The School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing is one of the top ten English research units in the U.K. (as confirmed by the 2014 Research Excellence Framework). Undertaking postgraduate research with us puts you at the forefront of internationally recognised research excellence.

Central to our research culture is our conviction that the best creative writing constitutes a fine-tuned critical practice, and is underpinned by rigorous research. Our PhD in creative-critical writing, which comprises complementary creative and critical components, is the expression of this conviction. Whether your expertise is in poetry, prose fiction, prose non-fiction or drama, we can provide you with a research ethos and creative culture that will challenge and inspire you to make your mark on your chosen field.

You will be guided in this by your PhD supervisors, each of whom is a leading expert in their field, and supported by the community of your research group. Our Creative Writing research group encompasses a wide variety of creative and critical practices and interests, from lyric poetry to political drama, memoir to crime fiction, the historical novel to life-writing. Each creative output that emerges from our School is underpinned by a solid foundation in research.

We have a thriving and welcoming postgraduate community in LDC among whom you will find shared interests and research connections. Our postgraduates, working together, organize international conferences, edit journals, and oversee publishing ventures. We also have an invaluable resource in the British Archive for Contemporary Writing, which allows you to examine the material processes of other writers’ work.

Even the best projects, to be successful, need the right supervisory team. Take your time in reading through our staff webpages to find the right person or people to support your project, then get in touch with them. Once you have done this, you will need to submit a research proposal of no more than 1500 words with your application, which details both the creative and critical components of your project.

Applicants to the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing must submit 3,000-5,000 word sample of recent critical writing and a 3,000-5,000 word sample of recent creative work (or 20-30 poems) for the creative-critical programme (see [link]), or translation if the latter includes an actual translation.

Head over to the Creative Writing web pages, and take the next step in your career as a writer and researcher. We are keen to hear about your project.

The minimum academic requirement for entry to a doctoral degree and MPhil degree is a UK upper second class undergraduate honours degree and a Master's degree, or equivalent.