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BA English Literature with Creative Writing
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UCAS code
Q3W8 -
A level offer
BBB -
Year of entry
2025/26 -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
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Year of entry
2025/26 -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
Explore literature from all angles with our BA English Literature with Creative Writing course.
English literature and creative writing are a perfect combination at degree level:
- In your literature modules, you will be introduced to important, exciting, diverse writers from across the centuries and the globe.
- In creative writing, you will explore literary creativity from the inside: creating characters, shaping poems, and drawing on your imagination.
The two sides of the degree complement and challenge each other. The great writers from the past and present who you study will inspire and influence your writing. Meanwhile, creating your own work will help you understand technique and form in ways that will sharpen your analysis of literary texts.
You will learn from active, prize-winning authors from our Department of English Literature. These academics have years of experience with the practical aspects of writing, and they will closely read and advise you on your work.
In the Guardian University Guide 2025, we are ranked 9th for English. In the latest National Student Survey, 100% of our students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, responders from the Department of English Literature).
Our academics have also published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary American fiction, and they will help you to develop your own literary enthusiasms.
English literature
In English literature, you will examine well-known authors and genres, such as tragedy and gothic literature, Shakespeare and Plath. You may also encounter topics such as children's literature, publishing and the history of literature. Our academics have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary American fiction.
As you progress through your degree, your module choices become more diverse and specialised. Topics of study can range from archival work to the politics of literature. Everyone in the English Department, from new lecturers to professors, teaches at every level of the degree: this gives you the benefit of our expertise and makes you part of the conversation about our research and its impact outside the classroom. We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment. In your first and second years, you will have a mix of lectures and seminars.
You will develop advanced skills in literary analysis. For example, you will:
- explore the different ways that literary texts respond to their cultural context.
- trace the development of English-language poetry over time and across the globe.
- examine how literary texts accrue new meanings in the process of interpretation.
Creative writing
In Creative writing, you will be introduced to all the major forms, including:
- fiction
- drama
- poetry
- creative-non-fiction.
In your second year you can specialise in the areas you feel most excited by. In your third year, you’ll participate in our masterclasses. These are advanced modules in your chosen literary form, where you will read and discuss very recently published texts, identify and write about the themes that are currently popular and fresh, and be encouraged to pursue publication yourself as part of the module assessment. You can also write at a greater length by choosing to do a creative writing dissertation.
We are committed to teaching through the workshop model. These small group sessions are the heart of Reading’s writing community: guided by one of our lecturers, you and your fellow students will gain confidence as your share your writing and help each other improve.
You will also have the opportunity to publish your work – and gain experience in editing and publishing – by participating in our online creative magazine.
Find out more about our creative writing studies, including information about our academics, on our Department’s creative writing webpage.
Your learning environment
We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment.
In your first and second years, you will attend a mix of larger-scale lectures as well as seminars of no more than 14 people. In your third year, all of your studies will take place in seminars taught by research-active experts.
Our team of poets, fiction and non-fiction writers provide detailed and thorough feedback on your written work within 15 working days. This is crucial to your development as a writer, whether you intend a career in creative or professional writing.
Learn more about what to expect during your studies on our Department’s How you’ll learn webpage.
For more information, please visit the Department of English Literature website.
Placement
Throughout your degree you will be thinking about the career choices that will enable you to thrive after graduation: we will help you put in place the skills and experience that you need to launch that career. You also have the opportunity to undertake a Professional Placement Year in the third year of our degree. You will be assisted by our Placement Team who will support you to secure a placement and prepare for the year. Placements give you a fantastic opportunity to explore potential future careers and to put your academic learning to work in a professional context.
Study abroad
In your second year, you can spend a semester studying abroad at one of our partner institutions in Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and USA.
You can also choose to do your degree over four years, and spend your third year studying abroad.
To find out more, visit our Study Abroad site.