Creative and Professional Writing - BA(Hons)
Bachelor's degree
In Bristol
Description
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Type
Bachelor's degree
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Location
Bristol
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Start date
Different dates available
Why BA(Hons) Creative and Professional Writing?
This wide reaching and highly practical course provides an excellent grounding in a variety of writing disciplines, setting you on the road to a career in the creative industry of your choice. In addition to studying fiction, stage and screenplays, narrative non-fiction, poetry and copywriting, you will also get the opportunity to develop and hone your own writing skills.
This broad spectrum approach represents a unique opportunity, offering you the chance to discover the writing you want to focus on, while introducing you to styles and disciplines you might not have considered. You'll also work on creative briefs and learn how to use the latest platforms to appeal to your audience.
Why study our course?
This course will enable you to develop the technical skills, critical awareness and creative daring essential for success as a writer. Learning from well-respected professional writers, you will gain a thorough understanding of the creative process, apply your writing skills to meet the needs of different media and audiences through a variety of approaches, and become an independent and self-motivated manager of your own projects.
The key skills of ideation, narration and editing will equip you to write for any platform, and you will have the opportunity to specialise in a preferred genre. The extensive knowledge gained of professional standards and expectations will provide excellent preparation for working in the creative industry of your choice.
Real-world experience
You will develop a varied professional writing portfolio - some of this while working on industry-standard briefs - and gain practical skills in editing, blogging and content creation. You will also learn essential entrepreneurial and project management skills, and there will be opportunities to engage with Bristol's innovative local media and cultural organisations.
Where it can take you
On graduation, you can go on to work in a variety of...
Facilities
Location
Start date
Start date
About this course
Study facilities
Our Frenchay campus provides extensive study facilities including free Wi-Fi in all our teaching rooms.
Be inspired by films, books, plays and texts in quiet study areas, group spaces or viewing rooms in the Bolland Library. The library houses over half a million books, as well as DVDs, journals and online resources.
Develop skills in blogging, editing and desktop publishing using industry standard software including Wordpress and Adobe.
Access lecture slides, core readings and assignment guidance on UWE Bristol's Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment...
Reviews
Subjects
- Writing
- Professional Writing
- Industry
- Project
- Writing Skills
- Media
Course programme
Year one
In your first year, modules are designed to provide a solid foundation for your creative practice, to strengthen your technical expertise as a writer and to give you an overview of the professional landscape.
You will study the following compulsory modules:
- Creative Practice and Writing Mechanics
- Essential Scriptwriting Skills and Techniques
- Narrative Non-fiction and Copywriting
- Writing Fiction: Contemporary Practice in Context.
Year two
As you progress into your second year, you will hone your writing skills by exploring and engaging with a variety of structures and contexts. You will develop a critical awareness of your work in the context of other writing, and undertake a major creative project.
You will study the following compulsory modules:
- Ideation, Platforms and Commercial Writing
- The Novelist's Workshop - Genre, Form and Editorial Techniques
- Professional Portfolio Development 1
- Writing for Stage, Screen, Radio and Digital Media.
Final year
In your final year, you will work on a second major creative project, which will give you the opportunity to focus on the style of writing you most enjoy. Employability is a central focus of this course and you will gain a thorough understanding of the expectations of industry professionals.
You will study the following compulsory module:
- Professional Portfolio Development 2.
In addition, you will study three optional modules from the list below OR two if a Study Year Abroad (SYA) or Placement Year has been completed:
- A Career in Fiction - Publishing, Self-publishing and Promotion
- Copywriting - The Professional Nexus
- The Working Scriptwriter - Commissions, Briefs and Audiences.
Please also note this structure is for the full-time course delivery only. For part-time delivery, the same modules will be studied. However, the structure will differ.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you.
Learning and TeachingYou will be taught and assessed by leading academics and practising professionals from across the cultural industries.
Learning takes place through a range of methods including practical workshops, discussion-based seminars, lectures and one-to-one tutorials. Independent study is also a key part of the course and you will complete weekly exercises outside of class time. An Academic Personal Tutor (APT) is available to provide individual advice and support throughout your course.
For more details see our glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Study timeWorkshops, seminars, lectures, project work and tutoring account for an average of 12 hours of contact time per week. However, you will be expected to spend at least as much time again in essential independent study.
AssessmentWe use various methods of assessment, helping you develop a range of critical, creative and practical skills. Assessment types may include creative writing, portfolios, projects, digital content production, essays, case studies, examinations, oral presentations and self-evaluations.
For more details see our full glossary of assessment terms.
Creative and Professional Writing - BA(Hons)