Creative Writing MA (PGCert PGDip)

How this course is delivered

We've made some changes to the way our courses are taught to keep everyone safe, connected and involved in university life.

At the moment, students have a blend of on-campus and digitally enabled remote learning that provides lots of opportunities to interact and engage with lecturers and other students.

Why study with us?

• Chance to develop as a portfolio writer and creative practitioner – somebody who can apply good writing to real-world scenarios and work to specific briefs

• A transformative experience that goes beyond looking to get your first novel published, so you can explore copywriting and publishing while nurturing your passion for storytelling

• Guest lectures from publishers and professional writers. Guest writers have included John Mccullough, Eleanor Knight, Errina Mettler, Emma Donoghue and Tanaka Mhishi

• Links with local publishers, writers and creative companies, with placements available across Brighton

• Theatre visits, open mic nights and exciting events, including a short story slam at Brighton festival

• Online journal and in-house creative anthology for you to share your work with other students and the wider community

Areas of study

You will be able to tailor your MA studies to reflect an interest in writing practice, literary theory, community engagement or any combination of these.

We identify the range of modules as intrinsic to catering to diverse creative and intellectual needs and understand that triggers for writing and creative practice can stem from a wide range of places and fields of study.

We have specific modules dedicated to engaging students with the wider Brighton community and local creative industries where they will become a writer in residence and work to link their individual creative practice with a professional scenario.

You will be able to identify teaching and learning opportunities that inspire your creative work and apply this to your professional, academic and personal development and planning.

Syllabus

Core modules

• Practising Rhetoric
• Narrative: The art and design of storytelling
• Communities of Practice
• The Process of Publishing
• Dissertation

Option modules

• Prose Fiction
• Poetry Theory and Practice
• Auto/Biographical Narrative
• Cultures of Multimedia Authoring and Web Design
• Writing for Academic Publication

Meet the team

Jess Moriarty 

Jess Moriarty researches in the field of pedagogy in writing practice, especially in auto-ethnographical academic writing and in creative writing with undergraduates.

She graduated from the University of Sussex with a Creative Writing MA in 2002 and joined the University of Brighton soon after. Jess won a Teaching Excellence award for her workshops with undergraduates, in which she aims to ignite inspiration and motivation with the writing process.

Jess is the co-founder of Work Write Live, which provides a range of writing short courses and volunteering opportunities for students across arts and humanities courses to develop the vocational and academic skills they are acquiring on their degree programme. She has been interviewed by the Times Higher Educational Supplement about her workshops and won an Innovation Award for her retreats, where participants are encouraged to develop confidence with writing and speaking. Under the banner of Work Write Live, students are able to run open mic evenings, produce creative writing anthologies and organise an end-of-year graduate show.

Jess's doctorate looked at how to make academic writing more personal and creative and included a play based on her autobiographical and researched experiences with academic life. Her work looks at cross-disciplinary practice, community engagement and linking creative processes with the employability agenda.

Meet the rest of the course staff:

Craig Jordan

Listen to a podcast with course leader Dr Jess Moriarty where she discusses the role of fiction in self-expression and personal wellbeing, a previous 'Big Read' book and sharing a moment with her former student and honorary graduate Munroe Bergdorf.

Student views 

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Course fees

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in the fee, while studying a course in the School of Humanities are listed here.

• For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
• You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
• In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £150 per year for printing.
• Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £200 to buy your own copies.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships, as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2021–22.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Local area

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

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