Creative Writing

Entry requirements

Good honours degree or equivalent. Mature applicants are encouraged to apply. Portfolio of writing required for consideration as part of application procedure. Degree marks transcript, two references and a portfolio of writing required.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Aberystwyth Masters' in Creative Writing 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 developed into a more mature form. 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 myth, autobiography and publication.

You will receive individual tuition from the excellent Departmental staff, many of whom are published creative writers. Under their guidance, you will produce a substantial portfolio in the form of poetry (10,000 words) or prose fiction (20,000 words). In addition, you will develop a host of key transferrable skills that you may deploy in a range of academic or employment contexts.

You will study two core modules together with four option modules from the Department's portfolio of MA provision or other relevant study areas. The core modules will cover the essential subjects of narratology and poetics to illuminate theoretical approaches to writing, and the option modules will enable you to direct your study into areas of specific interest. Each module comprises five 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. This piece, to comprise either prose or poetry, will be accompanied by a critical commentary explaining the work in its context and in appropriate analytical terms. We will take great care in assigning a supervisor to guide you whose interests will be as closely matched to your own as possible.

Information for international students

IELTS 7.0 entry requirement. See our website for further details.

Fees and funding

Please see our fees and finance page and our funding and scholarship calculator for more information.

The Department will award a number of studentships. The awards, covering fees, are open to postgraduate applicants in all areas of literary studies and creative writing. There is no separate application form. Applicants must apply for the standard way. For further details contact Julie Roberts.

Assessment