creative writing ireland

Explore UCD

• University Strategy
• University Governance
• President's Office
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Campus Development
• Course Catalogue
• Study at UCD
• Current Students
• Campus Accommodation
• International Student Experience
• Access & Lifelong Learning
• Careers Network
• Sports Clubs
• Student Societies

Research & Innovation

• Innovation at NovaUCD
• Graduate Studies
• Support for Researchers
• Find a UCD Researcher
• UCD College of Arts and Humanities
• UCD College of Business
• UCD College of Engineering and Architecture
• UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences
• UCD College of Science
• UCD College of Social Sciences and Law
• All Colleges and Schools
• News & Opinion
• Work at UCD
• UCD in the Community
• Global Partnerships
• UCD Foundation
• University Relations

Key Services

• Staff Directory
• Sport & Fitness
• IT Services
• X (Twitter)

Creative Writing

This course is available through the following application route(s)

Video with Text

UCD offers two graduate courses in creative writing, an MA and MFA. The MA programme includes workshops, seminars and supervision meetings, providing committed students with the support they need to produce a major piece of writing by the end of the course. 

The MA in Creative Writing  builds on the well established commitment of the UCD School of English, Drama and Film to fostering and supporting new writing. The university has long been associated with some of Ireland’s greatest writers, including James Joyce, Flann O’Brien, Mary Lavin, Anthony Cronin, John McGahern, Neil Jordan, Conor McPherson, Marina Carr, Colm Tóibín, Emma Donoghue, Maeve Binchy and many others. The Booker Prize winning novelist Anne Enright is Professor of Creative Writing, and among the teaching staff are novelist Sarah Moss, poet Ian Davidson, poet and novelist Paul Perry, novelist and playwright Declan Hughes, life writer and critic Catherine Morris and novelist Paula McGrath. 

The MA programme :

• Provides opportunities to explore and develop your own creative writing skills supervised by experienced published staff of international reputation.
• Actively fosters the development of students' capacity to edit their own work.
• Ensures that the art of writing is informed by contemporary theory and practice.
• Offers courses incorporating the manuscripts of works of leading writers held in Special Collections and courses which explore material in the National Folklore Collection in UCD, one of the richest archives of oral tradition in the world.

About This Course

What will i learn.

• Have a solid working knowledge of genres and forms.
• Have created a substantial piece of writing, a solid basis from which to continue towards the completion of a full work, whether that be a collection of short stories, a novel or a collection of poetry.
• Have developed a positive sense of themselves as writers, with an active role to play in the literary/artistic culture wherever they should find themselves.
• Have learned to read like writers, to recognise the challenges facing authors at various stages in the creation of a piece of fiction and to critically assess the extent to which these challenge have been met.
• On successful completion of the programme, students will have a thorough understanding of how to meet many of the challenges confronted in the construction of a piece of fiction; character, voice, place etc.
• Participated in a weekly visiting writer’s programme, contributed to an anthology and attended a selection of the literary events and festivals for which the city is renowned.

View All Modules

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Testimonial

Dave Rudden MA 2013 Award-winning author

The Creative Writing Masters in UCD has been incredibly useful to me as an author. I still use some of the lessons I learned in that year in my creative writing classes, and the expert advice of the lecturers contributed massively to me finding a home for my Knights of the Borrowed Dark trilogy at Puffin. I cannot recommend it highly enough.  

Graduate Profile Erika Meyers, USA Although there are many programmes that offer masters in Creative Writing in North America, I decided to attend UCD because it allowed me the opportunity to pursue my interests in poetry and fiction, rather than forcing me to choose one over the other. The creative versatility of the programme not only resulted in the publication of a novel and a poetry collection (both written while under the guidance of James Ryan and Éilís Ní Dhuibhne during my MA), but also provided me with the knowledge and experience necessary to earn a Santander scholarship and pursue my PhD in Irish Literature at the University of Edinburgh.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fee information is available on the  UCD Fees website . Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see  International Scholarships .

Entry Requirements

The entry requirement for the  MA programme  is a BA Hons English or equivalent (NFQ Level 8), and/or proven commitment to and experience in the field of creative writing; a portfolio (a 3,000 word sample of prose or 6 poems, or a combination of prose and poetry) of recent creative work; a personal statement of reasons for taking the course and references. Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7.5 (no band less than 7.0 in each element), or equivalent. 

These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 

Who Should Apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes International (Non EU) applicants: Yes

How to Apply

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Creative Writing :

Further Information

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.

Ask a Question:

• DCU Open Days
• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate Hub
• DCU Micro-Credentials
• DCU Connected
• Scholarships
• Admissions Information
• Accommodation
• Graduate Studies Office
• Student Recruitment
• Research at DCU
• Research Impact
• DCU Invent - Technology Transfer
• Life Sciences Institute
• INTRA Internships
• Courses with INTRA
• Engage with DCU
• Office of the Executive Director of Engagement
• Arts and Culture
• Engagement Governance
• Age Friendly University
• DCU Placement
• DCU Educational Trust
• DCU International Academy
• Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland
• National Institute for Digital Learning
• DCU Campus Store
• Changemaker Schools Network
• Counselling & Personal Development
• Student Health Service
• Student Policies
• Financial Assistance Service
• House of Accessibility
• Student Advice and Learning Skills Centre
• Accessible Campus
• Transcripts
• Orientation
• Examinations
• Examination Results
• Fees Information
• Academic Calendars
• Information Systems Services
• DCU Students Union
• Clubs & Societies
• DCU Autism Friendly
• Disability & Learning Support Service
• Mature Students
• Careers Service
• International Students
• DCU Business School
• DCU Institute of Education
• Faculty of Engineering & Computing
• Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
• Faculty of Science & Health
• Office of the President
• Sustainability at DCU
• DCU Governing Authority
• Freedom of Information
• Health & Safety
• University Policies
• Graduate Studies
• Office of the Vice President for Research
• Communications, Marketing & Events
• Information Systems Services (ISS)
• Language Translation Services
• Quality and Institutional Insights Office
• Teaching Enhancement Unit (TEU)
• How to get here
• Inter-Faith Centre

MA in Creative Writing

Course details.

• Careers & Further Options

Entry Requirements

• Fees & Funding

How To Apply

Life on campus.

Have you always wanted to write, but never found the time, the focus, the space or the motivation?

The DCU MA in Creative Writing is designed to help you discover your inner writer by immersing you in the world of Drama, Poetry, and Fiction.

This exciting new programme gives early-career and up-and-coming writers the chance to spend a year working with experienced writers in a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment. You can develop your writing skills and connect with the broader literary community.

The MA in Creative Writing provides intensive, practical courses in drama, poetry, screenwriting, and prose fiction. It also offers specialised classes in critical reading and creative practice

23% of current HSS students are part-time

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

93% of FHSS graduates are in work or further study 6 months to a year after graduation, including 75% in employment and 18% in further studies

In the 2024 QS Subject Rankings, English is the University’s highest-ranked subject, placing it within the top 150 universities worldwide for this discipline

I chose   the MA in Creative Writing to develop my writing skills and progress my novel.

For admission to the MA in Creative Writing, successful applicants will have: • A degree at the level of an Irish or UK Honours undergraduate degree (H2.2 or above) or equivalent, in a Humanities discipline but holders of other degrees or appropriate professional experience should provide information in their personal statement. • Applicants with appropriate combinations of professional qualifications and experience may also be considered. This includes discipline-specific knowledge and know-how; transferable skills; basic research competency; personal effectiveness.

• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) applicants are required to submit a  cover letter  along with their application under the Transcripts section of the portal, affirming their  intent to apply for RPL . For more information on RPL see here .  •International candidates who are non-native speakers of English must satisfy the University of their competency in the English language.

Due to the specialist nature of this programme, additional criteria may be used to assess suitability to undertake this programme. For further information, please contact the Programme Chair using the contact details above

Programme Structure

We aim to teach students a wide range of creative writing techniques in various forms such as drama, fiction, poetry and screenwriting. We believe that even if a student has a primary interest in one form, exposure to all these creative disciplines can be beneficial. Many aspects of writing, such as imagery, rhythm, narrative structure, voice/language style and the use of rhetorical techniques apply across different forms and genres, not just one.

Students will study important literary works from both Ireland and the world, and they will have the opportunity to share and receive constructive feedback on their own work in progress. This process will help them develop a broad technical vocabulary that enhances their understanding of their own writing and the work of others. Even students interested in specialised genres like life-writing, children's literature or fantasy can benefit from this approach and will have a chance to work in their chosen form in the Writing Project. Our hope is that all students will integrate the knowledge gained from each seminar into their final creative work or portfolio.

This program offers a Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing, which can be pursued on a full-time or part-time basis, recognised as a Level 9 qualification. The MA programme consists of several components:

• A core module called "Reading like a writer," worth 30 credits, is spread across both the first and second semesters.
• Students can then select three out of four 10-credit modules focusing on Fiction, Drama, Poetry, and Screenwriting.
• In addition, there is a 30-credit writing project.

Full-time students can complete all their required credits within one year.

• Our faculty consists of highly qualified staff who possess real expertise and a strong commitment to teaching. They bring a wealth of teaching experience to the table.
• Our teaching staff includes three renowned writers with national and international recognition: Marina Carr, a distinguished playwright; Kevin Power, an accomplished novelist; and Kit Fryatt, a celebrated poet.
• We maintain small class sizes to ensure that every student has the opportunity to be heard. This setting often fosters close and mutually supportive relationships among our students.

Why do this programme?

The DCU MA in Creative Writing welcomes aspiring writers at various stages of their journey. It's open to early-career and emerging writers, including those who have already started publishing and want to refine their skills, those who haven't yet published and are seeking the tools to succeed and even seasoned writers who wish to delve deeper into their craft.

Our program's goal is to assist writers in completing a substantial body of work in their chosen genre, be it drama, fiction, poetry or screenwriting. We also aim to cultivate the critical skills needed for self-evaluation and the assessment of others' work. Graduates from the MA in Creative Writing will acquire a diverse set of transferable skills, including critical analysis, professional discipline, and creative thinking.

A solid foundation in the art of writing is essential for success in any field, and the skills honed during the DCU MA in Creative Writing will prepare students for writing careers in an ever-expanding range of sectors. Our program instils mastery of language and technique, the ability to meet deadlines with high-quality work, a strong sense of professionalism and a flexible approach to their own writing and that of others.

Fees and Funding

To apply for this programme:

All Applicants must apply through DCU's Student Application Portal which is available here . Here's a quick step by step guide if you need help with your application:

• Provide Academic Transcripts for each and every year of study with English translation, if applicable.
• Provide an example of writing, creative or otherwise, on a topic/theme of your choice maximum 3,000 words prose / 15 pages drama (correctly formatted) / 12 pages of poems.
• Personal Statement (250-750 words)
• If applicable, provide evidence of competence in the English language as per DCU entry requirements. Please see link http://www.dcu.ie/registry/english.shtml

Please note if you are a non EU student and require a study visa, you are not eligible to apply for part-time programmes as study visas are only granted for full-time programmes.

Application Deadlines

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the programme is full or until the following dates:

• Closing date for non EU applicants is 1st July 2025
• Closing date for EU applicants is 30th July 2025

Note applicants who require a study visa for the purposes of studying at DCU, are advised to apply as early as possible.

All entry requirements should be met before the commencement of the programme.

Application Queries For EU applicant queries, please visit https://www.dcu.ie/registry/eu-postgraduate-taught-admissions or email [email protected] For non EU applicant queries, please visit https://www.dcu.ie/registry/international-admissions-undergraduate-and-postgraduate or email [email protected]

Commencement of Programme

The programme commences in September 2025

At DCU, our students can expect a unique campus experience. We are known for our excellent teaching and learning facilities, our active clubs and societies, and our great social and sporting facilities. All this makes DCU an exciting place to be. 

DCU has three academic campuses; Glasnevin, St. Patrick’s and All Hallows (both in Drumcondra), all close to Dublin City centre. 

They can be reached by public transport, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, with our Drumcondra campuses a ten minute walk from Drumcondra Train Station. Glasnevin is a 20 minute walk from St Patrick’s and All Hallows. They are also linked by Dublin Bus.

Each campus has a library (O’Reilly, Cregan and Woodlock Hall), study spaces, restaurants, and on-campus residencies. There are sports facilities on Glasnevin and St. Patrick’s, and there is a dedicated sports campus, St Claire’s, located near Glasnevin on the Ballymun Road.

DCU’s 19,000 students have access to exceptional teaching and learning facilities across our three academic campuses. 

These include modern learning theatres, research centres, a new media and TV studio, radio/podcast studios, computer suites and advanced labs in the areas of Languages, Engineering, Physics, Chemistry and Biotechnology, as well as a Sports Performance centre and a training hospital ward. In 2021, we opened our first virtual reality ‘Leadership Lab’, which is located in our Business School.

We continue to improve and update our facilities. For example, construction of a new world-class STEM facility is underway on the Glasnevin campus. With capacity for an extra 3,000 STEM students, this facility will advance DCU’s international reputation for excellence in science and health, computing and engineering disciplines.

Studying in DCU isn’t just about course work. The university is rich in student life and activities.

There are more than 140 clubs and societies for students in DCU, with ‘Clubs & Socs’ days taking place on both the Glasnevin and Drumcondra campuses at the start of the academic year. They span everything from rugby to rock climbing, anime to jazz.

For many students, sport is an important part of the DCU experience. DCU’s Sports Complex boasts a 25 metre swimming pool, fitness centre gym, all-weather pitches and squash courts, as well as soccer, GAA and rugby pitches. DCU Dóchas Éireann, the university’s GAA club, is the largest third level Gaelic Games club in the country. Meanwhile, DCU Athletics has been Ireland’s highest achieving university club for many years. And DCU has dozens of other clubs to get involved in, from Archery to Weightlifting. 

The Glasnevin campus is home to our purpose built, state-of-the-art student centre, The U, which serves the needs of a rapidly growing student body. Here, you will find the Student Leadership and Lifeskills Centre, performing arts and cultural spaces for students and the wider community, and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub. Also located on our Glasnevin campus is The Helix, our renowned performing arts centre.

On our St Patrick’s campus, we have the Java Student Hub, a vibrant, warm and welcoming space where students can meet for coffee, play music, use the projector to watch events, or just relax. The walls of the Java Hub were designed based on the cultural history of St Patrick’s Campus, including the special references to the notable sporting history and history of the arts.

Information about accommodation each of our three campuses can be accessed here .

We have a number of academic, professional and social supports for students.

Student Advice Centre - Offers a wide range of supports and services to students and advice 

The Writing Centre - drop-in writing workshops for students through the academic year 

Maths Learning Centre - provides maths support for students of all ability levels with maths modules 

Student Learning - facilitate the transition from passive to active learning for students at DCU, by teaching study skills, nurturing critical thinking and building student confidence. 

Careers work with students to help them on their professional journey into graduate employment.

Our student support team offers a comprehensive support programme, helping students make that all important transition into university life and focusing on building confidence and skills which are key to success at third level.

DCU Glasnevin Campus

Is DCU all one campus?

 DCU is a multi campus university - the Glasnevin, St Patrick's and All Hallows campuses. The St Patrick's campus is where the Education courses are taught and some of the subjects from the BA Joint Honours degree. There is a 20-25 minute walk between the campuses but there are buses and bikes available to go between them also.

Click here to see maps of all of our campuses

If I'm studying on the St Patrick's campus, can I use the library and sports centre on the Glasnevin campus?

Yes, all facilities such as sports and accommodation are open for all DCU students to avail of. 

Are there libraries in DCU and if they have wifi and work stations?

We have a brand new state of the art four floor library on our St. Patrick's Campus which complements the existing library on the Glasnevin campus. There is free wifi, work stations as well as desktop computers. 

Does DCU provide accommodation?

DCU does have on-campus accommodation for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and you can find out more and apply via the Accommodation Office webpage .

Have You Considered?

Find other courses

• Follow University of Limerick on Facebook
• Follow University of Limerick on X/Twitter
• Follow University of Limerick on Instagram
• Follow University of Limerick on LinkedIn
• Follow University of Limerick on YouTube
• Follow University of Limerick on TikTok
• Search University of Limerick website

Creative Writing - MA

Course details.

• Share via twitter
• Share via facebook
• Share via brands/linkedin
• Share via whatsapp
• Share via email

Contact(s):

Read instructions on how to apply

Register your interest here for more information or to be notified when applications are open.

Brief Description

This programme is available full-time over one academic year or part-time over two years. It enables students to develop their Creative Writing skills through consideration of the work of established writers; through study of the many aspects of a piece of successful Creative Writing; through assignments that foster strategies for revision of work; and through an understanding of the requirements of the redrafting, submission and publication processes

The University of Limerick offers a Master of Arts in Creative Writing. Our Chair of Creative Writing is Prof Joseph O’Connor (author of nine novels including Ghost Light, The Thrill of it All, the million-selling Star of the Sea, and Shadowplay, winner of the Novel of the Year Award  at the 2019 Irish Book Awards, shortlisted for the UK's prestigious Costa Novel Award, 2020). Our outstanding teachers include twice Booker-Prize-longlisted Donal Ryan, (author of The Spinning Heart, From a Low and Quiet Sea and Strange Flowers), widely acclaimed Rob Doyle (Here Are the Young Men and This is the Ritual), and Irish Book Award nominee Prof Sarah Moore Fitzgerald (The Apple Tart of Hope and A Strange Kind of Brave), internationally published Young Adult author and lecturer on self-motivation for writers.

Our Creative Writing students enjoy teaching-visits and readings from outstanding contemporary authors. Visitors to UL Creative Writing have included Colum McCann, Anne Enright, Louise O’Neill, Claire Keegan, Melatu Uche Okorie, Colin Barrett, Anna Carey, Paul Lynch, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Sarah Davis-Goff, John Boyne, Kit de Waal, Kevin Barry, Mary O’Malley, Sara Baume, Liz Nugent, Marian Keyes, Sinead Gleeson, Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Ford and Laureate for Irish Fiction Sebastian Barry.

For dissertation, recent students have offered work across a range of creative genres, from memoir to short stories, chapters of novels, collections of poems and song lyrics. Our Creative Writing student cohort is always diverse and has attracted students from the United States, Puerto Rico, Australia, Brazil, India, South Africa and the UK as well as wider Europe and Ireland. Mature students are always a welcome part of our MA class.

Local literary attractions include the Limerick Literary Weekend in Honour of Kate O’Brien; the Doolin Writers’ Weekend, the Eigse Michael Hartnett Poetry Arts and Literary Festival; Cuisle, the Limerick International Poetry Festival, the Ennis Book Clubs Festival, and the world-famous Listowel Writers' Week in north County Kerry.

Full time Programme:

Part time Programme:

How to Apply Applications are open for the MA in Creative Writing for Academic Year 2023/4. We do not operate a deadline; instead we close applications when the class is full. Generally we accept a maximum of 24 applicants. Many applicants for our Creative Writing MA have a first or second class Level 8 honours degree (NFQ or other internationally recognised equivalent) but application is open to everyone, including applicants who do not have a primary degree but have what might be considered equivalent experience, perhaps in the arts, publishing, bookselling, writing, creativity or some related activity. Please note, we always receive more applications than we have places to offer.

Applicants must accompany their formal online application with a 3,000 word sample of their creative writing (this can be one single piece or several pieces totalling 3,000 words) and a one-page letter setting out why they would like to work with us on our MA programme as opposed to the many other Creative Writing MA programmes now available.

Previous experience of Creative Writing workshops is helpful.

The Application Portfolio is assessed by a small committee of staff, who judge submissions on their originality, technique, and readability.  Please note that we are not in a position to offer feedback to applicants who are not offered a place.

Applicants must satisfy the English Language Requirements of the University. 

Applications should be submitted online. 

Admission will also be based upon a piece or pieces of creative work up to 3000 words submitted by the student as part of the application process. This might be a novel extract, a short story, a set of poems or a screenplay. This creative work will be assessed by a small committee of staff, who will judge submissions on their originality, technique, and intellectual rigour.

WHAT TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR APPLICATION:

• Qualification transcripts and certificates
• A copy of your birth certificate or passport
• A copy of your CV
• Supporting Statement
• If your qualifications have been obtained in a country where English is an official language this will suffice. 
•  If this is not available, the following additional documents must be provided:
• English translation of your qualification(s)/transcripts AND
• English language competency certificate
• Please click here for  Further Information on English Language Requirements

EU - €4,328 per annum

Non- EU - €10,100 per annum

EU - €8,002

Non- EU - €18,800

Further information on fees and payment of fees is available from the Student Fees Office website. All fee related queries should be directed to the Student Fees Office (Phone: +353 61 213 007 or email [email protected]. )

Recent graduates of our Creative Writing MA have been published nationally and internationally and have won or been short-listed for major literary prizes, including the prestigious Hennessy New Writer of the Year Award, the RTE Francis McManus Award, the Listowel Writers’ Week Bryan MacMahon Short Story Award, the Arts Council Next Generation Award and the Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair Award

Pippa Slattery, MA Creative Writing 2020/21

“My confidence in my writing has also developed immensely. Because of the MA, I now feel like I’m on my way to becoming an author, not just a writer.”

William Keohane

“If you love writing, I would encourage you to pursue it. This MA is the perfect way to do that.”

• Follow University of Limerick Graduate and Professional Studies on facebook
• Follow University of Limerick Graduate and Professional Studies on twitter
• Follow University of Limerick Graduate and Professional Studies on instagram
• Follow University of Limerick Graduate and Professional Studies on youtube
• Follow University of Limerick Graduate and Professional Studies on tiktok

Graduate and Professional Studies

+353 (0)61 234377 University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

Contact Us  | Download Prospectus |  Sign up to stay informed  |  Quality and Feedback

• Undergraduate Courses
• Postgraduate Taught Courses
• Professional, Part-time and Evening Courses
• PhDs and Research Masters
• Online Courses
• Micro-credentials
• How to Apply
• Fees & Funding
• Modes of Study
• Scholarships

Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make! View our courses and see what our students and lecturers have to say about the courses you are interested in at the links below.

View Courses

• Accommodation Advisory Service
• Campus Activities
• Student Support

Study Abroad

• International Office
• Mature Students
• Students with Disabilities
• Student Ambassador Programme
• For Parents and Guardians
• Access Student Information
• Life in Galway

University Life

Each year more than 4,000 choose University of Galway as their University of choice. Find out what life at University of Galway is all about here.

Read about life at University of Galway

• News & Events
• Strategy 2020-2025
• Cois Coiribe (Publication)
• University Leadership
• Sustainability

About University of Galway

Since 1845, University of Galway has been sharing the highest quality teaching and research with Ireland and the world. Find out what makes our University so special – from our distinguished history to the latest news and campus developments.

About University of Galway

• Adult Learning and Professional Development
• College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Celtic Studies
• College of Business, Public Policy and Law
• College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences
• College of Science and Engineering

Colleges & Schools

University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching across a range of key areas of expertise.

Colleges and Schools

• Research Areas
• Research Office
• Innovation Office
• Researcher Development Centre
• Research Community Portal
• Research centres, institutes, and units

Research & Innovation

University of Galway’s vibrant research community take on some of the most pressing challenges of our times.

• Career Development Centre (for Employers)
• Business Innovation Centre
• Conference & Event Centre

Guiding Breakthrough Research at University of Galway

We explore and facilitate commercial opportunities for the research community at University of Galway, as well as facilitating industry partnership.

• Latest News
• Alumni Services
• Cois Coiribe
• Alumni Awards
• Follow our Social Channels
• Update Your Details
• Upcoming Alumni Events
• Previous Alumni Events
• NUI Elections

Alumni & Friends

There are 128,000 University of Galway alumni worldwide. Stay connected to your alumni community! Join our social networks and update your details online.

• About Engagement
• Learning with Community
• Community Partnerships
• Research with Communities
• University of Sanctuary

Community Engagement

At University of Galway, we believe that the best learning takes place when you apply what you learn in a real world context. That's why many of our courses include work placements or community projects.

Real Learning

Gateway Pages

• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Ollscoil na Gaillimhe

• A High Contrast
• Registration
• Office 365 (Email)
• Student Registry Helpdesk
• Fees & Grants
• Exam Timetables
• Academic Skills Hub
• Student Services
• Student Volunteering
• Students' Union
• Financial System (Agresso)
• Academic Records
• Human Resources
• Academic Terms Dates
• Information Solutions & Services (IT Services)
• Buildings & Estates
• Service Desk
• Colleges & Schools

Bachelor of Arts (English and Creative Writing)

Course overview, course outline, further education, why choose this course, course fees.

• Find Out More

This new course builds and expands on over a decade’s worth of experience in directing and fostering undergraduate talent specifically in Creative Writing at NUI Galway. It provides a unique opportunity for students with an aptitude and passion for literary expression, and in keeping with the principle that ‘writers learn to write by writing’, the emphasis throughout is on practice-based learning and experience.

You will study and practice all the major genres of Creative Writing: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Playwriting, Screenwriting. Within these broader genres, you will be helped discover, experiment with and strengthen your own individual strands of interest.

During the course, your developing concentration on your own creative practice is paralleled by a focus on the practical imperatives and industry requirements in the many established and emerging writing-related fields. From the very start during your first year, a speaker from the writing professions visits the class each week for discussions, Q & A and informal conversation. This will help you begin to actively engage with the everyday routines and rhythms of writing-related professionals of all kinds.

With your expanding knowledge of what it takes to write at a high level, by the end of second year you will be ready to embark on a third year that provides for a 100% focus on your personal Creative Writing project(s). By the end of this specialism year, students on the course have developed advanced drafts of, for instance, novels of various kinds, collections of stories and/or flash fiction, poetry collections, plays, screenplays, essay collections, podcast scripts. You decide on your creative direction and project focus for the year, and then we will engage with your ideas and provide the teaching, mentorship and all-in guidance to help you fulfil your vision for your work.

Then, as you complete your studies in English and one other subject during your fourth and final year, you will build further on your third-year project(s) through modules that concentrate on further professionalisation, publication planning, social and public platforms and the various ways now of getting yourself and your writing out there.

Applications and Selections

Who teaches this course.

Programme Director: Dr John Kenny

John McGahern Lecturer in Creative Writing  Our Irish Arts Council University Writer in Residence for 2024:

John Patrick McHugh

Betsy Cornwell  

Elaine Feeney

Tim Kearney .

Roisin Kiberd

Mike McCormack .

Lisa McInerney

https://stingingfly.org

Susan Millar DuMars

Morag Prunty  

See www.katekerrigan.ie

Requirements and Assessment

Entry requirements.

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 Grades in the Leaving Certificate including Irish, English, another language, and three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of prior learning (rpl), next start date.

September 2025

A Level Grades (2024)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

Qqi/fet fetac entry routes.

1 (More Info)

Closing Date

Mode of study, ects weighting, course code.

You will study Creative Writing, English, and one other Arts subject. The focus in Creative Writing will be on the practice of Fiction and Nonfiction, and there will also be a weekly visiting-speaker series.

You will study Creative Writing, English, and your other chosen Arts subject. For Creative Writing, second year concentrates on the writing of Poetry, Plays and Screenplays.

Your Creative Writing work will be the exclusive focus, through mentored independent project(s) and/or study abroad and/or work placement. While mentorship with professional writers is the prime work experience for our Creative Writing students, other forms of work placement are possible. Your third year provides a major opportunity for guided self-directed learning, and your can discuss your plans and prospects in advance with your course director and/or mentor. If you are studying a language with English and Creative Writing, you may avail of an exchange at an EU university, and the Creative Writing study path you take while abroad will be planned in advance. Non-language students may also avail of an exchange with an English-speaking university abroad, most typically in the USA or Canada.

Completion of your studies in Creative Writing, English and your other subject. For Creative Writing, your classes will centre on project and portfolio consolidation, professionalisation and publication planning.

Curriculum Information

Glossary of terms, year 1 (60 credits), year 2 (60 credits), year 3 (60 credits), year 4 (60 credits).

Typical postgraduate courses our Creative Writing graduates move on to include our MAs in

• Literature & Publishing

Our students have a comparatively very high success rate in applications to a broad range of postgraduate courses at home and abroad.

Career Opportunities

With a comparatively high proportion of our students attaining first-class honours degrees (typically 30-40% of the class), this course will help open doors of employment for you in all those fields where written communication is important. You will have fostered the talent, imagination and professionalism necessary to be a published author and you may consider a career as one.

The skills you will acquire are applicable to a wide range of careers and creative fields, for example in teaching, editing, publishing and other literary professions, advertising and copy-writing, games writing and narrative design, and the existing and ever-expanding areas in media, journalism and public engagement.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning outcomes, transferable skills employers value, work placement.

While mentorship with professional writers is the prime work experience for our Creative Writing students, other forms of work placement are possible. Your third year provides a major opportunity for guided self-directed learning, and prospects for additional placements can be discussed in advance with your course director and/or mentor.

If you are studying a language with English and Creative Writing, Erasmus exchanges with European universities are possible; the Creative Writing study path you take abroad will be discussed in advance with your course director. Non-language students may also avail of an exchange with an English-speaking university abroad, most typically in the USA or Canada.

Related Student Organisations

Fees: tuition, fees: student contribution, fees: student levy, fees: non eu.

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy* €140. *Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI.  Further detail here . For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees**. **Excludes Full-Time EU Undergraduate fees.  These are fixed and do not change.

Find out More

Dr John Kenny John McGahern Lecturer in Creative Writing School of English and Creative Arts

e. [email protected] t. +353 91 495612

What Our Students Say

John Patrick McHugh |   BA Creative Writing graduate

‘The BA programme in Creative Writing gave me a formidable start in my journey as a writer. Now, with the publication of my first book, I think back to the programme’s combined focus on writing skills, imaginative daring and vision, and its strong workshop ethos: these are the vital foundations for building a future in the writing professions.’ John McHugh, author of Pure Gold (4th Estate/New Island, 2021).

2024 QS Subject Rankings: Top 100

Undergraduate Prospectus 2025 PDF (12.4MB)

Quick Guide to Courses 2025 PDF (362 KB)

A Level Quick Guide 2025 PDF (337 KB)

Postgraduate Prospectus 2025 PDF (3.2MB)

Manage Cookies

Some features need cookies to work properly. Cookies also let us (a) remember your preferences, (b) collect anonymous usage statistics, and (c) see how well our online ads are working.

No personal data is stored on these cookies but, under EU law, we still need to ask you this every 6 months. To learn more about our use of cookies, view our Privacy Policy .

Founded in 1845, we've been inspiring students for over 175 years. University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching.

University of Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland H91 TK33 T. +353 91 524411

Get Directions Send Us an Email

Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube LinkedIn RSS

© 2023 University of Galway. All Rights Reserved. Server AWS University of Galway is a registered charity. RCN 20002107

• Privacy & Cookies
• Contact & Enquiries
• Accessibility

UCC University College Cork

Creative writing.

• Visited Pages
• Current Students
• Registration
• Job Vacancies
• Examinations
• Programme and Course Descriptions
• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• International Office
• Adult Continuing Education
• Online Courses
• Continuing Professional Development
• Micro-credentials
• Scholarships and Prizes
• Transition-In Programme
• Graduate Attributes
• Incoming First Year Students
• Apply to UCC
• Events for Prospective Students
• Parents and Guardians Information
• Apprenticeships
• UCC Innovation
• UCC Futures
• UCC in the world university rankings
• News and Views
• Leadership and Strategy
• Campus Life
• World's First Green Campus
• Cork City and Region
• UCC Arboretum
• Culture Night 2024
• Academic Schools and Departments
• Support and Service Departments
• Access Talent
• Skills for Work
• Advance Research
• Accelerate Innovation
• Support UCC
• Become a Partner
• Knowledge Centre
• Meet People
• Make an Impact
• Discover our Alumni
• Explore Benefits
• Register for UCC Alumni Online
• Make a Gift

You should be seeing some content in this space that is currently blocked due to cookie settings. Open the Cookie Management Tool to change your settings.

• About the Department
• Undergraduate Study
• MA Programmes
• Higher Diploma
• International
• Student Perspectives
• Conferences, Seminars and Workshops
• Research Projects
• Staff Publications
• School of English Research Seminar
• World-Tree Project
• Digital Edgeworth Network
• School Welcome Event 2016
• Edmund Spenser in Cork - School of English UCC
• Frank O'Connor: A man of many voices
• Mary Breen: Pride and Prejudice
• MA in Irish Writing and Film
• Ann Coughlan: The Irish Influence on America's Greatest Abolitionist
• MA in Modernities: Romanticism, Modernism, Postmodernism
• MA in American Literature and Film
• MA in English Texts and Contexts: Medieval to Renaissance
• PhD in English
• Prof. Claire Connolly
• Tonio Colona - PhD in the School of English, UCC
• Prof Patricia Coughlan
• Mike Waldron - PhD in the School of English
• Ken Rooney and Heather Laird Book Launch
• School Welcome Event September 2014
• Contemporary American Trauma Narratives Book Launch
• Staged Transgressions in Shakespeare's England
• Seamus Heaney Memorial Event September 2013
• Career Advice for Current Students
• Student Achievements
• Research Seminar Series, Autumn 2004
• What is DH?
• Study DH at UCC
• Staff & Researchers
• Department Projects
• Staff Book Publications
• Writer in Residence
• English & Digital Humanities

13 Sep 2024

Save to Favourites

On this page

You can study creative writing in UCC at undergrduate, postrgaduate and doctoral level. 

Undergraduate Creative Writing

Our BA in English offers a variety of creative writing modules in second and third year. The modules are designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of creative writing early in their academic careers. Students who choose these modules will also explore key genres and modes of practice, fiction and poetry.

Learn more about the BA in English at the link below.

MA in Creative Writing

Our MA in Creative Writing programme is designed to enable writers develop their practice at a key stage in their development as writers. The programme offers core modules in fiction, poetry and memoir, while also offering a series of one-off workshops and lectures from contemporary writers and publishing industry professionals. 

Engaging on a weekly basis with published authors and publishing professionals, the MA programme provides access to the thriving community of literary practice in Ireland. This masters in creative writing also affords you time to write; you will meet, develop your practice and study with peers on the same creative pathway as yourself. 

Our MA programme is taught by leading Irish novelists, essayists and poets.

Learn more about UCC's MA Creative Writing at the link below.

PhD in Creative Writing

UCC is home to a thriving practice-based doctoral programme in Creative Writing, where PhD candidates in the discipline can write and research in a supportive, collegial environment. Supervised by our creative writing staff and academic researchers, UCC's PhD programme in Creative Writing offers students a chance to immerse themselves in rigourous research, where their writing is supported at all stages. 

Our PhD scholars have received support and recognition from the Irish Research Council of Ireland and have gone on to publish their creative work, taking their place in the literary world. Writers who have completed their PhD at UCC include novelist Laura McKenna, whose historical novel Words to Shape My Name (2021) was published by New Island and shortlisted for The Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award and Niamh Prior, whose novel Catchlights was published by John Murray Originals in 2022. Writers William Wall, Mary O'Donnell and Rita Kelly have completed PhDs in Creative Writing by Prior Publication. 

Our PhD programme offers an extension in creative practice gained at Masters level, including undergraduate teaching so that our scholars are gaining experience as faciliators of creative wriitng at third level. We encourage potential candidates to make contact with Interim Director of Creative Writing Danny Denton at [email protected] to discuss proposals for doctoral study and creative scholarship.  

O'Rahilly Building, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,

• Danny Denton, Interim Director, Creative Writing - [email protected]
• Liz Quirke, Lecturer, Creative Writing - [email protected]

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Trinity Search

Trinity menu.

• Faculties and Schools
• Trinity Courses
• Trinity Research

School of English

You are here Postgraduate > M.Phil. in Creative Writing

M.Phil. in Creative Writing

1 Year Full-Time

Our Creative Writing faculty are all practicing writers. We've all been through it and we're respectful of how exposing writing can be, and how vulnerable someone can feel as they approach the craft with serious intent for the first time.  Sometimes students tap straight into a rich vein of form. Others take time to eliminate the writers that they don't want to be until they arrive at a true voice. We know that virtuosity can be immediate but also that progress is more often painstaking and incremental.  Our workshops and lectures are supportive places. There is no one path to being a writer but it is our job is to help a student set out the imaginative, technical and practical wayposts of their own practice. We like to think that we do it well.  

The programme benefits from taking place in the heart of Dublin, a city with a vibrant contemporary literary culture – a milieu alive with writers, theatres, literary events, festivals, magazines and publishers. Trinity has a notably rich literary heritage of its own, ranging from Jonathan Swift and Oliver Goldsmith to Derek Mahon and Eavan Boland. The college has also long led the way in the teaching of Creative Writing. Many distinguished writers have graduated from this master’s programme, from established voices such as Conor O’Callaghan, Chris Binchy and Sean O’Reilly to exciting emerging talents such as Sara Baume, Nicole Flattery and Lisa Harding.

The instruction from the professors and guest speakers, the feedback from my fellow students, and the focus on the work itself was what I needed to bring my writing to the next level.

There is not a better city than Dublin, better university than Trinity, and better place than the Oscar Wilde Centre to study the craft of fiction writing. The faculty have a wide range of experiences and are overflowing with wisdom, the Oscar Wilde Centre is alive with history, but best of all were my classmates and the diversity of literary influences, experiences, and writing they produced.

Course Structure

The centrepiece of the Creative Writing M.Phil. is the three-hour weekly workshop. This is where you bring work and get to listen to others. The idea of it is daunting, but the reality is hardworking, inclusive and dynamic.  For the first term, students are encouraged to range across form and genre, to break habits and open new vistas. This is where students start to see the core of their portfolio emerge, although most don't see the portfolio taking shape until the following Spring. The ‘Structure in Fiction and Poetry’ module works through the shapes and uses, the interior dynamics of writing.  ‘Writing for a Living’ addresses the demands of reviewing and essay writing. Both modules are structured and intellectually rigorous but at heart they involve writers talking about writing and bringing the class into the orbit of their own experience. In the second semester, the weekly Briena Staunton lectures brings a series of established writers in to talk about the practice of writing. A visiting Writer Fellow also leads a workshop, offering students a further chance to engage with a working writer in close-up. The creation of a final portfolio is the formal endpoint of the MPhil, but it is equally important for us to see writers emerge in rich, artistically textured and diverse surroundings. That is the enduring satisfaction.  

Teaching and Assessment

The programme is designed as a one-year, full-time course. Teaching is delivered through lectures, group workshops and personal tuition. Much of this takes place in the Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing, which offers a supportive and sociable working environment for the School of English’s creative writers. Current faculty teaching on the programme include the course director Eoin MacNamee, as well as Una Mannion, Kevin Power, Seán Hewittand Carlo Gébler. Visiting Writer Fellows in recent years have included Claire Keegan and Colette Bryce. The course is assessed by means of various essays and portfolios, culminating in working towards a final dissertation portfolio of 15-16,000 words.

Admissions Information

Applicants are expected to hold a university degree or equivalent qualification (at least an upper second or equivalent, GPA of at least 3.3). In addition, applicants must submit a portfolio of selected recent creative work.  The portfolio of sample work should include no more than 3000 words of prose (short stories, excerpt/s from a novel or drama) or 6-8 poems; genres may be combined but this is not a requirement. Applications for admission in 2025/26 open in November 2024. Candidates are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible. Shortly after we receive your application you will receive an AAS designation. This means that the application is awaiting assessment. The Creative Writing applications, EU and non-EU, are reviewed by a panel of assessors. As the course receives a high volume of applications the majority of offers won't be made until after the deadline for submissions. If an offer is made, candidates wishing to secure a place (and to be considered for any funding opportunities that may be available) should confirm the acceptance of the offer as soon as possible. Classes will begin in early September 2025.

The Peter Irons Taught Postgraduate Studentships The studentships will contribute towards M.Phil. tuition fees (EU or Non-EU) for any School of English taught postgraduate programme. They are generously funded in memory of Peter Irons. Two studentships will be awarded for the academic year: one for an EU student, and one for a non-EU student.  For further information, please open this PDF  link . 

European Excellence Awards   The €1,000 awards are open to applicants with EU fee-status who hold an offer letter for a Postgraduate Taught programme in Trinity College Dublin. Further information can be found  here . 

Details of further funding opportunities from TCD can be found  here . 

Brontë Prize This prize was founded in 1921 by a bequest from Miss A.G. Woolson of Portland, U.S.A. It is awarded triennially by the Board on the recommendation of a committee for the best essay on either (a) an English author of Irish descent, or (b) the seats of learning in Ireland prior to 900 A.D. or (b) the seats of learning in Ireland prior to 900 a.d. The committee consists of the Regius Professor of Greek and the Professors of Latin and English Literature. A candidate must be of Irish birth or have been domiciled in Ireland for at least ten years. The candidate must also be an undergraduate of Trinity College Dublin or a graduate of not more than five years’ standing. The next award will be made in 2025 and essays must reach the Registrar before 1 October 2025. Value, €1,905.

Dublin Cost of Living

Whether you're moving to Dublin from Ireland or abroad, the biggest problem you're likely to face is just getting set-up in the city. Below, you'll find web links providing advice on getting accommodation, placing deposits, household utilities, looking after your finances, and general tenancy agreements. https://www.tcd.ie/students/living-dublin/ https://www.internationalstudents.ie/info-and-advice/practical-information/cost-of-living

• Postgraduate English at Trinity
• Student Life in Dublin
• Careers and Skills

[email protected]

[email protected]

Masters in Creative Writing (Ireland)

Creative Writing MA

This programme is available full-time over one academic year or part-time over two years. It enables students to develop their Creative Writing skills through consideration of the work of established writers; through study of the many aspects of a piece of successful Creative Writing; through assignments that foster strategies for revision of work; and through an understanding of the requirements of the redrafting, submission and publication processes.

MA (Writing)

The MA in Writing is a one-year, full-time course. It covers a range of genres and forms, and it interacts with our other postgraduate offerings in publishing, literature and drama. The course thus builds on our strengths in the teaching of writing for page and stage, screen, journalism and other media. The course is open to applicants from any disciplinary background (within and beyond Arts) and welcomes all types of writing interests. A ‘Qualifier’ option is available for potential applicants who do not have a university degree but have a suitable publications record or sufficient experience in a related creative field.

MA in Creative Writing

Have you always wanted to write but never had the time, the focus, the space, or the encouragement? The DCU MA in Creative Writing aims to unlock the writer in you through an immersion in Drama, Poetry and Fiction. This exciting new course offers an opportunity for early-career and emerging writers to spend a year working with professional writers in a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment to develop their work and to foster connections with the wider literary community. The DCU MA in Creative Writing offers intensive, hands-on courses in the writing of drama, poetry, screenwriting and prose fiction, as well as tailored courses in critical reading and creative practice.

Only you can write the book that you would like to write, be it a collection of poetry, or essays, or a novel, or a memoir… nobody else can write that book. The purpose of the MA in Creative Writing at UCC is to give you the tools to write the book waiting to be written, and many more after it. As well as honing the techniques and craft of creative writing, our MA is also designed to introduce you to the publishing industry, and prepare you for a variety of career options, including publishing and the creative arts.

M.Phil. in Creative Writing

Our Creative Writing faculty are all practicing writers. We’ve all been through it and we’re respectful of how exposing writing can be, and how vulnerable someone can feel as they approach the craft with serious intent for the first time. Sometimes students tap straight into a rich vein of form. Others take time to eliminate the writers that they don’t want to be until they arrive at a true voice. We know that virtuosity can be immediate but also that progress is more often painstaking and incremental. Our workshops and lectures are supportive places. There is no one path to being a writer but it is our job is to help a student set out the imaginative, technical and practical wayposts of their own practice. We like to think that we do it well.

MA/MFA Creative Writing

UCD offers two graduate courses in creative writing, an MA and MFA. The MA programme includes workshops, seminars and supervision meetings, providing committed students with the support they need to produce a major piece of writing by the end of the course.

MA Writing for Stage and Screen

The Writing for Stage and Screen MA offers you the opportunity to devote a considerable amount of time to write, evolve and reflect on your own creative practices. Today like never before, writers are moving between different media forms and this programme allows you to develop work across diverse platforms. Graduates of the MA in Writing for Stage and Screen are equipped to work in theatre, media, cultural and educational settings, and to further their research into theatre and screen.

MA Creative Writing

The MA in Creative Writing combines workshops and seminars with one-on-one mentoring of writing projects. Students may take optional modules in literature or other creative modules from across the Faculty, such as Writing for Screen Media. Assessment is through shorter pieces of writing, such as craft essays and reflective journals, and a longer project. The MA, taught by award-winning, internationally-renowned writers, will focus on guiding each student to further develop their voice as a writer, as well as to enrich their existing interests as a writer with new perspectives and a grasp of stylistic approaches. Tactics for editing and revision will be taught in tandem with generative exercises and practices aimed at deepening each student’s relationship to their creative process. Students will have the opportunity to build and develop networks which will sustain their writing practice beyond the MA degree.

MA English (Creative Writing)

If you have a commitment to imaginative writing, if you would like to develop your artistic practice, build your professional skills as an author and engage with the vibrant creative community of the Seamus Heaney Centre, then the MA in English (Creative Writing) is for you. The programme includes prose writing (fiction and creative non-fiction) and script writing (screen and stage), and invites you to explore all these modes of writing before choosing a specialism.

MFA Playwriting

The theatrical landscape is constantly being moulded by theatre makers who are presenting original works or reimagining classics. Critical to this process is new writings and adaptations. The Master in Fine Art degree in Playwriting at The Lir Academy offers every student the opportunity to develop and hone their unique writing skill so that each play written is the best it can be.

MA/PDip (Drama and Theatre Studies)

The MA in Drama and Theatre Studies, housed at the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, is a world-leading course that combines critical perspectives on the practice of theatre history/theory with theatre-making. A diverse range of modules allows students to build a programme that suits their chosen career trajectory– whether in theatre practice, Irish drama, playwriting, theatre criticism, applied theatre or a blend.

MA Theatre Practice and Performance

Our MA in Theatre & Performative Practices at University College Cork is designed to produce flexible, empowered theatre artists who understand performance as a form of embodied intelligence and a way of engaging with our troubled and beautiful world. This MA provides a challenging and supported space for graduates and professional practitioners who are interested in making and thinking about innovative, cutting-edge work. We conceive theatre and performance as vibrant world-making and world-changing strategies for engagement and change through practice and theory. If you choose this MA programme you will learn to follow your instincts and explore your unique creativity, within a rigorous critical context and research environment.

Funding Partner

Creative Partner

Business Partner

Privacy Overview