MA Publishing and Creative Writing

This course will build complementary creative, critical and professional skills which will put you in a strong position to embark on a career as a writer and/or in publishing. The Creative Writing team have expertise in speculative fiction, historical fiction, scriptwriting, screenwriting, adaptation, poetry, experimental poetry, hybrid forms, horror fiction, literary fiction, creative non-fiction (including memoir and true-crime), and are able to support work in a number of genres.

The focus of the publishing element of the course is on all aspects of the world of publishing, but there is a specific focus on contemporary independent publishing, small presses and emergent themes in writing.  You will engage with a diverse and inclusive range of creative and critical texts in a variety of forms, enhancing your knowledge of the current publishing landscape.

York is a fantastic place to be if you love books and reading. There is a rich literary history in the city, and each year, the city celebrates its literary heritage with the York Literature Festival, for which our department organises several events. We are also instrumental in the annual York Big City Read with our partner institution, York Explore.

You are encouraged to take a professional approach to your study and attend the variety of events provided by the York Centre for Writing, which include visits from agents, publishers, editors and writers and fosters an important sense of belonging and community. You will also have opportunities to take part in field trips and a weekend residential writing retreat.

Qualifications

You must meet the minimum entry requirements which are listed on the course specifications.

• MA candidates have usually already excelled at undergraduate study. We therefore normally require an undergraduate degree at 2:1 grade or higher (or equivalent). We are open to considering previous degrees in the Humanities, Arts, Sciences and Social Sciences or other related subjects.

• If you have a 2:2 undergraduate degree and knowledge of a subject related to Publishing, you may be accepted on to the course following an interview. You may also be required to submit written work to support your application.

International Students

International students will need to demonstrate that they have equivalent experience /qualifications as home students (i.e the same entry criteria as above).

If their first language is not English they must show evidence of English Language competence at IELTS level 6.0 (with no skill below 5.5) or equivalent.

APEL policy

If you can't meet these minimum requirements it may be possible to take into account evidence of Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) as an alternative method of meeting the programme’s entry requirements. In such a case, appropriate references and records of employment might be presented to support the applicant’s case for admission.

This MA will prepare you for a career in publishing and/or writing. You will also leave with transferable skills in project management, copywriting, editing, communication, team work and more.