Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not answered here, please email us at info@tracewritingschool.com

1. Can anyone take an online course?
You don't have to have any qualifications except an enthusiastic commitment to develop your writing. Some courses require a certain level of ability or skill – please check with the individual course programmes for further details. We also ask that you are 18 years of age or older due to the content of some of the courses. You will need access to the internet and to be prepared to join in with discussions and workshops. (See technical requirements below.)

2. How do I learn online?
Our courses are exclusively online and take place in our virtual learning environment based on FuseTalk. This is easily accessible through normal Web browsers. Learning takes place via a mixture of discussion and email, which can be accessed at any time, and also occasional live chat. The timing of the chats will be discussed between the students at the beginning of each course to find the most convenient time for all participants.

3. Do online courses have teachers?
All of our courses are tutor led, and involve interaction between tutor and students and between students. Writing courses will usually have at least 6 students and often quite a few more. Numbers in the Online Writers' Workshop will vary. Most students find that the atmosphere of a class run by one of our professional tutors is as exciting and fulfilling as any classroom-based class.

4. How much time does it take per week?
The total time commitment might vary slightly from course to course but you should generally expect to set aside between 5-6 hours a week:

2-3 hours a week on your own writing, reading and research
2-3 hours a week on the course including participation via discussion boards and chat.

We have found that students are more likely to log on and study 'little and often' rather than for large chunks of time as this makes participating in discussions much easier. Materials can also be printed to read offline and you can word process your writing and comments offline to save connection costs.

The Online Writers’ Workshop will also require you to spend time both on and offline and the balance will vary on how many students are participating and how many exercises you wish to undertake.

One-to-One study is all individually negotiated and so the time involved depends on the arrangement made between student and tutor.

5. Do I have to attend classes?
All of our courses are delivered 100% online and so do not require you to physically attend any classes. We have tutors and students participating from all over the world and in various time zones. The only time that students may wish to all be online at the same time is to participate in an occasional live chat which generally lasts an hour. The times of these will be discussed at the beginning of each course.

6. When do the courses start?
The 9 week courses begin only on the dates specified on the corresponding course web pages. The Workshop is ongoing and students may join on any Monday, for as long as they like, in blocks of four weeks.

7. Is there a reading list or recommended textbook for the course?
We request that, as far as possible, tutors make referenced reading available to read online rather than asking students to purchase text books. Full information about any required or optional print or other materials is available in the Course Programme.

8. Can I try or see a course before I register?
To get an idea of what online learning is like we recommend that you visit our free Sampler which can be accessed from the following page: http://trace.ntu.ac.uk/courses/ Here you can browse through various areas including sample materials, an example of a discussion thread and pieces of work completed by past students in the school.

Please note that the Sampler is not itself a course, it is merely representative of the interface. Nor is it 'live' in that there is no tutor present to interact with. So, in addition to the features listed above, in a live course there would be a chat room in which students and the tutor could meet at arranged times to discuss their work in real time and students are also able to post messages on the discussion board.

9. What are the technical requirements of the course?
PC Hardware & Software Requirements:
Any PC computer with reliable access to the Internet with either Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher OR Netscape Navigator 4.0 or higher Web Browser installed.

Macintosh Hardware & Software Requirements:
Any Macintosh computer with reliable access to the Internet with either Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher OR Netscape Navigator 4.0 or higher Web Browser installed.

You will need to be able to:
a. use the English language competently
b. use a mouse
c. use a word processor (which will read text, rtf and preferably Microsoft Word-format d. documents)
e. log on to the Internet
f. use a browser
g. send and receive email

10. What experience in writing will I need?
We cater for beginners in most courses, with the exception a few more advanced courses (see the course programmes for more details). We specialise in encouraging beginners, blocked writers, or anyone out of practice to dip their toes in the water. We run a supportive environment and provide guidance on how to critique for those who are new to this.

11. Do you provide technical support?
We have a number of sources of information available which ensure that you are supported throughout your studies:

• FuseTalk has its own, online help section
• A series of helpsheets based on questions asked by students in the past are available in the Commons area of the School
• Students are also encouraged to contact trAce staff at any time during the course and we will do our best to assist.

12. Can I take this course for credit?
We regret that it is not possible to take these courses for credit at present.

13. What kind of assessment will be involved?
There are no formal assessments as the courses are not taken for credit. With regard to the workload, however, tutors generally set three or four assignments during the course and there are often mini-tasks to keep you busy if you have more free time on your hands.

14. Can I get a Certificate of Attendance?
Yes. If you would like to receive a Certificate of Attendance confirming that you have satisfactorily completed a course at the trAce Online Writing School, please contact Catherine Gillam at catherine.gillam@ntu.ac.uk. Your Certificate will be signed and sent to you via regular post.

15. What if I will be away for part of the course?
If you know that you will miss part of the course we recommend that you let your tutor and the other students know in advance. You may also consider printing some materials or an assignment to take with you that can be worked on offline.

16. How do I register?
You can register in a number of ways - by phone, fax, cheque, or via our secure server. Please note that we accept payments in sterling only.

17. Do you give discounts or allow people to pay in instalments?
We do not currently offer any discounts on our fees but many countries provide help for writers towards their professional development. Contact your local arts organisation for details - you may find that you can apply for a grant towards your course fees. Students in countries served by the British Council may be able to apply for help with the fees. Find your country office http://www.britishcouncil.org/where/index.htm and contact them direct. We regret that payment by instalments is not available.

18. Refunds?
If you wish you cancel your registration, you may do so up to 10 calendar days into your course and receive £100 refund.

You may also transfer from one course to another running in the same series at no extra cost as long as you notify us within 10 calendar days of the start of the course.

If you cannot complete the course within 9 weeks, it is possible, in exceptional circumstances, to postpone or extend your course. Please contact the Help Desk at traceschool@ntu.ac.uk for more information about any of the above.

19. Other currencies?
Fees are payable in sterling only. Please check XE.com Currency Converter for current rates, but be aware that due to fluctuations the amount charged to your credit card may differ from the conversion figure currently shown.

20. Can you send me a prospectus?
Because our courses are delivered 100% online, there are no course materials to be faxed or sent through the post as these are all contained within our virtual learning environment. If we were to send paper-based information to you then it would simply be pages of the website which we have printed and this can be done on any standard printer.