Creative Writing and English Literature BA (Hons)

UCAS code: QW38

We’re 12th in the UK for Creative Writing, and 11th in the UK for English (The Guardian University Guide 2025).

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.

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Overview

Course length:	3 years full-time 6 years part-time 3 years full-time 6 years part-time
Start dates:	September 2025 September 2026
Location:	Edge Hill University
Example offers:	BBC-BBB (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) View full entry criteria
Subject(s):	Creative Writing English
Faculty:	Arts and Sciences
Department:	English and Creative Arts

Two students sat on a bench, one reading and the other making notes, in a courtyard by the Main Building.

Be inspired. Grasp deeper meanings. Push your creative boundaries. Experiment with poetry, fiction and writing for the stage, screen and radio on our BA (Hons) Creative Writing and English Literature.

Immerse yourself in classic and contemporary works of all kinds at Edge Hill. Through them, you’ll 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.

Course features

International students can apply
Learn a language option available
Sandwich year option available
Studying abroad option available

Mature discussions and workshopping enable me to explore views on books and social issues, very useful in my academic work, and life in general.

Leah Maslin

BA (Hons) Creative Writing and English Literature

View student profile

What you'll study

In Year 1, you begin your journey to learn the art of reading as a writer. You will explore methodologies, literary criticism and theories across historical and contemporary fiction. You will create poetry and short fiction adding layers of meaning using your new skills. This packed year also sees you grapple with a radio play and the basics of scriptwriting to open new horizons.

Compulsory modules:

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Two of:

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Literary History introduces the development of English Literature. Beginning with the classical and biblical background which inspired examples of English Literature, the module will first focus upon international literature including examples of epic and lyric poetry and drama. You will then turn to the development of English literature from Shakespearean drama to Victorian lyric, before concluding with a consideration of how the novel has replaced the epic as a modern genre reflecting self and society.

Module code: LIT1024

Credits: 20

Assessment

70% Coursework

30% Practical

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. You can study French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese or Spanish (subject to minimum numbers for your preferred language). Delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, 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 weekly two-hour 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. 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 your chosen 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

In Year 2 the emphasis is on developing a professional approach to your writing. Write contemporary poetry, short fiction and a one-act play, then analyse and edit your work to make it better. The English literature syllabus becomes more flexible. Choose from modules centred around staff interests and research specialisms. Explore Renaissance drama, Romanticism, Restoration-era poetry and prose, or children’s literature.

Compulsory modules:

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Three of:

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Special Author 1 focuses on a single author (such as Hardy or Dickens) or a related group of authors (such as the Brontës) whose works are sufficiently extensive to merit a whole semester’s study. You will examine the author’s work in the light of recent critical and theoretical approaches to authorship and canonicity and develop an ability to theorise the relationship between an author and their literary work. You will acquire a specialist knowledge of a literary period and a major writer through examination of the author’s development in relation to relevant historical, cultural and literary contexts.

Module code: LIT2051

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Coursework

40% Practical

Language 2 is ideal if you want to learn a new language, or further develop your current language skills, as an integrated part of this degree. You can study French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese or Spanish (subject to minimum numbers for your preferred language). Delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, 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 weekly two-hour 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. 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 your chosen 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: TLC2000

Credits: 20

Assessment

85% Coursework

15% Practical

Creative writing allows you to hone your craft in Year 3. You’ll have opportunities to specialise in your area of interest, with optional modules throughout offering the chance to experiment with your work. For example, you could look at screenwriting, experimental writing or or work towards post-graduate study with our Writer at Work module. Or fine-tune the skills learned in Year 1 and 2 further by exploring poetry and fiction. In English Literature, further optional modules enable you to delve into Victorian literature, the Modernist movement and contemporary authors.

Three of:

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Three of:

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Hosting a Festival enables you to make a direct connection between the subject matter of your degree and your plans a graduate career by engaging with workplace practice via a group project. This module provides the opportunity to work collaboratively to research, plan and initiate an in-house festival, aimed at a specific audience, while reflecting on and evaluating your ability to do so. Academic supervision and assessment is provided by the Department of English and Creative Arts while support is also available from the University’s Careers Centre. The module will equip you with a ready-made, experience-based case study of how you applied the knowledge and skills learned on your degree in a practical setting, providing valuable material for job applications, interviews and your CV.

Module code: HUM3000

Credits: 20

Assessment

70% Coursework

30% Practical

Sexuality and Subversion is devoted to the critical analysis of textual representations of sexuality and especially of same-sex desire and sexual dissidence in British prose. The module focuses mainly on the novel, but also on key autobiographical prose texts, from the 19th century to now (with particular focus on the 20th century). It problematises perceptions that sexual radicalism originated in the late 20th century by interrogating its earlier textual representation(s). Texts, their contexts, and relevant literary and cultural theories combine to reveal the changes and continuities in the textual representation of subversive and dissident sexualities and sexual identities over time.

Module code: LIT3050

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Coursework

40% Practical

Language 3 enables you to build on and develop your previous language knowledge in French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin or Spanish. You must have either studied the prior language module in the previous year or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge of your target language (though you will not be able to study a language you are already fluent or proficient in). The language levels available will be determined by the continuation of corresponding groups from the previous language module. You will gain the language skills necessary to become a more proficient user of the language. Classes will be taught in an interactive and communicative manner using authentic materials to promote meaningful communication. They will be conducted in the target language as much as possible. Emphasis will be on speaking and listening, with appropriate attention also being paid to other communication skills. Other work will include a variety of tasks which may be completed in the Language Centre.

Module code: TLC3000

Credits: 20

Assessment

85% Coursework

15% Practical

Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.

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.

The University hosts the annual Edge Hill Short Story Prize and has recently set up the Edge Hill University Press, which offers students the opportunity of internships working on the editorial team.

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.

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 short-story writers, poets, dramatists and games writers. 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 as well as other poetry venues across Merseyside.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Typical offer 112-120 UCAS Tariff points. No specific subjects are required.

Example offers

Qualification	Requirement
A Level	BBC-BBB.
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. Subject-specific requirements at Higher Level (HL) Grade 5 may apply.
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.

For further information on how you can meet the entry requirements

UK EU International

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Fastrack

How to apply

Apply online through UCAS

Read our guide to applying through UCAS to find out more about the application process.

Apply as an international student

Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Part-time applications require a direct application to Edge Hill. Please select the year of entry that you wish to apply for.

Apply for September 2025 part-time.

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.

Facilities

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.

Where you'll study

Creative Edge

Finance

Tuition fees

£9,535

a year

£17,000

a year

2025/2026 part-time fee information will be added when available.

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 maintenance loan 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, together with details of how to apply for potential funding.

Money Matters

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

Ever wondered: “What can I do with a degree in creative writing and English literature?” Our graduates now work in a range of areas from publishing, education, and the media to marketing and business. This includes roles such as:

Communications Assistant
Senior Production Editor
Content Creator
Marketing Strategist
Whole School Literacy Coordinator

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 game design, publishing, festival and event organisation and museum curation.

Why not kick start a theatre career by entering the Dame Janet Suzman Playwriting award in your third year? Or build your CV and real world experience by hosting an in-house literary festival?

You can also choose a life in academia. Take a PGCE to go into teaching or pursue a Masters in creative writing.

Course changes

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

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Creative Writing and English Literature

Creative Writing and English Literature BA (Hons)

Overview