Entry year
2023
2023
Entry requirements
2.1
2.1
Duration
1 year (Full Time)
2 years (Part Time)
1 year (Full Time)
2 years (Part Time)
Places available
TBC (Full Time)
TBC (Part Time)
TBC (Full Time)
TBC (Part Time)
If you have a commitment to imaginative writing, if you would like to develop your artistic practice, build your professional skills as an author and engage with the vibrant creative community of the Seamus Heaney Centre, then the MA in English (Creative Writing) is for you. The programme includes prose writing (fiction and creative non-fiction) and script writing (screen and stage), and invites you to explore all these modes of writing before choosing a specialism.
You will be challenged to explore many different types of writing, to entertain new ideas, to read adventurously and to respond with rigour and generosity to the work of your fellow writers. You will develop your practice as an independent writer and a self-reflective lifelong learner, and build your understanding of the literary marketplace and of the commercial aspects of literary production.
You will be taught by experienced novelists, playwrights and screenwriters, attend workshops with visiting authors, publishers, editors and agents, and contribute to the rich tradition of literary creativity at Queen's University, Belfast.
English - Creative Writing highlights
Queen's is ranked 2nd in the UK for Creative Writing in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.
World Class Facilities
- The Seamus Heaney Centre is an internationally-recognised hub of excellence for literature and imaginative writing, and a central element of Northern Ireland's literary community.
Internationally Renowned Experts
- Creative Writing students are taught by experienced, acclaimed authors, playwrights and screenwriters and many distinguished visiting fellows and associates.
Student Experience
- Students have access to workshops with visiting authors, publishers, editors and agents, and have a wide range of opportunities to present their work in print and performance.
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Course content
Course Structure
Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (3 years) basis. Part-time students typically complete one or two modules per semester. Full-time students typically complete three modules per semester.
The MA is awarded to students who successfully complete six taught modules (120 CATS points) and a 13,000-13,500 word prose or script dissertation (60 CATS points).
Exit qualifications are available: students may exit with a Postgraduate Diploma by successfully completing 120 CATS points from taught modules or a Postgraduate Certificate by successfully completing 60 CATS points from taught modules.
| Compulsory Modules | Semester 1 (1) Craft and Technique (ENG7093) (20 CATS; compulsory) This module is about learning to read as a writer; reading in an interrogative way and exploring a wide range of set texts in order to broaden skills and learn new methods. The set texts will include novels, plays and screenplays, chosen to illustrate aspects of craft and for their usefulness to your writing. Taught in a weekly two-hour seminar and through Canvas, the module deals with a range of key issues in creative writing, including aspects of craft, the development of technique, the demands of structure, and approaches to characterisation. The final assessment is by a creative piece of 2,500 words and a a 1,000-word commentary essay, written in response to one or more of the module’s set texts and topics. By the end of the module, all students will have honed their analytical skills in evaluating prose and drama and will have practised applying new skills in their own creative work. (2) Creative Writing Workshop 1: Drama (ENG7097) (20 CATS; compulsory) In this weekly two-hour workshop you and your fellow students have the opportunity to share your scripts and discuss them with the group. The workshop is a forum to share work-in-progress in an atmosphere of friendly rigour. At least two students per week present their evolving texts and we examine them in detail with a view to providing a set of notes for the basis of the next draft. The module’s fundamental aim is to induct students into the discipline of rewriting, thus provoking writing of real value. The module is assessed through the submission of a script of 3,500 words. (3) Creative Writing Workshop 1: Prose (ENG7292) (20 CATS; compulsory) As in the drama workshop, in the weekly two-hour workshop you have the chance to discuss your work in progress with the group. At least two students per week will share their material and receive feedback. We will also read and discuss set texts to help us explore the fundamentals of prose writing: narrative voice, character, narrative, plot, dialogue, setting. The module is assessed through the submission of a work of prose (a short story or extract from a fully-synopsized longer piece) of 3,500 words. Semester 2 (1) Creative Writing Workshop 2 (ENG7095 / 7096) (40 CATS; compulsory) This weekly two-hour workshop runs in two separate strands for prose and drama. Various craft topics will be discussed, building on the discussions of the first semester. You will have chosen a specialism in either scriptwriting or prose fiction by this stage, and you will attend the relevant workshop, but those who wish to can also audit the other workshop, space permitting. Assignments are in Prose Fiction (6,500 words) or Drama (6,500 words) for 40 CATS points. Professionalising the MA (ENG7988) (20 CATS; compulsory) This module introduces students to the various marketplaces in which creative writers may operate. You will learn to write professional documents relating to a new piece of creative work, including the agent letter, the publisher letter, the logline, the short pitch, the outline, the synopsis and the treatment – amounting to around 3,500 words. Classes include visits from industry gatekeepers (editors, agents, producers, etc). |
|---|---|
| Dissertation | Creative Writing Dissertation (ENG7099) (60 CATS; compulsory) Students will be assigned a supervisor under whom they will complete a major creative work. (Prose or drama 13,000-13,500 words.) The dissertation is primarily a student-led individual research project, during which students will put into practice the skills and craft honed during the two taught semesters. It is worth 60 CAT points, or one third of the overall Masters programme. |
My tutors challenged me and treated me more as a peer than a student. The encouragement I received made me want to succeed. I’d recommend the Creative Writing MA to anyone interested in learning about the craft of writing. It was one of the most important years of my life.
Brendan McLoughlin
Contact Teaching Hours
| Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial 6 (hours maximum) 6 hours of workshops/seminars per week. |
Teaching Times
| Occasional and optional seminars may take place on Saturdays. |
Career Prospects
Introduction
Graduates from these programmes have a good employment record. Professions including publishing, journalism, public relations, teaching, advertising, the Civil Service, business, industry and the media all recruit from our pool of graduates. Some students choose to continue their studies to PhD level on a chosen, specialised topic in Creative Writing.
Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/
Learning and Teaching
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-
You’ll be part of a small, informal and chatty class. You’ll get to know your classmates and your lecturers well during workshops. You are expected to become an integral part of the Seamus Heaney Centre and are invited to attend and take part in the centre's regular events and readings.
Assessment
Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:
Portfolios of creative work.
Modules
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2022/23). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
- Year 1
Core Modules
Dissertation Creative Writing (60 credits)Dissertation Creative Writing
Overview
Supervised dissertation of 13,000 - 13,500 words (compulsory)
Learning Outcomes
To bring creative writing worked on during academic year, and new material, to final completion.
Skills
Further development of creative skills plus additional skills of revision, editing, presentation.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Credits
60
Module Code
ENG7099
Teaching Period
Summer
Duration
12 weeks
Optional Modules
Professionalising the MA (20 credits)Professionalising the MA
Overview
Students will create original work expressed in summary form and learn to present this work, with attractive and impactful brevity, to the industry professionals who are the gatekeepers of their future careers. This will include learning to write treatments, outlines, synopses, pitch documents, agent packages and publisher packages. Lecturers will teach exemplars and feedback on evolving student work. The module will culminate in presentations to, and feedback from, industry professionals such as agents, publishers, producers and literary managers.
Learning Outcomes
Students should acquire practical knowledge associated with creating professional documents that are crucial in offering their work to their chosen creative industry (prose fiction or scriptwriting). Students should acquire the knowledge and understanding associated with writing and rewriting these documents while engaging in the guided creative practice of writing synopses, outlines and treatments for new, original work.
Skills
Students will acquire and develop creativity in the planning and plotting of new work, including exemplifying narrative structure, tension and clarity, and prioritising the experience of the busy professional reader.
They will acquire the discipline and self-motivation to meet deadlines.
They will acquire and put into practice new skills associated with presenting themselves and their work in a professional context and using professional templates, acquiring and utilising arts of persuasion. These will include skills of effective compression in writing, rhetorical analysis of their own work, and expressing contemporary knowledge of their form.
Students will learn associated skills of analysing and presenting the strengths of their own work in the context of current trends, interests and preoccupations within their chosen creative industry. They should also learn skills of self-presentation, including arguing for their strengths in promotion of their work.
They will acquire confidence and professionalism in presenting verbal pitches to industry professionals.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG7988
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
10 weeks
Creative Writing Workshops (40 credits)Creative Writing Workshops
Overview
Students will write creative pieces in either Prose Fiction or Scriptwriting with a greater word count than Semester 1 and demonstrating a development of their skills as the MA progresses. These pieces will be workshopped in class, with students developing their skills in practical criticism and feedback. Lecturers will facilitate the development of students’ skills by both commenting on students’ work and teaching best practice.
The class is split into two wings: Prose Fiction and Scriptwriting. Students are asked to attend both but choose which form to be assessed early in the semester.Learning Outcomes
Students should further develop their craft in both Prose Fiction and Scriptwriting and begin to specialise in the form that best reflects their skills.
Students should deepen their knowledge and understanding of both classic and contemporary works and begin to understand where their own work sits within tradition and innovation.
Students should further develop their skills in analysing and commenting on the developing work of others, applying that analysis also to their own work.Skills
Students will acquire and develop creativity in the writing of new work.
They will acquire the discipline and self-motivation to meet deadlines.
They will acquire and put into practice new skills associated with presenting themselves and their work in a professional context.
Students will learn associated skills of analysing the strengths and weaknesses of their own work and that of others.
They will also acquire and put into practice skills of commenting on others’ work in a way that is simultaneously constructive and rigorous.
They will acquire skills that will enhance their employability as writers, in creativity, self-motivation, self-discipline and professionalism.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Credits
40
Module Code
ENG7196
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
10 weeks
Scriptwriting: Creative Writing Workshop 1 (20 credits)Scriptwriting: Creative Writing Workshop 1
Overview
A two hour weekly workshop on writing for stage, screen and radio, to which students bring their work to be discussed with the module convenor and other students. A range of appropriate exercises then culminates in students' final projects.
Learning Outcomes
To provide a thorough grounding in the craft of writing for stage, screen and radio, through a focused approach to issues such as characterisation, story structure and dramatic language.
Skills
Students will bring their work to sessions and participate in discussions about their own and other students' work, in other words, they will move from the private experience of writing on their own to the more public experience of a workshop situation; an exercise that will help prepare them for the collaborative experience of working with actors, directors,etc. This transition from the private to the public is a key part of the scriptwriting process, and one that needs to be carefully managed.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG7097
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
10 weeks
Fiction: Creative Writing Workshop 1 (20 credits)Fiction: Creative Writing Workshop 1
Overview
Fiction Creative Writing Workshop.
Learning Outcomes
To promote writing of fictions by the students, to encourage self-criticism and revision, to create a dialogue among them about fiction-writing and each other's work.
Skills
Development of creative-writing skills in the genre of fiction.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG7292
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
10 weeks
Creative Writing: Craft and Technique (20 credits)Creative Writing: Craft and Technique
Overview
Students experience and discuss the different demands of the various literary genres to which they are committed. The class focuses on particular contemporary texts and genres and the tutors invite appropriate creative and critical exercises in response.
Learning Outcomes
To promote a sense of the relation between Creative Writing and critical reading and of the characteristics and demands of different genres.
Skills
The ability to link critical reading to creative writing in the forms of various exercises.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG7093
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
10 weeks
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Entry Requirements
Entrance requirements
Graduate
A 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in any discipline. Exceptions may be made in the case of applicants with a strong track record of publication, production, prize-winning or relevant professional experience.
All applicants are required to submit a sample of original written work which will be assessed to determine if an offer of admission can be made. The sample should be 1800-2200 words of prose fiction or 10-15 pages of script. The sample can be an extract. Writing samples that exceed the length limit will not be considered.
The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicy for more information.
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 11th August 2023 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
- Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
- Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
INTO - English Language Course(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
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Fees and Funding
Career Prospects
Introduction
Graduates from these programmes have a good employment record. Professions including publishing, journalism, public relations, teaching, advertising, the Civil Service, business, industry and the media all recruit from our pool of graduates. Some students choose to continue their studies to PhD level on a chosen, specialised topic in Creative Writing.
Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/
Additional Awards Gained(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Prizes and Awards(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
| Northern Ireland (NI) 1 | £6,980 |
| Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 | £6,980 |
| England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 | £8,360 |
| EU Other 3 | £19,100 |
| International | £19,100 |
1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted are for the academic year 2023-24, and relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
More information on postgraduate tuition fees.
Additional course costs
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
English - Creative Writing costs
There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas. Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.
More information on funding options and financial assistance.
International Scholarships
Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships/.
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Apply
How to Apply
Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.
When to Apply
The deadline for applications is normally 30th June 2021. In the event that any programme receives a high volume of applications, the university reserves the right to close the application portal earlier than 30th June deadline. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Entry Portal (DAP) against the programme application page.
Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study.
Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.
Download Postgraduate Prospectus
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Fees and Funding
