creative writing colleges in england

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SUBJECT LEAGUE TABLE 2025

A Creative Writing degree will let you flex your storytelling abilities and study the work of literary legends.Our university rankings for Creative Writing include Scriptwriting and Poetry Writing.

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• Entry standards
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• University of Warwick VIEW COURSES Royal Holloway, University of Londo... VIEW COURSES University of Birmingham VIEW COURSES University of Leeds VIEW COURSES Newcastle University VIEW COURSES Lancaster University VIEW COURSES University of East Anglia UEA VIEW COURSES GET PROSPECTUS University of Strathclyde VIEW COURSES University of Kent VIEW COURSES University of Plymouth VIEW COURSES University of Lincoln VIEW COURSES Keele University VIEW COURSES Manchester Metropolitan University VIEW COURSES University of Hull VIEW COURSES Kingston University VIEW COURSES University of Chester VIEW COURSES GET PROSPECTUS Edge Hill University VIEW COURSES Bournemouth University VIEW COURSES Bristol, University of the West of ... VIEW COURSES Canterbury Christ Church University VIEW COURSES Aberystwyth University VIEW COURSES Nottingham Trent University VIEW COURSES Brunel University London VIEW COURSES University of Essex VIEW COURSES University of Westminster, London VIEW COURSES Bangor University VIEW COURSES University of Portsmouth VIEW COURSES Teesside University VIEW COURSES Bath Spa University VIEW COURSES University of Brighton VIEW COURSES GET PROSPECTUS University of Greenwich VIEW COURSES De Montfort University VIEW COURSES University of Gloucestershire VIEW COURSES Sheffield Hallam University VIEW COURSES Anglia Ruskin University VIEW COURSES York St John University VIEW COURSES Birmingham City University VIEW COURSES GET PROSPECTUS University of Chichester VIEW COURSES Liverpool Hope University VIEW COURSES University of Winchester VIEW COURSES University of Salford VIEW COURSES University of Central Lancashire VIEW COURSES Arts University Bournemouth VIEW COURSES University of Worcester VIEW COURSES University of Bolton VIEW COURSES Liverpool John Moores University VIEW COURSES University of Derby VIEW COURSES GET PROSPECTUS Falmouth University VIEW COURSES St Mary's University, Twickenham VIEW COURSES University of Wolverhampton VIEW COURSES
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• 79% 74% 73% 76% 68% 71% 75% 100% 62% 68% 62% 55% 60% 60% 55% 59% 61% n/a 56% 60% 61% 55% 64% 58% 54% 53% 52% 62% 58% 47% 58% 54% 51% 54% 49% 55% 57% 56% 58% 55% 56% 56% 60% 50% 48% 62% 64% 57% n/a n/a
• 77% 77% 76% 74% 79% 78% 74% 71% 77% 80% 88% 87% 80% 92% 83% 80% 80% 75% 79% 84% 81% 81% 82% 78% 72% 77% 85% 82% 76% 78% 82% 77% 79% 76% 79% 87% 76% 83% 76% 77% 81% 85% 89% 77% 82% 84% 80% 80% 76% 72%
• 86% 87% 89% 90% 94% 82% 87% 85% 87% 86% 75% 83% 86% 84% 77% 70% 73% 70% 71% 82% 69% 75% 77% 81% 84% 77% 71% 79% 81% 78% 68% 82% 67% 80% 79% 63% 88% 72% 72% 64% 70% 74% 64% 63% 65% n/a 62% n/a n/a 80%
• 74% 82% 78% n/a 76% 74% 72% n/a 78% 66% n/a 76% 76% n/a n/a 78% 60% 78% 92% 64% 62% n/a 58% 62% n/a 64% 68% n/a 66% 68% 56% 56% 54% 64% 64% 62% 54% 46% n/a 58% 70% 40% 60% 58% 66% 60% 60% 54% 72% 46%

This table was first published on 14 May 2024. 

Read the  University and subject tables methodology  to find out where the data comes from, how the tables are compiled and explanations of the measures used. 

All measures used to compile the tables are available on the full table view. Maximum scores for the measures: 

Overall score: maximum score of 1000 

Entry standards: no maximum score  

Student satisfaction: maximum score of 4

Research quality: maximum score of 4 

Continuation: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – outcomes: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – on track: maximum score of 100 

The following institutions have courses in this subject but insufficient data to be included in the ranking:  

• - Birmingham Newman University
• - Cardiff Metropolitan University
• - Cardiff University
• - Coventry University
• - Goldsmiths, University of London
• - Leeds Arts University
• - Leeds Beckett University
• - Leeds Trinity University
• - London Metropolitan University
• - Loughborough University
• - Middlesex University
• - Oxford Brookes University
• - Plymouth Marjon University
• - Queen's University Belfast
• - Swansea University
• - University of Aberdeen
• - University of Bedfordshire
• - University of Dundee
• - University of East London
• - University of Hertfordshire
• - University of Huddersfield
• - University of Leicester
• - University of Nottingham
• - University of Oxford
• - University of Reading
• - University of South Wales
• - University of Staffordshire
• - University of Suffolk
• - University of Surrey
• - University of Wales Trinity Saint David
• - University of West London
• - University of the West of Scotland

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100 Best universities for Creative Writing in the United Kingdom

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 640K citations received by 54.6K academic papers made by 121 universities in the United Kingdom was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Oxford

For Creative Writing

2. University College London

3. University of Cambridge

4. King's College London

5. University of Manchester

6. University of Edinburgh

7. University of Exeter

8. University of Sheffield

9. University of Birmingham

10. University of Nottingham

11. University of Leeds

12. University of Bristol

13. Lancaster University

14. Durham University

15. University of York

16. University of Warwick

17. University of Glasgow

18. Cardiff University

19. University of Sussex

20. University of London

21. London School of Economics and Political Science

22. University of Southampton

23. Queen Mary University of London

24. University of St Andrews

25. Royal Holloway, University of London

26. University of Liverpool

27. Newcastle University

28. Loughborough University

29. University of Leicester

30. University of East Anglia

31. University of Kent

32. University of Reading

33. Goldsmiths, University of London

34. Birkbeck, University of London

35. Queen's University Belfast

36. Keele University

37. University of Strathclyde

38. Manchester Metropolitan University

39. University of Aberdeen

40. Ulster University

41. University of Bath

42. Northumbria University

43. University of Portsmouth

44. University of Surrey

45. University of Stirling

46. Brunel University London

47. University of Hull

48. Nottingham Trent University

49. Teesside University

50. De Montfort University

51. SOAS, University of London

52. Bournemouth University

53. Oxford Brookes University

54. University of the West of England

55. University of Plymouth

56. University of Essex

57. University of Dundee

58. University of Brighton

59. Leeds Beckett University

60. University of Wales

61. University of Huddersfield

62. University of East London

63. Sheffield Hallam University

64. University of Salford

65. Swansea University

66. City, University of London

67. University of Hertfordshire

68. University of Roehampton

69. Liverpool John Moores University

70. Middlesex University

71. University of Central Lancashire

72. Anglia Ruskin University

73. Coventry University

74. Bangor University

75. Edge Hill University

76. University of Lincoln

77. Canterbury Christ Church University

78. Imperial College London

79. University of Westminster

80. Aberystwyth University

81. London Metropolitan University

82. University of Wolverhampton

83. London South Bank University

84. University of Greenwich

85. University of Winchester

86. Birmingham City University

87. Aston University

88. Kingston University

89. University of Derby

90. University of South Wales

91. University of Bradford

92. University of the West of Scotland

93. University of Chester

94. University of West London

95. University of Bedfordshire

96. Heriot-Watt University

97. Staffordshire University

98. University of Gloucestershire

99. Edinburgh Napier University

100. University of Sunderland

The best cities to study Creative Writing in the United Kingdom based on the number of universities and their ranks are Oxford , London , Cambridge , and Manchester .

Art & Design subfields in the United Kingdom

Study Undergraduate

English literature and creative writing ba (ucas qw38).

29 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 Skills Baccalaureate Wales.

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 2024/25 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 2024/25 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 2024/25 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 2024/25 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 2024/25 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 2024/25 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:

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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.

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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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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 ( Radical 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 2025.

Central London

Creative Writing BA (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2025

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: 112 points (e.g. A-levels BBC)
• 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.

3 years full-time: Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma - DMM

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 2025-26

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 2025-26

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 2025-26

Full-time home students, Year 1: £5,760 per year Full-time international students, Year 1: £18,060 per year Full-time home students, Year 2+: £9,250 per year Full-time international students, Year 2+: £18,060 per year

Creative Writing with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26

Part-time home students, Year 1&2: £4,315 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 2025.

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

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 2025

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

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 2025

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.

MSt in Creative Writing

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The MSt in Creative Writing is a two-year, part-time master's degree course offering a unique combination of high contact hours, genre specialisation, and critical and creative breadth.

The emphasis of the course is cross-cultural and cross-genre, pointing up the needs and challenges of the contemporary writer who produces their creative work in the context of a global writerly and critical community.

The MSt offers a clustered learning format of five residences, two guided retreats and one research placement over two years. The research placement, a distinguishing feature of the course, provides between one and two weeks' in-house experience of writing in the real world.

The first year concentrates equally on prose fiction, poetry, dramatic writing and narrative non-fiction. There is a significant critical reading and analysis component, which is linked to the writerly considerations explored in each of the genres. In your second year you will specialise in one of the following:

• short fiction
• radio drama
• screenwriting
• stage drama
• narrative non-fiction.

The residences in particular offer an intensive workshop- and seminar-based forum for ideas exchange and for the opening up of creative and critical frameworks within which to develop writerly and analytical skills. There is a strong element of one-to-one tutorial teaching. Tutorials take place within residences and retreats, and relate to the on-going work produced for the course.

You will be required to attend residences in Oxford during the first year as well as a research placement in the second year.

As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.

The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.

The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.

The Rewley House Continuing Education Library , one of the Bodleian Libraries, is situated in Rewley House. The department aims to support the wide variety of subjects covered by departmental courses at many academic levels. The department also has a collection of around 73,000 books together with periodicals. PCs in the library give access to the internet and the full range of electronic resources subscribed to by the University of Oxford. The Jessop Reading Room adjoining the library is available for study.

The department provides various IT facilities , including the Student Computing Facility which provides individual PCs for your use. 

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department for Continuing Education and this role will usually be performed by the Course Director. It is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department for Continuing Education.

You will be assigned a supervisor who will work closely with you throughout the development of the year two final project and extended essay. All assessed work throughout the two years of the course is subject to one-to-one feedback and discussion with a tutor. This intensive, one-to-one input, combined with the highly interactive workshop and seminar sessions, is a distinguishing feature of the course.

The MSt is assessed by coursework. In the first year, four assignments (two creative, two critical), one creative writing portfolio and one critical essay are submitted. Work is set during each residence and handed in for assessment before the next meeting. Feedback on work submitted is given during tutorials within the residence or retreat. In the second year, submissions comprise one research placement report, one extended critical essay, and a final project – a substantial body of creative work in the genre of choice. 

You will be set specific creative and critical work to be completed between residences and handed in to set deadlines. Creative submissions in the first year must be in more than one genre. In the second year, submitted work focuses around the genre of your choice.

Graduate destinations

Graduate destinations have included publishing creative work in a chosen field, careers in arts/media, and doctoral programmes in creative writing.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours  in a related field.

For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience 

• Assessors are looking for writers with a proven record of commitment to their craft, whose work demonstrates significant creative promise. You should be a keen reader, and bring an open-minded, questioning approach to both reading and writing. You will not necessarily have yet achieved publication, but you will have written regularly and read widely over a sustained period. You will be keen to dedicate time and energy and staying-power to harnessing your talent, enlarging your skills, and aiming your writerly production at consistently professional standards. It is likely you will have a first degree, or equivalent, although in some cases other evidence of suitability may be acceptable.
• Applicants do not need to be previously published, but the MSt is unlikely to be suitable for those who are just starting out on their writerly and critical development.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.  

For those applying by the January deadline, interviews are generally held in February and March. For March applicants, interviews are generally held in March and April.

The decision to call an applicant for interview is based on the University Admission Board's assessment of your portfolio, statement of purpose, academic and professional track record and references. Interviews will be conducted in person or by telephone. There are always two interviewers. Interviews usually last up to approximately 30 minutes and provide an opportunity for the candidate to discuss his/her application and to explore the course in more detail.

The interview is designed to ascertain, through a range of questions, the shape and emphasis of the candidate's writing and reading, and general suitability for the demands of the MSt. 

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Department for Continuing Education

The need for new learning opportunities throughout life is recognised throughout society. An intensive, initial period of higher education is not always enough, or possible, in times of rapid social, economic and technological change. The Department for Continuing Education is known worldwide as a leading provider of extended learning for professional and personal development.

The department provides high-quality, flexible, part-time graduate education, tailored for adults. Students can undertake graduate-level certificates, diplomas and taught master’s degrees in a wide range of subjects. Increasing numbers of courses are delivered in mixed mode, combining intensive periods of residence in Oxford with tutored online study.

The department recruits adult students of all ages on a regional, national and international level. Many courses are offered jointly with other academic departments around the University. Courses are offered in the following areas:

• Mathematical, physical and life sciences
• Medical and health sciences
• Social sciences .

All postgraduate students on the department's courses are members of its Graduate School. The department's  Graduate School aims to provide a stimulating and enriching environment for learning and research. It also supports intellectual and social interaction between graduates of different disciplines and professions from the UK and around the globe. Interdisciplinary research seminars, training opportunities and other events are offered by the Graduate School in support of this goal.

The department's Graduate School will help you make the most of the wealth of resources and opportunities available, paying particular regard to the support and guidance needed if you are following a part-time graduate programme. The department’s graduate community comprises over 600 members following taught programmes and more than 70 undertaking doctoral research.

The department is located in a block of attractive Victorian houses in Wellington Square in central Oxford close to some of the University's major libraries and museums and to the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter. The city's historic sites, colleges, shops and restaurants are only a few minutes' walk away. The modernised and extended site has its own fully equipped seminar rooms, library, reading room, student computing facility, graduate school study/social room, dining-room, common- room, garden seating areas and short-term student accommodation. Depending on the programme you are taking with the department, you may require accommodation at some point in your student career. The department has 35 en-suite study bedrooms , all with high quality amenities, including internet access.

The Rewley House dining room has seating for up to 132 people. A full meal service is available daily. The department operates a Common Room with bar for students.

All masters' and DPhil applicants are considered for Clarendon Scholarships . The department is committed to seeking scholarship support for other students wherever possible.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.

If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible,  use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool  to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including  a range of external funding ,  loan schemes for postgraduate study  and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on  our fees, funding and scholarship search tool .

Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:

Select from the list:

Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.

For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2025-26

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

This course has residential sessions (residences and retreats) in Oxford. You will need to meet your travel costs in attending these sessions. The tuition fee includes the cost of board and lodging during the residences and retreats (eg for a four day residence, three nights accommodation will be provided). Further, as part of your course requirements, you will need to complete a research placement in the second year. For this placement you will need to meet your travel and accommodation costs, and any other incidental expenses. You may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses. Further information about departmental funding can be found on the department's website. Please check with your specific college for bursary or other funding possibilities.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

Living costs for part-time study

Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.

Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the  cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).

Further information about living costs

The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs , which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . 

If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide. 

The following colleges accept students on the MSt in Creative Writing:

• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Harris Manchester College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Oriel College
• Regent's Park College
• St Catherine's College
• Somerville College
• Wadham College
• Wycliffe Hall

Before you apply

Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

If you have any questions about the course, these should be directed to the course administrator via the contact details provided on this page.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents . 

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Referees: Three overall, academic and/or professional

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Your references will support your commitment to creative writing and suitability to pursue a course of this nature at graduate level. Both professional and academic references are acceptable.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

A CV/résumé is compulsory for all applications. Most applicants choose to submit a document of one to two pages highlighting their academic and writerly achievements and any relevant professional experience.

Statement of purpose: A maximum of 750 words

The statement of purpose should contain sufficient detail to allow it to be assessed against the indicated criteria.

Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you and/or in which you intend to specialise.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English
• commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
• capacity for sustained and intense work
• reasoning ability and quality of written expression
• capacity to address issues of writerly and critical significance.

Written work: A maximum of 2,000 words of prose fiction or narrative non-fiction or 10 short poems or 15 minutes of dramatic writing (stage, screen, radio or TV)

Your portfolio of creative writing for assessment can be in any of the four genres, or in more than one. It should be clearly indicative of your ability in creative writing.

This will be assessed for excellence in creative writing.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice .

Apply Continue application

After you've submitted your application

Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will  not  be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can  find out more about our shortlisting and selection process  in our detailed guide to what happens next.

Find out how to manage your application after submission , using our Applicant Self-Service tool.

ADMISSION STATUS

Open to applications for entry in 2025-26

12:00 midday UK time on:

Wednesday 29 January 2025

Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

Tuesday 4 March 2025

Applications may remain open after this deadline if places are still available - see below

A later deadline under 'Admission status'

If places are still available,  applications may be accepted after 4 March . The Admission status (above) will provide notice of any later deadline.

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2022-23 to 2024-25)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Department for Continuing Education

• Course page  and blog on  department website
• Funding information from the department
• Academic staff
• Departmental research
• Continuing Education Graduate School
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 280145

Application-process enquiries

Application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

King's College London

Creative writing research phd.

Key information

The PhD in Creative Writing at King’s is a practice-led course, incorporating taught elements and aspects of professional development. It is designed to cater for talented, committed writers who are looking to complete a book-length creative work for publication and sustain a long-term career in writing.

Key Benefits

Our unique programme offers students:

• a varied, structured framework for the development of their creative work, with regular feedback from experienced author-lecturers in the department through supervision and workshops
• purposeful engagement with professionals from the publishing and performance industries throughout the course, building potential routes to publication
• valuable teaching experience in creative writing at HE-level through our Graduate Teaching Assistantship scheme
• practical experience in public engagement, through curating and chairing public literary events at King’s
• a community of fellow writers and collaborative projects

English Department

We have over 100 doctoral students from all over the world working on a wide range of projects. Together with our community of postdoctoral fellows, our early career researchers both organise and participate in our thriving seminar and conference culture.

The English department is home to award-winning novelists, poets, essayists, biographers, non-fiction authors, and literary critics, who supervise creative projects at doctoral level within their specialisms.

Works by our staff have won or been shortlisted for a number of literary accolades, including: the T.S. Eliot Prize, the Forward Prize, the Man Booker Prize, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, the Costa First Novel Award, the Costa Poetry Award, the Somerset Maugham Award, the Commonwealth Book Prize, the Biographers’ Club / Slightly Foxed First Biography Prize, the U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award, the CWA Gold Dagger Award, the European Union Prize for Literature, the RSL Encore Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the E.M. Forster Award from the American Academy of Letters, le Prix du Roman Fnac, le Prix du Roman Etranger, the Kiriyama Prize, the Republic of Consciousness Prize, the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award, and the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. Many of the creative writing staff are Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature.

Their most recent publications are:

Benjamin Wood

The Young Accomplice (Penguin Viking, 2022) – fiction

A Station on the Path to Somewhere Better (Scribner, 2018) – fiction

Edmund Gordon

The Invention of Angela Carter (Chatto & Windus, 2016) – creative non-fiction

Loop of Jade (Chatto & Windus, 2015) – poetry

Anthony Joseph

Sonnets for Albert (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2022) – poetry

The Frequency of Magic (Peepal Tree Press, 2019) – fiction

Lara Feigel

The Group (John Murray Press, 2020) – fiction

Free Woman: Life, Liberation and Doris Lessing (Bloomsbury, 2018) – creative non-fiction

Homing: On Pigeons, Dwellings, and Why We Return (John Murray Press, 2019) – creative non-fiction

Daughters of the Labyrinth (Corsair, 2021) – fiction

Beethoven Variations: Poems on a Life (Chatto & Windus, 2020) – poetry

Emerald (Chatto & Windus, 2018) – poetry

Andrew O'Hagan

Mayflies (Faber & Faber, 2020) – fiction

The Secret Life: Three True Stories (Faber & Faber, 2017) – creative non-fiction

*may vary according to research leave and availability.

King's Alumni

The list of King’s alumni not only features many acclaimed contemporary authors—Michael Morpurgo, Alain de Botton, Hanif Kureishi, Marina Lewycka, Susan Hill, Lawrence Norfolk, Ross Raisin, Alexander Masters, Anita Brookner, and Helen Cresswell—it also includes major figures in literature, such as Maureen Duffy, Arthur C Clarke, Thomas Hardy, Christopher Isherwood, BS Johnson, John Keats, W. Somerset Maugham, and Virginia Woolf.

Course Detail

Our postgraduate writing students are given a supportive environment in which to enhance their technique, to explore the depths of their ideas, to sustain their creative motivation, and to prepare them for the demands of the writer’s life beyond the College.

At King's we know that writing well requires self-discipline and an ability to work productively in isolation; but we also appreciate that postgraduate writers thrive when they are part of a community of fellow authors, an environment of constructive criticism and shared endeavour.

That is why we offer our PhD students the guidance of knowledgeable and experienced practitioners. They will have frequent opportunities to interact and collaborate with peers and forge lasting connections within London’s writing industry.

Students will be expected to attend the quarterly Thesis Workshop, and also to take an active part in curating literary events at King’s, including the Poetry And… quarterly reading series. They will be invited to apply for positions teaching undergraduate creative writing modules as part of the Department’s Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) scheme.

After three years (full-time) or six years (part-time), students are expected to submit either:

• a novel or short story collection
• a poetry collection
• a full-length work of creative non-fiction

In addition, they are also required to submit an essay (up to 15,000 words) that examines their practical approach to the conception, development, and revision of their project, and which explores how their creative work was informed by research (archival, book-based, or experiential).

• How to apply
• Fees or Funding

Many of our incoming students apply for AHRC funding via the London Arts and Humanities Partnership. Please see their website ( www.lahp.ac.uk ) for more detail of deadlines, application procedure and awards available. Also the ‘Student Funding’ section of the Prospectus will give you more information on other scholarships available from King’s.

UK Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees:

£5,820 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

Part time tuition fees:

£2,910 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

International Tuition Fees 2023/24

£22,900 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

£11,450 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

UK Tuition Fees 2024/25

£6,168 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

£3,084 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

International Tuition Fees 2024/25

£24,786 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

£12,393 per year (MPhil/PhD, Creative Writing)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

• Study environment

Base campus

Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

PhD in Creative Writing students are taught through one-to-one sessions with an appointed supervisor in their chosen specialism (fiction, creative non-fiction, or poetry) as well as through quarterly thesis workshops. They are also appointed a second supervisor whose role is to offer an additional perspective on the work being produced.

We place great emphasis on pastoral care and are a friendly and welcoming department in the heart of London. Our home in the Virginia Woolf Building offers many spaces for postgraduate students to work and socialise. Studying in London means students have access to a huge range of libraries from the Maughan Library at King’s to the Senate House Library at the University of London and the British Library.

Our PhD Creative Writing students are taught exclusively by practicing, published writers of international reputation. These include:

Benjamin Wood (Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing)

Supervises projects in fiction.

Edmund Gordon (Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing)

Supervises projects in fiction and creative non-fiction.

Sarah Howe (Lecturer in Poetry)

Supervises projects in poetry.

Anthony Joseph (Lecturer in Creative Writing)

Supervises projects in poetry and fiction.

Jon Day (Senior Lecturer in English)

Supervises projects in creative non-fiction and fiction

Lara Feigel (Professor of Modern Literature)

Supervises projects in creative non-fiction and fiction.

Ruth Padel (Professor Emerita of Poetry)

Andrew O’Hagan (Visiting Professor)

*Teaching staff may vary according to research leave and availability.

Our programme also incorporates the following taught components:

Thesis Workshop

A termly writing seminar for the discussion and appraisal of works-in-progress. These are taught on a rotational basis by all members of the creative writing staff, so that students get the benefit of hearing a range of voices and opinions on their work throughout the course.

The Writing Life

A suite of exclusive guest talks and masterclasses from leading authors, publishers, and editors, in which students receive guidance from people working at the top level of the writing industry and learn about the various demands of maintaining a career as a writer.

Recent speakers have included Amit Chaudhuri, Chris Power, Rebecca Watson, Mendez, Frances Leviston, Joanna Biggs, Joe Dunthorne, Francesca Wade, Kishani Widyaratna, Jacques Testard and Leo Robson.

Other elements of professional development are included in the degree:

Agents-in-Residence

Candidates in fiction or creative-nonfiction will meet and discuss their work in one-to-one sessions with invited literary agents, who are appointed to yearly residencies. These sessions offer writers a different overview of the development of their project: not solely from the standpoint of authorial technique, but with a view towards the positioning of their writing within a competitive and selective industry. Poetry candidates will meet and discuss their work with invited editors from internationally recognised poetry journals and presses.

Undergraduate Teaching

Through our Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) training scheme, our PhD students can apply to lead undergraduate creative writing workshops in fiction, creative non-fiction, and/or poetry, enabling them to acquire valuable HE-level teaching experience that will benefit them long after graduation.

Reading Series

Our students are required to participate in the curation of literary events at King’s. They are also responsible for curating Poetry And… , a quarterly reading in which leading poets illuminate the powerful connections between poetry and other disciplines. Students will develop skills in public engagement by chairing discussions and may also perform excerpts of their own writing.

Postgraduate Training

There is a range of induction events and training provided for students by the Centre for Doctoral Studies, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the English Department. A significant number of our students are AHRC-funded through the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP) which also provides doctoral training to all students. All students take the ‘Doctoral Seminar’ in their first year. This is a series of informal, staff-led seminars on research skills in which students can share and gain feedback on their own work. We run a series of ‘Skills Lunches’, which are informal lunch meetings with staff, covering specific topics, including Upgrading, Attending Conferences, Applying for Funding and Post-Doctoral Awards, etc. Topics for these sessions are generally suggested by the students themselves, so are particularly responsive to student needs. We have an Early Career Staff Mentor who runs more formal workshops of varying kinds, particularly connected to career development and the professions.

Through our Graduate Teaching Assistantship Scheme, doctoral students can apply to teach in the department (usually in their second year of study) and are trained and supported as they do so.

• Entry requirements

Find a supervisor

Search through a list of available supervisors.

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Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.

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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 graduates say

Many of our graduates are now published authors. Find out what they have to say about how the Creative Writing MA at Kingston helped their careers.

Holly Seddon

I will always love my time as a Kingston University Creative Writing MA student. The freedom to experiment, the fantastic support from the lecturers, the encouragement to take big, bold swings has helped me create the best work of my career so far. I discovered new interests that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and only wish I could take the course all over again.

Anna Johnson

In 2018, I began my practice-based creative writing PhD, specialising in life writing around motherhood experience. This was something of a career change for me, and so I did not have a record of published creative or academic writing. That same year I published a piece of life writing, which had developed out of my work for the PhD application, as a chapter in a book entitled Everyday World-Making: Towards an Understanding of Affect and Mothering .

Later that year I presented the early stages of my research at a conference titled Women in Transition , which lead to another publication, this time a hybrid creative/essay piece in a book based on the conference.

Over the next couple of years, I wrote and presented elements of my practice and research at Writers Centre Kingston events, and at a conference organised by the Race/Gender Matters research group at Kingston. Following this conference, I joined the research group and went on to co-organise a Race/Gender Matters symposium entitled Visceral Bodies in 2023.

In 2021, I published a hybrid creative/essay chapter in a book entitled From Band-Aids to Scalpels: Motherhood Experiences in/of Medicine .

Throughout my PhD journey I have also published several pieces in online journals, including Failure: the Ghost and the Mother, Alluvium Journal, 2022, and But Also Flesh and Salt, The Contemporary Journal, 2023.

Recently, I have published poetry on the Dx: Diagnosis and Writing website, and in Motherlore magazine. I am currently co-editing a special issue of Studies in the Maternal journal (with a PhD student from the Philosophy department) based on the Visceral Bodies symposium and featuring my poetry.

The structure, support and networks afforded me by my studies at Kingston have been invaluable in getting my work out into the world.

From the beginning of my doctoral work at Kingston until I submitted my thesis I always felt supported by my supervisors. Their comments on my writing and my meetings with them were very productive. In addition, I received encouragement about my creative work which was a real boost. The University also provided platforms for readings and talks in which I participated – these were wonderful ways to practice for other events in which I have since participated. As I built up and edited my manuscript of poems, they became ready to send out which I did over my years as a PhD student.

Throughout my time at Kingston I published quite a lot of my creative work that came out of my thesis, including poems in various literary journals and a pamphlet of poems, Grief Dialogue (Rack Press). After I submitted my thesis, the manuscript that came out of the critical component was accepted for publication. The book, Boat of Letters , will appear in 2025.

Faiqa Mansab

I am quite sure that my publishing journey would have been very difficult were it not for Kingston University MFA.

Tutors like James Miller, Adam Baron, and Jonathan Barnes didn't just give me the nuts and bolts of the craft but also impressed upon me the importance of trusting my own voice, taking responsibility for the story I want to tell and to be flexible in my approach to craft so that I am always learning and growing.

Grainne Murphy

I did the low-res MA in Creative Writing from 2015 to 2017 and it was the perfect fit for someone living outside the UK. The course was excellent on both theoretical and technical aspects, allowing me to figure out how best to write what I wanted to write. I was lucky to have the brilliantly warm and practical Paul Bailey as my dissertation adviser and still apply his insight to everything I write, although I am still guilty of a love of run-on sentences! Course head, Wendy Vaizey, gave me invaluable advice and confidence in my own style at a critical point – advice that saw my first novel subsequently accepted for publication.

Three of us from the class formed our own little writing group when the MA ended and still have a monthly Zoom workshop where we share and discuss our writing and our lives. This fourth novel, Greener , is about friendship and I was so proud to dedicate the book to them both.

The road to publication is paved with blood, coffee and numb fingers; don't let anyone tell you differently. Completing my MA and PhD at Kingston University was a challenging but wholly rewarding experience and one I wouldn't change for the world. The lectures, detailed supervision meetings, and workshopping creative pieces with fellow students were invaluable in taking my writing to the next level. Writing is a lonely profession, so being part of a community that pushes and motivates you to write your best work is special. I honed my skills as a fiction writer and an academic writer throughout my time at Kingston.

For my PhD, I wrote a historical thriller titled Bad Blood , which will be published in 2024 under my pen name, Luke Deckard, by SharpeBooks. This novel is the culmination of my time at Kingston, and not only am I thrilled to see it officially released into the wild, but I know Bad Blood wouldn't be what it is without the support and input I received over the years from my supervisors and colleagues I met and worked with along the way.

Seraphina Madsen

Seraphina has published two books: Dodge and Burn and Aurora .

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

Professor Hanif Kureishi

Dr Marina Lambrou

Dr Daniel Read

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

Creative Writing

Our Creative Writing degree is an innovative, practical programme that encourages you to work across a variety of disciplinary pathways. You will learn to hone your ideas and inspiration and learn to express yourself and communicate to a wider audience.

On this Page:

• 5 reasons to study Creative Writing
• Compare our courses
• Student experience video: Aaron Farrell
• Chat to students
• Our Research

5 Reasons to study Creative Writing

Our degrees in Creative Writing and Professional Writing provide a strong foundation of subject-specific knowledge and skills in the first year, preparing you to choose from an exciting range of module options as you progress. You’ll develop and pursue new interests and have the chance to undertake an independent writing final-year project. Our diverse module range allows you to explore innovative approaches to Creative Writing, encouraging you to reflect on the enduring importance of historic literatures as well as contemporary literature’s impact on society and specific communities. You will explore and be encouraged to read and write in many different forms, such as:

• short fiction
• flash or micro fictions
• hybrid forms
• non-fiction 

These forms span the traditional through to the experimental and enable encounters with important themes, including:

• gender and sexuality
• the environment and climate
• political injustice
• economic inequality
• globalisation

Our degrees are designed to invite you to think creatively, critically, and openly – giving you the supportive and friendly space in which your creative voice can rise, change, and develop over three years. Our seminars and workshops are places in which you’ll find intellectual stimulation and rigour but also warm support and camaraderie. The creative act is often fuelled and developed by encounters with other writers and so, your peers and teachers will be your creative writing community while studying at Bangor. Our workshops and classrooms are spaces in which your unique voice will be nurtured with care and commitment. It’s also a space in which you will learn to confidently critique and help develop the work of your peers.

Many of our modules provide opportunities to choose innovative, creative assessments, which focus on preparing you for the job market and a broad range of fulfilling careers. As a creative writing graduate, you will be in possession of some of the most in-demand skills required by this fast-paced modern job market. As an expert creator, communicator, and critical thinker, you will see how these skills are highly valued in, and transferable to, both traditional and rapidly emerging job markets.

As part of your undergraduate experience, we’re proud to offer regular visits and workshops from expert industry insiders. These sessions provide valuable insight and practical tips about how to transfer your creative talents into fulfilling careers that make best use of your unique skills. We’ve welcomed experts from careers as diverse as publishing and editing through to recently graduated writers working collaboratively with AI to create content for world leading brands. Your creative future is full of possibility and your undergraduate years are the chance to explore where this could lead.

At Bangor, you’ll be part of a lively and caring community with excellent pastoral support. You’ll have opportunities to immerse yourself in writing and reading but also go on theatre visits and field trips, listen and talk to visiting writers, attend research seminars, explore Bangor’s special collections and archives, and to get involved in vibrant student societies and reading groups. You’ll be taught by world-leading subject specialists from day one, and your lecturers and tutors will get to know you and support your through your degree. Alongside lectures, you’ll benefit from small seminar groups, one-to-one project supervision, workshops, and regular drop-in sessions.

As a Creative Writing student, you’ll be actively looking both backwards and forwards in literary time. You’ll have the opportunity to study a range of genres and forms, from classic texts through to contemporary writing. You’ll learn how to navigate and appreciate what has come before, what’s happening now and consider how your writing might respond, deviate, sit in conversation with, or sometimes challenge the texts you will explore. How will your voice respond? 

Here's a  quick overview  of our undergraduate courses in Creative Writing.

Start Month: September UCAS Code: W890 Qualification: BA (Hons) Duration: 3 years Placement Year: Yes International Experience Year: Yes Study Mode: Full time

Creative Writing and Modern Language

Start Month: September UCAS Code: W8R8 Qualification: BA (Hons) Duration: 4 years Placement Year: Yes International Experience Year: Yes Study Mode: Full time

English Literature and Creative Writing

Start Month: September UCAS Code: 2P17 Qualification: BA (Hons) Duration: 3 years Placement Year: Yes International Experience Year: Yes Study Mode: Full time

Welsh with Creative Writing

Start Month: September UCAS Code: Q5WK Qualification: BA (Hons) Duration: 3 years Placement Year: Yes International Experience Year: Yes Study Mode: Full time

English Language with Creative Writing

Start Month: September UCAS Code: Q3WL Qualification: BA (Hons) Duration: 3 years Placement Year: Yes International Experience Year: Yes Study Mode: Full time

Media Studies and Creative Writing

Start Month: September UCAS Code: WP83 Qualification: BA (Hons) Duration: 3 years Placement Year: Yes International Experience Year: Yes Study Mode: Full time

Music and Creative Writing

Start Month: September UCAS Code: WW38 Qualification: BA (Hons) Duration: 3 years Placement Year: Yes International Experience Year: Yes Study Mode: Full time

Student Satisfaction in teaching (Creative Writing) Guardian University Guide 2024

Student Satisfaction for the subject area of (Creative Writing) NSS 2024

in the UK for the quality of teaching in ( Creative Writing) NSS 2024

in the subject area Creative Writing Complete University Guide 2024

in the UK for Creative Writing The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

Welsh University of the Year

and Top 50 in the UK Daily Mail University Guide 2024

Top 20 for Teaching Quality

and #44 in the UK The Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

4th Highest Climber

and #54 overall in the UK The Guardian University Ranking 2024

university in the UK in the Unifresher’s Alternative League Table 2023

university in the UK in the WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2023

university in the UK in the 2023/24 People and Planet University League

university in the World for Responsible Consumption and Production in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

university in the World in the overall Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

university in the World in the Times Higher World University Rankings and the QS World University Rankings 2024

Keep up to date with what our staff and students are up to...

Undergraduate courses in creative writing.

Explore the range of course options available within this subject area.

Student Experience

Got any questions? Chat to students and staff

Do you have any questions about life as a student at Bangor? Our students are on hand to tell you about their experience here. If you've got any questions about the course, our lecturers will be happy to help.

Do you have a question about life as a Bangor University student? Our ambassadors will be happy to help you find the answer.

They can tell you more about studying here, about the amazing Clubs and Societies we have, and how they made friends and settled in to life at university. 

Chat to current students

If you have any questions about the course, our lecturers are on hand to help. Below are some examples of frequently asked questions. Can you think of any more? 

• What are the qualities of a successful Creative Writing and Professional Writing student at Bangor?
• How can I prepare myself to study Creative Writing and Professional Writing at Bangor?
• How will I know that Creative Writing and Professional Writing at Bangor is the right choice for me?

Skills you'll gain whilst studying an English Literature degree

There are plenty of transferable skills you'll learn whilst studying English Literature, our graduates graduate with skills that are highly sought after in todays job market. Alongside the ability to write and to speak well, and to synthesise information effectively, our degrees provide you with;

• time management and self-discipline skills
• oral and written communication skills;
• problem-solving abilities, including careful analytical evaluation;
• critical thinking and assessment skills, including the ability to self-consciously examine your own and others’ writings;
• independent and flexible thinking;
• and an ability to synthesise, absorb and critique multiple and conflicting sources of information.

These skills you learn whilst studying English Literature can lead you into a range of different career paths. Some career paths you might want to consider include:

• primary / secondary school educator;
• academic librarian;
• arts administrator;
• civil service;
• librarian; 
• proof-reader;
• editorial assistant;
• journalist;
• public relations;
• web content writer; 
• advertising copywriter;
• and creative writing.

Our Research in Creative Writing

The expertise of Creative Writing staff lies in the craft of language and storytelling within the broad context of professional practice. Our staff work across disciplines, including poetry, short story, the novel, social media fiction, digital fiction, journalism, screenwriting, and publishing.  

Staff are internationally recognised experts in their chosen field, bringing knowledge and enthusiasm to their teaching.  The department has an active community of research students and offers research supervision in a range of specialist areas, including Poetry, Short story writing, Creative Translation, Bookselling, The space of the book, Digital publishing, Experimental writing, Ecopolitics, Welsh writing in English, Concept development, Screenwriting, Nationalism in Wales, Welsh or Welsh language media, Digital media in minority languages, Political Journalism. 

Find out about the range of course options in this subject area.

Film, Media and Journalism

English Literature

English Language

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