Overview

Students of the Creative Writing programme at University of Plymouth have had books published in all forms and received many recognitions of excellence, including being shortlisted for The Forward First Book Prize for Poetry, receiving a two-novel deal with Headline, winning the £10,000 Ballymaloe Poetry Prize, and winning the Manchester Metropolitan Novella Prize (Jamie Edgecombe – see his student profile below).

Key facts

Doctoral Creative Writing projects include collections of poetry influenced by field work in Nepal, creative non-fiction exploring the plight of refugee women in immigration detention centres in the UK, short story sequences about domestic dysfunction, and novels set far and wide: from 16th century America to 21st century Japan. All of our PhD students produce creative work alongside a critical dissertation (from 15,000 words to 40,000 words), exploring their methodology as well as their wider literary context.

Programme Structure

Curriculum:

You will be guided by a small supervisory team of academic experts under the direction of a Director of Studies.

You will be expected to fully engage with skills development and training and to present your research in a range of scholarly contexts.

Your PhD will be assessed via submission of either a written thesis (approximately 80,000 words), or one that combines critical writing with artistic, creative and/or professional practice, and a viva voce (an oral examination).

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months
Part-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-07-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-01-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-04-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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TOEFL^® IBT

90

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PTE Academic

65

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IELTS

6.5

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4.9/5 student rating

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Plymouth, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Creative Writing View 60 other PhDs in Creative Writing in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

90

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

65

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Masters degree or equivalent from a UK higher education institution in a relevant subject.

Applicants normally have to supply a research proposal, personal statement, and occasionally evidence that they are prepared to undertake the proposed project. This may include a portfolio, or a sample of critical writing, depending on their area of study.

Other UK or overseas qualifications may also be accepted – with academic reference

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

19315 GBP / year

≈ 19315 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5238 GBP / year

≈ 5238 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time:

National: £2,619 per year
International: £9,655 per year

Living costs

Plymouth

United Kingdom

731 - 1387 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Creative Writing.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Plymouth

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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