Skip Navigation

English Language with Creative Writing BA (Hons)

UCAS code: Q1W8

Explore the power and influence of spoken and written English language, while flexing your imagination and honing your writing craft. Develop your communication skills and discover the power, influence and art of the English language and creative writing.

Overview

Course length: 3 years full-time
6 years part-time
Start dates: September 2023
September 2024
Location: Edge Hill University
Example offers: BBC-BBB (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) View full entry criteria
Subject(s): English
Faculty: Arts and Sciences
Department: English and Creative Arts
A student flicks through their notes during a seminar.

Develop your understanding of spoken and written English and consider how it has evolved over time on our English language with creative writing degree.

Are you an aspiring writer but haven’t quite found your niche? Would you like to understand how children develop their language perception and comprehension? This course is a balance of using imagination and exploring theory.

We’ll encourage you to read as a writer and develop your creative writing skills in areas like poetry, fiction and screenwriting. Learning to find your own creative philosophy will be important too.

You’ll also look back at how English became a world language and its different varieties. We’ll also make sure you’re confident in your listening, transcribing and analysing abilities.

Course features

  • International students can apply

  • Learn a language option available

  • Sandwich year option available

  • Studying abroad option available

What you'll study

Year 1 of this English language with creative writing degree is all about building solid foundations. We’ll take you through the fundamental skills for the analysis and description of the English language. You’ll study the structure, sound system and variation in language. We’ll also introduce the art of writing fiction and poetry and you’ll start to compose short stories and observational poems.

Compulsory modules:

Expand all
Introduction to Fiction
Introduction to Poetry
Studying English Language
The Structure of English

Two of:

Expand all
Exploring Variation in English
The Sounds of English
Language 1

Alongside two compulsory creative writing modules, you’ll choose four additional language modules of interest in Year 2. Optional modules include Child Language Development, Investigating English Language and the History and Development of English.

You’ll also strengthen the short story and poem writing experience from your first year. Experimenting with writing styles and reflection, you’ll get into the habit of writing inventively.

Compulsory modules:

Expand all
The Art of Poetry
Writing Short Stories

Two of:

Expand all
Analysing Discourse
Child Language Development
History and Development of English

Two of:

Expand all
English Language: Forms and Contexts
Investigating English Language
Language of Shakespeare and His Time
Language 2

Diverse optional modules in Year 3 will help you define the type of writer you want to be. Perhaps you’d like to work on fiction or immerse yourself in the art of screenwriting?

You’ll also choose optional English language modules including Language, Gender and Sexuality and Forensic Linguistics. Write a dissertation on a linguistic area of interest to you. In your final year, we’ll prepare you for life after graduation and your chosen career path.

Two of:

Expand all
An Introduction to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Language Change
Language, Gender and Sexuality
Psycholinguistics

40 credits from:

Expand all
Advanced Fiction
Critical Discourse Studies
English Language: Varieties and Other Languages
Forensic Linguistics
Hosting a Festival
Language Dissertation
Language 3
Poetry and Innovative Form
The Art of Screenwriting

Optional modules 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

For the English Language elements of the degree, traditional lectures and seminar-based learning are complemented by student participation in workshops, student-led presentations, independent research projects and group activities. You will also make use of extensive online resources with the assistance of English language staff.

Teaching and learning for Creative Writing modules is centred on the writer’s workshop where there is a strong emphasis on participation. You will learn the habits of a professional writer, including keeping a writer’s journal, undertaking research and observation, re-drafting and editing text, and presenting work to a high standard. Self and peer appraisal are important, as are paired and small group work. Modules are underpinned by a sense of an audience – ranging from a student’s seminar group through electronic and paper publication to performance.

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

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework and formal tests or examinations. This includes essays, linguistic analyses, class tests and group work for English Language modules, alongside creative practice, critical practice and reflection for Creative Writing modules.

Who will be teaching you

You will be taught by an enthusiastic team of linguistic experts and professional writers whose work has been widely published, broadcast and staged.

The programme team publish and/or edit a variety of academic and literary journals, including the Journal of British and Irish Innovative PoetryShort Fiction in Theory and Practice and 21: Journal of Contemporary and Innovative Fiction.

They are committed to providing you with an excellent learning experience and update modules regularly to ensure that they are current and relevant.

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.

How to apply

Apply full-time

Apply online through UCAS

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

Apply part-time

Apply directly to Edge Hill University

Complete our online application form if you want to study this course on a part-time basis.

International

Apply as an international student

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

Closed to international applications for September 2023.

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.

Did you know?

If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.

Discover our accommodation

Facilities

Creative EdgeThe 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

UK Full-Time

£9,250

a year

UK Part-Time

£77 per credit

for 360 credits

International

£15,500

a year

The UK tuition fee rate is subject to final Government approval for academic year 2023/24 entry. 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.

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

During this English language with creative writing degree you’ll gain a range of skills that can be applied to a variety of different industries. Whether you want to go into creative writing, or use your degree in a communications role, you could find yourself in sectors such as:

  • teaching (further training needed)
  • speech therapy (further training needed)
  • library work
  • media
  • journalism
  • arts administration
  • publishing
  • education
  • advertising
  • radio or television
  • theatre

Some of our graduates go on to further their studies with a postgraduate degree or in research. Others have entered teacher training by studying a PGCE.

Previous Edge Hill students have applied for interesting roles such as:

  • Senior production editor
  • Communications assistant
  • Whole school literacy coordinator
  • Talent coordinator

Our graduates are trained to be excellent communicators and critical thinkers. This degree is a great foundation for a diverse range of careers and industries.

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.

Track changes to this course

Discover Uni: Full-Time Study

Discover Uni: Part-Time Study

Download our course leaflet