Modern Literature (Part-time) (MA)

Applicants may have achieved a 2:1 degree in Creative Writing or a cognate discipline (those with a 2:2 may be considered for entry to a Postgraduate Diploma in the first instance). Other applicants without a first degree but with a level of experience are also encouraged to apply. In all cases a writing sample and interview will form the major part of the application process.

The programme’s assessment strategy consists of formative and summative assessments. Students are assessed on a range of creative and reflective writings, including creative tasks, reflective journal, review, and research essay.

Assessment for the programme has been informed by studies in Creative Writing Education as well as the subject benchmark statements of the National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE, 2008) and the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA, 2016).

The decision to have 4 modules in part one - two assessed by portfolio and two through an individual research project – aims to hone particular writing skills and develop a larger sweep of focus. These modules prepare the student to manage the research and writing required for the Dissertation length Creative Project.

The first portfolio module presents the student with a range of different approaches to writing and a range of different tasks; the second introduces the writer to opportunities and ways of functioning as a professional writer. There is a similar stepped progression in the two research modules: the first focuses on researching and writing around an individual subject; the second broadens out to include context in the form of place or time. All require some meditation on, and reassessment of, writerly strategies employed in the practice.

The Assessment Strategy is designed in relation to the Learning Outcomes of the MA Programme and the individual component of that programme which is the module. Links are made throughout to the value of each assessment in enhancing the employability skills of graduates, both as professional writers and as writers applying their skills in an appropriate field. For Creative Writers a heightened awareness of linguistic pattern and meaning, high-level written and spoken communication skills and the invaluable skills of listening and discussion essential to any management position. 

The second purpose is that of developing highly skilled and flexible graduates with training in the key skills required for any high-level job: the abilities to discriminate, absorb, manage, and process complex information, to formulate and construct complex arguments that may be pitched appropriately to different audiences. As the study and practice of written communication, Graduates will be trained in good presentation and communication skills, particularly the skills of listening and co-operating without losing focus.

There will be no mandatory additional costs to study beyond the payment of tuition. Students should be prepared to incur the basic costs associated with study such as transport and may wish to purchase coffees, snacks or other sundry items on campus.

Many students also choose to invest in study support tools such as laptops over the course of their study, though this is not a programme requirement. Any activities related to study or student life which bear a cost beyond tuition will be optional, and the expense shall be clearly communicated to students at the time of registration.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.

Through its links to a host of subjects including Drama, Media, Journalism, Film Studies and Theatre Studies, Creative Writing offers a range of possible writing opportunities. Our location in west Wales enables us to draw on opportunities in a developing area of film and television production here.

Students are introduced to understanding the world of the self-employed writer by being introduced to publishing (from approaching publishers, the steps of publication, the necessity of documents such as AI sheets), self-presentation in readings, collaborative, cross-disciplinary projects, residencies etc.

One of the biggest areas of growth is viral advertising narratives and there are also collaborative opportunities in games design and narrative. Links with Literature or History can lead to other possibilities, for example to careers involving narratives associated with archives and museums.

More widely the focus on both the structure and detail of language develops skills essential to any high-level graduate employment: to formulate and write clear and coherent narratives that present complex information to mixed (or at least varied) audiences. In addition, the programme focus on the respect and listening skills of the workshop is equally valuable. These skills are essential to any of the professions that deal directly with people. These may include social work, probation services, mental health advocates etc.