Keele University

What you'll study

The programme emphasises sustained practice alongside critical reflection. You will take workshop-based modules that develop technique and voice, taught seminars on craft and genre, and research training that supports a final major project. Typical module themes include:

• Practice-led Workshops: small-group sessions in fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and scriptwriting focused on peer and tutor feedback.
• Craft and Context: close study of form, voice, narrative strategies, and the relationship between creative work and its literary and cultural contexts.
• Writing for Stage and Screen: fundamentals of dramatic structure, dialogue, and adapting prose to performance formats (where offered).
• Editing, Publishing and the Profession: practical insight into preparing work for submission, small-press and digital publishing, and careers in the creative sector.
• Research Methods and Critical Commentary: approaches to researching creative projects, academic writing, and composing a reflective critical commentary that situates your practice.
• Major Project (Creative Portfolio): a substantial body of original work (for example, a linked short-story collection, novel extract, long-form poetry sequence, or script samples) accompanied by a critical commentary.

The programme is typically available full-time (usually completed in one year) or part-time over a longer period. Teaching combines workshops, seminars, one-to-one supervision and independent practice, and assessment mixes portfolio work with reflective and critical pieces.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a good undergraduate degree in a relevant subject (for example, English, creative writing or another humanities discipline). Candidates with a lower-class honours degree plus substantial relevant writing experience or publication may be considered. Typical application materials include:

• A portfolio of original writing (the programme specifies length and preferred genres).
• A personal statement outlining your aims, creative practice and reasons for choosing the course.
• Academic references (or professional references if you have substantial industry experience).

International applicants will need to demonstrate English language proficiency; commonly accepted qualifications include standard academic English tests at the level required for postgraduate study. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to an interview or to provide additional sample work.

Career prospects

Graduates move into a range of roles across the creative and cultural sectors. Typical career paths include:

• Published author of fiction, poetry or creative non-fiction.
• Scriptwriter for theatre, radio, television or film, and writers for digital media.
• Editorial and publishing roles in traditional and independent presses, commissioning and literary development.
• Communications, copywriting, content creation and marketing roles that value narrative and editorial skills.
• Education and outreach positions, including teaching creative writing in community settings or at further and higher education levels (often requiring additional teaching qualifications).
• Further academic study (MPhil/PhD) for those pursuing research or university-level teaching careers.

Why study at Keele University

Keele offers a supportive, campus-based environment where small-group teaching and one-to-one supervision are central to the learning experience. The School of Humanities and Languages provides an interdisciplinary setting that allows you to connect creative practice with literary studies and research skills. Students benefit from focused workshops, regular readings and performance opportunities, and access to library and digital resources to support long-form projects. Keele's emphasis on student-centred learning and staff accessibility makes it well suited to writers seeking concentrated, sustained development of their craft and professional readiness for the creative industries.