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creative-writing

Creative Writing BA (Hons)

Our innovative course will challenge you to write using new forms and ideas in a range of genres, while being pushed to experiment with new creative outlets.

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Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging.

Read more about block teaching

Overview

We welcome you if you're passionate about creative writing, eager to build on your strengths, and excited to discover new skills. You’ll learn from published writers and join a vibrant community of creatives who share your passion for writing.

Our programme is practical, where you learn by doing. Workshops focus on collaborative learning, where you give and receive feedback, draft and revise your work, and reflect critically. Industry-focused skills are integrated throughout, ensuring you develop the confidence to professionally promote, present, and publish your writing.

With an innovative thematic structure, the course encourages you to explore different forms and styles while giving you the flexibility to focus on your areas of interest. Uniquely, each year offers the opportunity to undertake your own self-directed long project, giving you the freedom to develop work that aligns with your creative ambitions.

Key features

  • You can choose a route through this degree in Film Studies, History, Journalism, or Media, tailoring your studies to your interests and career goals.
  • You’ll learn from successful published writers and become part of a creative and passionate community of fellow writers.
  • The programme is uniquely organised by theme, supporting you in developing your skills across a wide range of writing practices, such as fiction, poetry, memoir, screenwriting, and digital writing.
  • We’ll encourage you to join regional writing networks, participate in spoken word events, and showcase your work at book fairs and festivals, including DMU's annual States of Independence book festival.
  • You’ll work beyond classroom boundaries in a variety of inspiring settings to enhance your creativity, such as Leicester Gallery at DMU, local museums and landmarks, DMU’s Special Collections archive, and ghost story workshops in a deconsecrated chapel.
  • Benefit from block teaching, where most students study one subject at a time. A simple timetable will allow you to really engage with your learning, receive regular feedback and assessments, get to know your course mates and enjoy a better study-life balance.

 

More courses like this

Creative Writing and Drama

Creative Writing with Education Studies

Creative Writing and English Literature

 

 

  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: W800 

Duration: Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees and funding: 

2025/26 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Find out more about tuition fees and available funding.

Additional costs: Here at DMU we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs for this programme.

Contact us: For more information, call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

How to apply

Order a prospectus

Book an Open Day

Submit a study-related enquiry

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding: 

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £15,750

Additional costs: Here at DMU we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs for this programme.

Contact us: For more information, call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Order a prospectus

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

  • 104 points from at least 2 A'levels
  • BTEC Extended Diploma DMM
  • International Baccalaureate: 24+ Points or
  • T Levels Merit

Plus five GCSEs grades 9-4 including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above.

  • Pass Access with 30 Level 3 credits at Merit (or equivalent) and GCSE  English (Language or Literature) at grade 4 or above.

We will normally require students have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.

  • We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above

Note: Applicants with non-standard qualifications may be asked to complete a piece of work to support their application.

Interview required: No

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessments

 

First year

  • Block 1: Exploring Creative Writing
  • Block 2: Journeys and Places
  • Block 3: Multimodal Writing
  • Block 4: Shaping Ideas (year-long module)

Second year

  • Block 1: Writing Identity
  • Block 2: Exploring Work and Society
  • Block 3: Story Craft
  • Block 4: Word, Image, Sound (year-long module)

Third year

  • Block 1: Screentime
  • Block 2: Writing and Publishing
  • Block 3: Uncreative Writing
  • Block 4: Dissertation (year-long module)

 

See detailed module information


Routes: You can select to study a route in Block 3 during your first year. When selecting a module for Block 3 in your second year you can opt to remain on your chosen route or return to Creative Writing. If you choose to remain with the route, it must be continued in your third year.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

 

Overview

Creative Writing is a practice-based subject, and you will learn through doing. You’ll learn from successful published writers and become part of a creative and passionate community of writers.

Methods of delivery are rooted in creative writing practice and understanding of the creative process. Collaborative learning plays a key role in developing your skills in creative writing and fosters an environment where you can begin to recognise yourself as a writer within a community of writers. The workshop-mode of delivery is a fundamental aspect of this collaborative learning.

You will experience a range of assessment modes, such as creative writing pieces in the core genres, creative CVs, publications projects, case studies, field trips, e-portfolios, audio-visual work and journals. In Creative Writing modules, the bulk of the assessment is centred on creative writing coursework and critical reflection – you will take a reflective, critical, and analytical approach to your work and to learn to read as a practitioner.

The programme supports the university-wide EDI strategy and the project to decolonize the curriculum, including fostering a supportive learning environment where all students have a sense of belonging.  The programme works towards developing your ability to communicate, collaborate and think critically. Across all modules, you will be developing three key competencies for sustainability: collaboration, critical thinking and self-awareness.

You will also engage in enterprise and entrepreneurship learning that develops the specific skills, capabilities and knowledge needed for you to adapt and flourish in different professional environments and contexts.

Contact hours

You will be taught through a combination of workshops, lectures, tutorials, group work and self-directed study. In your first year you will normally attend around 8-10 hours of timetabled taught sessions (principally workshops) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 28 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.

 

Facilities and features

Placements

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

Our Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been recognised as leading the university sector. It builds upon our pledge to offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all of our students.

UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences. Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in the way which suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Campus Centre

The home of  De Montfort Students' Union, (DSU) our Campus Centre offers a welcoming and lively hub for student life. Conveniently located at the heart of campus, it includes a convenience store, a Subway and a Starbucks. Here you can find the DSU-owned charitable accommodation service Sulets and DSU’s shop, SUpplies, selling art supplies, stationery and clothing, and printing and binding services. The building is also home to the DSU officer team. 

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
Students on the #DMUglobal trip to New York

DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich studies, broaden cultural horizons and develop key skills valued by employers. 

Through DMU Global, we offer an exciting mix of overseas, on-campus and online international experiences, including the opportunity to study or work abroad for up to a year.

Students on this course have considered the theme of borders and exile on a walking tour of Berlin, taken part in a scavenger hunt in the New York Public Library and discovered Danish literature in Copenhagen.

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Placements

This course gives you the option to enhance and build your professional skills to progress within your chosen career, through a placement. Our dedicated team offers a range of careers resources and opportunities so you can start planning your future.

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Graduate careers

The course will equip you with a broad range of transferrable skills for careers within and beyond the creative industries including creative thinking, critical analysis, problem solving, research, independent study, editing, digital writing, publishing and proof reading. We will encourage you to think more widely about employability, and to recognise – and articulate to employers – the rich skills you bring to any workplace.

Our graduates go on to careers in a variety of areas such as writing, teaching, publishing and PR, while others undertake further studies such as the Creative Writing MA at DMU.

Graduate, Konnie Colton, is undertaking her master's at DMU whilst working as an intern at an independent publisher. She said: "The course, the people, the campus everything is brilliant and I have had so much support. I always knew I wanted to do a master’s degree and there was no way I was leaving DMU to study for it anywhere else."

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