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MA in Creative Writing

MA in Creative Writing

Introduction

Have you always wanted to write but never had the time, the focus, the space, or the encouragement?

The DCU MA in Creative Writing aims to unlock the writer in you through an immersion in Drama, Poetry and Fiction.

This exciting new course offers an opportunity for early-career and emerging writers to spend a year working with professional writers in a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment to develop their work and to foster connections with the wider literary community. 

The DCU MA in Creative Writing offers intensive, hands-on courses in the writing of drama, poetry, screenwriting and prose fiction, as well as tailored courses in critical reading and creative practice.

Programme Aims and Objectives

Our aim is to introduce students to a comprehensive range of creative writing techniques in the forms of drama, fiction, poetry and screenwriting. It is our belief that serious writers will benefit from this exposure to each creative discipline, no matter what the main interest of the student might be, as many aspects of writing technique (for example, imagery, rhythm, narrative structure, voice/language register, the use of rhetorical tropes) are applicable across multiple forms and genres and not specific to one form or genre. Students will engage with seminal texts from Irish and global literature and workshop their work in progress, learning how to deliver and accept constructive feedback on their work, and developing a wide technical vocabulary that will enrich their understanding of their own work and of the work of others. Students who may be interested in pursuing more specialised genres such as life-writing, children’s literature or fantasy would also gain significantly from this pedagogical approach and will have the opportunity to create within their chosen form in the Writing Project. Our hope is that all students will bring the knowledge gained from each distinct seminar into their final piece of creative work/portfolio.

Programme Structure

This is both a full and part-time MA/Level 9 award in Creative Writing. The MA comprises 1 core 30 credit module “Reading like a writer” which runs over both the first and second semesters. Students then have the option to choose three of four 10 credit modules on Fiction, Drama, Poetry and Screenwriting. There is also a 30 credit writing project. Full time students complete all of their credits in one year.

View the current course structure

  • High quality staff with real expertise and a thorough sense of commitment and teaching experience
  • Three writers with national and international reputation on faculty: Marina Carr, playwright, Kevin Power, novelist and Kit Fryatt, poet 
  • Small class sizes ensure that everybody has a voice, and typically promotes a close and mutually supportive relationship between students

Why do this programme?

The DCU MA in Creative Writing is open to early-career and emerging writers of all kinds. Perhaps you have begun to publish and wish to develop your work to a higher standard. Perhaps you have not yet published and are looking for a course that will give you the tools and techniques to submit successfully. Perhaps you have been writing for years and now feel that the time has come to study the craft with greater intensity. 

The DCU MA in Creative Writing aims to help writers to complete a body of work in their chosen field (drama, fiction, poetry, screenwriting), and to develop the critical skills necessary to evaluate their own work and the work of others.  Graduates from the MA in Creative Writing programme will have developed a wide range of transferable skills, including those of critical analysis, professional discipline, and creative thinking. A thorough grounding in craft is indispensable to any writer in any field, and the skills learned during the MA in Creative Writing at DCU will prepare students for writing careers in a world of expanding opportunity across many sectors. The DCU MA in Creative Writing will inculcate a mastery of language and technique; an ability to produce good work to deadline; a sense of professionalism; and a flexible approach to their own work and the work of others.

  • Journalism (online, radio & print)
  • Arts administration
  • Directing & producing in theatre, film, radio, television
  • Librarian & bookselling
  • Advertising 
  • Education/Teaching
  • Web content creators/managers.
  • The Theatre sector/ Playwrights/ Literary managers/ Dramaturges

Requirements

For admission to the MA in Creative Writing, successful applicants will have:

• A degree at the level of an Irish or UK Honours undergraduate degree (H2.2 or above) or equivalent, in a Humanities discipline but holders of other degrees or appropriate professional experience should provide information in their personal statement.

• Applicants with appropriate combinations of professional qualifications and experience may also be considered. This includes discipline-specific knowledge and know-how; transferable skills; basic research competency; personal effectiveness.

•International candidates who are non-native speakers of English must satisfy the University of their competency in the English language.

Due to the specialist nature of this programme, additional criteria may be used to assess suitability to undertake this programme. For further information, please contact the Programme Chair using the contact details above

To apply for this programme:

All Applicants must apply through DCU's Student Application Portal which is available here . Here's a quick step by step guide if you need help with your application:

  • Provide Academic Transcripts for each and every year of study with English translation, if applicable.
  • Provide an example of writing, creative or otherwise, on a topic/theme of your choice maximum 3,000 words prose / 15 pages drama (correctly formatted) / 12 pages of poems.
  • Personal Statement (250-750 words)
  • If applicable, provide evidence of competence in the English language as per DCU entry requirements. Please see link http://www.dcu.ie/registry/english.shtml

Please note if you are a non EU student and require a study visa, you are not eligible to apply for part-time programmes as study visas are only granted for full-time programmes.

Application Deadlines

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the programme is full or until the following dates:

  • Closing date for non EU applicants is 1st July 2024
  • Closing date for EU applicants is 31st July 2024

Note applicants who require a study visa for the purposes of studying at DCU, are advised to apply as early as possible.

All entry requirements should be met before the commencement of the programme.

Application Queries

For EU applicant queries, please visit https://www.dcu.ie/registry/eu-postgraduate-taught-admissions or email [email protected]

For non EU applicant queries, please visit https://www.dcu.ie/registry/international-admissions-undergraduate-and-postgraduate or email [email protected]

Commencement of Programme

The programme commences in September 2024

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MA Creative Writing

Graduate taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90).

UCD offers two graduate courses in creative writing, an MA and MFA. The MA programme includes workshops, seminars and supervision meetings, providing committed students with the support they need to produce a major piece of writing by the end of the course. 

The MA in Creative Writing  builds on the well established commitment of the UCD School of English, Drama and Film to fostering and supporting new writing. The university has long been associated with some of Ireland’s greatest writers, including James Joyce, Flann O’Brien, Mary Lavin, Anthony Cronin, John McGahern, Neil Jordan, Conor McPherson, Marina Carr, Colm Tóibín, Emma Donoghue, Maeve Binchy and many others. The Booker Prize winning novelist Anne Enright is Professor of Creative Writing, and among the teaching staff are novelist Sarah Moss, poet Ian Davidson, poet and novelist Paul Perry, novelist and playwright Declan Hughes, life writer and critic Catherine Morris and novelist Paula McGrath. 

The MA programme :

  • Provides opportunities to explore and develop your own creative writing skills supervised by experienced published staff of international reputation.
  • Actively fosters the development of students' capacity to edit their own work.
  • Ensures that the art of writing is informed by contemporary theory and practice.
  • Offers courses incorporating the manuscripts of works of leading writers held in Special Collections and courses which explore material in the National Folklore Collection in UCD, one of the richest archives of oral tradition in the world.

Careers & Employability

Many graduates of the MA in Creative Writing establish successful writing careers. Graduate of the programme Colin Barrett won the Guardian First Fiction Prize with Young Skins  then went on to win both the Frank O'Conner International short story award and the Rooney Prize for Literature. Other graduates go into the publishing industry, while some go on to do an MFA in Creative Writing. 

Curricular information is subject to change

Who should apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Course Description

Lectures, seminars, workshops and supervision meetings aim to provide committed writers with taught classes on the theory and practices of writing. These include presentation and editing techniques, creative reading of selected texts as well as the supervision of a major writing project. Among the important issues addressed on an on-going basis are voice and structure. Every effort is made to ensure that a student progresses on these as well as many other fronts.

Vision and Values Statement

A fundamental tenet of the MA in Creative Writing is a belief in the value of learning from writers who have mastered their craft. The writers who contribute to the course will vary from year to year, but recent module conveners have included Anne Enright, Laureate for Irish Fiction, Paula Meehan, Ireland Professor of Poetry, Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Writer Fellow, Sinéad Gleeson, Writer in Residence,  and Paul Perry, Poetry co-ordinator. 

Towards that end the MA in creative writing offers a selection of modules in the first semester which direct and encourage students to explore several literary forms, the novel, the short story and poetry.  The aim here is to present students with a broad range of possibilities, set them on a course of discovery for a form, or combination of forms, where they will best realise their creative potential. The learning environment is positive, enabling and friendly and the class group, fourteen or less students, are actively encouraged to support each other in their creative endeavours.

The second semester modules provide an opportunity to embark on a more specific path, while at the same time continuing to extend the boundaries of what is possible in fiction. As the semester progresses a student’s individual work is increasingly guided by course conveners and supervisors, both in workshop settings and on a one-to-one basis.  The end goal is the creation of a substantial piece of writing, a solid basis from which a student will continue towards the completion of a full work, whether that be a collection of short stories, a novel or a collection of poetry.

Programme Outcomes

  • Have a solid working knowledge of genres and forms.
  • Have created a substantial piece of writing, a solid basis from which to continue towards the completion of a full work, whether that be a collection of short stories, a novel or a collection of poetry.
  • Have developed a positive sense of themselves as writers, with an active role to play in the literary/artistic culture wherever they should find themselves.
  • Have learned to read like writers, to recognise the challenges facing authors at various stages in the creation of a piece of fiction and to critically assess the extent to which these challenge have been met.
  • On successful completion of the programme, students will have a thorough understanding of how to meet many of the challenges confronted in the construction of a piece of fiction; character, voice, place etc.
  • Participated in a weekly visiting writer’s programme, contributed to an anthology and attended a selection of the literary events and festivals for which the city is renowned.

What modules can I take?

View All Modules Here

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fee information is available on the  UCD Fees website . Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see  International Scholarships .

Entry Requirements

The entry requirement for the  MA programme  is a BA Hons English or equivalent (NFQ Level 8), and/or proven commitment to and experience in the field of creative writing; a portfolio (a 3,000 word sample of prose or 6 poems, or a combination of prose and poetry) of recent creative work; a personal statement of reasons for taking the course and references. Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7.5 (no band less than 7.0 in each element), or equivalent. 

These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 

Testimonial

Dave Rudden MA 2013 Award-winning author

The Creative Writing Masters in UCD has been incredibly useful to me as an author. I still use some of the lessons I learned in that year in my creative writing classes, and the expert advice of the lecturers contributed massively to me finding a home for my Knights of the Borrowed Dark trilogy at Puffin. I cannot recommend it highly enough.  

Graduate Profile Erika Meyers, USA Although there are many programmes that offer masters in Creative Writing in North America, I decided to attend UCD because it allowed me the opportunity to pursue my interests in poetry and fiction, rather than forcing me to choose one over the other. The creative versatility of the programme not only resulted in the publication of a novel and a poetry collection (both written while under the guidance of James Ryan and Éilís Ní Dhuibhne during my MA), but also provided me with the knowledge and experience necessary to earn a Santander scholarship and pursue my PhD in Irish Literature at the University of Edinburgh.

Related Programmes

  • MA Drama & Performance Studies FT

How to apply?

The following entry routes are available:

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised

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MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN CREATIVE WRITING

Based in the childhood home of Oscar Wilde at 1 Merrion Square and delivered in association with the Irish Writers’ Centre, the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing offers aspiring or published writers a one-year course of study which examines the process and practice of producing prose fiction.

Our unique blended learning approach, encompassing both in-person and live-streamed sessions, ensures that both national and international students have access to a world-class educational experience, no matter their location.

The work of recent classes has included pieces that were shortlisted for the Penguin Ireland Short Story Competition, twice longlisted for the Fish Short Story Competition and two students who were selected as finalists in the IWC Novel Fair.

Within a critical workshop and mentoring format, students are provided with tuition and advice in completing either a novel or a short story collection. Consideration is given to the intellectual, psychological, economic and cultural influences that underpin and drive the creative writing process. The course also emphasizes the business and professional environment of writing, with seminars presented by agents and publishers and master classes by established writers. The programme provides the student both with expert guidance in producing a substantial written work of publishable standard, and with a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical and practical requirements of successful participation in the activity of writing, whether as a professional career or as part of a lifelong personal commitment to creative endeavour.

A graduate of the programme will be in a position to consider submission of a complete and polished work to a literary agent or publisher. He or she will also be prepared for participation in a range of complementary fields such as journalism, publishing, editing, online writing, advertising, marketing and teaching.

The degree develops a broad spectrum of transferable skills, including advanced and adaptable writing techniques, informed responsiveness to critical and editorial commentary, self-management and organizational competencies, and a high level of expertise in understanding and locating creative work within a historical and critical context. These skills are applicable not only in careers that draw directly on the ability to write creatively, but also in a wide array of related business, cultural and social activities such as keeping a web page, blogging, advocacy and grant writing, criticism and commentary.

Finally, the degree highlights the beauty and, amid such suffering as is necessary, the joy of creative expression. Regardless of the particular path a graduate follows, he or she will leave the programme with an enhanced, lifelong appreciation of the manifold intellectual and emotional benefits and consolations to be found in the practice of creative writing.

The Irish Writers’ Centre

IWCThe MFA in Creative Writing is delivered in association with the Irish Writers’ Centre, based at 19 Parnell Square. The Irish Writers’ Centre has long been a hub of literary activity in Dublin, supporting established and aspiring writers throughout Ireland from its location in what Joyce called ‘the heart of the Hibernian metropolis.’ It is a non-profit organisation, aimed at promoting literature and writers in Ireland. Since it was founded in 1987, the Irish Writers’ Centre has welcomed many award winning writers through its doors, including Nobel, Costa, Man Booker, IMPAC, and Pulitzer Prize winners. It has also served as an important platform for breakthrough talent, with many young writers giving their first public readings at the Centre.

The Irish Writers’ Centre has considerable experience and expertise in teaching and promoting creative writing. These qualities, allied with American College Dublin’s long background in liberal arts higher education, have informed the development of the programme and provide ongoing support for it. The Centre serves as a space for programme events and presentations, facilitates MFA students in establishing contacts with agents, publishers and other key figures in the publishing industry, and provides a context for students to engage and interact with the Dublin and Irish writing community.

All MFA in Creative Writing students are required to be members of the Irish Writers’ Centre during the year of their registration on the programme and are encouraged to enter into its culture and activities, both during the course and in the years beyond. Additionally, as a general principle, students are encouraged to draw on the observations and other writerly enjoyments and inspirations that attend the experience of travelling the paths, by-ways and spaces that link Merrion and Parnell squares.

Some of our instructors are:

Nessa O’Mahony

Nessa recently published her first novel, The Branchman. She teaches on the MFA’s craft of creative writing course.  Nessa O’Mahony is a Dublin-born poet. She has published four books of poetry – Bar Talk (1999), Trapping a Ghost (2005), In Sight of Home (2009) and Her Father’s Daughter (Salmon 2014). A fifth, The Hollow Woman and the Island, is published by Salmon Poetry in May 2019. She co-edited with Paul Munden Metamorphic: 21st century poets respond to Ovid (Recent Work Press 2017).

Carlo Gébler

Carlo Gébler teaches the short story workshop on the MFA in Creative Writing.  Carlo Gébler was born in Dublin in 1954. His most recent publications (all from New Island) are The Projectionist, The Story of Ernest Gébler, The Wing Orderly’s Tales, a collection of stories told by a prison orderly, and The Innocent of Falkland Road, a novel set in London in the 1960s. Carlo Gébler was a teacher in HMP Maze from 1991 – 1997, writer-in-residence in HMP Maghaberry, Co. Antrim from 1997 to 2015 and now works occasionally in Hydebank College (formerly Hydebank YOC) and HMP Magilligan. He also teaches on the MPhil in Creative Writing in the Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing at Trinity College Dublin, and is a member of Aosdana.

Chris Binchy

Chris Binchy teaches the novel workshop on the MFA in Creative Writing.  Chris Binchy is the author of four novels. He has received bursaries from the Irish Arts Council and Dublin City Council. In 2012 he was writer-in-residence for Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown Council. He was Visiting Writer Fellow in Trinity College Dublin in 2013 and in 2015 held the Writer Fellowship at University College Dublin.

The MFA in Creative Writing consists of a variety of taught classes, workshops, and a culminating final project, which is a substantial portion of a novel or a collection of short stories. Although, for the most part, this course is taught remotely, students will have the opportunity to visit the historic Oscar Wilde House in Dublin and attend some classes during the semester. All modules are mandatory, with the exception of one of the writing workshop classes in the first semester; novelists are required only to take the novel writing workshop and short story writers are only required to take the short story workshop, not both (however, though attendance in both is not mandatory, any student is wishes to participate in both is welcome to do so). The creative writing project is developed throughout the course of the programme (indeed, some students may come to the degree with work already in some stage of completion which is developed in the programme) and is completed at the conclusion of the two taught semesters.

Imagination and storytelling

Writing workshop 1: the novel

Writing workshop 1: the short story

The writer as critic

The craft of creative writing

The business of writing and publishing

Writing workshop 2: the novel

Writing workshop 2: the short story

Masterclass in fiction writing

  • Creative writing project

Module descriptions

The module examines the human propensity of using language to transform personal and social experience into imaginative constructs expressed in narratives, oral and written. Storytelling is one of cultural universals, from tribal myths to the modern novel and TV sitcoms, and its main functions include artistic self-expression, imposing cognitive order onto lived experience, and addressing the elusive questions of the purpose and meaning of life.

The module is designed to develop greater competence and self-management in the complex process of writing a novel. Taught by an established novelist, the workshop guides students through the stages of planning, drafting, revising and completing a novel, with a focus on controlling and developing plot, characterisation, dialogue, and narrative style.

Taught by an established short story writer, the workshop is designed to help writers to develop ideas for short stories and to draft and revise their stories effectively. Students are advised on such aspects of short story writing as setting up, developing and resolving the plot; introducing setting and context; developing characters; writing meaningful dialogue; establishing narrative point of view, tone and style.

The module is designed to aid writers in developing skills and techniques of literary criticism; in other words, how to write effective, interesting, and persuasive reviews and interpretive analyses of literary fiction based on one’s experience, knowledge of literature, and insight into the creative writing process.

This module provides students with practical guidance on the structural and technical aspects of fiction writing. Using examples from canonical fiction, the course discusses such topics as planning and preparation; relations between story and plot; plot structure and development; authorial and narrative voice; objective and subjective narration; characterization and character hierarchy; individualization of dialogue; employment of style, tone, metaphor, diction, and other literary devices.

Presented by agents, publishers and other professionals from the publishing industry, the module offers expert guidance on successful interaction with literary agents and publishing houses, publishing rights and contracts, applications for bursaries, e-publishing, publicity and marketing, editing and copy-editing, copyright law.

This workshop is the second semester continuation of the first semester workshop on the novel. Students continue to share and discuss their work-in-progress with an experienced writer and other student-writers. Students offer drafts of their chapters for classroom discussion, thus obtaining the benefit of professional feedback and peer review to help them in the creative process.

This workshop is the second semester continuation of the first semester workshop on the short story. Students continue to share and discuss their work-in-progress with an experienced writer and other student-writers. Students offer drafts of their short stories for classroom discussion, thus obtaining the benefit of professional feedback and peer review to help them in the creative process.

In this module an established writer shares his or her experience and gives expert advice on writing fiction effectively and successfully. The discussion focuses on such aspects of the creative writing process as generating and researching ideas for new fiction; thinking about story and characters; developing the plot; refining sentences and paragraph construction, and developing authorial voice and tone. Students are also given first-hand advice on how to promote their work, how to deal professionally with publishers, agents, and editors.

After completing all the taught modules students are assigned an experienced writer as a supervisor to guide them through the process of writing a work of fiction: selected chapters from a novel, a short story or a collection of short stories. Students work on their writing project on their own, meeting their supervisor regularly to receive helpful feedback and professional advice on their work in progress. The word limit is approximately 15,000 words; the student should include in the submission a 1500 word critical analysis outlining the authorial decisions taken in arriving at the submitted piece.

Attendance in all assigned modules is mandatory. Students are assessed by their participation in classroom activities, as specified by the lecturer. The final award is based on course work and the final project: 50 percent is made up from assessments in the taught modules, while the remaining 50 percent is related to the creative writing project, which involves a portfolio of about 15,000 words of original literary fiction, corresponding approximately to three chapters from a novel or to four short stories.

An honours bachelor degree in a cognate discipline may be an advantage but is not a necessity for entry to the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. The principal requirements for admission to the programme are demonstration of a sufficient interest in the activity of creative writing and furnishing of evidence of an ability to undertake and benefit from a course of master’s level study and tuition in creative writing.

An applicant for the MFA should submit to the Admissions Office a statement of approximately 500 words of his or her interest in undertaking the course and a portfolio of his or her prose writing. The portfolio may consist of a single piece of writing or of a collection of up to four samples; the entire length of the portfolio should be approximately 3000 words. The applicant will also be required to attend an interview (in person or by means of the internet).

Along with academic knowledge that students receive throughout the duration of their chosen subject, students will also acquire and develop transferable career skills from their degree discipline. These skills along with potential career paths are provided below to give you a well-rounded view of what the course has to offer.

These skills include:

  • Advanced skills and competencies in written communication
  • Advanced skills and competences in academic research
  • Detail-oriented
  • Self-management
  • Organisational competencies
  • Critical and editorial commentary

Graduates of MFA in Creative Writing will be prepared to participate in a range of complementary fields including:

  • Online writing
  • Advertising

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Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin

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School of English

  • Head of School: Dr. Jarlath Killeen
  • Director of Teaching & Learning (Postgraduate): Dr. Jane Carroll
  • Telephone: +353-1-896 2547
  • Fax: +353-1-671 7114
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Url: www.tcd.ie/English
  • How to apply:   Please see links below

Please do not apply for PhD or M.Litt. study in the School before you have followed the instructions detailed in the ‘How Do I Apply?’ section of this webpage.  

School Description:

The School comprises more than twenty permanent members of teaching staff, and a substantial number of Postdoctoral Fellows, Teaching Associates, Research Associates and Teaching Assistants. There are over 100 visiting students each year, and around 30 students who are reading for research degrees. Despite large numbers of students, the School maintains a strong commitment to small group teaching and to individually directed research. The School of English is committed to leadership in the development of English Studies as a vigorous, multidisciplinary subject. We are a School which attracts postgraduates of the highest quality, which is committed to building on our already vibrant culture of excellence in teaching and research, and which has at its core our firmly held belief that research and teaching are intimately connected and mutually stimulating.

Taught M.Phil. Programmes The School has four taught M.Phil. programmes. Further information about these programmes can be found here:  https://www.tcd.ie/English/postgraduate/

Research Programmes The School of English has a vibrant research culture, with opportunities in a wide range of subjects and areas. We especially welcome applications in: medieval and renaissance literature, eighteenth-century literature, Irish Studies, American literature, popular literature, creative writing, Victorian literature, postcolonial literature, Old English, and children’s literature. Research opportunities in all areas are considerably enhanced by Trinity Library. As well being a copyright library, it holds manuscripts and special collections that can form the basis of research projects, particularly in the early period, in Irish writing and in children’s literature.

Our research culture places special emphasis on the individual researcher, though we also encourage forms of research collaboration where this is appropriate. The School of English provides doctoral training through provision of a structured programme of research and study.

The School of English welcomes applications for two research degrees: the M.Litt. and the Ph.D. Both involve a student working closely with one or more supervisors to undertake an original independent research project, resulting in a dissertation thesis. The M.Litt. normally takes two years and the dissertation is up to 60,000 words. The Ph.D. takes up to four years and the dissertation is up 100,000 words. As well as the more conventional research dissertation, we offer the Ph.D. in Literary Practice, which comprises of an original piece of creative writing and a critical essay. We also have a Distance Ph.D. programme, to enable students to pursue a research degree remotely. Further details can be found on our School website.

As part of their structured PhD programme, students are expected to undertake taught modules during their PhD (a minimum of 10 ECTS and a maximum 30 ECTS within the first 18 months of enrolment). Research students must also take a compulsory School of English module in postgraduate professional development during their first year. While our research students work closely with their supervisor, their development of independent and original thought is crucial to the research process. When their work is established, research students may provide teaching in the School in areas cognate to their research.

PhD in Literary Practice The Ph.D. in Literary Practice is aimed at those interested in undertaking a combination of creative and critical writing at doctoral level. Further information about this programme can be found on our School’s postgraduate research website.

Non-Resident PhD Programme The Non-Resident Ph.D. programme allows students to undertake a research degree within the School of English remotely. Further information about this programme can be found on our School’s postgraduate research website. Please note that prospective applicants can only proceed with their application once they been granted permission to do so by the School’s Director of Postgraduate Teaching and Learning.

How Do I Apply? The School receives many postgraduate research admissions and supervision inquiries each year. To facilitate the efficient processing of these initial expressions of interest we require prospective PhD and M.Litt. applicants to fill in an inquiry template. This template, along with everything you need to know about making an application to the School (including dates and funding information), can be found on our School website - click here and scroll down to the heading ‘Admissions Information’.

https://www.tcd.ie/English/postgraduate/research-students/

It is  strongly advised  that you develop your proposal in consultation with a relevant staff member, rather than applying online without contacting the School beforehand. If a staff member is interested in your initial project outline and has supervision capacity, they may ask you for further information and they may subsequently agree to work with you as you develop your proposal. Information about the required formatting and details required from a PhD or M.Litt. proposal can again be found on our webpage.

The School regularly hosts visiting lecturers and writers and organizes international conferences and symposia. Research students are always involved in the organization of these events and frequently will present research papers. The postgraduates also organize weekly research seminars, and all research students are expected to contribute to and attend these events. As well as fostering individual research, we also help students develop a profile that will make them strong candidates for academic posts. Recent Ph.D. graduates hold permanent lectureships and prestigious post-doctoral fellowships at universities in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US.

Testimonials: Eva Burke, Recent PhD Graduate: "I began my PhD at the School of English in September 2016 after having done the M.Phil. in Popular Literature in 2014-2015, so I’ve been part of the School of English for almost six years. My PhD focused on the domestic noir fiction of Gillian Flynn, and my supervisor was Dr. Clare Clarke. My experience as a PhD student at the School of English was incredibly formative. I had the opportunity to present my research at staff-postgraduate seminars, published my work in the Trinity Postgraduate Review, and co-organised a successful symposium at the Trinity Long Room Hub with my supervisor. In the second year of my PhD, I started working as a teaching assistant in the School of English, organizing and running tutorials within the school. I’ve learned so much from my involvement with teaching within the school; the academic and administrative staff have been really supportive and I’ve found that engaging with students as they navigate the curriculum is a really valuable experience. I’m so grateful for the encouragement and support that I’ve found within the School of English, and for the opportunities it has given me."

Dr Jenny Daly, Research Strategy Office, Office of the Dean of Research, Trinity College Dublin. "The time I spent doing my PhD in the School of English was the most fulfilling and intellectually stimulating experience I could ever have hoped for. Having the time and space to work on my research while being supported by an excellent mentor was an immense privilege, but it also prepared me for life beyond the PhD. The research and communication skills that I developed during the PhD are invaluable to me in my career now as a Research Strategy Officer and are, I believe, essential attributes for anyone working in academic administration. Coming from an Arts and Humanities background also enables me to bring a different critical perspective to an area that is so important for everyone in the university."

Sarah Cullen, Recent PhD Graduate: "Working at the intersection of race, gender and literature in my thesis, I found Trinity College Dublin to be an excellent space for such an undertaking. With support from specialists in relevant fields, opportunities to present at and engage with international conferences, and discussion with enthusiastic peers from the School of English, its environment is highly conducive to producing original research."

Janice Deitner, Current PhD Researcher in the School: "As a PhD student in the School of English at Trinity I get to be a part of a dynamic and encouraging community of researchers and scholars, both within the School and in the wider college population. My academic supervisor is an important part of this community, providing essential guidance while encouraging me to forge my own path. As a part of the structured PhD, I have been able to investigate topics beyond my expertise that have positively influenced my thinking. In general, the support of Postgraduates by the School of English has given me the space to explore, challenge, and develop my own ideas within a variety of academic arenas while also providing me with avenues and resources to expand my knowledge and understanding."

In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to register retrospectively. Applicants wishing to be considered for retrospective admission should contact the Graduate Studies Office by emailing  [email protected]

March 2024 Entry

  • Master in Letters in School of English (Part-Time) - 31/MAR/2024
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September 2024 Entry

  • Master in Letters in School of English (Part-Time) - Part-Time 30/Sep/2024
  • Master in Letters in School of English (Full-Time) - Full-Time 30/Sep/2024
  • Doctor in Philosophy, English (Part-Time) - Part-Time 30/Sep/2024
  • Doctor in Philosophy, English (Full-Time) - Full-Time 30/Sep/2024

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The below information is indicative, and for more current options, please visit UCD's  Course Search  site.

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  1. MFA in Creative Writing

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  2. DCU Creative Writing student wins New Irish Writing Award

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  6. 17 Top Creative Writing Courses in Ireland

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  1. WORKSHOP ACADEMIC WRITING CLINIC

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  1. M.Phil. in Creative Writing

    M.Phil. in Creative Writing Apply 1 Year Full-Time Our Creative Writing faculty are all practicing writers. We've all been through it and we're respectful of how exposing writing can be, and how vulnerable someone can feel as they approach the craft with serious intent for the first time. Sometimes students tap straight into a rich vein of form.

  2. PDF The PhD in Creative Writing

    The PhD programme in Creative Writing provides you with the opportunity to engage in individual research over three to four years of full-time study or six years of part-time study under the supervision of a member of academic staff who is a specialist in your field, leading to a dissertation that includes creative work and a critical commentary.

  3. MFA in Creative Writing

    Writers currently involved with the MA and MFA programmes in creative writing include the playwright, novelist and poet Frank McGuiness, poet Ian Davidson, novelist and poet Paul Perry, novelist Anne Enright, short story writer and novelist Katy Hayes, novelist Declan Hughes, novelist Gavin Corbett and Sinéad Gleeson as Arts Council Writer in Re...

  4. UCD School of English Drama Film

    Creative writing in the UCD School of English, Drama and Film draws on the long literary heritage of Dublin as a place that has produced many world-famous authors. It takes full advantage of the range of vibrant and dynamic literary activities in a country and a city where writers and writing are celebrated.

  5. MA in Creative Writing

    MA in Creative Writing | Dublin City University Join us for our Postgraduate Open Day on Wednesday 27th March from 4pm to 7pm Register here for details School of English MA in Creative Writing Course Code: DC784 Course Type: Postgraduate NFQ Level: 9 Delivery Modes Full-Time Part-Time Duration 1 Year FT - 2 Years PT +353 (0) 1 700 7096

  6. MFA Creative Writing

    MFA Creative Writing - Programme Details Home Course Search MFA Creative Writing MFA Creative Writing Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90) UCD offers two graduate courses in creative writing, an MA and MFA. The MFA programme is a more advanced degree than the MA, and in some instances can follow on from the MA.

  7. MA Creative Writing

    MA Creative Writing MA Creative Writing Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 90) UCD offers two graduate courses in creative writing, an MA and MFA. The MA programme includes workshops, seminars and supervision meetings, providing committed students with the support they need to produce a major piece of writing by the end of the course.

  8. Creative Writing and Digital Publishing

    Creative Writing and Digital Publishing Course - Dublin. On this course, you will learn the craft of writing, reading and editing. You will be guided by a committed department of writers and designers, alongside well know guest writers/speakers. You will also learn how to present your creative work online with key skills such as script writing ...

  9. Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

    Carlo Gébler was born in Dublin in 1954. His most recent publications (all from New Island) are The Projectionist, The Story of Ernest Gébler, The Wing Orderly's Tales, a collection of stories told by a prison orderly, and The Innocent of Falkland Road, a novel set in London in the 1960s.

  10. School of English

    Eva Burke, Recent PhD Graduate: "I began my PhD at the School of English in September 2016 after having done the M.Phil. in Popular Literature in 2014-2015, so I've been part of the School of English for almost six years. My PhD focused on the domestic noir fiction of Gillian Flynn, and my supervisor was Dr. Clare Clarke.

  11. College Education Online

    Art history, creative writing, philosophy, sociology are just some of the Masteral programmes you can do at Warnborough. ... PhD in Cultural Art History MFA - Master of Fine Arts BSc in Psychology BSc in Agriculture (Various) MA in Creative Writing ... 311 The Capel Building, Mary's Abbey, Dublin D07 C6YA, Ireland. Website Terms and ...

  12. PhD Programme

    PhD study develops high-level skills in critical thinking, research, data analysis, communication, and information/project management. Many PhD graduates proceed to third-level teaching and research, and many find success in publishing, media, advertising, and public service, as well as in the ICT, business, and financial sectors. Areas of Interest

  13. Creative Writing

    It is a one year course of lectures, seminars, workshops and supervision meetings which aims to provide committed writers with taught classes on theories and practices of writing, presentation and editing techniques, reading of selected texts as writers and supervision of a major writing project.

  14. Fully Funded PhD Programs in Creative Writing

    For 2020-21, the stipend amounts were $16,200 for PhDs. The FSU Graduate School offers several fellowships and awards. University of Houston, PhD in Creative Writing and Literature (Houston, Texas): Through the Department of English the Creative Writing Program offers teaching assistantships to Ph.D. students. Ph.D. students can receive a ...

  15. Creative Writing, M.A.

    The MA in Creative Writing at University College Dublin builds on the well established commitment of the UCD School of English, Drama and Film to fostering and supporting new writing. ... Many graduates of the MA in Creative Writing establish successful writing careers. Graduate of the programme Colin Barrett won the Guardian First Fiction ...

  16. Creative Writing

    Courses are offered both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. BA (English and Creative Writing) MA Writing A student of the MA Writing says: 'Studying for an MA in Writing with the English Department at University of Galway gave me the opportunity to create new work, launched me into my writing career and introduced me to fellow writers.

  17. Creative Writing, M.A.

    Win a € 10,000 Scholarship! Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad. The MA in Creative Writing from Dublin City University aims to unlock the writer in you through an immersion in Drama, Poetry and Fiction.

  18. UCD School of English Drama Film

    PhD in Creative Writing Fees Scholarships/ Funding/ Financial Support PhD Supervision in the School Research Life Developing Skills, Networking and Opportunities

  19. Trinity College Dublin Creative Writing PhD Projects, Programmes

    FindAPhD. Search Funded PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in Creative Arts & Design, Creative Writing at Trinity College Dublin. PhDs ; PhD Opportunities ... We have 0 Trinity College Dublin Creative Writing PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships for European Students (exc UK) Filter Results 4. Filter Results 4. Back. Clear. Discipline.

  20. Creative Writing

    Creative Writing Creative Writing at UCD The below information is indicative, and for more current options, please visit UCD's Course Search site. Module Stages Open All Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

  21. Dublin City University Creative Writing PhD Projects, Programmes

    There are currently no PhDs listed for this search, why not try: All PhD Scholarships in Dublin (1 PhD opportunities listed); All Creative Writing PhD Scholarships (18 PhD opportunities listed); All PhD Scholarships in Dublin (24 PhD opportunities listed); Alternatively, you can start a new PhD search.