Creative Writing and Philosophy (Full Time) (BA Hons)
This joint honours degree in Creative Writing and Philosophy offers you the chance to explore two complementary disciplines. Combining the craft of storytelling with deep, analytical thinking, this course will nurture your creative expression while developing your ability to tackle the big questions of life.
In Creative Writing, you will immerse yourself in the writing craft, guided by expert tutors who are published writers themselves. In your first year, you will explore poetry, prose, and drama, gaining a strong foundation in different forms of writing. As you progress, you will refine your skills in creating compelling works, focusing on elements such as voice, form, and place. Modules in fiction and poetry writing will help you build your technical expertise, while self-reflective and editorial skills are developed through practical workshops.
The programme also prepares you for professional opportunities. You will learn about publication and performance and gain practical experience in areas like digital content creation, screenwriting, journalism, and even writing for games. These skills will allow you to build a diverse writing portfolio, preparing you for a range of roles in the creative industries.
Alongside Creative Writing, the Philosophy aspect of the degree introduces you to profound and challenging questions. Philosophy is not about being told what to think but learning how to think critically and creatively. You will explore topics in philosophy and ethics, political philosophy, and applied ethics, focusing on contemporary issues such as justice, power, and identity.
Modules cover both the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophical debates, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the field. You will study foundational thinkers and theories while applying philosophical ideas to modern challenges. By developing your analytic skills and engaging in critical analysis, you will learn to construct clear arguments and evaluate complex problems.
This interdisciplinary degree equips you with a unique combination of creative and analytical skills, preparing you for careers in the creative sectors, education, publishing, or any field that values innovative thinking and communication. Whether you aspire to craft impactful stories, contribute to philosophical discussions, or pursue both paths, this course provides the tools and knowledge to achieve your ambitions.
Course details
- Full-time
- Blended (On-campus)
- English
Tuition Fees 25/26
Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £15,525 per year
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
At the heart of our Creative Writing and Philosophy course is a student-centred approach that fosters your growth as a thinker and creator. Through small group seminars, one-on-one support, and practical workshops, we combine rigorous academic study with creative exploration. You will develop transferable skills in communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving, preparing you for a range of future careers.
In your first year, you will explore poetry, prose, and drama, establishing a strong foundation in the writing craft while engaging with philosophical questions about identity, ethics, and the nature of knowledge. Philosophy modules introduce key ideas and texts, encouraging critical engagement and developing skills in analysis and argumentation.
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 Credits)
The second year deepens your understanding of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction, focusing on voice, form, and experimentation. In Philosophy, you will examine political philosophy, applied ethics, and philosophy and ethics, exploring contemporary debates and refining your critical thinking. You will have opportunities for interdisciplinary work that bridges both disciplines.
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(60 Credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
Your final year offers advanced opportunities to specialise in your chosen forms, such as screenwriting, journalism, or writing for games, culminating in an independent project. Philosophy modules tackle advanced topics like feminist philosophy, philosophical debates on language and meaning, and the work of key thinkers such as Nietzsche, fostering a deeper critical perspective.
(40 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
Course Disclaimer
-
The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
testimonial
Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Further information
-
Grades are important; however, our offers are not solely based on academic results. We are interested in creative people that demonstrate a strong commitment to their chosen subject area and therefore we welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds.
To assess student suitability for their chosen course we normally arrange interviews for all applicants at which your skills, achievements and life experience will be considered as well as your qualifications.
-
The programme is assessed in a variety of ways and will include several of the following types of assessment: essays of 1,000 to 4,000 words in length, document analyses, book reviews, short reports and reflective journals, timed tests, take-home exams, field journals, posters, group and individual presentations, dissertations of 10,000 words, wikis, commentaries and film evaluations.
-
The Faculty has estimated on the assumption that students buy new copies of the books. Students may also choose to spend money on printing drafts of work.
Students may spend up to £300 per year on books and additional related materials.
Students are expected to submit two hard copies of their final project, the estimated cost for binding these is £20.
Optional Field trip:
Faculty works to ensure that there are a range of fieldwork and field trip options available both locally and internationally. Thus students can opt to take either more expensive or less expensive placements. The Faculty subsidises these but the cost each year is dependent on airfare, location, and currency exchange rates. Below are the upper end of expected costs based on where students have currently done placements.Fieldwork (depending on where student decides to do fieldwork): c. £500 - £1,500
Individual trips: c. £5 - £50 -
You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries section.
-
Career and employment opportunities are very broad and include:
- Administrative and managerial jobs
- Community Work
- Freelance work such as copywriting, editing
- Independent and commissioned creative writing
- Marketing and fundraising
- Publishing
- Teaching
- Writing for film, television and media