Creative Writing and English Literature

English Literature is a rich and vibrant area of study. At YSJU, we are a dynamic, engaged, and research-active team who are committed to providing our students with a cutting-edge education. By studying English Literature, you will have the opportunity to learn about a range of different genres, historical periods, and literary forms. In English Literature, our philosophy is simple: words matter. Words shape the world we live in (books can and have changed the world) and the connections between the written page and the concerns of the ‘real’ world are a crucial part of the programme. Overall, the degree will enable you to develop your expertise as a reader and critic of a range of literary materials, whilst also supporting you in the development of a portfolio of professional skills which will aid you in the wider job market. As you become adept at independent learning, you will become a more sophisticated reader of texts, and you will find that your confidence as a writer and as a critic will increase as your degree progresses.

The Creative Writing side of your degree will enable you to develop work in a variety of forms and genres, from penning your own poetry, fiction and scripts, to exploring creative non-fiction and other experimental modes of writing. You will be taught by our team of award-winning, published writers and academics, and you’ll have the opportunity to attend workshops and readings from a range of internationally-acclaimed visiting writers. You’ll learn to read and analyse texts in order to help you develop your own work, and you’ll also have the chance to get involved in events, performances and publications. This is a dynamic, challenging and creative course, which will provide you with a range of transferable skills.

Creative Writing emphasises the importance of engaging with the wider world of literature in order to develop your own writing. You’ll have the opportunity to study brilliant writing from the past, as well as learning from contemporary creative practitioners. Our course is led by a team of exciting, award-winning writers, and we also have a lively programme of visiting writers and guest speakers. As a student here, you’ll be part of the York Centre for Writing, a hub for innovative new creative work with strong links to the wider literary community and to the publishing industry. Through events such as the York Literature Festival, our students benefit from studying and learning directly from internationally-acclaimed writers. Recent Festival and University guest writers have included Margaret Atwood; award-winning poets Simon Armitage and Daljit Nagra; Booker-nominated York novelist Fiona Mozley; innovative graphic novelist and illustrator Graham Rawle; and Bradford noir-writer A.A. Dhand. We also have regular visits from industry professionals and innovators, including agents, publishers and literary activists.