Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Creative Writing and English Literature (Optional Year Abroad)

at University of Westminster - Regent Campus United Kingdom

Our Politics BA equips you with an understanding of the relationship between government and society in regions all over the world, from Europe, the Middle East and Asia to North and South America.

Studying for a politics degree will help you to understand and think critically about political events, the interplay of domestic and international politics, how resources and power are distributed in society; how decisions are made; and why political systems develop in the ways that they do.

You'll study political concepts, ideas, values and institutions, and explore the relationship between political theory and practice.

Our graduates go on to work in a range of sectors, including the Civil Service, government, NGOs, international organisations, think tanks, teaching and research.

Top reasons to study with us

• An enhanced learning experience – Our central London location allows us to take you out of the classroom to visit places such as the Houses of Parliament, government departments, international organisations, NGOs, exhibitions and museums
• Our truly international outlook – We have been named the most diverse university in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand (source: Hotcourses Diversity Index 2018), with students representing 170 nationalities
• A supportive community – We provide a supportive, inclusive and dynamic environment with high student satisfaction. There are plenty of opportunities for community engagement, not least through the student-led Democratic Education Network - a runner-up ‘Student Experience’ initiative in the Guardian University Awards 2019

Our Creative Writing and English Literature BA combines the study of literary and non-literary texts in English with the development of your own creative writing skills.

The study of texts and their background in the history of ideas informs your progress as a writer, while your experience of writing in a variety of genres (the novel, the short story, poetry and drama) enhances your appreciation of literature.

This course will be of particular interest to those who wish to write or develop their reading with the experience that comes from writing literary texts. You’ll gain the knowledge and understanding necessary to begin a career in freelance writing, publishing, theatre, or teaching literature and creative writing. The course will also equip you with the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

Top reasons to study with us

• Fantastic location for the creative industries – London has unrivalled access to publishing houses, film production companies, theatre and poetry networks, and other literary opportunities
• Writer-led workshops – all of our creative writing tutors are either practising poets, dramatists or novelists
• Subject-leading researchers – our English Literature staff are leading experts in their fields, producing internationally recognised research that they bring straight back into the classroom
• Gain valuable industry contacts – you’ll have the opportunity to make writing contacts through our talented creative writing tutors, our expert guest speakers and our industry links
• Get experience before graduating – you’ll have the option to do a work placement as part of this course
• Opportunities to gain international experience – our students enjoy regular field trips and amazing opportunities to travel, work and study abroad

Global issues and challenges, such as armed conflicts, terrorism, global warming and environmental degradation, economic inequality and injustice, migration, religious and cultural discord, have gained increased prominence, as have the range of actors and stakeholders at global, national and local level engaged in diplomatic activity to address them. Negotiated solutions are increasingly in demand and so are professionals with the knowledge and skills to engage effectively in diplomatic activity in a diverse and contested world.

The Diplomacy and Global Politics MA is designed to equip you with the theoretical and practical knowledge of international relations and the art of negotiation required at a global stage. As a diplomatic stakeholder, you'll be at the centre of forging crucial ties, resolving crises, shaping events and witnessing history in the making.

This course is for recent graduates and early career professionals who wish to improve their knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of contemporary diplomacy and global politics, enhance their professional skills and advance their careers. It also provides a strong foundation for those who wish to engage in further study of diplomacy, diplomatic innovation, and the study of global politics and governance, as well as bilateral, multilateral, and multi-stakeholder negotiations.

Our Creative Writing and English Language BA combines the opportunity to improve your writing skills with the development of a thorough knowledge and understanding of the structure, history and usage of the English language.

In addition to studying how the language works in its spoken and written forms, and the different kinds of English that exist today, the course provides structured support and guidance in the development of writing skills in various genres (the novel, the short story, poetry, drama, and non-fictional writing). Your knowledge and understanding of English will be enhanced by focusing on its aesthetic possibilities.

This particular combination is suitable for those interested in pursuing a career in any field that involves the highly skilled use of language, such as publishing or journalism, professional writing, or teaching. You could also go on to a career that includes teaching related to language or creative writing.

You'll have the opportunity to study an optional module from a range of different topics across the University in each year of study. The course will also equip you with the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

Top reasons to study with us

• Fantastic location for the creative industries - London has unrivalled access to publishing houses, film production companies, theatre and poetry networks, and other literary opportunities
• Writer-led workshops - all of our creative writing tutors are either practising poets, dramatists or novelists
• Gain valuable industry contacts - you’ll have the opportunity to make writing contacts through our talented creative writing tutors, our expert guest speakers and our industry links
• Get experience before graduating – you’ll have the option to do a work placement as part of this course
• Personalised support - you’ll get individually focused academic support and career planning through our tutorials
• Opportunities to gain international experience - our students have been on regular field trips and have had amazing opportunities to travel, work and study abroad. Previous destinations have included Miami, Hong Kong, Cuba, Berlin, Morocco, Washington and Paris.

The Criminology BA Honours aims to enthuse, inspire and equip you with the skills for a successful career in today's competitive job market.

Criminology draws on a wide range of human and social science disciplines, and the course has been designed to develop your knowledge and understanding of criminology as an interdisciplinary subject area. It will also equip you with the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

Westminster's criminologists are concerned with who commits crimes and how offenders should be punished, but at the heart of criminology are fundamental questions about how 'crime' is defined, how criminal law is made, and how definitions of crime and justice vary historically and cross-culturally.

Top reasons to study with us

• Work experience opportunities – our work experience module in Year 3 will allow you to gain valuable practical experience. Many of our students find placements in a range of criminal justice agencies
• Award-winning leadership – our course leader was awarded the British Society of Criminology award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (2016) for his design and implementation of the curriculum
• Field trips – In Year 3 you'll have the opportunity to take part in a field trip, which in recent years took place in Berlin. You'll also be able to take part in field walks around London including visits to theatres, prisons and the High Court of Justice

Our Arabic and International Relations course focuses on questions of governance, democracy and human rights, while training competent Arabic linguists ready to enter graduate employment.

This course will enable you to achieve a good level of linguistic competence in Arabic in all four skill areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking), and a critical understanding of culture and politics from the perspective of the changing dynamics of the global political order. You'll have the opportunity to study language, culture and international relations in an integrated way, exploring the connections between them and the broader geopolitical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced. You'll also gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

We place particular emphasis on employability and the contemporary cultural context and offer high-quality teaching in all language skills.

Our Arabic courses are only available to beginner or 'false beginner' entrants – false beginners are students who may be able to read the Arabic script, and/or have the equivalent to one or two years' part-time study. Please note that we may need to test you to determine your entry point.

You'll study an integrated curriculum with a focus on applied language skills and cultural studies, supported by a rigorous development of your foreign languages skills in all areas.

You'll develop a high level of competence in oral and written communication in Arabic, proficiency in language transfer skills, a thorough knowledge of Arabic culture, and the ability to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations.

You'll have the opportunity to spend a full academic year abroad at a partner institution and/or, depending on your language level, an approved form of employment in a country where Arabic is the of?cial language. You can also study an elective module from across the University in each year.

Entertainment is a large part of life globally in many forms such as music, film, media, sports and the arts. It is a combination of society, popular culture and commerce, and the interaction of these with law produces an exciting contemporary commercial subject with eclectic outcomes. It is an area deeply affected by technological progress as well as business adaptation. This course combines academic analysis and commercial practice elements of entertainment law in an international perspective. The diverse nature of entertainment law will enable you to follow a number of relevant specialisms, all of which are underpinned by issues of contract and intellectual property.

This course will suit graduates from a law background, or those from a non-law background who have significant relevant experience. There have been many successful international graduates on the course from all over the world. It will give you the opportunity to explore new ideas, thoughts and academic experiences within a supportive environment.

The course aims to develop your understanding of how key fields within the entertainment industries operate, to assess the impact of the law upon them, and give you the practical skills necessary to succeed in a career in entertainment and media law.

Our Arabic and Global Communication BA develops your knowledge of the Arabic language and culture, and develops your communication skills for the professional global environment.

Our course helps you to achieve a good or high level of linguistic proficiency in Arabic in reading, writing, listening and speaking. It also gives you insight into and practice in communicating internationally as well as mediating between English and Arabic speakers.

The curriculum integrates applied language skills and cultural studies, while ensuring a rigorous development of your foreign language competence in all areas. We teach in an integrated interdisciplinary way, exploring the connections between language and culture and the broader historical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced. 

You'll improve your ability as an intercultural communicator by studying how our ideas are shaped and communicated in a global society, where our interactions are no longer confined by national, regional or cultural boundaries.

Studying the Arabic and Global Communication BA, you'll acquire qualities and skills in areas such as interpersonal communication and organisational skills, analysis and argument, autonomy and team working, and team management. You’ll also build your flexibility, tolerance and organisational skills to enable you to be an effective international communicator. On graduation, you'll be able to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations.

This course provides you with the foundation subjects required to obtain a Qualifying Law Degree along with the opportunity to spend a year of study in one of our partner universities in Europe, gaining knowledge of other legal systems, experiencing another legal culture, enhancing your European language skills and developing international links.

A law degree is seen as a valuable asset by a variety of employers, as is knowledge of another European legal system and another European legal language. When you apply, you'll need to demonstrate an aptitude for European language study, but this does not necessarily mean that you'll need to have a formal qualification. While abroad, depending on your language skills, you may study in English or in another European language.

You'll spend the third year of your degree studying at one of our partner universities in the EU, which offer a wide range of law courses, including some taught in English. We have partner institutions in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. On successful completion of your year abroad, you'll return to Westminster in Year 4 to complete your studies.

Top reasons to study with us

• International experience – our European Legal Studies course gives you the opportunity to live and study abroad with one of our European partner universities. You will gain invaluable international experience and can and learn a foreign language as a part of your studies
• Practise in a real-world environment – as part of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your legal skills at the Westminster Law School Legal Advice Clinic
• Develop mastery of an area of the law – with our subject streams, developed by our research-led experts, alongside the core professional modules, you can specialise in entertainment and media law, commercial law, international law, theory and human rights law, criminal law and justice, or welfare law
• Boost your employability – skills and work-based learning modules are available in every year of the course

Knowledge of corporate finance law is essential for lawyers, bankers and financiers who are keen to develop professional skills in corporate fundraising, deal structures and transactional management. This course offers an enhanced qualification for professionals working or planning to work in a technically demanding and dynamic global industry. It will appeal to both recent graduates and practitioners considering various fields of work, including law, investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, securities, investments, financial regulation, government agencies and international financial authorities.

You will focus on learning how the financial markets work, from the primary markets involving the issuance of equity, debt and derivatives, to the secondary markets involving trading and investments, as well as very large financial transactions in the international capital markets. Importantly, you will also learn how to take account of legal and regulatory risks facing financiers and bankers, and structure financial instruments to suit commercial priorities and social welfare policies.