creative writing phd england

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.

Accommodation

Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.

Connect with a King’s Advisor

Want to know more about studying at King's? We're here to help.

Learning in London

King's is right in the heart of the capital.

• Schools & departments

Creative Writing PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Creative Writing

Discovery Day

Join us online on 18th April to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh

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Research profile

The PhD in Creative Writing offers committed and talented writers the opportunity to study Creative Writing at the highest level.

Supported by an expert supervisory team you will work independently towards the production of a substantial, publishable piece of creative writing, accompanied by a sustained exercise in critical study.

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

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

Find out more about the programme and our team

Training and support

We encourage you to share your research and learn from the work of others through a programme of seminars and visiting speakers.

We have an in-house Writer-in-Residence, annual writing prizes, and a range of opportunities to learn from experts in the publishing industry.

We also offer access to opportunities provided by the Sottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities.

Our postgraduate journal, Forum, is a valuable conduit for research findings and provides an opportunity to gain editorial experience.

• Forum: postgraduate journal of culture and the arts

A UNESCO World City of Literature, Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study, write, publish, discuss and perform prose, poetry and drama.

Take a PhD with us and you will be based in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) in the historic centre of this world-leading festival city.

Our buildings are close to:

• National Library of Scotland (where collections include the Bute Collection of early modern English drama and the John Murray Archive)
• Edinburgh Central Library
• Scottish Poetry Library
• Scottish Storytelling Centre
• Writers’ Museum
• Traverse Theatre

We have strong links with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which annually welcomes around 1,000 authors to our literary city.

There are lots of opportunities to write and share your work, from Forum to The Selkie, which was founded by Creative Writing students in 2018 to showcase work by people who self-identify as underrepresented.

Around the city, you’ll find library readings and bookshop launches, spoken word gigs, cabaret nights and poetry slams, including events run by celebrated publishing outlets, from Canongate and Polygon / Birlinn to Luath Press, 404 Ink, Taproot Press and Mariscat.

You will have access to the University’s many literary treasures, which include:

• William Drummond library
• Lewis Grassic Gibbon library
• Hugh MacDiarmid library
• Norman MacCaig library
• W.H. Auden collection
• Corson collection
• works by and about Sir Walter Scott
• Ramage collection of poetry pamphlets

The Centre for Research Collections also holds a truly exceptional collection of early Shakespeare quartos and other early modern printed plays. These have been put together by the 19th century Shakespearean James Halliwell-Phillipps, the correspondence of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle (the focus of one of the major editorial projects in Victorian studies of the last half-century), and the extensive Laing collection of medieval and early modern manuscripts.

You will also have access to letters and papers by - and relating to - authors including:

• Christopher Isherwood
• Rudyard Kipling
• John Middleton Murry
• Walter de la Mare
• George Mackay Brown
• Compton Mackenzie

Many of the University's Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre, Computing Labs, and dedicated PhD study space in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC).

Look inside the PhD study space in LLC

Entry requirements

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

A UK masters degree, or its international equivalent, in creative writing, normally with distinction.

We may also consider your application if you have equivalent qualifications or experience. For additional information please refer to the pre-application guidance in the 'How to apply' section.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

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

English language tests

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

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

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

Degrees taught and assessed in English

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

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

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

• Approved universities in non-MESC

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

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding, featured funding.

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.

• Find out more about scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

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

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Creative Writing - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd creative writing - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

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

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

• Pre-application guidance

Before you formally apply for this PhD, you should look at the pre-application information and guidance on the programme website.

This will help you decide if this programme is right for you, and help us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve.

The guidance details the writing samples you should send us as part of your application (either fiction or poetry, along with a shorter sample of your academic writing).

It will also give you practical advice for writing your project summary – one of the most important parts of your application.

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

Department of English and Related Literature

PhD in English with Creative Writing

Join a thriving community of researchers to develop a substantial research project alongside an original piece of creative writing.

Join a passionate and intellectual research community to explore literature across all periods and genres.

Your research

Our PhD in English with Creative Writing encourages distinctive approaches to practice-based literary research. This route allows you to develop a substantial research project, which incorporates an original work of creative writing (in prose, poetry, or other forms). As part of a thriving community of postgraduate researchers and writers, you'll be supported by world-leading experts with a wide range of global and historical specialisms, and given access to unique resources including our   letterpress printing studio  and   Writer in Residence.

Under the guidance of your supervisor, you will complete a critical research component of 30-40,000 words and a creative component written to its natural length (eg a book-length work of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction). A typical semester will involve a great deal of independent research, punctuated by meetings with your supervisor who will be able to suggest direction and address concerns throughout the writing process. You will be encouraged to undertake periods of research at archives and potentially internationally, depending on your research.

Throughout your degree, you will have the opportunity to attend a wide range of research training sessions in order to learn archival and research skills, as well as a range of research and creative seminars organised by the research schools and our distinguished Writers at York series. This brings speakers from around the world for research talks, author conversations, and networking.

Applicants for the PhD in English with Creative Writing should submit a research proposal for their overall research project, along with samples of creative and critical writing, demonstrating a suitable ability in each, as part of the application. Proposals should include plans for a critical research component of 30-40,000 words and a creative component written to its natural length (eg a book-length work of poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction), while demonstrating a clear relationship between the two.

Students embarking on a PhD programme are initially enrolled provisionally for this qualification until they pass their progression review at the end of their first full year of study. 

[email protected] +44 (0) 1904 323366

Related links

• How to apply
• Research degree funding
• Accommodation
• International students
• Life at York

You also have the option of enrolling in a PhD in English with Creative Writing by distance learning, where you will have the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world. You will attend the Research Training Programme online in your first year and have supervision and progression meetings online.

You must attend a five-day induction programme in York at the beginning of your first year. You will also visit York in your second and third years (every other year for part-time students).

Apply for PhD in English with Creative Writing (distance learning)

World-leading research

We're a top ten research department according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021).

35th in the world

for English Language and Literature in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023.

Committed to equality

We're proud to hold an Athena Swan Bronze award in recognition of the work we do to support gender equality in English.

Writers at York series

We host a series of hugely successful seminars, open to everyone, where a stellar cast of world-famous contemporary writers deliver readings and workshops.

Explore funding for postgraduate researchers in the Department of English and Related Literature.

Supervision

Explore the expertise of our staff and identify a potential supervisor.

Research student training

You'll receive training in research methods and skills appropriate to the stage you've reached and the nature of your work. In addition to regular supervisory meetings to discuss planning, researching and writing the thesis, we offer sessions on bibliographic and archival resources (digital, print and manuscript). You'll receive guidance in applying to and presenting at professional conferences, preparing and submitting material for publication and applying for jobs. We meet other training needs in handling research data, various modern languages, palaeography and bibliography. Classical and medieval Latin are also available.

We offer training in teaching skills if you wish to pursue teaching posts following your degree. This includes sessions on the delivery and content of seminars and workshops to undergraduates, a structured shadowing programme, teaching inductions and comprehensive guidance and resources for our graduate teaching assistants. Our teacher training is directed by a dedicated member of staff.

You'll also benefit from the rich array of research and training sessions at the Humanities Research Centre .

Course location

This course is run by the Department of English and Related Literature.

You'll be based on  Campus West , though your research may take you further afield.

We also have a distance learning option available for this course.

Entry requirements

For doctoral research, you should hold or be predicted to achieve a first-class or high upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualification) and a Masters degree with distinction. 

The undergraduate and Masters degrees should be in literature and/or creative writing, or in a related subject that is related to the proposed research project. 

Other relevant experience and expertise may also be considered:

• Evidence of training in research techniques may be an advantage.
• It would be expected that postgraduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.
• Publications are not required and the Department of English and Related Literature does not expect applicants to have been published before they start their research degrees.

Supervisors interview you to ensure a good supervisory match and to help with funding applications.

The core deciding factor for admission is the quality of the research proposal, though your whole academic profile will be taken into account. We are committed to ensuring that no prospective or existing student is treated less favourably. See our  admissions policy  for more information.

Apply for the PhD in English with Creative Writing

Have a look at the supporting documents you may need for your application.

Before applying, we advise you to identify potential supervisors in the department. Preliminary enquiries are welcomed and should be made as early as possible. However, a scattershot approach – emailing all staff members regardless of the relationship between their research interests and yours – is unlikely to produce positive results. 

If it's not clear which member of staff is appropriate, you should email the   Graduate Chair .

Students embarking on a PhD programme are initially enrolled provisionally for that qualification. Confirmation of PhD registration is dependent upon the submission of a satisfactory proposal that meets the standards required for the degree, usually in the second year of study.

Find out more about how to apply .

English language requirements

You'll need to provide evidence of your proficiency in English if it's not your first language.

Check your English language requirements

Research proposal

In order to apply for a PhD, we ask that you submit a research proposal as part of your application.

When making your application, you're advised to make your research proposals as specific and clear as possible. Please indicate the member(s) of staff that you'd wish to work with

You’ll need to provide a summary of between 250 and 350 words in length of your research proposal and a longer version of around 800 words (limit of 1000). The proposal for the MA in English (by research) should be 400–500 words.

Your research proposal should:

• Identify the precise topic of your topic and communicate the main aim of your research.
• Provide a rigorous and thorough description of your proposed research, including the contributions you will make to current scholarly conversations and debates. Creative Writing proposals should include plans for a critical research and a creative component.
• Describe any previous work you have done in this area, with reference to relevant literature you have read so far.
• Communicate the central sources that the project will address and engage.
• Offer an outline of the argument’s main claims and contributions. Give a clear indication of the authors and texts that your project will address.
• Include the academic factors, such as university facilities, libraries resources, centres, other resources, and / or staff, which have specifically led you to apply to York.

What we look for:

• How you place your topic in conversation with the scholarly landscape: what has been accomplished and what you plan to achieve. This is your chance to show that you have a good understanding of the relevant work on your topic and that you have identified a new way or research question to approach the topic.
• Your voice as a scholar and critical thinker. In clean, clear prose, show those who will assess your application how your proposal demonstrates your original thinking and the potential of your research.
• Your fit with York, including the reasons for working with your supervisor and relevant research schools and centres.
• Above all, remember that there isn’t one uniform way to structure and arrange your research proposal, and that your approach will necessarily reflect your chosen topic.

Careers and skills

• You'll receive support in applying to and presenting at professional conferences, preparing and submitting material for publication and applying for jobs.
• You'll benefit from training in handling research data, various modern languages, palaeography and bibliography. Classical and medieval Latin are also available. The   Humanities Research Centre   also offers a rich array of valuable training sessions.
• We also offer training in teaching skills if you wish to pursue a teaching post following your degree. This includes sessions on the delivery and content of seminars and workshops to undergraduates, a structured shadowing programme, teaching inductions and comprehensive guidance and resources for our graduate teaching assistants.
• You'll have the opportunity to further your training by taking courses accredited by Advance HE:   York Learning and Teaching Award (YLTA)   and the   York Professional and Academic Development scheme (YPAD) .

Find out more about careers

Discover York

We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to deluxe.

Discover more about our researchers, facilities and why York is the perfect choice for your research degree.

Graduate Research School

Connect with researchers across all disciplines to get the most out of your research project.

Find a supervisor

Explore our staff expertise

Find out all you need to know about applying to York

Find funding to support your studies

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Course type

Qualification, university name, phd degrees in creative writing.

50 degrees at 42 universities in the UK.

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• Course title (A-Z)
• Course title (Z-A)
• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

Creative Writing, PhD

Swansea university.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

English and Creative Writing PhD

University of gloucestershire.

• 4 years Full time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £3,400 per year (UK)

PhD English and Creative Writing

University of roehampton.

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,711 per year (UK)
• 7 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Creative Writing PhD

Bath spa university.

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University of central lancashire.

• 3 years Full time degree: £5,000 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,500 per year (UK)

PhD in Creative Writing and English Literature

Manchester metropolitan university.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,850 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree

University of Surrey

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 8 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Creative and Critical Writing PhD

Bangor university.

• 2 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

PhD/ MPhil/ MRes Creative Writing

University of strathclyde, phd postgraduate research in creative writing, university of east anglia uea, anglia ruskin university.

• 2.5 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 3 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)
• 3.5 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Aberystwyth University

Phd theatre studies (playwriting), university of essex.

• 4 years Full time degree: £9,375 per year (UK)
• Literature - Research- Core
• Dissertation
• View all modules

University of Hull

English phd,mphil - life writing, university of leicester.

• 4 years Distance without attendance degree: £5,913 per year (UK)
• 3 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

Creative Writing MPhil, PhD

Newcastle university.

• 36 months Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 72 months Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

University of Nottingham

• 48 months Online/Distance degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 96 months Online/Distance degree

University of Plymouth

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,500 per year (UK)
• 4 years Part time degree: £3,030 per year (UK)
• GSRCWRI1 Research Creative Writing- Core
• Research Skills in the Arts, Humanities & Business- Core
• GSRCWRI2 Research Creative Writing- Core
• GSRCWRI3 Research Creative Writing- Core
• GSRCWRI4 Research Creative Writing- Core

Text, Practice and Research - PhD

University of kent, brunel university london.

• 3 years Full time degree

1-20 of 50 courses

About PhD Degrees in Creative Writing

Creative writing extends beyond the boundaries of normal professional journalism or academic forms of literature. It is often associated with fiction and poetry, but primarily emphasises narrative craft, character development, and the use of traditional literary forms.

A PhD level exploration of creative writing is a three-year full-time programme, where candidates delve into the complexities of literary expression, developing their own research and create projects with the goal of making an original contribution to the field.

There are more than fifty creative writing PhD programmes in the UK, and these give candidates a platform to fully immerse themselves in their ideas and take their work to the next level.

What to expect

A PhD in creative writing offers the time and space to develop personal creative methods, combined with advanced workshops, critical seminars, and guest lectures from working authors. Under an academic mentor's supervision, candidates typically work towards completing a novel, poetry collection or screenplay.

Postgraduate programmes such as these often foster a supportive community of writers and scholars, and collaboration with peers is encouraged. Graduates can expect to emerge as confident and aspirational authors, with a developed style and professional aspiration, prepared for careers in writing, publishing, academia, or other creative industries. The degree provides a pathway for making significant contributions to the world of literature through original and innovative creative works.

Course type:

• Distance learning PhD
• Full time PhD
• Part time PhD

Qualification:

Universities:.

• University of West London
• Cardiff University
• University of Suffolk
• University of Portsmouth
• University of Buckingham
• University of Sussex
• The University of Edinburgh
• University of Aberdeen
• King's College London, University of London
• University of Lincoln
• University of Birmingham
• Keele University
• University of York
• University of Manchester
• Lancaster University
• University of Liverpool
• University of Hertfordshire
• University of Bristol
• Leeds Beckett University
• Goldsmiths, University of London

Related Subjects:

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

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Discover more about the Centre for New Writing

PhD Creative Writing / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page
• Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent)
• Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 70% or above

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Please ensure you include all  required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered. 

Application Deadlines 

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by  12 January 2024. 

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self–funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed. 

• For September 2024 entry:  30 June 2024 
• For January 2025 entry:  30 September 2024 

Programme options

Programme description.

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Our PhD Creative Writing programme gives you the opportunity to work on a significant piece of creative writing while developing your research skills.

You will benefit from creative supervision by an experienced poet or fiction writer and draw on the range of expertise within the University to find a supervisor for your critical element. 

There are two elements to the programme. The first is a creative element that can be a novel or a collection of short stories of up to 100,000 words, or a book-length collection of poetry of up to 60 poems.

The PhD also has a critical element, which is a piece of literary or cultural criticism of 30,000 to 50,000 words maximum.

Find out what it's like to study at Manchester by visiting us on one of our  open days.

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

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): £4,786 International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £2,393

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

Please note for the majority of projects where experimentation requires further resource: higher fee bands (where quoted) will be charged rather than the base rate for supervision, administration and computational costs. The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive and, therefore, you will not be required to pay any additional bench fees or administration costs.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of the course for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your project.

Read more about  postgraduate fees .

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including AHRC NWCDTP and School of Arts, Languages and Cultures studentships is 12 January 2024. 

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.  

• AHRC North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures PhD Studentships 2024 Entry - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
• Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures New Generation PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry

Contact details

See: About us

Programmes in related subject areas

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

• English Literature, American Studies and Creative Writing

Regulated by the Office for Students

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

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

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Department of English » Research » Research Degrees in English and Creative Writing » Creative Writing PhD

The Creative Writing PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University

• Creative Writing PhD
• Distance Learning PhD Programmes

Our Creative Writing PhD is a practice based programme taught by teams of published creative writers and highly regarded literary scholars.

Staff have expertise in fiction, poetry, children’s and young adult fiction, creative non-fiction and scriptwriting. 78% of our research has been rated as world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2014).

Creative PhD Structure

The PhD in Creative Writing (also known as the critical-creative, or practice-based PhD) combines a proposed manuscript (e.g. novel, short story collection, poems, playscript, narrative non-fiction, digital writing) with an element of supporting or contextualising research. The proposed creative manuscript will be volume-length (the natural length of a book, depending on genre). The length of the supporting research will be subject to negotiation with your tutor but would typically be 40,000 words. 

The emphasis is not on creating two separate pieces of work, but on integration. Your dissertation will consist of an interdependent project of contextual and practice-based creative work.

Both sections of the PhD should contain work of 'publishable standard', and the contextual and creative elements must make a new contribution to knowledge.

Full time students are expected to work full-time on their research and should not undertake more than six hours of formal duty or paid work in any given week. However, every attempt will be made to provide you with work experience in your chosen field.

Creative PhD Supervision and Research Training

Typically you will be allocated a team of two or three supervisors; specialists in the area of the creative part of your dissertation and in the critical or contextual component. Your supervisory team may also be a member of staff from another department e.g. History, where appropriate.

This is an independent research programme; there are no timetabled classes or modules, but you will need to attend supervision sessions as negotiated with your supervisors as well as specialist courses in e.g. Research Skills and Ethics Training. The frequency of supervisory sessions may vary depending on the stage of research, and whether you are full or part time, but in general these meetings will take place at least once a month.

Subject specific research training might include:

• presentation of creative work at a PhD Masterclass Writing Workshop
• the submission of a treatment to a publisher, attending one of the many professional events hosted by the Manchester Writing School, e.g. the National Creative Writing Industry Day, which features talks by agents, publishers and writers.
• leading undergraduate creative writing seminars

General research training might take the form of:

• a series of one-to-one tutorials with a supervisor on the subject of your contextualising critical research, or
• the presentation of a paper at a relevant academic conference, or
• the targeting of academic journals with material for publication

There is also a Research Training Programme  covering various aspects of research development and skills.

Staff and Supervisors

Academic and research staff are featured on the staff profiles page for the Department of English

Areas of Particular Supervisory Expertise

These include Poetry, Place Writing, Gothic Fiction and YA/Children’s Fiction.

An Example Doctoral Programme: The PhD in Children’s/YA Fiction

At Manchester Metropolitan we have expertise in both the critical and creative aspects of writing for children and young adults. A highly regarded team of writing professionals to guide you through the process of writing your novel and thesis:

• Dr Ellie Byrne
• Dr Chloe Buckley
• Dr Ginette Carpenter
• Iris Feindt , Graduate Teaching Assistant
• Dr Blanka Grzegorczyk
• Dr Livi Michael
• Dr Muzna Rahman
• Alex Wheatle
• Dr Catherine Wilcox

Resources for Young Adult and Children’s fiction:

• The Manchester Centre for Youth Studies (MCYS) which produces collaborative and interdisciplinary research into diversity, criminal justice, language and wellbeing;
• The Manchester Children’s Book Festival (MCBF) with an ongoing programme of events and opportunities to work with children in schools and at festivals;
• Former Poet Laureate, Professor Carol Ann Duffy DBE , who has written extensively for children.
• Our Special Collections features a Children’s Book Collection featuring 19th and 20th century children’s book illustrations, and the opportunity to work with the Manchester School of Art who offer courses in Illustration and Animation.

An examination team assesses the PhD thesis and conducts an oral examination (viva) of the student. The examination team consists of one internal examiner and one external examiner.

Opportunities for PhD Students

Wherever possible, we try to offer our PhD students teaching, as it is an important part of professional development. The availability of part time teaching varies from year to year, and all candidates for teaching will be subject to an interview with the relevant Programme Leader. Further opportunities may arise in subject-specific areas, e.g. through the Manchester Children’s Book Festival, for work in schools or at literary events.

The university has a vibrant event-culture in which students are invited to participate. Former Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy hosts a series of events at the Royal Exchange Theatre at which selected poetry students read with established poets. And similar events are arranged at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation  where our novel-writing students are invited to read with established novelists.

Fees and Funding

Postgraduate Doctoral loans are available to eligible candidates and further information is available at www.gov.uk/doctoral-loan .

Any current studentships are advertised at www2.mmu.ac.uk/research/research-study/scholarships/

10 scholarships per year are available to non-EU applicants applying for Distance Learning PhD programmes within certain subject areas.  Please see www2.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/distance-learning-research-degrees/ for details.

For more information on fees visit our Postgraduate Research page www2.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/fees/

Manchester Metropolitan University is a member of the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership Consortium (NWCDTP) offers postgraduate studentships across the full range of arts and humanities including Creative Writing. See www.nwcdtp.ac.uk/prospective-students/ for more information.

Key Contacts

Dr Andrew Moor Research Degrees Co-Ordinator, Department of English 

Dr Nikolai Duffy Research Degrees Co-Ordinator for Creative Writing

Dr Myna Trustram Research Associate

How to Apply

Please look at this website: www2.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/research-degree-list/5047.php and click  ‘How to Apply’ to go to the online application form.

With your application form you will also need to upload:

• Two recent academic references which have been signed by your referee and provided on headed paper from the relevant institution. They must be saved in a format which prevents alteration of the content e.g. PDFs.
• A proposal – this should be written using the advice on the application form. You might like to try our online course on ‘How to Write a Research Proposal’ (see below for details).
• Copies of your Masters and Bachelors degree certificates, including transcripts of your marks or grades if you are applying for a PhD.
• Copies of any qualification you have in English Language, if English is not your first language.
• Examples of your work (if requested)
• A copy of your current passport.

The Admissions process for research degrees at the University includes assessment of your application form along with your supporting documents and an interview with a potential supervisor.  Some applicants may also need to apply for an ATAS certificate (depending on the research subject) and a visa to study in the UK.  You should therefore ensure that you apply with enough time to complete this process. The University has 3 possible start dates for research degrees, which are October, January and April.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would i do a phd.

Increasingly, a PhD is a requirement for an academic career. As creative writing is a relatively new subject in British higher education, in the past academic staff have secured jobs without having doctorates, but this is changing gradually as more and more people complete PhDs.

The indispensable requirement if you want a permanent university job (as opposed to hourly paid teaching) is that you must be a published creative writer of some substance and reputation. It may be that this and a PhD will become the norm, though a successful writer will always be very attractive to departments.

University teaching may appeal to you if you enjoy your research and practice and want to share your expertise. Writers and artists usually find that university departments are sympathetic environments where their practice is valued as research and may therefore constitute part of their role.

You may also want to do a PhD in order to dedicate a substantial amount of time to your practice and to work with experts in your chosen field.

Finally there may be a particular aspect of your research that you want to pursue, and the university provides the best environment you’re your investigative study.

What qualifications do I need to do a PhD?

Our Creative Writing PhD students come from a variety of backgrounds, nationalities and writing experiences, but successful applicants display writing talent and experience, and the ability to engage critically with the contexts in which they write and their own process.

We would normally expect applicants to hold a first or upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in a related subject, or a qualification which is regarded by the relevant Faculty Research Degrees committee as equivalent to an honours degree, e.g. professional qualifications. All doctoral candidates are normally expected to have completes a Masters degree successfully in a field relevant to the subject of their research. An MA/MFA in Creative Writing is an advantage, but evidence of creative writing engagement and achievement will be taken into consideration, as well as evidence of an ability to engage in the supporting research. Candidates holding other qualifications will be considered on their merits and in relations to the nature and scope of the proposed programme of work. Professional experience, publications, or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment may also be taken into consideration.

What is the difference between the MFA and the PhD?

On both programmes you will be expected to complete a creative project (novel, poetry collection) that is potentially publishable, but to obtain a PhD you will also be expected to make an original contribution to knowledge in your chosen field. The PhD incorporates an element of critical, theoretical or contextual argument and research which is submitted with the creative writing. At present, in the UK you are more likely to obtain academic work with a PhD. The MFA is allied to the MA, although it can be taken as a separate qualification. The primary requirement for the MFA is the submission of your creative writing.

Why is there so much emphasis on the academic part of the thesis when the creative is 70 – 80% of the project?

Your creative work will be considered when you apply and in your personal statement you should show evidence of relevant experience in your chosen field. The emphasis in the application process on the contextualising research ensures that you have an original contribution to make and that the research is rigorous and well-defined.

What are the starting dates?

The University has 3 possible start dates for research degrees, which are October, January and April.

How fast can I do it?

The minimum time for a full time PhD is three years. Part time is six years.

How long should the completed project be?

A traditional PhD is not usually longer than 80,000 words and a similar limit is suggested for the PhD in Creative Writing. The balance is typically weighted towards the creative work rather than the contextual dissertation, but this may be negotiated with your Director of Studies.

Do I have to do a PhD in one of the specialised areas mentioned above?

No; in fact it is expected that your own creative work will form the basis of your research and if your proposal is accepted, a supervisory team will be allocated accordingly.

Will I be offered teaching while I’m doing my PhD?

Teaching experience is usually available to all Postgraduate Research Students who would like it. It is not usually available during the first year of study (FT) and will depend on what provision is needed on the English BA programme. 

Is there a sample form I can look at?

There are no examples of completed admissions forma available as yet. Please contact Dr Andrew Moor, Research Degrees Co-Ordinator, for a sample pro-forma. [email protected]

Any questions can be directed to  [email protected]

You may also like to try our four week online course on how to write a research degree proposal, aimed at explaining the main components of the written proposal.

You can browse the course by visiting the site collectiveonlinelearning.harts.online/register

If you want to follow the course and receive feedback, register by opening the link in your browser, inputting the password r3Gi5t3R and then completing the registration form - fields marked with a red asterisk are required. Make a note of your username and password - you’ll need them for future logins. 

Once you’ve successfully registered you’ll also be logged into the site - for that first session at least - and can start the course immediately. There is an FAQ's page and a comments form if you need assistance. At the end of the course, if you want to, you can submit your draft proposal for feedback from our research degrees team.

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Creative Writing PhD (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)

Annual tuition fee 2024 entry: UK: £4,778 full-time, £2,389 part-time International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only) More detail .

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Work with our team of award-winning authors to develop your creative practice and its critique. Creative Writing at Birmingham is part of the Department of Film and Creative Writing, and is closely aligned to the Departments of English Literature and English Language and Applied Linguistics, allowing you to benefit from our breadth of expertise.

This practice-based PhD will support you in the development of a long-form piece of creative writing, or a sequence of related works. You will also identify critical concerns and interests related to your creative practice, situating your work within a wider literary context. The final submission is divided between the creative piece and a related critical document.

Your PhD submission will usually entail:

For prose : a creative document of either long-form prose/a novel, or a collection of short-form prose/stories supported by a critical paper. The total word count will be between 80,000 and 100,000 words, though the weighting between the two elements will vary slightly. A novel, for example, usually between 60,000 to 80,000 words. The critical paper can therefore be between 20,000 to 40,000 words. 

For poetry : a creative document of collected poems or a single work of poetry supported by a critical thesis (usually 20,000-50,000 words)

For scriptwriting (film or live performance) : a single project or a collection of multiple shorts, which should be of comparable length and commitment as the prose element, again with an accompanying critical element between 20,000 to 40,000 words.

Other creative formats (for example a script for a graphic novel) will follow the above model/weightings.

The creative document will be an original work of significant, publishable quality which demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of craft, genre, and form. The critical document will present a structured and developed argument that demonstrates an awareness of literary  context, and discuss - where relevant - critical and creative processes.

AHRC funding for PhD students

The University of Birmingham is part of the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C), offering Arts and Humanities Research Council PhD studentships for campus-based programmes. These include a number of Collaborative Doctoral Award opportunities. Each studentship includes research fees, a substantial maintenance grant and additional research training support. Applications are open until 12:00 (noon), 13 January 2021.

Find out more

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

Virtual Open Day: Postgraduate opportunities in Creative Writing - 7 March 2020, 14:00-15:00

Join us online to watch a range of staff and student videos, and take part in our online chat where Dr Daniel Vyleta will be answering your questions about postgraduate study.

Find out more and register

You can study our Creative Writing PhD full-time or part-time, on campus or by distance learning. The College of Arts and Law is experienced in delivering high-quality distance learning to students all over the world. Find out more on our  distance learning website .

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

• Graduate School Language Skills

I’ve enjoyed studying at the University of Birmingham’s state of the art green campus with its spacious library and welcoming multicultural environment. The close interaction between students and supervisors has kept my research progress on track and constantly improving. Hui-Han

Why study this course?

• Work with published writers: You will be working with published writers in a thriving research-active environment across a range of disciplines, including poetry; short-story; novel writing; and screen-writing
• Develop your craft: We also encourage new and diverse forms of writing and aim to develop craft, including research and editing skills, to support your creative project. The course team are experienced in helping you to theorise your approaches to your writing and research processes.
• Creative community: You will work alongside a community of writers and scholars, which includes active researchers in all areas and disciplines. There are a number of presentations and events staged by the School and by the Creative Writing team, alongside a vibrant arts and writing community in Birmingham and the West Midlands. We encourage our students, at all levels, to be active within the community and to participate in readings, festivals, and events, both regionally and nationally.
• Preparation for teaching: The research degree is of value for writers who wish to engage with research in academia, for preparation for teaching in Higher Education, and offers dedicated time and support to complete a significant creative project.
• World-leading research: The University of Birmingham is ranked equal 10th in the UK amongst Russell Group universities in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 according to Times Higher Education

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience .

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

• UK: £4,778 full-time; £2,389 part-time *
• International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only)

The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study.

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

* For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students .

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding .

How To Apply

A strong application should include:

• A detailed description of the creative project (about two pages, with references, where possible, to other supporting texts)
• A description of the likely critical enquiry (which outlines the links between your creative project and the critical enquiry which will inform the development of the creative project).
• Examples of creative work (please include examples which are within your discipline, so if you want to write poetry, please include poems, if you want to write a novel, then a section of a novel, etc.,.)
• A brief statement explaining why you are interested in undertaking research with us at Birmingham. Many projects are achievable without needing a PhD, so it is helpful to see why you are interested in working within academia. It is also useful to see how this new project develops from previous projects, or relates to other creative and critical enquiries. This can be speculative.
• A decision on whether the period of study is to be full- or part-time (it is possible to adjust this once you are undertaking the research degree). If you are interested in Distance Learning, and if your application is successful, you will be asked to complete a form in which you provide details about your access to other resources and online support. Your supervisor will help you complete this prior to your being officially accepted.

Please note: The PhD is a demanding and rewarding period of advanced creative and academic independent study. It is also a terminal degree, and we require that applicants have either successfully completed a Creative Writing MA, or can demonstrate experience within their discipline. Unlike the MA, the PhD does not typically include group workshops and seminars. A strong application will demonstrate your current ability and experience within your creative discipline (so if you wish to write a film script, but have written novels, you would need some evidence of ability and knowledge in writing for film).

This is a popular course and there is a limited supervisor capacity to support doctoral research students. Our ability to support your research proposal may be dependent on the availability of a supervisor in your area of interest.

Application deadlines

Postgraduate research can start at any time during the year, but it is important to allow time for us to review your application and communicate a decision. If you wish to start in September 2024, we would recommend that you aim to submit your application and supporting documents by 7 May 2024.

If the programme has a Distance learning option then students will usually attend a residential visit in September or January, and those students wishing to attend the September residential are also encouraged to apply by 7 May 2024. The visit will take place at the end of September/beginning of October and you will receive further details once you have accepted your offer.

Six easy steps to apply for a postgraduate research course in the College of Arts and Law

Six steps to apply for our Postgraduate Research courses

Do you have an idea for an interesting research project? You can follow our six easy steps to apply to study for our postgraduate research courses . These include guidance on identifying funding opportunities and writing your research proposal .

Please also see our additional guidance for  applicants to the PhD Distance Learning study mode .

Please note: While our PhD programmes are normally studied in three years full-time or six years part-time, and Masters-level research programmes one year full-time or two years part-time, many programmes have a longer length listed in course or funding applications. This is because the course length is defined as the maximum period of registration, which includes a period of supervised study plus a thesis awaited period. The maximum period of registration for a full-time PhD is four years (three years supervision plus one year thesis awaited). For a full-time Masters-level research programme, it is two years (one year supervision plus one year thesis awaited). For part-time programmes, the periods are double the full-time equivalent.

Making your application

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

The creative and critical elements will entail considered independent research and development. For this reason, we can only consider applications from applicants who have successfully completed an MA in Creative Writing, or candidates who can demonstrate composite professional experience (which includes publishing). This should be clearly demonstrated in your application. For the PhD, you must demonstrate how the research project relates to your current creative practice.

Please note: check the staff profiles prior to application to make sure that your proposal is within an area that we can support. We will be unable to support a research project which falls too far outside of our own field of research and teaching.

For the application we require:

• a detailed outline describing the planned creative project
• an outline of the potential critical enquiry and how it relates to the creative project (this can be less detailed than the description of the creative project)
• a statement about your reasons for considering a research degree
• examples of creative work
• a short resume or CV
• two references from people who are familiar with both your creative and critical abilities

The application will be reviewed by the department in several stages. If there is an interested and available supervisor we will ask you form an interview, which can happen online.

International students

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries - use our handy guide below to see what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements: standard language requirements apply for this course - IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our  English for Academic Purposes Presessional Course  - if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

The Department is home to a number of award-winning writers and our research into the aesthetic, historical and theoretical contexts of literature is complemented by our strong traditions in creative practice as research.

Please contact a staff member working in your area of interest in the first instance: Find a supervisor in Creative Writing .

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network  provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team  who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

• Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
• Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
• Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
• Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Over the past five years, more than 96% of Creative Writing postgraduates were in work and/or further study six months after graduation. Postgraduates in the Department of Film and Creative Writing develop a range of skills including: the ability to lead and participate in discussions; critical thinking, and an appreciation of different theoretical contexts; the ability to develop opinions and new ideas; and an aptitude for thinking and working creatively with others. While some graduates go on to careers in related industries - such as writing, media and television - others have used their transferable skills to pursue roles such as advertising, teaching, and in the heritage and cultural sectors.

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English at Leicester

• Midlands4Cities
• Application process
• Resources and facilities

PhD in Creative Writing

Pursuing a PhD in Creative Writing at Leicester means becoming part of an exciting and dynamic research and creative environment.

The PhD programme helps give structure to your creative project, and invites you to ask searching questions about your practice, to reflect on the process of producing creative work, and so to write a long critical-reflective essay (usually 15-20,000 words) to accompany the creative work. The creative body of work normally makes up 70% of the PhD, and the reflective thesis 30%.

At its broadest, the emphasis is on trying to comprehend the practice of creation itself - surely one of the most fascinating subjects imaginable.

Creative Writing doctorates lead to a variety of potential career paths. These include novelist, poet, playwright or screenwriter, of course, but there are many related industries that Creative Writing research degree graduates nationally have gone on to work in, including (but not limited to):

• TV storyline writing
• Video game creation
• TV and film production
• Working as a literary agent
• Teaching or lecturing
• Working as a professional stand-up comedian
• Post-doctoral academic research
• Public relations
• Advertising & marketing
• Political research & speech writing
• Arts management
• Content provision
• Tweet writing
• Web editing
• Franchise creation
• Branding consultancy
• Literary and other arts events management
• Intellectual property advising

Application information

It is a good idea to make informal enquiries to the lecturer you believe might be interested in supervising your PhD, prior to making a formal application.

• List of English at Leicester staff  
• Recent creative publications by students and staff  

You should have a strong creative and academic track record - entry requirements are an MA or similar in Creative Writing and some prior publication history.

Otherwise, you should have compelling evidence of advanced writing experience, and an awareness of the technical and reflective elements of creative writing practice in an academic environment.

Your application should consist of a persuasive outline for a creative project: a body of poetry, a novel, a work of creative non-fiction, a graphic novel or a substantial film script. This should be accompanied by a theoretical and canonical series of questions that you believe will prove relevant as the creative work progresses.

You should be conscious of the fact that the critical element of a creative PhD is not separate literary critical study - although it may involve such. It is involved in the deeper comprehension of the creative process itself through an articulation of creative practice. As such it may involve historical, ethnographic, practice-based philosophical, social scientific and other theoretical models.

Places on the PhD are awarded on the basis of the quality of the creative sample submitted and the originality of the proposal.

Audio clip: Gwynne Harries discusses his Creative PhD

Listen to PhD student Gwynne Harries discuss his Creative PhD in Welsh Poetic Forms in English Verse.

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Creative Writing PhD

Key information, full-time - 4 years, part-time - 8 years.

Research brochure

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Why choose this programme

We belong to the interdisciplinary  School of Literature and Languages , which has research-active staff in English literature, film studies, translation studies, theoretical and applied linguistics, and literary and cultural studies as well as creative writing.

Our research in modern and contemporary writing includes both literary-critical and creative work. In particular, we explore:

• The work of living writers
• The tradition and future of innovative writing
• The environment and climate change
• The nature of publishing as an innovative and radical political enterprise
• Literature and the body.

Our diverse mix of subject specialities mean that we are a vibrant and imaginative community with lots of opportunity for intellectual exchange.

We are part of  TECHNE , an  Arts and Humanities Research Council   (AHRC)-funded doctoral training partnership, which provides access to comprehensive academic and professional training programmes, as well as the possibility of funding for your studies.

The  Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021  ranked the School of Literature and Languages 10th for research impact, with 75% of our case studies rated as having outstanding impacts, in terms of reach and significance (4*). Our submission to REF included contributions from the Guildford School of Acting (GSA).

Frequently asked questions about doing a PhD

What you will study

Our Creative Writing PhD will train you in critical and analytical skills, research methods, and knowledge that will equip you for your future career. It normally takes between three to four years to complete our full-time PhD.

You’ll be assigned two supervisors who will meet with you regularly to read and discuss your work and make sure you’re on track. For us, writing is essential for understanding and developing new perspectives, so you’ll be submitting written work right from the start of your course.

In your first year, you’ll refine your research proposal and plan the structure of your work with the support of your supervisors. As you go into your second and third year, you’ll work more independently, and your supervisors will guide you on how to present at conferences and get your work published.

As a doctoral student in the School of Literatures and Languages, you’ll receive a structured training programme covering the practical aspects of being a researcher, including grant-writing, how to publish in journals, and how to applyfor academic jobs.

After 12-15 months, you’ll submit a substantial piece of work for a confirmation examination. The confirmation examination will be conducted by two internal members of staff not on your supervisory team and will give you the opportunity to gain additional guidance on your research-to-date.

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

Research support

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College , which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.

We’ll support and develop your writing and research skills, through our  Researcher Development Programme , additional subject-specific training, and by meeting visiting scholars including our writers and poets in residence. Our Creative Writing PhD students also often take part in regular readings and events such as the  New Writers Festival  and Surrey Poetry Festival.

Research themes

• Experimental poetry
• Historical prose fiction
• Literary prose fiction
• Contemporary commercial fiction
• Genre prose fiction.

Our academic staff

See a full list of all our  academic staff  within the School of Literature and Languages.

Research areas

Research facilities.

You’ll be allocated shared office space within the School of Literature and Languages and have full access to our library and online resources. Our close proximity to London also means that the British Library and many other important archives are within easy reach.

The University offers excellent training opportunities and a range of research seminars and events. These provide a valuable opportunity to meet visiting scholars whose work connects with our own research strengths across literature, theory, and creative writing.

Melanie Hyo-In Han

My supervisors have been instrumental in helping me to achieve my goals during my PhD by providing guidance and feedback on my research, enabling me to refine my ideas and hone my skills.

Melissa Addey

I’ve just published my 10th novel (15th book) which feels like a bit of a milestone. I also teach writing workshops every month at The British Library, mostly around authors being entrepreneurial about their writing".

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a first or upper second-class (2:1) UK degree and an MA in a relevant topic.

In exceptional cases, students with a good first degree will be considered for creative writing where there is a substantial or promising creative portfolio.

International entry requirements by country

English language requirements.

IELTS Academic:  7.0 or above with a minimum of 6.5 in each component (or equivalent).

Application requirements

Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our  application guidance .

After registration

Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.

Selection process

Selection is based on applicants:

• Meeting the expected entry requirements
• Being shortlisted through the application screening process
• Completing a successful interview
• Providing suitable references.

Student life

At Surrey we offer the best of both worlds – a friendly campus university, set in beautiful countryside with the convenience and social life of Guildford on your doorstep.

Start date: July 2024

Start date: October 2024

Start date: January 2025

Start date: April 2025

• Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
• Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).

View the list of fees for all postgraduate research courses.

Additional costs

There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

Apply online

If you are applying for a studentship to work on a particular project, please provide details of the project instead of a research proposal.

Read our application guidance for further information on applying.

To apply online first select the course you'd like to apply for then log in.

1. Select your course

Select the course you wish to apply for.

To apply online sign in or create an account.

Code of practice for research degrees

Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.

Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF) .

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures , student regulations , and terms and conditions .

We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:

• First when we make an offer.
• Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).

View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.

This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.

Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.

It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer .

Course location and contact details

Campus location

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

University of Surrey Admissions

University of Surrey Guildford Surrey GU2 7XH

• Staff & students

MPhil/PhD Creative Writing

Course information.

English and Creative Writing

3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time

Course overview

The inter-relationship between theory, scholarship and the creative process is key to the Goldsmiths MPhil/PhD Creative Writing.

Programme content

• You'll be expected to combine your own creative writing – whether poetry, fiction or life writing – with research into the genre or area of literature in which you are working, to gain insight into its history and development, and to engage with relevant contemporary debates.
• This might be genre in the more traditional sense, for example satire, fictional autobiography, verse drama, or particular traditions to which you feel your work relates, for example projective verse, postmodernist fiction, or Caribbean poetics.
• This element of the PhD – the critical commentary – will constitute around 30% of the final work; the major part – 70% – will be a creative work of publishable standard: a novel, memoir, book of poems or collection of stories, for example.
• Assessment is by thesis and viva voce.
• North American applicants especially should note that the British system does not include preparatory taught classes or examinations as part of the MPhil/PhD programme, except for an initial course in research methods.
• Find out more about  research degrees at Goldsmiths . 

Goldsmiths creative writing students and alumni

Former and current PhD students include the following published writers and poets: 

• 2019 Booker Prize-winning   Bernardine Evaristo , whose Jerwood Fiction Uncovered -winning book Mr Loverman was written, in part, at Goldsmiths
• Season Butler
• Benjamin Woolley
• Linda Buckley-Archer
• Wendy Jones
• Justin Hill 
• Sophie Ward
• Francis Gilbert  
• Emma Darwin
• Virginia Peters
• Thomas Sykes
• Aoife Mannix
• Katrina Naomi
• Kate Miller  (winner of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry Prize) 
• Kathryn Maris
• Jack Underwood
• Abigail Parry
• Matthew Gregory
• Jenny Lewis

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Stephen Knight .

Entry requirements

You should normally hold a first or upper second class BA Honours degree and have either a good MA in Creative Writing or a track record of relevant publications with a reputable company.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification ) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study .

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees.

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £TBC
• Home - part-time: £TBC
• International - full-time: £TBC

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities . If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

AHRC studentships

The  Department of English and Creating Writing  sometimes offers fee waivers for this programme.

How to apply

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

If you are interested in applying to the PhD Creative Writing programme, please send your academic CV, along with a sample of your writing (approx 3,000 words) to   graduateschool (@gold.ac.uk) . These will then be seen by the programme convenor, who will be able to advise on supervisor availability in the department, and whether you should submit a formal application via the 'Apply Now' link at the top of this page.

Before submitting your application you'll need to have: 

• Details of  your education history , including the dates of all exams/assessments
• The  email address of your referee  who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
• Contact details of a second referee
• A  personal statement – t his can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online

           Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement

• If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
• Details of your  research proposal

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to get in touch with the programme contact, listed above. It may also be possible to arrange an advisory meeting.

Before you start at Goldsmiths, the actual topic of your research has to be agreed with your proposed supervisor, who will be a member of staff active in your general field of research. The choice of topic may be influenced by the current research in the department or the requirements of an external funding body. 

If you wish to study on a part-time basis, you should also indicate how many hours a week you intend to devote to research, whether this will be at evenings or weekends, and for how many hours each day.

Research proposals

Along with your application and academic reference, you should also upload a research proposal at the point of application. 

This should be in the form of a statement of the proposed area of research and should include: 

• delineation of the research topic
• why it has been chosen
• an initial hypothesis (if applicable)
• a brief list of major secondary sources

How detailed a research proposal are we looking for on the application form?   Obviously what you put on the form and exactly what you end up researching may be rather different, but in order to judge whether or not to offer you a place, the Department needs to know whether you have the broad outlines of a viable project. This means:

• a project that is both worthwhile and interesting, but not over-ambitious
• a project that can realistically be achieved within the confines of PhD on a full-time (4 years typically) or part-time (6 years maximum) basis
• we need to be sure that you have thought about it carefully and are fully committed to the research
• we need to be sure that you understand what is involved in doing a PhD
• your research proposal should give us enough information to be able to interview you (if you are in the UK) or reach a decision as to whether to admit you if you are not based in the UK

When to apply  

We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September. 

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.  

If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified. 

Selection process 

If your degree is in an unrelated field, you may be considered subject to a qualifying interview and/or submission of sample essays.

Find out more about applying .

Department of English and Creative Writing have a wide range of research specialisms; find out more about our staff and their research interests .

You'll develop transferable skills, including:

• enhanced communication and discussion skills in written and oral contexts
• the ability to analyse and evaluate different textual materials
• the ability to organise information
• the ability to assimilate and evaluate competing arguments
• Public relations
• Advertising
• The civil service

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths .

Research training programme

Training in research methods and skills is provided both by the department and Goldsmiths' Graduate School. This begins with an intensive week-long induction in the first week of enrolment and continues later in the first term with a series of seminars focussing on the specific challenges of literary and linguistic research projects. The department will also inform you about any research training seminars or study-days offered elsewhere in the University of London (for exmaple, by the Institute of English Studies or the Institute of Modern Languages Research, School of Advanced Study) or beyond, such as at the British Library. The specific training requirements of your project will be assessed, and guidance provided on specialist seminars and conferences to attend, which can be supported where possible by assistance from departmental funds.

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What do you want to do?

Find out about the research we do in creative writing.

• Creative Writing PhD

Find a supervisor

Mode of study

3 years full-time

6 years part-time

Entry requirements

Research profile.

From modernist and post-war women's writing to Caribbean and migrant fiction, our research interests span a wide range of areas aimed at understanding how literature affects wider society. We have a strong focus on maximizing both socio-cultural and academic impact of our work.

Creative Writing at Brunel is a leader in the field, which has for many years now ranked in the top 10% of Creative Writing degrees in the UK. We have some of Britain’s most celebrated, talented, original, and experienced writers actively publishing in the industry today, including Benjamin Zephaniah, Will Self, Bernardine Evaristo, Christopher Fox, Geoff King, Fiona Templeton and many more, having published over 80 powerfully diverse books between them and written for all the national newspapers. Our particular areas of strength include modern and contemporary literature, Shakespeare, Renaissance studies, Victorian literature and culture, and world literature in English.

Find out about the exciting research we do in this area. Browse profiles of our experts, discover the research groups and their inspirational research activities you too could be part of. We’ve also made available extensive reading materials published by our academics and PhD students.  

Learn more about research in this area.

The writers at Brunel are all actively publishing and specialists in many areas of writing including:

• all aspects of modern literary fiction
• all aspects of contemporary commercial fiction
• poetry, including for performance
• women's and multicultural writing
• horror and thriller writing
• all aspects of fantasy fiction
• post-colonial fiction
• children's/ YA fiction
• non-fiction
• screenwriting
• screen adaptation
• comedy writing
• writing for radio
• writing for opera
• autobiographical writing
• female genital mutilation in Africa and the UK
• the Fusion of creative writing and dramatherapy
• creative writing for therapeutic purposes
• the fusion of creative writing and dramatherapy

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour .

Our researchers create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip versatile doctoral researchers with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Find out more about working with the Supervisory Team .

You are welcome to approach your potential supervisor directly to discuss your research interests. Search for expert supervisors for your chosen field of research.

While we welcome applications from student with a clear direction for their research, we can also provide you with some ideas. Search for PhD topics for your chosen field of research.

Research journey

This course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, starting in January. Or this course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, starting in October. Or this course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, starting in April.

Find out about what progress might look like at each stage of study here:  Research degree progress structure.

Research support

Excellent research support and training

The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme . The researcher development programme (RDP) offers workshops and seminars in a range of areas including progression, research management, research dissemination, and careers and personal development. You will also be offered a number of online, self-study courses on BBL, including Research Integrity, Research Skills Toolkit, Research Methods in Literature Review and Principles of Research Methods.

Library services

Brunel's Library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 ebooks, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs. As well as the physical resources available in the Library, we also provide access to a wealth of electronic resources. These include databases, journals and e-books. Access to these resources has been bought by the Library through subscription and is limited to current staff and students.

Dedicated research support staff provide guidance and training on open access, research data management, copyright and other research integrity issues.

Find out more: Brunel Library

Careers and your future

You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.

In addition, where available, you may be able to undertake some paid work as we recognise that teaching and learning support duties represent an important professional and career development opportunity.

Find out more.

UK entry requirements

The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1st or 2:1). 

An interview will be required as part of the admissions process and will be conducted by at least two academic staff members remotely via MS Teams, Zoom, or face to face.

Applicants will be required to submit a personal statement  and a research statement. Please contact your proposed supervisor, where possible, to receive feedback and guidance on your research statement before submitting it. Learn how to prepare a research statement  here .   

EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list . This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

• IELTS: 7.5 (min 7.0 in all areas)
• Pearson: 73 (64 in all subscores)
• BrunELT : 73% (68% in all areas)
• TOEFL: 108 (min 20) 

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our  English Language Requirements  page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our  Brunel Language Centre .

Please check our Admissions  pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.

Some courses incur  additional course related costs . You can also check our  on-campus accommodation costs  for more information on living expenses.

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. Recently the UK Government made available the Doctoral Student Loans of up to £25,000 for UK and EU students and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

• Postgraduate Research

Creative Writing PhD

• Part time available: yes

Studying in:

• Department of English
• School of Arts
• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Department of English conducts research in three main areas: literature, language, and creative writing. We aim to foster and develop strategic partnerships, particularly with local and national cultural organisations, to reach those who can benefit from our research.

Why study with us?

There is a close postgraduate community within the department.  There is always someone around to talk to about your research and plenty of activities to get involved in including, reading groups, lectures by visiting speakers and conferences. Emma Hayward - Creative Writing PhD student

of research environment was classified as 'world leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*) in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

in the sector for research impact classified as 'outstanding' (4*) in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

in the sector for % of our research overall classified world leading or internationally excellent in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

The School of English has an outstanding international reputation.  Students will benefit from this strong research-led teaching covering a wide and continuous range of writing which equips students with the critical and communication skills and the capacity for adaptable intelligence which are in demand in all areas of modern life.

Engagement with media has allowed our researchers to be at the forefront of developing a rich cultural agenda at national and international levels, opening access to literature to a diverse audience. This has resulted in four staff members succeeding in the New Generation Thinkers scheme. We also actively support impact in terms of reaching the general reader, through the publication of research in various, high-profile formats.  The impact of such intervention into the nation’s cultural life creates new and evolving long-term contexts for thinking, understanding, writing and imagining.

Many of the Centre’s members specialize in Contemporary Literature that overlaps with science fiction, climate change, visual arts, comics and graphic novels, travel and nature writing as well as psychogeography and the urban environment. Putting gender and race at the forefront, Anglophone and postcolonial writing as well as the fostering of genuinely innovative interdisciplinary creative writing projects which have application and potential impact (e.g. Mental health, environment), is central to the way the Centre aims to diversify and expand the reading, writing and teaching of literature in the UK. Currently the Literature and Science Hub, formerly the Centre for Poetry and Science, established 2007, sits under the wing of the Centre.

Research themes

Our research themes are:

• Citizenship and Identity
• Poetry and Diversity
• Literature and the Visual Arts.

We have access to a variety of subscription databases, such as Early English Books Online, Eighteenth-Century Collections Online, Literature Online and the Burney Collection of Newspapers.

In addition the Special Collections and Archives department of the library houses:

• Literary manuscripts, including papers by Seamus Heaney, Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes
• The Science Fiction Foundation collection, including the archive of John Wyndham
• Rare and early printed books
• Medieval manuscripts
• Poetry archives from the Romantic period to the present day.

Study options and fees

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.

Entry requirements

Students will normally have a strong (2.1 or above) first degree in English, Creative Writing, or a related subject and a master's degree in Creative Writing. Creative and critical work will be required as part of the application.

English language requirements

How to apply.

Research degree applications can be made online.  You'll also need to ensure that you have funding to cover all fees.

Applications are  open all year round .

More about applying for research degrees

Apply online

Before you apply, we recommend that you identify a supervisor and develop a research proposal

Find a supervisor

Professor Deryn Rees-Jones Professor Sandeep Parmar Dr David Hering Dr Sam Solnick Dr Will Slocombe

View staff list

Need help finding a supervisor? Contact us

• Student Experience team
• Email: [email protected]

Related studentships: self-funded and funded PhD projects

Related doctoral training partnerships.

Doctoral Training Partnerships support future researchers with funding and a rewarding learning environment where you can collaborate with leading researchers.

• AHRC - NW Consortium DTP

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We offer a range of scholarships to help you meet the costs of studying a research degree.

See scholarships

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Postgraduate Research in Creative Writing

Key Details

Welcome to Norwich

According to the Sunday Times the city is one of the best places to live in the UK.

Project Overview

We are a top tier, research-led university and are committed to making a substantial impact on the global challenges facing society. Our postgraduate researchers have opportunities to work at the heart of active research teams, challenging boundaries and making real advances.

Staff research interests in Creative Writing include:

Creative writing

Life writing and creative non-fiction

Working closely with an academic supervisor gives you the support to carry out your own independent research and make your own mark. We have a wealth of remarkable academics, but how do you know which team will be right for you?

We suggest you look at the School's website, check out some academics and read up on some of their publications. We recommend that you identify at least one member of staff at UEA who might be your supervisor and that you contact them, to express your interest and discuss your research proposal. You will need to submit a  research proposal  of no more than 1500 words with your application.

Applicants to the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing must also submit 3,000-5,000 word sample of recent critical writing and a 3,000-5,000 word sample of recent creative work (or 20-30 poems), if applicable, for the Creative-critical programme or translation if the latter includes an actual translation.

Find out more on the  Creative Writing  web pages.

There are three research degrees available:

- Master's by Research

Full- and part-time options are available.

Read more about each of these on our  information pages .

The minimum academic requirement for entry to a doctoral degree is a UK upper second class undergraduate honours degree and a Master's degree, or equivalent.

The minimum academic requirement for Master's by Research is a UK upper second class undergraduate honours degree, or equivalent. Details of the PhD by Publication, including entry requirements, can be found on our  information pages .

If English is not your first language or you are from a country that is not on the  UKVI list of English speaking countries  , you may be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in the English language. Further information on  English language requirements  can be found on our website.

The School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing accepts research students to start on 1 October, 1 February and 1 June.

Deadlines for application are listed on our  information pages , where you will also find details of  fees and funding .

Postgraduate Research in Creative Writing starting October 2024 for 4 years

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Creative writing

The Creative Writing discipline supports practice-based and critical research and PhD study focused on creative writing. This research activity is associated with the discipline's Contemporary Cultures of Writing Research Group. The core activity in this type of PhD study is the creation of a book-length work of literature (or script equivalent) and an accompanying critical reflective thesis, which elucidates the research and creative strategies involved in making the work. In this way the essence of the Creative Writing PhD is research through creative practice. The final creative work emerges from and embodies the research questions, and the decisions and discoveries made while producing the work. We welcome applications from candidates suitably qualified and with appropriate writing experience and ability.

We expect well-structured proposals which set out specific research questions and clearly outline creative and critical approaches. A substantial writing sample is also required.

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) and a strong academic and creative record, usually evidenced by an MA in Creative Writing and relevant publications. If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English . 

Potential research projects

• Fiction – novel and short stories
• Creative Nonfiction – including life writing
• Script for stage, radio or screen

Current/recent research projects

• The Longest Fight: a novel and Getting into the Ring: an investigation of archetypes of the boxing hero, the creative influences of boxing reportage, and the role of personal memories in historical fiction.
• Freethinkers, a novel, and Inventing history: how do research, imagination and memory fuse creatively in the writing of an historical novel?
• Darkness Is Never Absolute: Ekphrasis of the Formless and Near-Black Paintings.
• The Other Mothers: Exploring adoption, surrogacy and egg donation through life writing.
• The Electric: A novel and critical commentary investigating narrative disruption in sign language, cinemagoing, and trauma.
• Longing to belong: an investigation into the potential for alternative storytelling techniques.
• A Sudden Light: a practice-led exploration of the significance and potential of the contemporary timeslip novel.

Potential supervisors

• Dr Emily Bullock
• Dr Siobhan Campbell
• Dr Donall Mac Cathmhaoill
• Dr Fiona Doloughan
• Dr Edward Hogan
• Dr Lania Knight
• Dr Derek Neale
• Dr Heather Richardson
• Dr Samuel Sargeant
• Dr Emma Sweeney
• Dr Jane Yeh

Some of our research students are funded via the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership ; others are self-funded.

For detailed information about fees and funding, visit  Fees and studentships .

To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see  Current studentships .

• Creative Writing at The Open University
• Recent and current creative writing PhD students
• The Contemporary Cultures of Writing Research Group

Get in touch

If you have an enquiry specific to this research topic, please contact:

Dr Molly Ziegler / Dr Ed Hogan Email: FASS-EnglishCreativeWriting-Enquiries Phone: +44 (0)1908 652092

If you’re interested in applying for this research topic, please take a look at the application process .

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Creative Writing (Online) PhD

• Full-time: 48 months
• Part-time: 96 months
• Start date: October 2024, February 2025
• UK fees: £5,100
• International fees: £21,500

Research overview

The University of Nottingham is a fantastic place to study creative writing.

We have expertise in poetry and fiction that range from haiku poetry to digital storytelling. In addition, all our lecturers are actively publishing their work and collaborating with cultural institutions across the United Kingdom.

You can also get editing experience through The Letters Page online journal, working with award-winning writer Jon McGregor. 

Hear from our students

Creative Writing PhD student, James Aitcheson, discusses doing a PhD as a published author.

Watch the video >

Course content

A PhD in Creative Writing is mainly made up of independent study, with supervision meetings occurring online (e.g. via Microsoft Teams) and spread throughout the year.

There are no taught credits attached to a PhD, although it is compulsory for full-time students to attend the Arts Faculty Researcher Skills training programme, which is available for online attendance.

Some PhD students also choose to audit masters modules taught by their supervisors where appropriate. This is not compulsory, nor does it involve any formal assessment, and would be limited to modules offered online.

Part-time students

Part-time students are required to take part in all required research training, attend postgraduate seminars where possible, and one postgraduate researcher (PGR) symposium over the period of their registration.

You will complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with expert support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce, where you explain your project in depth to an examination panel.

A creative writing thesis will mainly consist of your own original creative work. This could be a novel, a manuscript of poems, a collection of short stories, a play, or another form of creative output. Your thesis will also include a critical analysis of your creative work, which you will situate within a theorised or analytical context.

A PhD thesis should not normally exceed 100,000 words in length. It is expected that the creative element would usually comprise 50,000-70,000 words. The critical analysis component will normally be 15,000-30,000 words in length.

What is the thesis pending period?

All periods of registration are followed by a period of writing-up, called the thesis-pending period, when tuition fees are not paid and students are writing up their thesis.

Find out more in the university's Quality Manual .

Progression review

All PhD students take part in progression review assessments to ensure that their project is progressing satisfactorily. A progression review consists usually consists of written reports from both the student and the supervisory team.

All students have an independent assessment interview for their Stage 1 and Stage 2 reviews (end of years 1 and 2 for full-time students, years 2 and 4 for part-time students).

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications .

This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English.

You will be required to provide a PhD proposal with your application, which will set out the structure of your project.

The basis of a good proposal is usually a set of questions, approaches, and objectives which clearly outline your proposed project and what you want to accomplish. The proposal should also clearly demonstrate how you are going to accomplish this.

A PhD proposal should be a minimum of 1000 words. There is no upward limit for proposals, although successful proposals are often not much longer than about 2000-3000 words. You should consider:

• The methodologies that you will use in your project (as appropriate)
• The necessary resources and facilities you will need to carry out your project

In addition, the proposal should outline your reasons (academic and/or personal) for registering for online study rather than by full or part-time on-campus options. In particular, you should make clear how will be able to carry out your project in your chosen location. The proposal must include evidence of:

• Experience and ability to work independently e.g. papers/presentations at professional and academic conferences or publications in professional journals or previous completion of an independent research project, etc
• Access to local library facilities (where needed)
• Access to suitable IT facilities
• Access to online communications, e.g. Microsoft Teams
• Access to facilities to support any study-related disability (where appropriate)

It is also helpful to include:

• A summary of any further research experience, in addition to your academic qualifications. This could include work undertaken at undergraduate or masters level, or outside the educational system
• The name of the supervisor who may supervise the project (see the full list of supervision areas in the school )

Find out more about how to write a research proposal .

You may find it helpful to get in touch with a member of academic staff about your research proposal before submitting an application. They may be able to help you with your proposal and offer support to find funding opportunities in your area.

Our step-by-step guide contains everything you need to know about applying for postgraduate research.

How to apply.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Students must also have a suitable desktop/laptop to carry out their research. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

You'll be able to access many of the books and journal papers you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to buy your own copies of core texts. Because some resources may not be available online, the University of Nottingham library offers postal loans for online learners and can scan up to one chapter or article from a book or journal on request. For details on postal loans, see the library website, and for scanning requests, use the dedicated request form .

For students studying elsewhere in the UK, as a University of Nottingham student, you can also access many other university libraries across the country. The SCONUL Access scheme allows you access to the buildings and resources on offer at other UK campuses, so you can study closer to home. For more information on participating libraries and to sign up, check out their main webpage.

Many academic libraries worldwide allow students to become library members. You may need to provide a letter confirming your student status: these can be ordered from the university's online store .

There are many ways to fund your research degree, from scholarships to government loans.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

Regular supervision

You will have a team of at least two supervisors. Full-time students will meet with their supervisory team at least 10 times each year (six times for part-time students).

Your supervisors will help you to realise your research project and to guide you through your research. Many students will also attend conferences and publish papers in conjunction with their supervisors, to gain valuable experience and contacts in the academic community.

Professional development

Research students in the School of English may benefit from:

• Student-led research seminars and an annual symposium (recorded and/or hybrid for online students)
• Research networks created by the research centres and individual research projects
• Research council-funded international research exchange visits with leading universities
• Co-authorship with members of staff
• Dedicated staff-postgraduate reading groups
• Support for participation in international conferences and seminars

Postgraduate seminars and conference attendance

A seminar series is run by and for the postgraduate students in the school during term time, which will be hybrid and/or recorded for online students.

The seminars provide a forum for students to share work in progress with staff and peers, to hear from invited speakers, and to explore key academic and career topics in a supportive atmosphere.

Researcher training and development

The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.

Postgraduate researchers at Nottingham have access to our online Members’ area, which includes a wealth of resources, access to training courses and award-winning postgraduate placements.

Graduate centres

Our graduate centres are dedicated community spaces on campus for postgraduates.

Each space has areas for:

• socialising
• computer work
• kitchen facilities

Student support

You will have access to a range of support services , including:

• academic and disability support
• childcare services
• counselling service
• faith support
• financial support
• mental health and wellbeing support
• visa and immigration advice
• welfare support

Students' Union

Our Students' Union represents all students. You can join the Postgraduate Students’ Network or contact the dedicated Postgraduate Officer .

There are also a range of support networks, including groups for:

• international students
• black and minority ethnic students
• students who identify as women
• students with disabilities
• LGBT+ students

SU Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues such as accommodation, financial and academic difficulties.

Where you will learn

Special collections - english phd online learning.

While many of our Special Collections have been or are being digitised, some of the following offering will only available on-campus and would require visits to Nottingham to access:

• manuscripts from the 12th-15th centuries and books in Old and Middle English, Old Icelandic, Viking Studies, and runology
• the English Place-Name Society library and archive
• Hallward Library's DH Lawrence archive (containing Lawrence family papers, manuscripts, first editions, and books owned by Lawrence)
• the Cambridge Drama Collection (over 1,500 items including plays and works about the British theatre from 1750-1850)

If your PhD research will require access to these collections, please consult with a potential supervisor about the suitability of the topic for online study. 

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Expert staff will work with you to explore PhD career options and apply for vacancies, develop your interview skills and meet employers. You can book a one-to-one appointment, take an online course or attend a workshop.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Careers advice

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route. Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Graduate destinations

This course will develop key transferable skills, including:

• analysis and problem-solving
• independent research
• information gathering and data management
• construction of logical and persuasive arguments

As a result, our graduates enter a wide range of careers. These include:

• lecturing, teaching and academic research
• specialist archive, librarian, heritage and museum work
• journalism, publishing and research
• local and central government
• social policy

100% of postgraduates from the School of English secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £37,402.*

*HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022 . The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on data from graduates who completed a full-time postgraduate degree with home fee status and are working full-time within the UK.

Related courses

English (online) phd, applied linguistics (online) phd, applied linguistics and english language teaching (online) phd, research excellence framework.

The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

• We are proud to be in the top 10 UK universities for research into English, while our ranking of 9th by 'research power' reflects our research excellence
• 90%* of our research is classed as 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*)
• 100%* of our research is recognised internationally
• 51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact**

*According to analysis by Times Higher Education ** According to our own analysis.

This content was last updated on 27 September 2023 . Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.

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Creative Writing

• Entry year 2024
• Duration Full time 36 Months, Part time 48 Months

Top reasons to study with us

Enjoy literary events in Lancaster's Castle Quarter

World Top 40 QS World Subject Rankings 2023 (English Language & Literature)

Partners with Wordsworth Grasmere in the English Lake District

Why Lancaster?

• Study online or join us on campus to be close to the Lake District, home of the Romantic poets, and inspiration for many writers since
• Benefit from our supervisory strengths in contemporary poetry, fiction, creative-critical writing, creative non-fiction and script writing
• Complete a significant creative writing project, whether you want to craft a novel or create an entire script
• Be inspired by our rich programme of literary events on campus, online, and in the city’s historic Castle Quarter
• Join a vibrant, supportive community of PhD students working across a range of literary genres and research projects

We have a team of award-winning novelists, poets and playwrights with the expertise and experience to bring your creative project to life. Our staff have a range of impressive accolades including the BBC National Short Story Award, Waterstones ’ Children ’s Book Prize and Pigott Poetry Prize. Meet some of our team .

Your unique project

Wondering what a PhD in creative writing looks like? It depends what project you decide to work on. Typically, we would expect a critical writing piece around 20,000 words long and a creative writing piece of around 60-80,000 words. Your creative work can be an extract or a complete piece or collection of prose fiction/non-fiction, a collection of poetry, or a completed script for stage, screen or audio. These are examples; we’re happy to discuss other forms and unique projects with you.

Finding the right supervisor is key to your success as they’ll act as a critical friend. We expect you to already have one in mind while completing your application and to contact them before submitting your application. Most students have one or two supervisors, but you might have more depending on the nature of your project.

Online or on campus?

Our pioneering virtual learning and research facilities mean you can study from anywhere in the world. Our campus students enjoy a lively programme of departmental events and both distance and campus students meet in termly Work in Progress sessions.

If you haven’t studied a Master’s in Creative Writing at Lancaster, you’ll need to complete the core Creative Writing module Research Methods and Professional Practice. You can take this module in person or online.

Meet the team

Our staff have won or been listed for:

• The Betty Trask Award, Portico Prize
• BBC National Short Story Award
• Waterstones’ Children’s Book Prize
• Tir na n-Og Award
• Carnegie Medal
• Somerset Maugham Award
• Whitbread Poetry Prize
• TS Eliot Prize
• Costa Book Award
• Edge Hill Prize
• Papatango Prize
• Eric Gregory Award
• Crashaw Prize
• Bridport Prize
• Pigott Poetry Prize, Desmond Elliott Prize
• Polari First Book Prize

Meet some of our team.

Your department

• English Literature and Creative Writing Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Being so close to the spectacular Lake District, home of the Romantic poets, the Department has world-class strengths in Romanticism. Our partnership with the Wordsworth Trust, at Grasmere, is long-established, and has a number of new benefits for all our students.

The Castle Quarter is both a wonderful place to enjoy, with many excellent places to eat and drink, and a wonderful resource for literary studies here at Lancaster. Our students in the Department of English Literature & Creative Writing have many opportunities to make the most of this resource.

A PhD is a sign of prestige and gives you structured time to work on a specific project. You might complete yours to progress in your academic career or to support your wider creative role in an area like literacy management or publishing. Either way, you’ll be committed to completing a substantial project and dedicating yourself to becoming an expert in your area of writing.

Our PhD students have published a range of work including:

• 'The Mountains Sing' – Nguyen Phan Que Mai (finalist of the 2021 Dayton Literary Peace Prize, winner of the 2020 BookBrowse Best Debut Award, winner of the Blogger's Book Prize 2021, winner of the 2021 International Book Awards, winner of the 2021 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award, and winner of the 2020 Lannan Literary Award Fellowship)
• 'Alligator and other stories' by Dima Alzayat (James Tait Black Memorial Prize, finalist; PEN/Robert W. Bingham Award, finalist; Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize; Short Story Prize, longlist)
• 'Remembered' by Yvonne Battle-Felton (longlisted for the Women’s Prize for fiction, shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize)
• 'Abundance: Nature in Recovery' by Karen Lloyd
• 'Fruit Knife Autopsy' by Warren Mortimer

Many of our PhD students are interested in teaching the next generation of writers. We’ll let you know about opportunities to gain teaching experience while you study with us.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

Master's degree or equivalent in English literature or literature in other languages, usually with an average of at least 65% for UK MAs.

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in English Literature or related subject, for example literature in other languages

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application, you also need to provide:

• A viable research proposal
• A portfolio of original writing (no more than 15 poems or 30 pages of prose) showing potential for publication

Details of the research areas can be found on the Department’s website . If you are interested in applying for one of our PhD programmes, you may wish to informally contact a potential supervisor for guidance on the proposal prior to submitting your application. Guidance on the structure of the proposal is also available.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0, and a minimum of 6.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications .

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes .

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email [email protected]

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

This module prepares you for your dissertation project and supports the development of the research, scholarly and critical skills that it will require. You will be introduced to the idea of ethical practice and any students working on memoirs or verbatim work will be offered specific guidance. You’ll also explore the ideas, concepts and issues around reflective practice and the vital role of research within creative writing.

We’ll study in a cohesive group, bringing students on combined courses and those following different pathways together to create a wider forum; our discussions will focus on professional practice and research issues.

This module aims to enhance your knowledge of library, archival and online research and develop your understanding of the creative process - taking you from first draft to final submission, including problem-solving strategies for creative blocks or obstacles. The module also places your creative work in the context of a professional literary world.

Indicative study themes:

• Understanding the Research Context
• Library, Online and Archival Research
• Scholarly Conventions
• Creative and Professional Presentation
• Research and Reflective Practice
• The Ethical Researcher

Fees and funding

The tuition fee for students with Home Fee status is set in line with the standard fee stipend provided by the UK Research Councils. The fee stipend for 2024/25 has not yet been set. For reference, the fee stipend for 2023/24 was full-time £4,712 and part-time £2,356.

The International Fee for new entrants in 2024/25 is full-time £21,082 and part-time £10,541.

General fees and funding information

There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

College fees

Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee  which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.

Computer equipment and internet access

To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated  IT support helpdesk  is available in the event of any problems.

The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your  fee status .

If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, the tuition fees for subsequent years of your programme are likely to increase each year. Read more about  fees in subsequent years .

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities .

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries .

Similar courses

English literature and creative writing.

• Creative Writing (Distance Learning) MA
• Creative Writing (modular) MA
• Creative Writing with English Literary Studies MA
• English Literary Research MA
• English Literary Studies MA
• English Literary Studies with Creative Writing MA
• English Literature PhD
• English Literature and Creative Writing PhD
• Gender Studies and English MA

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information .

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Creative Writing MPhil, PhD

Our MPhil, PhD in Creative Writing offers you the opportunity to develop a substantial, original piece of creative work and a related academic thesis.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year:

Start date(s):

• September 2024
• January 2025

Our supervision expertise, partnerships and passion for creative writing offers you an energetic, creative and well-resourced research culture to immerse yourself in.

We offer MPhil and PhD in Creative Writing supervision from a diverse range of experienced writers who are recognised specialists in their field. Areas of expertise include:

• prose fiction, including fiction for children or young adults
• writing for stage, screen, or radio
• writing creative non-fiction, including:
• narrative non-fiction
• essay writing
• the literature of travel, nature and place

We have strong links with a variety of partners, who all provide a wealth of materials, knowledge and opportunities:

• Seven Stories: The National Centre for the Children's Book
• Wordsworth Trust (Dove Cottage)
• Bloodaxe Books
• Northern Stage
• Live Theatre
• Tyneside Cinema

We are closely linked to the Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts (NCLA), which puts you in regular contact with leading national and international creative practitioners. This develops your awareness of the creative, social and cultural issues that impacts and influences creative writing.

Our rich research culture is usually fed by public readings, seminars and workshops by staff, visiting artists and postgraduates. However, this is subject to COVID-19 restrictions. We also jointly sponsor The Newcastle/Bloodaxe Poetry Lectures with Bloodaxe Books. Recent writers include:

• Paul Muldoon
• Marilynne Robinson
• Kazuo Ishiguro
• Nuruddin Farah
• Andrea Levy

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our  Academic experience page , which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2023-24.

See our  terms and conditions and student complaints information , which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Related courses

Qualifications explained.

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

An MPhil is available in all subject areas. You receive research training and undertake original research leading to the completion of a 40,000 - 50,000 word thesis.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

How you'll learn

Your teaching will be based at our Newcastle campus. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, some teaching may be carried out online.

You will be assigned a supervisor or a supervisory team who you will meet on a regular basis. Your supervisor will be able to give you advice on reading and research training. They'll help you use our research facilities and support you in the development of your work. Our Faculty training programme will support your training and skills development throughout the programme. The time you spend with your supervisors will develop and encourage a strong level of communication, supervision and research training for you to be able to produce a substantial and original piece of creative work.

Being part of our rich research culture means that you will be encouraged to participate in and lead events for our research groups .

As part of the Northern Bridge consortium, we have access to the latest research training offered across Newcastle University, Durham University, and Queens University Belfast. You'll be able to apply for funds to support yourself in your studies and to attend training events relevant to your research.

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

Your research will have two main components:

1. The creation of a substantial, original piece of creative work:

• a collection of short stories
• a collection of poetry
• a play script or screen play

2. An academic thesis related to your creative work, which could cover:

• a writer or group of writers

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Your development

You'll have the opportunity to participate with the NCLA and other faculties on multidisciplinary research projects. For example, students have worked with:

• computer scientists
• film-makers
• visual artists

They've worked on projects funded by leading research councils such as:

• Clore Duffield
• Wellcome Trust
• Arts Council England

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programme 

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

Find out more about doctoral training and partnerships

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

• ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership
• Northern Bridge Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership

Your future

Many of our students go on to publication or performance either during or shortly after their studies.

Our Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information .

The School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics is a lively and diverse community with over 700 undergraduates and 200 postgraduates.

We are based in the Percy Building. Our postgraduate suite includes several dedicated computer clusters, meeting rooms, a kitchen and lounge area.

The Philip Robinson Library has a strong range of archival materials in Special Collections. It also houses an extensive audio-visual collection and the Bloodaxe Archive, a unique collection of materials relating to one of Britain's leading poetry publishers.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year), home fees for research degree students.

For 2024-25 entry, we will be aligning our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . The standard fee will be confirmed in Spring 2024 by UKRI. The Home tuition fees for this course will be updated after this confirmation. 

If your studies last longer than one year, your tuition fee may increase in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See  our   searchable postgraduate funding page  for more information.  

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section .

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English language requirements, admissions policy.

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Download our admissions policy (PDF: 201KB) Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

• How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages .

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You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:

• campus tours
• on-campus open days
• virtual open days

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

• Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

Sherelle Coulson Programme Administrator School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7199 Email: [email protected]

For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

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We regularly send email updates and extra information about the University.

Receive regular updates by email

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• How You'll Learn
• Your Development
• Your Future
• Quality and Ranking
• Fees and Funding
• Entry Requirements
• Open days & events

Creative Writing PhD

Postgraduate degree

• Book an open day

Key facts Close

Entry requirements.

Our Creative Writing PhD students come from a variety of academic backgrounds, nationalities, and writing experiences, but what successful applicants have in common is enormous writing talent and potential, and the commitment and ability to engage critically with the contexts in which they write, and the processes and techniques they employ.

This Creative Writing PhD has a reputation as one of the UK’s leading doctoral programmes.

• Taught by teams of published creative writers and literary scholars.
• Staff have expertise in fiction, poetry, writing for young people, narrative non-fiction and scriptwriting.
• Speakers at our annual series of Open Lectures and Readings include PhD students and contemporary writers.

The PhD in Creative Writing combines a proposed manuscript (e.g. novel, short story collection, poems, playscript, narrative non-fiction, digital writing) with an element of supporting or contextualising research. The proposed creative manuscript will be volume length (the natural length of a book, depending on genre). The supporting research will be 20,000 words.

A large number of our graduates have successful careers as writers and many have secured academic jobs. We encourage our students to publish and offer an exciting variety of research training opportunities through our campus-based and international low-residency streams.

We receive a large number of applications for the PhD in Creative Writing, and are extremely selective in our recruitment. Criteria for selection include the viability of the proposal, the strength of the creative writing sample, the applicant’s academic and creative writing experience and achievements, and the ability of the University to support the applicant with appropriate supervision and resources. Applicants for this programme will normally hold a first or upper second class honours degree (or equivalent), as well as an MA in Creative Writing with Distinction (or comparable achievement).

Find out more about our Creative Writing department

PhD structure

The emphasis is not on creating two separate pieces of work, but on integration, on purposeful exploration through practice: an interdependent programme of contextual and practice-based creative work.

Both sections of the PhD must contain work of publishable quality. In the case of the contextualising research, this might mean some of the material could be turned into an article for an academic journal, but this element of the PhD must contain original, rigorous research. Together - taken as a whole - the contextual and creative elements must make a new contribution to knowledge.

This is an independent research programme; there are no timetabled modules but you’ll need to attend supervision sessions as negotiated with your supervisors as well as monthly specialist PhD in Creative Writing forums. The frequency of supervisory sessions may vary depending on the stage of research, and whether you are full or part time, but in general these meetings would take place every couple of weeks.

There are also research training events throughout the year that will aid in your research, as well as specialist PhD in Creative Writing forums that meet eight times a year.

Paid employment Full time students are expected to work full-time on their research and should not undertake more than six hours of formal duty or paid work in any given week.

Part time students are expected to be working on their research for half of the working week but there are no specific restrictions on paid employment.

Students will, however, need to find ways to negotiate the balance between their study and their employment as they are likely to run into difficulty if they do not give the research as much time as it requires.

Together, the student and the supervisory team negotiate a series of assignments and activities that help to advance the student’s own work while at the same time equipping him or her with the knowledge and techniques they need to complete their PhD research.

Examples of activities might include a student’s presentation of their creative writing at a PhD Master Class Writing Workshop, the submission of a treatment to a publisher, attendance of professional events hosted by the University (for example, talks by agents, publishers and writers) or leading some undergraduate creative writing seminars.

Research training might take the form of a series of one-to-one tutorials with a supervisor on the subject of their contextualising critical research, for example on narrative theory, or the presentation of a paper at a relevant academic conference, or the targeting of academic journals with material for publication.

Each student, upon enrolment, has an individual meeting with the University’s Tutor Librarian to discuss his or her research needs. The Library and Information Service offers training in the use of their resources and on research methods and management. The University has excellent electronic resources and search engines, and is constantly updating and increasing this provision.

The Graduate College provides a series of generic training workshops for students (e.g. The Research Plan, The Viva, IT skills) and staff development workshops (e.g. The Progression Assessment Process, Appointing Examination teams).

An examination team assesses the PhD thesis and conducts an oral examination (viva) of the student. The examination team consists of one internal examiner and one external examiner (two external examiners if the candidate has a relationship with the University beyond their PhD work, for instance through regular hourly paid teaching during the twelve months before examination paperwork is submitted).

Opportunities

Wherever possible, we try to offer our PhD students teaching, as it is an important part of professional development. However, we do not like to do so until the second year of PhD research, when the research and writing are established. The availability of part time teaching varies from year to year, and all candidates for teaching will be subject to an interview with the relevant Subject Leader.

As far as getting academic posts is concerned, a PhD will be a requirement for some and will always help. As the subject is relatively new in British higher education, quite a few people have secured jobs without having doctorates, but this may change gradually as more and more people complete PhDs.

The indispensable requirement if you want a permanent university job (as opposed to hourly paid teaching), is that you must be a published creative writer of some substance and reputation. It may well be that this AND the PhD will become the norm, though a successful enough writer will always be very attractive to departments.

An understanding of how university departments work, and the other administrative responsibilities associated with a lectureship, will also help. A PhD in Creative Writing should offer you this kind of professional development training.

The School hosts an annual series of Open Lectures and Readings. Speakers include PhD students as well as contemporary writers. Previous guests have included Les Murray, Helen Dunmore, DBC Pierre, Toby Litt, Mimi Khalvati and Kathleen Jamie.

Our first cohort for the Low Residency PhD in Creative Writing began their studies in October 2012 and we have been welcoming new cohorts annually since then.

Application timescale

Each year, the application cycle for recruiting the next low residency cohort opens in January and closes at the end of May. Interviews of shortlisted applicants then take place via Skype during late June or early July. The final decision on all shortlisted applicants is made in late July or early August. Successful applicants begin on 1 October of the year in which they apply.

Programme arrangements

You’ll work with a team of two supervisors. These staff members will be announced closer to the time that the successful applicants begin their study.

There will be one residency period each year. It will last for ten days, and will coincide with the Bath Literature Festival that usually takes place in May. During your residency periods, you’ll work intensively at Bath Spa with your supervisors and other students, attending workshops and training events. Residency activities will largely be based at our Corsham Court campus, though some will take place at Newton Park and in Bath itself.

The programme is intensive. You’ll have video tutorials every two to three weeks over the academic year, in which your work will be regularly discussed. Six times a year you’ll have major submission points.

You’ll engage with other students and staff. The cohort model aims to encourage a sense of community, and to give support and feedback on a regular basis. You’ll also participate in our monthly PhD forums via video link. As far as possible, the aim is to integrate our campus based and low residency streams of the PhD programme.

You’ll be subject to the same processes and quality check-points of enrolment, registration, annual monitoring, progression assessment, and viva as all of the University’s PhD students.

PhD timescale for submission: minimum of two years

The Low Residency PhD in Creative Writing programme is for full time International students only . It’s a structured programme for students who are strongly motivated to complete within a carefully circumscribed timescale, and have a clear idea of exactly what their PhD research and manuscript will entail.

You may work with extra intensity and submit your PhD after a minimum of two years. Indeed, the programme is designed to enable you to do this, though it also allows for students who may need more time. The time scale of your doctoral programme will be negotiated between you and your supervisors, and will depend upon your progress.

Please refer to our Postgraduate Fees page for further information.

We offer a PhD by Publication route for writers with a substantial publishing record (this could be fiction, non-fiction, poetry or screenplays). 

The PhD by Publication is no less rigorous than the traditional route. No prior connection with the University is required, but the candidate must be an active researcher who has developed their skills to doctoral level.

They must demonstrate, through a critical commentary and either an extensive portfolio of creative work or publications, an independent and original contribution to knowledge. Research outputs may have been produced inside or outside academia, but must be available in the public domain.

Please note that there may be specific deadlines for application , and it is your responsibility to be aware of and adhere to these.

Visit the SWW DTP website  for more information. Bath Spa University is a member of this AHRC funded Consortium.

Creative Writing  is one of the subjects covered by the partnership.

These studentships are open applicants from the UK and EU. Further information about eligibility can be found on the SWW DTP website.

Some additional advice for DTP applicants/remarks about the DTP follows here.

You'll need to identify two supervisors from two different DTP institutions, who, together, will provide the expertise you need to support your research. It will be helpful for you to go through the members of staff in the appropriate disciplines to identify potential supervisors, and to write to them with to see if they would be willing to be involved, should your application to the DTP succeed.

The process of application is different depending on whether you apply to the DTP or make an application directly to Bath Spa. For a Bath Spa only application, we assess the materials and then consider how best we can support the students with supervisors.

For the DTP, because the different institutions can combine to offer so much, we like applicants to consider as imaginatively as possible how they might benefit from this. We want DTP applicants to feel free to envisage how this can work. So look at our profiles in the Creative Writing and English department, and at those of the other members of the Consortium, and think about who your dream team might be.

If you're not successful with the DTP, and wish to apply to Bath Spa for a self-funded place, then write to our Graduate School letting us know. You're required to apply to Bath Spa at the same time as the DTP. After the DTP process, we will then assess your application for a Bath Spa place if you would like us to do so.

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite , giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Research environment

Our Creative Writing PhD students constitute a writing and research community. The School’s Research Centre for Creative Writing sponsors a range of events and activities, some specially arranged for PhD students, and most of which are open to them to attend. These activities include a strand of events at the annual Bath Literature Festival; a Poetry Series; an exchange programme with Columbia College, Chicago; and a series of visits in which literary agents, published writers of all genres, and editors present talks and answer questions.

The Programme Leader for the PhD in Creative Writing organises training events exclusively for Creative Writing PhD students and their supervisors.

Specialised research training is given through a programme of Writing Workshop Forums and Master Classes in which students take it in turns to have their writing workshopped by other Creative Writing PhD students, supervisors, and a published writer from outside the institution. Writers who have led Master Classes include the literary agent and novelist Anna Davis; the novelist Maggie Gee; the novelist Mo Hayder; the poet and scriptwriter Michelene Wandor; the poet, memoirist and novelist John Burnside; the literary agent Will Francis; the literary agent Euan Thorneycroft; and the novelist Christopher Nicholson.

All enrolled and registered Creative Writing PhD students are expected to participate in these Master Classes and Forums.

Our monthly PhD in Creative Writing Forums are an important strand in our continuous provision of specialist research training for Creative Writing PhD students, and an opportunity to develop further our postgraduate community. Here, the focus is on an extract from the contextualising research or the creative manuscript of the student’s PhD work; in either case, many of the same workshop principles and methods we use in the creative writing workshop operate.

These forums are convened by the PhD in Creative Writing programme leader. Guest supervisors and other colleagues, as well as PhD students, participate. The forums benefit students who may be at quite different points in their work: from a student working on their first chapter, to a student who needs feedback on the final draft of their introduction or abstract before submission.

Unless you have applied and been accepted onto the low residency, full time programme, it is important that you live within reasonable travel distance of the University. Although it is not a ‘taught’ degree in the sense of regularly occurring modules or classes, the PhD in Creative Writing is not a distance-learning programme; it is a residency-based PhD.

Staff and supervisors

Dr Tracy Brain, Programme Leader, PhD in Creative Writing [email protected] Phone: +44 (0)1225 875653

Professor John Strachan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Head of the Graduate College [email protected] Phone: +44 (0)1225 876292

Our students work closely with a team of two or three supervisors - a mixture of accomplished creative writers and literary scholars. The different strengths of your supervisors will come into play with the different aspects of your research. One may have a strong role in supporting your work on your creative manuscripts, for instance, while the other possesses expertise in your area of critical research.

Among your supervisors will be a Director of Studies, upon whom the administrative load of your PhD work will fall. He or she completes, assembles and submits the paperwork that accompanies your research plan; completes the annual monitoring report on your progress that is submitted to the School each May; and organises your progression assessment, PhD submission, examination panel and viva.

Please note that the Director of Studies does not have more or less input into your research and writing than your other supervisors.

It is not necessary to discuss your proposal with Bath Spa University staff before applying as part of what we are looking for is an applicant's ability to conceptualise, research and rationalise both components of their PhD. However, you are very welcome to contact Creative Writing staff in advance of applying, and/or to address any specific questions​ relating to DTP ​funding or potential supervision to the programme leader (Tracy Brain).

On receipt of your proposal, appropriate supervisors will be selected carefully by the Head of Department for Creative Writing in consultation with the Dean of the College, the Programme Leader for the PhD in Creative Writing, and other Heads of Department.

We only accept students for whom we can provide appropriate supervision; the final decision on which staff will work with a given student is a matter for the Subject Leader and Dean of the College.

Creative Writing and Publishing Staff

Gavin James Bower

John Strachan

Tim Liardet

Lucy English

Gerard Woodward

Nathan Filer

Philip Hensher

Jason Bennett

Robin Mukherjee

Steve Hollyman

Kate Pullinger

Tracy Brain

Richard Kerridge

Interested in applying?

We would normally expect applicants for this programme to hold a first or upper second class honours degree (or equivalent), as well as an MA in Creative Writing with Distinction (or comparable achievement, such as an MFA in which the applicant averages A/A+). We certainly expect evidence of an exceptional level of creative writing achievements and experience, as well as the ability to engage in the supporting research.

Applications are considered by at least two specialists in the applicant’s proposed area, who then decide if the applicant should be called to interview. If the applicant is called to interview, a panel of three interviewers is assembled, consisting of a chair, a potential Director of Studies who is an expert in the proposed field/genre, and an academic member of staff from another subject area.

Begin your application or find out more on our how to apply page. Low residency applications (international students only) can also be completed online .

Your research proposal (2 single-spaced, or 4 double-spaced pages) should give a clear account of the proposed creative manuscript, the proposed contextualising research, and the integral relationship between these two strands. Your writing sample should be in two parts. The first part (6 double-spaced pages) should demonstrate the best example you have of your ability to write in your proposed PhD genre. The second part (4 double-spaced pages) should demonstrate your critical ability.

You can get in touch with ou r Graduate College at [email protected] .

Admissions service Phone: +44 (0)1225 876180 Email:  [email protected]

Academic representative:  Dr Tracy Brain Phone: +44 (0)1225 875653 Email:  [email protected]

Website feedback to [email protected]

Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing

Master of fine arts in creative writing and poetics (low-residency).

Our low-residency MFA provides the structure, support, and professional development you need to take your writing to the next level .

Program Overview

Naropa’s Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing is designed for writers ready to hone their craft and earn their Master of Fine Arts degree through rigorous, cross-genre study. Students who can’t relocate to our Colorado Campus can acquire a quality asynchronous education with in-person residencies.

Whether you have a novel in progress, are preparing for a PhD program, or looking to strengthen your prose, poetry, and hybrid writing, our low-residency creative writing MFA program provides you with resources, accountability, and inspiration that fit your schedules.

Naropa takes traditional low-residency MFA programs a step further with our history of experimental and innovative writing, critical study, and cross-genre publishing. Our unique cross-genre online writing courses, generative residencies, and one-on-one mentorship provide students with a writing community, no matter where they live.

Cross-Genre Curriculum

Unlike other Creative Writing MFA programs, our low-residency MFA is open-genre. This means that writers can work in fiction, poetry, prose, non-fiction, playwriting, and hybrid forms throughout their degree program. Students experiment with narrative structures and forms that fit their unique voices. Writers develop their unique style, critical ear, and vast knowledge of contemporary trends across literary genres.

One-on-One Mentorship

One-on-one mentorship and small online writing classes help writers develop their style, refine their editing skills, and publish their work. Each writer dedicates their final semester to a thesis manuscript. Working one-on-one with their thesis mentor and workshopping with classmates through written exchange, students finish their MFA with a completed manuscript in the genre of their choice.

Generative Residencies

Every semester, our Low-Residency MFA students gather in Boulder, Colorado, for enriching and energizing residencies. MFA students meet one-on-one with mentors, enjoy master classes with guest writers, attend readings, and bond with writers. Residencies also overlap with our spring and fall symposiums, providing students with a rich 4-days of community and inspiration. Each academic year culminates in a week-long writing intensive at Naropa’s Summer Writing Program. This annual festival brings over 60 artists, writers, and thinkers to Boulder, for workshops, readings, panels, and professional development.

Quick Facts

• Fifteen annual days of residency in Boulder, CO
• Open-genre curriculum
• One-on-one mentorship with accomplished faculty
• Unique Experimental Approach
• Participation in the Summer Writing Program
• Cohort model developing a strong sense of community among MFA students
• Several Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities
• Applications open for August 2024

Program Format

Naropa’s Creative Writing MFA is a rigorous, generative, low-residency two-year program with 4 writing residencies in beautiful Boulder Colorado. The program combines asynchronous craft courses with on-campus residencies. 

Annual fall and spring residencies allow writers to connect with other writers and faculty , deepen their craft, and participate in symposium readings and panels with other MFA students in Boulder, CO. Spring and Fall Residencies run from Saturday through Tuesday during the Spring and Fall JKS Symposiums.

The summer residency immerses writers in a full week of the Jack Kerouac School’s world-renowned Summer Writing Program . Here, students attend workshops, lectures, panels, and readings by numerous visiting writers to hone their craft, make connections, speak on student panels, and prepare for the next step in their writing career.

Course Spotlight

Craft of writing: rooting in the archive.

This course delves into the Naropa University Archive and its rich offerings to explore traditions, movements, and/or schools of writing that inform or extend the aesthetic vision of the Jack Kerouac School toward mindful writing. Possible recent historical examples include New American Poetry, the Beats, San Francisco Renaissance, the New York School, Black Mountain Poetics, the Black Arts Movement, and Language poetry, among others.

Degree Requirements

Unlike many online creative writing MFA programs, our asynchronous classes build community through writer-to-writer feedback and a structured curriculum.

Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing Requirements

26 credits of online asynchronous craft courses.

Students work one-on-one with a mentor, exchanging packets —consisting of letters, bibliographies, contemplative reflections, creative manuscripts, and critical essays—throughout the semester.

• WRI-631E Craft of Writing: Rooting in the Archive(6)WRI-648E Craft of Writing: Contemplative Experiments(6)
• WRI-678E Craft of Writing: Cultures & Communities(4)
• WRI-735E Craft of Writing: Contemporary Trends(6)
• WRI-755E Craft of Writing: Professional Development(4)

6 credits of MFA Thesis

6 credits of MFA Thesis (faculty mentorship on a book-length creative manuscript)

4 credits of the Summer Writing Program

Two eight-day summer residencies are completed at Naropa’s Boulder campus. Choose two of the following:

• WRI-751 Summer Writing Program(2)
• WRI-752 Week Two Summer Writing Program(2)
• WRI-753 Summer Writing Program(2)

4 credits of fall and spring residencies in Boulder, CO.

• WRI-789WE Fall Residency(1)
• WRI-791WE Spring Residency(1)

Why Choose Naropa?

Strong writing tradition.

Founded in 1974 by Allen Ginsberg and Anne Waldman, the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics encourages experimental forms across genres , pushing for innovation inside and outside the classroom.

Career Readiness

Whether a student plans to teach, write, edit, or work in publishing, our low-residency program provides the framework they need to develop their professional skills alongside a vibrant and supportive writing community.

In-house Publishing

The Kerouac School’s student-run Bombay Gin literary journal publishes work from promising students and distributes it nationally through Small Press Distribution. Students interested in fine-craft letterpress printing can learn at Naropa’s Harry Smith Print Shop and Kavyayantra Press.

How this Program Prepares You

Professional dossier.

Graduates from our low-residency Creative Writing MFA emerge from the program with a solid record of written work . The pieces that make up their dossier are workshopped with peers and perfectioned with guidance from their tutor.

Critical Analysis

You’ll emerge from the program with critical analysis skills that go beyond reading between the lines of a written work. The program will teach you to recognize the role of intersectionality in the literary arts, looking at the wider spectrum that surrounds a piece, and identifying bias, assumptions and stereotypes.

Unleashing creativity

Our workshops, classes and Summer Writing Program encourage students to harness their creativity by exploring experimental forms . Low-residency students receive on-on one mentoring to help them develop their creative writing skills to the fullest, as well as feedback from their writing community, be it online or during their residency.

What You'll Learn

Highly developed writing craft.

Hone your voice in every step of the writing process.

Skill in Critical Analysis

Learn to discuss literary works through a variety of critical lenses.

Contemplative Writing Practice:

Use your writing practice as a tool for self-inquiry and discovery.

Social and Cultural Awareness

Recognize the role of race, class, and gender in literary history and works.

Career Preparedness

Graduate with a publishable manuscript and/or professional dossier.

Career Opportunities with a Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing

• Lyricist: write words for songs, matching melody and rhyme.
• Poet: use language to creatively express emotion, ideas and experiences.
• Proofreader: check written work for errors and inconsistencies.
• English Teacher: teach at the postsecondary level.
• Author: craft and publish original material.
• Editor: review and improve written work for publication.

Hear from a Graduate

Jackie henrion, faqs about the low-residency mfa in creative writing, what is a low residency mfa in creative writing, why choose a low residency mfa creative writing program, how long does it take to complete a low residency mfa in creative writing, how is naropa’s low residency mfa in creative writing different from other programs, what types of funding are available.

Funding includes the Allen Ginsberg, Anne Waldman, and Anselm Hollo Graduate Fellowships.

The fellowships are awarded annually to three incoming MFA Creative Writing and Poetics students (residency program). Allen Ginsberg, Anne Waldman, and Anselm Hollo fellowship recipients will receive full funding (tuition and fees), plus an additional $5,000 scholarship as well as a $4,500 stipend. Fellowship recipients may not simultaneously hold a Graduate Assistantship.

Additionally, partial funding is provided for students who have applied for and been offered graduate assistantships with the Naropa Writing Center.

Visit our Graduate Scholarship page to read more about funding, fellowships and scholarships for the Low-Residency Creative Writing & Poetics MFA and other degrees.

Learn More About the Program

Connect with your counselor

Olivia phipps.

Graduate Admissions Counselor

• [email protected]
• Schedule an Appointment
• Attend An Info Session

Ready to Apply?

Admission requirements.

Naropa University values both academic excellence and critical self-reflection . Our application process not only evaluates academic performance but also candidates’ openness and willingness to engage in contemplation.

Learn more about admission requirements and the application process for our Low-Residency Creative Writing MFA.

Graduate Students

Prospective students who have completed an undergraduate degree are welcome to apply to Naropa. When applying, candidates must submit a transcript of their undergraduate coursework, a statement of interest, a resume, two letters of interest and a creative writing sample. They may also apply for financial aid at this stage. Discover all admission requirements.

International Students

If you obtained your undergraduate diploma from a non-US university, we require additional documentation to review your application. Learn how to apply to Naropa as an international student.

Costs and Financial Aid

Naropa University students have access to several financial aid opportunities and scholarships – over 75% of our graduate students receive some sort of financial support to pursue their studies. Use our calculator to estimate your tuition, housing, materials and other costs.

Undergraduate Scholarship Opportunities

Interested in our Low-Residency Creative Writing MFA?

Read our blog or listen to our podcast, heartfire festival returns to naropa university, episode 92. andrew schelling: writing as a spiritual practice, womxn of naropa celebrates national poetry month, summer writing program from the archives, together in spirit, student support and resources, academic support, online student support, career services, financial aid, accessibility, related programs, mfa in creative writing, ba in creative writing and literature, request information, plan a visit, about naropa, events & community, user information, support naropa.

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Naropa campuses closed on friday, march 15, 2024.

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.

• Post published: March 26, 2024

WRAC Faculty and Graduate Students Collaborate to Teach Undergraduate Writing Courses

Before enrolling in a writing course at MSU, undergraduates might view writing as a solitary act: performed alone by a creative professional, or as a one-way conversation between an author and invisible readers. But across the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures (WRAC), faculty invite their students to challenge these traditional notions. 

In both graduate and undergraduate settings, WRAC courses push beyond one-dimensional conceptions of writing in favor of collaboration and community-building. Whether they’re pursuing a Minor in Writing (MiW), a Professional and Public Writing (P2W) degree, or simply fulfilling a writing requirement, students from all majors have the opportunity to develop their definitions of writing and apply them to their professional aspirations. 

In the spirit of collaboration, Assistant Professors Dr. Margaret Morris and Dr. Bree Straayer teamed up with Ethan Voss and Mary Murdock , both graduate students in the Master of Arts (MA) in Rhetoric and Writing program , to teach two P2W courses this spring semester: 

• Writing in Corporate Contexts (WRA 333), taught by Dr. Morris and Voss
• Writing in the Public Interest (WRA 331), taught by Dr. Straayer and Murdock

These graduate-faculty partnerships enrich the experiences of undergraduates and the learning outcomes of all involved. 

WRA 333: Writing in Corporate Contexts

In WRA 333, Dr. Morris and Voss invite students to read, analyze, and produce the kinds of writing that function as “glue” in corporate communications: from public-facing messages and crisis response to business emails and even group chats. 

Through a series of four projects, students reflect on prior experiences and apply their unique knowledge sets to their future roles, professional contexts, and responsibilities. Together, Dr. Morris and Voss engage students in a mixture of audience analysis, writing production, and presentations, with a continual emphasis on professionalism and corporate leadership.

Dr. Morris frames conversations about corporate work with Dare to Lead , written by researcher, professor, and storyteller Brené Brown . After reading Brown’s book, students are asked to present core concepts from the text and articulate their strengths and opportunities for leadership development. Through this work, “students begin to take on their own markers of leadership, and hopefully begin to understand that leadership – and writing – isn’t about being perfect, but rather vulnerable and self-correcting,” Dr. Morris said. 

These aims are reinforced by the students’ final two projects, which ask them to create plans for success as future leaders and writers in corporate environments. Each student reflects on the course in a letter, in which they articulate their intentions as young writers entering a fast-changing workforce.

A Partnership Built on Past Experiences

Dr. Morris brings real-world corporate experience and over twenty years of teaching experience to her classroom. This is her second time teaching WRA 333 as well as collaborating with Voss; last fall, the duo co-taught WRA 370, an introductory course in grammar and editing.

As an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, Voss’ two favorite courses were “Technical and Professional Writing” and “Editing, Critique, and Style.” In addition to sharing relevant knowledge from his undergraduate years, Voss offers his perspectives as a young adult and current student to connect with undergraduates in WRA 331, many of whom are seniors. 

“I was in their position not too long ago, so I’m often asking: ‘How can we prepare these students to launch into the next phase of life?’” Voss said. 

As a former writer in a corporate setting, Dr. Morris also understands the particular nature of corporate environments that many of her students will enter after graduating this spring. 

“When students get to the workplace, they’re going to be writing a lot,” Dr. Morris said. “In a corporate setting, you have to be in good relationships with people across the organization, so you can gather the information you need and write it up in a way that meets the needs and expectations of your audience.”

In anticipation of these demands, Dr. Morris and Voss ask their students to write across different modes of writing while attending closely to their audiences, which involves analysis and research to better understand the needs of hypothetical readers. In the classroom, peers function as readers and supporters, so Dr. Morris and Voss strive to foster a communal space where students feel comfortable sharing, brainstorming, and writing together. 

“One of my primary aims as a P2W Professor is to create a small community in every classroom where people really know each other, their strengths and weaknesses, and trust in the process of sharing their writing,” Dr. Morris said. 

Intentional community-building is especially vital in classrooms with varied academic interests. In WRA 333 alone, represented majors include Neuroscience, Textile and Apparel, Japanese, Communications, Political Science and Theory, and Experience Architecture. Students often enroll in P2W courses like WRA 333 to fulfill requirements for the MiW or complete a writing elective, so P2W faculty – and teaching assistants like Voss – work with students from diverse backgrounds.

By getting to know these students “on a more granular level,” Dr. Morris said, she can tailor their activities and teams to align with their educational goals and personal needs. “Every class, we check in and try to be honest with each other. We share a lot of laughter, and then we forge forward.”

Co-Teaching = Co-Learning

Collaborating with Voss – who will complete his MA in Rhetoric and Writing this spring and begin a Ph.D. program next fall – “lets me perceive new ways to come into the classroom and infuse it with life and knowledge,” Dr. Morris reflected. She attributes the success of their collaboration to shared pedagogical values, enthusiasm, and overall “synergy.” 

“Ethan and I have complementary values of building community, listening to students, and centering students in our pedagogy,” Dr. Morris described. She contends that the students in WRA 333 also benefit from their collaboration, as they get to work with both a long-time professor and former corporate professional and a younger educator with newer theory and praxis. 

Both Dr. Morris and Voss bring their enthusiasm for relationship-building via writing, as well as their shared belief in the value of pedagogical partnerships in higher education. “In teaching settings, there’s so much value in observation, but even more in the process of actively engaging your ideas and putting them into practice,” Dr. Morris said. “Most of the time, students are so eager to learn that they’re forgiving about your learning process as a teacher.” It can take years to develop one’s “teacherly identity,” Dr. Morris noted – and she’s still doing it alongside Voss. 

Preparing Students for Future Work – and Future Writing

The impending job search can feel daunting for many students, so Voss and Dr. Morris take measures to ground their class in the present moment with supportive check-ins and a “Dumb Question of the Day” – usually supplied by Voss – that imbue the classroom with honesty and a therapeutic dose of humor. 

These pedagogical moves support the professional and personal success of undergraduates, as well as Voss’ personal journey as a graduate student. After completing his Ph.D., Voss sees himself teaching in a First-Year Writing Program and eventually working as a Director. From there, he plans to eventually transition into other leadership roles, but always circling back to his original love for higher education, classroom community, and the students who define this work.

In this specific course and across his pedagogy, Voss views the classroom as a space to gather and “foster the development of genuinely good people: ones who can leave as leaders and understand the importance of engaging with other people, exactly as they are.” 

“Regardless of whether they go into a corporate setting or somewhere else, we want students to make genuine changes in the spaces they enter,” Voss said. 

Voss and Dr. Morris recently submitted a presentation proposal to talk about their co-teaching experience at the Spring 2024 Teaching and Learning Conference , hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. They look forward to completing the semester together and sharing about their collaboration with a larger community of teachers, researchers, and writers.

WRA 331: Writing in the Public Interest

Across the hall, Murdock and Dr. Straayer teach undergraduates about nonprofit writing in WRA 331. While acknowledging their roles as teachers first, they also wear “the hats of clients, such that students are creating deliverables that would be used in a nonprofit communications strategy or a real community,” Murdock reflected. 

Dr. Straayer offered a similar sentiment. “As a class, we’re really invested in understanding what reading and writing look like in community spaces, and not just in higher education.” 

In keeping with this community-centric vision, Dr. Straayer and Murdock incorporate a mixture of projects and learning modalities into WRA 331. Across assignments, they emphasize hands-on creation and thinking about the complexities of writing for nonprofit organizations, especially compared to corporate settings. 

The course is structured around five assignments, beginning with an introductory project that asks students to analyze and adjust an example of nonprofit communication with significant room for improvement. Students get a chance to play with design in a low-stakes environment, familiarize themselves with writing in the nonprofit sphere, and “make constructive changes and see what challenges arise in the process,” Dr. Straayer described. Students find that while “it’s easy to critique a writing sample, it’s much harder to make it ‘right,’” she said.  

This foundational assignment prepares students for the remaining four projects, which collectively ask them to consider the role of audience, storytelling, and personal values when communicating on behalf of a nonprofit organization. The course simulates the challenges and affordances of writing for nonprofits, whether on a freelance or in-house basis: through case studies, rhetorical analysis of common documents, project management, and ongoing reflection. 

In the students’ third project, which explores the role of storytelling in the nonprofit world, Dr. Straayer asks students to consider the ethics of communicating other people’s stories. “We consider what it looks like to give others agency in the composition practice – because in the nonprofit world, so much of writing is storytelling,” Dr. Straayer said. In this specific project but also throughout the course, Dr. Straayer and Murdock focus on preparing students to enter a nonprofit setting with care and intention. 

“We want to prepare students to listen and understand their own positionality and lens through which they view the world, so when they’re working with communities, they understand how to work with a certain kind of sensitivity and thinking,” Dr. Straayer described. “When we tell stories in nonprofit spaces, we want to honor the people we’re working with and show them in the fullness of who they really are, and ensure that we’re not just shedding one light.”

Replicating Community Work in the Writing Classroom

Prior to teaching in WRAC, Dr. Straayer worked for three years at the Literacy Center of West Michigan and oversaw their program for parents learning English. As a graduate student at MSU, Dr. Straayer worked with English Language Learners at Bethany Christian Services; and during the summers, she taught at Grand Rapids Community College as an English Fast Track Instructor. These highly immersive experiences – centered around one-on-one relationships – continue to inform Dr. Straayer’s teaching philosophy in WRA 331.

Dr. Straayer also has ample experience mentoring younger professionals like Murdock, who originally got involved in WRA 331 to fulfill the internship requirement for her MA concentration in Professional Writing and Technical Communication. On a more personal level, Murdock views this internship as an opportunity to expand the definition of teaching, particularly as it relates to her professional interests in nonprofit work.

“Teaching happens everywhere,” Murdock said. “Even though I’m not currently interested in classroom teaching as a career, I find that teaching happens across professional spaces and roles: in nonprofit leadership, project management, even user experience and design work.”

Murdock incorporates various pedagogical tools and experiences from her work in the Cube – a publishing and user experience research center in WRAC – to give undergraduates in WRA 331 an experience she called “workplace-light.” 

“When you’re presenting something to a client, explaining ‘here’s what we did, and here’s why,’ or running workshops to get feedback on a prototype – these conversations are pedagogical in a lot of ways,” she said. 

Collaboration, Community, and Cross-Cultural Communication

This Spring semester, the majority of students in WRA 331 are non-writing majors, ranging from Studio Art to Political Science. The course bridges a range of learners and experiences, enhancing the relevance of collaboration and cross-cultural understanding in the classroom. 

Outside the classroom, Dr. Straayer and Murdock collaborate regularly to plan for their next class and reflect on the last. “We’re both learning to teach this class for the first time,” Murdock explained. “It’s been really cool to bring my knowledge and experiences to this setting and see students practice project management, especially since undergraduates don’t usually get asked to take on these roles in their classes.”

As she looks forward to graduating in the spring, Murdock is actively applying to communications roles in mission-driven organizations. Reflecting on her development as a writer and professional, she loves helping undergraduates recognize and honor their passions, interests, and abilities. “A lot of this co-teaching experience has involved confidence-building: helping students recognize their own affinities and leverage them for class projects,” Murdock said. 

Dr. Straayer plays a parallel supportive role for Murdock and other young professionals. As a former graduate student, Dr. Straayer was recognized for her mentorship of new teaching assistants ; and now, as a working teacher, she maintains her commitment to advising new educators. “I want to help them develop curriculum, see their strengths as teachers, and ultimately lean into what they’re good at and not try to be something they’re not in the classroom,” she shared. 

Figuring out “your window into pedagogy” takes time, Dr. Straayer said, but these semester-long collaborations give graduate students like Murdock and Voss the time, space, and community to explore their pedagogical values – and, perhaps most challengingly, how to translate them into structured classroom activities. “How do you funnel all of your teaching values into one moment?” Dr. Straayer mused. “It’s a tough question.”

Dr. Straayer makes time at the end of each day to sit with this question, reflect on what went well in the classroom, and consider which areas might call for revision or more structured collaboration with Murdock or other teachers in the department. “It’s so fun and helpful working with Mary, getting to know the students, seeing their energy, and hearing their discussions,” Dr. Straayer said. 

In both WRA 331 and WRA 333, the lines between teacher, learner, and writer are productively blurry – and in these collaborative communities, moments of teaching and learning are always unfolding. 

For more information about the MiW, P2W major, and the graduate program in Rhetoric and Writing, please visit the WRAC website . 

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