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Writing (MA)

MA (Writing)

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Mike McCormack | Creative Writing at University of Galway Creative Writing at University of Galway Mike McCormack | Creative Writing at University of Galway Mike McCormack | Creative Writing at University of Galway Mike McCormack | Creative Writing at University of Galway Elaine Feeney | Creative Writing at University of Galway Mike McCormack | Creative Writing at University of Galway Mike McCormack | Creative Writing at University of Galway

Course Overview

The MA in Writing is a one-year, full-time course. It covers a range of genres and forms, and 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. 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.

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.

Other scholarships available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here.

Applications and Selections

 Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

Who Teaches this Course

Mike McCormack

Elaine Feeney

John Kenny

Róisín Kiberd

Fiona Bateman

Ian Walsh

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Requirements and Assessment

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.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

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. 

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

1 year, full-time

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

15

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

Please view the offer rounds website.

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

90

Award

CAO

Course code

MA-WRI

Course Outline

Core course:

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 courses:   

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


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
  1. To be confirmed
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
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


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
  1. To be confirmed
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
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


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
  1. To be confirmed
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
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


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
  1. Apply theoretical knowledge of the genres of nonfiction in their own writing practice.
  2. Describe, analyse and evaluate their own compositional practice and written work in nonfiction.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in group workshopping and editing of nonfiction.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (50%)
  • Department-based Assessment (50%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" by Lee Gutkind
    ISBN: 0738215546.
    Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books
  2. "The Art of the personal essay" by selected and with an introduction by Phillip Lopate
    ISBN: 038542339X.
    Publisher: Anchor Books
  3. "Storycraft" by Jack Hart.
    ISBN: 0226318168.
    Publisher: Chicago; University of Chicago Press
The above information outlines module EN6112: "Writing Workshop: Nonfiction 1" and is valid from 2015 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalEN601: 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
  1. To be confirmed
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
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.

OptionalDT6123: Playwright's Workshop I


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

A weekly writer’s workshop in which students will explore fundamental dramaturgical playwriting strategies and structures through analysis of plays from different genres and in-class writing tasks.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Analyse and identify dramaturgical structures as well as particular genre specific theatrical devises
  2. Develop prompts for starting and completing written work
  3. Plan, structure and complete original short play
  4. Critically reflect on writing and situate it within established genres
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Secret Life of Plays" by Steve Waters
    Publisher: Nick Hern Books
  2. "How Plays Work" by David Edgar
    Publisher: Nick Hern
  3. "Playwriting a Practical guide" by Noel Greig
    Publisher: Routledge
The above information outlines module DT6123: "Playwright's Workshop I" and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalEN527: 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
  1. identify the themes and concerns in contemporary North American literature
  2. 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.
  3. relate these contemporary novels to the tradition of writing from which they came and consider them in the historical context of the American novel.
  4. 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
Reading List
  1. "The Sellout" by Paul Beatty
  2. "The Things they Carried" by Tim O'Brien
  3. "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides
  4. "The Ice Storm" by Rick Moody
  5. "The Submission" by Amy Waldman
  6. "My Year of Meats" by Ruth Ozeki
  7. "Station Eleven" by Emily St John Mandel
  8. "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews
  9. "Winter's Bone" by Daniel Woodrell
The above information outlines module EN527: "Literature Of North America" and is valid from 2022 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalEN6111: 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
  1. Apply theoretical knowledge of the genres of fiction in their own writing practice.
  2. Describe, analyse and evaluate their own compositional practice and written work.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in group workshopping and editing.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (50%)
  • Department-based Assessment (50%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Art of Writing Fiction" by Andrew Cowan
  2. "On Writing" by Stephen King
    ISBN: 1444723251.
    Publisher: Hodder Paperback
  3. "Self-editing for fiction writers" by Renni Browne and Dave King; illustrations by George Booth
    ISBN: 0060545690.
    Publisher: Harper Resource
The above information outlines module EN6111: "Writing Workshop: Fiction 2" and is valid from 2015 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalEN603: 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
  1. To be confirmed
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
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


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
  1. To be confirmed
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
The above information outlines module EN6101: "Books Journalism" and is valid from 2016 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6135: Playwright's Workshop II: Dramaturgical Approaches to Craft


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This workshop based module explores special topics in playwriting strategies and dramaturgical approaches which may include but are not limited to adaptation, documentary/verbatim theatre, and dramatic writing for the radio. By working through the challenges of different genres and writing processes, playwrights will stretch their skills in a collaborative group format. Students should be prepared to read work aloud in class and will learn to critique each other’s work.

Learning Outcomes
  1. Chart and adapt dramaturgical structures across a range of different styles of theatre
  2. Complete a short play( 20 minutes in duration) and a longer play (at least 40 minutes in duration).
  3. Critically reflect on their playwriting practice
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Secret Life of Plays" by Steve Waters
  2. "How do Plays Work" by David Edgar
  3. "The Writers Journey" by Christopher Volger
The above information outlines module DT6135: "Playwright's Workshop II: Dramaturgical Approaches to Craft" and is valid from 2022 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6137: Irish Theatre and Performance Histories


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module explores Irish theatre and performance histories from the 19th century to the present through the lens of current theoretical and methodological approaches to understanding the evolution of Irish theatre and performance over this time period. This module asks: what is "Irish" theatre? How does looking beyond the theatre and plays alone to the broader field of Performance Studies as a lens for analysing Irish theatre, performance and cultural histories expand the tools and understanding of the burgeoning theatre and performance historian? How do recent scholarly, practical and/or policy trends including increased focus on intersectional identities, equity, equality and access in the Irish theatre and the need to better understand and document the diverse creative and administrative roles involved in creating and sustaining the Irish creative industries landscape challenge existing scholarship in the field to date? How do we use existing and new evidence in this field including literary and theoretical analysis, archives, Iive attendance at theatre and performance events, interview processes and more to broaden the scope of this field? Ultimately, this module brings learners into the heart of the contemporary field of Irish theatre and performance studies and equips them with foundational critical tools (such as the ability to work with archival evidence and materials) to begin laying the groundwork for the future of Irish theatre and performance studies.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Describe the basic characteristics of selected major events, movements and figures in the trajectory of Irish theatre from 19th century to the present
  2. Discuss the relationship between theatrical cultures and society, culture, politics and economics as relevant to the Irish theatre and/or performance case studies being addressed
  3. Identify major contemporary critical trends and/or methodological approaches in the field of Irish theatre and performance studies internationally
  4. Execute basic skills across a variety of methodologies utilised in the field of Irish theatre and performance studies including but not limited to archival research, literary/textual analysis of primary and/or secondary sources, live performance spectatorship, interview techniques, etc.
  5. Integrate close-reading of Irish theatre and performance case studies (a play, a performance event, a scenographer, an actor) with analysis of primary and secondary sources that draw on the methodological range of approaches explored in the module as a whole
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Irish Theatre and Performance" by Eamonn Jordan,Eric Weitz
    ISBN: 1137585870.
    Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
  2. "The Oxford Handbook of Modern Irish Theatre" by Chris Morash
    ISBN: 9780198706137.
  3. "Theatre and Globalization" by Patrick Lonergan
    ISBN: 0230214282.
    Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
  4. "Staging Trauma" by Miriam Haughton
    ISBN: 9781137536624.
    Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
  5. "Migration and Performance in Contemporary Ireland" by Charlotte McIvor
    ISBN: 9781137469724.
    Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
  6. "Experimental Irish Theatre" by I. Walsh
    ISBN: 1349336602.
    Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
The above information outlines module DT6137: "Irish Theatre and Performance Histories" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

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. 

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€8,140 p.a. (including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€8,000 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€19,500 p.a. (€19,640 including levy) 2025/26

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees.

Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2025/26).  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. 

 

What Our Students Say

Gerry

Gerry Hanberry |   Published 3rd collection of poetry, At Grattan Road

The MA in Writing at NUI, Galway has, without doubt, contributed enormously to the development of many writers, including myself, who have subsequently gone on to become established and published in their own chosen areas. The course has also greatly enriched the cultural life of the city. One example of this enrichment would be the large attendances at the many regular literary events held both on campus and in the locality. 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.
Jennifer

Jennifer McCarrick |    

This is a great course of aspiring writers who want to be challenged, assessed, and improved in their work.
Oscar Gabriel Adame

Oscar Gabriel Adame Galeano |   Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de México. México

The MA in Writing program at the University of Galway stands among the world's most acclaimed, ranking between the Top 100, according to QS rankings. Ireland's literary legacy, shaped by icons like Oscar Wilde and James Joyce, provides a unique and enriching backdrop. This course offers an innovative, hands-on approach to writing across fiction, journalism, and drama, focusing on creativity and introspection—distinct from the traditional frameworks in Mexico.  Studying Irish drama and immersing myself in its cultural narratives will deepen my understanding of storytelling, invaluable for my work in cultural journalism. Ireland's shared historical struggles for identity resonate with Mexico’s, allowing me to draw parallels that enhance my writing.  Galway also connects me to an international network of writers, offering perspectives that will enrich my storytelling and expand my impact. This program represents a transformative opportunity to refine my craft and elevate cultural narratives globally.
Camryn

Camryn Anthony |   Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

I am pursuing an MA in Writing at the University of Galway because this programme offers a unique and comprehensive approach for those looking to enter the writing world. This programme has 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. Lastly, this programme attracts an incredibly diverse set of writers from different countries and backgrounds. It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity to be surrounded by so many talented writers, who are just as passionate about their craft as I am with my own.

2024 QS Subject Rankings: Top 100

World University Rankings 2024 QS Rankings

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