Course Overview
Thank you for your interest. This course is now full for September 2024. For alternative start dates see the attendance options above.
Course summary
The Professional Writing MA is designed for those who want to turn their love of words and writing into a dynamic and fulfilling career. It will give you the skills, motivation, networks and connections to work across a wide variety of industries – in publishing, journalism, public relations, advertising, as literary agents, copywriters and copyeditors. It will also allow you to explore the history and future of writing and the writing industries from a variety of perspectives, and to develop your own interests and specialisms.
Professional Writing takes a broad, holistic view of writing, because writing is not just about writing. It is about editing, about working with the words of others and with other languages, it is about the reader, it is about the form into which the words are packaged. It is about essays and tweets, novels and headlines, criticism and advertising, prizes and publicity. As a result, the course brings together the combined expertise of English, Creative Writing, Media, Communication, and Film and Cultural Studies to offer a truly interdisciplinary MA.
On the course you'll examine the changing role of professional writing through historical and theoretical debates and examples of contemporary professional practice across languages. From the story of the book to multimedia journalism, your modules will allow you to develop your skills and interests in a range of relevant professional contexts. You'll be taught through seminars, one-to-one and small group tutorials, practical sessions and workshops, together with independent, student-directed study where you'll develop your own project or special topic with the help of an expert mentor. You'll work with academics, practitioners and industry professionals to gain an understanding of vocational issues, practices and concerns, and will build up a network of contacts and connections within your chosen industries.
You could also choose to study this course with an extended work placement where you'll have the opportunity to take a placement/internship of 550 hours in a professional work environment, in addition to the taught components of the course. Find out more about the Professional Writing with Extended Work Placement MA.
Top reasons to study with us
- Access to the University of Westminster’s fantastic facilities and connections
- Opportunities for part-time work, placements and work-related learning activities are widely available to students
- You'll be part of the student-led anthology, the Wells Street Journal, where you'll experience what managing an actual magazine involves
- Some of the lectures will be delivered from our central London campus, which means ready access to the capital's excellent academic, social and cultural opportunities
Course structure
On the Professional Writing MA you'll take three core modules and either the Professional Writing Project or the MA Dissertation. You can then choose two further 20 credit option modules.
The following modules are indicative of what you'll study on this course.
Core modules
You’ll be introduced to apparently familiar concepts – the story and the book – to interrogate their meaning, history and evolution. In doing so, you’ll gain critical knowledge that will help you develop your writing practice across a range of media and forms, as well as encourage you to constructively challenge established norms. Interactive workshops will be held during key points of your study, helping you put theory into practice. The module, along with Working with the Words of Others, forms the spine of the MA Professional Writing, which will help you pursue more focused interests through the option modules.
This module focuses on employability and professional development through a blend of lectures and the management of the student-led magazine, The Wells Street Journal. Being a part of the journal, you’ll be introduced to various departments of magazine publishing: editing, typesetting, design, marketing, finance and many more. This will help you develop critical practical knowledge of the professional world you’ll be graduating into. Lectures will be delivered through a series of seminars and independent work-based learning sessions, where you’ll explore key areas of writing business, how to edit, find a literary agent and use social-media for self-promotion.
This module sets out the critical framework for, and practical demands and issues in relation to, working with the words of others across a range of settings and media. Opportunities to put this into practice will be provided through practical workshops throughout the module. Mixing discussion of key critical works with talks by practitioners and practical workshops, the module, along with The Story and the Book, forms the spine for the MA Professional Writing, on the basis of which students will pursue more focused interests through the option modules.
You’ll take either the Dissertation or the Professional Writing Project:
MA Dissertation
Development, execution, and writing-up of an independent research project on a topic of your choice. You’ll be required to attend regular research seminars as part of preparation for the dissertation. You’ll also benefit from individual supervision, which will provide topic-specific guidance.
Professional Writing Project
The Independent Project is an extended piece of practice-based research work. It is designed as an opportunity for you to pursue, with supervision, a topic of personal interest in the broad field of professional writing. The project will have a practical and/or professional focus, for example, the creation of a written artefact with a short accompanying essay or a business proposal for a publishing venture.
Option modules
The primary focus of the module is on English as a lingua franca, the language variations and creole linguistics. This module aims to examine in detail English in its multiple varieties and multiple uses across the world: native, nativised and non-native varieties, regional variation within larger speech communities, use by monolinguals and multilinguals, and register differences according to use and user. Furthermore, it gives students the opportunity to carry out original empirical work relating to the concepts and methods they are acquiring.
This explores the digital tools that are used to build and design compelling interactive content. You will work in editorial teams to produce content for a new digital magazine edition, content-driven app or CMS-based website. You are also invited to select the best tools for the output and get instruction in the design of interactive magazine digital editions, app development and website creation.
This module focuses on the methodological approaches and aesthetic preoccupations that underpin creative practices in non-fiction and poetic writing. This dual approach will enable students to develop simultaneously their own research methods, and experiment with imaginative ways of representing the city. Besides workshops and tutorials based on campus, the module includes site visits to various locations in London, including archives and libraries.
This module involves a comprehensive study of the concepts, multimedia skills and techniques used in contemporary convergent journalism. You’ll explore news values to help develop a professional ‘news sense’ and a critical understanding of the news agenda through the relationship between newspapers, broadcast and online news organisations. You’ll also learn the tools and techniques used as a professional online, multi-platform journalist – like story research, interviewing, note-taking. Besides, you’ll also explore a range of sources used by journalists both on and off record - government announcements, official briefings, other media, databases, experts, eyewitnesses and whistle-blowers.
Persuasion, propaganda and influence are contested terms at the heart of public relations activity at all levels. This module aims to develop a clear understanding of these concepts and how a compelling message within a campaign or stand-alone communication can stimulate, persuade, mobilise and ultimately influence human behaviour. The module explores a range of different models and perspectives on these themes, examining the tensions between theoretical models and their practical application. Throughout, the module focuses on the importance of context and culture in developing persuasive communications. You’ll be encouraged to reflect on a variety of perspectives in preparation for your final 60-credit unit, and to participate in a series of debates intended to encourage further research into the topics discussed and help develop critical advocacy skills.
In this module, you will learn about the different facets of podcast making, exploring genres (e.g. journalistic/investigative, personal storytelling, fictional narrative, sports, comedy, interest groups) and the production techniques required for specific formats. You will also learn about idea incubation, pitching, marketing and monetisation.
Small presses have played an important part in the cultural life of the UK publishing for over a hundred years. Since about 2010, small and independent presses have again become prominent and now publish some of the most influential and innovative work, in particular transforming the publishing of translated works in the UK. This module focuses on the work shortlisted by the Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses each year to explore the variety of writing and work with writing that is involved in small press publishing, from the production of newsletters to the creation of websites. It will use a combination of case studies, text-based work and practical exercises to explore the relationship between modes of production and the work produced.
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For more details on course structure, modules, teaching and assessment Download the programme specification (PDF).
To request an accessible version please email [email protected]
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Get your copy of the University of Westminster prospectus and browse the range of courses on offer.
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Contact us for general course enquiries:
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Careers
Graduates will have the knowledge, skills and experience to work in a variety of positions within and beyond the literary and arts sectors, including in publishing, journalism, public relations, advertising, as literary agents, or as copywriters and copyeditors.
You'll graduate from the course ready to enter or re-enter the job market with a wealth of experience and knowledge, equipped to challenge and diversify the literary and creative industries and shape the future of writing.
The University's Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
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Grow your network
Opportunity to work closely with practitioners, academics, writers, translators, journalists and other industry professionals, who are at the top of their respective fields.
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Diverse career options
An MA in Professional Writing will open doors into a wide range of creative, cultural and communication industries.
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Develop your CQ
Study in a globally diverse environment among students from across the world and develop your Cultural Quotient (CQ).
Industry links
The University of Westminster sponsors the Republic of Consciousness Prize, which supports, promotes and celebrates small presses in the UK and Ireland. Students have the opportunity to work on this as part of the Small Press and Professional Writing module, giving real-world experience, whilst also supporting small press.
Job roles
This course will prepare you for a variety of roles, including:
- Copywriter
- Copyeditor
- Proofreader
- Journalist
- Literary agent
- Public Relations Practitioner
- Advertising Professional
- Publishing Professional
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, allowing you to choose from a set of extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
Read more about our Westminster Employability Award.
Course Leader
![Hannah Copley's profile photo](/sites/default/public-files/styles/profile_380x380_/public/staff-profile-photos/hannah-copley.jpg?itok=Jcl0_UVv)
Dr Hannah Copley
Senior Lecturer
Hannah Copley is a lecturer and the course leader for the Professional Writing MA and the Professional Writing with Extended Work Placement MA. Alongside her academic research she is a poet, non-fiction writer, magazine editor and critic.
Hannah studied at the University of Leeds (BA English and History, MA English Literature, PhD English Literature) where she also became interested in magazine editing and small press publishing. She first worked as the editorial assistant at the international arts quarterly, Stand (where she is now an editor) and took on the editorship of the long-running poetry magazine, Poetry and Audience. She has also worked as a senior editor at a small press and has been published widely. Her poetry collection, Speculum, was published by Broken Sleep Books in 2021.
Hannah’s research and creative interests include the global history of pregnancy, representations of motherhood, medicine and the female body and how creative work can engage effectively with archival material and historical records. She is also passionate about the small press and magazine scene in the UK and beyond.
This course is designed for students who are passionate about working with words and who want to explore the many ways that this love can be developed into a professional career.
Course Team
This course is taught by academics at the University of Westminster as well as editors, journalists, writers, and practitioners, such as Neil Griffiths - founder of the Republic of Consciousness Prize and co-founder of Weatherglass Books. These include:
Why study this course?
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Established connections
We have links with London’s pre-eminent cultural institutions (e.g. The V&A, Tate Modern, BBC, The Guardian) and literary organizations (The Republic of Consciousness Prize).
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Greater individual focus
The course will be taught by experts through small group teachings, one-to-one mentoring, collaborative and solo work, leading to greater individual focus.
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Fantastic facilities
Access to state-of-the-art facilities – TV and radio stations, design studios, exhibition spaces, libraries and archives, cinema and theatre.
Entry Requirements
A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2).
If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.5 in writing and no element below 6.0.
Recognition of prior learning and experience
If you have previously studied at university level, or have equivalent work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your course at Westminster. For more information, visit our Recognition of Prior Learning page.
Application process
Visit our How to apply page for more information on:
- the application process
- what you need to apply
- deadlines for applications
A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2).
If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.5 in writing and no element below 6.0.
Recognition of prior learning and experience
If you have previously studied at university level, or have equivalent work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your course at Westminster. For more information, visit our Recognition of Prior Learning page.
Application process
Visit our How to apply page for more information on:
- the application process
- what you need to apply
- deadlines for applications
More information
Learn new skills
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Enhance problem-solving skills
Management of the student-led magazine the Wells Street Journal will teach you practical problem-solving and activities around creative practices.
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Career development skills
Opportunities for part-time work, placements and work-related learning activities are widely available to you.
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Sector-specific insight
In-person seminars with industry experts will provide you with useful sector-specific insights.
Fees and Funding
UK tuition fee: £8,500 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
Paying your fees
If you don't wish to pay the whole amount of your fees at once, you may be able to pay by instalments. This opportunity is available if you have a personal tuition fee liability of £2,000 or more and if you are self-funded or funded by the Student Loans Company.
Find out more about paying your fees.
Alumni discount
This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.
Funding
There is a range of funding available that may help you fund your studies, including Student Finance England (SFE).
Find out more about postgraduate student funding options.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
International tuition fee: £15,000 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
Paying your fees
If you don't wish to pay the whole amount of your fees at once, you may be able to pay by instalments. This opportunity is available if you have a personal tuition fee liability of £2,000 or more and if you are self-funded or funded by the Student Loans Company.
Find out more about paying your fees.
Alumni discount
This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.
Funding
There are a number of funding schemes available to help you fund your studies with us.
Find out more about funding for international students.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
Teaching and Assessment
Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course. The graphs below give an indication of what you can expect through approximate percentages, taken either from the experience of previous cohorts, or based on the standard module diet where historic course data is unavailable. Changes to the division of learning time and assessment may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions.
How you’ll be taught
Teaching methods across all our postgraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application. Learning typically falls into two broad categories:
- Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
- Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, dissertation/final project research, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision
How you’ll be assessed
Our postgraduate courses include a variety of assessments, which typically fall into two broad categories:
- Practical: examples include presentations, podcasts, blogs
- Coursework: examples include essays, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation
Data from the academic year 2023/24
Supporting you
Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.
- Study support — workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
- Personal tutors — support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
- Student advice team — provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
- Extra-curricular activities — volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more
Course Location
Our Regent Campus is composed of three sites, situated on and around one of the most famous and vibrant streets in London. Our Humanities and some of the Social Science subjects are based at 309 Regent Street, which includes recently refurbished social spaces, gym facilities and our Regent Street Cinema. Westminster Law School resides at Little Titchfield Street. Alongside a full mock courtroom, hi-tech learning spaces and a pro-bono clinic, it also houses our state-of-the-art, 382-seat lecture theatre. For more details, visit our locations page.
Please note that some option modules on this course are taught at our Harrow Campus.
Contact us
Call our dedicated team on:
+44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 65511
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
More information
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