English with Creative Writing BA Hons

This new major/minor degree is available from 2010. Studied over three years, two thirds will be in the area of English and one third in creative writing.

The two strands of the course are described separately, but in practice you will find they are strongly connected: your developing knowledge and understanding of the various aspects of English Studies will inform your creative writing practice, and vice versa.

The English strand of the course is varied and wide-ranging, including literature, language and drama, and allows you to choose your own preferred areas of specialisation in the latter stages of the degree.

In your first year you will study core modules in modern literature, modern English language, medieval studies and drama, giving you a solid grounding in each of these different areas of English.

Your second year study will include further core modules in language, literature and drama; and you will also have the opportunity to focus on a particular literary period, choosing from a variety of options.

In your third year, you will choose three options from a very wide selection of specialist modules: at this stage, you may wish to focus entirely on any one area of literature, language or drama, or continue to study any combination of these - the choice is yours.

The Creative Writing strand of the course is designed to develop your writing skills, and your insight into the process of writing.

The first year acts as a foundation, introducing you to poetry, prose and performance writing and to the particularities of each medium. You will be encouraged from the outset to experiment with a range of techniques and strategies, to create new work, and to develop the capacity to reflect on this work in a disciplined and rigorous fashion - an essential skill in creative writing.

In your second year, the writing will be taught within two specialist modules: Poetry and Prose, and Writing for Performance. These will expand on the work done in year one, including such elements as finding/shaping/reworking material; adaptation; research and the archive; location and setting; characterisation and representation; registers of language, rhythm and speech; mood and atmosphere; and dramatic dialogue and dramatic action. You will build up a portfolio of work over these two years through a variety of assignments.

In your third year, you will take a module in Professional Practice, and also concentrate on an extended piece of creative work in your chosen medium, with the help of regular supervisory sessions with your creative writing tutor.

During the course, you will have contact with a variety of creative writing professionals and practitioners, for example, writers, editors, agents, publishers, producers, dramaturges and directors, who will discuss their own work and share their professional experience and expertise.