English and Creative Writing

Why study with us?

This programme offers the exciting combination of studying literature and creating your own work across a range of genres. You will study a range of literary texts for the English component of the degree and for the Creative Writing component you will consider the influence and inspiration of these texts on your own work which might include short stories, flash fiction, script writing, poetry and writing creative non fiction such as blogs, reviews and articles.

We are a lively and friendly academic community, with staff who offer high levels of academic contact and support. Our course provides you with valuable skills to help you succeed in your chosen career. We aim to provide a full and enjoyable student experience on a programme designed to help prepare you for the world beyond university.

You are encouraged during your studies to engage with the wider literary and creative culture of the region in which you study – a region which has proved inspirational to generations of writers and artists. Opportunities for publication and performance are created as part of the degree and Lancaster offers a number of writing groups, open mic nights as well as the Lancaster Literature Festival.

What can this course lead to?

As an English and Creative writing graduate, you can enter a variety of careers which demand a high level of analytical and interpretative skills as well as ability in written and oral communication. Creative skills are valued in the workplace.

Our graduates work in radio, TV, publishing, arts management, journalism and other print media. Teaching remains a popular choice with students working in compulsory education, but also in the FE and HE sector. Many continue their academic study at postgraduate level and have enjoyed success reading at literature festivals around the country or winning national prizes for their work. Their high-level writing skills and teamwork make them suitable for a range of jobs in the corporate sector.

Some of our students go on to publish their writing after leaving us. Many continue as writers alongside another field of work.

Resources and facilities

One of our most important resources is our proximity to the Lake District, a beautiful part of England with many literary points of interest. There are both compulsory and optional field trips to sites connected with particular writers and local literary heritage.

There is a thriving community of writers in Lancaster and the surrounding area, as well as a literary festival. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities to read their work at local events including the annual poetry and prose competition evening on campus. We are part of a vibrant writing community, with events taking place on campus, in town and on the radio. On campus, students are involved with the English Society and with a Literary magazine.

Some of the external people we work with include: Lancaster Litfest, Spotlight Club and Speakeasy (literary cabarets) Diversity FM and a plethora of independent public events. We are also involved with Words by the Water festival with some of our students publishing articles and poetry in their newspaper. Creative Writing has been part of the University of Cumbria’s Academy and students have had the opportunity to be involved in running workshops at Kendal Calling festival.

Have a look at our learning resources for English and Creative Writing.

Student work

Student's theatre reviews hit the worldwide web
English and Creative Writing student Darren Harper has been reviewing productions at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

Entry requirements

80 UCAS tariff points

Find out more about qualification options from the UCAS tariff table.

Please check selection criteria for any additional entry requirements.

Credit and UCAS requirements UCAS code: QW3VL UCAS points: 80 Selection criteria

Apart from looking at predicted grades, we read the UCAS form carefully, paying particular attention to personal statements.

While we normally look for an A level in English or a related subject, we are always ready to consider whatever qualifications or experience a potential student has to offer, and particularly value enthusiasm and commitment to the subject.

We value applicants with non-traditional entry profiles and welcome informal approaches to discuss how other qualifications and experience may be relevant to an application for a place.

Costs

Click to view information on your study type and home location.

Full-time students

Home

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

International

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £9,960.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

International scholarship

If you are studying a full-time bachelor's degree (excluding teacher training and NHS-funded courses) or a top-up degree, you may be eligible for an international scholarship. The university has nine scholarships available. Find out more on our scholarships page.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

Part-time students

Home

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year. For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

UCAS Link

Visit UCAS

Modules

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course (PDF).

Course summary

DipHE English and Creative Writing students will study alongside the BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing students during years one and two. Most DipHE students go on to transfer onto the BA (Hons) English route at the end of their second year and complete a full degree programme.

The English component in year one is designed to help you develop a range of skills in critical and cultural analysis. You study a wide variety of texts from the three main genres (fiction, poetry and drama) drawn from different cultures, backgrounds and socio-historical contexts.

In your creative work you lay the groundwork of craft skills and techniques for writing poetry, fiction, non-fiction and scriptwriting as well as the critical skills you need to develop as a writer. You are also encouraged to think about the influence of other writers and other art forms (art, music, film) on your work and to experiment in a genre of your choice. Creative Writing is taught through workshops aimed at inspiring ideas and giving you feedback to help you edit and improve your writing.

In the second year you build on the skills practised in year one and gain a more in-depth understanding of major shifts in the development of an English literary tradition. You will study modules dealing with specific periods, cultures, and developments, such as Renaissance writing, British Romanticism, Victorian Literature, Drama and Realism, Literature and Film, and Twentieth-Century American Literature.

Alongside this, Creative Writing workshops challenge you to experiment in poetry and life writing. You will also write creative non-fiction such as blogs, articles and reviews, all which develop useful writing skills that employers are looking for. A project-based module allows you free choice of genre and you are encouraged to follow personal writing interests. You work with a group of peers who become your supportive critical readers and you are encouraged to read and submit work to magazines.

In your creative work you study and write fiction and scripts for performance. In the final Creative Writing module ‘Publishing and Performance’ you gain an insight into print and e-publishing and into the various opportunities open to you as a writer. This module is the culmination of your creative work and you will be encouraged to submit work for publication or try your hand at performance whichever you prefer. By this stage reading widely across genres will have enabled you to master advanced skills to bring to the craft of writing. Recent graduates have been published in Cadaverine and Litro.

Case studies

"Naturally, I love the area and I was attracted by the homely, almost cosy attributes of the university campus and Lancaster in general.

Something else that attracted me is the university's increasingly good reputation for my particular subject, and the literary culture in Lancaster and the wider area.

There's plenty of time allowed for independent study - something which with English is definitely essential. Tutors are very knowledgeable about they are teaching. They're never too busy to answer any queries or offer advice."

James Riddick
BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing


"I chose to study at the University of Cumbria because it was near to my home and it offered the course that I wanted to study. I have found the tutors very helpful, and my fellow students are a really nice bunch. I enjoy the stimulating discussions that we have in our seminars.

I have been pleasantly surprised by the level of support I have received from the university. My learning support and tutors send me word documents of material from Blackboard, and I must say this is very helpful and saves me a lot of hassle."

Jennifer Hodkinson
BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing