PhD Creative Writing at Lancaster University

Programme overview

Our rich literary connections extend from Lancaster's LitFest and medieval Castle to Grasmere's Wordsworth Museum Our Creative Writing programme has a long and distinguished history which dates back to 1970, meaning that, in the UK, we were there at the very beginning of the discipline. And we remain at the fore with prize-winning authors as tutors, and students who go on to publish their work both while with us and after. Typically, we would expect a critical writing piece around 20,000 words long and a creative writing piece of around 60-80,000 words.

Faculty: Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences | Department: School of Arts | Duration: Full time 3 - 4 years, Part time 4 - 7 years | Study mode: full-time / part-time | Location: Lancaster, England, United Kingdom

Career pathways

A PhD is a sign of prestige and gives you structured time to work on a specific project. You might complete yours to progress in your academic career or to support your wider creative role in an area like literacy management or publishing.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Academic requirements: Master's degree or equivalent in English literature or literature in other languages, or Creative Writing or equivalent, usually with an average of at least 65% for UK MAs. 2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in English Literature or related subject, for example literature in other languages. Additional requirements: A viable research proposal. Guidance on your application and on the structure of the proposal. A portfolio of original writing (no more than 15 poems or 30 pages of prose) showing potential for publication. Before submitting your application, we would recommend that you contact a potential supervisor for guidance. You can explore our research areas and find details of supervisors here. If you submit an application you should include the names of any potential supervisors that you have identified. English language requirements: We require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0, and a minimum of 6.5 in each element of the test.

Domestic applicants: GBP 5,238 a year (2026/27). Home fee for 2026/27 (UK Research Councils standard fee level, full-time); the following year's fee is not yet set Source

Duration: Full time 3 - 4 years, Part time 4 - 7 years

Apply through the official page: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying-for-postgraduate-study/

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