Undergraduate creative writing courses

Part-time study in creative writing at Oxford

Completely new to the world of creative writing? Need an extra push to finish your novel, poem or play? Looking for a low-residency master's programme? No matter where you are in your writing journey, we have a flexible, part-time course for you.

Diploma in Creative Writing

Our two-year, part-time Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing helps you to strengthen your ability in four major areas of literary activity — prose, poetry, drama and analytical reading — as well as the chance to specialise in the genre of your choice.

There are distance-learning and face-to-face options available. The Diploma is a good foundation for those wanting to progress to a master's in creative writing.

Find out more about the Diploma in Creative Writing

Short courses and the Certificate of Higher Education

Our weekly classes and flexible online courses in creative writing are taught at undergraduate level and cover all genres – fiction, poetry, memoir, drama, writing for young adults and critical reading. There are courses for beginners as well as those with experience and class sizes are kept small to maximise interaction between you and your classmates and tutor.

Credit earned from these courses is transferable towards our Certificate of Higher Education - a part-time undergraduate course in which you study a main subject discipline but also undertake study in other academic subjects.

Student spotlights

Tahmina Maula

Tahmina Maula

Tahmina worked as a senior manager in education before taking a career break to undertake the Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing.

Charles Bush

Charles Bush

Charles Bush published his debut young-adult novel thanks to the skills and experience gained from completing the Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education.

Georgia Fancett

Georgia Fancett

Studying on the Certificate of Higher Education led Georgia to writing a prize winning novel.