English - Creative Writing

Overview

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 PGDip in English (Creative Writing) is for you. The programme includes prose writing (fiction and creative non-fiction) and scriptwriting (screen, stage and audio), and invites you to explore all these modes of writing before choosing a specialism.



You will be challenged to explore many different types of writing, to entertain new ideas, to read adventurously and to respond with rigour and generosity to the work of your fellow writers. You will develop your practice as an independent writer and a self-reflective lifelong learner, and build your understanding of the marketplace for literature and drama.



You will be taught by experienced novelists, playwrights and screenwriters, attend workshops with visiting authors, publishers, editors and agents, and contribute to the rich tradition of literary creativity at Queen's University, Belfast.



Course Structure

Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2-3 years) basis. Part-time students typically complete one or two modules per semester. Full-time students typically complete three modules per semester.



The PgDip is awarded to students who successfully complete six taught modules (120 CATS points).

Compulsory Modules

Semester 1

(1) Craft and Technique (ENG7093) (20 CATS; compulsory)

This module is about learning to read as a writer; reading in an interrogative way and exploring a wide range of set texts in order to broaden skills and learn new methods. The set texts will include novels, plays and screenplays, chosen to illustrate aspects of craft and for their usefulness to your writing. Taught in a weekly two-hour seminar, the module deals with a range of key issues in creative writing, including aspects of craft, the development of technique, the demands of structure, and approaches to characterisation.



The final assessment is by a creative piece of 2,500-3,000 words and a 1,000-word commentary essay, written in response to one or more of the module’s set texts and topics. By the end of the module, all students will have honed their analytical skills in evaluating prose and drama and will have practised applying new skills in their own creative work.



(2) Creative Writing Workshop 1: Drama (ENG7097) (20 CATS; compulsory)

In this weekly two-hour workshop you and your fellow students have the opportunity to share your scripts and discuss them with the group. The workshop is a forum to share work-in-progress in an atmosphere of friendly rigour. At least two students per week present their evolving texts and we examine them in detail with a view to providing a set of notes for the basis of the next draft. The module’s fundamental aim is to induct students into the discipline of rewriting, thus provoking writing of real value. The module is assessed through the submission of a script of 3,500 words.



(3) Creative Writing Workshop 1: Prose (ENG7292) (20 CATS; compulsory)

As in the drama workshop, in the weekly two-hour workshop you have the chance to discuss your work in progress with the group. At least two students per week will share their material and receive feedback. We will also read and discuss set texts to help us explore the fundamentals of prose writing: narrative voice, character, narrative, plot, dialogue, setting. The module is assessed through the submission of a work of prose (a short story or extract from a fully-synopsized longer piece) of 3,500 words.



Semester 2

(1) Creative Writing Workshop 2 (ENG7196) (40 CATS; compulsory)

This workshop runs in two separate strands for prose and drama. Building on the first semester, you will now work at a more advanced level, discussing set texts and craft topics, and workshopping your writing with fellow students. You will attend weekly two-hour workshops in both scriptwriting and prose fiction, but will specialize in one form for the assignment.



Assignments are in Prose Fiction (6,500 words) or Drama (6,500 words) for 40 CATS points.

(2) Professionalising the MA (ENG7988) (20 CATS; compulsory)

This module introduces students to the various marketplaces in which creative writers may operate. You will learn to write professional documents relating to a new piece of creative work, including the agent letter, the publisher letter, the logline, the short pitch, the outline, the synopsis and the treatment – amounting to around 3,500 words. Classes include visits from industry gatekeepers (editors, agents, producers, etc).

Graduate

Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree (with minimum of 55%) or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in any discipline.



Exceptions may be made in the case of applicants with a strong track record of publication, production, prize-winning or relevant professional experience.



All applicants are required to submit a sample of original written work which will be assessed to determine if an offer of admission can be made. The sample should be 1800-2200 words of prose fiction or 10-15 pages of script. The sample can be an extract. Writing samples that exceed the length limit will not be considered.



The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit the link below for more information.

http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicyQUB

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 15th August 2025 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.

Written portfolios.

1 year (Full Time), 2 years (Part Time).

Entry Year: 2025/26

Career Prospects

Graduates from these programmes have a good employment record. Professions including publishing, journalism, public relations, teaching, advertising, the Civil Service, business, industry and the media all recruit from our pool of graduates. Between them, dozens of our students have gone on to publish books. Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses, and Michael Magee, author of Close to Home, were both Creative Writing students at the Seamus Heaney Centre. Some students choose to continue their studies to PhD level on a chosen, specialised topic in Creative Writing.



Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/