English and Creative Writing

English and creative writing is a degree that asks you to be both a scholar of literature and a practitioner of it. English literature study develops the ability to read texts attentively, to analyse how meaning is made through language, form, and context, and to engage critically with the ideas, values, and assumptions that literature embeds and challenges. Creative writing takes the insights of that critical reading and turns them into productive tools, asking you to develop your own voice, experiment with form, and bring genuine creative ambition to your work.

The two disciplines form a natural conversation: good writers are serious readers, and serious readers often find that writing illuminates what they understand.

At the University of Dundee, this four-year full-time programme goes beyond the conventional, inviting you to explore various forms of media including comics and video games alongside the traditional literary forms of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. You will examine the writer's role and purpose in modern society and learn how to publish your writing professionally, developing both the craft and the professional understanding needed to navigate the contemporary literary landscape. A year abroad is available, giving you the opportunity to develop your reading and writing in a different cultural context and to gain the international perspective that an expanding global creative economy rewards.

With a typical entry tariff of 168 UCAS points, this degree attracts students who combine literary enthusiasm with creative ambition. Graduates pursue careers in publishing, editing, literary agenting, journalism, copywriting, content creation, screenwriting, teaching, arts management, and broadcasting. Many also build independent writing careers or combine creative practice with other professional work.

The degree's breadth, covering literature, creative forms, media, and professional context, prepares graduates for a wide range of roles in the creative and cultural industries. Some continue to postgraduate study in creative writing, English literature, or publishing.