English Literature and Creative Writing (Placement Year)

BA Hons

  • UCAS code QW39
  • Entry year 2025
  • A level requirements AAB
  • Duration Full time 4 years

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 6

    6th for Creative Writing

    The Complete University Guide (2025)

  • 7

    7th for English

    The Guardian University Guide (2025)

  • 7

    7th for Creative Writing

    The Guardian University Guide (2025)

Why Lancaster?

  • Receive editorial feedback from tutors who are celebrated authors, and also learn to give feedback on the work of fellow students
  • Enhance your writing through both text-based writing experiments and workshops focusing on your own writing
  • Explore the professional dimensions of creative writing, such as reading or performing your work, publishing and marketing
  • Get involved with our four student-run literary journals: Cake, Lux, Flash, and Errant
  • Be inspired by our rich programme of literary events on campus, online, and in the city’s historic Castle Quarter

Lancaster was one of the very first universities to teach creative writing. Today we continue to lead the way in the discipline with our celebrated novelists, poets and playwrights.

From poetry to digital media

Creative Writing at Lancaster began in 1970, with a radical move to student-centred learning. This emphasis continues so that the focus in all your creative modules will be on developing your own writing.

You’ll pick from a wide range of modules and spend half your time on creative writing. You’ll explore traditional forms such as the short story, the novel, poetry, or theatre, as well as non-traditional forms such as digital media, life-writing, fantasy, rom-com, place-writing, and writing for young adults.

Supportive community

Your lectures will be supplemented by regular small-group workshops, and we encourage you to meet one-to-one with your tutor to discuss your work. You will also have an academic advisor who will provide one-to-one advice.

Many of our evening literary events, such as readings by visiting authors, take place close to the campus in historic Lancaster. Some modules involve fieldwork, for example, at Lancaster’s Duke’s Theatre and in the Lake District.

You may be able to go on one of Lancaster University's short-study trips - popular destinations previously have included New York and Boston. Or you might be interested in studying English Literature and Creative Writing with a Study Abroad Year.

Careers

Many of our graduates have gone on to successful postgraduate study and careers in professional fields such as publishing, journalism, writing, television and the media, teaching, and librarianship.

Our Creative Writing graduates have published their own stories, novels, and poems with major publishers and have had their scripts produced in national festivals and on national radio. The transferable skills you gain on this degree – communication, self-expression, research and critical understanding – also open up a wide range of business and public-sector roles in areas such as marketing, advertising, law, social work and professional services. A sizeable proportion of our graduates take up employment overseas. Other graduates go onto further study, not only in English and Creative Writing, but also in Journalism, Publishing, Law, Public Relations and Business. Recent graduates have gone on to train as speech therapists, teachers of English in the UK and overseas, computer programmers and consultants, videogame storywriters, bankers, chartered accountants, personnel managers and social workers.


Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, but that you also graduate with relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.

Entry requirements

Grade Requirements

A Level AAB

IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.

Other Qualifications

International Baccalaureate 35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects

BTEC Distinction, Distinction, Distinction

We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.

Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

International foundation programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contextual admissions

Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

Course structure

Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

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Fees and funding

We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2025/26 entry fees have not yet been set.

As a guide, our fees in 2024/25 were:

Home International
£9,250 £23,750

Fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

Undergraduate open days 2024

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