MA Creative Writing Poetry (Part time)
Course
options
Key Details
- Attendance
- Part Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
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Why you should choose us
101-150 QS Rank
Worldwide for English Language and Literature
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024Course Overview
You’ve been writing poetry for so long that it’s become a vital part of your life. You may have tried one-off workshops or short courses but find they're no longer enough. Now it’s time to take it further!
Our part-time Creative Writing Poetry MA is your chance to immerse yourself in reading and writing poetry in UEA’s world-leading Creative Writing department. Over the two years of part-time study, you’ll discover more about your imaginative, artistic and intellectual potential as a poet. Your tutors will be committed to helping you to become the best and most exciting writer you can be. Over two years, you’ll discover more about your imaginative, artistic and intellectual potential as a poet. In your Poetry Workshops, you’ll work intensively on your writing practice with expert guidance and support from tutors and peers. You’ll develop your poetic ambition by learning more about poetry across time and place, about form and technique, practice and theory. You’ll read the kinds of poetry you’ve never come across before and discover a world of poetry beyond the forms and approaches you already know. We aim to support you in writing poetry of a publishable standard and to create an encouraging, exciting and rigorous environment. Through your two Poetry Workshops, you’ll be encouraged to test, extend and refine your poetic technique – an experience that is often exciting and sometimes uncomfortable but always rewarding.
Within UEA’s internationally-famous writing community and as part of the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing (follow us on Instagram!), you’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the UK’s leading poets and poetry editors and benefit from their insight and expertise. Our annual anthology is professionally published and distributed to a key list of poetry houses and other contacts.
Norwich is a beautiful historic city and England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. UEA is also part of a thriving network of regional poetry activities, which offers plenty of opportunities to gain performance experience and to get involved in publication. UEA also hosts an annual Poetry Festival, showcasing the MA poets’ work. You’ll have the chance to attend a masterclass and discuss your writing one-to-one with the Poetry Festival Fellow. UEA is also part of a thriving network of regional poetry activity, which offers plenty of opportunities to gain performance experience and to get involved in publication.
During two years of intensive reading, writing, exploration and risk-taking, you’ll develop a body of work close in length to a first collection. As a graduate of our MA in Poetry, you might join the ranks of our alumni who have published their work to high acclaim, such as Mona Arshi, Sam Buchan-Watts and Sohini Basak. After completing the course, a variety of careers in the literary arts and creative industries will be open to you.
Study and Modules
Structure
The core element of the MA is the weekly three-hour workshop. The workshop structure varies but generally consists of close discussion of the work of two or three students plus a session on some aspect of poetry. Work is circulated a week in advance and annotated in detail before being returned to its author. The tutor may also circulate texts for discussion. You’ll get the chance to attend a follow-up tutorial with your workshop tutor each time your work is discussed in these workshops. In the second semester, you’ll choose from a number of optional modules.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
You’ll be taught by published poets with extensive experience in their field through workshops, seminars, and tutorials.
Our teaching staff in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing includes award-winning poet Tiffany Atkinson and tutors such as Holly Corfield-Carr, Jeremy Noel-Tod, Stephen Benson, Steve Waters and Rachel Potter.
Independent study
From week to week, you’ll be expected to spend a significant amount of time on independent study, writing and redrafting poems, preparing feedback on your peers’ work, and reading widely in poetry and relevant criticism.
Assessment
You’ll submit 12 poems and a critical commentary for the Poetry Workshop. Assessments for optional modules vary but are typically a 5,000-word essay or an equivalent portfolio of creative and/or critical work.
Structure
This year, you’ll take a creative-critical module, which will develop your thinking about poetic language. You’’ also take a second workshop module, giving and receiving feedback on poems, and learning more about the craft of poetry. You'll have regular individual tutorials and receive extensive written feedback on your coursework.
There is no workshop in the summer semester (May to June). During this time in your second year, you’ll have one-to-one sessions with your dissertation tutor. In preparation for the dissertation, you attend a specialised Creative Writing Research Methodology Conference in May, with the entire MA Creative Writing cohort. This day includes plenary sessions, panels and small-group breakout sessions.
In July and August of your second year, you’ll work independently, although you may, with your peers, continue the workshop in some form. Over this period, you'll write your dissertation, which will be a body of poetry and a critical commentary on it.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
You’ll continue to learn from practising poets as you develop your writing through seminars, tutorials, and workshops.
After a conference with all MA Creative Writing students on research methodology, you’ll begin your dissertation in the summer, taught through one-to-one sessions with your dissertation tutor.
Independent study
As well as continuing the independent reading, writing, and drafting you’ve established in your first year, you’ll work independently towards your dissertation, supported by your supervisor.
Assessment
In your second year, you’ll again write 12 poems for the Poetry Workshop, along with a critical commentary.
The assessment for your creative-critical module is a 5,000-word essay or a piece of creative-critical work.
Your dissertation consists of approximately 15–20 poems plus a critical commentary and is submitted in September at the end of the year.
Employability
After the Course
Our poetry graduates go on to enjoy all kinds of careers, especially in the literary arts. Several have received scholarships for further work at PhD level, many work in publishing (e.g. at Granta and the London Review of Books), and many publish their poetry to high acclaim.
Recent examples include Mona Arshi (MA Poetry 2010) winning the Forward Prize for Best First Collection in 2015, Sam Buchan-Watts (MA Poetry 2014) being named a Faber & Faber New Poet in 2015, Sohini Basak (MA Poetry 2016) winning the Eyewear Publishing Beverly Series Poetry Prize, Sean Wai Keung (MA Poetry 2016) winning the inaugural Rialto Open Pamphlet Competition 2016, and Anna Cathenka and Alice Willitts being shortlisted for the Ivan Juritz Prize 2018.
Careers
Example of careers that you could enter include:
- Publishing
- Editing
- Freelance writing
- Arts management
- Teaching
- Advertising
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.1
Degree Subject
Any subject
- Additional Entry Requirements
Candidates are required to submit a portfolio of writing for assessment with their application - up to 20 pages of poetry.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.1 or equivalent
Degree Subject
Any subject
- Additional Entry Requirements
Candidates are required to submit a portfolio of writing for assessment with their application - up to 20 pages of poetry.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
IELTS: 7 overall (minimum 7 in Writing, 6 in Speaking, Reading and Listening)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2025/26 are:
-
UK Students: £10,675
-
International Students: £22,700
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,136 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.