English with Creative Writing with Year Abroad

Summary

How do you become a better writer?
Writing is both a craft and a way of seeing the world. This course helps you develop both.

You will explore how stories are shaped, how ideas take form, and how writing connects with literature, visual culture, science and politics. Alongside studying a wide range of texts, you will develop your own voice as a writer, experimenting across genres and styles.

Taught by acclaimed novelists, journalists and playwrights, you will learn through both critical and creative practice. The course allows you to choose from Creative Writing and English options each year, building your knowledge of a range of genres and traditions. You will be encouraged to make connections between your critical and creative practice throughout the course. Your final project lets you complete an extended piece of imaginative writing.

As you progress, you will develop confidence in your ideas and your creative approach, preparing you for careers across the creative industries and beyond.

Key features of the course

Study in a top 12 English department in the UK, according to the Times and Sunday Times 2026.

Shape your degree through a wide choice of modules, from medieval to contemporary literature and creative writing.

Take advantage of the comprehensive collection of physical books and journals, as well as extensive digital collections and rare volumes that make us one of the UK's best resourced institutions for the Humanities. We also have established links with Chawton House, God's House Tower, Mayflower Studios, and the John Hansard Gallery, bringing new perspectives to your learning.

Use digital humanities facilities to explore storytelling through technologies such as virtual reality, 3D scanning and immersive audio visual spaces.

Join a creative community through Writers in Conversation workshops and over 40 student led performing arts groups.

Choose to study abroad at one of our global partner universities.

Student support

You will be supported in developing your creative and professional practice through opportunities such as an arts ambassador scheme, regular readings, writers’ events and paid internships with arts organisations.

You will also be taught by experts who take the time to know you as an individual. Through small group seminars and support from your personal tutor, you will build confidence in your work and your voice.

Further information

BA English with Creative Writing is a three year full time course based at Avenue Campus. You can choose to extend your degree with a year abroad or a placement year.

Find out more on our course page.

Over the four years of this course, you will take an interdisciplinary approach to studying poetry, prose, and drama. Creative writing modules will develop your understanding of short stories, novels, poetry, scriptwriting and narrative non-fiction.

Year 1: In your first year will be introduced to new forms of literature and new creative and critical methods.
Year 2: Explore creative genres and forms in more depth. You'll learn more about literature from other periods, choosing from core modules in Renaissance culture, romanticism, and modernism.
Year 3: Year Abroad
Year 4: Develop your creative writing in prose, poetry, and narrative non-fiction. You'll write a dissertation on a research topic of your choice, or complete a creative project.

You will also have opportunities to tailor your learning through student-selected units and an elective placement.

For a full list of modules available please visit the course page: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/english-with-creative-writing-degree-ba#modules

On this course you will learn through a range of activities that may include lectures, classes and tutorials, coursework, individual and group projects, and independent learning (studying on your own).

You will be able to demonstrate what you have learnt through a variety of assessment methods, such as blogs, creative projects, dissertations, essays, oral presentations, individual and group projects, module journals, portfolios, self-assessment, written exams, teamwork.

You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor who will offer support and advice throughout your studies. You will also receive feedback throughout your course, enabling you to identify areas for improvement before your work is formally assessed.