Creative Writing

Director: Don Paterson (dp31@st-andrews.ac.uk)
Other teachers: John Burnside, Robert Crawford, Meaghan Delahunt, Lesley Glaister and Jacob Polley

Entrance Requirements: normally a good degree with Honours from a UK university or its equivalent, though places on the programme are sometimes found for applicants demonstrating exceptional talent.

Programme Duration: one year

Aim of Programme: to provide intensive critical and creative study in poetry or in a variety of prose forms, with an empahsis on best practice in recent and contemporary writing, and to encourage the development of students' original work in either prose or verse. You should be adept at academic study as well as your own writing, and will be taught by published fiction writers and poets, who are familiar with the problems, pressures and pleasures of writing.

Programme: Students undertake a compulsory module in Research Skills for Creative Writers, and two further core modules in either poetry or prose. The MLitt concludes with the submission of a dissertation, which takes the form of original writing. For more details on the MLitt structure and syllabus see the School's Creative Writing pages. Students who successfully complete the MLitt coursework but do not write a dissertation may be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma.

Please note that the MLitt in Creative Writing is extremely popular and that there are many more applicants than can be admitted. It is therefore advisable to apply for this course as early as possible.