Embark on our creative writing degree and from the very start you’ll study and practise the art and craft of writing in a wide range of established and new forms, from prose fiction and poetry, to screenwriting and writing for computer games. You'll also focus on how writers read texts, how we can learn from them and how to add your own voice into the ongoing conversation of literature.

You’ll learn from award-winning, leading poets, novelists and scriptwriters at the renowned Manchester Writing School – writers who know what it takes to turn a flash of inspiration into brilliant words on the page. The course also has a strong emphasis on professional development, and in our practical 'Beyond the Page' units you’ll look at professional practice in the literary industry and working in the cultural industry in general. In our workshops, you’ll study the formal aspects of creative writing as well as putting your own skills into practice. 

If you choose the placement route, you will be able to spend the third year of your studies on an industry placement. A placement is a key element of the course as it allows you to apply university-based knowledge, skills and understanding to the real world of work. It also gives you an advantage when you begin looking for your first job upon graduating. You may also have the opportunity to spend a year expanding your horizons, either studying with one of our partner universities overseas, or working on a placement within the industry.

All of this culminates, in your final year, in a challenging creative writing project of your own. And for those looking to develop their craft still further, this degree is excellent preparation for our MA/MFA Creative Writing.

Placement options

Placement opportunities may be available both in the UK and abroad, in a wide variety of roles and sectors.

Our dedicated placement team have developed excellent links with various industries. You will be offered support through a preparation programme of activities that includes guidance on selection procedures, working overseas, CV preparation, interview and selection techniques.

Graduates enter a wide range of careers, especially media work and teaching, where their transferable skills are particularly relevant. Recent graduates have become school and college teachers, and some have gained employment in fields as diverse as banking, finance, manufacturing and retail.

There is also the opportunity to engage in further study and professional training, for example some of our graduates go on to study MA/MFA Creative Writing at postgraduate level at our Manchester Writing School under the creative direction of Professor Carol Ann Duffy DBE (Poet Laureate 2009-2019). More than 95 former students of the Manchester Writing School have embarked upon careers as published writers.