Why study this course?
Do you want to earn a living from your love of writing? London Met’s Creative, Digital and Professional Writing MA will help you develop your creative writing abilities and train you in the multimedia and digital skills required by professional writers working in the creative industries. You'll be taught by leading professionals with the skills, contacts and industry profiles to help you develop your own distinctive and individual writing voice that will be attractive to employers.
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More about this course
On our Creative, Digital and Professional Writing MA, you’ll develop an advanced variety of writing skills suitable for a wide range of professional settings and literary modes.
We’ll help you develop your own creative ideas so you can thrive in creative roles such fiction and nonfiction writer or editor. It will also open up career opportunities in industries including media, journalism, film, publishing, e-books, marketing and communications.
Making use of the University's £100,000 newsroom and with the support of our award-winning staff and guest lecturers from the world of digital writing and editing, you'll develop an understanding of the demands and opportunities of a professional writing career.
You'll also benefit from field trips that will fire your imagination, as well as work placements in some of the prestigious media organisations based in London. Our students have gained work experience at Harper Collins, The Sunday Times, Harper's Bazaar UK, BBC, leading health magazines and websites and many more.
Based at Holloway campus, this flourishing course is part of our internationally recognised School of Art, Architecture and Design, a thriving hub of the creative arts; you will have access to the rich array of exhibitions, talks, installations, lectures and performances that take place regularly in the School. We're based in central London and students are encouraged and helped to make full use of the city's remarkable range of cultural and artistic events and programmes. Our students come to us from around the world, as well as the UK – we currently have students from the USA, India, Ireland, Italy and South Africa; this diversity creates a rich creative mix.
What makes the course unique is its equal emphasis on creative work and professional employability. Independent external reviewers have judged our Creative, Digital and Professional Writing MA "innovative and versatile", praising its "exciting and varied content" and calling its focus on professional skills "up-to-date and outstanding". The quality of personal feedback that students receive has also been singled out. The work of our Creative, Digital and Professional Writing students is showcased in the School's online show, LIVENESS. As a student on this course, you'll also participate in the University's new Centre for Research into Life Writing and Oral History (CLiOH), which launched in March 2020.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through assignments, coursework, media artefacts and portfolios made up of original written, visual and audio work. We encourage you to work to professional standards and produce polished portfolios that you can submit to editors and other media organisations.
Course structure
Full-time students starting in September take three modules in the autumn semester and three in the spring semester, then the project/dissertation in the summer. Full-time students starting in February take three modules in spring semester, three in autumn, then the project/dissertation the following spring. A complete programme consists of five core modules and two optional modules.
Fees and key information
Apply nowEntry requirements
You will be required to have:
- a 2:2 UK degree or equivalent (a relevant professional qualification or experience will also be considered)
- two contrasting writing samples of 750 words each ready for submission
Accreditation of Prior Learning
Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).
English language requirements
To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet a specific standard listed under the exceptions in our English language requirements.
If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.
Modular structure
The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.
Year 1 modules include:
- This module currently runs:
- autumn semester - Tuesday afternoon
This is a semester-long module that will introduce students of MA Creative, Digital and Professional Writing to the major forms of creative writing through practice and readings of long and short form fiction, digital texts, and other material. They will learn practice-based skills while focusing on writing in an area of their choosing, including poetry, fiction, or other forms of literary prose.
A series of workshops and seminars will enable students to research, write and edit creative writing for conventional and new media. They will learn to recognise and understand the historical development of literary forms and situate their own writing in both historical and contemporary literary and critical contexts.
Students will undertake and combine diverse forms of research appropriate to the professional ethos of the course and their own creative practice. They will also develop the ability to reflect upon, critique and evaluate their own writing and creative practice.
Through guided readings, discussions and craft-focussed workshops, they will develop a professional and international approach to creative writing with regard to potential audiences, commissioning editors, markets, publication, digital opportunities and how to access them.
The work done on the module will be evaluated through students’ contribution to seminars and workshop and a final submission. This final submission may consist of a specialist piece of writing. Those who do not have a preferred form or wish to work in more than one area may submit a portfolio of writing that combines more than one form.
- This module currently runs:
- summer studies
- autumn semester
- spring semester
This module is focused on the production of a practice-based project or an academic dissertation. It provides students with the opportunity to produce a substantial piece of work that integrates the subjects and approaches studied on the course, or alternatively to specialise in one area of the curriculum. Students will devise, plan and research, draft and bring to final form a dissertation or a practice-based project plus reflective commentary. The emphasis throughout will be on the student’s ability to successfully study independently under supervision.
The main aims of the module are to provide students with the means to enhance their communication skills through an extended piece of creative, creative nonfiction or professional writing; or an audio-visual/ digital production appropriate to the multi-media modes of current digital practice; or through individual research and writing of a scholarly or journalistic nature. It will enable students to develop a reflexive awareness of the creative, theoretical and technical processes required to engage in the planning, research and production of extended creative, creative nonfiction, journalistic or professional writing, audio-visual/ digital documentary production, or an academic dissertation; and to develop those skills through sustained independent enquiry and innovation appropriate to a Masters level award.
- This module currently runs:
- spring semester - Tuesday morning
This module explores how the forms of written narrative, historically rooted in printed literature, may now be reimagined through the exciting potentials of digital media. It stimulates students to experiment with how their own writing practice and ideas about literature, storytelling and persuasive communication might take new directions in response to the many ongoing innovations in online and electronic platforms for textual production and publication. The module supports students to enhance their individual profile, range and critical self-awareness as a writer in contemporary creative and/or professional domains.
The module will provide opportunities for students to develop their own writing practice in relation to digital transformations of narrative and rhetorical technique, form and effect. It will also develop students' conceptual, critical and experiential understanding of the current state of the field of electronic literature and digital forms of narrative writing.
- This module currently runs:
- spring semester - Thursday morning
This module allows students to devise, research and write, in a workshop setting and through independent study, feature articles of the type published in magazines, newspapers, online and in other journalistic outlets. Creative activity will be informed by critical reading of published work in feature journalism and texts about feature journalism. Students are required to develop, plan, research and write two or three feature articles with different orientations, based, for example, around a topical issue, travel, or profile.
This is a core module on the MA Creative, Digital and Professional Writing. It inducts students into the professional levels of research, writing and editing that they will need to develop in order to be published. It teaches them how to structure a feature, develop an individual voice, write to length, write feature pitches for different websites and publications and understand their different requirements and imperatives. As such it is a key employability module on the MA.
The module builds on some of the skills developed in the Creative Nonfiction module, and helps develop those that are needed for the Multimedia Journalism module and are valuable in the Digital Storytelling and the Scriptwriting modules. It will enable students to devise, research, write, edit and pitch a variety of different feature articles, and to develop an understanding of the imperatives and constraints exerted by different markets and outlets for feature articles, online and print.
- This module currently runs:
- autumn semester - Wednesday afternoon
- spring semester - Wednesday afternoon
The module is designed to equip students with an advanced understanding of different theoretical and practical approaches to researching media, communication and the cultural industries. It will enable students to develop the skills necessary to define a valid research question, design a clear research plan and execute it using appropriate methods. It will also develop awareness of practical and ethical issues involved in conducting research.
The module examines research design and methods in both academic and practice-based contexts. Research and study will be undertaken with a view to planning, managing and developing a specific practical and/or written project, the detailed outline of which will form part of the module assessment.
The module aims to enable students to develop an advanced understanding of different theoretical and practical approaches to researching media, communication and the cultural industries, discriminating between different research strategies and their application in both academic and practice-based contexts. Students will develop awareness of practical and ethical issues involved in conducting research in various contexts and in preparing for planning, managing and developing a specific practical and/ or written independent research project.
- This module currently runs:
- spring semester
- autumn semester
- summer studies
This module enables postgraduate students to develop and extend practical arts and/ or media experience and expertise in a professional environment. Students will work with and be mentored by selected arts and/ or media practitioners. The placement will be co-conducted by the student, the practitioner(s) (who will act as, or nominate a member of staff to act as, the workplace mentor to the students) and the module convenor.
The module is primarily for postgraduate students studying and/ or planning to work in arts, media, publishing, marketing, digital, PR, journalism and creative industries areas. It gives them the opportunity to work in a relevant environment and the chance to learn from professionals who are experienced in fields related to their study. It also enables them to consolidate and apply knowledge and skills acquired in their other postgraduate modules, to acquire and nurture new talents through practical and professional work, to understand the requirements and constraints of a professional environment and to develop their ability to reflect critically on their own skills.
- This module currently runs:
- autumn semester - Thursday morning
This module explores creative nonfiction, focusing on researching and writing different kinds of narrative such as history, life writing (biography and memoir), travel writing, science writing, sports writing, nature writing, reportage and literary journalism. Students study some leading examples of the genre. They learn to identify suitable stories and apply techniques from both creative writing and long-form journalism to bring them to life. They develop an understanding of the market for creative nonfiction and the ethical issues that arise, along with an awareness of the history and cultural context of the form, and emerging new genres.
Creative nonfiction is a flourishing genre, opening up for novice writers a variety of pathways into publication. It also serves as a bridge between the Creative Writing and Feature Journalism modules and so helps students bring together the skills that they learn in these other two core modules. In addition, since storytelling has become such a prized skill, it provides students with an opportunity to develop their narrative abilities, which in turn serves them well in the Digital Storytelling module. It is a particularly valuable component of an inclusive curriculum since it allows students to draw on their personal experience, to explore different ways of organising and communicating it and to address the challenges of turning it into publishable writing.
The module will enable students to transform research and personal experience into creative nonfiction, to enhance their writing and editing skills through advanced writing workshop activities and to develop their understanding of the different markets and outlets for creative nonfiction and develop the employability of their writing accordingly.
- This module currently runs:
- spring semester - Monday morning
Students will learn to place their skills in, and understanding of, journalism in relation to today’s digital environment. They will develop their writing, production and design skills to a professional level, learning how to adopt creative approaches to creating journalistic stories across different media platforms, (including social networks, such as Twitter TikTok, Facebook Live, Snapchat). Students will be asked to build multimedia packages, blogs, websites and develop ways of working that engage the audience in interactive and participatory ways.
Specifically, the module will introduce students to the writing skills and technical demands of online, audio and visual journalism. Students will be asked to develop and deliver news stories working individually and as part of a team.
- This module currently runs:
- autumn semester - Monday afternoon
This module provides students with practical experience in the production of digital video. It will serve as an introduction to the topic but is also suitable for those with some experience in this area.
Students will develop professional practices working individually or in small groups to produce a short documentary, promotional video, or mockumentary. They will be required to research, pitch, and develop a documentary proposal following industry guidelines and legal frameworks.
The module will give an overview of the commissioning process and will include input from industry professionals.
There will be an emphasis on how to film and work with documentary subjects (or characters) in an ethical way.
Students will learn about a range of documentary modes, genres and techniques via screenings, discussion, and practice. Key figures and films will be explored as well as emerging styles and formats. - This module currently runs:
- autumn semester - Friday afternoon
This module will provide students with a detailed understanding of the
essential changes new media bring about to society and culture; it will introduce them to the principles constituting new media functionality and will raise awareness of the operative structures new media enact and work through. This module will also help students develop a concept for and produce a new media project. - This module currently runs:
- spring semester - Tuesday afternoon
This module introduces students to dramatic storytelling and the craft of writing scripts for the media of film and television. In line with film and television industry practice, students learn how to develop their ideas via outlines, treatments and story beats. This process of development is essential work before a writer can create a good script or screenplay. They will also learn how to pitch their work professionally.
Through a series of seminars and workshops, students will be introduced to the concepts of screenwriting. The module offers students new skills to enhance their writing and storytelling ability in the media of film and television. They will learn what a dramatic story is and how that applies to screenwriting. They will develop a critical awareness and understanding of existing screenplays, films and television drama. They will learn how to produce a range of development documents and a screenplay which are required to work professionally.
Their learning will be a mix of analysing existing material along with the development of their own project. This could be an idea for a feature film or a television series. This idea must be an original work which is developed into a four-page treatment for the complete idea. They will also produce a 30-page screenplay which equates to the first 30 minutes of their idea for either a feature film or television series pilot episode.The development material, the 30-page screenplay, plus a 2000-word reflective essay on their development process are evaluated as part of the assessment process.
What our students say
"The tutors are all very responsive and keen to offer their help. In one of my autumn semester modules (Digital Video Production) I had dozens of questions to ask my tutor about the details of the final piece we were meant to create and she never failed to answer them within an hour. Every tutor regularly makes it clear that should we have any questions or issues we can email them, which is very reassuring."
Matt Prestage, Creative, Digital and Profession Writing student
"I found the lecturers to be refreshing and insightful. I enjoyed learning more and having my own thoughts being challenged. I really love the fact that I am learning new skills such as journalism in my MA course. I’ve gained this new skill and it’s interesting to see that with creative writing there are many different avenues that I can pursue."
Fatha Hassan, Creative, Digital and Professional Writing student
"When I spoke to Anne Karpf I knew I had found the right place for me. London Met was also willing to take me on based on my writing experience and career to-date, rather than just saying, “No, you don’t have a BA, therefore you can’t do this.” I thought that was quite radical. I had a piece published in the Creative Writing Anthology and a piece I came up with in Feature Journalism was published in the New Statesman."
Jade Angeles Fitton, Creative, Digital and Professional Writing graduate
Where this course can take you
This master’s course will give you the skills needed to help you forge a career in the media and creative industries. Almost every commercial and public company now requires a communications manager, and as a graduate of this course you’ll be equipped with the specialist skills this role demands. More diverse roles will also be open to you, including creative writer (fiction and creative nonfiction), journalist, editor, publisher, arts manager, web designer, arts curator and consultant and events manager professions.
Sectors you could work in include the arts, creative, cultural, publishing, public relations, music, media and marketing industries. Our students have gone on to find success as writers, editors and digital innovators around the world. One ex-student, now teaching part-time on the course, is helping pioneer the use of virtual reality in journalism.
Important information about this course
We're committed to continuously improving our degree courses to ensure our students receive the best possible learning experience. Many of the courses in our School of Art, Architecture and Design are currently under review for 2023-24 entry. We encourage you to apply as outlined in the how to apply section of this page and if there are any changes to your course we will contact you. All universities review their courses regularly and this year we are strengthening our social sciences and professions courses to better reflect the needs of employers and ensure you're well-equipped for your future career.
Teaching staff
The staff teaching on the MA are all practising writers or editors with close industry links. Award-winning novelist Sunny Singh is chair of the Authors' Club and co-founder of the Jhalak Prize for Writers of Colour. Course leader Andrew Cutting is author of Missions for Thoughtful Gamers. Anne Karpf is an award-winning journalist and writer, 'Guardian' columnist and author of four books of nonfiction. Other tutors include Tanya Nash, award-winning script editor who has worked in BBC Radio and TV, including on Eastenders and Holby City.
Additional costs
Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.
Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.
Important information for international applicants
Due to unprecedented demand for our courses for the autumn 2023 intake, international admissions are now closed for this postgraduate course. Please check back at a later date to view future available intakes.
How to apply
Use the apply button to begin your application.
If you require a Student visa and wish to study a postgraduate course on a part-time basis, please read our how to apply information for international students to ensure you have all the details you need about the application process.
When to apply
You are advised to apply as early as possible as applications will only be considered if there are places available on the course.
To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.
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