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Writing Courses

This directory of writing courses at Higher Education Institutions aims to feature all UK courses on which some aspect of creative writing is taught. This might be one module on writing poetry in an English literature degree, or a Masters focused entirely on screenwriting. There are over 83 HE Institutions offering undergraduate courses, sometimes in combination with other subjects such as Film, Literature or Language Studies. A similar number offer MA courses, with almost 200 to choose from. More than 50 universities offer Creative Writing PhDs.

You can search by course name, by level, or for all the courses offered by a particular institution or in a particular region.

Records are maintained by the institutions themselves. If, however, you find anything inaccurate or missing, please contact Philippa Johnston


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Aberystwyth University
This single honours scheme is taught by distinguished practising writers, and aims to develop both your creative and critical writing skills. It will help you to expand your range and capabilities as a writer, and enable you to work confidently in a variety of forms and genres. It will also help you to develop a reflective writing practice informed by knowledge of past and present writing, an understanding of the cultural and intellectual contexts in which literature is written and read, and an awareness of the range and variety of approaches to literary study and to the practice of writing. Read more...
The BA in Creative Writing is a vocational degree offered across the Institute of Literature Languages and the Creative Arts. This degree programme provides exciting and diverse opportunities for writing across a broad variety of forms and genres. Under the expert guidance of a team of award winning writers you will develop creative skills that will enable you to work confidently and effectively in a whole host of styles that are valued and widely sought by employers. You will study with staff across the departments of English & Creative Writing, Theatre, Film & Television Studies and Welsh & Celtic Studies. Our aim is to stimulate, encourage and challenge your creativity in these diverse settings, ensuring that by the end of your degree you will have not only a portfolio of exceptional creative material but also the skills and attributes to flourish in any workplace that demands the craft of the written word. Read more...
The BA in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Literature, Languages and Creative Arts, provides exciting and diverse opportunities for writing across a broad variety of forms and genres. As well as being able to study this as a Single Honours Scheme (W801) you can study it alongside a range of other subjects within the Institute. The following Joint Honours combinations are currently available: ?English and Creative Writing Degree (BA, 3 year)(see separate entry) ? Creative Writing and Art History ?Creative Writing and Cymraeg Degree (BA, 3 year) ?Creative Writing and Drama and Theatre Studies Degree (BA, 3 year) ?Creative Writing and Film and Television Studies Degree (BA, 3 year) ?Creative Writing with Fine Art Degree (BA, 3 year) ?Creative Writing and German Degree (BA, 4 year) ?Creative Writing and Scenography and Theatre Design Degree (BA, 3 year) ?Creative Writing and Spanish Degree (BA, 4 year) Under the expert guidance of a team of award-winning writers you will develop creative skills that will enable you to work confidently and effectively in a whole host of styles that are valued and widely sought by employers. In addition, your chosen joint honours scheme will provide an additional set of knowledge and skills which will further enhance your employability and interests. You will find Creative Writing and your chosen combination both demanding and rewarding. Our aim is to stimulate, encourage and challenge your creativity, ensuring that by the end of your degree you will have not only a portfolio of exceptional creative material but also the skills and attributes to flourish in any workplace that demands dexterity with the written word. Read more...
Aberystwyth University’s MA in Scriptwriting is a highly vocational and industry-focussed course of study which actively seeks to prepare you for work as a scriptwriter for screen and broadcast. You will gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to enter the industry with confidence as well as finding the artistic stimulation to develop your own voice as a writer. This MA course is designed to give you a complete experience of the creative and practical processes of this specialist writing discipline. Upon completion of the degree, you will have created a portfolio of work to a professional standard, from initial concept to finished draft, and thereby be prepared for professional practice. Your course tutors possess a diverse range of professional experience from many quarters of the British Media industry and, based in the fabulously well-equipped Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, you will find all the support, encouragement and expertise you need to emerge as a unique and highly competent scriptwriter. This course is wholly practical and focussed on preparing you for success within a highly competitive creative industry. Aberystwyth’s Masters in Scriptwriting will provide you with a suitable foundation of theory and practice that can inform your further pursuit of Scriptwriting in a professional context. By completing this MA, you will gain a systematic knowledge of theories and techniques deployed by professional Scriptwriters and you will graduate confident in your readiness for engagement with the fast-moving demands of a range of entertainment, art and broadcast industries. Read more...
The Aberystwyth Master's course in Literature and Creative Writing is your opportunity to combine the practice of creative writing with an in-depth exploration of literary studies. You will be required to engage with a range of writers and writing techniques so that you can develop your own creative approach and improve your own writing. You will also engage in discussions about theory and the wider issues of textual analysis and the craft of writing, including writing for publication and the importance of research. You will receive individual tuition from expert departmental staff and, under their guidance, produce a substantial dissertation or portfolio of creative writing. In addition, you will develop a host of key transferable skills which will help you excel in further academic study or employment. Read more...
What are the key features of the course? •Creative Writing offers a practical training in the craft of writing •You are encouraged to explore the possibilities of working in both poetry and prose •Writing workshops provide a forum for group discussion You will take a core module on narratology and poetics, which illuminates the theoretical approach to writing •You may be able to take up to two other relevant modules from the existing list of modules offered on the MA programmes in the Department of English •The Writing Portfolio is central – you are encouraged to produce your own work throughout the course, providing the experience of sustained long-term personal engagement with a major writing task. Regular individual tutorials are dedicated to your own portfolio •Creative Writing is available either part-time (over two years), or as a one year full time degree •Teaching will be provided by the core Creative Writing tutors working in collaboration with other members of the Department and specialists from the world of publishing. Read more...
This is a research-based course, 'research' in this context implying everything that is required to bring to completion a novel or substantial collection of poems, as well as to provide a critical/analytical account of the work produced. Read more...
Anglia Ruskin University
Gain the knowledge and skills you need to become a working journalist – including how to work with video, photography or online. Read more...
Want to get published? Learn the all-important techniques by studying some of the world’s most famous writers. Share your writing with published authors and other students in a supportive environment, while developing critical and literary skills that will help you catch the eye of publishers, agents and other employers. Read more...
Hone your writing and expand your opportunities for publication. Our workshops will help you to develop your self-editing and refine your work using feedback from your peers and tutors. Get advice from our team of specialist lecturers, study classic and contemporary authors, and learn about the modern publishing industry. Read more...
Bangor University
This innovative new degree course is run jointly by the School of Creative Studies and Media and the School of English at Bangor. It is aimed at students who want to study writing, and uniquely allows you to approach this study through a variety of disciplinary pathways: instruction in using the techniques and forms of creative writing; study of the short story, the novel and poetry as literary forms; vocationally-oriented modules in journalism, screenwriting, scriptwriting, storytelling, genre writing, writing for performance and publication, and writing for online and other digital media. Read more...
This innovative and unique degree allows you to pursue an interest in a variety of related subject areas such as Professional Writing, Film Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, Journalism, Media, and New Media Studies. This combination, a meeting of the critical and the creative, allows you to pursue interconnected themes and ideas within different creative and/or critical fields, or to follow through specific genre or creative practice interests, or to contrast and compare those areas across your degree programme. Creative Studies allows students to focus on the fields that interest them most. Read more...
You can study Creative Studies as a Joint Honours Degree with one of the following subjects : English Language, French (4 years), German (4 years), Italian (4 years), Linguistics, Music, Spanish (4 years). It is possible to study Creative Studies with Law, UCAS code W9M1 BA/CSWL. Please note that as Law is the minor element of this degree scheme, this course is not a Qualifying Law degree. This is an exciting course that enables students to focus on their key fields of interest within Creative Studies and combine these studies with Languages, Music, Linguistics, or Law. Read more...
This exciting Creative Studies and English Language degree course is aimed at students who want to study Creative Studies (combining some study of: creative writing, film studies, theatre studies, media and journalism studies) with the study of English Language. The School of Creative Studies and Media at Bangor specialises in three key areas: Creative Writing, Professional Writing, Journalism; Media, Film and Cinema Studies, New Media; and The Entertainment Industries and Performance Arts. Read more...
This exciting Creative Writing and Media degree course is run by the School of Creative Studies and Media. It is aimed at students who want to study Creative Writing (for example fiction, poetry, scriptwriting) and combine this with the study of other forms of media (for example television and radio, film and video, software and computer games, design, professional writing, journalism and advertising). During the three years of this degree, you will have the opportunity to work with staff at Bangor who have a wide range of interests and expertise including poetry, the novel, the short story, documentary and filmmaking, digital communications, electronic publishing, computer games, scriptand screen-writing, and print and broadcast media. Read more...
The MA in Creative Writing in the School of English at Bangor offers a unique opportunity to pursue individual interests in writing while working as part of a supportive group of students in a lively creative environment. Read more...
The School of Creative Studies and Media at Bangor University has a strong reputation for its synthesis of critical/theoretical work and practice, and this degree lies at the heart of its activity. Students on this programme in 2012 take first semester modules in creativity and research and in media theory, before embarking on the production of a substantial practice-based dissertation under the supervision of a specialist member of staff. Read more...
The School of Creative Studies and Media welcomes applications from well-qualified graduates who wish to engage in research for the degree PhD/MPhil. PhD/MPhil study is available in subjects across the whole spectrum of the Creative Industries, with potential research or practice-led research specialisms in such areas as: Creative and Critical Writing, Film and/or Media Studies, New Media, Drama, Communications and related fields. Read more...
Bath Spa University
Our comprehensive programme includes prose fiction of all kinds, poetry of all kinds, scriptwriting for theatre, screen and radio, and non-fiction, such as feature writing, travel writing, nature writing, and biography. We also make films and DVDs, and encourage you to get involved in a wide range of writing related activities, such as readings, exhibitions, and magazines. Our Broadcast and Publishing labs form part of Artswork, Bath Spa University's Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning in the Creative Industries. In the Artswork labs, you get the chance to work with practicing industry professionals using state-of-the-art equipment. Read more...
This programme is ideal for adventurous students who do not wish to be restricted within the boundaries of a single art discipline. The programme is concerned with contemporary creativity. It combines the opportunity for original and practical work with the challenges of critical thought and reflection across six major subjects (of which you choose two): Art, Ceramics, Creative Writing, Dance, Drama Studies, Mixed Media Textiles, Music, Visual Design. The Creative Arts programme is linked through the Socrates scheme to the University of Hildesheim in Germany, providing the opportunity to study in Germany for one term. We also have links in Dance with Barcelona, Spain and Bytom, Poland; in Drama with Klaipeda, Lithuania; in Music with Joensuu, Finland; and in Textile Design with Oslo, Norway, offering good opportunities for exchange. Read more...
Creative Writing combines the acquisition of the skills essential to the practice of writing with the study of exemplary authors; it gives the chance to experiment with a wide variety of forms, and encourages a critical knowledge of the creative industries. The course will encourage you to be confident, adventurous and constructively self-critical in your creative writing, and teach you to prepare your work for submission to literary agents, publishers, broadcasters, magazines, newspapers and other outlets. Creative Writing may be studied with a range of other subjects combined to make a Joint Honours degree. The School is also home to the University's Writing and Learning Centre. Read more...
The MA in Scriptwriting is a professional training course for working writers. Most scriptwriters work across several media, and the course reflects this. All our tutors are working writers. We aim to turn out writers who understand the structure and craft of drama, have a finished script they can use as a calling card, know the industry in all its variety, and can pitch and sell their work. The course is taught at our beautiful Corsham Court campus where we are developing performance, capture and editing facilities. We also work closely with the School of Music and Performing Arts, and their students will have the opportunity to help act in and produce our work. Read more...
This specialist creative writing MA course enlists the expertise of our team of writer-lecturers, five of whom are currently published in the field of children's writing. It is supported by visiting speakers from the children's publishing world, including agents, editors, publishers and authors. The course is for writers for children of all ages, from the picture-book age through to adolescent and 'crossover' writing which aims at markets among adults as well as young people. Though prose fiction is likely to be the main area studied, students will have the chance to look at writing in all forms, including poetry, picture book texts and non-fiction. Read more...
This course will help you to bring a novel, book of poems, book of short stories or work of non-fiction as near to publishable quality as possible. Located within the School of Humanities and Cultural Industries, the writing programme has established itself over the past 20 years as one of the most successful in the UK. Because of the reputation of the MA in Creative Writing, we are able to recruit excellent students who, every year, form an exciting and mutually supportive community of writers. Frequent visits by other writers, literary agents, publishers, broadcasters and other professionals connected with writing ensure that students are given plentiful advice about how to place work and make decisions about their careers as writers. Read more...
The Master of Arts in Travel and Nature Writing is designed for writers seeking advanced skills in the growing field of creative non-fiction inspired by the natural world and contemporary journeying. The course focuses on the application of writing skills to match the requirements of the travel and nature writing sector. To this end, students will learn from engagement, encounter, workshop, tuition and mentoring; they will develop their professional practice and produce a portfolio of work to help establish their careers in this highly competitive field. Distance learning with residential sessions. Read more...
This is the world’s first and only Master’s Degree in Songwriting. Offered in both attendance-based and distance learning formats, it is aimed at unpublished songwriters wishing to develop their craft to a professional level, and published songwriters wishing to achieve academic accreditation whilst continuing to improve creatively. The course, which is based at the university's Corsham Court campus, will help you to develop a range of critical, practical, communicative, industrial and research-based skills. Professional songwriters, music publishers and others involved in the songwriting industry visit regularly to teach, host Q and A sessions and give master-classes. Read more...
If you are interested in books, magazines and websites and enjoy English, media studies and art and design then a degree in publishing might interest you. Whether you want to produce a magazine, book, leaflet, newsletter, exhibition catalogue or web content, you'll need to employ sound editorial and design skills to varying degrees depending on your exact role. This innovative, highly practical course will help you become the multi-skilled professional that today's rapidly changing publishing industry needs. If you are already working and producing published materials for perhaps a museum, business or local council, then this course can enhance your skills and teach you the latest techniques and software. Read more...
Bath Spa University’s Creative Writing PhD has a reputation as one of the country’s leading doctoral programmes. Students are taught by teams of literary scholars and published creative writers with expertise in most areas of prose, poetry, fiction, children’s fiction, narrative non-fiction and scriptwriting. The PhD in Creative Writing combines a proposed manuscript (fiction, poems or playscript) with an element of supporting or contextualising research. The proposed manuscript will be volume length (the natural length of a book, whether poetry or story collection, novel, or playscript). The supporting research will be 20,000 words. Read more...
Bedford College
Life Writing Skills Read more...
Birkbeck College, University of London
Gain a University of London qualification, expand your knowledge and enhance your CV. Birkbeck has a strong reputation in the field of arts management: classes are taught by arts and cultural industry professionals. Gain a good understanding of a wide range of arts organisations in London that will enhance your career prospects. Study with academics currently researching the arts and their organisation. Past students have gone on to work at major galleries, arts charities and the Arts Council. Read more...
This programme seeks to inspire your creativity, to deepen your awareness and control of elements of the writer’s craft and to enable you to write more confidently and fluently. It is suitable for people with varying degrees of creative writing experience, from absolute beginners to those who have taken a creative writing course before. Read more...
This programme offers you the opportunity to develop your screenwriting skills, to understand the social and political context of your work and to evaluate your performance. The modules are taught by practitioners who combine practical screenwriting skills with teaching experience. Read more...
If you are fascinated by the craft of writing, you can study a range of genres, including fiction, poetry, drama, creative non-fiction, screenwriting, receiving tuition and guidance from practising published writers. You will develop a portfolio of creative work and interact with industry professionals to broaden your understanding of the fields of publishing, performance and broadcasting. Read more...
This programme seeks to develop your confidence, sensitivity and discernment in the analysis of your own and fellow students’ work, along with greater critical understanding of contemporary literary developments and the place of your own writing within them. It also trains you to a professional level in editing your own and others' creative work and provides a practical understanding of publishing and producing imaginative work within the creative industries. It allows you to develop, under expert supervision, a creative writing project of your choice. Practical courses on publishing, producing and editing creative work offer contact with professionals such as publishers and literary agents. Read more...
Unavailable in 2012/13. Read more...
This programme offers the opportunity to develop practical screenwriting skills and techniques and to apply them to writing briefs, together with the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of communicating ideas in script form. One distinctive feature is a fast-track core module, which will enable graduates in other fields to gain detailed knowledge of screenwriting conventions, an understanding of common formats, and the ability to analyse a brief and evaluate one’s own writing within a commercial context. Read more...
This programme is designed for existing arts managers who wish to develop their practice and understanding of the background, theories and principles of arts and cultural management, or for those who wish to pursue a career in arts management and who satisfy other entry criteria. It explores the requirements and benefits of strategic management, balancing theory and practice within the context of the prevailing social, political, economic and technological environments. It focuses on public and voluntary sector arts organisations, but also addresses key commercial sector issues. Benefit from links with arts and cultural organisations, including an optional work placement. Specialise according to your interest with a choice of specialist pathways. Flexible study pattern with a mixture of evening and daytime study options. Read more...
Birmingham City University
This routeway is for everyone who loves reading and writing: stories and poems, scripts and novels, films and plays, page and screen. Your initial studies will equip you with basic research, analysis and presentation skills, particularly as they apply to fiction, and give you an overview of contemporary theatre. In year two, you will develop your skills through two intensive modules, one in creative writing and one in lifewriting, the latter focusing on biography, autobiography and memoir. You will conclude your studies with a module in 21st Century Poetry and an independent study project. The English half of the course comprises literature and language studies, giving you a broadly-based education in English which will enable you to develop your reading, writing, critical thinking, presentation and research skills. Read more...
The MA in Writing is run and validated by Birmingham City University and is aimed at emerging writers. It may be taken full-time over one year or part-time over two years. Modules are available in Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Screenwriting, Scripting/Staging, and Poetry. Read more...
Journalism is changing - and the news industry is changing with it. Established publishers and broadcasters are adapting to gathering and publishing news across a variety of platforms, while new players, from MSN and AOL to hyperlocal websites, are recruiting for new businesses built around online journalism. Competition for jobs in journalism is fiercer than ever, even experienced journalists are taking the opportunity presented by new technologies to establish new media businesses. The MA in Online Journalism puts you at the cutting edge of these developments, building multimedia newsgathering and production skills, along with enterprise skills and an understanding of data journalism, of the management of user generated content, and of online communities. Also available as a Distance Learning MA. Read more...
Birmingham School of Media is recognised as a centre of excellence in interactive media training, television production and education by Skillset, the UK Sector Skills Council for the audio visual industries. You will learn about media law and regulation, as well as the public institutions we’re so often involved with. We will expect you to be interested in all news: we want you to be an all-rounder. To that end, we invite a wide range of guests to come in and speak to you: judges, prison governors, community activists. If they’re going to broaden your knowledge and give you a broader base of contacts, you’ll meet them here. Read more...
Birmingham Metropolitan College
This course will address, and improve all areas of English whilst bringing out your creative side. This is a part time course and can be studied during the day or the evening. Please check during interview which sites offer day or evening courses. You will be expected to attend three hours per week (one half day) for a daytime course or 3.5 hours per week (one evening) for an evening course. The course is free for qualifying students. Read more...
Blackpool and the Fylde College
This English degree is a unique blend of Linguistics, English Literature and Creative Writing. You will develop skills in recognising how fiction and non-fiction texts work and in writing your own texts. The course has been specially designed to enable students to become 'English specialists' as this course offers a unique opportunity to study three key areas of English. The degree also offers the opportunity for you to acquire a much broader knowledge of English than other courses offered at other universities in the country. By the time you graduate, you will be well equipped for post graduate study and many careers such as teaching, journalism, advertising, public relations and management. Read more...
Bolton University
This degree provides an exceptional opportunity to enhance both your creative and analytical abilities by developing your creative writing talents alongside the critical study of English through literature. As you might imagine, these disciplines complement each other in ways that are mutually beneficial; for instance, how better to understand the workings of a sonnet than by writing one of your own? Read more...
This is an undergraduate programme staffed by experienced, professional writers. The emphasis is on recreating professional practice and preparing you for a career in the creative industries and beyond. We will help you develop creative and critical skills that make the most of your talent. We have strong links with a wide range of professional practitioners (e.g. actors, directors, producers, publishers, literary agencies, etc.) who participate in a vibrant programme of visiting speakers and seminars. The University has a creative partnership with Bolton’s award-winning Octagon Theatre and is a learning partner with the BBC. This course is also available as a Combined Honours Degree. Read more...
This course may be combined with another subject to make a combined honours degree. All our tutors have are professional writers whose recent publications include everything from short stories, novels and poetry anthologies to stage plays, radio dramas and short films. As well as being published writers many of our in-house staff and visiting professors are award winners, collecting prizes from organisations like the BBC. Be inspired by our well-established programme of readings by poets and novelists. We equip students with excellent language, writing and communication skills with an emphasis on creativity. The University has a creative partnership with Bolton’s award-winning Octagon Theatre and is a learning partner with the BBC. The course prepares students, academically and professionally, for all avenues of creative writing including, poetry, short stories, novels, drama, stage, screen and radio. Read more...
Experience the only taught Masters in the region dedicated to children’s literature. Explore contemporary children’s fiction, picture books, graphic novels and film, within cultural and historical contexts. Learn from published experts, including the author of The Routledge Companion to Children’s Literature. Develop your own writing skills and improve your chances of having work published. Read more...
The MPhil/PhD in Creative Writing is for writers who want to embark on a course of sustained study and research at a high level of academic and creative achievement. Your studies will consist of research into a specific subject area relevant to your chosen field of creative endeavour and a substantial work of creative writing, consisting of a collection of poems, a prose work or a dramatic script for stage, screen or radio. The subject of your academic study and your creative writing submission will be agreed with your tutor during the process of your application. Read more...
Bournemouth University
This course combines multi-disciplinary training in TV, radio, newspaper, magazine, and online journalism. These creative areas are enhanced by the traditional benefits of an academic education. The programme has close contact with leading journalists, editors, and professional training bodies. Practical work is project-based with students writing newspaper and magazine copy and producing radio and television bulletins and packages to industry standards and deadlines. A professional working environment is simulated in dedicated newsrooms and digitally equipped studios. Read more...
As a student on this course, you will develop a strong writing voice and develop high-level craft skills in order to produce scripts that have the potential to reach this industry Industry connections are a feature of this course, and you will benefit from a compulsory professional industry attachment and gain both detailed experience and valuable contacts for the future. The course provides a thorough study of various aspects of film, television and the media: history; theoretical underpinning; current status; future. This course is designed to suit both school / college leavers and mature students who wish to explore their creative voice and prepare themselves for new career opportunities in the writing industry. This scriptwriting course is creative, dynamic and very inclusive, and encourages its students to explore both themselves and the world that they live in through telling stories for the screen. Read more...
A two year distance-learning programme. Taught by academic staff who are all professional working writers, with wide-ranging industry credits. Combines four on-campus ‘Residentials’ with four ‘Writing Periods’ in-between, guided by distance-learning seminars and tuition with support from your tutors and interaction with your fellow students on a dedicated website. The intensive learning periods focus on scriptwriting craft, scriptwriting theory along with an awareness of industry practice. Read more...
This innovative Skillset Media Academy course is the first in the UK to explore scriptwriting for film, television, radio, the web and other forms of new media. Central to the course is that you won’t simply write, but through collaborations with producers, directors, editors, cinematographers, sound designers and radio practitioners, you'll have the chance to actually see some of your work get made. There's a wealth of production talent in BU’s Media School, and so as a scriptwriter you'll find opportunities of turning your creative ideas into finished products. Read more...
Convergence defines this award-winning journalism course – the first in the UK to explore the full potential of multi-platform news publishing. It is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council. With their full multi-skilling, graduates of this course can cover any news or feature story for the web, for television, and for radio. They can easily take a story from one medium and transfer it into another – television to radio – radio to online text. Read more...
Brunel University
The creative writing programme at Brunel is one of the oldest-established in the UK, and is taught by an uniquely qualified teaching staff fully active in the fields of literature, film, journalism, academia and new media. You will work within a vibrant academic discipline that specialises in contemporary literature and culture, and be part of a School dedicated to the contemporary arts. We are a forward-thinking, industry-focused course that will help you achieve the best from yourself. Whether you’re interested in travel writing, journalism, comedy screenwriting, the short story or the contemporary novel, Brunel has a wide range of staff who regularly produce bestselling novels, screenplays for major movies or journalism for the best of the British and international press. Combining this expertise with a supportive environment for students looking to break into writing, the Brunel Creative Writing BA is undoubtedly among the best in the country. Read more...
English and Creative Writing is the perfect course to both learn about English Literature from the Renaissance to the present day and to gain crucial literary skills that will equip you to read and write at a high level. This course is designed to develop your knowledge, understanding, and analytical and creative skills through the analysis, interpretation and creation of literary texts and your own creative writing in a range of genres. The range and choice of modules ensure that you will achieve a sound understanding of the principal genres and periods of English literature while at the same time developing your own writing ability. Read more...
The School of Arts has a long and successful tradition of offering joint programmes of study. Together these elements provide a rich and exciting combination where you will draw upon the expertise and experience of both the Theatre and Creative Writing teaching teams. Brunel University’s BA Theatre and Creative Writing Honours degree has been designed for students who aspire to work in today’s vibrant and diverse creative industries. The Theatre component of the degree is taught in the purpose-built Antonin Artaud Centre which houses a fully equipped main theatre and studio theatre as well as a suite of rehearsal and recording studios. Read more...
The combination of Creative Writing and Games Design is a relatively new but flourishing field. The connection between these two disciplines—whether in novels like Tim Etchell’s The Broken World or in the increased writing quality which coupled with design and programming skills produces ever more exciting games—has never been stronger and by studying these two disciplines together you will receive a uniquely contemporary education which will increase your employability and put you to the forefront of a new and expanding field. Read more...
MA Journalism is an industry accredited course that provides high quality journalism skills. Applicants will be taught journalism from the basic building blocks through to substantial reporting projects in video, radio, print, online or multiplatform. Devised in close consultation with senior journalists, the syllabus provides a rigorous foundation to a career in this dynamic, challenging and often controversial industry. Students are trained in print/online journalism and video journalism with the option to specialise in broadcast or production journalism in the second term. Read more...
This innovative MA, which draws upon both facilities and expertise at Brunel and the vast resources of London, will provide you with the space to nurture your creativity through the practical and critical exploration of contemporary performance including live art, digital art, writing and directing for performance. A limited number of part-scholarships of £1,500 fee waivers are available for the Contemporary Performance Making MA course for the 2012-13 academic year. Accepted students will be eligible to apply, please use this form. The deadline for bursary applications is 27 July 2012. Read more...
We designed this MA quite simply to teach everything we think a new novelist ought to know. It combines a focus on the skills of writing full-length fiction with a clear-eyed exploration of the publishing process and related creative fields. This MA has attracted considerable interest among publishers and literary agents, many of whom participate actively in the programme. In addition, the Internship Programme offers a unique opportunity in a Creative Writing Master's programme for you not only to understand the role that the creative industries play in shaping a writing career but actually to participate in these fields. Read more...
The Creative Writing PhD offers a student the opportunity to complete a substantial work in an exciting research environment in London with the benefit of the experienced supervision of our tutors. It is an ideal progression from a Master's degree for a writer who intends to establish an academic career in this discipline. Read more...
Canterbury Christ Church University College
While we are keen to help people develop their own creativity and distinctive ‘voice’, there is also a strong emphasis on commercial writing – for newspapers and magazines, and scripting for TV and radio, for example. And a key part of this programme is marketing – so students learn how to sell their own work and make themselves as employable as possible. Sessions are largely workshop-based, with presentations and discussions stemming directly from students’ own work. Read more...
Creative Writing is available in a module during the third year. Read more...
This undergraduate Visual Arts programme is project-based and highly practical. It is designed to recognise individual student achievements and career aspirations. Combing the Visual Arts programme with Creative Writing will appeal to students who have an interest in narrative and wish to work with both image and text by taking a combination of modules chosen from our Visual Arts and Creative Writing programmes offered at Folkestone. Read more...
This MA programme aims to nurture the talents of creative writers through a combination of workshops, seminars and tutorial supervision, and to encourage new writing within a supportive but critical community. It is underpinned by the principle that development in creative writing is achieved through practice coupled with theoretical consideration. Thus, students are given the time and support necessary to write, and also the opportunity to explore issues of craft through extensive reading, critical debate and writing exercises. Students will also be introduced to facets of the publishing industry and the workings of literary agencies. Guest speakers include novelists, literary agents and publishers. Read more...
Cardiff Metropolitan University
In terms of Creative Writing, you will be taught by staff who are not only academics but also successful and current practitioners. The study of English will engage with your enthusiasm for reading and literature, and introduce you to advanced critical thinking. Your degree will investigate the foundations of contemporary literature through an examination of the cultural narratives we tell ourselves. Modules involving myth, fantasy, children's literature, gothic and science fiction investigate our manner of representing the world around us. Likewise, an attention to the social and political production of texts contextualises the study of contemporary English literature. You'll also have the option to undertake a work placement, or take part in an overseas exchange programme, in your second year. Read more...
Our Creative Writing MA is a rewarding taught degree, exploring a variety of techniques and approaches, including short story writing, novel writing, new and urban writing. The modules are specifically designed to develop you as a writer of fiction. A critical but supportive environment is achieved through a combination of workshops, research seminars and e-learning. You will be introduced to the practicalities of preparing and submitting your work for publication. Students may take the course as a PgCert, PgDiplima, or Masters. Also available as Creative Writing and English Taught MA programme. Read more...
MA English & Creative Writing is a rewarding taught degree, combining the study of English with the theoretical and practical component of fiction writing. The English part of the degree analyses historic and contemporary textual representations of place, theorising cultural practices of location and space. The Creative Writing modules are specifically designed to develop you as a writer of fiction. Read more...
Cardiff University
We teach across the whole chronological span of English literature, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the twenty-first century; we teach writing in English from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, America, India, and Australia. We are intrigued by the connections between literature and film, art, music, history, language, and popular culture and our teaching reflects these interests. We also maintain a strong tradition in Creative Writing, taught by writers making their mark on contemporary culture. Read more...
Cardiff University offers a unique Master’s Degree in Creative Writing designed for young as well as experienced writers who wish to develop their creative writing to the highest level. Modules in teaching Creative Writing included. Special features include: regularly scheduled ‘open mic’ readings where students share their writing with an audience to enhance their skills and confidence in public presentations. A residential writing course away from Cardiff is part of the programme. Past retreats have included a literary tour of Dublin, a week in the idyllic setting of Ty Newydd, the writing centre in North Wales, and a writing retreat at Gregynog Hall, a large country house in mid-Wales. Read more...
The PhD programme involves the preparation of an original piece of creative work – a novel, collection of poems or short stories – and an accompanying critical text which may serve either as a critical commentary on the creative component or else a critical essay on a theme related to, if not necessarily the core subject material of, the creative work. Read more...
Central School of Speech and Drama
Both the MA and MFA (Master of Fine Arts) are vocational courses in writing drama across a range of media: TV, film, theatre and radio. They provide the opportunity for you to develop your writing abilities and learn the key techniques used by professional writers. Read more...
City College Brighton and Hove
Come and learn some more and have fun with stories, memoirs and other kinds of creative writing. We will try out some new ideas and techniques for improving style and waking up the imagination. Read more...
Come and have a go in a friendly and supportive environment. This workshop based course will introduce various kinds of creative writing, including autobiography, poetry and fiction. Read more...
City of Bath College
The aim of the course is for students to acquire creative writing skills. You will be offered a chance to study different techniques for developing a variety of ideas, and will be encouraged to critique you own work along with the work of others. The course is for people of all ages with an interest in creative writing and who are competent in their use of the language, committed to attending regularly and willing to share their work. Read more...
City University London
An Approach to Creative Writing short course will introduce you to the techniques of writing fiction, whether mainstream or experimental, and will explore different narrative structures and writing styles. On this creative writing course you will look at how to source and then develop an idea into a story; how to build character, write dialogue and description; how to use imagery, narrative voice and point of view. Students' work, and some published work, will be read and discussed in this creative writing short course. Read more...
The Writing for Children course is for students who would like to write books for children and/or young adults. The reading age covered is roughly 4-16. The formats you will study in this Writing for Children course include picture books, easy readers and novels. You will examine techniques used in key texts and then begin to develop your own original stories. Read more...
This Creative Writing short course is for writers of both prose and poetry. It takes a practical look at the craft of writing. Each week focuses on a particular topic, including characterisation, dialogue, imagery and narrative. Creative writing course class exercises, weekly writing assignments and analysis of published authors will develop your grasp of techniques and enable you to explore and improve your writing. You will be encouraged to listen to each other's work. Read more...
The Journalism Skills course for Continued Professional Development is for those looking to enhance their profile, get published and/or impress editors, clients or managers. The Journalism course focuses on journalism skills, including how to write a publishable news story or feature; research and develop ideas; find a topical 'hook' or angle; identify and reach a target audience; get messages across clearly and succinctly; phone interview skills and write profiles; produce a perfect pitch; and achieve a measurable outcome. This is a challenging and rewarding Journalism course and will offer the most benefit to students with an existing comprehensive and professional understanding of both written and spoken English. Read more...
Writers' Workshop is an advanced fiction-writing course designed to help experienced writers develop creative ideas, acquire new skills and move ongoing work towards a publishable standard. Students' fiction (chapters from novels or short stories) will be circulated in advance and then constructively critiqued within the group, in a mutually supportive, non-competitive atmosphere. You will be encouraged to consider the following in relation to your work-in-progress: developing themes and ideas imaginatively, developing a distinctive voice, editing, finding an agent or publisher, and publishing opportunities for new writers. Read more...
The Novel Writing and Longer Works short course, in London focuses on the skills required to sustain a work of longer fiction. Through exercises, lecture, selected reading and workshop discussion, you will develop an understanding of essential writing techniques: plot, structure, character, dialogue, pace and setting. The second half of the novel writing course London will include workshop/peer review of students' own writing. Read more...
This course enables new and experienced writers to gain confidence in exploring and developing their creativity through class exercises and discussion. You will learn practical writing skills such as structure, characterisation and dialogue and will examine the work of key contemporary short story writers. The aim of this short story writing course is to complete a short story by the end of the course. Read more...
The Narrative Non-Fiction short course is aimed at students who are thinking of embarking on a substantial piece of writing. The narrative non-fiction writing course begins with an outline of the main genres (biography, memoir, history, travel writing, science and politics) and follows the course of a project, from planning through to editing via the importance of endings and beginnings, the writer's toolkit, portrait-painting, character-building and finding your voice. The aim of the narrative non-fiction writing course is to encourage and inspire, through group discussion and individual exercises. Read more...
Have you got a good idea for a film script but don't know where to begin? Screenwriting can seem like a dauntingly technical form. This screenwriting course shows you how to write a film script, with plenty of writing exercises and analysis of scripts and films. On completion of the screenwriting course, you will have the basic tools needed to write your own script: learning to write visually, working with character and conflict, building narrative. The main focus will be on screenwriting for the UK market but we will also look at the US and Europe. There will be a session on working within the UK film industry. Read more...
The Novel Studio (formerly known as The Certificate in Novel Writing) offers 15 selected students the unique opportunity to work exclusively on their novels for a year. Six modules, taught by professional writers and editors, guide the student through the tricky terrain of novel writing, from plotting, planning and researching a novel, through to character development, pacing, narrative voice and style, revisions and editing. Read more...
The Creative Writing (Nonfiction) MA provides you with essential skills and a supportive and challenging environment in which to develop your reportorial and research skills, experiment with approaches to writing narrative nonfiction, reflect on their own and others' work, learn about the publishing industry, and shape a book-length work of narrative nonfiction into a marketable proposal. The course is designed to fit in with the lives of those already working full-time, with students coming in for two evenings per week over two years (with the occasional Saturday workshop). Extra workshops and lectures will take place on occasional Saturdays. Read more...
At the end of the Creative Writing (Novels) MA, you will be very different: you will have written a novel. This course is designed to provide a supportive, thought-provoking and challenging environment for novelists to develop their skills, experiment with approaches to writing, learn about the industry and, most importantly, complete a polished novel ready to send to publishers and agents. At the core of the course is the experience of established writers. The MA Creative Writing (Novels) allows you to focus on one of two areas: Literary Novels and Crime Thriller Novels. Read more...
City's MA in Publishing Studies is the course to choose if you wish to enhance your career prospects to enter the highly competitive world of publishing, at the same time as gaining a top-quality academic MA in the heart of London. The degree provides the highest standards of professional education, consistently recognised in MA prizes as well as by the award of industry placements and the active participation of industry sponsors for our projects and dissertations. Read more...
The International Publishing Studies MA is an exciting extension to our Publishing Masters and caters for experienced international industry practitioners. Your knowledge and business skills will be enhanced through expert teaching and industry projects, and you will be challenged to respond creatively to current global publishing trends, including the impact of digitisation. Core modules will be shared with MA Publishing Studies students, with additional teaching and support to analyse industry conditions in different international publishing sectors and markets. You will work directly with industry project sponsors and be offered a range of site visits. Read more...
Most professional writers of drama in the UK move between media so that's what we do on our course. You learn about writing for theatre, film and television - then complete a full length piece of work in one of those areas. You get to understand writing choices in the work of leading playwrights and screenwriters and then, very often, you get to meet those writers. You work with actors and directors from London's new writing theatres and professional film and television directors from leading drama schools. You also meet some of the decision-makers from the drama industries - agents, producers and artistic directors. This course is run in the evening and is suitable for those in full-time employment. Read more...
Colchester Institute
A creative and challenging course that develops the skills of performers to create original material and inspiring performances in a variety of venues. The BA (Hons) in Creative Performance course is designed for students who are serious about acting whilst being able to appreciate the competitive environment of being a performer. Script writing module in the third year. Read more...
Coventry University
The emphasis of the course is very much on modern literature, or on the language of the 21st century. In the creative writing part of the course, you will develop the techniques of writing for a range of different purposes: for magazines, for the Internet, for the theatre and even writing for children. The English part of the course will give you insights into how language works, how we make choices when writing and how other people are writing. There is the opportunity to take a sandwich year and study abroad. Read more...
By choosing to combine English with journalism you will study online and print media, and how modern journalism influences political, democratic life. You will write and publish news, and be given the chance to write reviews and cover local events.You will broaden your knowledge of the news media as a formal institution in the propagation of ideas locally and internationally. Read more...
What is so different about digital media and to what extent has digitalization changed contemporary culture? This course allows you to measure the technological and cultural impact of digital media. In particular, questions of individual and collective identity, the practices and policies of digital media and cultural institutions, the interrelationship between digital media, culture and technological change, and the rise of consumer and “prosumer” cultures are addressed. Read more...
This course is available as: Academic Writing Theory and Practice MA degree course / Academic Writing Theory and Practice PGDip course / Academic Development PgCert course. The Master’s Degree in Academic Writing Theory and Practice offers a new type of qualification aimed at graduates and professionals interested in studying, researching, and teaching writing. The course focuses on writing, rhetoric, and literacies research and on the ways this research informs the teaching of writing. The programme is based upon Coventry University’s international reputation in the teaching of academic writing at the Centre for Academic Writing. Read more...
De Montfort University
English at DMU offers an exciting combination of traditional and innovative modules, from Chaucer and Shakespeare, to contemporary literature and film adaptations. As well as regular film showings of literary adaptations and theatre visits, you have the opportunity to meet writers such as screenwriter Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House, Little Dorrit), poets Jackie Kay, Simon Armitage and Andrew Motion, and novelist Louis de Bernière, one of our honorary graduates. There is also a student English society which organises events such as poetry readings. This English degree may be combined with Drama Studies, Creative Writing, Education Studies, English Language, Film Studies, History, Journalism, Media and Communication. Read more...
Develop craft skills in fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, radio and performance writing, and new media. Gain practical skills in oral presentation, and technical skills in desk-top and web-based. Take opportunities to perform and publish your work. Become integrated into regional writing networks and benefit from placement opportunities. Creative Writing is a subject that thrives on dialogue with other subjects. As such, we want you to study another subject alongside your creative writing. The joint honours subjects available to take with creative writing are listed below; each has been chosen because of the productive dialogue it sets up with your creative work: English, English Language, Drama, Journalism, and Film. Read more...
This long-established course concentrates on the craft of television scriptwriting and prepares you for the competitive world of professional writing. It offers direct links and networking opportunities within the industry by introducing you to professional writers, script editors, agents and producers through a regular programme of guest lectures, workshops, location visits and one-to-one mentoring. Read more...
A unique creative technologies course that crosses traditional subject disciplines and enables you to work at the convergence of e-sciences and digital arts and humanities. As part of the diverse and stimulating creative community based around the purpose-built Institute of Creative Technologies (IOCT), you will have access to facilities and resources from across the university including the central IOCT Lab, The Virtual Reality Centre, Phoenix Square Digital Media Centre, The Fused Media Lab and the Usability Lab. At the heart of this course is the vision that you will become fully in tune with contemporary creative technologies. You may be a technologist with a creative dimension, an artist working with technologies, a designer with programming skills, or any one of many more crossovers between the traditional disciplines. Read more...
The course offers you the chance to design and pursue a tailor-made MA in an area of your choice. It provides you with a wide range of subject areas to choose from. These include traditional fields like Architecture, English, History, through to disciplines such as Applied Art, Dance ,Drama, Fine Art and Photography and including areas of study which are innovative or cutting-edge, for example Game Art, Digital Animation, Furniture Design, Fashion and Textiles and Music, Technology and Innovation. MA Independent Study offers you the opportunity to create a programme of study which is interdisciplinary, drawing upon one or two different subject areas, for instance English and Drama, or Fine Art and Art Education. Read more...
Courses in the US
For those looking for courses in the US, the AWP website offers a similar listing of courses at all levels, together with advice on how to choose between them.
Australasia
For courses in Australia and New Zealand, please refer to the AAWP website.

Studying Creative Writing ed. Sharon Norris is designed to help students succeed at their creative writing degree. It supports good teaching by helping students overcome barriers to effective learning. Available to NAWE members at 75% discount with free delivery in the UK.