MFA Creative Writing at University of Strathclyde

Programme overview

An internationally recognised terminal degree in creative writing, qualifying graduates to teach the subject in higher education. It blends intensive skills-based training in year 1 with advanced project-based work in year 2, with supervision in fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, screenwriting and hybrid writing.

Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences | Duration: 24 months full-time; 48 months part-time | Intake: September | Study mode: full-time | Location: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

What you will study

The MFA comprises 300 credits at SCQF level 11: 140 credits of taught modules in year 1 and 160 credits in year 2. Year 2 includes one core module (Communicating Research or Creative Pedagogy, 20 credits) and the Creative Thesis.

Career pathways

Prepares graduates as professional writers and educators, with roles in publishing and editorial work, arts and cultural industries, community engagement, creative enterprise, and marketing and advertising.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

First or second-class Honours degree in English Literature, Creative Writing or a closely related subject, or an equivalent qualification; applicants without a degree may be considered with strong competence in creative writing. A portfolio (2,000 words of prose, up to 10 poems of no more than 40 lines, or the equivalent of a short 15-minute play or screenplay), academic references, a proposal outlining aims and research context, and an outline of planned creative thesis work (maximum two A4 pages) are required. Holders of an MLitt in Creative Writing may be eligible for direct entry to Year 2 from September 2027.

Domestic applicants: GBP 10,100 a year (2026/27). Year 1 full-time; part-time GBP 5,050 per year. Same for Scotland and England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Source

International applicants: GBP 23,550 a year (2026/27). Year 1 only. Source

Intake: September

Duration: 24 months full-time; 48 months part-time

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