BA (Hons) English Literature with Creative Writing with a Foundation Year
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- Q3WF
- Typical Offer
- CCC
- Contextual Offer
- CDD
- Course Length
- 4 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
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90%
Of graduates go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course
Graduate Outcome Survey 2020Course Overview
Why BA English Literature with Creative Writing with a Foundation Year at UEA?
Get prepared for your English Literature and Creative Writing degree with our foundation year. Whether you don't yet have the required grades, or you need a little extra support, we’re here to support.
Why choose UEA
- Cultivate skills: Develop and hone your literary critical and creative skills, so you’ll thrive on your degree
- Supportive environment: Receive personalised guidance and wellbeing support from lecturers who have won awards for their advocacy and pastoral care
- A city for writers: Explore Norwich’s rich cultural heritage, connect with creative communities, and be inspired by the “City of Stories.”
What is BA English Literature with Creative Writing with a Foundation Year?
The English Literature and Creative Writing Foundation Year is your platform on which to build a toolkit of essential academic and creative skills. By forming your own writing goals and objectives you’ll have the know-how to engage confidently with the Humanities at degree level. Your learning is in your own hands.
Study a variety of texts in an interdisciplinary environment to challenge, provoke, and expand your writing. You can attend events such as the acclaimed UEA Live and be inspired by hearing current authors discuss their work live!
Careers
Career Pathways
With a degree in English Literature with Creative Writing, you could launch a career as:
- Commissioning editor: Find, evaluate, and manage new content for publication. Act as the main point of contact between authors and the publishing process
- Communications Officer: With your writing skills, you’ll be well placed to create and manage public messaging for organisations in the cultural, arts or public sectors
- Journalist: Write, research and edit arts-focused reports for a variety of print and digital media
- Teacher or Trainer: Work with children or adults to improve their communication and writing skills or share your love of literature in a range of educational or corporate institutions
- Postgraduate Researcher: Hone your writing skills further and understand the way writers interact with the world of publishing through a specialist MA and PhD programme
Career Support
During your foundation year, you’ll start your journey towards your ideal future career. We’ll help you identify how your academic interests and burgeoning attributes can link to real career possibilities. You’ll have access to networking opportunities, workshops, and personalised one-to-one appointments. No matter what stage you’re at with deciding on your next steps, you’ll be supported throughout your degree and beyond by UEA’s award-winning careers service, which offers guidance on CV writing, applications, internships and professional development.
After the Course
Once successfully completed your foundation year, you can progress onto the full BA English Literature with Creative Writing degree, or another of our BA degrees with Creative Writing, which will require you to submit a short portfolio of your writing (c. five pages) for approval.
You can also request to transfer onto other undergraduate courses within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. You might need to take the required prerequisite modules. Your academic adviser will support you through this process. While on your BA English Literature with Creative Writing with a Foundation Year degree, you’ll gain knowledge that’ll help you shape your own academic interests. This helps you choose a course that’s the best fit for you. Foundation year is your guide to your desired degree.
Study and Modules
Structure
A mixture of compulsory and optional modules will enable you to design your degree based on your passion, ensuring you’ll develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to achieve your full potential during the rest of your degree.
You’ll develop essential research and analysis skills and learn about a range of literary approaches and methodologies. You’ll study important topics in the Humanities and read key texts related to political, social, historical, and cultural contexts.
You’ll have the space to gain the skills you need for research, writing, and editing your assignments, while you benefit from the support and resources provided by UEA.
We’ll explore how new knowledge is created in Humanities. You’ll combine your interests with the knowledge you gain from the course to design your own project. We’ll support you as you learn to break larger tasks into manageable small tasks. You’ll learn how to plan, research, and solve problems; core skills that contribute to your longer-term professional success. Our structured support builds your confidence and shapes your future goals in your mind. You’ll see how following a process and making connections can result in shaping complex ideas. You’ll boost your creativity and resilience as you work surrounded by peers and supportive lecturers.
You can choose from a range of modules to shape your foundation year, including learning a language. You can combine disciplines to explore key areas of your desired degree.
For information on subsequent years, please see the full BA English Literature with Creative Writing course.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
We provide a supportive and rewarding learning environment. You’ll study with dedicated lecturers from UEA’s Interdisciplinary Institute for Humanities. The foundation year is designed to help bridge the gap between your previous learning experiences and the demands of your future degree programme. Modules are delivered through a variety of teaching methods, with a range of study tasks that prepare you for the different styles of learning and teaching you’ll encounter later in your studies.
Through seminars, interactive workshops, and constructive feedback, you’ll develop key academic skills such as essay writing, research, and the ability to understand and critically evaluate scholarly arguments. Your foundation year will be taught by award-winning lecturers who are experts in their fields. Their teaching draws on the latest research as well as a strong commitment to innovative and engaging learning practices.
The foundation year is an intensive programme, and you’ll be expected to work independently between classes to prepare for seminars, workshops, and assessments. We’ll support you in making full use of the resources and facilities available at UEA while helping you develop the independent study skills that are essential for success in your degree and future career.
Assessment
During your Arts and Humanities Foundation Year, your assessments will be in a variety of ways. Your learning would be assessed through your essays, posters, reflective work, or assignments focused on literary criticism. These different forms of assessment allow you to explore a range of learning styles while becoming familiar with the expectations of degree-level study.
We use innovative teaching approaches that encourage you to learn from both your peers and your lecturers. This helps build confidence in your abilities and supports your development as an independent learner. You’ll receive regular feedback throughout the year, giving you the opportunity to reflect on and improve your written work.
You’ll also be supported by one of the course lecturers acting as your adviser. Through individual tutorials, they’ll help ensure you’re progressing well and reaching your full potential.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK fee-paying students only. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes(opens in a new window).
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A Levels
CCC
Contextual offer: CDD
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: MMM
Contextual offer: MMP
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities & Social Sciences pathway. Pass the Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.
T Levels
Obtain an overall Pass.
Any Subject is acceptable
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
We welcome applications from students with non-traditional academic backgrounds. If you have been out of study for the last three years and you do not have the entry grades for our three year degree, we will consider your educational and employment history, along with your personal statement and reference to gain a holistic view of your suitability for the course. You will still need to meet our GCSE English Language and Mathematics requirements.
International Baccalaureate
28 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
6 subjects at H4
Scottish Highers
BBCCC or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
Scottish Advanced Highers
DDD or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
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- Non-Academic Entry Requirements
To progress to one of our Creative Writing BA courses, you will need to submit a portfolio of your writing and have it approved by our team. You can choose to submit your portfolio before starting your foundation year studies, or you can submit it at any point during your foundation year. We ask for around 3-5 pages of work, which can be on any subject and in any genre of the candidate's choice. Most choose to send poetry, prose, or a mixture of the two.
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
Progression from a Foundation Year may also be dependent on meeting the prerequisite module requirements of the course you wish to progress to. Please note subsequent changes to study or course can affect your tuition fee liability and the amount you are required to pay.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2027/28 are:
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UK Students: £5,760
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International Students: £24,250
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships(opens in a new window) for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: