ma in creative writing oxford

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MSt in Creative Writing University of Oxford

Course options

Qualification.

MSt - Master of Studies

University of Oxford

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• ENTRY REQUIREMENT
• UNIVERSITY INFO

Course summary

About the course

The MSt in Creative Writing is a two-year, part-time master's degree course offering a unique combination of high contact hours, genre specialisation, and critical and creative breadth.

The emphasis of the course is cross-cultural and cross-genre, pointing up the needs and challenges of the contemporary writer who produces their creative work in the context of a global writerly and critical community.

The MSt offers a clustered learning format of five residences, two guided retreats and one research placement over two years. The research placement, a distinguishing feature of the course, provides between one and two weeks' in-house experience of writing in the real world.

The first year concentrates equally on prose fiction, poetry, dramatic writing and narrative non-fiction. There is a significant critical reading and analysis component, which is linked to the writerly considerations explored in each of the genres. In your second year you will specialise in one of the following.

• short fiction
• radio drama
• screenwriting
• stage drama
• narrative non-fiction.

The residences in particular offer an intensive workshop- and seminar-based forum for ideas exchange and for the opening up of creative and critical frameworks within which to develop writerly and analytical skills. There is a strong element of one-to-one tutorial teaching. Tutorials take place within residences and retreats, and relate to the on-going work produced for the course.

You will be assigned a supervisor who will work closely with you throughout the development of the year two final project and extended essay. All assessed work throughout the two years of the course is subject to one-to-one feedback and discussion with a tutor. This intensive, one-to-one input, combined with the highly interactive workshop and seminar sessions, is a distinguishing feature of the course.

The MSt is assessed by coursework. In the first year, four assignments (two creative, two critical), one creative writing portfolio and one critical essay are submitted. Work is set during each residence and handed in for assessment before the next meeting. Feedback on work submitted is given during tutorials within the residence or retreat. In the second year, submissions comprise one research placement report, one extended critical essay, and a final project – a substantial body of creative work in the genre of choice.

You will be set specific creative and critical work to be completed between residences and handed in to set deadlines. Creative submissions in the first year must be in more than one genre. In the second year, submitted work focuses around the genre of your choice.

Graduate destinations

Graduate destinations have included doctoral programmes in creative writing

Tuition fees

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£ 14,155 per year

Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.

University information

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University of Oxford, University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 2JD, England

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  MSt in Creative Writing

University of oxford     department for continuing education, findamasters summary.

Unleash your creativity with Oxford University's prestigious MSt in Creative Writing programme. Over two years of part-time study, immerse yourself in a diverse range of genres including prose, poetry, drama, and more. The course's unique clustered learning format offers five Residences, two Guided Retreats, and a hands-on Placement, providing invaluable real-world experience in various literary settings. In the first year, explore all genres to develop your writerly voice through critical analysis and new creative work. Year two allows for specialisation in your chosen genre, whether it be the novel, poetry, screenwriting, or others. Assessment includes a mix of creative writing assignments and critical essays, culminating in a substantial final project. With dedicated Supervisors guiding you throughout, this programme equips you with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the global writing community. Embrace the challenge and elevate your writing to new heights.

About the course

Oxford University's Master of Studies in Creative Writing is a two-year, part-time master's degree course offering a unique combination of high contact hours, genre specialization, and critical and creative breadth.

The emphasis of this postgraduate creative writing course is cross-cultural and cross-genre, pointing up the needs and challenges of the contemporary writer who produces his or her creative work in the context of a global writerly and critical community.

Entry Requirements

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Please see the university website for further information on fees for this course.

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Funding for graduate courses is competitive, but the University of Oxford offers more support than you might think. For example, for the 2022-23 academic year, just over 48% of our new graduate students received full or partial funding from the University or other funders. For the 2024-25 academic year, the University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships for new students. Scholarships are usually awarded on the basis of academic excellence and potential, and will cover some or all of your course fees and/or provide a grant for living costs for your period of fee liability. The eligibility criteria for different scholarships vary, with some being open to the majority of new graduate students and others restricted by particular characteristics, for example by degree subject or country of ordinary residence. Some scholarship schemes offer additional benefits like events to support scholars, or membership of a scholar community or leadership programme. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, all you need to do is submit your graduate application by the December or January deadline for your course. There’s no separate scholarship application process or extra supporting documentation required for funding. Based on the information supplied in your graduate application, you will be automatically considered for scholarships where you meet the eligibility criteria with most scholarships using academic merit and/or potential as the basis on which award decisions are made. The vast majority of college scholarships do not require you to select that particular college as your preference on the graduate application form. They will consider all eligible applicants who apply by the relevant deadline. If you are selected for a college scholarship, we will move your place to the relevant college. Most Oxford scholarships are awarded between late February and June. The approximate date by which decisions are expected to be made will normally be given in the scholarship information available from the A-Z of Scholarships. A scholarship may be awarded either at the same time or after you are offered a place by your department. It may be awarded either before or after you have been offered a college place.

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Creative Writing

MA or PGDip or PGCert

Find out more by joining a live webinar

Start dates: September 2024 / September 2025

Full time: PGCert: 4 months, PGDip: 8 months, MA: 12 months

Part time: PGCert: 2 semesters, PGDip: 3 semesters, MA: 24 months

Location: Headington

Department(s): School of Education, Humanities and Languages

Find a course

Whether words come easily to you, or you work tirelessly at every sentence, we want to help you bring your writing craft to a professional level. We’re looking for passion, no matter your background or level of experience. Every writer might be different - but every writer can benefit from the insight of our published experts.

Our Creative Writing MA is a well-established course taught by acclaimed professional writers published around the world. You’ll benefit from the input of creative writing fellows and visiting lecturers such as Patience Agbabi, Sally Bayley, and Steven Hall. And you’ll be studying in one of the world’s great literary cities.

You'll gain a better understanding of your craft and how to apply it to different literary genres and forms. You’ll also meet and pitch your work to top literary agents Felicity Bryan Associates and publisher Philip Gwyn Jones. Whether or not you aspire to get published, we’ll support and encourage you all the way to achieving your full writing potential.

Attend an open day or webinar Ask a question Order a prospectus

Why Oxford Brookes University?

Our teaching staff are prize-winning writers who will pass on their experience through seminars and workshops.

We’ll assess your portfolio of work to see how we can best support you to grow as a writer.

Small groups help to build trust among peers and tutors.

Pitch your work to literary agents. Any graduating student who achieves a distinction is guaranteed to have their work read by a publisher.

You’ll learn a lot about yourself and you may find that the full MA isn’t right for you. You can choose to finish with a PGDip or PGCert.

Course details

Course structure, learning and teaching.

You might be considering this course because you want to become better at your craft. Or you may simply want to complete a writing project in a structured environment. Whatever your creative writing aims, we want to help you.

The Writing Studio core module will take you out of your comfort zone and get you thinking critically about your work and your practice. In your optional modules, you’ll learn about the techniques successful writers use to achieve their aims. You’ll also learn about poetry and voice, explore different narratives forms, and sharpen your life-writing skills.

For your final project, you’ll complete an extended piece of your own creative writing, accompanied by a self-evaluating critical commentary.

You’ll join a supportive community and benefit from insightful masterclasses run by our group of creative writing fellows. They’ll also critique your work, helping you increase your chances of getting published if that’s your aim.

You’ll learn creative writing skills through reading, writing and discussing. You’ll learn to create, and to adapt.

You’ll experience a variety of teaching and learning methods that include:

• Collaborative seminars
• Presentations and shared readings
• Group workshops
• Visiting notable speakers
• 1-1 supervision
• Writing and rewriting.

You’ll also work with our Creative Writing Fellows and guest speakers who each lead a class every semester:

• Patience Agbabi FRSL, award-winning poet, international performance poet, and children's author, most recently The Infinite and The Time-Thief
• Sally Bayley, fiction and nonfiction author, most recently Girl With Dove and No Boys Play Here
• Steven Hall, a Granta Best Young British Novelist 2013, author of internationally-acclaimed The Raw Shark Texts , and Maxwell's Demon
• Simon Mason, author of Moon Pie (Guardian Children's Fiction Prize - shortlisted) and YA series Garvie Smith , and leading children's fiction editor

You’ll constantly share and discuss your work with your tutors and your peers. This regular feedback will strengthen your self-assessment skills - helping you develop your craft as a writer.

You’ll be formally assessed via:

• Portfolios of your creative writing, with accompanying critical essays
• A final Writing Project in your chosen form and genre

Study modules

The modules listed below are for the master's award.

All students take the core compulsory module The Writing Studio. In addition:

• MA students choose two elective modules and complete the The Writing Project.
• PGDip students choose two elective modules.
• PGCert students choose one elective module.

Taught modules

Final project, compulsory modules.

The Writing Studio

This is the core module taken by all our students at the beginning of the MA. Through workshops led by our staff and Creative Writing Fellows, it’s designed to lead you out of your comfort zone and get you writing in ways you might never have contemplated. In our virtual space – the studio – you are free to think, write and depart in new directions. It demands a readiness to go out of the “comfort zone” and ask real questions of your own writing.

Optional modules

Bringing a story to life.

You’ll learn about the techniques – the “tricks of the trade”, in a completely positive sense – which highly successful authors use to achieve their aims. You’ll explore how narratives and stories are constructed through elements like plotting, pace, perspective and structure. You’ll be aiming to identify these writerly techniques, to describe them and - most importantly of all – to incorporate them in your own writing.

We’ll look at:

• characterisation through dialogue
• unspoken stories
• the unreliable narrator
• omniscient narrators
• the slow reveal.

Writing Poetry Now

What is poetry? What is it for, and what can it do that prose can’t? You’ll focus on contemporary poetry in terms of its functions, as well as its form. While the emphasis will be on your own writing, we’ll also study the poetry of both contemporary and traditional writers from Britain and further afield, who work or have worked in a variety of forms and using a range of techniques.

You’ll also look at topics like:

• poetry and place
• narrative poetry
• experiments in form.

Writing the Lives of Others

If you’ve ever wanted to write about your own life, or the lives of others, this module is for you. We’ll look at autobiography, biography, hagiography, diaries, fictional recreations of real lives, and fictions taking in individual or family lives. Using the set texts as a basis, each session will consist of a short, tutor-led discussion, focusing on the technical issues. You’ll follow these with intensive attempts to apply these techniques to your own writing.

Topics on this module include:

• Autobiography
• Hagiography
• Fictionalising Lives.  

Writing Voice

You’ll explore methods for writing creatively in relation to voice. We’ll discuss and analyse works by contemporary authors in a range of forms (poems, novels, short stories), to inspire you to explore different voices in your own writing.

We’ll investigate:

• how writers create distinctive voices to control and modulate tone and register in a text
• the interplay of multiple voices (author, narrators, characters)
• interrelated notions of identity, authenticity, social construction, style and aesthetics.

Topics will include:

• Monologue and Dialogue
• Unreliable Voices
• Children’s Voices
• Historicised voices.  

Independent Study

This is a great chance to design your own course of study, allowing you to explore an area of writing that fascinates you. You’ll start by producing a detailed project plan, to be agreed with your supervisor and module leader. You’ll develop high-level research skills, manage your own schedule and produce well-structured, articulate work at master’s level. Examples of independent studies have included: an extended poem developed from the literature and art of ancient Persia, and a pacy novel for young adults set in a militaristic dystopia.

The Writing Project

You’ll complete an extended piece of your own creative writing, in any genre, accompanied by a self-evaluating critical commentary. You’ll develop your work in group sessions, through one-to-one tutorials, and in workshops with Creative Writing Fellows. 

Your writing project will be a maximum of 20,000 words in length, but the minimum word length may vary according to the genre and format. You’ll decide all these factors – genre, format and length – in consultation with your module leader and supervisor.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Our commitment to research-led teaching means that all our teaching staff are recognised experts in their field. They contribute to the canon of published work in their specialist fields influencing debate and discussion. And they value the opportunity to share their ideas with students through their teaching.

We are home to the Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre, which:

• creates a space for discussion and research
• promotes connections between poets, academics, and readers of poetry in the local community
• sponsors readings by poets, such as Simon Armitage, and a regular seminar series.

Research supervision is offered in the following areas:

• English 20th-century poetry – particularly Eliot and Heaney
• Irish writing
• Modernist drama
• Witchcraft in the 19th century
• John Clare and eco-criticism
• Sir Walter Scott
• Shakespeare
• Theatre and science
• Contemporary literature
• Thomas More
• Modernist poetry
• Franz Kafka
• Victorian religion
• Literature and war.

On the MA Creative Writing course, we’ve had a lot of success in producing brilliant writers. However, we’re not a factory for producing writers. That’s why many of our graduates take their newly acquired skills to companies and organisations such as the UK Civil Service, Ralph Trustees Ltd, Hestia Charity and the National Trust. Whether it’s critical thinking, creative problem-solving, or research, you’ll be highly prized in sectors such as:

• PR, marketing and communications
• NGOs and charities
• higher education
• media and journalism.

Student profiles

Sarah Stretton

"I was attracted to the course by the literary fellows and the focus on workshopping and developing as a writer"

Dr Morag Joss

Morag Joss is the award-winning author of the Sara Selkirk novels, Half Broken Things, Puccini’s Ghosts, The Night Following, Among the Missing (Across the Bridge) and Our Picnics in the Sun. She has also written for television, and writes short stories for print and broadcast. Her prizes and shortlistings include the CWA Silver Dagger, the USA Edgar Award for best novel, and a Heinrich Böll residency on the island of Achill, Ireland.

I was attracted to the course by the literary fellows and the focus on workshopping and developing as a writer

Entry requirements

Specific entry requirements.

Applicants should normally hold a good honours degree (2.2 or above), or equivalent, in an appropriate discipline and must be able to demonstrate ability in creative writing.

A portfolio of recent creative work must be submitted consisting of 2000 words prose, or 5 poems, or a proportionate mixture of the two. Applicants may also be interviewed. If it is some time since you completed your undergraduate education and you do not meet the standard requirement, it may be possible to consider your application based on evidence of other relevant personal and professional experience, the support of your referees and your portfolio of written work.

Please also see the University's general entry requirements .

English language requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English should hold one of the following qualifications:

• British Council (IELTS) Test: band 7 overall with at least 6 in each band
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency: grade C or above
• NEAB University Test in English for Speakers of Other Languages: Pass
• JMB Test in English for Overseas Students: grade 1, 2 or 3.

Please also see the University's  standard English language requirements .

Pathways courses for international and EU students

We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.

Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.

If you need to improve your English language, we offer  pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.

English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements.  Find out more about English language requirements .

Terms and Conditions of Enrolment

When you accept our offer, you agree to the  Terms and Conditions of Enrolment . You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

International qualifications and equivalences

How to apply, application process.

All applications for the MA in Creative Writing must be accompanied by a portfolio of recent creative work.

This must consist of 2000 words prose, or 5 poems, or a proportionate mixture of the two.

Tuition fees

Questions about fees.

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

[email protected]

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

• For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
• For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy  page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Optional costs

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships.

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences believes strongly in the importance of making a difference to the world of our students, and in the ability and potential of our students to make a difference in the world. The Dean's Scholarship is one small way in which we make that belief tangible.

International students can apply for our International Students Scholarship . Please click on the link below to find out more.

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Programme changes : On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.

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MST Creative Writing - University of Oxford

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Creative Writing

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in creative writing whilst a student within the Faculty and a number of our academics are also published authors. Oxford's English Faculty also has some of the country's leading poets among its lecturers. Our academics, the Professor of Poetry and other invited guests give regular lectures and workshops at the Faculty. Browse recent events below.

Creative Writing Workshops & Lectures

Anna Deavere Smith playwrighting workshop: Causing a Scene/Scene-ing a Cause

Professor Smith held two workshops for University of Oxford students entitled ‘Causing a Scene/Scene-ing a Cause’.The workshops were designed to bring short scenes conceived by student playwrights into performance. 

Jeanette Winterson workshop

"Generous and candid, Jeanette had the room enraptured for two hours, as she discussed everything from stalking your characters home, to writing with your whole body." 

Rachel Cusk workshop

"Rachel’s candour and eloquence – and sometimes astounding capacity for truth-telling – sent everyone spiralling into almost palpable coils of thought."

Alan Hollinghurst workshop

"For those of us who had a first encounter with a creative writing ‘class’, we could not have chosen a more amicable and supportive environment."

Alice Oswald postal poetry workshop

Prof Oswald invited participants to anonymously write and send a poem to another workshop participant.

Zadie Smith lecture on 'Conscience and Consciousness' at the Oxford Literary Festival

Following a talk at the Oxford Literary Festival, Zadie Smith joined English Faculty students at a formal dinner.

Professor of Poetry lectures

The current Professor of Poetry is A.E. Stallings. She will be giving one lecture each term for the four years of her tenure. You can watch and/or listen to previous Professor of Poetry talks by A.E Stallings and Alice Oswald by clicking on the links below. Visit the Professor of Poetry page for more information.

A Lament for the Earth

In Sleep A King

Sidelong Glances

On Behalf of a Pebble

Interview with Water

Useful links.

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing is committed to outreach, collaboration, and fostering research into life-writing. It promotes a lively, cross-disciplinary dialogue on the full range of life-writing, including biography, memoir and social media forms.

Authors at the Faculty

Hermione lee.

Elleke Boehmer

Bart van Es

Hannah Sullivan

Sally Bayley

Matthew Reynolds

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Emma Watson to go back to Oxford University for Master’s degree

Watson has enrolled in ma in creative writing course, article bookmarked.

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Emma Watson is returning to Oxford University this September, 10 years after she completed her first degree .

Previously, Watson attended Oxford during the 2011 to 2012 academic year as part of the Visiting Student Programme.

She took part in the programme while she deferred her degree at Brown University to focus on filming for the Harry Potter franchise, in which she starred as Hermione Granger.

The 33-year-old has now enrolled in MA in Creative Writing course starting in September 2023.

Her decision was revealed during an interview with the Financial Times , as she and her brother, Alex, announced the launch of their new organic, carbon-neutral gin.

Watson has reportedly remained closely affiliated with Oxford University through the years.

In 2016, the Beauty and the Beast star became a Visiting Fellow at Oxford’s Lady Margaret Hall. The role involved her being invited to attend debates and speak at the college.

Watson was a Visiting Fellow for three years, after which she was made an Associate Fellow in 2019.

In the FT interview, Watson explained her decision to step back from the world of acting.

“I wasn’t very happy, if I’m being honest,” she said. “I think I felt a bit caged.

“The thing I found really hard was that I had to go out and sell something that I really didn’t have very much control over. To stand in front of a film and have every journalist be able to say, ‘How does this align with your viewpoint?’

“It was very difficult to have to be the face and the spokesperson for things where I didn’t get to be involved in the process.”

Watson went on to lament that she didn’t “have a voice”, when being interviewed.

“I was held accountable in a way that I began to find really frustrating, because I didn’t have a voice, I didn’t have a say,” she said.

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MSt in Creative Writing

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Information:

There are currently no places available on this course. Please register your interest and we will notify you if places become available.

The Master of Studies (MSt) in Creative Writing is designed for those who wish to develop high-level skills in creative writing both in fiction and non-fiction literatures. The MSt is taught over two years in short, intensive study blocks. It has been designed to be accessible to those in full- or part-time employment and to international students.

Progression for students who have completed this course is provided in a number of ways: some students may use this course as a progression route into a PhD in Creative Writing or in English Literature at other Universities, or they could go on to study the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing at ICE. 

To watch the MSt Creative Writing and MSt Writing for Performance Information Session recording from our MSt Open Week 2023, click here .

View our MSt open afternoon held on 13 December 2022

Watch MSt students talk about their experience of the course »

You will be guided in the production of creative work in a range of genres and styles, and also in critical reflection on your own work and that of other writers. The course tutors and guest speakers are all established literary professionals.

Who is the course designed for?

The MSt aims to facilitate students' creative practice, whether for their own personal creative development as writers or because their professional work impinges on these areas.

Aims of the programme

By the end of the course students should have:

• Developed their own writing and self-editing skills in a range of fiction and non-fiction genres
• Developed a solid and substantial understanding of the history (in terms of innovative developments) of fiction and non-fiction writing and of critical, analytical and narrative theory

Teaching and learning

The MSt in Creative Writing is structured around four modules taught during year 1 of the course and a presentation module during year 2, each of which students must attend. In the first year, each of the four modules is preceded by guided preparatory reading and other activities, and followed by two writing assignments: one critical and one creative.

A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) offers learning support to students while they are on the programme, including learning resources, and peer-to-peer and student-to-tutor discussion between modules to build a virtual community of practice.

The first year is characterised by variety. Students will engage and experiment with a wide variety of genres, building on existing strengths and exploring unfamiliar territories.

Module 1: Writing for readers: the art of poetry and the craft of criticism  ( 23 - 26 September 2024 )

This module will combine close critical reading of selected examples of poetry and autobiographical prose with the writing of both by students.

Module 2: Writing fiction: imagined worlds (25 - 28 November 2024)

This module focuses on prose fiction, examining the relationship between memory, imagination and research and exploring the essential concerns of the fiction-writer, including plot and narrative, voice and character and the importance of place.

Module 3: Writing for performance: monologue and polyphonic scripts (3 - 6 February 2025)

This module explores various forms of writing for an audience, encompassing writing for radio, theatre, television, cinema and other forms of scripted public address and performance.

Module 4: Writing life: creative non-fiction (12 - 15 May 2025)

This module explores the concept of creative non-fiction and examines examples drawn from a range of sub-genres. These are likely to include biography, memoir, travel-writing and writing about the environment. Sessions on study and research skills will prepare students for Year 2. Visiting speakers for this module will include those from the world of publishing.

The second year is characterised by focus on a specialist genre. Students will work independently to explore further and develop their own literary and critical skills, resulting in an extended piece or portfolio of writing. They will work under the supervision of an expert in their chosen field with whom they will have regular contact.

Students will have five supervisions in the second year. Supervision dates will be arranged between students and supervisors (these can be face-to-face or remote software). The fifth and final supervision will usually take place at around the time of the only module in the second year, the Presentation and Discussion of Portfolios to be held on 20-21 April 2026. 

It is essential that students attend all modules on the dates given above as their ability to complete the course will be severely compromised by missing any of these.

Find out more

If you have any questions about this course, would like an informal discussion on academic matters before making your application, or would like to know more about the admissions process, please complete this enquiry form with your questions .

Following the first module, students will produce 750 words of poetry and a critical commentary of 3,000 words. For each of the following three modules students will produce 4,000 words of creative prose and a critical commentary of 3,000 words.

Students will produce a portfolio consisting of 15,000 words of creative prose (or an equivalent quantity of poems) and a 3,000-word critical commentary.

Students are given formal written feedback on their assignments and informal feedback throughout the course, including during tutorials and supervisions. Tutors produce a report for each student at the end of Year 1 and supervisors produce termly reports for each student during Year 2.

Expected academic standard

Applicants for this course will normally have achieved a good UK 2.i honours degree or overseas equivalent.

There is provision to accept non-standard applicants who do not satisfy the standard academic criterion. Such applicants must produce evidence of relevant and equivalent experience and their suitability for the course.

Language requirement

• IELTS Academic: Overall band score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component)
• CAE: Grade A or B (with at least 193 in each individual element) plus a language centre assessment
• CPE: Grade A, B, or C (with at least 200 in each individual element)
• TOEFL iBT: Overall score of at least 110 with no element below 25

The fees for 2024 will be £8,925.00 per annum for Home students (total Home course fee across the 2 years being £17,850.00) and £15,630.00 per annum for EU/Overseas students (total EU/Overseas course fee across the 2 years being £31,260.00). The combined graduate fee includes college membership. The fee can be paid in eight equal instalments. Students on this course can apply to Downing , Lucy Cavendish , Selwyn , St Edmund's , or Wolfson . Please note there are only a limited number of college places available for this course at Downing and Selwyn Colleges so please indicate a second choice of college on your application form if you are selecting either as your first choice.   

Students will be expected to cover the application fee (£50 online), accommodation whilst in Cambridge and any costs of travel to Cambridge.   Please note that, although you will be a member of a college, you will not be entitled to college accommodation.

ICE fees and refunds policy

For information on a loan from Student Finance England for course fees and a contribution towards living costs, please see https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/info/student-loans

The Institute of Continuing Education offers the Joy Brandon bursary. Find out more  here . 

Applications will be accepted online until Wednesday 17th January 2024 . Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held in late February/early March either in person or by remote software if candidates are unable to attend in person.  Candidates will be contacted to arrange convenient times during the previous week.

You are required to provide supporting documents as part of your application.  

Please ensure that you have your CV, writing sample, research proposal and personal statement ready before you start your application, as they will be submitted as part of the application form and cannot be submitted later.

Apply online when you are ready to start the application process. Please read the attached file "Supporting documents required for application" which gives more details about the supporting documents required as part of your application. Please note that one of the writing sample requirements has changed from the last application round. 

Visa requirements 

Student visa sponsorship is not offered for this course. International students who do not already hold a UK visa or immigration status that permits study may enter the UK as a visitor in order to attend teaching sessions. 

The visitor immigration route is used to support students on part-time courses longer than 6 months where the majority of time is spent outside the UK and attendance in Cambridge is only required for short teaching sessions. To meet the requirements of holding this immigration status for study purposes, students are expected not to remain in the UK for extended periods of time. It is not possible as a visitor on a course of more than 6 months to make the UK your main study location or residence or make frequent or successive visits to stay in the UK for extended periods.   

Please read the information about Visas for International Students

How often do the MSt courses run? All of the MSt programmes in the Creative Writing portfolio currently have an annual intake.

Is the course taught online, or is it possible to complete the course by distance-learning? The MSt is not a distance-learning course. You will be required to attend teaching sessions in Cambridge.

Can I complete the course on a full-time basis in one year? No, the MSt is only available as a two-year, part-time course.

Are there any sources of funding available? The Institute of Continuing Education offers the Joy Brandon bursary. Find out more  here . 

How many applications do you receive in relation to places available per year? This varies between programmes and depending on the year. For the 2021 cohort of the MSt in Creative Writing there were roughly 6 applications for each place being offered. 

How many references are required? We require two references. References need to be submitted from professional e-mail addresses, so please ensure that you enter the relevant details into the online application form.

What kind of references should I provide? We prefer academic references from people who, if at all possible, are able to comment on your writing skills and experience, and your ability to study at Master’s level. 

What happens if I am not able to provide academic references? We can accept professional references.

Can I nominate an ICE tutor as my referee? Yes, you may nominate an ICE tutor to act as your referee. 

How long should the Personal Statement be? As a guide, we suggest that the Personal Statement is 500-1000 words long. We would ask you not to exceed 1000 words. An ability to write to a specific word count is an important part of studying at Master’s level as it is in the life of a professional writer!

Is there an advantage to submitting my application early? No, all applications will be considered together after the closing date of the course. While there is no advantage to submitting your application early, we would recommend you do not leave submission until the last minute to avoid any technical difficulties.

What is the time commitment outside of the teaching modules? The teaching teams can provide more specific guidance about what is expected but there is a difference in focus between year 1 and year 2 of each course. Year 1 is based around blocks of teaching and shorter assignments whilst year 2 is the dissertation year where students work on their dissertations with regular individual supervisions. 

Can I attend modules on one of the other MSt in creative writing programmes? No, you will only be able to access the teaching sessions that form part of the MSt course onto which you are admitted.

What happens outside of the taught modules? You will be reading extensively and working on assignments, the details of which will be given to you at the end of each module. You will also be encouraged to engage with tutors and fellow students via the course’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platform.

Can I apply for multiple courses? Yes, you are welcome to submit applications for more than one course, although you would not normally be permitted to undertake more than one MSt at the same time. You are recommended to apply for the course that is most suited to your interests and skills.

Can I use the same referees and writing samples for each separate application? Yes, providing they meet the criteria set out for each application within the Supporting documents file (available on the website).

Can I complete more than one MSt? Although you are welcome to apply for and complete a second MSt course in a subsequent year, it should be noted that you cannot be awarded more than one MSt from the University of Cambridge.

Do I need to have studied creative writing beforehand? You do not need to have previously studied creative writing; however, you would be expected to demonstrate an interest in creative writing and you will be required to provide recent samples of writing as part of your application.

Will I become a College member and do I need to pay College fees? Yes, all of our MSt programmes are matriculated courses meaning that College membership is a requirement. At the time of applying, you will be asked to specify your College preference from a list provided. College places are limited and we liaise with Colleges on your behalf. College fees are included in your course fees.

Will I meet publishers and agents? Yes, there will be opportunity to meet with publishers and agents. During each of the intensive 4-day modules you will have opportunity to hear from numerous guest speakers on a variety of topics and from a variety of genres. 

Course dates

Course duration.

Academic Directors, Course Directors and Tutors are subject to change, when necessary.

Qualifications / Credits

Course code.

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Emma Watson to study at Oxford next academic year

The actor is taking on the new role of creative writing student

Emma Watson is to start an MA in creative writing at the University of Oxford in September.

In a recent Financial Times interview , the Harry Potter star also revealed that she began writing poetry and a series of essays on love, friendship, and relationships during lockdown.

Watson studied English Literature at Brown University where she came to Oxford on a junior year abroad (JYA) at Worcester College . She graduated in 2014.

Watson has long standing links to Oxford, having moved to Oxfordshire when she was 5. She attended the Dragon School, where fees are currently more than £11,000 per term , and Headington School where she took her GCSEs and A levels.

In 2016, her privacy was allegedly breached when a student took a photo of her on a visit to LMH, where she was reportedly discussing becoming a visiting fellow of the college.

Other famous names due to join Oxford in September include Ruby Granger, the studytuber, who will be studying for an MA in English literature.

Image description: photo of Emma Watson

Image credits: HDWallpapers.net (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Discussions about the writing craft.

Considering an MA in Writing/Creative Writing. Worth it?

Hey! I’m new here so apologies if this has been discussed many a time before.

I have a first class BA in French and Italian from a decent UK uni. I’m a native English speaker and have good professional proficiency in these two foreign languages.

Since graduating in 2019, I’ve worked in retail, then moved on to working for a tech start up as a Community Experience Agent (basically customer service) — this was quite monotonous/ required working evenings and weekends so I left after a year and a half.

I’m now working in admin at a uni which I’m finding quite uninspiring too.

I’ve been writing a bit in my spare time and have a 60 page Google doc of poetry and prose I’ve been working on. Writing is really important to me: it’s cathartic and feels meaningful.

I’ve been looking into publishing jobs but it seems that the industry is pretty tough and doesn’t pay well. Since realising this, I’ve considered UX writing and higher education as other options. I know I also enjoy translation, but feel this is very difficult to get into.

I’d be really grateful for any advice or tips anyone has. If anyone has had a similar path or found an MA in Writing to be particularly advantageous, I would love to hear you from you!!

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Duration: 2 years part-time

Format: In-person or mostly online

Starts: October 2025

Applications will open in September 2024.

To be notified when applications open,  please register your interest . 

Course Director:  Dr John Ballam ​

Applications status

• Opening soon

Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing (from 2025)

Course details.

With expert tuition and small class sizes, this course gives keen writers the opportunity to explore and develop their craft.

Our two-year, part-time Diploma allows you to strengthen your ability in four major areas of literary activity — prose, poetry, drama and analytical reading — as well as the chance to specialise in the genre of your choice.

There are two ways to study. The in-person pathway ( Option 1 ) takes place on weekends in Oxford and offers a rich combination of seminars, one-to-one tutorials and group discussions. The online pathway ( Option 2 ) with a summer school in Oxford, replicates the in-person structure exactly, using a variety of media to offer a stimulating and challenging learning environment.

For both study options, the chance to have your work read and analysed by a supportive, suitably skilled peer group is one of the great benefits of the course, offering fresh perspectives and insights on your writing. At the same time, we emphasise the importance of individual voice and vision, and there will be ample time for one-to-one, in-depth discussion of your work.

Many of our former students have had work accepted for publication during or after their time with us. A significant number have progressed to Creative Writing MAs and MFA programmes at a range of universities, including Oxford University’s  Master's in Creative Writing.

Please note:

This page is intended as an overview of the course, and some information listed may be subject to change before applications open in September 2024.

Online info session

Wednesday 23 october 2024, 12 midday uk time (12:00 bst).

Are you interested in learning more about the Diploma for 2025 entry? Course Director Dr John Ballam will provide an overview of the course, including both study options, and answer your questions during this online webinar.

To join us, please  register here ► 

Quick links

Who is this course for, how you will study.

• Course content and assessment
• IT requirements and study skills
• Teaching staff and contact information
• Application details  – how to apply, fees, award and credit transfer

English language requirements

Pathways and other levels of study

We are looking for enthusiastic writers with a strong commitment to improving their craft, an awareness of literary areas and a degree of articulacy in discussing them, and the capacity for intellectual and imaginative development. This is an intensive and challenging course, and you will need to consider carefully whether you can offer the high level of commitment required. You will want to devote at least 12 hours a week to your writing outside of timetabled classes.

You don’t need formal qualifications. You must already be active as a writer, but it is not essential to have been published. Our students come from many backgrounds, and typically range in age from 18 to 80. Some have previous experience of literary study, but again, this is not essential.

If you apply, we will ask you to submit a small portfolio of your work. Admission is selective and would be based on your portfolio and an interview.

Student spotlights

Hear firsthand from our students about their views on the Diploma and how it helped them with their creative journey.

Student spotlights ►

There are two study options for the Diploma in Creative Writing.

Option 1: 

Most terms you will attend four Saturday day schools, four per term in terms 1-5, two in term 6, which usually run from 9am - 5pm at Ewert House in Summertown, Oxford. Should circumstances dictate, the teaching can be moved online (either fully or partly).

In the day schools you will take part in:

• seminars, involving practical writing activities and lively group discussions;
• group discussions of each other’s work. This is because the value of group activity as a catalyst for the creative imagination is a central tenet of the course.

You will also attend one Sunday day school each term, which is paired with one of the Saturday schools. At the Sunday sessions, visiting writers, speakers and tutors provide a wide range of voices to counterpoint and amplify the insights and opinions of the Diploma’s regular teaching team. You can hear readings by well-known writers from all genres, and engage in discussions with them, as well as enjoying related workshop sessions.

There is a seven-day summer school (residence possible) at the end of the first year of study, in June, which provides an unparalleled opportunity to concentrate on living and working your craft. The summer school is a vibrant culmination to your first year, allowing dedicated time and space for your writing. Sessions for the whole group are balanced by individual sessions which allow you to focus on areas of your choice. There is time set aside for uninterrupted writing, and guidance will be given, as a group and individually, about how best to focus your efforts during the summer vacation so that you can get the most out of your second year.

The summer school is an integral part of the course and included in the course fee. It usually starts at lunchtime on a Saturday in June and finishes at lunchtime on the Friday. From Sunday, each day begins at 9.30 am and continues to 7pm, with breaks for tea/coffee and lunch.

Accommodation, should you require it for the summer school, is not included in your tuition fee but it may be possible to book accommodation for that period subject to availability.

Due to UK immigration and visa rules, Option 1 is normally more suitable for UK nationals and others who do not need a student visa or immigration permission to study in the UK, whereas Option 2 is normally suitable for all nationals. Please see  www.ox.ac.uk/students/visa  for more visa and immigration information.

Option 2: 

The online study option repeats the course structure exactly as outlined above, but instead of in-person day schools in Oxford, nearly all of the work you do will be through online media and resources. Each of the first five terms is comprised of ten weekly units focusing on individual aspects of the writer’s craft. Term 6 has five units instead of ten, mirroring the in-person option above. Each weekly unit has:

• experiments and exercises in reading, critiquing and practical writing activities as well as lively group discussions in focused study forums wherein your tutor is an active participant;
• group discussions in forums centred on each other’s work. This is because the value of group activity as a catalyst for the creative imagination is a central tenet of the course.

There is a two-week residential summer school at the end of the first year of study, which provides an unparalleled opportunity to concentrate on living and working your craft. This is an integral part of the course. Please note accommodation is not included in the course fee.

The summer school is a vibrant culmination to your first year, allowing dedicated time and space for your writing. Sessions for the whole group are balanced by individual sessions shortly before or during the summer school  which allow you to focus on areas of your choice. There is time set aside for uninterrupted writing, and guidance will be given, as a group and individually, about how best to focus your efforts during the summer vacation so that you can get the most out of your second year. Every day begins with a plenary lecture by a visiting speaker – most often these are professional writers in various media. There are eight two-hour in-person classes with your tutors one week, and seven in the other week. As well as your classes, you can spend your free time getting to know the world's most famous university city, visit Oxford’s outstanding museums and art galleries, gardens and enjoy tours of ‘literary/historical’ sites, concerts and theatre trips and so on in the evenings.

Throughout the course, whichever study option you take, you will be producing your own work (see below for more details). For each assignment, there is usually a one-to-one tutorial with a specialist in this type of writing, making an unrivalled opportunity for focused, developmental discussion of your own work in progress. Remember that you will need to devote a considerable amount of time to your writing outside the timetabled sessions — you should plan for at least 12 hours each week.

Course content

Year 1 teaching.

The first term provides an introduction to the three main genres: prose, poetry and drama. From the outset you will be able to engage in practical activity and wide-ranging group discussions of aims, techniques and issues.

All good writers must first be skilled readers. Developing your strengths as a critical, intelligent reader allows you to consider and articulate the ways in which various kinds of writing work. In the second term, you can refine and develop your analytical skills with three weeks of Reading for Writers, followed by seven weeks of close attention to the structures and approaches of prose fiction.

The third term concentrates on how to address the challenges of writing poetry and stage drama.

Year 2 teaching

Year 2 allows you to consolidate and broaden the advances in skill, confidence and analytical ability you will have made in Year 1.

Term 4 provides in-depth concentration on short and long fiction, while Term 5 focuses on advanced Reading for Writers (three weeks) and further high-level consideration of the craft of poetry. Term 6 gives students up-to-the-minute experience of how to write broadcast drama.

Each term you will have two tutorials of around 45 minutes each. These one-to-one sessions allow time for concentrated appraisal of your work in progress, giving you feedback on the strengths of your work as well as those areas which may need improvement. The tutorials focus on work you have produced in relation to the genres studied during that term. This means that as early as Term 1 you have considerable freedom of choice to engage with prose, poetry or drama (though you should expect to engage with more than one category in that term). For those students pursuing Option 1 (in person) tutorials can be arranged in person or online; for those pursing Option 2 (online) all tutorials are online except for those at or around the summer school, where some will be online and others in-person, as circumstances permit.

Space for specialisation

At the end of both years you will be able to work more extensively in your own area of interest, producing a portfolio of around 6,000 words in the case of prose, or 30pp of drama, or around 300 lines of poetry. Your second-year portfolio is allocated four term weeks for concentrated attention, guided by a preliminary tutorial discussion of the content you are proposing, and a review tutorial on completion of the project.

You will be assessed on:

• Two pieces of writing submitted each term. These are tied to that term’s seminar activities and are each expected to be about 2,000 words of prose, 15 pages of drama, or about 100 lines of poetry. 
• The end-of-year portfolio submission, which will be around three times this length for prose and poetry, double this length for drama.

If you have not recently been involved in assessment of this kind, do not regard it as a barrier. Tutors and other specialist staff will be happy to offer advice and guidance at any time during the course.

IT requirements

To study at this level you are expected to have some IT skills, access to a computer and the internet. Your course requires you to engage with the Virtual Learning Environment for course materials and uses the Department’s online assignment submission system. Students need to have regular access to a computer and the internet, and some level of experience and skill including the use of Microsoft Word or similar word-processing package, email and internet browser such as Firefox or Google Chrome .

The computer you use should meet our  recommended minimum computer specification .

Study skills

The course team will provide both academic and pastoral support, including guidance on the development of effective study skills for students returning to study after a break. Additional support is available at a Departmental level by the Widening Access Assistant, who can be contacted on +44 (0)1865 280355 or via email at  [email protected] .

Before the start of the Michaelmas (autumn) term, we offer an Award-Bearing Course Preparation Study Day focusing on Academic Reading and Writing, which is free for students enrolled on our award-bearing courses. This can help students gain the confidence to read and follow academic assignment instructions and to respond to essay questions; and it discusses how to manage your time effectively, and how to locate and cite sources.

The Department also runs a programme of Study Skills workshops and weekly classes (available at a reduced rate to current students), designed to enable you to develop and improve the skills needed for effective study. If you have any questions about ‘Award-Bearing Course Preparation Study Day’ or any Study Skills course, please email  [email protected]  or telephone +44 (0)1865 270286.

Teaching staff

Course director.

John Ballam  is the author of two collections of poems, six stage plays, four screenplays, two novels and numerous reviews, articles and academic works. His best-known title is his memoir  The Road to Harmony  (1999; newest edn. 2013). He has been a script consultant/screenwriter for several major film producers in Hollywood, London and Mumbai. His latest work is a novel entitled  The Mary House , published in NYC in 2019.

Potential tutors

Contact information

Course Director, Dr John Ballam +44 (0)1865 280885  [email protected]

For general guidance, application and admissions advice, course specific information, or credit transfer:  [email protected] , +44 (0)1865 270312.

For information about disability support or sources of funding:  [email protected] , +44 (0)1865 280355.

For information about Study Skills courses: +44 (0)1865 280892  [email protected]

How to apply

Once open, clicking the 'Apply' button will automatically notify us that you want a link to the online application. We will email you that link together with a code to waive the application fee and guidance on completing and submitting your application.

You will need to upload the following documents as part of your application:

• a sample of your work: approximately 2000 words of prose fiction or dramatic dialogue, or about half a dozen poems
• a statement of between 300 and 400 words explaining why you wish to enrol on the course, and stating which pathway you are applying for.
• proof of English language ability if a non-native English speaker. Further information on English language requirements can be found here . Please note that candidates are required to have the higher-level score.
• contact details for one referee

If possible, your referee should be someone who can comment on your academic ability and background, but where this is not appropriate, please choose a referee who can vouch for your motivation, commitment and potential. A reference from a family member is not acceptable.

Admissions decisions will be based on an assessment of knowledge, relevant experience, academic ability, potential and suitability for a course of study. We welcome applicants without traditional qualifications, including those with relevant career or life skills.

Selection criteria

Even if a course has no specific academic entry requirements then: (a) assessment of an applicant’s academic ability and suitability for the course of study will still take place and (b) since applications for many courses often significantly exceed places available, each application will be judged against the gathered field of applicants for each course each year.

The University is committed to promoting diversity, equality, inclusion, and widening access, including during the admissions process. We fully endorse the Equality Policy and our admissions procedures are kept under regular review to ensure compliance with this policy.

Short-listed applicants will be invited for interview.

The final decision on admission to the course rests with the Department.

Concurrent registration

If there is likely to be an overlap in the timing of courses at Oxford University or elsewhere that you are currently taking and/or intend to take in the future, please see the  Department's policy and guidance on concurrent registration  for further information about what combinations may be possible.

Award and credit transfer

An Undergraduate Diploma will be awarded on completion of the course. You will be invited to receive your Diploma at the annual Awards Ceremony of the Department for Continuing Education, held at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre.

Students who successfully complete this two-year course will be awarded an Oxford University Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing. The Diploma carries a Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) rating of 120 points at FHEQ Level 5. Outstanding performance will qualify for a Distinction. These credit points are widely recognised in terms of credit for transfer to other higher education institutions, including the Open University and modular universities such as Oxford Brookes University. 

Opportunities vary for the transfer of credit, so students who are considering taking this course in order to transfer credit are advised to discuss the possibilities with the Course Administrator on  [email protected]  or  [email protected] . 

Learn more about the  Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS points) .

The course fees for 2025 entry will be published once applications open.

Please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For a price guide, see last year's fees here: £3,620 (Home, Islands, and Republic of Ireland students) or £6,210 (Overseas students).

Information for applicants from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

On 11 May 2021 the UK Council for International Student Affairs published  new regulations and guidance  to be used in assessing the fee status of students commencing courses in August 2021 and later. We will be using this guidance to carry out fee status assessments for students commencing courses in 2021/22 and later, including students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland. 

If you are an EU national and do not live in the UK then you are likely to be charged Overseas fees. Students with settled and pre-settled status in the UK and some other categories of students who work in the UK can qualify for Home fee status as long as they meet the residence criteria.

Students from outside the UK/Republic of Ireland

If you are from outside the UK/Republic of Ireland, you will be classed either as an ‘Overseas’ or 'Islands' student.

Information on financial support can be found on  our website here .

Please check the information on the specific  English language requirements  for this course.  Applicants are required to have the higher level scores.

The Department for Continuing Education offers  day and weekend  courses, weekly learning programmes and  summer schools  in English literature, creative writing and film studies.

In the undergraduate programme, as well as the Diploma in Creative Writing, we offer the  Certificate in English Literature  and the  Certificate of Higher Education . At postgraduate level we offer an  MSt in Creative Writing  and  MSt in Literature and Arts , along with the  DPhil in Literature and Arts .

If you are planning on embarking on a new career as a result of your studies, or hope to progress in your current field, you can access help and advice through the  University Careers Service .

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