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Requirements for the Minor in Creative Writing (CW)

Students majoring in any department may elect a minor in creative writing of the College. The minor is designed to enhance existing major programs, to add structure and a sense of purpose to those students already committed to creative writing, and to encourage the consideration of serious writing graduate programs.

The minor consists of four creative writing classes and three literature classes.
Students are required to take a sequence of two workshops in fiction, poetry and (when available) creative nonfiction. This means students must elect one of the following three options:

  1) Fiction 1 and Fiction 2
  2) Poetry 1 and Poetry 2
  3) Two of the following four classes:
  Creative Nonfiction 1, Environmental Writing: Writing About Place, Creative Nonfiction 2, Feature Writing

A third and fourth creative writing class at the 200 level or above are required. Students are encouraged to take at least one class in a genre other than their sequence genre.

Students should note that creative nonfiction classes (option 3) are not offered as frequently as fiction and poetry classes.

In addition, the creative writing minor requires the student, in consultation with the minor advisor, to complete three courses in English and American literature at the 300 or 400 level.  For example, a fiction writer might take the American Short Story, the Modern American Novel, the 18th Century I, Victorian Literature, African-American Literature, or Contemporary Fiction; a poetry writer might elect Chaucer, The Romantics, the 17th Century, or Modern American Poetry.

First priority for admission to Fiction Writing 1 and Poetry Writing 1 is given to sophomores. Admission to advanced writing courses (Fiction 2, Poetry 2 and select Genre Workshops) is by manuscript submission only.

No requirement for the minor may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.