Course description
BA (Hons) Creative Writing
Have you always wanted to write a novel, create a screenplay, or perfect your poetry? Whatever you’re looking to write, our BA (Hons) Creative Writing degree will give you the tools to achieve it.
Our BA (Hons) Creative Writing degree will empower you with effective practices, insights and skills, encouraging you to write more frequently and with more purpose than ever before. Shared experiences are reflected throughout the course, which is packed full of options so you can develop your writing in your own way and in your preferred genre.
You’ll study the basics of writing, how to remain engaged and will uncover different styles of writing, from poetry and scriptwriting to short fiction and children’s books. You’ll be encouraged to read the best writers, exploring what makes To Kill A Mockingbird so compelling, or why the script of Casablanca works so well, and then apply these techniques to your own writing.
Become the protagonist of your own story. Start writing today.
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Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Creative Writing is an open access degree; this means that there are no formal qualifications or experience required to join the course. All you need is a passion for the arts, and willingness to learn.
All OCA courses require students to be IT literate, have a good internet connection, and have a good standard of English equivalent to CEFR B2.
For more information about admission requirements, please visit the institute website.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
Final Award Title and Type: BA (Hons) Creative Writing
Upon successful completion of the course students are able to:
- Demonstrate proficiency in a range of writing styles and literary genres.
- Discriminate between good and bad writing, reading with increased confidence and critical awareness about a range of issues in creative writing.
- Show an informed and critical awareness of different writing strategies, methods of organising materials and planning realistic schedules.
- Critically and objectively evaluate own work (and that of others).
Training Course Content
Core Units
You’ll start off with Writing Skills at Level 1 (HE4). This course is the first building block, and gets you thinking and practicing your writing through short pieces looking at character, dialogue and styles of writing. Once you have those fundamental skills under your belt, you can specialise with a range of options at Level 1 and Level 2.
At Level 3 (HE6) you’ll take two units: Retrospect & Prospect, and Independent Project. These two units both ask you to work on a writing project of your choice. Maybe it’s a novel-in-progress, a poetry collection, a series of short stories or a script. You’ll choose your tutor who prepares you for sending your writing out into the world. These two units will bring together all that you’ve learnt on the degree in self-directed writing pieces, developing you as a confident, professional writer.
Optional Units
Our Creative Writing degree covers the full breadth of writing practice, allowing you to take the options that are of most interest to you.
At Level 1 (HE4) you can choose from Scriptwriting, Starting Your Novel, Art of Poetry, or Creative Arts Today. These units will start you off on your creative writing path when you’ll begin to develop your own personal specialism.
Level 2 (HE5) covers Writing for Children, Short Fiction, Life Writing, Poetry: Form & Experience, and Moving on with Scriptwriting. These units build on the specialisms you will have started at Level 1, and introduce new concepts and contexts; for example, delving into the specifics of writing to target audiences, or how to write creative non-fiction.
Course delivery details
As a flexible degree, you can complete the programme in 4-9 years so it can fit in around everything else life has going on.
Expenses
UK 2020/21 Fees
- Foundations: £900 per course
- Level 1 (HE4): £4,050 for the level
- Level 2 (HE5): £3,340 for the level
- Level 3 (HE6): £3,340 for the level
Outside of the UK 2020/21 Fees
- Foundations: £1,050 per course
- Level 1 (HE4): £4,500 for the level
- Level 2 (HE5): £3,690 for the level
- Level 3 (HE6): £3,690 for the level
OCA degree courses are available for Student Finance loan funding, details of how to apply for this is available on our website.
We also run a bursary scheme to help students on low incomes, with fee grants of up to 50% of tuition fees. Full details on how to apply and the eligibility criteria for the scheme available on our website.
If you are self-funded, we have options to pay by instalments to break down the cost of the course into manageable monthly payments.
Continuing Studies
Upon completing the BA (Hons) Creative Writing degree, as a fully-fledged creative writer you could embark on being a novelist, a poet, a scriptwriter – you name it, you can do it. Prospects have great tips on what it is to be a professional writer. They also cover the many roles you could take on, freshly equipped with your degree.
While you’re pursuing your dream of becoming a professional writer, you can find a range of options to support your art while you write that amazing script or novel. Some include:
- Marketing Professional
- Communications specialist
- Editor / Copywriter
- Journalist