Join a dynamic creative community and learn how to tell immersive stories through short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, new media and script – on a course ranked 3rd best in the UK.
Experiment with long and short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, new media and script. Workshop your writing and learn essential skills for drafting and revising your work.Connect with diverse audiences through your writing.Kickstart your career with accredited work placements.Develop your skills as a writer and content creator in a variety of media. You’ll be supported by our expert team of leading practitioners, with regular visits from industry professionals, such as editors and publishers. By developing technical skills while learning to express your creative flair, you’ll graduate with the skills and contacts you’ll need to thrive as a writer.

Work placements

You can take advantage of regular opportunities to showcase your knowledge and skills to our industry and community partners – such as schools, museums, theatre companies and charities. You’ll work independently and in groups, bringing your ideas to life in response to real-world briefs. 

In your second year, you’ll raise your professional profile through our placement module. This gives you the chance to collaborate with external partners, undertake a work placement or develop your own creative enterprise. 

Field trips

We run regular local, regional and international field trips at no additional cost – such as writing retreats, festivals and theatre visits. Students in previous years have visited the London Book Fair, as well as events in Montreal, Canada and Zagreb, Croatia. Some have also taken part in the Festival of Debate and attended the ZEE-Jaipur Literature Festival in London.

Networking opportunities

Studying in Sheffield puts you at the heart of a vibrant cultural scene. We work with renowned festivals held in the city, such as Off the Shelf literary festival and Doc/Fest, an international documentary film festival. 

These events attract literary agents, publishers and high profile writers. Past students have volunteered as delegates – gaining experience working at the festivals while growing their professional network. Plus our innovative masterclass programmes give you a headstart in the writing and publishing industries.

We also have a strong network of graduates – and we encourage you to connect with partners outside of the university to give you the best career opportunities possible.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

Our team of professional writers will help you become confident and skilled in everything from prose fiction to publishing. We’ll give you the opportunity to connect with our professional partners – gaining real-world experience of the creative industries and Sheffield’s vibrant cultural scene.

You learn through

• lectures, seminars and individual tutorials
• workshopping your writing
• modules focused on specific forms and styles
• working with different organisations and audiences
• generating and pitching ideas
• live readings and performances
• masterclasses from guest writers
• writing trips and retreats

Studying Creative Writing develops written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to understand different audiences and frame a persuasive argument.

Our students have gone on to exciting careers in

• creative industries, such as theatre and media
• teaching and education
• journalism
• the charity sector
• arts organisations
• marketing, PR and communications
• local and regional government
• social work
• postgraduate study and academia 

 

UCAS points

• 112

This must include at least 2 A Levels or equivalent BTEC qualifications. For example:

• BBC at A Level.
• DMM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
• A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.

GCSE

• English Language or English Literature at grade C or 4

• Access - at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or a recognised equivalent

Meeting the qualifications on the entry criteria does not guarantee you a place. You should ensure that you submit a personal statement and reference as these will also be considered as part of the selection process. Guidelines on personal statements and references can be found on the UCAS website.

We welcome applications from people of any age.

Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 or over at the point of enrolment.

Important notice:

The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

 

Year 1 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Being A Writer	20	Coursework
Craft And Form	40	Coursework
Writing For The Screen	20	Coursework
Writing Live	40	Coursework

 

 

Year 2 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
A Fine Line: Poetry And Poetics	20	Coursework
Half Hour Script	20	Coursework
Ideas Into Action	40	Coursework
Truth, Half-Truth And Lies: Creative Non-Fiction	20	Coursework
What's The Story? Long And Short Fiction	20	Coursework

 

Year 3 Optional modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Placement Year

 

Final Year Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Creative Writing Major Project	40	Coursework
Writing For Change: Writing And Advocacy	20	Coursework
Writing For Young People	20	Coursework

 

Elective modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Counter-Culture And Creativity	20	Coursework
Games Narratives	20	Coursework
Life On Earth: Writing And Environment	20	Coursework
Make It New: Experimental Writing	20	Coursework
Writing For Change: Writing And Advocacy	20	Coursework
Writing For Young People	20	Coursework