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English and Creative Writing

Entry requirements


A level

B,C,C

To normally include a C in English (Language or Literature). Applicants without A Level English will be considered on an individual basis.

Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points. Applicants without A Level English will be considered on an individual basis.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

The University normally requires Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C/4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

Applicants without A Level English will be considered on an individual basis.

T Level

Pass (C and above)


Passing the T Level with Pass (C or above in the Core). Applicants without English will be considered on an individual basis.

UCAS Tariff

104

To normally include a C in English (Language or Literature). Applicants without A Level English will be considered on an individual basis.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Creative writing

English studies

What makes a writer’s work worth reading? What turns a wannabe writer into a professional? How are the study of literature, creative writing and language related?

English at USW offers a unique opportunity to combine the study of literature with creative writing and language in modules designed to bring the three areas of study into enlightening conversation. In addition to studying each of them you will develop an appreciation of how each can be used to enhance the others.
Blended and complementary modules explore the styles and modes of literary composition from ancient times to the present, engage students in carefully planned and structured writing workshops, and develop advanced linguistic expertise.

As well as gaining specialist skills in analysis and close reading, you will be able to improve your writing in range of modes, including fiction, poetry, media copy and non-fiction. Whether you want to be a writer, or just a highly employable person with advanced critical and creative competence, the advancement of these key abilities means you’ll be ready for the workplace when you graduate.

**What will I study?**
From the start, this course encourages you to read widely and experiment in a variety of ways in order to achieve a high standard of critically informed understanding and creative know-how. In your first year, you will take core introductory modules which combine imaginative and analytical elements with language study, as well as exploring classic literature from the age of Shakespeare. Guiding you through the basics of critical appreciation, writing fiction, poetry and media copy, the first-year programme provides you with the tools you’ll need to get the most out of subsequent years.

Year two builds on this foundation with modules which continue the disciplinary strands encountered in your first year. Language skills are enhanced by modules looking at social and employment-based usage, literary studies continue with modules in nineteenth century, utopia/dystopia and gothic modes, and creative writing modules focus on producing fictional and non-fictional stories. Deepening your comprehension of the scope and variety of literature in English and sharpening your sense of how to realise your creative ambitions, the second year equips you to meet the exciting challenges of the final year.

In your third year, creative writing modules encourage you to engage with the world of publishing, honing your understanding of what it means to write specifically for the marketplace. Modules in literary studies cover modernism and after, postcolonial writing, and the widespread adaptation of myth – from ancient narratives to modern fiction and film. The study of language continues with consideration of its use in creative and professional contexts. You will also have the opportunity to produce a dissertation on the subject of your choice. This can be either a creative piece or a work of literary scholarship. Working with a supervisor, you will be able to design a project which reflects your own tastes, ambitions and skills.

**How will I be taught?**
Teaching is delivered through lectures, workshops, small group discussions and individual tutorials. You will be assessed in a variety of ways, including imaginative writing portfolios, critical exercises, essays and presentations.

**Where will I Study?**
Just a short train ride north of Cardiff, our Treforest campus is located near the valley town of Pontypridd, amid beautiful scenery in a richly historic landscape. With an onsite student union, halls of residence, sports centre, restaurants, bars, shops, and more, it hosts a lively and colourful student community.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,000
per year
EU
£9,000
per year
International
£12,600
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,000
per year
Scotland
£9,000
per year
Wales
£9,000
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Pontypridd

Department:

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Creative writing

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

98%
UK students
2%
International students
27%
Male students
73%
Female students

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
C

English studies

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

99%
UK students
1%
International students
21%
Male students
79%
Female students

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation


We don't have more detailed stats to show you in relation to this subject area at this university but read about typical employment outcomes and prospects for graduates of this subject below.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Creative writing

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£14k

£14k

£17k

£17k

£24k

£24k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

English studies (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£14k

£14k

£17k

£17k

£24k

£24k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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