COURSE CURRICULUM

The MA in Creative Writing (Prose Fiction) is a one-year full-time program, with a part-time option over two years. It is structured around two 12-week semesters, followed by a six-week dissertation supervision period and an independent writing phase culminating in September. In both the autumn and spring semesters, students undertake two modules, one of which is always the compulsory Creative Writing Workshop: Prose. These weekly three-hour sessions form the heart of the course, where students share and critique each other’s work-in-progress. Each workshop group is guided by a different tutor per semester, and students are regrouped mid-year to encourage exposure to a broader range of feedback. Students are expected to submit multiple pieces of work, receive written and verbal critiques, and participate actively in discussions. The focus is on developing a strong sense of craft through critical engagement with peers’ writing and extensive reading across genres and periods. Alongside the workshops, students select a second module from a wide array of creative and critical offerings within the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, allowing them to tailor their studies to their interests. During the summer, students work closely with an assigned supervisor to develop their dissertation—a substantial piece of original fiction of up to 15,000 words, which may be an excerpt from a novel or a short story collection. The dissertation period includes four one-on-one tutorials and emphasizes originality and the application of skills developed throughout the year. The program also includes a compulsory Research Methodology Conference, a one-day event with presentations from faculty that supports the planning and execution of the final dissertation. Overall, the MA combines rigorous workshops, personalized feedback, and flexible module options to help students become more skilled, thoughtful, and professional writers.