find your perfect postgrad program
Search our Database of 30,000 Courses
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
The MA Creative Writing at Birkbeck is taught by one of the most diverse and vibrant departments in London. For nearly 20 years we have been enabling dynamic groups of students to improve their creative work and develop as writers. We have a growing list of published and prizewinning authors whose work started life in our seminars.
If you have been writing creatively for a while and feel the need for professional support and feedback and the guidance of published authors and a cohort of like-minded people, then this course is for you.
The course is taught through small seminars and one-to-one tuition. We offer modules in fiction writing - both short story and novel - and work with writers across many prose genres - both fiction and non-fiction. We also offer options in playwriting, poetry, screenwriting and creative non-fiction, and practical opportunities to learn about publishing, producing and editing creative work.
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.
Highlights
-
Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
-
In particular, 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 this field. In addition to working with the established and award-winning writers who teach the degree, you will have contact with industry professionals, such as publishers and literary agents, who offer a series of platform discussions in the summer term.
-
The Mechanics' Institute Review, 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.
-
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. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space.
-
We have a range of scholarships available to enable talented students on low incomes to study with us, such as the Sophie Warne Fellowship. Once you have secured a place on the course you will be invited to apply for these awards. We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
Careers and employability
Graduates can pursue career paths in editing, teaching and writing professionally. Possible professions include:
-
creative writer
-
magazine or newspaper journalist
-
editorial assistant
-
academic librarian
-
English as a second language (ESOL) teacher
-
information officer.
Birkbeck Creative Writing graduates include:
-
Niki Aguirre
-
Sarah Alexander
-
Laura Allsop
-
Amer Anwar
-
Iphgenia Baal
-
Amy Bird
-
Phoebe Blatton
-
JJ Bola
-
Mary Lynn Bracht
-
Nicole Burstein
-
Tray Butler
-
Melissa De Villiers
-
Lily Dunn
-
Liz Fremantle
-
AJ Grainger
-
Jules Grant
-
Julia Gray
-
Emma Henderson
-
Sally Hinchcliffe
-
Anna Hope
-
Heidi James
-
Keith Jarrett
-
Olya Knezevic
-
Nik Korpon
-
Louise Lee
-
Matthew Loukes
-
Fiona Melrose
-
Suzanne O'Sullivan
-
Nii Parkes
-
Victoria Richards
-
Nadim Safdar
-
Karin Salvalaggio
-
David Savill
-
Stefanie Seddon
-
Sogol Sur
-
Luke Tredget.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
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 | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 9915 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 | 10800 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 10800 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 10800 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 10800 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 19830 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 | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 5400 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 9915 GBP for Year 1 |
Birkbeck, part of the University of London, offers nearly 300 taught and research postgraduate programmes across arts and humanities, business and economics, law, science and social science. As an evening teaching specialist, Birkbeck offers its taught postgraduate courses between 6-9pm, with some courses available through distance learning. As with undergraduate courses, postgraduates can study full-time or part-time.
Home to 44 research and specialist institutes, Birkbeck is the sixth largest provider of taught postgrad courses for UK and EU students - some 44% of its 11,000-plus students are on postgrad programmes. Around 90% of its academics are active in research, and …
Not what you are looking for?
Browse other courses in Literature, Creative writing, Poetry or Publishing, or search our comprehensive database of postgrad programs.Postgraduate Bursary Opportunity with Postgrad.com
Are you studying as a PG student at the moment or have you recently been accepted on a postgraduate program? Apply now for one of our £2000 PGS bursaries.
Click here
