Creative Writing (Distance Learning)

MA

  • Entry year 2026
  • Duration Part time 2 years
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Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • Our rich literary connections extend from Lancaster's LitFest and medieval Castle to Grasmere's Wordsworth Museum

  • World Top 40 QS World Subject Rankings 2025 (English Language and Literature)

  • Enjoy literary events in Lancaster's Castle Quarter

Develop your own writing under the guidance of celebrated author-tutors at one of the very first UK universities to teach Creative Writing. Through a mix of masterclasses, workshops and tutorials you will learn from author-tutors who together can offer specialisms from right across the spectrum of literary genres and forms. At all times the focus will, ultimately, be your own writing and progressing, if you wish, toward publication.

Why Lancaster?

  • Study from anywhere in the world, using our high-quality online platform
  • Connect with staff and other students online, and take part in hybrid events with campus-based students
  • Get involved with our student-run literary journals: Cake, Lux, Flash, and Errant
  • Learn to perform and promote your writing
  • Have your success shared via our social media
  • Have your writing included in our annual MA anthology
  • Explore how writing can lead to a wide range of career destinations

Masterclasses and workshops

This programme is founded on a unique quartet -- two series of masterclasses and two series of workshops (all online). The masterclasses will focus on Form, Theme & Genre, and enable you to enhance your work through learning from each tutor’s own writing. The workshops will focus on Voice, Process, Shaping & Editing, and enable you to develop your work through having it discussed by your tutors and peers.

You will acquire a rich overview of all the traditional genres (poetry, prose, short fiction, drama, scriptwriting) as well as newer forms such as song lyric, graphic novel, fantasy, science fiction, memoir, queer fiction, game writing, writing for young adults, and the lyric or personal essay.

Specialise in genre or form

Each series of masterclasses and workshops will be overseen by one author-tutor but taught by several – some poets, some novelists, some playwrights. This means that, when submitting work, you will be able to specialise in one particular genre or form. You will get to know those tutors who write your preferred genre or form, and they will be available to advise you as you develop your writing, particularly as you move toward creating your final portfolio.

Writing in the world

The programme will guide you through writing’s many professional dimensions – from redrafting and working with editors through to publishing and promotion. In addition, we will explore how writing flourishes in fields such as museums, film, journalism, new media, podcasting, gaming and fashion

Careers

Many alumni are now celebrated authors. Recent success stories include Camille Ralphs, Andrew McMillan, Nguyen Phan Que Mai, Martha Sprackland, and Daisy Johnson, the youngest-ever author to have been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize (2018).

You’ll also develop a host of professional skills, such as researching, drafting, editing, listening, persuading and presenting. From advertising to professional services, your skills will be sought across many different sectors.

Graduates of this course go on to careers in such areas as:

  • Publishing
  • Journalism
  • Writing
  • Television/media
  • Teaching
  • Librarianship

You may also choose to continue your studies at PhD level. Graduates of Creative Writing have gone on to teach at universities worldwide.

Careers and employability support

Our degrees open up an extremely wide array of career pathways in businesses and organisations, large and small, in the UK and overseas. Our specialist Employability team is ready to support you, whether you are starting out your career after leaving higher education or returning to university to open up new career options.

We provide individual employability advice, application support, career events, development opportunities and resources to help you plan and achieve your career goals.

The Lancaster Award is available to all postgraduate taught students and recognises work experience, volunteering and personal development alongside your studies. Developed with employers, it helps you reflect on key skills, boost your CV and articulate your strengths with confidence.

Whether you have a clear idea of your potential career path or need some help considering the options, our friendly team is on hand.

Find out more about Lancaster’s careers events, extensive resources and personal support for Careers and Employability.

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

2:1 degree in a related subject is normally required. We will also consider applications on an individual basis where you have a degree in other subjects, have a 2:2 or equivalent result or extensive relevant experience. We ask that all applicants on this programme submit a sample of writing.

Please note that we warmly invite all potential applicants to email us (at elcwteaching@lancaster.ac.uk) with any queries they may have, and that our MA Convenors are always happy to have an informal, pre-application conversation

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application – and again our MA Convenors are more than happy to advise.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application you also need to provide

  • A portfolio of original writing (no more than 12 poems or 20 pages of prose/scriptwriting) showing potential for publication.
  • An outline (approximately 300-400 words) of your proposed project, which is the single point of assessment and is submitted at the end of the course. This could be a collection of short stories, poems, a script, extracts from a longer fiction, creative non-fiction, or life writing piece.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0, and a minimum of 6.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit INTO Lancaster University for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

Detailed module information for this postgraduate programme will follow shortly. However, if you have any questions please contact the department.

Fees and funding

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General fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. Find out more about our Charter and student policies.