Creative Writing MA/PgDip

The MA in Creative Writing consists of two parts. Part One must be successfully completed before proceeding to the second part, the dissertation. Part One: For the first part of the MA, four modules are taught in small groups or through individual supervision: Creative Writing: Poetry (30 credits): A series of group seminars invites students to experiment with a range of approaches to poetry, from the use of traditional forms to innovative techniques for exploring language. Participants read and discuss contemporary poetry, and develop a portfolio of their own work with individual supervision. Creative Writing: Prose (30 credits): Taught initially by seminar, followed by individual supervision, this module presents advanced fiction writing techniques, focusing on how character, plot, setting, tone and style contribute to compelling narrative, and on how conventions of genre may be challenged. Assessment is by a portfolio of fiction. Introduction to Literary Theory, Scholarship and Research (30 credits): This module offers the opportunity to study alongside MA students in English Literature, and to share ideas about authorship, the history of the book, and some key contemporary perspectives on the relationship between literature and the culture in which it is produced. For writers, this module offers a valuable insight into how your creative work relates to its wider context. Optional modules: Open Essay/Portfolio (30 credits): A supervised essay or piece of creative writing on a topic/theme of the student’s own choice. Transcreative Writing (30 credits): This module is taught in conjunction with the School of Modern Languages, but no foreign language skills required. Modules may also be taken from any part of the MA in English programme. Part Two: The second part of the MA is the Dissertation, which is a chance to develop a longer piece of creative writing (20,000 words) in consultation with a supervisor. It will involve a series of one to one supervisory meetings during the summer, once Part 1 has been completed successfully.