Does de-constructing narratives and considering the context of literary works capture your imagination? Do you enjoy analysing literature from the Renaissance through to the present day? Throughout your studies, you may study the work of William Shakespeare and Emily Bronte, explore new ways of reading texts from postcolonial or feminist perspectives, and engage in stimulating debates about the value of literature in the modern world. English Literature and Creative Writing at Keele encourages you to explore iconic literary works, whilst learning about the creative process, and compiling your own portfolios of creative writing.  In the beautiful surroundings of Keele Hall, you can enjoy readings from an exciting range of published poets and novelists.

We are committed to enabling you to tailor your degree. Alongside the compulsory English Literature and Creative Writing modules, you are given the flexibility to choose optional modules which not only align with your literary interests, but also your career aspirations. We enable you to embed an interdisciplinary approach to your studies, by offering you the opportunity to explore modules outside of the English Literature and Creative Writing  curriculum, including those from areas such as Film, History, Media, Education and Modern Languages. Our intellectually stimulating and engaging approach to exploring novels, poetry, drama, graphic novels and other types of literature produce intelligent, perceptive, socially aware and compassionate individuals who are able to make a real impact. You'll tackle a range of issues and unprecedented challenges of our cultural moment, which could include decolonisation, sustainability and the environment, gender and sexuality, migration, political extremism, or the role of literature as an arbiter of truth in an era of information overload and fake news. 

As an English Literature and Creative Writing student at Keele, you will develop key skills in reading, writing and critical thinking. Taught by expert lecturers and published poets and novelists, you will explore and interpret literary texts that will challenge your views, advance your tastes, prompt your creativity, and give you the opportunity to become a versatile graduate. Through a range of activities and assessments, our diverse course will equip you with a wide array of attributes that employers are looking for, including problem solving, creativity, emotional intelligence, and digital literacy. You will pursue your passions, grow in confidence, and gain a unique set of transferable skills that will be invaluable for your future career in a variety of sectors.

You will develop a wide range of both subject-specific and transferable skills. These skills will open up a variety of exciting possible careers, weather directly related to the subject or not. You might go into publishing, journalism, teaching, advertising, or the broadcast media.  Of course, you may want to pursue a career as a published writer, whether part-time or full-time. You could also choose to go on to higher study.