Creative Writing MA applicants

Hi everyone. I'm really considering an MA in creative writing, but want to go to the best possible place I can, somewhere that really pushes me. I know UEA is meant to be one of the best, but I went there for my undergraduate degree and kinda want to explore somewhere different. Creative writing isn't on any league tables, which is annoying. How are we meant to find out where the best places to study are?

Reply 21

~ Purple Rose ~

PS Reviewer

19

From what I have heard the best places are UEA, Warwick, Manchester Met, Lancaster, Royal Holloway and Exeter. It depends what you want from a course though, whether you want to study one aspect of writing or more for example.

Reply 22

tigermoth99

13

It can be helpful if you know students studying on a particular MA (I'm studying the Creative Writing MA at Royal Holloway and a couple of people on my course knew former students who highly recommended it, for example)

Also, I'd recommend looking at who teaches on a particular course you're thinking of applying to. There might be poets or novelists you enjoy reading who teach there.

Reply 23

romeosbitch

15

not technically creative writing but scriptwriting, anyone know anything about that? The only course I've found that really appeals so far is the TV and Radio scriptwriting Ma at Salford. Aside from the scripts i'm writing as part of my degree i don't have any experience and I don't know what to put in my personal statement for it.

Reply 24

tigermoth99

13

Try skillset for more info on courses

Reply 25

whatever...

Hey guys

I've decided to apply for an MA in Creative Writing as well :woo:

My first choice is Bath Spa, as they do a Writing for Young People one, which is what I want to do. I'm writing fiction for young adults.

Royal Holloway and Exeter have crossed my mind, but I'm not too sure. I still have to look into those courses. I know that Royal Holloway only ask for a 15,000 - 20,000 word dissertation or part of a novel I think.

I looked at Southampton Uni too, just cos it'd be close to home...

I think the only thing I don't like about Bath Spa is that it's taught at Corsham and not the Newton Park campus :rolleyes:

Reply 26

whatever...

romeosbitch

not technically creative writing but scriptwriting, anyone know anything about that? The only course I've found that really appeals so far is the TV and Radio scriptwriting Ma at Salford. Aside from the scripts i'm writing as part of my degree i don't have any experience and I don't know what to put in my personal statement for it.

Bath Spa does a Scriptwriting MA, its taught at the weekends according to their student rep. :yes:

Reply 27

tigermoth99

13

whatever...

Royal Holloway and Exeter have crossed my mind, but I'm not too sure. I still have to look into those courses. I know that Royal Holloway only ask for a 15,000 - 20,000 word dissertation or part of a novel I think.

Are you talking about Royal Holloway's entrance requirements?

They require either 25 poems or 5000 words of prose to be enclosed with the application form, along with a 5,000 word sample of critical writing (essays or part of a dissertation)

I'm studying the MA there, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Reply 28

whatever...

tigermoth99

Are you talking about Royal Holloway's entrance requirements?

They require either 25 poems or 5000 words of prose to be enclosed with the application form, along with a 5,000 word sample of critical writing (essays or part of a dissertation)

I'm studying the MA there, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Oh no, sorry I wasn't :o:

I was talking about the work at the end of the MA thesis/dissertation/novel. I think I read for fiction it's supposed to be about 15,000 words long, whereas at Bath Spa it's between 35,000 and 40,000.

I wrote an email to the course tutor at Bath Spa, and she said I can talk to her, and my current module tutor if I'd be suitable for the course. The cool thing is that I don't have to get any particular grade, the downside that they only take the most promising writers who are likely to be published at the end if the course. Scary :eek3: