BA (Hons) English: Creative and Professional Writing Bachelor's degree at the University of Sunderland
BA (Hons) English: Creative and Professional Writing at University of Sunderland. You'll learn pitching, presenting and networking alongside core literary theory and research methods.
About this course
Explore and develop your own creative talent. Gain skills in pitching, presenting, and networking. Work with organisations and develop your portfolio for a fulfilling writing career. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) English: Creative and Professional Writing is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Sunderland, based in Main Campus. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for English & Literature, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 2 modules
- Writing Short Stories and PoetryCore30 credits
- Introduction to Literature and LanguageCore30 credits
Year 2 2 modules
- Creative ProjectCore30 credits
- Creative StorytellingCore30 credits
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 developing your own creative talent alongside practical professional skills in pitching, presenting and networking. You'll work with real organisations to build your writing portfolio for a career in the industry. A course like this typically begins with foundations in literary analysis and critical writing across poetry, prose and drama, alongside critical theory from formalism to postcolonialism. In the second year, you'll usually move to modern and contemporary literature, including global anglophone writing, and undertake workshop-based creative or applied writing. By your third year, you'll specialise in areas such as creative writing, Shakespeare and early modern texts, contemporary fiction, critical theory, world literature, or publishing pathways, before completing an advanced research-led seminar and an extended independent literary project.
Who it's for
You are drawn to writing and storytelling and want to understand how literature works, not just read it passively. You're ambitious about a writing career but realistic, you know that talent alone isn't enough, and you're willing to develop the business and communication skills that matter in publishing, media, and the creative industries. You work well with structure and feedback, and you value direct contact with experienced writers and editors. This course suits part-time study, so you may be juggling work or other commitments whilst building your writer identity and portfolio. You'll find the balance between intellectual rigour and practical portfolio-building genuinely valuable.
Careers & job market
Across English and Literature courses nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months. Of working graduates, 55% are in highly skilled positions or undertaking further study. Graduate earnings nationally (English & Literature) range from £23,000–£30,000 in the first 15 months after graduation, and reach £24,650–£34,800 after five years. Paths vary widely: some graduates enter publishing, journalism, or digital media; others move into education, communications, or roles where strong writing is valued across sectors. The portfolio you develop during your degree becomes the primary asset for securing work and freelance opportunities.
University & format
This is a part-time Bachelor's degree (BA Hons) at the University of Sunderland, a university founded in 1901 and located at its Main Campus. The course is taught in English and is recognised as a UK degree-awarding body, giving you a nationally recognised qualification. The university received a Silver award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
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.
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 (code Q300). 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 Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Sunderland →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.
- 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.
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 RecruitmentWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Sunderland
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 Main Campus
1,928 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 Sunderland from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £17,500 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 Sunderland’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 Sunderland and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Sunderland
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Common questions
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What do graduates earn?
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