Assessment during your MA in Creative Writing is an ongoing process and will take different forms. These can include tutor-facilitated group discussions, individual tutorials or peer critiques (formative assessment).

Formative assessment can also include ‘challenge activities’ and ‘reflections’ that are embedded into each week’s online content.

Assessment methods are tailored specifically for each module and will reflect their aims and learning outcomes.

Feedback plays a key role in your assessments. You'll receive detailed feedback from your tutor on each of your summative assessments.

Assessment methods for individual modules:

The Writer's Craft Grey

Formative assessments

  • A weekly writing exercise, which your peers will provide feedback on
  • Several writing exercises, which your tutor will provide feedback on

Summative assessments:

  • Critical and Creative Response (1,000 words maximum). Give examples of writing techniques used by an author that you have found interesting. Then provide a short writing sample that adopts those techniques in your own creative work.
  • Prose Portfolio (3,500 words maximum). Produce a portfolio consisting of one or two pieces of original prose.
  • Commentary (750 words maximum). Describe your ambitions and intent for your Prose Portfolio.
Writing the Short Story Grey

Formative assessments:

  • A weekly writing exercise, which your peers will provide feedback on
  • Several writing exercises, which your tutor will provide feedback on

Summative assessments:

  • Critical and Creative Response (1,000 words maximum). Give examples of writing techniques used in a short story that you have found interesting. Then provide a short writing sample that adopts those techniques in your own creative work.
  • Short Story Portfolio (3,500 words maximum). Produce a portfolio consisting of one or two short stories.
  • Commentary (750 words maximum). Describe your ambitions and intent for your Short Story Portfolio.
Writing from Life Grey

Formative assessments:

  • A weekly writing exercise, which your peers will provide feedback on
  • Several writing exercises, which your tutor will provide feedback on

Summative assessments:

  • Critical and Creative Response (1,000 words maximum). Give examples of writing techniques used by a non-fiction writer that you have found interesting. Then provide a short writing sample that adopts those techniques in your own creative work.
  • Narrative Non-fiction Portfolio (3,500 words maximum). Produce a portfolio consisting of one or two pieces of original narrative non-fiction prose.
  • Commentary (750 words maximum). Describe your ambitions and intent for your Narrative Non-fiction Portfolio.
Writing the Novel Grey

Formative assessments:

  • A weekly writing exercise, which your peers will provide feedback on
  • Several writing exercises, which your tutor will provide feedback on

Summative assessments:

  • Critical and Creative Response (1,000 words maximum). Give examples of writing techniques used by a novelist that you have found interesting. Then provide a short writing sample that adopts those techniques in your own creative work.
  • Excerpt(s) of a Novel (3,500 words maximum). Produce the original opening excerpt(s) of a novel.
  • Commentary (750 words maximum). Describe your ambitions and intent for your Excerpt(s) of a Novel.
The Writer's Portfolio Grey

Formative assessments:

  • Peer feedback on portfolio work in progress
  • Individual supervision sessions
  • Writing Plan (1,000 words maximum). Produce a detailed plan for your final portfolio of prose work. This should include the challenges you face in the writing process, a synopsis of the work, and an annotated bibliography.

Summative assessments:

  • Prose Portfolio (12,000 words maximum). Produce one of the following three options:
    • a portfolio of prose pieces
    • one complete and extended work
    • the opening chapters of a piece of long form prose
  • Commentary (2,000 words maximum). Describe your ambitions and intent for your Prose Portfolio.