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Creative Writing

MA

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Key information

Key information for 2026-27

Start date:

October 2026 | January 2027

Study route:

October start:

  • One year full-time, on campus
  • Two years part-time, on campus

January start:

  • Two years part-time, on campus
Status:
Fully approved
Location:
Birkbeck Campus, Central London
Awarding body:
University of London
Study options:

Full-time | Part-time | On campus

Course overview

This MA Creative Writing gives you the chance to better understand the craft of writing and gain valuable constructive criticism from other writers and experts who are as serious about developing your work as you are. It is ideal if you want to develop your practice as a writer and work toward publication and/or sustaining a career in the industry.

  • Why choose this course?
    • Our MA is highly respected nationally and internationally and we have a growing list of published and prizewinning authors whose work started life in our seminars, recently including Abi Daré, JJ Bola, Lily Dunn, Annalie Grainger, Louise Hare, Sally Hinchcliffe, Vanessa Onwuemezi, Melody Razak and Saba Sams.
    • You will study the art of writing with a faculty of acclaimed authors, which include Julia Bell, Luke Williams and David Eldridge, to name a few.
    • You will benefit from the experience and expertise of a team who have been running this creative writing course for almost 20 years enabling diverse cohorts of students to develop as writers across genres and to support their careers.
    • Depending on your interests, you can also take particular modules on this degree to graduate with an MA Creative and Critical Writing. This pathway allows you to combine practice-based learning with specialism in contemporary literature.

  • What will I learn?

    On this MA Creative Writing you will deepen your knowledge of reading and writing and the possibilities of literature across all forms and genres, as well as developing critical and professional skills relevant to the workplace.

    You will take core modules which focus your attention on the fundamentals of writing and then choose option modules which give you the opportunity to diversify your practice and experiment in more specialist areas and concerns including:

    • writing for video gaming
    • screenwriting
    • playwrighting
    • memoir writing
    • poetry
    • creative non-fiction
    • genre fiction.

  • How will I learn?

    This course is available to study full- or part-time with classes taking place in the evening. These include lectures and seminars in which we consider issues of craft, expression and meaning within the context of how we see the world, how we theorise writing and contextualise our work within broader traditions. You will also take part in workshops, tutorials and supervisions in which you will benefit from close and attentive readings of your work, build on existing skills and develop new techniques and approaches to writing under the tutelage of published authors.

    Engaging thoughtfully and generously with your peers is fundamental to your success and development as a writer on this course. In this way, the workshops we offer are one of its defining features as they provide you with a highly collaborative environment in which you will learn to give and receive feedback on creative work.

    Entry to the course is based on the submission of a portfolio of creative work, and candidates whose work shows promise will be invited for interview.

    Please note that to follow the MA Creative and Critical Writing pathway you will need to start this course in October. 

  • How often will I attend classes?

    Full-time October start: Two evenings a week, October to July

    Part-time October start: One evening a week, October to July

    Part-time January start: One evening a week, January to December

  • Course disclaimer

    Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

    Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the How will I learn? section.

More highlights

  • Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • We have close links between the MA and the Centre for Contemporary Literature at Birkbeck, which runs a wide variety of talks and conferences in this field. In addition to working with the established and award-winning writers who teach the degree, you will have contact with industry professionals, such as publishers and literary agents, who offer a series of platform discussions in the summer term.
  • The Mechanics' Institute Review, MIROnline, is a forum for the most exciting new writing in short fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction selected from students on this course and beyond. It runs regular live literature events and offers you publishing and editing opportunities.
  • Birkbeck is located in the heart of literary London, in Bloomsbury, WC1. You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space.
  • We have a range of scholarships available to enable talented students on low incomes to study with us, such as the Sophie Warne Fellowship. Once you have secured a place on the course you will be invited to apply for these awards. We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.

Modules and Teaching

School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication

The school's teaching and research is highly interdisciplinary, spanning cultures and periods. Academic and practice-based study will equip you for a career in the creative and cultural industries.

Visit the school

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above, though this requirement may be waived if you can demonstrate exceptional talent), a personal statement (to be submitted with your application form) and a portfolio of prose writing of no more than 3000 words.

Your portfolio should be a section of a novel with a synopsis, a couple of short stories or a combination of the two. Please note that poetry, children’s fiction, journalism, screen- or playwriting are not appropriate submissions for this MA. Students are selected on the basis of their portfolio and statement, an interview (selected candidates only) and their degree.

Portfolio guidelines:

  • Submit application.
  • Submit writing portfolio (Word or PDF) by logging into your MyBirkbeck profile, then going to the ‘Manage my application’ link and attaching the document.

Applications are reviewed on their individual merits, and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve. You must also provide two references, at least one of which should be an academic reference.

Due to the strong emphasis we place on collaborative work on this course, particularly in our workshops, in your personal statement please also make sure to outline any experience you have had of collaborating with others, for example, participating in writing groups, workshops, peer review settings or other collaborative projects.

  • What are the English language requirements?

    If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

    If you don't meet the minimum English language requirements, please contact us or see our international study skills page for more details about how we can help.

    Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

  • What are the visa and funding requirements?

    If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

    The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

    • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
    • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

    International students who require a Student visa should apply to study on our courses full-time as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol to study part-time courses at Birkbeck (with the exception of some modules).

    As a Student visa student, you should also apply to study on campus only, as online and flexible options of study (if they are available for your course) may affect the conditions of your visa.

    For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

    Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

    Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

  • Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

    If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits. It may be possible to transfer these from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

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Fees

MA: One year full-time or two years part-time, on campus, starting in October 2026

Academic year 2026-27

Part-time home students: £6,000 per year
Full-time home students: £12,000 per year
Part-time international students: £10,425 per year
Full-time international students: £20,850 per year

MA: Two years part-time, on campus, starting in January 2027

Academic year 2026-27

Part-time home students: £6,000 per year
Part-time international students: £10,425 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing their course may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the Fees Policy.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

Birkbeck's campus is located in the historic and vibrant Bloomsbury area of central London - named one of the best places to live in London 2025 by The Times.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this MA Creative Writing, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

  • strong creative and critical skills
  • a sophisticated use of written and spoken English
  • an advanced ability in engaging with ideas and developing your own opinions and arguments
  • facility and precision in the use of analytical tools
  • strong skills and initiative in collecting and organising complex materials and writing up clear, well-presented reports or fluent critical arguments
  • adaptability, resilience and initiative.

Graduates can pursue career paths in areas such as:

  • academia
  • research
  • teaching
  • publishing
  • copywriting
  • marketing
  • narrative design
  • editing.

  • Birkbeck creative writing graduates

    Birkbeck Creative Writing graduates include:

    • Niki Aguirre
    • Sarah Alexander
    • Laura Allsop
    • Amer Anwar
    • Iphgenia Baal
    • Amy Bird
    • Phoebe Blatton
    • JJ Bola
    • Mary Lynn Bracht
    • Nicole Burstein
    • Tray Butler
    • Melissa De Villiers
    • Lily Dunn
    • Liz Fremantle
    • AJ Grainger
    • Jules Grant
    • Julia Gray
    • Emma Henderson
    • Sally Hinchcliffe
    • Anna Hope
    • Heidi James
    • Keith Jarrett
    • Olya Knezevic
    • Nik Korpon
    • Louise Lee
    • Matthew Loukes
    • Fiona Melrose
    • Suzanne O'Sullivan
    • Nii Parkes
    • Victoria Richards
    • Nadim Safdar
    • Karin Salvalaggio
    • David Savill
    • Stefanie Seddon
    • Sogol Sur
    • Luke Tredget.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Student support

Birkbeck offers study, learning and wellbeing support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed.

Our Learning Development Service provides a lively programme of free weekly workshops building essential academic skills - from writing and critical thinking to maths and referencing - offering flexible sessions, practical tips, and online resources to boost your skills and confidence.

Our Disability and Mental Health Service can support you if you have disabilities, specific learning differences, mental health conditions or neurodivergence, by providing practical support to help you achieve your academic potential.

Our Counselling Service aims to support you with any emotional and psychological difficulties that are affecting your experience and engagement with your studies at university. It is a free, non-judgemental and confidential service which consists of a consultation process followed by time limited counselling contact.

Find out more about the full range of student services we offer at Birkbeck.

How to apply

You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

You will need to prove your identity when you apply. Find out more about how to apply.

  • When should I apply?

    You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places left, and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

    You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

Study routes for Creative Writing (MA)

Please select a study route below to continue your application.

Please note that international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK can only apply for full-time, on campus routes.

Starting in October 2026

Full-time

Part-time

Starting in January 2027

Part-time