Preparing you for work
Our English students interacting at a workshop.
The QUAD.
We have close links with people and organisations working in a range of arts professions, so you'll get practical experience of what it's like to work in these areas.
We have various links with the following organisations and people:
Cultural Institutions
We have links with Derby's cultural institutions such as the Derby Museum and Art Gallery, the Assembly Rooms and the Guildhall Theatre.
The new QUAD centre
A new arts and media centre, in the heart of Derby's Cathedral Quarter. Many of our students, especially our film, photography and multimedia students all get involved with the QUAD. This also opens up opportunites for our students to work with and offer something new to the centre.
The publishing industry and practising writers
These links help to build our students' confidence in their writing skills and it gives them valuable guidance and expertise from professionals working within the industry. This can also be a great networking tool and may even open doors for you!
Media Institutions
We have close links with media institutions such as BBC Radio Derby and the Derby Telegraph. BBC Radio 4 recently visited the University as part of their universities tour, producing outside broadcasts and recordings of several well known programmes and holding of workshops on script writing and journalism.
Derby Theatre
The University has taken over the lease of the old Derby Playhouse, it's now being used for professional and amateur productions and as a learning theatre for our students . This is great for our English students to integrate with the theatre students and get involved in lots of work-based activities as well as subject-based ones in this great dramatic space!
Personal Development Portfolio
As well as being involved in your studies, you'll be thinking about your future, so we will encourage you to keep your Personal Development Portfolio up-to-date. This is where you record all the skills you've acquired in your three years as an English undergraduate.
Employability days
We provide our students with the opportunity to meet with potential employers and past students. On the employability days (which we hold once a year) we use an online game called Xing to develop vital skills for the workplace.
There are practical, fun and engaging workshops designed to develop employability skills such as teamwork, problem solving, interpersonal skills, negotiation, presentation skills and commercial awareness.
