Writing and Film

Writing and film is a degree that trains you in two complementary creative disciplines, each of which depends on story and structure but realises them through different means. Creative writing is the art of using language to create fiction, poetry, non-fiction or other literary forms that engage readers through the quality of the writing itself. Film is a narrative and visual medium that tells stories through images, sound, editing and performance, realising on screen what the screenwriter imagines on the page.

Studying them together gives you a richer understanding of how stories work across different forms and makes you a more versatile creative practitioner.

At Anglia Ruskin University this three-year, full-time programme develops your skills in both creative writing and film practice, working in workshops and studio settings to develop your voice as a writer and your eye as a filmmaker. You will study the craft of fiction, poetry and narrative non-fiction alongside screenwriting, film theory, cinematography and production, building a body of creative work that demonstrates your range across both disciplines. The degree is taught at ARU's Cambridge campus, giving you access to both the university's creative arts teaching and the rich cultural environment of Cambridge.

You will engage with the history and theory of both writing and film, developing the critical framework to situate your own work within broader creative traditions.

Graduates of writing and film programmes build careers as screenwriters, novelists, short story writers, journalists, content creators, editors, literary agents' assistants, film producers, directors and creative practitioners across many other fields where storytelling and creative communication are valued. Many combine several of these roles in a portfolio creative career. Some graduates continue to postgraduate study in creative writing, film, screenwriting or publishing, and others move into education, arts management or the cultural sector more broadly.