Creative Writing MA

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.

* 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. 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.

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

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.

* We have a range of scholarships available to enable talented students on low incomes to study with us.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this course you will have gained an array of 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:

* academia

* research

* teaching

* publishing

* copywriting

* marketing

* narrative design

* editing.