Taught by

• TBD

This program will examine life in Earth's oceans and use the ocean and its inhabitants as sources of inspiration for creative writing. Our goal is to build a solid understanding of marine biology and develop our abilities to write in styles appropriate to several creative genres, including short stories, nonfiction, poetry, and other literary forms. We will also learn to write in a correct scientific style. Our marine studies will focus on the organisms that live in the ocean and their ecological interactions. The ocean has inspired a diverse group of authors to compose creative pieces, and seminars will explore these works across a wide variety of genres and diverse marine ecosystems. These include works by Joseph Conrad, Yukio Mishima, Pablo Neruda, and Sheri Tepper, among others. Laboratory work will introduce students to skills needed to carry out studies in marine biology. We will conduct various field studies in Puget Sound, and there will be a weeklong field trip to the coast of the Olympic Peninsula to observe marine organisms in their natural habitat and to take advantage of opportunities for reflective creative work. Through weekly workshops, students will hone their abilities to write creatively and analyze quantitative data. Students will be evaluated on the basis of their writing assignments, exams, quizzes, laboratory exercises, and notebooks, as well as their participation in seminars and workshops.

Quarters

Fall Open Winter Open

Location and Schedule

Campus Location

Olympia

Time Offered

Day