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EDD100
English Essentials
This is a skills-based module which will equip students with the technical and critical expertise that is necessary for their academic journey in English Literature and Creative Writing. It is designed to support the transition from post- 16 study to undergraduate study and to show students *how* to become successful scholars of English. How should we read texts? How do we write essays? Focusing on an exciting anthology of texts selected by the English academics at Swansea, this team-taught module uncovers the power of written language. We will explore how writers inspire and challenge their readers, how to think critically, how to close-read, how to construct powerful arguments and how to produce written work that is rigorous, academic and convincing. This module empowers students to think, write, and persuade.
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EDD200
Film in Context
This module aims to introduce key critical and theoretical concepts in studying film.
Throughout the module you will learn how to ¿read¿ a film and how to break it down into its individual components to understand how each part of a film helps communicate its themes and values.
You will then apply these to two films from the following movements. You will then pick one as the focus of your essay:
The French New Wave ¿ Une Femme est Une Femme & Breathless
The Surrealist Film Movement ¿ The Phantom of Liberty & Head
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EDD202
Comedy writing
This module aims to introduce key critical, theoretical, and practical concepts in writing comedy.
Throughout the module students will study the various genres and styles of comedy writing and take a critical look at concepts of pushing comedy boundaries, historic context, and writing for different modes of distribution.
During the module students will be shown how to develop and pitch comedy ideas for the UK and the American market, develop an understanding of the basic structures used by comedy writers, critically analyse the work of key comedy performers and writers which have been chosen to reflect a variety of ethnicities, genders, and sexualities.
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EDD303
Film in Context
This module aims to introduce key critical and theoretical concepts in studying film.
Throughout the module you will learn how to ¿read¿ a film and how to break it down into its individual components to understand how each part of a film helps communicate its themes and values.
You will then apply these to two films from the following movements. You will then pick one as the focus of your essay:
The French New Wave ¿ Une Femme est Une Femme & Breathless
The Surrealist Film Movement ¿ The Phantom of Liberty & Head
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EN-117
Creative Writing: Fiction Genres
An innovative module that will introduce the student to the art of writing within a broad range of genres.
Weekly lectures will introduce each student to authors of specific genres, such as crime writing, historical fiction, fairytale, horror, fantasy, science fiction, romance and writing desire. Each lecture will be followed by a seminar that will focus on a variety of methods used to write in that specific genre.
Regular assignments will offer the student a opportunity to write creatively - a unique opportunity to expand, discover, and explore their emerging writerly voice.
Built into the module is a wide reaching reading programme that will assist each student to be conversant with the traditions of writing in a specific genre, whilst encouraging close reading and editing skills.
Students will be taught by published authors who work within these particular genres, and will also have the opportunity to hear these authors read & discuss their own new work and works-in-progress.
The module aims to examine the structure, voice, setting and genre, of specific written material so as to initiate curiosity, create empathy, and focus on increasing an understanding of the structures used within writing character, setting and historical context in a specific genre. Emphasis will be placed on the theory and practice of reading, comprehension and writing.
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EN-118
Creative Writing: Styles of Fiction
An innovative module that will introduce the student to the art of writing within a broad range of styles.
Weekly lectures will introduce each student to authors of specific styles, such as poetry, writing for theatre, song writing and professional writing. Each lecture will be followed by a seminar that will focus on a variety of methods used to write in that specific style.
Regular assignments will offer the student an opportunity to write creatively - a unique opportunity to expand, discover, and explore their emerging writerly voice.
Built into the module is a wide reaching reading programme that will assist each student to be conversant with the traditions of writing in a specific genre, whilst encouraging close reading and editing skills.
Students will be taught by published authors who work within these particular genres, and will also have the opportunity to hear these authors read & discuss their own new work and works-in-progress.
The module aims to examine the structure, voice, setting and style, of specific written material so as to initiate curiosity, create empathy, and focus on increasing an understanding of the structures used within research, writing character, setting and historical context in a specific style. Emphasis will be placed on the theory and practice of reading, comprehension and writing.
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EN-270
Writing a Short Film
This module aims to introduce students to the practice of writing scripts for short films. Developing their writing skills within the parameters of short narrative, the course will also encourage students to explore and develop dialogue and character skills. Through a combination of theory and practical exercises, students will develop a 15-minute film script which demonstrates their skills of character, story, genre, formatting, dialogue, and industry appeal. The module will also look at the very different roles of the writer verses the director, the relationship between audiences and short film, and will explore current developments in both creative and industrial contexts. The module also aims to offer practical help in how to pitch an idea, how to enter film festivals and how to further develop their own voice.
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EN-3026
Creative Writing Personal Project
Students taking this module must submit a portfolio of creative writing of between 7-8,000 words in any genre, subject to Departmental approval. The Personal Project is an independent study module for which each student will receive 5 hours of individual or group supervision. Supervisions will take place at regular intervals with set targets, and will primarily involve feedback on the style and structure of the submission.
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EN-3055
Graphic Novel
What are graphic novels, and how do they relate to their component terms, ¿graphic¿ and ¿novel¿? How do we read graphic novels? What are their antecedents, and how do contemporary works speak to the development of the form? Through an examination of two key texts, Bryan Talbot¿s Alice in Sunderland and Carol Swain¿s Gast, this module combines a focus on the literary and visual to equip students with the skills to analyse and understand how graphic novels signify, and how they explore and challenge a range of themes and ideas. In addition to an attention to form and the visual, students will apply critical and theoretical approaches to consider themes and concepts such as distinctions between ¿high¿ and ¿low¿ art, storytelling, identity, history and psycho-geography.
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EN-309
Further Creative Non Fiction
In this module we explore the different forms and challenges of writing Creative Non-fiction. We look at various kinds of narrative non-fiction, including, among others, life writing (biographical and autobiographical work), travel writing, the essay, and writing about the human and natural environment. We also examine the ways in which such work is published, disseminated and read. The focus will be on narrative ¿ or, to use the tagline of the publication Creative Nonfiction, `True stories, well told.¿ This is a workshop-based writing class. Each session includes writing exercises and discussion of examples of published writing, as well as discussion and group feedback on students¿ work in progress.
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EN-M68
Creative Non-Fiction
This module explores the demands and challenges of writing non-fiction prose across a range of subject matters and styles. `Creative non-fiction¿ is a broad term that can include, among others, travel writing, nature writing, memoir, biography, and literary journalism or other forms of documentary writing. What is common to all these forms is the combination of factual story-telling and evocative writing. This module provides an opportunity to write in a number of these non-fiction forms, with a focus on narrative.
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EN-M83
Screenwriting
This module develops advanced skills in writing for the screen, with an emphasis on both short- and long-form narrative forms for film and television. Through intensive workshops and critical analysis of screenplays, students will refine their ability to generate and articulate original ideas, craft compelling characters, and shape narrative through dialogue, structure, genre, and tone.
The module integrates practical creative work with theoretical perspectives on screenwriting, enabling students to situate their practice within wider artistic, cultural, and industrial contexts. The module culminates in the development of a professionally formatted script and accompanying proposal materials, equipping students with the creative and presentational skills required for progression into professional practice or further research.
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EN-M89
Publishing: Cultures and Contexts
This team-taught module introduces students to different cultures and contexts of the publishing industry and its history. Students will gain both practical and intellectual skills across a range of topics taught by staff from English Literature and Creative Writing. The module begins with focused seminars on book history and print culture, and then moves on to workshops in which students will gain a familiarity with industry terminology and the mechanisms of the book trade. Students will be able to choose from different methods of assessment that develop academic or industry-focused skills.
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ENMD00
Creative Writing Dissertation
The Creative Writing dissertation requires the creation of an extended, original piece of creative writing, defined and devised in discussion between supervisor and student. This can be fiction, poetry, stage play, screenplay, creative non-fiction, or other appropriate form of writing. The creative work must be accompanied by a critical reflection upon the student¿s own practice. The creative work can be a continuation of the student¿s work on the MA program or can represent a wholly new piece of work.
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VC-300
Film Production Management
This production management module has been designed to offer you an insight into the organisation and pre-production development needed to produce a short film. Learning from industry professionals, this module takes you through the various stages of production management, from the initial pitch to the finalised production folder. Students will learn how to schedule film shoots, create risk assessments, break down scripts and find funding opportunities.
