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“At the University of Bolton, we take great pride in providing a quality, supportive learning environment for our students.” Professor George E Holmes DL | President & Vice Chancellor
“...tutors are very supportive and you’re not just a student ID number, at this university you are an individual with a name.” Ellisse Vernon | BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
Our BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing degree is designed to inspire and develop your interest and appreciation for the vast and enriching world of literature and ideas. Meanwhile, you’ll have extensive opportunities to develop and enhance your own approaches to expression and communication.
Key information
Award:
BA (Hons)
Mode of Study:
Full-time
Duration:
3 years
Location:
University of Bolton
UCAS points:
96
UCAS code:
QW38
Start date:
To be confirmed
Course Details
Literature is an extraordinary resource for broadening your intellectual understanding. It’s one of the most powerful ways we can experience others’ lives, enjoy worlds we’ve never visited, and develop our appreciation for the sheer power of words in expressing ideas and emotions. Through in-depth study and analysis of a range of texts and formats – including prose, poetry and plays – you’ll have the chance to hone your critical skills and develop your prowess as a creative communicator.
We’ll guide and support you through a rich course of study that should help you extend your understanding of language and how it can inform, persuade, shock and delight. Join us on a journey into the world of literature, where we’ll help you develop a deeper understanding of the social, political, historical and cultural contexts, and the impact of literary texts.
Our experienced and highly qualified team offers you a supportive environment in which to explore the central role of language in the creation of meaning. Through research, discussion, argument and analysis, you’ll have opportunities to learn to use language, effectively and powerfully, to achieve your goals.
Highlights
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 places us first in the UK for teaching quality and student experience for both the Creative Writing and English subject areas.
You’ll get the opportunity to benefit from our strong links with external creative organisations, including the nationally acclaimed Octagon Theatre, Bolton, where you can gain behind-the-scenes access and workshop experience.
To give you publishing experience, we encourage you to submit your work to our literary magazine The Bolton Review.
Our dedicated and enthusiastic lecturers are professional writers and researchers whose work is published or produced on stage, screen or radio.
We have excellent industry contacts and strong links to external creative organisations such as publishers, production companies, theatres, libraries, art galleries, schools, funding bodies and arts development agencies – so we can offer you work experience in a wide variety of settings.
Key Features
We offer popular options in women’s writing, Gothic fiction, children’s literature, film adaptation and contemporary poetry, as well as a range of creative writing workshops in poetry, fiction and drama.
You can benefit from the latest thinking and discoveries, as our course tutors are active researchers in poetry, prose and drama, and feed their knowledge back into the curriculum.
We’ll help you develop a range of skills highly valued by employers, such as written and verbal communication, presenting information and ideas, argument and persuasion, working to tight deadlines, and research and critical analysis.
You can attend guest lectures from literary scholars, and hear contemporary writers’ work at the University’s regular literature events.
By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3. Subjects including experience of English language and/or literature are preferred.
You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
If you don't have the above qualifications but have a strong portfolio of relevant work, we encourage you to apply.
You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
This degree gives you a unique and exceptional opportunity to enhance your creative and analytical abilities – by developing your creative writing talents alongside the critical study of English through literature. We aim to help you develop the skills and knowledge to craft confident, evocative and persuasive prose.
Creativity, curiosity and self-motivation are valuable transferable skills, along with the oral and written communication, time-management and organisational attributes sought by employers across the sectors.
What can I do with this qualification?
Many graduates seek work as a writer on a self-employed, freelance basis. Also, public and private sector organisations such as educational institutions, retail companies, local and national government, media companies, and charitable organisations employ graduates in a range of roles, including teaching, administration, editing and publishing, advertising, journalism, general management and marketing.
You may aim to go on and study an MA or PhD in a variety of fields, and teaching is also a popular option. Others may decide to undertake a more vocational route and study courses related to teaching, journalism, librarianship or publishing.
Alternative career options
The qualification can support a range of other career paths. For some of these roles, relevant experience or postgraduate study may be required. Potential careers include:
Libraries
Social media management
Information services
Leisure and tourism
Web content production
Public relations
Technical writing
Research
Strategic communications
Screen and play writing
Novelist/poet
Course fees
Home Fees
Year of study
Total
Entry year
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
2025/26
International
Year of study
Total
Entry year
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
2025/26
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2021-2022 academic year:
EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status.
If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement.
Please read the
student finance eligibility 2021-2022 policy on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the
normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in
March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
For 2021-2022 entry, the maximum government approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year.
The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2021-2022 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:
If you wish to apply for multiple institutions or multiple courses at Bolton for September entry, then apply through UCAS
You can apply for up to 5 courses through UCAS (at the same or different institutions) for a fee of £27.
Alternatively, if you only wish to apply for a single course at a single institution then a reduced applicant's
fee of £22.50 is applicable.
The online application form and guidance notes are available on the
UCAS website.
You will need the following information to complete your UCAS application form:
If you wish to apply for a single course offered by the University of Bolton for any intake, you can apply directly
If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best option for
you, you may apply directly to the University using our online application form shown below.
A direct application to Bolton provides the following features:
Free of charge to apply
Secure, simple and streamlined
Contact us directly for any admissions queries
Regular updates on your application directly from the University
Invites to offer holder events and taster sessions where you can meet your future tutors and get a flavour of university life
NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during
the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.
For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS if we accept you on this course.
We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the
University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.
If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.
Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.
If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select
the correct application link from the list below.
Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format.
Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page.
If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or
UGadmissions@bolton.ac.uk
The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world.
We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.
How you apply is determined by your current location and what you are choosing to study:
Apply direct to the University. Links for the next available intakes of this course are shown below.
Please click the link which will direct you to the online application form. Please read the user
guidance before completing this.
Apply via one of our approved in-country referral partners. A list of our partners may be found on the
International pages of this website.
Apply via UCAS for courses starting in September only – visit
www.ucas.com.
Should you have any queries please contact the International Team on +44 (0) 1204 903110 or email
international@bolton.ac.uk
Apply online: University of Bolton
BA(Hons) English and Creative Writing - 19 September 2022 (Intake not currently accepting international applications)
University of Bolton Group Partners
Bolton College
University Collegiate School
Alliance Learning
University of Bolton
For valued members of the University of Bolton Group and progressing students, we try to make our application
process as simple and as fast as possible.
If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best
option for you, you may apply free of charge to the University. By selecting the appropriate link from the
list shown below, you will be taken directly to our online application form. Please read the user guidance
before completing this, and ensure you upload all supporting documents such as certificates and your
personal statement when you apply.
When you are asked to add a contact email address, please ensure you add your college/university email
account address as well as your personal address. If you do not add your college address as your contact
address, we will be unable to identify you as a partner and offer you the benefits of being part of our group.
NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during
the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.
For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS
if we accept you on this course. We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return
this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.
If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.
Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.
If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select
the correct application link from the list below.
Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including email addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format.
Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page.
If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or
UGadmissions@bolton.ac.uk
We look forward to receiving your application and you continuing your academic journey with us!
To support you in reaching your creative and analytical potential, we call on a variety of teaching and learning methods. Lectures introduce selected literary works, and we begin making connections to critical, theoretical and historical information that will enrich your understanding. Seminars allow you to explore subjects in greater detail, and will incorporate small group working and whole group discussion.
Meanwhile, one-to-one tutorials give you an opportunity to clarify your learning, discuss your assignments and receive feedback on your work. To support your progress on this rich and rewarding degree, we recommend you set significant time aside for independent study such as library research and background reading, and preparing for seminars, tutorials and module assignments. Of course, we’ll provide tailored advice and guidance on finding the self-directed study approaches that best match your study goals and personal preferences.
The University’s e-learning portal, Moodle, is a great online learning tool that gives you access to additional resources for each module.
Assessment comprises essays, notebooks, reviews, presentations, portfolios, traditional exams, as well as draft creative work and reflective commentaries on your writing, which will ultimately contribute to your final module marks. This ‘summative’ assessment is supported by more formative approaches that don’t contribute to grades or marks, but support your progress towards success on this course. For example, personal feedback on your work and contributions, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and helping you find the most effective ways to make the most of your experience with us.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
Scholarship
Stories and Narrative
Introduction to Literature: Form and Genre
Introduction to Literature: Text and Context
Writing Poetry and Fiction
Writing Drama
Future Directions
Critical Dialogues
The Literature of Love
Perspectives on Poetry
Aspects of Prose Fiction
Writing Drama: The Turn of the Story
Writing Fiction: The Character of the Writing
Writing Poetry: The Shape of the Voice
Writing for Publication
Approaches to Drama
Gothic Narratives
Adaptation
Ambivalent Intimacies: Reading Contemporary British Fiction
Virtual Victorians
Children's Literature
Narrative Representations of Female Desire
Special Authors
Renaissance Drama
The Writers' Room: Drama
The Writers' Room: Fiction
The Writers' Room: Poetry
The Writer's World
The Professional Author
Contemporary Poetry
Creative Dissertation
Dissertation and Research Skills
Assessment methods
Level
Assesment method
Level one
Coursework 91%, Practical exams 9%
Level two
Coursework 82%, Practical exams 9%, Written exams 9%
Level three
Coursework 90%, Practical exams 10%
Learning activities
Level
Learning activity
Level one
Guided independent study 66%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34%
Level two
Guided independent study 74%, Placement/study abroad 3%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 23%
Level three
Guided independent study 80%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20%
Disclaimer
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
