Literature, creative writing and film studies
Develop your own creativity and examine that of others
Join us for a short course – in Oxford or online
Start (or finish) your own novel, poem or play; produce critical analyses of classic and contemporary literature; or explore the cinematic works of a country, genre or director.
- View all short courses in literature, creative writing and film
- Ways to study: how our short courses work
Gain credit from short courses
Many of our short courses, including weekly learning programmes (both in Oxford and online) and some summer schools, can be studied for credit, which means they can count towards a recognised qualification such as our Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education.
Part-time Oxford University qualifications
From undergraduate level study to advanced postgraduate courses.
- Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education (gain credit from short courses)
- Undergraduate Certificate in English Literature (choose from two study options including one mostly online)
- Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing (choose from two study options including one mostly online)
- MSt in Creative Writing (formed of short residencies and a research placement)
- MSt in Literature and Arts (formed of online modules and short residencies)
- DPhil in Literature and Arts
Upcoming courses
Online - live • Short courses
Short enough to write in a single day, flash fiction is an agile, innovative form that brings character, mood and language to the forefront. This online workshop is suitable for beginners and experienced writers.
- Fri 01 Nov 2024 – 02 Nov 2024
- 2:00 – 5:00pm
In-person day/weekend • Short courses
Writers and composers have always influenced one another, in every age. Explore these intertwined influences as the Romantic era gives way to the hedonism of the Jazz age in the aftermath of the First World War.
- Sat 09 Nov 2024
- 9:45am – 5:00pm
In-person day/weekend • Short courses
A weekend exploring novel and short-story writing: genre, character development, research, plot development, scene-setting, metaphor, narrative voice, first-draft completion. A fun, interactive course for writers with some previous experience.
- Sat 16 Nov 2024 – 17 Nov 2024
- 9.45am Sat - 5.00pm Sun
In-person day/weekend • Short courses
Christmas is coming. Think knights, banquets, carols and a massive Green man with an axe. Join us for a multidisciplinary feast of medieval merriment. We shall explore literary texts alongside historical accounts of the practice of feasting.
- Sat 30 Nov 2024
- 9:45am – 5:00pm
In-person day/weekend • Short courses
This two-day introduction to the craft of storytelling will give you the key tools and insights needed to inspire and guide your own writing projects.
- Sat 30 Nov 2024 – 01 Dec 2024
- 9.45am Sat - 5.00pm Sun
Part-time qualifications
Part-time undergraduate and postgradute programmes.
Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education (from 2025)
A flexible, part-time route to an Oxford University qualification. Gain credit from flexible short online courses, weekly classes, and the Oxford University Summer School for Adults. Explore a wide range of subjects in this multidisciplinary programme.Undergraduate Certificate in English Literature (from 2025)
A two-year part-time course, equivalent to the first year of a full-time undergraduate English degree. Two study options are available, including a mostly online option.Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing (from 2025)
For aspiring writers, the Diploma offers involvement in a wide range of literary projects over two years of focused part-time study. Two study options are available including an online option with a summer school in Oxford.MSt in Creative Writing
A two-year, part-time master's offering a unique combination of high contact hours, genre specialization, and critical and creative breadth.MSt in Literature and Arts
An interdisciplinary programme which encompasses literature, history, art, architectural history, political thought and the history of ideas. Designed around 3 sequential periods of British history, from Early Modern to the early 20th century.