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Falmouth creative writing vs english and creative writing?

Falmouth university offers both a creative writing course and an English and creative course but I dont really understand the difference. I have obviously looked at the modules, but the very few that differ are super vague so I was wondering if someone could help me please?

Reply 1

Hi! I study Journalism and Creative Writing at Falmouth at the moment, and I'm in my second year. The two courses do have a lot of overlap - for example, in the first year for both courses, the modules are exactly the same. Second year differs slightly, with each course having a different core/non-optional module that focuses on literature, and the practice of writing, respectively. Third year seems to differ the most - for example, you do a portfolio and dissertation for English and Creative Writing, and just a portfolio for Creative Writing.

However, the honest answer is that there is quite a lot of overlap between the two courses, with English Literature and Creative Writing taking a more critical/literature analysis stance whilst Creative Writing has more of a focus on the writing side of things.

If you're interested in either course, I really recommend coming to an Open Day, where our academics can give a more detailed run-down of exactly why they differ and which one would suit you best. But there is a lot of flexibility in terms of changing from one course to another, especially as the first year is identical for both courses, so if one appeals slightly more upon application, there is potential for change if you end up leaning more towards one or the other after you start.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

Reply 2

Original post
by Marla Falmouth
Hi! I study Journalism and Creative Writing at Falmouth at the moment, and I'm in my second year. The two courses do have a lot of overlap - for example, in the first year for both courses, the modules are exactly the same. Second year differs slightly, with each course having a different core/non-optional module that focuses on literature, and the practice of writing, respectively. Third year seems to differ the most - for example, you do a portfolio and dissertation for English and Creative Writing, and just a portfolio for Creative Writing.
However, the honest answer is that there is quite a lot of overlap between the two courses, with English Literature and Creative Writing taking a more critical/literature analysis stance whilst Creative Writing has more of a focus on the writing side of things.
If you're interested in either course, I really recommend coming to an Open Day, where our academics can give a more detailed run-down of exactly why they differ and which one would suit you best. But there is a lot of flexibility in terms of changing from one course to another, especially as the first year is identical for both courses, so if one appeals slightly more upon application, there is potential for change if you end up leaning more towards one or the other after you start.
Let me know if you have any more questions!


Thank you for your response! I was wondering - is one more employable that the other? I have read places that having English in the degree makes it more versatile, but I would like to know how true that is before I base my decision off of it...

Reply 3

I honestly can't give a simple answer to that - but I will tell you my opinion!
Firstly, I think doing a joint honours degree, or degree that covers multiple subjects, is definitely good for employability. That's why I chose to study journalism and creative writing, as it opens up careers both in journalism, and more general writing-based roles. Both sides of the course have given me different opportunities, which means I've had a variety of lots of different experiences to talk about when applying for my placement year roles/internships.You also learn different skills from each side of your course, which makes you more well-rounded. I think both my creative writing skills, and my ability to write factually, concisely, and to a tight deadline, for example, have helped me land my Communications Intern role for my placement year.
But employability will depend on exactly what career path you want to take (eg. whether you would need English Literature experience) and what other experiences/work you have produced, as getting a job is so much more than just your degree.
Ultimately, I don't think doing/not doing English Literature would limit your career choices, as there are few jobs that specifically require studying English Lit, and so you could still access these with a pure Creative Writing course. But I do think it's great to have a breadth of experiences and skills, especially if you're not 100% sure what you want to do after graduating - so if you think you would genuinely enjoy the English Literature side, it might be worth considering!
Again, our academics should be able to give a broader opinion on this, and our employability team is there on our Open Days too to help out with career-specific queries 🙂 !

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