Creative Writing
Entry requirements
You should have, or expect to get, a 2:1 Honours degree in English or Creative Writing. We'll also consider other subjects.
Regardless of your academic background, you'll need to have considerable experience writing creatively.
You'll need to include a sample of your writing in your online application. This will be a creative writing portfolio of approximately 3,000 words.
The portfolio can be short stories, an excerpt from a novel, play, or film script or a selection of poems. If you submit a portfolio of poetry, each line of poetry equates to approximately 20 words per line, so you'll submit approximately 150 lines of poetry.
We welcome all forms of writing, but encourage you to submit multiple works if possible, such as a short story and an excerpt from a novel rather than a longer passage from a novel. Please contact the course admissions tutor if you have any queries about the writing sample.
Months of entry
September
Course content
Everyone has a novel in them - or a screenplay - or a sonnet - but if you want to refine your writing and prepare it for publication, our Creative Writing MA offers you the chance to dedicate time to your craft and learn from acclaimed authors.
Get ready to develop your practice further, whether you're interested in short fiction, novels, poetry, plays, screenplays or hybrid and digital forms. Work with writers, editors and publishers and learn how to get published.
The course runs over 12 months full-time. You can also study this programme on a part-time basis.
At Birmingham, you'll elevate your writing abilities and build on your experience writing creatively. You’ll explore how different forms of writing intersect and you’ll experiment with your writing style. You'll learn how to think like a writer and editor, increasing your confidence by analysing contemporary writing and reflecting on your own work. Our writing workshops are complemented by professional skills training plus real-world insights from published authors, editors and publishers.
- Take your writing beyond the classroom and participate in departmental readings and creative writing competitions.
- Experiment and enhance your writing, testing out different forms in the taught modules. You can choose screenwriting, playwriting, prose fiction or poetry for your dissertation.
- Understand the craft of writing so you can critique your work to professional standards.
- Join a diverse writing community - we welcome writers of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re starting your writing journey or have lots of experience already, we’ll help you nurture your craft.
At Birmingham, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. You'll have the opportunity to learn from published authors, offering valuable expertise in Creative Writing.
You'll study four core modules plus your dissertation. The dissertation is made up of a creative portfolio, worth 75%, and a critical essay, worth 25%. The 10,000 word portfolio of creative work can be a screenplay, excerpt from a novel or collection of short fiction or poetry (600 lines for poetry).
- Taught modules - each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.
- Seminars and workshops – modules are mainly taught by small group teaching with practical writing opportunities.
- Dissertation - you’ll undertake a 10,000-word creative portfolio and produce a critical essay.
Information for international students
If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification. For this course we ask for IELTS 6.5 overall with no less 7.0 in writing and 6 in all other bands.
IELTS 6.5 no less 7.0 in writing and 6 in all other bands is equivalent to
- TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 23 in Writing
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 76 in writing and 64 in all other bands
- Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 185 in Writing and no less than 169 in any other component.
Fees and funding
The College of Arts and Law is a vibrant community of students and academics, dedicated to ensuring that excellence is rewarded, and that fears about finance do not constrain current or prospective students. For this reason, in addition to University funding schemes, we offer our own College-specific funding initiatives.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Postgraduate enquiry service