Postgraduate taught 

Creative Writing (online) MLitt: Online distance learning

Two students with laptops having a conversation

Note: This programme is also delivered on campus. To find out more about this programme or the research opportunities available, visit our Creative Writing subject page

If you're a talented and ambitious writer looking to develop your craft and take your writing to the next level, Glasgow's renowned Creative Writing MLitt is ideal. Develop your writing practice wherever you are in the world by gaining creative and critical skills on this exciting and supportive online course.

  • Online
  • MLitt: 12 months full-time; 24 months part‑time

Register your interest for more information

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Why this programme

Find out more about Creative Conversations, our literary event series featuring internationally renowned writers.
  • Our MLitt in Creative Writing is delivered within a clear three-part structure, focused on creative, critical and editorial skills.
  • Our Creative Writing programme has gained an excellent reputation with writers, agents and publishers. The University's writing courses are among the most challenging and popular in the UK.
  • These courses have helped launch the careers of an impressive list of acclaimed authors including, but not limited to: Anne Donovan, Helen Sedgwick, Kirsty Logan, Jen Hadfield, JL Williams, Louise Welsh, Zoe Strachan, Elizabeth Reeder and many others.
  • You'll be taught by successful and well-regarded writers who specialise across diverse genres. We are happy to supervise students working in established genres but just as keen to see students mix genres or create new forms. In addition, you'll be able to tap into the University's strong network of literary agents and publishers, as well as an impressive list of published alumni. 
  • This online programme is 1 year full time. If you are already working full time or have family commitments, the course can also be completed on a part-time flexible study basis over 2 years.
  • Listen to our podcast: Stories from Glasgow – Writing Space with Dr Oliver K. Langmead.
  • Read From Glasgow to Saturn, our literary journal.

Programme structure

The full-time programme consists of the following courses. The part-time programme consists of the same courses split over two years.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Summer Semester

Programme outcomes

  • Experiment with a range of voices, techniques and genres and consider major creative and editorial engagements
  • Develop a critical understanding of a diverse creative, theoretic and critical texts
  • Develop editorial skills
  • Gain an understanding of literary techniques and ideas
  • Access the work and thought of a wide range of literary artists
  • Produce extended portfolios of creative and editorial work
  • Understand the writing context (audience, publishing in all its forms, the legal framework, modes of transmission)
  • Become disciplined in writing regularly in a stimulating workshop and tutorial environment in which writing skills can be acquired, discussed and honed
  • Be part of a stimulating and critical peer group that reads, engages with, and appraises one others work
  • Understand the means of literary transmission and how these means affect your own work
  • Meet, hear and talk to professional writers and individuals from publishing and other transmission industries
  • Display an understanding of the mechanisms (historical and contemporary) of literary textual transmission and other forms of transmission (including performance) in their various technological, commercial and artistic aspects

"I can honestly say that the programme was the best thing that has ever happened for my writing."
Nichola Deadman, Creative Writing student

Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.

Career prospects

Skills gained in the study of our Creative Writing MLitt may lead to career opportunities in literary and cultural fields such as editing, publishing and arts development. Many of our alumni are successful authors. Our graduates have also gone into journalism, publishing, and a range of other professions. Positions held by recent graduates include managing director, freelance writer, author, copywriter and community arts worker.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2025-26

MLitt

UK

  • Full-time fee: £11250
  • Part-time fee: £1250 per 20 credits

International & EU

  • Full-time fee: £24000

Part-time fees:

  • UK:  £1,250 per 20 credits (180 credits in total)
  • International & EU: £2,667 per 20 credits (180 credits in total)

The credits are split: 

  • Year 1: 80 credits (4 x £1,250/ £2,667) for Craft & Experimentation 1 and 2, and Workshops
  • Year 2: 100 credits (5 x £1,250/ £2,667) for Editing & Publication 1 and 2, and Portfolio

Additional fees

  • Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
  • Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
  • Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

The Baird Educational Trust Studentship

We are pleased to invite applications for this scholarship, open to full and part-time Creative Writing MLitt students, either on campus or undertaking distance learning.  

The Trust offers annual stipend for one MLitt student per academic year of £2000, if the student is studying full time, and £1000 per year if the student is studying part-time.

UK Study Online Scholarship

The UK Study Online scholarship is open to UK, EU and international students taking online undergraduate and postgraduate courses. 

Please see UK Study Online for more details.

Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students

If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.

* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes

For more information visit Student Finance Wales

Alumni Discount

In response to the current unprecedented economic climate, the University is offering a 20% discount on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni, commencing study in Academic session 2025/26. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, International Summer School programme or the Erasmus Programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships.

Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)

If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.

Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.

For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .

* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes

Glasgow Excellence Award (UK)

The University of Glasgow has a total of 40 Glasgow Excellence Scholarships available to UK students entering any of the University’s Colleges.

The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

Entry requirements

You will normally have a 2.1 Honours degree (or equivalent), though this is not a pre-requisite. The primary basis for admission is the appraisal of a portfolio of your creative work.

Please include a portfolio of original work (poetry, fiction, life-writing or other prose, drama, and in some instances a portfolio of work in or of translation). A maximum of 20 pages (one side only, double spaced throughout) per submission will be considered, and the portfolio can contain prose, verse, script, or a combination of these.

We also require a letter of reference. Your referee should be an academic or a creative referee where possible. Where this is not possible, you can provide a referee who can vouch that you are who you say you are and that your work and achievements are your own. It is particularly helpful if your referee is familiar with your writing and can provide references on that basis.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

  • 7.0 overall with no subtest less than 7.0
  • IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Common equivalent English language qualifications accepted for entry to this programme

TOEFL (ibt, my best or athome)

  • 100 overall with Reading 24; Listening 24; Speaking 23; Writing 27
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Pearsons PTE Academic

  • 66 overall with no subtest less than Reading 68; Listening 66; Speaking 65; Writing 82
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

  • 185 overall, no subtest less than 185
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Oxford English Test

  • 8 overall with no subtest less than 8
  • ests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

LanguageCert Academic SELT

  • 75 overall with no subtest less than 75
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Password Skills Plus

  • 7.0 overall with no subtest less than 7.0
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Trinity College Tests

  • Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEIII Pass with Pass in all sub-tests
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Alternatives to English Language qualification

  • Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
    • students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
  • Undergraduate 2+2 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
    • students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

  • direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
  • essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
  • flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

  • Heriot Watt
  • Kingston Upon Thames
  • Middlesex University
  • Manchester University
  • Reading University
  • Edinburgh University
  • ST Andrews University
  • UCL
  • Durham

 

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.

Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.

Documents

As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:

  • A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
  • A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
  • Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
  • One reference letter on headed paper
  • Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
  • Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
  • A copy of the photo page of your passport (Non-EU students only)

You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.

You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.

For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree

Guidance notes for using the online application

These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form. 

If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.

  • Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
  • Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
  • Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
  • Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
  • Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
  • English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
  • Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.

Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.

Application deadlines

September 2025

All applicants

As there is extremely high demand for places on this degree programme, the University has established an application process with application rounds. This process aims to ensure fairness and equity to applicants and should support applications being open for the full admission cycle.

Round 1 application dates: 1 October 2024 to 17 November 2024

All international applications submitted within these dates will be reviewed with no priority given to any geographic region. You will receive our decision on your application by 5 February 2025.

Round 2 application dates: 18 November 2024 to 16 February 2025

All international applications submitted within these dates will be reviewed with no priority given to any geographic region. You will receive our decision on your application by 31 March 2025.

Round 3 application dates: 17 February 2025 to 25 May 2025

Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 13 July 2025.

Round 4 application dates: 26 May 2025 to 1 July 2025

Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 18 August 2025.

As we receive a great number of applications, prospective students are only allowed to apply once per year.

Apply now

More information about this programme

Related programmes

Online postgraduate

Creative Writing

English Literature

more related English Literature programmes

Related links

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