Creative Writing BA Hons | University of Chester

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Course Summary

On our course, you will develop as a creative writer with tuition and guidance from our team of professional writers.

In your first year, you will be introduced to the basic principles of Creative Writing with seminars, lectures and workshops on writing Poetry, Prose Fiction and Drama.

In year two, you will build upon this foundation with more complex learning and writing in flash fiction and poetry.

In your third and final year, you will be able to develop further your scriptwriting, poetry and longer fiction writing, tackling a large-scale writing project under expert supervision.

You also have the opportunity to spend five weeks working for a host organisation in this course. You’ll have the chance to test-drive a future career, boost your CV and gain real work experience. There is also the opportunity to undertake an Experiential Learning module, where you’ll apply what you’ve learned on the course to real-life scenarios and projects.

Our Experiential Overseas Learning module offers a unique opportunity to participate in a short-term placement around the world. This course also offers the exciting opportunity to study abroad for a full academic year at one of our bilateral exchange partners or through ISEP (International Student Exchange Programs), a network of over 300 additional higher education institutions worldwide.

If you choose a degree with a Placement Year, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a year’s paid professional placement at the end of your second year, where you’ll experience the workplace, apply your learning and build connections for your future.

Why you'll Love it

We prioritise your development as a writer

Supportive and friendly writing groups

One-to-one professional writing advice

Student attending a library one-to-one session

What you'll Study

BA Creative Writing contains core modules at each level of study.

At Level 4, students are introduced to basic principles of creative writing, with seminars and lectures on writing poetry, prose fiction and drama.

Level 5 builds upon this foundation with more complex learning and writing in flash fiction and poetry.

At Level 6, students are able to develop further their scriptwriting and longer fiction writing. They will tackle a large-scale writing project under supervision.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term students study up to 40 credits.

Students should expect to spend an average of 40 hours per week on their studies which is made up of a mix of lectures, workshops, peer-led seminars, asynchronous learning, tutorial time with staff, using the University’s library, working with peers and preparing work for assessment and independent study.

Teaching will be delivered by experienced academics and practitioners in the subject. This will be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.

There will be a broad range of assessment methods so that students are exposed to the different types of task they might encounter in subsequent studies or future career development. These will include coursework in the form of written essays, performed and pre-recorded performances. portfolios of writing, creative and reflective pieces (both long and short form) and artifact manufacture. We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare students for graduate-level employment.

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees.

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Study a Common First Year

This course shares a common first year with students on English, English Language, and English Literature courses.

This means that you’ll learn alongside students studying a similar discipline, helping to broaden your knowledge and exposure to other concepts, perspectives and professions in the first year of your degree.

As you learn and collaborate with students from other courses, you'll not only widen your social and professional network but also learn new skills that will set you up for success in your industry.

In your second and third years, you will progress to studying more specialist modules within creative writing, developing your skills to become a World Ready graduate.

Entry Requirements

112UCAS points

UCAS Tariff	112 points
GCE A Level	Typical offer – BCC-BBC
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM
International Baccalaureate	28 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers - H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 Scottish Highers - BBBB
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above
T Level	Merit
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: DMM
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff	72 points
GCE A level	72 points overall, including grade D in A level GCSE English grade C/4 or above is also required
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP
International Baccalaureate	24 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 Scottish Highers: CCDD
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall
T Level	T Level: Pass (D or E on the core)
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: MMP
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree.

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships.

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

Who you'll Learn from

Dr Graham Atkin

Senior Lecturer in English Literature

Dr Ashley Chantler

Senior Lecturer in English Literature; Programme Leader, MA Creative Writing: Writing and Publishing Fiction

Dr Peter Blair

Senior Lecturer in English Literature; Programme Leader for MRes English

Prof Alan Wall

Professor of Writing and Literature

Dr Lucy Andrew

Senior Lecturer in English Literature

Dr Richard Leahy

Senior Lecturer

Your future Career

Job Prospects

A degree in Creative Writing, with its focus on imagination, initiative, curiosity and the transformative power of language can help you find a career in teaching, editing, community arts work, arts management and administration, journalism, feature-writing, communications and social media, or within other areas of the creative industries.

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.