Creative and Professional Writing Major

Degree Type
Bachelor of Fine Arts, BFA

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a creative and professional writing major will provide serious, aspiring writers an intensive and challenging apprenticeship in the writing arts, informed by the close study of literature. The program is designed to offer writing students an exciting, sound liberal arts education based on the belief that writers and artists need to be grounded in the cultural, historical and intellectual contexts of the tradition in which they work. The program will prepare students seeking careers in professional creative writing or in other literary professions, such as journalism, editing, publishing or arts management. The program also prepares students to pursue a master’s degree in creative writing, communications or other programs. The creative and professional writing major requires 45 hours in addition to the GEP requirements. Major requirements include 33 hours of core courses and an additional 12 hours chosen from CRW, THR, ART, and ATA. Students seeking admittance to the major in creative and professional writing must achieve at least a 2.75 in CRW 200: Introduction to Creative Writing and receive a recommendation from the creative writing faculty before being accepted into the major. Upon completion of CRW 200, students may apply for admission into the creative and professional writing major by sending a letter of application and a 10-page writing sample to the director of creative writing. Application to the creative and professional writing major must be submitted no later than the end of the spring semester of the junior year.

Total Credits
45