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• Writing Tips

The 6 Best UK Universities for Creative Writing Degrees

• 13-minute read
• 24th February 2023

A creative writing degree can unlock your potential and give you access to a world of career and writing opportunities. So if you’re an avid writer looking to develop your skills , a university-level degree might be the perfect next step.

But with so many options for studying creative writing in the UK, you might be wondering where (and how) to start. Your course and university choice could impact the skills you develop, the connections you make, and the direction in which your career takes off.

That’s why, in this post, we break down what a creative writing degree is, explain what you need to look out for when choosing a university, and finally, offer an overview of some of the best UK universities for creative writing degrees.

When you’re done reading, we hope you’ll be one step closer to starting your ideal creative writing degree.

What Is a Creative Writing Degree?

A creative writing degree is an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification in creative writing. The degree may focus on creative writing alone, or an institution may combine creative writing with related subjects, such as English language and literature, film studies, or journalism.

The purpose of a creative writing degree is to help students develop their writing skills, establish their authorial voice, and equip themselves with an understanding of different writing styles and techniques. Degree material may also cover practical concerns, such as how the publishing industry works.

Entry requirements for a creative writing course vary, but most institutions will ask for an A-level or the equivalent in English language and/or literature. Creative writing programs cover many forms of writing and can include modules in:

●  Prose

●  Nonfiction

●  Poetry

●  Scriptwriting

●  Writing for an online audience

●  Narrative theory

●  The creative process

●  Getting published

●  Teaching creative writing

As they progress through the course, creative writing students will produce essays alongside a portfolio of creative work, which they will then submit for assessment.

The Benefits of a Creative Writing Degree

While you don’t need a creative writing degree to publish your work, having one can provide you with unique benefits and career opportunities. Creative writing students can expect to:

●  Work with published authors and literary professionals

●  Develop contacts within the publishing industry

●  Experience dealing with and responding to feedback

●  Encounter opportunities to publish their work and establish a reputation as a writer

●  Explore the theory behind writing in depth

You will also develop transferable talents such as time management, communication skills, and self-discipline. These will help you develop your career and stand out to potential employers.

Career Opportunities for Creative Writing Graduates

Becoming an author might be the most obvious career path for creative writing graduates, but you can access plenty of other career choices with your degree. Potential careers include:

●  Editorial assistant

●  Copy editor

●  Publisher

●  Literary agent

●  Copywriter

●  Marketing assistant

●  Journalist

●  Teacher

●  English or creative writing lecturer

Things to Consider When Choosing a University

When you choose a creative writing degree, you’re also choosing the university where you will study. Each institution has its own benefits and approaches, so to make sure you select the right university for you, consider the following factors.

Location and Campus Culture

Some universities are campus-based; that is, lecture halls, accommodations, entertainment, and other facilities are all located in one place. Other institutions are spread across the town or city where they are based.

Each location will have its own atmosphere, so visiting for an open day will help you get a better idea of what attending that university would be like. You should also consider how far away from home you want to study and how easily you can travel between your university and your hometown.

The faculty members of different universities will have their own specialist subjects, research interests, and writing experience. Look for a university where the faculty members specialize in areas of writing you’re interested in. Doing so is especially important if you’re pursuing a PhD in creative writing, as you’ll need to find an appropriate PhD supervisor.

Available Resources and Facilities

While most universities are equipped with a well-stocked library, some may be more suited than others to your subject. A university library that specializes in the humanities, for example, will complement a creative writing degree well.

A university publishing press can also be a useful resource that provides work and publishing opportunities for creative writing students. University publications and magazines are good places to submit writing as well.

Professional Connections and Internships

Some universities incorporate internships into their creative writing degrees. The internships are work placements that will provide you with on-the-job skills and experience and can help you develop professional connections within the publishing industry.

1. University of East Anglia

The University of East Anglia (or UEA) was the first university in the UK to offer degree-level courses in creative writing, introducing an MA in creative writing in 1970, then following suit with the first creative writing PhD in 1987.

UEA’s courses combine creative writing with the study of literature or drama at an undergraduate level. Each of the university’s postgraduate courses focuses on a particular form of writing, such as fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction.

Based in Norwich, a UNESCO City of Literature , UEA is able to provide a variety of resources and opportunities for creative writing students, including:

●  The National Centre for Writing and the British Archive for Contemporary Writing

●  The UEA Publishing Project , which runs three publishing presses and publishes student writing in an annual anthology

●  The UEA Award , which helps employers recognize students’ achievements

●  A variety of writing fellowships

●  Year-round literary events and festivals for students and published authors, such as UEA Live and the Norwich Crime Fiction Festival

Notable UEA alumni include Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro and Booker Prize winner Anne Enright .

2. University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is one of the UK’s largest universities and belongs to the Russell Group . Leeds is a campus university, but it’s close to the center of the city.

Leeds offers an interdisciplinary BA in English Literature with Creative Writing , an MA in Creative Writing or Writing for Performance and Digital Media , and research degrees within the School of English or the School of Performance and Cultural Industries.

At the undergraduate level, Leeds offers a diverse range of creative writing modules (including science fiction, crime fiction, nature writing, and travel writing). Published writers and expert researchers teach all these modules.

The university has connections with a variety of creative writing projects, institutions, and festivals, including:

●  Ilkley Literature Festival

●  Leeds Playhouse

●  Leeds Grand Theatre

●  Leeds Poetry Centre

●  The School of Night , a fortnightly poetry seminar

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●  Brotherton Library, which features extensive archives and a collection of period printing presses

Leeds also has its own theater space, stage@leeds , and publishes the literary magazine Stand , both of which showcase students’ creative work. Notable Leeds alumni include playwright Wole Syonka and poet Geoffrey Hill . The university was also home to author J.R.R. Tolkien, who was a professor in the School of English and contributed poetry to the university’s newsletter.

3. University of Birmingham

Established in the West Midlands in 1900, the University of Birmingham is another campus-based Russell Group university.

Birmingham ranked first for creative writing in the Guardian University Guide 2023 . The university offers a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing or in Film and Creative Writing and an MA in Creative Writing.

The university’s creative writing modules and courses focus on exposing students to a broad range of writing styles and genres while offering workshops and professional skills training aimed at preparing students for the publishing industry.

The university also works closely with the local creative community to provide students with a range of opportunities, including:

●  The Cultural Intern Scheme

●  The Birmingham Project

●  Publishing opportunities with Nine Arches Press and Tindal Street Press

In addition, Birmingham runs the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, where students can experience unique writing workshops and a residential trip featuring seminars, theater visits, and other events.

For graduating students, the university currently boasts a 90% employment rate within 15 months. Birmingham is the UK’s fourth-most targeted university among the top employers of graduates.

4. University of Warwick

The University of Warwick is a slightly newer university, first offering courses in 1965. Based just outside the city of Coventry, the University of Warwick is a campus university. It is home to the Warwick Arts Centre , a purpose-built facility for cinema, theater, and the visual arts.

The Warwick Writing Program provides the creative writing courses at Warwick. Established in 1996, the project aims to inspire and develop writers internationally. Published authors, poets, and literary translators make up the staff.

Within the program, students can pursue a BA in English and Creative Writing or an MA in Writing . Students can pursue the MA as either a taught degree or a long project, with the aim of producing a long-form piece of writing.

The University of Warwick provides opportunities for students and graduates, such as:

●  The Warwick Prize for Women in Translation

●  The Sunday Times Young Writer Award

●  Workshops at the Warwick Arts Centre

●  Warwick Thursdays (weekly events hosted by publishing industry experts)

●  The option to study abroad for one year

Warwick’s alumni include novelist Sophie Mackintosh , as well as Gboyega Odubanjo and Michael Askew, winners of the Eric Gregory Award.

5. University of Reading

The University of Reading is a 100-year-old institution spread across multiple campuses. It ranks in the top 30 British universities.

Reading offers one of the most diverse and flexible ranges of undergraduate creative writing degrees in the UK. Prospective students can choose to pursue the following BAs:

●  English Literature with Creative Writing

●  Creative Writing and Film

●  Creative Writing and Theatre

●  Creative Writing and Film & Theatre

●  Art and Creative Writing

An MA in Creative Writing is also available and includes modules in the publishing industry and persuasive writing to help students find careers in publishing and journalism.

Reading is home to the Archive of British Publishing and Printing and provides access to collections of rare books and manuscripts that enable students to explore the creative process of famous authors, such as Thomas Hardy. Students also have the opportunity to publish their work in The Canvas , Reading’s online magazine.

6. University of Strathclyde

Based in the center of Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, the University of Strathclyde is a multi-award-winning university. And when it comes to creative writing, Strathclyde offers some unique areas of study for undergraduates , including Scottish literature and the Glasgow novel.

Strathclyde also offers postgraduate courses. As the university is Scottish, it offers a Master of Letters ( MLitt ) and a Master of Research ( M. Res .) in place of the more common MA in creative writing. MLitt creative writing students can choose to specialize in a research area and placement of their choice or take a module from other subjects within the School of Humanities.

The University of Strathclyde offers students numerous resources, opportunities, and connections across Glasgow. These include:

●  The Aye Right! Book Festival

●  Blaze , the university’s online creative writing classes

●  Creative Scotland

Strathclyde’s alumni include authors Ali Smith and Andrew O’Hagan . Among the current faculty members are screenwriter Andrew Meehan and poet David Kinloch .

To recap the main points of this post:

●  A creative writing degree will help you develop your writing skills, often in tandem with cultivating critical reading skills.

●  Creative writing degrees offer a variety of modules and allow you to specialize in a particular form or genre.

●  A creative writing degree can open many potential career paths.

●  The most important things to consider when choosing a university at which to study creative writing are location, staff, resources, and professional opportunities.

●  Six of the best universities for creative writing degrees in the UK are the University of East Anglia, the University of Leeds, the University of Birmingham, the University of Warwick, the University of Reading, and the University of Strathclyde.

●  Many of these universities offer lectures, workshops, and seminars delivered by published authors.

Whichever university you decide to attend, make sure it’s the right one for you. Look for modules you’re interested in, writing forms you’d like to explore, opportunities you want to make the most of, and a university atmosphere you’ll thrive in.

And if you’re looking for more options, take a look at the Complete University Guide’s 2023 rankings for creative writing .

What types of degrees can I receive in creative writing?

As an undergraduate, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in creative writing. As a postgraduate, you can earn a Master of Arts (MA) degree or a Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD).

If you’re studying in Scotland, the types of degrees may differ slightly.

How do I know whether I have what it takes to pursue a degree in creative writing?

Before accepting you for a creative writing degree, most universities will require that you have certain A-level or equivalent grades. But academic achievements aren’t everything. If you’re looking to pursue a degree in creative writing, it’s helpful to have:

●  An avid interest in reading (and, of course, writing!)

●  A portfolio to demonstrate your writing

●  The ability to meet deadlines

Be prepared to work hard, but remember, the point of a creative writing degree is to help develop your writing skills and style. You don’t have to be a perfect, polished writer to be a creative writing student!

Can I pursue a creative writing degree online?

Yes, many universities now offer online versions of creative writing degrees. This means you will be able to earn the same qualification by studying online as you would if you studied in person.

However, be careful to choose a properly accredited online creative writing degree.

Where can I get feedback on my university application?

A professional proofreader or editor is the best choice for getting feedback on your application.

Our team here at Proofed can help make sure your university application is clear and correct and meets the appropriate academic standards so that you can focus on preparing for university life.

We can even proofread the first 500 words for free – so why not submit a document ?

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• Schools & departments

Creative Writing MSc

Awards: MSc

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Creative Writing

The community has been one of my favourite parts. The department has very warm and encouraging staff. Some of my classmates are now close friends, and we still workshop stories across time zones, and complain to each other about writing - and not writing! Bhavika Govil, prize-winning fiction writer MSc in Creative Writing, 2020

Discovery Day

Join us online on 21st August to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh.

Find out more and register

Programme description

Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, this one-year, full-time taught Masters programme is tailored towards your practice in either fiction or poetry.

There is a strong practical element to the programme, helping you develop your creative skills through:

• presenting your work for peer discussion
• hearing from guest writers and other professionals on the practicalities of life as a writer

You will also sharpen your critical skills through:

• seminars exploring the particulars of your chosen form
• option courses in literature, helping you move from theoretical considerations to practical applications

The programme culminates with the publication of ‘From Arthur’s Seat,’ an anthology of student work.

Why Edinburgh

Literature has been taught here for over 250 years, and today Edinburgh thrives on its designation as the first UNESCO World City of Literature. The city is home to the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish Poetry Library, and a number of celebrated publishing outlets, from Canongate and Polygon, to Luath Press, Birlinn and Mariscat. The University hosts the prestigious James Tait Black Awards, established in 1919 and one of the oldest literary prizes in Britain.

There are lots of opportunities to write and share your work, from ‘The Student,’ the UK’s oldest student newspaper (founded in 1887 by Robert Louis Stevenson), to The Selkie, which was founded by Creative Writing students in 2018 to showcase work by people who self-identify as underrepresented.

Around the city, you will find:

• library readings and bookshop launches
• spoken word gigs
• cabaret nights
• poetry slams

Edinburgh isn’t just historic – it’s a modern hub for literature. That’s part of what makes the city great for writing.

Austin Crowley, MSc in Creative Writing, 2023

We team teach our programme so that you benefit from the input of a range of tutors, as well as your fellow students and our Writer in Residence, the poet and author Michael Pedersen, who also co-ordinates a range of student writing prizes and our annual industry and networking event.

The academic staff you will be working with are all active researchers or authors, including well-published and prize-winning writers of poetry, prose fiction and drama. They include:

• Dr Jane Alexander - Fiction
• Dr Lynda Clark
• Dr Patrick Errington - Poetry/Fiction
• Dr Miriam Gamble - Poetry
• Professor Alan Gillis - Poetry
• Dr Jane McKie - Poetry
• Dr Allyson Stack - Fiction
• Kim Sherwood - Fiction
• Alice Thompson - Fiction

Programme structure

Over the duration of the programme, you will:

• take two core courses, both worth 40 credits
• two optional courses chosen from a wide range of subjects, both worth 20 credits

The core activities in Creative Writing are:

• tutor-led workshops, in which you will present your work-in-progress and critique the work of your fellow students
• regular seminars exploring techniques and issues specific to your practice (either fiction or poetry) and the statements and theories of practitioners

Optional courses

We have a large number of option courses to choose from, including preferred courses for fiction and poetry (which will be offered to Creative Writing students in the first instance), and courses from across the Department of English Literature and the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.

Visiting speakers

Throughout the programme, you will be expected to attend readings and talks by visiting speakers. Early on, these will be from published writers and, later, advisors from the writing business: literary agents, magazine editors and publishers.

Dissertation

The final element of the programme is your dissertation, a piece of creative writing (worth 60 credits) written with the advice and support of a designated supervisor.

Fiction dissertations are between 15,000 words and 20,000 words, and poetry dissertations between 25 and 30 pages.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

• identify, conceptualise and define formal elements of craft in your chosen field (poetry or fiction) within published works and within works by your peers
• remain open to criticism and respond effectively and creatively to feedback on your own creative work
• work from initial conception through multiple drafts to the final version of a creative piece within your chosen field (fiction or poetry)
• transfer editorial skills and creative abilities from one context to another
• analyse creative works within your chosen field (fiction or poetry), work with a focus on craft effectiveness, and articulate strengths and weaknesses in a piece of writing in a constructive manner

Career opportunities

Over the course of this programme, you will complete a body of creative work that has been rigorously peer reviewed.

Our students go on to careers in a wide variety of fields, including:

• arts administration
• web and audio book editing
• script and ghost writing
• gaming narrative design

Some decide to extend their studies and take a PhD with us.

Many of our alumni go on to achieve literary success, publishing novels and short story and poetry collections, and winning awards. Our graduates’ recent successes include:

debut novels from:

• Amanda Block (The Lost Storyteller, published by Hodder Studio)
• Karin Nordin (Where Ravens Roost, published by Harper Collins)
• Marielle Thompson (Where Ivy Dares to Grow, published by Kensington Books)
• August Thomas (Liar’s Candle, published by Simon and Schuster)
• Rosie Walker (Secrets of a Serial Killer, published by One More Chapter)
• Mark Wightman (Waking the Tiger, published by Hobeck Books and shortlisted for Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021)

debut short story collections from:

• Dayle Furlong (Lake Effect, published by Cormorant Books)
• Dima Alzayat (Alligator and Other Stories, shortlisted for the James Tait Black Award for Fiction)
• a non-fiction debut from Sonali Misra (21 Fantastic Failures, published by Rupa Publications India)

debut poetry collections from:

• Rebecca Tamás (WITCH, published by Penned in the Margins)
• Naomi Morris (Hyperlove, published by Makina Books)
• Aileen Ballantyne (Taking Flight, published by Luath Press)
• the 2022 Edwin Morgan Poetry Award, won by Alyson Kissner
• the 2021 Brotherton Poetry Prize, won by Lauren Pope
• the 2021 Pontas & JJ Bola Emerging Writers Prize, won by Bhavika Govil

Meet our graduates

From Arthur’s Seat – stories from the heart of Edinburgh

Tim Tim Cheng

• Bhavika Govil
• Dima Alzayat

What's the best type of masters programme for you?

Entry requirements.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in any discipline. This will often be in a directly related subject like English Literature/Creative Writing, but we welcome applicants from all academic backgrounds.

Applicants who are entered into selection will be asked to provide a sample of written work to enable their suitability for the programme to be assessed.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

• Fees and costs

Read our general information on tuition fees and studying costs:

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding.

If you are intending to study full time on this Creative Writing programme, you are eligible for a William Hunter Sharpe Memorial Scholarship which will contribute towards your tuition fees.

You do not need to apply for this scholarship – all eligible candidates who apply for the programme by Monday 6 May 2024 will be considered for them and contacted if successful.

• Find out more about the William Hunter Sharpe Memorial Scholarship and other scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
• School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• 50 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: Creative Writing
• School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.

Start date: September

Application deadlines

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

Please be aware that applications must be submitted and complete, i.e. all required documents uploaded, by the relevant application deadline in order to be considered in that round. Your application will still be considered if you have not yet met the English language requirement for the programme.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

(Revised 27 March 2024 to extend Round 3 application deadline)

• How to apply

The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.

You should supply a portfolio of writing.

• For poetry, this should be six (6) pages of poetry, starting a new page for each new poem of 14 lines or over.
• For fiction, this should be a complete story or stories, or an equivalent amount from a longer work (between 2,500 and 3,500 words).

These are firm limits.

If you are undecided about whether to apply for fiction or poetry, you should send a sample of both, i.e. six (6) pages of poetry and 2,500-3,500 words of fiction (if offered a place it will be for one or the other).

Work in other forms (for example journalism, life writing or advertising) will not be considered.

Personal statement

When writing your personal statement, consider the following questions:

• What do you most hope to learn/gain from a Creative Writing degree, and why is ours the programme for you?
• Tell us about your writing: what are you interested in and why? Are there aspects of your current practice you're particularly proud of? Things you know you need to work on?

What (if any) prior experience do you have of studying Creative Writing?

Guidance on the application process and supporting documents

All supporting documents, including references, must be uploaded to the online application system by the deadline date.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Study Undergraduate

English literature and creative writing ba (ucas qw38).

22 September 2025

3 years full-time

Qualification

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Warwick Writing Programme

University of Warwick

Register for Open Days

Enquire now

Find out more about our English Literature and Creative Writing degree at Warwick

Studying English Literature and Creative Writing (BA) at Warwick will transform your understanding of literature, of yourself, and of the world. It will also fully prepare you to thrive in any profession that values intellectual rigour, creativity, and the ability to communicate a message that matters.

General entry requirements

A level typical offer.

AAA or A*AB to include grade A in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined).

A level contextual offer

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is ABB, including A in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined). See if you’re eligible.

General GCSE requirements

Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.

IB typical offer

36 to include 6 at Higher Level in English Literature or combined English Language and Literature.

IB contextual offer

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is 32 including grade 6 in Higher Level English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined). See if you’re eligible.

Other UK qualifications

We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A level English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined).

Scotland Advanced Highers

AA in two Advanced Highers including English, and AAB in three additional Highers subjects.

Welsh Baccalaureate

AAB in three subjects at A level including A in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined) plus grade C in the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate.

Access to Higher Education Diplomas

We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis.

Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 12 Level 3 Credits. We may also require subject specific credits or an A level to be studied alongside the Access to Higher Education Diploma to fulfil essential subject requirements.

International qualifications

• English Language requirements

All applicants have to meet our English Language requirements Link opens in a new window . If you cannot demonstrate that you meet these, you may be invited to take part in our Pre-sessional English course at Warwick Link opens in a new window .

This course requires: Band B

Learn more about our English Language requirements Link opens in a new window .

Frequently asked questions

Contextual data and differential offers.

Warwick may make differential offers to students in a number of circumstances. These include students participating in a Widening Participation programme or who meet the contextual data criteria .

Differential offers will usually be one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer.

Warwick International Foundation Programme (IFP)

All students who successfully complete the Warwick IFP and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme (selected courses only).

Find out more about standard offers and conditions for the IFP .

• Taking a gap year

We welcome applications for deferred entry.

We do not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on your UCAS form which includes predicted and actual grades, your personal statement and school reference.

Course overview

Creative work can happen anywhere, but in our School of Creative Arts, Performance and Visual Cultures you can learn the craft of writing and work with other emerging writers in a place of energy and ideas.

If you intend to pursue a career as an author, or to work in the creative industries or teaching, this practical course will teach you about the creative writing process and help you become a better reader, with a deeper understanding of literary history, literary theory and the past and future of creative writing. You will be taught by practising and award-winning writers, bridging the gap between academic and creative approaches to literature. Our course is number one for creative writing in the UK (The Times Good University Guide 2023) and has 91.7% overall student satisfaction in National Student Survey.

You will undertake real-world writing tasks and will regularly meet, engage with, and learn from industry professionals, including publishers, editors, literary agents, poets, and authors. Our graduates enter the world with advanced communicative, imaginative, and critical abilities, plus practical and vocational literary writing skills including composition, interpretation, and evaluation. In addition, you will develop argument, analysis and speaking skills, and a capacity for independent thought. Many of our graduates have become professional novelists, poets, dramatists, filmmakers, and performers.

Study abroad

As a student on our English degrees, you will have the opportunity to spend your third year at one of our partner institutions in Europe, China, or North America. You will then return to Warwick to complete your fourth and final year of your degree.

You will be able to apply to transfer to the four-year course when you are in your second year at Warwick, subject to availability of places from the University's International Office.

Core modules

In your first year you will gain the foundation you need to become a better reader and writer. In Modes of Writing, we explore writing in different forms, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and writing for performance and new media. Through studying Medieval and Early Modern Literature, you will appreciate the context of contemporary beliefs and social developments. Epic into Novel will give you an understanding of some of the great texts of classical and modern times. The Written World will introduce you to some of the ideas and themes in literary theory, with a particular focus on texts that are important to writers.

As a second year you will progress to Composition and Creative Writing, in which you explore and deepen your practice of fiction and non-fiction. You will take an English Literature module focusing on texts from before 1900 , as well as any module from English Literature, Creative Writing, or another University department.

In your final year you will progress to the Personal Writing Project, your opportunity to work one-to-one with a tutor on an extensive piece of writing in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, screenwriting, or a genre of your choice. In addition, you will select a global literature module, as well as any module from English Literature, Creative Writing, or another University department.

Modes of Writing

This is a core module for first-year undergraduates reading for the degree QW38 English Literature and Creative Writing. The module is 100% fully assessed. The module complements The Written World and prepares you for the more specialist writing modules in years two and three such as Composition and Creative Writing, The Practice of Poetry, The Practice of Fiction and The Personal Writing Project. The module also complements other academic optional modules in which writing, imitation, rhetoric or translation may be practised or studied.

Read more about the Modes of Writing module Link opens in a new window , including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Medieval and Early Modern Literature

Taking you from the mythical court of King Arthur to the real world of ambition, intrigue, and danger in the courts of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, this module introduces you to early literature in a global context. You will study texts like Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales , Thomas More’s Utopia , Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene , and Shakespeare’s sonnets to explore some of the period’s highest ideals—‘trawthe’ or integrity—as well as some of humanity’s darkest impulses: greed, deception, revenge, and desire.

Read more about the Medieval and Early Modern Literature module Link opens in a new window , including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Epic into Novel

Tracking the transition from the epics of the ancient world to their incarnation as texts of modernity, this module introduces you to some of the most influential and formative works of world literature. You will study central texts of the classical world, such as Gilgamesh , Homer’s Iliad, Virgil’s Aeneid, and Catullus; ancient epics from India and Africa; Milton’s Paradise Lost ; as well as responses to ancient epic by Tennyson, Margaret Atwood, Seamus Heaney, and Maria Dahvana Headley. Reading across history and cultures, between languages and genres, you will develop the skills to analyse narrative, character, and style.

Read more about the Epic into Novel module Link opens in a new window , including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

The Written World

This module will introduce students on the BA in English Literature and Creative Writing to ideas and theories from literary studies, linguistics, critical theory, translation studies and cultural studies that will underpin more specialised scholarly and creative study in the second and third years.

Read more about the The Written World module Link opens in a new window , including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Composition and Creative Writing

You will develop your fiction and non-fiction writing through practice of the processes involved, from inception, through drafting and revision, to considerations of audience. You will gain insights into narrative form, including traditional and experimental methods.

Read more about the Composition and Creative Writing module Link opens in a new window , including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Personal Writing Project

The Personal Writing Project will see you working closely with a practitioner to advance your technical and critical skills in the development of a portfolio of work focused on a specific genre. You will gain an appreciation of the research and methodology needed for large-scale creative works and in so doing, gain the maturity and confidence to advance your career as a professional writer.

Read more about the Personal Writing Project module , including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Optional modules

Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:

• The Practice of Poetry
• The Practice of Fiction
• Screenwriting
• Advanced Screenwriting
• US Writing and Culture 1780-1920
• Romantic and Victorian Poetry
• The Seventeenth Century
• Game Theory: Interactive and Video Game Narratives

Assessment is a combination of creative projects, portfolios, essays, and optional performance. For example, in our Shakespeare and Selected Dramatists of his Time module, student creative work recently included film and radio adaptations, musical compositions, painting, sculpture and photography inspired by Shakespeare's texts.

Practising writers deliver teaching through workshops and seminars. Also, writers and publishers visit and engage with you at our weekly Warwick Thursdays events. Most core modules in your first year are taught through lectures and seminars. In your second and third years, optional modules are normally taught in seminars and workshops.

Working together, we seek to improve our students’ skills and confidence through writing workshops, peer review and live performances. You will be encouraged to attend and participate at spoken word events in the local area.

Class sizes

Targeted teaching with class sizes of 10 - 15 students (on average).

Typical contact hours

Guided learning of typically eight contact hours per week. Seminars are usually 1.5 hours each.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees cover the majority of the costs of your study, including teaching and assessment. Fees are charged at the start of each academic year. If you pay your fees directly to the University, you can choose to pay in instalments.

Home students

Undergraduate fees.

If you are a home student enrolling in 2024, your annual tuition fees will be £9,250 . In the future, these fees might change for new and continuing students.

2+2 course fees

If you are a home student enrolling in 2022 for a 2+2 course through the Centre for Lifelong Learning, your annual tuition fees will be £6,750 . In the future, these fees might change for new and continuing students.

How are fees set?

The British Government sets tuition fee rates.

Learn more about fees from UCAS Link opens in a new window .

Overseas students

If you are an overseas or EU student enrolling in 2024, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:

• Band 1 – £24,800 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
• Band 2 – £31,620 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Maths, Statistics, Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)

Fees for 2025 entry have not been set. We will publish updated information here as soon as it becomes available, so please check back for updates about 2025 fee rates before you apply.

Fee status guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status. Link opens in a new window

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on this web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue Link opens in a new window (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2024/25 year of study). Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Further information

Find out more about tuition fees from our Student Finance team .

Scholarships and bursaries

Learn about scholarships and bursaries available to undergraduate students.

We offer a number of undergraduate scholarships and bursaries to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.

Find out more about funding opportunities for full-time students. Link opens in a new window

International scholarships

If you are an international student, a limited number of scholarships may be available.

Find out more information on our international scholarship pages. Link opens in a new window

You may be eligible for financial help from your own government, from the British Council or from other funding agencies. You can usually request information on scholarships from the Ministry of Education in your home country, or from the local British Council office.

Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship

We believe there should be no barrier to talent. That's why we are committed to offering a scholarship that makes it easier for gifted, ambitious international learners to pursue their academic interests at one of the UK's most prestigious universities.

Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship. Link opens in a new window

Part-time fee waiver

Find out more about the Warwick scholarship for part-time students. Link opens in a new window

Warwick Bursary for low income students

We provide extra financial support for qualifying students from lower income families. The Warwick Undergraduate Bursary is an annual award of up to £3,000 per annum. It is intended to help with course-related costs and you do not have to pay it back.

Find out more about your eligibility for the Warwick Undergraduate Bursary. Link opens in a new window

Sanctuary scholarships for asylum seekers

As part of the 'City of Sanctuary' movement, we are committed to building a culture of hospitality and welcome, especially for those seeking sanctuary from war and persecution. We provide a range of scholarships to enable people seeking sanctuary or asylum to progress to access university education.

Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarships for asylum seekers. Link opens in a new window

Find out more about Warwick undergraduate bursaries and scholarships.

Eligibility for student loans

Your eligibility for student finance will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality and residency status, your course, and previous study at higher education level.

Check if you're eligible for student finance .

Home students residing in England

Tuition fee loan.

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your tuition fees. It is non-means tested, which means the amount you can receive is not based on your household income. The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you won’t have to set up any payments.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You can apply for a Maintenance Loan towards your living costs such as accommodation, food and bills. This loan is means-tested, so the amount you receive is partially based on your household income and whether you choose to live at home or in student accommodation.

Find out more about government student loans for home students residing in England. Link opens in a new window

Home students residing outside of England

Find out more about student funding for home students residing outside of England. Link opens in a new window

EU students

If you’re starting a course on or after 1 August 2021, you usually must have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme Link opens in a new window to get student finance.

If you are an EU student and eligible for student finance you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees. It is non-means tested, which means the amount you may receive is not based on your household income. The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you won't have to set up any payments.

Help with living costs

For the 2024 academic year, you may be eligible for help with your living costs if both of the following apply:

• You have lived in the UK for more than 3 years before the first day of the first academic year of your course
• You have Settled Status ( see further details on Settled Status) Link opens in a new window

If you are coming to the UK from 1st January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa Link opens in a new window to study here.

Please note: Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Find out more about government student loans for EU students Link opens in a new window

Repaying your loans

You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount (for students starting their course after 1 August 2023 the repayment threshold is £25,000). Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.

Find out more about repaying your student loan. Link opens in a new window

Your career

Graduates from our course have gone on to work for employers including:

• Bloomsbury Publishing
• British Council
• Cambridge University Press
• Civil Service
• The Forward Poetry Foundation
• Pan Macmillan
• The Poetry Society
• Penguin/Random House
• Royal Opera House
• The Society of Authors
• The Sunday Times
• Teach First

They have pursued roles such as:

• Authors, writers, dramatists, poets, and translators
• Journalists, newspaper, and periodical editors
• Creative directors
• Arts officers, producers, and directors
• Musicians and composers
• Marketing associate professionals
• Academics and researchers
• Higher Education administrators

Helping you find the right career

Our staff have excellent links not only with other writers but also with publishing houses, literary journals and agencies, with national and regional organisations such as the Arts Council, PEN, and with other creative writing programmes both in Britain and in the USA. We also run the Young Writer of the Year Award jointly with The Sunday Times and host the prestigious Warwick Prize for Women in Translation.

Our School of Creative Arts, Performance and Visual Cultures also has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support you. They offer impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events throughout the year. Examples of workshops and events include:

• Discovering Careers in the Creative Industries
• Careers in Publishing and Journalism
• Freelancing
• Careers in the Public Sector
• Warwick careers fairs throughout the year

Find out more about careers support at Warwick. Link opens in a new window

Welcome to the Warwick Writing Programme, an internationally acclaimed writing programme that attracts writers and literary translators from across the globe. If you join us you will immerse yourself in contemporary and experimental narratives, including screenwriting, literary translation, gaming, spoken word and fieldwork.

We foster and maintain excellent creative industry links and networks to enable our students to achieve their career ambitions. We are title partner for The Sunday Times and University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year Award, whose recent winners have included Raymond Antrobus, Adam Weymouth and Sally Rooney. We are also the home of the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation.

Our teaching staff of novelists, poets, non-fiction writers, screenwriters and literary translators includes Lucy Brydon, A.L. Kennedy, Tim Leach, Nell Stevens, Maureen Freely, Gonzalo C. Garcia, David Morley, Dragan Todorovic and Jodie Kim.

Find out more about us on our website Link opens in a new window

Explore our new Faculty of Arts building

The department recently moved into the brand new £57.5 million Faculty of Arts building.

This means, as an Arts student at Warwick, you’ll find your home amongst brand new teaching, learning and social spaces, including specialist facilities, all designed to support collaborative working and to enable your creativity and innovation to flourish.

The sustainably built, eight-storey building is located next to the newly refurbished Warwick Arts Centre in the heart of the University’s creative and cultural arts quarter.

Explore our new Faculty of Arts building further.

Life at Warwick

Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities. A place where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. Our supportive, energising, welcoming space creates the ideal environment for forging new connections, having fun and finding inspiration.

Accommodation

• Arts, Culture and Events
• Clubs and societies
• Food and drink
• Sports and Fitness
• Wellbeing support

Keep exploring life at Warwick

Find out how to apply to us, ask your questions, and find out more.

Warwick Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is key to helping you settle in quickly.

We have a range of residences for undergraduate students on campus.

Explore Warwick Accommodation

You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible new sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus.

Explore our campus

We have lots of cafés, restaurants and shops on campus. You can enjoy great quality food and drink, with plenty of choice for all tastes and budgets. There is a convenience store on central campus, as well as two supermarkets and a small shopping centre in the nearby Cannon Park Retail Park. Several of them offer delivery services to help you stay stocked up.

And don't miss our regular food market day on the Piazza with tempting, fresh and delicious street food. Soak up the atmosphere and try something new, with mouth-watering food for all tastes.

Explore food and shops

Explore Students' Union venues

We currently have more than 300 student-run societies.

So whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.

Or you could try something new, or even form your own society.

Explore our societies

Sports and fitness

Staying active at Warwick is no sweat, thanks to our amazing new Sports and Wellness Hub, indoor and outdoor tennis centre, 60 acres of sports pitches, and more than 60 sports clubs.

Whether you want to compete, relax or just have fun, you can achieve your fitness goals.

Explore sports at Warwick

Studying on campus

Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs.

You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.

• The Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas.
• The University Library provides access to over one million printed works and tens of thousands of electronic journals
• Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces.

Studying at Warwick

Travel and local area

Our campus is in Coventry, a modern city with high street shops, restaurants, nightclubs and bars sitting alongside medieval monuments. The Warwickshire towns of Leamington Spa and Kenilworth are also nearby.

The University is close to major road, rail and air links. London is just an hour by direct train from Coventry, with Birmingham a 20-minute trip. Birmingham International Airport is nearby (a 20-minute drive).

Travelling from campus

Wellbeing support and faith provision

Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.

Our Chaplaincy is home to Chaplains from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths. We provide regular services for all Christian denominations and a Shabbat meal every Friday for our Jewish students. There is also an Islamic prayer hall, halal kitchen and ablution facilities.

Student support

How to apply

Learn more about our application process.

Key dates for your application to Warwick.

Writing your personal statement

Make an impression and demonstrate your passion for your course.

After you've applied

Find out how we process your application.

Our Admission Statement

Read Warwick's Admission Statement

Useful links

• Access to Warwick degrees
• Contextual Offers
• Entry requirements
• Exemption from part of a degree
• Guidance for parents and carers
• International applicants
• Returners to study
• Students with disabilities
• Younger applicants

3 ways to connect

Join us at a live event. You can ask about courses, applying to Warwick, life at Warwick, visas and immigration, and more.

See event calendar Link opens in a new window

Warwick Experience

Take a virtual, student-led campus tour. Then join an interactive panel session, where you can hear from and chat to our current students and staff.

Book a tour Link opens in a new window

Student blogs

Explore our student blogs in Unibuddy. You can read about campus life from students themselves, and register to post questions directly to students.

Ask a student Link opens in a new window

Explore campus with our virtual tour

Our 360 tour lets you:

• Watch student videos
• View 360 photography and drone footage
• Learn about facilities and landmarks

Explore our campus virtually through our 360 campus tour now

Come to an Open Day

Don’t just take it from us, come and see for yourself what Warwick is all about. Whether it's a virtual visit or in-person, our University Open Days give you the chance to meet staff and students, visit academic departments, tour the campus and get a real feel for life at Warwick.

Open Days at Warwick

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Discover more about our courses and campus life with our helpful information and timely reminders.

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

About Warwick

Find out more about life at Warwick including:

Open days and online events

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Page updates

We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

9th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2024) Link opens in a new window

67th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024) Link opens in a new window

6th most targeted university by the UK's top 100 graduate employers Link opens in a new window

(The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd. Link opens in a new window )

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2025 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

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Our Clearing call centre is open Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

Creative Writing

Course options.

• Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Course modules.

• Student stories
• Teaching staff

Course overview

Our creative writing courses are ranked 7th in the UK for career prospects by the Guardian University Guide 2023, and top 20 for graduate prospects by the Complete University Guide 2024.

From poetry and playwriting to short stories and novels, you’ll focus on your existing creative passions and experiment with a wide range of styles, modes, and genres. You’ll be mentored by professional authors who can help you find your creative voice. You can see your work performed by actors in a staged reading, and get published in our annual paperback anthology, the New Writing Series, which is produced by our MA writers on our UoG Anthology website .

We’re a close-knit creative writing community and our students benefit from a high level of support from each other and staff. You’ll learn from award-winning lecturers who specialise in a variety of genres, including crime fiction, literary fiction, transgressive writing, and confessional poetry. These include Dr Michael Johnstone, shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and whose fourth novel Disnaeland was enthusiastically reviewed in The Times , among others.

Study style

The course includes a mix of lectures, seminars and one-to-one tutorials – all taught by professional authors. In lectures, you’ll learn the fundamentals of good writing by studying the greats, both classic and contemporary. In workshops, you’ll develop your own stories, plays, novels and poems. Regular writing workshops mean you can share your work with peers and get their feedback.

In your first year you’ll explore the fundamentals of prose, poetry and dramatic writing, before pursuing your chosen strand, (or multiple strands if you’re keen to combine a mix of creative areas). Your final year will have a professional focus to prepare you for your career in the creative industries. You’ll meet with established authors, agents, and editors – understanding the publishing industry, composing your writer’s biography and learning how to submit your work to relevant magazines and markets.

Get Creative Writing BA (Hons) course updates and hear more about studying with us.

Don't meet the entry requirements?

Don’t worry about your results. We may be able to offer you a place on this course through UCAS Clearing even if you don’t meet the entry requirements below.

Become a Clearing VIP and get an early-bird offer before results day, plus a chance to win a rent-free year in halls . Call us on 03330 432 414 to discuss your options.

96 – 112 UCAS tariff points, CCC – BBC  at A levels, MMM – DMM at BTEC or a Merit in your T-Level.

Entry can also be gained by portfolio if you can send us some of your writing (prose and/or poetry and/or scripts).

If you are unsure whether we could make you an offer or you have any questions, just get in touch with our  admissions team  who will be able to advise you.

English Language or Literature and Maths Grade 4/C in GCSE (or equivalent) are normally required.

This course is available with an additional integrated foundation year. This four year option has lower entry requirements – see below – than the other study type/s available.

Typical offers 48 UCAS tariff points, DD at A levels, PPP at BTEC or a Pass in your T Level.

GCSEs Grade C/4 in English Language/Literature and Mathematics, or equivalent (e.g. Level 2 Functional Skills).

To apply for the integrated foundation year degree, select the ‘With foundation year’ option from the study types listed at the top of this page before clicking ‘Apply’.

See course overview for more information about the interated foundation year option.

We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants, although some entry requirements may still apply for Professionally Accredited Courses. We accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas and make offers on an individual basis.

Please read the entry requirements for your country – and contact our admissions team if you have questions.

You're viewing course modules for the course option. Choose a different course option to see corresponding course modules.

Here's an example of the types of modules you'll study (the contents and structure of the course are reviewed occasionally, but it is unlikely that there will be significant change).

Module information is not available for this programme.

Fees and costs

You're viewing fees for the course option. Choose a different course option to see corresponding course fees.

Ready to apply?

Uog career promise.

At UoG we create a climate for bravery and growth. We instil confidence in all our students, so you can graduate career-ready and meet your ambitions.

95% of our graduates are in work or further study* , but if you’re not in a job 6 months after graduating we’ll guarantee you 6 months of free support, followed by the offer of a paid internship to kickstart your career – plus we’ll commit to lifetime career coaching. Eligibility conditions apply.

*Graduate Outcomes Survey published 2024 and based on 2021/22 leavers

Designed for aspiring authors, playwrights, poets, screenwriters, and games writers, unleash your creative potential with our Creative Writing course. The course aims to nurture your talent and enhance your writing skills, preparing you for a successful career in various literary fields.

As part of the course, you will also have the opportunity to showcase your work at prestigious literary events and festivals, allowing you to gain exposure and expand your network within the literary community. Our course not only focuses on the art of writing but also provides practical guidance on establishing a career in the field. Whether you aspire to create immersive novels, captivating plays, meaningful poetry, compelling narratives for games, or explore new writing territories, we provide the necessary guidance and resources to help you achieve your goals.

Graduates of this program will be well-equipped to navigate and make an impact on the literary world, bringing their distinct voices to a wide range of platforms and audiences.

Stories from our students

I learned to create content for humans, chloe is shortlisted for the 2023 manchester writing prize, it’s genuinely the best thing i’ve ever done, i’ve had work published, and performed at the cheltenham literature festival, i now have over 40 short story publications, published poet anna is founder of the cheltenham poetry festival, finding joy in the written word, teaching staff.

Sorry there are no available teaching staff at this time.

Be taught by published writers

You will learn from published writers, including Dr Michael Johnstone whose fourth novel Disnaeland came out in July 2022, Dr Angela France who has published four poetry collections and whose work has appeared in many anthologies, and Senja Andrejevic whose short stories have appeared in various literary magazines and whose dramatic writing has been produced with funding from Arts Council England. On the English Literature team, staff include Dr Charlotte Beyer who is the author of three scholarly monographs and author/editor of six collections and Professor Arran Stibbe whose innovative work on ecolinguists is sector leading.

Collaborate with professionals

On our dramatic writing modules you can work with Cheltenham’s renowned Everyman Theatre. You’ll develop your play with the artistic director, a playwright and resident actors – leading to a staged reading open to your peers, tutors and the public.

Get your work published

The course offers a range of publishing opportunities such as our annual student paperwork anthology, The New Writing Series.

School of Creative Arts

Explore and collaborate with creatives from across the spectrum. We offer the perfect environment to practice your craft and prepare you to graduate career-ready.

Ranked 11th in the UK for student satisfaction

Our creative writing courses are ranked 11th in the UK for student satisfaction by the Complete University Guide 2024.

Ranked 7th in the UK for career prospects

Our creative writing courses are ranked 7th in the UK for career prospects by the Guardian University Guide 2023.

Top 20 in the UK for graduate prospects

Our creative writing courses are ranked in in the top 20 in the UK for graduate prospects (on track) by the Complete University Guide 2025.

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Creative Writing

Application options include:

Course Overview

Are you passionate about creative writing and looking to learn how to turn your ideas into texts? If so, Birkbeck’s BA Creative Writing will support you to develop your ideas further, refining your skills and sharpening your craft. You will have opportunities to experiment and explore creative writing across a range of forms, including drama, poetry, fiction, screenwriting and non-fiction. Your studies will be enriched by being based in Bloomsbury in central London, home to some of the most exciting historical developments in literary and artistic production.

Why choose this course?

• Creative Writing at Birkbeck is based in the heart of Bloomsbury, once home to the Bloomsbury Group, an influential group of writers, artists and philosophers including Virgina Woolf. It is here that you will hone your skills supported by internationally renowned writers and researchers based in the School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication.
• This course is distinctive for its practical approach to teaching creative writing, which centres around interactive, small group workshops and seminars in the development of your practice. 
• You will be taught by our esteemed faculty, which includes award-winning and published writers, and gain important understanding about the publishing industry to support your future career.  
• The expertise of our faculty staff feeds into our courses. They include some of the UK’s leading writers, such as novelist Luke Williams ( Diego Garcia: a Novel ), playwright and screenwriter David Eldridge ( Beginning ), playwright and screenwriter Daragh Carville ( The Bay ), poet, novelist and non-fiction writer Julia Bell ( Attention ), novelist Wes Brown ( Breaking Kayfabe ), non-fiction writer Richard Hamblyn ( The Sea: Nature and Culture ) and critic and writer Marina Warner. 

What you will learn

On this course, you will learn how to develop the creative writer’s key tools: voice, craft, technique, form, genre and style. You will also work with your peers to gain an understanding of what other creative writers do, to inform your own practice and approach.

In addition to taking compulsory modules offering you key skills development, you will have the chance to select option modules on topics that interest you, including fiction, poetry, experimental writing and scriptwriting of drama, film and TV, while your final dissertation project allows you to specialise in an area of your choosing. 

How you will learn 

In small creative writing workshops you will share your writing and read the writing of your peers, often alongside published works. In these workshops you will learn how to discuss your writing-in-progress and gain regular feedback from faculty members and from fellow emerging writers on your degree. Lectures and seminars from internationally renowned researchers and specialists will complement your learning.

This course is available with full- or part-time study.  It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening.  

Foundation Year

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.

Discover the career opportunities available by taking Creative Writing (BA (Hons)).

Key information and modules

Creative writing ba (hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting october 2024.

Central London

Creative Writing BA (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2024

Creative writing with foundation year ba (hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting october 2024, creative writing with foundation year ba (hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting october 2024, creative writing ba (hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting october 2025, creative writing ba (hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting october 2025.

Applications open in October 2024

Creative Writing with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting October 2025

Creative writing with foundation year ba (hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting october 2025.

Find another course:

• Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
• You will be eligible to submit work to the annual Birkbeck creative writing journal, The Mechanics’ Institute Review . Read an account of how our students created the most recent issue of The Mechanics' Institute Review .
• Birkbeck is located in the heart of literary London, in Bloomsbury, WC1. You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the  Peltz Gallery , the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space .

Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the Key Information section under Attendance.

Entry Requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

All applicants, whatever their academic background, must submit a sample of 1000 words of creative writing (fiction, poetry, drama, or screenwriting).

For part-time courses, standard requirements are a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.

UCAS tariff points

• 3 years full-time: 96-128 points (e.g. A-levels CCC-ABB)
• 4 years full-time with Foundation Year: 48 points

The UCAS tariff score is applicable to you if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a tariff calculator for you to work out what your qualification is worth within the UCAS tariff.

Foundation year degrees

Our 'with Foundation Year' route is designed to give you extra support as it provides you with an additional year (full-time) or two years (part-time) of supported study. This is an ideal route if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree. 

Once you successfully complete your Foundation Year studies, you will automatically advance onto the main degree. 

Alternative entry routes

3 years full-time and 4 years part-time: Access to Higher Education Diploma with a minimum of 15 credits achieved at Merit or Distinction in the subject area, although we may waive these formal entry requirements and make our own assessment based on the creative writing sample.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.  We also accept other English language tests .

If you don’t meet the minimum English language requirements,  please contact us  or see our  international study skills page  for more details of how we can help.

Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our  English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country .

Visa and funding requirements

If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

• Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
• Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

For full information, read our visa information for international students page .

Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country .

Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

Creative Writing BA (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26

Academic year 2024–25, starting october 2024.

Part-time home students: £6,935 per year Part-time international students : £13,215 per year

Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025

Part-time home students: £6,935 per year Part-time international students : £13,545 per year

Creative Writing BA (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26

Full-time home students: £9,250 per year Full-time international students: £17,620 per year

Full-time home students: £9,250 per year Full-time international students: £18,060 per year

Creative Writing with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26

Creative writing with foundation year ba (hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26.

Part-time home students, Year 1&2: £4,625 per year Part-time international students , Year 1&2: £8,810 per year Part-time home students, Year 3+: £6,935 per year Part-time international students , Year 3+: £13,215 per year

Part-time home students, Year 1&2: £4,625 per year Part-time international students , Year 1&2: £9,030 per year Part-time home students, Year 3+: £6,935 per year Part-time international students , Year 3+: £13,545 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy .

If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

Tuition fee and maintenance loans

Eligible full-time and part-time students from the UK don’t have to pay any tuition fees upfront, as government loans are available to cover them.

Maintenance loans are also available for eligible full-time and part-time UK students, to assist with covering living costs, such as accommodation, food, travel, books and study materials. The amount you receive is means-tested and depends on where you live and study and your household income.

Find out more about tuition fee and maintenance loans for full-time and part-time students at Birkbeck.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

International scholarships

We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship .

At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.

Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.

In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.

Methods of teaching on this course

Teaching is varied and interactive and takes the form of lecturer-led sessions on elements of craft, workshopping of students' creative work, class and home exercises, student readings, and individual and group work.

The Foundation Year is composed mainly of interactive lectures for large groups and tutorial-style classes that support the development of knowledge, skills, confidence and self-awareness.

You may be taught by successful, published authors and practitioners, including:

• David Eldridge
• Richard Hamblyn
• Steve Willey
• Luke Williams .

Teaching hours

Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm). Some programmes also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.

On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars, workshops or laboratory work. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).

Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.

Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.

On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.

Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).

Indicative class size

Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.

Independent learning

On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.

Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.

Study skills and additional support

Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:

• academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
• written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
• numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).

Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.

Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.

Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.

Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.

Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.

Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

Methods of assessment on this course

Assessment is 100% coursework, which may include short creative projects, essays, presentations, a writer's notebook, web publishing and an extended creative work in a specific genre. 

A creative dissertation is also a compulsory requirement of the course in your final year.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this BA Creative Writing, you will have attained an array of important transferable skills, including:  

• the capacity to think and communicate creatively and critically
• a sophisticated use of written and spoken English
• an ability to understand and apply complex ideas
• effective organisation and time-keeping skills
• facility and precision in the use of analytical tools
• strong skills and initiative in collecting and organising complex materials and writing up clear, well-presented reports or fluent critical arguments.

Studying this course will prepare you for a career path in a range of fields:  

• creative writing 
• publishing 
• journalism  

Birkbeck creative writing graduates include:

• Niki Aguirre
• Sarah Alexander
• Laura Allsop
• Iphgenia Baal
• Phoebe Blatton
• Nicole Burstein
• Tray Butler
• Melissa De Villiers
• Liz Fremantle
• A. J. Grainger
• Emma Henderson
• Sally Hinchcliffe
• Heidi James
• Olya Knezevic
• Matthew Loukes
• Karin Salvalaggio
• David Savill

The School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication's specially designed Careers and Employability provision includes opportunities at all levels to support you in developing your career, including modules,  workshops, placements and other resources directly related to employability, in particular in the creative arts and cultural industries. 

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

You apply via UCAS for our full-time undergraduate courses or directly to Birkbeck for our part-time undergraduate courses.

Full-time (UCAS entry)

If you are applying for a full-time undergraduate course at Birkbeck, you have to apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). To apply, go to the UCAS website and click on ‘Sign in’. You will have to register, giving UCAS a few personal details, including your name, address and date of birth, and then you can start working on your application.

The first UCAS deadline is in January, and the majority of university applications through UCAS are made by then. Find the exact deadline date on the UCAS website . We welcome applications outside of the UCAS deadlines, so you can still apply through UCAS after the January deadline, depending on the availability of places. We also take late applications via the UCAS Clearing system in August.

If you are applying for a part-time undergraduate course (4 or 6 year), you apply directly to Birkbeck by using the Apply now button. You will need to prove your identity when you apply - read more about suitable forms of identification .

You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link. Please note that online application will open in September.

When to apply

You are strongly advised to apply now , to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.

Help and advice with your application

Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

Apply for your course

Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section .

Course structure

Course structure listing, course structure and modules for creative writing ba (hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting october 2024.

You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

• Year 1: three compulsory modules
• Years 2 and 3: two compulsory modules and one option module in each year
• Year 4: two compulsory modules, one option module and a dissertation

Year 1 compulsory modules

• Introduction to Playwriting and Poetry
• Storytelling: Narrative Archetypes, Forms and Techniques
• Writing for Film and TV

Year 2 compulsory modules

• Fiction Workshop 1
• Narrative Methods

Year 2 option modules

• Poetry Workshop 1
• Scriptwriting Workshop 1: The Essentials of Stage and Screen (The 30 Minute Script)

Year 3 compulsory modules

• Creative Non-fiction
• The Writing Industry

Year 3 option modules

• Poetry Workshop 2: The Open Page
• Scriptwriting Workshop 2: Writing for the Contemporary Stage

Year 4 compulsory modules

• Independent Reading Portfolio: Critical Reflection
• The Publishing Project

Year 4 option modules

• Fiction Workshop: The Contemporary Novel
• Scriptwriting Workshop 4: The Television Drama (The 60 Minute Script)

BA Creative Writing dissertation

• Dissertation BA Creative Writing

Course structure and modules for Creative Writing BA (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting October 2024

• Year 1: four compulsory modules
• Year 2: three compulsory modules and one option module
• Year 3: two compulsory modules, two option modules and a dissertation

Course structure and modules for Creative Writing BA (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2025

Course structure and modules for creative writing ba (hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting october 2025, course structure and modules for creative writing with foundation year ba (hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting october 2024.

For the Foundation Year, you undertake three core modules and choose one option module: either The Arts: Questioning the Contemporary World or a language module.

If you successfully complete these modules, you will automatically advance on to our three-year, full-time, evening study BA Creative Writing .

Foundation Year core modules

• Breaking Boundaries of Knowledge
• Fundamentals of Study
• The Arts: Perspectives and Possibilities

Foundation Year option modules

• French 3 (Level 4)
• French 4 (Level 4)
• German 3 (Level 4)
• German 4 (Level 4)
• Italian 3 (Level 4)
• Italian 4 (Level 4)
• Japanese 3 (Level 4)
• Japanese 4 (Level 4)
• Spanish 3 (Level 4)
• Spanish 4 (Level 4)
• The Arts: Questioning the Contemporary World

Course structure and modules for Creative Writing with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2024

Our part-time Foundation Year degrees allow you to spread out your Foundation Year studies over two years. As the 'Foundation Year' is made up of 120 credits, as a part-time student you can take 60 credits in each of your first and second years before starting the main four-year BA Creative Writing. This means that you can take six years to complete the part-time degree with Foundation Year.

In Foundation Year 1 you take two core modules and in Foundation Year 2 you take one core module and choose one option module.

If you successfully complete these modules, you will automatically advance on to our four-year, part-time, evening study BA Creative Writing .

Foundation Year 1 core modules

Foundation year 2 core module, foundation year 2 option modules, course structure and modules for creative writing with foundation year ba (hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting october 2025, course structure and modules for creative writing with foundation year ba (hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting october 2025.

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Creative writing courses

Studying creative writing at university, example course modules.

• Thinking about literature
• Writing the short story
• Screenwriting
• Writing comedy
• Writing modern drama
• Literary aesthetics
• Writing for the media
• Poetry for page and stage
• Short stories
• Travel writing

Teaching hours / week

Average for this subject

Average for all subjects

Average hours for this subject: 9 (Low N/A - High N/A). Average hours for all subjects: 14.

The time you'll spend in lectures and seminars each week will vary from university to university, so use this as a guide.

Who studies this subject

• Female : 69% Male : 31%
• Mature : 41% School leaver : 59%
• Full-time : 73% Part-time : 27%

What students say about creative writing

Academic experience.

Creative writing is a subject that seems like a laidback one - a bit of story writing and you're done, easy, right? - but it's not. You need to be hardworking, creative (obviously!) and involved. Stories may rather easily come to mind, but it takes time, effort and skill to put pen to paper and create what is in your mind - and even then, you'll hate a lot of what you've written and want to start again. Creative writing is a subject that requires a lot of effort and input, it requires you to get involved in class and share your work and ideas, because you never know where someone's feedback will lead you. Ultimately, though, when you finally get that 'bit of story writing' spot on and just how you like it, the effort is all worth it. Especially if your grades reflect your work!

The content of the course is tailored towards improving you as a writer, not telling how to write or imposing how/ what they think you should be writing, but encouraging your own creativity and helping you build upon your 'writer's toolbox'. The type of work we usually do is creative exercises, during which we are often given a task in small groups to create an idea, for example, one group might be given the task of creating a world for a story, then another might be given the task of creating characters, and another group given the task of creating a storyline guiding the character through the world. Exercises such as this help develop a writer's ability to create and adapt their own ideas and techniques whilst learning what others might do in the same situation.

On the creative writing course we are asked to do weekly assignments; these are signed each week as proof that they have been completed. They are added to our portfolio which is marked at the end of semester along with our essays. There are no exams. In year 1 and 2 we also work in group presentations. There is a wide variety of modules to choose from in different writing areas, which helps to expand our knowledge of what we would like to specialise in. There are opportunities to perform our work and also submit it to the university's publications. These are student-run with the support of tutors.

What you need to get on a course

Subjects you need.

A-levels (or equivalent) usually required

• No Specific Requirements

Useful to have

Application checklist

Here's a guide to what to expect from the application process - also check individual university entry requirements, as these may differ.

• January application
• October application
• Personal statement
• Work experience

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement is a core part of your university application, and getting it just right takes time. Before you start work on yours, take a look at our five quick tips on writing a personal statement. We'll help you past that writer's block!

Career prospects

Six months after graduating.

• Sales assistants and retail cashiers

Longer term career paths

Jobs where this degree is useful.

• Public relations officer

Other real-life job examples

• Stage director
• Press officer
• Web content manager

What employers like about this subject

Creative writing students can learn a range of subject-specific skills including a grounding in the technique and forms of creative writing; how to develop ideas in writing and the principles of writing for different audiences from theatre to online. Transferable skills you can develop include first-rate communication skills, project management, team-working, self-motivation and time management. Creative writing graduates find jobs in publishing, education, advertising, TV and film and the performing arts.

Explore these related courses...

Related subjects to explore

Drama and theatre studies, english language and literature, photography and film, media studies.

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Promoted universities

• Durham University
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• University of the Arts London
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Creative Writing BA(Hons)

Unlock your creativity with our dynamic Creative Writing degree where you will experiment with styles, inspired by our diverse city, and develop your craft through an inclusive and encouraging approach. 

Engage in critical reading and innovative writing across various genres, applying your skills to real-world scenarios like publishing. 

Guided by supportive tutors, you will explore key texts and connect your work to political, social, and cultural theories. You will experience learning in museums, galleries, theatres, archives, and beyond.

You will collaborate with publishers and acclaimed writers, and participate in our Scrivener Series and spoken word nights. Specialise in a subject of your choice after year one or continue broad exploration.

At the end of year 1 you can choose a specialist subject that complements your degree or to carry on with the broader Creative Writing degree.

Creative Writing with Wellbeing BA(Hons)

• Creative Writing with Comics and Graphic Novels BA(Hons)*

*The comics and graphic novels pathway is new for 2025. It is in the final stages of development and may change. Check back for updates, and if you apply for this course we will let you know about any new developments via Student View .

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code W800

Full-time 3 years

What are my next steps?

I'd like to start uni in: 2024 2025

Clearing 2024: Apply now

Places are still available on this course to start in 2024.

If you have your results you can apply online for a place through Clearing.

Apply online now

You can also book a Clearing callback , or if you need advice, call us on 01273 644000

You can also book a Clearing callback .

Our hotline opens .

Find out more about studying with us in our digital prospectus.

Access our prospectus

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-level or BTEC Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBB–BCC (120–104 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

A-levels must include English language, English literature, or combined English language and literature.

International Baccalaureate 26 points, with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma Pass with 60 credits overall. Humanities, history or politics courses preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3.

Studied before or got relevant experience? A qualification, HE credits, or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

English language requirements IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept .

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

Course content

Top reasons to choose this course

• Staff are active writers – you will learn from published novelists, poets and screenwriters.
• Strong local publishing connections – we organise a programme of visiting writers and publishing professionals. Take a look at some of our prizes and partnerships .
• Scrivener talks give you the chance to speak to a professional writer about their work.
• Our focus on employability, including a placement, ensures you will graduate as an emerging writer with a strong skillset.

Extracurricular activities such as t he Performance and Community Research and Enterprise Group and  the student-led Creative Writing Society.

• Alumni making a difference – graduates from our programmes include Paris Lees, Merci Roberts, Munroe Bergdorf and Tanaka Mhisi.
• Excellent student support and a warm and encouraging community.
• Weekly roundup of writing competitions and opportunities to encourage you to promote your work and consider future careers.
• Workshops and spoken word events help you find your writing voice.
• Professional feedback on any aspect of your writing from our resident  Royal Literary Fund Fellow .

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All students study the same modules in year 1, where you will develop your awareness of writing genres and work with local writers.

You will learn through lectures, seminars and workshops as well as small group and individual tutorials.

Explore the cultural and critical concepts of belonging and unbelonging. You'll situate yourself as an emerging, socially responsible writer in the wider world by engaging with diverse writings that explore themes of migration and movement, home and displacement, search for a community, and our relationship to the environment and different spaces.

Taking inspiration from Edward Said’s book The World, the Text, and the Critic (1983), this module enables you to explore some of the key debates in contemporary literary studies. Organised around decolonial, feminist, queer, ecocritical and other approaches to texts, you'll develop critical writing skills and knowledge of social, cultural and political contexts in the interpretation of literary works and the wider world. 

Explore the concept of a professional writerly identity, and consider a ‘writing life’ in personal, local and global terms. Through studying and by contact with professional writers, you will investigate writing as self-expression, craft, process and profession; curating a writerly identity/ persona; developing your writing towards your future career; and the writing life and its implications on the global stage, for example as an act of resistance to inequalities.

This module will introduce you to practices of storying the self in writing and digital media. Through creating a first person story combining audio script, music and still image, you will engage with the expressive complexities of autobiographical representation. The module will also give you the creative writing tools to experiment with storying the self in a variety of written genre.

How might theatre engage audiences with the politics of class, race, gender, sexuality and the environment? You'll examine a range of plays in context, exploring how provocative stories develop through characterisation, stage directions, dialogue and dramatic action. Learn to think critically and creatively about theatrical texts and how to write scripts for stage in inclusive collaborations with your peers.

Brighton is a vibrant and unique place that has impacted on British and European culture, as well being at the forefront of social changes since the eighteenth-century. This module is a literary and cultural exploration of Brighton as a place. You will engage and connect with Brighton’s history, literary culture and your own creative writing practice. The module benefits from several city trips, which will bring learning materials to life.

Our courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis in order to make sure that what you learn with us is relevant and that your course enables you to develop appropriate skills. When you apply to study with us, we will inform you of any new developments in your chosen programme through Student View .

Pier Review, a literary magazine run by our students, teachers and alumni

There are placement opportunities available in the second year as well as field trips to theatres, museums, schools and community organisations. You are also welcome to study abroad for a semester during your second year.

You'll also choose to stay with the broad Creative Writing degree, or to specialise in wellbeing or comics and graphic novels.

Core modules for all pathways

• Stories that Transform: Reading and Writing for Change

Creative writing

• Research and Practice
• Professional Placement and Practice

Creative writing with wellbeing

• Childhood, Psychology and Society
• Psychology, Mental Health and Distress

Creative writing with comics and graphic novels – new for 2025 This pathway is in the final stages of development and may change.

• Comics, Cultures and Themes
• Image and Text: The Language of Comics and Graphic Novels
• Writing for Stage, Radio and Screen
• Early Modern Literature
• Twentieth Century Literary Experiments
• Literature and Art History
• Travel Narratives Through Time and Space
• Contemporary Narratives and Society
• Introduction to Journalism
• Queer Writing
• Power and Persuasion
• Poetry and Process
• Community Engagement: Theory into Practice
• American Literature**
• Modernism and Heritage**
• Women’s Writing and Feminist Theory**

You can also choose option modules from across our humanities and arts subjects.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

** available to students choosing the comics and graphic novels pathway

In the final year you take two core modules and choose from a selection of options. Publishers Epoque Press award a prize for the best dissertation.

Core modules – all pathways

• Dissertation
• Brighton Rocks: Final Year Show

Creative writing pathway options *

• Community Placement: Theory in Practice
• Russian Literature and Culture: The Golden Age and Beyond
• (Re)viewing Shakespeare
• Apocalypse, Utopia, Dystopia
• Literature and Philosophy
• Postwar American Literature
• Literature and the World Wars
• Women's Writing and Feminist Theory
• Restoration Dramas
• Adaptations
• Citizen Journalism: Theory and Practice
• From Script to Screen
• Creative Writing Project
• Conflict, Migration, Borders
• Reading and Writing Landscape
• Autoethnography
• Gothic Texts and Contexts
• Victorian Sexualities
• Brighton Rocks
• Writing the Contemporary
• Postcolonial Literatures
• European Literatures and Film

Specialist wellbeing pathway options* 

• Community Wellbeing and Social Justice
• Counselling Skills and the Therapeutic Relationship
• Critical Addiction Studies
• Cyberpsychology
• Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy
• Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Children
• Psychology of Poverty
• Sexualities

Specialist comics and graphic novels pathway options*

• Contemporary Global Literatures
• English Language Teaching
• European Literature and Film
• Gothic: Texts and Contexts
• Literature and Social Change
• Script to Screen

Specialise in wellbeing

At the end of your first year, you can carry on with your Creative Writing BA for a broad view of the subject along with your choice of option modules, or you can choose to specialise in creative writing combined with wellbeing.

Choosing to specialise means that your core modules and options focus on the subject that you choose, and you'll graduate with that subject in your degree title.

You'll explore specialist wellbeing-related modules alongside core creative writing modules and choose option modules in the subjects that interest you most.

You will link your knowledge of wellbeing to the craft of writing and consider texts and your own work in relation to political, social, cultural and medical theories. You will particularly focus on diversity and global challenges. You will identify underrepresented stories and question their absence, as well as thinking ethically and sensitively about addressing gaps in literature and writing that your work can fill.

Events such as our wellbeing walks will consider the impact of the outdoors and place on your writing and think about how eco-writing can raise awareness and spark dialogues. Our tutors will help you to develop techniques and skills involved in storytelling in a range of genres and encourage you to think about how your writing can and will impact on the world and how you can be part of, and also lead, better conversations about living well.

Through the university’s Centre for Arts and Wellbeing you will be connected with the latest national and international research and events that speak directly to your subjects. You will be encouraged to think how you can contribute to future work in these transformative and vital fields.

Specialise in comics and graphic novels

At the end of your first year, you can carry on with your Creative Writing BA for a broad view of the subject along with your choice of option modules, or you can choose to specialise in creative writing combined with comics and graphic novels.

Creative Writing with Comics and Graphic Novels BA(Hons)

Comics and graphic novels entertain and inform through a powerful and dynamic combination of visual art and narrative storytelling – and their cultural impact means they are recognised as an important art form. They are used to explore subjects from politics to mental health, social inequality to science, fantasy to fiction in ways that convey emotions, action and atmosphere with broad and inclusive appeal.

On this innovative specialist pathway you will be encouraged to experiment, whether that is creating long-form graphic novels or comic strips, engaging with subjects that excite and inspire you.

Our staff have extensive writing and publishing expertise in the field and they will develop your skills and knowledge, ensuring you understand specific storytelling techniques that create an emotional impact on the reader. You will also learn aspects of design such as panel layouts, visual pacing and composition.

As a student, you will be engaging with this evolving art form in a vibrant city where creativity is celebrated, benefitting from our connections to organisations and events in which you can participate and share your work.

This pathway starts in 2025 – students starting their creative writing degree in September 2024 will be able to choose to specialise in comics and graphic novels in year 2 of their course.

Lab facilities

Mithras House is home to all our School of Humanities and Social Science courses. It has a series of ‘labs’, which may be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work. Life lab A comfortable space with lounge furniture intended for qualitative research with larger groups. Due to its relaxed layout and naturalistic environment, the space is suited to research using focus groups, research using observation-based methods and child research.

The space is also used for teaching on some social science courses, as well as for dissertation research for projects.   City lab A space designed for collaborative student learning. It is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme, our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackling the pressing issues facing our world. Design lab A space housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses . It has the space and equipment to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Stats lab A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab is accessible as a study space to students on psychology courses. 

It is also available to students studying courses involving video and audio recording and editing, such as politics degrees and our creative writing programmes. The stats lab contains eight soundproof booths for recording or transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research.   VR and eye tracking lab This lab is used for psychological research, specifically eye-tracking research and virtual reality research. Equipment includes an electroencephalography (EEG) headset and Electrodermal Activity (EDA) equipment.

Take a virtual tour of the labs available

A core module in year 2 of the creative writing and the wellbeing pathways enables you to gain professional experience in industries such as publishing, broadcasting, social media marketing, PR and the charity sector. 

Recent placement hosts include:

• Action Medical Research
• Action Tutoring
• Airstream Photo Booth
• Brighton Dome
• British Forces Broadcasting Services
• Epoque Press
• Factory Films
• The Old Market Theatre
• Little Green Pig
• Men’s Health Magazine

In year 3 the Community Placement module is available for all pathways to choose. It is aimed at building your professional experience through 30 to 50 hours of voluntary work with a not-for-profit or community organisation. The placement is assessed and contributes to your degree.

Meet the team

Dr Bea Hitchman  is a novelist whose work focuses on gender, queer writing and historical fiction. Her 2013 novel Petite Mort was nominated for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Prize, the Polari Prize, the HWA Debut Novel Prize and the Desmond Elliott Prize, and serialised as a ten-part Radio 4 drama. Her second novel, All of You Every Single One (2021) was one of Vogue’s Best Novels of 2022, and was nominated for the Polari Prize and HWA Prize.  Read novelist and writing tutor Beatrice Hitchman's staff profile .

Read a Q+A with Bea Hitchman where she talks about her career and how she got into writing novels and teaching.

Dr Craig Jordan-Baker  is a writer of drama, fiction and non-fiction. His drama has been widely performed and his first novel The Nacullians was published in 2020 and his most recent work If the River is Hidden (2022) is hybrid work combining poetry and lyrical prose. He was the winner of the 2018 Excellence in Facilitating and Empowering Learning Award. You can read more about Craig's interests and background on his staff profile.  You can read more about novelist and creative writing tutor Dr Craig Jordan-Baker on his staff profile .

Dr Jess Moriarty researches in the field of teaching writing practice, especially in auto-ethnographical academic writing and in creative writing with undergraduates. Another winner of the Teaching Excellence award, she is also co-founder of Work Write Live, which provides a range of writing short courses and volunteering opportunities for students to develop vocational and academic skills. You can read more about writer and creative-writing tutor Dr Jess Moriarty on her staff profile .

Read a Q+A with Jess Moriarty where she talks about her career and how she got into writing novels and teaching.

Dr John McCullough is a Costa-shortlisted, Polari prize-winning poet who focuses on mental health, loss, the body, queer politics, queer history and Brighton as a centre for unique LGBT+ subcultures. He has written three collections: The Frost Fairs (Salt, 2011) which won the Polari First Book Prize and was a Book of the Year for The Independent and a summer read for The Observer. His second, Spacecraft (Penned in the Margins, 2016) was shortlisted for the Ledbury-Forte prize and was a summer read for The Guardian. His latest collection, Reckless Paper Birds (Penned in the Margins, 2019), was shortlisted for the Costa. Read more about poet and creative-writing tutor Dr John McCullough on his staff profile .

Julie Everton is a playwright and script editor. She teaches drama, script writing, and screenwriting. Her research includes writing about real events/people, models of script development and autoethnography. You can read more about playwright and writing tutor Julie Everton on her staff profile .

Dr Barbara Chamberlain teaches modules in creative writing, English language, media and literature and include cinema, landscape writing, intercultural communication, teacher training and comics. She co-curates the Graphic Brighton symposium which brings together comics scholars, creators, publishers and readers. Read more about  Dr Barbara Chamberlin in her staff profile.

Dr Craig Jordan-Baker

Reckless Paper Birds is the Costa-nominated book by lecturer Dr John McCullough.

More about this subject at Brighton

How Brighton’s Creative Writing MA inspired Harry Hillery’s ongoing work

“My favourite part of the course was the Writer in Residence module because this established that there was an appetite for remembrance work around the HIV / AIDS epidemic in the Brighton area, which became the basis for my dissertation and led me to create an archive and remembrance page for Brighton.

Geri Oida on what being a Story Mentor Volunteer can teach a Creative Writing student

“This role at Little Green Pig taught me that you can help the community with your skills, and as a writer it made me reflect about having no limits on telling a story, no matter what your age, background, and knowledge.

Creative Writing MA students write on wellbeing

Take a look at some of the work produced by our Creative Writing MA students who have been spending time as writer in residence for the Centre for Arts & Wellbeing at the university.

Reading to get you thinking for our Creative Writing MA

Whether you’re an applicant, or thinking of applying, why not whet your appetite with some of the course reading?

Read more from our blog

What can I do with a creative writing degree?

Creative writing degree graduates gain a broad range of skills applicable in a variety of roles, such as:

• editorial assistant
• higher education lecturer
• lexicographer
• publishing copy-editor/proofreader

This degree opens up a range of postgraduate study options. At Brighton, for example, you could progress to:

• Creative Writing MA
• Journalism MA
• Secondary English PGCE .

You could also choose to complete your PhD at Brighton alongside our team of world-leading researchers.

High-profile graduates from our English programmes include Paris Lees, Tanaka Mhishi and Munroe Bergdorf.

Graduates from our English programmes have gone on to careers in:

• social media marketing
• English tutorship
• SEO Executive
• broadcasting
• public relations 
• postgraduate studies in English language or related areas.

Professional advice and support 

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

• Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
• Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
• Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
• Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
• Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
• Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 15,900 GBP

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2024–25 .

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Your Brighton Boost 2024 – up to £1,750 to help new undergrad students with study, accommodation or travel costs. Find out more...

• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• About the university’s fees by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

What's included

Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our creative writing students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.

Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university and check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information.

What's included in your tuition fee

• Course books, magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies. See the subject area in the library for an up-to-date list of key subject journals and databases.
• You will have access to computers and necessary software on campus – and can borrow a laptop from us if yours is broken or you don’t have a computer at home. Specialist equipment is provided to cover essential learning.

Additional costs

• Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
• For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
• Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
• You may have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but if you choose to go on optional trips you can expect to pay either a contribution towards, or the full cost of, travel as well as for your food. Under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
• You’ll need to budget for printing and stationery for personal study, and books if you decide to buy your own. Many of the set texts are available as cheap editions and we estimate that students will not need to spend more than £200.
• Many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices, but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you'll find new Students' Union, events venue, and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our halls, Moulsecoomb Place and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains and to all the exciting things happening in our home city.

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students . So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Halls of residence We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

• Mithras Halls are stylish new high-rises in the heart of the student village at our revitalised Moulsecoomb campus with ensuite rooms for more than 800 students.
• Varley Park  is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting .

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Moulsecoomb campus map

Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more .

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton .

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships .

Stay in touch

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help. 01273 644644

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised , and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

Discover Uni

Discover Uni enables you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Discover Uni data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course, and are updated following course changes.

Related courses 7 courses

English Language and Creative Writing BA(Hons)

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English Literature and Creative Writing BA(Hons)

English Language and Linguistics BA(Hons)

Linguistics ba(hons).

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Discover more about this subject area

MA Creative Writing / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page

We normally expect students to have a First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in a humanities-based subject area.

Full entry requirements

Course options

Course overview

• Engage with writers, editors and agents.
• Become part of a network of esteemed alumni .
• Learn from a distinguished team that includes novelists Jeanette Winterson CBE, Ian McGuire, Kamila Shamsie, Beth Underdown, Honor Gavin and Luke Brown; poets John McAuliffe, Frances Leviston, Vona Groarke and Michael Schmidt; and non-fiction writers Ellah Wakatama and Horatio Clare.
• Discover the rich literary fabric of Manchester, a UNESCO City of Literature, through Literature Live, Manchester Literature Festival, The Manchester Review, the International Anthony Burgess Foundation and Manchester-based publishers.

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For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MA (full-time) UK students (per annum): £12,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): £26,000
• MA (part-time) UK students (per annum): £6,250 International, including EU, students (per annum): £13,000

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

Each year the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures offer a number of  School awards and  Subject-specific bursaries  (the values of which are usually set at Home/EU fees level), open to both Home/EU and international students. The deadline for these is early February each year. Details of all funding opportunities, including deadlines, eligibility and how to apply, can be found on the School's funding page  where you can also find details of the Government Postgraduate Loan Scheme.

See also the University's postgraduate funding database  to see if you are eligible for any other funding opportunities.

For University of Manchester graduates, the Manchester Alumni Bursary  offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a 1st within the last three years and are progressing to a postgraduate taught masters course.

The Manchester Master's Bursary  is a University-wide scheme that offers 100 bursaries worth £3,000 in funding for students from underrepresented groups.

Contact details

See: About us

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

• English Literature, American Studies and Creative Writing

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

This is just the beginning

BA (Hons) Creative Writing and English Literature

Course options

Key Details

Explore our Clearing campus visits

Get ready for Clearing by joining us at one of our Clearing webinars, or book to explore our beautiful campus at one of our Campus tours.

Why you should choose us

Course overview.

The writer's world has never been more diverse, exciting, and collaborative than it is today. UEA – which became the first UK university to teach creative writing over 50 years ago – has played a major role in shaping this world. Since then, countless writers have emerged from our seminars and workshops and made a lasting impact on the field of contemporary literature. Are you ready to join them?   

As a student of Creative Writing and English Literature, you'll hone your writing skills while exploring literatures from a host of genres, countries, and periods. You’ll take the same creative writing workshops as our English Literature with Creative Writing students. In addition, you'll dive into modules that will take your writing practice out of the classroom and into the working writer's world. Through seminars, workshops, and placements, you'll develop skills across disciplines and media, in community engagement, and in publishing and presenting your own work. In other words, you’ll be primed to enter a writer's world that is collaborative, thrillingly diverse, and endlessly exciting

‘To write is to practice, with particular intensity and attentiveness, the art of reading.’ So wrote Susan Sontag. In a similar way, at UEA we believe that good readers make good writers. It’s for this reason that we combine the study of Creative Writing with the study of Literature at all levels of our degree programmes. In this way, your creative and literary training go hand-in-hand. 

In addition to the creative writing workshops offered by our pioneering and world-famous English Literature with Creative Writing degree, this course offers you a suite of modules designed to help you enter the working writer's world once you graduate. You’ll become familiar with collaborative practice, working with makers and thinkers in other disciplines. On our innovative creative non-fiction module, you’ll experience writing in real-world contexts and learn how to make that world your subject. As your degree reaches its climax, you’ll learn how to produce, publish and perform your work to a professional standard.  

All along, you’ll be studying at a university rich in famous alumni, including Booker Prize winners Ian McEwan and Anne Enright, Forward Prize winner Mona Arshi, and Nobel Prize winner Sir Kazuo Ishiguro. You’ll draw inspiration from this lineage, while working closely with our many practicing novelists, scriptwriters, poets in seminars and workshops. 

In your study of English literature, you’ll discover a wealth of writers from the classical past right up to poets and novelists writing now. You might explore diverse literary traditions from across the globe, and you’ll tackle a heady mix of genres, which currently range from the gothic to contemporary fiction, crime writing to children’s literature, early modern women’s writing to modern Japanese fiction.  

Whichever modules you choose to study, you’ll be taught by our world-leading writers and critics. UEA’s School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing is famous for innovation in teaching and for cutting-edge research – that’s why in the most recent Times Higher Education Analysis (REF2021), UEA was ranked 19th in the UK for the quality of its research in English Language and Literature. 

When you’re not in the classroom, you’ll be able to explore the glories of Norwich, an extraordinary place in which to be a writer. Not only is it jaw-droppingly beautiful; it’s also England’s first UNESCO City of Literature – awarded in recognition of the city’s vivid literary heritage and vibrant contemporary writing scene – and home to the National Centre for Writing . You’ll immerse yourself in this community, perhaps sharing your work with a packed audience of students and professional writers at our UEA Live: New Writing series, or attending literary festival events with internationally renowned figures.  

We say that UEA is the place where literature lives – when you join the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing , you’ll join a unique and supportive community of critics, writers, and drama practitioners, who bring literature to life every day.  It’s a pretty good place to be, and you can find out more about the activities in our School by following us on Instagram . 

Placement Year and Study Abroad

You have the option to apply to study abroad for one semester of your second year. Study abroad is a wonderfully enriching life experience – you will develop confidence and adaptability, and will have the chance to deepen your understanding of writing while learning about another culture. At UEA, you’ll be surrounded by the many students we welcome from around the world to study with us.  

For further details, visit the  Study Abroad section  of our website.  

Study and Modules

During your first year, you’ll take three bespoke Creative Writing modules, in which you’ll develop your range of skills as a writer. The first semester is all about cultivating your craft, testing out the possibilities of different forms and techniques, pushing your boundaries as a writer, and using writing exercises to help you generate material. In the second semester, you will experiment with avant-garde techniques and engage with genre, while developing the ability to critically reflect on your own creative practice. 

You’ll also explore writing as a collaborative practice, working with UEA students from other disciplines – which might include media, or medicine, or environmental science – to broaden your scope as a writer, working on new forms for new audiences. At the same time, you’ll improve your skills as a close reader of literary texts and begin to get to grips with the span of English Literature in core literature-based modules. This is the start of the exciting interplay between reading and writing which you’ll draw upon throughout your degree. 

Compulsory Modules

Creative writing: beginnings, creative writing: experiments with genre, new forms: writing in collaboration, reading literature in history, reading now, slow reading.

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching 

Nurtured by our world-leading creative writing tutors (in seminars of around 15 people), you'll start to get to grips with creative writing's fundamentals, including strategies for creating character, writing dialogue, determining mood, and maintaining atmosphere. You'll be mentored as you collaborate with students in other disciplines – your first taste of the contemporary working writer's world. Lectures on literature will surprise you with new ideas, and seminar discussions led by your tutor will shape your thinking about what you've read that week. You'll meet your academic adviser who'll support you through your whole degree with everything from choice of modules to launching your career.  

Independent Learning 

You’ll spend time on your own writing and your collaborative projects. You'll throw yourself into the whirlwind of extra-curricular creative writing events and activities. You'll read some extraordinary books, with a framework of guided tasks to help you get the most out of them, and discover a wealth of new resources in the library. By the end of this year, you'll be equipped with the fundamental skills necessary for your creative and literary journey. 

Assessment  

Throughout your degree, all modules in Creative Writing and in English Literature have no exams – we believe that the best way to express your thoughts about literature and to show off your creative development is through carefully crafted pieces of written coursework. On the creative side, you'll start by writing your own prose and poetry, developing fundamental skills in drafting, keeping a writer's notebook, and submitting to deadlines, before embarking on more experimental exercises. You'll produce work collaboratively  and reflect on the collaboration process, developing a critical awareness of your creative practice. In your studies of literature, you'll develop renewed enthusiasm for writing academic essays, and express your thinking in a diverse variety of forms, from reviews to personal reflective writing.  

Feedback 

You'll receive feedback on your writing (creative and critical) from your tutors (e.g. in one-to-one tutorials) and your peers. Feedback on assessed work will be returned within 20 working days (after it has been carefully marked and moderated). As your first year does not count toward your overall degree result, it's a great time to experiment and take risks.  

You’ll begin to focus your creative writing on particular forms, choosing from prose, poetry, and scriptwriting modules. You’ll share your writing with your peers and with a published author in our creative writing workshops, receiving feedback and learning how to give constructive criticism to your peers, too. You might also take a module in creative non-fiction, which will develop your skills in life writing and hybrid forms, working both in the classroom and through a short placement that will give you direct experience of writing in the world.  

As a literary critic, you will be able to choose from all the available literature modules, gaining a grounding in a variety of literary periods and traditions. You might also choose to experiment with our innovative creative-critical modules, where the reading and writing of literature go hand-in-hand. Over the course of this year, you’ll take a module on Shakespeare or an historical period of English literature from before 1789.

Optional A Modules

Victorian writing, european literature, critical theory and practice, contemporary fiction, literature studies semester abroad (spring), medieval writing: quest, fable and romance (pre-1789), shakespeare (pre-1789), romantic transformations: 1740-1830, early modern writing 1600-1740: the making of english literature (pre-1789), optional b modules, reading and writing in elizabethan england (pre-1789), making it public: publishing, audience, & creative enterprise, literature and philosophy, reading and writing contemporary poetry, the writing of history, transatlantic literatures, the writing of journalism (aut), the short story (aut), lgbt and beyond: sexual cultures, queer identities, and the politics of desire, arts and humanities placement module, optional c modules, writing in the world: placements, podcasts, creative nonfiction, scriptwriting: tv/film, creative writing: prose fiction (spr), scriptwriting: stage/audio, creative writing: prose fiction (aut), creative writing: poetry (aut), scriptwriting: screen and stage.

Teaching  

Your creative work will now be taken to the next level through the 'workshopping' process (pioneered in the UK by UEA), where you'll get feedback on your writing from your peers under the direction of one of our creative writing tutors, and learn the art of offering constructive critique to your fellow writers. You might bring your writing into the wider world through a placement with an organisation or community group, supported by our creative writing team. Lectures and seminars will immerse you in particular eras of literature, and you may also take seminars in more vocational subjects like journalism or publishing (using our state-of-the-art Media Suite).  

Independent Learning  

You'll deepen your confidence in the craft of creative writing, gain real-world experience of the demands and exhilarating rewards of collaborating with others, continue to enrich your writing through the study of literature, and finish the year with a real sense of how your degree might open out into future careers.

You'll continue to submit 100%  coursework for all your creative writing and literature modules. Your creative writing will flourish as you produce more substantial pieces of prose (a 1250-word short story or longer 2000-word narrative), portfolios of poetry, or scripts for stage or screen (20-30 minutes in length), and write reflective pieces to understand better your own creative processes. Your writing will be energised by encounters with real-life subjects as you experience the writer’s world first-hand, and you'll write reflectively about the ethics and complexities of drawing on real life subjects. You'll continue to hone your critical essay writing, and you might experiment with 'creative criticism', for instance by writing a short story which reveals your critical understanding of that form.  

Feedback  

You'll continue to have the support and feedback of all your tutors, and your creative work will be deepened by your immersion in the workshop environment, where you receive feedback from your peers and learn to give feedback on their work, an enormously valuable skill in many careers.

.  

In your final-year creative writing modules you will focus intensively on your own practice. You’ll take a workshop, modelled on our world-famous Creative Writing MA. This will give you the chance to further develop your work in a particular form: prose, poetry, or scriptwriting. You’ll also have the chance to write a creative writing dissertation, in which you produce a substantial piece of poetry, prose or script, with one-to-one support from a tutor. Or you can choose a module in which you will be able to publish your own book  and develop skills in performing your own work for an audience. On the literature side, you’ll choose from a dazzling array of specialist modules organised into two option ranges – currently we offer topics covering everything from the global Middle Ages to contemporary children’s literature. 

CREATIVE WRITING: PROSE

Creative writing dissertation (aut), writing television drama, publication, production, performance, creative writing dissertation (spr), creative writing: scriptwriting, creative writing: prose (aut), shakespeare's dramatic worlds (pre-1789), the business of books (pre-1789), literature dissertation: post-1789 (spr), women's writing in early-modern britain: the emergence of female authorship (pre-1789), reading modern japanese fiction: translation and canonisation, literature dissertation: post-1789 (aut), nervous narratives, literature dissertation: (pre-1789) (aut), monsters, marvels and creative medieval heritage (pre-1789), the birth of the gothic: romance, revolution, empire, banned books, literature dissertation: (pre-1789) (spr), ghosts, haunting and spectrality, the art of murder, children's literature, imaginary endings: british fiction and the apocalypse, mythos: rewriting the classics (pre-1789), feminist writing, culture and performance, the art of emotion: literature, writing and feeling.

Your immersion in the writer's world culminates as you're mentored through the intensive editorial and revision process needed to ensure your work meets industry standards for publication or performance. You might take a three-hour workshop led by a member of our creative writing team, or choose to work one-on-one with a creative writing tutor to produce a substantial creative dissertation. Either way, you’ll be writing with confidence and a real sense of your writerly identity. Alongside this, you'll have the chance to explore cutting-edge literary topics in real depth, in three-hour seminars taught by specialists passionate about their subject.   

You'll work with increasing confidence and independence as a literary critic, and you'll have the option to bring together all your experience as a creative writer to complete the year (and the degree) with a tangible product of everything you've been learning – your own book and recorded performance piece.

You'll continue to be assessed by 100%  coursework. You'll have the option to take a module in which you turn your work into a book and performance piece that meets industry standards, and which is a full reflection of the writer you have become. You can also choose to participate in another workshop or to embark on a creative dissertation (6000 words writing / 2000 words reflection), the culmination of your achievements as a writer. Alongside your creative work, you'll have the chance to produce in-depth explorations of literature (3500-5000 words), and if you wish, you might continue to experiment with the forms in which you express your ideas about literary texts, writing Shakespearean sonnets or experimenting with the new boundary-defying genre of ‘auto-fiction’. 

You will continue to receive in-depth written and oral feedback, from both tutors and peers, in both workshops and one-on-one supervisions. All the feedback you've received will enable you to graduate with highly developed transferable skills in writing across a host of forms and for an array of audiences, together with an ability to give sensitive but incisive critique of others' work. 

Entry Requirements

A Level - ABB (subject specific requirements apply)

BTEC L3 Extended Diploma - DDM (subject specific requirements apply)

UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.  

You are required to have Mathematics and English Language at a minimum of Grade C or Grade 4 or above at GCSE.

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):  

IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components) 

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review  our English Language Equivalencies  for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement. 

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date. 

If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:  

Pre-sessional English at INTO UEA   

Academic English at INTO UEA   

Most applicants will not be called for an interview and a decision will be made via UCAS Track. However, for some applicants an interview will be requested. Where an interview is required the Admissions Service will contact you directly to arrange a time.  

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year.  We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.  

This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake is in September each year.    

Additional Information or Requirements

Extended Diploma: DDD plus A in English Literature including English Literature or one of the subjects listed: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

Diploma: DD plus A in English Literature or one of the subjects listed: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

Extended Certificate: D plus AA to include one of the subjects listed: English Literature, English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

Special Entry Requirements

Candidates who are shortlisted will be asked to provide a sample of their creative writing:  we ask for around 5-7 pages of work, which can be on any subject and in any genre of the candidate's choice. Most choose to send poetry, prose, or a mixture of the two.

If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our  Foundation Year programmes such as - 

https://www.uea.ac.uk/course/undergraduate/ba-english-literature-with-a-foundation-year

We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications.  If you have a qualification which is not listed here, or are taking a combination of qualifications, please contact us via Admissions Enquiries . 

International Requirements

We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. View our International Students pages for specific information about your country. 

INTO University of East Anglia 

If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree: 

International Foundation in Business, Economics, Society and Culture (for Year 1 entry to UEA) 

International Foundation in Humanities and Law (for Year 1 entry to UEA)

Admissions Policy

Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.  

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees   

View our information for Tuition Fees .  

Scholarships and Bursaries  

We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates. 

Course Related Costs

Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs. 

How to Apply

Apply for this course through the  Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) , using UCAS Hub.  

UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom. 

Your application does not have to be completed all at once.  Register or sign in to UCAS  to get started.  

Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges. 

The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is  E14 . 

View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: 

How to apply through UCAS  

Employability

After the course.

You will be a first-rate writer and an advanced critical thinker with an independent cast of mind; you’ll know how to manage your time, how to work collaboratively, and how to operate as a writer in the world of work. With the support of our Careers Service throughout your degree, you’ll have honed your CV and sought out internships. You’ll have attended Working with Words, an annual event in which you get to meet UEA alumni working in the creative industries. You might have got involved with the UEA Publishing Project, or its student arm,   Egg Box , or undertaken independent research in UEA’s British Archive of Contemporary Writing . In an increasingly text-based world, these skills and experiences are highly valued by employers.    

You could go on to work as a prose fiction or non-fiction writer, poet or scriptwriter, or go into many careers in arts, media, publishing, politics, charities and NGOs, teaching, or the commercial sector.  You’ll also be well placed to study for a postgraduate degree, including one of our world-famous Creative Writing MAs. Regardless of the direction you choose, you will be superbly placed to start writing your own story. 

A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.

Examples of careers you could enter include:  

Freelance writer   

Scriptwriter  

Publishing   

Community and Arts-related Projects 

Marketing  

Communication and PR  

Discover more on our Careers webpages . 

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Home > Postgraduate study > Postgraduate courses > Creative Writing MA

Creative Writing MA

Why choose this course.

With a full programme of workshops and critical study, this Creative Writing MA offers you the chance to work on your own writing in different genres with the support of published practitioners.

You will learn in workshops, one-to-one or in small groups, with support from practising and published writers and fellow students. Our award-winning former creative writing students include Booker-shortlisted Oyinkan Braithwaite, Joe Pierson, who won the Bridport Prize, Stefan Mohammed, awarded the Dylan Thomas Prize, Bafta-winner, Sarah Woolner, the acclaimed poet Dom Bury and celebrated novelist Faiqa Mansab.

The Writers' Workshop module will encourage you to develop your writing 'voice' through engagement with fellow students across a range of genres (in fiction or creative non-fiction), while the Special Study module enables you to specialise in one genre, such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry or drama.

This Creative Writing MA will give you the knowledge and confidence to enter the cultural debate and to begin to identify outlets for your own writing.

Our external examiner has rated it highly:

• 'The Kingston MA is very lively, energised and relevant in its outlook.'
• 'You are more experimental, adventurous and original than other creative writing MAs in the UK.'

Curtis Brown Agent's Choice competition

All successful applicants who take up their place with us in September will be entered into our competition to have a consultation with Annabel White , an agent at top London literary agency Curtis Brown.

So make sure the creative work you submit with your application is your very best - it might win you a meeting with a literary agent.

Reasons to choose Kingston

• The Creative Writing MA helps you to develop the craft of creative writing, either on a general level or through specialising in your chosen genre.
• You will become part of Kingston's thriving community, with events such as readings, lectures from published authors, editors and agents, masterclasses and enriching discussions.
• The creative dissertation and critical essay give you the chance to further specialise. You also explore writing in a range of forms and styles and take a module exploring critical theory and experimental/avant-garde writing.
• You will have the opportunity to contribute to Kingston University's publication, Ripple, which includes fiction, poetry, reviews and creative non-fiction and is edited by students on the course.
• appointed staff - many are published authors or active researchers, which keeps your learning dynamic.
• peer review - giving you the chance to discuss your own and other students' work in a mutually supportive environment.

The Art School Experience

As part of  Kingston School of Art , students on this course benefit from joining a creative community where collaborative working and critical practice are encouraged.

Our  workshops and studios  are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.

What our students say

In this video, one of our creative writing alumna and a current student discuss why they chose the course, what they enjoyed about it and why they'd recommend it to future applicants.

What you will study

You will have the opportunity to develop your creative writing skills in general or specialise in a chosen genre. As well as studying literary criticism and theory, you will also and will look at the professional elements of writing, such as copy-editing and how to get your work published.

Core modules

Optional placement year.

You'll be expected to pass all four modules and the dissertation to complete the course.

Creative Writing Dissertation

This module focuses on your own creative writing and research into your chosen form or genre, developed in consultation with your supervisor. You learn via one-to-one tutorials with your personal supervisor. You produce two pieces of writing:

• a creative dissertation – a portion of a novel, a body of poetry, a play screenplay or other creative form of no more than 15,000 words; and
• a critical essay of approximately 3,000 words – considering the relationships between your own writing and the literary contexts/theoretical concerns that inform published writing in your chosen genre or form.

Your supervisor must agree in advance the final structure, approximate word length and for presentation conventions of these pieces.

Special Study: Workshop in Popular Genre Writing

This module offers a regular and intensive review of your writing in one of the following genres: poetry, crime writing, prose fiction, biography, drama, scriptwriting or writing for children. You will be advised on how to strengthen your knowledge of the codes and conventions of your chosen genre to produce a substantial piece or collection of work that will reflect your knowledge of and engagement with your chosen genre. You will apply detailed feedback on your work to your writing as well as using your increased knowledge of your chosen genre to make your writing more effective. These elements will help you improve the key transferable skills of analysis and implementation that will feed forward into your dissertation module and into all analytical/practical tasks you subsequently undertake.

Writing the Contemporary

This module provides the opportunity to examine ways in which reading is essential to writing practice and teaches you to apply literary techniques and strategies from contemporary fiction, life writing and poetry texts to your own work. You will develop the concept of 'reading as a writer' in order to explore how contemporary concerns are brought to the fore by artistic strategies, and examine how an understanding of these can provide models for your own creative practice. You will submit work including a reflective reading journal as well as a creative piece in a genre of your choice.

Ten Critical Challenges for Creative Writers

The module is designed to introduce students to some issues of critical and literary theory. The module is also designed to make students more aware of how their work impacts upon wider literary, cultural, political and philosophical issues. Awareness of these theories and of some of the issues surrounding the production and reception of literary texts will stimulate them, encouraging creative and conceptual thinking.  The module will explore debates about literature and the practice of creative writing through readings of essays and texts that are relevant to criticism and theory.  The academic component of the assessment will support the creative work with the objective that students will also have to demonstrate critical, academic, analytical skills.

Writers' Workshop

In this module you will present and discuss your own and each other's work in a weekly workshop. The draft work presented may include several genres and forms, such as crime writing, fantasy fiction, children's literature, historical fiction, science fiction, romance and autobiography. Practical criticism of student writing will be accompanied by discussion of the scope or constraints of the various genres, as well as the implications of particular forms. Attention will be paid to the transferable components of good writing: appropriate use of language, narrative pace, dialogue, expression, characterisation and mood.

Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University allow students to do a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the work placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Student Route visa. 

Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.

Entry requirements

Typical offer.

A 2:2 or above honours degree, or equivalent, in creative writing, English literature, literature and language, drama or theatre studies or a humanities subject.

International

All non-UK applicants must meet our English language requirements. For this course it is Academic IELTS of 6.5 overall with 5.5 in all elements. Please make sure you read our full guidance about English language requirements , which includes details of other qualifications we'll consider.

Applicants from one of the recognised majority English speaking countries (MESCs) do not need to meet these requirements.

Country-specific information

You will find more information on country specific entry requirements in the International section of our website.

Find your country:

• Middle East

Teaching and assessment

Portfolios of exercises, edited and revised creative writing with evidence of extensive drafting, essays, presentations, research projects, substantial pieces of creative writing of publishable standard.

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically involves reading and analysing articles, regulations, policy documents and key texts, documenting individual projects, preparing coursework assignments and completing your PEDRs, etc.

Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the University's online virtual learning platform.

Support for postgraduate students

At Kingston University, we know that postgraduate students have particular needs and therefore we have a range of support available to help you during your time here.

Your workload

A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.

One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 180 credits across a year (typical for a postgraduate course) would equate to 1,800 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.

• 6% scheduled learning and teaching

The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.

Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.

How you will be assessed

100% coursework.

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Class sizes

Workshops normally have between six and 12 students. To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally enrols 15 to 20 students and lecture sizes are normally 10 to 20. However, this can vary by module and academic year.

Who teaches this course?

This course is delivered by Kingston School of Art. As a student on this course, you will benefit from a lively study environment, thanks to the wide range of postgraduate courses on offer. The combination of academics and practitioners makes it a unique environment in which to further your studies and your career.

The University provides a vibrant and forward-thinking environment for study with:

• courses designed in collaboration with industry professionals  –  keeping you up to date with the latest developments;
• established connections with the London arts and media scene  –  with a range of guest speakers, professors and lecturers visiting the University; and
• committed and enthusiastic staff  –  many of whom are expert practitioners as well as leading academics and researchers.

Postgraduate students may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.

Dr James Miller

Course leader.

Mr Oludiran Adebayo

Dr Adam Baron

Dr Martin Dines

Mr Steven J. Fowler

Dr Meg Jensen

Anna Johnson

Professor Hanif Kureishi

Dr Marina Lambrou

Dr Wendy Vaizey

Fees for this course, 2025/26 fees for this course, home 2025/26.

• full time £10,300
• part time £5,665

International 2025/26

• full time £17,600
• part time £9,680

2024/25 fees for this course

Home 2024/25.

• full time £9,900
• part time £5,445

International 2024/25

• full time £16,900
• part time £9,295

Tuition fee information for future course years

This is a two-year full-time course with the published full-time fee payable in each year of study.

If you start your second year straight after Year 1, you will pay the same fee for both years.

If you take a break before starting your second year, or if you repeat modules from Year 1 in Year 2, the fee for your second year may increase.

Fees for the optional placement year

If you choose to take a placement as part of this course, you will be invoiced for the placement fee in Year 2. Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme and the costs for the placement year.

Postgraduate loans

If you are a UK student, resident in England and are aged under the age of 60, you will be able to apply for a loan to study for a postgraduate degree. For more information, read the postgraduate loan information on the government's website .

Scholarships and bursaries

Kingston University offers a range of postgraduate scholarships, including:

• Inspire the Future scholarship
• Postgraduate scholarships for international students

If you are an international student, find out more about  scholarships and bursaries .

We also offer the following discounts for Kingston University alumni:

• Alumni discount
• Progression Scholarship

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to buy your own copy of key textbooks, this can cost between £50 and £250 per year.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan . You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences. Free WiFi is available on each of the campuses. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees, this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston upon Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

There is a wide range of facilities at our Penrhyn Road campus , where this course is based. You will have access to a modern environment with the latest equipment, including the Learning Resources Centre. This offers:

• subject libraries, plus a free inter-library loan scheme to other libraries in the Greater London area;
• online database subscriptions; and
• a growing selection of resource materials.

The Iris Murdoch Archives

Kingston University hosts two major archives relating to Iris Murdoch, a significant philosopher and one of the twentieth century's greatest novelists. These archives currently comprise:

• Iris Murdoch's Oxford library (more than 1,000 volumes, many of them heavily annotated by Murdoch);
• the papers, tapes, interviews and manuscripts collected by Peter Conradi, Iris Murdoch's official biographer and Murdoch scholar; and
• various letter runs and documents donated by well-wishers.

Resources in London

Kingston is just a 30-minute train journey away from central London. Here you can access a wealth of additional libraries and archives, including the British Library.

After you graduate

Some of our departmental graduates have achieved notable successes, having published short stories and novels which were started as part of their degree and attracted good literary agents, for example:

• Oyinkan Braithwaite's novel, My Sister the Serial Killer , reviewed by The New Yorker and BBC Radio 4's Open Book and Front Row, has won the Crime and Thriller book of the year at the British Book Awards; Oyinkan is the first black woman to do so.
• Grainne Murphy has recently signed a two-book deal with Legend Press. Her debut novel, Where the Edge Is , was published in September 2020, with The Ghostlights to be published in 2021.
• Ben Halls' debut The Quarry was book of the day in The Guardian in March 2020.
• Amy Clarke has signed a two-book deal. Like Clockwork is a psychological suspense novel about a true crime podcast host who is obsessively trying to solve the decades-old cold case of a notorious Minnesotan serial killer whose victims were each one year younger than the last. It is due to be published in March/April 2021 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, with a second book to follow.
• A story Seraphina Madsen wrote for the MA Critical Challenges module was published in the UK's pre-eminent literary journal, The White Review, and secured her an agent and a book deal.
• Stevan Alcock is another MA student whose debut novel – workshopped on our MA – was published by 4th Estate.
• Hannah Vincent is a former MFA student with novels out with Myriad Editions and Salt.
• Myriad Editions also run a writing competition each year aimed at finding new writers, with MFA student Karly Stilling winning in 2015. This year the award was won by another current Kingston student, Sylvia Carr. Former MA (now PhD student) Joseph Pierson was a recent runner up.
• Julia Lewis is a former MFA student and experimental poet who has gone on to publish a wide range of work. She also rewrote MA tutor James Miller's novel Lost Boys as a collection of experimental poetry.
• Stefan Mohamed won the Dylan Thomas Prize and has gone to have a successful career as a writer of YA fiction.
• MA student Vicky Newham signed a two book deal for her crime series. Vicky is on the Daggers longlist for the best crime novel by a first-time author.
• Faiqa Mansab published her debut novel This House of Clay and Water in Pakistan and India to great acclaim and it has been optioned by the talented Sheherzade Sheikh for screen adaptation.
• Other successes include Susie Lynes and Lauren Forry.
• Other former students have gone on to work in editorial posts in the publishing industry.

Why I chose Kingston

Don't just take our word for it – here's what students say about what it's like to study at Kingston University.

What our students and graduates say

The main reason I've chosen the MA in Creative Writing at Kingston University is the variety of genres you can choose from on the course. I am writing poetry, but I wanted to get involved with people who are writing other things so I could experiment with different genres and learn from them too. The MA in Creative Writing gives me that opportunity and lets me choose workshops that reflect exactly my style of writing.

One of the most useful parts of the course is the Elements of Professional Writing module, which focuses on the practical side of being a writer. It offers advice on everything from how to stay positive to how to present your work to get it published.

Katerina Koulouri

I chose to study at Kingston because unlike many writing courses, it allowed space for both fantasy and children's novels. I especially loved my Children's Literature class.

Another standout was my dissertation tutor, Liz Jensen, who gave me remarkably good and detailed feedback, and the lovely people in my writing workshops. I'm really glad I came to Kingston.

Once I finished my masters I returned to my home country, Ireland, where I write and live by the water. I started writing a fantasy novel for young adults, titled 'The Demon's Lexicon', whilst at Kingston which has since been signed by Simon & Schuster.

Sarah Rees Brennan

This Creative Writing MA course gave me the structure, self-discipline and direction I needed. I've always written poetry  –  I started when I was just seven  –  but I have done it in a very unstructured way.

Completing work for the weekly writers' workshops has been very useful. I've attended creative writing evening classes before where we shared our work, but the comments and criticism from other students on the MA is at a much higher level.

Alice Thurling

Links with business and industry

A range of additional events and lectures will enhance your studies and add an extra perspective to your learning. Activities for this course include:

• a series of masterclasses with publishing specialists and professionals;
• weekly guest lectures by leading journalists including Samira Ahmed, an award-winning journalist with 20 years' experience in print and broadcast; David Jenkins, editor of Little White Lies, a bi-monthly movie magazine powered by illustration; Richard Moynihan, Head of digital journalism, The Telegraph and Alex Stedman, fashion blogger at The Frugality and former style editor at Red magazine;
• regular readings through Writers' Centre Kingston, which offers an annual programme of events from talks to workshops and festivals, hosted and curated in partnership with institutions local to Kingston University and in London, from The Rose Theatre to the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation, from the Museum of Futures to Kingston First; and
• regular philosophy lunchtime lectures which focus on a major figure in the history of Western philosophy, introducing students to that thinker's work, usually through the discussion of one of her or his emblematic works.

The literary magazine Ripple is edited by MA students, providing:

• a platform for the publication of creative work; and
• a chance to get hands-on experience of the publishing process.

Research areas

Research in English literature and creative writing at Kingston University covers the following areas:

• 19th and 20th century British and American fiction;
• fictions of globalisation;
• gothic writing;
• travel writing;
• narratives of slavery;
• women's writing from the 18th century to the present;
• New Woman and fin de siècle fictions;
• Shakespeare;
• literature of the English Reformation period;
• English women's religious poetry during the seventeenth century; and
• postcolonial studies.

It focuses around the following research initiatives:

• Iris Murdoch Archive – established in 2004 to oversee research on the Iris Murdoch archives acquired by Kingston University in 2003/04).
• Life Narratives Research Group (LNR) – bringing together best practice from all genres of life narrative work.
• Cultural Histories @ Kingston – centred around the concept of the 'cultural text', the group includes scholars from the fields of literature, film, media, history, music, dance, performance, and journalism.
• Writers' Centre Kingston – a literary cultural centre dedicated to creative writing in all its forms, with an annual programme of events, talks, workshops and festivals.
• Race/Gender Matters – captures and concentrates research on theoretical, critical and creative engagements with the materiality of race, gender and language.

We also hold regular seminars and host presentations by visiting speakers.

Course changes and regulations

The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course.  Course changes explained .

Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.

Regulations governing this course  can be found on our website.

Related courses

Creative Writing and Publishing MA

Creative Writing Distance Learning MA

Creative Writing MFA

Journalism PgDip/MA

Magazine Journalism MA

Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE English

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Kingston University , Holmwood House, Grove Crescent, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2EE . Tel: +44 (0)20 8417 9000

Course details

Creative writing summer school.

Immerse yourself in your writing over three intensive weeks spent in Oxford. 

This unique summer school offers opportunities for writers at both intermediate and advanced levels to work under the guidance of experienced tutors.

You will write, develop your technique, sharpen your critical faculties and discuss your work in small, focused seminars. Each weekday you will attend a talk given by an author, publisher, agent, or editor. You will live and work in beautiful Exeter College, the environment that nurtured J R R Tolkien, Philip Pullman, Martin Amis, William Morris, and many others.

At the end of your three weeks, you will have acquired new skills, made new friends, and developed a fresh portfolio of creative writing.

• A three-week residential summer school.
• Take part in interactive seminars featuring writing exercises and group discussion.
• Benefit from guidance by tutors who are both published authors and experienced teachers.
• Attend daily talks given by established authors, agents, editors and others.

Participate in open mic nights and peer-led workshop sessions.

• Study and live at Exeter College, founded 1314 - one of Oxford University's oldest colleges.
• Enjoy a range of social events, including walking tours and excursions.

What is meant by intermediate and advanced?

The intermediate strand of the summer school is open access; it is for keen readers aged 18 and over who have written regularly and read widely over a sustained period. Students on the intermediate programme take two seminars, one in fiction and one in creative non-fiction. Applications for the intermediate strand do not require samples of written work.

The advanced strand of the summer school is an intensive programme which is suitable for writers who have completed or nearly completed a single-honours degree in Creative Writing or English Literature, or who have taken a significant number of courses in creative writing or English literature. Students on the advanced strand are likely to have developed specialisms in their work; they choose two from seven available seminars: creative non-fiction, fiction (two options), middle-grade and teen/young adult fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, and short story. Applications for the advanced strand include a statement of purpose and samples of written work.

Both strands live and work in beautiful Exeter College, socialising, dining and attending plenary lectures together.

All of the seminars involve writing exercises, group discussion, and the development of a portfolio of creative writing.

Each seminar has two two-hour meetings per week. Classes typically contain no more than 15 students.

(See "Programme details", below, for seminar descriptions.)

Contact hours

The programme provides you with a minimum of 46.5 contact hours, comprising:

• 24 hours of seminar meetings (12 hours per seminar); and
• 22.5 hours of talks (15 sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours).

Social programme

You can enjoy optional social events throughout the summer school. These may include a walking tour of Oxford, after-dinner talks and weekend excursions to sites of literary and/or historical interest. Most of these activities incur additional costs.

You will have an opportunity to share ideas and work with your fellow students at open mic nights and informal peer-led workshop sessions.

Beyond the summer school, Oxford is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with a busy cultural and social scene offering a wide variety of plays and shows, concerts, films and exhibitions.

Programme details

Intermediate-level seminars.

Click here to download the intermediate-level seminar timetable .

Creative Non-Fiction

Writing about real lives and experiences – your own, or someone else’s – is rewarding but also daunting. What if you have too much information, or your story involves other people? How do you fill the gaps? How do you keep the reader reading? What if your core purpose is to write creatively not about a life, but about a specific place or time, journey or sickness, idea or vocation? And when does storytelling tip over into fiction? In this course we will use practical exercises, examples, discussion and the sharing of writing to explore ways of imagining, researching, developing, shaping and voicing real-life material to form a narrative.

Dr Emma Darwin’s memoir,  This is Not a Book About Charles Darwin  (Holland House Books, 2019), explores her disastrous attempt to write a novel about her family. Her debut novel,  The Mathematics of Love  (Headline Review, 2006), was nominated for the Commonwealth Writers’ and other awards; her second,  A Secret Alchemy  (Headline Review, 2009), was a  Sunday Times  bestseller;  Get Started in Writing Historical Fiction  (John Murray Learning) was published in 2016. She has a PhD in Creative Writing (London) and was an Associate Lecturer at the Open University; she blogs at  This Itch of Writing .

Julie Summers is the author of fourteen works of non-fiction and was recently listed in the Sunday Times as one of only four women in the top fifty historians in Britain. Her best-selling book, Jambusters , inspired the ITV drama series, Home Fires , which ran for two seasons in 2015-16 and had a regular television audience of over six million. Her Dressed for War is a biography of the wartime editor of Vogue , Audrey Withers (2020). It was optioned by Gaumont TV who are developing it into a drama series. She is currently working on a biography of British Vogue to be published by Weidenfeld in October 2024.

In this course you will explore who you are as a writer, reflecting on the stories that you see and hear in the stuff of everyday life and thinking about what you, uniquely, can bring to those stories that you choose to tell. We will discover how to depict fictional worlds, characters, relationships, situations and sequences of events so that they seem ‘real’ but at the same time sing on the page and make for compelling reading. To this end, we will be spending our time on writing exercises and discussion - sharing our work, ideas and experiences as and when we are comfortable to do so.

Dr Rachel Bentham has been Royal Literary Fellow at Bath University, and teaches for both Bristol and Bath Spa Universities. Her plays and short stories have been regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 4, and her poetry is internationally published. She has recently completed a novel set in nineteenth-century Tahiti. A recent collection of haiku was called  Let All Tongues Flower  (Firewater Press, 2013); and her most recent collection, also of haiku, is titled  Other Roads North  (2019) and reached number one on Amazon.

Suzannah Dunn has published two collections of short fiction and twelve novels, seven of them historical, one of which,  The Confession of Katherine Howard,  was a Richard and Judy Pick. Her thirteenth novel,  Levitation for Beginners , will be published by Little, Brown in 2024. She has decades of experience as a tutor of creative writing in all kinds of settings with writers of all levels of confidence and skills. For five years she was Director of Manchester University’s MA in Novel Writing, and is now a tutor and mentor at Curtis Brown Creative.

Susannah Rickards' collection of short fiction,  Hot Kitchen Snow,  drawn from experiences of growing up in North East England and working in East Africa, won the international Scott Prize in for best debut fiction collection in 2010, and is published by Salt. Her writing regularly appears in journals and anthologies and has been broadcast on BBC radio. She read English at Oxford University and now lives in Surrey, UK, where she writes and mentors new and established authors.

Advanced-level seminar options

Click here to view the advanced-level seminar timetable .

We tell stories about ourselves and others every day. Taking a close look at autobiography, memoir, and biography, we will discuss how these stories are told and the extent to which this influences what we think we know about our own lives and those of others. The course will focus on narrative prose. It will provide an opportunity for students to work on an idea for a life story or an existing project. Students will be encouraged to work on their own writing during the course. We will discuss the challenges we all face as writers and how to address them. There will be opportunities to explore contemporary examples of life-writing that challenge traditional autobiographical and biographical narratives and the boundaries between fiction and non-fiction. We will address questions about form and style that help us to decide what kind of narrative we want to write, whether it be a book, an article, or a short life story.

Tutor: Rebecca Abrams is the author of Touching Distance , which won the MJA Open Book Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize for Literature, The Playful Self ,   Woman in a Man's World , and Licoricia of Winchester: Power and Prejudice in Medieval England .  She is the editor of Out of Exodus , two anthologies of new fiction, and Jewish Treasures of Oxford Libraries , which was long-listed for the 2021 Wingate Literary Prize.  A journalist of many years standing, Rebecca is a regular literary critic for the Financial Times , a former columnist for the Daily Telegraph , and the recipient of an Amnesty International Press Award for Journalism.

Fiction: Turning Ideas Into Narratives

This course is aimed at those who are starting to write prose but do not yet feel fully confident. Using a variety of exercises and some examples from literature, we shall investigate the formation of character, and develop character arcs. Then we shall develop story and plot outlines together, planning scenes. Finally, we shall attempt to identify and discuss your unique strengths and preferences with a view to finding your USP - unique selling point.

Tutor: Dr Rachel Bentham has been Royal Literary Fellow at Bath University, and teaches for both Bristol and Bath Spa Universities. Her plays and short stories have been regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 4, and her poetry is internationally published. She has recently completed a novel set in nineteenth-century Tahiti. A recent collection of haiku was called  Let All Tongues Flower  (Firewater Press, 2013); and her most recent collection, also of haiku, is titled  Other Roads North  (2019) and reached number one on Amazon.

Fiction: Fine-Tuning Your Writing

This course is designed to help you hone your craft as a writer and see your project through to its completion. We shall start by examining your aims and motivation, troubleshooting any problems you are having in maintaining commitment and progress. We shall explore how to give your writing maximum resonance and power, analysing how you can use voice and point of view, give your characters extra depth and weave together story strands, themes and images. Finally, we shall look at sending your work out into the world, with workshopping and advice on editing and pitching.

Tutor: Lorna Fergusson is a writing coach, editor and speaker. She runs Fictionfire Literary Consultancy and has taught on various Oxford University writing programmes since 2002. She is the author of The Chase and An Oxford Vengeance . Her stories have won an Ian St James Award and the Historical Novel Society’s Short Story Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and Pan Macmillan’s Write Now prize. In both 2021 and 2022 she was runner-up for the Mogford Prize. She is developing one of the Mogford stories into a novel, and is working on poetry, a collection of short stories and a book on mindset for writers.

Middle-Grade and Teen/Young Adult Fiction

The middle grade and teen/young adult fiction markets are exciting, and rewarding, areas of publishing. This course, run by an established novelist, will look at the way successful writers have chosen subjects and themes, explored fantasy and/or social realism, and found exactly the right voice to appeal to younger readers. It will also explore such key topics as planning, plot development and perspective. Students will be guided in the development of a story of their own, and there will be plenty of opportunities to workshop ideas and get feedback on stories as they progress.

Tutor: Julie Hearn is the critically acclaimed author of a number of novels for young adults, all published by Oxford University Press. Included are:  Follow Me Down,  shortlisted for the Branford Boase First Novel Award , The Merrybegot,  shortlisted for the  Guardian  Children’s Fiction Prize and the Highland Children’s Book Award ,  and  Rowan the Strange,  shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and described by  The Guardian  as “nothing short of extraordinary”. Her eighth novel,  I am NOT adorable,  written for younger children, was published by Jolly Heron in 2018 and a collection of short stories,  The Princess Thing,  is in the pipeline.

Poetry may well be 'a pheasant disappearing in the brush', as Wallace Stevens quipped, but on this course we will carefully and cunningly follow that pheasant into the underwood. In this series of workshops, we will go in deep and examine new and old examples of poetry, to figure out how it can be made. You can write poetry in so many ways these days, and you will experiment with traditional and avant-garde methods of writing poems, learning not only how to write different kinds of metrical lines but also accomplished free verse, among other things. Ben Jonson knew that 'a good poet's made, as well as born', and on this course you will be made into one through continual practice, innovative imitation, and workshop discussion.

Tutor: Dr Edward Clarke teaches English literature and art history at various colleges and the Department for Continuing Education, Oxford University. He is the author of two books of criticism, The Later Affluence of W. B. Yeats and Wallace Stevens and The Vagabond Spirit of Poetry , and he has edited a selection of poems by Henry Vaughan and George Herbert, Divine Themes and Celestial Praise . His collection of poems, A Book of Psalms , was published 2020. ‘Clarke’s Psalter’, the documentary he presented about writing these poems, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. His latest collection of poems is called Cherubims . A selection of his poems, The Voice inside Our Home , was recently published.

Scriptwriting

This course is based on the study and creation of scripts for stage, screen and radio and on helping aspiring dramatists to develop a practice to engage with a golden age of script writing. Convincing characters in coherent plots, with a keen awareness of genre, is the basis of all good fiction. We shall explore such core elements, culminating in the submission of a short script. In the third week, students can workshop a script begun outside the course. Dramaturgy will be strictly focused to help writers to develop individual writing for performance projects, using processes that are ‘industry standard’.

Tutor: Shaun McCarthy has had over a dozen stage plays professionally produced and a range of radio dramas broadcast. His adaptations include J.M. Synge’s  The Aran Islands  (BBC R4 Classic Serial), a stage version of  A Christmas Carol  that was a critique of David Cameron’s ‘big society’ and had a happy, unexpected ending; and a re-set of Strindberg’s  Miss Julie  to Oxford 1963. He teaches a range of creative writing courses for OUDCE, runs Hooligan Theatre Productions to develop his new plays and co-runs the writing events and residential writers’ retreats company ‘Stage and Page' in the UK and Italy.

The Short Story

This course encourages you to become a braver, more vital writer by experimenting with the short story form. As close to poetry as it is to prose, the short story is ideal for testing uncommon characters and situations, innovative structures and syntax. Unlock voices and creative techniques that will transform your writing practise. In the final week we will focus on intensive self-editing and how to transform a saggy, weak story into a powerful, shapely narrative, through close examination of language, rhythm, energy and pace. Perfecting short fiction is a great way to build your track record through publication in literary journals and entry to awards judged by agents and publishers.

Tutor: Susannah Rickards' collection of short fiction,  Hot Kitchen Snow,  drawn from experiences of growing up in North East England and working in East Africa, won the international Scott Prize in for best debut fiction collection in 2010, and is published by Salt. Her writing regularly appears in journals and anthologies and has been broadcast on BBC radio. She read English at Oxford University and now lives in Surrey, UK, where she writes and mentors new and established authors.

Recommended reading

Each seminar has its own requirements for preparatory reading.

Students will be enrolled as readers at Oxford University's main reference library, the Bodleian. They will also have access to the Continuing Education Library.

Certification

All students who complete the programme will receive an attendance certificate.

Those seeking credit at their home institution may request a detailed certificate which lists contact hours (for seminars and talks), an assessment of their contribution to seminar discussions, grades achieved for written work, and the number of private study hours required. Certificates will usually be sent to students' home institutions within a month of the end of the summer school.

As Oxford University does not offer credit for this summer school, those wishing to obtain credit from their home institution for attending this programme must make appropriate arrangements with that institution in advance.

Residential: Standard (shared bathroom) - £4,380; Residential: En suite (private bathroom facilities) - £4,765; Non-residential (no accommodation; limited meals) - £2,255

Programme fees

Residential: Standard (shared bathroom facilities) - £4,380 Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily programme of talks); access to IT facilities and libraries; accommodation in a standard single room with shared bathroom facilities for the nights of Sunday 21 July to Friday 9 August 2024 inclusive; meals in hall from dinner on Sunday 21 July to breakfast on Saturday 10 August 2024 (except lunch on Saturdays and Sundays).

Residential: En suite (private bathroom facilities) - £4,765 Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily programme of talks); access to IT facilities and libraries; accommodation in a single en suite room with private shower and toilet for the nights of Sunday 21 July to Friday 9 August 2024 inclusive; meals in hall from dinner on Sunday 21 July to breakfast on Saturday 10 August 2024 (except lunch on Saturdays and Sundays).

Non-residential - £2,255 Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily programme of talks); access to IT facilities and libraries; no accommodation; lunch Monday-Friday, and the programme`s formal opening and closing dinners on Sunday 21 July and Friday 9 August 2024, respectively.

There are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for applicants.

Invoicing and payment

Successful applicants who accept their offer of a place on the summer school will be invoiced for the appropriate programme fee once they have been formally enrolled on the programme.

Invoices will be emailed to students together with full instructions for payment. Fees may be paid online with a credit or debit card, or by bank transfer.

Students are required to pay the full fee within 30 days of the date on which their invoice was issued. Late applicants (see "Apply for this course", below) are required to pay the full fee within 7 days of their invoice date.

Please note that:

• students need to purchase travel insurance to cover the programme fee, travel costs, and any other expenses incurred (see "Cancellations", below);
• a student's place on the summer school is not confirmed until their fees have been paid in full;
• places will not be held for students whose fees are not paid in full by the due date; and
• in no circumstances will students be admitted to the summer school unless all fees have been paid in full.

When you have paid your fees

Your place on the summer school is confirmed as soon as your payment is received by OUDCE.

You will receive a receipt for your payment: an automated email from [email protected] if paid online, or via email from [email protected] if paid by bank transfer.

The Programme Administrator will provide all non-UK/Irish nationals enrolled on the summer school with a standard format pdf letter by email confirming enrolment and course details (see "Level and demands", below).

Cancellations

Intermediate-level strand

All enrolments are subject to OUDCE's Open Access Terms and Conditions .

You will enter into your contract with the University when you pay the course fees in full.

You have the right to cancel your contract at any time within 14 days, beginning on the day you paid your fees. You will receive a full refund of any payments you have made.

Advanced-level strand

All enrolments are subject to OUDCE's Short Selective Course Terms and Conditions .

By accepting your offer of a place on the summer school you enter into your contract with the University.

You have the right to cancel your contract at any time within 14 days, beginning on the day you accepted the offer. You will receive a full refund of any payments you have made within those 14 days.

Both strands

If you cancel your place at any time after the expiry of the 14-day period you will not be entitled to a refund.

You need to purchase travel insurance to cover the programme fee, travel costs, and any other expenses incurred.

If you wish to cancel your place on the summer school you must inform the Programme Administrator by email at [email protected]

OUDCE reserves the right to alter details of any course should illness or any other emergency prevent a tutor from teaching, and to cancel a course or individual seminar if exceptionally low enrolment would make it educationally unviable.

Course aims

Each seminar has its own course aim and objectives.

Teaching methods

Students will attend a programme of talks and readings.

Elements of seminar teaching will normally include:

• mini lectures by tutors;
• tutor-led class discussions;
• writing exercises;
• small group activities; and
• individual student presentations.

Students will attend short (10-minute) one-to-ones with their tutors to receive feedback on their written work.

Learning outcomes

Each seminar has its own learning outcomes.

Assessment methods

Tutors will monitor and assess students’ contribution to class discussions.

Students are expected to submit an assignment of 2,500 words in length for assessment for each seminar taken.

Application

Before you submit your application.

• ensure you meet the admissions requirements (see "Selection criteria", below);
• check the seminar timetable  carefully to ensure that your first and second choice courses do not run at the same time (advanced-level applicants only);
• make sure you have all the required supporting documents listed below;
• ensure you are familiar with the terms and conditions of enrolment on the summer school, especially those relating to payment of fees and cancellations (see "Payment", above); and
• read the 'Important information regarding immigration and visa requirements' (see "Level and demands", below).

The application process - intermediate strand

Complete the application form (intermediate) .

Please ensure all sections are completed fully, clearly, and in BLOCK CAPITALS.

The form must be accompanied by:

In the case of non-native speakers of English, official evidence of English language proficiency.

A portrait photograph (JPEG format).

Applications should be emailed to: [email protected]

Application deadline

Applications for the intermediate strand will be processed on a first come, first served or rolling basis until 1 May 2024.

Subject to the availability of places, late applications may be accepted until 1 June 2024.

After you have submitted your application

Applicants will normally be offered a place by email from [email protected] within 14 days of their application having been received.

Applicants who are offered a place on the summer school must respond in writing within 14 days to accept or decline the offer. In accepting an offer of a place applicants are committing to paying their programme fees in full by the due date.

Late applicants will normally be offered a place within 7 days of their application having been received, and will then have 7 days in which to accept or decline the offer.

The application process - advanced strand

Complete the application form (advanced) .

The form must be accompanied by the following documents as PDF files unless otherwise indicated:

• A brief statement of purpose (250-300 words) detailing your academic reasons for wishing to attend the summer school. This should include what you feel the programme would offer you and your writing, and what you feel you could bring to the summer school. This may include details of creative writing courses you have previously taken, or the relevance of the summer school to your present course of study or professional development. It is essential that you clearly state your reasons for wishing to enrol on specific seminars.
• Please provide samples of your work relevant to your first and second choice courses and ensure that the name of the seminar is printed at the top of each sample. As a guideline prose fiction, creative non-fiction and dramatic dialogue samples should be no more than 1,000 words in length (please provide an extract of a longer piece of work if appropriate); applicants for the poetry seminar should provide five short poems.

You will receive an email from [email protected] confirming receipt of your application materials, and informing you when your application will be reviewed by the admissions panel.

Application deadlines

The advanced strand of the summer school operates a gathered field closing date system by which applications are reviewed fairly and equally in batches at specific dates throughout the admissions period rather than on a first come, first served or rolling basis.

There is a limited number of places available on every seminar within each gathered field, and in assigning successful applicants to seminar groups the admissions panel will pay particular attention to applicants' personal statements.

There are three deadlines for applications to the advanced strand of the programme:

• Gathered field 1 - 1 March 2024
• Gathered field 2 - 1 April 2024
• Gathered field 3 – 1 May 2024

Subject to the availability of places, late applications may be considered on a first come, first served basis until 1 June 2024.

Notification of the admission panel's decision

Applicants will normally be notified of the panel's decision by email from [email protected] within 14 days of the relevant gathered field deadline.

Late applicants will be notified within 7 days of their materials having been received, and successful applicants will then have 7 days in which to accept or decline the offer of a place.

Enrolment - both strands

Students will be formally enrolled on the summer school once they have accepted their offer of a place.

The enrolment process includes the issuing of invoices, which will be emailed to students together with full instructions for payment (see "Payment", above).

Any queries?

Please contact the Programme Administrator by email at [email protected]

Level and demands

Participants are expected to.

• undertake preparatory reading in advance of the programme;
• attend all seminar sessions and talks and readings;
• be actively engaged with their seminar topics;
• submit an assignment of 2,500 words in length for each seminar taken; and
• undertake approximately 96 hours of private study during the programme (elements of private study will include: reading, writing and other preparation between seminar meetings, work in the library, writing papers, etc).

Important information regarding immigration and visa requirements

OUDCE welcomes international students on all its courses. However, it is the responsibility of successful applicants to ensure that they conform to UK immigration law.

If you are not a UK or Irish national, you might need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa to study in the UK. We strongly recommend that you establish whether you will require a visa before submitting your application.

Information regarding visiting the UK to study is available on the UK Government’s website  as well as Oxford University’s Student Immigration website .

If you will require a visa, you should ensure your summer school application is submitted as early as possible to allow yourself sufficient time to complete the visa application process (see current visa processing times ).

The Programme Administrator will provide all non-UK/Irish nationals enrolled on the summer school with a standard format pdf letter by email confirming enrolment and course details once their fees have been paid in full.

For legal reasons the Programme Administrator is not permitted to provide any visa advice to applicants; any queries should be addressed to [email protected] .

The University takes no responsibility for a visa being denied at any point before or during a course.

Please note that the standard cancellation policy applies in all cases. (See "Cancellations", above.

Support for students with disabilities

OUDCE welcomes applications from students with disabilities or learning difficulties. Individual student needs are taken into account, and adaptations and assistance provided within the resources available. We ask that students advise us in advance where any special provision might be needed. Further information is available at www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/students-with-disabilities .

Selection criteria

This is an intensive programme of study taught to an informed international audience. Applicants should be confident that they are academically and linguistically prepared for such a programme.

Academic requirements for the intermediate strand

We welcome applications from all aspiring writers aged 18 and over.

You should be a keen reader who brings an open-minded, questioning approach to both reading and writing; you should also have written regularly and read widely over a sustained period.

Academic requirements for the advanced strand

Applications are welcomed from those who have completed or nearly completed a single honours university degree programme in creative writing or English literature, or a combined honours university degree programme in creative writing and English literature.

If your degree is in a different, but related, subject, the admissions panel will look for evidence that you have taken a significant number of courses in creative writing or English literature, namely the equivalent of two years’ worth of credits.

The summer school is not appropriate for those who have already achieved commercial publication.

English language requirements

As students are expected to participate fully in seminar discussions and are required to produce written work, it is important that applicants can demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in the four language skills - listening, reading, writing and speaking.

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency in the form of an original certificate or a certified copy that is not more than two years old on the date the summer school starts. You must satisfy one of the following requirements:

IELTS Academic - minimum overall score of 7.5, with not less than 7.0 in each of the four components

TOEFL iBT - minimum overall score of 110, with not less than 22 for listening, 24 for reading, 25 for speaking and 24 for writing

C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced or CAE) - minimum overall score of 191, with not less 185 in each of the four components.

For further information on English language qualifications:

Click here for IELTS

Click here for TOEFL

• Click here for Cambridge English

The requirement to provide English language test scores may be waived in either of the following circumstances:

• If you have completed a full-time degree-level programme at a recognised institution where teaching and assessment throughout the course was undertaken entirely in English, and the programme was completed with a gap of no more than two academic years to the course to which you are applying. If you studied this course in a country that is not majority English speaking, you will need to provide evidence that the course was taught in English. This can either take the form of a link to the appropriate page of the institution’s website or a statement from the institution confirming this.
• If you have worked for a minimum of two years in a majority English speaking country where the main language for the role was English, and your role involved daily professional use of each of the four language components (reading, writing, listening and speaking).

Accommodation

Founded in 1314, Exeter College is one of Oxford University`s oldest colleges and is situated in a prime city centre location.

Bedrooms and meals

Students who choose to attend the summer school on a residential basis will have a single study bedroom.

Bedrooms are located up the four to nine floors of a staircase; bath and/or shower and toilet facilities on each staircase are shared. A limited number of rooms have private bathroom facilities (shower and toilet) and these are available for a higher fee. Early application for these rooms is essential.

Students cannot be accommodated at Exeter College either prior to or beyond their programme dates. Family members and/or friends who are not enrolled on this summer school cannot be accommodated in college.

Residential students will take meals in the college's dining hall. All meals are self-service with a range of options available. The only exceptions are the summer school's opening and closing dinners, which are formal served set menu meals. Should applicants have any dietary requirements (eg vegetarian, gluten-free) they are required to complete the relevant section on the application form.

Please be aware that accommodation at Exeter College is limited and may not be available for those who submit their applications towards the end of the admissions period.

Non-residential students

Students who choose to attend the summer school on a non-residential basis are responsible for finding their own accommodation. Information on accommodation in Oxford is available at:

• Conference Oxford
• Experience Oxfordshire
• University Rooms Oxford

Lunch is provided for non-residential students Monday-Friday, and the summer school's opening and closing dinners are also included in the non-residential programme fee.

IT requirements

Although it is not required, most students bring a laptop to Oxford to assist them with their studies.

For residential students, wireless internet access is available in all bedrooms; for all students, wireless access is available in communal spaces of the college.

All students will be eligible to use the computers and printer in Exeter College's computer room.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

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MA Creative Writing

Annual tuition fee for 2024 entry: UK: £10,530 full-time International: £24,120 full-time More detail .

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Short fiction, the novel, poetry, plays and screenplays: define and refine your chosen genre at the University of Birmingham, and explore genres that are new to your writing experience.

If you are a graduate with considerable experience in writing creatively and wish to proceed to a career or further study in this area, then our innovative MA in Creative Writing is for you.

The programme will allow you to develop your own work, your own voice and your own ideas with dedicated workshop time and opportunities to give and receive feedback to and from your peers. You will also benefit from professional skills training to prepare you for your encounters with the writing industry, with insights from industry professional such as editors and publishers.

The programme brings together students who work across different genres so that you can engage collaboratively across genres before specialising in screenwriting, playwriting, prose fiction or poetry for your dissertation.

Please note : There are specific application deadlines for this programme.  Please see 'How to apply' in course details for more information .

Birmingham Masters Scholarships

We are offering over 400 awards of £2,000 to support the brightest and best applicants wishing to undertake Masters study at the University during 2023-24. The deadline for applications is 23:59 (UK Time) on Sunday 2 July 2023.

Find out more and apply now.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

Virtual Open Day: Postgraduate opportunities in Creative Writing - 7 March 2020, 14:00-15:00

Join us online to watch a range of staff and student videos, and take part in our online chat where Dr Daniel Vyleta will be answering your questions about postgraduate study.

Find out more and register

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

• Graduate School Language Skills

The best thing the course has taught me is to not re-invent the wheel every time you want to write a new piece, and how to tactically draw from the works of other writers to give structural integrity or strong philosophical underpinnings to any new text I write. Cameron Smith, MA Creative Writing

Why study this course?

• Breadth and depth of study  – at Birmingham we focus on the craft of writing and editing, combining academic with creative skills, and an artistic focus with industry insights.
• Learn from our permanent staff of published authors -  Anna Metcalfe , a short story writer and novelist, who has been named among Granta’s 2023 cohort for the Best of Young British Novelists;  Elsa Braekkan Payne , an expert in the short story who also has particular interests in editing; Luke Kennard , a poet and novelist whose criticism appears in Poetry London and the Times Literary Supplement; Richard House , fiction and screenwriter, long-listed for the Man Booker Prize;   Dan Vyleta , an award winning, bestselling novelist; Isabel Galleymore , an award-winning poet; and the best-selling novelist Ruth Gilligan .
• Opportunities for experimentation  – the course combines focused modules with the opportunity to develop your own work through independent study.
• Join a lively and supportive writing community – we encourage our students to be active within the university and the broader community, and to participate in readings, festivals, and events, both regionally and nationally. For example the Creative Writing Societies provide an energetic and talented scene in which to write. There are regular events, readings, poetry slams and student publications.
• Links within the West Midlands – the Department has links to the award winning local press Tindal Street and the boutique poetry pamphlet publishers Nine Arches Press. Each year there are visiting lectures from writers, publishers and editors.

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience .

You will learn among a community of writers and scholars, taking a series of structured modules across the discipline. You will study four core taught modules plus a dissertation.

Core modules

The writer’s workshop.

The module provides an introduction to technical and conceptual issues encountered by the creative writer, along with research training to facilitate the critical work you will have to complete as part of your studies. The module introduces you to creative writing techniques and genres by analysing other people’s writing and through hands-on practice, as well as introducing you to the procedures and challenges of the creative writing workshop environment. The module also provides guidelines on how to approach agents/editors, along with a grounding in research practices. 

Assessment : A 5,000-word portfolio of creative writing, and a 3,000-word portfolio of critical writing

Creative Writing Masterclass: From Workshop to Bookshop

This module builds on the research and professional skills developed in The Writer’s Workshop. It provides a venue for in-depth editorial discussion of your own work, while also providing systematic training in editing and in providing detailed, constructive critiques of other writers’ works. The module will help you to articulate your personal artistic vision in both formal and conceptual terms by studying a range of artistic manifestos and writerly positions. Assessment : A 5,000-word portfolio of creative writing, and a 3,000-word portfolio of critical/professional writing

Poem as Story – Story as Poem

This module allows for a simultaneous focus on poetry and fiction, allowing you to work in both forms rather than choosing to be a “poet” or “prose writer” at this stage in your development as a writer. There will be weekly writing exercises and the opportunity to critique the work of your peers as well as a weekly set text exploring contemporary poetry and fiction. Assessment : A 3,000-word poetry and/or short fiction portfolio and a 2,000-word essay

Intertextuality: Story, Genre, Craft

This module encourages you to explore notions of intertextuality, viewed as an integral part of all creative writing, and representing a broad continuum, from one-off textual allusions or verbal echoes on the one hand, to full-length adaptations on the other. 'Story' and 'story-telling’ will be used as a focus for identifying both generic and genre-specific, popular and literary, narrative techniques and conventions (to include a focus on language, character, plot, time and vision). In addition, you will explore ways in which 'reading' in the broadest possible sense can generate ideas, strategies and structures for the developing writer. This will entail an engagement with narratology and with aspects of genre theory and translation theory, key principles of which will be illustrated through case studies of texts that form part of intertextual clusters. Assessment : A 3,000-word piece of creative writing in any genre, and a 2,000-word analysis of the intertextual relationships between two or more of the literary texts studied, with reference to your own creative writing

Dissertation

In addition to your taught modules, you will complete a dissertation. This will be 75% creative portfolio and 25% critical essay. You will write a 10,000-word portfolio of creative work in the form of a screenplay, excerpt of a novel, a collection of short fiction or a collection of poetry (600 lines). This will be accompanied by a 2,000-word essay placing your work in a critical and creative context, with reference to your development as a writer over the course of the MA. You will receive feedback on dissertation work in progress during one-to-one tutorials and/or in small group work-sharing seminars with peers (groups divided along the lines of genre/form and led by a specialist in this field).

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

• UK: £10,530 full-time; £5,265 part-time
• International: £24,120 full-time

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students .

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding .

How To Apply

Please review our Entry Requirements before making your application.

Application deadlines

The deadline for International students (requiring a VISA) to apply is 30 June 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Making your application

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

We ask for a 2:1 Honours degree, or equivalent, preferably in English and/or Creative Writing, but other disciplines will be considered. Applicants should also have considerable experience of writing creatively. 

All prospective students must also submit a sample of written work as part of the online application process.  Your sample should be in the form of a portfolio of creative writing of c. 3,000 words. This may be a prose sample (e.g. one or more short stories; part of a novel); a play or film script; or a selection of poems (in which case a line of poetry equates c. 20 words of prose; a portfolio focusing on poetry would be c. 150 lines in total). We encourage applicants to submit more than a single piece of work where possible (e.g. one short story and a novel opening, rather than a longer excerpt of a novel) though this is not strictly required.

Learn more about entry requirements

International students

Academic requirements: we accept a range of qualifications - our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements : for this course we ask for IELTS 6.5 overall with no less 7.0 in writing and 6 in all other bands. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional course – if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 7.0 writing and 6.0 in the other bands is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 23 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 76 in writing and 64 in all other bands
• Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 185 in Writing and no less than 169 in any other component.

Learn more about international entry requirements.

International Requirements

Holders of a Licence, Diplome, Diplome d'Etudes Superieures, Diplome d'Ingenieur or a Diplome d'Architecte from a recognised university in Algeria will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of one of these qualifications will normally be expected to have achieved a score of 15/20 for 2:1 equivalency or 13/20 for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

A Bachelors (Honours) degree from an accredited Australian higher education institution may be considered for admission to a Masters degree.   Applicants with 3 year Bachelors with distinction from a recognised university, can be considered for admission to a Masters degree.

Holders of a Diplom, a Diplomstudium/Magister or a three-year Bachelors degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 for 2:1 equivalency or 3.0 for 2:2 equivalency, or a high-scoring Fachhochschuldiplom (FH) from a recognised Austrian Fachhochschule, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

 Holders of a bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Bahrain will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a Bachelors (Honours) degree of three years duration, followed by a Masters degree of one or two years duration from a recognised university in Bangladesh will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Students with a Bachelors degree of at least four years duration may also be considered for postgraduate study. Degrees must be from a recognised institution in Bangladesh.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or 65% or above for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 2.6-3.1/4.0 or 60% or above for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma za Zavarsheno Visshe Obrazovanie (‘Diploma of Completed Higher Education’), a pre-2001 Masters degree or a post-2001 Bachelors degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 5 out of 6, mnogo dobur/’very good’ for 2:1 equivalence; or 4 out of 6, dobur/’good’ for 2:2 equivalence; will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma Visoko Obrazovanje (Advanced Diploma of Education) or Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, for 2:1 equivalence or 3.0 out of 5.0, dobar ‘good’, for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Holders of a good four-year government-accredited Bachelors degree from a recognised Higher Education college with a minimum overall GPA of 3 out of 4 for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 2.75 out of 4 for 2:2 equivalency; or a good four-year Bachelors degree (Ptychio) from a recognised University, with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 5.5 for 2:2 equivalency; will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a good Bakalár, or a good pre-2002 Magistr, from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), for 2:1 equivalence, or 2.5, C, dobre ‘good’ (post-2004) or 3, dobre ‘pass’ (pre-2004) for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Bachelors degree/Candidatus Philosophiae, Professionbachelor or Eksamensbevis from a recognised Danish university, with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence, or 4-7 out of 12 (or 7 out of 13) for 2:2 equivalence depending on the awarding institution will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Egypt will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4 for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8 for 2:2 equivalency. Applicants holding a Bachelors degree with alternative grading systems, will normally be expected to have achieved a 75% (Very Good) for 2:1 equivalency or 65% (Good) for 2:2 equivalency. For applicants with a grading system different to those mentioned here, please contact [email protected] for advice on what the requirements will be for you.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university or Applied Higher Education Institution with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B for 2:1 equivalency or 3/5 or C for 2:2 equivalency, or a good Rakenduskõrgharidusõppe Diplom (Professional Higher Education Diploma), will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Ammattikorkeakoulututkinto (AMK) (new system), an Yrkeshögskoleexamen (YHS) (new system), a Kandidaatti / Kandidat (new system), an Oikeustieteen Notaari or a Rättsnotarie, a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 3-4/5 for 2:1 equivalence or 1-2/3 or 2.5-3/5 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good three-year Licence, License Professionnelle, Diplôme d'Ingénieur/Architecte Diplômé d'État, Diplôme from an Ecole Superieure de Commerce / Gestion / Politique, or Diplome d'Etat Maitrise of three years duration or a Maîtrise from a recognised French university or Grande École will be considered for postgraduate taught study.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, bien, for 2:1 equivalency, or 11 out of 20, assez bien, for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Holders of a good three-year Bachelor degree, a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university, or a good Fachhochschuldiplom from a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences), with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 for 2:1 equivalency, or 3.0 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students from Germany who have completed three years of the Erstes Staatsexamen qualification with a grade point average (GPA) of 10 from the first six semesters of study within the Juristische Universitätsprüfung programme would be considered for entry onto LLM programmes.  Students from Germany who have completed the five year Erstes Staatsexamen qualification with a grade point average (GPA) of 6.5 would be considered for entry onto LLM programmes. 

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) from a recognised Greek university (AEI) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 5.5 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, or a good four-year Ptychio from a recognised Technical Higher Education institution (TEI) with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 6.5 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés (Bachelors degree) or Egyetemi Oklevel (university diploma) from a recognised Hungarian university, or a Foiskola Oklevel (college diploma) from a recognised college of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 3.5 for 2:1 equivalency, or 3 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a Bachelors degree of three or four years in duration from a recognised university in India will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved 55% - 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency, or 50% - 55% for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Either: A four-year Bachelors degree (first class or very good upper second class)

Or: A three-year Bachelors degree (first class) from recognised institutions in India.

For MSc programmes, the Business School will consider holders of three-year degree programmes (first class or very good upper second class) from recognised institutions in India.

For entry to LLM programmes, Birmingham is happy to accept applications from 3 or 5 year LLB holders from India from prestigious institutions.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Iran with a minimum of 14/20 or 70% will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate taught programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Iraq will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency, or 2.8/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Israel will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 80% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good Diploma di Laurea, Licenza di Accademia di Belle Arti, Diploma di Mediatore Linguistico or Diploma Accademico di Primo Livello from a recognised Italian university with a minimum overall grade of 100 out of 110 for 2:1 equivalence, or 92 out of 110 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Jordan will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Kuwait will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good pre-2000 Magistrs or post-2000 Bakalaurs from a recognised university, or a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 6.5 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Lebanon will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a score of 16/20 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency, or 14/20 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good Bakalauras (post 2001), Profesinis Bakalauras (post 2001) or pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 7 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Bachelors degree or Diplôme d'Ingénieur Industriel from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20 for 2:1 equivalence, or 14 out of 20 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Higher Education Institution with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons) for UK 2:1 equivalency, or 2:2 (Hons) for UK 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise from a recognised university in Morocco will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a score of 15/20 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency, or 13/20 for 2:2 equivalency.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors (Honours) degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Nepal will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Students with a Bachelors degree of at least three years duration plus a Masters degree may also be considered for postgraduate study. Degrees must be from a recognised institution in Nepal.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.2/4.0 or 65%-79% average or higher for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 60%-65% for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Dutch university, or Bachelors degree from a recognised Hogeschool (University of Professional Education), or a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university, with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 6 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Holders of a good three-six-year Bachelorgrad, Candidatus Magisterii, Sivilingeniø (siv. Ing. - Engineering), "Siviløkonom" (siv. Øk. - Economics) degree from a recognised Norwegian education institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, or a GPA of C/Good or 2.6-3.2 for a 2.2 equivalency; will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Oman will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years in duration from a recognised university in Pakistan will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Students with a Bachelors degree of at least three years duration followed by a Masters degree of one or two years duration, or holders of a two year Bachelors degree and a two year Masters degree in the same subject, may also be considered for postgraduate study.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 2.8-3.0/4.0 or 65% or above for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 2.6/4.0 or 60% or above for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

A two-year degree followed by a three-year LLB will count as a full Bachelors degree.

All qualifications must be from recognised institutions. For further details on recognised institutions, please refer to Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good post-2001 Licencjat / Inzynier (Bachelors degree), or a pre-2001 Magister, from a recognised Polish university, with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus ‘better than good’ for 2:1 equivalence, or 4 out of 5, dobry 'good' for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, bom com distinção ‘good with distinction’, for 2:1 equivalence, or 14 out of 20, bom ‘good’, for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Qatar will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good Diplomă de Licenţă, Diplomă de Inginer, Diplomă de Urbanist Diplomat, Diplomă de Arhitect, Diplomă de Farmacist or Diplomã de Doctor-Medic Arhitect (Bachelors degree) from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 7 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a good Диплом Бакалавра (Bakalavr) degree with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 from recognised universities in Russia may be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/MPhil degrees. 

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in the Saudi Arabia will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’ for 2:1 equivalence, or 2, C, Dobrý ‘good’ for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 7.0 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Título de Licenciado / Título Universitario Oficial de Graduado (Grado) /Título de Ingeniero / Título de Arquitecto from a recognised Spanish university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 6 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Special or Professional Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Sri Lanka will be considered for postgraduate taught study.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or B+ for 2:1 equivalency, or 55-59% or a CGPA 3.0/4.0 or B for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd) for 2:1 equivalency, or G (godkänd) for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good " Baccalauréat universitaire/ Diplom / Diplôme; Lizentiat / Licence; Staatsdiplom / Diplôme d'Etat" degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Syria will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70%, or ‘very good’ for 2:1 equivalency or 60%, or ‘good’ for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level. Holders of Bachelors degree from prestigious institutions (see list below) will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4.0 for 2:1 equivalency or 2.7 for 2:2 equivalency. Applicants with grades slightly below these requirements may also be considered for an offer if they have a relevant Bachelors degree, good scores in relevant modules, or relevant work experience.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from all other institutions will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.2/4.0 for 2:1 equivalency, or 2.8 for 2:2 equivalency.

Prestigious institutions: Assumption University Chiang Mai University Chulalongkorn University Kasetsart University Khon Kaen University King Mongkut University of Technology - Thonburi (known as KMUTT or KMUT) Mahidol University Prince of Songla University Srinakharinwirot University Thammasat University

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Caribbean and West Indies university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. 

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in the UAE will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Holders of a good four-year Bachelors degree/ Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised institution, with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence, or a GPA of 3.5/5.0, 3.0/4, 6/12 or 70% for 2:2 equivalence, depending on the awarding institution, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Most modules include a substantial workshop element, directly focussing on student work. 

Course delivery

We have three terms per year, the autumn, spring and summer terms semester. Term dates can be found on our website.

The programme is made up of two 40-credit modules (Writer's Workshop, Creative Writing Masterclass) and two 20-credit modules (Intertextuality; Poem as Story). As a full-time student, you will take one 20-credit module and one 40-credit module in the first two terms, followed by your dissertation. You can typically expect six hours of classroom time per week, two for a 20-credit module and four for a 40-credit module. If you are a part-time student, we advise that you complete the 40-credit modules in your first year and the 20-credit modules in your second year, allowing you more time to focus on your dissertation in year two.

Each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.

Support with academic writing

As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the  Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS)  which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.

International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the  Birmingham International Academy (BIA) .

Teaching year

We have three teaching terms per year, the autumn, spring and summer terms. Term dates can be found on our website .

As a full-time student, you will typically take three modules in each of the first two terms, followed by your dissertation. If you are a part-time student, you will typically take three modules across each year, followed by your dissertation.

As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.

International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA) .

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report .

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network  provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team  who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

• Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
• Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
• Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
• Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: Film and Creative Writing

Postgraduates in the Department of Film and Creative Writing develop a range of skills including the ability to lead and participate in discussions; critical thinking, and an appreciation of different theoretical contexts; the ability to develop opinions and new ideas; and an aptitude for thinking and working creatively with others. While some graduates go on to careers in related industries, such as writing, media and television, others have used their transferable skills to pursue roles such as advertising, teaching, and in the heritage and cultural sectors.

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All modules in Creative Writing

Learn to write fiction, poetry, biographies and drama for the stage, radio and film. Or start with being inspired by literature from Shakepeare through to present day writers.

Creative Writing modules

• Discovering the arts and humanities
• Creative writing
• Literature matters
• Telling stories: the novel and beyond
• Advanced creative writing
• English literature from Shakespeare to Austen
• Literature in transition: from 1800 to the present

Access modules

• Arts and languages Access module
• Arts and languages Access module: fast track
• Introduction to creative writing
• Travel writing

Other Creative Writing courses

• Creative Writing Degrees
• Creative Writing Diplomas
• Creative Writing Certificates

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Creative Writing (Distance Learning)

• Entry year 2024 or 2025
• Duration Part time 2 years

Top reasons to study with us

World Top 40 QS World Subject Rankings 2024 (English Language & Literature)

Enjoy literary events in Lancaster's Castle Quarter

Partners with Wordsworth Grasmere in the English Lake District

Why Lancaster?

• Study from anywhere in the world, whenever it suits you, with our one-to-one tutorials and small group workshops
• Sharpen your writing with detailed individual feedback from a published author in your chosen genre
• Join us for a summer school on campus to spend time with our friendly community, share your work and learn from brilliant writers
• Learn from published writers who specialise in long prose fiction, memoir, short stories, poetry and work for stage and screen
• Work towards your ambition of being a published writer – we’ll help you turn your passion into a career path

We believe distance learning should be like a book – you should be able to pick it up and put it down when it suits you. By studying with us, you can benefit from invaluable one-to-one support from one of our published writers and work on your writing project without changing your lifestyle.

A global community

The DLMA Creative Writing at Lancaster has an established track record of success: our list of graduates who have published their work speaks for itself. Studying with us, you’ll become part of our diverse community of students who connect with each other from all corners of the globe, each bringing their unique personal experiences and cultural perspectives to the course.

Supporting your success

To support your writing project, you’ll learn from detailed online one-to-one tutorials and group conferences. We’ll match you with a published writer in your chosen genre who will be your personal tutor throughout the programme. As well as this one-to-one support, you’ll take part in virtual conferences where you’ll share your work with other students and members of our expert team.

Unmissable summer school

In the summer term of your first year, we run a week-long summer school on campus. Past students have travelled to Lancaster from locations ranging from the USA to Singapore. While this is an optional part of the programme, previous participants have said this is a highlight of the programme as they have the chance to meet other students in person, join interactive workshops and review their progress face-to-face.

During this exciting week, you’ll also benefit from interacting with professionals such as agents, publishers and writers who join us from across the UK. You’ll also take part in a field trip to the Wordsworth Trust in the beautiful Lake District.

Your department

• English Literature and Creative Writing Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Master's Programmes in Creative Writing at Lancaster University

Discover the key features of studying a master's degree in Creative Writing at Lancaster University. Our Creative Writing courses offer flexible study options, to allow the opportunity for you learn in the way that suits you best.

The DLMA Creative writing is taught by a dedicated team of award-winning, critically-acclaimed authors of fiction, poetry and script. The staff may change from time to time, but the following gives you a good idea of our current team.

by Professor Jenn Ashworth

by Sarah Corbett

by Tajinder Hayer

by Conor O'Callaghan

by Professor Paul Farley

by Michelene Wandor

by Eoghan Walls

by Professor Emeritus & Course Founder Graham Mort

Being so close to the spectacular Lake District, home of the Romantic poets, the Department has world-class strengths in Romanticism. Our partnership with the Wordsworth Trust, at Grasmere, is long-established, and has a number of new benefits for all our students.

The Castle Quarter is both a wonderful place to enjoy, with many excellent places to eat and drink, and a wonderful resource for literary studies here at Lancaster. Our students in the Department of English Literature & Creative Writing have many opportunities to make the most of this resource.

Many of our past students have gone on to publish their work and make a career out of their passion for writing. So, if you’ve always wanted to get your work published, this course is for you.

We’ll give you the support you need to become the best writer you can be, and our staff will share their own experiences with you to inspire you on your journey.

Other students have combined their writing with careers in teaching. Journalism and the media are also potential career paths.

Published graduates

Many of our graduates have gone on to successful publishing careers. You too might become one of these.

by Amali Rodrigo

by Barbara Schoichet

by Ruth Taaffe

by Nguyan Phan Que Mai

by Jacob Anthony Ramirez

by Helen Taylor

by Liz Monument

by Gail Kirkpatrick

Advance your career with a Master's at Lancaster University - Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Hear from alumni in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Lancaster University. What did they study and how did their course propel their career?

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

2:1 degree in a related subject is normally required. We will also consider applications on an individual basis where you have a degree in other subjects, have a 2:2 or equivalent result or extensive relevant experience. You should clearly be able to demonstrate how your skills have prepared you for relevant discussions and assessments during postgraduate study.

Please contact us for more information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application you also need to provide

• A portfolio of original writing (no more than 12 poems or 20 pages of prose/scriptwriting) showing potential for publication.
• An outline (approximately 300-400 words) of your proposed project, which is the single point of assessment and is submitted at the end of the course. This could be a collection of short stories, poems, a script, extracts from a longer fiction, creative non-fiction, or life writing piece.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0, and a minimum of 6.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications .

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email [email protected]

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

core modules accordion

The distance learning MA in Creative Writing is a two-year part-time course. It allows the convenience of study from home, enabling online tutorials with a professional writer who will respond to your work through detailed written reports. The course accommodates a range of writing, from poetry to fictional forms and is mediated through a simple virtual learning environment. Our approach is student-centred and designed to support a writing project that you will outline at the point of application.

Personal online tutorials are held twice a term and you will also participate in termly online conferences, sharing work and critical perspectives with other students. There is a week-long optional Summer school at the end of the first year. This takes the form of an intensive week of workshops, and provides a valuable addition to the course when you can meet your tutors and fellow students as well as industry professionals such as writers, editors and agents.

Fees and funding

General fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

College fees

Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

For students starting in 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.

Computer equipment and internet access

To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.

The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status .

If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, tuition fees are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years .

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities .

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries .

Similar courses

English literature and creative writing.

• Creative Writing PhD
• Creative Writing (modular) MA
• Creative Writing with English Literary Studies MA
• English Literary Research MA
• English Literary Studies MA
• English Literary Studies with Creative Writing MA
• English Literature PhD
• English Literature and Creative Writing PhD
• Gender Studies and English MA

David Craig Memorial Fund

Level of Study: Master's degree

Details of Award: The David Craig Writing Award was set up in David’s memory by his four children, Marian, Peter, Donald and Neil, and his wife Anne Spillard Craig, with the support of Lancaster University. One award is made each year to a student starting a Master’s programme in Creative Writing . The award is made on the basis of the student having applied and received an offer to join the programme, and a short statement about how they would use the award. We look for evidence that the award will help them become a successful writer whose work connects experience, place, and history.

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information .

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies .

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Our campus and the surrounding area is a great place to call home.

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Build your global community on campus and around the world.

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Services to help you fulfil your potential at Lancaster.

Creative Writing Short Courses

With an impressive community of published alumni, a thriving writing community, and strong links to the publishing industry, our short creative writing courses are all you need as an aspiring writer.

Free Virtual Open Evening & Taster Sessions

Join us on Wednesday 11th September for our free online Open Evening & Taster Sessions. Speak to the team, learn about our courses, and take part in a free 50-minute taster session.

• Sign up to our open evening & taster sessions

Explore our writing short courses

Fiction: beginners.

• An Approach to Creative Writing
• Crime and Thriller Writing
• Crime and Thriller Writing Summer School
• Short Story Writing
• Writing for Children
• Writing for Children Summer School

Fiction: Intermediate

• Crime Writing Intensive Intermediate
• Novel Writing and Longer Works
• Novel Writing Summer School
• Writers' Workshop

Fiction: Advanced

• The Novel Studio

Non-Fiction Writing

• Fact-based Storytelling
• Narrative Non-Fiction
• Writing the Memoir
• Writing for Social Impact

Business Writing

• Introduction to Branding
• Introduction to Copywriting
• Writing For Business
• Writing For Business Summer School
• Writing for the Web and Digital Media
• Getting Published
• Travel Writing
• Going Freelance with Confidence
• Introduction to Broadcast Journalism

Intensive courses

Summer schools.

• An Approach to Creative Writing Summer School
• Writing for Business Summer School
• Browse our other short course subjects

Taught by established authors, editors or industry professionals

Study at a leading London location

We champion diverse voices in writing through our scholarship schemes

Our writing community

Take a writing short course with City and join our thriving writing community:

• Share your work within a safe and supportive environment
• Benefit from our strong links to the publishing industry
• Enter our termly writing competition, City Writes , and win a chance to read your work to an invited audience
• Be first to hear the latest news through our Writing Newsletter championing student successes
• Gain from our inclusive approach through our scholarship programmes for the Novel Studio and Writing for Social Impact
• Become published by contributing to our City Short Courses Blog.

Alongside our creative writing courses, we also offer a range of highly popular business writing and journalism courses, designed to develop your writing skills within a professional setting. All business copywriting and narrative non-fiction students are also eligible to submit ideas for our blog which, if accepted, will then be professionally edited and uploaded to our site.

Our writing short course alumni have gone on to publish books; win writing prizes; get signed by agents; and study further at MA or PhD level. Enrol on a City creative writing course see where it might take you. Published Alumni from our Novel Studio course .

Recent Alumni Publications

Learning with us

We know flexibility is key for our short course students. That’s why we arrange sessions in the evenings and over the weekend. Looking for something more intensive? We offer one-day workshops and summer schools too. Our courses range from beginners to advanced, so there is something for everyone.

• Book a short course in creative writing

News & Events

• City Writes Summer 2024
• How a City Short Course can help you towards your novel writing dreams
• Listen to 2023's Novel Showcase and find out more about the agent-packed event
• Former Narrative Non-Fiction student and now published author, Ciaran Thiapar, is now teaching his own course to inspire young writers
• Novel Studio alumnus Laurence Kershook's journey towards The Broygus, his first published novel 
• Read about Writers’ Workshop alumnus and published children’s author Michael Mann’s guest appearance

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• Browse all of our short courses
• Frequently Asked Questions