Contemporary Craft and English Literature

Contemporary craft and English literature is an unusual and creatively rich combination, joining the hands-on discipline of making with the analytical and imaginative work of reading and writing. Contemporary craft is not a nostalgic pursuit of traditional techniques; it is a serious design and making practice concerned with material processes, creative problem-solving, and the cultural significance of objects. English literature trains close attention to language, narrative, and the complex relationship between texts and the worlds that produce and consume them.

The two disciplines share an interest in meaning, form, and creative expression, and each enriches the other in unexpected ways.

At Liverpool Hope University, the contemporary craft strand is built around hands-on making, supporting emerging makers and designers to reach their creative potential through specialised craft work and innovative projects that lead to original bodies of work. The English literature component offers engagement with a wide range of literary forms and periods, developing the critical and analytical skills that inform creative practice as well as professional communication. This four-year programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year in industry, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities, meaning that your time at university combines intellectual and creative development with sustained professional experience.

The opportunity to spend time in industry and overseas gives you a genuinely international and practically grounded perspective on both disciplines.

Graduates of combined contemporary craft and English literature programmes move into careers in the creative industries, including craft practice, design, making, arts education, gallery work, arts administration, and cultural journalism. The English literature component opens additional routes into publishing, copywriting, education, and any profession that values strong written communication. Many graduates develop independent craft practices alongside other work, exhibiting and selling through galleries, craft fairs, and digital platforms.

Postgraduate study in craft, design, or creative writing is a natural progression for those who wish to develop specialist expertise or move into research.