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Creative Writing, Master's degree in Europe
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Programs (182)
Schools (92), master's program in film and television - screenwriting.
- Master's degree
- Espoo, Finland
Master's Program in Film and Television - Film Editing
Specializing master international screenwriting and production.
- Milan, Italy
MA in Creative Writing
- Bath, England
MA Creative Writing
- Manchester, England
- On campus, Online / Distance
Creative Writing MA
- Limerick, Ireland
Creative Writing (Taught)
- Cardiff, Wales
MFA Creative Writing
Professional creative writing ma.
- Coventry, England
- Portsmouth, England
- Swansea, Wales
MA Writing, Editing and Mediating
- Groningen, Netherlands
Creative Writing - MA
- Canterbury, England
MA Creative and Critical Writing
- Ipswich, England
- Bangor, Wales
Creative Writing, MLitt
- Aberdeen, Scotland
Creative Writing MLitt
- St Andrews, Scotland
- Guildford, England
English with Creative Writing, MA

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Rosanna Koster’ s fiction appeared in the Gihon River Review.

Master of Fine Arts
An MFA is a higher credential than the MLitt , and is the internationally recognized standard for teachers of Creative Writing in secondary and tertiary higher education; most consider the MFA the qualification required to teach creative writing in North America and Europe.
St Andrews is one of the first universities in the UK to confer an MFA degree. Within the programme, students will be able to focus on producing a substantial piece of creative work under the supervision of a world-class writing faculty, and on preparing themselves as teachers of writing in a variety of instructional contexts. Since our MFA Year 1 students complete the same taught classes as our MLitt students, there is a far stronger emphasis placed on contact time than in other universities.

The School offers two Master of Fine Arts degrees:
- Creative Writing
- Playwriting & Screenwriting.
About the MFAs
Both Masters of Fine Arts degrees are two-year postgraduate degrees, and consist of two distinct phases of study. In addition, there are two career skills modules – in MFA Year 1, ‘Research Skills for Creative Writers’; in MFA Year 2, ‘Practical Pedagogy for Creative Writers’.
- MFA Year 1 is taught through technical seminars, workshops and individual tuition.
- MFA Year 2 consists of two semesters of postgraduate supervision, at the end of which students will submit a substantial piece of creative work. In MFA Year 2 there will be the opportunity to be involved in the practical business of publishing an online magazine.
MLitt students will have the option to transfer into the MFA programme upon successful completion of the taught element of their course, where their MLitt year will count as MFA Year 1. Students who already hold a Masters level degree in Creative Writing may apply directly into Year 2 of the MFA. Please mark this clearly on your research proposal document.
The MFA in Creative Writing has two separate streams: Poetry and Prose, and prospective students should apply for one stream only. For their final submission, students on the prose track will submit a thesis of publishable quality of around 40,000 words; for poetry, a thesis of about 40 pages of verse.
Students taking the MFA in Playwriting & Screenwriting will submit a thesis of approximately 90 minutes performance time.
MFA applications
Mfa entry requirements.
MFA Year 1 entrants – Normally a good honours level undergraduate degree or equivalent
MFA Year 2 entrants – Applicants should hold or expect to obtain a Masters degree in Creative Writing at distinction level grade.
How to apply
MFA study Applications should be submitted via the research degree option of the fully automated online application system and you should ensure that you have all additional documents required available for upload at point of application.
The writing samples provided within your application are incredibly important in the assessment process. Ideally, this should be a piece of distinction-grade writing which you have recently completed, and must be on a theme related to your programme intention.
Application document requirements
- CV or resume
- 2 academic references (directly from referees via the automated system)
- An academic critical writing sample of approximately 2,000 words which should be on an English literature topic.
- A portfolio of original verse, prose, playwriting or screenwriting (approximately 10 poems or around 10-15 pages of prose, playwriting or screenwriting). Please add this sample as a section of your academic writing sample and upload as one document.
- Certified academic transcripts of study, including modular grades (interim UG level transcripts are permitted at this stage where final results are not yet known)
- MFA Year 2 direct entrants - you should confirm which strand and year of the programme you are applying for in your research proposal, and also supply a 500-word outline of the proposed creative project;
- MFA Year 1 entrants - you should merely state the strand and year of the programme that you are applying for, and confirm that your intended project will be relevant for that genre
- Statement of Purpose
- IELTS/CPE/TOEFL certificate (if applicable) with an IELTS 8.0 grade minimum or equivalent in each sub-category
Application deadline
Application deadlines for receipt of complete study application:
- 15 January for students also applying for internal scholarships
- 31 May for all other applicants
Overseas applicants should apply as early as possible for international visa purposes.
In the first year, students pay the equivalent fee for taught postgraduate students. Taught tuition fee information can be found on the University's Fees and Funding page . This page also includes links to other relevant information, such as residence fees etc.
In the second year, fees will be charged in line with the equivalent research fee for the relevant academic year. Please see tuition fees for research postgraduate programmes for current fee levels.
The School of English offers a small number of awards for applicants to postgraduate research courses. Successful candidates are selected on the basis of academic merit.
For students who wish to be considered for these internal sources of funding, applications for study, including all supporting documents and references, must be received by 15 January each year, except where an earlier deadline is advertised. It is anticipated that awards will be allocated and results made known by the end of April.
School of English scholarships
The douglas dunn scholarship.
This MFA scholarship is funded by the School of English, in the sum of £10,000 per annum. All Year 1 entrant MFA students are eligible to apply.
Following submission of a study application, students should also apply separately through the scholarships and funding catalogue for any available awards. Awards can be viewed on the scholarships and funding pages . Deadline dates and eligibility are separately listed for named individual awards within the catalogue, and students normally do not require to hold a study offer prior to application.
For general information about any aspect of funding, please contact the Scholarships Office at [email protected]
Staff teaching on the MFAs
Year one entrants are not required to contact a prospective supervisor prior to application submission since one will be allocated during their studies automatically, but for Year 2 direct entrants this is a crucial step in the process. The following members of staff may be available to supervise research topics:
Mr Oliver Emanuel
Oliver Emanuel is a playwright and hopes to supervise students interested in stage and radio, original work or adaptations, as well as drama for younger audiences.
Professor Zinnie Harris
Professor Harris is a playwright and screenwriter, and she hopes to supervise students who are interested in writing for stage or screen. She has also adapted novels and classic texts for both theatre and television, and has written for radio.
Mrs Jillian Mannion
Jillian Mannion welcomes enquiries from postgraduate students who are interested in writing for film and television or in studying script and story analysis. She has a particular interest in script structure, character construction and the design of the TV pilot episode. Jillian is happy to supervise projects across a number of genres including drama, comedy, action, thriller, crime and period.
Ms Dina Nayeri
Ms Nayeri would be happy to supervise fiction or non-fiction, in a range of narrative forms, relating to displacement and movement of all kinds: not only across borders or in language and culture (though the middle east is one of her own focal points), but stories that reflect upon and dramatize moments of profound change, undoings, and times of estrangement and otherness in a variety of lives.
Ms Karen Solie
Karen Solie is interested in supervising students working with 20th-century and contemporary poetry. Particular interests include writing about work and place, ecopoetics, form and the potential of hybrid genres, epistemology and the influence of philosophy, research methods, and Canadian poetry.
Testimonials
The Creative Writing community cultivated at St Andrews is necessary for growth as writers. The people that I have met and write with have confirmed to me that St Andrews is a special place to work on my novel.
Jenna Rogers 2018
The quality of the poets who teach at St Andrews is still very difficult to fully appreciate. I could spend the next decade learning from them, and probably will keep doing so through their poetry, once I’ve left. Second best thing I’ve done in my life, taking my MFA in poetry here.
Sean Robinson 2018
I LOVE St Andrews. Living in this small stone town by the sea is the best thing that ever happened to me. The town practically begs you to write poetry to it. Professors are totally available and classmates are some of the best advocates. People here are rooting for you. There is something so magical– the berries in fall, icy dips in the sea in winter, sunsets all year round. And the English department has the best community for postgraduates by far. We take care of each other!
Lily Clarke 2017
I initially came to St Andrews as an MLitt student to study abroad, learn in a global context, and meet new people. I stayed on for the MFA to continue writing alongside my cohort and gleaning from accomplished professors. I also wasn’t ready to give up the view of the North Sea from Castle House steps..
Rachel Hall 2017
The benefits of postgraduate study at St Andrews stretch far beyond graduation. As well as joining a long line of notable alumni and academics, postgraduate students are supported in their next steps by both the Careers Centre and the University alumni relations team. See the University's page on Using your English degree .
The University also provides an extensive and award-winning generic skills development programme – GRADskills – for all of its early career researchers, including MFA students.

7 Best Creative Writing Schools in Europe
Top creative writing schools in europe, 1. university of oxford.
- Master’s in Creative Writing Program Link
- Degrees offered: Masters
Ranked as number one for offering specialty English language programs, the University of Oxford is among the best creative writing schools in Europe. Oxford gives emphasis on cross-cultural and cross-genre features on its curriculum, providing creative writing students to engage in contemporary challenges.
Oxford exclusively offers a Master of Studies in Creative Writing which is a two-year program. The curriculum is tailored for students interested in writing novels, short fiction, TV and radio drama, screenwriting, poetry, and narrative non-fiction. With intensive workshops and expert supervisors, creative writing students in Oxford have access to unlock their creative and critical potential.
2. University of Cambridge
This leading creative writing school offers the following master’s programs: Creative Writing, Crime and Thriller Writing, and Writing for Performance. These degrees are also designed to be accessible for employed students, both part-time and full-time. Their curriculum is structured to discuss the production of creative work in different genres and equip the students with creative practice. Graduates from the University of Cambridge are known to develop their own writing and self-editing skills which are impressive assets during employment.
3. University of Manchester
- Creative Writing Program Link
Another institution known for being a top creative writing school in Europe is the University of Manchester. It is among the top universities in the United Kingdom for English language and literary excellence. It is known for having a rich literary history and culture. Manchester produced some of the best poets, novelists, and science fiction writers in the UK.
They offer a three-year BA in English Literature with Creative Writing program. Their intensive curriculum for this program is backed by the research of their Creative Writing academic staff. Postgraduate programs for creative writing include a master’s and PhD in Creative Writing. With their workshops and learning programs for historical and cultural contexts, Manchester is a production house of in-demand creative writers.
4. University of Edinburgh
- PhD in Creative Writing Program Link
- Degrees offered: Masters, PhD
5. King’s College London
- Degrees offered: PhD
Founded in 1829, the King’s College of London is known for delivering exceptional education and innovative research. They are dedicated to making a positive impact in the world through sustainability and service. Moreover, their English department is home to award-winning poets, essayists, fiction authors, literary critics, novelists, and biographers. With KCL’s creative writing staff as Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature, their curriculum and teaching style shape students in the field.
King’s College London is a top creative writing school in Europe and offers a doctoral degree in Creative Writing Research wherein students engage with professionals from publishing and performance industries to build potential routes to publication. Their practical learning ground allows the students to collaborate with fellow writers to improve their craft.
6. Lancaster University
- Bachelor’s in Creative Writing Program Link
- Postgraduate in Creative Writing Program Link
- Degrees offered: Bachelors, Masters, PhD
Lancaster University is among the few UK universities with a collegiate system, offering nine colleges in total. They have continuously shaped creative, talented, and committed graduates. They value art and culture within their university, offering various facilities that support the creative endeavors of their students.
7. University of Warwick
- Master’s in Writing Program Link
- Degrees offered: Bachelors, Masters
The University of Warwick is among the world-renowned schools located in England that produce competent graduates with successful takeoff in their respective careers. Warwick values international partnerships to create impact in global scope in the realms of research and education. Warwick prides itself in innovation, inclusion, regional leadership, and international connections as its strategies to carry out excellence.
Warwick offers a three-year BA English Literature and Creative Writing program. Their curriculum is designed to fully prepare students to thrive in understanding literature to transform the world through communication. Graduates with this degree pursue a career as creative directors, producers, authors, poets, and composers, among many other opportunities. They also offer a Master’s degree in Writing under the Warwick Writing Program that provides technical skills in creative work of any genre.
I hope that you found this article on the best creative writing schools in Europe informative and helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!

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Masters Programs in Creative Writing in Europe 2023. Scroll to programs ... The majority of masters are granted by state or public universities.
A Master of Arts or MA is a graduate degree typically earned after a program of study of the fine arts, humanities, social sciences or other
false. Creative Writing - MA Bath Spa University, UK · false. Creative Writing - MA University of Portsmouth, UK · false. Creative Writing - MFA Murray State
Interested in studying Creative Writing in Europe? Browse and compare degrees from universities and schools ... MFA Creative Writing.
Find the best Masters in the field of Creative Writing from top universities in Europe. Check all 276 programmes.
For More Information on Low Residency MFA Programs · New York University: Low-Residency MFA Writers Workshop in Paris · Antioch University Low-Residency MFA
An MFA is a higher credential than the MLitt, and is the internationally recognized standard for teachers of Creative Writing in secondary and tertiary
Here is the list of 53 universities that offer fully-funded MFA programs (Master's of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing. · University of Arizona
Top Creative Writing Schools in Europe · 1. University of Oxford · 2. University of Cambridge · 3. University of Manchester · 4. University of Edinburgh · 5. King's
Creative Writing Study Abroad Programs · CEA Study Abroad in Rome, Italy · IES Abroad Dublin · Study Abroad at the University of Brighton