creative writing ma exeter

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MA Creative Writing

University of exeter, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

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

MA - Master of Arts

Subject areas

Creative Writing

Course type

• Teaching delivered by a strong and diverse group of internationally recognised writers
• Opportunity to experiment in new genres
• Excellent links with the worlds of publishing, literary journalism and broadcasting, book festivals and prizes providing insights into the workings of the literary marketplace
• Opportunities to establish the contacts necessary for successful publication

Whether your ambition is to become a full-time writer, a teacher of writing, or to develop a creative career which includes writing in one of its many forms, we have a strong track record of supporting our students through to publication and doctoral level work.

While at Exeter, our MA students publish their creative work in RIPTIDE and in the new postgraduate journal EXCLAMATION.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Normally a 2:1 Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.

Creative Writing - MA/PgD/PgC

Cardiff metropolitan university, english literature and creative writing - ma/pgd/pgc, ma in english (creative writing and english literature), university of hull, ma in creative writing (online), phd creative writing.

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University of exeter: creative writing, doctor of philosophy - phd, distance learning, 6 years starts sep 2024.

MPhil/PhD students work alongside researchers within the following research centres:

- Centre of Victorian Studies (CVS)

- 18 Century Narrative Consortium

- Exeter Centre for Literatures of Identity, Place and Sustainability (ECLIPSE)

- Centre for Literature and Archives

- Centre for Intermediate and Creative Technology

We have Creative Writing colleagues working in Poetry, Screenwriting, Fiction in all forms, Life Writing, Childrens'/Young Adult Writing, and Creative Non-Fiction.

To learn more about modules, assessment methods, facilities and our staff research expertise please visit our course page.

Full-Time, 3 years starts Sep 2024

Part-time, 6 years starts sep 2024, full-time, 1 years starts sep 2024.

- Teaching delivered by a strong and diverse group of internationally recognised writers

- Experiment in new literary genres, and study and respond to diverse contemporary writers

- Excellent links with the worlds of publishing, literary journalism and broadcasting, book festivals and prizes providing insights into the workings of the literary marketplace

- Establish the contacts necessary for successful publication

To learn more about modules, assessment methods, facilities and our staff research expertise please visit our course page

Part-Time, 2 years starts Sep 2024

Full-time, 1 years started sep 2023.

- To learn more about modules, assessment methods, facilities and our staff research expertise please visit our course page

Part-Time, 2 years started Sep 2023

Master of philosophy - mphil, distance learning, 4 years starts sep 2024, full-time, 2 years starts sep 2024, part-time, 4 years starts sep 2024.

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MA Creative Writing

Want to know what it's like to study this course at uni? We've got all the key info, from entry requirements to the modules on offer. If that all sounds good, why not check out reviews from real students or even book onto an upcoming open days ?

Different course options

MA - Master of Arts

Streatham Campus

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Course info

Entry requirements, tuition fees, latest reviews.

• Teaching delivered by a strong and diverse group of internationally recognised writers
• Opportunity to experiment in new genres
• Excellent links with the worlds of publishing, literary journalism and broadcasting, book festivals and prizes providing insights into the workings of the literary marketplace
• Opportunities to establish the contacts necessary for successful publication

Whether your ambition is to become a full-time writer, a teacher of writing, or to develop a creative career which includes writing in one of its many forms, we have a strong track record of supporting our students through to publication and doctoral level work.

While at Exeter, our MA students publish their creative work in RIPTIDE and in the new postgraduate journal EXCLAMATION.

What students say

The Creative Writing department is amazing. The extra opportunities and activities available are brilliant. However, the uni feels dominated by students from very privileged.. Read more

The campus is wonderful and the facilities provided are excellent as well. But often it's hard for newer and specifically the postgraduate students to fit into the student life as.. Read more

Modules (Year 1)

Normally a 2:1 Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.

Students living in

£12,000 per year

Students from Domestic

This is the fee you pay if the University is in the same country that you live in (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

£24,300 per year

Students from EU

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

Students from International

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

Latest Creative Writing reviews

Review breakdown, how all students rated:.

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Creative Writing MA University of Exeter

• On campus - h University of Exeter - Streatham Campus
• Sep 1, 2024 Full-time - 1 years
• Sep 1, 2024 Part-time - 2 years

Key Course Facts

• Admission advice for international students

Course Description

• Teaching delivered by a strong and diverse group of internationally recognised writers
• Experiment in new literary genres, and study and respond to diverse contemporary writers
• Excellent links with the worlds of publishing, literary journalism and broadcasting, book festivals and prizes providing insights into the workings of the literary marketplace
• Establish the contacts necessary for successful publication
• To learn more about modules, assessment methods, facilities and our staff research expertise please visit our course page

Assessment Methods

Entry requirements / admissions, requirements for international students / english requirements.

IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)

• All Degrees

UCAS International Information

Ucas sponsorship information.

We are looking for graduates with a 2: 1 or above in their first degree in a relevant subject area. While we normally only accept applicants who meet this criteria, if you have a high 2:2 or equivalent, are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.

Applicants will be asked to submit as sample of creative writing which can be roughly 2,000 words of prose or 3-4 poems.

For full details, including English language requirements and international equivalencies, please visit our course page.

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 university of exeter in top uk and global rankings., about university of exeter.

The University of Exeter is a government funded research university based in Exeter, Devon, in the South-West region of England. The university has two campuses in Exeter, which are known as Streatham and St Luke’s, while another two are situated in the coastal town of Cornwall, known as Truro and Penryn. Something for prospective students to be aware of is that the University Exeter works in collaboration with Falmouth University under the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative.

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Postgraduate Taught

MA English Literary Studies

• Postgraduate Taught home
• English Literary Studies MA

Masters applications for 2023 entry are now closed.

Applications for September 2024 will open on Monday 25 September. Applications are now open for programmes with a January 2024 start. View our programmes »

• Develop an enhanced understanding of literature and media in their historical and cultural contexts, and foster your communication and analytical skills
• Our varied module options allow you to tailor your degree to suit your interests
• Ideal for students wishing to extend and enhance their studies before starting their career and work with the department’s internationally recognised Research Centres and Groups
• Excellent facilities on campus include our Special Collections featuring the papers of internationally important writers, The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum which is a unique film and popular culture resource and our Digital Humanities Lab. Exeter has also recently been awarded UNESCO City of Literature status

Apply online

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Fast Track (current Exeter students)

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Programme Director: Dr Chris Campbell

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

Discover MA English Literary Studies at the University of Exeter.

Our English research environment is 100% world leading

Based on 4* research environment submitted to REF 2021

Top 50 in the world for English Language and Literature

QS World University Subject Rankings 2024

A thriving and supportive writing community - our team of prize-winning and best-selling authors will help you develop your creative writing skills

Unique on-site resources: Exeter’s Special Collections archive and The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum

Entry requirements

We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree with 53% or above in their first degree in a relevant subject area. While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.

Applicants will be asked to submit a sample of academic work. We require roughly 2000 - 3000 words of prose (this could be in the form of a critical essay or part of a critical essay that you have already produced for an undergraduate degree).

Entry requirements for international students

English language requirements.

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile E . Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Course content

The programme is divided into units of study called modules which are assigned 'credits'. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work.

Our flexible programme enables you to choose from a varied range of modules. The compulsory dissertation is 60 credits, allowing you to tailor your degree to your own interests by selecting the remaining 120 credits from our expansive list of options.

The programme is specifically designed for those seeking high level training prior to embarking on doctoral research, recent graduates wishing to extend and enhance their studies by a year before taking up a career, individuals already in employment who are interested in career development, and those who simply wish to broaden their intellectual horizons.

Please note that this course requires you to read and analyse complex English literary texts, but we do not teach English language skills on these modules. You will need a near-native level of English to participate fully in classes and complete assessments successfully.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

2024/25 entry

Uk fees per year:.

£12,000 full-time; £6,000 part-time

International fees per year:

£24,300 full-time; £12,150 part-time

Scholarships

For more information on scholarships, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

*Selected programmes only. Please see the Terms and Conditions for each scheme for further details.

Find out more about tuition fees and funding »

Having studied BA English Literature at Exeter, I knew I had to stay for my MA. The lecturers are always passionate about what they are teaching, but most importantly to me, they are always genuinely keen to discuss my own work.

I did my BA dissertation on post-feminism within Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s music videos. This year I’ve taken my work on music video even further and have also written on films ranging from Hitchcock to La La Land thanks to the flexible Film modules.

In allowing me to pursue my interests, Exeter has helped me reach my full potential. I want to work in the music industry, so it is really useful that my course has not only given me skills to take into working life, but has also provided me with the opportunity to craft essays which I can talk about in job interviews.

Read more from Ellie

Teaching and research

Learning and teaching.

We believe in collaborative, small group learning and teaching for your modules will be delivered through seminar groups. Each module has one two-hour seminar per week, with independent work set that involves intensive, self-motivated research and writing.

You will be encouraged to discuss your ideas and interact with your fellow students and academic staff through visiting speaker seminar series, postgraduate conferences and Research Centre activities. You will be expected to play an active role in debating and presenting your work. Throughout your programme you will develop and enhance your communication, analytical, and critical thinking skills.

On your modules you will be assisted by the coursework you produce such as critical essays. The final assessment piece will be your dissertation, the culmination of your programme of study. You will conceive, plan, research and write an independent 15,000 word piece that will display your subject knowledge and methodological skills. The dissertation is your opportunity to explore a topic that interests you in greater detail, something which may form the basis of further research or other portfolio.

Research areas

When you study on the MA in English Literary Studies, you will join a world-leading English and Creative Writing Department that regularly hosts talks, workshops, and conferences spotlighting prestigious visiting speakers and the Department’s own experts. As members of our learning community, postgraduate students are warmly included in such events. These activities are coordinated by the Department’s many research groups and centres, including the Centre for Victorian Studies, the Centre for Intermedia and Creative Technology, and the Centre for Literature and Archives. You will benefit from staff at the forefront of their fields, stretching from medieval literature all the way up to contemporary culture.

Research Centres

Dedicated research centres and groupings within our department include:

• Centre for Intermedia and Creative Technology
• Centre for Literature and Archives
• Centre for Victorian Studies
• Exeter Screen Studies Research Centre
• Centre for Early Modern Studies

Research Groups

• Medieval and Renaissance
• Restoration to Romantics
• North American and Atlantic
• World and Postcolonial
• Film and Television
• Creative Industries and Technologies
• Creative Writing

You will join a vibrant postgraduate and research community. All our staff belong to one or more research group which plan and develop research initiatives across the humanities. Research activity is carried out collaboratively by staff at our Exeter and Cornwall Campuses.

The Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences also houses the Digital Humanities Lab, a state-of-the-art facility offering unique spaces, equipment and training for staff and students. A specialist team conducts and supports innovative Digital Humanities research, offers training and teaching, and undertakes the digital preservation and display of historic material and artefacts using advanced technologies. For more information view our Digital Humanities Lab page.

At Exeter, research is at the heart of what we do, and we hope you will become an active member of our research community.

To find out more about our staff research interests have a look at our  staff profile pages .

You will be able to use the whole range of Library services during your time at Exeter. We have modern study spaces, an extensive Academic Library, inter-Library loan system, and an extensive Digital Library to all of which you will have full access.

The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, housed within the University’s Old Library, holds a unique archival collection with particular strength in the area of British Film.

The University also houses its own Special Collections which includes original papers relating to important South West literary figures such as Ted Hughes, Daphne Du Maurier, John Fowles, John Betjeman, Agatha Christie, Henry Williamson and William Golding.

The University has invested £1.2 million into Digital Humanities to create a state-of-the-art lab and research space for the examination and preservation of important historical, literary and visual artefacts. The lab will allow you to use high-tech equipment to find out more about our cultural heritage, examine items in greater detail and share discoveries with the public. For more information view our  Digital Humanities Lab  page.

An English degree is a uniquely versatile qualification valued by employers for the combination of communication and analytical skills as well as combining an understanding of literature and media in a historical and cultural context. For some of our students the MA is a step on the path to doctoral study, for others it opens a range of career paths in areas such as teaching, publishing, media, journalism, advertising and communications.

In recent years the positions some of our graduates have gone on to include:

• Marketing Assistant
• Assistant Editor
• Publishing Assistant
• Editorial Assistant
• Freelance Journalist

Careers and employment support

While studying at Exeter you can also access a range of activities, advice and practical help to give you the best chance of following your chosen career path. For more information visit our   Careers pages .

Related courses

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The majority of students are based at our Streatham Campus in Exeter. The campus is one of the most beautiful in the country and offers a unique environment in which to study, with lakes, parkland, woodland and gardens as well as modern and historical buildings.

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Our Penryn Campus is located near Falmouth in Cornwall. It is consistently ranked highly for satisfaction: students report having a highly personal experience that is intellectually stretching but great fun, providing plenty of opportunities to quickly get to know everyone.

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Module details

The best cities for book lovers in the British Isles

F rom Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist to Sally Rooney’s Normal People , the British Isles has been literary strongholds for centuries. Writers such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Evelyn Waugh, Oscar Wilde, Dylan Thomas and Virginia Woolf paved the way for modern literary giants. Many of the world’s greatest books have been set in Blighty from Hilary Mantel’s epic Wolf Hall to Monica Ali’s Brick Lane.  

Each May, bibliophiles the world over make a pilgrimage to Hay Book Festival for endless rounds of readings, lectures and workshops. Turning twenty this year, UNESCO’s Creative Cities of Literature programme (part of the wider Creative Cities Network that celebrates Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media) connects fifty-three cities recognised for their outstanding contribution to literature. Five are found in the UK and one in Ireland (the most of any global region). Here’s why…

Great Scott! Even arriving by train to Waverley is a literary adventure. The station is named after Sir Walter Scott’s first novel and adorned with literary quotations from the author. This is the city that gave us Robert Louis Stevenson, Irvine Welsh and Muriel Spark and will be ever synonymous with Harry Potter as resident J.K. Rowling wrote the series here (most famously penning ideas in The Elephant House Cafe ). The city boasts its very own poet laureate, known as the Makar (currently poet and playwright, Hannah Lavery), and hosts the world’s largest international book festival. Founded in 1983, Edinburgh International Book Festival takes places in August and is attended by over 800 writers and 200,000 visitors. 

The Radical Book Fair is another yearly highlight, as is the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, where yarns are spun by writers and poets in October. Other fun facts: Scotland’s first book was printed here in 1508; the city has over 50 bookshops (selling all from antique tomes to graphic novels); and the world’s first purpose-built poetry library opened here in 1999. Don’t miss a visit to the Writers’ Museum, just off the Royal Mile, or a literary stroll on The Edinburgh Book Lovers’ Tour. As Edinburgh was the first city to receive the UNESCO City of Literature accolade, it will host the Cities of Literature Conference in October 2024, to mark the 20 th anniversary.

The Roseate Hotel has doubles from £139.50, not including breakfast.  

The city’s literary history begins in the 10th century with The Exeter Book, an Anglo-Saxon anthology of poetry and riddles (kept in Exeter Cathedral), which holds the largest collection of Old English writing, recognised by UNESCO as one the world’s principal cultural artefacts. Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie , Michael Morpurgo and Hilary Mantel all found inspiration in and around the city. 

The annual Book Market in July brings together a wide range of independent bookshops. For poets, there’s Spork!, a spoken-word poetry organisation, which organises live poetry events and workshops. Quay Words, an offshoot of Literature Works (the south west’s writing development agency), champions diversity in literature and is a core project in the UNESCO City of Literature programme, organising regular live performances. Africa Writes Exeter was developed to showcase writing talent from the African continent and its diaspora. 

Stay: Hotel du Vin has doubles from £114, not including breakfast.  

Manchester 

The UK’s first free public library, Chetham’s, opened in Manchester in 1653, and literature and free speech are integral to the city’s history. Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx worked on their Communist Manifesto in the Reading Room of Chetham’s Library in 1845, and Elizabeth Gaskell wrote her campaigning novels that awoke the nation to the plight of the poor. The museum at the Pankhurst Centre celebrates the writings of suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst, who founded the Women’s Social and Political Union in Manchester in 1903. 

With over 200 languages spoken, Manchester is the most linguistically diverse city in Western Europe, and this is reflected in the 800 literature events organised each year that reach an audience of around 48,000. Famous Manchurian writers include Frances Hodgson Burnett, Anthony Burgess, John Cooper Clarke, Jeanette Winterson and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. Festival wise, there’s the Manchester Literature Festival in October (a showcase for contemporary writing worldwide), the Children’s Book Festival and Festival of Libraries, which celebrates the key role libraries play in civic life, including events at historic library gems Chetham’s, The Portico, John Rylands, and Central Library, the UK’s busiest.  

Native Manchester has doubles from £153, including breakfast. 

Home to the UK’s National Centre of Writing, Norwich is renowned as a city of firsts. Revelations of Divine Love , written by Julian of Norwich in 1395, was the first book written by a woman in English. The first poem in blank verse was written here by Henry Howard in the 16 th century. The first English provincial library opened in 1608 and Norwich was the first to implement the Public Library Act of 1850. 

In 1970, the first Creative Writing MA was founded by Malcolm Bradbury and Angus Wilson at the University of East Anglia (UEA), of which Ian McEwan was the first graduate. Writers who have called Norwich home include Thomas Browne, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Emma Healey and Sarah Perry. 

Don’t miss The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, housed in the Forum, or a visit to the Cathedral Library, home to more than 20,000 books (some dating back to the 15th century). Also notable is The John Innes Centre with its collection of natural history and rare books. Norwich Crime Writing Festival attracts the world’s top crime writers. 

The Assembly House has doubles from £196, including breakfast.  

Nottingham’s commitment to improving literacy, paired with a rich literary history and diverse writing community, won it a City of Literature accolade. Known for its rebels and trailblazers, this is a city that gave the world William Langland’s Robin Hood and J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan . Other literary heroes include D.H Lawrence, Lord Byron and Alan Sillitoe. A third of the city’s population is under 24 and its vibrant literature scene with a thriving poet’s community reflects this. 

Spoken word and slam poetry events run throughout the year, culminating in the Nottingham Poetry Festival in April/May. Georgina Wilding is the current Young Poet Laureate, and contemporary writers include playwright Amanda Whittington, screenwriter Shane Meadows and novelist and poet John Harvey. Catch a performance at the Nottingham Writers’ Studio, Nottingham Playhouse, or any one of its eighteen public libraries. 

Hart’s Nottingham has doubles from £199, including breakfast. 

Anywhere you wander in Dublin is a journey through its vast written heritage. Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde and W.B. Yeats all studied at Trinity College , the city’s literary heartbeat. The highlight is the 213ft Long Room in the Old Library, which holds 200,000 books (currently under long term restoration, although remains impressive). The Book of Kells, an ancient manuscript created by monks in 800AD, can be seen as part of an exhibition in the Old Library.  

Marsh’s is Ireland’s oldest public library, unchanged for over three centuries. Pop into Ulysses Rare Books where you’ll find Joyces’ Ulysses illustrated by Henri Matisse, signed by both author and artist (and selling for a cool 25,000 Euros). In the James Joyce Centre catch a reading or lecture, and at The Museum of Literature Ireland innovative exhibits bring the country’s literature alive. 

Don’t miss Dublin’s Literary Pub Crawl for a fun way to get to grips with the work of the city’s famous writers.  Notable festivals include the Bloomsday Festival, celebrating all thing ‘ Ulysses ’; ‘Murder One (for crime writers); the Bram Stoker Festival for all things Gothic and ghoulish ; the International Literature Festival, which attracts a global audience; and the Dublin Book Festival in November, the champion of Irish writers. The International Dublin Literary Award is the richest literary prize in the world, with the sum of €100,000 awarded to the winning author.  

The Leinster (+353 1233 6000) www.theleinster.ie Doubles from £230, including breakfast. ​

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