Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Media and Creative Writing (with Sandwich Year)

at University of Hertfordshire - De Havilland Campus United Kingdom

This course focuses on contemporary approaches to fine art and the practice and theories that inform it. You’ll be actively encouraged to explore your ideas through a range of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, video, installation, photography and digital media. Supporting you will be a team of internationally practising artists, each bringing their unique research, experiences and interests directly into their teaching. The lively and diverse lecture programme sees visiting artists and art professionals discuss their own practice while encouraging debate and discussion. Throughout the course, we’ll foster your natural abilities and interests in a stimulating environment. Excellently equipped facilities and your own personal studio space allow you to experiment and develop your practice.

Our course has an international and outward-looking approach. From year one, our students are offered a range of external opportunities, including:

• The option to take a semester-long, funded Erasmus residency in one of our overseas partner institutions in Europe
• A year-longer Study Abroad residency, in one of our global partner institutions, e.g. North America, Japan, Canada, Australia.
• The chance to exhibit their work nationally and within the region, in venues such as Courtyard Arts, Hertford, the Truman Brewery, London and the renowned UH Arts Gallery on campus.
• Participation in collaborative projects with our international schools in places such as Moscow.

Closer to home, students benefit from opportunities to:

• Undertake a sandwich year placement to gain more extensive experience within the creative sector.
• Benefit from the programme’s close ties with University of Hertfordshire’s MA in Art Therapy, through access to staff and when relevant, taught modules.

A distinctive feature of the programme is that from the outset students develop a strong and supportive peer group dynamic that frequently results in ambitious collaborative projects, sharing of opportunities, a growing network and a proactive alumnus.

Teaching and technical Support

The program values one-to-one teaching in support of individual development, alongside peer learning within technical skills workshops and group seminars.

Teaching on the program is delivered by tutors who are practicing artists exhibiting internationally and supported by a vibrant program of visiting artists and industry professionals. Within the School, there is a lively and diverse lecture program with contributions from artists, poets, art critics and curators, so our students can link with practicing artists and contemporary artwork.

Taught workshops traverse all areas of contemporary practice, including painting, sculpture, digital imaging, printmaking, moving image, installation, photography, moving image and more. Alongside this, the Critical and Cultural Studies modules provide students with the skills to critically analyse contemporary visual arts and culture, both in written studies and within the context of the studio.

Philosophy explores and confronts the assumptions that frame the way we think, act and see the world around us. Creative writing offers a way for you to do this by exploring new perspectives on familiar themes, expanding your imaginative capacities, and finding ways to articulate ideas in novel and illuminating ways.

On our BA Philosophy and Creative Writing degree, you will be introduced to a range of literary texts, genres and practical approaches to writing, and you will learn how to formulate your own philosophical arguments, to arrive at your own conclusions.

In your first year, you will embark on becoming a writer, including writing for the screen, whilst exploring central philosophical questions, such as whether anything can give meaning to life, and whether our striving to achieve anything of significance is ultimately futile, even ridiculous. The philosophy of film and literature module addresses the assumption that anything is possible in fiction and considers the extent to which that is true.

All our Philosophy lecturers are active researchers, so you’ll share the excitement of doing original work in a supportive and highly-rated academic community. Our Philosophy team is in the top 15 in the Guardian League Table 2019 and rates as one of the 100 best Philosophy departments worldwide in the 2017 QS rankings.

Our Creative Writing team are published and practicing novelists, poets and dramatists and you will gain a clear, theoretical understanding of the discipline, as well as practical skills that will shape your ability to express yourself.

In your second year as a writer, you’ll turn your attention to writing for the stage and consider poetry as well as prose writing. In Philosophy, you’ll choose from a variety of topics, which includes a module on the nature of art, expression and representation (in literary as well as visual art), and modules on influential texts in philosophy, such as Plato’s Republic, which is written in dialogue form.

The final year allows for even more opportunity to tailor your degree to reflect your own interests. In Creative Writing, you will embark on your own project, either on poetry, prose or script writing, whilst in Philosophy, you’ll choose from a variety of modules, including modules on feminist philosophy, the nature of language and meaning, and a module on Nietzsche, who is well-known for his literary style.

• A flexible programme of study, allowing you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting
• An exceptional academic team, conducting internationally renowned research
• Stimulating, innovative courses that allow you to make rewarding connections between two disciplines
• CV-building potential through work placements and extra-curricular activities

Social workers help people find solutions to their problems and live more successfully in their communities. Sometimes this includes helping them confront and manage behaviours that put themselves and others at risk. To succeed, social workers must work not only with service users, but also with their service user’s families and friends, as well as other organisations including the police, NHS and schools. This course covers subjects such as law, partnership working, assessment and interventions, social science, mental health, disabilities, and families and children.

During the three-year BSc programme, you will learn the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the social worker role.  In your first year of study you will undertake modules which provide core knowledge and skills, including human development across the lifespan, working with diverse communities and service users, key methods and interventions and the policy and legislation which underpins practice. The second year and third years of teaching builds on this to explore ideas in depth including issues of risk and need which social workers manage.  The programme concludes in the writing of a dissertation on a topic area of interest to you. Your learning will be supported by a total of 170 placement days and 30 skills development days.

The School has a strong international reputation for research in this area and this expertise influences this course which explores current research and practice in artificial intelligence and robotics. This MSc can lead to a career such as a designer of intelligent systems or in research.

Graduates obtaining this award will be equipped to pursue research to PhD level, or to enter specialist employment in technically advanced and unpredictable working environments requiring sound judgment and the exercise of personal responsibility and initiative.

• The award offers the opportunity for you to study advanced research topics in computer science, normally across multiple specialisms, and comprehensive research methods, and to undertake an extended masters project on a cutting-edge research topic.
• One of a range of advanced courses within our postgraduate Master's programme in Computer Science, this particular course provides you with a specialism in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
• Advanced topics studied include artificial life with robotics, neural computation and machine learning, theory and practice of artificial intelligence.
• Taught by a highly-regarded and long-established computer science department.
• Sixty percent of our research impact in Computer Science and Informatics at the University of Hertfordshire has been rated at world-leading or internationally excellent in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.

The use of the immune system in cancer therapy is a prevailing ambition in the field. You’ll gain expert knowledge of the numerous ways cancers and the immune system interact so you can learn how cancer immunotherapies are developed. We’ll provide a thorough understanding of immune effector mechanisms and cancer biology. You’ll develop a range of personal skills through self-directed learning and our problem-based approach to teaching.

A degree in English Literature with Film will help you grow from passionate reader and film-fan into a critical thinker able to understand literary and cinematic works by applying a wide range of critical, theoretical, political and historical perspectives. The disciplines of Literature and Film Studies are highly complementary, and as you progress through your degree you will find many fruitful connections between them.

This fascinating degree is both geographically and historically wide-ranging. This means you’ll study literature written in English from the Renaissance to the present day, by writers from all parts of the globe; and alongside this, you’ll explore film and television from America, Asia, Britain and the rest of Europe, from the earliest days of moving images to some of the most exciting contemporary work being produced today.

In both disciplines, you’ll be taught by research-active academics who bring fresh thinking to our accessible, engaging courses. We’ll introduce you to writers and film-makers who will open doors to contemporary worlds and cultures remote from your own, and also help you explore more familiar works – both textual and visual – in ways that challenge your preconceptions.

Whatever your taste in literature, there will be something to interest and provoke you. From The Tiger Who Came to Tea to Jane Eyre, from Paradise Lost to Zadie Smith’s Swing Time, we’ll broaden your literary horizons and hone your critical thinking.

A core Literature module in your first year will equip you to read and interpret both traditional and contemporary literary texts critically as a scholar of English literature. Alongside this you can choose to revisit Shakespeare and consider his cultural relevance today through fictional, cinematic and TV adaptations; or to deepen your understanding of Gothic writing by tracing its origins back to the Romantic era.

In your second year you’ll focus on period-based literature from the Renaissance onwards and gain an understanding of literary history, from Elizabethan verse and drama, via Augustan poetry and the emergence of the novel in the 18 th century, to the radical transformations of the Victorian age, and the emergence of modernity in the twentieth century.

You’ll also have the opportunity to consider ways of reading that go beyond textual analysis or historical context, such as understanding literature through the political or ideological lens of Marxism, feminism and post-colonial theory. You’ll have the chance to specialise in your final year, tailoring your literary study to reflect your own interests. Themed options include children’s literature, young adult fiction, Renaissance tragedy, European crime fiction, literary adaptations and the culture of print in the 18th century.

At the same time, your minor in Film will further hone your analytical skills, and give you a sophisticated appreciation of the craft of filmmaking. You’ll look at how the film and television industry has evolved and adapted to new technologies, how novels are recreated in film and how film gives us fresh perspectives on the world. You’ll also have opportunities to design and run film programmes, write and produce your own short films and hear guest lectures by film, television and media professionals. Topics covered range from silent movies to the Golden Age of Hollywood, the birth of the blockbuster, the influence of European style on American film, the way digital technology has transformed the industry, and why franchises have proved so successful, from James Bond and Star Wars to the Marvel cinematic universe.

Philosophy explores and challenges the assumptions that frame the way we think, act and see the world around us.

Here at Hertfordshire, you won’t just be learning about philosophers and understanding their theories, you’ll be doing rigorous and creative thinking of your own. Our internationally regarded academics will help you learn to address the arguments of others, to understand and engage with them so that you can arrive at your own conclusions and create your own original work.

All our lecturers are active researchers, so you’ll share the excitement of doing original work in a supportive and highly-rated academic community. Our Philosophy team is in the top 15 in the Guardian League Table 2019 and rates as one of the 100 best Philosophy departments worldwide in the 2017 QS rankings.

On this course no prior knowledge of philosophy is assumed, although students with Religious Studies A-level may be familiar with topics such as ethics, mind, knowledge and reality. In your first year you’ll explore new dimensions to these topics and consider questions about the meaning of life. You’ll also study social and political philosophy, the central concern of which is the best way of organising society. A first-year module on the philosophy of film and literature takes you beyond the mainstream. Studying fiction and films such as Back to the Future allows you to address the assumption that anything is possible in fiction and consider to what extent that is true.

In your second year you’ll be able to delve deeper into areas such as philosophy of art and philosophy of mind. A module on virtues, vices and ethics focuses on specific virtues, such as forgiveness, hope or love, from both a secular and religious point of view and examines what it means to live a good life. 

In your final year you can pursue your own research interests through a dissertation. Recent topics have included the ethical issues of playing video games, the nature of the imagination, environmental philosophy and the obligations of the state, and a proposed solution to the paradox of the liar. You’ll also build on previous specialisms to explore in more depth philosophers such as Nietzsche or Wittgenstein, feminist or political philosophy, contemporary moral philosophy, or the philosophy of psychology.

• An exceptional academic team, conducting internationally renowned research
• A flexible programme of study, allowing you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting
• The opportunity to write a dissertation on a topic about which you are passionate
• CV-building potential through extra-curricular activities

All three of our model design courses share the same First Year, giving you an excellent introduction to model making, prop making, sculpture and special effects. Building on this foundation, you’ll focus on developing your artistic and technical skills to produce models, animatronics and other effects. You’ll also gain hands on experience of the specialist equipment used to produce rain, fire, smoke, wind and snow, and learn about the safe use of pyrotechnics.

In Second Year, you will acquire an understanding of special effects design and receive a thorough grounding in the practical aspects of this. You will be able to combine your artistic and technical skills to produce animatronics, action props, models and special effects.

In your Final Year, you’ll work on major projects and create a professional portfolio to impress employers. Throughout your studies you’ll use a mix of traditional techniques and modern technology. This course is accredited by Creative Skillset, reflecting the highest standard of teaching and facilities.

• Combine your artistic and technical skills to produce animatronics, action props, models and special effects.
• Gain ‘hands on’ experience of special effects equipment used to produce, rain, fire, smoke, wind and snow etc. and learn about the safe use of pyrotechnics.
• Use of traditional workshop machinery and cutting-edge technologies, plus access to specialist industry standard facilities for animatronics, model making and prop making.
• Close contacts with industry, which provide outstanding work experience opportunities and collaborative projects.
• High graduate employment rates for Special Effects students. 
• The only Creative Skillset Tick accredited Model and Special Effects course in the UK.

With a 30-year record of producing skilled engineers for all branches of the automotive industry, Hertfordshire’s a great choice if you want to work in this cutting-edge sector. How? The course focuses on vehicle design, taking into account performance, consumer demand, safety and sustainability. You’ll use all the latest industry tools and techniques, and take specialist classes in vehicle structures, engine performance, aerodynamics, materials and manufacturing strategies. This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and is the first step towards chartered engineer status.

• You will learn how to apply computer-aided engineering and industrial-standard software, recommended by the Automotive Industry Advisory Panel.
• Our BEng Automotive Engineering students have previously completed work placement years at companies including: Bentley Motors, Rolls Royce Cars, and Triumph Motorcycles.
• We have links with all the major UK automotive companies and most Formula One racing teams have one of our graduates working in their design team, so your degree will open doors for you.
• This BEng Honours degree course will give you the opportunity to design, build and race single-seater race car in the UK Formula Student Competition from your first year onwards.
• Recent Automotive Engineering graduates have gone on to work at organisations including: JCB, Nissan, Ford Motor Company, Nissan Technical Centre Europe, Jaguar Land Rover and McLaren Automotive.

This course is ideal if you want a degree that can lead to a wide range of business careers. It offers a creative mix of academic study, skills development and practical training, giving you the best possible platform for your career. You’ll learn principles of accounting, economics and marketing, and choose from a variety of other subject options. Strong partnerships with industry ensure our curriculum is up to date and meets business needs. Add a language and take the opportunity to study abroad. This course is aligned to several professional bodies for students to work towards achieving professional recognition.

You can also study a language with this course. You can be awarded the degree ‘with language’ in the title if you choose to study a foreign language in all years of study.

• Gain a broad base of business knowledge and explore a variety of career paths.
• Study key areas like accounting, finance, economics, HR, marketing and operations.
• Explore global perspectives, ethics, strategy, employment law, problem solving and much more.
• Create a stand-out CV by spending a year studying abroad.
• Add one of five languages to your business studies, gaining a sought-after new skill.