BA Hons English and Creative Writing & Social Policy at University of Strathclyde

Study with us

• the emphasis is on helping you develop a range of applicable skills to grow your future career, including textual analysis and interpretation
• with us, you can study everything from poetry, the novel and drama (stage, screen and radio)
• opportunity to work with award-winning scholars and creative writers
• we have a reputation for getting to know students as individuals
• learn about the social and economic challenges facing both Scotland and the UK
• gain insight into how different societies organise their resources to meet individual and social needs

Why this course?

Our approach to the English & Creative writing course is innovative, modern and friendly, giving you a comprehensive understanding of English literature as a core basis for your creative work.

Social Policy examines the ways in which societies distribute resources and develop services to meet individual and social needs. Key social policy issues examined include poverty; economic, race, age and gender inequality; social justice health; education; criminal justice and housing.

It utilises a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to improve our understanding of how societies organise their resources to meet individual and social needs and how they measure progress in these areas. 

This programme gives you the opportunity to learn more about the social and economic challenges facing Scottish society and place these in a broader international perspective. It draws on disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology, economics, law, psychology, social anthropology and politics.

Our BA degrees in Humanities & Social Sciences are initially broad-based. In Year 1, you'll study three subjects, including your chosen subject(s).

Learning & teaching

English & Creative Writing

In Year 1 you'll have two lectures and one workshop per week. The rest of your teaching is in your other two subjects.

In Year 2, you will have three lectures and two workshops a week and in Years 3 and 4, you will have between two and four lectures and workshops a week, depending on whether you are undertaking joint or single Honours.

A large part of your week will be spent reading in preparation for classes.

Social Policy

You'll be assessed using a variety of methods, including not only traditional essays and exams, but also oral presentations, group work and other forms of assessment.

Careers

Graduates from our English programmes have gone on to have success in a very wide range of careers including in publishing, the civil service, management, marketing, journalism, creative writing, administration and teaching. Employers value our graduates’ ability to express themselves well and think critically.

The most common employment destinations for social policy graduates include:

• local & national government policy development & research
• regional & urban development
• business administration & management
• third sector/charity research & policy development
• children’s services
• education
• health & social welfare
• protective services