Writing and English Literature

Develop as a creative and professional writer while exploring the writing that has shaped, and been shaped by, different societies.

Explore professional writing techniques and learn to write compelling narratives, whether you want to write poetry, drama, short fiction, news, features or other forms.

You’ll improve your writing skills with invaluable feedback from professional writers, and workshops with your fellow students.

You’ll also find out how English literature is shaped by its historical and cultural context and how, in turn, it influences individual readers and the whole of society.

Join a course that scored 100% for Teaching on my course, Academic support, and Freedom of students to express ideas, opinions and beliefs in the National Student Survey 2024.

Get invaluable feedback from professional writers, including our teaching staff and Royal Literary Fund Fellows.

Learn about history, politics, religion, psychology and history of art, enriching your writing.

Become part of a community of creative professionals with wide-ranging expertise.

Attend guest lectures from visiting authors, editors, agents, and more.

Prepare for your future career with modules that demystify the publishing world.

Careers

Our range of optional modules, including work-based modules in years 2 and 3, allows you to tailor your degree to your interests and ambitions.

We’ll support you to find work placements relevant to your chosen career, and you’ll have opportunities to take part in live briefs with our partner organisations.

Our students recently worked with Slow Theatre Company, producing a series of plays for their Women in Red Wiki project to increase awareness of the under-representation of women on Wikipedia.

You’ll also develop literacy, creativity, problem-solving, research, analysis, communication, and independent and team working skills, which are all highly valued by employers in many different fields.

Our BA (Hons) Writing and English Literature students go on to successful careers in a variety of fields, including journalism, teaching, writing, television, radio, the music industry, gallery work and arts administration.

Graduate Sam Millar published his first poetry collection Retail Park in 2022 with Querencia Press.

Jade Slaughter studied both her BA English Literature and MA Creative Writing at ARU, and is now Creative Content Manager for Scouts, the UK’s largest co-educational youth movement.

You might choose to stay at ARU and study a Master’s degree, like our MA English Literature or MA Creative Writing. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship to get 20% off your fees.

Teaching

In Year 1, you’ll gain a grounding in various writing techniques, and analyse what makes existing work so engaging for different audiences.

In years 2 and 3, you’ll tailor the degree to your own interests with a variety of optional modules, as well as learning the techniques and conventions of short fiction, poetry and dramatic writing, and exploring the literature and culture of the Romantic and Victorian periods.

Finally, you’ll complete an independent research project on a relevant writing or English literature topic of your choice.

*=optional.

Year 1: Introduction to the Study of Literature and Writing; Introduction to Imaginative Writing; Screenwriting: The Short Film; Contemporary Publishing for Writers; Reading Critically, Old English to Enlightenment; Into ARU.

Year 2: Writing Short Fiction; Writing for the Stage; Nineteenth Century Literature and the Environment; Crocodiles, Pirates and Moon-men: Renaissance Encounters; Ruskin Module; Writing Creative Non-Fiction *; Nineteenth Century Afterlives and Adaptations *; Online Journalism ; Anglia Language Programme.

Year 3: Writing Poetry; Writing and the Present; Major Project Writing *; Major Project English Literature *; Renaissance Magic *; Spectacle and Representation in Renaissance Drama *; New Media Discourse *; Literature and Exile: Displacement, Identity, Self *; Film Journalism *; Forbidden Stories: Banned Children's Books ; Anglia Language Programme; Worldbuilding 1 and 2 *; The Business of Being a Writer: Craft and Professional Practice *; Novel Writing: Long-Form Prose *; Screenwriting: Writing and Selling the Feature Film *; Crime and Detective Fiction *.

You’ll show your progress through many methods, reflecting the varied nature of your course. These will include writing portfolios, critical commentaries, presentations, journals and log books, critical essays, film reviews and analyses, internet, print and video production, and commissions. You’ll also take part in 'crits', in which you’ll present and defend your work.