Creative Writing

Why study Creative Writing at Liverpool John Moores University?

• Opportunities to meet practising writers, publishers, agents, producers and directors

• Professional guidance and peer support to help you develop your writing to publishable standard

• Access to regular literary events, readings, screenings and open mic nights to showcase your work

• LJMU ranked 7th university in the UK for Creative Writing (The Times UK University Rankings 2025)

• 96% of students surveyed on this course said staff supported their learning well (National Student Survey 2025)

About your course
At LJMU, which developed the UKs first Single Honours Creative Writing course, we put an emphasis on a writer's career and take special care to instil not just the craft but also the practical approaches needed to become a professional writer. Our teaching team are all published authors who have written and contributed to textbooks about the craft and theory of writing, which are used in universities and colleges worldwide.

As a student on the BA (Hons) Creative Writing at Liverpool John Moores University you will hear from and work with prestigious visiting writers who regularly deliver readings and workshops on modules during our ‘Professional Practice Weeks’. Recent guests have included Ramsay Campbell, Andrew McMillan, Rebecca Goss, James Rice, Jennifer Delaney, and Okechukwu Nzelu.

During this degree, you will study prose, creative non-fiction, scriptwriting and poetry in your first year and go on to specialise in the disciplines that challenge you the most to produce your best work. Our acclaimed Writer at Work module engages specialists in digital publishing, arts-in-health, literature development and other areas giving you an in-depth understanding as well as experience of the writers professional world.

The degree is taught at the University's Mount Pleasant Campus, with academic offices in Redmonds Building located in the heart of Liverpool, a vibrant student city, renowned for its cultural events, readings, music events and art galleries. Liverpool is a city full of storytellers and we hope you will be adding to this richly creative environment.

Course Modules

Please visit the Liverpool John Moores University website for detailed module information.

All assessment is by coursework with tasks designed to develop your skills as a professional writer.

Around 50% of your coursework will be original creative work such as a portfolio or project and 50% will be essays, commentaries, class-contributions, peer critiques, pitches, presentations, learning logs, group work, treatments, journals or class tests. You will normally be given two or three different assessment tasks per module. In your final year, your creative work or project will normally account for 70% of the course with the remaining 30% taking the form of critical commentary or reflective analysis.

Your tutors will provide feedback on assessments within 15 working days, but they will also provide constructive feedback on draft creative work throughout the course. You will have the guidance of a personal tutor with whom you can discuss your marks and overall personal and/or academic progress at any time. Peer review is also an important aspect of this course and is actively encouraged.