This exciting course develops connections between the critical study of English Literature and the creative practice of writing in a variety of forms. You will learn to approach texts as both a reader and a writer, discovering links and synergies between these different perspectives.

Through critical knowledge and practical experience, you will study a broad range of English Literature and Creative Writing in small groups or workshops, led by the research experts in the field or by published writers, in an atmosphere of creative, scholarly enterprise in order to develop skills of critical analysis and imaginative problem solving that are highly valued by employers.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

You may also be interested in the English Literature with Creative Writing degree.

• We are committed to teaching in small groups as well as lectures, one-to-one supervision and providing individualised feedback.
• We offer a broad and flexible range of module choices, combining English Literature – e.g. The Literature of Laughter, Detective Fiction, Contemporary Literature and The Gothic in Literature and Film – and English Language – e.g. in Bilingualism, Historical Linguistics, Language and Communication, and Psycholinguistics.
• Our research informs our teaching. The world-class quality of our research and writing was recognised in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), placing us in the UK Top 10 for research intensity.
• There is a vibrant Arts and Culture scene. Our close links with Pontio, the University’s, £40million Arts Centre, local theatres, poetry groups and vibrant student societies - including our Bangor English Drama Society (BEDS) – there are lots of chances for you to get involved.
• Bangor is an inspiring location for creative writing or literary study.

You will have around 10 hours contact time a week. The emphasis is on small-group teaching through workshops. Outside this time, you will work on your own writing within Bangor’s supportive community of creative writers. You will read widely to support both your own writing and your literary study. There are no exams in Creative Writing modules and there is plenty of help on offer as you develop your portfolios for each assessment. Talks and performances by writers, publishers and editors help you to see your writing in the context of the wider literary culture in Wales and beyond.

These courses provide students with excellent employment prospects, in a wide range of career options. In the past our graduates have gone into PR work, teaching, publishing, advertising, journalism, the law, community work and academia. The skills of critical analysis, imaginative problem solving, and presentation are all highly valued after by employers in a wide range of sectors. Our graduates are typically independent-minded, yet able to work as part of an effective team. Another option is postgraduate opportunity to further deepen their knowledge and expertise, and to distinguish themselves from other students. There are great opportunities for this at Bangor. The ability to use words effectively is, in fact, a major advantage in almost any career.

In a recent Salaries and Vacancies Survey the Association of Graduate Recruiters lisited the top ten skill areas that employers seek right now:

1. Motivation and enthusiasm
2. Interpersonal skills
3. Team working
4. Oral communication
5. Flexibility and adaptability
6. Initiative/productivity
7. Problem solving
8. Planning and organisation
9. Managing own development
10. Written communication

All these skills are central to an English degree. Employers repeatedly say that they do not want ‘trained’ recruits. They want intelligent, rounded people who have a depth of understanding, can apply themselves, take responsibility and develop their role in the organisation, demonstrating the traditional high-level academic abilities of analysis, reflection, critique and synthesis. What they do not want is graduates trained for a job, not least because jobs change rapidly.

When graduates in English reflect on the skills they developed through their degree which they have found most useful in their new jobs, they speak of advanced literary and communication skills, writing for project-based work, independent thought and judgement, and good time-management.

Our Creative and Professional Writing degree is an innovative, practical programme that encourages you work across a variety of disciplinary pathways. You will learn to hone your ideas and inspiration and learn to express yourself and communicate to a wider audience.