Creative Writing University of Chichester

The MA in Creative Writing is designed to give students a structure within which they can develop both their writing and imaginative critical skills, experimenting with the wide range of possibilities available to the contemporary writer. It is possible to write prose fiction (the novel or short story), poetry and drama. We are interested in literary fiction in all its forms.

Our MA Creative writing students 'read as writers', explore their reading in group discussions and engage in writing exercises designed to enlarge and stimulate their practice.

In the intensive MA workshops, students share work, learn to write to deadlines, learn how to redraft, polish, edit imaginatively and find the creative thread which, when followed, reveals how their own writing will achieve its optimum level.

All written assignments are accompanied by the writing of a commentary on the process; the commentary speeds and makes explicit a writer's discoveries, and so aids future practice.

Recent guest readers include: Jim Crace, Helen Dunmore, Michele Roberts, Vicki Feaver, Bernard O'Donoghue, Jo Shapcott, Adam Marek, Matthew Sweeney and Robert Shearman.

Entry requirements

As a general guide, for postgraduate study you'll need to hold the equivalent of a good honours degree (a 2:1 or 2:2 depending on the course) from a recognised university.

We also accept applications from students who have completed a 'top-up' degree at a UK university. If you hold a UK degree you don't need to provide an IELTS or other English language test certificate.

All students whose first language is not English should have met the minimum English language requirement before commencing your programme. For direct entry to MSc and MA taught programmes you can apply with a IELTS score of 6.5 (Cambridge English Scale score 176 to 184), with no element less than 6.0 (Cambridge English Scale score 169 to 175).