English Literature and Creative Writing

UCAS code: QW38

Here's what Aberystwyth University says about its English Literature and Creative Writing course.

In choosing Aberystwyth University's innovative English and Creative Writing degree you will have the opportunity to develop both your creative and critical writing skills. This course is taught by distinguished, practising writers. You will find this English and Creative Writing degree both challenging and rewarding.

By studying various genres and styles, writing forms and techniques, you will develop a range of competencies and capabilities, skills and attributes that are widely sought by employers.We are ranked in the the top 10 for English student satisfaction in the recent national student survey (NSS, 2017). You will be taught by staff who are distinguished practising writers and published authors across a broad spectrum of literary fields.

You will be encouraged to develop your creative and critical writing skills. You will expand your range and capabilities as a writer to enable you to work confidently in a variety of forms and genres. We offer you opportunities to engage with a wide variety of approaches to literature and cultural history, combining critical thinking with scholarship.You will have the opportunity to explore literary theory - philosophical and conceptual ideas that inform, challenge and problematize the ways we read. In your final year you will have the opportunity to take part in a writing retreat at a country house in mid Wales - an amazing opportunity to spend time with fellow students and staff, developing your final year projects and dissertations, in a splendid rural setting.

We have one of the biggest libraries in the world, the National Library of Wales, on our doorstep. This copyright institution receives a copy of every book published in the UK.

The department is home to New Welsh Review, Wales’ foremost literary magazine - this could be an exciting opportunity for you to get involved. As a student in the department of English Literature and Creative Writing, you will have the opportunity to undertake a study abroad placement in one of many partnered Universities across Europe and the rest of the World or complete a year in industry (YES) and develop the skills and contact leads that will give you the head start in the competitive job market.

A degree in English Literature is the "gold standard" for any employment setting where communication is valued. All of our modules deliver key skills that enable you to build a comprehensive C.V. that evidences your diverse range of competencies. Our graduates have been successful across the widest possible range of career destinations:

• Broadcasting;

• Journalism;

• Advertising;

• Publishing;

• Education;

• Civil Service;

• Business;

• Finance;

• New Media.

This degree is based on our strongly held belief that in order to become a really great writer you need to be a good reader. You will develop advanced skills in the interpretation and analysis of literary texts, you will encounter texts from a range of historical periods and genres. Throughout the course you will use your knowledge of literature and textual production in your own creative work, exploring the relationship between creative and critical practice. Our degree is taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one tutorials. We also encourage self-directed learning designed to stimulate your academic interest in reading and writing and to nurture your personal and intellectual development. You will be assessed through portfolios of your creative work, critical commentaries, essays, exams and oral presentations. You will also be required to complete additional, non-assessed, assignments and to work with others on particular tasks.