Creative Writing (Nonfiction)  MA

Overview

The Creative Writing (Nonfiction) MA provides you with essential skills and a supportive and challenging environment in which to develop your reportorial and research skills, experiment with approaches to writing narrative nonfiction, reflect on their own and others' work, learn about the publishing industry, and shape a book-length work of narrative nonfiction into a marketable proposal.
 
The course encourages you to be ambitious and imaginative. The unifying factor for all writers accepted onto the course will be their intention to deliver information through a narrative structure.

The ethos is excellence and diversity, drawing on domestic and international students of different ages, experiences and backgrounds. (Our definition of narrative non fiction includes biography, travel, history, life writing, true crime, sports and other forms of sustained and structured nonfiction storytelling.)

In summary:

  • this new course is the first of its kind in the UK, and aims to tap into the flourishing narrative nonfiction publishing market
  • the course, run mainly in the evening, will appeal to journalists, academics, subject experts, those wanting to write a memoir or family history, and many others exploring this form of literary journalism
  • it is led by award-winning writer and broadcaster Julie Wheelwright, an expert in the field of creative non-fiction
  • the course is unique as you leave with a complete full-length book, rather than a dissertation or other "academic" piece of work
  • you benefit from the central London location, giving you access to publishers and agents, research libraries, archives, and major media organisations.

Course Fees:

  • Part-time EU: £4,000 ((2011 fee. Fees for 2012 published here soon.)
  • Full-time Non EU: £14,000 (2011 fee. Fees for 2012 published here soon.)

Start Date:

24 September 2012

How to Apply

Entry Requirements

You will normally have a UK Honours degree (in any subject) or the overseas equivalent. But successful completion of a certificate course in creative writing, or a professional qualification, or relevant experience may also be acceptable. The prime criteria are proven ability and commitment.

You will need to submit 5,000 words of nonfiction and may need to attend an interview as part of the application process. (Overseas applicants may be interviewed by telephone.)

English Requirements

For students whose first language is not English an IELTS score of at least 7.0 is required (with 7.0 in the writing component). 

Visa Requirements

The way that you apply may vary depending on the length of your course at City, there are different rules for:

  • Students on courses of more than 6 months
  • Students on courses of less than 6 months
  • Students on a pre-sessional English Language course

For more information see our main Visa page.

When and Where

Start Date:
24 September 2012
Duration:
Two years part-time. (One year full-time for international students.)
Frequency:
The course is designed to fit in with the lives of those already working full-time, with students coming in for two evenings per week over two years (with the occasional Saturday workshop). A full-time option is also available, primarily to overseas students. Part-time option The 'Experiments in Writing' module and the 'Literary Criticism' modules take place in terms one and two. Extra workshops and lectures will take place on occasional Saturdays. The 'Own Nonfiction Book' module takes place in term three of year one and over terms one, two and three of year two. It consists of tutorials, workshops and substantial work in the students' own time. The Publishing Industry module takes place in term three of year two, and consists of seminars, exercises, presentations and lectures by visiting industry professionals. Full-time option (primarily for overseas students) The 'Experiments in Writing' module and the 'Literary Criticism' module take place over terms one and two. Extra workshops and lectures will take place on occasional Saturdays. The Publishing Industry module takes place in term three. The 'Own Nonfiction Book' module takes place in term three of year one and consists of tutorials, workshops and substantial work in the students' own time; year two is a writing-up year with tutorial support via scheduled email sessions.

Course Content

The course focuses on writing and research skills including identifying a subject, using archives, exploring genres and structuring material. You will also learn how to prepare a manuscript for publishers and agents. 

It offers a taught component,one-to-one-tutoring, workshops and opportunities to hear guest speakers. The course advisors, made up of leading figures from the non-fiction world, provide you with expert advice and direct exposure to the publishing industry.

Course Structure

Modules:

Teaching and Assessment

Teaching is based around a mix of practical workshops, seminars and lectures. All this is supported by one-to-one tutorials and by independent study: notably reading and preparing presentations on set texts and performing set writing exercises. As the course progresses, the emphasis shifts to independent study and is supported by workshops and one-to-one tutorials.

Central to all three Creative Writing MA courses is the requirement to finish a full-length novel, memoir, play or screenplay. The course culminates in a showcase of your work to an audience of industry professionals and other interested parties.

Fees

  • Part-time EU: £4,000 ((2011 fee. Fees for 2012 published here soon.)
  • Full-time Non EU: £14,000 (2011 fee. Fees for 2012 published here soon.)
Please note that the part-time fee above is for the first year only. The annual tuition fee is likely to increase by a small percentage in subsequent years.

Funding

For up-to-date information about tuition fees, living costs and financial support, visit Undergraduate Fees and Finance or Postgraduate Fees and Finance.

Prizes

Students can apply for two industry-sponsored awards, which may lead to agent representation and cash prizes.

Career Prospects

Former creative writing students have gone on to win prizes and have work published:

  • Aaron Eske's memoir about international adoption, My Family: A Symphony was published by Palgrave in December 2010
  • Peter Moore's book Damn His Blood (developed on the MA) will be published in 2012
  • Bridget O'Donnell has signed with Picador

Find out more about City University London

Application Deadline

There is no fixed application deadline. Applications will close when the course is full, so you are encouraged to apply early.


Please submit the following:

  1. One application form. You can download a pdf file of our application form or apply online by following the links below.
  2. Two references, one of which should be from an academic referee. Either post the references to us with your application, or arrange for your referees to forward them to us no later than two weeks after your application is submitted.
  3. An explanation in no more than 200 words of why you think you would benefit from the course. Please write this in the "Statement in Support of Application" section of the application form.)
  4. A portfolio of your nonfiction writing, up to a maximum of 5,000 words. Please ensure that your name is on every page and that the work is a copy as it cannot be returned

Application forms

Apply online for the Creative Writing Nonfiction MA, part-time pathway

Apply online for the Creative Writing Nonfiction MA, full-time pathway
 

Download a PDF version of the application form (pdf)

Download a PDF version of the reference form (pdf)


Selection process
There is no fixed application deadline, although applications will close when the course is full so you are encouraged to apply early. We aim to process all applications within six weeks of receipt.

Return address
Please return your application form and/or supporting documents, marked "Postgraduate Applications 2011", to: Admissions, Centre for Creative Writing, City University London, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, UK.