Master of Arts in Creative Writing

at University of Hertfordshire - De Havilland Campus United Kingdom

Study with a top history department and be taught from the cutting edge of historical research. We are ranked first among all History departments in the country for the social and cultural impact of our research and fifth for the overall quality of our research. Our world leading experts have published widely, won prizes for their work, and contribute to national and international television and radio. Our publications include a contribution to Harry Potter: A History of Magic, the companion book to the recent exhibition of the same name at the British Library.

Through our diverse and inclusive curriculum students will learn about an array of cultures and identities. Topics range from magic and witchcraft, to propaganda and popular protest, to health and family life.

What links our work is our focus on people’s history and everyday lives. This is represented strongly in our first year programme, which will give you an insight into the making of the modern world through exploration of faith, magic and medicine, campaigns for freedom and equality, Africa and the world, and America from Hamilton to Trump.

The modules you take in your second and third year allow you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting; you might focus on a region, such as Europe, or a particular period, such as the twentieth century. Whichever path you choose, you will find challenging and stimulating courses.

In your final year, you demonstrate your research skills by producing a dissertation on a topic of your choosing. Previous students have been inspired by their year of study abroad, while others have worked on the history of jiu jitsu, women code breakers at Bletchley Park, the Notting Hill riots, and vice and sexuality in 17th-century London. One of the recent presidents of the University’s Students’ Union wrote her dissertation during her final year of study with us on changing perceptions of the devil, while one of our final year students won the British Commission for Maritime History Prize in 2016 for his dissertation on the East India Company.

We give you: 

• An exceptional academic team, conducting world-leading research
• Stimulating, innovative courses - our students reported almost 94% overall satisfaction with their course (2018 National Student Survey)
• 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 work placements and extra-curricular activities

As a learning disabilities nurse, you’ll have the challenging yet rewarding job of caring for people with a range of special needs. This pre-registration course gives you the knowledge, skills and attitudes to enhance a person’s health and wellbeing, and improve or maintain a range of complex developmental, physical, psychological and mental health needs. You’ll work in partnership with people with learning disabilities, their families, carers and other health and social care professionals. Ultimately, you’ll help people with learning disabilities to live a life that’s as fulfilling as possible. As with our other nursing courses, you’ll take a variety of clinical work placements.

The Learning Disability Nursing degree pathway offers students the opportunity to take up the challenge of ensuring that the health care needs of people with learning disabilities are addressed using using a holistic approach, both within mainstream and specialist services.

• Enhance the person's health and well-being.
• Improve or maintain a range of complex developmental, physical, psychological and mental health needs.
• Work in partnership with people with a learning disability, their families / carers and other health and social care professionals.
• Reduce barriers to disability and promote social inclusion.
• Support people with a learning disability to achieve a life which is as fulfilling as possible by maintaining their rights, choice and independence.

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.

Indicative course structure

A business degree is a powerful, career-launching qualification, and if you’re interested in a career in business, combining two subjects will give you sought-after skills, exciting experiences and a whole world of future career opportunities.

This degree gives you an in-depth understanding of today’s business world. You’ll explore accounting, marketing and human resources, as well as the fast- moving international financial sector – from financial markets and investments to banking and economics. It’s an ideal choice if you know you’d like a respected business degree and you’re interested in finance but perhaps not yet sure where you’d like to specialise. It enables you to bring both disciplines together, and to understand how they interact and impact on society.  

• Strengthen your knowledge on how to smoothly combine business and finance.
• Dive straight into understanding how business operates.
• Benefit from our links with local industry and commerce.
• Enhance your experience through a work placement or study abroad year.

• BAFTA approved. BAFTA endorsement is a significant recognition of the industry focus of the course and means that you can be sure you will be studying on a course that has been recognised as fully industry-relevant by THE leading organisation in the sector. As stated on the BAFTA website, "The eligible courses have been identified by industry professionals as producing students ready to work in film, games or television".
• Develop a showreel demonstrating your creative talent in composing music and designing sound for a wide range of media (video, film, video games), opening up a 360º horizon of possibilities and opportunities for work.
• Collaborate with MA Film students in our School of Creative Arts.
• Learn in the university’s top-class facilities, assisted by tutors who are themselves industry professionals

Why choose this course?

• This course is conceived to meet the current industry’s demand for creative professionals who are equally versed in music composition as well as sound design, and can work effectively across a range of media – whether it’s video, narrative film or interactive games.
• All aspects of the soundtrack are systematically explored in both linear and non-linear environments, leading to a fuller understanding of the discipline, of the industry, and of the production processes.
• On this course, you will harness the whole gamut of sonic resources for your creative practice – from acoustic instruments to electroacoustic sound, utilising all the latest studio techniques and technologies.
• You’ll study in the University’s top-class studios, supported by tutors who are experienced industry professionals, with potential to collaborate with students from our MA Film course.
• With targeted sessions and expert guidance, you’ll develop a showreel demonstrating your creative talent in providing sound and music for a wide range of media (video, film, video games), opening up a 360º horizon of possibilities and opportunities for work.
• Explore our Master of Sound Student Success blog to find out how our alumni have progressed since completing the course.

Perhaps you are interested in Marketing but would also like to explore some of our marketing pathways, please check: Marketing and Advertising and Marketing with Digital Communications. Marketing is an exciting, dynamic and multi-focused discipline. This course will provide you with a broad perspective, covering subjects such as principles of marketing, strategic planning, consumer behaviour, enterprise, brand and media communications and market research. It will prepare you to work successfully in the sector whether you wish to set up your own business or join a small or a large enterprise. During this degree, you’ll have the opportunity to study for a professional qualification with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), significantly enhancing your career prospects. In the First Year, students are given the opportunity to become Affiliate Members of CIM and study for a first CIM award.

5 Reasons to Study BA(Hons) Marketing:

• The course is professionally accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing and gives you chances to study professional qualifications.
• You will get to work on live industry projects using real data and working with businesses and charities across the UK.
• The course gives you the opportunities to do a work placement in SMEs or large corporations, developing key employability skills
• All students have the option to study abroad.
• You will develop key marketing and communications skills at a leading international business-facing University.

Fashion impacts upon all aspects of our lives and shapes our appreciation and understanding of the world around us. This course offers a commercially informed, creative and innovative design experience for tomorrow’s generation of fashion professionals. You’ll learn vital pattern-cutting skills in 2D and 3D as well as core manufacturing abilities. You’ll also enhance your freehand and technical drawing and illustration skills using traditional and computer-aided design methods.

As well as technical skills, you’ll explore the history of fashion and exciting innovations in contemporary design. Optional study trips, fashion shows, exhibitions and competitions will enrich your educational experience, while live industry projects could lead to your designs going into production and open up employment opportunities.

If you've already completed an Undergraduate degree, why not take a look at our Postgraduate degree and specialise in MA Fashion?

• We support freedom of expression and individuality and help our students to be industry informed, socially responsible and creatively prepared
• Our Fashion Design award offers an exciting balance of creativity, innovation and technical design helping to develop the next generation of fashion professionals in a rapidly changing industry
• Strong industry relationships with a number of leading brands and designers collaborating through live projects, work placements, competition sponsorship and graduate employment opportunities
• A great spacious contemporary environment including industry standard resources for you to thrive in
• A highly experienced and dedicated academic and technical team putting your learning at the centre of the programme

Software engineering is a discipline that applies professional engineering techniques to the construction and evolution of large and complex software systems. This course adds a specialism in software engineering to a broad base in computer science. In the first two years there is an emphasis on software development, professional programming, the modelling and design of systems and data, the principles of networking and the user experience. Building on this foundation you’ll study software engineering in depth and learn how to analyse, design, develop and evaluate computer-based systems. You’ll also learn the application of engineering techniques, such as those relying on software metrics.

• Choose this course with an emphasis on Software Engineering building on a base of mainstream Computer Science, or change to one of the others in our flexible programme.
• Be taught by highly qualified staff, most with a PhD or other advanced degree plus research, teaching, or professional experience.
• Be part of a highly regarded well established computer science department with excellent facilities, a strong research background, and links to business and industry.
• Prepare yourself for a career in the IT sector through a mix of academic, professional and practical study, with opportunities for industry certifications and a paid placement year. Previous students have worked placements at companies including Intel, Microsoft, and Apple
• Recent graduates from Computer Science have gone on to work at amazing organisations including Ticketmaster, BAE Systems, and Ocado

The programme supports you in developing your knowledge and understanding of issues and practice through enquiry and research. The programme provides a range of module choices, but you are encouraged to bring your own ideas and focus on your own particular professional interests. This award is gained through taking an early childhood education focus for 50% of the study, including the Dissertation.

Applicants must have substantial experience of practice in early childhood educational settings, or must have a bachelor degree in early childhood education.

The MA Early Childhood Education is offered as part of a suite of awards available through the MA Education Framework.

This MA Early Childhood Education award aims to equip students to enhance service provision at nursery, local and national level becoming or preparing to become a change agent in their own practice and in early childhood practice in general.  Students will build on and deepen their knowledge and understanding of practice and theory in relation to child development, curriculum design and pedagogical leadership

Through this programme you will

• Develop and deepen your knowledge and understanding of issues relating to education practice through critical reflection, analysis and enquiry
• Develop your ability to critically analyse educational theory and how it links to practice
• Become a member of a supportive learning community and learn from professionals from a range of educational settings
• Become a successful practitioner researcher

Students typically explore areas such as interactive advertising, responsive objects and environments, networked information and social-media systems, interactive video, live performance technology and digital art installations.

The School has a strong international reputation for research in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics 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.

This course is part of our Master's programme in Computer Science. 

• 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.