BA Creative Writing and Theatre

Overview

Develop and hone your writing skills, and explore the complex interplay between live performance and audience, with our BA Creative Writing and Theatre course.

Taught jointly by the Department of English Literature and the Department of Film, Theatre and Television, on this course you will:

• explore your creative writing in small peer groups
• examine theatre in its various contexts: as popular entertainment, theoretical discipline and art form
• have the opportunity to develop your practical theatre skills.

Creative writing and theatre complement each other perfectly. Exploring a breadth of dramatic work and analysing creative choices will support the development of your own creative writing. Optional practical work will enhance your ability to create compelling characters and narratives.

Creative writing

Creative writing allows you to explore your creativity from all angles: creating characters, shaping poems, drawing on your imagination.

We offer a specially curated group of English literature modules that are designed to complement your creative writing. You’ll gain knowledge of a variety of literary, dramatic and film texts, from a range of different periods. This course aims to foster your independent thinking, using the close reading and analytical skills that are fundamental to both English literature and theatre.

We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment. Workshops are central to our creative writing community, helping you to form relationships with your peers and feel more confident about your work.

Your learning environment

Modules are taught by practising, published authors who have strong links with professional writing communities. We regularly invite authors to read from their work and participate in teaching.

We’ll help you develop your creative writing skills in a variety of settings:

• lectures concentrate on specific, practical issues such as how to construct a character or tackle a specific literary form
• seminars involve small group discussions, led by one of the teaching team, with short practical writing exercises
• workshops allow you to explore and develop your writing in small peer groups.

Creative community

The Department of English Literature fosters a creative writing community that is friendly, cohesive and committed. As well as learning from lecturers, you’ll learn from each other by sharing your work in progress. Outside the classroom, you can share your ideas with the University’s creative writing group, Scribblers, which is run by and for students from across the University.

You will also have the opportunity to publish your own work – and gain experience in editing and publishing – by participating in our annual Creative Writing Anthology.

Theatre

On your theatre modules, you will analyse and discuss the plays that you love with the opportunity to learn practical skills for your future career.

During your studies at Reading you will:

• discover how directors, designers, writers and other theatre artists respond to and shape our rapidly changing world
• explore the histories and techniques of devising, producing, designing and directing
• learn how theatre works as an expression of real-world issues.

Through our partnerships and connections with the contemporary creative world, you will gain a rich and critically informed knowledge of the techniques that are shaping creative practice today.

You’ll have the opportunity to participate in group-based practical work, which will help you develop your creativity, storytelling and practical skills.

A key benefit of studying at Reading is our close proximity to London – undoubtedly the UK’s premier hub for all things film and theatre. You will have numerous opportunities to visit theatres and see performances as part of your degree.

Entry requirements

Typical offer

BBB including a grade B in English Literature or a related subject. Related subjects include: English Language, English Language and Literature, Drama and Theatre Studies, and Creative Writing.

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall including 5 in English at higher level.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250

New international students: £20,300

Careers

As a creative writing graduate, you will enter the job market with well-developed communication, research and writing skills, together with a high level of cultural literacy and critical sophistication. 94% of leavers are in work and/or study 15 months after the end of their course (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2018/19; First Degree responders from Film, Theatre & Television).

Our flexible degrees are designed to develop the skills valued by both creative and commercial industries, providing you with a diverse range of career opportunities following graduation.

To prepare you for the future, an emphasis on professional skills is built into all of our courses. You will graduate with a breadth of knowledge as well as many transferable skills for work in a wider range of sectors.

Many of our alumni work in the creative industries, in roles such as:

• theatre director
• arts management
• actor
• playwright
• critic.

Graduates also go on to work in:

• commercial marketing and media 
• advertising 
• journalism 
• teaching

deadlines

We process applications all year round but recommend applying as early as possible to ensure you can have a place in your chosen degree. Please be aware that to ensure there is enough time to complete all administrative procedures, and VISA requirements, applications may need to be submitted no later than a month (or longer) before the start of the courses.