English Literature with Creative Writing with a Foundation Year

English literature and creative writing is one of the most natural combinations in the humanities, since the best writers have always been serious readers and the best readers develop their understanding through practice in writing. English literature brings you into conversation with centuries of fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction, developing your ability to read closely, interpret carefully and argue persuasively about how texts work and what they mean. Creative writing offers a complementary mode of engagement, asking you to make your own decisions about voice, form, structure and language, and in doing so to develop a much more embodied understanding of the choices that writers face.

The University of East Anglia has one of the most celebrated creative writing programmes in the country, and the inclusion of a foundation year in this four-year full-time programme makes it accessible to students who are developing their academic and creative skills before entering the full degree. The foundation year provides space for exploration and growth before you progress into a programme with high intellectual ambitions. The typical entry tariff is around 136 UCAS points.

You will read widely across periods and genres in English literature, from medieval texts through to contemporary writing, encountering a range of critical approaches and developing your own critical voice. The creative writing component will develop your practice in fiction, poetry and other forms through workshops where you produce original work and receive detailed peer and tutor feedback. UEA's tradition of integrating critical and creative work encourages you to bring the two modes of engagement into productive dialogue throughout your studies.

Graduates of English literature with creative writing programmes work across education, publishing, journalism, media, arts administration and the creative industries. Many graduates publish their own writing, work in literary agencies or publishing houses, or contribute to arts journalism and cultural commentary. The analytical and communication skills developed through the degree also make graduates well suited to roles in law, marketing, public relations, advertising and public service.

Postgraduate study in creative writing, English literature, publishing or journalism is a well-established continuation route, particularly for those wishing to develop a writing practice or academic career.