Masters and PhD in English and Creative Writing

The MA in Creative Writing

As one of the most established MA’s in Creative Writing in the country, Chichester has a long record of student successes. All our courses are taught by published novelists, short story writers, poets and dramatists. In addition to this, there are regular visits by other writers. The final taught module includes a session given by agents and editors. Staff are also willing to advise on professional issues of placing work.

The aim of the MA is to develop you as a writer. Each of the four modules will offer you a way into the writing process. However, the choice of genre is up to the student. Some students may choose to experiment with different forms, while others may spend the course working on one novel, for example. All written assignments, apart from the related commentaries on the process of creating the work, are creative.

The culmination of the course is the dissertation, where you work alone with one tutor. Some MA writers also decide to continue self-directed workshops with their group through this period.

Students on Chichester’s MA Creative Writing have forged a wide range of fascinating careers. While many are establishing reputations as novelists, poets and short story writers, others have gone on to write for stage, screen and radio.

For an informal discussion please contact the MA route leader Dr. Hugh Dunkerley, H.Dunkerley@chi.ac.uk.

Our Research Degrees (MPhil, PhD)

The Dept. of English and Creative Writing at the University of Chichester is proud of its thriving research culture .  Our students benefit from training sessions and reading groups aimed at postgraduates, and also have the opportunity to attend the annual programme of visiting national and international speakers. Postgraduate students are supervised by active researchers who regularly publish in prestigious academic journals, write textbooks and monographs, and speak at international and national conferences.

The English Department offers programmes of study leading to the award of the higher degrees of MPhil (circa 50,000 words) and PhD (circa 80,000 words). These programmes are available as full-time and part-time study options. As well as the MPhil or PhD in Creative Writing, candidates may consider the possibility of a joint critical/creative an MPhil or PhD in English and Creative Writing.

Expert supervision for these is available in the following areas:

• Creative Writing (contemporary fiction, poetry and drama)
• Early Modern Drama
• Romantic and eighteenth-century Women’s Writing
• Children’s Literature
• Fantasy Literature
• 20th C Literatures
• Contemporary Literature
• Post colonialism
• Critical Theory
• Canadian Literature

For further written details, please contact Professor Fiona Price, Research Co-ordinator, F.Price@chi.ac.uk.

To read about some of our recent student successes, click here.