.
An in-depth knowledge of successful works in the field / genre in which they are working.
Competence in preparing a manuscript, a synopsis and a biog. for presentation to a literary agent / publisher.
Insight into the different sources and methods of research, with particular emphasis on the assimilation of same into the work in progress.
Mastery of pacing, narrative coherence and ending.
On successful completion of the programme, students will have expertise in close editing and overall structuring a work of fiction / a collection of poetry.
Optional: a broad overview of the pedagogic principals underlying the teaching of creative writing, together with an ability to construct a programme based on same and suited to the developmental stage of students in question [b] An opportunity to teach an undergraduate elective in Creative Writing.
Participated in a weekly visiting writer's programme, contributed to an anthology and attend a selection of the literary events and festivals for which the city is renowned.
Comment
Vision and Values Statement
A fundamental tenet of the Creative Writing Programme at UCD is a belief in the value of learning from writers who have mastered their craft. Accordingly, the emphasis is on learning to read like writers. Students who embark on this course will already have acquired many of the skills associated with a programme such as the MA in Creative Writing. They will have a full work in progress and will be given close individual supervision in the progress and completion of that work, with a view to offering it for publication at the end of the course. There are two streams in the MFA, fiction and poetry, with six or less students in each, so the learning environment while upbeat and in every sense enabling, is necessarily quite concentrated.
Related Programmes
MA Creative Writing FT
Facilities and Resources
A visiting writer programme brings all graduate students into contact with some of Ireland's finest writers as well as literary agents and publishers. Every year a writer in residence provides a workshop and individual direction to students. Both MA and MFA students can also gain experience in the editing and production of the programme's Creative Writing journal HCE, and participate in the UCD-based Associated Writing Programmes' (Ireland) annual conference.