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This is a four-year version of our exciting new BA (Hons) English: Creative and Professional Writing course, with an integrated foundation year. Explore and develop your own creative talent. Acquire skills in pitching, presenting and networking. Work with established organistions and develop your portfolio for a varied and fulfilling writing career.
The BA (Hons) degree in English: Creative and Professional Writing enables you to understand writing as a profession while exploring and developing your own creative talent. You'll be supported by published writers and senior academics to hone your writing and apply your knowledge to literary, technical and professional work. You'll acquire skills in pitching, presenting and networking and learn about a range of industries where writers are in high demand.
If you are interested in taking your writing further into a range of creative industries such as publishing, the literary arts including novel writing, poetry and nonfiction, as well as in the media, script and screen writing, marketing, communications and other related activities, this course is for you.
You'll learn from experts in their field who will connect you to creative institutions and networks both regionally and nationally, as you gain expertise in creative and professional writing. You’ll have the chance to work with established organisations as well as develop your portfolio for a varied and fulfilling writing career, and take part in the Sunderland Creative Writing Festival and the renowned Sunderland Literature Festival.
At each stage of the course, you'll study modules such as Submitting Short Fiction and Poetry, Regional Writing, Environmental Writing and The Business of Writing, alongside English Literature and English Language core learning to develop essential knowledge and critical skills.
In the first year – the foundation year – you will study five modules: a module about the foundations of humanities, journalism and media theory, an essential study skills module, a foundation project module, practical numeracy skills, and a multimedia communications module or a new century module depending on your degree choice. After completion of this foundation year, you will then move onto¿the English: Creative and Professional Writing honours degree course.
In year 1, you'll receive a grounding in Language, Literature and Creative and Professional Writing via core modules. In years 2 and 3 you'll develop your skills, knowledge and independent learning, with the opportunity to undertake an Advanced Project in the final year.
You'll be taught via lectures, seminars, and through our online teaching environment (VLE). Our teaching is designed to help you become an active, independent, and reflective learner. Lectures are used to communicate the core content of modules, while seminars and workshops provide you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills through a range of tutor-guided activities, including creative writing practice, peer review groups, and redrafting, as well as more academic skills such as close textual analysis, and the guided reading of primary and secondary material. You are encouraged to work in pairs and in small groups, as well as individually.
You are assessed via portfolios of creative work, essays, through innovative measures such as pitches to publishers and writing entries for dictionaries, as well as through group projects and presentations. There'll also be some exams and the chance to take up an industry placement.
You'll also be supported through one-to-ones with academic staff during office hours or online depending on teaching conditions.
We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.
Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you are perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you have gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.
Eligible entry qualifications:
If you're unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us!
** If you've studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you'll need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have not achieved a grade C in Maths and English we may be able to work with you to ensure that you're able to gain these in the first year of the course, depending on your experience.
If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.
The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.
If you are a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.
Please note, this course is not available to international students.
Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
After your foundation year you will move onto the BA (Hons) English: Creative and Professional Writing course. This course blends the best of a traditional English degree with innovative teaching and exciting connections to the creative industries both regionally and nationally to help budding writers, creatives and creators make your mark. This is not a ‘traditional’ creative writing degree but one that prepares you for writing both creatively and professionally.
Whether you want to succeed as a poet or novelist, social content editor or games narrative designer, or want to learn about what’s needed to be a book publicist or copy writer, this degree puts the creative and writing professions within your reach. The course introduces you to the skills necessary for the kinds of careers you will find across the creative industries in the 21st century, and helps you get in and get on in the career you want.
You'll be well placed to enter many areas within the creative industries, such as literary agencies, publishing houses, galleries, museums, theatres, and writing development organisations, as well as across the journalism, media, marketing, communications and PR industries. Potential jobs include: freelance writer, novelist, poet, games designer (narrative), publicist, publishing assistant, marketing, PR/communications, copywriter, advertising executive, digital writer, editor, content writer, content editor, proofreader, researcher, translator, journalist, reporter, scriptwriter, screenwriter, radio writer. Many of our graduates work as editors, journalists, writers, teachers and within publishing.
gives everyone in the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries the opportunity to participate in a range of projects, workshops, talks, industry visits and career events.
This exciting week encourages interdisciplinary working, broadens your experience, to build your confidence and help develop your career path.
Your course will keep you busy in class and across campus as you get involved with our publishing platforms. As part of the course you’ll go on placement to organisations that suit your goals, from literary agencies to copywriting houses, including student writing residencies and opportunities in the region’s cultural venues and festivals.
You’ll have the opportunity to be involved in Spark Sunderland, the 24/7 community radio station, based in the David Puttnam Media Centre. Spark is award-winning and has been consistently recognised at the Student Radio Awards, Community Radio Awards and the prestigious New York Festival Radio Awards for many years. Students are responsible for programme production and creative ideas which could be your step into writing radio drama, or scripting comedy shows. In the same building you can also learn from the many writers who work from here, including BBC Newcastle journalists and the team at Tyne & Wear TV, a professional TV station run from our Media Centre.