Part-time study in creative writing at Oxford University
Need an extra push to finish your novel, poem or play? Want to explore new genres? Whether you're a beginner wondering where to start, or an experienced writer looking to extend your craft, we have a part-time, flexible course for you.
Undergraduate award programmes
Our part-time undergraduate programmes are delivered in two formats: you can choose to study mostly online (with one short module taken in Oxford) or you can opt for face-to-face teaching.
- The Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing is a two-year part-time course that helps you to strengthen your ability in four major areas of literary activity — prose, poetry, drama and analytical reading — while letting you specialise in the genre of your choice.
- The Certificate of Higher Education lets you study a main subject discipline (such as creative writing) while also undertaking study in other academic subjects. Ideal for lifelong learners: the credits you obtain from taking short online courses, weekly classes and attendance at the Oxford University Summer School for Adults all count towards your final award.
Short online courses
Our short online courses in creative writing come in two formats:
- our 'live-online' courses are held using Microsoft Teams as our virtual classroom. These classes meet weekly at a specified time for real-time discussion between students and the course tutor.
- our 'flexible-online' courses take place in a specialised learning environment, and make use of rich media and discussion forums where you interact with your tutor and fellow students. Since there are no set meeting times, you can study when it suits you, and from anywhere in the world.
Our online creative writing courses cover all genres: fiction, poetry, memoir, creative nonfiction, drama, writing for young adults and critical reading. There are courses for beginners and options for those with experience. Class sizes are kept small to maximise interaction between you, your classmates and your tutor.
All short online courses let you to build credit toward our Undergraduate Certificate in Higher Education.
Summer schools
Join us for one of our Oxford creative writing summer courses, and spend a week or longer immersed in your craft. Accredited and non-accredited options are available; courses take place at Rewley House and at Oxford's historic colleges.
Postgraduate study
Delve deeper into creative writing with our MSt in Creative Writing - a two-year, part-time master's programme offering a unique combination of high contact hours, genre specialization, and critical and creative breadth, delivered in a clustered learning format of five residences, two guided retreats and one placement over two years.
