English with Creative Writing (with Integrated Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

Goldsmiths, University of London

If you have been out of education or do not have the required A-level qualifications for degree-level study, this four-year course can help you realise your academic potential.

- Goldsmiths is dedicated to widening participation and supporting students from non-traditional backgrounds to transition to university-level study. If you do not have the required qualifications for degree-level study, this course offers an alternative entry route- The Foundation Year is closely aligned with our undergraduate English programmes, teaching you a foundational knowledge of the subject, and helping you develop the academic skills necessary to progress to the first year of the BA- You will select the undergraduate English degree you wish to study at the point of application but can change your choice as you progress through the foundation pathway if your interests change- In your Foundation Year, you will learn about significant literary movements from distinct periods, including the English Renaissance, literature of World War I, post-war drama and poetry, feminist fiction, and themes of race and class in the late 20th Century- You will develop your ability to identify characteristics of historical periods and significant developments in literature and be able to explain the relationship of literary works to the relevant historical periods studied- You will hone vital skills in critical reading, analysis and written communication- Following the Foundation Year, you will go on to study one of our undergraduate English courses, which include the reading of de-colonised, feminist and multi-cultural writing, as well as classic works of the literary canon- Combine the study of literature with the practice of creative writing. You’ll graduate with the ability to be informed and curious about literature, and with the imagination to turn that curiosity into creativity.- Goldsmiths' Department of English and Creative Writing is one of the most established and long-running creative writing centres in UK Higher Education, and many of our graduates are now leading writers and editors in their field.- This flexible degree allows you to choose topics related to American literature and culture, comparisons of literature across different cultures and art forms (also known as comparative literature), and study diverse aspects of language use in linguistics modules. Your literary and creative studies will be supported by lectures and seminars that will give you practical advice to help you improve your essay writing and refine your research strategies.- Our location on the doorstep of central London means that you will have easy access to one of the most diverse, historic, and dynamic literary centres in the world. We’re regularly visited by literary guest speakers, and our students have recently enjoyed events with Ali Smith, George Saunders, Bernadine Evaristo, Nikesh Shukla, Michael Rosen, Eimear McBride and Howard Jacobson. Our forward-thinking approach to the fields of creative writing and literary studies is supported by our hosting and running of the Goldsmiths Prize, awarded annually to work that pushes the boundaries of the novel.

Since 2010, twelve of our alumni have gone on to win the prestigious Eric Gregory Award, awarded annually by the Society of Authors for a collection by British poets under the age of 30. Other recent alumni have gone on to win the Ted Hughes Award for poetry, the Somerset Maugham Award, the Rathbones Folio Prize, the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, The Guardian & 4th Estate Short Story Prize, the European Union Prize for Literatur