Creative Writing and Wellbeing (Online), MA

Learn to write with purpose and harness the power of creative arts on this flexible online degree.

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Time investment: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Location: Online

Cost: Up to £8,460

Language: English

About this degree

Person writing in a notebook at a small round table in a cozy indoor setting, with a drink nearby.

Write for wellbeing and connection

Explore how creative writing can support mental health, personal growth, and emotional resilience on this 100% online MA.

You’ll experiment across genres—from poetry and prose to life writing and reflective practices—learning to craft work that nurtures wellbeing for yourself and your audiences.

Through flexible online study, you can develop your voice while discovering the therapeutic potential of writing.

Build your creative practice with purpose

This degree will help you develop practical and reflective skills that allow you to connect creativity with wellbeing.

You’ll complete substantial projects guided by expert tutors, exploring how storytelling, journaling, and other writing forms can inspire, support, and heal.

Along the way, you’ll also gain insights into professional contexts where writing intersects with health, education, and community engagement.

Person sitting on the floor with a notebook and laptop at a low table in a relaxed living space.

Person wearing overalls and glasses, lost in thought as she writes in a notebook on a grey couch in a sunlit room.

Join a supportive writing community

This degree is highly interactive, giving you the chance to collaborate with peers and tutors through workshops, forums, and peer feedback. Learn from experienced practitioners while sharing drafts and ideas in a safe, flexible online environment.

You’ll join a network of writers exploring wellbeing, gaining encouragement and inspiration to take creative risks and refine your craft.

Where you’ll be studying

Studying at Teesside University

Teesside University delivers 100% online, career-focused education designed to help you thrive anywhere in the world.

With a Gold rating (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023) and recognised for outstanding student experience, Teesside combines expert teaching with research that drives real-world impact.

Flexible and innovative, they offer online courses that fit around your life, empowering you to upskill, reskill, or take the next step in your career.

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Learning outcomes

Shape a sustainable writing practice

Develop a personal creative writing project that integrates wellbeing principles, culminating in a portfolio with reflective commentary.

Become a professional writer

Learn to frame your work in diverse contexts, from residencies to public commissions, and gain the skills to market, publish, and self-publish across multiple platforms.

Connect writing with the self 

Investigate how creativity and identity intersect, using life writing, autofiction, and narrative theory to deepen your writing practice.

Explore writing and wellbeing 

Engage with wellbeing-focused approaches, including expressive writing, poetry therapy, and mindfulness, to enhance your creative process and reflective practice.

Additional information

To be eligible for this degree, you’ll need an honours degree (at least a 2:2) in English, creative writing, or a similar discipline. Other relevant experience, like professional work or an international qualification, may also be considered for entry.

As part of the application process, you’ll submit up to a 2,000 words in any form or genres, including poetry, prose fiction, life writing, etc. Plus, you’ll submit a 500-word reflection on your interest in creative writing and wellbeing.

If you’re an international student or English is not your first language, you’ll need to demonstrate English language skills equivalent to IELTS 6.5. You can do so with one of the following accepted tests:

UKVI approved IELTS (Academic)
Non-UKVI approved IELTS
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) – B2 and C1 tests
Pearson’s PTE Academic
PTE Academic UKVI
LanguageCert International ESOL SELT
TOEFL iBT
WAEC grades A1 to C6
NECO grades A1 to C5
SPM grades A to C
Kenya High School Certificate Grade C+ or Higher
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education grades 1 to 6
Uganda Certificate of Education grades 1 to 6

Typically, each unit begins with a brief video in which your tutor introduces the key themes for the week. You’ll then work through a series of writing prompts and exercises designed to develop your skills.

To support your learning, a variety of materials are provided, including reading questions and suggestions for further research, which you can discuss with fellow learners in the online forum.

You’ll also have access to a private space where you can share your ideas and drafts, receiving constructive feedback from both your tutor and peers.

Throughout the course, your tutor remains available to offer personalised guidance and support, both within the course platform and via email.

Each 30-credit module is assessed through written assignments that match clear learning goals. These usually include both creative pieces and some critical or reflective writing.

At the end of the course, you’ll complete a final project worth 60 credits, which you can choose to create in a form and genre that suits you best.

This degree opens doors to a wide range of creative and wellbeing-focused roles. You could work as a writer, poet, or scriptwriter, or apply your skills in therapeutic and educational contexts, such as community arts projects, health and wellbeing programmes, creative workshops, or journaling initiatives.

You’ll also develop transferable skills in communication, reflection, and project management, equipping you for roles in publishing, digital content, corporate communications, or freelance creative projects. Whether you aim to share your own work or support others through writing, this MA gives you the tools and confidence to make a meaningful impact.

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Modules

Why do you write, and what do you want your work to say? On this module, you’ll experiment with form, explore the space where creative and critical writing meet, and create a personal manifesto that reflects your motivations, influences, and ambitions as a writer.

Being a writer today means wearing many hats. This module delves into the variety of ways writers work, from residencies and commissions to public art, and gain the skills to market, publish, and share your writing across different platforms.

You’ve probably heard the expression ‘write what you know,’ and this module explores that in full. You’ll look into the connections between writing, identity, and personal experience, and learn how to draw on approaches like life writing, autofiction, and autoethnography to help you transform your reflections into compelling creative work.

Explore the meeting point between creativity and care. In this module, you’ll engage with ideas and practices like expressive writing, narrative and poetry therapy, and mindful writing, using them to deepen your creative process. You’ll learn to work as a compassionate self-critic, building new ways to connect your lived experiences with your writing.

Bring together your creativity and wellbeing practice in a project that’s entirely your own. You’ll plan and develop a piece of work in your chosen form and genre, supported by creative-critical approaches, reflective practice, and techniques for sustainable writing. Your final portfolio will be accompanied by a reflective commentary that situates your work within writing and wellbeing contexts.