Creative writing PhD thesis format
The Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing enables students to undertake a creative writing project and a related critical essay in the genres of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, drama, or screen writing.
Students study the research, composition, and editorial skills necessary for a career in writing, as well developing their capacities for critical writing about creative writing practice. National and international students are encouraged to apply.
Course of study
The Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing requires a minimum of 3 years of full-time study or 6 years of part-time study. In order to have the degree conferred, the students must complete:
- Milestones of Candidature: the annual Milestone Reviews are designed to help students and advisors monitor progress of the thesis
- WRIT9510 Creative Writing Workshop: an online workshop offered to creative writing students in the first semester of the second year of candidature
- The Thesis (maximum 80,000 words): a creative project and related critical essay that together examine an aspect of creative-writing practice and generates original knowledge to make a significant contribution to the creative writing discipline.
Additionally, ENGL9000 Advanced Research Methods (ARM) is a strongly recommended course for all research higher degree students in the School of Communication and Arts.
It is encouraged that during the candidature students will disseminate their creative and/or critical research to peers and research communities in the School, University and at conferences. Students are also encouraged to endeavour to publish work in high-quality outlets.
The thesis
The thesis is composed of an interrelated creative project and critical essay that together present and examine an element of practice.
Creative project
The creative project should display originality, a critical understanding of genre, and make a significant contribution to the practice. It typically takes the form of:
- a work of prose of approximately 60,000 words, or
- a poetry manuscript of approximately 96 pages, or
- a screenplay for a feature film; a script for a number of episodes of a television series or full-length theatre production; or a script for radio production or any other medium as approved by the advisory team.
Critical essay
The critical essay may employ a wide variety of approaches and rhetorical strategies. It should demonstrate expert understanding of the discipline, reflect critically on practice, and locate the work in relation to current theory and criticism.
Appropriate approaches include:
- A reflection on an issue germane to creative writing practice, such as the processes or techniques of creative writing within a genre or within the creative project, or
- an examination of the contexts and conditions of the candidate’s creative writing or the critical, industrial, or historical issues relevant to the candidate’s creative project, or
- an exploration of a scholarly issue of genre, theory, representation, or themes in other creative works of demonstrated relevance to the candidate's creative project.
The critical essay is typically between 20,000 and 30,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding a list of cited works.
Where the creative project is substantially shorter than is typical for this degree (see above), a longer critical essay may be required. Likewise, where the creative work contains substantial scholarship and research (such as in a biography, history, or research-based creative non-fiction), the requirements for the critical essay may be modified.