English Literature and Publishing

We combine the academic study of literature with skill-based modules to create a practical, applied English Literature and Publishing degree. You’ll learn how to analyse a wide range of literary texts and the history of print culture, but you'll also learn practical skills such as:

• communicating your ideas through a variety of forms and media
• copywriting and text editing
• communicating brand identity and audience research
• content layout, including image use, video, photography and infographics.

Additional modules offer the chance to specialise and deepen your knowledge and skill base, and to work on larger personal projects linked to your career aims.

At BSU, our courses are designed to equip our graduates with the knowledge and skills they’ll need for the real world. To do this, we are continually improving our courses by responding to feedback from students and other stakeholders. This may mean changes may be made to the curriculum. You’ll always be given notice of any such changes.

For more information on how we approach such changes at the university, please read our policies on

• Suspensions and Discontinuations
• Programme modifications.

Year one
The first year will introduce you to key elements and concepts in both subjects. You’ll develop your skills with a broad curriculum of core modules in Publishing and English Literature.

Year two
Alongside core modules in both subjects, you’ll be able to choose from a selection of Publishing and English Literature modules that cover a wide range of genres and topics, including a number that involve working with creative industries or local communities.

Year three
The final year follows the mix of required and optional modules from year two, but with an additional emphasis on developing your final projects. You’ll be encouraged to develop your individual approach as a creator, curator or project manager; your final Publishing portfolio will reflect this, showcasing your work for prospective employers. In your English studies, you can choose from a variety of final projects (previously, students have created digital resources, worked at literary festivals and produced educational materials, to name a few examples).

Optional modules cover book commissioning, children's publishing, and cross-platform digital publishing.

Assessment is based mainly on coursework. Depending on your module choices, coursework may include portfolios, essays, journals, feature articles, reflective commentaries, seminar presentations, collaborative magazines and reports. In some modules you’ll share your work through short, informal presentations.

You’ll be taught through a mix of tutorials, creative workshops, skills labs, seminars and lectures. You’ll learn to be adept at project management and product development following a research and development process. We work on-screen and beyond: creating sketchbooks; making physical prototypes; getting out and meeting people; finding opportunities.

Throughout the course, you’ll work to briefs set by your tutors or industry collaborators, as well as working on your own projects. 

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our information on Your Learning and Teaching at BSU.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

From visiting the London Book Fair or a bookbinder to working on projects with local companies, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in fieldwork across the Publishing modules.

Students have the opportunity to work on live projects and collaborations. We’ve worked with international and local clients such as the HarperCollins, BBC, TEDxBristol, Cheltenham Literature Festival and The History Press.

With our support, many students carry out work experience and freelance work. The Publishing lecturers have had a great amount of experience in the industry and are in an excellent position to help students to develop internship and work experience opportunities.

You can also work on the publishing student-run Milk Magazine.

Employability is a core part of our curriculum. You’ll develop your own projects, and have access to our renowned digital facilities, as well as to our Bath Spa Careers team who'll help you forge a fulfilling future.

Many of our graduates pursue careers in publishing, digital media, marketing or teaching, and have gone on to work at  international NGOs and organisations including NewScientist, Trinity College Library, DigitalBox, Cengage Learning EMEA, Defra, Future, Taylor & Francis, Penguin Random House Anthem Publishing and Adweek. Graduate professions include:

• Editorial Assistant
• Production Assistant
• Digital Editor
• Digital Marketing Coordinator
• Project Manager
• Publishing Outreach Executive
• Content Writer
• Campaigns Officer

Some graduates choose to progress onto postgraduate study. Many of our students go on to study one of our specialist MA programmes in either Creative Writing, Writing for Young People, Scriptwriting, Nature and Travel Writing, or Children’s Publishing.

There are annual prizes for the best overall performance in both core modules in years one and two, and a very special prize for the best final year English Project. 

Each year we award a publishing prize to one student from each year group.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

The course is taught at our stunning Newton Park campus, where you’ll be surrounded by wildlife and beautiful eighteenth century landscaping.

You'll have access to a range of excellent facilities, including:

• Commons building with its state-of-the-art classrooms, study spaces and café
• Digital labs (Mac rooms) for students learning new media
• Virtual Learning Environment to support you in your modules
• Library and Digital Learning Spaces
• Writing and Learning Centre
• English Language Unit
• Specialist Library resources and dedicated Subject Librarian
• Courses on LinkedIn Learning.

We have a wide range of high-quality online resources to complement the books and journals you have access to in our Library, as well as digital publishing facilities, historical and modern printing presses, and industry-standard broadcast media facilities.

As an English Literature and Publishing student, you'll also benefit from:

• Experienced Publishing technical demonstrators to support you
• The latest specialist software as well as various print and handmade publishing equipment including digital cameras, iPads, booklet makers
• Free equipment hire with SISO, Bath Spa’s loan system.