English Literature with Creative Writing

Description

The University of East Anglia has a long tradition of providing courses in the writing of fiction, poetry and drama and has close and active links with the world of contemporary writing. As an introduction to the demands and challenges of creative practice, we offer Creative Writing as a subsidiary subject taken in conjunction with the study of English Literature.

This programme combines the study of English literature with the chance to develop your creative writing skills in classes usually taught by practising and published writers. There are classes in writing poetry, prose and drama, and in each case the aim is to complement the critical study of literature with insights gained from the practice of writing itself. Literature modules form about 75 per cent of the programme, creative writing about 25 per cent. If you are to be considered for this programme, you must be able to produce samples of your creative writing on request. Please note: creative writing modules are also available as options to students registered on other degree programmes.

The degree course is studied in an interdisciplinary atmosphere. Alongside specialists in English Literature, you will also work with teachers and students who are involved with Creative Writing, Drama, Philosophy, Modern Languages, American Studies, Film Studies, History and History of Art. The options system also allows you to explore one or other of these subjects yourself: in each of the three years, besides your options within the English syllabus, you can choose one module from another discipline, according to your own interests and aptitude.

The whole programme is based on the awareness that literature is not an abstract or unworldly pursuit, but something which happens in the real world. That is why we teach historically, so that literature is seen in larger contexts; and it is why we host regular extra-curricular visits by contemporary writers who read and discuss their work. We also emphasise making literature as well as studying it: there is the opportunity to extend your awareness of literature through your own writing. To facilitate all this we employ a variety of teaching strategies (small group seminars, larger-scale lectures, writing workshops, individual projects and dissertations). Assessment is carried out in each teaching module (either by coursework, assessed practical project or by occasional short exams) so that there are no ‘finals’.

Creative Writing is taught in seminar-workshops designed to help you develop your skills as a writer under the guidance of experienced practising writers. The workshops are designed to increase your ability to initiate and develop new creative material through technical exercises, group discussion and the exploration of strategies for drafting and re-drafting new work. You will be encouraged to initiate new ideas, develop appropriate formal strategies, address technical problems and tackle the demands of different literary genres, with a view to shaping and completing new creative work. The practical problems of creating character, writing dialogue, determining and maintaining mood and atmosphere, establishing visual and aural dynamics, and structuring the work will all be addressed, and the challenges of reading and researching as a writer will be explored.

For the Creative Writing minor part of the course, students take between 90 and 120 credits in Creative Writing within the total 360 credits that make up the whole degree programme.

Detailed Course Facts

• EUR 10560 Year (EEA)
• EUR 14430 Year (Non-EEA)

UK/EU £9,000; International £12,300

• English

Course Content

Year 1

In addition to the literature courses (outlined in the entry for English Literature), a first-year creative writing module is made up of structured exercises using objects, handouts and visualisations to introduce you to the craft and discipline of writing prose and poetry. You will begin with writing ‘what you know’, using memories, family stories and your own notebooks. Later, you will encounter the works of other authors as stimuli for your own writing, learning among other things, to read as a writer.

Year 2

Second-year specialist work takes the form of practical modules taught by practising writers, the aims of which are to help you develop your expressive and technical skills and improve your abilities as an editor and critic of your own and other people’s writing. The emphasis throughout is on reading as a writer and writing as a reader. The first half of the semester is normally spent in the production of an exploratory series of exercises and analyses of examples of writing, leading to the submission of two short pieces of fiction, together with a critical self-commentary. There is the opportunity for constructive group discussion of your work as an aid to the editing and redrafting process. There are similar second-year modules for scriptwriting, poetry and journalism.

Year 3

In the third year, there are the options of an advanced course (which operates as a foretaste of the renowned MA in Creative Writing), and/or a creative writing dissertation which takes the form of a longer piece in any genre agreed with your supervisor (eg a 45-60 minute script, a collection of poems or a 6,000-8,000 word short story) accompanied by a critical self-commentary on your work.

Teaching and Assessment:

Key skills, issues and ideas are introduced in lectures given by all members of faculty, including literary critics, literary historians and writers. More specialist study is undertaken in small group seminars. These are chosen from a range offered within the School and across the University. You will also spend time studying and researching in the library or carrying out practical work or projects. In most subject areas, you are assessed at the end of each year on the basis of coursework and, in some cases, project and examination results. In your final year, you will write a dissertation on a topic of your choice and with the advice of tutors. There is no final examination. Your final degree result is determined by the marks you receive in years two and three.

Year Abroad

You may choose to study at another European university for one or both semesters of the second year.

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6.5 TOEFL iBT® test : 88

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• A Level: AAA including English Literature
• International Baccalaureate: 34 points overall with 6 in HL English
• Scottish Advanced Highers: AAA including English Literature
• Irish Leaving Certificate: AAAAAA
• Access Course: Please contact the university for further information.
• HND: Please contact the university for further information.
• European Baccalaureate: 85% overall, with 80% in English Literature

The combined English Language and Literature A-level is acceptable instead of English Literature. A second Arts or Humanities subject at A-Level is encouraged, alongside English Literature. Students studying the IB programme should offer a second Arts or Humanities subject at Higher Level.

Students for whom English is a Foreign language

We welcome applications from students from all academic backgrounds. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading). Recognised English Language qualifications include:

• IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in all components)
• TOEFL: Internet-based score of 88 overall (minimum 18 in the Listening and Writing components; 19 in the Reading component; and 21 in the Speaking component)
• PTE: 62 overall with minimum 55 in all components

If you do not meet the University's entry requirements, our INTO Language Learning Centre offers a range of university preparation courses to help you develop the high level of academic and English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of East Anglia.