Creative Writing Online MA/PGDip/PGCert
Write boldly. Study flexibly. Develop your creative voice.
Apply By: 5th February 2027
Start: 1st March 2027
Develop your creative voice and build a sustainable writing practice with Goldsmiths, University of London’s online Creative Writing MA/PGDip/PGCert. Through workshop-based learning across fiction, poetry, life writing, and the novel, you’ll refine your craft, receive expert feedback, and create a professional portfolio of original work. Combining creative practice with publishing, professional development, and critical reflection, you’ll graduate with the confidence, professional portfolio, and industry insight needed to shape a sustainable future as a writer.
100% online
2 years (part-time)
Request more information
Complete the form below for detailed programme and pricing information, and to be contacted by phone and email.
Write with confidence. Publish with purpose.
Develop your writing through a 180-credit curriculum that offers workshops, peer critique, close reading, publishing, and professional practice. Alongside refining your craft, you’ll build the confidence, professional networks, and industry insight to establish and sustain a creative life long after graduation.
Study on a schedule that suits you
Achieve your goals without putting life on hold. Study part-time (15-20 hours per week) to shape your learning around your priorities, with the flexibility to move forward in a way that works for you.
“I was able to learn from and forge connections with other writers (staff and students), and find a sense of community.”
–– Emily Berry, MA Creative and Life Writing (campus)
Build a sustainable creative career
Creative writing opens doors to publishing, media, communications, education, and the wider creative industries. Many graduates also build portfolio careers, combining writing, editing, teaching, publishing, consultancy, and their own creative practice.
Book publishing accounts for 59.6% Total publishing in 20251
Global publishing market
growth 3.5% CAGR Projected annual growth through 20332
Entry criteria
This programme is for curious creatives from a broad range of related disciplines who share a passion for creative writing.
| Degree | Typically, applicants hold a 2:1 bachelor’s degree in literature, humanities, creative arts, or social sciences. Applicants with substantial professional experience may also be considered. |
|---|---|
| English criteria | If English is not your first language, you’ll usually need an IELTS overall score of 6.5 (with no band below 6.0). In some cases, this may be waived based on prior study, supporting access for a global cohort. |
Fees & funding
The total estimated tuition for the MA programme is £12,500*. You can pay this amount in full or through instalments of £1,300 every 8 weeks, with £2,100 for the dissertation paid in two instalments over 7 months.
Meet your faculty
Learn from published writers, researchers, and literary practitioners whose expertise spans novel, fiction, poetry, short stories, and creative writing pedagogy. Through workshops, mentorship, and constructive feedback, they’ll help you refine your craft while developing your own distinctive voice.
- Academics with advanced qualifications and specialised expertise
- Real-world experience integrated into coursework and discussion
- A learning environment that blends academic rigour with structured support
- Smaller study groups that enable individual attention and feedback
- Ongoing mentorship and support at each stage of your studies at Goldsmiths
Dr Jocelyn Page, Programme Convenor, Creative Writing
Dr Jocelyn Page
Jocelyn Page has published in various journals including The Spectator, Poetry Ireland Review, Poetry Salzburg, South Carolina Review and Poetry Review. Her debut pamphlet, smithereens, was published in 2010 by tall lighthouse press and her 2016 You’ve Got to Wait Till the Man You Trust Says Go was the winner of the Goldsmiths’ Writer Centre’s Poetry Pamphlet award. She is a Lecturer in English and Creative Writing at Goldsmiths College and the University of London Worldwide. She has held residencies at London’s The Reach Climbing Centre and the 999 Club homeless centre and currently serves as a Creative Consultant for Greenpeace International. Jocelyn is the co-chair of the National Association of Writers in Education and a Fellow of Higher Education Association.
Amy Sackville, Senior Lecturer, Creative Writing
Amy Sackville
Amy Sackville is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing. She writes novels, short stories and occasional personal essays and reviews, with interests in historical fiction, experimental form, ekphrasis, and the intersections of life writing, biography and (auto)fiction. Her most recent book, Painter to the King (Granta, 2018), is about the painter Diego Velázquez and his life and work in the court of Philip IV of Spain. She has written for The Guardian, The Independent, Literary Hub, Fictionable, and others. In 2018, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She completed the MA in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths in 2008.
Dr Livia Franchini, Lecturer in Creative Writing
Dr Livia Franchini
Livia Franchini is a writer and translator from Tuscany, Italy. She is the author of two novels, Shelf Life and High Tide, and the co-editor of Too Little, Too Hard, a collection of essays on writing, work and value. Her most recent English-language translation is Lorenza Mazzetti’s The Sky Is Falling. Livia is Lecturer in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, where she also coordinates the Goldsmiths Prize. She lives in south east London with her family.
Ranking & accreditation
Part of the prestigious University of London, Goldsmiths is recognised as one of the UK’s leading institutions promoting creative and analytical thinking, and equipping students to leverage and respond to the emerging trends in various fields.
- Top 10 universities in London (Complete University Guide 2025)
- 69th most international university, with students from around 130 countries (QS World University Rankings 2022)
- Nearly 80% of research rated world-leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021)
- Employers also rank Goldsmiths as one of the UK’s best universities to recruit from (Times Higher Education)
About Goldsmiths, University of London
At Goldsmiths, different isn’t just what we do – it’s who we are. Here, visionaries are inspired to explore, create, and challenge the world around them. We ignite curiosity, champion individuality, and empower students to turn bold ideas into lasting change. As part of the University of London, Goldsmiths celebrates 120 years of fearlessness and global excellence across the arts, technology, and social sciences.
Online learning experience
Studying online blends flexibility with an immersive, interactive experience. Built with the latest technology and delivered through Moodle, it offers engaging individual and group activities, videos, and direct connections with lecturers and peers. At Goldsmiths, online study fosters creativity, collaboration, and personalised learning.
Sources and disclaimer
- https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/ [Accessed 1 July 2026].
- https://internationalpublishers.org/ [Accessed 1 July 2026].
*Programme fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change each academic year. The fees listed above are for the academic year [2026-27].