Welcome to the Department of English and Creative Writing

We offer innovative undergraduate and MA courses and are proud of our commitment to excellent teaching. The Department’s research record is impressive and students can choose from a wide variety of modules taught by enthusiastic, high-profile staff.

Areas of expertise range from Blake to Bellow; from the history of Cupid to the social history of cake; from screenwriting to the experimental sonnet and stand-up comedy. The Department is also home to the National Centre for Research in Children’s Literature (NCRCL), ReWrite (the Centre for Research in Creative and Professional Writing), the Literature and Culture Research Centre and Centre for Research in Romanticism. We have a lively postgraduate community and provide a supportive and stimulating environment for doctoral study, including opportunities for practice-based research.

All our students are well placed to take advantage of the vibrant culture of literary London and are encouraged to explore the resources of the British Library and performance venues such as the Globe Theatre. Our students can also enjoy a full programme of events organised by the Department, including research seminars, public lectures and readings, and regular conferences on children's literature, literary journalism, and Romanticism.

Dr Laura Peters
Head of Department, English and Creative Writing