糖心原创

Triangle

Course overview

Would you love to see your name in print? Are you curious about the creative industries? Or maybe there’s a poem or novel in you that's waiting to come out?

You will be supported to develop your creative work, and learn about the process of writing and publishing from expert staff who are published poets and authors themselves.

We will explore contemporary poetry, fiction and hybrid forms of writing (which cross genres), as well as building on your own critical writing skills. This broad analysis of technique and form will put you in a strong position to pursue a career in writing and the creative arts.

We also offer placements and internships to enhance your professional experience in sectors including publishing, marketing, charity, journalism, theatre, teaching, museums and heritage, events and libraries. Placements are flexible; you choose the duration and number of hours that best fit around your studies and other commitments.

Why choose this course?

Bring words to life

in a UNESCO City by connecting with a thriving literary community through Writing East Midlands, Nottingham Writers' Studio, and Five Leaves Bookshop

Ranked 10th

for grade point average among 92 universities, and 7th in the Russell Group

Research Excellence Framework 2021

8th in the UK

for English

Top 20

for English in the UK

Practice your skills

write for , the , or  journal

Course content

Pre-arrival reading lists will be sent out with registration information before you join your course, where available.

This course is made up of 180 credits. 

Full-time students complete six modules across the year, before completing the dissertation over the summer.

Part-time students complete three taught modules in the first year of study, then three in their second, before turning to the dissertation.

All classes take place during weekdays.

Modules

There are five core creative writing modules, worth 20 credits each:

Creative Writing Conventions and Techniques

Develop your fiction through exercises and analysis of point of view, narrative voice, dialogue, and plot, among other techniques.

Expand your poetic range by playing with different approaches to form, exploring a range of creative techniques and sharpening your interpretive skills.

You will be encouraged to reflect on your writing output and incorporate the critiques of others when editing and developing your work.

This module is worth 20 credits. 

Learning to Publish: Contemporary Forms and Practices

Gain a practical introduction to the world of contemporary publishing, including:

  • journals
  • small presses
  • online writing
  • digital narratives
  • social media

You will explore the landscape of contemporary publishing, both offline and online, and study the practical skills needed to research, write, edit, and publish writing across a range of forms and platforms.

The module is structured around practical writing tasks, working towards a real-world publication project which will form the basis for your assessment. You will be taught through a mixture of lecture-style content on relevant topics and practice-based workshops.

Alongside the module, you also have the opportunity to take up a work placement with , the School of English's own literary journal.

This module is worth 20 credits.

Learning to Read: Criticism for Creative Writers

One of the key things you need to be able to do as a writer is critique and contextualise your own work.

This not only involves being able to edit and draft your work, it also includes understanding the wider influences from other literary and non-literary works.

These skills are really important when it comes to writing the critical essay – something you have to do alongside the creative work on the course. Yet, this module also explores how criticality itself offers new kinds of creative forms and approaches too, breaking down the traditional divide between prose, poetry and creative non-fiction.

You will explore:

  • How to critically examine your own creative work
  • How to write a critical essay
  • New hybridic forms of writing that cross traditional boundaries (for example, prose, poetry and non-fiction) such as autofiction and autotheory
  • New writers of creative, critical and hybridic work

This module is worth 20 credits

Writing Workshop: Fiction

Explore in depth how to write effective and compelling fiction.

Through in-class discussion and weekly readings and exercises, this module pushes and extends your own craft and technique.

Along the way, you’ll explore how to approach short story, flash fiction and novel writing. You’ll also be introduced to a range of secondary and critical texts that will help you deepen your own understanding of form, genre and style.

You will discover:

  • key prose-writing techniques, including point of view, characterisation, dialogue and setting
  • a range of form and genre, and the techniques and approaches that are relevant to them
  • a range of critical texts that deepen and extend your understanding of prose writing technique

This module is worth 20 credits

Writing Workshop: Poetry

Explore a range of poetic conventions, and the contexts in which poetry is produced, whilst developing your own poetic style. 

Through the ‘practitioner’ approach, you are not only supported in your craft but encouraged to work towards submitting your work for publication. 

The reading list for this module includes: 

  • poetry magazines
  • new writers’ anthologies
  • debut poetry collections
  • poetry in performance 

This module is worth 20 credits.

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the for information on available modules. This content was last updated on Friday 03 October 2025.

Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.
Creative Writing MA - Dissertation

During the summer, you will complete a 14,000-word creative writing dissertation. This is a major piece of independent research, and you will be allocated a supervisor who is a specialist in your chosen area.

You could choose to do a series of poems or short stories, a piece of non-fiction, or an excerpt from a novel. Your supervisor will guide you through the writing of your project through to completion.

This module is worth 60-credits.

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the

Learning and assessment

How you will learn

  • Seminars
  • Group study
  • Workshops
  • Guest speakers

Teaching consists of workshops in poetry and fiction led by prize-winning writers Professor Jon McGregor, Matthew Welton, Thomas Legendre, Dr Lila Matsumoto and Dr Spencer Jordan.

Students are taught in small seminar groups, so there is plenty of opportunity for discussion of ideas and development of our students as researchers.

Support with the dissertation

You will attend workshops during the Spring term which go through the challenges of a larger-scale research project and the resources available to masters researchers. In addition, you will be assigned a supervisor in your subject area who will support you in developing your ideas and guide you through the process of preparing your dissertation over the Summer term.

How you will be assessed

  • Creative writing
  • Essay
  • Dissertation

Most modules are assessed by written work of varying lengths, corresponding with the content and weighting of the module.

Your course tutors provide detailed comments on assignments.

For your creative writing assessment, this will consist of a portfolio. Depending on the module, this could include poetry, a short story or stories, an excerpt from a novel, or something more experimental that crosses genre or form.

Towards the end of your studies, you will complete a 14,000-word dissertation. This is a major piece of independent research, and you will be allocated a supervisor who is a specialist in your chosen area. You will produce an original piece of work in a medium of your choosing: you could produce a set of poems, a piece of fiction, or a series of short stories, for instance. You will also write a critical essay.

Your dissertation supervisor will provide advice and guidance to help you select your area of study, and offer close supervision and support as you complete your research.

Contact time and study hours

During the autumn semester, there will be approximately six hours of workshops per week for full-time students. Part-time students can expect around half of this contact time per week.

You may also arrange one-to-one tutorials with your tutors. Outside of this time, you will be expected to conduct independent study, whether reading, researching, or writing.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.

Undergraduate degree2:1 (or international equivalent)
Portfolio

Applicants will be asked to submit an example of their written work. You will be contacted by the university with full details of how to submit this.

The School of English welcomes writers of poetry, fiction, or a combination of the two. In reading the writing samples, we are looking for work that indicates that its author would be able to succeed on the course. There is no restriction on the subject matter of the writing sample. We only require that it is your own work.

You will be asked for either:

  • no more than 3,000 words of prose fiction (this could be one story, a group of stories, or an extract from a longer piece)
  • five poems

Applying

Our step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know about applying.

How to apply
Library facilities - School of English

Where you will learn

Library facilities - School of English

We offer:

  • manuscripts from the 12th-15th centuries and books in Old and Middle English, Old Icelandic, Viking Studies, and runology
  • the  library and archive
  •  DH Lawrence archive (containing Lawrence family papers, manuscripts, first editions, and books owned by Lawrence)
  • the Cambridge Drama Collection (over 1,500 items including plays and works about the British theatre from 1750-1850)
Social Science and Arts Graduate Centre

Where you will learn

Social Science and Arts Graduate Centre

The Graduate Centre for postgraduate students in the Arts and Social Sciences is available on the first floor of Highfield House, next to the Trent Building. Accessible 24/7, this space provides computer stations, a social area with informal seating and areas where students can work individually or in groups. 

The Centre also offers support for students interested in developing their own ideas in the form of seminars, conferences, events, and socials.

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Where you will learn

University Park Campus

University Park Campus covers 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings and modern facilities. It is one of the UK's most beautiful and sustainable campuses, winning a national Green Flag award every year since 2003.

Most schools and departments are based here. You will have access to libraries, shops, cafes, the Students’ Union, sports village and a health centre.

You can walk or cycle around campus. Free hopper buses connect you to our other campuses. Nottingham city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus or tram.

Digital Transformations Hub - researcher

Where you will learn

Digital Transformations Hub

As a researcher you have full access to the Digital Transformations Hub and can use our equipment and software for free.

Fees

Qualification MA
Home / UK £9,700
International £25,750

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice.

Books

You'll be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to buy your own copies of core texts. 

Funding

Funding opportunities for Faculty of Arts students

There are additional funding opportunities available to you as a Faculty of Arts student.

Other sources of funding

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate course, from scholarships to government loans.

We also offer a range of international masters scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

Postgraduate funding

Careers

We offer individual careers support for all postgraduate students.

Expert staff can help you research career options and job vacancies, build your CV or r茅sum茅, develop your interview skills and meet employers.

Each year 1,100 employers advertise graduate jobs and internships through our online vacancy service. We host regular careers fairs, including specialist fairs for different sectors.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route. Eligible courses at the 糖心原创 include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Graduate destinations

This course is designed to develop a range of transferable professional skills, including:

  • Analytical reasoning
  • Communication
  • Research
  • Creativity
  • Self-motivation
  • Time-management
  • Developing and presenting complex ideas

Our graduates have moved into a diverse range of careers, working as:

  • Teachers and lecturers
  • Copywriters
  • Journalists
  • Communications officers
  • Editors
  • Digital marketers
  • Proofreaders

"I loved my time at Nottingham, and the high quality tuition I received definitely lifted my writing to a level that got it noticed by agents and editors, and was the stepping off point for my career as a published author. The MA really did what it said on the tin: it made me understand the internal workings of fiction and, without doubt, made me a better writer."

- Clare Harvey, Creative Writing MA graduate and professional author

There are a range of public engagement opportunities open to students in the School of English.

You may also apply to gain editing experience through online journal.

"I’ve always had the aspirations and dreams to work within the publishing industry. I was never sure what specific role I would want or how it would happen. But working with The Letters Page definitely cemented my desire to be a part of that industry…And now I am!"

- Mandy Baker, Creative Writing MA graduate, completed a placement with The Letters Page

Two masters graduates proudly holding their certificates
" The ability to create compelling stories and poetry is one of the most wonderful and liberating skills we can possess. Across the programme you'll explore the power of image and wordplay, the subtleties of characterisation and the dramatic potential of dialogue and structure. We also encourage you to push your own boundaries as writer and critic, exploring written forms that cross genre, form and convention. "
Dr Spencer Jordan, Programme Director

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This content was last updated on Friday 03 October 2025. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur given the interval between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.