Why study this course?
The Creative Writing and English Literature (including foundation year) BA degree is the perfect preparation for undergraduate study and a career in the creative industries if you don’t have the necessary requirements to enter the three-year degree. On completion of this course, you’ll graduate with the same title and qualification as students who started on the three-year course.
On this four-year course, you’ll learn the skills that will form the foundation for academic study, while providing you with techniques and theoretical knowledge used by creative writers and publishers.
More about this course
The undergraduate course with a foundation year combines the disciplines of creative writing and literature. You’ll get the unique opportunity to develop your own distinct creative writing style, while gaining an understanding of literary history and major genres in poetry, drama and prose.
The staff will offer exceptional support throughout your degree to ensure that you settle into university life and succeed academically. When you join the University, you’ll be assigned an academic mentor and tutor who will offer one-to-one support and be your first port of call if you need any help. There will also be opportunities to take advantage of workshops that will enhance your academic and employability skills.
The foundation year, or Year 0, is designed to prepare you for the challenge of studying at undergraduate level. You’ll share this year with students from other disciplines, which will provide you with the unique opportunity to network with students from other courses and learn about their academic interests. During this year, you’ll focus on developing critical thinking, academic writing and research skills by exploring the themes of society, media, current affairs and other topics. Your tutors will help you develop your ability to engage in academic debate and critically assess arguments, which will be vital for further study at undergraduate level.
The foundation year is also excellent preparation for the study of the English literature and creative writing, as you will take a specialised module. On this module you’ll read and examine key creative texts written about London in the past and present, develop your own writing voice through journal observations and engage in creative writing tasks in and out of class.
Your final three years will focus on creative writing techniques and engage you in the comprehensive study of literary material, themes and genres. You’ll also study the same course content and have the same choice of modules as students on the standard Creative Writing and English Literature BA course.
As you progress through the full undergraduate course, you’ll find yourself, your writing skills and your awareness of the world of literature develop. With the help of our dedicated team of academics you’ll:
- understand the local, national and global context of London’s literary and publishing culture
- consider the ethical, political and environmental conditions writers live and work within
- study modern and contemporary novels, poetry collections and plays
- flex your creativity as you complete a long creative project
- collaborate with fellow students within and outside of the degree
- learn from and work with published writers and publishing professionals
- meet publishing industry figures
- benefit from excellent digital research resources
- study at a university committed to the transformative power of education and dialogue
Accreditation of Prior Learning
Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course.
Modular structure
The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.
Year 0 modules include:
Critical Thinking (core, 15 credits)
Interventions for Change (core, 15 credits)
Media, Crime and ‘Race’ (core, 15 credits)
Reflecting on Self and Society (core, 15 credits)
Researching Discrimination (core, 15 credits)
Researching Inequality (core, 15 credits)
Social Issues in Context: Text to Essay (core, 15 credits)
Writing London: A World City (core, 15 credits)
Year 1 modules include:
Poetic Form and Genre (core, 30 credits)
Romantics to Victorians (core, 30 credits)
Theatre and Performance: History and Craft (core, 30 credits)
Writer’s World (core, 30 credits)
Year 2 modules include:
Genre Fiction (core, 30 credits)
Victorians to Moderns (core, 30 credits)
Writing and Editing Fiction and Nonfiction (core, 30 credits)
Publishing and the Book: then and now (alternative core, 30 credits)
The Writer’s Craft (alternative core, 30 credits)
Year 3 modules include:
Moderns to Contemporaries (core, 30 credits)
Project (Creative Writing and English Literature) (core, 30 credits)
Why Literature Matters (core, 30 credits)
Publishing and the Book: then and now (alternative core, 30 credits)
The Writer’s Craft (alternative core, 30 credits)
Where this course can take you
Graduates of English Literature and Creative Writing courses have gone on to successful careers in publishing, editing and related industries as well as to publish their own creative work. This course is also excellent preparation for further study or research.
What is a degree with a foundation year?
This is a four-year degree course with a built-in foundation year (Year 0). It’s the perfect route into university if you don’t meet the necessary entry requirements for the standard undergraduate degree. You’ll graduate with a full undergraduate degree with the same title and award as those who studied the three-year course.
