Introduction

Be both a creative writer and a publisher. Customise your studies and prepare yourself for work in these increasingly entwined growth industries. Whether you want to join the traditional publishing industry, establish your own small press or set up a single-author imprint for your own novels, this Masters degree will help you meet your ambitions. Taught in Cambridge, our MA is the only Creative Writing and Publishing course in the East of England and has been taken by many successful published writers. It offers you an opportunity to develop your fiction writing in a supportive environment, while gaining key insights into publishing practice and international and digital rights.

Our fully customisable postgraduate course reflects the reality that authors are no longer insulated from business concerns. Even the biggest publishers expect authors to build their own platforms and audiences, manage their own social media and interpret sales. As a student on ARU’s MA Creative Writing and Publishing you’ll benefit from our wide-ranging industry connections, as well as talks, workshops and masterclasses featuring publishers and established fiction writers. You’ll also be able to attend our publishing short courses for free. Offered full- or part-time, this Masters course in Cambridge is a great way to study a subject you love and prepare for your future career.

How you'll be assessed

You will be assessed using methods that allow you to demonstrate the learning outcomes essential for your professional development. Depending on the module, these could include traditional essays, creative work (usually accompanied by a critical commentary) or publishing-specific forms such as book proposals and marketing plans.

Careers

Our Masters degree in Creative Writing and Publishing will prepare you for employment in whichever aspect of the writing and publishing industries most interests you. You’ll develop transferable academic and professional skills, including self-reflection, critical analysis and working to briefs and deadlines. You’ll also gain the research skills needed to produce creative work, professional publishing documents and critical writing.

Our publishing graduates also have a track record of success, with most now in careers at companies such as Bloomsbury, Wiley Capstone, Pearson, Cambridge University Press and Macmillan. You will gain Intermediate awards: PG Cert, PG Dip