Creative Writing Minor
Cynthia Nearman, Department of English and Creative Writing
The minor allows students to gain practice in the craft of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and/or playwriting while exploring both the imaginative and the practical potential of learning to more readers through the power of artful language. Students pursuing the minor study the formal and aesthetic conventions that shape literature and creative writing in its various genres; draft, revise, and polish their own creative writing; read and study models in specific genres; and gain introductory experience in both theory and the practice of being a creative writer.
Course experience includes workshop settings in which students share and learn from each other’s creative work; literary study and discussion; and hands-on experience in the professional presentation of creative tests.
Consisting of four courses, the minor is designed to offer students an introductory yet concrete understanding of the forms and audiences of imaginative writing. It will benefit students from other majors who want to explore their own creative abilities, and those whose major studies and career aspirations can be directly enhanced by a more powerful understanding of how creative language can move the minds and heart - students, for example, interested in careers in education, law, activism, politics, business and the arts.
The minor in creative writing is not available to creative writing majors.
Minor Requirements
The minor requires a minimum of 16 credit hours (four courses).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 200 | Introduction to Literary Studies | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Introduction to Poetry | ||
| Introduction to Fiction | ||
| Creative Nonfiction | ||
| Playwriting Workshop (THEA 244) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Creative Nonfiction | ||
| Playwriting Workshop (THEA 244) | ||
| Poetry Workshop | ||
| Fiction Workshop | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Introduction to Poetry | ||
| Introduction to Fiction | ||
| Creative Nonfiction | ||
| Playwriting Workshop (THEA 244) | ||
| Poetry Workshop | ||
| American Nature Writing (REL 120) | ||
| Modern Poetry | ||
| Contemporary Fiction | ||
| The Art of Persuasion | ||
| Total Credits | 16 | |
Total credit hours required for creative writing minor is 16 credits.