Programme Specifications

English Studies and Climate Change


1 : Awarding Institution / Body
Aberystwyth University

2a : Teaching Institution / University
Aberystwyth University

2b : Work-based learning (where appropriate)


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:



3a : Programme accredited by
Aberystwyth University

3b : Programme approved by
Aberystwyth University

4 : Final Award
Bachelor of Arts

5 : Programme title
English Studies and Climate Change

6 : UCAS code
FQ73

7 : QAA Subject Benchmark


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:

  • English (February 2015) http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/SBSEnglish- 15.p

  • Creative Writing (February 2016) http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/SBSCreative- Writing-16.pdf



8 : Date of publication


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:

September 2023

9 : Educational aims of the programme


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:

  • To enable successful students to:

  • engage with a culturally and historically broad range of writing styles, forms and genres

  • define, experiment with, and traverse traditional boundaries of genre, form, function, language, and media

  • acquire strategies for self-expression across platforms and engage with and re-purpose their own experience

  • consider and account for the possibilities and challenges of textual production, whilst developing

  • a critical, technical and creative understanding of the subject and of their own creative processes.

  • recognise and utilise the expressive resources of language both in speech and in writing

  • gain experience of the practical application of literary theory to textual interpretation

  • demonstrate knowledge of literatures in English by studying a range of literary and non-literary texts in a variety of genres

  • interpret and analyse prose, poetry, drama and other types of imaginative writing in, or translated into, English from across the world

  • demonstrate knowledge of writing from periods before 1800 and of the principal literary genres across prose, poetry, and drama

  • develop a knowledge of the literary, social, historical, and cultural contexts of writing in English and an understanding of their significance

  • acquire knowledge of and analyse critical debates about the writing they study

  • reflect critically upon the acts of reading and writing, and on the history of textual production and reception apply their knowledge of critical and theoretical debates and their analytical skills to their own creative writing

  • make selective use of a broad range of research tools, discover and synthesize complex

  • information, and address, define, and solve problems

  • develop an ability to arrive at independent conclusions and make informed judgements

  • develop their interest, knowledge and understanding in English Studies with a specialisation in Climate Change

  • develop in students an appreciation of the social responsibilities of graduates in English in general and in the area of climate change in particular



10 : Intended learning outcomes


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:

The design of the programme ensures that (in Creative Writing) all students practice a wide range of genres, and that (in English Literature) they study a broad range of writing in English, and are introduced to the major formations and figures in twentieth-century and contemporary literary theory. The modules specifically concerned with climate change enable students to apply these more generic subject skills to the study and practice of writing about climate change. The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas.

10.1 : Knowledge and understanding


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:

  • By the end of their programme all students will have gained knowledge and understanding of:

  • A1 the processes relating to a range of creative modes including, but not limited to: poetry, prose, non-fiction, life writing, historical fiction, genre fiction

    A2 contexts within which these modes of writing are (and have been) produced and consumed

    A3 the place of their own creative work within the writing traditions that precede and surround them

    A4 technical innovations in the production, marketing and distribution of texts

    A5 positioning an individual’s practice and output within an appropriate critical discourse and contextual framework

    A6 literature from pre- and post-1800 periods and the range of principal literary genres across prose, poetry and drama

    A7 how culture, language, technology, and economics affect where, how, and by whom texts are produced and received

    A8 the role of readers in shaping texts

    A9 key critical issues and debates that pertain to their reading

    A10 critical, theoretical, linguistic and stylistic concepts and terminology

    A11 a wide range of textual responses to climate change across historical periods, genres, and writing for varied audiences

    A12 Issues and themes relevant to English literature and creative writing and climate change

By the end of their programme all students will have gained knowledge and understanding of: A1 the processes relating to a range of creative modes including, but not limited to: poetry, prose, non-fiction, life writing, historical fiction, genre fiction A2 contexts within which these modes of writing are (and have been) produced and consumed A3 the place of their own creative work within the writing traditions that precede and surround them A4 technical innovations in the production, marketing and distribution of texts A5 positioning an individual’s practice and output within an appropriate critical discourse and contextual framework A6 literature from pre- and post-1800 periods and the range of principal literary genres across prose, poetry and drama A7 how culture, language, technology, and economics affect where, how, and by whom texts are produced and received A8 the role of readers in shaping texts A9 key critical issues and debates that pertain to their reading A10 critical, theoretical, linguistic and stylistic concepts and terminology A11 a wide range of textual responses to climate change across historical periods, genres, and writing for varied audiences A12 Issues and themes relevant to English literature and creative writing and climate change
  • Learning and Teaching

Successful students will engage with a wide variety of learning and teaching activities which balance direct instruction, collaborative and independent study, and facilitated opportunities for active questioning and debate with peers and tutors. Scheduled activities will include lectures, seminars, tutorials, problem-based learning workshops, creative writing workshops, and one-to-one supervision. Students will be engaged in interdisciplinary work throughout the course of the degree via the interdisciplinary climate change modules. Independent and collaborative study will require extensive use of libraries and digital resources, as well as the provision of structured online learning resources. Scheduled learning and guided-study is enhanced by sessions outside the classroom including (but not limited to) performances, field trips, visiting speakers (including readings by established authors), reading groups, and film screenings.
  • Assessment Strategies and Methods

Assessment tasks encourage students to pay close attention to the creative process, to pursue creative originality, and to question accepted opinions. Students will engage with a diverse range of assessment tasks including essays, examinations, independent research projects (the creative writing project), collaborative presentation tasks, and portfolios. Where assessment focuses on students’ own creative writing this will be accompanied by a critical rationale or critical commentary via which students’ research, engagement with theoretical concepts, and analytical understanding of the subject matter will be illustrated. At level 4 students are assessed on their seminar performance. In addition, students are enabled to make choices regarding assessment that reflect their learning preferences. This strategy is delivered via optionality at the level of module and, where appropriate, optionality in the mode of assessment (for example, creative and/or critical) within a module.


10.2 : Skills and other attributes


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:

  • 10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

    By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate an ability to:

    B1 critically assess their own and others' writing practice and engage inappropriate revisions of their own work

    B2 respond appropriately and imaginatively to a given brief, taking account of diverse issues such as (but not limited to) audience, literary technique, style and purpose

    B3 Integrate an understanding of contemporary literary theory into their ownwriting practice

    B4 analyse and interpret a variety of texts with confidence and fluency

    B5 attend critically to language, structure, and form and the role of the reader in the process of communication and interpretation

    B6 Interrogate and apply a variety of theoretical perspectives in relation to theirreading of literary texts

    B7 conduct independent research and present sustained, persuasive andcoherent arguments that demonstrate an ability to work to established scholarly standards of presentation

    B8 exhibit an effective command of written and spoken English together with a wide-ranging and accurate vocabulary

    B9 apply their understanding of critical and analytic approaches to produce knowledge

    B10 produce writing about climate change that is informed by appropriate knowledge of climate science and is tailored to given audiences

  • Learning and Teaching

    These skills are embedded in the whole range of learning and teaching activities described in 10.1 above and are an explicit part of core teaching at level 4.Intellectual skills are developed through collaborative study, and facilitated opportunities for active questioning and debate with peers and tutors. Additional modelling of intellectual skills takes place outside of the curriculum through activities such as reading groups, personal tutorials, research seminars and visiting speakers.

  • Assessment Strategies and Methods

    Intellectual skills are assessed throughout the whole range of coursework, group and individual presentations, and extended projects. In addition, students also encounter a range of discrete assessment tasks aimed at supporting the development of specific skills (bibliographical exercises, editing tasks, contextual writing, reflective journals, online grammar test

  • 10.2.2 Professional practical skills / Discipline Specific Skills

    By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

    C1 the ability to read closely and critically across a broad range of literary and non-literary texts

    C2 the ability to produce artistically coherent, original and technically sophisticated creative work

    C3 analytical skills that take account of the affective power of language, making use of appropriate approaches and terminology

    C4 accuracy in structuring and presenting ideas, making effective use of appropriate arguments in their oral and written work

    C5 proficiency in the design, research, planning, and completion of projects, both when responding to a given brief and when identifying their own agenda

    C6 critical appraisal of complex texts and ideas, taking account of appropriate contexts

    C7 independent and imaginative approaches to problem solving across and within disciplines

    C8 the competent application of recognised presentational conventions, including scholarly apparatus

  • Learning and Teaching

    These skills are embedded in the whole range of learning and teaching activities described in 10.1 above. In addition, professional skills are modelled through a variety of learning opportunities and interactions (for example, research seminars and visiting speakers). Discipline specific skills are an explicit part of core teaching at level 4. Presentation skills are developed and opportunities for formative feedback on group work are embedded inthe curriculum at levels 5 & 6.

  • Assessment Strategies and Methods

    Professional and discipline specific skills are assessed throughout the whole range of coursework, group and individual presentations, and extended projects. In addition, students encounter a stepped-progression from closely directed to independently framed assessment tasks from level 4 to 6 (for example, short writing tasks at level 4 to independent research project at level 6).



10.3 : Transferable/Key skills


Information provided by Department of English and Creative Writing:

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate: D1 an ability to discover and synthesize complex information and diverse evidence D2 research skills, including the assimilation, selection and organisation of relevant material using a variety of research tools in print and digital formats D3 advanced communication skills including the ability to articulate their own and other people’s ideas concisely, accurately and persuasively both orally and in writing D4 competence in structuring arguments and presenting information with an awareness of, and responsiveness to, context D5 proficiency in the design, research, planning, and completion of projects, both when responding to a given brief and when identifying their own agenda D6 potential for working with others in teams, especially through constructive dialogue but also through problem-solving and collaborative working D7 independent and imaginative approaches to problem solving D8 proficiency in planning, organising, and reporting to deadline and the ability to take responsibility for their own work D9 success in acting upon feedback received and an awareness of constructive approaches to giving feedback D10 the capacity to think creatively
  • Learning and Teaching

    Transferable skills are embedded in the whole range of learning and teaching activities described in 10.1 above and are an explicit part of core teaching at level 4. Successful students will engage with a wide variety of learning and teaching activities which balance direct instruction, collaborative and independent study, and facilitated opportunities for active questioning and debate with peers and tutors. Opportunities for receiving and providing feedback (both formal and informal) are an ongoing part of the learning process, particularly in workshops and seminars.

  • Assessment Strategies and Methods

    Successful completion of the programme requires proficiency in the broad range of transferable skills noted above. Where these skills are assessed specifically (for example, group projects, and the structure of written work) students receive formal feedback on these elements of their activity, aligned to the assessment criteria. Where these skills are implicit (for example, completion of a task to deadline, improvement by responding to previous feedback) students receive informal feedback from peers / workshop leaders / personal tutors / academic advisors.s



11 : Program Structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards



BA English Studies and Climate Change [FQ73]

Academic Year: 2024/2025Single Honours scheme - available from 2020/2021

Duration (studying Full-Time): 3 years

Part 1 Rules

Year 1 Core (40 Credits)

Compulsory module(s).

Semester 1
BR16620

Climate and Climate Change

Semester 2
EN19920

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Climate Change

Year 1 Core (40 Credits)

Compulsory module(s).

Semester 1
EN11300

Critical Practice

WR11020

Beginning Creative Writing Part 1

Semester 2
EN11320

Critical Practice

Year 1 Options

Choose 40 credits

Semester 1
EN11220

American Literature 1819-1925

IC17700

Academic Writing: Planning, Process and Product

WL10120

Re-imagining Nineteenth-Century Literature

WL11420

Literature And The Sea

Semester 2
CL10120

Greek and Roman Epic and Drama

EN10220

Ancestral Voices

EN10520

Contemporary Writing

IC13420

Language Awareness for TESOL

IC17720

Academic Writing: Planning, Process and Product

WL10420

Introduction to Poetry

WL11920

Peering into Possibility: Speculative Fiction and the Now

WR11120

Beginning Creative Writing Part 2

Part 2 Rules

Year 2 Core (80 Credits)

Compulsory module(s).

Semester 1
EN20120

Literary Theory: Debates and Dialogues

Semester 2
EN21120

Contemporary Writing and Climate Crisis

EN21220

Literature and Climate in the Nineteenth Century

IP22320

The Governance of Climate Change: Simulation Module

Year 2 Options

Choose 40 credits from the following modules:

Semester 1
CL20320

Classical Drama and Myth

EN20920

Literary Modernisms

EN23120

In the Olde Dayes: Medieval Texts and Their World

EN28720

Writing Women for the Public Stage, 1670-1780

IC23420

TESOL Approaches, Methods and Teaching Techniques

IC27720

Effective Academic and Professional Communication 1

IP20720

Climate Change and International Politics in the Anthropocene

IP21420

Climate Change Politics

WL20720

A Century in Crisis: 1790s to 1890s

WR20220

Beginning the Novel

WR21120

Telling True Stories: ways of Writing Creative Non-Fiction

WR22120

Adventures with Poetry

Semester 2
EN21020

Literary Geographies

EN22120

Place and Self

EN22920

Literature since the '60s

GS28910

Geographical Perspectives on the Sustainable Society

IC27720

Effective Academic and Professional Communication 1

IP20120

International Relations: Perspectives and Debates

WL20320

Short stories: Grit and Candour

WR20620

Writing Selves

WR21720

Shaping Plots

Final Year Core (20 Credits)

Compulsory module(s).

Semester 2
WR31820

Crisis Writing

Final Year Timetable Core/Student Option

Choose 40 credits from the following modules:

Semester 1
EN30000

Undergraduate Dissertation

WR30000

The Writing Project

Semester 2
EN30040

Undergraduate Dissertation

WR30040

The Writing Project

Final Year Options

Choose 60 credits from the following modules:

Semester 1
AB33220

Environmental Economics

BR33420

Global Biodiversity Conservation

EN30120

Reading Theory / Reading Text

EN30520

Romantic Eroticism

EN31320

The Mark of the Beast: Animals in Literature from the 1780s to the 1920s

IC37820

Effective Academic and Professional Communication 2

IP31420

Climate Change Politics

WL30620

Remix: Chaucer In The Then and Now

WR31920

Writing Horror

WR32120

Writing and Place

WR32720

Big Ideas: Writing Popular Science

WR32820

Humour and Conflict in Contemporary Writing

Semester 2
EN30320

Victorian Childhoods

EN30420

Writing in the Margins: Twentieth-Century Welsh Poetry in English

EN30820

Haunting Texts

EN33620

Ali Smith and 21st Century fiction(s)

IC33420

TESOL Materials Development and Application of Technologies

IC37820

Effective Academic and Professional Communication 2

WL35320

Literatures of Surveillance

WR32420

Writing Crime Fiction


12 : Support for students and their learning
Every student is allocated a Personal Tutor. Personal Tutors have an important role within the overall framework for supporting students and their personal development at the University. The role is crucial in helping students to identify where they might find support, how and where to seek advice and how to approach support to maximise their student experience. Further support for students and their learning is provided by Information Services and Student Support and Careers Services.

13 : Entry Requirements
Details of entry requirements for the scheme can be found at http://courses.aber.ac.uk

14 : Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of teaching and learning
All taught study schemes are subject to annual monitoring and periodic review, which provide the University with assurance that schemes are meeting their aims, and also identify areas of good practice and disseminate this information in order to enhance the provision.

15 : Regulation of Assessment
Academic Regulations are published as Appendix 2 of the Academic Quality Handbook: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/aqro/handbook/app-2/.

15.1 : External Examiners
External Examiners fulfill an essential part of the University’s Quality Assurance. Annual reports by External Examiners are considered by Faculties and Academic Board at university level.

16 : Indicators of quality and standards
The Department Quality Audit questionnaire serves as a checklist about the current requirements of the University’s Academic Quality Handbook. The periodic Department Reviews provide an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of quality assurance processes and for the University to assure itself that management of quality and standards which are the responsibility of the University as a whole are being delivered successfully.