The Shape of Stories 1 works with the bones of good stories across genre and form, resembling a seminar in format. This class introduces you to classic and contemporary writers and writing approaches that will be useful in future work. It also includes workshop time to share work with your peers and benefit from editorial feedback from tutors who are also published writers. We're mindful from day one that you're working towards the Major Project of your final Semester. The first semester is the time for planning and experimentation that will later be useful when tackling that Major Project.

The Shape of Stories 2 is a partner to The Shape of Stories 1, the Semester 1 workshop focused on the bones of good stories across genre and form. This module takes that a step further, exploring hybrid writing across fiction, script, screenwriting, poetry and creative non-fiction, closely studying innovative contemporary works that blur the boundaries between different kinds of writing. You'll broaden your reading and experience, and will be encouraged to experiment with hybrid forms in your own creative work. From short stories containing to poetry, from ekphrastic responses to art and photographs to autobiographical, illustrated vignettes, The Shape of Stories 2 is an opportunity to explore new possibilities, in exciting ways.

The Writer's Studio is a student-led class. By this we mean that students who take this option are free to choose the focus, research area, genre and form of their work.

The ‘advanced topic’ you select will be the beginning of a conversation with your tutor about the kind of work you wish to produce for the module. Independent research is key, as is robust debate with your tutor and classmates about the direction, nature and rigour of the project. You'll work in editorial groups and pairs, as well as with the tutor to develop your work over the course of the semester.

Being placed in Semester 2 alongside The Shape of Stories 2 and The Made Project for all Creative Writing students who select it, The Writers' Studio is designed to complement the experimentation encouraged in the other two Creative Writing modules at this point in the MLitt in Creative Writing. It may also provide good preparation for The Major Project in Semester 3, acting as a research basis for future creative work.

The Writing Life is all about the contemporary literary landscape. It introduces you to the practicalities of a life in the creative industries – how writers make a living, and how that living is changing in the 21st Century. Through a series of talks and seminars from visiting speakers from across the writing worlds, you'll have direct access to those who have been there and done it. In assignments, you'll choose a target, for example, a publisher, a journal, an online magazine – then write a new piece of creative work to submit to that target, as well as an essay profiling the target they have chosen. This ensures you increase knowledge of the publishing industry you wish to enter while also having a practical challenge, writing to a brief you've chosen. 

The Made Project encourages experimentation across literary forms, genres and media, with opportunities to work collaboratively or individually on a substantial project. This course adds diversity to your writing portfolio, while also developing core researcher skills in organisation, engagement and project management. From editing to publication, archival visits to web design, adaptation to broadcasting and performance, this is an eclectic module which offers the chance to work creatively with new approaches, methods and materials.

Building on The Writing Life module in semester one, you'll apply critical and practical skills to a ‘made project’ which shows awareness of its readership/audience, literary contexts, process and potential circulation. Classes will involve student-led planning sessions and peer feedback, a field trip, visiting speaker, small group work, podcast training and supervisions.

The Made Project consists of two assignments: a short oral presentation in response to a creative brief, and a final ‘made project’ developed in discussion with your course tutor over a number of weeks, with an accompanying craft essay which reflects on the process and outcomes of the assignment. Previous made projects have included works such as short films, handmade books, graphic novels, a recipe book, a deck of tarot cards, ekphrastic works and visual poems. You'll also be involved in editing and publishing our in-house literary magazine, The Strathclyde Review.

Advanced Topics in Creative Writing and Research is an independent research project over the summer semester of the MFA, bridging the first and second years and preparing you to work on their Creative Thesis in year two. You will create the critical context for your creative work, producing a portfolio that consists of an annotated bibliography, critical proposal, and project synopsis. You will develop essential skills in research and creative practice, crafting a clearly defined project rationale, reading list, and proposal, with the guidance of your supervisor. 

20 credits

This interdisciplinary module focuses on narrative, memory and public history. You will receive a mixture of theory and practical skills and engage with questions like: what is public history? How do we tell stories about the past?

The module casts a critical eye on what voices are privileged at the expense of others, thinking about sexualities, race and ethnicity, disability and gender. This public history class will equip you with transferable skills for careers in heritage, public engagement, creative practice and journalism.

The English & Creative Writing Research Placement class provides an opportunity to gain practical, research-based experience in an area where you can apply literary critical and/or creative writing experience and knowledge in a setting that is professionally relevant to you. The class is a one semester 20 credit class, undertaken in second semester, which equates to around 100 learning hours overall (this includes travel time to and from placement, assessment preparation, and attendance at campus supervisions). By the end of the class, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Interdisciplinary English Studies or Creative Writing and the operations of a specific organisation working in a relevant field within Scotland
2. Reflect critically on issues of language and communication, representation, and narrative within an organisation
3. Articulate the transferrable skills developed through their Masters degree to potential employers
4. Produce a piece of research to a specific brief
5. Gain experience in collaboration through working within a partner organisation
6. Gain communication skills and be able to present their research findings to a range of audiences within and outwith academia

This class will provide you with an opportunity to build your portfolio of experience and develop personal and professional skills that are relevant to gaining employment and/or further study. Please note that all placements have to be arranged during first semester, and approved by early December. Please contact Dr Eleanor Bell (eleanor.bell@strath.ac.uk) for more information.

This is an extended piece of creative work of 35,000 words (or equivalent for poetry, script or screenwriting), which is supported by three supervision meetings per semester plus an introductory meeting in summer before second year starts (so seven meetings in total). You will be prepared for embarking on this longer work through the Advanced Topics in Creative Writing and Research in the summer semester of Year 1.

This innovative new module will offer you direct involvement in communicating research happening within the University of Strathclyde. It involves co-teaching. The teaching on the module would be split between skills-development and focus sessions on research.

This module is co-taught and introduces you to principles of teaching: it will prepare you for future employment in creative writing industries by teaching them to lead your own workshops, drawing on pedagogical theory.