Professional Writing MA

Program Overview

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Professional Writing MA

Forge a successful career in professional writing.

Key Details

• Location: Falmouth Campus
• Course duration: 1 year
• Attendance: Full-time

Course Overview

Develop the skills to forge a career in writing. On this engaging Professional Writing course, you’ll learn to craft a variety of writing forms, including fiction, poetry and non-fiction, as well as magazine features and marketing copy, for a range of competitive and fast-moving industries.

Immerse yourself in the literary world as part of Falmouth’s lively community of writers and visiting speakers. Learning from active professionals, you’ll study and experiment with all forms of the written word and develop core skills across areas including genre writing, narrative structure, pitching and presenting ideas, research and self-promotion. Graduating with a portfolio and an accomplished working style, you’ll be primed to tackle the industry head on.

Study at Falmouth

• Explore a broad range of disciplines, developing the skills you need to succeed as a professional writer
• Be guided by our team of writers, publishers, editors and industry professionals
• Join a supportive campus writing community, surrounded by innovators from different disciplines in a region rich with history, arts and culture
• Be inspired by our guest speaker programme, which has previously featured Patrick Gale, Nina Mingya Powles and Raynor Winn, as well as literary agents, editors and publishers

Course Details

Throughout this Professional Writing MA course you’ll be challenged to experiment and develop your voice whilst writing for a broad range of contexts. Building on a foundation of creative problem solving, critical thinking and analysis, you will learn to articulate your ideas clearly in a variety of professional scenarios including pitching and presenting work to industry.

Year One

From the moment you join the Professional Writing MA, you will begin to develop the skills you need to practise as a professional writer and will be supported to explore a variety of different fields.

You will develop a broad range of creative, practical, critical, cognitive and intellectual skills, which will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of current practices in your specialist area and enable you to recognise and understand opportunities that exist across the contemporary writing and publishing industries.

You will learn how to operate independently and to exercise the advanced critical judgement needed to negotiate, develop and complete a sustained writing project to professional standards.

Modules

• Telling Good Stories: This module introduces you to the structures of good storytelling and encourages you to explore and develop core writing skills and key techniques such as character development, point-of-view, use of time and space, and genre conventions through extensive reading and analysis of a range of literary or creative forms, and through the application of these techniques in your own writing.
• Making a Living 1: Professional Contexts: This module introduces you to the skills needed to operate across the professional writing industries. You will learn what it means to work a ‘portfolio career’ and you will have the opportunity to discuss and practice the core skills of such a career, such as interviewing techniques, reviewing, pitching, performance, developing writing workshops, purpose-led storytelling and effective uses of social media.
• Creative Writing Careers: Building a Portfolio: Building on your learnings from the previous modules, you will begin to develop a significant idea for publication for which you will produce an industry-standard portfolio of material that is ready to be submitted to an appropriate professional body, such as a publishing company or literary agent. This might include a synopsis, market or audience analysis, chapter outlines, a cover letter, cover copy or an introduction.
• Making a Living 2: Writing for Business: This module gives you the opportunity to explore and develop the research, writing and editing skills that go into writing for business, non-profit organisations, and for editorial publications including newspapers, magazines and websites. You will produce a portfolio that spans a range of formats and contexts, from press releases to feature articles and web copy.
• Final Project: In this module you will work on an individual project, which builds on the work completed in previous modules. Each student is allocated a supervisor who is a specialist in the appropriate field to supervise the broad development of the project, setting deadlines and advising on areas of possible improvement. An essay will contextualize your work regarding current practice and theory.

How You'll Learn & Be Assessed

How You'll Learn

This 45-week Professional Writing course covers 3 study blocks and brings together seminars, workshops and your own self-managed practice. You'll work individually and in teams, collaborating with others, developing your own projects and business ideas, and giving and receiving feedback.

How You'll Be Assessed

• Assessments are coursework based, consisting of portfolios, reviews, creative and practical work, as well as presentations and pitches.
• Formative feedback is delivered throughout the modules, in workshops, tutorials and via the Learning Space. Summative feedback is delivered at the end of every assessment via Turnitin.

Facilities

• Digital labs, lecture theatres and seminar rooms.
• Libraries housing 140,000 books, 17,000 DVD and video titles, and exhaustive electronic and journal resources.
• The Lighthouse – a dedicated writers' room and events space
• The Soundhouse – podcasting facility

Staff

Teaching staff on the MA Professional Writing include award-winning publishers, novelists and writers of non-fiction, published poets, brand communicators, copy-writers, journalists and reviewers.

• Dr Luke Thompson: Course Leader, MA Professional Writing
• Dr Marshall Moore: Course Leader and Senior Lecturer
• Wyl Menmuir: Lecturer, Creative Writing
• Nicola Coplin: Lecturer
• Dr Adrian Markle: Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing
• Clare Howdle: Associate Lecturer: Professional Writing
• Dr Jo Parsons: Lecturer in English and Creative Writing

Careers

Professional Writing graduates have become novelists, copy and content writers, writers for script and screen, editors and editorial managers, have worked freelance and for companies including branding agencies and streaming services.

How to Apply

Have a Question?

To find out more about the course structure, our application requirements or what our graduates have gone on to achieve, our friendly course team is here to help.

Apply Now

Ready to apply for postgraduate study? You can apply online by clicking the button below.

Entry Requirements

We welcome applications from those with relevant equivalent Level 6 qualifications. Our typical applicants hold an undergraduate degree of 2:2 or above, or equivalent experience and a demonstrable interest in the subject.

We’ll also welcome your application if you have formal or 'certified' learning (such as training courses not run by universities or colleges) and learning from work experience or self-study. This is called Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), and should have been gained within the last five years, and be equivalent to the learning outcomes of our minimum entry qualifications.

Language Requirements

If English isn’t your first language, you'll need to demonstrate English language skills that are sufficiently developed for successful completion of your studies. We accept a range of recognised English language qualifications that are equivalent to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic minimum score of 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Fees, Costs & Funding

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

• £9,200 per year - full-time UK (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees.)
• £17,950 - full-time EU/international (£500-£2,500 acceptance fee payable depending upon your status. This is deducted from tuition fees)

Typical Course Costs

• Books. Course books are available from the library but there are some core texts, which, should you wish to buy them, would cost approx. £60-100.
• You do not need any specific software, but a reasonable home or work computer and standard wifi will be required for this course.

Postgraduate Funding

There are loans, awards, graduate discounts and alternative funding sources for postgraduate studies. Read about them on our Postgraduate Funding page.

Ask a Student

What better way to find out about life at Falmouth University than by asking our current students?

From course details and academic support, to the social scene and settling in, our students are ready and available to answer any questions you might have. Simply set up your account, send them a question and they'll get back to you within 24 hours.

Speak to an Advisor

Do you have questions about the course or studying at Falmouth? Fill in our simple online form and we'll get in touch to support your application journey.

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• Comedy Writing MA (Online): Get the skills, tools and industry insights to push your projects to the top of the commissioning editor’s pile.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

The Professional Writing MA at Falmouth University is a one-year, full-time program designed to equip graduates with the skills and experience necessary for a successful career in professional writing. The program combines a foundation in creative writing with practical skills such as pitching, editing, and writing for diverse audiences and contexts.

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Objectives:

• Develop core writing skills across various genres and contexts.
• Prepare graduates for a career in professional writing.
• Master the ability to pitch and present work effectively.
• Understand diverse writing disciplines and contemporary writing and publishing industries.
• Develop independent working skills and critical judgement.

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Outline:

The program is divided into three study blocks, encompassing a blend of seminars, workshops, and self-managed practice. Students collaborate in teams and individually, developing projects, exploring business ideas, and providing peer feedback.

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Modules:

• Telling Good Stories: Explores the structure of storytelling, develops core writing skills, analyzes literary forms, and applies techniques to original writing.
• Making a Living 1: Professional Contexts: Introduces skills for navigating the professional writing industry, discussing portfolio careers, and practicing skills like interviewing, reviewing, pitching, and using social media.
• Creative Writing Careers: Building a Portfolio: Develops a substantial idea for publication, producing industry-standard portfolio materials like a synopsis, market analysis, chapter outlines, script treatment, cover letter, and introduction.
• Making a Living 2: Writing for Business: Explores research, writing, and editing skills for business, non-profit organizations, and editorial publications like newspapers, magazines, and websites.
Creates a portfolio spanning various formats and contexts.
• Final Project: An individual project building upon previous modules, supervised by a specialist in the chosen field.
An essay contextualizes the work within current writing practices and theories.

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Assessment:

Assessments are coursework-based, focusing on portfolios, reviews, creative and practical work, presentations, and pitches. Formative feedback is given throughout modules, and summative feedback is delivered post-assessment.

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Teaching:

The program brings together seminars, workshops, and individual practice. Students collaborate, develop projects, and receive feedback in a supportive environment. Learning is facilitated by award-winning authors, publishers, and writers encompassing novelists, poets, journalists, editors, and copywriters.

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Careers:

Graduates have found success in various roles, including novelists, copy and content writers, scriptwriters, editors, and editorial managers. They have worked freelance and for agencies, including branding agencies and streaming services.

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Other:

• The program welcomes applications from those with relevant Level 6 qualifications, including undergraduate degrees with a minimum 2:2 classification.
• Entry requirements consider formal qualifications, certified learning, and experience.
• Falmouth University boasts facilities such as digital labs, lecture theaters, seminar rooms, libraries, a dedicated writers' room, a podcasting facility, and professional-grade equipment.
• Typical course costs beyond books are not specified.

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Tuition fees 2024-25 £9,200 per year - full-time UK (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees.) £17,950 - full-time EU/international (£500-£2,500 acceptance fee payable depending upon your status. This is deducted from tuition fees) Tuition fees for September 2025 will be confirmed in summer 2024. Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible. The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs