English Literature and Creative Writing

English literature and creative writing is a combination that takes seriously both the art of reading and the art of making. Literature teaches you to engage with the full range of what has been written in English, developing your critical vocabulary, historical awareness, and sensitivity to how language works at the level of word, sentence, and form. Creative writing develops you as a practitioner in your own right, asking you to make work and to reflect carefully on how and why you make it.

The two practices are deeply complementary, and writers who read well and readers who write are more attentive to both.

At Northumbria this four-year extended degree gives you additional time and depth to develop across both areas. You will explore literature from a wide range of periods and traditions alongside creative practice in fiction, poetry, drama, or creative non-fiction, working within a creative community that values both rigour and imagination. A sandwich year, year abroad, and work placement are all available, giving you substantial professional and international experience before you graduate.

The typical entry tariff is 120 UCAS points. The extended degree structure ensures that you have the time to develop your own voice and critical perspective without feeling rushed.

Graduates from English literature and creative writing programmes enter careers in publishing, journalism, education, advertising, arts administration, and the media. The writing skills the degree builds are transferable across any profession that requires clear, compelling, and well-crafted communication. Many graduates also work as writers, pursuing careers in fiction, non-fiction, screenwriting, or poetry alongside other employment.

Teacher training and postgraduate study in creative writing, literature, or cultural studies are common routes for those who wish to develop their expertise further or enter the education sector.