This exciting new degree is aimed at students who want to combine a mastery of a range of ‘non-traditional’ modes of writing (such as digital fiction and screenwriting) with the study of others forms of media (for example television and radio, film and video, software and computer games, design, professional writing and journalism).

The BA Professional Writing and Film combines the study of writing with a critical investigation of topics such as the nature of the moving image, topics in film theory and the analysis of visual culture, as well as allowing you to take specialist film modules in areas such as America on Film, Film Authorship, and Film Genre.

This programme aims to encourage exploration of professional writing with special emphasis on innovation and inquiry. It will also enable students to develop critical and self-reflective perspectives on their professional writing in the context of historical and contemporary practice. The ultimate aim is to prepare students for sustainable, professional practice as writers.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• The School is unique in its close integration of academic and theoretical approaches with hands-on creative practice. Students have the opportunity to combine a study of their chosen field with practice-based outcomes such as writing, performance, and media/digital media production.
• The School specialises in a number of key areas: Professional Writing and Journalism; Media and Digital Communication; Film Studies; Performance Studies; Creative and Media Practice. The School has research interests in all areas of Film Studies, with research programmes running in several key areas.
• We have excellent links with theatre companies, newspapers and the television industry.
• Many members of staff in the School are practising professionals and consultants.
• The School has a fully-equipped media centre with editing suites, production studios, media and digital media equipment.
• Bangor is the site for a range of Creative Industries conferences, video conferences and events.
• Sponsorship and scholarship opportunities are available on a competitive basis.
• Final-year projects are often carried out in collaboration with a company and could include working in a team with students from creative arts degree courses.

The degree offers a balance of practical and analytical tasks. You will explore a variety of forms, then specialise in the form you find most interesting and rewarding (e.g. screenwriting, new media writing, writing for a particular genre). Modules are taught primarily through seminars and workshops with presentations by visiting writers and lecturers, and students are assessed both on practical output and on the individual’s ability to reflect critically on their practice. As you progress through the degree, much of your study will be done in small teaching groups with an emphasis on learning both group work skills and the ability to carry a piece of work through from initial concept to professional output.

What will you study on this course?

Modules you might take include:

Year 1

• Creating Narratives
• Digital Communication
• Introduction to Practical Journalism
• Introduction to Screenwriting

Years 2 and 3

• Writing for Film & TV
• Genre Fiction: Theory & Craft
• Topics in World Cinema
• Understanding Documentary
• British Cinema
• Race and Gender
• Stanley Kubrick: Auteur
• Composing for Film/Media

This degree will prepare students to meet the need, increasingly being identified within the industry, for self-reflective practitioners with experience at project development in the creative sector. The practical element within both degrees will allow you to build a portfolio of work that will impress prospective employers, while the analytical element will give them a broad understanding of how the industry operates. Students who complete the degree will be equipped to find work in film, digital media, print and/or broadcast journalism, public relations and advertising, television, radio and the press, and multimedia industries. Postgraduate study is also an option for graduates.

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.