Have you ever wanted to be a writer, journalist or work for a publisher, then the MA Creative Writing and Publishing course is the best fit for you! Even if you do not think of yourself as a writer, if you are unsure of how to choose your course then this article might give you some ideas on where to start.

1. Creative Writing and Publishing: A hybrid degree

Whether you are an undergraduate or a postgraduate, it can be daunting to figure out which university is right for you. Even more so, which degree is the best for you. In my case, I wanted to do a degree that not only gave me more knowledge about the field I wanted to work in – Journalism and Publishing – but that it also let me put my writing skills into practice and gain experience along the way.

Creative Writing and Publishing was unique in this sense because it is a degree that focuses on both writing skills and the publishing industry, while most degrees focused on just the writing part. This was important to me because I wanted to ensure that my degree would open different job prospects for me, such as journalism, marketing and editorial work, and not limit myself to just being a fiction writer.

The best part about the Creative Writing and Publishing degree? You do not need any experience at all to be a writer. As said before, the degree is split into two terms – the writing term, where you learn to plot and create your own stories (prose, screenwriting, feature articles, you name it), for print or different media. The second term involves Marketing and PR modules, where you learn how to market a book and even have the chance to design a book cover for Fresher Publishing, the university’s publishing press, and see your work come to life!

Throughout the terms, there are also chances to meet industry experts and even get opportunities to work for them. Last January, our class had a visit from two comic artists and an editor, who offered chances to send our stories through to his comic.

2. Societies and Work Experience

Opportunities to gain work experience outside of my degree was also a huge factor in why I chose to study at Bournemouth University. Joining Nerve Media, BU’s media society, enabled me to put my journalism into practice and write for Nerve’s magazine, website and social media, and so, build my portfolio. Additionally, I also had the chance to help cover the UK 2019 Election live with BU’s news team, where I worked alongside Journalism and Politics students in a newsroom environment.

So, if you are looking for a professional degree that offers lots of thrilling challenges and work experience, don’t hesitate, Bournemouth University is the place to be!