We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.
Develop and hone your writing skills, and explore the important relationships between film and theatre, in our BA Creative Writing and Film & Theatre course.
Being at Reading places you in one of the fastest-growing screen industry hubs in the UK, with a vibrant theatre and performance scene. You’ll be close to Shinfield Studios, where recent productions like Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’, Disney’s ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ and ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ were filmed.
These studios, located on University land, are part of the Screen Berkshire partnership, giving you the opportunity to attend film production bootcamps, workshops, technical training on Arri Alexa cameras, and real-life shoot simulations.
Other partnerships include hands-on experiences with Albert Education, Arri Certified Film School, FEST, Rabble Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre, Climate Change Theatre Action, and South St Theatre.
Taught jointly by the Department of English Literature and the Department of Film, Theatre and Television, this multi-faceted course will:
Creative writing, film and theatre complement each other perfectly. Developing characters and narratives in your creative writing, and working to improve and refine them, will make you a better writer. This will enhance your ability to create compelling characters and narratives in your filmmaking and theatre work.
Creative writing allows you to explore your creativity from all angles: creating characters, shaping poems, drawing on your imagination.
We offer a specially curated group of English literature modules, which are designed to complement your creative writing. You’ll gain knowledge of a variety of literary, dramatic and film texts, from a range of different periods. The course aims to foster your independent thinking, using the close reading and analytical skills that are fundamental to English literature, film and theatre.
We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment. Workshops are central to our creative writing community, helping you to form relationships with your peers and feel more confident about your work.
Modules are taught by practising, published authors who have strong links with professional writing communities. We regularly invite published authors to read from their work and participate in teaching.
We’ll help you develop your creative writing skills in a variety of settings:
In the latest National Student Survey, 100% of our students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, responders from the Department of English Literature).
The Department of English Literature fosters a creative writing community that is friendly, cohesive and committed. As well as learning from lecturers, you’ll learn from each other by sharing your work in progress.
Outside the classroom, you can share your ideas with the University’s creative writing group, Scribblers, which is run by and for students from across the University.
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 film and theatre modules will allow you to explore your passion for both mediums. You’ll also have the opportunity to study modules in television.
During your studies, you will:
You’ll be introduced to film and theatre from across the world and study narrative traditions from both theoretical and practical perspectives. This will enable you to understand how theoretical ideas are applied to, and have an impact on, the creative process. You’ll watch, interpret and debate a wide range of film, theatre and television.
You’ll have the opportunity to undertake selected group-based practical work, which will help you develop your creativity, storytelling and practical skills, and you’ll learn in the dynamic, fully-equipped spaces of Minghella Studios.
A key benefit of studying at Reading is our close proximity to London – undoubtedly the UK’s premier hub for all things film and theatre. You will have numerous opportunities to visit theatres and see performances as part of your degree.
Throughout your degree you will be thinking about the career choices that will enable you to thrive after graduation: we will help you put in place the skills and experience that you need to launch that career. You also have the opportunity to undertake a Professional Placement Year in the third year of our degree.
You will be assisted by our Placement Team who will support you to secure a placement and prepare for the year. Placements give you a fantastic opportunity to explore potential future careers and to put your academic learning to work in a professional context.
In your second year, you can spend a semester studying abroad at one of our partner institutions in the USA, Canada, Australia, or countries across Europe. To find out more, visit our Study Abroad site.
