MA in English - Creative Writing

If you have a commitment to imaginative writing, if you would like to develop your artistic practice, build your professional skills as an author and engage with the vibrant creative community of the Seamus Heaney Centre, then the MA in English (Creative Writing) is for you. The programme includes prose writing (fiction and creative non-fiction) and script writing (screen and stage), and invites you to explore all these modes of writing before choosing a specialism.

You will be challenged to explore many different types of writing, to entertain new ideas, to read adventurously and to respond with rigour and generosity to the work of your fellow writers. You will develop your practice as an independent writer and a self-reflective lifelong learner, and build your understanding of the literary marketplace and of the commercial aspects of literary production.

You will be taught by experienced novelists, playwrights and screenwriters, attend workshops with visiting authors, publishers, editors and agents, and contribute to the rich tradition of literary creativity at Queen's University, Belfast.

English - Creative Writing Highlights

Queen's is ranked 2nd in the UK for Creative Writing in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

World Class Facilities

• The Seamus Heaney Centre is an internationally-recognised hub of excellence for literature and imaginative writing, and a central element of Northern Ireland's literary community.

Internationally Renowned Experts

Creative Writing students are taught by experienced novelists, playwrights and screenwriters, and we are fortunate to have attracted staff with international profiles.

Student Experience

Students have access to workshops with visiting authors, publishers, editors and agents and have a number of opportunities to present their work, including at the Common Ground postgraduate conference held each year by the School of Arts, English and Languages.

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. We are a dynamic community of internationally acclaimed researchers, scholars and students who are committed to creating and sustaining a modern and meaningful place of connected learning. We are open to all talents, welcoming of challenge and change, and dedicated to using our subject expertise to make a difference in lives locally, nationally and internationally.

The Faculty has almost 10,500 students and over 700 academic and support staff who work in and across our five Schools – Arts, English and Languages; History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics; Law; Management; and Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, and in the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. Our colleagues and students pursue a wide range of activities, including world-leading research and life-changing teaching. We hope that you want to be part of our work: we have nearly 150 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as well as lots of challenging doctoral opportunities, so there is definitely something to suit your needs and ambition.

We are proud of the work of our students and staff, which has been recognised by many others for its quality and its commitment to work that makes. As a member of the Russell Group, Queen’s University Belfast is one of the UK’s 24 leading universities, providing students with a world-class education underpinned by world-class research. Queen’s is truly a global university, as our researchers work closely with more than 250 universities around the world and with even more businesses and agencies in Belfast and internationally. These networks and collaborations inform our programmes and offer great opportunities for students to learn with and from international peers and partners.

So, with a huge range of undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities, as well as a vibrant postgraduate research culture, I know that you will find that Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast will challenge and inspire you, as well as equip you with the first-class skills and knowledge to excel in your chosen career.

Nola Hewitt-Dundas Pro-Vice-Chancellor

An Intellectual Powerhouse

Spanning everything from traditional humanities and social science subjects to cutting-edge areas in Creative Arts and applied professional studies.

Over 40 per cent of our research is ranked in the top 25 per cent for its respective subject area, with a further 40 per cent in the top 50 per cent nationally.

A Collaborative Culture

Our interdisciplinary environment allows students from all fields the opportunity to interact with academic leaders and participate in their research.

Areas of notable excellence include Creative Writing, Sonic Arts, Global Financial Markets, Children’s Well-being, Poverty and Social Exclusion, Translation and Interpreting and Shared Education.