School of English

MA in Creative Writing

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MA in Creative Writing

Director: Scarlett Thomas

MA in Creative Writing
Director: Scarlett Thomas
This programme is being offered either on a part-time or a full-time basis.


Entry requirements: A first or upper-second class honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent), or substantial creative writing experience.  Each applicant is required to submit a sample of his/her creative writing, and this will be the most significant factor in admissions decisions: The instructions for sending creative work are here.

Most rejections are because the creative writing sample is not of a high enough standard, so do make sure you send your very best work, and proof-read it thoroughly before you send it in.


English Language Proficiency for non-native speakers of English
About the Course:

The MA in Creative Writing at Kent offers you the opportunity to study fiction and poetry, exclusively or together, along with new optional modules in translation and writing and the environment. Designed with serious, ambitious writers in mind, our programme uses seminars, tutorials, workshops, and precise editing to enable you to take control of your own work and write exciting, contemporary material.
You will be taught exclusively by members of our permanent creative writing team, all of whom are practising, award-winning writers: Scarlett Thomas, Amy Sackville, David Flusfeder, David Herd, Patricia Debney and Simon Smith.
As skilled Creative Writing staff, we will push you hard, exposing you to challenges within the craft, to ensure that you take risks and produce accomplished work. Although we would hope that graduates of the programme will go on and get published, our priority whilst you’re here will be focussed on your writing. We believe that the way to get published is to produce the best work you can. Our experience tells us that it is this alone – a great piece of work – that excites publishers, far more than lots of industry know-how and good contacts. This doesn’t mean you won’t have the opportunity to build contacts, however.
Between us we have links to many literary agents and the majority of the poetry and literary fiction publishers throughout the country, meaning that we can pass on our knowledge of the industry as well as our knowledge of the craft.
A weekly reading series is held in which well-known writers and people from the industry come to read their latest work and share their wealth of knowledge and experience with students. For £2, you can spend the evening soaking up the atmosphere, free tips and as much wine as you like amongst friends and colleagues.


Course structure: Students take a total of four modules, for which they produce approximately 8,000 words each (or an equivalent number of poems or translations), and in addition write a creative dissertation of about 15,000 words.
You are encouraged to put together an MA programme that suits you and your plans. It is a requirement of the programme that you take EITHER Fiction 1 and Fiction 2 OR Poetry 1 and Poetry 2. After that the choice is yours. For a good basis in various forms of creative writing you might want to select Fiction 1, Poetry 1, Fiction 2 and Poetry 2. However, a writer planning to be a novelist may choose Fiction 1 and 2, Creative Writing Project and Writing and the Environment. A poet may well choose Poetry 1, Poetry 2, Creative Writing Project and Translation. Alternatively, your fourth module could be something academic from English or Humanities that will add depth to your project (for example a module on postcolonial writing for someone embarking on a postcolonial project; a module on theology for someone incorporating religious themes). For both fiction-writers and poets, exploring another discipline can provide a rich new source of language and imagery. If you plan to do the Creative Writing Project, check the profile of the staff member running it each term. If you are a novelist it probably won't make sense to take the project with a poet. Each year we will have at least one poet and at least one prose-fiction specialist running the module but make sure you check which one is in which term. If students have any further enquiries about this, they should contact Scarlett Thomas by emailing s.thomas@kent.ac.uk


Dissertation
At Kent your dissertation is creative. You are allocated a dissertation supervisor early in the first term, and this person will serve as your main point of contact during your course. You will be encouraged to meet with your supervisor in the Spring term, after your first piece of coursework has been marked, to discuss the progress of your studies. Two further focussed supervisions in the summer term ensure you are getting the most out of your work as you begin to write on your own. The dissertation is delivered in September.


Creative Writing Modules:
A combination of either Fiction 1 and 2 or Poetry 1 and 2 are a requirement for the programme.

 

School of English, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NX

The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T: +44 (0)1227 823054

Last Updated: 05/12/2011