Everything you need to know...
International/EU: £16,655 per year (£1,200 for placement year)
Teaching Quality
Sheffield Hallam University is ranked 3rd amongst UK providers for creative writing in the Guardian University Guide 2024 league table.
Course summary
- Experiment with long and short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, new media and script.
- Workshop your writing and learn essential skills for drafting and revising your work.
- Connect with diverse audiences through your writing.
- Kickstart your career with accredited work placements.
Develop your skills as a writer and content creator in a variety of media. You’ll be supported by our expert team of leading practitioners, with regular visits from industry professionals, such as editors and publishers. By developing technical skills while learning to express your creative flair, you’ll graduate with the skills and contacts you’ll need to thrive as a writer.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our undergraduate open days. Book now for your place.
Student view
How you learn
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
Our team of professional writers will help you become confident and skilled in everything from prose fiction to publishing. We’ll give you the opportunity to connect with our professional partners – gaining real-world experience of the creative industries and Sheffield’s vibrant cultural scene.
You learn through
- lectures, seminars and individual tutorials
- workshopping your writing
- modules focused on specific forms and styles
- working with different organisations and audiences
- generating and pitching ideas
- live readings and performances
- masterclasses from guest writers
- writing trips and retreats
Course leaders and tutors
Dr Shelley Roche-Jacques
Senior Lecturer in Creative WritingI bring to my teaching my interest in dramatic action and the spatio-temporal elements of texts. This approach often helps students unpick ideas around genre, narrat … Read more
Applied learning
Work placements
You can take advantage of regular opportunities to showcase your knowledge and skills to our industry and community partners – such as schools, museums, theatre companies and charities. You’ll work independently and in groups, bringing your ideas to life in response to real-world briefs.
In your second year, you’ll raise your professional profile through our placement module. This gives you the chance to collaborate with external partners, undertake a work placement or develop your own creative enterprise.
Field trips
We run regular local, regional and international field trips at no additional cost – such as writing retreats, festivals and theatre visits. Students in previous years have visited the London Book Fair, as well as events in Montreal, Canada and Zagreb, Croatia. Some have also taken part in the Festival of Debate and attended the ZEE-Jaipur Literature Festival in London.
Networking opportunities
Studying in Sheffield puts you at the heart of a vibrant cultural scene. We work with renowned festivals held in the city, such as Off the Shelf literary festival and Doc/Fest, an international documentary film festival.
These events attract literary agents, publishers and high profile writers. Past students have volunteered as delegates – gaining experience working at the festivals while growing their professional network. Plus our innovative masterclass programmes give you a headstart in the writing and publishing industries.
We also have a strong network of graduates – and we encourage you to connect with partners outside of the university to give you the best career opportunities possible.
Future careers
Studying Creative Writing develops written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to understand different audiences and frame a persuasive argument.
Our students have gone on to exciting careers in
- creative industries, such as theatre and media
- teaching and education
- journalism
- the charity sector
- arts organisations
- marketing, PR and communications
- local and regional government
- social work
- postgraduate study and academia
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
On this course you’ll have access to
- the Humanities Lounge – an open space with flexible desks, large screens, laptop library, individual and collaborative workspaces, and a shared kitchen
- an extensive collection of specialist books, databases and journals
- a nationally and internationally-acclaimed teaching team of creative writers and English scholars
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 112 - 120
This must include at least 2 A Levels or equivalent BTEC qualifications. For example:
- BBC-BBB at A Level.
- DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- Merit overall from a T level qualification
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.
GCSE
- English Language or English Literature at grade C or 4
• Access - at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or a recognised equivalent
Meeting the qualifications on the entry criteria does not guarantee you a place. You should ensure that you submit a personal statement and reference as these will also be considered as part of the selection process. Guidelines on personal statements and references can be found on the UCAS website.
We welcome applications from people of any age.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
Important notice: The structure for this course is currently being reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment are all likely to change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Once the changes have been confirmed, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Being A Writer | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Craft And Form | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Writing For The Screen | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Writing Live | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 2
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: A Fine Line: Poetry And Poetics | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Half Hour Script | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Ideas Into Action | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Truth, Half-Truth And Lies: Creative Non-Fiction | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: What's The Story? Long And Short Fiction | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 3
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Placement Year | Credits: - |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Final year
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Creative Writing Major Project | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Counter-Culture And Creativity | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Games Narratives | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Life On Earth: Writing And Environment | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Make It New: Experimental Writing | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Writing For Change: Writing And Advocacy | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Writing For Young People | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fees for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/2025 are regulated by the UK government and are yet to be confirmed. For an indication, our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2023/2024 is £9,250 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £16,655 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for English courses (PDF, 216.1KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
