BA (Hons) Creative Writing with Foundation Bachelor's degree at the University of Plymouth
BA (Hons) Creative Writing with Foundation at University of Plymouth spans core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills development.
About this course
The BA (Hons) Creative Writing with Foundation at the University of Plymouth will allow you to unleash your creativity to write poetry, fiction, screenplays and more with the support of published authors. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Creative Writing with Foundation is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Plymouth, based in University of Plymouth Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For English studies graduates from this provider, 75% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 45% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for English & Literature, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 75% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Foundation year 4 modules
- Academic FoundationsCore
Module details
Introduces students to core academic and organisational skills required to succeed at university. Through skill development sessions, students will practice and apply essential academic skills in the context of their field of study, building confidence and independence as they transition to university-level work.
- Independent ProjectCore
Module details
Enables students to undertake an individual project on a topic of interest within their field. With supervision and support, they will define, plan and develop the project, gaining experience in designing research questions and identifying sources, methods, and literature.
- Imagining the PastCore
Module details
Explores how different Humanities disciplines engage with and interpret the past. Using a range of historical and literary sources, students examine how concepts such as time, narrative, and perspective shape our understanding of past worlds. The module fosters strong writing and interpretive skills.
- Literature, History and Visual CulturesCore
Module details
Explores key texts and voices that have shaped contemporary Humanities thinking. It examines how literature, art, film, media, memory and heritage inform historical understanding and creative expression. Working with classic and contemporary sources, students investigate themes such as gender and sexuality, faith, conflict, race and ethnicity.
Year 1 6 modules
- Gods, Monsters, and Heroes: Myths and Legends in LiteratureCore20 credits
Module details
Provides grounding for new students studying English and Creative Writing. Engages with a number of issues to enable students to gain an understanding of the historical development of literature and the ways in which texts relate to each other over the centuries.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- The Craft of Writing I: Prose Fiction and Non-FictionCore20 credits
Module details
Introduces students to key concepts and issues in creative writing through practice of workshops. Reads classic contemporary works of fiction and nonfiction including autobiography, travel writing, poetry sequences, essays and reportage. Students produce their own works and critically evaluate and contextualise them.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Rewritings: Contemporary Literature and its HistoriesCore20 credits
Module details
Examines how and why modern and contemporary authors have rewritten or reworked influential literary texts of the past. Students engage with a range of different literary forms, including fiction, poetry, drama and, where appropriate, film. Explores ways in which literature engages with cultural politics, focusing on issues of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class and aesthetics.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- The Craft of Writing II: Poetry and DramaCore20 credits
Module details
Continues the study of 'the craft of writing', emphasising poetry and dramatic writing. Explores how creative writing constitutes a 'practice-as-research' discipline, whilst studying relevant writing theory, contextual literature, and literary criticism. Workshops promote development of student work through feedback.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Make it New: Digital WritingCore20 credits
Module details
Introduces students to writing digitally for the Web and its various platforms (from blogs to websites to Twitter etc). Explores ideas around authorship and audience and the writing (or images) that connects them as 'content', in its myriad of possible forms and formats. Introduces speculative and theoretical ideas about the relation between the self, writing, and digital forms.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Adventures in Criticism: Introduction to Critical TheoryCore20 credits
Module details
Introduces key critical theories relevant to the study of English literature. Familiarises students with a range of theoretical perspectives and enables them to develop an understanding of different ways of reading literature, and its wider contexts.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
Year 2 7 modules
- Dramatic Writing for Stage, Screen and BeyondCore20 credits
Module details
Explores a wide range of dramatic writing and dramatic writing theory, integrating critical reading with creative writing projects. Class time spent discussing published authors/texts/productions, writing/reading theories, compositional processes, practical exercises, and student work.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Burning Issues: Interdisciplinary Writing ProjectCore20 credits
Module details
Asks students to engage with the 'burning issues' of our times, by thinking outside of their own discipline and engaging with research taking place in other departments, schools and faculties around the university, or even the country and the world. Students select a topic from outside their discipline and devise a writing project to communicate and explore their chosen issue.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Writing Genre FictionCore
Module details
Takes students into in-depth engagement with prose fiction writing in various genres, with possibilities including fantasy, science-fiction, period/historical, young adult fiction, horror, comedy, romance, crime, and thriller.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Preparing for Dissertation ResearchCore
Module details
Prepares students in the History, Art History, ECW, and PIR cluster for Level 6 dissertation research. Lectures and workshops explore key approaches to sources, and practical and theoretical aspects to research. Students complete an independent research project.
- Professional Writing for Different MediaOptional20 credits
Module details
Professional Writing refers to commercial content for a variety of media outlets including advertising and marketing, as well as other 'businesses' which students have imagined and created themselves. Students experiment with creative formats such as posters, reviews, reports, 'copy', interviews, the op-ed (opinion-editorial).
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Stage 2 Professional Development, Placement Preparation and identifying opportunitiesOptional
Module details
For students in the School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences who are interested in undertaking an optional placement in the third year of their programme. Supports students in their search, application, and preparation for the placement, including developing interview techniques and effective application materials.
- Brave New Worlds: Sci-Fi, Fantasy and PoliticsOptional20 credits
Module details
Explores SF writing since 1960, with a particular focus on the hybridity of the field and the ways in which it intersects with fantasy writing, to explore a range of political issues in the contemporary world. Concentrates on Anglophone writing and explores whether SF is really concerned with the future, or driven by nostalgia to engage with the ways in which the past has constructed the present.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
Optional placement year 1 modules
- School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Placement YearCore
Module details
Students have the opportunity to gain work experience by undertaking an optional flexible placement year. The placement must be a minimum of 24-weeks (which can be split between a maximum of two different placement providers) and up to a maximum of 48-weeks over the course of the academic year. The placement is flexible and can be undertaken virtually, part or full time and either paid or voluntary. Students can undertake their placement year abroad.
Year 3 4 modules
- DissertationCore40 credits
Module details
Student will complete, under tutorial supervision, a significant project in critical or creative writing. Maximum length 9,000-10,000 words or equivalent in creative form.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- University of Plymouth Literature FestivalCore
Module details
Students apply their passion for English and Creative Writing and develop professional and collaborative skills by planning and delivering a cultural festival celebrating Plymouth and/or the South West. Enables students to sharpen employability skills and gain experience in project planning, management, audience engagement, and event production/implementation.
- Portfolio and PublicationCore
Module details
Develops a creative portfolio of writing in novel, short story, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and related forms. Students have the opportunity to explore and potentially blend multiple forms as part of their practice. Allows students to contextualise their practice within theoretical contexts and position their portfolio in relation to publishing opportunities.
- Script to Screen: Making Films, Podcasts, and MoreOptional20 credits
Module details
Asks students to realise an original script of their own making with an on-screen production. Students are introduced to the production side of things, including storyboarding, working with actors and production crew.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course emphasises creative writing in poetry, fiction, screenplays and more under the guidance of published authors. A typical Creative Writing programme moves from foundations in close reading and critical writing through to specialist options and independent work. In your first year, you'll usually study introductory literary studies, literature in its historical contexts, and critical theory foundations. Year 2 typically broadens into modern and contemporary literature alongside workshop-based creative writing craft. From year 3 onwards, you'll pursue specialist options, such as Shakespeare and early modern literature, contemporary fiction, world literature, critical theory, or publishing pathways, before developing an extended independent project. Throughout, the emphasis is on both understanding literature and producing your own creative work.
Who it's for
The course typically attracts entrants with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, 80% of accepted students held these on entry. The most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students was 112–127 points. This four-year structure includes a foundation year, supporting you to develop the skills needed for degree-level study in creative writing.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time BA (Hons) degree at the University of Plymouth, taught in English. The University of Plymouth is a recognised UK degree-awarding body with Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 80% |
| another higher-education qualification | 10% |
| Other | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Plymouth →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What English & Literature graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £21,000 – £28,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £19,500 | £15,500 – £23,000 | 120 |
| 5 years after | £24,500 | £18,500 – £30,500 | 135 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in english & literature · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs English & Literature nationally
National figures for English & Literature graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with English & Literature courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,436 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 95; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How English & Literature graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where English & Literature graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Publishers
- Media & broadcasters
- Marketing & PR agencies
- Charities & public sector
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit English & Literature graduates.
English GraduateRibbons and Reeves LimitedEnglish, Maths & Digital Skills ManagerHIT TrainingEnglish Certification Examiner (Written & Oral) – Paid TrainingPearsonEnglish Supply Teachers - Oldham and RochdaleTradewind RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
75% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.1 out of 10: NSS 82.7% · in work or study 75% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Plymouth
Language and area studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of Plymouth Campus
3,218 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is English & Literature right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Plymouth from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Plymouth; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Plymouth’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Plymouth and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Plymouth
English & Literature at other universities
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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