edinburgh university creative writing

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Creative Writing MSc The University of Edinburgh

Course options

Qualification.

MSc - Master of Science

The University of Edinburgh

• TUITION FEES
• ENTRY REQUIREMENT
• UNIVERSITY INFO

Course summary

Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, this one-year, full-time taught Masters programme is tailored towards your practice in either fiction or poetry

There is a strong practical element to the programme, helping you develop your creative skills through workshops, presenting your work for peer discussion, and hearing from guest writers and other professionals on the practicalities of life as a writer.

You’ll also sharpen your critical skills through seminars exploring the particulars of your chosen form and through option courses in literature, helping you move from theoretical considerations to practical applications.

The programme culminates with the publication of ‘From Arthur’s Seat’, an anthology of student work.

Over the course of this programme, you’ll complete a body of creative work that has been rigorously peer reviewed.

Our students go on to careers in a wide variety of fields, including publishing, marketing, arts administration, web and audio book editing, script and ghost writing, and gaming narrative design.

Modules (Year 1)

Tuition fees.

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£ 28,800 per year

Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.

University information

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University of Edinburgh, Student Recruitment and Admissions, 33 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City Of, EH8 9JS, Scotland

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• Home »
• The University of Edinburgh »
• School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures »
• Creative Writing

find your perfect postgrad program Search our Database of 30,000 Courses

The university of edinburgh: creative writing, doctor of philosophy - phd, full-time, 3 years starts sep 2024.

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

Part-Time, 6 years starts Sep 2024

Full-time, 1 years starts sep 2024.

Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, this one-year, full-time taught Masters programme is tailored towards your practice in either fiction or poetry.

There is a strong practical element to the programme, helping you develop your creative skills through:

- workshops

- presenting your work for peer discussion

- hearing from guest writers and other professionals on the practicalities of life as a writer

You will also sharpen your critical skills through:

- seminars exploring the particulars of your chosen form

- option courses in literature, helping you move from theoretical considerations to practical applications

The programme culminates with the publication of ‘From Arthur’s Seat,’ an anthology of student work.

**Why Edinburgh**

Literature has been taught here for over 250 years, and today Edinburgh thrives on its designation as the first UNESCO World City of Literature. The city is home to the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish Poetry Library, and a number of celebrated publishing outlets, from Canongate and Polygon, to Luath Press, Birlinn and Mariscat. The University hosts the prestigious James Tait Black Awards, established in 1919 and one of the oldest literary prizes in Britain.

There are lots of opportunities to write and share your work, from ‘The Student,’ the UK’s oldest student newspaper (founded in 1887 by Robert Louis Stevenson), 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 will find:

- library readings and bookshop launches

- spoken word gigs

- cabaret nights

- poetry slams

We team teach our programme so that you benefit from the input of a range of tutors, as well as your fellow students and our Writer in Residence, the poet and author Michael Pedersen, who also co-ordinates a range of student writing prizes and our annual industry and networking event.

- Dr Lynda Clark

- Dr Patrick Errington - Poetry/Fiction

- Professor Alan Gillis - Poetry

Edinburgh. Extraordinary futures await.

The  University of Edinburgh  is one of the world's top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50, and placed 22nd in the 2024 QS World University Rankings. Our position as one of Britain’s leading research universities was reaffirmed by the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions), with 90% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Our …

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• Creative Writing Society
• Find A Society

The Creative Writing Society gives you the time, space and feedback needed to develop your writing skills in a relaxed and friendly environment. We meet once a week to explore different writing styles and genres, always ensuring we get some good writing down on paper. If you want to deepen your skills, help listen and give feedback to others or just meet nice individuals to share stories with we are willing to provide the place. We also provide biscuits!

All of our clubs and societies are run by a committee.

A committee is a team of people that lead, organise and publicise a group within your Students’ Union.

It can be really rewarding as well as being a great way to gain experience and invaluable skills for your future career.

Section Links

ADVERTISE TO STUDENTS

Writing Prizes

Pollyanna Jackson — Wide as the Wall is Wide

Winner of the 2024 lewis edwards memorial prize.

Pollyanna Jackson is an English Literature student based between Edinburgh and Oxfordshire, though soon to be making to move to Cumbria to start work as an Editor. She was shortlisted for the 2022 Bridport Prize, selected for Mark Gatiss’ writing programme with the Dartington Trust, and won the Lewis Edwards Memorial Prize in 2023 (and 2024). She enjoys writing fiction and short essays, and is always working on a novel.

‘ Oops, I did it again! I’m completely bowled away and honoured to have won the Lewis Edwards Prize, this piece means a lot to me and it’s so rewarding to have it recognised .’

You can catch her on Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/pollyannamj

Her Instagram is @pollyanna.jackson

Emily Wheeler — An Ode to Drinking Champagne in the Parking Lot of a Local Church

Winner of the 2024 grierson verse prize.

Emily Wheele r is a poet and English teacher from Virginia, USA, and earned her Bachelor of Science in English from Radford University. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in many magazines, including Blue River Review, Exit 109, Wingless Dreamer, and From Arthur’s Seat. Emily has always had a love for reading stories and writing poems, and she writes to capture the small, intimate moments in living. She is currently completing an MSc in Creative Writing from The University of Edinburgh.

‘I am incredibly honored and grateful to have won the Grierson Verse Prize 2024. This poem allowed me to portray the tender, intimate moments of friendship as we grow older and explore the return to a place of nostalgia, like a parking lot, and the ruminations that accompany them.’

Social Media and Website: Linkedin: @emilywheeler (here’s the link if it doesn’t work: www.linkedin.com/in/em1lywheeler ) Instagram: @__.emilyanne.__ Website: https://emilywheelerpoetry.weebly.com/

Read more “Emily Wheeler — An Ode to Drinking Champagne in the Parking Lot of a Local Church”

Suzy Enoch — Hame

Winner of the 2024 sloan prize.

Suzy Enoch: ‘ I am a Scottish writer, director, and actress who began my writing life in theatre. I love to work across disciplines and have worked considerably in narrative circus, co-founding contemporary circus company, Circus Alba. However, lockdown motivated me to delve into the world of prose writing and in 2023 I completed the Creative Writing Masters at the University of Edinburgh. I live in Edinburgh with my husband and three children.’

2023 Creative Writing Prizes

Read all the winners’ and runners’ up entries here . 

Read more “2023 Creative Writing Prizes”

Grace Murray — The Right Ventilation

JOINT RUNNER-UP OF THE 2024 LEWIS EDWARDS MEMORIAL PRIZE Grace Murray is a third year Literature student at the University of Edinburgh. Grace was awarded Penguin’s ‘WriteNow’ prize in 2023, and ‘An Acre of Stories’ writing award in 2022. Grace regularly writes for rrramble, an online reviewing site, and Edinburgh’s …

Malika McKenney — No One Writes Love Letters Anymore

Runner-up OF THE 2024 GRIERSON VERSE PRIZE Malika McKenney is a student, writer, and visual artist from Miami, Florida. She has received runner-up for the Grierson Verse Prize for the last two years and is currently head designer of the Inkwell. She first began writing poetry in university and is …

Maya Engwell — Light House

JOINT RUNNER UP OF THE 2024 LEWIS EDWARDS MEMORIAL PRIZE   Maya Engwell: ‘I’m so pleased to have been chosen as runner up for the prize this year.  It’s a lovely leaving present and has given me a boost of confidence in my writing. Thanks Michael!’ I’ve also attached a …

Declan Kelly — Intoxication and Other Night-Time Curses

RUNNER-UP OF THE 2024 SLOAN PRIZE Declan Kelly was born in Edinburgh and has lived there his whole life, especially enjoying the city for its atmosphere and people. He first began writing in high school and continued to do so after winning a school writing prize. He is currently studying …

Pollyanna Jackson: Georgie

Winner of the 2023 Lewis Edwards Memorial Prize Pollyanna Jackson is an English Literature student based in Edinburgh & Oxfordshire. She was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize in 2022, and selected by Mark Gatiss for his writing programme with the Dartington Trust that same year. She enjoys writing fiction and …

Rachel Rankin: Single Track Road

Winner of the 2023 Grierson Verse Prize Rachel Rankin is a poet and translator from Coatbridge, currently based in Edinburgh. She received a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in 2019, a Dewar Arts Award in 2017, and was shortlisted for the 2017 Jane Martin Poetry Prize. Most recently, she …

Declan Kelly: The Immortality of a Crab

Winner of the 2023 Sloan Prize Declan Kelly was born in Edinburgh and has lived there his whole life, especially enjoying the city for its atmosphere and people. He first began writing in high school and continued to do so after winning a school writing prize. He is currently studying …

Devki Panchmatia: Bear Hunt

Runner-Up for the 2023 Lewis Edwards Memorial Prize Devki Panchmatia is a poet based in Edinburgh and London. She was a runner up for the Orwell Youth Prize in 2019, has performed her poetry at the Hidden Door Festival, and is the assistant editor of Outcrop Poetry magazine. You can …

Suzanne Enoch: Stanes

Runner-Up for the 2023 Sloan Prize Suzy Enoch is a Scottish writer and actress who grew up in Aberdeen. After spending many years writing for stage and screen, she is currently completing the Creative Writing Masters in Edinburgh Uni. Stanes is her first foray into writing in Scots, and she …

Rosie Gandon: Four

Runner-Up for the 2023 Lewis Edwards Memorial Prize Rosie Gandon is a student and writer from East Sussex, currently studying Japanese and Linguistics in her first year at Edinburgh University. She has been writing ever since she was young, though this is her first time ever submitting a piece to …

Kate Genevieve: Lessons

Runner-Up for the 2023 Grierson Verse Prize Kate Genevieve is a Uk-based writer born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. She received her BA and a BEd  degrees from the University of British Columbia before pursuing a master’s degree in poetry at the University of Edinburgh. Her poetry can be found …

Alice Eaves: Breeding Fires

Runner-Up for the 2023 Grierson Verse Prize Alice Eaves is an artist and writer from Blackpool, England. She is currently completing her MSc in Creative Writing at the University of Edinburgh. She has been published or forthcoming in The Literary Platform, The Manchester Review and Origin Stories: An Anthology of Beginnings with …

Malika McKenney: The Future is a Dying Dog

Runner-Up for the 2023 Grierson Verse Prize Malika is a second year English Literature and History student from Miami, Florida. She enjoys writing, painting, and designing. She likes to explore themes of identity, place, and nature in her poetry. Apr 28, 2023

Holly Sargent: Collecting Dust

Runner-Up for the 2023 Lewis Edwards Memorial Prize Holly Sargent is a fourth year student of English Literature from Bracknell, England. Her literary interests drew her to study in Scotland, where her writing has been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She also enjoys rocks, kitsch, and useless things a …

Meghan Link: The Sound o Hame

Runner-Up for the 2023 Sloan Prize Meghan Link is a Spanish and English Literature student at the University of Edinburgh, from rural Angus. Taking inspiration from her family connections to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England, she is fascinated by the themes of language and identity. She writes in her spare …

Edward McLaren: The Unfurled Teeger

Runner-Up for the 2023 Sloan Prize Balancing work on a novel about an occultist soldier coming back to life in modern England, Edward McLaren studies an MSc in English Modernism at Edinburgh with an emphasis on the role of the Chinese character zhong in the poetry of Ezra Pound. Besides …

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Creative Writing PhD

The university of edinburgh, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Creative Writing

Course type

The PhD in Creative Writing provides the capstone to the postgraduate Creative Writing suite, offering students graduating from the MSc an opportunity to undertake work at a higher level. You will aim 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.

Training and support

We encourage you to share your research and learn from the work of others through a programme of work-in-progress seminars, reading groups, visiting speakers and conferences.

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

UK fees Course fees for UK students

To be confirmed

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

For this course (per year)

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

MA/PGDip Creative Writing

University of roehampton, phd english and creative writing, creative writing (welsh medium) ma, bangor university, creative writing (english medium) ma, creative and critical writing phd.

• Schools & departments

Creative Writing

Creative Writing Short Courses.

We will be offering some in-person courses, as well as a selection of online courses too. 

Courses marked as (Credit) are open to everyone. As a credit student, you will matriculate as a student at the University of Edinburgh as part of the registration process for these courses. For more information, please visit the Studying for Credit pages .

Please note the following regarding feedback:

Credit Creative Writing courses:  Verbal feedback from the Class Teacher will be given on students’ contributions in class. On credit courses, students will be given individualised, written feedback on their final submissions after the end of term. Apart from this, Course Teachers will not be able to provide written feedback on students’ creative writing during the course.

Non-credit Creative Writing courses:  Course Teachers will not be able to provide individualised, written feedback on students’ creative writing as part of this course. On non-credit courses, verbal feedback from the Class Teacher will be given on students’ contributions in class.

Term 1 (September to December 2023)

In-person courses.

Fiction Workshop

• Monday, 25 September (11:10-13:00) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Screenwriting 1: An Introduction to Writing for Film and Television

• Monday, 25 September (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks  *Credit*  (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Write That Story 1

• Tuesday, 26 September (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Writing Fiction for New Media

• Wednesday, 27 September (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks   (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Writing Creative Non-Fiction

• Thursday, 28 September (14:10-16:00) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Writing for Publication: Freelance Journalism

• Thursday, 28 September (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks *credit*  (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Poetry in Practice

• Thursday, 02 November (18:30-20:20) 5 weeks   (Course fee: £80/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Online courses

Writing Audio Drama for Radio and Podcasts

• Wednesday, 27 September (18:30-20:30) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Term 2 (January to March 2024)

Screenwriting 2: Script Development

• Monday, 15 January (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks *Credit* (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Fiction in Progress

• Monday, 15 January (11:10-13:00) 10 weeks   (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Write That Story 2

• Tuesday, 16 January (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks   (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Writing Young Adult Fiction

• Wednesday, 17 January (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks   (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Screenwriting 1: An Introduction to Writing for Film and Television (Online)

• Wednesday, 17 January (11:00-13:00) 10 weeks *Credit* (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Shut Up & Write! (Online)

• Wednesday, 17 January (14:00:16:00) 10 weeks   (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Writing Creative Non-Fiction (Online)

• Thursday, 18 January (14:00-16:00) 10 weeks   (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Short Story Writing (Online)

• Thursday, 18 January (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks  *Credit*  (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Term 3 (April to June 2024)

Screenwriting 3: From Page to Screen

• Monday, 15 April(18:30-20:20) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Improve Your Fiction

• Tuesday, 16 April(18:30-20:20) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Write a Short Play

• Wednesday, 17 April (18:30-20:20) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Writing Flash Fiction 1

• Wednesday, 17 April(18:30-20:20) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Short Story Writing

• Thursday, 18 April(14:10-16:00) 10 weeks * Credit * (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Experimental Writing

• Thursday, 18 April(18:30-20:20) 10 weeks * Credit * (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Screenwriting 2: Script Development (Online)

• Wednesday, 17 April(11:00-13:00) 10 weeks *Credit* (Course fee: £210/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

The Art and Craft of Children’s Fiction 1 (Online)

• Monday, 15 April(18:30-20:30) 10 weeks (Course fee: £165/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Masterclass: Preparing for Publication (Online)

• Friday, 10 May (10:00-16:00) One Day Course ( Course fee: £80/ Click here for help with fees and discounts )

Important Information

For enquiries about the content of the courses in this subject area, please contact  Course Organiser, Dr Malgorzata (Gosia) Bugaj by email: [email protected] .

For all general enquiries, please contact us by email [email protected] .

Creative Writing Conference 2024

A one-day conference featuring industry professionals, panel discussions, networking, and author readings.

Date and time

50 George Square Lecture Theatre (G.03)

1:20 PM - 1:45 PM

Arrival ft opening remarks

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM

Panel: Routes to Publication

2:45 PM - 3:30 PM

One-to-one chats with panel guests: sign-up details to follow

3:45 PM - 4:15 PM

Networking and refreshments

4:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Panel: Careers in Literature

5:30 PM - 6:15 PM

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

From Arthur's Seat anthology launch

About this event

• 5 hours 30 minutes

The University of Edinburgh Creative Writing Conference 2024 welcomes a range of industry professionals and creatives to share their insights and wisdom with emerging writers.

The conference will highlight publishing opportunities, as well as further awareness of the industry, through two panel discussions, one-to-one meetings, networking, and author readings.

Some refreshments and snacks will be provided with short intervals post each event.

Tickets for each section of the event are available to be reserved separately, with the final From Arthur's Seat launch and readings taking place at the InSpace Gallery. You can sign up for this portion of the day via its own Eventbrite page.

Book your ticket for the From Arthur's Seat launch

The full programme is below. Details of the panels and reading are as follows:

Panel: Routes to Publication - 13:45 to 14:45

• Jenny Brown (Jenny Brown Literary Agency: Founder)
• Edward Crossan (Polygon / Birlinn: Commissioning Editor)
• Caro Clarke (Porty Literary: Founder)
• Mo Hafeez (Faber & Faber: Commissioning Editor)

Panel: Careers in Literature - 16:30 to 17:15

• Jenny Niven (Edinburgh International Book Festival)
• Vikki Reilly (Publishing Scotland)
• Laura Jones (404 Ink/Creative Freelancer)
• Professor James Annesley (Newcastle University)

Readings - 17:30 to 18:15

• Winners of The University of Edinburgh Writing Prizes
• Guest reader: Hannah Lavery (poetry)
• Guest Reader: Andrés N. Ordorica (fiction)
• United Kingdom Events
• City of Edinburgh Events
• Things to do in Edinburgh
• Edinburgh Conferences
• Edinburgh Arts Conferences
• #networking
• #publishing
• #conference
• #literature
• #literary_event

Organized by

Creative Writing PhD The University of Edinburgh

• On campus - h
• Sep 1, 2024 Part-time - 6 years
• Sep 1, 2024 Full-time - 3 years

Key Course Facts

• Admission advice for international students

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews for 30 graduates of Creative Writing PhD at The University of Edinburgh for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Finance, Banking, Corporate Finance, Fintech.

Salary of Graduates in Accounting

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Finance, Banking, Corporate Finance, Fintech at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students .

Salary of all UK Graduates of Accounting

Course description.

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

Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Association of International Accountants (AIA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) .

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations through the Accredited degree accelerated route.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the EFMD Quality Improvement System.

Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

What graduates are doing after 15 months

Current jobs, job in line with future plans, utilise skills from studies, work is meaningful, required skill level of job after 15 months, % skilled jobs, jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation).

Example below based on all graduates of Creative Writing PhD at The University of Edinburgh

Grading & Study Time

Assessment methods, study time distribution, entry requirements / admissions, ucas tariff of accepted students for this course.

Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on our website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements.

Average student cost of living in the UK

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

University Rankings

Positions of the university of edinburgh in top uk and global rankings., rankings of the university of edinburgh in related subject specific rankings., languages & literature, about the university of edinburgh.

The University of Edinburgh is located in the Scottish city of the same name, and is one of the oldest universities in the entire United Kingdom, having opened in the year 1583. The university enjoys a strong reputation for its contributions to international research efforts, which is reflected in their inclusion in the Russell Group, Universitas 21, and Una Europa. Edinburgh offers its residents a historic yet modern city, with a lively nightlife scene, reliable public transport, and friendly locals.

List of 686 Bachelor and Master Courses from The University of Edinburgh - Course Catalogue

Where is this programme taught

Similar courses

Ranking publishers, the university league tables, cug the complete university guide - by subject  (published: 08 june, 2023).

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When I first came to UE to major in creative writing, I figured this would be as good a place as any for that – the esteemed college I saw with generous professors and skilled graduates gave me a positive impression. I could fit in here, hone my skills, and progress into life after while feeling positive about my attendance. I felt welcome, and everyone I knew – student or otherwise – had only compliments for the university. But as my second semester progressed, I began to see that, in addition to other valuable aspects of the university, we, the creative writing department, are in real trouble. To gain more accurate views on the issues I had begun to consider, I interviewed our main professor, Katie Mullins. Her insight will be offered generously throughout this article.

            We are, in fact, not our own department anymore. As a direct result of the realignment, English and Creative Writing, two separate departments, were combined into the same; the plan also called for the removal of two of the five then-present creative writing professors. But how do we now only have one tenured professor?

“Right now, I’m an associate professor of creative writing, but I have sort-of defaulted into a Director of Creative Writing role as well. We are lucky to have Professor Clara Strong here as a visiting professor, but this department, at one time, had as many as five professors. And then after realignment we cut it down to – well, we were going to cut it to three, and then we had two other professors leave.”

As we well know, many departments and majors were affected poorly by the realignment; quality facets of the university were removed entirely. And although I cannot speak for or against the university’s choices regarding the plan itself, Professor Mullins and I both agree that the university’s actions towards the department, separate to the realignment plan, have been concerning at the least.

“With writing, they just never re-hired, even though there are three jobs that are now gone. […] Anytime three people leave and you go, ‘That’s cool, the one guy left can do that all. And she’s disabled? I’m sure she’ll keep up.’ It feels a little bit like a quiet close, like, there’s no way around it. For English in general, I’m sure they saw the combination of the majors as sort-of a death knell…”

One of the likeliest reasons creative writing still exists as a department is thanks to the merge demanded by Realignment, which is, funnily enough, the same reason we have a place secured for the immediate future. Professor Mullins went on to reinforce this fact with a precedent revealed by the treatment of a department that no longer exists: history. From what I understand, the former history department had four tenured professors, two of whom were fired during the realignment changes. What made that possible was removing the history department entirely. As Professor Mullins put it, “To fire a tenured professor, the whole department has to go.”

For creative writing to be removed as a major or department, the university would need to take one of two actions: 1) revoke one of their former decisions by splitting English and Creative Writing back into two separate departments, which is unlikely; or 2) completely remove the conjoined department, which is unthinkable. This should be an incredible reassurance to our students – our department will stay for the foreseeable future. In Professor Mullins’s words: “So, creative writing is pretty much here until, I guess, I don’t know, I leave or die. Which I think will be a while, I hope.”

But acting as the sole remaining professor of creative writing, shouldering the burdens of what should be multiple professors, is far from the ideal state for anyone. It’s a stressful position, and though she has received warm, open support from the English department and its faculty, she is still only one person trying her best to instruct an entire department.

“So people know I’m busy and crazy and have a lot of stuff to do, but they don’t really understand. And between that, and being pretty profoundly disabled, it’s been a real challenge to kind of—and I don’t look sick in the way people want me to, if that makes sense, so they’re going, ‘Well, you’re fine, now.’”

            One colleague in particular, Dr. Mark Cirino, the department chair, has fought hard to bring in new hires necessary for allowing the department to last more than just in name. However, when contacted, he was “not able to expand on Prof. Mullins’s comments” for this article. As Professor Mullins described it, “I don’t know for sure what the university needs that we have been unable to demonstrate.” Whatever the case, the university’s reasoning in this matter remains undisclosed. Even with the department’s prolonged existence granted by its conjoining with English, a lack of replacement faculty – replacements to those who left by choice, not those removed as a result of the realignment – spell continuing danger and fear for the department and its students.

            The reason any of this matters—the department, the professors, the students—might seem clearly one-sided; and, in a slight way, it is. I’m a creative writing student, hoping for a degree from UE, fighting for a place to belong. But those are merely details which allow me the position to understand and share the larger, encompassing worth of what we do. When I asked Professor Mullins during our conversation what it would really mean – for her, for the students, for the university – if the department and the major were made unavailable at UE, she explained with increasing passion and enthusiasm the base concepts which accompany creative writing. Although she gleaned her example of the moment off the chalkboard behind me, a lesson from a previous class that day, I could surmise that she had long since considered what she told me.

“I think anytime we lose classes in story, what you’re actually losing is people’s ability to tell each other what it means to be human and how it is to be human. […] I think creative writing is the privilege we survive for. […] And I think if we lose creative writing, we lose the ability to learn how to tell those things with empathy, with a sense of humor, and with a sense of organization. […] And so, yeah, I think losing that loses more than anyone realizes when they look at creative writing. And in fact, if you struck the word ‘creative’ from the front, people would realize what a valuable major it was. But something about hearing ‘creative’ just kind of makes people go ‘Oh, it’s probably not necessary.’”

            I have experienced this bias firsthand. In high school, people who knew I planned to major in creative writing asked me, “Why? You were always so good with numbers,” as if they thought the path I chose required less skill than the one they assumed I would follow. That itch in the brain people feel when they hear the word “creative,” the one that makes them automatically dismiss whatever it applies to as unnecessary… I posed that it was because people can’t quantify creativity or imagination; they can’t put an easy label on it like they do with so many other things. Which is true; but it’s also precisely the point.

“You can’t exactly measure it. […]  I’m okay living in an area where what we do can’t be quantified. But I think that it’s hard for—I think it is really hard, in an age where we are constantly trying to have something to assess, to deal in those uncertainties. And creative writing teaches you that uncertainty isn’t necessarily a failure, or even bad. Uncertainty is just part of life, and you learn how to deal with that, too.”

            Key to the effects of losing such a valuable department is the fact that the classes and concepts are by no means exclusive to creative writing majors. Theatre; literature; math; communications; archeology… Students from across the colleges enroll in writing courses with Professor Mullins and Professor Strong, and so, as was emphasized no less than five times throughout this portion of our conversation, a loss of the department would have negative effects “more than anyone realizes.” The reasoning should, by now, be obvious: expression, wisdom, self-discovery, and of course, skill in the craft. The problem remains that, despite the tenuous security of the creative writing major and the department, we still worry – staff included.

“But the fact of the matter is, I don’t face the future unafraid here. Because what I’ve learned is, eh, it keeps being sort-of a ‘Katie’ll do it’ situation. And so for me, I want to face the future unafraid. I am afraid I am facing that future alone, which means I cannot be unafraid.”

And, about the students:

“They’re terrified. They’re all scared, everybody I’ve talked to. I’ve had students cry to me and ask me, ‘Will you just stay at least until I graduate?’ […] I know some of the freshmen and the transfer students are considering other options.”

Some weeks ago, the bells in Olmsted began ringing again. They chimed the hours, of course, but also sounded the university’s hymn at a certain time each day. Walking by, hearing it, I could not help feeling some pride in this place, in my choice; I had heard it played and sung during convocation at the beginning of the year, a time of openings and brass fanfares. However, understanding the lyrics – We face the future unafraid – and hearing them in relation to the predicament of our department… they took on a creeping façade, becoming the selfsame “death knell” that seemed to have rung for us during the department’s merge with English.

            This is not the state our, or any, department should have to be in. Despite our remainder thanks to the university’s choices, those same choices have instilled fear into the students, driving valuable prospective members to pursue their education from a college they can actually guarantee a degree from; not the liberal arts college that has forcibly removed and/or neglects the arts, the creativity. Not hiring replacement professors for those who left voluntarily – leaving one overworked individual in place of what would have been three – continues to negatively affect the creative writing department, in spite of the kindness, accommodations, and warmth generously provided to our professor by her colleagues. It is natural to fear; however, I think Professor Mullins says it best for how to behave in this situation: “So I would be sad, and then I would adapt, and I would overcome.”

            Positivity and a pleasant face in the midst of adversity and uncertainty; that’s one of the finest messages to offer. It makes you think.

That’s it; it makes you thin

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International Programs

Ui student peyton pangburn awarded fulbright to moldova.

Peyton Pangburn, who will receive a BA in international relations from the University of Iowa in May 2024, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Moldova for 2024-25.  

Hometown: Northwood, Iowa Degree: BA in international relations  

Could you give us a brief synopsis of what you'll be doing with your Fulbright?   I will be an English teaching assistant (ETA), placed in an institution in a regional city in Moldova. While in Moldova, I will also be informally researching Moldovan attitudes towards the European Union, Russia, Transnistria, and Gagauzia , as a continuation of my research on de facto states and autonomy arrangements. Additionally, as a community engagement project, I will host country-western dances and teach the locals American line dancing!  

How do you envision this will influence your life/future career?   As an ETA, I will gain stronger intercultural communication skills vital to my career as a foreign service officer. Furthermore, I hope that concrete experience in Moldovan society–learning the local perspective and forging relationships and trust–will provide a strong foundation for formulating effective policy and cooperating with Eurasia in the future.  

What advice do you have for future students interested in applying for a Fulbright?   Embrace the challenge! Applying is not a quick, easy, or simple process, but you are in good hands at the University of Iowa, and it will all be worth it in the end.  

Were there experiences at Iowa that inspired you to pursue a Fulbright ?   I didn’t learn exactly what Fulbright was until I was nominated by my professors. After that, the information sessions hosted by International Programs helped set me on the path toward applying. I was also able to study abroad at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, last spring, with the help of a Tyner Scholarship. Though I was already applying for the Fulbright, the experience cemented my confidence in living abroad and resolve to return as soon as possible!  

Are there individuals you'd like to thank for their investment in this process?   I absolutely must thank my recommenders, Ambassador Ronald McMullen and Professor Irina Kostina, as well as Karen Wachsmuth and Ari Natarina in International Programs, for their feedback and assistance with the process. My biggest thank-you is for Professor William Reisinger, who was my mentor and recommender, and an indispensable resource. Thank you!  

EXPLORE THE MANY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OPEN TO UI STUDENTS AND ALUMNI  

International Programs  (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.

• Fulbright 2024
• international fellowships
• student funding
• study abroad

International Programs at the University of Iowa supports the right of all individuals to live freely and to live in peace. We condemn all acts of violence based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, and perceived national or cultural origin. In affirming its commitment to human dignity, International Programs strongly upholds the values expressed in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights .