Creative Writing and English

Creative writing and English is a degree that asks you to engage with literature both as a reader and as a writer. Critical study of texts, which is the core of English literature as a discipline, teaches you to understand how literary works are constructed, what traditions they draw on and what ideas they explore. Creative writing, meanwhile, asks you to apply that understanding in your own practice, developing your voice and your craft across a range of forms and genres.

The two activities are mutually reinforcing, because careful reading makes you a better writer, and writing makes you a more attentive reader.

At Chichester, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, opening a route into the degree for students who need additional academic preparation before engaging with degree-level study. Chichester has a strong tradition in both English and creative writing, and the programme allows you to learn across a wide range of creative writing disciplines, from fiction and poetry to scriptwriting and life writing, while also developing your critical and analytical engagement with literature. You will encounter a broad range of texts, develop your literary and critical vocabulary, and work on your own writing in a supportive, workshop-based environment.

The skills developed through a combined programme like this are both creative and analytical, which makes graduates versatile in the job market. Publishing, editing, copywriting, journalism, arts administration, script development, public relations, marketing and education are all common career paths. The ability to write clearly and compellingly, and to think carefully about how language works, is valued by employers across many sectors beyond the creative industries.

Further study in creative writing, literature or journalism is a natural option for graduates who want to develop their practice or expertise further.