English Literature at uni

Hello,
I’m a y12 student studying English lit, drama and psychology.
I’ve wanted to do english with creative writing at university for while but haven’t really enjoyed english at my sixth form this year so far.
I was wondering if any one could offer some advice and if anyone taking English with creative writing (or English with drama) could share which university they go to with it and if they enjoy the course?
Thank you!
xxx

Reply 1

username2281303

Original post by wordsandroses

hey i was in the same boat as you, i loved english at gcse but i haven't rlly liked it so much at A Level even tho i was convinced before i'd do it as a degree

i'm no expert (im doing psychology now as a degree) but i would imagine english at uni is gonna be a lot more different, but i think it depends on the uni

Reply 2

gmsb09

Original post by ZiggyStardust_

I take English lit, drama, psychology at the moment and I’m finding all three a bit of a challenge. But I wouldn’t know what else to do, I’m just thinking about it know because we had a talk at school last week and our teachers told us we should start looking (I feel way to young to be even thinking about it).

Reply 3

euphrasies

Original post by wordsandroses

Hi!
I'm currently in my third year studying English and Creative Writing at the University of Dundee. It's an MA, so it's four years rather than three, and though creative writing modules were only available to me from second year onwards, there is currently a first year Creative Writing module available (in the evenings only).

I can't say anything as to whether or not it's better than A Level (being from Scotland, we have different qualifications up here) and I'm sure it will vary from university to university, but I will say that I've enjoyed it more than Higher English (our A Level equivalent) and less than Higher English to varying degrees, depending on the modules.

One thing to note- certainly at Dundee, and I believe so at other Scottish universities, in order to make up the minimum number of credits, all 1st and 2nd year students have to take three modules- only one English module is offered each semester, and currently one Creative Writing module in the first semester of Year 2, but not in the second. You would have to choose modules from a variety of other subjects including History, Philosophy, European Studies, French/German/Spanish, and Social Sciences (Psychology/Sociology/Politics). It's not until third year that you'd get to specialise and really focus solely on your chosen degree path!

As for the course itself; on the English side of things, the modules offered in 1st and 2nd year do a great job of providing a foundational knowledge of literature from mediaeval times to the present day. The first English module in first year is an introduction to literary study, encompassing all eras and genre. The modules that were available to me are largely unchanged, and in fact some new ones have been added- in first year I did Early Modern Literature, and in second year Romantic/Victorian Literature and Modernist/Contemporary Literature. Come third and fourth years, there are a wide range of English modules to choose from, including Modern Drama, African Literature, and even modules on Comics and Graphic Novels. It'd be worth having a look at the list of modules on your chosen university's website to get a better idea of what exactly is on offer.

However, the Creative Writing side of things has been largely a different story. The Creative Writing community is very small and close-knit, though there is not nearly the range offered in English modules, with tutors and conveners pushing you to develop your writing in the 'house style'- very much in the contemporary fiction/non-fiction mould. There is somewhat of a contempt towards 'genre fiction', in particular fantasy/sci-fi/historical writing, and you will not be encouraged to include these in your coursework. There is also, I find, not nearly enough of an emphasis on potential career routes in writing- such as sessions/modules on journalism and screen/scriptwriting among others, especially in the earlier years, though I hear this is visited in closer detail in the fourth and final year. Also, you should be prepared for sitting through four-hour writing workshops- just a warning!
On your point about drama- while Dundee does not offer Drama/English with Drama as a degree, there are drama modules as part of the English course! In my first semester of third year, both my modules were drama ones- one was Renaissance Drama (Shakespeare et al), the other Modern Drama (Ibsen/Strindberg/Brecht among others). There are also a number of Film Studies modules available to English students, looking at everything from Classic Hollywood to film adaptations of Shakespeare plays (though, like with any modules at any university, these are all of course subject to change).

Sorry this is so long (I got a tad carried away!) but hopefully this has given you some insight into studying for a degree in English and Creative Writing, at least at one university. Of course, every university (and likely every student's) experience will vary greatly. If you have any other questions about the degree, please let me know, and I'll be very happy to answer them!

English Literature at uni

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