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Accessibility & LanguageWriting (MA)
MA (Writing)
College of Arts, Social Sciences & Celtic Studies, School of English, Media and Creative Arts- Title of Award
- Master of Arts
- Course Code
- MA-WRI
- Average Intake
- 15
- Delivery
- On Campus
- NFQ
- Level 9
- Award Type
- Major
- Next Intake
- September 2026
- Duration
- 1 year, full-time
- ECTS Weighting
- 90
Why Choose This Course?
Course Information
Who is this course for?
The course is open to applicants from any disciplinary background (within and beyond Arts) and welcomes all types of writing interests. A ‘Qualifier’ option is available for potential applicants who do not have a university degree but have a suitable publications record or sufficient experience in a related creative field.
What will I study?
In each semester, all students will take a Writers' Seminar. This will meet once a week for three hours through the semester. Its scope will include fiction and non-fiction, poetry and prose, dramatic and non-dramatic writing, journals and journalism. Normally, there will be a different visiting writer at each seminar meeting. Only students from the MA in Writing may enrol for credit in this seminar. Assessment is based on weekly journal writings.
Optional modules vary from year to year. Please contact the programme director for the current year’s offerings. Some of the modules offered are listed below. Students must take six modules in total. The Writers' Seminar is compulsory; students may then take any five optional modules - two from one semester and three from the other
Poetry Workshop: Students produce drafts sometimes in response to prompts or assignments from the workshop leader(s). These drafts are sometimes circulated for class discussion, with a view to improvement. By the end of the semester, students produce a number of complete poems and the class publishes a chapbook.
Fiction Workshop: Students examine elements of craft in published writers selected by the workshop leader. They also produce short pieces of fiction, sometimes in response to a prompt or assignment. Drafts may be discussed in class, or in conference with the teacher. By the end of the semester, students submit a set number of words of fictional narrative.
Non-Fiction Workshop: For a month students complete weekly writing assignments in elements of narrative (description, dialogue, etc.), then an essay or book proposal, which is next week by week undertaken in steps. Class meetings are devoted primarily to discussion of works-in-progress.
Books Journalism: This module will familiarise students with the various means by which books and authors are publicly ‘processed’ and discussed in professional fashion by readers and the writing marketplace generally. The prime focus will be styles of, and platforms for, literary reviewing.
DJ6100: Features Journalism. This module focuses on the nature and practice of writing feature pieces.
Curriculum Information
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.
Glossary of Terms
- Credits
- You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
- Module
- An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
- Optional
- A module you may choose to study.
- Required
- A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
- Semester
- Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year.
Year 1 (90 Credits)
RequiredEN590: Final Project: Portfolio
EN590: Final Project: Portfolio
15 months long | Credits: 30
The portfolio will contain at least one piece of writing for each course, and a key piece of work that the student has identified for primary attention. Genres in the portfolio may include, for instance, a brief dissertation on the history, theory, or criticism of Irish drama; a widely-based set of reviews and reception studies; a completed play or adapted screenplay; an integrated account of a theatrical production within an Irish theatre company.
Learning Outcomes
- To be confirmed
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
The above information outlines module EN590: "Final Project: Portfolio" and is valid from 2018 onwards.Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
RequiredEN604: Writer's Seminar
EN604: Writer's Seminar
Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 10
A two-semester course required for MA in Writing students, open to attendance by others, with regular visits from writers, a weekly journal by students, and several longer writing assignments. Assessed on the basis of a portfolio.
Learning Outcomes
- To be confirmed
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
The above information outlines module EN604: "Writer's Seminar" and is valid from 2015 onwards.Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN602: Writing Workshop: Fiction
EN602: Writing Workshop: Fiction
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
Run over twelve weeks this seminar is designed to explore the various modes of prose fiction writing. During the first half of the course the class will practise and develop the necessary skills: this will be done by way of various reading and writing assignments. As the course progresses students will be expected to draw these skills together and bring them to focus on one particular project. In consultation with the course tutor the student will decide whether that project will be a novel excerpt or a novella, or, a small collection of short stories.
Learning Outcomes
- To be confirmed
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
The above information outlines module EN602: "Writing Workshop: Fiction" and is valid from 2016 onwards.Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN6112: Writing Workshop: Nonfiction 1
EN6112: Writing Workshop: Nonfiction 1
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
This module is designed to allow MAWN students to take a Nonfiction workshop in semester 1 as well as (as exists) semester 2
(Language of instruction: English)
Learning Outcomes
- Apply theoretical knowledge of the genres of nonfiction in their own writing practice.
- Describe, analyse and evaluate their own compositional practice and written work in nonfiction.
- Demonstrate proficiency in group workshopping and editing of nonfiction.
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (50%)
- Department-based Assessment (50%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
Reading List
- "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" by Lee Gutkind
ISBN: 0738215546.
Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books - "The Art of the personal essay" by selected and with an introduction by Phillip Lopate
ISBN: 038542339X.
Publisher: Anchor Books - "Storycraft" by Jack Hart.
ISBN: 0226318168.
Publisher: Chicago; University of Chicago Press
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN601: Writing Workshop: Poetry
EN601: Writing Workshop: Poetry
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
The primary aim of this workshop is the generation of new work in poetry by students. This will be the result of readings in poetry in a wide variety of forms from various traditions, weekly exercises and projects.
(Language of instruction: English)
Learning Outcomes
- To be confirmed
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
The above information outlines module EN601: "Writing Workshop: Poetry" and is valid from 2015 onwards.Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN527: Literature Of North America
EN527: Literature Of North America
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
This course examines current trends in contemporary North American writing of the past ten years within a cultural and theoretical context .
(Language of instruction: English)
Learning Outcomes
- identify the themes and concerns in contemporary North American literature
- discuss how North American novelists engage with historical events and their own lived experience to provide a critique of their society, with reference to issues such as gender, race, and class.
- relate these contemporary novels to the tradition of writing from which they came and consider them in the historical context of the American novel.
- present close readings of the novels and describe them in terms of writing style, narrative voice, genre, use of language, and intertextuality.
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
Reading List
- "The Sellout" by Paul Beatty
- "The Things they Carried" by Tim O'Brien
- "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides
- "The Ice Storm" by Rick Moody
- "The Submission" by Amy Waldman
- "My Year of Meats" by Ruth Ozeki
- "Station Eleven" by Emily St John Mandel
- "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews
- "Winter's Bone" by Daniel Woodrell
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN6111: Writing Workshop: Fiction 2
EN6111: Writing Workshop: Fiction 2
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
This module is designed to allow MAWN students to continue studying and practising Fiction from semester 1 (as exists) into semester 2
(Language of instruction: English)
Learning Outcomes
- Apply theoretical knowledge of the genres of fiction in their own writing practice.
- Describe, analyse and evaluate their own compositional practice and written work.
- Demonstrate proficiency in group workshopping and editing.
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (50%)
- Department-based Assessment (50%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
Reading List
- "The Art of Writing Fiction" by Andrew Cowan
- "On Writing" by Stephen King
ISBN: 1444723251.
Publisher: Hodder Paperback - "Self-editing for fiction writers" by Renni Browne and Dave King; illustrations by George Booth
ISBN: 0060545690.
Publisher: Harper Resource
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN603: Writing Workshop: Non-Fiction
EN603: Writing Workshop: Non-Fiction
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
A one-semester writing workshop open to those in the MA in Writing. Various genre-driven exercises lead up to the preparation of a lengthy nonfiction piece. Assessed on the basis of a portfolio.
(Language of instruction: English)
Learning Outcomes
- To be confirmed
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
The above information outlines module EN603: "Writing Workshop: Non-Fiction" and is valid from 2015 onwards.Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN6101: Books Journalism
EN6101: Books Journalism
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
This module will familiarise students with the various means by which books and authors are publicly ‘processed’ and discussed in professional fashion by readers and the writing marketplace generally. The prime focus will be styles of, and platforms for, literary reviewing.
Learning Outcomes
- To be confirmed
Assessments
- Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
The above information outlines module EN6101: "Books Journalism" and is valid from 2016 onwards.Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
OptionalEN573: Travel Literature
EN573: Travel Literature
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
Narratives of travel constituted one of the most popular publishing genres of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This course examines the literary conventions, genres, and modes of representing otherness that characterised this disparate body of texts. We will make particular used of Early English Books Online which makes available virtually everything printed from 1475-1700.
Learning Outcomes
- To be confirmed
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators
Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.
The above information outlines module EN573: "Travel Literature" and is valid from 2015 onwards.Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.
A weekly ‘Writers Seminar’ features writers, publishers, agents and other visitors from the writing professions. Galway’s Cúirt literary festival is the focus in April. Students attend events and complete a related assessment.
Graduates have gone on to work in the areas of teaching, journalism, publishing, editing, public relations and marketing. Graduates have also progressed to various doctoral programmes in the humanities - and it is now also possible to undertake a practice-led PhD in English/Creative Writing at University of Galway. Many graduates have concentrated on their development as independent writers, and over 60 books have been published by writers from this MA.
- Mike McCormack
- Elaine Feeney
- John Kenny
- Róisín Kiberd
- Fiona Bateman
- Ian Walsh
How Will I Be Assessed?
There is continuous assessment of regular writing assignments and end-of-semester projects. The Final Portfolio, consisting of revisions and further development of writings done for courses during the year, is submitted in mid-August and accounts for one third of the overall assessment.
Mr Mike McCormack
E: mike.mccormack@universityofgalway.ie
www.universityofgalway.ie/english/
University of Galway recognises that knowledge and skills can be acquired from a range of learning experiences. This is in line with the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) goals which aim to recognise all learning achievements by supporting the development of alternative pathways to qualifications (or awards) and by facilitating the recognition of prior learning (RPL).
Further information is available on the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning website
Accreditations & Awards
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The MA (Writing) has greatly supported the development of many writers, including myself, who have gone on to become published. It has enriched the city’s cultural life through well-attended literary events. Established writers have been attracted to the area by the opportunity to study and write in genres other than their own and less experienced writers have been given the confidence and expertise to progress. The list of publications and literary prizes of MA in Writing graduates lengthens every year. An academic year spent studying on this course is a wonderful and valuable experience.
Published 3rd collection of poetry, At Grattan Road
Gerry Hanberry
The MA in Writing at the University of Galway is widely acclaimed, ranking in the Top 100 by QS. Ireland’s literary legacy, shaped by writers like Oscar Wilde and James Joyce, offers a unique and inspiring backdrop. The course provides a hands-on approach to fiction, journalism, and drama, encouraging creativity, reflection, and strong craft. Studying Irish drama will deepen my storytelling for cultural journalism. Ireland’s search for identity parallels Mexico’s, enriching my perspective. Galway also offers an international network of writers that will elevate my work.
Oscar Gabriel Adame Galeano
Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de México. México
I am pursuing an MA (Writing) because this programme offers a unique and comprehensive approach for those looking to enter the writing world. They have exceptional faculty. Getting to work with our lecturers in both one-on-one and classroom settings has been invaluable. Their expertise and appreciation for writing of all genres has played a crucial role in broadening my writing skills. In addition, the programme's ethos emphasizes experimentation across genre and style, which aligns with my own approach to writing. It attracts an incredibly diverse set of writers from different backgrounds.
Camryn Anthony
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Meet our Employers
Entry Requirements and Fees
Minimum Entry Requirement
A university degree (minimum standard 2.2, or US GPA 3.0) or the equivalent in education and/or professional experience. Students will be accepted on the basis of their degree result (and/or experience), a sample of recent writing (3,000 words maximum) and a personal statement of interest (500 words maximum). Those who wish to explore possibilities for entry through the ‘qualifier’ option should contact the course director.
Academic entry requirements standardised per country are available here.
English Language Entry Requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English, the minimum English language requirement for entry to the University of Galway is an overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no component below 6.0.
More information on English language test equivalency are available here.
Supporting Documents
You will be required to provide supporting documentation as part of your application. You can check here what supporting documents are required for this course.
You can apply online to the University of Galway application portal here.
Please review the entry requirements set out in the section above.
You will be required to upload supporting documentation to your application electronically. See the section above on entry requirements for further information on the supporting documentation required for this course.
Closing Dates
For this programme, there is no specific closing date for receipt of applications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and course quotes will be reviewed continuously throughout the application cycle.
Notes
- You will need an active email account to use the website and you'll be guided through the system, step by step, until you complete the online form.
- Browse the FAQ's section for further guidance.
Fees for Academic Year 2026/27
| Course Type | Year | EU Tuition | Student Contribution | Non-EU Tuition | Levy | Total Fee | Total EU Fee | Total Non-EU Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Full Time | 1 | €8,150 | €19,900 | €140 | €8,290 | €20,040 |
For 26/27 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 1.8% per annum for continuing years fees.
Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,500 towards your tuition (2026/27). You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee. A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.
Note to non-EU students: learn about the 24-month Stayback Visa here.
Postgraduate Excellence Scholarships
This scholarship is valued at €1,500 for EU students applying for full-time taught master's postgraduate courses. You will be eligible if:
- You have been accepted to a full-time taught master's course at University of Galway,
- You have attained a first class honours (or equivalent) in a Level 8 primary degree.
An application for the scholarship scheme is required (separate to the application for a place on the programme). The application portal for 2025 is now open and available here. Applications will close on the 30th September 2025. Full details available here.
Global Scholarships
University of Galway offers a range of merit-based scholarships to students from a number of countries outside of the EU. Visit here for schemes currently available.
Application Process
Students applying for full time postgraduate programmes from outside of the European Union (EU), You can apply online to the University of Galway application portal here.
Our application portal opens on the 1st October each year for entry the following September.
Further Information
Please visit the postgraduate admissions webpage for further information on closing dates, documentation requirements, application fees and the application process.
Why University of Galway?
World renowned research led university nestled in the vibrant heart of Galway city on Ireland's scenic West Coast.
College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies
University of Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland, H91 TK33
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Meet Our Alumni
Course Introduction
The MA in Writing is a one-year, full-time course that spans a range of genres and forms. It interacts with our other postgraduate offerings in publishing, literature and drama. The course thus builds on our strengths in the teaching of writing for page and stage, screen, journalism and other media.
