Study Creative Writing at PhD level at UCC

Creative Writing at University College Cork is a vibrant community of lecturers and graduate students: all lecturers on the course are actively publishing in a range of fields; and the subject hosts regular talks by novelists, poets, and scholars, in addition to masterclasses with industry-leading individuals.

UCC’s structured PhD is comprised of a programme of supportive and developmental elements, with a stated minimum level of 15 credits of coursework and training. In addition, all students will be supervised by a supervisory team, comprising of a lead supervisor and a co-supervisor or a PhD advisor. Learn more about the structured PhD.

PhD guidelines

The PhD in Creative Writing is based on a programme of study, creativity and research whose main focus is the writing of a substantial dissertation. Creative Writing PhDs should be between 40,000-120,000 words (40,000-80,000 for poetry, 80,000-120,000 for prose). For poetry the creative component can also be measured by pages – in this case the creative component should be 60-100 pages long.

Each PhD must comprise a creative and a critical element. While strict guidelines around the extent of each element are not appropriate given the range of forms and approaches possible in Creative Writing, it will be expected that theses will give roughly 10,000-30,000 words to the critical element. The form to be taken by each element is at the discretion of the student in discussion with their supervisory team, though the student’s decisions should be justified in the thesis and defendable at viva. All PhDs will be assessed by a panel of qualified examiners who will first read the full thesis, and then conduct the viva, or oral exam.

Duration

The minimum duration of a PhD course is 3 years full-time, or 6 years part-time. The maximum duration of a PhD course is 6 years (whether full time or part time).

Eligibility

To be eligible for the PhD in Creative Writing, a candidate must normally have obtained a standard of at least Second Class Honours, Grade I, in a relevant Masters degree such as Creative Writing or English Literature, or be able to demonstrate a substantial track record in writing and publishing.

Funding

Funding for Creative Writing PhDs can be applied for through the Research Ireland Postgraduate Scholarships and the CACSSS PhD Excellence Scholarships.

How to Apply

Students apply through UCC's application system.

Applications are accepted throughout the year. Prospective students are advised to complete their applications at least two months in advance of their desired start date, as applications must go through different stages of approval. The four start dates during the year are: January, April, July, and September/October.

Before making an application, candidates are advised to contact one of our staff with expertise in their proposed area of research who may be willing to act as their supervisor. Please note that we can only give consideration to applications that can be matched to one of our areas of expertise. For information on staff and their research interests, see the profiles of our full-time faculty. Candidates may be asked by the potential supervisor to fill in a PhD proposal form.

Candidates may also approach the Director of Creative Writing, Dr Kerri Andrews (kandrews@ucc.ie) with general queries. 

Further information

• Graduate Office
• International Office
• Graduate School of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences