BA in English with Creative Writing
Queen's University Belfast - Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Key Information
Campus location
Belfast, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 18,800 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* England, Scotland or Wales: £9,250 | Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland: £4,710 | EU Other and International: £18,800
Introduction
Students undertaking English with Creative Writing at Queen’s explore literature in English in the widest possible sense and work with some of the leading writers working in the UK and Ireland. From the earliest writings in Anglo-Saxon to contemporary Irish, British, and ‘global’ literature, students study English in its historical, cultural and material contexts. Our language modules explore the history and structure of English; its day-to-day usage, including in the media; and the major influences that have shaped it over the last millennium and a half.
English With Creative Writing Degree Highlights
English Studies at Queen’s has an extraordinary heritage, as represented by its globally esteemed writers, such as Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney and T.S. Eliot Prize recipients Paul Muldoon and Ciaran Carson, among others.
Industry Links
We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers, including, for example, BBC Northern Ireland, as part of our work-based learning initiatives.
Student Experience
- From Personal Tutors to peer mentoring, we work closely with students to ensure they are supported at every stage of their degree.
- Students can work with our visiting Fulbright Scholars, leading US academics who spend a semester at Queen’s every year.
- A thriving cultural scene organised by our undergraduate and postgraduate communities, from the English Society and Poetry and Pints to the Lifeboat and the Yellow Nib, makes studying English with Creative Writing at Queen’s a unique proposition.
Admissions
Curriculum
Stage 1
Core modules:
- English in Transition
- English in Context
- Introduction to the English Language
- Adventures in Literature and the History of Ideas
- Introduction to Creative Writing
- Reading the Modern City
Stage 2
Core modules:
- Creative Writing Drama
- Creative Writing Poetry
- Creative Writing Prose
Optional modules:
- Foundations for Speech Analysis: The Phonetics of English
- Mapping the Anglo-Saxon World
- Havoc and Rebellion: Writing and Reading Later Medieval England
- Shakespeare and Co
- Fiction to Austen (1660-1820)
- Inventing America
- Romantic Poetry (1789-1832)
- Enlightenment and its Discontents
- The English Language: Language and Power
- History of English: Studying Language Change
- An Introduction to Critical and Cultural Theory
- Modernism and Modernity
- Modern American Fiction: Race, Class, Gender, Sexuality
- Dickens and the Cult of Celebrity
- Irish Literature
Stage 3
Core module:
- Dissertation Creative Writing
Optional modules:
- Stylistics: Analysing Style in Language
- Language in the Media
- Televising the Victorians
- Contemporary Irish and Scottish Fiction
- Shakespeare on Screen
- Contemporary Literature: Poetry and Precariousness in the 21st Century
- Contemporary US Crime Fiction
- Speech Worlds: Phonology in Acquisition and Disorder
- The Structure of English
- Marvels, Monsters and Miracles in Anglo-Saxon England
- Women’s Writing 1660-1820
- Restoration to Regency in Contemporary Fiction
- Writing Africa: The Colonial Past to Colonial Present
- Irish Gothic
- Stevens and Bishop
- Special Topic Creative Writing
- Special Topic Irish Literature
- Work-Based Learning (Placement)
Note: Modules at Level 2 and Level 3 are subject to change based on availability.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Studying for an English with Creative Writing degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by many employers (local, national and international), and over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline, including English. In particular, employers value the initiative, imagination, creativity and independence of thought fostered by the English degree.
The following is a list of the major career sectors that have attracted our graduates in recent years: Publishing, Media and Performing Arts, Public Relations, Advertising, Librarianship, Fast Stream Civil Service Management, and Consultancy.
Graduate Careers and Achievements:
Many of our former graduates have risen to the top of their fields and include many famous figures; for example, Seamus Heaney, Nobel prize-winning poet; Paul Muldoon, academic and poet; Stephen Rea, actor; Annie Kelly, journalist and writer; Annie Mac, radio presenter. You should also take a look at the Prospects website for further information concerning the types of jobs that attract English graduates. A further study is also an option open to English graduates. Students can choose from a wide range of Master's programmes, including the MA in English Literary Studies and the new MRes in Arts and Humanities (English). Other Career-related information: Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group and, therefore, one of the 20 universities most targeted by leading graduate employers. Queen’s students will be advised and guided about career choices and, through the Degree Plus initiative, will have an opportunity to seek accreditation for skills development and experience gained through the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer. Degree Plus and other related initiatives: Recognising student diversity, as well as promoting employability enhancements and other interests, is part of the developmental experience at Queen’s.
Students are encouraged to plan and build their own personal skills and experiential profile through a range of activities, including; recognised Queen’s Certificates, placements and other work experiences (at home or overseas), Erasmus study options elsewhere in Europe, learning development opportunities and involvement in wider university life through activities, such as clubs, societies, and sports. Queen’s actively encourages this type of activity by offering students an additional qualification, the Degree Plus Award (and the related Researcher Plus Award for PhD and MPhil students). Degree Plus accredits wider experiential and skill development gained through extra-curricular activities that promote the enhancement of academic, career management, personal and employability skills in a variety of contexts.
As part of the Award, students are also trained on how to reflect on the experience(s) and make the link between academic achievement, extracurricular activities, transferable skills and graduate employment. Participating students will also be trained in how to reflect on their skills and experiences and can gain an understanding of how to articulate the significance of these to others, e.g. employers. Overall, these initiatives, and Degree Plus, in particular, reward the energy, drive, determination and enthusiasm shown by students engaging in activities over-and-above the requirements of their academic studies. These qualities are among those valued highly by graduate employers.