Studying at York
Creativity Studies: Theory, Process, Play - ENG00136H
- Department: English and Related Literature
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
Module summary
The ability to think creatively is seen as crucial to success in the arts, business, and many other spheres. Creativity itself is unquestioned as a virtue – often said to be good for our well-being, essential to the progress of civilisation, and central to what makes us human. But what is ‘creativity’ exactly? In attempting to define it, more difficult questions arise: Is creativity innate or learned? Accessible by everyone or only certain ‘creative’ people? Is it more a matter of process or outcomes, methods or play, individuals or communities? And to what extent has our understanding of creativity changed over time or been shaped by cultural, political, and economic contexts?
This module examines key theories of creativity from different academic disciplines, comparing scientific views on what happens when our brains work creatively to cultural and historical perspectives on creativity and its role in human society. We’ll explore recent research from the broad field of Creativity Studies alongside depictions of creativity in fiction, films, and other art. Students will also test these ideas through their own creative practice, developing an original creative project throughout the semester. This hands-on, interdisciplinary approach will help us think creatively about the complex pressures and pleasures around creativity today, while connecting the creative process to larger debates about the nature, value, and purpose of creativity.
The module will meet twice per week in Weeks 2-5 and 7-10, and once in Weeks 1 and 11, with a reading/practice week in Week 6:
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Weekly one-hour sessions will include interactive lectures, exercises, experiments, and games exploring different conceptions of creativity.
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Weekly two-hour sessions will focus on discussion of syllabus topics and workshopping of drafts, sketches, and creative plans.
No formal training or prior experience of practice-based learning is required. However, it is strongly recommended that students taking this module have some form of established creative practice (whether that involves creative writing, media, performance, or other creative modes), in order to reflect purposefully on the process behind it.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
Module aims
This module aims to give students an overview of creativity studies as an interdisciplinary field, including historical conceptions of creativity and key ideas in contemporary creativity research. The module will connect an exploration of creativity scholarship with debates and depictions of creativity in popular media, and critical reflection on students’ own creative practice.
Module learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, you should be able to:
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Demonstrate an advanced understanding of and engagement with the history, language, and representations of creativity.
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Demonstrate an advanced understanding of and engagement with key theories of creativity.
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Evaluate key debates within the relevant critical fields dealing with creativity.
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Produce independent arguments and ideas which demonstrate an advanced proficiency in critical thinking, research, and writing skills.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 80 |
| Essay/coursework | 20 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
Formative assessment: Weekly drafts, sketches, or journal excerpts for formative feedback and discussion.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 80 |
| Essay/coursework | 20 |
Module feedback
You will receive feedback on all assessed work within the University deadline, and will often receive it more quickly. The purpose of feedback is to inform your future work; it is designed to help you to improve your work, and the Department also offers you help in learning from your feedback. If you do not understand your feedback or want to talk about your ideas further you can discuss it with your tutor or your supervisor, during their Open Office Hours.
For more information about the feedback you will receive for your work, see the department's Guide to Assessment.
Indicative reading
ed. Vlad Glaveanu, The Palgrave Handbook of Creativity and Culture Research (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016).
eds. James C. Kaufman and Robert J. Sternberg, The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019).
Margaret Boden, The Creative Mind: Myths and Mechanisms, 2nd ed. (London: Routledge, 2003).
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention (New York: Harper Perennial, 2013).
Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use for Life (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006).
Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being (Edinburgh: Canongate, 2023).
The module syllabus will also include examples of fiction, film, and other art that feature notable depictions of the creative process.