Creative WritingPhD

Develop your creative and critical practice, whether you're looking for the right environment to work on an extended writing project or want to conduct practice-based research to prepare for an academic career. 

You'll join an interdisciplinary Film and Creative Writing department where you'll be supported by writers in your chosen form, whether that's prose, poetry, scriptwriting or hybrid and new forms. 

This PhD builds on your writing experience, which might be from an MA in Creative Writing, or from professional publication. By the end of the PhD you'll produce a creative work of publishable quality and complementary critical document.

You can choose to create a long form work or a sequence of related works for your creative document. In the critical document you'll present a structured argument showing your awareness of literary contexts and critical and creative processes. 

Course structure

It usually takes three years (full-time) or six years (part-time) to complete a PhD.

You're welcome to explore traditional forms of prose, poetry or screenwriting, experiment with hybrid forms, or produce creative writing for performance. Whichever form you select, you'll be encouraged and challenged to think critically about your writing process and consider the wider literary context you're writing into. 

• Share your writing at departmental events and connect with fellow writers.
• Discover the latest literary and writing trends at conferences and seminars held by research centres in our School of English, Drama and Creative Studies.
• Get support from our award-winning published authors on your creative project and develop your ability to critically reflect on your writing process.
• Join a city that loves literature and writing as much as you do – discover literature festivals, poetry festivals and Europe’s largest regional library in Birmingham city centre.

Get ready to navigate the publishing industry

By the end of this PhD, you'll complete a creative piece of publishable quality and you'll possess knowledge of where your writing sits in a wider literary context, which will be useful when pitching your work to agents and publishers.

What's more, you'll be supported by academics who are published authors pushing the boundaries of form. Their personal knowledge of the publishing industry, such as relevant publishing presses for short stories and poetry, will help you navigate the industry during and after the PhD.

• There are no formal lectures or seminars in a PhD. Instead, you’ll undertake research under the expert guidance of a primary supervisor, co-supervisor and mentor, supported by complementary research training. 

• Your supervisory team will meet with you at regular intervals throughout your programme to offer guidance on how best to approach, implement and report on your research.  

• If you take the distance learning option, you’ll receive the same level of support and supervision as on-campus students, but with supervisory sessions taking place online. You'll be funded to make one compulsory visit to the University enabling you to meet your supervisory team, undertake intensive research skills training and make a start on your doctoral studies. 

• You’re expected to take full responsibility for your work, developing your own timetable for your research project so you can successfully complete it on time. 

Your PhD submission

This can take different forms, depending on your chosen genre.

• For prose: you’ll produce a creative document of either long-form prose/a novel, or a collection of short-form prose/stories supported by a critical paper. The total word count will be between 80,000 and 100,000 words. A novel is usually between 60,000 to 80,000 words with a critical paper of 20,000 to 40,000 words.
• For poetry: you’ll produce a creative document of collected poems or a single work of poetry supported by a critical thesis (usually 20,000-50,000 words).
• For scriptwriting (film or live performance): you’ll produce a single project or a collection of multiple shorts, which should be a similar length to the prose word counts, again with an accompanying critical element between 20,000 to 40,000 words.
• Other creative formats (for example a script for a graphic novel) will follow the above model/weightings.

The creative document will be an original work of significant, publishable quality which demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of craft, genre, and form. The critical document will present a structured and developed argument that demonstrates an awareness of literary context and discuss - where relevant - critical and creative processes.

Our research into the aesthetic, historical and theoretical contexts of literature and film are complemented by our strong traditions in creative practice as research. 

Find out more about our research interests: 

The creative and critical elements of this PhD involve significant independent research and development.

This means we can only consider applicants who have successfully completed an MA in Creative Writing, or applicants who can demonstrate extensive professional experience (which includes publishing). You'll need to clearly detail your academic / professional experience in your application and outline how the research project relates to your current creative practice.  

We recommend you check our Creative Writing staff profiles before applying to make sure your proposal is in a suitable area. Our academics can only support research projects that are in their fields of research and teaching. 

See the Application Process section for more information.  

English language requirements

If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.

For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
• LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill

The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study.

* For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2025.

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2025 entry are above.

The fees quoted are for one year only. For those studying courses that are longer than one year, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

Paying your tuition fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. You can check whether you are eligible for UK or international fees with our admissions team.

Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.

Funding options

Apply for a PhD that already has funding attached

These are most common in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) subjects, but they can sometimes be available for pre-defined research projects in the arts, humanities or social sciences. These may be advertised as fully funded (with fees and a stipend) or competition funded, meaning the projects compete against other projects at each institution.

Self-fund, or search for funding or a studentship once you have an offer

You devise your own PhD topic, find a supervisor, write a research proposal and apply to the relevant programme. If you’re offered a place at Birmingham, you can then apply for studentships or funding from various sources. Our Postgraduate Scholarships and Funding database lists all available funding.

A limited number of scholarships and studentships may be available to outstanding applicants. For further information, please explore our scholarships and funding database.

Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership

For 2025 entry Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership is offering up to 87 fully funded PhD studentships for eligible students in arts and humanities through an Open Competition and 23 studentships through Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDA). 

The deadline for AHRC funding applications is 12:00 GMT on 13 January 2025.

Midlands Graduate School ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership 

For 2025 entry Midlands Graduate School ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership offers pathways at the University of Birmingham in:

• Applied Linguistics
• Area Studies
• Cross-disciplinary Methodologies and Advanced Data Analysis
• Economic and Social History
• Living in a Digital Society
• Socio-Legal Studies
• Sustainable Development, Net Zero and Climate Resilience 

The deadline for ESRC funding applications is 12:00 GMT on 21 January 2025.

For the application we require

A detailed description of the creative project:

• Approx. two pages with references to other supporting texts.

A description of the proposed critical enquiry:

• You'll need to outline the links between your creative project and the critical enquiry which will inform the development of the creative project.

Examples of creative work:

• Please include examples from your discipline.
• If you want to write poetry, please include poems, if you want to write a novel, then a section of a novel, etc.

A brief statement explaining why you are interested in undertaking research with us at Birmingham:

• Many projects can be achieved without a PhD. It's helpful for us to see why you're interested in working in academia.
• It's also useful to see how this new project develops from your previous projects or relates to other creative and critical enquiries. This can be speculative.

Details on whether you plan to study full or part-time. 

Things to bear in mind when you apply

• The PhD is a demanding and rewarding period of advanced creative and academic independent study. Unlike the MA, the PhD does not typically include group workshops and seminars.
• A strong application will demonstrate your current ability and experience in your creative discipline.
  If you plan to write a film script, but have written novels, you would need to evidence your ability and knowledge of writing for film.
• This is a popular course. There's a limited supervisor capacity to support doctoral research students. Our ability to support your research proposal may be dependent on the availability of a supervisor in your area of interest.

Your application will be reviewed by the department in several stages. If there is an interested and available supervisor we'll invite you for an interview, either in-person or online.

Find a supervisor

The Department is home to a number of award-winning writers and our research into the aesthetic, historical and theoretical contexts of literature is complemented by our strong traditions in creative practice as research.

• Find a supervisor in Creative Writing

Submitting your application

Applications are accepted all year round. However, if you wish to start in September, we would encourage you to apply by 1 June. Whilst you are still welcome to apply after this date, it is important to allow time for us to review your application.

If you are seeking funding, please be aware that the majority of funding opportunities have deadlines in early spring so we would encourage you to apply as early as possible.

We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

If the programme has a Distance learning option then students will usually attend a residential visit in September or January, and those students wishing to attend the September residential are also encouraged to apply by 1 June 2024. The visit will take place at the end of September/beginning of October and you will receive further details once you have accepted your offer.

If you experience any difficulties with the application process and contacting potential supervisors, please contact us via the "Ask us a question" form above.

When you're ready, return to this page and begin your application by clicking APPLY NOW

By the end of this PhD, you'll complete a creative piece of publishable quality and possess knowledge of where your writing sits in a wider literary context, which will be useful when pitching your work to agents and publishers.

What's more, you'll be supported by academics who are published authors pushing the boundaries of form. Their personal knowledge of the publishing industry, such as relevant publishing presses for short stories and poetry, will help you navigate the industry during and after the PhD. 

Careers Network

Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.

Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.

Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.