Students receiving a minor in creative writing will successfully complete at least six CRWR courses in a staged sequence (introduction, intermediate, advanced courses and, for some students, the yearlong intensive Kidd Workshop sequence).
The backbone of the creative writing minor is a progressive sequence of writing classes and workshops: intro, intermediate and advanced courses in poetry and fiction. Additional course offerings may include literature for poets or fiction writers; advanced fiction and poetry seminars; and nonfiction workshops.
Together your six minor courses will give you a broad range of experience in approaches to writing fiction and poetry. Students complete the minor with a varying array of courses, selected according to their own interests.
In addition, all students in our creative writing courses are invited to our visiting writer events—a fiction and poetry craft talk and reading each term. Recent visitors have included Robin Coste-Lewis, Mia Alvar, Mary Jo Salter, Andre Dubus III, Charles Wright and many others.
To be eligible for the minor, students must complete all degree requirements and a major in another academic department.
Course Requirements
The creative writing minor requires 24 credits. Students must take 24 credit hours from the following (two courses at each level). Students completing the Kidd Workshops (our by-application-only yearlong intensive writing sequence) will receive credit toward the minor for three courses: two introductory and one intermediate.
Introductory Courses
Students must take CRWR 230: Intro to Poetry Writing, plus one of the following:
- CRWR 240 Intro to Fiction Writing
- CRWR 244 Intro to Creative Nonfiction
Intermediate Courses
Choose two:
- CRWR 330 Intermediate Poetry Writing (R)
- CRWR 336 Intermediate Creative Nonfiction (R)
- CRWR 340 Intermediate Fiction Writing (R)
- CRWR 399 Reading Poems (R)
- CRWR 399 Reading Fiction (R)
Advanced Courses
Choose two:
- CRWR 407 Advanced Poetry Seminar (R)
- CRWR 407 Advanced Fiction Writing Seminar (R)
- CRWR 413 Literature for Poets (R)
- CRWR 414 Literature for Fiction Writers (R)
- CRWR 435 Advanced Poetry Writing (R)
- CRWR 445 Advanced Fiction Writing (R)
(R) = Repeatable
Registration Clearance Request
Students pursuing a minor in creative writing who are blocked from registering for 400-level CRWR courses may complete the form below to request registration clearance.
Clearance is contingent on receipt of a grade of B- or better in the prerequisite course(s); should you fail to meet the prerequisite, you must withdraw from the course(s) in a timely manner. By submitting this request, you agree to these conditions.