Best of both worlds: why a joint honours course could be a strong choice
Picking a joint honours course can open up new opportunities for study and employability
When I was looking at prospective universities I really wanted to find somewhere that had a relaxed environment and a strong sense of community. As a result, I chose Northampton. It has a naturally warm and welcoming atmosphere, which was particularly helpful for me as I felt very nervous about starting university.
Rachael studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Northampton.
I chose to study English and Creative Writing Joint Honours because I found it very difficult to pick just one! However, they are also two subjects that complement each other very well and I found that the skills learnt in one subject can be applied to the other. For example, Creative Writing helped to strengthen my writing in English and English helped me gain a deeper understanding of the construction of texts which then influenced my work in Creative Writing.
When I first made my decision people questioned why I did not just choose English, as it is often viewed as the more ‘useful’ degree, but Creative Writing has given me many skills that I otherwise would not have gained. The workshops provide the opportunity to give and receive constructive criticism which helps you to improve your communication skills and also gives you the ability to view your own work objectively instead of emotionally which is a skill that can then be translated to the workplace. Furthermore, by presenting your own work regularly in workshops, which can be a daunting prospect to begin with, you develop a greater sense of confidence, the ability to speak aloud to a room of people, and the ability to overcome nervousness in order to get on with what you need to be doing.
The way in which our lectures and seminars are organised is another key factor in why I chose Northampton. For both English and Creative Writing the groups are smaller, more akin to a classroom environment except with a lot more maturity and far more relaxed!
This allows us to have discussions not only with each other, but with our lecturers also. I’ve found that this structure has been hugely beneficial as it allows us to ask questions easily when confronting more complex topics, but also gain a deeper understanding of that topic by being able to discuss it with one another. It also helps contribute to the sense of community that I mentioned before, which in turn creates a friendly and supportive environment in which people feel comfortable to ask questions and share their ideas.
For both English and Creative Writing the groups are smaller, more akin to a classroom environment except with a lot more maturity and far more relaxed!
The thing that I have enjoyed most about my course is the community. It has helped to build my confidence, which was quite low before I started university, and has also provided me with a constant source of support. The modules have also been very rewarding and have allowed me to learn about a variety of literary periods and writing styles that I may not have otherwise explored. Even though, as a joint honours student, my time is split between two subjects, I still feel that I have gained a deep understanding of both and have had a good variety of module choice so I can tailor my learning to my particular interests.
My experience of being a Joint Honours student has been an incredibly positive one and I have equally enjoyed both of my subjects. My advice to other people considering a Joint Honours degree is to firstly ensure that your chosen subjects work well together. This not only makes studying easier as there will be natural connections and overlaps between the two subjects but it also gives you more options for your dissertation in your final year.
Also, as a Joint Honours student you will be given the option at the end of your first year to major in one subject and minor in the other, or keep them both equal. At first I found this quite confusing in terms of how the modules would be divided and whether it would be a good choice for me. There is however plenty of guidance provided and the lecturers are always willing to help, so if you have any questions make sure to ask them as it will make life a lot easier!
Always make sure to ask us if you need help with selecting joint honours. Contact us on study@northampton.ac.uk. Find out more about our joint honours courses here.
