Creative Writing with Foundation Year

Creative writing is one of the most practically demanding of the arts. To write well, whether in fiction, poetry, drama, creative non-fiction, or screenwriting, requires the development of a craft that is built through sustained practice, honest critical reflection, and exposure to a wide range of writing that shows what the form can do at its best. It also requires the kind of reading that goes beyond enjoyment to analysis: understanding how writers make their choices and what effects those choices produce.

At Birkbeck College, this four-year full-time programme, which begins with a foundation year, supports you in developing your ideas and refining your craft across a full range of creative forms, including fiction, poetry, drama, screenwriting, and non-fiction. The foundation year gives students who need additional preparation the grounding to engage fully with the demands of the main degree. Being based in Bloomsbury in central London, a neighbourhood with deep literary and artistic history, enriches the experience of studying writing in ways that are difficult to replicate elsewhere: the cultural resources of the city, from theatres and galleries to publishers and literary events, are all close at hand.

The typical entry tariff is 72 UCAS points.

Graduates of creative writing programmes pursue careers as writers, editors, publishing professionals, scriptwriters, journalists, and literary agents. Many also work in the broader cultural sector, in roles that use their writing and critical skills in arts administration, education, communications, and media. The ability to write clearly, imaginatively, and with precision for different purposes and audiences is valued across a wide range of professional contexts.

Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in creative writing or related fields, developing their practice at a higher level and building the professional relationships that sustain literary careers.