IT Sligo is introducing a new Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Writing & Literature in September.
This innovative three-year honours degree programme focuses on developing writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, cultural journalism and other written forms and genres. Students will study English literature, drama, film as well as digital media, providing the critical context and the skills required of a writer in the digital age.
“This is a milestone for Sligo and the North West,” says Dr Una Mannion, Programme Chair and recent winner of the Hennessy New Irish Writing Prize for poetry.
“We have such a rich cultural and literary legacy in this region. Storytelling is part of who we are, and it is recognised as an invaluable skill, integral to both creative and professional industries. “
The programme will be delivered through interactive workshops, seminars and field trips. Visiting writers – including novelists, poets, screenwriters, playwrights, bloggers, journalists, as well as editors, agents and publishers – will teach and give seminars and talks. Students will build a professional portfolio of writing, collaborate on creative projects including film and performance, and will have a strong foundation in English literature preparing them for a range of professional practices.
“What makes this programme unique is the support and one-to-one feedback students will receive from writing and creative practitioners,” says Tommy Weir who will teach digital storytelling and video production on the new programme.
“Not only will they be effective writers, they will have a skill set that readily transfers to other professional disciplines where clear communication and coherent, critical thinking are valued.”
The BA in Writing & Literature will prepare graduates for professional careers in publishing, copyediting, journalism, entertainment, marketing, public relations, communications management, and teaching.
The new programme will also build on and link with the existing creative strands at IT Sligo in areas such as the Performing Arts.
“Our graduates will be collaborators, self-editors and critical thinkers who have had the opportunity to have their work realised on the page and performed on stage and film, says Dr Rhona Trench, Programme Chair of Performing Arts at IT Sligo.
”The Writing & Literature is applied and will be tailored to the writing interests and developing expertise of each student.”
Further details on IT Sligo’s new BA in Writing & Literature (CAO course code SG249) are available from the Institute’s Department of Computing & Creative Practices website ccp.itsligo.ie or by emailing mannion.una@nullitsligo.ie.