northumbria university ma creative writing

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Creative Writing MA

City campus, newcastle upon tyne, united kingdom, 24 months program duration, 16,000 gbp tuition fee/year, communication and media studies main subject area, program overview, main subject.

Communication and Media Studies

Study Level

Admission requirements, exam scores, important dates, tuition fee and scholarships, tuition fee, scholarships, domestic students, international students.

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.

In this guide you will find:

Where to look for scholarship opportunities

How to apply to scholarships relevant to you

A list of available scholarships around the world

A scholarship application checklist

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Bachelor ug.

With more than 30,000students from over 130 countries, Northumbria University is one of the UK’slargest and most successful universities. Northumbria has a rich history goingback through its constituent colleges to the late nineteenth century. Offering coursesin most major subject areas such as Engineering, Computing, Sciences, Business,Law, Design, Built and Natural Environment, Arts, Social Sciences, Psychology,Sport, Health and many more. Our lecturers are experts in their field andpassionate about teaching. Many of our courses carry professional accreditationand as well as postgraduate courses which require a subject specific firstdegree, we offer a range of 'conversion' masters for those who are consideringa change of direction. Northumbria’s consistently excellent performance in UKquality audits places it at the very top among modern universities and theUniversity recently achieved a Silver TEF rating. Its National StudentSurvey scores for overall satisfaction have been above the sector averagefor the last 2 years and it is one of the top 10 universities in the UK for thenumber of graduates employed in professional or managerial roles.

Arts and Humanities (6)

3d design ba (hons), 3d design ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), animation ba (hons), animation ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), architecture ba (hons), architecture ba (hons) (study abroad), building surveying bsc (hons), building surveying bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), design for industry ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), drama ba (hons), drama ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), english language studies ba (hons), english language studies ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), english language and literature ba (hons), english language and literature ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), english literature ba (hons), english literature ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), english literature and american studies ba (hons), english literature and american studies ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), english literature and creative writing ba (hons), english literature and creative writing ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), english literature and history ba (hons), english literature and history ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), fashion ba (hons) (placement), fashion design and marketing ba (hons) (placement), fine art ba (hons), fine art ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), geography ba (hons), geography ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), geography bsc (hons), geography bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), graphic design ba (hons), graphic design ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), history ba (hons), history ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), history and american studies ba (hons), history and american studies ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), history and politics ba (hons), history and politics ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), human geography (mgeog), human geography (mgeog) (placement/study abroad), interaction design ba (hons), interaction design ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), interior architecture ba (hons), interior architecture ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), interior design ba (hons), interior design ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), music ba (hons), music ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), physical geography bsc (hons), physical geography bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), quantity surveying bsc (hons), quantity surveying bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), business and management (6), accounting ba (hons), accounting ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), accounting and finance ba (hons), business (with law) ba (hons), business ba (hons) (top-up award), business ba (hons) (top-up), business enterprise, creation and management ba (hons) (top-up), business management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business and finance ba (hons) (top-up award), business and international management ba (hons) (top-up award), business and management ba (hons), business and marketing ba (hons) (top-up award), business with accounting ba (hons), business with accounting ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with economics ba (hons), business with economics ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with entrepreneurship ba (hons), business with entrepreneurship ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with financial management ba (hons), business with financial management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with human resource management ba (hons), business with human resource management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with international management ba (hons), business with international management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with logistics and supply chain management ba (hons), business with logistics and supply chain management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with management ba hons, business with management ba hons (placement/study abroad), business with marketing management ba (hons), business with marketing management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), business with tourism management ba (hons), business with tourism management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), entrepreneurial business management ba (hons), finance and investment management ba (hons), finance and investment management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), international banking and finance ba (hons) (completion award), international business management ba (hons) (completion award), international business management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), international business management with french ba (hons) (placement/study abroad)), international business management with spanish ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), marketing management ba (hons), real estate bsc (hons), real estate bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), tourism and events management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), engineering and technology (6), applied computing bsc (hons) (top-up award), applied computing bsc (hons) (top-up), automotive engineering beng (hons), automotive engineering beng (hons) (placement/study abroad), civil engineering beng (hons), civil engineering beng (hons) (placement/study abroad), computer networks and cyber security bsc (hons), computer networks and cyber security bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), computer science bsc (hons), computer science bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), computer science with artificial intelligence bsc (hons), computer science with artificial intelligence bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), computer science with games development bsc (hons), computer science with games development bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), computer science with web development bsc (hons), computer science with web development bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), computer and digital forensics bsc (hons), computer and digital forensics bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), construction engineering management bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), construction engineering management bsc (hons), electrical and electronic engineering beng (hons), electrical and electronic engineering beng (hons) (placement/study abroad), electronic design engineering beng (top-up), information technology management for business bsc (hons), information technology management for business bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), mechanical design engineering (top-up award), mechanical engineering beng (hons), mechanical engineering beng (hons) (placement/study abroad), mechanical and automotive engineering beng (hons), mechanical and automotive engineering beng (hons) (placement/study abroad), mobile communications engineering beng (hons) (top-up award), life sciences and medicine (6), biochemistry bsc (hons), biochemistry bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), biology bsc (hons), biology bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), biomedical science bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), biomedical science bsc (hons), food science and nutrition bsc (hons), food science and nutrition bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), forensic science bsc (hons), forensic science bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), guidance and counselling ba (hons), guidance and counselling ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), integrated health and social care bsc (hons), integrated health and social care bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), midwifery studies bsc (hons), nursing science bsc (hons), nursing science registered nurse (adult) bsc (hons), nursing science registered nurse (child) bsc (hons), nursing science registered nurse (learning disabilities) bsc (hons), nursing science registered nurse (mental health) bsc (hons), occupational therapy bsc (hons), physiotherapy bsc (hons), psychology bsc (hons), psychology bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), psychology with criminology bsc (hons), psychology with criminology bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), natural sciences (6), chemistry bsc (hons), chemistry bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), environmental science bsc (hons), environmental science bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), mathematics bsc (hons), mathematics bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), physics bsc (hons), physics bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), physics with astrophysics bsc (hons), physics with astrophysics bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), social sciences and management (6), american studies ba (hons), american studies ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), applied sport science with coaching bsc (hons), applied sport and exercise science bsc (hons), childhood and early years studies ba (hons), criminology bsc (hons), criminology bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), criminology and forensic science bsc (hons), criminology and forensic science bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), criminology and sociology bsc (hons), criminology and sociology bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), fashion communication ba (hons), fashion communication ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), film and tv production ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), film and tv production ba hons, film and television studies ba (hons), film and television studies ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), human resource management ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), international hospitality and tourism management (top-up) ba (hons), international relations and politics ba (hons), international relations and politics ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), journalism and english literature ba (hons), journalism and english literature ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), law llb (hons), law llb (hons) (placement/study abroad), logistics and supply chain management ba (hons), mass communication ba (hons), mass communication ba (hons) (completion award), mass communication ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), mass communication and business ba (hons), mass communication with advertising ba (hons), mass communication with advertising ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), mass communication with business ba (hons), mass communication with business ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), mass communication with public relations ba (hons), mass communication with public relations ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), media and journalism ba (hons), media and journalism ba (hons) (placement/study abroad), primary education ba (hons), professional policing bsc (hons), social work bsc (hons), sociology bsc (hons), sociology bsc (hons) (placement/study abroad), sport coaching bsc (hons), sport development ba (hons), sport management bsc (hons), sport, exercise and nutrition bsc (hons), animation ma, applied linguistics for tesol ma, architecture march, conservation of fine art ma, construction project management with bim msc, creative and cultural industries management ma, design management ma, english literature ma, english literature ma (full-time), english literature ma (part-time), fashion design (menswear) ma, fashion design (performancewear) ma, fashion design (sustainable and ethical) ma, fashion design (womenswear) ma, fashion design ma, master of fine art mfa, multidisciplinary innovation ma, multidisciplinary innovation msc, preventive conservation ma (full-time), surveying (building surveying) msc, surveying (quantity surveying) msc, surveying (real estate) msc, theatre and performance ma, business and management mbus, business with business analytics msc, business with business analytics msc (amsterdam), business with business analytics msc (london), business with business analytics with advanced practice msc (london), business with entrepreneurship msc, business with entrepreneurship msc (london), business with entrepreneurship with advanced practice msc (london), business with financial management msc (amsterdam), business with financial management msc (london), business with financial management with advanced practice msc (london), business with hospitality and tourism management msc, business with hospitality and tourism management msc (london), business with hospitality and tourism management with advanced practice msc (london), business with human resource management msc, business with human resource management msc (london), business with human resource management with advanced practice msc (london), business with international management msc, business with international management msc (amsterdam), business with international management msc (london), business with international management with advanced practice msc (london), business with logistics and supply chain management msc, business with management msc, business with marketing management msc (london), business with marketing management with advanced practice msc (london), digital marketing msc, digital marketing msc (london), digital marketing with advanced practice msc (london), finance msc, forensic accounting msc, international business management msc, international finance and investment msc, international project management msc (london), international project management with advanced practice msc (london), luxury brand management ma (amsterdam), luxury brand management ma (london), luxury brand management with advanced practice ma (london), marketing msc, professional accounting (with professional study preparation) msc, professional accounting (with professional study preparation) msc (london), programme and project management msc (london), project management msc, project management msc (amsterdam), real estate (international) msc, real estate msc, advanced computer science msc, artificial intelligence msc, business analytics msc, computer science msc, computing and technology msc (london), cyber security msc (london), cyber security technology msc (london), data science msc, electrical power engineering msc, engineering management msc, information science (data analytics) msc, information science (library management) msc, information security management msc (london), mechanical engineering msc, microelectronic and communication engineering msc, web and mobile development technologies msc (london), biotechnology msc, clinical exercise physiology msc, forensic science msc, health psychology msc, healthcare management msc, master of public health (nutrition) mph, master of public health mph, microbiology msc, nursing leadership msc, nursing msc, nursing science registered nurse (adult) msc, nursing science registered nurse (child) msc, nursing science registered nurse (learning disability) msc, nursing science registered nurse (mental health) msc, nutritional science msc, occupational therapy (pre-registration) msc, occupational and organisational psychology msc, physiotherapy (pre-registration) msc, professional non-surgical aesthetic practice msc, psychology msc, disaster management and sustainable development msc, environmental health msc, environmental monitoring, modelling and reconstruction msc, preventive conservation ma (part-time), renewable and sustainable energy technologies msc, safety, health and environmental management msc, advanced legal practice llm, bar course llm, coaching ma, communication design ma, criminology and criminal justice ma, education leadership in learning (teach first) ma, education ma, employment law in practice llm, global logistics, operations and supply chain management msc, global logistics, operations and supply chain management msc (london), global logistics, operations and supply chain management with advanced practice msc (london), human resource management and development ma, international development msc, international relations, conflict and security ma, international sport management msc, law (criminal justice) llm, law (cyber law) llm, law (international commercial law) llm, law (international finance) llm, law (space law) llm, legal practice llm, master of education, social work ma, sport and exercise psychology msc, statistics msc, strength and conditioning msc, master of business administration mba.

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Communication Design MA 1 Year Full-Time | September Start

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• Course Overview
• Modules & Learning
• Teaching Staff
• Research-rich Learning
• Your Career
• Fees, Funding & Scholarships

Why study Communication Design at Northumbria?

This MA in Communication Design is a timely response to the changing role and increasing worth of communication design. This Master’s will prepare you for an innovative and exciting career in an ever-changing industry.

For guidance on structuring your application portfolio and personal statement, click here .

What can I expect from this course?

This full-time Communication Design programme has a focus on issue-based design research and contemporary design practice. You will explore complex challenges by drawing on expertise learnt throughout the various modules. Your awareness and knowledge of how to approach design challenges will gradually improve during the programme. You will cover topics such as typography, interaction design, branding and user experience.

You will learn through studio-based projects, working collaboratively with your fellow students and external partners. Your final project will be based on a theme of your choice. This will provide the opportunity to make a positive impact on a topic you are passionate about.

Our postgraduate course features a multidisciplinary approach to expose you to the various areas of communication design. You will work on live collaboration briefs to help make a positive impact on social, environmental and economic issues.

We regularly work with a diverse mix of creative agencies, business start-ups and public sector and charitable organisations on a range of live collaborative briefs. Recently we have worked with agencies  Kin + Carta and hedgehoglab , digital start-up  Hive , and worked with health and wellbeing projects with international sports brand Gymshark and the NHS.

How will this course prepare me for my career?

Our Communication Design MA will prepare you for employment, entrepreneurship or doctoral research. You will be able to choose from a range of diverse areas including; interaction design, branding, UX, service and information design.

Course Information

Level of Study Postgraduate

Mode of Study 1 year Full Time

Department Northumbria School of Design, Arts and Creative Industries

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Fees Fee Information

Modules Module Information

Focusing on real-world issues

Work with professionals

Shaping your direction

Funding and Scholarships

Discover the funding options available to you.

Discover NU World / A virtual journey through everything Northumbria has to offer.

Explore our immersive 360 tours, informative subject videos, inspirational student profiles, ground-breaking research, and a range of life at university blogs videos and articles.

Discover more / Communication Design

Watch Programme Leader Dr Joyce Yee talk about the Communication Design Masters in a Minute (or so), and explore the wider department.

Communications Design at Northumbria employs a studio-based learning by doing approach, drawing on your existing design skills. It champions an interdisciplinary approach drawing on expertise, methods and experience of staff from a range of areas such as co-design, user experience, brand innovation, data-driven visualisations, service design, AI, information design and visual storytelling.

Reflecting the integrated nature of communications design as a discipline, the course consists of three broad modules which offer a flexible and transformative learning experience:

Stage 1 ‘Situate’ During this exploratory phase you will work on set briefs to explore various themes and practices. The emphasis is on experimentation within a context of narrative, identity, promotion experience and service.

Stage 2 ‘Challenge’ The visionary phase will expose you to inspirational pioneers of change. Through live collaborative projects and the development of your self-directed brief, you will seek to challenge the status quo and set a new direction for your practice. 

Stage 3 ‘Change’ Working with increasing independence, you will realise your final self-directed project and demonstrate how you have achieved your intended impact. Your final project should be engaged with the real world and have a collaborative element, and can be international in scope.

In Stages 2 and 3, you can choose the briefs and themes that inspire you, giving you a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on a social, environmental or economic area you’re truly passionate about. These could be as diverse as sustainability, new technology, ageing, social inequality or access to education.

This coming year we will continue to offer our new students a range of projects that will challenge your creativity and encourage your growth in expertise as a designer. We will expect you to undertake about eight projects in your year with us, which will form your Masters level design portfolio. These will expand your horizons, shape you as a designer and build your confidence as a valuable creative professional.  

Student work

Check out some of the project work from our postgraduate Communication Design students.

Discover more / Explore Northumbria University

Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.

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The teaching staff at Northumbria School of Design have a remarkable international reputation. They are carrying out cutting-edge research in established and emerging areas of design, and many are respected practitioners as well as theorists. 

In the fast-paced and ever-changing world of design, openness to learning new ideas and interdisciplinary is key to your future success. Therefore, we are pleased to offer you a diverse range of staff to learn from, who collectively have expertise in many design disciplines and important areas of design research to share. 

Similarly, we know how valuable it is to work alongside fellow students who you can also learn from too, so we encourage creative individuals to apply with a variety of backgrounds: In 2020/21 we had students who had previously studied Graphic Design, UX/UI Design, Animation, Fine Art and Computer Science.

You will interact with staff in various ways – some will lead thematic sessions and supervise projects within those themes, others will offer skills workshops in their areas of expertise. For your final project you’ll be supported by your own dedicated advisor, whose area of expertise will be matched to your chosen area of inquiry. Staff are available to support you throughout the year, as part of our engaged and collaborative design community.

This course offers a unique opportunity to learn from the best across a wide range of areas, and you can explore some of the staff who may be teaching you below.

Inspirational Staff / Communication Design

Here are just a few of Northumbria's academic staff with expertise in Communication Design. Click through to 'Tutor profiles' to explore further.

• Tutor Profiles

Associate Professor

Jamie Steane

Malcolm Jones

Senior Lecturer

Northumbria School of Design provides first-class teaching in a world-class environment. You will have a dedicated studio space, located near our undergraduate communication design programmes. You will have access to a range of workshops including letterpress, screen printing,virtual reality suite and prototyping lab.

The vast majority of your work will be undertaken in a collaborative studio environment, but we have the facilities to support whatever type of creative expression you choose for your final project. The fact that everything you need is situated within close proximity to the technical facilities offers a practical advantage over other universities, as well as a strong sense of community and source of constant inspiration.

The University has invested heavily in technology and you will have access to industry-standard creative software within labs and across multiple open access study areas. Our course uses Technology Enhanced Learning(TEL) to give you the flexibility to choose the pace, place and mode of learning that suits your style of thinking, learning, doing and making. You'll have access to an elearning portal which offers discussion groups, access to video recorded tutorials and lectures, and interactive training programs.

You’ll also have 24/7 access to the University Library,which achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK. It has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010.

Facilities / Communication Design

Here's a snapshot of the facilities available to you as part of the course.

Bookmaking studio

Letterpress studio

Screen printing studio

Prototyping Lab

Design studio

Virtual reality suite

You will be immersed in research-rich learning from the outset of your studies. 

The course champions an interdisciplinary approach drawing on staff research in areas such as co-design, user experience, brand innovation, data-driven visualisations, service design, AI, information design and visual storytelling. You will have the opportunity to work on live briefs as part of the University’s Ideate research theme, collaborating with academics at the forefront of their discipline.

We have recently worked with NE1, a regional business development company, on an important funded research project. The project encouraged students to design speculative solutions that helped people living with HIV to manage their online identity and security.  

You will develop your own skills as a researcher, learning to critically reflect on your own and others work, challenge your own thinking, and justify your own work in the context of wider theories and practice.

Books / Staff research

A selection of books published by your tutors in areas related to communication design.

Data Driven Graphic Design

Design Transition

Interaction Design

The Principles & Processes of Interactive Design

Discover more about the research currently taking place within Design, and across the University within our multidisciplinary research themes. Feeling inspired? Join us to make a remarkable impact on tomorrow.

Departmental research

Multidisciplinary research

You will graduate from this course with independence of thought, maturity of thought articulation and an aptitude for collaboration – traits highly valued by every employer in the creative marketplace.

Northumbria is based in the heart of Newcastle – a thriving creative capital, with a vibrant and growing digital industries sector. It is an ideal city in which to study and launch your creative career, with a much cheaper cost of living than London.

The course has been developed in consultation with industry,and you will engage with practitioners throughout your studies, through live briefs, guest masterclasses and networking opportunities. As such it provides you with the experience, portfolio and contacts which form an ideal basis for advanced professional employment.

We have in the past run collaborative briefs with creative agencies such as Wieden and Kennedy, R/GA and Us Two, multinationals such as Virgin Money, Sage and Microsoft and voluntary sector organisations such as The Cyrenians, Newcastle Vision Support and Fulfilling Lives.

Upon graduation you’ll be ready for employment,entrepreneurship or doctoral research within areas as diverse as graphic design, interaction design, UX design, service design, product innovation, art direction, branding, publishing and information design.

Collaborative projects

Our live briefs, guest masterclasses and networking opportunities will give you the experience that creative employers are looking for. Below are examples of live projects we have recently run on our programme:

aTouch Dynamics Branding

Hive Employee Feedback App

Civinet's ParentMine Project

Newcastle P3 Clinical Research Unit

Entry Requirements 2024/25

Standard entry.

Applicants should normally have:

A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant design discipline such as graphic design, interaction design, illustration, photography, film, fashion communication, advertising, animation or similar studio-based disciplines. Applicants with appropriate work experience and/or a relevant professional qualification will be considered.

Applicants are required to submit an online portfolio with their application.

International qualifications:

If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit  www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English language requirements:

International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

 *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS.  You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit  www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

For further admissions guidance and requirements, please visit  www.northumbria.ac.uk/admissionsguidance  Please review this information before submitting your application.

Fees and Funding 2024/25 Entry

Full UK Fee: £9,250

Full International Fee: £18,250

Scholarships and Discounts

ADDITIONAL COSTS

Materials - This is a studio-based programme and we expect students to require additional art materials to support their project work. The department will be able to provide some generic art materials such as card, paper and cutting mats, but there will be instances where specialist materials are needed based on individual requirements. In those instances, students will have to bear the additional costs. We anticipate the cost to be approximately £120 on average. We would also recommend that students have their own laptops – Mac or PC with ideally 16 GB RAM (8 GB minimum) and a graphics card with 4 GB VRAM, 15"" screen minimum (or 13"" with a second larger additional monitor) (cost varies depending upon type of machine, between £750 - £2600). Optional but very useful to have is a drawing tablet such as a Wacom Intuos A5/Small that costs about £70.

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

Modules overview 2024/25.

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Situating Practice (Core,60 Credits)

This module is designed to help you develop a critical understanding of communication design in the context of contemporary studio practice. You will learn how to situate your practice in current theoretical, critical and working practices of communication design and consider new direction for your practice. The module is exploratory. Emphasis, therefore, is placed on transforming your view of practice with knowledge and insights drawn from the acquisition of new critical/reflective skills, professional practices and methods of inquiry. It will help you position your approach to the subject relative to the current theoretical ideas and working practices of contemporary communication design practice. The module consists of three strands which underpins the activities across your masters journey: Context, Methods and Practice. In the Methods strand, you will learn how design thinking and skills can be combined with traditional and emerging methods of inquiry to conduct design research, studies and experiments. By way of informing and advancing your professional practice or academic pursuits, here too, you will learn about some of the latest approaches and techniques that are forging new ground in communication design. In the Context strand, you will learn how to think critically about your chosen project by viewing it in the context of historical, contemporary and emerging issues and debates in the broad field of disciplines that constitute communication design. In the Practice strand, you will explore your practice through a series of design briefs located in real-world context and informed by research themes. You will learn to work productively with your tutors and peers, respond creatively to difficult challenges, and start defining an area of interest that will inform your self-initiated project.

Challenging Boundaries (Core,60 Credits)

This module gives you the opportunity to continue your development and advancement of your practice through a combination of collaborative and self-directed briefs. You will learn how to challenge existing practices and explores ways to push the boundaries of the discipline. The module is underpinned by the same three strands of Context, Methods and Practice which is a continuation from Semester 1. Each strand builds on the topics introduced in Semester 1 with an emphasis on enabling you to challenge your chosen subject area by exploring innovative, critical and ethical responses. You will learn how to build and evidence a critical understanding of your chosen subject area through advanced research design. You will learn how to use this critical understanding to explore and defend conceptual, innovative and ethical responses to your identified topic of inquiry. And you will learn how to use this deepen understanding to develop more advanced professional practices and expand your work into new areas such as design strategy, product innovation and new technologies. You will work on 3 set briefs. The first two will be collaborative briefs involving external partners to provide you with opportunities to pursue more in-depth design projects related to particular human needs and contexts. You will work in teams and support each other in your learning. For the final brief you will define and develop your Final Major Project proposal, informed by the writing of a literature review on your chosen subject. Your proposal should be informed and inspired by your critical reflection presented at the end of Semester 1 and your more learning from the first two ‘challenge’ briefs in this module.

Changing Direction (Core,60 Credits)

This module aims to change practice (yours and potentially others) and set new direction by consolidating your knowledge gained in earlier modules. It offers you the opportunity to engage in a self-initiated research-led project that evidence a critical, innovative and impactful approach to communication design. You will learn to draw on skills, knowledge and experience developed in the previous modules to turn your concepts into a compelling and thought-provoking communication design pieces. You will learn how to articulate, frame, ethically evaluate and communicate your proposition in a clear, relevant and compelling way for the appropriate audience. You will learn to draw on your collaborative skills to engage with and work with your chosen stakeholders in close collaboration to realise your self-initiated project. You will also produce a research paper or equivalent that underpins your practice and demonstrates a mastery of your chosen subject area.

Academic Language Skills for Design & Fashion (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level. The topics you will cover on the module include: • Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions. • Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising. • Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’ • Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations). • Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively. • Listening skills for lectures. • Speaking in seminar presentations. • Presenting your ideas • Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback. • Effective reading techniques. • Developing self-reflection skills. • Discussing ethical issues in research, and analysing results. • Describing bias and limitations of research.

Modules Overview 2025/26

Any questions.

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form .

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Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

Accessibility and Student Inclusion

Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.

We are proud to work in partnership with  AccessAble  to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.

You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need. 

We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:

Accessibility support

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MA Creative Writing

Northumbria university, newcastle, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

MA - Master of Arts

Subject areas

Creative Writing

Course type

Course Overview

Do you have a passion and a talent for writing? Do you want to develop your confidence and ability as a writer, do you dream of being published?

The MA in Creative Writing at Northumbria offers you the opportunity to explore your writing craft at an advanced level. You will gain a solid grounding in the techniques and skills of writing fiction, learn how to critique your own work and experiment with your writing voice.

A combination of core and option modules gives you the chance to develop your critical and analytical thinking. This course builds on your passion for creative writing, enhancing your career prospects as you develop a portfolio that reflects a broad range of genres.

You will graduate as a critical thinker with skills that will help you make a big difference in your chosen area of work and creative practice.

Your Career

Employability, in the form of critical and creative skills, presentation skills and reflective and evaluative abilities, is embedded into your course. You will be able to demonstrate that you are self-motivated, show initiative and personal responsibility, and possess a thirst for independent learning.

During your course, you’ll be in constant contact with a range of professionals working in the arts and creative industries, helping you to build up networks and gain relevant experience.

All modules play a crucial role in developing the advanced skills and attributes necessary for employment, including effective time and workload management, oral and written communication, teamwork and creative analysis of complex problems. The core module, Professional Practice, is designed to give you insight into the world of literary publishing.

You will graduate with a qualification which may enhance your promotion prospects in professions such as the literary industries, partnerships and agencies, marketing and advertising.

Given the postgraduate nature of this course the tutors (all published writers themselves) will be looking for signs of the ability to write at a professional level.

MA graduates have achieved notable success. Dan Smith publishes novels for adults and younger readers, most recently Boy X. Celia Bryce is an acclaimed novelist whose book Anthem for Jackson Dawes was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 2014.

Helen Laws is a highly successful TV scriptwriter who originated 32 Brinkburn Street for BBC TV and has written for Casualty, Eastenders, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Shameless and Doctors. She says the MA taught her the importance of story and gave her the confidence to keep trying.

There are also opportunities for you to advance your studies further with advice in writing PhD and funding applications available.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Applicants should normally have: A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in any subject. Applicants without a degree will be considered. Applicants will be required to submit examples of their creative writing with their application.

Situated in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumbria University is an exciting university that has a global reputation for its research-driven approach to postgraduate learning. The university is well known for producing future leaders across a range of industries, as it encourages students to ‘Take on Tomorrow’ throughout their academic journey. Northumbria University produces outstanding and innovative research while also nurturing student talent to... more