COURSE CURRICULUM

The Writing and English Literature degree at ARU provides a comprehensive exploration of creative and professional writing alongside the study of English literature across historical and contemporary contexts. In the first year, students build foundational skills in imaginative writing, screenwriting, and critical reading, while gaining an introduction to contemporary publishing and literary analysis from Old English to the Enlightenment. The second year deepens these skills through modules on short fiction, stage writing, creative non-fiction, and journalism, as well as engagement with literature from the nineteenth century and the Renaissance, allowing students to consider the environmental, cultural, and historical influences on texts. Optional modules and the Ruskin module broaden perspectives and provide opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. In the third year, students focus on major individual projects in writing and literature, further developing their craft in poetry, long-form prose, screenwriting, and worldbuilding. Modules also explore literary analysis of texts by authors such as Elizabeth Gaskell and the Brontës, as well as thematic and historical studies including Renaissance magic, romantic ideals, and literature’s role in identity and exile. Professional practice modules equip students with knowledge of the publishing industry and the business of being a writer. Graduates emerge with a strong creative portfolio, critical understanding, and practical skills suited for careers in writing, publishing, journalism, and other literary fields.