Creative Writing and English Literature (2026) BA (Hons)
UCAS code: QW38
We’re ranked 3rd in the North West for Creative Writing and 4th in the North West for English (The Complete University Guide, 2026).
Combine your passions for reading and writing great literature with our joint programme. Dive into genres, topics and periods, strengthen your mastery of literature, then transform your own writing with your new understanding as you tap into your creative potential.
Immerse yourself in classic and contemporary works of all kinds at Edge Hill. Explore key theories and analytical approaches to literature. Use these ideas to develop your understanding of a writer’s impact on society as you uncover what drives and inspires them.
Live the writer’s life. You’ll discover how to read as a writer and develop your own writing philosophy and poetics. Studying this degree at Edge Hill will educate and inspire. We want to empower you to reach for the skies in your own creative writing.
To help you do this, we have a wide range of extra curricular opportunities, such as The Dame Janet Suzman Playwriting Prize, the Rhiannon Evans Poetry Prize and the opportunity to become a student intern on a range of projects including the internationally recognised Edge Hill Short Story Prize.
Here are Edge Hill, through both module work and extracurricular opportunities working on real life projects, we place an emphasis on demystifying the publishing and producing world to help you to gain an understanding of how to get your own work out there and to find the job in the field of arts and humanities that is right for you.
In year 1, you will be introduced to ideas around creative writing and reading, thinking about image and theme as well as character and voice. There will be opportunities to learn about more theoretical elements of literature as well as the practical elements of working in the arts and humanities and honing creative practice.
Writing 1- Character and Voice introduces you to the art of writing by focusing on published pieces, specifically short prose, poems and dramatic script by concentrating on the analysis of literary texts. Through the close examination of set texts, you will be supported in developing skills in reading as a writer and writerly techniques of perception, language and effect. You are expected to read a range of prose, poetry and scripts with the aim of integrating reading as a writer into an ongoing practice of reflection on their own writing and its development. This module has a practical aspect, in which you will produce a short piece of prose, poetry or dramatic script. In order to do so, you will engage with a variety of techniques, forms and styles, illustrated by the close analysis of published literature. You will also develop the discipline of writing practice through the keeping of a writer's journal and by reflecting on their own progress.
Module code: ECW1000
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Reading
Reading will introduce you to the key skills and approaches necessary to successfully engage with academic study in the twenty-first century, providing a foundation for the exploration of English at university level. You will be introduced to a range of influential key theories from the 20th and 21st centuries, and learn how to apply these to literary and linguistic texts and approaches. You will make practical applications of these approaches to the primary and secondary texts studied on the module, including in the wider context of decolonisation.
Module code: ECW1001
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
An introduction to working within Arts and Humanities
An introduction to working within Arts and Humanities seeks to develop your knowledge and understanding of concepts and issues within the context of arts and humanities and the creative industries. You will develop both your understanding of contemporary employability contexts and your research skills and will also gain insight into the practice of industry speakers through presentations and workshops. The module covers a wide range of specialisms, as arts and humanities professionals operate in an industry that is constantly changing and evolving. You will also be given the opportunity to engage with career planning, in accordance to your aspirations, skills and talents.
Module code: ECW1002
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Listening
Listening enables you to gain a basic understanding and knowledge of the description and classification of speech sounds and the sound system of English through study of poetry and prosody. It will also allow you to focus on associated employability skills and gain knowledge and understanding of the ways in which phonetics are directly relevant to several fields, such as speech and language therapy, second language learning, education, literary stylistics, forensic phonetics and artificial intelligence.
Module code: ECW1004
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Writing 2- Image and Theme
Writing 2- Image and Theme introduces you to the art of writing short fiction, poetry and dramatic script, through ongoing creative practice. Throughout the module, you will get the opportunity to create original work in each of these forms, through a process of drafting and editing, individually and through workshops, and to reflect on that process, critically.
Theorising is based around the study of key theories and methodologies which have had a lasting impact on the disciplines of English and Creative Writing. It introduces you to significant ideas in contemporary criticism which shape scholarship in the twenty-first century. You will engage with some philosophical and some linguistic approaches which reflect changing ideas about the text and which will implement your understanding of these ideas in your interpretive, critical and analytical writing. You will enhance your existing key transferable skills of reading, writing and comprehension, verbal communication and presentation and listening and information retrieval through completing this module. You will acquire a wide range of subject-specific and transferable skills, including the ability to read and apply challenging, ambitious and complex ideas.
Module code: ECW1003
Credits: 20
Assessment:
60% Practical
40% Coursework
The Studio
The Studio introduces you to various ways of exploring your writing practice through a series of exercises and writing experiments. The module will equip you with the essential skills for the writing process, enabling you to develop your own creative ideas and writing voice and reflect on the practice of creative and imaginative writing. You will gain an understanding of the importance of re-drafting work, explore the poetics and philosophy of writing, and be encouraged to step outside your comfort zone. The module will provide you with the foundations to become an innovative writer. You will be able to creatively explore ways of writing and thinking about writing, while also being adaptable and reflective.
Module code: WRI1033
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
New Venture Creation
New Venture Creation introduces you to business planning and the development stages in business start-up. You will organise and evaluate theoretical perspectives in a practical setting, informing your future learning processes and outcomes. A key element of the module is a review of entrepreneurial skills and small business development through theoretical concepts of enterprise, self-employment and small business management. This module creates an awareness of emergent business types and their markets, the factors behind small business start-ups, entry routes, funding, and barriers. A practical element includes foundational steps towards a business start-up project which will require you to demonstrate key skill areas such as the development stages of business planning, communication, negotiation, self-management, and problem solving. The combination of these aspects will enable you to critically engage in academic thinking and writing about enterprise, evaluate business ideas, choose one main idea, strategically conceptualise that idea, and prepare a business plan and pitch for how the idea could be brought successfully to market.
Module code: BUS1054
Credits: 20
Assessment:
50% Coursework
50% Practical
Language 1
Language 1 is ideal if you want to learn a new language, or further develop your current language skills, as an integrated part of this degree. The module will be taught in an interactive, communicative manner, using authentic materials in the target language. Emphasis will be placed on all four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will play an active role in the classes, engaging in role-plays, short conversations, videos, authentic texts and listening materials. You will also be encouraged to reflect on your own learning needs. The module accommodates varying language levels and you will be divided into groups accordingly. On enrolment to the module, you will complete a language induction form and be placed into a language level group appropriate for your prior knowledge of the language. Please note, while we will endeavour to accommodate varying language levels per module, this is not always possible. While you can join the module with some prior experience of your target language, you will not be able to study a language you are already fluent or proficient in.
Module code: TLC1010
Credits: 20
Assessment:
85% Coursework
15% Practical
Year two enables you to enhance your critical and creative processes, developing a professional approach to writing, whilst also exploring creative and literary careers more fully with a range of employability modules.
Inside the Publishing Industry develops your awareness of publishing across literary genres with a focus on poetry, fiction, script and digital publishing. You will explore what writers and publishers are looking for in the 21st century and receive talks by guest speakers from leading publishing presses as well as industry professionals. A study of all genres is designed to explore the differences between writing and production via print, digital media and performance.
Module code: WRI2020
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Romanticism
Romanticism provides an introduction to texts, authors, genres and central themes from the first stirrings of what has been traditionally conceived of as the Romantic age in the 1760s, until the dawn of the Victorian age seventy years later. Poetry, the prose essay and the novel are all studied on this module.
Module code: LIT2050
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Please note, if LIT2017 Early Modern Literature is chosen in Semester 1, WRI2024 Writing Short Stories must be chosen in Semester 2.
If WRI2023 The Art of Poetry is chosen in Semester 1, LIT2059 Special Topic 1 must be chosen in Semester 2.
The Art of Poetry enables you to write in, and experiment with, a variety of styles, to read a range of contemporary and recent poetry, and to relate that reading to an on-going process of reflection that will feedback into a robust and inventive writing practice. Emphasis will be placed upon continuous journaling, intensive reading and workshop participation.
Module code: WRI2023
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Early Modern Literature
Early Modern Literature introduces you to significant features of life, and their reciprocal relationships with poetry and drama, in Early Modern England. Works by a range of writers, including, Spenser, Shakespeare, and Donne, Queen Elizabeth I, Lady Mary Wroth, and Elizabeth Cary, will be contextualised in relation to cultural and literary innovations of the period.
Writing Short Stories explores the nature of the short story form and its specific demands on the writer. You will produce your own short fiction, responding to the diversity of styles and genres adopted by short story authors. You will also be given guidance on potential outlets for your work.
Module code: WRI2024
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Special Topic 1
Special Topic 1 enables you to begin to develop your independent research skills within a structure which provides a clear and continuing framework of support. The module will take you through weekly subject-based sessions to structured study of your chosen extended special subject research. You will have considerable choice of subject matter within three broad pathways which draw on current staff research specialisms. You will work towards producing a guided but independent research project, with specialist staff support.
Project Module introduces you to various employability possibilities (commercial, trade and independent publishing), fields of contemporary literary production and the role(s) possible for working in the arts and humanities. The module offers you the opportunity to engage in professional practice via an independent (group) project (assessed through individual assignments) where you will negotiate the creation of a cultural artefact and/or cultural or arts and humanities service or take an unpaid internship, that you have organised, in a professional environment. All activities will be developed and encouraged via tutorials, lectures, seminars and workshops.
Module code: ECW2000
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Working with Children
Working with Children offers an overview of British children’s literature alongside an overview of stages involved in child language development. It explores theoretical and methodological approaches to the history and representation of childhood in literature and describes how children learn first through listening and speaking, being read to by caregivers and how this leads to pre-literacy and later literacy skills. The module also introduces and examines theories relating to the topics of children’s literature and child language development, including literacy.
Module code: ECW2001
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
The Art of Scriptwriting
The Art of Scriptwriting explores various strategies towards scriptwriting with a particular emphasis on writing for the stage. You will gain an understanding of the central role of the playwright in the theatre making process, be involved in a dramaturgical analysis of a range of scripts, and gain an understanding of how plays are constructed. The module enables you to develop your own personal practice and playwright’s aesthetic. Additionally, you will prepare, pitch, develop and write to format your own original one act play.
Module code: WRI2025
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Entrepreneurship and Innovation explores characteristics, behaviours, attributes, and skills of entrepreneurship as well as the whole process of innovation from idea to product development and the conditions that must be fulfilled for innovation to thrive. The module explores research from a number of areas to highlight the importance of factors such as social and economic capital, local and regional infrastructure and the role of government in enabling (or disabling) innovation. You'll develop your entrepreneurial skills, identifying opportunities and developing ventures. On top of this, you'll consider the risk environment including legal issues, funding issues, start-up and growth strategies. This module provides you with the ability to act entrepreneurially to generate, develop and communicate ideas, manage and exploit intellectual property, gain support, and deliver successful outcomes.
Module code: BUS2229
Credits: 20
Assessment:
50% Coursework
50% Practical
Year 3 allows you to hone your craft and to focus more on your own areas of interest, fine tuning what you’ve learned in years 1 and 2. You will also be able to choose between a creative or critical dissertation.
Independent Literature Research Project allows you to undertake an extended piece of research, on a topic of your own selection. Extended research is at the heart of English Literature as an academic subject, and, at this point in the academic programme this module provides you with an opportunity to deploy, independently, the skills and knowledge they have acquired in the first two years of the course.
Module code: LIT3015
Credits: 40
Assessment:
100% Coursework
The Writer’s Workshop
The Writer’s Workshop enables you to develop your practical and creative skills in a specific genre, as well as to further investigate the processes involved in your own practice and that of other writers. The module provides you with the opportunity to develop and complete an extended creative project in a field of your choosing, along with a 3,000-word critique of the work. The project may take any form agreed by the project supervisor but in most cases will consist of a collection of poems, a collection of short stories, a short novel or novella, a play, a film or television script.
Experiments in Writing introduces you to new ways and forms of writing, as well as to various philosophies and theories that can be incorporated into new writing pieces. The exact areas of study will vary depending on the interests of the group as well as the areas of expertise and research of the module leader. Such areas might include writing comedy for performance, writing through a system-based practice or writing for a particular genre that explores, more fully, ways of subverting and experimenting with particular techniques. The aim is for you to become an innovative writer who is creatively experimental and able to write and read outside of your comfort zone. All activities will be developed and encouraged via tutorials, seminars and workshops.
Module code: WRI3026
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
The Victorians at Work
The Victorians at Work recognises that Victorians saw literature as a form of social commentary. This period survey module explores Victorian prose and poetry that addressed the pressing social and cultural questions of the period, such as the impacts of industrialisation, urbanisation, scientific advance and secularisation. You will examine the work of a range of canonical and popular Victorian authors and place their writing in the relevant literary, cultural and historical contexts.
Advanced Fiction provides you with the opportunity to write fiction at an advanced level, with a particular focus on the novel and the short story sequence. Using increasingly complex themes and techniques, you will establish a growing sense of autonomy as a writer, shaped by the reading of fiction and also your own continuous writing practice. You are also encouraged to experiment with form and genre and to consider potential publishing outlets for your work.
Module code: WRI3022
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Modernisms
Modernisms develops your understanding and appreciation of the key features of early 20th century movements in the literary arts. Discover the writers who tried to breathe fresh life into literature for an altered fast-paced world. You will examine periodicals, short stories, fiction and poetry as new styles of writing designed to reflect the realities and hopes of a modern world.
Sexualities, Genders and Identities explores literary, linguistic and creative representations of same-sex desire and gender diversity, particularly those that challenge, disrupt or queer normative expectations, including in the wider context of decolonisation. Queer linguistic approaches, as well as those based on third-wave feminism, allow you to critique earlier linguistic analysis of language and gender which are based on hegemonic, dichotomous gender ideologies. The module will place a range of text types, such as transcripts of spoken language, historical and contemporary novels and autobiographical writings in their social and political contexts to examine the changes and continuities in queer textual representation across time and place. The language used to describe queer lives and experiences, both within the set texts and beyond them, will form an integral part of this module. You will have the opportunity to respond critically and creatively to these texts, using relevant literary, cultural and linguistic theories to inform their interpretations.
Module code: ECW3000
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Greening
Greening will explore recent ecocritical approaches to literature, exploring how writing both represents and reimagines the environment. The module begins with Romantic representations of nature and its connection to human creativity. It then examines literary responses to the environmental impact of imperialism and colonialism in the Victorian period as well as twentieth-century engagements with climate change, and contemporary imaginings of ecological collapse and its aftermath. The module engages you in thinking about the impact of literary representation on significant global challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainability.
Module code: LIT3018
Credits: 20
Assessment:
60% Practical
40% Coursework
Advanced Script Writing
Advanced Script Writing gives you the opportunity to apply the skills learned throughout Level 4 and 5, exploring screenwriting for television and film, writing for radio script and writing for theatre. The module will encourage you to develop the critical connection between creative writing and interdisciplinary approaches to creative practice, thinking about media-specific varieties and further develop your understanding of character, plot, dialogue, montage and the structure of writing a script for development and production. You will also further your analytical skills through the consideration of screenplays, theatre scripts and radio plays, by considering scripts from the writer’s perspective. Students will also critically engage with the industrial context of getting scripts produced. The module will culminate in you preparing outlines, pitching script ideas and treatments and writing to format your own industry standard script (30 mins long with appropriate additional documentation such as scene by scene breakdown, episode breakdown etc).
Module code: WRI3005
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Poetry and Innovative Form
Poetry and Innovative Form enables you to practice advanced techniques and develop innovative strategies for writing poetry, while reading a range of contemporary works (including emergent forms) and reflecting upon the reading and writing. Emphasis will be placed upon autonomous and continuous writing practice and experimentation and the development of a poetics of writing to accompany and fortify this, as well as reading poetry as a fellow-practitioner and developing this work and awareness through workshop participation.
Module code: WRI3021
Credits: 20
Assessment:
100% Coursework
Enterprise Management
Enterprise Management cultivates entrepreneurial skills, fostering innovation, creativity, and strategic thinking. It immerses you in real-world business contexts, promoting adaptability and resilience. Emphasising practical application you'll develop an understanding of the intricacies of entrepreneurship. You will refine your problem-solving and decision-making capabilities and explore theoretical frameworks with hands-on experiences. The module emphasises collaboration, communication, and risk management, equipping you with the skills and mindset needed for success in the ever-evolving landscape of entrepreneurship and enterprise.
Module code: BUS3079
Credits: 20
Assessment:
50% Coursework
50% Practical
How you'll study
Class teaching and learning for Creative Writing modules is centred on the writer’s workshop, where there is a strong emphasis on participation and the creative community.
You will learn the habits of a professional writer, including keeping a writer’s journal, and engage in research and observation, re-drafting and editing, and presenting work to a high standard. Self and peer appraisal are important, as are paired and small group work. All modules are underpinned by a sense of an audience – ranging from a student’s seminar group through electronic and paper publication to performance.
Teaching and learning for English Literature modules includes lectures and seminars, workshops, group activities, independent research and our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). As well as module and seminar tutors, personal tutors and year tutors will support you through your studies.
How you'll be assessed
Creative Writing modules are assessed by coursework, which includes creative practice, critical practice, essays and reflection on the whole process.
Assessment of English Literature modules involves a mixture of coursework and examinations with emphasis placed on work produced in your own time or formally presented in class. Typically, you can expect to be assessed on essays, short analyses, reports and close readings, oral presentations and group work.
Who will be teaching you
You’ll be taught by tutors who are practising, professional writers. They include widely produced and published fiction writers, poets and dramatists. The programme team are also practising researchers and scholars, publishing work in a variety of academic and literary journals. This means that you will be taught by people who know how to succeed in the creative industries as well as academia.
There is also a dedicated and approachable team of English Literature tutors who are active in research in all taught subject areas, publishing books and articles on a regular basis. Several have been successful in winning national research awards from bodies such as the British Academy, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and The Leverhulme Trust.
As a Creative Writing student at Edge Hill University, you will have the opportunity to attend workshops and readings with a variety of guest writers at the Arts Centre. Close links have also been established with Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre and the innovative Shakespeare North, as well as other poetry venues across Merseyside.
Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.
Entry criteria
112-120 points. No specific subjects are required.
Example offers
Qualification
Requirement
A Level
BBC-BBB.
UCAS Tariff points
112-120 points.
BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications)
Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM).
T Level
Overall grade of Merit.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points.
Access to Higher Education Diploma
45 credits at Level 3, for example 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit or 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.
Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.
If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.
English language requirements
International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.
If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.
Fair Entry Criteria
Our new Fair Entry Criteria is a Contextual Admissions Policy that takes an applicant’s personal and educational background into account. This policy will allow eligible applicants to receive up to a two-grade reduction in their entry requirements for this course. Find out more and see if you qualify.
Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
The Department of English and Creative Arts is based in Creative Edge, a state-of-the-art £17million building offering highly contemporary facilities.
The £17 million Creative Edge building features a lecture theatre, seminar rooms, IT facilities and smaller tutorial spaces. It has everything you need to become a capable, versatile, creative writer and thinker. Creative Edge’s social learning spaces are ideal for passionate discussion with like-minded creatives.
You’ll develop the practical skills, analytical tools and confidence for wherever your creative flair and insight takes you.
The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships, which celebrate the determination, commitment and achievement of our students. Many of our scholarships are awarded automatically. There are some however, where you will need to be involved in an application or nomination process. To find out more about our scholarships and check your eligibility, please visit our dedicated scholarships pages.
Money Matters
Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).
If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.
Your future career
Careers and employability are integrated throughout the degree with modules focussed on developing employability skills. Industry contacts and practical experience are important, so we offer networks in areas like publishing, festival and event organisation and museum curation.
You can also choose a life in academia. Take a PGCE to go into teaching or pursue a Masters in creative writing.
