Attracting students from around the world, our flexible MA in writing offers two possible pathways:

Route A (Taught): Five modules (Research for Writing, an Optional Core in writing, plus three others), in which a wide range of written work is produced. Part-time students on Route A will normally take two taught modules (one per term) plus Research for Writing in Year 1 and two taught modules (one per term) in Year 2.

Route B (Long Project): Three modules (Research for Writing, an Optional Core in writing, plus one other module), plus a long written project in any genre which the Programme is able to supervise. Permission to follow the Long Project route depends on an assessment of your prior experience of writing and of a proposal submitted before the course begins, as well as on the availability of a qualified supervisor(s), who will supervise you during the spring and summer terms. Part-time students on Route B will normally take two taught modules (one per term) plus Research for Writing in Year 1 and work on their Long Project in Year 2.

Warwick Writing Programme

The acclaimed Warwick Writing Programme is the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in Europe. We are title partner for The Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year Award, whose previous winners have included Raymond Antrobus and Sally Rooney. You will be working alongside practising, award-winning novelists, poets and literary translators. Our teaching staff includes: A.L. Kennedy, Tim Leach, Michael Hulse, David Vann, Maureen Freely (Chair of the International Booker Prize 2019), Gonzalo C. Garcia, David Morley (winner of the Ted Hughes Award 2015), Ian Sansom and Chantal Wright.

Further information about the MA in Writing is avaliable on the Warwick Writing Programme website.

Core Modules

There are no fixed core modules for this programme, but all students take an Optional Core module in writing, either Fiction Workshop 1 or another writing module. A short course in 'Research for Writing' is compulsory but not for credit.

Optional Core Modules

Previously, a selection of the following optional cores have been offered:

• Warwick Fiction Workshop
• Writing Poetry
• Writing about Human Rights and Injustice
• Historical Fictions, Fictional Histories
• The Practice of Literary Translation
• Non-Fiction Writing Workshop
• Brave New Worlds: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Teaching

We teach in writing workshops, seminars and one-to-one supervisions. Most modules are assessed by portfolios of writing in the relevant genre, sometimes with an accompanying essay. Space for reading, thinking and writing matters almost as much as teaching. Our campus is a good place for writers, with a wide range of creative spaces and events open throughout the year.

An annual anthology

Each year, the MA group produce an anthology of new writing derived from work done during their time at Warwick.The latest volume, Between the Lines, was launched in June 2020. You will get the chance to be involved in the production, editing, writing, and promotion of a new anthology, seeing your work in print and gaining some invaluable hands-on experience along the way.

Minimum requirements 2:i undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject

In addition to the usual application materials, candidates will be selected on the basis of a personal statement and a portfolio of their written work. The portfolio should be a maximum of 20 pages of poetry or 5,000 words of fiction/non-fiction, or a combination of the two. You must upload this with your online application form.

English language requirements Band C
IELTS overall score of 7.5, minimum component scores of two at 6.5/7.0 and the rest at 7.5 or above

International Students
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information please visit the international entry requirements page.

For up-to-date information concerning fees, funding and scholarships for Home, EU and Overseas students please visit Warwick's Fees and Funding webpage.

A career in writing

Our staff have excellent links not only with other writers but also with publishing houses, literary journals and agencies, with national and regional organizations such as the Arts Council, PEN and the Royal Literary Fund, and with other creative writing programmes both in Britain and in the USA.

Many of our alumni have forged highly successful writing careers and picked up major national and international prizes: recent examples include Sophie Mackintosh's novel The Water Cure, Katy Whitehead winning the 2017 Fitzcarraldo Essay Prize, and Sohini Basak's debut collection We Live in the Newness of Small Differences winning the 2016 Beverly Series.

At Warwick Thursdays, our weekly literary and cultural salon, you will encounter creative practitioners (typically including writers, filmmakers, literary translators, visual artists) and indsutry guests (typically including publishers, agents, journalists), gaining an insight into a range of possible careers in the creative industries.

There are a number of different ways to visit the University of Warwick throughout the year. We host bespoke PG visits, where you can talk directly with your chosen department and explore our campus through a personalised tour. Some departments also host their own events and open days, where you can learn more about your department or course of study. To find out more about all of these opportunities, visit our Postgraduate Visits page.