phd creative writing aberystwyth

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Creative Writing PhD

Entry requirements.

For further information, or to discuss options for the shorter MPhil research degree, please contact us directly on [email protected]

Months of entry

Course content.

Part of what makes Aberystwyth special is our thriving research culture: you’ll get to join an engaging and interactive community where staff, students, and guest speakers come together to share and showcase their research. You’ll also work alongside researchers who are recognised internationally for their contributions to knowledge and the furthering of the discipline.

Department Expertise

The Department’s particular areas of expertise include:

• Contemporary poetry
• Crime fiction
• Life writing
• Nature writing
• Black diaspora literature
• Postcolonial fiction
• Women’s writing
• Children’s literature
• Literary geography and ecocriticism
• LGBT writing
• Welsh writing in English
• Literatures of surveillance
• Literature and disability
• Irish writing
• Gothic literature and ghost stories
• Psychoanalysis
• Late Medieval secular literature
• Contemporary medievalism
• Romanticism
• Victorian literature
• Modernism and late modernism
• Postmodernism.

Information for international students

Information for international students can be found here: Information for International Students : Aberystwyth University

Fees and funding

For funding available to UK students: UK Students : Study With Us , Aberystwyth University

For funding available to International students: International Students : Study With Us , Aberystwyth University

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

• Campus-based learning is available for this qualification
• Distance learning is available for this qualification
• Online learning is available for this qualification

Course contact details

PhD Creative Writing

Want to know what it's like to study this course at uni? We've got all the key info, from entry requirements to the modules on offer. If that all sounds good, why not check out reviews from real students or even book onto an upcoming open days ?

Different course options

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Aberystwyth University

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Course info

Entry requirements, tuition fees, latest reviews.

The English Department provides an excellent environment for postgraduate study, research, and creative work. The main University library is well stocked with standard texts and critical works on a very wide range of topics; and the National Library of Wales, adjacent to the campus, is one of the UK’s five copyright libraries, holding one of the most extensive collections of books and manuscripts in Europe. As a department that values a stimulating research ethos highly, we place great emphasis on the provision of high quality teaching, supervision and facilities for our postgraduate community. As a result, our postgraduate community is dynamic and thriving. It is very pleasing to note that our graduates secure employment in teaching, academia, publishing and various other professional fields.

Research Strengths

This is a research-based course, 'research' in this context implying everything that is required to bring to completion a novel or substantial collection of poems, as well as to provide a critical/analytical account of the work produced. You will be expected, under the guidance of your supervisor, to demonstrate your skills in handling a sustained creative project, while at the same time establishing a critical framework for your writing. Your research will be closely supervised throughout by one or more core members of the Department’s Creative Writing staff.

All academic staff in the Department of English and Creative Writing are active scholars and experts in their fields. They are either qualified to PhD level or have commensurate experience. Our Lecturers either hold or are working towards a Higher Education teaching qualification and the majority of academic staff also hold the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

The department has a proud tradition of research excellence, as demonstrated in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014) assessment. It found that 97% of research assessed was found to be of international standing or higher.

What students say

The Creative Writing MA needs to be a year and a half to allow staff and students to focus on one thing at a time and complete their best work. Many students across departments.. Read more

The location is very nice, and There are a lot of interesting.. Read more

Entry Requirements 2:1 Bachelors (Honours) degree in a relevant subject area or equivalent. Applicants should submit a full research proposal at the point of application.

Students living in

£4,712 per year

Students from Domestic

The mentioned fee is 2023/24 entry, there may be slight increase in 2024/25 entry.

£17,200 per year

Students from EU

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

Students from International

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

Latest Creative Writing reviews

Review breakdown, how all students rated:, aberystwyth university , wales.

Since 1872, Aberystwyth University has built a global reputation for teaching excellence and ground-breaking research....

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Penglais Aberystwyth Wales SY23 3FL

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Creative Writing PhD Aberystwyth University

• On campus - h Penglais Campus
• Sep 1, 2024 Part-time - 60 Months
• Sep 1, 2024 Full-time - 36 Months

Key Course Facts

• Admission advice for international students

Course Description

This is a research-based course, 'research' in this context implying everything that is required to bring to completion a novel or substantial collection of poems, as well as to provide a critical/analytical account of the work produced. You will be expected, under the guidance of your supervisor, to demonstrate your skills in handling a sustained creative project, while at the same time establishing a critical framework for your writing. Your research will be closely supervised throughout by one or more core members of the Department’s Creative Writing staff.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

The normal entry requirement for the three-year PhD research programme is a 2:1 honours degree or its equivalent in a subject relevant to the intended area of research.

In addition to submitting the standard application materials (please see how to apply) applicants are asked by the Department to supply additional supporting materials before their application will be considered.

English Language Requirements: If you have a Bachelor’s degree from a UK University, you do not need to take an English proficiency test. Non-native English speakers who do not meet this requirement must take a University-recognised test of academic English language proficiency.

Average student cost of living in the UK

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

University Rankings

Positions of aberystwyth university in top uk and global rankings., about aberystwyth university.

Aberystwyth University (Aber) was founded in 1872 in Aberystwyth, Wales. This university has earned itself an impressive array of awards in various domains, including in teaching standards and post-graduate employability. Whether you enjoy walking by the beach or visiting the historic town centre, Aberystwyth is a superb option for those students looking for a quiet place to focus on their academic goals.

List of 383 Bachelor and Master Courses from Aberystwyth University - Course Catalogue

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Aberystwyth university: creative writing, doctor of philosophy - phd, full-time, 36 months starts sep 2024.

This is a research-based course, 'research' in this context implying everything that is required to bring to completion a novel or substantial collection of poems, as well as to provide a critical/analytical account of the work produced. You will be expected, under the guidance of your supervisor, to demonstrate your skills in handling a sustained creative project, while at the same time establishing a critical framework for your writing. Your research will be closely supervised throughout by one or more core members of the Department’s Creative Writing staff.

Part-Time, 60 months starts Sep 2024

Full-time, 36 months started sep 2023, part-time, 60 months started sep 2023, full-time, 12 months starts sep 2024.

This course will help you develop your creative vision and writing abilities through a balanced programme of reading, analysis and writing workshops. You will be exposed to a range of contemporary writers of both prose and poetry, so that your own creative approach may be stimulated and develop in confidence and maturity. You will also engage in discussions about technique and undertake an exploration of the wider issues related to the practice of writing, such as the significance of genre and the mechanics of publication.

Part-Time, 24 months starts Sep 2024

Full-time, 12 months started sep 2023, part-time, 24 months started sep 2023.

This is your place to master your future

The university and town  .

Established in 1872,  Aberystwyth University  has a global reputation for teaching excellence and ground-breaking  research . The University offers a range of research and taught postgraduate programmes, with students from across the world choosing to study here.   Aberystwyth  is a cosmopolitan market town nestled between the mountains and the sea. The University’s scenic location (part of the  UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere ) provides a beautiful place to explore and unwind in - between studying.   

Aberystwyth has a welcoming and inclusive community with a vibrant social life and culture, which …

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Jacqueline Yallop

Dr, MA (Oxon) PhD (Sheffield)

• Reader , Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences , Department of English and Creative Writing
• Phone 01970 621578

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Research interests.

Jacqueline is the author of three novels, Kissing Alice (Atlantic Books: 2010), shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize, Obedience (Atlantic Books: 2011), nominated for the Man Booker Prize and Marlford (Atlantic Books: 2014).  Her novels have been translated into several languages and are published in the US by Penguin books. She also writes creative non-fiction, and has published Magpies, Squirrels and Thieves: How the Victorians Collected the World (Atlantic Books: 2011), which was shortlisted for the Longman-History Today Book of the Year 2012; Dreamstreets: A Journey Through Britain's Utopian Villages (Cape: 2014) and Big Pig Little Pig (Figtree: 2017) which was BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. In addition to the novel, her research interests include nineteenth-century history and fiction, and interdisciplinary approaches to texts, art objects and display.

Jacqueline is involved with a number of public engagement and impact projects, often examining ways in which creative practice can inform approaches to wellbeing. 

Jacqueline teaches prose fiction and creative non-fiction. She takes an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, encouraging students to draw on their knowledge of areas such as art, film, theatre, history or nature to inform their work as writers. Her PhD students are writing novels exploring a variety of ideas and historical settings, including an examination of post first-world war rural life, a contemporary insomnia thriller, and an experimental fictional memoir of pain. She welcomes PhD inquiries in her areas of interest.

Responsibilities

Jacqueline is Scheme Leader for Creative Writing and Director of the Centre for Creativity and Wellbeing.

Jacqueline Yallop is an award-winning author of fiction and creative non-fiction, described as a ‘writer of rare fine judgement and delicacy’. Her latest book, Into the Dark , is out in November 2023 (London: Icon Books): it looks at darkness in all its forms, in science, literature, art, philosophy and history. Her novel, Obedience (London: Atlantic) was nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Big Pig Little Pig (London: Figtree) a memoir, was Radio 4 Book of the Week. Her work has been translated into several languages. 

As Director of the Centre for Creativity and Wellbeing, Jacqueline brings together people from many disciplines working in Wales to improve opportunities to wellbeing through creative practice. She is currently working with The Fathom Trust on a making and writing project with carers and NHS staff.

Jacqueline has always been fascinated by beautiful, historic and quirky things. Having trained as a curator, she worked with collections in Manchester and Sheffield, including Ruskin's Guild of St George Collection. Her PhD explored narrative in display, museum and the novel in the nineteenth century which included, among many other things, the eccentric lives of Victorian collectors.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

Fingerprint

• 1 Similar Profiles
• Novels Social Sciences 100%
• Rural Areas Social Sciences 89%
• Approach Arts and Humanities 79%
• Cultural History Arts and Humanities 74%
• Collecting Arts and Humanities 74%
• Creative non-fiction Arts and Humanities 69%
• Relationships Arts and Humanities 68%
• Tradition Arts and Humanities 59%

Mari Ellis Llewelyn Dunning

• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences , Department of English and Creative Writing

Person: Doctor of Philosophy

Sarah Fletcher

Ieuan harries, joanna lambert.

Person: Master of Philosophy

Samantha Ryan

Lee paul skinner, research output.

• 1 Edited book
• 1 Other contribution

Research output per year

Dream Latin: Writing the Subconscious

Research output : Book/Report › Edited book

• Writing 100%
• Civil and Political Rights 50%
• Vehicles 50%
• Unconscious 50%

Into the Dark: What darkness is and why it matters

Research output : Book/Report › Book

• Children 100%
• Journey 100%
• Relationships 15%

Research output : Contribution to specialist publication › Article

Research output : Other contribution

• Engineering 100%

"And Now come with Me": A closer look at Ruskin's Writing

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Stones of Venice 100%
• Polemics 100%
• Novelists 100%
• Writing style 100%
• Guiding Catheter 100%

Big Pig, Little Pig: A Tale of Two Pigs in France

• Creative non-fiction 100%
• Approach 100%
• Drawing 100%
• Memoir 100%
• personal account 100%

Dreamstreets: A Journey Through Britain's Village Utopias

• Rural Areas 100%
• Journey 66%
• Harbours 33%
• Long Nineteenth Century 33%
• Nineteenth Century 100%
• Research 100%
• Novels 100%
• Rural Areas 50%

Magpies, Squirrels and Thieves: How the Victorians Collected the World

• Victorian 100%
• Collecting 100%
• Relationships 50%
• Professional 50%
• Presentation 33%
• Relationships 33%
• sainthood 33%
• Occitan 33%

Projects per year

Writing and Making with the Fathom Trust for Carers in West Wales

Shaw Foundation

01 Jan 2024 → 31 Jan 2025

Project : Externally funded research

Press/Media

Science cafe: darkness.

02 Jan 2024

1 Media contribution

Press/Media : Media contribution

Seeing the Dark in a New Light

16 Dec 2023

1 item of Media coverage

Press/Media : Media coverage

Why darkness matters

14 Dec 2023

23 Nov 2023

Into the Dark review: Intriguing book dissects darkness

15 Nov 2023

01 Nov 2023

Everything from our sleep to our hormones relies on the dark. So why are we so intent on destroying it?

31 Oct 2023

Nurturing creativity and wellbeing in the creative industries

Sophie Bennett-Gillison , Carwyn Jones , Jacqueline Yallop & Peter Midmore

01 Sept 2023

Building Bridges

25 Oct 2021

Bringing home the bacon

10 Oct 2021

Notes on Pigs

18 Feb 2021

• 10 Oral presentation
• 7 Invited talk
• 6 Workshop, Seminar, or Course
• 5 Examination
• 4 Festival or Exhibition
• 2 Conference
• 2 Publication peer-review
• 1 CPD delivery/organisation of courses for externals
• 1 Work on advisory panel to industry or government or non-government organisation

Activities per year

The Syria of Aberystwyth

Ahmad Naji Bakhti (Organiser), Emma Butler-Way (Organiser) & Jacqueline Yallop (Organiser)

Activity : Participating in or organising an event › Workshop, Seminar, or Course

Dreamstreets: living in a heritage model village

Jacqueline Yallop (Speaker)

Activity : Talk or presentation › Invited talk

Into the Dark

Gwyl y gelli / hay festival 2023.

Activity : Participating in or organising an event › Festival or Exhibition

Jacqueline Yallop (Participant)

Public Health Cymru Academic Advisory Panel

Jacqueline Yallop (Consultant)

Activity : Consultancy › Work on advisory panel to industry or government or non-government organisation

The Worlds we Want: creative writing workshop

Writing and making with the fathom trust.

Jacqueline Yallop (Organiser)

PhD viva, Sue Disckson, Swansea University

Jacqueline Yallop (Examiner)

Activity : Examination

New creative writing programme review

Activity : Consultancy › CPD delivery/organisation of courses for externals

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MA Creative Writing

Aberystwyth university, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

MA - Master of Arts

Subject areas

Creative Writing

Course type

The Aberystwyth MA in Creative Writing will help you develop your creative vision and writing abilities through a balanced programme of reading, analysis and writing workshops. You will be exposed to a range of contemporary writers of both prose and poetry, so that your own creative approach may be stimulated and develop in confidence and maturity. You will also engage in discussions about technique and undertake an exploration of the wider issues related to the practice of writing, such as the significance of genre and the mechanics of publication.

You will receive individual tuition from the excellent Departmental staff, all of whom are published creative writers. Under their guidance, you will produce a substantial portfolio in the form of a collection of poetry or an extended piece of prose fiction. In addition, you will develop a host of key transferrable skills that will benefit you in a range of academic or employment contexts.

Assessment:

Assessment takes the form of: portfolios of prose and poetry, including critical commentaries and annotated bibliographies; a case study of a research project; and a study of a particular publisher of creative writing or type of publication. In the third semester, each student will complete a Writing Portfolio of creative writing with a critical commentary. The Portfolio can be in the form of poetry (30 pages plus 6,000 words) or prose fiction (14,000 plus 6000 words), but not a combination of the two.

This degree will suit you:

If you want comprehensive training in advanced methods of creative writing If you want to develop your creative vision and writing skills to the highest levels If you are looking for a detailed and constructive critique of your work If you want to work within a dynamic and supportive environment while producing a portfolio of creative writing.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Entry Requirements 2:1 Bachelors (Honours) degree in a relevant subject and submission of a satisfactory writing portfolio. Non-graduates and non-subject specialists will be considered individually based on relevant experience and a satisfactory writing portfolio. Other Requirements Applicants are encouraged to submit an up-to-date CV as part of their application.

Since 1872, Aberystwyth University has built a global reputation for teaching excellence and ground-breaking research. This institution consistently ranks among the top universities in the UK, offering an exceptional university experience. Aberystwyth University is committed to providing outstanding teaching within a welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment. Aberystwyth is known for its stunning location on the west coast of Wales.... more

PhD Creative Writing

Full time | 3 years | 30-SEP-24

Literature & Creative Writing

Our Literature & Creative Writing courses are for everyone! Whether you’re a budding writer keen to pen that first story or seasoned literati aspiring to hone your craft. Spanning genres from classic literature and poetry to modern fiction and non-fiction, these courses dive deep into the art of storytelling and critical analysis. They offer a haven where adult learners can immerse themselves in the world of words, foster their narrative voice, and engage in stimulating discussions with fellow literary folk, all while nurturing their love for literature and the art of writing.

Browse our Creative Writing courses by clicking here . You can also view Video Tasters , and read our Course Start Letters for more information.

If you have any questions about the programme please email Elin Mabbutt [email protected] For administrative queries please email the Lifelong Learning Office [email protected] .

Certificate of Higher Education: Creative Writing

‌This stimulating, flexible programme of study is designed to help you develop your skills in the craft of writing, as you build a portfolio of work. You can gain credits module-by-module, at your own pace – and at no cost beyond the usual course fees.

If you enjoy creative writing and would like to take several of our courses, then this could be for you!

The Certificate has been designed to build up to a solid grounding in the practice of creative writing and its many possibilities. It also encourages students to enhance their critical skills, to reflect on their writing and identify an audience for their work.

The award provides recognition of students’ achievements in the field. Some students also decide to take their studies further and use the Certificate (along with the portfolio of work) to unlock study at a higher level. 

You have five years to complete your studies and within that time you can take the modules flexibly, at your own pace. Not all modules are on offer each year, but we ensure that they are made available over a period of time.

CHE Creative Writing - Framework

How to enrol on the Certificate in Higher Education

Click this link and follow the instructions.

Testimonials

Perhaps a few student's comments may give you an insight on what it is like to take a course with us.

• ‘Many thanks for a great writing programme – it’s really opened up a new world for me.
• 'This course has really got me writing!’
• ‘Exceptional teacher, with a great depth of understanding.’
• ‘Lara's teaching is the surest route to confident writing.’
• ‘It gave me the motivation I needed to write my novel.’
• ‘Practical and inspiring tuition.’

How to enrol on a course

Click here to find a course.

Click here to purchase a course.

Spanish and Portuguese

Mariana mazer, phd candidate in spanish, 1 of 15 clas graduate students awarded prestigious fellowships to support their research and creative work, marcus bach fellowship .

The Marcus Bach Fellowship , named for the 1942 University of Iowa graduate of the same name, is awarded to graduate students in the humanities to support the completion of an MFA project or doctoral dissertation. The fellowship’s goal is to foster intercultural communication and the understanding of diverse philosophies and religious perspectives.  

Each fellow receives a semester of support including a $10,700 salary, a tuition scholarship for 2 semester hours credit, and more. 

The five recipients for the 2024-25 school year are: 

• Caelainn Barr , Department of English (Nonfiction Writing Program), "Written in the Land"  Barr’s project is a memoir grounded in archival research and interviews that explores the intersection of religion, spirituality in nature and family history. The work is set against the backdrop of conflict in in Northern Ireland. 
• Nathan Chaplin , Department of History, "Surveying the Tropics, Constructing the Heartland: Identify Formation in Nicaragua and the Midwest"  Chaplin’s project investigates the alliances formed between Nicaraguan and Midwestern elites as they attempted to manage public health crises, state policy, and capital investment during the 19th and 20th centuries. 
• Spencer Jones , Department of English (Nonfiction Writing Program), “All Skillful in the Wars”  Jones’s thesis explores political and theological tensions in the lives of radical-revolutionary schoolteachers Harriet Wheeldon and Simone Weil. 
• Xiaoyan Kang , Department of Theatre Arts, “The Words of Ants"  Kang’s thesis takes the form of a play drawing inspiration from the 1983 script Nüshu, or the script of women. Through it, the playwright intends to explore how individual experiences are interpreted to serve a particular narrative. 
• Mariana Mazer , Department of Spanish and Portuguese, “The book as an object and container of multiple stories"  Mazer’s dissertation explores the relationship between the book as a physical object and the narratives it contains, ultimately printing and binding eight copies of the finished thesis. 

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

English Literature and Creative Writing

BA English Literature and Creative Writing Code QW38 Applicant Visiting Days Applicant Visiting Days --> Attend an Open Day Attend an Open Day Open Days - Register Now Open Days - Register Now --> Apply Now Scholarships and Bursaries worth over £15,000 – apply now --> Accepting late applications Apply now -->

You are viewing this course for September start 2024

UCAS Tariff

Course duration.

Further details on entry requirements

If you love living in a world of imagination and creativity, sign up for the English Literature and Creative Writing degree course here in Aberystwyth University where the beautiful landscape is sure to inspire you. Come and join our close-knit community of students and staff in the Department of English and Creative Writing and enjoy working with other young writers in a place full of energy and new ideas.

On this innovative course, you will have the opportunity to develop both your creative and critical writing skills. Taught by distinguished, practising writers, you will find this degree both challenging and rewarding. By studying various genres and styles, writing forms and techniques, you will develop a range of competencies and capabilities, skills and attributes that are widely sought by employers, placing you in a strong position for gaining work when you graduate.

Course Overview

Why study English Literature and Creative Writing at Aberystwyth?

• You will be taught by staff who are distinguished practising writers and published authors across a broad spectrum of literary fields.
• You will be encouraged to develop your creative and critical writing skills.
• You will be encouraged to expand your range and capabilities as a writer to enable you to work confidently in a variety of forms and genres.
• We offer you opportunities to engage with a wide variety of approaches to literature and cultural history, combining critical thinking with scholarship.
• You will have the opportunity to explore literary theory - philosophical and conceptual ideas that inform, challenge and problematize the ways we read.
• In your final year you will have the opportunity to take part in a writing retreat at a country house in mid-Wales - an amazing opportunity to spend time with fellow students and staff, developing your final year projects and dissertations, in a splendid rural setting.
• We have one of the biggest libraries in the world, the National Library of Wales, on our doorstep. This copyright institution receives a copy of every book published in the UK.
• The department is home to New Welsh Review , Wales’ foremost literary magazine - this could be an exciting opportunity for you to get involved.
• You will be immersed in a supportive and vibrant community of creative and critical thinkers, literary experts, and published authors from every field.

All academic staff in the Department of English and Creative Writing are active scholars and experts in their fields. They are either qualified to PhD level or have commensurate experience. Our Lecturers either hold or are working towards a Higher Education teaching qualification and the majority of academic staff also hold the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Modules September start - 2024

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Career Prospects

A degree in English Literature and Creative Writing offers a “golden standard” for any employment setting where communication and the written word are valued. All of our modules deliver key skills that enable you to build a comprehensive CV that evidences your diverse range of competencies.

Our graduates have been successful across the widest possible range of career destinations including:

• broadcasting
• advertising
• the Civil Service

Your degree in English Literature and Creative Writing will equip you with:

• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
• the facility to deal with abstract concepts
• the ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement
• research skills.

What work experience opportunities exist while studying? 

Click  here  to find out about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers team offer. 

Enhance your employability prospects with  GO Wales and YES  (Year in Employment Scheme) managed by our Careers department. 

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the three year degree scheme.

This degree is based on our strongly held belief that in order to become a really great writer you need to be a good reader. You will develop advanced skills in the interpretation and analysis of literary texts, you will encounter texts from a range of historical periods and genres. Throughout the course you will use your knowledge of literature and textual production in your own creative work, exploring the relationship between creative and critical practice.

In your first year you will discover:

• a range of techniques for reading and writing fiction and poetry
• modes of descriptive writing
• the importance of plot
• the use of dialogue
• some key figures from literary history (from Shakespeare to the Brontës)
• lesser known texts, and writers who are new-to-you
• a variety of “ways of reading” and some theoretical approaches to textual analysis
• poetry, prose, drama, American literature, adaptations, Classical literature, contemporary writing, medieval texts and much more.

In your second year you will explore:

• the theoretical approaches to, and the practice of, literary criticism
• your own writing style, informed by your reading and research
• a range of selected core texts from the medieval period through to the twenty-first century
• a number of specialist topics chosen by you (these might focus on a specific genre (such as crime fiction), historical period (such as the Victorian era), or theme (such as “transpositions”).

In your final year you will master:

• theory for writers and the application of theoretical perspectives the production and critical evaluation of your own creative work
• extended writing and independent research in your final year writing project (chosen and defined by you with the support of a published author)
• your own specialisms drawn from a diverse range of option modules taught by writers in those fields, covering topics such as Elizabethan drama, the ghost story, queer fiction, writing for children, science fiction and fantasy, and much more.

In your final year you will also have the opportunity to take part in a writing retreat at a country house in mid Wales - an amazing opportunity to spend time with fellow students and staff, developing your final year projects and dissertations, in a splendid rural setting.

How will I be taught?

Our degree is taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one tutorials. We also encourage self-directed learning designed to stimulate your academic interest in reading and writing and to nurture your personal and intellectual development.

You will be assessed through portfolios of your creative work, critical commentaries, essays, exams and oral presentations. You will also be required to complete additional, non-assessed, assignments and to work with others on particular tasks.

Further information:

As you study, you will develop a range of skills which will benefit you in further study or any graduate workplace. You will learn to: employ multiple critical techniques when approaching texts; develop a reflective practice in reading and writing; articulate a detailed critical analysis of your subject; and respond to any task with creativity, flair and style.

You will be assigned a personal tutor who will help you with any problems or queries, whether these are academic-related or pastoral issues. Your personal tutor will also be responsible for delivering tutorials that will help you in the development of key skills.

You will also have the opportunity to complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) at Aberystwyth. This is a structured process of self-appraisal, reflection, and planning, which will enable you to chart your personal, academic and professional development throughout your time at university. By recording your academic performance, and highlighting the skills you already have and those you will need for future employability, the PDP portfolio will equip you with the necessary tools to plan effectively, develop successful approaches to study, and consider your future career options and aspirations.

Student Testimonials

Pouring through the literature provided on the English side of the course constantly expands your knowledge, enabling you to really exist in the world of the Romantics, or feminists of the 1900s. Yet, the Creative side of the course allows you to enhance and mould your imagination to be the very best it can be. Melding the two together leaves you with a great knowledge of existing literature, allowing you to better understand how to create your own. With the guidance of the tutors on the course, I feel I have learnt so much and am continually learning more about how to write and construct prose. It's given me the best chances of one day publishing my own novel. Camilla Woodrow-Hill

It expands your imagination, challenges your abilities, and teaches you different styles and techniques that you might never have thought to try if you hadn't been on this course. I have learnt so much, and am so proud of my achievements - being able to see ticks and positive remarks scribbled next to my creations gives me even more inspiration for the future of my writing. Hannah Buck

English and Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University offer students the chance to learn from classic and contemporary Greats, and then develop your own writer's craft during Creative Writing Workshops. The choice was so varied: from Medieval and Renaissance to Women on the Stage and War Fiction modules. I loved studying English and Creative Writing because I got to learn and write about things that interested me. The lecturers were always willing to help, listen and talk about any problems that I had which made my degree very enjoyable. Nicola Anne Henderson

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 104

A Levels BBB-BCC

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4): English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma: DDM-DMM

International Baccalaureate: 30-28

European Baccalaureate: 75%-65%

English Language Requirements: See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements: International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course. Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.