Creative Writing and English

Creative writing and English literature are disciplines that are most valuable when studied together. English literary study asks you to read carefully, to understand the traditions and contexts in which writers work, and to develop a critical vocabulary for talking about what texts do and how they achieve their effects. Creative writing puts that understanding to work, asking you to make your own choices as a writer in dialogue with the tradition you are learning to inhabit.

The result is a writer who understands their influences and a reader who understands their craft.

At the University of Westminster in London, this part-time programme develops your knowledge and understanding of key periods, themes, styles, and techniques in both creative writing and English studies. You will engage with literature across a range of periods and genres while also developing your own practice across forms including fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and script. The programme encourages you to work in both creative and critical modes, using the insights you develop as a reader to inform your writing and the understanding you develop as a writer to sharpen your critical reading.

The part-time mode allows you to study while managing other commitments, spreading the degree over a longer period.

Graduates from creative writing and English programmes go on to careers in publishing, journalism, copywriting, content creation, public relations, education, the civil service, and the arts. Many work in roles where writing ability is central, and the programme's dual focus on creative and critical work develops precisely the kind of versatile writer that many employers value. Postgraduate study in creative writing, English literature, and publishing is a natural next step for those who wish to develop their practice or pursue research.