MA

Creative Writing

Key Facts

Course Code Q394

  • Qualification

    MA

  • Course duration

    1 year

Available for September start 2025

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The MA in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University will help you develop your creative vision and writing abilities through a balanced programme of reading, analysis and writing workshops. You will be exposed to a range of contemporary writers of both prose and poetry, so that your own creative approach may be stimulated and develop in confidence and  maturity. You will also engage in discussions about technique and undertake an exploration of the wider issues related to the practice of writing, such as the significance of genre  and the mechanics of publication.

You will receive individual tuition from the excellent Departmental staff, all of whom are published creative writers. Under their guidance, you will produce a substantial portfolio in the form of a collection of poetry or an extended piece of prose fiction. In addition, you will develop a host of key transferrable skills that will benefit you in a range of academic or employment contexts.

Typical Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements 2:1 Bachelors (Hons) degree in a relevant subject together with submission of a satisfactory writing portfolio. These are minimum requirements for entry. A transcript of marks demonstrating consistent performance at 2:1 level should also be provided.

Non-graduates and non-subject specialists will be considered individually based on relevant experience and submission of a satisfactory writing portfolio.

The writing portfolio should consist of 4000-5000 words of critical and/or creative prose. In cases where portfolios comprise or include poetry, 100 lines of poetry is considered equivalent to 1000 words of prose.

English Language Requirements IELTS 7.0 with minimum 7.0 in each component, or equivalent

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Fees and Finance

Course Fees:

Please see the tuition fee pages for current tuition fees. Please note that all fees are subject to an annual increase.

Funding:

Funding opportunites may be available, please check our funding calculator for details.

Course Overview

This degree will suit you:

  • If you want comprehensive training in advanced methods of creative writing.
  • If you want to develop your creative vision and writing skills to the highest levels.
  • If you are looking for a detailed and constructive critique of your work.
  • If you want to work within a dynamic and supportive environment while producing a portfolio of creative writing

Our nationally significant research forms the basis of our teaching and throughout your studies you will be taught by some of the UK’s leading scholars in Creative Writing and Literary Studies. They are either qualified to PhD level or have commensurate professional experience. Our lecturers either hold or are working towards a Higher Education teaching qualification, and most academic staff also hold Fellowships with Advance HE. Staff research interests are as broad and dynamic as our curriculum, and recently the majority of our research activity was judged either internationally excellent or world-leading (REF 2021).

About this course

Duration:

12 months full-time; 24-36 months part-time.

The academic year (September to September) is divided into three semesters: September to January; January to June; June to September.

Modules September start - 2025

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

Every MA course at Aberystwyth University is specifically designed to enhance your employability. In addition to developing your writing and research abilities. This course will help you to master key skills that are required in wide variety of workplaces. You will be pushed to improve your approaches to planning, analysis and presentation so that you can tackle complex projects thoroughly and with professional independence, and confidently present robust projects to the scrutiny of a group. Your MA in Creative Writing will place you in the jobs marketplace as a professional writer with highly desirable skills suitable for a career in the arts, literature, journalism or many other fields.

Key Skills and Competencies

Upon graduating from this MA in Creative Writing, you will have mastered an array of technical and creative skills relating to writing. You will be highly competent in factual research, evaluative writing and problem-solving through the process of writing. You will understand genre and register, narrative viewpoint and voice, and be able to justify your creative choices within your chosen form. You will possess an awareness of your intended readership and identify your place in the wider context of literary fiction and/or poetry. You will also have experience in giving and receiving stringent but supportive criticism within a positive group setting.

Self-Motivation and Discipline

Studying at MA level requires high levels of discipline and self-motivation from every candidate. Though you will have access to the expertise and helpful guidance of Departmental staff, you are ultimately responsible for devising and completing a sustained programme of scholarly research in pursuit of your MA degree. This process will strengthen your skills in planning, executing and analysing work projects in ways that reflect standard practice in the world of employed work.

Transferable Skills

The MA is designed to give you a range of transferable skills that you can apply in a variety of academic and employment contexts. A significant proportion of postgraduate jobs demand both particular expertise and strength in breadth. Therefore, as a trained writer with proven creative abilities, you will be desirable to any employer seeking individuals who can balance creative flair and artistic vision with a dependable work ethic and highly adaptable writing skills.

Teaching & Learning

You will study two core modules together with three optional modules from the Department’s portfolio of MA provision or other relevant study areas, including Literary Studies. The core modules will equip you with the research skills and subject-specific knowledge required to master a range of practical and theoretical approaches to writing, while the optional modules will enable you to direct your study into areas of specific interest. Each module comprises ten weeks of study with a weekly two-hour group meeting and provision for tutorial consultation. This framework for learning will inspire you to widen your artistic horizons and push you to develop your abilities within a constructive critical environment.

The centrally important component of the course is your Writing Portfolio, which will comprise either prose or poetry. We will take great care in assigning a supervisor to guide you whose interests will be as closely matched to your own as possible.

Assessment

Assessment takes the form of portfolios of prose and/or poetry, including critical commentaries; a long research project; and reflective writing on professional practice. You will have the opportunity to vary your assessment profile through elective modules that allow for assessment via oral presentation, critical essay, or learning journal. There are no formal examinations for this course.