MPhil Creative Writing in Bristol United Kingdom | University of Bristol

A Creative Writing postgraduate research program involves producing an original creative piece - typically a novel, poetry collection, or short stories - paired with critical analysis. This analytical component situates the creative work within a well-researched theoretical framework.

Assessment requires 25,000 words for an MPhil and 80,000 words for a PhD (with adjusted metrics for poetry). Typically, 65-70% constitutes creative content and 30-35% critical analysis, with exact ratios determined by the supervision team.

Each research student receives guidance from two supervisors: one specializing in creative writing and another from English Literature or a relevant field. Like conventional research degrees, submissions must offer 'a meaningful and novel addition to existing knowledge.' For Creative Writing, this entails work that meaningfully engages with contemporary literary conversations.

The creative output should reflect these literary discussions, while the critical analysis examines them conceptually. Both components work together to investigate shared research questions, creating a productive dialogue between artistic creation and scholarly analysis.