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Art and Creative Writing at University of Reading - UCAS

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2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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University of Reading has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Course summary

Develop as an artist, curator and writer with our BA Art and Creative Writing programme. This four-year, joint honours course reflects recent developments in art and culture. For example, you will:

  • learn about new digital art and publishing platforms
  • expand your understanding of contemporary literature and art theories
  • develop your skills in art writing.
Art and creative writing are a stimulating combination at degree level – they enhance and inform one another. Additionally, studying theories and practitioners across the art and literature disciplines will inspire and influence your own art and writing as you hone your technique and form. Art Studying at the Reading School of Art allows you to explore a vast range of media and experiment with emerging art forms. Over the course of your four years of study, you will:
  • work with academics who include artists, curators and researchers
  • be encouraged to participate in exhibitions, public art commissions and events
  • receive dedicated studio space, accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and a studio tutor to help develop your individual and professional practice.
You will complement your practical art with modules in contemporary art theory and the history of art. Through the lectures, seminars and studio teaching – as well as weekly visiting artist talks – you will be exposed to the language, vocabulary and debates that have emerged historically and evolved to forge contemporary art. Creative writing Explore literature creatively as you develop characters, shape poems, and draw on your imagination. We are ranked 11th for Creative Writing in the Complete University Guide 2023. You will learn from prize-winning authors and academics who are committed to teaching through the workshop model. These small group sessions are the heart of Reading’s writing community: guided by one of our lecturers, you and your fellow students will gain confidence as your share your writing and help each other improve. You will also have the opportunity to publish your work – and gain experience in editing and publishing – by participating in our online creative magazine. Your learning environment You will learn through a mixture of:
  • seminars
  • lectures
  • studio teaching
  • group workshops
  • technical inductions
  • one-to-one tutorials
  • museum and gallery visits.
You will also receive academic guidance through oral and written feedback. Your creative writing modules will place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment, and you will have access to our resident professional writer who advises our students individually. For your art modules, you will have access to our range of facilities. These include:
  • studios for construction, printing and casting
  • darkrooms for photography
  • digital tools for film and video editing, imaging, sound and web building
  • a dedicated audio-visual room and sound-recording booth.
  • Placement
You will be encouraged to undertake academic placements during your studies. The Department of English Literature has an innovative placement scheme, and previous art students have:
  • interned at Studio Voltaire and the Frieze Art Fair
  • performed at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
  • taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of Rural Life
  • participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea.
  • Study abroad
In your third year, you can spend a term studying abroad at one of our partner institutions. To find out more, visit our Study Abroad site.

Modules

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery for 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change. Core modules:

  • Art Studio
  • Drawing
  • Introduction to Creative Writing
  • Poetry in English
  • Art Studio 2
  • Creative Writing: Poetry
  • Art Studio 2b
  • Situated Art Practice
  • Art Studio 3b
  • Dissertation for Art and Creative Writing: Joint Honours students
The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approve modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

How to apply

31Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
QW32
Institution code:
R12
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Contextual offers for this programme are typically two grades beneath our standard entry requirement, e.g. BCC including A level English Literature or a related subject at grade B.

Additional entry requirements

Interview

Portfolio

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)7We require a minimum score of 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
TOEFL (iBT)100We require a minimum score of 100 overall with no less than 20 in Listening, Writing and Reading and 21 in Speaking.
Cambridge English AdvancedAWe require a grade A or a score of 185 overall with no element less than 169.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCWe require a grade C or a score of 185 overall with no element less than 169.
PTE Academic76We require a minimum score of 76 overall with at least 64 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
Institution's Own TestTest of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP). We require a minimum score of 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
Trinity ISEPassOnly ISE III and ISE IV are acceptable and we require a Pass in each element.

Full list of acceptable English Language Tests

http://www.reading.ac.uk/ad-EnglishTests.aspx

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
70%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
90%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9250 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 Year 1
Scotland £9250 Year 1
Wales £9250 Year 1
Channel Islands £9250 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9250 Year 1
EU £22350 Year 1
International £22350 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Art and Creative Writing at University of Reading - UCAS