2010 Postgraduate Prospectus - University College Falmouth

How is the course �ru�ured?
Full-time
The full-time MA course runs over 45 weeks,
October to September. In the first part of
the course you take two units that focus on
developing core writing skills across a range of
formats. You then take two specialist options
from a selection that includes fiction, nonfiction,
scriptwriting, features writing and
writing creatively for business. These enable
you to focus on your strengths and career
aspirations and start building a portfolio that
showcases your abilities.
You also take a unit focusing on research skills
and another that introduces you to key aspects
of the content industry and how to operate
professionally within it. As you progress, you’ll
develop a proposal for a longer piece of writing
in consultation with course tutors. This will form
the basis for the independent MA project that
you undertake over the summer months.
Part-time
If you want to develop your writing but don’t
want to quit the day job, relocate or give up
other commitments, then the part-time option
could be for you. The part-time course is
delivered over 90 weeks via a specially designed
Virtual Learning Environment that allows you to
take part in seminars, workshops and tutorials
with tutors and fellow students, listen to and
interact with visiting speakers, and participate
in team-based writing and editorial projects.
Part-time students follow basically the same
syllabus as the full-time course, but take two
units focusing on one specialist form of writing
rather than two units in different specialisms.
Students who wish to develop projects related
to their current employment or in order to
change career path will be able to do so.
How is the course taught?
The MA Professional Writing course is delivered
by practising industry professionals in an
intensive, practical and vocational environment.
It’s structured around a mix of terrestrial and
online seminars, lectures, real-world projects
and practical workshops, together with a
substantial amount of self-managed work.
You’ll be encouraged to learn through project
work, which may be self-managed or involve
collaborative learning.
You’ll be immersed in the world of writing from
the start of the course, with opportunities to
gain experience of various different forms before
choosing a specialist area in which to develop
a longer project. You’ll be encouraged to work
in collaboration with other media professionals
and develop your own projects and/or business
ideas during your time on the course.
Professional Pra�ice
From the outset, you’ll be encouraged to
shape your work for publication. Many students
succeed in placing work in both local and
national publications while still on the course.
During the second half of the course, you’ll be
expected to identify and undertake writingrelated
work experience, or to carry out an
industry-focused research project. This feeds
into an industry analysis that is submitted for
assessment. For part-time students who are
also in employment, this analysis could focus
on a writing-related aspect of their work,
if appropriate.
The course works closely with a number of
media organisations, many of which have
provided valuable input on professional practice.
One of these is the leading business writing
agency, The Writer, which offers a bursary each
year to an MA Professional Writing student.
As well as £2,000 towards course fees, the
winner also benefits from hands-on experience
at The Writer’s London office.
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