what is it like to major in creative writing

Earning A Creative Writing Degree: All About A Bachelor’s In Creative Writing

Updated: Aug 24, 2023, 11:05am

When thinking about creative writing, you may recall Emily Dickinson writing evocative poems, Nicholas Sparks penning love stories or Ernest Hemingway tapping away on an old typewriter. While these are all creative writers at work, not all professionals in the field are authors; there are other career options for you if you love writing and want to make it your career.

Though not always required, many writing jobs call for a bachelor’s degree. From writing novels to reporting news stories, a creative writing degree equips you with strong writing and communication skills to prepare you for a fulfilling, imaginative career.

This article discusses bachelor’s degrees in creative writing, admission requirements, common courses and job options. Read on to learn how a creative writing degree prepares you for a writing career.

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What Is a Creative Writing Degree?

A creative writing degree teaches you the techniques behind many writing projects, including fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, biographies and poems.

A bachelor’s degree in creative writing focuses on the principles of effective storytelling, writing for different genres and developing believable characters. You hone essential skills through giving and receiving feedback from peers and instructors, preparing you for many jobs requiring strong writing skills.

A bachelor’s degree in creative writing requires about 120 credits and takes four years of full-time study to complete. Accelerated programs may take less time.

Admission requirements for a bachelor’s in creative writing typically align with the university’s general admission requirements and include a completed application, transcripts from previous coursework and English proficiency. Because each school is different, these requirements may vary.

Specializations for Creative Writing Majors

Many creative writing programs offer areas of concentration, which allow you to focus your studies. Offerings vary by program, but below are a few typical specializations for students pursuing creative writing degrees.

This concentration covers all aspects of fiction writing, including character development, storytelling, plot development, narrative voice, various genres, publishing techniques and the mechanics of fiction writing. It prepares you to write engaging stories and bring them to life.

A nonfiction concentration allows you to explore many types of nonfiction writing, including autobiography, travel writing and magazine writing. It also touches on publishing technologies and teaches you how to use research and reflection to create stories that resonate with readers.

With a poetry concentration, you learn to tap into your imagination to write work that creates engaging imagery and inspires others. Coursework includes poetry writing workshops where you and other students share your work for feedback and support.

Screenwriting

A screenwriting concentration prepares you to write for Hollywood productions, such as television shows, documentaries, short films and movies. With this concentration, you learn about story structure, character development and visual storytelling.

Common Courses in a Creative Writing Degree

Introduction to creative writing.

This course covers the essential mechanics of creative writing, such as point of view, setting, dialogue, imagery, scene development and characterization. As a student in this class, you can expect to read and critique your peers’ work and get feedback on your own.

Writing with Digital Media

Since digital media has become an essential medium for disseminating information, no creative writing program would be complete without a digital media course. This course covers writing and publishing across digital media formats and how to use audience, purpose and context in your writing.

Introduction to Screen and TV Writing

If you are interested in working as a screenwriter for films or television, this course helps get you started. It provides an overview of narrative screenwriting, the history and development of screenwriting, and storytelling principles used in writing for film and television.

Introduction to the Writing of Creative Nonfiction

Creative writing students need to know how to write both nonfiction and fiction. In this course, you learn the mechanics of writing original nonfiction while reading and studying contemporary nonfiction.

Fiction Writing Workshop

In this course, students explore writing different types of fiction pieces. They then share their work with each other and engage in discussion and group commentary.

Creative Writing Degree vs. English Degree: What’s the Difference?

While there are overlapping subjects in the English and creative writing disciplines, these degrees are a bit different.

An English bachelor’s degree focuses on both writing and literary studies. In this major, learners study various types of writing, such as creative, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, digital and professional writing. They also explore literature and build analytical, editorial and cultural literacy skills. It’s common for programs to offer English concentrations such as literature or creative writing.

A creative writing degree more narrowly hones students’ writing skills rather than focusing on literary subjects. This degree prepares learners for careers as screenwriters, novelists, journalists, poets and other writing professionals.

If you know you want to work in a creative writing career , a creative writing degree may be a good fit. If you prefer a broader degree that includes a more in-depth study of literature and literary theory in addition to writing, an English degree may be a better option.

What Can You Do With a Creative Writing Degree?

Below are a few popular jobs you can pursue with a creative writing degree. We sourced salary data for this section from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Payscale .

Writer or Author

Median Annual Salary: $73,150 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree; high school diploma sometimes acceptable Job Overview: The roles of authors and writers vary depending on the type of writing they do. They may write content for various mediums, such as books, magazines, advertisements, blogs, films, television programs, biographies or speeches. Writers often work closely with editors, advertising agencies and other stakeholders to create pieces for print or digital publication. Some writers are freelancers who work with multiple clients.

Median Annual Salary: $73,080 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Editors review and revise written content to ensure clarity, concision and accuracy. They must have excellent grammar and proofreading skills. These professionals may also plan and develop story ideas and collaborate with writers to ensure high-quality final products. Editors often work for magazines, book publishers, advertising firms and television broadcasters.

Median Annual Salary: $55,960 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field Job Overview: Journalists write stories about current events and newsworthy issues to inform the public. Successful journalists have strong interviewing and investigative skills. They may work for broadcast news organizations, newspapers, magazines, or other print or digital publications. Some journalists are freelancers who write for multiple publications, and some work as columnists, news anchors or news correspondents.

Average Annual Salary: Around $57,300 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree; high school diploma sometimes acceptable Job Overview: Copywriters are persuasive marketing writers who craft copy that advertises or encourages readers to take a specific action, such as purchasing a product or signing up for a newsletter. These professionals often write advertisements, company slogans or taglines, website copy and marketing emails. Copywriters commonly work for advertising agencies or marketing departments; some are freelancers.

Screenwriter

Average Annual Salary: Around $71,000 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree; high school diploma sometimes acceptable Job Overview: Screenwriters , sometimes called script writers, write, revise and test scripts for television shows, commercials and films. These scripts may be original stories or stories based on books. Screenwriters need a firm grasp of dialogue and character development.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About a Creative Writing Degree

How many years does it take to get a creative writing degree.

A bachelor’s in creative writing typically requires 120 credits and takes four years to complete. Your degree may take longer if you study part time, and accelerated programs may allow you to complete your degree faster.

How much do creative writers make?

Salaries for creative writers vary drastically depending on their job title. For example, a best-selling author earns much more than a small-town newspaper journalist. According to the BLS, writers made a median annual salary of $73,150 as of May 2022.

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Sheryl Grey is a freelance writer who specializes in creating content related to education, aging and senior living, and real estate. She is also a copywriter who helps businesses grow through expert website copywriting, branding and content creation. Sheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Indiana University South Bend, and she received her teacher certification training through Bethel University’s Transition to Teaching program.

Major: Creative Writing

Which colleges offer a major in creative writing.

Creative Writing majors weave a rich tapestry of storytelling, exploring forms such as poetry, personal essays, memoirs, short stories, scriptwriting, novels, literary journalism, and even video games. It could be a favorite line in a movie, play, or book that lures an audience in and changes their world. 

Telling a story can shed light on societal issues that would otherwise receive little or no attention. By evoking emotion, the story and its characters captivate the reader. People become invested in the story, the impact of the problem on the characters’ lives, and the outcome. Creative writing humanizes experiences in a way that may foster compassion for others. A compelling creative writer draws readers in so that they become engaged in the story.

Your imagination, mindset, and self-expression will be challenged and sharpened as a creative writing major. You’ll explore multiple creative writing forms. Creative writing challenges you to dig deep and learn about yourself and others. 

What does a student majoring in Creative Writing study? 

To develop their skills, creative writing majors will take courses in historical and contemporary literature and participate in writing workshops. Such courses or workshops include, among others: 

• American Literature
• Introduction to Creative Writing
• Reading and Writing Poetry
• Playwriting
• Screenwriting

What can I do with a Creative Writing degree?

You’ll develop a greater appreciation and understanding of various creative writing genres. Your research, writing, and creative thinking skills are desirable in  jobs such as the following:

• Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
• Advertising and Promotions Managers
• Art Directors
• Fundraisers
• Producers and Directors

Specializations for a Creative Writing major are:

• Film and Television Writing
• Photojournalism
• Creative Nonfiction

What are the requirements for a Creative Writing degree? 

The degree requirements at your college or university will consist of specific credits needed for major and elective courses in creative writing. You’ll participate in many writing workshops and apply the critiques of your work from peers and faculty to hone your creative writing skills.   

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List of All U.S. Colleges with a Creative Writing Major

Writing has been my passion practically since I learned to read in kindergarten. I would write stories about princesses and my family dog, Gansett. When it came time to look at colleges, I was set on attending one with a strong creative writing program. Ultimately, I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars.

Today, colleges across the country offer creative writing as a major. Because writing skills are essential for a wide range of careers, and because most curricula emphasize broad liberal arts competencies, a degree in creative writing can set you up for success in numerous fields, whether you want to be an editor or a lawyer.

Interested in majoring in creative writing? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

Overview of the Creative Writing Major

Creative writing is about more than spinning tales. For your major, you’ll generally need to pursue a curriculum grounded in literature, history, foreign language, and other humanities courses, along with distribution courses, if the college requires them.

Most creative writing majors must participate in workshops, in which students present their work and listen to peer critiques, usually with a certain number of advanced courses in the mix. In some cases, colleges will ask you to specialize in a particular genre, such as fiction, poetry, or playwriting. 

To succeed in creative writing, you’ll need to have a tough spine, in order to open yourself up to feedback from your classmates and instructors. You may need to give readings in public — if not as an undergraduate, certainly during your career. Of course, a passion for creating is essential, too, as is a willingness to revise your work and learn from the greats and your peers.

A creative writing major opens up doors to many careers, including journalism, content marketing, copywriting, teaching, and others. Even careers that don’t center around writing often have a strong writing component: you’ll need to write reports, deliver presentations, and so on.

Some writers go on to earn an MFA, which will help you hone your craft. It’s also often a prerequisite for teaching creative writing at the college level.

What to Look for in a College as a Creative Writing Major

Published authors on faculty.

Many world-renowned authors have another claim to fame: professorships. Writers who have taught their craft include (among many others):

• Maya Angelou (Wake Forest University)
• Colson Whitehead (many colleges, including Vassar College and Columbia University)
• Stephen Dixon (Johns Hopkins University)
• Viet Thanh Nguyen (University of Southern California)
• Eula Biss (Northwestern University)
• Toni Morrison (Princeton University)

Be aware that as an undergraduate, you may not be able to learn from the greats. That’s why it’s important to look into which courses these faculty teach before you have dreams of being mentored by Salman Rushdie — who is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU.

Genres Offered

While many schools that have creative writing majors offer fiction and poetry courses and tracks, there are some niche genres that could be more difficult to find. If you’re interested in playwriting, for example, you won’t find that at every school. Before you decide on a program, be sure it includes the genres you’d like to explore further, whether that’s flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or something else.

Workshopping Opportunities

The core of most quality creative writing curriculum is workshopping. This means sharing your work in your classes and listening to your peers discuss and critique it. While this may sound intimidating, it can do a lot to help you hone your work and become a better writer. Look for colleges that make this the bedrock of their curriculum.

Showcasing Opportunities

Are there opportunities to present your work, such as college-sponsored readings where undergraduates can participate? Or, perhaps the school has a great literary journal. At my school, students could submit their plays and have them performed by fellow students. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Creative Writing Major

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

No matter what major you’re considering, the first step is ensuring you’re academically comparable to students who were previously accepted to the college or university. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who aren’t up to their standards.

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with the school and specific major with the qualitative components of your application, like your extracurriculars and essays. For a prospective creative writing major, the essay is particularly important because this is a way to demonstrate your writing prowess. Activities might include editing your school’s newspaper or literary journal, publishing your work, and participating in pre-college writing workshops.

Want to know your chances of being accepted to top creative writing schools? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes your individual profile into account, including academic stats and qualitative components like your activities. Give it a try and get a jumpstart on your journey as a creative writing major!

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College Info

Finding a dedicated creative writing program at a school you're excited about can be a real challenge, and that's even before you start worrying about getting in. Nonetheless, there are some great options. In order to help you find the best school for you, this list rounds up some of the best colleges for creative writing in the United States .

The Best Creative Writing Programs: Ranking Criteria

You should never take college rankings as absolute truth —not even the very official-seeming US News ones. Instead, use these kinds of lists as a jumping-off place for your own exploration of colleges. Pay attention not just to what the rankings are but to how the rankings are determined.

To help with that, I'll explain how I came up with this highly unscientific list of great creative writing colleges. I started by narrowing my search down to schools that offered a specific creative writing major. (If you don't see a school you were expecting, it's likely because they only have a minor.)

In ranking the schools, I considered five major criteria:

• #1: MFA Ranking —If a school has a great graduate creative writing program, it means you'll be taught by those same professors and the excellent graduate students they attract. Schools with strong MFA programs are also more likely to have solid alumni networks and internship opportunities. However, many schools with great undergrad programs do not offer MFAs, in which case I simply focused on the other four options.
• #2: General School Reputation —The vast majority of your classes won't be in creative writing, so it's important that other parts of the school, especially the English department, are great as well.
• #3: Extracurricular Opportunities —One of the key advantages of majoring in creative writing is that it can provide access to writing opportunities outside the classroom, so I took what kind of internship programs, author readings, and literary magazines the school offers into consideration.
• #4: Diversity of Class Options —I gave extra points to schools with a variety of genre options and specific, interesting classes.
• #5: Alumni/Prestige —This last criterion is a bit more subjective: is the school known for turning out good writers? Certainly it's less important than what kind of education you'll actually get, but having a brand-name degree (so to speak) can be helpful.

The Best Creative Writing Schools

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of schools! The exact numbering is always arguable, so look at it as a general trend from absolutely amazing to still super great, rather than fixating on why one school is ranked #3 and another is ranked #4.

#1: Northwestern University

Northwestern's undergrad creative writing program boasts acclaimed professors and an unparalleled track record of turning out successful writers (including Divergent author Veronica Roth and short-story writer Karen Russell).

Outside the classroom, you can work on the student-run literary journal, intern at a publication in nearby Chicago, or submit to the Department of English's yearly writing competition . The university is also home to a top journalism program , so if you want to try your hand at nonfiction as well, you'll have plenty of opportunities to do so.

#2: Columbia University

Like Northwestern, Columbia is home to both a world-class creative writing program and a top journalism school (plus one of the best English departments in the country), so you have a wide range of writing-related course options. Columbia also benefits from its location in New York City, which is bursting at the seams with publishing houses, literary journals, and talented authors.

#3: University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's big draw is the infrastructure of its graduate Writers' Workshop, which is often considered the best MFA program in the country.

As an English and Creative Writing major here, you'll take classes from great young writers and established professors alike, and get to choose from a wide range of topics. This major provides transferable skills important for a liberal arts major with a creative focus. You'll also have access to the university's impressive literary community, including frequent readings, writing prizes and scholarships, and the acclaimed literary journal The Iowa Review .

#4: Emory University

Emory is renowned for its dedicated undergrad creative writing program , which draws the very best visiting scholars and writers. Students here have the chance to attend intimate question-and-answer sessions with award-winning authors, study a range of genres, compete for writing awards and scholarships, and work closely with an adviser to complete an honors project.

#5: Oberlin College

A small liberal arts school in Ohio, Oberlin offers very different advantages than the schools above do. You'll have fewer opportunities to pursue writing in the surrounding city, but the quality of the teachers and the range of courses might make up for that. Moreover, it boasts just as impressive alumni, including actress and writer Lena Dunham.

#6: Hamilton College

Hamilton is another small college, located in upstate New York. It's known for giving students the freedom to pursue their interests and the support to help them explore topics in real depth, both inside and outside the classroom. Hamilton's creative writing program takes full advantage with small classes and lots of opportunities to intern and publish; it also has one of the best writing centers in the country.

#7: Brown University

Brown's Literary Arts program offers one of the top MFAs in the US as well as an undergraduate major . For the major, you must take four creative writing workshops and six reading-intensive courses, which span an array of departments and topics, from music and literature to Middle East studies and Egyptology.

#8: Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University has an excellent creative writing MFA program, lots of super specific class options, and a number of scholarships specifically earmarked for creative writing students. This school’s undergraduate English program also offers a concentration in creative writing that allows students to specialize in a specific genre: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. If you’re interested in exploring your potential in a specific writing genre, Washington University could be a great pick for you.

#9: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT might not be a school you generally associate with writing, but it actually has an excellent program that offers courses in digital media and science writing, as well as creative writing, and provides plenty of guidance on how graduates can navigate the tricky job market.

Not to mention the school is located in Cambridge, a haven for book lovers and writers of all kinds. Though it probably isn’t a good fit for students who hate science, MIT is a great place for aspiring writers who want to build writing skills that are marketable in a wide range of industries.

#10: University of Michigan

University of Michigan is one of the best state universities in the country and has a top-notch MFA program. This school’s undergrad creative writing sub-concentration requires students to submit applications for admittance to advanced creative writing courses. These applications give students crucial practice in both building a writing portfolio and articulating their interest in creative writing to an audience who will evaluate their work. If you're looking to attend a big school with a great creative writing major, this is a fantastic choice.

#11: Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins is another school that's known more for engineering than it is for writing, but, like MIT, it has a dedicated writing program. As a major here, you must take not only courses in prose, poetry, and literature, but also classes on topics such as philosophy and history.

#12: Colorado College

Colorado College is a small liberal arts school known for its block plan , which allows students to focus on one class per three-and-a-half-week block. The creative writing track of the English major includes a sequence of four writing workshops and also requires students to attend every reading of the Visiting Writers Series.

Bonus School: New York University

I didn't include NYU in the main list because it doesn't have a dedicated creative writing major, but it's a great school for aspiring writers nonetheless, offering one of the most impressive creative writing faculties in the country and all the benefits of a Manhattan location.

How To Pick the Best Creative Writing School for You

Just because Northwestern is a great school for creative writing doesn't mean you should set your heart on going there. (The football fans are completely terrifying, for one thing.) So where should you go then?

Here are some questions to ask yourself when looking at creative writing programs to help you determine the best school for you:

Does It Have Courses You're Interested In?

Look at the course offerings and see whether they interest you. While you can't predict exactly what classes you'll love, you want to avoid a mismatch where what you want to study and what the program offers are completely different. For example, if you want to write sonnets but the school focuses more on teaching fiction, it probably won't be a great fit for you.

Also, don't forget to look at the English courses and creative writing workshops! In most programs, you'll be taking a lot of these, too.

What Opportunities Are There To Pursue Writing Outside of Class?

I touched on this idea in the criteria section, but it's important enough that I want to reiterate it here. Some of the best writing experience you can get is found outside the classroom, so see what kind of writing-related extracurriculars a school has before committing to it.

Great options include getting involved with the campus newspaper, working on the school's literary journal, or interning at the university press.

Who Will Be Teaching You?

Who are the professors? What kind of work have they published? Check teacher ratings on Rate My Professors (but make sure to read the actual reviews—and always take them with a grain of salt).

If you're looking at a big school, there's a good chance that a lot of your teachers will be graduate students. But that's not necessarily a bad thing: a lot of the best teachers I had in college were graduate students. Just take into consideration what kind of graduate program the school has. If there's a great creative writing MFA program, then the graduate students are likely to be better writers and more engaged teachers.

What Are the Alumni Doing Now?

If you have a sense of what you want to do after you graduate, see if any alumni of the program are pursuing that type of career. The stronger the alumni network is, the more connections you'll have when it comes time to get a job.

What About the Rest of the School?

Don't pick a school for which you like the creative writing program but dread everything else about it. Most of your time will be spent doing other things, whether hanging out in the dorms, exploring off campus, or fulfilling general education requirements.

Many schools require you to apply to the creative writing major, so make doubly sure you'll be happy with your choice even if you aren't accepted to the program.

What's Next?

Are you sure a creative writing major is the right fit for you? Read our post on the pros and cons of the major to help you decide what path to take in college.

For more general advice about choosing a college, check out our complete guide to finding the right school for you. Some major factors to consider include deciding whether you're interested in a small college or a big university , an in-state or out-of-state institution , and a public or private school .

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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Best Creative Writing colleges in the U.S. 2024

Creative writing is about artistically sharing emotions, thoughts, and opinions on a subject; not just relaying information. Courses include American literature, editing and proofing, fundamentals of writing, world literature, Shakespeare, screenwriting fundamentals, fiction fundamentals, writing nonfiction, and poetry writing. Creative writing covers both nonfiction and fiction, but the predominant types of creative writing are poetry and fiction, which includes novels, short stories, novellas, and flash fiction. Playwriting, screenwriting, journaling, and memoirs are other typical forms.

Students will learn how to use written language to communicate more clearly in their professional and personal lives and move beyond proficient mechanics to writing craftily in an attempt to evoke emotions and express points of view. Careers for creative writers?outside of being a creative writer?include blogger, journalist, composition teacher, copywriter, scriptwriter, and novelist. Creative writers must understand the importance of deadlines and have well-researched writing samples in order to move up the career ladder. The median annual wage of writers and authors was more than $50,000 in May 2010. Religious, professional, and civic industries employed the most writers followed by newspapers and book industries. Creative writers may also be freelance writers. Freelance writers are self-employed individuals who make a living selling their content to publishers. They may simultaneously work on multiple assignments for numerous companies depending on individual financial goals.

Best Creative Writing colleges in the U.S. for 2024

Brown University offers 3 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 48 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 38 Bachelor's degrees, and 10 Master's degrees.

Northwestern University offers 3 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 11 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 10 Master's degrees, and 1 Bachelor's degree.

Johns Hopkins University offers 4 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 80 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 47 Master's degrees, 29 Bachelor's degrees, and 4 Certificates.

University of Southern California offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 37 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 37 Bachelor's degrees.

University of Notre Dame offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 4 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 4 Master's degrees.

University of Virginia-Main Campus offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Master's degrees.

Columbia University in the City of New York offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 174 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 124 Master's degrees, and 50 Bachelor's degrees.

The University of Texas at Austin offers 2 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 100 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 81 Certificates, and 19 Master's degrees.

Cornell University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 7 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 7 Master's degrees.

Vanderbilt University offers 1 Creative Writing degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 6 Creative Writing students graduated with students earning 6 Master's degrees.

Find local colleges with Creative Writing majors in the U.S.

List of all creative writing colleges in the u.s..

Creative Writing

Stanford’s Creative Writing Program--one of the best-known in the country--cultivates the power of individual expression within a vibrant community of writers. Many of our English majors pursue a concentration in creative writing, and the minor in Creative Writing is among the most popular minors on campus. These majors and minors participate in workshop-based courses or independent tutorials with Stegner Fellows, Stanford’s distinguished writers-in-residence.

English Major with a Creative Writing Emphasis

The English major with a Creative Writing emphasis is a fourteen-course major. These fourteen courses comprise eight English courses and six Creative Writing courses.

English majors with a Creative Writing emphasis should note the following:

All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Courses taken abroad or at other institutions may not be counted towards the workshop requirements.

Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191 series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

PWR 1 is a prerequisite for all creative writing courses.

Minor in Creative Writing

The Minor in Creative Writing offers a structured environment in which students interested in writing fiction or poetry develop their skills while receiving an introduction to literary forms. Students may choose a concentration in fiction, poetry.

In order to graduate with a minor in Creative Writing, students must complete the following three courses plus three courses in either the prose or poetry tracks. Courses counted towards the requirements for the minor may not be applied to student's major requirements. 30 units are required. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Prose Track

Suggested order of requirements:

English 90. Fiction Writing or English 91. Creative Nonfiction

English 146S Secret Lives of the Short Story

One 5-unit English literature elective course

English 190. Intermediate Fiction Writing or English 191. Intermediate Creative Nonfiction Writing

English 92. Reading and Writing Poetry

Another English 190, 191, 290. Advanced Fiction, 291. Advanced Nonfiction, or 198L. Levinthal Tutorial

Poetry Track

English 92.Reading and Writing Poetry

English 160. Poetry and Poetics

English 192. Intermediate Poetry Writing

Another English 192, or 292.Advanced Poetry or 198L.Levinthal Tutorial

Creative Writing minors should note the following:

To declare a Creative Writing minor, visit the Student page in Axess. To expedite your declaration, make sure to list all 6 courses you have taken or plan to take for your minor.

Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

For more information, visit the Stanford Creative Writing Program.

10 Best Degrees for Writers What to study if you want to write for a living

Ready to start your journey.

If you’re a great writer, you have a versatile skill that is useful in just about every occupation. If you’re a storyteller, you might want to major in a subject that teaches you how to craft a narrative that elicits emotion. Writers with other interests can combine their passions. For example, if you’re fascinated by engineering, you could major in technical writing. The following degrees allow you to learn marketable skills and are ideal for someone who wants to write for a living.

Recommended Online Degrees for Writers

Explore our featured online programs to find the right match for you today.

1. Liberal Arts

A liberal arts degree is one of the most general and flexible options for writers. Some schools offer distinct majors under the liberal arts umbrella. Others offer specific degrees in liberal arts.

You can take courses in several categories for a liberal arts degree. This area of study includes science, technology, engineering, art, communications, economics, political science, history, psychology and sociology. Once you begin, you’ll likely narrow down your path to match your interests and talents.

A history degree can give you the foundation to research and write scripts for documentary films, for example. An economics degree can spur a career in finance writing.

Liberal arts degrees often teach soft skills, which are not easy to quantify. For example, this adaptable degree program enhances creative thinking, interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Students can round out their knowledge by taking some courses that teach hard skills, such as statistical analysis or medical writing.

Who Is This Degree Good For?

A liberal arts degree prepares you for a broad range of professions. It’s a good option for people who are interested in writing and creative pursuits but aren’t sure what career path they’d like to follow. Many liberal arts students are interested in expressing themselves, helping their communities and enhancing their communication skills.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Liberal Arts Degree?

A liberal arts degree can help you get a job in just about any field. If you’re a writer, some career paths that might interest you as a liberal arts major include public relations, non-profit administration, marketing, human resources and academic research. You’ll have a chance to use your writing and communication skills in any of these positions.

Recommended Online Liberal Arts Programs

A degree in English exposes students to a wide variety of literature. You’ll read works by historic and contemporary authors, writing analyses and critiques. Students will also learn effective communication, time management, critical thinking and creative skills.

There are typically two concentrations within an English degree program. You can choose to major in English language and literature or composition and rhetoric. If you want to be a writer, getting plenty of time to practice is important.

Some people think that an English degree is too general to help you secure a good job. However, the major allows you to be flexible. It teaches marketable skills that will help you succeed in any industry.

English majors do a lot of reading. You’ll become better acquainted with the classics and learn what made them impactful. You may not receive direct instruction on the business of writing. However, you can complement this major by minoring in a specialty to which you can apply your skills. You might want to take courses on blogging or social media marketing, for example.

People who want to develop strong written communication skills are excellent candidates for an English degree. This is a flexible option for creative thinkers who enjoy reading and writing and want to set up a flexible foundation for their career and further studies.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With an English Degree?

Surprisingly, the most common jobs for English majors are in education and law. However, many graduates with this degree also work in proofreading, editing, copywriting, technical writing and journalism. Some other career choices for writers with an English degree include grant writing positions and public relations. The average salary for someone with an English degree is $75,096.

Recommended Online English Degree Programs

3. creative writing.

A creative writing degree is ideal for someone who is extremely verbal and drawn to expressing themselves with words. A creative writing major will spend a lot of time reading, interpreting and examining existing works of literature. They’ll also practice expressing emotions, thoughts and messages in a variety of ways.

Analyzing other writers’ work exposes you to different ways of structuring your own writing. Creative writing majors do a lot of reading. You’ll learn how to critique other artists’ work as well as your own. Regular feedback will help you improve your skills. You’ll also be required to write under pressure and meet deadlines, which are valuable skills in any market.

Do you write in your spare time? A creative writing degree is ideal for people who already spend a significant portion of their life writing. You’ll be assigned plenty of writing homework while you pursue this major. If composing essays is your least favorite task, this may not be the degree path for you.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Creative Writing Degree?

While you don’t need a formal academic degree to get your work published, you will learn how to infuse your projects with expression and meaning if you pursue a creative writing degree. This can help you find work as a novelist or poet. But it takes time to write a book, and you need a job immediately after college.

A specialization in creative writing fosters skills that are in demand across industries, such as effective communication, critical analysis and self-discipline. Many creative writing majors go on to work in marketing and advertising, copywriting, ghostwriting, editing, screenwriting or journalism.

Interestingly, approximately 50% of creative writers are age 40 or older. This may indicate that graduates with this degree pursue jobs in other fields before writing the next great novel or take on other roles early on in their careers.

Recommended Online Writing Degree Programs

4. media and journalism.

A journalism or media degree sets you up to write for newspapers, magazines and broadcast news. It focuses on communication skills and using rhetoric to generate a clear, persuasive message. Creativity is important in this field, but so are accurate research, fact-checking and non-fiction writing. Students will learn how to present accurate information in an objective but engaging way.

Media and journalism majors may also study politics, ethics and law. They should have a good grasp on current events and have interest in learning about the political landscape. The media shapes many of society’s conventions and beliefs. Journalism majors will learn principles of persuasion, which help you build solid relationships in any workplace. Students pursuing this degree will also learn how to analyze data and statistics.

The journalistic environment is constantly evolving. The best media and journalism majors offer up-to-date courses that resonate with today’s media landscape. You might want to learn about social media influence and video editing along with formatting principles for news environments.

A journalism degree is ideal for individuals who want to make an impact on the world using their communication skills. You’ll round out your proficiency in writing by learning how to adapt your message to other media channels. If you enjoy working with people, have a curious nature and excel at organizing information into a clear, accurate message, you may be an excellent candidate for a journalism degree.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Media and Journalism Degree?

Many journalism majors work for print and broadcast news outlets. They may write the scripts for news stories or work as investigative journalists in the field. Journalists earn an average base salary of $62,000 per year . A degree in journalism can also prepare you for a job in marketing. The ability to transform data into an engaging message is essential in marketing. The confidence and communication skills that you gain in this area of study also position you to adapt well to a career in public relations or law.

Recommended Online Journalism Degrees

5. theater and film.

Theater and film majors aren’t just for actors. These degrees help writers develop the necessary skills for screenwriting, playwriting, arts journalism and film criticism. Courses often require students to read scripts and watch performances that are crafted by stage and cinema masters. You’ll learn about the structure and artistry behind story development in plays and movies.

Most theater and film degree programs offer plenty of courses in writing. You will develop a strong grasp of different storytelling devices. By the time you graduate, you should be well-versed in different areas, such as dramatic, expository and episodic writing. You’ll supplement your writing skills by learning about visual storytelling elements and different genres too.

People with an interest in performance art make good candidates for a theater and film degree. Many students seek to enter this field because they have a strong interest in watching films and plays. You’ll have to be able to collaborate with others and adapt your work based on external feedback.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Theater and Film Degree?

Students with this degree will be ready to write for the screen and stage. Film and theater graduates often pursue jobs in the motion picture industry, advertising and computer technology. Learning more about the back end of performance art prepares you to work behind the scenes in a variety of production categories.

6. Professional and Technical Writing

Professional and technical writing majors are extremely specific subsets within the liberal arts category. Some schools offer specialty courses in this category under other degree programs, such as creative writing or business. Others have distinct professional and technical writing degree programs.

Some of the subcategories of technical writing programs include technical communication, medical writing and scientific writing, and business communications.

Technical and professional writers must have a solid grasp of the English language. They must be able to organize complex information into structured documents. This degree is ideal for people who enjoy doing in-depth research and can adhere to deadlines. A love of learning helps; technical writers have to familiarize themselves with the subjects that they write about. This field usually requires technological proficiency.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Professional and Technical Writing Degree?

Many companies hire technical writers for instruction manuals, journal articles, professional documents and training handbooks. Many professional writers also compose press releases, draft memos and document policies. They may work in health care, law, business or the arts. The median annual salary for technical writers is $74,650, and the growth outlook is above average.

7. Linguistics

Linguistics degrees are often packaged with liberal arts, literature and creative writing programs. However, some educational institutions offer linguistics degrees as standalone majors.

Linguistics teaches you the basics of language history, semantics, grammar and rhetoric. You might study the way that different cultures have used language. Linguistics compares languages and studies their evolution. Delving into the details of language can help you craft your own writing more effectively.

You’ll develop the ability to recognize various writing styles, which makes you a more adaptable writer. Students will also learn about different aspects of discourse and persuasion.

People who love language generally enjoy diving into its particularities. Those with an affinity for writing will benefit from understanding the background of various words. Critical thinking skills are important because students will learn how to analyze language from a data-driven perspective.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Linguistics Degree?

A linguistics degree sets you up to be an excellent communicator. You can work in education, business, creative pursuits or the public sector. This field of study interconnects with anthropology, philosophy, psychology and sociology. Many linguistics majors go into publishing, information technology, international relations, speech therapy and language education. If you want a job that makes the most of your writing skills, you could work as an interpreter, translator, marketing specialist or editor.

8. Marketing

A marketing degree allows you to hone your writing skills while learning how to research, plan and implement effective promotional strategies. Students will learn how to research target markets, use visual, audio and verbal communication strategically and analyze the results of their efforts.

Successful marketing involves some knowledge of psychology. It’s important to understand why people behave and think the way that they do. That knowledge allows you to craft promotional strategies that will achieve the desired results.

A marketing degree program will provide some insight into psychology, linguistics and philosophy. Many marketing programs offer education about specific niches, such as digital and social media marketing.

Strong communication skills are essential for marketing. You could choose this degree program if you have a passion for sharing information in unique, creative and convincing ways. Marketing students must also be dynamic and flexible. You have to keep up with the ever-changing needs of the industry. You’ll have many opportunities to collaborate with others, which is an essential part of the marketing industry. You should be able to brainstorm with other people and develop ideas as a team player.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Marketing Degree?

A marketing degree is practical and highly adaptable. Every business should use strategic marketing to promote their offerings. Someone with an interest in writing can look for jobs that require top-notch verbal and language skills, such as developing social media campaigns or writing copy for printed brochures. Anyone with strong communication skills can write marketing material. A marketing degree lays the framework for you to understand intricate concepts and put them to use in industries such as entertainment, law, business, health care, retail and blogging.

9. Publishing

A publishing degree provides writers with an alternative way to influence the literary environment. Studying the publishing industry will give you a comprehensive background on business, marketing, communications and technology.

Students will learn traditional and contemporary publishing techniques. They’ll focus on industry trends and advancements. They’ll combine their visual and verbal skills to build their knowledge of design and layout standards.

Business skills are crucial for people in the publishing industry. Students who pursue this degree will learn about financial and operational functions in business. You must be able to recognize a profitable piece of literature, which involves understanding consumer markets, sales strategies and publishing channels.

Undergraduate degrees in publishing exist, but they’re not plentiful. Many students choose a more general major for their bachelor’s degree and pursue publishing at the master’s level.

If you have a love of the written word, you may want to immerse yourself in the industry. Studying publishing lets you approach writing from a business perspective. Ideal candidates for this degree are passionate about sharing important messages with the world.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Publishing Degree?

With a publishing degree, you can work in any department of a publishing company. You may have a hands-on position that requires some writing and editing. Alternatively, you may work in a business-oriented department, such as sales or marketing. Other publishing jobs include publicist, literary agent, production manager and contract manager.

10. Business

There is more to a writing career than putting pen to paper or fingers on a keyboard. To earn money by writing, you have to understand concepts such as supply and demand, management, entrepreneurship and economics. A business degree allows you to work behind the scenes in any field. It also provides a solid background for writers who want to self-publish or become entrepreneurs.

A business degree helps students develop soft and hard skills. You’ll learn leadership and motivational strategies that are applicable to any industry. You’ll also receive training on quantitative skills, such as accounting, data analysis and project management.

Many writers want to create content. However, others become interested in the business of writing. A business degree complements strong communication, leadership and teamwork skills. It can be an ideal area of study for people who want to expand their abilities beyond writing. You won’t have as much writing-specific coursework in this degree area as you might in English or creative writing. Still, business majors are required to complete a good amount of writing assignments.

What Kind of Work Can You Get With a Business Degree?

Strong writing skills enhance any company’s quality and reputation . If you understand business concepts and have excellent verbal skills, you will be an asset to businesses in any industry. If you’d like to use your written skills in your job, look for a position as a business writer, marketing content creator, curriculum developer or research analyst. You could also start your own business as a publisher, literary agency or publishing relations firm.

Recommended Online Business Degrees

Related Articles:

10 Best Degrees for Journalism

10 Best Degrees for Artists

10 Best Degrees for Digital Nomads

10 Best Degrees for the Music & Entertainment Industry

Accredited Online English Degrees

Undergraduate Admissions

• Creative Writing

Purdue University in West Lafayette

Creative Writing focuses on writing poetry, fiction, or drama. This major is perfect for students who love to write and who do so no matter what. Many creative writing students double major in creative writing and another area, like professional writing.

Most Creative Writing majors and minors want to have creative writing as a component of their future. As a creative writing major, you’ll learn many skills that employers find desirable, which may lead to jobs in publishing, marketing, management, and more. Other students plan to attend graduate school to hone their skills and further develop their art.

All liberal arts majors prepare students with the skills identified as contributing to managerial success:  communicating and listening well, possessing insights into others, creative/critical thinking, problem solving, and the ability to make connections across complex ideas.

Degree in 3

Plan of Study

• Creative Writing, BA

Transfer to Creative Writing

Purdue admits to individual majors. Transfer students must meet Purdue's overall transfer criteria , as well as any major-specific requirements. Before you apply, check the closed programs page to confirm this major is open to transfer students. If it is, refer to the information below for major-specific transfer criteria.

Minimum GPA: 2.5

Contact Information

Undergraduate Student Recruitment Office (765) 494-6291 [email protected]

Careers in Creative Writing

•   Writer
•   Teacher
•   Editor
•   Advertiser
•   Social Media Manager
•   Journalist
•   Freelance Writing
•   Production Assistant
•   Marketing Director
•   Attorney
• Marketing, Advertising, Communication, and Writing
• Public Service or Social Sciences
• Teaching and Education
• African American Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Art History
• Artificial Intelligence
• Asian Studies
• Chinese Studies
• Classical Studies
• Communication (multiple concentrations)
• Comparative Literature
• Digital Criminology
• Economics (Pre) (College of Liberal Arts)
• Film and Video
• Global Studies
• Industrial Design
• Integrated Studio Arts, BFA (Portfolio Required)
• Interior Design - Professional Program
• Italian Studies
• Jewish Studies
• Law and Society (Criminology)
• Linguistics
• Political Science
• Pre-dentistry
• Pre-medicine
• Pre-occupational Therapy
• Pre-physical Therapy
• Pre-physician Assistant
• Professional Writing
• Religious Studies
• Sound for the Performing Arts (Portfolio Required)
• Studio Arts and Technology
• Visual Arts Design Education
• Visual Arts Education
• Visual Communication Design (Graphic Design)
• Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
• College of Liberal Arts

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Division
• College of Liberal and Professional Studies

Creative Writing Major

Jamie-Lee Josselyn celebrates Yiwei Chai at the  Kelly Writers House 2022 Senior Capstone Celebration .

The Creative Writing Concentration for English majors (colloquially referred to as the “Creative Writing Major”)  provides students with a solid grounding in literature as well as advanced study in creative writing. To fulfill this major, students may take courses in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, journalism, playwriting, screenwriting, and writing for children and young adults. They may also take innovative workshops in cross-genre, experimental, and hybrid writing, including writing that engages community organizing, multimedia and visual arts, and performance, as well as for-credit apprenticeships and courses in the independent study of a genre or topic.

Creative Writing Concentrators take at least three creative writing workshops as part of their major curriculum. As a major, you’ll discuss what makes good writing not only with other English majors, but also with students from Engineering, Nursing, and Wharton, each bringing a different perspective on the craft and study of literature, creating out of many voices a collaborative, integrated writing community that is part of Penn’s Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing, home to Penn’s writing programs, platforms, and projects. The cluster of programs at CPCW, which includes the Kelly Writers House , PennSound , ModPo , Jacket2 , and the RealArts@Penn program of paid internships in arts and media, provides opportunities to our majors in and out of the classroom, including readings, webcasts, podcasts, lectures, performances, and archives — all of which promote the living textures of contemporary writing. 

For a complete list of the creative writing workshops we offer, please click here to read descriptions of courses that attract around 800 students each year from across the university. 

Click here to read about our award-winning faculty in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, journalism, playwriting, screenwriting, and writing for children and young adults.

All Creative Writing Majors are eligible to apply for Honors in English, writing either a critical thesis or a creative thesis .

Declaring your major

For complete details on English major requirements and to declare your major, please consult the comprehensive overview of the undergraduate major available at the Department of English , which includes information on next steps.

Current Majors with a Creative Writing Concentration  

Immanuel anaborne 26a, samantha bohn 25c, emily bornstein 25a, josephine buccini 25a, armando chardiet 25a, lauren cho 26a, vishwesh desai 25a, jake-anthony diaz 26a, olivia domansky 25a, nik donoughe 25a, jake falconer 25a, thomas forkin 25c, anna frankl 25a, dylan fritz 25a, clarissa han 26a, elizabeth harris 25a, david hess-dunlop 25a, chloe hunt 25a, zelda kellogg 25a, jules lingenfelter 26a, anusha mathur 25c, margarita matta 25a, anna-liza medynska 26a, trinity nieves 26a, tess o'brien 25a, alexander o'connor 25a, julia rotgin 25a, keemia sarafpour 25a, wahid sarwar 25a, pandora schoen 26a, lucas schrier 24c, sarah shin 24c, izzy welsh 26a.

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• Major in Creative Writing (B.A.)

A way with words

From poetry to prose, fiction to nonfiction, script to screenplay, creative writing can challenge your imagination and serve as a repository for your reflections on the human experience.

As a student in the English Department’s creative writing major, you’ll learn to analyze effectively and to write persuasively in courses taught by faculty who are themselves published writers. Analysis of the work of great writers will provide you with ideas and inspiration, while interactive workshops will allow you to present your writing to classmates and receive valuable feedback.

There are several outlets for your creative writing. You can enter any of the English Department’s four annual writing contests; submit your work for publication in Clark’s student literary magazine; or publish your work on the Clark Student Voices blog.

Catalog Requirements for:

Why Study Creative Writing at Clark?

• Professional writers will be your guides you as you as you explore literary works and apply what you learn to develop and refine your own writing.
• Work one-on-one with faculty in the Creative Writing Capstone course to analyze and contextualize your own creative work.
• Aspiring playwrights can submit their scripts to the Visual and Performing Arts Department’s biennial New Play Festival, which produces full-length plays written, directed, and performed by Clark undergrads.

Featured Courses

Writing the novel.

Through careful study of published works, students will unpack the role and function of central elements of a novel and apply these techniques to their own over through weekly writing exercises.

Publishing & Literary Journals

Students gain experience working at an online literary journal: calls for submission, reading and voting on submissions, editing accepted works, preparing the issue for launch, and working on special-editions.

Creating Character

This course is a deep dive into creating dynamic characters, building them layer by layer, considering motivation, backstory, conflict, point of view, and voice.

View All Courses

The Creative Writing Path

Our program offers a range of courses, from foundational areas, such as Shakespeare, Romanticism, and global literature, to emergent fields, such as medical humanism, critical race theory, and sexuality studies. We advise English Department majors to take two historical surveys, one pre-1850 and one post-1850, early in their programs. A 100-level genre course is another good introductory class for students contemplating the major. The Creative Writing major and minor includes courses in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction taught by professional writers. These courses guide students to examine literary works as a writer to apply what they learn to their own writing. Interactive workshops, moreover, provide the feedback that helps students to develop and refine their work. Please contact Coordinator of Creative Writing, Phil Lemos, for more information.

Our program provides a number of scholarly opportunities, such as participation in Sigma Tau Delta (our national Honors Society), our Capstone in Creative Writing, and our Honors program. We also have connections to a number of internships, such as the London Internship Program, which offers positions in the fields of theater and journalism, in addition to internships with local newspapers and journals, as well as national organizations.

The department and faculty offices are located in beautiful Anderson House. Many English courses, department colloquia, and other events take place in this historic building. We invite you to read our blog and our newsletter, The English Times [PDF], to learn more.

Qualified students are eligible for election to Sigma Tau Delta, the National Honor Society in English.

Study Abroad

The English Department has a special arrangement with the University of East Anglia in England, the Advanced Studies in English in Bath, England and the London Internship Program. For information, please consult with Professor Neuman, Chair, or Clark’s Study Abroad Programs.

Building your foundation

The Clark Experience

We structure our curriculum around Liberal Education and Effective Practice (LEEP), which connects classroom learning with action through world and workplace experiences.

At Clark, your education extends beyond the classroom. Visit the Career Connections Center  to learn more about  internship opportunities that complement your coursework and put your English knowledge into practice.

In cooperation with the University’s internship office, the English Department supports internships for all majors. Internships are available both in university offices and in venues beyond the campus-for example, newspapers, news departments of radio and television stations, periodical and book publishers, and communication departments. Please consult with Professor Neuman, Chair, for further information.

As a complement to this concentration, you can engage in a variety of related experiential learning opportunities, including internships, study abroad, and research. You can enter any or all of the English Department’s four annual writing contests; submit your work for publication in Caesura, Clark’s student literary magazine; or publish your work on the Clark Writes blog. Aspiring playwrights can submit their scripts to the Visual and Performing Arts Department’s biennial New Play Festival, which produces full-length plays written, directed, and performed by Clark undergrads.

Internships are available both in university offices and in venues beyond the campus-for example, newspapers, news departments of radio and television stations, periodical and book publishers, and communication departments.

Study Abroad and Away

Participation in a Study Abroad and Away program is an opportunity to gain world and workplace experience to complement your on-campus work. Clark approves semester, yearlong, and summer opportunities to earn credit through academic coursework, internships, community-based learning, or research.  The English Department has a special arrangement with the University of East Anglia in England, the Advanced Studies in English in Bath, England and the London Internship Program. For information, please consult with Professor Neuman, Chair, or Clark’s Study Abroad Programs.

Explore our Study Abroad and Away  page, where you can search programs by academic interest, location , and language; after you’ve identified some appropriate programs, ensure they fit into your four-year plan by talking with your faculty adviser as early as possible.

You can participate in Clark’s many clubs, organizations, and athletic teams as a way to complement your academic work. Here are some student organizations that might be of interest to you as a Creative Writing student:

• The Scarlet (student newspaper)
• Clark Poetry Slam
• Caesura Literary Magazine
• Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark

Phi Beta Kappa Society, Washington, D.C.

writing internship for the national office

Worcester Magazine

editorial intern

New York City Ballet Archives

archive assistant

Brown for Missouri, Clayton, Mo.

campaign aide

D'Amico & Chenelle, Worcester

legal assistant/paralegal

Smithsonian Science Education Center, Washington, D.C.

digital science writer

Clark is committed to action-based learning, which means as an undergraduate you can join faculty and graduate students in their research . Our faculty are active researchers in a variety of English subfields including medieval and Renaissance literature; contemporary literary theory; semiotics and rhetorical theory; literary treatments of ethnicity; critical and literary theory; and book history and manuscript culture.

The English Department actively supports the development of young scholars and the presentation of student research in multiple formats. As an undergraduate student in Creative Writing, you’ll receive support from faculty mentors to pursue and present your creative work, with the opportunity to present your findings. You can also apply for funding to support your own research on a project of your choice during the academic year or during the summer.

The Goddard Library ’s Rare Books Open House allows students to curate an exhibition of treasures from Goddard Library’s Special Collections. English students created and contributed to the Mix(L)it Digital Exhibit , a digital exhibit of mixed race literary and screen characters.

Our program facilitates scholarly research through our Capstone in English, a senior research project, and our Honors program. Please contact Professor Blake, Director of the Honors Program, for information. Also, every year The American Antiquarian Society, a prestigious national research library of American culture located in Worcester, offers seminars in specialized topics in American studies. Please contact Professor Neuman for more information.

Writing contests

Four writing contests , with prizes awarded, are hosted annually by the English Department. They are open to all Clark undergraduates.

• Loring Holmes & Ruth Dodd Drama Contest
• Prentiss Cheney Hoyt Poetry Contest
• Betty ’79 and Stanley Sultan Short Story Contest
• Leroy Allston Ames Essay Contest

At Clark you’ll get more than a great education; you’ll also be prepared for a long, productive career and life of consequence. And once you’ve completed your degree, you can join other Clark alumni who have gone on to work for great organizations and attend some of the best graduate schools in the world.

English majors are excellent communicators and highly adaptable, creative problem-solvers who apply their critical thinking skills to productive effect in a variety of professions. A foundation in creative writing is an asset to those seeking careers in education, digital and print media, marketing and public relations, and psychology.

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Discussions about the writing craft.

What is it like majoring in Creative Writing?

Hey, r/writing ! I'm a high school Junior who's currently looking to double major in Creative Writing and Marketing. My top choice at the moment is Penn State Erie, The Behrend College (which is mainly because it's not particularly selective and my GPA is total ass lol). While my ultimate dream is getting published, I'm also hoping to make a career in the industry itself, most likely as an editorial assistant or a copywriter.

I've heard many writers advising against majoring in Creative Writing simply because it's not a particularly useful or marketable degree. This is the main reason I'm double majoring in something at least somewhat reliable. That being said, are there any CW majors who could lend me some advice?

Major in Creative Writing

Creative Writing Major at a Glance

Students who graduate with the Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing will be skilled writers in a major literary genre and have a theoretically informed understanding of the aesthetic, historical, social, and political context of a range of contemporary writing. Students in the major will focus their studies on a primary genre: fiction, poetry, or nonfiction.

The organization of the major incorporates the writing workshop model into a broader education that furthers students’ knowledge of historical and contemporary literary practice, sharpens their critical attention, and fosters their creative enthusiasm.

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• Creative Writing
• Poetry & Poetics

Summary of Major Requirements (2023-24 and beyond)

• 1 Fundamentals in Creative Writing Seminar
• 1 Beginning Workshop (in primary genre)
• 2 Technical Seminars (in primary genre)
• 1 literary genre course (in primary genre)
• 1 literary theory course
• 1 pre-20th-century literature course
• 1 general literature course
• 2 Advanced Workshops (at least 1 in primary genre)
• 2 Background Electives

= 12 Courses

Note: This set of requirements applies to students who declare a major in Creative Writing during the 2023-24 school year or in subsequent years.  

Fundamentals in Creative Writing Seminar

The Fundamentals in Creative Writing course is an introductory multi-genre seminar to be taken by all students in the major and minor. Each section of the course focuses on a theme that is relevant to all forms of literary practice and introduces students to a group of core texts from the genres of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

Beginning Workshop

Beginning Workshops are intended for students who may or may not have previous writing experience, but are interested in gaining experience in a particular genre. These workshops focus on the fundamentals of craft and feature workshops of student writing. Beginning workshops are a pre-requisite for advanced workshops in the same genre.

Technical Seminars (in Poetry, Fiction, or Nonfiction)

Technical Seminars are designed to give students a deep grounding in core technical elements of their primary genre. Coursework may involve creative exercises, but papers will focus on analysis of assigned readings.

Advanced Workshops

Critique is the core value and activity of the workshop environment. Students in Advanced Workshops will practice critique under the guidance of the workshop instructor. Advanced Workshops typically focus on original student work. Students must complete the fundamentals course as well as a beginning workshop in the relevant genre prior to enrolling in an advanced workshop.

Literary Genre Courses

This requirement can be met using a cross-listed English course or an eligible literature course offered by another department. For a list of eligible courses, please visit  this page .

Literature Courses

A substantial proportion of one of these courses must involve the study of literature written before the twentieth century, and one must fulfill a theory requirement. For a list of eligible courses, please visit  this page .

Research Background Electives

Students take two courses outside of the Creative Writing program to support the student’s individual interests and creative projects. Students may indicate the selected courses on their Major Worksheet and no formal petition is required.

Optional BA Thesis & Optional Thesis Workshop

Students have the option to complete a BA thesis/project in their fourth year and should declare intent by the end of Winter Quarter of their third year. Majors who complete a BA thesis/project and meet GPA requirements are eligible for consideration for honors. Students work on their BA project over four quarters. In Winter Quarter of their fourth year, students who wish to complete a thesis should enroll in one of the optional Thesis/Major Projects Workshops in their genre.

• Types of Courses

Summary of Original Major Requirements

Note: This set of requirements applies to students who declared a major in Creative Writing prior to the AY24 update. This includes students who declared during the 2020-21, 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic years.

Newer majors, students who declare in AY24, and students who have formally redeclared under the new requirements due to extenuating circumstances should refer to the updated 2023-24 guidelines above.

• 3 Advanced Workshops (at least 2 in primary genre)
• 2 Research Background Electives
• 1 Thesis/Major Projects Workshop (Winter Quarter of fourth year)
• BA Thesis (due in Spring Quarter; requires work with Writing and Research Advisor over fourth year)

= 13 Courses and a Thesis  

Critique is the core value and activity of the workshop environment. Students in Advanced Workshops will practice critique under the guidance of the workshop instructor. Advanced Workshops typically focus on original student work. All students are strongly discouraged from taking an Advanced Workshop as their first course from the Program.

Students take two courses outside of the Creative Writing program, selected in consultation with the DUS, to support the student’s individual interests and thesis project.

BA Thesis & Workshop

Students work on their BA project over four quarters. In Winter Quarter of their fourth year, students enroll in one of the Thesis/Major Projects Workshops in their genre.

Declaring the Major

Creative Writing courses give priority to students who have declared the major with Rachel Galvin, the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). In instances where a class has many more applications than it has spots, priority is determined first by degree program and then by class year.

Students in the major receive priority in Advanced Workshops, Technical Seminars, and Fundamentals Seminars.

There are two steps to declaring a major in Creative Writing:

• Meet with the DUS, Rachel Galvin , to start a major worksheet.
• Confirm program approval with your College Advisor, so the major can be added to your my.uchicago account.

Students who have completed both steps are considered officially declared at the department level and therefore eligible for priority in major courses.

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Requirements for Applying to the Creative Writing Major

The application for the creative writing major is open the application is available here ..

Admission to the creative writing major can be competitive. Students must fulfill the following prerequisites before applying:

• You must be a sophomore, junior, or senior to apply . Freshmen are not eligible to apply. Seniors may apply, provided they plan to continue taking classes the following academic year.
• Take at least one 200-level genre-based creative writing course and either have taken or be enrolled in another 200-level genre-based creative writing course. 
• Prepare a writing sample. You will need to submit a sample of your writing in your chosen genre with your creative writing application. Students often submit work from their 200-level creative writing classes, and are in fact encouraged to do so. This sample should be 7-15 pages for fiction or creative nonfiction, 4-5 poems for poetry.
• Fill out and submit your application here. Applications close on April 29th, 2024 at 11:59pm. See application site for specific instructions. Students applying in multiple genres must submit an application in each genre in which they're applying.

Requirements for Completing the Creative Writing Major

15 courses, as follows:, three introductory courses.

Although only one genre-based introductory course (and enrollment in a second) is required to apply, all three are required to complete the major.

• ENG 206 - Reading & Writing Poetry
• ENG 207 - Reading & Writing Fiction
• ENG 208 - Reading & Writing Creative Nonfiction

Year-long Writing Sequence

One of the following three-course sequences:

• ENG 393-1, 2, 3 - Theory & Practice of Poetry 
• ENG 394-1, 2, 3 - Theory & Practice of Fiction 
• ENG 395-1, 2, 3 - Theory & Practice of Creative Nonfiction

The application is available here . Applications close on April 29th, 2024 at 11:59pm.

ENG 392 - The Situation of Writing

“The Situation of Writing,” which is typically offered once per year, investigates the writer’s relation to the culture, both currently and historically. The course addresses such questions as the relation of criticism to imaginative literature, the rise and fall of specific literary genres, the effect of the university on the production and consumption of literary works, the state of the publishing industry, and international literary contexts.

Six 300-level Literature Classes

• Two on material written prior to 1830 
• Two on material written after 1830
• Two from either period

Note: Students who have completed two parts of either British Literary Traditions (210-1 and 210-2) or American Literary Traditions (270-1 and 270-2) can use these two courses to count as ONE of these six literature courses.

Note : Creative Writing students are encouraged to enroll in ENG 300 as one of these six courses, ideally earlier rather than later in their undergraduate career.

Two Non-Literature Related Courses

These courses, in areas such as history, art, classics, and gender studies, broaden the student’s background for the study of literature. These must be approved by a creative writing advisor. Students with a second major or a minor will be considered to have completed this requirement.

[1] The School of Professional Studies also offers courses under the listings ENG 206, 207, and 208. These courses do not count toward the Weinberg Creative Writing Major.

[2] First-year students may not apply to the creative writing sequence, even if they complete both pre-requisite classes in the first year.

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The English Major: Creative Writing Option

Note!  The requirements below took effect in Summer 2022 .  If you declared your major before then, please see the old requirements .  If you have questions about which version of the major applies to you, please contact HAS .

The Creative Writing Concentration prepares students not only to be more effective communicators and artists, but also creative problem solvers and more nuanced critical thinkers. By situating small, student-oriented writing workshops alongside literary models, Creative Writing classes enhance the broader study of literature and critical theory, helping students gain a greater understanding of the social and cultural forces informing their work. A student completing the program is more able to situate themselves in a larger aesthetic and social context and make more meaningful, informed decisions about their own artistic practice. In addition, through the intense practice of creative writing, students are able to see the world more clearly, in a more nuanced and meaningful manner, and apply these skills to a wide variety of work and life situations.

This page describes the English Major Concentration in Creative Writing. For the major's other option, see English Language, Literature, and Culture ,.

Students enrolled in the Creative Writing Concentration will complete a major consisting of 65 ENGL credits, at least 30 of which must be completed in residence at the University of Washington. A maximum of 20 credits in 200-level courses may count toward the English major, and may be used to fulfill the distribution requirements.

Creative writing students’ coursework is distributed as follows:

• ENGL 202: Introduction to English Language and Literature
• A sequence of creative writing workshops: ENGL 283: Beginning Verse Writing, ENGL 284: Beginning Short Story Writing, ENGL 383: The Craft of Verse, and ENGL 384: The Craft of Prose
• 15 credits in Historical Depth
• 15 credits in Power and Difference
• Two 400-level Creative Writing seminars ( Please see the  400-level Creative Writing workshop registration instruction page  for instructions on registering for these courses)

Please note: Creative writing students do *not* need to complete either ENGL 302 (satisfied by 383 & 384) or the senior capstone (satisfied by two 400-level CW classes), required for the major in Language, Literature, and Culture. All creative writing courses satisfy the Genre, Method, and Language distribution area, so Creative Writing students do not need to complete this area separately.

Applying to Creative Writing:

Applicants to the Creative Writing option must have already declared, or be eligible to declare, the English: Language and Literature major .

Applications for the Creative Writing option are accepted in autumn, winter, and spring quarters only, and should be submitted through this online application form   by the third Friday of the quarter at 4:00pm . Applications to creative writing are not accepted in summer quarter.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for the Creative Writing option, you must

• have already declared, or be ready to declare, the English major program ;
• have completed ENGL 202, 283 (beginning verse writing) and ENGL 284 (beginning short story writing) or transfer equivalents.

Application Procedure:

Please submit online ONE complete attachment that includes the items below, by 4:00pm on the third Friday of autumn, winter, or spring quarter (no applications accepted in summer):

1. Undergraduate Creative Writing Option Application (PDF)

RIGHT-click the above link and save it as a PDF to your computer. Fill out the form using Acrobat Reader. Save your changes. Then combine it with the following materials:

Transcripts for all college work completed, both at the UW and elsewhere (these are additional sets of transcripts, separate from the transcripts you will have supplied as part of your application for the major):

• Unofficial UW Transcript : Even if this is your first quarter after transferring to the UW, you should submit an unofficial UW transcript, available through the MyUW system ;
• Complete set of Unofficial transcripts from all schools from which you have transfer credit : We need the information contained in the complete transcript from each transfer school; the transfer summary on a UW unofficial transcript is not sufficient. Photocopies of transcripts are acceptable.

2. A Writing Sample of 3-5 poems and 5-10 pages of fiction (preferably a complete story). Fiction should be double-spaced, with 12pt font (Times New Roman) and 1" margins:

• Review writing sample guidelines and be sure to submit literary fiction and poetry
• Be sure to proofread carefully.

Admission decisions are based primarily on the potential a student exhibits in his or her writing sample - grades and GPAs are usually not at issue. Admission decisions are sent to applicants by e-mail, normally within two weeks of the application deadline.

Completion of the requirements above does not guarantee admission.

Students who are denied admission to the Creative Writing option will continue to be English majors, and may complete the requirements for the literature BA in English. They may apply for the Creative Writing option one additional time, but if they are denied admission then, they must complete the literature major or elect another major in another department.

Distribution Areas:

The majority of English courses are distributed among three overlapping areas: Historical Depth, Power & Difference, and Genre, Method, and Language. Creative Writing students are required to complete 15 credits in two of these areas, Historical Depth and Power & Difference, with the remainder of their coursework focusing on Creative Writing workshops. 

Some courses can count towards both "Historical Depth" or "Power & Difference"; however, each course can ultimately only be used to fulfill one requirement. For example, ENGL 351 is listed under both “Historical Depth” and “Power and Difference" but it will only count in one of those categories in a student's degree progress. The student may choose (and can change their mind, shuffling courses as long as they are enrolled).  Students noticing issues with how these classes are applying to the distribution areas in their degree audit can contact an advisor at   Humanities Academic Services Center  (HAS), A-2-B Padelford Hall  for support. 

Descriptions of each area, along with the courses fulfilling it, are available below. 

Historical Depth:

People have been speaking, reading, and writing in English for more than a thousand years, producing literature that is at once timeless and deeply informed by the time in which it was written. Cultural artifacts from the English-speaking world have shaped, and been shaped by, social movements and historical conditions around the globe, as has the language itself. With this in mind, English majors are required to take 15 credits focused on materials produced before 1945, with at least 5 of those credits focused on materials produced before 1700. Distributing coursework in this way helps students to understand the depth, richness, and variability of English literature, language, and culture across time, and dramatizes how the ways we organize history affect the stories we tell about it. These courses open up past worlds that are in some ways totally alien and in others very similar to our own, revealing that what seems real and true to us can radically alter over time. Entering into these past realities offers a new perspective on the present and develops our capacity to imagine alternative futures.

Historical Depth Courses:

• ENGL 210 Medieval and Early Modern Literature, 400 to 1600
• ENGL 211 Literature, 1500-1800
• ENGL 225 Shakespeare
• ENGL 310 The Bible as Literature
• ENGL 320 English Literature: The Middle Ages
• ENGL 321 Chaucer
• ENGL 322 Medieval & Early Modern Literatures of Encounter (P&D)
• ENGL 323 Shakespeare to 1603
• ENGL 324 Shakespeare after 1603
• ENGL 325 Early Modern English Literature
• ENGL 326 Milton (GML)
• ENGL 351: Writing in the Contact Zone: North America 1492 - 1800 (P&D)
• ENGL 376: Introduction to Middle English Language (HD)
• ENGL 422 Arthurian Legends (GML)
• ENGL 212 Literature, 1700-1900
• ENGL 300: Reading Major Texts (can also count as pre-1700 depending on texts)
• ENGL 303 History of Literary Criticism and Theory I (GML)
• ENGL 312 Jewish Literature: Biblical to Modern (P&D)
• ENGL 314: Transatlantic Literature and Culture (P&D)
• ENGL 315: Literary Modernism (GML)
• ENGL 327 Narratives of Bondage & Freedom (P&D)
• ENGL 328 Eighteenth Century Literature & Culture
• ENGL 329 Rise of the English Novel (GML)
• ENGL 330 English Literature: The Romantic Age
• ENGL 331 Globalization & Nationalism in the Age of Empire (P&D)
• ENGL 332 Nineteenth Century Poetry (GML)
• ENGL 333 Nineteenth Century Novel (GML)
• ENGL 335 English Literature: The Victorian Age
• ENGL 336 English Literature: Early Twentieth Century
• ENGL 337 The Modern Novel (GML)
• ENGL 338 Modern Poetry (GML)
• ENGL 352 Literatures of the United States to 1865 (P&D)
• ENGL 353 American Literature: Later Nineteenth Century
• ENGL 354 American Literature: Early Twentieth Century
• ENGL 373: History of the English Language (GML)
• ENGL 380: Special Topics in History
• ENGL 385: Global Modernism (P&D)

Power and Difference:

Literature, language, and culture have been shaped by and in turn shape systems of power. Such systems include capitalism, colonialism, imperialism, and hierarchies of race, status, caste, sex, gender, and sexuality. Over time, systems of power elevate some voices and stories and marginalize and silence others. English majors are required to take at least 15 credits focused on how systems of power operate in and through literature, language, and culture. These courses explore the evolving relationship of literature, language, and culture to structures of violence and dispossession and center critical perspectives that have been marginalized or silenced. They embrace alternative ways of learning about the past and present, and the impress of the former on the latter. They highlight the complex, sometimes contradictory ways in which literature and culture mediate systems of power. In so doing, Power and Difference courses foster our imagination of more just and equitable futures.

Power and Difference Courses:

• ENGL 207: Introduction to Cultural Studies (GML)
• ENGL 208: Data and Narrative (GML)
• ENGL 256: Introduction to Queer Cultural Studies (DIV) (GML)
• ENGL 257: Introduction to Asian American Literature (DIV)
• ENGL 258: Introduction to African American Literature (DIV)
• ENGL 259: Literature and Social Difference (DIV)
• ENGL 265: Introduction to Environmental Humanities (DIV, GML)
• ENGL 307: Cultural Studies
• ENGL 308: Marxism and Literary Theory
• ENGL 311: Modern Jewish Literature in Translation
• ENGL 312: Jewish Literature: Biblical to Modern (HD)
• ENGL 314: Transatlantic Literature and Culture (HD)
• ENGL 316: Postcolonial Literature and Culture (DIV)
• ENGL 317: Literature of the Americas (DIV)
• ENGL 318: Black Literary Genres (DIV, GML)
• ENGL 319: African Literatures (DIV)
• ENGL 322 Medieval & Early Modern Literatures of Encounter (HD)
• ENGL 327 Narratives of Bondage & Freedom (HD)
• ENGL 331 Globalization & Nationalism in the Age of Empire (HD)
• ENGL 339: Globalization & Contemporary World Literature (GML)
• ENGL 340: Irish Literature (P&D)
• ENGL 349: Science Fiction & Fantasy
• ENGL 351: Writing in the Contact Zone: North America 1492 - 1800 (HD)
• ENGL 352: American Literatures to 1865 (HD)
• ENGL 355: Contemporary American Literature
• ENGL 357: Jewish American Literature and Culture (DIV)
• ENGL 358: African American Literature (DIV)
• ENGL 359: Contemporary American Indian Literature (DIV)
• ENGL 361: American Political Culture After 1865 (DIV)
• ENGL 362: Latino Literary Genres (DIV, GML)
• ENGL 364: Literature & Medicine
• ENGL 365: Literature & Environment (GML, DIV)
• ENGL 366: Literature & Law
• ENGL 367: Gender Studies in Literature (DIV)
• ENGL 368: Women Writers (DIV)
• ENGL 372: World Englishes (DIV) (GML)
• ENGL 379: Special Topics in Power & Difference
• ENGL 385: Global Modernism (HD)
• ENGL 386: Asian American Literature (DIV)
• ENGL 466: Queer and LGBT Literature (DIV)
• ENGL 478: Language and Social Policy (DIV) (GML)
• ENGL 479: Language Variation and Language Policy in North America (DIV, GML)
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Major in Creative Writing

"We tell ourselves stories in order to live."

-- Joan Didion

Does your love of literature go beyond scholarship? Are you an aspiring author who wants to add a practical, hands-on component to your university education? Then you've come to the right place: UTSC is the only campus at UofT where you can earn a Major in Creative Writing. Our dedicated faculty take a workshop-based, experiential approach to the study and practice of the literary arts. This means that while you learn how classic and contemporary authors pursue their craft, you also take the exciting first steps towards building your own writing practice.

Our Major program places a particular emphasis on professionalization and how to make your way as a writer in the real world. Our teaching faculty are active and award-winning writers themselves, and the program stream culminates in a practical seminar on "Creative Writing as a Profession." You will also benefit from working each year with a new  Writer-in-Residence , and you will have the opportunity to connect with our close-knit and active creative writing alumni network, including recent graduates who have already had their work published.

As a creative writing student you will be part of a vibrant undergraduate community, and have access to a jam-packed calendar of readings, talks, festivals, and other events (just scan  our Events page  to see what's happened in the past and coming up in the future). You can also participate in C.O.W. (our creative writing club), enter contests, and get published in the UTSC arts journal  Scarborough Fair.

There is no better place to immerse yourself in the literary arts than Toronto, the heart of Canada's publishing industry. Join UTSC's growing community of creative writers, and learn how to make your own literary mark on the world.

Here is a route map for navigating the Creative Writing Major (you can expand the map by right-clicking or option-clicking):

How to Apply to the Major in Creative Writing

Students may apply to the Major in Creative Writing after they have completed  ENGA03H3  and have accumulated a minimum of 4.0 credits. Students typically apply at the end of their first year.

To apply, applicants must complete two steps:

1. Applicants must request entry to the program on ACORN during the application period as outlined below.

2. Applicants must submit a portfolio for adjudication during the application period as outlined below.

The Portfolio:

The portfolio must be 15-20 pages of the applicant’s best writing in poetry, fiction (either short stories or selections from a longer work), and/or creative non-fiction. Portfolios may include work completed in ENGA03H3 and/or work completed prior to admission to UTSC. The portfolio must be accompanied by a brief letter of application (1–2 pages) addressed to the Program Advisor in Creative Writing. The letter should discuss the applicant’s experience as a writer, their future goals in the creative writing program, and a work of literature that has inspired them.

Application Periods:

There are two application periods for the Creative Writing Program, one in March/April for students applying at the end of the Winter session (Round 1), and one in June/July for students applying at the end of the Summer session (Round 2). Students should visit the  Office of the Registrar website  for the exact dates of these periods, and make sure to apply on ACORN and submit their portfolios by the end of these periods. (Please note: Creative Writing is considered a “limited enrolment program.”)

How to Submit Portfolios:

Portfolios and letters should be submitted as one document to  [email protected]  by the end of the chosen application period. (Don’t forget: applicants also need to request entry to the program on ACORN by this deadline.) Students who are not successful in their first attempt are eligible to apply again. These students must submit a new portfolio and letter of application by the deadlines outlined above.

A Note on Creative Writing Course Enrolments:

Creative Writing courses at UTSC are usually workshop-based and capped at 20 students. Enrolment is prioritized for students who have taken the prerequisites and are already enrolled in either the Minor or Major in Creative Writing. That said, there is occasionally room in our courses for students who are not studying creative writing intensively. If you are a non-first year student who is not enrolled in the program but would like to apply for a B-level Creative Writing course, please submit a course-specific portfolio (including your student number). Here are the details and contacts:

-  ENGB60 Creative Writing: Poetry I : Email 5-10 pages of poetry to  [email protected] . Please note if you are applying for the F or S term.

-  ENGB61 Creative Writing: Fiction I : Email 5-10 pages of fiction or other prose writing to  [email protected] .  Please note if you are applying for the F or S term.

-  ENGB63 Creative Writing: Non-Fiction I : Email 5-10 pages of non-fiction, fiction, or other prose writing to  [email protected] .

To start your creative writing journey at UTSC:

If you are a first-year student and/or new to Creative Writing, your first step should be to enrol in  ENGA03H3 Introduction to Creative Writing . This is the prerequisite for entry into the Creative Writing program. Most students take this course in their first year, and then apply for entry to the program once they’ve completed it.

If you have any questions, please email:  [email protected] . We are happy to help and look forward to receiving and reading your work!  

Program Requirements

Students in the Major must complete  7.5 credits  as follows: 

1. 3.0 credits:

ENGA03H3  Introduction to Creative Writing ENGB60H3  Creative Writing: Poetry I ENGB61H3  Creative Writing: Fiction I ENGB63H3  Creative Non-Fiction I ENGD95H3  Creative Writing as a Profession ENGC86H3  Creative Writing: Poetry II or  ENGC87H3  Creative Writing: Fiction II or  ENGC88H3  Creative Non-Fiction II

2. 2.0 credits to be selected from: 

ENGC04H3  Creative Writing: Screenwriting ENGC05H3  Creative Writing: Poetry and New Media ENGC06H3  Creative Writing: Writing for Comics ENGC08H3  Special Topics in Creative Writing I ENGC24H3  Creative Writing: The Art of the Personal Essay ENGC86H3  Creative Writing: Poetry II (if not already counted as a required course) ENGC87H3  Creative Writing: Fiction II (if not already counted as a required course) ENGC88H3  Creative Non-Fiction II (if not already counted as a required course) ENGC89H3  Creative Writing and Performance ENGD22H3  Special Topics in Creative Writing II ENGD26Y3  Independent Studies in Creative Writing: Poetry ENGD27Y3  Independent Studies in Creative Writing: Prose ENGD28Y3  Independent Studies in Creative Writing: Special Topics

3. 2.5 Additional credits in English

Note:  A maximum of 1.0 credit in creative writing courses may be taken at another campus.

For more details on program requirements, visit the   UTSC Calendar . Questions about the program should be directed to Professor Andrew Westoll ( [email protected] ). 

Interested in learning more about how our courses are structured and how you might develop your own path through your Minor in Creative Writing? Visit our  Routes and Threads  page.