COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA English & Creative Writing degree offers a dynamic and contemporary approach to literature and creative writing. In the first year, students explore foundational aspects of creative writing, English literature, and publishing through innovative modules such as Writing: Craft & Contexts, Exploding the Canon: Writing Then & Now, and Breaking the Rules: Remix and Writing Back. These modules challenge traditional views of literature and encourage students to think critically about authorship, creativity, and identity. Students also gain hands-on experience in publishing and intermedia work through the Publishing Studio module. In the second year, the focus shifts toward specialisation, allowing students to tailor their interests by selecting from optional modules such as poetry, fiction, screenwriting, writing for games, and creative non-fiction. Core modules such as Society and the Self and the Collaborative Project help students examine contemporary issues like race, gender, and identity while gaining professional experience through live briefs or placements in the creative industries. In the final year, students undertake a dissertation and portfolio project, working closely with a supervisor to produce a substantial piece of creative and critical work. They also explore the boundaries of literary form in the Experiment and Adaptation module and engage with contemporary publishing trends in Writing Now: Prize Winners, Bestsellers & Controversial Content. Optional modules such as Crime and Dark Fiction, We Have Never Been Human, and Children and Young Adult offer further chances to deepen creative practice and critical insight. The course’s balance of literary study, creative output, and industry experience equips graduates with a strong portfolio and transferable skills suited to a wide range of careers in writing, publishing, media, and the wider creative industries.