MA Foundation Seminar with Meryl Pugh 2026

Monthly Zoom seminars, with MA Core Tutor Meryl Pugh, for those looking to develop the skills necessary for postgraduate poetic study.

* This Seminar will take place on the video-conferencing platform, ZOOM *

A monthly seminar for poets who’ve been writing for some time, are considering an MA in Writing Poetry or Creative Writing, and looking to finesse their poetic skills before applying for creative writing postgraduate study. This seminar course would suit poets who have come to poetry outside the “traditional” or academic route.

Participants will attempt a range of writing activities, read a wide range of contemporary poetry in English, and workshop their own and others’ work. The course will look at the sorts of subjects and activities an MA would usually cover; we will consider the characteristic features of MA study: using research for creative work, preparing submissions, and preparing an application. Alongside this, near the course end, you’ll get the opportunity to submit a mini-portfolio of poems and critical commentary for 1-2-1 direction from Meryl.

Another key focus of this Foundation Seminar will be building a strong poetic community and collegiate connections – both within this Seminar and with our MA students and graduates – enabling access to a strong group of writerly peers and invites to postgraduate events.

Please Note: Taking part in this course does not automatically guarantee participants a place on the Poetry School’s MA in Writing Poetry, but it is designed to give you an excellent stepping stone to postgraduate study.

Entry into this group is by application only. If you would like to sign up, please email [email protected] for information and we will assist you in the application process. Do not book online before applying.

Deadline for applications: Monday 8 December 11.59pm

6 x monthly sessions between January and June. Classes will run Thursday 6–8:30pm on the below dates.

8-Jan

5-Feb

5-Mar

2-Apr

7-May

4-Jun

More information about how all our seminars work can be found on the Seminars Course Page.

Concessions & Accessibility

To apply for a concession rate, please send relevant documentation showing your eligibility for one of our concessions to [email protected]. Conditions of eligibility are detailed here. If you have any questions or wish to be added to the waiting list of a sold-out course, please email [email protected].

What to Expect

Please check the left hand side of this page for information on how this course works in practice, under the heading ‘Course Style‘. If you’re unsure as to what any of the terms there mean, or if this course is a good fit for you, please visit our What to Expect page which includes some further information on how our courses function.

Image credit: @suzyhazelwood

About Meryl Pugh View Profile

Meryl Pugh is currently a Core Tutor on the Poetry School’s MA in Writing Poetry. She is the author of Feral Borough (Penned in the Margins, 2022), Natural Phenomena (Penned in the Margins, 2018) and three pamphlets, Wife of Osiris (Verve Poetry Press, 2021), The Bridle (Salt, 2011) and Relinquish (Arrowhead Press, 2007). She has a PhD in Critical and Creative Writing from UEA, where she also taught Creative Writing for nearly ten years, and lives in East London.

'The course felt warmly inclusive, and Meryl's individual feedback was extremely detailed and helpful.'

– MA Foundation 2025 Survey Response

The Poetry School