Creative Writing BA (Hons)

You’ll dive into real-world tasks such as blogging, pitching ideas, and proofreading to use what you’ve learned in actual job settings. By creating high-quality creative nonfiction and journalism that meets industry standards, you'll improve your grammar, structure, editing, and styling skills.

This module will help you gain hands-on experience in arts, media, and publishing roles. This experience will help you build expertise and gain confidence to share your talents with the world.

You’ll explore ancient storytelling methods still used today, from epic poetry to folk ballads. Next, you’ll put classic plots and archetypes to modern use, twisting tales or upending tropes in original poems and short fiction. By annotating drafts and thinking deeply about your work, you’ll find your unique style and connect to the roots of human creativity.

Become part of a global community reinventing the classics.

The learning outcomes of this module are:

• Research, plan, and write an essay suitable to the degree context in approach, style, presentation and level of engagement with primary and secondary sources.

• Interpret a short work of prose using critically informed close-reading skills.

• Identify and compare a range of narrative forms such as 'first person narrative', 'third person narrative' and 'unreliable narrator'.

Delve into the critical thinking and academic theory behind successful writing through engaging lectures, case studies, and presentations. Pick up skills and strategies from renowned writers, examining how creativity and technique fuse to create vivid narratives. Put this knowledge into practice by writing your own unique piece, using the methods of the authors you admire to shape your own voice.

This module offers the core inspiration and practical guidance to elevate your writing to university. You’ll discover both the magic and methodology of creativity—the key ingredients for a fulfilling writing career.

You’ll tap into your memories and senses to explore identity across poetry, prose, and hybrid forms. Study memoirs, both factual and fictional, and create your own while keeping a journal of your progress.

Through in-class peer reviews, you’ll give and receive feedback to develop insight and technique. By semester’s end, you’ll submit portfolios showcasing your best autobiographical writing.

This module will guide you in skilfully incorporating personal stories into your writing, teaching you to express authenticity with creative finesse. By the end, you’ll understand deeply how to transform personal experiences into fascinating literature and have original work that shows your ability to capture and convey truth through creative expression.

The course will cover traditional storytelling techniques through different writing projects. As you progress, you will learn how to create proposals and scripts that meet the industry standards. This will enable you to become a better storyteller.

Additionally, you will learn how to deliver your ideas in an impressive and captivating manner. This will help you manage your time more effectively. By exploring the creative methods used in major films and TV shows, you will gain a profound understanding of the storytelling process.

Upon completing this module, you will be well-equipped to begin your career as a writer in the film and TV industry.

You will get the opportunity to study classic and modern stories from different genres, including crime and flash fiction, which will help you learn about literary styles. Moreover, you will practice writing for different age groups, such as adults, young adults, and children, and adapt your writing style accordingly.

Throughout the module, you will turn your ideas into complete stories and develop a portfolio of your work. You will also get the chance to improve your creative process through discussions and self-assessment. In addition, you will experience the publishing world by pitching a story to a magazine.

By the end of the module, you will have discovered your unique storytelling voice and created captivating short fiction.

You will learn literary techniques used in excellent nonfiction through studying examples. Additionally, you will gain valuable insights from the industry to create engaging articles for modern readers.

You'll build a portfolio by completing assignments that take you from pitching ideas to publication. This will help you showcase your abilities to potential employers. You will also learn research methods and editing skills to produce high-quality work.

Ethics and representation are important when it comes to quality writing. Therefore, we'll engage in discussions about these topics to help you understand their impact.

This module equips you with the tools and experience to excel as a nonfiction writer.

This philosophy-driven module invites you to examine key texts, collaborating with experts to dissect celebrated literature. Equipped with fresh analytical methods and understanding, you’ll apply what you learn directly in practical workshops. Through a mix of lectures, detailed reading, timed essays, and presentations, you’ll integrate philosophical concepts, using age-old wisdom to improve your writing craft.

Immerse yourself in the intellectual heritage of literature and become a more profound and reflective writer.

You’ll write sharp reviews and features, and make editorial decisions for different audiences across various media.

By looking at writing styles and revenue metrics, you’ll learn how to create content that really connects with people.

You’ll also explore research methods, helping you to put together a persuasive media research proposal.

This experience will boost your creativity and analytical skills. By the end, you’ll be ready for jobs where you can use storytelling to unlock new opportunities.

You'll leverage data sources and freedom of information powers to uncover injustices. You'll examine legal and ethical constraints in journalism, building tenacious journalistic skills as you learn to seek truths in the public interest despite obstacles.

You'll evaluate story angles and plan how to maximise their impact, and gain digital-first abilities to hold the powerful to account.

Analysing diverse screen languages and conventions, you'll enhance your creativity, and comparing story structures and narrative needs of global production will broaden your perspective. You'll learn to understand target audiences and emerging platforms, to prepare you for working a the global marketplace.

With script drafting and redrafting practice, you'll gain industry-applicable writing talents. Through acclaimed script analysis, you'll appreciate what makes great screenwriting.

Through a study exchange overseas, you will manage tasks and projects relevant to your course, working independently or collaboratively as part of a team.

The experience enables you to showcase your talents on a global stage while reflecting on your personal growth. With enhanced employability prospects, you return home with a new perspective to inform your practice.

Engage with theories and research suited to the subject. Analyse seminal comic book texts, considering the interplay of production elements and audience reception.

Join a team of creative students and do a project together. Try new things and see how they can help you.

You’ll also grasp how to use your skills with others. Sometimes you’ll be a leader, sometimes a helper. Talk about your ideas and learn from them. You’ll make something to show what you learned and share it with others.

This module helps you gain new skills and understand other fields. You’ll be a smart and creative person, ready to solve real-world problems.

Tailor language, form, and technique to immerse readers in imagined worlds, compelling characters, and thrilling plots. Reflect critically on bringing ideas from conception to completion. Analyse themes and trends shaking up the field, like genre-blends and subversion. Hone skills in constructive feedback to elevate your own work and that of peers.

You'll study traditional and experimental forms, before creating your own scripts. You'll take part in workshops that provide space for bold exploration and unlock your creative potential as a playwright.

Analysing influential works across theatre, spoken word and more. you'll implement professional strategies for developing compelling narratives and dialogue.

This will culminate in a staged reading of a script of your choice - proof of your flair for connecting with audiences through the written word.

You’ll look at the history, roles, and ethics of PR, and see how it differs from marketing and journalism. Through workshops and practical tasks, you'll gain real-world experience creating press releases, campaigns, and promotional materials for actual clients. Whether working alone or in groups, you’ll develop valuable skills in talking to people, managing projects, and making different media content.

This module will give you all the tools you need to succeed in the busy world of PR.

You’ll choose learning tasks that add up to 60 hours, like internships, volunteering, research, or remote study that match your career plans. Workshops will help you make meaningful goals and think about what you’ve accomplished. Through this, you’ll grow the knowledge, skills, and qualities you need to thrive in the workplace.

By looking at your growth through active participation and reading, you’ll become a perceptive, eager job-seeker who stands out.

You will learn how to source stories and write to industry standards for print, digital and broadcast in a newsroom setting.

Throughout the module, you will become familiar with the culture and issues of your chosen field, and will produce interviews, reviews, and features to strict deadlines. You will also build a portfolio, grow your contacts, and pitch your work to real outlets.

This specialist experience will be invaluable to your future career prospects, and will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

As a team, you will embark on a journey of entrepreneurship, starting with ideation and ending with the launch of your product or service. You will analyse complex factors influencing a successful launch, conduct thorough research to assess feasibility and gain valuable insights into marketing, manufacturing, and sales strategies.

Working together on pitch presentations, you will discover your strengths as an entrepreneur or team member. This module provides transferable skills essential to thrive in creative industries, whether you plan to launch your own company or seek employment with top organisations. You will develop the mindset and abilities to spot opportunities and act on them, which will benefit your career.

You’ll look at how some media stories use more than one platform, like books, films, games, and more. Discover how transmedia has changed over time and how to make your own stories more immersive and interactive. You’ll work with others to create and present your own transmedia project.

This module will help you become a skilled transmedia storyteller, ready for the industry. You’ll also improve your teamwork and research skills by collaborating with others. Most of all, your creativity will bloom as you immerse yourself in the future of interactive storytelling.

In this module, you’ll expand on what you’ve been passionate about during your studies, whether that’s a specific genre, theme, author, or theory. You might produce a novella, poetry collection, play or other original work, paired with a researched essay placing it in context. Your ambitious thesis will demonstrate academic rigour, proper referencing, and advanced creative writing skills. 

Select your topic with care, as this specialisation could be a highlight on your CV after graduation. 

With your initiative and our expert support, you’ll produce distinctive research and writing that exhibit your knowledge.

You'll analyse core texts and structure, and develop your professional critique skills. You'll learn to confidently apply your judgement and challenge opinions, as you utilise feedback to polish your pitches, outlines and scripts.

In this module, you’ll survey different media—from TV to print—and break down how they portray lifestyle, identity, and consumer habits. Studying these will help you understand the cultural importance of trends in shopping, home decor, and body image. Examine concepts like taste, social class, status, and alienation tied to consumerism, and link them to present-day problems. Choose examples to study in-depth, uncovering the messages behind consumer habits on your own. 

By the end of the module, you will have a solid understanding of the complexities of consumer culture and stronger analytical skills.

This understanding will deepen your insights into media, marketing, and human behaviour, preparing you for careers in fields like advertising and journalism.

Immerse yourself in in-depth research of a real person from the past, then weave fact with fiction as you plot their untold tales.

Or reinvent fictional narratives from books, TV and film by becoming an imaginative fan fiction author.

Share your original re-tellings at our lively Character Conference.

By the end of the module, you'll have produced compelling stories in historical and fan fiction genres, and developed key skills in experimenting with language, structure and canon.

You’ll consider how the news presents important events such as wars, disasters, and emergencies, and reflect on the impact of reporting. Dig into how news is made and think deeply about the forces that shape reporting on human rights. By studying real examples and doing your own research, you’ll learn to apply complex ideas to your analyses.

You’ll come to see the important role journalism has in society and learn how to cover world issues responsibly. Be a part of important talks on how the media deals with human rights — discussions that could lead to real change.

You’ll study different animation styles and visual codes and learn how to analyse them. You’ll understand the animation industry, its authors, and national traditions. These will help you see how to use solid facts to support your opinions in academic writing. By looking closely at the art form and its broader themes, you’ll create an in-depth portfolio that shows your critical views.

Finish this module with the skills you need to analyse animations on your own.

You’ll create a unique magazine for a specific niche and study the media environment. This will help you gain a competitive edge in everything—from branding to circulation.

Working as part of an editorial team, you’ll take on real industry roles, crafting engaging issues that perfectly blend concept, content, and visual excellence.

This practical experience is a solid base for coming up with ideas and producing magazines that truly stand out in the market.

Explore popular texts that have sparked dedicated fan bases. You’ll learn theories to grasp why audiences get so engaged. Study the roots of subcultures united by favourite movies, TV shows, and merchandise. Look at research on how fans interact, create communities, and set themselves apart. You’ll also get hands-on experience by joining fan groups online to study and support ideas about our strong connections with media.

With a mix of critical analysis, real-world examples, and practical research, you’ll uncover the social dynamics of fandom.

This module will deepen your understanding of why people become fans and how these communities operate, enriching your knowledge through both study and direct experience.

Use theory and history to see how literature, film, TV, new media, and journalism present technology, scientists, and science’s place in our world. You’ll learn to tell real science from fiction by evaluating their cultural settings. This will help you see how media shapes our understanding of science.

By looking at many examples and carefully thinking about them, you’ll discover how important it is to communicate science creatively.

You'll examine how comedy interacts with culture, society and industry, comparing scholarly perspectives and blending primary and secondary research, to articulate your ideas in writing.

Preparing you to apply insights to your own work, this module offers invaluable tools to think deeply about the art of comedy.

Use what you’ve learnt from various genres during your studies to refine an original manuscript — be it fiction, poetry, drama, or nonfiction. Combine literary influences, analytical insights, and writing techniques to refine your work for professional publication.

You’ll also document your creative journey from the initial idea to the finished product, reflecting critically on the impact of your literary choices. Receive guidance on the business side of writing as you prepare for your career launch after graduation.

With this module, you’ll be prepared to share your unique voice with the world.

During this module, you'll spend 6 months working on your own business venture, then 3 months gaining industry experience. This opportunity allows you to apply what you've learned in a practical setting while exploring different career options. You'll also have the chance to develop professional relationships and expand your network.

Assess your personal strengths and weaknesses to set goals for the future. Throughout the module, you'll demonstrate increasing independence while still valuing the support of others. Gain a broader understanding of the world through real-world experiences and insights. Additionally, you'll earn valuable credits for your CV and enhance your skill set.

By the end of this module, you'll graduate with the practical experience that employers are seeking.

This experience lets you learn firsthand how to set up and run a small business. You’ll absorb professional practices and business situations that matter to your entrepreneurial goals. Make important connections while working independently within set rules. Think deeply about your strengths, weaknesses, criteria for success, and future plans.

This opportunity is useful for your career. It lets you use what you’ve learnt in your degree in the real world and helps you understand your capabilities.

After finishing this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get more credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable step in developing an entrepreneurial way of thinking.

You’ll spend 24–48 weeks at a chosen company, learning from professionals and helping out with actual projects. Gain confidence, knowledge, and skills by taking on more responsibility with gradually less help. As you progress, you’ll make professional connections and think about how you’re doing. Take in what you learn about how industries and businesses work.

This placement is an ideal chance to grow in your career. By using what you’ve learnt in a workplace, you’ll understand more about your own strengths, what you need to work on, and your plans after you graduate.

After this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get extra credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable part of your education.

Undertake specialised assignments to demonstrate your abilities. Reflect on how global creative culture has expanded your perspective. Identify new transferable skills to empower your continued educational and professional journey.

Examining international contexts, you'll critically assess activities relevant to your field, gaining fresh insights into communication theory and practice worldwide.

In an overseas environment, you'll complete assignments independently, sharpening skills transferable to future studies and careers. Upon returning, thoughtful reflection will reveal your personal growth, as you process new worldviews and cross-cultural competencies.