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This innovative course bridges Creative Writing and Journalism, allowing you to experience a wide range of creative outlets that can lead to a variety of fascinating careers. You will learn the essential tools for writing across a number of genres and mediums. Plus you will gain practical, hands-on experience in production for television, print and online journalism.
This course will challenge you to adapt to the styles of news writing, feature writing, fiction writing, creative non-fiction writing and new media writing. You will be given the skills to identify and develop your unique voice and channel it through your writing, and through news reporting and other broadcast media. Alongside your skill development, we will give you practical guidance for getting recognised, published, and making it in the specialism of your choice.
Through all of your modules, you will be supported by a team of professional writers and journalists who have personal experience in writing, publishing and broadcasting. You will also be encouraged to get involved with Divergence, our international journal of innovative writing and text-based art. In addition, there are publishing opportunities and 'open mic' sessions organised by the student-run Creative Writing Society.
On this course you will not learn just about writing and journalism - you will gain hands-on experience that will make you employable across a range of careers. With a strong element of new media and multimedia writing, the course is continually updated to ensure that students are learning the most relevant skills for a steadily developing industry. We can open the doors for you to print and new media journalism, professional creative writing, advertising, arts administration and more.
During this course you will:
Areas of study you may cover on this course include:
Throughout your course, you will be encouraged to integrate assessment and the feedback from that assessment, be it tutor, peer or self-assessed work to progress and develop your approaches to your work. This will aid the development of self-critical skills in editing and improving your own writing and promote professional practice in the presentation of your work.
Assessment methods vary across the course, enabling you to develop strategies for a range of tasks, methods of evaluation and presentation giving you valuable employability experience. At all stages you will receive detailed feedback on your work. Constructive written feedback enables you to improve the quality of your work in a rolling programme of progressive development throughout your course. This is crucial to your academic and professional progression. Individual tutors all offer the opportunity to discuss any feedback in more detail. At each level of study, as your skills and subject knowledge develop over the duration of your course, it is expected that you will develop increasingly sophisticated responses to assessment and employ increasingly effective methods of peer and self-review.
This is a degree course which is not accredited by any external body, and so the only assessments will be those set by your academic team relating directly to your degree qualification.
The degree will provide you with the knowledge and skills to make a range of contributions in the fields of creative writing and journalism. The skills, which include IT skills, involve an appreciation of the careful and accurate use of language, and the presentation of text in the most effective way.
The programme aims:
The Department holds an induction programme in the first week of the first term in Year 1 in addition to the university wide programme. While the precise content varies from year to year the following topics are included: an introduction to the department, research methods, library use, taking notes and writing assignments as well as an introduction to using, handling and booking equipment, career development and health and safety issues.
Course and assessment details and some learning materials are posted on BREO, the University's online learning environment. At the beginning of your studies you will be provided with a Course Handbook-a complete guide to the course and to support provided.
You will be allocated a Personal Tutor. This Personal Tutor will work with you, primarily during the first year, monitoring your academic engagement and progression and providing a consistent point of contact for academic support and guidance. This support may extend to providing advice on careers and further academic study.
Fos students undergoing difficulties with their studies, lecturers and personal tutors will liaise with CAAS, the Corporate Academic Advice Servise, and other appropriate University bodies.
You will produce creative and realistic solutions to complex problems including time management, monitoring progress to work to deadlines, evaluating your group and individual strategies to achieve the desired outcome. You will participate effectively in the operation of a team and collaborate with members of the team, mainly through workshop sessions.
In Creative Writing, the key team unit is the workshop, in which students share constructive criticism and support, learning to articulate key issues regarding form, content and style.
Teams within journalism form for collaborative work on many projects, with groups developing formally and informally to work on particularly production projects. This enables peer and self-assessment practices and develops the communication and personal skills which are important in professional employment. Staff regularly work as part of student teams, and also involve students, particularly in the third years whenever possible in professional work projects to increase practical and valid work experience.
The journalism team works closely with employers within the industry and the Centre for Personal and Career Development at the University of Bedfordshire. These links result in talks which students at all levels are able to attend, practical professional experience events in which students are encouraged to take part, and enable every student to build contacts and network within their area of interest. All journalists have access to a group BREO site established and maintained by the Course Leader which offers career advice, practical skills, opportunities for work experience and contacts.
Because Creative Writing is a diverse subject, with no single defined career path, advice will be provided by the teaching staff in evaluating realistic goals regarding future employment and career prospects. Even commercially successful creative writers often spend years earning their living by non-literary means while they develop their profiles as writers, and the opportunity to talk to successful commercial and non-commercial writers about their writing lives will be provided.
From Level 5 of the course, you will be asked to seriously the relationship between your writing and your future career path. You will also be encouraged to submit work for publication, where appropriate.
In practical terms professional skills and values underpin this course and are an integral part of teaching and learning within all units. We assist every student to develop the ability to evaluate effectively and reflect on their own and work of others, and understand the demands and requirements of employers and publishers.
Career:
Further study:
Standard:
Standard entry requirements for UK students - http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/ukugentryreqs
Students from the European Union - http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/eu/guides
International students - http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/international/apply
Additional:
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
The University of Bedfordshire is committed to ensuring that curricula across all courses are inclusive to all students. The Disability Advice Team is available to discuss any issues students may have and can provide services such as sign language interpreters, note takers, dyslexia screening/tuition and support with mobility on campus. They offer confidential advice and information about academic and personal issues, adjustments in examinations, applying for the Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) and buying suitable equipment.
All students concerned their studies may be affected by disability are encouraged to contact either their Field Chair, Course Leader or Personal Tutor for advice at whatever point in their course the need to do so becomes apparent.
Communication
To help with the development of this you will
Be writing regularly accurate, readable copy from a variety of sources
Evolve interviewing skills in various styles and forms
Develop strategies and approaches to produce effective individual and group work
Expand your written and oral skills to communicate with a variety of audiences
Engage in writing workshops to develop critical and editorial skills
Information Literacy
To help with the development of this you will:-
Develop professional familiarity with creative and industry standard hardware and software
Understand the potential and employment of specific technical facilities and skills
Through practice you will develop broadcast presentation, recording, editing and production skills
Develop an understanding of the variety of forms in which material can be communicated and the demands each form places upon the creative and journalistic writer
Research and Evaluation
To help with the development of this you will:-
Appreciate the importance of effective and credible sources of research and know where to find and evaluate these sources
Develop a personal canon of creative contemporaries and precursors
Develop techniques and approaches to evaluate your work, and that of others effectively and constructively
Develop effective research techniques within a wide variety of creative and media resources
Understand the values of differing resources collections
Creativity and Critical Thinking
To help with the development of this you will:-
Build an understanding of the requirements for constructive, informed criticism in developing creative work
Develop confidence in your originality
Analytically assess works across a range of disciplines and draw connections to your own work
Create a synthesis between the many platforms and disciplines you encounter in your academic and professional practice.
Professional skills and values are an integral part of this course at every level. The progressive nature of the integrated teaching, learning, assessment, feedback and implementation of feedback is designed to enable every student to maximise their knowledge and skills, and their application in your work.
Through workshop activity and journal writing, etc., you will work individually and collaboratively to monitor progress and evaluate your individual effectiveness in achieving your aims. Working individually you have to set your own goals and tasks in writing and achieve your own research goals, drawing on previous learning experience to devise creative solutions to common problems facing creative writers.
The importance of professional standards of behaviour in terms of attitude, approach to your work, the basics of meeting deadlines and the brief, are an integral part of this course at every level. They are not only what is expected of you by employers but something which is important for you to develop as individuals for your own professionalism and employability. Professional standards of work, presentation and approach are introduced throughout your course in every unit to enable you to develop an awareness and automatic implementation of such standards at all times.
The following are the basic Professional Standards required by the course:
6. Regarding course engagement: you should inform your lecturer in advance, by email, of any non-attendance. This is a courtesy to both teaching staff and the student cohort, as is reasonable punctuality.
7. In workshop sessions, critical feedback is encouraged, but should be constructive and avoid any personal implications. When engaging in debate online, remember that such platforms as MADwiki are public documents. Be vigorous by all means, but not rude or insulting.
8. Regarding all elements of the course: if in doubt, ask. It is NOT professional to stay silent and hope for the best.
9. Plagiarism is an academic offence and can endanger your academic career. Follow the advice of teaching staff on how to avoid it. However, in areas of creative practice, intellectual property is often a very elusive concept., so please consult your lecturers if you have any concerns in this area regarding your own work.
10. If you are suffering difficulties for any academic or non-academic reasons, please consult the teaching team or the relevant support staff at the University. We will give you confidential advice and guidance, or tell you who it is best to go to. Tackling issues as quickly as possible can save your academic career.
This course:
Appreciates the importance of professional behaviour.
Adheres to the divisional code of professional conduct with reference to attendance, punctuality and care and prompt return of equipment.
This is assessed in all work.
You will be made aware of the academic standards during induction week, and they will be available online.
These standards will be constantly reinforced in all units and by contact with academic staff. Visiting writers, journalists and industry professionals with be brought in to develop professional awareness, and students will be encouraged to network and forge their own contacts with professionals and professional bodies.
