MA Creative Writing Prose Fiction
Key details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 1 year
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
Course options
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Course Overview
Why Creative Writing Prose Fiction at UEA?
This is where creative writing began in the UK. Since the 1970s, UEA’s MA in Prose Fiction has helped writers develop powerful literary voices.
Why choose UEA
- Home of contemporary fiction: Join alumni such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Tash Aw, and Naomi Alderman in shaping modern literature
- Find your voice: Write novels or short stories in a supportive and creative environment
- Path to publication: Benefit from strong links with publishers and literary agents to showcase your work
What is MA Creative Writing Prose Fiction?
Our MA will help transform you as a writer, giving you a deeper sense of the imaginative, artistic and intellectual opportunities and challenges involved in writing literary fiction. Practice-based workshops run alongside critical modules on contemporary literature, allowing you to develop a deep understanding of prose writing craft and fiction today.
Following in the footsteps of Sir Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Anne Enright, Tracy Chevalier and Ayobami Adebayo, among others, you'll study with an international cohort of exceptional writers, taught by an outstanding and committed faculty, alongside world-renowned visiting writers such as, recently, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Margaret Atwood, Ali Smith and Eleanor Catton.
You’ll be based in historic Norwich, England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. The vibrant literary scene on and off campus includes regular readings and events at UEA Live, the National Centre for Writing, Noirwich, Norwich Book Festival, as well as frequent talks and book launches. At the end of the course, your work will be published in an anthology distributed to key industry figures.
Careers
Career Pathways
With a MA Creative Writing Prose Fiction degree, you could launch a career as a:
- Novelist: Write and publish fiction for books, digital platforms, or literary magazines
- Journalist: Produce news stories and features for print, online, or broadcast media
- Literary Editor: Review, edit, and shape manuscripts for publishing houses
- Arts Programme Manager: Plan and deliver cultural events, festivals, and creative projects
- Creative Writing Teacher: Teach writing in schools, universities, or community settings
Career Support
On your taught modules, you'll hone creative, critical and collaborative skills that will allow you to flourish in a range of careers. Workshops with visiting writers, publishers and agents will allow you to gain industry insight and develop a professional network that will be particularly valuable if you wish you take your writing out into the world. If you're interested in exploring other careers, events such as Working with Words and help from Career Central will support you in identifying professional pathways and opportunities.
After the Course
You’ll leave the course confident of technique and craft, your own literary voice, and what it takes to be a professional writer. You'll have a strong understanding of the publishing world, how to get noticed and how to make your work to stand out. You'll have made exceptional contacts, from committed peers to publishing professionals. You'll also have a wider critical knowledge of contemporary literary cultures, further aiding international publishing and career prospects. Our students’ success, along with the reputation of the course, is unparalleled.
Study and Modules
Structure
This MA is a one-year full-time course (you can also take as a part-time over two years). The autumn semester runs September to December, and the spring semester January to May. This is followed by the summer term dissertation supervision period, which runs until the end of June. You'll submit your final piece of work, a work of fiction, either short stories or work from a novel-in-progress, in early September.
Each semester, you’ll participate in the workshop, where you'll explore and learn to apply key aspects of prose writing craft. Your fiction will be read and commented on by your tutor and peers, and you'll engage with your fellow students’ work, providing supportive critique. There will be a follow-up one-to-one tutorial with your class tutor each time your work is discussed.
Each workshop group is assigned a tutor for the autumn semester, and a different tutor for the spring semester. Groups are ‘shuffled’ in December so you can encounter the widest range of peer and tutor responses to your work during the course. The tutors’ teaching styles can vary, but all are highly accomplished published writers and experienced creative writing teachers.
Typically, three or four students each week will have their work discussed by the group. The work-in-progress is circulated a week in advance, and digitally annotated copies are provided at the end of each session. The emphasis is on rigorous but constructive criticism, from craft to theme, character to the fictional world, affect to audience.
In the first semester, alongside the first workshop, you'll study critical, thematic and imaginative approaches to contemporary fiction. You’ll read innovative texts and explore the ways in which they create particular artistic effects, to help you refine your own writing practice.
In the spring semester, alongside the workshop, you'll have the opportunity to select a module from a range of options, including global fiction, hybrid writing or place writing. This allows you to tailor the course to your interests and expand your literary range.
In the summer dissertation period, you'll be assigned a supervisor for individual tutorials, where you'll discuss your dissertation plans and work-in-progress. You'll then complete your project over the summer for final submission in early September.
Visits and talks by literary agents and publishers also take place in the summer term, along with the research and methodology day, where faculty and visiting fellows discuss their work and approaches to their practice, craft, research and publication.
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, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
Teaching involves practice-based workshops, seminar discussions, lectures introducing key texts and ideas, and one-to-one tutorials and supervisions to gain feedback on developing work. You’ll spend time outside the classroom working on your writing projects and completing preparatory reading or research. In addition, you'll attend sessions with visiting writers, publishers and agents, and methodology workshops preparing you for your work on the dissertation.
You might also visit UEA’s British Archive for Contemporary Writing, studying writers’ papers to dive into the working writer’s creative process.
Assessment
While work is continuously assessed through formative feedback, at the end of each module you'll submit creative and/or critical work for summative assessment. You'll receive detailed written feedback on each submission. Your final submission, the dissertation, could be short fiction or part of a novel-in-progress.
From coursework to the dissertation, you'll have the space and encouragement to pursue your chosen thematic and stylistic creative prose fiction path, whether your focus is on the short story, the novel, or a combination.
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.
Please note that those candidates offered a place on the course will not be able to defer their offer to the next year if they are unable to take up the offer of a place, however they are welcome to reapply the next 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 of between 3000 and 5000 words with their application. This could be part of a novel in progress or a piece or pieces of short fiction.
- Interviews
Promising candidates will be invited to one of our online interview days, which are scheduled across the academic year. We aim to inform candidates of the outcome within five working days. Unsuccessful candidates are welcome to re-apply, though not within the same academic year. Successful candidates will either be offered a place for the forthcoming academic year or a place for the following academic year (if it is felt that they need more time to develop as a writer). Once the forthcoming year is full candidates will be offered a place on our reserve list with the option of a place for the following academic year if a place does not become available.
- 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.
Please note that those candidates offered a place on the course will not be able to defer their offer to the next year if they are unable to take up the offer of a place, however they are welcome to reapply the next 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 of between 3000 and 5000 words with their application. This could be part of a novel in progress or a piece or pieces of short fiction.
- 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, our UEA International Study Centre offers a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
- Interviews
Promising candidates will be invited to one of our online interview days, which are scheduled across the academic year. We aim to inform candidates of the outcome within five working days. Unsuccessful candidates are welcome to re-apply, though not within the same academic year. Successful candidates will either be offered a place for the forthcoming academic year or a place for the following academic year (if it is felt that they need more time to develop as a writer). Once the forthcoming year is full candidates will be offered a place on our reserve list with the option of a place for the following academic year if a place does not become available.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2027/28 are:
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UK Students: £12,950
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International Students: £26,550
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 £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships(opens in a new window); 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(opens in a new window).
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(opens in a new window)
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students(opens in a new window) section of our website.