Creative Writing and English Literature MA

Join our thriving literary community and grow your creative potential. You will develop your skills as a writer and explore the theory and practice of writing in the contemporary world through taught modules, independent study, writing and research. 

This course will also give you an in depth understanding not just of individual literary texts, but of how they relate to each other, to their wider literary and global context, and to our changing perceptions of literary value. The focus of the modules capitalises on the particular areas of expertise of our dynamic and supportive academic team, but they have also been developed in consultation with industry experts, to ensure your learning is relevant to many different potential career paths. 

York is a fantastic place to be if you love books and reading. There is a rich literary history in the city, and each year, the city celebrates its literary heritage with the York Literature Festival, for which our department organises several events. We are also instrumental in the annual York Big City Read with our partner institution, York Explore.

We encourage you to take a professional approach to your study and attend the variety of events provided by the York Centre for Writing. These includes visits from agents, publishers, editors and writers. You will also have opportunities to take part in field trips and a weekend residential writing retreat.

How you will study

You can study this postgraduate course full time or part time. This allows you to fit your studies around other commitments.

If you choose to study full time the course will take 1 year to complete. You will study:

• 3 compulsory modules
• 2 optional modules

If you choose to study part time the course will take 2 years to complete. The modules will be split over both of those years.

You can find out which modules are available in each term in the Course Specifications.

Modules

Teaching and learning

The year is organised across 3 terms: autumn, spring and summer, with the MA starting in the final week of September. There will be 1 module per term for part time and 2 modules per term for full time students. Sessions are typically taught from 6.00pm to 8.00pm on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings.

Sessions are taught in small groups run by an expert member of the writing team. In these groups, you will share your work, whilst taking part in writing exercised that have been designed to inspire your creativity. You will also learn how to edit and perfect your work and prepare for submission or dissemination.

Our teaching draws on both our research and professional experience. This means your learning is informed by the most current thinking in the subject area. You can find out more about our research and backgrounds by visiting our staff pages.

Assessment

You will be assessed on portfolios of original creative writing. The creative text will be in response to the concepts, ideas and themes explored in the module. Your portfolio will also contain a reflective document, in which you discuss your creative process and inspirations.

In each case, you will be supported with formative activities helping you to develop these skills, and your writing practice, in order to produce your best work in terms of both creative output and reflective discourse. From semester 2, modules have an oral presentation component. Here you will pitch your written creative work and develop your verbal presentation skills.

Throughout the course, you will have multiple opportunities for one to one formative feedback sessions with your academic tutor.

Qualifications

If your degree is in an unrelated subject, but you can provide evidence of relevant professional experience, your application may still be considered.

International students

If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.

Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.

If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 6.0 (with no skill below 5.5) or equivalent.

International entry requirements

Additional requirements

For entry onto this course, you will also need:

• A sample of creative writing, either in prose, script or poetry of at least 1,000-2,000 words, or 3 poems

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)

If you do not have traditional qualifications, you might be able to provide evidence of professional experience in the subject as an alternative way to meet the entry requirements. This is called Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Appropriate references and records of employment would need to be presented to support your case for admission.

Terms and conditions

Our terms and conditions, policies and procedures contain important information about studying at York St John University. You can read them on our Admissions page. 

UK 2026 - 2027 entry

The tuition fee for 2026 entry to this postgraduate course is:

• £8,800 for full time study
• £4,400 per year for part time study

These costs apply to all UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.

Postgraduate loans are available to help you pay for your master’s course. Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.

Funding opportunities

International 2026 - 2027 entry

The tuition fee for 2026 entry to this postgraduate course is:

• £11,800 for 1 year of full time study

These costs apply to all students living outside the UK.

Due to immigration laws, if you are an international student on a student visa, you must study full time. For more information about visa requirements and short-term study visas, please visit the International Visa and Immigration pages.

Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.

International Fees and Funding

Tuition fees

Alumni Scholarships

If you are alumni of York St John University we have scholarships available to help you continue your studies.

Scholarships for alumni

Additional costs and financial support

Course-related costs

While studying for your degree, there may be additional costs related to your course. This may include purchasing personal equipment and stationery, books and optional field trips.

Accommodation and living costs

View our accommodation pages for detailed information on accommodation and living costs.

Where could Creative Writing and English Literature take you?

By developing your writing and creative process, you will be well positions to enter into a various careers. Your skills in critical analysis, working to deadlines and both independent and collaborative work will can be applied in industries such as:

• Journalism
• Publishing
• Editing
• Copywriting
• Academia
• Arts administration
• Heritage
• Marketing and PR
• Media and broadcasting
• Teaching

There is also the option of continuing with your academic studies and heading down the route towards a PhD in a specific area of creative writing research.

Alumni stories

Visit our YSJ Snapshots blog to see what our past students from across the University have done with their York St John degrees.

Stand out from the crowd with postgraduate study

Far fewer people have postgraduate degrees than undergraduate qualifications. This gives you something extra to set yourself apart in a competitive graduate job market.

Our careers service provides career support tailored to your ambitions. Through this service you can access:

• Employer events
• LinkedIn, CV and cover letter sessions
• Workshops on application writing and interview skills
• Work experience and volunteering opportunities
• Personalised career advice

This support does not end when you graduate. You can access our expert career advice for the rest of your life. We will help you gain the experience and confidence you need to succeed.