Writing Poetry MA
Put poetry at the centre of your creative practice with our Writing Poetry MA.
Overview
Choose this master's in poetry to receive expert tuition from nationally and internationally renowned poets. They'll help develop your poetry-writing and reflective abilities through reading, discussion and revision. You'll progress to receive formal recognition for your work.
You can choose to study either in Newcastle or London. All classes are in the evening if studying at Newcastle and during the day in London. Newcastle University leads the North East cohort. The London course is run in collaboration with The Poetry School.
Important information
We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption.
Given the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commitments outlined are subject to guidelines that may be in place from time to time.
View our COVID-19 Study page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2022-23.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information
What you'll learn
By the end of this master's in poetry you'll have:
- advanced awareness of the processes of writing in your own work and that of others
- advanced your creative ability through practice, reading, discussion and revision
- learned new ways to generate work, and refine it through the development of enhanced revision skills
- a range of knowledge on the writing of poetry in English
- enhanced sensitivity to verbal creativity
- an advanced ability to understand and judge the timing and duration of creative projects
- the ability to revise and prepare poetry for submission and publication
- knowledge of the professional world of writing and publishing
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Compulsory Modules | Credits |
---|---|
MA Writing Poetry: Portfolio | 60 |
Compulsory Modules | Credits |
---|---|
MA Writing Poetry: Portfolio | 60 |
How you'll learn
Delivery
This course is typically delivered through workshops and masterclasses. Workshops focus on:
- reading
- discussion
- revision of your own work
Masterclasses focus on:
- the generation of new work and new understanding, often through responses to published contemporary poetry
- place
- archives
- un-poetic texts
- translation
- the visual arts
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Portfolio
Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:
- courses
- groups
- notifications
- messages
Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:
- peers
- academics
- our University Student Services Team
You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.
This master's in poetry is rooted in the experience and expertise of our award-winning tutors:
- Glyn Maxwell (London)
- Tamar Yoseloff (London)
- Jacob Polley (Newcastle, Degree Programme Director)
- W N Herbert (Newcastle)
- Sinéad Morrissey (Newcastle)
- Tara Bergin (Newcastle)
Your future
Our Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
Newcastle
The School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics is a lively and diverse community with over 700 undergraduates and 200 postgraduates. We are based in the Percy Building. Our purpose-built postgraduate suite includes:
- several dedicated computer clusters
- meeting rooms
- a kitchen and lounge area
Our award-winning Phillip Robinson Library has an extensive audio-visual collection.
The Newcastle Centre for Literary Arts (NCLA) is a world-class centre of excellence in the field of creative writing which contributes to the cultural life of the North East via:
- readings
- projects
- teaching
- research
The NCLA offers you the opportunity to get involved in our writing community through readings and events that feature:
- poets
- scriptwriters
- non-fiction writers
- novelists
Past speakers include:
- Paul Muldoon
- Claudia Rankine
- Carol Ann Duffy
- Carolyn Forché
- Jorie Graham
- Alice Oswald
These readings and events may be subject to COVID-19 restrictions.
London
You'll study at the Poetry School in Canada Water. The National Poetry Library British libraries and London's central cultural hubs are nearby. The Poetry School has a small but growing library.
You'll have the opportunity to enrich your practice through The Poetry School's many collaborations. The Poetry School is embedded in the poetry world with links to other poetry and arts organisations. You'll be situated at the centre of a thriving poetry community.
A large and varied short course programme runs alongside the MA. You can choose to access these courses for a supplementary fee.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees for 2022 entry (per year)
If your studies last longer than one year, your tuition fee may increase in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.
Find out more about:
- additional costs
- living costs
- tuition fees, including how to pay them and available discounts
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
Search for funding
Find funding available for your course
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2022 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
How to apply
Using the application portal
The applicant portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.
You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.
If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the applicant portal.
Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.
Apply Online
Open days and events
You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:
- campus tours
- on-campus open days
- virtual open days
- webinars
Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually
Overseas events
We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.
Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Melanie Birch
Events, Marketing and Postgraduate Administrator
School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7619
Email: pg.english@ncl.ac.uk
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