Creative Writing and English Literature BA (Hons)

A Combined Honours degree at Chester gives you the opportunity to study two subjects. You will spend a fairly even amount of time studying each subject area, with possible opportunities to declare a major – minor towards the end of your studies.<br/><br/>**Creative Writing**<br/>Unleash your creativity and discover what makes good writing great as you produce and reflect on your own fiction, poetry and drama.<br/>This course helps you to develop the skills and techniques to become a creative writer in poetry, drama and fiction (flashes, short stories, novels), and also to write critically. We have a number of highly successful published writers of fiction and poetry in the Department, who can share their insights with you.<br/>Learn how your own work fits into the wider world of literature and contemporary publishing. Study the works and techniques of successful poets, novelists and dramatists to inform your own writing; choose from a number of optional and specialist modules; and pursue and complete a writing project of your own choice.<br/>The Department’s commitment to contemporary literature and its contacts with eminent authors allow us to place your degree studies in Creative Writing in an exciting wider context. We will also give you guidance on how you can get your work published, so that you can share your success with others. At Chester, we pride ourselves on teaching Creative Writing in a professional but supportive environment.<br/><br/>**English Literature**<br/>Discover the power of words, from the earliest times to the present day, as you delve deep into new worlds.<br/>You will study an exciting variety of novels, poems and plays. You might find yourself looking for the psychological undercurrents in a fantasy novel, applying feminist theory to a Renaissance courtly sonnet, studying the motif of the vampire in Gothic horror or exploring the treatment of love in the comedies of Shakespeare.<br/>There’s the chance to write a dissertation on a topic of your choosing, exploring your interests. You will develop key skills for the future; our students learn how to frame a convincing argument, express it in discussion, analyse writing in all styles and work independently.<br/>We offer an engaging and supportive atmosphere in which ideas about literature are shared. Group discussion is at the heart of the degree, making the study of literature exciting, varied and dynamic. You can customise your degree as you progress, so by the third year you might be taking several optional modules as well as working on a dissertation that you have created, where you will work individually with a lecturer to complete the project.

Join a university with a real focus on making you not just ‘work ready’, but ‘World Ready’. With expert teaching alongside built-in work placements and industry links, courses are closely aligned to the real world, enabling you to graduate a step ahead, connected to a network of contacts. <br/><br/>Outside the classroom, you’ll have a comprehensive support package to help you gain self-worth and resilience, so you can contribute to society on a local, national and global level. There’s a wealth of opportunities to boost your CV; volunteer in the community, take a free language course, enhance your digital skills, work part-time and earn while you learn, and get involved with Chester Students’ Union.<br/><br/>Beautiful and packed with history, Chester is a bustling 21st century city balancing big name shopping, eating and living with an eclectic independent scene. It has a safe and thriving nightlife too. <br/><br/>Join a friendly and inclusive community that shares your ambition and Get World Ready – apply now!