Creative Writing Major

Summary of Requirements

• Two 200-Level Creative Writing Courses
• Three 300-Level Creative Writing Workshops (one may be a crosslisted workshop)
• Four Textual Studies Courses
• CRWR 490 - Creative Writing Capstone Seminar  

Notes:

• Only one Practical Studies course (e.g. CRWR 450 ) may apply to the major.
• Students must complete creative writing courses in at least two genres.
• Students must take courses at the 200- and 300-level with at least three different instructors.

Transfer of Credit

Upon acceptance to the College, transfer students with an interest in Creative Writing should contact the director of Creative Writing to discuss approval of previous coursework.  Third-year transfer students will find it almost impossible to complete the major in four semesters and might consider the minor.  While credit is normally given for Creative Writing courses taken elsewhere, equivalent credit is almost never given for any of the upper-level workshops. No more than two full courses of transfer credit may be applied toward the Creative Writing Major.  Transfer courses may be applied toward the textual studies requirement, the in-program course requirement, or a combination of these.

Application to the Major

Students may apply to the major in their second or third year once they have, at minimum:

• satisfactorily completed two 200-level courses, preferably in different genres, or
• satisfactorily completed one 100-level course and one 200-level course, and are in the process of completing a second 200-level course in good standing, or
• (for transfer students only) satisfactorily completed one 200-level course and have demonstrated that they have satisfactorily completed the equivalent of another 200-level creative writing course at another institution.

The program accepts applications to the major in the middle of each semester. The application is both rigorous and holistic, assessing students’ development over three main areas: professionalism, workshop citizenship, and artistic commitment. Typically, the application requires a reflection on the student’s experiences in creative writing thus far, a proposed course of study in the major, either a close reading of a work of literature or an example of a feedback letter written to a peer, and a portfolio. Applications are reviewed by the entire creative writing teaching faculty.

Students not accepted into the major may often still complete the creative writing minor.

Creative Writing Major Course Lists