Creative Writing at University of Roehampton

• Benefit from the Department’s strong contacts with agents, editors and publishers across the field of writing.
• Our in-house Fincham Press provides opportunities for you to see your writing published.
• One of the very few universities in the UK to offer modules in the areas of formally innovative poetry.
• You can choose your preferred route through the programme, either practising different forms of writing or specialising in one.

Summary

The MA in Creative Writing degree is designed for ambitious, committed writers who want to hone and develop their writing practice and develop their creative, critical and professional writing skills in preparation for careers in the creative industries. Roehampton was one of the first universities in London to offer an MA in Creative Writing when it was launched in 2005 and it remains dedicated to providing an innovative, unique curriculum, taught by world-leading academic staff and internationally renowned writers.

You will be able to explore three main forms of writing on this MA Creative Writing: Fiction, Poetry and Fiction for Young Readers. You will tailor your degree by selecting modules that align with your interests, with options that include the short story, the novel, lyric and alternative poetry, visual narratives and fiction for young adults.

Whether you have previously studied creative writing or have an entirely different background, if you are returning to education after a break or continuing straight from an undergraduate degree, you will be supported to develop your personal writing style. On this programme you will discover how to make your writing more effective, break bad habits and learn how to assess your work professionally. You will graduate with the skills required for professional practice in the creative writing industries and with an understanding of the necessary marketing skills.

We will prepare you for your career after you graduate, whether it is as a published writer, working in the professional arts sector, or continuing in academia. We regularly invite writers, who have previously included Emma Donoghue and Kazuo Ishiguru, as well as speakers from different sectors of the creative industries, to give guest lectures and workshops. You will be encouraged to make the most of Roehampton’s connections with the literary world through events such as networking evenings where you can make professional contacts with invited publishers and agents. You will also have opportunities to give readings of your work at soirees, and participate in local literary festivals such as Wimbledon Bookfest and Barnes Children’s Literature Festival.