Creative Writing

MA Creative Writing is designed for writers who want to express their creativity in a number of forms – novels, film scripts, poems, journalism – rather than specialise in only one.

The course is appealing to writers who wish to try out a number of areas before deciding which they are best at or those who already know their strongest form, but feel the need to gain expertise in other fields to fund their speciality. In addition, the course provides instruction on writing in the community, creative writing teaching and the organisation and funding of arts events.

All applications should include a sample of writing.

Aims

The course aims to give you instruction and practice in a broad range not only of forms, but also of strategies and techniques within those forms.

We seek to create a supportive but constructively critical environment for circulating and evaluating students’ creative and journalistic work and to foster a broad span of creative and critical writing skills, including the ability to work independently on a long creative/critical project. Students are introduced to the latest theories of creativity and up-to-date thinking on literary and journalistic genres.

Ultimately, the programme aims to prepare you for

• a career as a creative or feature writer
• progression to doctorate-level creative writing or journalistic research
• employment in the creative industries or other areas of work where writing skills are a central requirement

Programme structure

Full-time route

Term 1

• Elements of Writing: Fiction
• Creativity

Term 2

• Feature and Screen Writing
• Creative Writing in Education and the Community

Term 3/Summer Vacation (until the end of September)

• Independent Writing Project

Part-time route

• Term 1: Elements of Writing: Fiction
• Term 2: Feature and Screen Writing
• Term 4: Creativity – Theories of Practice
• Term 5: Creative Writing in Education and the Community
• Term 6/Summer Holiday (until the end of September): Independent Writing Project

Module descriptions

Creativity (30 credits) explores the ways in which theory can illuminate what goes on in your mind and on the page when you are writing creatively or professionally and how that writing will be received by readers and by society at large.

Elements of Writing: Fiction (30 credits) investigates essential literary techniques, which are then discussed in seminars, revolving around exemplary novels, and practiced by means of workshopped exercises.

Feature and Screen Writing (30 credits) analyses the main strategies and conventions of feature and screen writing and then practices them with workshopped exercises. Students choose to taker either the feature or the screen writing strand.

Creative Writing in Education and the Community (30 credits) is a career-focused module, which considers the teaching of creative writing in schools, universities and community environments, arts administration and artistic support initiatives. It will therefore look at what methods are used in the teaching of creative (and professional) writing; at how community writers’ groups and reading groups operate; at how to organise literary festivals, poetry events, and writing competitions; at how to establish a career in the arts industry; at how project design works and artistic projects get to be funded.

Typical Dissertations

The opening chapters of a novel; a collection of short stories; a play; a film, TV or radio script; a volume of poems; a portfolio of articles; a memoir; travel writing; a manual.

To study the Creative Writing MA course, students must possess a UK first or second class (2:1) UK honours degree or equivalent internationally recognised qualification. Other qualifications and relevant professional or practical experience will be assessed on an individual basis.A sample of your creative writing (ie. short stories; novel-in-progress; poems; play or film scripts; articles for newspapers) between two and five thousand words which you feel demonstrates appropriate ability and commitment will be required at application stage.Applicants may be invited to an interview.English Language RequirementsIELTS: 7.5 (min 7W, 7L, 7R, 7S) Pearson: 73 (58 in all subscores)BrunELT: 75% (min 70% in all areas) English Language Requirements IELTS band: 7.5 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

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Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

The Brunel International Scholarships

The Brunel International Scholarship Programme is an annual award run by the Brunel International office that is open to all international students. Its goal is to provide financial support to exceptional students. Scholarship holders will go on to represent Brunel as ambassadors throughout their time at the University. The deadline for applying for the 2014/15 programme is 25 May 2014 and all applicants will be notified of the panel's decision by the middle of July.

For 2014/15, thanks to the generosity of Brunel’s alumni and supporters, we are pleased to be able to offer 37 awards, which will comprise a15% discountonthe cost of tuition fees. These awards are open to Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Research students who are classed as overseas for fee purposes.