Bennington Review: A Practicum in Literary Editing and Publishing – Poetry (LIT4330.01) (time updated as of 10/10/2023)

Michael Dumanis

This two-credit course involves working on selecting and editing the content of Bennington’s national print literary magazine, Bennington Review. Students will serve as Editorial Assistants for the magazine, studying and practicing all aspects of magazine editing. The course will also engage students in discussions of contemporary print and digital literary culture, and of the history of literary magazines. Students will be selected in part based on their familiarity with contemporary literature, as well as for prior experience in editing or publishing. Students should anticipate plenty of work for two credits, as well as an immersive, hands-on, professional experience.


Learning Outcomes:
Together we will strive to

a) learn how to approach evaluating contemporary work for publication
b) develop an appreciation for the richness and variety of contemporary poetry,
c) train ourselves to focus on structure and language as opposed to content while reading
d) learn to bridge one's aesthetic sensibility with the sensibility of the publication we're reading for
e) understand why certain craft techniques and approaches in submissions tend to work more effectively than others
f) develop a disciplined practice of efficiently reading and commenting on a high volume of submissions
g) develop a familiarity with the contemporary print and digital literary magazine culture
h) engage in collaborative and inclusive decision-making


Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Prerequisites: Interested students should submit a statement, via this form, elaborating on your particular literary interests, listing all previously taken literature courses, and discussing any prior publishing or editorial experience, by November 24, 2023. Students will be notified of acceptance into this class by November 29, 2023.
Corequisites: Students are required to attend all Literature Evenings and Poetry at Bennington events this term, commonly held at 7pm on most Wednesday evenings.
Course Level: 4000-level
Credits: 2
Th 10:00AM - 11:50AM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 10
Course Frequency: Once a year

Categories: 4000 , All courses , Day/Time Changes , Fully In-Person , Literature , Two Credit , Updates
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