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Key facts
| Type | Summer Schools - |
|---|---|
| Location | Oxford |
| Address | Held at Exeter College Oxford |
| Dates | Sun 21 Jul to Sat 10 Aug 2013 |
| Subject area(s) | Creative Writing |
| Fees | Resident programme fee - from £2,625 Non-resident programme fee - £1,160 |
| Application status | Closed to new applications |
| Course code | O13I070JDR |
| Course contact | If you have any questions about this course, please email ipwriters@conted.ox.ac.uk. |
Overview
The Creative Writing Summer School is a broadly based course for anyone wishing to enhance their ability as a writer
Description
The academic programme consists of
- a daily programme of readings and talks given by established authors (who will usually read excerpts of their work), agents, editors and others
- study in small seminar groups, led by tutors who are both published authors and experienced teachers
The programme is suitable for writers at both intermediate and advanced levels - see Level and demands, below
Applicants at intermediate level take two mandatory seminars, Learning from the Masters: Critical Reading for Writers and Developing as a Creative Writer
Applicants at advanced level choose two seminars from:
- Approaches to Poetry
- Biography and Autobiography
- Fiction (2 options)
- Learning from the Masters: Critical Reading for Writers
- Young Adult Fiction
Seminars will involve writing exercises, group discussion, and the development of a portfolio of creative writing
Each seminar has two two-hour meetings per week, and classes will usually contain no more than 12 participants
Contact hours
The programme provides a minimum of 46.5 contact hours, comprising
- 22.5 hours of plenary sessions (15 sessions lasting c.1.5 hours each)
- 24 hours of seminar meetings (12 per course)
Social programme
A range of optional excursions and social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a walking tour of Oxford, after-dinner talks, open mic nights, and weekend excursions to sites of literary and/or historical interest.
Please note that most of these activities incur additional costs, which are payable by students in Oxford
Programme details
Click here to view the seminar timetables
.Seminar options
INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL COURSES
Learning from the Masters: Critical Reading for Creative
Writers
What can we learn from great fiction writers and poets, and how
can we feed this back into our own creative writing? This
course takes a selection of writing from the 1800s to the
present as a basis for critical reading and discussion, asking
what the techniques of the ‘masters’ can tell us
about our own creative work. We shall also consider less
successful writing, and writing from a range of genres –
from crime fiction to chick lit – to analyse what it is
that makes a piece of writing ‘great’: and to think
about how we might apply this to our own creative
projects.
Tutor: Dr Tara Stubbs is a University Lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, and Director of the Creative Writing Summer School. She is the author of a range of publications on modernist poetry and fiction, with a focus on Irish and American literature, and has recently begun a biographical project on the publishing career of Harold Macmillan.
Developing as a Creative Writer
Want to improve your creative writing? This course will offer
you the chance to develop your creative prose in an
inspirational and nurturing environment. By looking at the
techniques that published writers use, we shall learn how we
can bring our own stories to life. Practical exercises and
discussion of each other's work will enable us to deepen our
understanding of fundamentals such as character, description,
plot, dialogue, point of view and suspense. We shall also
experiment with different narrative forms. Last but not least
the course will explore how to rewrite and edit - vital skills
for your creative writing in the future.
Tutor: Frank Egerton studied English at Keble College, Oxford, and has reviewed fiction for the Times, Times Literary Supplement and Financial Times. He teaches creative writing at undergraduate and postgraduate level at Oxford University. His first novel, The Lock, came out in 2003 (Smaller Sky Books) and his second, Invisible, was published by StreetBooks in 2010. Click here to read more about Frank Egerton
ADVANCED-LEVEL COURSES
Approaches to Poetry
This course will look at orality and the roots of English
poetry. We shall study different forms, explore new and
traditional approaches, and see how identity and context
influence the making of a poem. There will be creative writing
exercises in each session to stimulate our own poetry and the
results will be work-shopped in a friendly and supportive
group.
Tutor: Jenny Lewis has published two collections of poetry, When I Became an Amazon (Iron Press, 1996) and Fathom (Oxford Poets/Carcanet Press, 2007), and has had seven plays and poetry cycles with music and dance performed at major UK theatres. Her third collection, Taking Mesopotamia, will be published in 2014. Click here to read more about Jenny Lewis
Biography and Autobiography
If there are things in your own experience, or that of your
family, or there is someone you have known and always wanted to
investigate, then this course will provide you with the tools
to shape a literary work that makes your story enjoyable and
accessible. You will learn to recognise what things are
significant, how to characterise them in ways that bring them
to life, and how to structure them to keep a reader’s
interest. Whether yours is a story of travel, personal exploits
or the witness of unsung heroes and events, this course will
help you to turn it into words that last.
Tutor: Dr John Ballam is Director of the Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing at Oxford University. He is the author of many reviews and has published works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and for performance. His best-known title remains his memoir, The Road to Harmony (Long Barn Books; new edition, 2009).
Fiction - Option A
One part inspiration, nine parts perspiration? This course aims
to take the sweat out of creating an effective work of fiction
by exploring in exciting, innovative ways the wide range of
narrative approaches and techniques that writers have at their
disposal. Through stimulating practical exercises, detailed
analysis of great writing and lively discussion, we shall look
at the fundamentals of plot, character, perspective, dialogue,
and much more besides, to learn what makes fiction work and how
to apply those insights to your own fiction.
Tutor: Rebecca Abrams is the award-winning author of five books, and a long-standing literary critic for several national newspapers. She teaches creative writing at Oxford University and for The Literary Consultancy in London, and is a former tutor on the Warwick Writing Programme. Her most recent book is Touching Distance (Pan Macmillan, 2008). Click here to read more about Rebecca Abrams
Fiction - Option B
What do you want to write about? Why, and how? On this course, we shall start by asking these questions, and hopefully find some answers through stimulating workshops and exercises, through lively discussion, and through analysing a diverse range of texts from the canonical to the contemporary and experimental, reading as writers to see how they work. We shall work on generating and refining material; finding a voice; shaping a narrative, building characters, using setting; everything from the macro-level of plotting and theme to the finer details of crafting a sentence.
Tutor: Amy Sackville is the author of the award-winning The Still Point (Portobello Books, 2010), and of Orkney, published this year by Granta Books. She is a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Kent. Click here to read more about Amy Sackville
Learning from the Masters: Critical Reading for Creative
Writers
What can we learn from great fiction writers and poets, and how
can we feed this back into our own creative writing? This
course takes a selection of writing from the 1800s to the
present as a springboard for critical reading and discussion,
asking what the techniques of the ‘masters’ can
tell us about our own creative work. Having read a range of
texts of different genres, we shall then use our own creative
writing pieces as tools for further reading and discussion
– asking how we might analyse them critically in relation
to canonical texts.
Tutor: Dr Tara Stubbs is a University Lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, and Director of the Creative Writing Summer School. She is the author of a range of publications on modernist poetry and fiction, with a focus on Irish and American literature, and has recently begun a biographical project on the publishing career of Harold Macmillan.
Young Adult Fiction
The young adult/crossover fiction market is one of the fastest
growing areas of publishing. This course, run by an established
novelist, will look at the way successful writers have used
dialogue, tackled taboos and developed plots to appeal to
younger readers. It will also explore such key topics as
planning, research, and inspiration. Students will be guided in
the development of a story of their own, and there will be an
opportunity to share work during the seminars.
Tutor: Julie Hearn is the Carnegie-nominated author of a number of novels for young adults: Follow Me Down (2009), The Merrybegot (2005), Ivy (2006), Hazel (2007), Rowan the Strange (2010), and Wreckers (2011), all published by Oxford University Press. Click here to read more about Julie Hearn
Certification
- All students who complete the programme will receive an `attendance certificate`
- Those seeking credit at their home institution will receive a `detailed certificate` which details contact hours (for lectures and seminars), an assessment of their contribution to seminar discussions, grades achieved, and private study hours
Please note that, as Oxford University does not offer credit for this summer school, those wishing to obtain credit from their home institution for attending this programme must make appropriate arrangements with that institution in advance
Level and demands
Who is the programme for?
- Applicants should be keen readers and bring an open-minded, questioning approach to both reading and writing
- Applicants may not necessarily have yet achieved publication, but will have written regularly and read widely over a sustained period
- The intermediate-level strand of the programme is suitable for applicants with at least one year's study of creative writing or English literature at university level
- The advanced-level strand of the programme is suitable for applicants with at least two years` study of creative writing or English literature at university level
- Applications are also welcome from mature professionals with no formal higher education qualifications but who can demonstrate significant experience of having taken creative writing courses (eg part-time/evening classes) or having used creative writing in their working environment
Overview
This is an intensive programme of study taught to an informed international audience
Applicants should be confident that they are academically and linguistically prepared for such a programme
Participants are expected to
- undertake preparatory reading in advance of the programme
- attend all plenary sessions and relevant seminar meetings
- be actively engaged with their seminar topics
- submit an assignment for each course taken
- undertake approximately 96 hours of private study during the programme (elements of private study will include: reading, writing and other preparation between seminar meetings, work in the library, writing papers, etc)
English language requirements
As students are expected to participate fully in seminar discussions and are required to produce written work it is important that applicants can demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Applicants for whom English is not their first language must provide evidence of their competency in the form of an original certificate or a certified copy that is not more than two years old. These applicants must satisfy one of the following requirements:
- IELTS – minimum overall score of 7.0, with not less than 7.0 in each of the four components
- TOEFL iBT (internet-based) – minimum overall score of 100, with not less than 25 in each of the four components
- TOEFL PBT (paper-based) – minimum overall score of 600, with a Test of Written English (TWE) score of at least 4.5
For further information on language qualifications:
However, non-native speakers of English who have successfully completed a full-time course of higher education in an institution where English is the language of instruction or who have significant business and professional experience in an English-speaking environment may not need to provide a certificate of English language qualification. Please contact the Programme Administrator for further details.
Disabled students (including those with mobility difficulties)
The aim of Oxford University Department for Continuing Education (OUDCE) is to treat all students equally and welcomes applications from people with disabilities. Individuals` needs are taken into account as far as possible, providing reasonable adaptations and assistance within the resources available. We ask that people let us know of any disability or special need (confidentially if required) so that we can help them participate as fully as possible.
When applying for OUDCE`s college-based summer schools, prospective students with mobility difficulties or visual or hearing impairments may want to make preliminary enquiries to the Programme Administrator, as the age and layout of these colleges often makes them user-unfriendly (although adaptations are often possible). Oxford, as an ancient city, tends to be difficult to navigate for people with disabilities. The number of very old buildings, designed in an age less sensitive to issues of disability, makes access to much of the city centre difficult. However, OUDCE will do as much as it is able to make study with the department possible.
Applicants should contact us if they will have problems gaining access to a bedroom or a teaching room that is located on upper or basement floors, or to the college dining hall (which is reached via a flight of stairs).
Accommodation
Location
Founded in 1314, Exeter College is one of the university`s oldest colleges and is situated in the heart of Oxford.
Students who choose to be resident on the summer school will have a single study bedroom in Exeter College and will take meals in the college dining hall.
Bedrooms are located up the four to nine floors of a staircase; bath and/or shower and toilet facilities on each staircase are shared.
A very limited number of rooms have private bathroom facilities (shower room and toilet) and these are available for an enhanced fee. Early application for these rooms is essential - ie by the first gathered field deadline of 15 February 2013.
Students cannot be accommodated at Exeter College either prior to or beyond their programme dates. Family members and/or friends who are not enrolled on this summer school cannot be accommodated in college.
Students who choose to attend the summer school on a non-resident basis are responsible for finding their own accommodation. Information on accommodation in Oxford can be found on the internet at:
Please be aware that demand for accommodation in Oxford during the summer months is high
Exeter College has rooms which can be taken on a self-catering basis roughly one mile away from the main college site. For further information please contact the Assistant Steward by email: accommodation@exeter.ox.ac.uk
Libraries
Students will have access to the Continuing Education Library (c.10 minutes' walk from Exeter College)
IT facilities
All students will be eligible to use the PCs and laser printer in Exeter College's computer room, which may be accessed 24 hours a day
Laptops: Cabled and wireless internet access
- For resident students, cabled internet access is available in all bedrooms - but not wireless
- For all students, wireless access is available in communal areas of the college
Payment
Programme fees
- Resident in Exeter College (standard room - with shared
bathroom facilities) - £2,625
Fees include tuition; access to IT facilities and the Continuing Education Library; accommodation, and meals in hall (except lunch on Saturday and Sunday)
- Resident in Exeter College (room with private bathroom
facilities) - £2,875
Fees include tuition; access to IT facilities and the Continuing Education Library; accommodation in a room with private bathroom facilities (shower room and toilet), and meals in hall (except lunch on Saturday and Sunday)
- Non-resident - £1,160
Fees include tuition; access to IT facilities and the Continuing Education Library; the programme`s formal opening and closing receptions and dinners
Successful applicants who accept our offer of a place on the summer school will be invoiced for the appropriate programme fee once they have been enrolled on the programme.
Students are required to pay the full fee within 30 days of their invoice date. Late applicants (see 'Apply for this course', below) are required to pay the full fee within 7 days of their invoice date. Places will not be held for students whose fees are not paid in full by the due date. In no circumstances will students be admitted to the summer school unless all fees have been paid in full.
Cancellations
All enrolments are subject to OUDCE's Terms and Conditions for Course Registration and Fee Payment
If you wish to cancel you must inform the Programme Administrator by email at ipwriters@conted.ox.ac.uk
OUDCE reserves the right to alter details of any course should illness or any other emergency prevent a tutor from teaching, and to cancel a course or seminar if exceptionally low enrolment would make it educationally unviable.
The status of this course will be reviewed on 1 May 2013. If it is likely that individual seminars or the course may be cancelled, all those affected will be notified in writing within seven days, and possible options clearly explained.
If students have not heard from OUDCE by 8 May 2013, they should assume that the course and their seminars will be running; there is no need to contact us to confirm. They may wish to delay finalising their travel arrangements until after this date.
Applicants are very strongly recommended to take out vacation cancellation insurance, and should consult their travel agent and/or insurer for information and advice. Please note that OUDCE does not provide any insurance cover.
Apply for this course
Application should be made on the form below. Please ensure all sections are completed fully, clearly, and in BLOCK CAPITALS.
The form must be accompanied by:
- A brief statement of purpose (350-400 words) detailing your academic reasons for wishing to attend the summer school. This should include what you feel the programme would offer you and your writing, and what you feel you could bring to the summer school. It may also include details of creative writing courses you have previously taken, or the relevance of the summer school to your present course of study or professional development. If you are applying for the advanced-level strand of the programme it is essential that you clearly state your reasons for wishing to enrol on specific seminars.
- Samples of your work. If you are applying for the intermediate-level strand of the programme you should provide two samples of prose fiction; if you are applying for the advanced-level strand of the programme please provide samples of your work relevant to your first and second choice courses and ensure that the name of the seminar is clearly printed at the top of each sample. (As a guideline prose fiction samples should be no more than 1000 words in length and 3 poems would be sufficient for those applying for the poetry course.)
- A copy of your transcript, or a certified list of courses taken. These must be in English.
- In the case of non-native speakers of English, official evidence of English language competency.
- A letter of recommendation from a person who can comment on your suitability for the summer school, and on any writerly achievements. Where this is not appropriate, the letter may be from someone who can vouch for your motivation, commitment to writing, and potential for development. A reference from a family member is not acceptable.
- Four passport-sized photographs (ie 3 x 3.5cm, or 1.25 x 1.5in), with your full name printed on the back of each.
Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered
Applications should be posted to: Creative Writing Summer School, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK
An email acknowledgement will be sent to confirm receipt of application materials
Application deadlines
Oxford University operates a 'gathered field' closing date system by which applications are reviewed fairly and equally in batches at specific dates throughout the admissions period rather than on a first come, first served or rolling basis.
There is a limited number of places available on every advanced-level course within each gathered field, and in assigning successful applicants to seminar groups the admissions panel will pay particular attention to applicants' personal statements.
There are three deadlines for applications:
- Gathered field 1 - 15 February 2013
- Gathered field 2 - 15 March 2013
- Gathered field 3 - 15 April 2013
Subject to the availability of places, late applications may be considered on a first come, first served basis until 15 May 2013.
Notification of the admission panel's decision
Applicants will normally be notified of the panel's decision by email within 14 days of the relevant gathered field deadline.
Applicants who are offered a place on the summer school must respond in writing within 14 days to accept or decline the offer. In accepting our offer of a place applicants are committing to paying the programme fees in full by the due date.
Please note that late applicants will be notified within 7 days of their materials having been received, and successful applicants will then have 7 days in which to accept or decline our offer of a place.
Enrolment, invoicing, and further course information
- Students will be enrolled on the summer school once they have accepted our offer of a place
- The enrolment process includes the issuing of invoices, which will be posted to students together with full instructions for payment
- Detailed academic and semninar information will be emailed to students on enrolment togther with 'Joining Notes', which will contain a wealth of practical information to assist students prepare to travel to Oxford
Any queries?
Please contact the Programme Administrator by email at ipwriters@conted.ox.ac.uk
Important information regarding immigration and visa requirements
All students travelling to the United Kingdom (UK) are required to hold a valid passport. OUDCE welcomes international students on all its courses; however, it is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that they conform to UK immigration law.
If you are an European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss national you do not need a visa to enter the UK to participate in one of OUDCE’s summer schools. You are free to enter the UK as long as you show your EEA or Swiss passport on arrival.
If you are not an EEA or Swiss national, you will need to enter as a Student Visitor. The Student Visitor route allows students over the age of 18 to study either part-time or full-time for up to six months in the UK.
If you are not an EEA or Swiss national we strongly recommend that you visit the UK Border Agency’s website before submitting your application.
Please note that Oxford University summer schools administrative staff are not permitted to provide information and advice regarding visa-related matters: all such enquiries should be submitted to Oxford University’s student visa and immigration advisers via email at student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk
Sorry, this course is not currently accepting applications. If you have any questions about this course, please use the course enquiry form.