Tell stories that matter to you with our vibrant Creative and Professional Writing degree
Explore yourself and your imagination with our hands-on Creative and Professional Writing degree. You will fine-tune your craft, work collaboratively, and learn how to write and edit in an encouraging seminar and workshop environment.
You will focus on contemporary writers and writing to understand the latest developments in the literary and social media worlds. You will cover:
- the ins-and-outs of the publishing business
- writing young adult and children’s fiction
- how to write a book proposal
- writing song lyrics
- how to write short fiction
- screenwriting and the film industry
- journalism and interviewing skills.
You decide what you write about – follow your own passion for words. We welcome and encourage you no matter your background, interests, style, or genre.
Learn in the capital
Our campus is located in the leafy London borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, so you’ll have access to the capital’s diverse literature scene and world-renowned libraries. You can visit places like:
- The British Library
- Shakespeare’s Globe
- The Sherlock Holmes Museum
- The George Inn
- Charles Dickens Museum.
You'll also get a trip to the London Book Fair, where you'll be able to meet people in the industry and learn more about upcoming trends.
Expert teaching and support
Our BA Creative and Professional Writing lecturers are:
- fantasy and genre writing specialists
- experts on popular music
- young adult novelists
- professional journalists
- working scriptwriters.
This team supports your personal, professional, and academic growth from the day you arrive.
Our student, Jenny, notes how she "gets to be in an environment that helps [her] develop as a writer as well as meeting new people who enjoy stories and writing as much as [she does]." Read Jenny's full story.
Creative and Professional Writing teaching staff includes:
Dr Anthony McGowan renowned author of more than 40 children’s and young adult books. His novel Lark won the Carnegie Medal for Writing, one of the most prestigious awards for children’s fiction in the world.
Dr Russell Schechter, Course Leader for Creative Writing and a World Fantasy Award-nominated novelist. He has been awarded the title of St Mary’s University Champion of Student Experience by a vote of students.
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Course content
Modules
At St Mary's University we promote an interdisciplinary approach to the Humanities and this is an important and unique part of our offer.
Unlike other Humanities degrees, if your choose to study Creative and Professional Writing at St Mary's you can expand your knowledge by exploring modules across English, History, Liberal Arts, Theology, Film and Politics.
Please note: it is possible that a module listed on the website will not be able to run due to reasons beyond our control. For more information please refer to our course information disclaimer.
How the degree is taught
Teaching methods
You'll be taught on our beautiful and historic campus located in Twickenham, London.
The Creative and Professional Writing programme is taught by means of lectures, seminars, workshops and individual tutorials. Enthusiastic student participation is essential to success in the programme.
Students are encouraged to start creative writing at a very early stage in the course and to regularly share their work with colleagues. There are opportunities for collaborative projects and developing skills in constructive criticism of creative work.
Class sizes range from 15 to 35 students, depending on the module.
Assessment methods
With no exams, the programme - by its very nature - places a premium on practical exercises, coursework and projects, so skills will be assessed by a diverse range of methods.
Modules are assessed on the basis of creative writing portfolios, course workbooks and presentations. Attendance and active participation in writing workshops is an essential aspect of assessment for some modules. All assessment is coursework based, with no examinations.
In the final year of the programme it's possible for you to be assessed in large part on lengthier-scale projects. These will be produced within the framework of a special study or portfolio, under the close supervision of a specialist tutor.
Feedback
We adhere to the university’s policy of providing feedback on assessments within 15 working days.
Entry requirements
2025 and 2026 entries
Start date
Standard offer
112 - undefined UCAS points
Contextual offer
96 UCAS points
About Contextual Offer:
Not sure about your grades? We consider all factors when reviewing your application, as we know not everyone has the same support to reach their potential. So we may make a contextual offer below the standard Tariff if you meet our criteria.
We understand that sometimes barriers you can't control get in the way of academic achievement. You are more than just your grades. We'll consider your application as a whole, taking into account things like:
- subjects studied at Level 3
- your GCSEs (or equivalent) profile
- non-academic achievements you mention in your personal statement
- your references and motivation.
International requirements
International students should check our country-specific pages for equivalents. If English is not your first language you will need to achieve an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section (or equivalent).
UCAS Personal statement support
Create your UCAS personal statement through our online builder and we'll email you a copy of your completed version at the end.
Further Information
For more information about entry requirements please get in touch.
How many UCAS points my grades are worth
A levels
A*
56 pts
A
48 pts
B
40 pts
C
32 pts
D
24 pts
E
16 pts
My qualification isn't listed:
If you can't find your qualification in this list please check the full list of UCAS tariff tables.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees
Home
£9,535
International
£17,100
*Please note: these fees are annual and may increase as detailed in our tuition fee variation disclaimer.
For more information on foundation year fees for home students, please check the details on our tuition fee page.
Information about tuition fees, student loans, and funding your studies can be found within our fees and funding section.
Additional costs
Your tuition fees will cover the cost of all mandatory elements of your programme.
Additional costs could be incurred depending on optional modules chosen and other projects undertaken.
For further information about additional costs please see our additional costs webpage.
Scholarships
Find out more about our range of scholarships and bursaries available to undergraduate students .
Living costs
A guide to your living costs has been created by our Student Funding Team.
Accommodation costs vary depending on whether you opt for an en suite room and on-site catering. Take a look at our accommodation options and the prices you can expect to pay.
Career opportunities
Our Creative and Professional Writing degree will help you develop key transferrable skills like communication, confidence, and attention to detail.
Contact our Career Services at careers@stmarys.ac.uk for further information on work and postgraduate opportunities.
Some examples of job roles and areas of work for graduates of Creative and Professional Writing BA (Hons) include:
Apply now
If you're currently living in the United Kingdom and Ireland, you'll need to apply directly through UCAS. You can check our step-by-step application guide for detailed information.
If you are living outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland, you can submit an application directly or add St Mary's University as a choice on UCAS. Check our guideline for more information.
Transferring from another institution?
St Mary's is happy to consider applications from students who wish to transfer from another university. If this is you, please follow these instructions.
More from St Mary's
Thinking about whether St Mary's is the right place for you? Come and visit it us on campus.
Find out more about the extensive support system available to you at St Mary’s.
Discover the many areas in which our academies are currently researching.
Discover what life is like on our London campus.