Asia-Pacific Writing Partnership

Professor Brian Castro welcomes remote students

South Australia’s University of Adelaide now offers a Master of Arts by research only within its Creative Writing Program. This is ideal for writing students outside Australia who are qualified to go on to an MA.

The distinguished Hong Kong-born Australian writer Brian Castro is Chair of the Creative Writing program.

‘The MA is ideal for remote students,’ he said. ‘It incorporates a research project, similar to a PhD in methodology, but shorter in length. The idea is to get the creative work published and to get the writer known to the reading public. The MA by research is the stage at which aspiring writers, especially those from Asia or elsewhere further afield, can test their talent within a controlled environment.’

Students need to present one paper at a seminar while undertaking the research. Length of candidature is 18 months to two years.

The program also offers a PhD in Creative Writing which provides a rare opportunity for students to attain high academic credentials in theoretical and critical practices while also producing a major creative work.

Among Professor Castro’s current PhD students is Filipino writer Miguel Syjuco, awarded the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize for the manuscript of his novel Ilustrado, written as part of a PhD thesis.

Patrick Allington also wrote his PhD novel Figurehead (Black Ink 2009) within the program under the mentorship of Nobel laureate novelist John Coetzee, an adjunct professor.

Other students who have achieved outstanding success through the program include Stefan Laszczuk who in 2007 won the prestigious Australian literary prize for young writers, The Australian/Vogel Literary Award, for his manuscript, I Dream of Magda, since published by Allen & Unwin in 2008), Carol Lefevre who won the 2008 Nita B. Kibble Literary Award for her novel, Nights in the Asylum, Malcolm Walker (The Stone Crown, published by Walker Books Australia in 2008 and in the UK in 2009 and the US in 2010.), and Sean Williams whose new book, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, debuted at #1 on the 7 September New York Times hardcover bestseller list. Other recent Sean Williams books include two children’s novels, The Changeling and The Dust Devils (HarperCollins) and Magic Dirt, a definitive “best of Sean Williams” published by Ticonderoga Publications).

As well as research degrees, the University of Adelaide offers postgraduate coursework degrees in the creative writing. These are the Master of Arts in Creative Writing, a Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing, Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing, and Graduate Certificate in Food Writing.

The coursework degrees offer a a flexible series of workshops, seminars and electives. The Food Writing course is delivered by staff as well as by famous food and wine writers. An intensive week takes place in February, including classes in a McClaren Vale winery and Adelaide Central Markets, one of Australia’s major food markets.

The University of Adelaide is the current home of the Asia-Pacific Writing Partnership.

For more information on creative writing at The University of Adelaide see the university’s website entry on the Creative Writing Program or contact  the Chair of Creative Writing Professor Brian Castro via e-mail brian.castro@adelaide.edu.au.

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