Creative Writing
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Higher Education Diploma with a Merit or Distinction in the subject area, although we may waive these formal entry requirements and make our own assessment based on the creative writing sample.
UCAS Tariff
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About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
The BA Creative Writing is an exciting programme of study that gives you the opportunity to explore a range of disciplines, from fiction to poetry, scriptwriting to creative non-fiction.
You will be taught by some of the UK’s leading writers, including playwright David Eldridge (Beginning), screenwriter Daragh Carville (The Bay) and writer and critic Katherine Angel (Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again). Under the guidance of these and other practising, award-winning writers, you will:
- build an understanding of the craft of writing
- hone your authorial technique
- learn the vital skills of reading as a writer.
Through practical projects and engagement with visiting professionals, you will broaden your understanding of the many aspects of the writing industry. You will also complete an extended creative project in a specific genre in your final year.
This creative writing course provides you with a basis of skills necessary to pursue writing as a profession. It also equips you with expertise transferable to many careers in the arts, education and the media. And you will be studying right in the heart of literary London, walking in the footsteps of Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group.
If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.
**Highlights**
- Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
- You will be eligible to submit work to the annual Birkbeck creative writing journal, The Mechanics’ Institute Review.
- Birkbeck is located in the heart of literary London, in Bloomsbury, WC1. You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space.
**Careers and employability**
Graduates can pursue career paths in creative writing, journalism, education or media production. Possible professions include:
- author
- journalist
- higher education lecturer
- screenwriter.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
Modules
For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.
Assessment methods
Assessment is 100% coursework, which may include short creative projects, essays, presentations, a writer's notebook, web publishing and an extended creative work in a specific genre. The compulsory School of Arts elective may include an examination or another form of assessment.
A creative dissertation is also a compulsory requirement of the programme in your final year.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Birkbeck, University of London
School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
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Creative writing
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
We don't have more detailed stats to show you in relation to this subject area at this university but read about typical employment outcomes and prospects for graduates of this subject below.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Creative writing
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£22k
£24k
£28k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
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Graduate field commentary:
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While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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