- Have a solid working knowledge of genres and forms.
- Have created a substantial piece of writing, a solid basis from which to continue towards the completion of a full work, whether that be a collection of short stories, a novel or a collection of poetry.
- Have developed a positive sense of themselves as writers, with an active role to play in the literary/artistic culture wherever they should find themselves.
- Have learned to read like writers, to recognise the challenges facing authors at various stages in the creation of a piece of fiction and to critically assess the extent to which these challenge have been met.
- On successful completion of the programme, students will have a thorough understanding of how to meet many of the challenges confronted in the construction of a piece of fiction; character, voice, place etc.
- Participated in a weekly visiting writer’s programme, contributed to an anthology and attended a selection of the literary events and festivals for which the city is renowned.
This course is available through the following application route(s)
UCD offers two graduate courses in creative writing, an MA and MFA. The MA programme includes workshops, seminars and supervision meetings, providing committed students with the support they need to produce a major piece of writing by the end of the course.
The MA in Creative Writing builds on the well established commitment of the UCD School of English, Drama and Film to fostering and supporting new writing. The university has long been associated with some of Ireland’s greatest writers, including James Joyce, Flann O’Brien, Mary Lavin, Anthony Cronin, John McGahern, Neil Jordan, Conor McPherson, Marina Carr, Colm Tóibín, Emma Donoghue, Maeve Binchy and many others. The Booker Prize winning novelist Anne Enright is Professor of Creative Writing, and among the teaching staff are novelist Sarah Moss, poet Ian Davidson, poet and novelist Paul Perry, novelist and playwright Declan Hughes, life writer and critic Catherine Morris and novelist Paula McGrath.
The MA programme:
- Provides opportunities to explore and develop your own creative writing skills supervised by experienced published staff of international reputation.
- Actively fosters the development of students' capacity to edit their own work.
- Ensures that the art of writing is informed by contemporary theory and practice.
- Offers courses incorporating the manuscripts of works of leading writers held in Special Collections and courses which explore material in the National Folklore Collection in UCD, one of the richest archives of oral tradition in the world.
About This Course
Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.
Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.
| Trimester | Credits | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stage 1 Core Modules |
CRWT40010 | Craft and Composition | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
CRWT40200 | Writing Poetry | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
CRWT40250 | Life Writing | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
CRWT40030 | CHAPTER ONE: BEGINNING A NOVEL | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
CRWT40310 | Research for Writers | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
CRWT40180 | Writing Project | Summer | 30 |
Stage 1 Options - B)1 of: Choose 1 module from the list below. If you wish to audit the other option module i.e. attend for interest without assessment or credit, please email the School graduate administrator with your student number and the code for the module you wish to audit. |
CRWT40160 | The Craft of Contemporary Poetry | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B)1 of: Choose 1 module from the list below. If you wish to audit the other option module i.e. attend for interest without assessment or credit, please email the School graduate administrator with your student number and the code for the module you wish to audit. |
CRWT40220 | Creative Reading | Spring | 10 |
Dave Rudden
MA 2013
Award-winning author
The Creative Writing Masters in UCD has been incredibly useful to me as an author. I still use some of the lessons I learned in that year in my creative writing classes, and the expert advice of the lecturers contributed massively to me finding a home for my Knights of the Borrowed Dark trilogy at Puffin. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Graduate Profile
Erika Meyers, USA
Although there are many programmes that offer masters in Creative Writing in North America, I decided to attend UCD because it allowed me the opportunity to pursue my interests in poetry and fiction, rather than forcing me to choose one over the other. The creative versatility of the programme not only resulted in the publication of a novel and a poetry collection (both written while under the guidance of James Ryan and Éilís Ní Dhuibhne during my MA), but also provided me with the knowledge and experience necessary to earn a Santander scholarship and pursue my PhD in Irish Literature at the University of Edinburgh.
MA Creative Writing (Z012) Full Time
EU fee per year - € 10350
nonEU fee per year - € 22600
***Fees are subject to change
EU fee per year - € 10350
nonEU fee per year - € 22600
***Fees are subject to change
Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.
The entry requirement for the MA programme is a BA Hons English or equivalent (NFQ Level 8), and/or proven commitment to and experience in the field of creative writing; a portfolio (a 3,000 word sample of prose or 6 poems, or a combination of prose and poetry) of recent creative work; a personal statement of reasons for taking the course and references. Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7.5 (no band less than 7.0 in each element), or equivalent.
These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes
You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes
How to Apply
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Creative Writing:
| ROWCLASS | Apply to |
|---|---|
| showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | Z012 Creative Writing Master of Arts Full-Time Commencing September 2025 Graduate Taught Closed |
* you can change options at the top of the page