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Birkbeck, University of London: Creative Writing
| Institution | Birkbeck, University of London View institution profile |
|---|---|
| Department | School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication |
| Web | http://www.bbk.ac.uk/ |
| Telephone | 0203 907 0700 |
| Study type | Taught |
Summary
This MA Creative Writing gives you the chance to better understand the craft of writing and gain valuable constructive criticism from other writers and experts who are as serious about developing your work as you are. It is ideal if you want to develop your practice as a writer and work toward publication and/or sustaining a career in the industry.
Why choose this course?
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Our MA is highly respected and we have a growing list of published and prizewinning authors whose work started life in our seminars, recently including Abi Daré, JJ Bola, Lily Dunn, Annalie Grainger, Louise Hare, Sally Hinchcliffe, Vanessa Onwuemezi, Melody Razak and Saba Sams.
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You will study the art of writing with a faculty of acclaimed authors, which include Julia Bell, Luke Williams and David Eldridge.
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You will benefit from the experience and expertise of a team who have been running this course for almost 20 years.
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You can also graduate with an MA Creative and Critical Writing. This pathway allows you to combine practice-based learning with specialism in contemporary literature.
What you will learn
On this MA Creative Writing you will deepen your knowledge of reading and writing and of literature across all forms and genres, as well as developing critical and professional skills relevant to the workplace.
You will take core modules which focus on the fundamentals of writing and then choose option modules in areas such as:
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writing for video gaming
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screenwriting
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playwrighting
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memoir writing
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poetry
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creative non-fiction
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genre fiction.
How you will learn
This course is available to study full- or part-time. Classes take place in the evening. You will benefit from close and attentive readings of your work and consider issues of craft, expression and meaning while also developing existing skills and new techniques and approaches to writing under the tutelage of published authors.
Entry to the course is based on the submission of a portfolio of creative work, and candidates whose work shows promise will be invited for interview.
Please note that to follow the MA Creative and Critical Writing pathway you will need to start this course in October.
Highlights
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Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
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This environment is fostered by close links between the MA and the Centre for Contemporary Literature at Birkbeck, which runs a wide variety of talks and conferences. In addition to working with the established and award-winning writers, you will have contact with industry professionals, such as publishers and literary agents.
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MIROnline is a forum for the most exciting new writing in short fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction selected from students on this course and beyond.
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Birkbeck is located in the heart of literary London, in Bloomsbury, WC1. You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group.
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We have a range of scholarships available to enable talented students on low incomes to study with us, such as the Sophie Warne Fellowship.
Careers and employability
On successfully graduating from this MA, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:
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strong creative and critical skills
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a sophisticated use of written and spoken English
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the ability to engage with ideas and develop your own opinions and arguments
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facility and precision in the use of analytical tools
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strong skills and initiative in collecting and organising complex materials and writing up clear, well-presented reports.
Graduates can pursue career paths in areas such as:
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academia
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research
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teaching
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publishing
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copywriting
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marketing
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narrative design
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editing.
MA
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above, though this requirement may be waived if you can demonstrate exceptional talent), a personal statement (to be submitted with your application form) and a portfolio of prose writing of no more than 3000 words. Your portfolio should be a section of a novel with a synopsis, a couple of short stories or a combination of the two. Please note that poetry, children’s fiction, journalism, screen- or playwriting are not appropriate submissions for this MA. Students are selected on the basis of their portfolio and statement, an interview (selected candidates only) and their degree. Portfolio guidelines: submit application; wait up to 48 hours; submit writing portfolio (Word or PDF) by logging into your MyBirkbeck profile, then going to the ‘Manage my application’ link and attaching the document. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. |
| Location | Main Site Malet Street London WC1E 7HX |
Fees
| England | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 10425 GBP for Year 1 |
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above, though this requirement may be waived if you can demonstrate exceptional talent), a personal statement (to be submitted with your application form) and a portfolio of prose writing of no more than 3000 words. Your portfolio should be a section of a novel with a synopsis, a couple of short stories or a combination of the two. Please note that poetry, children’s fiction, journalism, screen- or playwriting are not appropriate submissions for this MA. Students are selected on the basis of their portfolio and statement, an interview (selected candidates only) and their degree. Portfolio guidelines: submit application; wait up to 48 hours; submit writing portfolio (Word or PDF) by logging into your MyBirkbeck profile, then going to the ‘Manage my application’ link and attaching the document. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. |
| Location | Main Site Malet Street London WC1E 7HX |
Fees
| England | 12000 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 12000 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 12000 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 12000 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 20850 GBP for Year 1 |
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above, though this requirement may be waived if you can demonstrate exceptional talent), a personal statement (to be submitted with your application form) and a portfolio of prose writing of no more than 3000 words. Your portfolio should be a section of a novel with a synopsis, a couple of short stories or a combination of the two. Please note that poetry, children’s fiction, journalism, screen- or playwriting are not appropriate submissions for this MA. Students are selected on the basis of their portfolio and statement, an interview (selected candidates only) and their degree. Portfolio guidelines: submit application; wait up to 48 hours; submit writing portfolio (Word or PDF) by logging into your MyBirkbeck profile, then going to the ‘Manage my application’ link and attaching the document. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. |
| Location | Main Site Malet Street London WC1E 7HX |
Fees
| England | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 6000 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 10425 GBP for Year 1 |
Located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of London, everything the UK’s Capital city has to offer is on our doorstep.
We offer over 250 taught and research postgraduate programmes across the humanities and social sciences, business, law; and science and we’re a part of the prestigious University of London, one of the world’s best known and most highly regarded universities.
Birkbeck, University of London is built for the busy. We have over 200 years’ experience of providing exceptional learning experiences designed to fit in with students’ schedules. Our range of different study options allow our students to choose …
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