MSt in Creative Writing
University of Oxford
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Qualification

MSt - Master of Studies

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Location

University of Oxford

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Study mode

Part Time

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Start date

SEP-25

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Duration

2 years

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Qualification

MSt - Master of Studies

Location

University of Oxford

Study mode

Part Time

Start date

SEP-25

Duration

2 years

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Course info

About the courseThe MSt in Creative Writing is a two-year, part-time masters degree course offering a unique combination of high contact hours, genre specialisation, and critical and creative breadth.The emphasis of the course is cross-cultural and cross-genre, pointing up the needs and challenges of the contemporary writer who produces their creative work in the context of a global writerly and critical community.The MSt offers a clustered learning format of five residences, two guided ...Read more

About the course

The MSt in Creative Writing is a two-year, part-time master's degree course offering a unique combination of high contact hours, genre specialisation, and critical and creative breadth.

The emphasis of the course is cross-cultural and cross-genre, pointing up the needs and challenges of the contemporary writer who produces their creative work in the context of a global writerly and critical community.

The MSt offers a clustered learning format of five residences, two guided retreats and one research placement over two years. The research placement, a distinguishing feature of the course, provides between one and two weeks' in-house experience of writing in the real world.

The first year concentrates equally on prose fiction, poetry, dramatic writing and narrative non-fiction. There is a significant critical reading and analysis component, which is linked to the writerly considerations explored in each of the genres. In your second year you will specialise in one of the following.

  • the novel
  • short fiction
  • radio drama
  • TV drama
  • screenwriting
  • stage drama
  • poetry
  • narrative non-fiction.

The residences in particular offer an intensive workshop- and seminar-based forum for ideas exchange and for the opening up of creative and critical frameworks within which to develop writerly and analytical skills. There is a strong element of one-to-one tutorial teaching. Tutorials take place within residences and retreats, and relate to the on-going work produced for the course.

You will be assigned a supervisor who will work closely with you throughout the development of the year two final project and extended essay. All assessed work throughout the two years of the course is subject to one-to-one feedback and discussion with a tutor. This intensive, one-to-one input, combined with the highly interactive workshop and seminar sessions, is a distinguishing feature of the course.

Assessment

The MSt is assessed by coursework. In the first year, four assignments (two creative, two critical), one creative writing portfolio and one critical essay are submitted. Work is set during each residence and handed in for assessment before the next meeting. Feedback on work submitted is given during tutorials within the residence or retreat. In the second year, submissions comprise one research placement report, one extended critical essay, and a final project – a substantial body of creative work in the genre of choice.

You will be set specific creative and critical work to be completed between residences and handed in to set deadlines. Creative submissions in the first year must be in more than one genre. In the second year, submitted work focuses around the genre of your choice.

Graduate destinations

Graduate destinations have included doctoral programmes in creative writing

Key stats

CUG Ranking
CUG Ranking
Source: Complete University Guide 2025
2nd

Entry requirements

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a first-class or upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a related field. For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.6 out of 4.0.

Tuition fees

Students living in

Domestic

£9,630 per year

This information is updated by IDP Connect, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: The fees might vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from Domestic

This is the fee you pay if the University is in the same country that you live in (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

This is the fee you pay if the University is in the same country that you live in (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

£15,105 per year

This information is updated by IDP Connect, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: The fees might vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from EU

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

£15,105 per year

This information is updated by IDP Connect, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: The fees might vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from International

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

IDP Connect

Uni info

University of Oxford
University Offices Wellington Square Oxford Oxfordshire OX1 2JD United Kingdom
Nearest train station: Oxford  0.2 miles away

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