Skryfkuns is ’n relatief nuwe vak aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite. Die bestek en metodologie
van hierdie vakgebied is plaaslik nog nie na behore ondersoek nie. In dié artikel word die
dosering van Skryfkuns as vak, kursus en/of program aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite van
naderby betrag met betrekking tot kursusinhoud, metodologiese en pedagogiese kwessies
en uitkomste. ’n Semigestruktureerde vraelys oor kursusinhoud, didaktiese aspekte rondom
die dosering van Skryfkuns en manuskripte as uitkomste is aan kursus-koördineerders van
Skryfkuns by 11 Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite gestuur. Die bevindings van hierdie peiling
word bespreek met betrekking tot elke deelnemende universiteit. Dit blyk dat Skryfkuns
hoofsaaklik op nagraadse vlak gedoseer word, met die fokus op die MA-vlak. Alhoewel
daar verskille in onderrigmetodes is, is dit duidelik dat die werkswinkel deur die meeste
respondente as kern-doseringsmetode gebruik word. Skryfkuns aan Suid-Afrikaanse
universiteite as ’n vak toon groot groei met betrekking tot studentegetalle en gepubliseerde
uitsette – enkele syfers word verskaf ter illustrasie. Hierdie toename sluit by ’n wêreldwye
tendens van voortdurende groei van Skryfkuns aan universiteite aan. Deur gepubliseerde (en
dikwels bekroonde) uitsette dra Skryfkunsprogramme by tot die gevarieerde Suid-Afrikaanse
literêre landskap.
Creative Writing is a
relatively new subject at South African universities. The scope and methodologies of teaching
this subject locally have not yet been investigated properly. In this article the teaching of
Creative Writing as subject, course and/or programme at South African universities is probed
with regard to course content, methodological and pedagogical questions and outcomes.
A semistructured questionnaire dealing with course content, didactic aspects of teaching
Creative Writing and manuscript outcomes was sent to course co-ordinators of Creative
Writing at 11 South African universities. The findings of this inquiry are discussed with
regard to each participating university. Creative Writing is mainly taught at postgraduate
level, with the focus on MA level. Although there are differences in teaching approaches, it is
evident that the workshop serves as the core teaching method for most respondents. Creative
Writing at South African universities has grown tremendously in terms of student numbers
and published outputs – some figures are provided as illustrations. This increase links South
African Creative Writing to a world-wide trend which reflects continuous growth in Creative
Writing as university subject. Through published (and often award-winning) outcomes
Creative Writing programmes contribute to the varied South African literary landscape.
