Creative Writing (Taught)

Join a vibrant community of award-winning writers at the Manchester Writing School, home to over 100 published students and graduates. Our MA Creative Writing programme invites you to develop your voice, on campus in a UNESCO City of Literature, or as part of our global online community from anywhere in the world.

Specialise in Novel, Poetry, Scriptwriting, Writing for Children and Young Adults, or Creative Non-Fiction, and work alongside internationally renowned writers, poets and scriptwriters. You'll refine your craft through immersive workshops and critical reading, culminating in a substantial piece of creative work from a proposed longer work in progress.

Whether full-time or part-time, on campus or online, our course offers the flexibility to suit your life, and the inspiration to transform your writing. With regular events, publishing opportunities, and a global network of peers, you’ll be supported at every stage of your creative journey.

You can also choose to pursue our MFA Creative Writing masters, in which you’ll work on and submit a full-length manuscript.

Features and Benefits

• One of the most successful Creative Writing programmes in the UK. More than 100 students and graduates have achieved excellent career milestones including: publishing first books; features in journals and magazines; writing awards and prizes; setting up small presses; working in the publishing industry.

• Academic expertise – you’ll be taught by high-profile published writers and critics, under the direction of Professor Carol Ann Duffy DBE.

• Home to Manchester Poetry Library - Manchester Poetry Library is the North West's first public poetry library. It holds over 12,000 books and recordings available to explore in the online catalogue, in person and by attending the annual programme of events.

• Research power – our English department was ranked 8th out of 92 UK universities for the power of our research (REF21). You can get involved in events and activities through our research groups, which include expertise in poetry, place writing, and games studies.

• Flexible learning - classes for core Workshop and Reading modules take place in the evenings (usually 6-8pm UK time) during the autumn or spring semesters. Full-time students usually have classes two evenings per week, and part-time students one evening per week.

• Manchester City of Literature - Manchester has been designated an international UNESCO City of Literature in recognition of its thriving live literature scene. Manchester Writing School is home to ground-breaking outreach activities, international writing competitions, a series of city-wide literary events, innovative publishing projects, and Mother Tongue Other Tongue. These activities provide you with many opportunities to get involved and develop your experience in a number of exciting directions.

• Live online teaching - the course can be completed entirely online, with core Workshop and Reading module teaching for distance learning students via weekly online classes in Microsoft Teams, and some option modules also available online (availability varies each year).

• Option modules - all students take a 30 credit option module and can choose from a range of Creative Writing modules, or modules from our MA English Studies and MA Publishing courses.