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Creative Writing - MA

Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.

Our MA in Creative Writing helps you to develop your potential as a novelist, poet, scriptwriter or non-fiction author. It is taught by distinguished writers, with the support of a superb range of guest seminars and masterclasses by visiting authors, editors and agents, through our Institute of Creative and Critical Writing.

  • Level Postgraduate Taught
  • Study mode Full Time

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

Our MA in Creative Writing helps you to develop your potential as a novelist, poet, scriptwriter or non-fiction author. It is taught by distinguished writers, with the support of a superb range of guest seminars and masterclasses by visiting authors, editors and agents, through our Institute of Creative and Critical Writing.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

Our MA Creative Writing will help you to fulfil your potential as a writer, whether you work in fiction, poetry, screenplay or creative non-fiction. It is taught by distinguished authors, with the support of a superb range of guest seminars by visiting speakers organised through our Institute of Creative and Critical Writing.

Writers are perpetual students. Our programme is designed to help you learn how to keep learning, enriching and refining your practice as an independent author, through disciplines that strengthen your creative imagination, develop your literary knowledge, and cultivate your critical sensitivity.

You will hone the skills you need and refine your practice in an atmosphere of creative experiment. Our course is founded upon the philosophy that writers can benefit from the same kind of professional training enjoyed by actors, dancers, musicians, and visual artists, and connects our writers to the creative sector in which they work.

You’ll have the opportunity to develop your writing across forms and extend your range in fields that may be new to you, under specialist guidance in fiction, poetry, screenwriting and creative non-fiction. You’ll be part of a Faculty with a long history of working with the creative industries, and a College with strong connections to literary culture beyond the university, including Writing West Midlands, the Birmingham Literature Festival, the National Writers’ Conference, Verve Poetry Festival, The Emma Press, and Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal, which was founded by alumni of the MA Creative Writing programme. Like our partners, we see the literary arts and their study and enjoyment as fundamental to civic and cultural life.

Writers help shape the culture into which new literary works are received, as readers and thinkers, and our MA Creative Writing emphasises the close relationship between creativity and critical awareness. You will be introduced to ways of conceptualising creative writing as a form of knowledge and research, and each of our modules will help you to explore and apply critical methods both to your own work and the contexts in which it will be read.

Our course will help you become more confident in developing and presenting your writing across the key areas in which contemporary authors work: in print publication, on digital platforms, and in-person public events.

You will belong to a community of writers that includes your tutors, who will share with you their insight, experience, and practical advice. The range and flexibility of our programme, together with our emphasis on small-group teaching, enables you both to deepen and broaden your practice and to focus on your distinctive needs as a writer.

Students from the MA Creative Writing form the editorial committee for the annual anthology of new creative writing from the College of English and Media, and benefit from the support and guidance of an Editorial Consultant with many years of experience in the industry.

Each spring, we offer an exclusive writing retreat to our MA Creative Writing students – a rare and exciting opportunity to develop your work in a conducive environment at a key stage in the programme.

We welcome students of any age and background who are committed to developing their practice as a writer

We are very fortunate students to have a Faculty who are pulling out all the stops to help writers of the future fulfil their writing ambitions. I appreciate the lengths that you and rest of the School of English go to, to make BCU's MA in Creative Writing course such an exciting experience. Thank you.

Ms Shirley Lloyd, MA Creative Writing student and Student Academic Leader

Why Choose Us?

  • You’ll learn from distinguished writers who are experts in their field.
  • Our exciting programme of guest seminars, masterclasses and public events, held by the Institute of Creative and Critical Writing.
  • We have a close relationship with Writing West Midlands, the literature development agency for our region, which also runs the Birmingham Literature Festival.
  • We help you prepare for a career in writing. Our graduates have an excellent record of success with their work.
  • You’ll be part of an outstanding centre of creativity in the Faculty of the Arts, Design and Media.
  • Our teaching staff are also expert researchers in English Language and Literature. 94% of research in English at BCU was judged to be either world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) in REF2021.

OPEN DAY

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.

Next Event: 24 November 2024

Book now

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

Essential Requirements

You submit a portfolio of writing, published or unpublished, of recent creative work.

This must be no more than ten pages long typed at 11pt. in any literary genre, of prose (2000 words fiction or non-fiction), and/or six - 10 poems, and/or 10 pages of playscript or screenplay.

We also require two satisfactory references.

You may be interviewed by members of the MA Creative Writing team.

Applications will be considered throughout the year for entry in September of any academic year.

Selection for the course is based on your application portfolio and, where relevant, your interview.

IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other bands.

International Students

Entry requirements here

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MA

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 1 year
  • £9,190 in 2025/26
  • Full Time
  • 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
  • £10,110 in 2025/26

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MA

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 1 year
  • £18,600 in 2025/26
  • Full Time
  • 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
  • £20,460 in 2025/26

Access to computer equipment

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Field trips

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key software

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research.

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Personal stationery and study materials (optional)

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials.

Placement expenses (optional)

If you choose to undertake a placement, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home.

Field trips (optional)

This course includes the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience, at extra cost.

Books (optional)

All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy. We suggest budgeting approximately £100 for this.

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

*Professional Placement option

The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.

This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.

You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School.

Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course. All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.

You must submit a portfolio of your creative writing. This should be between 1,500-2,000 words of prose fiction or creative non-fiction, 10 pages of properly formatted screenplay, or six to eight poems. If you wish to submit your work in more than one form, you can upload a combination of any two.

Please submit your portfolio as either a Word document or PDF file.

Personal statement

You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.

If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.

Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.

Course in Depth

Module

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits)

Download course specification

Download now

You’ll be given intensive exposure to the creative practice of established writers through our seminars and masterclasses, and enjoy one-to-one tuition as you work towards a larger writing project towards the end of your course.

You can choose to study either full-time over one year or part-time over two years. Throughout the course, your learning will be supported through our online learning platform.

Assessment is by portfolio, which will include a reflective commentary on your own creative practice, in addition to the writing itself.

You’ll be encouraged throughout the course to make connections with the work of other departments within the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media, to which the School of English belongs. The Faculty is the centre of an extraordinary range and concentration of creative activity, which helps to make studying at Birmingham City University an exciting and distinctive experience.

Every year, both full-time and part-time students are invited to take part in compiling, editing and producing our annual anthology of new creative writing from the School of English, which is launched at the Creative Writing Summer Show in June. As part of the professional experience we offer on the course, a student committee edits and produces the anthology, with mentoring from a leading industry editor, funded by the School.

We also encourage you to volunteer at the annual Birmingham Literature Festival and other Writing West Midlands events, so you can garner first-hand experience of the writing industry and gain useful contacts.

Employability

We believe that with its focus on language, pleasure, and the creative imagination, the study of creative writing is immensely rewarding in itself. Moreover, the ability to think and communicate clearly, imaginatively and effectively are among the most valuable skills you can have.

Postgraduates earn an average £9,000 more per year than those with just undergraduate degrees.* A postgraduate qualification can really help you stand out from the crowd in today’s competitive job market. By becoming a specialist in your field, you’ll have the chance to advance thinking in that subject and lead, rather than follow, the latest developments.

*The Sutton Trust, 2015.

Student success

Our graduates have gone on to achieve widespread acclaim for their creative writing, including the following successes:

  • Shortlisted for the Michael Marks Poetry Award
  • Poetry collections and pamphlets published by leading independent presses
  • Founding and editing Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal
  • Published in leading poetry and fiction journals
  • Short fiction commissioned and broadcast on BBC Radio 4
  • Shortlisted for the Mslexia Short Story Award 2022
  • Published in Mslexia Best Women's Short Fiction anthology
  • Written feature films that have gone on to commercial release
  • Shortlisted (on multiple occasions) for the Manchester Fiction Prize
  • Won the Cúirt New Writing Prize for Poetry
  • Won the international section of the Hanna Greally Awards at the SiarScéal Festival
  • Highly commended in the Bridport Short Story Prize, the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award, the Bristol Short Story Prize, the Roscommon Prize, the Bare Fiction Short Story Competition, the Frome Festival Short Story Competition, the Fish Publishing Prize, the Poetry Book Society Student Poetry Competition, and shortlisted for the Impress Prize for New Writers
  • Won and been shortlisted for the Orwell Society Dystopian Short Story Competition
  • Won places on the BFilm Micro Digital Film Studio and Talent Development Hub
  • Won places on the Writing West Midlands Room 204 Writer Development Programme

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Facilities & Staff

Curzon with Millennium Point and Parkside

Our Facilities

When you join Birmingham City University, the first thing you will notice is the high standard of our campuses. With an investment of over £400 million across our buildings and facilities, we are committed to giving you the very best learning environment to help shape your experience.

Our English courses are based at both Millennium Point, and at our £63 million development the Curzon Building, located on our City Centre campus in the vibrant second city that is Birmingham.

Discover your bright and open learning spaces, your 24 hour (during term time) library, drama, media and radio studios, along with state of the art lecture theatres, and a variety of sociable break-out areas, all adding to your unique learning experience.

Our staff

Professor Gregory Leadbetter

Professor of Poetry, Course Director of the MA in Creative Writing, Director of the Institute of Creative and Critical Writing

Gregory Leadbetter is Professor of Poetry at Birmingham City University. His research focuses on Romantic poetry and thought, the traditions to which these relate, and the history and practice of poetry more generally. His book Coleridge and the Daemonic Imagination (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) won the University English Book Prize 2012. His poetry...

More about Gregory

Andy Conway

Course Director for BA (Hons) Film and Screenwriting

Andy Conway is a novelist and screenwriter based in Birmingham, who graduated from this institution in 1994 with a 1st in English Language and Literature. He teaches undergraduate courses in Screenwriting, Drama and Adaptation in the School, and also teaches Screenwriting at The National Academy of Writing, Worcester University and Newman College....

More about Andy

Helen Cross

Author

Helen’s novels include My Summer of Love, which became a BAFTA award-winning film, and Spilt Milk, Black Coffee, which she has recently adapted for the screen. She has written two graphic anthologies with artist Carol Adlam, most recently Women at War (2016). Her stories have appeared in various magazines and anthologies and her audio plays, which...

More about Helen

Professor David Roberts

Professor of English

David has taught in a variety of universities and maintained a strong interest in seventeenth-century drama and theatre. His most recent books have been about the lives of actors and writers. In 2010 his CUP biography of Thomas Betterton was shortlisted for the Theatre Library Association of America Prize. David...

More about David