Re : English Literature at University of East Anglia

[gemandjule]

My DS has just been offered an Erasmus Year in UEA. He is studying English Literature, not in the UK. He applied here as from the prospectus it has a very good creative writing program which he is interested in. He has also been offered a place at a well ranked University in the US but the English Department there does not seem to be as strong creatively which as I say is his main interest. Obviously he can also stay where he is which is a very well known University (Red brick Equivalent)
Anyone have an experience of English Lit, specifically creative writing in UAE.
Also what Norwich like as a university city?
Thanks

[GetAHaircutCarl]

UAE is a fabulous place to study CW.

Norwich is a bit dull though. And it's a fecker to get in and out of.

[lljkk]

Hymph.

Norwich is a lovely city, a really nice size, very walkable with a low crime rate. The campus is beautiful... ok, the buildings aren't, but they are condensed & the campus is set in a nature area. Vibrant student life. the city centre is about a 40 minute walk from campus if you don't want to bus (15 minutes) or cycle it (10-15 minutes).

The county is rural. It is a bit of schlep to other parts of UK, but reasonable to London or Cambridge (< 2 hrs travel).

Google pictures if you don't believe me.

The Creative writing course is very highly esteemed & UEA gets high student satisfaction ratings (something else you can verify for yourself).

[multivac]

The creative writing course at UEA is incredibly prestigious and still highly regarded; alumni include Rose Tremain, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Naomi Wood, Tracy Chevalier. The only person I know who took the course did so about ten years ago, had the most amazing, transformative experience doing it, and is a well respected published author now.

And I love Norwich. Superb music scene, brilliant pubs. But yes, a bit of a bugger for transport.

[AlbusPercival]

I went to uea, though completely different course. Loved it.

Norwich is a great city, compact with everything you need.

[AppleMagic]

The fact that Norwich is a bit isolated means it punches well above its weight for amenities and culture as it is the major metropolitan centre for quite a large area.

UEA itself is a campus based university on the edge of the city (which might not suit everyone) but has a lovely, sociable atmosphere and very highly regarded English dept.

[gemandjule]

Thanks so much everyone. He's really excited to go so it's great to hear such positive feedback.
He hopes to go to London often for theatre too. He has a good friend in RADA so intends to crash with him at weekends!

[bojorojo]

I was going to say that Erasmus students like to travel and Norwich to London will be time consuming. London is so attractive to Erasmus students it is likely Norwich will feel very parochial by comparison. Just tell him to book the train tickets to London in advance - otherwise give him a lot of money if he intends to travel regularly and just pitches up at the station!

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Agree UAE is very good for creative writing.

He might never get around to it, but if he's interested in making the trip to Cambridge, it would be worth looking at what their English Lit department might have on offer to all. Quite often there are talks that are open to a general audience, and if he's in need of books there is a copyright library, to which he ought to be able to get a reader's card (and permission to go in and look but not to borrow) if he wants to find something specific.

[Timetogetup0630]

It's a great course at a well respected university. And as other posters have said it's easy to get to Cambridge, and the train ride to London is an interesting ride and not too expensive if he has a railcard and travels off peak.

Go for it and good luck.

[MabelWotsits]

Not keen on Norwich at all. It's isolated and dull.

Might be ok for a year but it's a trek into London if he's planning to go often.

[lljkk]

Besides London, which places are not "dull", and what can you do there that you can't do in the "dull" places, @MabelWotsits.

[MabelWotsits]

Where in the UK isn't dull?

Lots of the cities are fantastic. Just not Norwich. I couldn't wait to move and will never live there again

[Oly5]

Norwich is a fantastic city with lots of great cultural activities
The university is well renowned and the English Lit and creative writing departments are some of the best in the country.
He will have a fabulous time

[lljkk]

What does one do in a non-dull city that they can't do in the dull city?