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Creative Writing at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS

Course options

2026 - 2027
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Open days

19Nov
The University of Edinburgh - Postgraduate Virtual Open Days
Virtual and digital

Course summary

Our PhD in Creative Writing offers committed and talented writers the opportunity to study creative writing at the highest level. Join our community of writers and readers based in a UNESCO World City of Literature. Our creative writing team includes well-published and prize-winning writers of poetry and prose fiction and a dedicated Writer-in-Residence. They include:

  • Dr Jane Alexander - Fiction
  • Dr Lynda Clark - Fiction
  • Dr Patrick Errington - Poetry
  • Dr Miriam Gamble - Poetry
  • Professor Alan Gillis - Poetry
  • Dr Jane McKie - Poetry
  • Dr Allyson Stack - Fiction
  • Kim Sherwood - Fiction
  • Alice Thompson - Fiction
Supported by us, you will work independently towards the production of a substantial, publishable piece of creative writing, accompanied by a sustained exercise in critical study. You will choose to specialise in either fiction or poetry. The University is home to multiple groups and societies dedicated to publishing, reading and performing, as well as to discussion and debate. Our resources for the study and enjoyment of literature are exceptional. Over the course of your PhD, you will write a manuscript consisting of two components:
  • A creative component (75%)
  • A critical component (25%)
Creative component If you specialise in fiction, you will write a novel or collection of short stories totalling a maximum of 75,000 words. If you specialise in poetry, you will write a collection of poetry of a maximum of 75 pages. Critical component You will write an essay of approximately 20,000 to 25,000 words. This can take a number of forms, from traditional academic to critical-reflexive (in which you situate your creative project in a critical context). It is important that your creative and critical components are sufficiently connected for your manuscript to form a coherent body of work.

Modules

See the University of Edinburgh website for detailed programme information.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on the University of Edinburgh website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Tuition fees vary between degree programmes. Find the specific fees for your chosen programme on our website.
Creative Writing at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS