Creative Writing and History

Creative writing and history is a combination that links two disciplines concerned, in different ways, with the power of narrative. Creative writing asks you to develop your voice as a writer, to master the craft of prose, poetry, dramatic writing and other forms, and to produce work of genuine originality and quality. History asks you to investigate the past through evidence, to construct interpretations from incomplete sources, and to understand how the world came to be as it is through the actions and decisions of people across time.

Together they make a richly productive pairing, with historical research providing material and context for creative imagination, and creative writing developing the ability to inhabit and give voice to the perspectives of others.

At the University of Chichester you will develop your creative writing ability through workshops and tutorials that focus on technique, experimentation and the development of your own voice across multiple forms. Alongside this you will build your skills in historical analysis, critical debate and research, engaging with primary and secondary sources across different periods and developing the ability to construct well-reasoned historical arguments. The programme runs full time over three years and is designed to develop both the creative and the analytical capacities that make graduates in this combination genuinely versatile.

You will develop skills in narrative construction, characterisation and style alongside the research, source criticism and argumentative writing that are central to historical study. These are transferable capabilities that serve graduates across many creative and professional fields.

Graduates from creative writing and history programmes pursue careers in writing, publishing, editing, journalism, education, the heritage sector, arts organisations and content creation. The combination of creative skill and historical knowledge is also relevant to roles in broadcasting, screenwriting, museum education and cultural programming. Postgraduate study in creative writing, history or a related field is a natural route for those seeking specialist expertise.