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Trinity College Dublin

Dublin , State ,Ireland

Creative Writing (M.Phil.)

This course, the first Masters course in creative writing at an Irish university, was offered by the School of English for the first time in 1997–98. It is based in the Trinity Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing, 21 Westland Row, the birthplace of Oscar Wilde. Its faculty includes some of Ireland’s leading contemporary writers, including Eoin McNamee, Deirdre Madden and Kevin Power, Harry Clifton and Carlo Gébler. Each year the Centre also plays host to visiting Writer Fellows, who in recent years have included Claire Keegan and Colette Bryce. Distinguished alumni of the programme include Chris Binchy and Sean O’Reilly.  Nicole Flattery and Lisa Harding have emerged as exciting new talents in the past few years.

The M.Phil. in Creative Writing is designed as a one-year, full-time course intended for students who are seriously committed to writing, are practising, or are prospective authors, and who wish to develop their writing within the framework of a university course and in the context of an Irish literary milieu. It involves the close and critical examination of the student’s work in group workshops and under guided personal tuition, with the study also of the professional techniques of book editing and publishing, and the opportunity to explore the cultural and literary contexts of writing in Ireland.

Students are required to take workshops, attend courses of lectures, and take one specialist writing workshop, while continuing to develop their own individual work throughout the year. At Trinity you will also join a diverse, supportive and dynamic community of students, scholars, and writers in a world-leading English department right at the heart of one of the world’s great literary cities. You will also have access to the outstanding library and archival collections of our world-famous copyright library.

Intakes

  • Jan
  • Sep

Application Processing Time in Days: 30

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

If you are an international student studying at Trinity, you might be considering internship and graduate work in Ireland, in your home country, or elsewhere. This section provides information for Non EU students on working in Ireland during and after your studies. For information and resources to support an international job search, see our Devex resource which includes international job search advice and information.

Employers value candidates who have more to offer than a good degree with high grades. They look for students who are well rounded and who have experience outside the classroom. Search for and take advantage of opportunities to gain experience, develop your skill set, and gain a clearer picture of what you like and don't like in terms of career options.

For example, you can get involved in some of the many student clubs and societies in college, volunteer or get a part time job. Remember that voluntary work is as valuable as paid work on your CV or resume - it's a great way to demonstrate your skills to future employers. Have a look at the TCD Civic Engagement website and check out volunteering opportunities in Ireland and abroad.

PSW Opportunity

  • 2 Years

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

Postgraduate Admission Requirements
Postgraduate work in Trinity is academically challenging and the University has high academic entry requirements.

Applicants will need to:

hold at least a 2.1 honors degree from an Irish university or equivalent result from a university in another country.
display a high level of competence in the English language in one of the examination systems recognised by Trinity College Dublin.
To qualify for admission to a degree course at the University you must meet the requirements outlined above. For more information on what you must include in your application, please see our detailed guide on Making an Application.

Postgraduate English Language Requirements
All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English must present one of the following qualifications in the English language:

IELTS (Academic version) and IELTS Indicator : Grade 6.5 overall.
TOEFL and TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition: 88 internet-based, 570 paper-based, 230 computer-based.
University of Cambridge: 
Proficiency Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2) 
Advanced Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2) 
Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE Academic: a minimum score of 63 to be eligible (with no section score below 59)
Duolingo English Test: minimum overall score of 120/160 with no section below 105, dated since January 2020
An award certificate with a minimum II.1 overall score from Trinity's Centre for English Language Learning and Teaching's Pre-Master's Pathway Programme. The Pre-Master’s Pathway Programme is an academic English course for international students with conditional offers for postgraduate study at Trinity. Passing the programme means you meet Trinity’s English language requirement and can progress to your postgraduate course without retaking IELTS or any other exam.
Please also note that existing IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge and PET scores up to two years old will be accepted for 2023/24 applications in light of test centre closures.