Creative Writing
Crafting original fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
Creative writing trains you to write original fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction through both study (reading widely and analyzing craft) and practice, with workshop courses as the core format. In a workshop, you write, share your work with peers, and receive structured critique, then revise.
Most programs let you focus on a genre (fiction, poetry, screenwriting, nonfiction) while still requiring literature courses, since strong creative writing is built on wide reading and craft study, not just raw talent.
Typical courses you might take
- ✓Introduction to Creative Writing
- ✓Fiction Workshop
- ✓Poetry Workshop
- ✓Creative Nonfiction Workshop
- ✓Literature Survey Courses
- ✓Craft of [Genre] Seminar
- ✓Editing & Revision
- ✓Senior Thesis (portfolio or manuscript)
Sample four-year plan
Illustrative, not a registration planOne possible way these courses could be sequenced alongside general education and elective credit. Real programs vary in order, pacing, and prerequisites by school, use this to get a rough sense of the arc, not to plan actual registration.
- ✓Introduction to Creative Writing
- +General education requirement
- ✓Fiction Workshop
- +General education requirement
- ✓Poetry Workshop
- +General education requirement
- ✓Creative Nonfiction Workshop
- +Free elective
- ✓Literature Survey Courses
- +Free elective
- ✓Craft of [Genre] Seminar
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Editing & Revision
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Senior Thesis (portfolio or manuscript)
- +Capstone, thesis, or culminating project (common in many programs)
Skills you'll build
This major might be a good fit if you...
- ★Has a strong pull toward writing original work
- ★Open to critique and comfortable revising extensively
- ★Reads widely and thinks about craft, not just story
- ★Self-motivated with a consistent writing habit
Common minors & double-major pairings
English Literature · Film Studies · Journalism
Frequently asked questions
What is a Creative Writing major?
Crafting original fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
What courses do Creative Writing majors take?
Typical coursework includes classes like Introduction to Creative Writing, Fiction Workshop, Poetry Workshop, among others, see the full course list above for this major's typical lineup.
What skills do you build in a Creative Writing program?
Creative Writing coursework typically builds skills like Original creative writing across genres, Giving and receiving structured critique, Revision and self-editing, Close reading for craft technique.
Is Creative Writing a good major for me?
It tends to be a good fit if signals like "Has a strong pull toward writing original work" or "Open to critique and comfortable revising extensively" describe you. See the full "good fit if you..." list above for more.
What other majors pair well with Creative Writing?
Common minor or double-major pairings include English Literature, Film Studies, Journalism.
How is Creative Writing different from English Literature?
They're related but distinct. Creative Writing: Crafting original fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. English Literature: Close reading, interpretation, and the craft of language. Use the compare tool to see courses and skills side by side.
How long does it take to earn a Creative Writing degree?
Most bachelor's degrees, including this one, are designed to be completed in about four years of full-time study. Exact timing depends on your school, course load, transfer credit, and any changes of major along the way.
Printed from majoratlas.com/majors/creative-writing