is creative writing an english credit

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Read This Next:

• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)

Creative Writing

Stanford’s Creative Writing Program--one of the best-known in the country--cultivates the power of individual expression within a vibrant community of writers. Many of our English majors pursue a concentration in creative writing, and the minor in Creative Writing is among the most popular minors on campus. These majors and minors participate in workshop-based courses or independent tutorials with Stegner Fellows, Stanford’s distinguished writers-in-residence.

English Major with a Creative Writing Emphasis

The English major with a Creative Writing emphasis is a fourteen-course major. These fourteen courses comprise eight English courses and six Creative Writing courses.

English majors with a Creative Writing emphasis should note the following:

All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Courses taken abroad or at other institutions may not be counted towards the workshop requirements.

Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191 series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

PWR 1 is a prerequisite for all creative writing courses.

Minor in Creative Writing

The Minor in Creative Writing offers a structured environment in which students interested in writing fiction or poetry develop their skills while receiving an introduction to literary forms. Students may choose a concentration in fiction, poetry.

In order to graduate with a minor in Creative Writing, students must complete the following three courses plus three courses in either the prose or poetry tracks. Courses counted towards the requirements for the minor may not be applied to student's major requirements. 30 units are required. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Prose Track

Suggested order of requirements:

English 90. Fiction Writing or English 91. Creative Nonfiction

English 146S Secret Lives of the Short Story

One 5-unit English literature elective course

English 190. Intermediate Fiction Writing or English 191. Intermediate Creative Nonfiction Writing

English 92. Reading and Writing Poetry

Another English 190, 191, 290. Advanced Fiction, 291. Advanced Nonfiction, or 198L. Levinthal Tutorial

Poetry Track

English 92.Reading and Writing Poetry

English 160. Poetry and Poetics

English 192. Intermediate Poetry Writing

Another English 192, or 292.Advanced Poetry or 198L.Levinthal Tutorial

Creative Writing minors should note the following:

To declare a Creative Writing minor, visit the Student page in Axess. To expedite your declaration, make sure to list all 6 courses you have taken or plan to take for your minor.

Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

For more information, visit the Stanford Creative Writing Program.

Online Students

For All Online Programs

International Students

On Campus, need or have Visa

Campus Students

For All Campus Programs

Creative Writing Degree Online Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Write Your Own Story 

• $330/credit (120 credits)
• Transfer up to 90 credits
• Receive credit for prior learning
• 4 genre options for concentrations
• Advanced writing workshops
• No application fee or SAT/ACT scores required

Creative Writing Degree Program Overview

If you have a passion for storytelling and want to pursue a career using your writing talents, the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing and English program can help you get on the right path.

You'll develop your writing skills alongside students from across the country, who represent an incredible range of voices and experiences. Together, you'll participate in workshops, producing work and presenting it to your peers for commentary and discussion.

"Everything I learned during my degree journey added to my understanding of how to write and boosted my creativity," said Aubrie Arnold '20 , a graduate of the creative writing program. "I now feel like I can and will write novels – I’m working on that now – and I feel like I have the correct tools to make those novels successful.”

This degree is also an attractive option for transfer students, as it offers a number of free electives.

What You'll Learn

• Essential writing and critical-thinking skill sets
• Literary analysis to inform the application of storytelling elements
• Literary form, genre, structure and style
• Conventions and techniques used by varying genres

How You'll Learn

At SNHU, you'll get support from day 1 to graduation and beyond. And with no set class times, 24/7 access to the online classroom, and helpful learning resources along the way, you'll have everything you need to reach your goals.

An Online Creative Writing Degree Can Help You Reach Your Goals

Whether you are looking to advance your career or simply want to pursue your passion for writing, the online creative writing bachelor's program at SNHU offers a supportive community, comprehensive curriculum, and flexible format that can help you achieve your goals.

Concentration Options

When you choose to study creative writing at SNHU, you have the option to stay with the general track – which gives you the flexibility to study a variety of genres – or you can opt to add one of our 4 concentrations to your degree : fiction, nonfiction, poetry or screenwriting.

Fiction Aspiring authors and storytellers who are looking for a way to gain inspiration and foster their imaginations will find the online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing and English with a concentration in Fiction Writing to be the perfect balance of craft and critical analysis. This BA program emphasizes the craft of fiction writing and helps you develop an appreciation for all forms of fiction while honing your writing skills and philosophy of composition. You'll gain insights into publishing technologies and the industry as you enhance your fundamental knowledge of fiction writing's most crucial elements. This comprehensive program gives you a powerful understanding of plot, character development, narrative voice and other mechanics of creative writing. Studying fiction writing at Southern New Hampshire University doesn't just focus on developing your skill and technique. This program also gives you the opportunity to explore your creative boundaries, perfect your craft and dive deeper into your preferred genre. From fantasy to sci-fi and mystery to young adult, you can embrace the style of writing that you're drawn to and bring your original stories to life. The format of this BA program encourages collaboration and direct interaction with faculty and peers. You'll also have the chance to get published and learn from experienced authors through The Penmen Review, our own online journal for writers. Nicholas Patterson '22 found peer interaction through writing workshops to be a favorite part of his program. "I have learned tons of new skills," he said, "but most importantly learned how to grow from constructive criticism." Career outlook: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for writers and authors was $73,150 in 2022. 1 The BLS notes that a degree and publication is typically required for a full-time writing position. Writers who concentrate in fiction have career opportunities in a range of professions, including content writing, editing, copywriting, publishing, communications and more. Courses may include: New Media: Writing and Publishing Fiction Writing Workshop Intermediate Fiction Writing Workshop Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop Request Info Apply Now Nonfiction Discover your niche with a nonfiction writing degree online at Southern New Hampshire University. Our online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing and English with a concentration in Nonfiction delves into a wide variety of styles and subjects – everything from the personal essay to autobiography, memoir, travel writing and magazine features. Our creative writing online program can help you combine research and reflection with compelling storytelling. You'll also gain insights into publishing technologies and the industry, explore your creative boundaries and develop a unique voice. A solid foundation in the broader scope of creative writing is critical to the craft of nonfiction writing. In our comprehensive nonfiction writing program, you'll acquire a powerful understanding of research, narrative voice and other mechanics of creative writing. The online nonfiction writing degree program's format encourages collaboration and ongoing interaction with faculty and peers. You'll also have the chance to get published and learn from experienced authors through The Penmen Review, our own online journal for writers. Career outlook: The median annual salary for writers and authors was $73,150 in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1 Nonfiction writers can publish in magazines, newspapers, and literary journals, as well as find career opportunities in digital content writing, social media/communications, copywriting and editing. Courses may include: New Media: Writing and Publishing Nonfiction Writing Workshop Intermediate Nonfiction Writing Workshop Advanced Nonfiction Writing Workshop Request Info Apply Now Poetry The online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing with a concentration in Poetry degree program is an opportunity for aspiring poets to find inspiration, engagement and creative collaboration with peers and faculty alike. Our specialized program enables you to hone your craft and unleash your imagination, helping you create imagery in verse. While a poetry degree is valuable in and of itself, it can also prepare you for many professional paths. You can explore careers in creative writing, advertising, journalism, publishing and advertising copywriting. Southern New Hampshire University also offers an online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Poetry. As a student in our poetry degree online program, you'll begin taking writing courses during your first year. You'll also have the chance to get published and learn from experienced authors through The Penmen Review, our own online journal for writers. Career outlook: Career paths with a BA in creative writing include work as a creative writer, advertising copywriter, journalist, publisher or poet. Writers have also found careers in communications, digital content writing and editing. Courses may include: New Media: Writing and Publishing Poetry Writing Workshop Intermediate Poetry Writing Workshop Advanced Poetry Writing Workshop Request Info Apply Now Screenwriting Whether you have dreams of writing blockbusters, developing documentaries or working with other writers on sitcoms, the online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing and English with a concentration in Screenwriting is an excellent way to hone your writing skills and put your passion to work. The classes in this specialized online screenwriting degree are based on a comprehensive study of creative writing, with a special focus on story structure, character development and the visual medium of film. You'll have the opportunity to explore all of the forms that screenwriting takes – feature-length and short films, television episodes and miniseries, commercial and internet-based video. While creative writing is at the core of this program, your screenwriting classes will place a special emphasis on visual storytelling. Designed by experienced and distinguished faculty, this creative writing program will give you a powerful understanding of how story, character, theme, action, visuals and dialogue intertwine to create a compelling moment in time. The format for the screenwriting degree online program encourages collaboration and direct interaction with faculty and peers. You'll also have the chance to get published and learn from experienced authors through The Penmen Review, our own online journal for writers. Career outlook: Blockbuster movies, independent films and shorts, commercials, television dramas and sitcoms all rest their success on the backbone of their scripts. Screenwriters have lots of options when it comes to navigating their careers. You could pursue independent work and make your stories come to life – or you could develop scripts for specific projects that need a writer's touch. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, writers and authors earned a median annual salary of $73,150 in 2022. 1 Courses may include: New Media: Writing and Publishing Introduction to Screenwriting Workshop Intermediate Screenwriting Workshop Advanced Screenwriting Workshop Request Info Apply Now if (typeof accordionGroup === "undefined") { window.accordionGroup = new accordion(); } accordionGroup.init(document.getElementById('a7db942c2ff94e9783a92e9b328572c0')); Career Outlook

Use storytelling skills to write everything from children’s books and novels to biographies, essays and memoirs.

Apply your understanding of the written word to plan, review and revise content for publication in books, periodicals or online platforms.

Promote a product, service or organization with content for advertisements, marketing campaigns or websites.

Research topics, investigate story ideas and interview sources to write compelling nonfiction articles for newspapers, magazines, blogs and television news programs.

Screenwriter

Use the power of writing to create visual and auditory experiences for everything from major blockbuster films to television episodes and commercials.

Speechwriter

Write speeches for business leaders, politicians and others, using words to engage with and move an audience.

And with today's technology, it's easy for writers and authors to work from just about anywhere as long as they have internet access – meaning jobs aren't limited to major cities anymore.

In addition to the writing skills you'll develop in a creative writing degree program, you could also pick up a handful of other career skills 1 the workforce desperately needs, like:

• Adaptability: Adapt to updates in software platforms and programs, including various content management systems (CMS).
• Creativity: Develop interesting plots, characters or ideas for new stories.
• Critical-thinking skills: Understand concepts that must be conveyed through writing.
• Determination: Gain the focus to meet deadlines.
• Persuasion: Convince others to feel a certain way about a good or service – especially if you choose a career in advertising.
• Social perceptiveness: Develop an understanding of how readers respond to and connect with your work.

"This [program] not only allowed me to explore my creativity through writing," said Nicholas Patterson '22 . "It taught me the fundamentals of the industry and how to pursue a career in it."

Job Growth and Salary

Prospects for writer and author occupations appear promising in the coming years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the industry shift from print to online media should result in employment growth. 1

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, career opportunities for writers and authors are projected to grow 4% through 2032 — that's as fast as average for all occupations. 1

In 2022, the median annual wage for writers and authors was $73,150 . 1

Understanding the Numbers When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors — like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

Start Your Journey Toward an Online Creative Writing Degree

Why snhu for your creative writing degree flexible with no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7. affordable as part of our mission to make higher education more accessible, we’re committed to keeping our tuition rates low. in fact, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation. prior coursework could also help you save time and money. snhu’s transfer policy  allows you to transfer up to 90 credits toward your bachelor's degree and 45 credits for an associate degree from your previous institutions—that means you could save up to 75% off the cost of tuition. you could also save time and money by getting college credit for previous work experience , or by taking advantage of military discounts and employer tuition assistance if available to you. respected founded in 1932 , southern new hampshire university is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. snhu is accredited by the new england commission of higher education (neche), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.  recently, snhu has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education: u.s. news & world report named snhu the 2021 most innovative university in the north and one of the nation's "best regional universities" awarded the 21st century distance learning award for excellence in online technology by the united states distance learning association (usdla) a $1 million grant from google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth network at southern new hampshire university, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 300,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities. 93.2% of online students would recommend snhu according to a 2023 survey with 21,000+ respondents. discover why snhu may be right for you . opportunities you'll have the chance to share your work with the vibrant creative writing community at snhu: the penmen review , our online journal that accepts submissions 12 times a year word for word, a bimonthly livestream event featuring published writers reading from their work fall fiction contest, a short-story competition that offers snhu scholarships among its prizes student writers spotlight, a livestream reading showcasing the best of snhu's creative writing students admission requirements expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. that’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials: completed free undergraduate application prior transcripts, which we can retrieve at no cost to you test scores are not required as part of your application acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 6 (8-week) undergraduate terms . how to apply if you’re ready to apply, follow these simple steps to get the process going: complete a free undergraduate application submit any additional documents required work with an admission counselor  to explore financial options  and walk through the application process if you have questions or need help filling out your application, call 1.888.387.0861 or email [email protected] . if (typeof accordiongroup === "undefined") { window.accordiongroup = new accordion(); } accordiongroup.init(document.getelementbyid('06235c05b74e467bb258c6a2eee81259')); what snhu students are saying.

"I came [to SNHU] originally to have more freedoms and explore my creativity in a new environment. This program has given me that and more – this program has enabled me to improve myself in every facet of writing, from brainstorming a new idea to learning about genres and even how to market myself and my writing."

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120 Credits

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8-Week Terms

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100% Online

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No Set Class Times

Southern New Hampshire University is home to one of the largest creative writing programs in the country.

Our unique online creative writing degree allows you to take writing courses from the start. The program features 4 writing workshops, including an advanced workshop in which you'll complete a polished piece in the genre of your choice.

The courses in our BA in Creative Writing can help develop your talent for creating stories, novels and characters and turning them into finished, professional pieces. Whether you choose the general track or a specific genre, you'll learn from published writers with valuable industry insights.

In addition to the courses and electives within the major, SNHU's online writing degree program includes 30 credits of free electives. This leaves you with room to choose courses or a minor in an area of study that you'd like to write about – like history or psychology – or the opportunity to complement your studies with career skills, such as graphic design or marketing. The amount of free electives also makes our creative writing degree an attractive option for transfer students.

Throughout your program, you'll learn from published writers, professional editors, publishers and established literary critics – subject-matter experts who can help guide you to improving your craft.

As a bonus at SNHU, you can choose to further your study of creative writing with one of our popular graduate programs:

• Online MA in English and Creative Writing: Building on the learnings from your bachelor's degree, you can choose from the same 4 concentrations – fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting or poetry – in this 36-credit online master's in writing  program,  which allows you to develop creative works that can contribute to your professional advancement.
• Online MFA in Creative Writing: Gain both the writing skills and the professional skills to succeed in areas like marketing, publishing, content writing, teaching and freelancing in this fully online, 48-credit online MFA in creative writing  program. You can also focus on a wide range of fiction genres – such as contemporary, romance, young adult or speculative – plus you'll add one of two embedded certificates to your program: professional writing or the online teaching of writing.
• Low-Residency MFA in Fiction or Nonfiction: This highly focused 2-year program consists of 4 workshops and 4 in-person, weeklong residencies in New Hampshire. Within the 60-credit low-residency MFA  program, you'll complete both a manuscript suitable for submission to editors and a critical essay that's ideal for literary journals.

Curriculum Requirements & Resources

General education.

All undergraduate students are required to take general education courses , which are part of SNHU's newly redesigned program, The Commons. The goal of The Commons' curriculum is to empower you with some of the most in-demand skills, so you can succeed not only in your academic career, but in your personal and professional life too.

Technology Resources

We provide cloud-based virtual environments in some courses to give you access to the technology you need for your degree – and your career. Learn more about our virtual environments .

Earn Math Credits

Save time and tuition with our Pathways to Math Success assessments. Depending on your scores, you could earn up to 12 math credits – the equivalent of 4 courses – toward your degree for less than $50 per assessment. For additional information, or to register for a Pathways to Math Success assessment, contact your admission counselor or academic advisor today.

Minimum Hardware Requirements Component Type   PC (Windows OS)   Apple (Mac OS)   Operating System  Currently supported operating system from Microsoft.   Currently supported operating system from Apple.  Memory (RAM)  8GB or higher  8GB or higher  Hard Drive  100GB or higher  100GB or higher  Antivirus Software  Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.  Required for campus students. Strongly recommended for online students.  SNHU Purchase Programs  Visit Dell   Visit Apple   Internet/ Bandwidth  5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100 ms Latency  5 Mbps Download, 1 Mbps Upload and less than 100 ms Latency  Notes:   Laptop or desktop?   Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility.  Note:   Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10.  Office 365 Pro Plus  is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for  Microsoft 365 plans  for business, education and government.  Antivirus software:  Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers.  if (typeof accordionGroup === "undefined") { window.accordionGroup = new accordion(); } accordionGroup.init(document.getElementById('f756dce5bd874c61855f6f6e92d88470')); What to Expect as an Online Student No set class times: Asynchronous classes let you do your coursework when and where you want Pick your pace: Choose between full time (2 courses) or part time (1 course) each term Student support: 24/7 access to online student services like the library, tech and academic support if (typeof carouselContainer === "undefined") { window.carouselContainer = new carousel(); } let vc_0a2c09e41977426b8f3008e18ed9a68a = document.getElementById('carousel-0a2c09e41977426b8f3008e18ed9a68a') if (vc_0a2c09e41977426b8f3008e18ed9a68a !== null) { carouselContainer.init(vc_0a2c09e41977426b8f3008e18ed9a68a); } University Accreditation

Tuition & Fees

As a private, nonprofit university, we’re committed to making college more accessible by making it more affordable. That’s why we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

We also offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually. *Note: students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional Costs No Application Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

Frequently Asked Questions

​Why is History Important?​

Why is Poetry Important? Celebrating National Poetry Month

Actor Stephanie Gould Surprised Onstage With Diploma Delivery

Rice English integrates creative and critical practice through training in close reading, analytical writing, cultural history, and craft/form. Our faculty research and pedagogy cover the breadth of the study of British and American literatures and cultures ranging from the medieval era to the present.

Creative Writing FAQ's

Both degrees, the minor and the major concentration, are offered through the Department of English.

The CREW Minor is a 6-class/18-credit course of study. The minor allows students to focus their studies in creative writing craft, cross-genre training, editorial technique, close reading, and creative process.

In contrast, the Major Concentration in Creative Writing is an 11-course/33-credit course of study. This major course of study requires students to take 4 classes in Creative Writing and at least 7 classes in other areas of the English Department.

Yes. Students pursuing the major in English may also declare the minor in Creative Writing provided that: 1) their major in English is not the major Concentration in Creative Writing 2) and there is no course overlap between the respective major and minor degrees.

Is there special registration in Creative Writing classes for minors?

Yes. Similar to the system available to Major Concentrators, all declared Creative Writing Minors are able to register for specially reserved seats in all creative writing classes. Please look for the odd-numbered sections in your course planner. Upon successful declaration, minors will be able to access these reserved sections.

Do classes taken outside of the English Department count toward the minor?

Yes. Up to 1 course (3 credit hours) from departments other than English may be chosen to fulfill the minor’s elective requirement. Examples include: AAAS 330: Writing Black Lives , ARTS 328: Filmmaking 1 , SPAN 383: Spanish Translation , and ARTS 230: Comics & Sequential Art. Please reach out to the Creative Writing Chair to consult the complete list of approved courses ( [email protected] ).

Yes. While not required, Creative Writing Minors are strongly encouraged to take classes in literary periods and traditions that will inform their own creative work. Students may count up to one (1) relevant English course (3 hours) towards the minor’s elective requirement.

No. FWIS courses do not count toward the Creative Writing Minor or the English Major.

Please contact the Chair of Creative Writing, [email protected] .

English B.A.

TOTAL DEGREE HOURS: 120 Plans of Study  

A bachelor’s degree in English prepares students for any field that values critical thinking, high reading comprehension, clear and effective writing, and the ability to interpret and analyze language. It provides two concentrations from which students must choose one: Creative Writing and Literary Studies.

University Admissions - College of Arts & Sciences

Admission to the University is based on the University’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements that may be found by clicking on the following urls:

• Freshman: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/freshmen/admission-information/requirements-deadlines.aspx
• Transfer: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/transfer/admission-information/index.aspx
• International: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/international/admission-information/index.aspx

For Admission information specific to the College of Arts & Sciences, see the information at College of Arts and Sciences   .

Graduation Requirements - College of Arts and Sciences

Satisfactory completion of the following requirements:

• Students must complete all State and University level graduation requirements.
• The College may approve an exception when a student has successfully earned the minimum grade required for all courses applied in the major but does not have a major GPA of 2.0.
• Physical Education coursework is limited to two (2) semester hours.
• ROTC courses that are primarily physical training and field experiences will not be applied to College of Arts and Sciences degree programs. All other military Science coursework will apply, in particular, coursework utilized toward completing an established ROTC minor will be applied to the total hours toward degree. 
• When earning a second degree, double major or concurrent degree, the Major Core and Major Elective/Concentration areas of the degree audit must not overlap for both degrees.  All other areas of the degree audit may have overlapping credit hours applied.
• Maximum of 20 hours of S/U option. S/U contracts must be negotiated in writing within the first three (3) weeks of the term. None of the 20 credits may be taken in the student’s major unless S/U is the only grading option. Coursework fulfilling the General Education Core Curriculum Requirements and the State Communication Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Writing) and State Computation Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Math) may not be taken S/U.
• The Audit option is available only during the first 5 days of classes.
• Complete all major course requirements.
• College of Arts and Sciences students are expected to complete a minimum of 50% of their major and/or minor coursework in residence at USF. Some College of Arts and Sciences Departments/programs/majors have established additional major course hours to be taken in residency at USF. See the major or program section of the catalog for these credit-hour requirements.

State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites - English B.A.

Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program. 

Transfer students should complete the State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee a student admission into the degree program.

Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.

• ENC X101 or ENC X000-X999 * - 3 credit hours
• ENC X102 or ENC X000-X999 * - 3 credit hours

* Six semester hours of English coursework in which the student is required to demonstrate college-level English skills through multiple assignments.

English Major Core (39 Hours)

English major core courses: 2 courses: 6 credit hours.

• LIT 2000 - Introduction to Literature Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3310 - Expository Writing Credit(s): 3

English Major (Restricted) Electives: 11 courses; 33 credit hours

Students complete an English program of study, including 15 credit hours of electives and one of two concentrations in: Creative Writing or Literary Studies.

English Major (Restricted) Electives: 5 courses; 15 credit hours

Choose 15 credit hours of coursework from the following list of courses:

• AML 3031 - American Literature From the Beginnings to 1860 Credit(s): 3
• AML 3032 - American Literature From 1860 to 1912 Credit(s): 3
• AML 3051 - American Literature From 1912-1945 Credit(s): 3
• AML 3243 - American Literature 1945 to the Present Credit(s): 3
• AML 3604 - African American Literature Credit(s): 3
• AML 3630 - U.S. Latino/Latina Literature in English Credit(s): 3
• AML 3641 - Native American Literature and Film Credit(s): 3
• AML 3674 - Asian American Literature and Film Credit(s): 3
• AML 4111 - Nineteenth-Century American Novel Credit(s): 3
• AML 4121 - Twentieth-Century American Novel Credit(s): 3
• AML 4261 - Literature of the South Credit(s): 3
• AML 4300 - Selected American Authors Credit(s): 3
• AML 4931 - American Literary Movements and Genres Credit(s): 3
• AML 4933 - Studies in American Literature and Culture Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3111 - Form and Technique of Fiction Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3211 - Form and Technique of Nonfiction Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3112 - Fiction I Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3121 - Fiction II Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3212 - Nonfiction I Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3221 - Nonfiction II Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3311 - Form and Technique of Poetry Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3312 - Poetry I Credit(s): 3
• CRW 3321 - Poetry II Credit(s): 3
• CRW 4930 - Selected Topics in Creative Writing Credit(s): 1-3
• ENC 3241 - Scientific Writing and Presentation Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3242 - Technical Communication for Majors Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3250 - Professional Writing Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3330 - Rhetorical Traditions Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3331 - Client and Civic Communication Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3371 - Rhetorical Theory for Technical Communication Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3373 - Rhetoric of Marginalized Communities Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3376 - Multimodal Composition Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3416 - New Media for Technical Communication Credit(s): 3
• ENC 3435 - Rhetoric and Gaming Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4212 - Professional & Technical Editing Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4218 - Visual Rhetoric for Technical Communication Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4260 - Technical and Professional Communication Capstone Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4311 - Advanced Composition Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4351 - Writing for Publication Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4353 - Public Rhetorics Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4377 - Advanced Rhetoric Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4431 - Writing and New Media Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4931 - Selected Topics in Professional and Technical Writing Credit(s): 3
• ENC 4940 - Technical and Professional Communication Internship Credit(s): 3
• ENG 3113 - Film as Narrative Art Credit(s): 3
• ENG 3674 - Film and Culture Credit(s): 3
• ENG 4042 - Studies in Theory and Criticism Credit(s): 3
• ENG 4060 - History of the English Language Credit(s): 3
• ENG 4818 - Feminist Digital Humanities Credit(s): 3
• ENG 4906 - Individual Research Credit(s): 1-4
• ENG 4907 - Directed Reading Credit(s): 3
• ENG 4935 - Honors Seminar I Credit(s): 3
• ENG 4936 - Honors Seminar II Credit(s): 3
• ENG 4940 - Internship in English Credit(s): 1-4
• ENG 4955 - English Studies Abroad Credit(s): 1-6
• ENG 4970 - Honors Thesis Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3015 - British Literature to 1616 Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3016 - Studies in 17th and 18th Century British Literature Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3017 - Studies in 19th Century British Literature Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3230 - British Literature 1616-1780 Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3251 - British Literature 1780-1900 Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3270 - British Literature, 1900 to the Present Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3273 - British Literature 1900-1945 Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3331 - Early Shakespeare Credit(s): 3
• ENL 3332 - Late Shakespeare Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4112 - Eighteenth-Century British Novel Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4122 - 19th Century British Novel Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4132 - British Novel: Conrad to the Present Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4203 - Introduction to Old English Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4303 - Selected British Authors Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4311 - Chaucer Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4341 - Milton Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4501 - Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Literature Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4930 - Selected Topics Credit(s): 3
• ENL 4931 - Studies In British Literature And Culture Credit(s): 3
• LIN 4671 - Traditional English Grammar Credit(s): 3
• LIN 4680 - Structure of American English Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3022 - Modern Short Prose Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3031 - Survey of Poetry Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3043 - Modern Drama Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3093 - Contemporary Literature Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3101 - Literature of the Western World Through the Renaissance Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3102 - Literature of the Western World Since the Renaissance Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3103 - Great Literature of the World Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3144 - Modern European Novel Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3155 - Twentieth-Century Literature Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3301 - Cultural Studies and the Popular Arts Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3353 - Literature, Race, and Ethnicity Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3374 - The Bible As Literature Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3410 - Religious and Philosophical Themes Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3451 - Literature and the Occult Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3513 - Literature, Gender, and Sexuality Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3621 - Literature of Climate Change: Climate Fiction Credit(s): 3
• LIT 3930 - Special Topics in English Studies Credit(s): 3
• LIT 4233 - Postcolonial Literature Credit(s): 3
• LIT 4386 - British and American Literature by Women Credit(s): 3
• LIT 4804 - Literature as Cultural Study Credit(s): 3
• LIT 4930 - Selected Topics in English Studies Credit(s): 1-3
• LIT 4932 - Selected World Authors Credit(s): 3
• LIT 4933 - World Literary Movements And Genres Credit(s): 3

Creative Writing Concentration: (18 credit hours)

Courses used to satisfy concentration requirements cannot be used to satisfy in the English Major Elective Courses. Any course appearing in both English Major Elective Courses and a Concentration will be manually removed by your advisor. 

Concentration Core: 2 courses; 6 credit hours

Concentration restricted electives: 4 courses; 12 credit hours.

Choose four courses from the following list:

Additional Information - English B.A.

Other requirements.

Students must complete a minimum of 6 credit hours at the 4000 level.

Students declaring English as a second major need to complete 30 credit hours. To do so, they must make a written request to the Undergraduate Director at the time they declare English as a second major. Courses taken in the first major may not count toward the 30 hours in English as a second major.

GPA Requirements

Major GPA (All USF courses which are applied to major requirements): 2.5 General Education GPA (All USF courses which are applied to General Education requirements): 2.0 USF GPA: 2.0 Overall GPA: 2.0

Grading Requirements

C- or better to meet major course requirements unless specified elsewhere. Will vary by area.

Note:  Some USF courses have higher grade criteria to meet prerequisite knowledge necessary for progression into higher level courses.

Residency Requirement

Department and College of Arts & Sciences Major Academic Residency Requirement - 50% of major must be completed at USF

USF Academic Residency Requirement - 30 of the last 60 hours earned must be from USF

Optional Honors Program

The Department of English Honors Program provides a carefully selected group of seniors with opportunities for advanced scholarship:

• Closer contact with faculty tutors than students in the regular major program;
• An opportunity to work and exchange ideas in the stimulating environment of a small group of fellow students with similar aims and abilities;
• An opportunity to develop individual initiative and sophisticated critical skills.

The English Honors Program will benefit those interested in graduate work, advanced professional study, or greater intellectual challenges.

Admissions Criteria

Students may apply for the program after completing 60 hours of coursework. Applicants should have a GPA of 3.30 in the major and an overall GPA of 3.00 and should submit signatures of recommendation from two English faculty supporting their applications.

After screening all applications, the Department’s Honors Committee will select participants for each year’s program.

Requirements for Completion of Departmental Honors

• The Honors student will complete the requirements of their chosen English Department major as described in the current catalog.
• All Honors students are required to complete at least one (three-hour) Honors seminar ( ENG 4935     or ENG 4936   ).
• Up to two more (three-hour) Honors seminars ( ENG 4935     or ENG 4936   ).
• A list of courses available for this option will be made available prior to registration each semester. Students will attend some or all of the scheduled course meetings but will be enrolled in an independent study with the instructor. The independent study will be considered a special “Honors section” of the course and will require additional work that may include extra reading, class presentations, and advanced research-based writing. To enroll in an independent study, students will need written permission of the instructor, who will determine an Honors-appropriate workload for the course. The proposed plan for independent study must be approved by the Honors Committee and filed with the Undergraduate Director prior to registration. Students may count a maximum of one independent study in fulfillment of their degree requirements.
• A three-hour Honors thesis, supervised by a member of the English faculty. The Director of the English Honors Program will serve as instructor of record for the thesis hours. Under the direction of the instructors of the Honors seminars and/or the Director of the English Honors Program, the student will choose a member of the English Department faculty to serve as director of their thesis and one or two additional faculty members to serve as readers of the thesis. The completed thesis must be at least 25-pages in length, not including bibliography.
• A three-hour graduate-level course. Enrollment in a graduate course is limited to Honors students in their final semester and requires written permission of the Undergraduate Director, Graduate Director, and the instructor of the course. To be eligible, students must have completed at least one Honors seminar with a grade of A- or higher.
• Complete 9 hours of English Honors courses as described above with a 3.30 GPA;
• Complete all major requirements with a 3.30 GPA and academic coursework with an overall GPA of 3.0.
• The student who completes all requirements above will graduate with Honors in English.

**Faculty who are willing to accommodate the extra needs of Honors students will notify the Undergraduate Director before registration to have their course put on the list of eligible courses. The Honors student will enroll in an independent study but will attend the scheduled course and complete the bulk of the reading and written requirements for the course in addition to a special Honors project for the course (this could include a formal presentation of research, an independent research project, a longer research paper, a long annotated bibliography, a larger collection of creative work, etc. The independent study represents 3 hours of coursework.

Research Opportunities - College of Arts and Sciences

Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914    course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The  Office of High Impact Practices and Undergraduate Research  is able to assist with further inquiries.

Advising Information - College of Arts and Sciences

Undergraduate Advising Information

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Advising Team provides students with support to create timely graduation plans that will integrate both their academic and professional goals.  Each of our undergraduate programs has dedicated professional advisors with specialized knowledge and understanding of the major requirements, course offerings, undergraduate research, and career opportunities in their field.  Additionally, we have dedicated pre-health and prelaw advisors to help students prepare for admission to professional graduate programs.

CAS Academic Advisor Contact information can be found here: CAS Advisors

To schedule an advising appointment: Advising Appointments

Plans of Study - English B.A., with Creative Writing Concentration

•   English B.A., with Creative Writing Concentration - 2 Year Plan of Study      
•   English B.A., with Creative Writing Concentration - 4 Year Plan of Study    

• Learning Goals
• Creative Writing Opportunities
• Student Achievement
• Advanced Degree Partnership in Writing Studies
• Sigma Tau Delta
• Jobs for Grads
• Art and Art History
• Museum Studies
• Performing and Visual Arts Design and Technology
• Theater and Dance
• Anthropology and Sociology
• Business Economics
• Educational Studies
• Environment and Sustainability
• Health and Society
• Management Studies
• Media and Communication Studies
• Politics and International Relations
• Pre-Engineering
• Pre-Health Professions
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Biostatistics
• Health Sciences
• Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics
• Neuroscience
• Physics and Astronomy
• Scientific Computing
• Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good
• Melrose Center for Global Civic Engagement
• U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies
• American Studies
• Art History
• Creative Writing
• East Asian Studies
• German Studies
• Modern Languages
• Philosophy and Religion
• African American and Africana Studies
• Animal Behavior
• Applied Ethics
• Applied Sustainability
• Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation
• Climate Change
• Comparative and Global Literatures
• Data Analytics
• Earth & Environmental Science
• Entrepreneurial Studies
• Environmental Justice
• Film Studies
• Food Studies
• Digital Studies
• Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Legal Studies
• Marine Science
• Science and the Common Good

English and Creative Writing Requirements

Students choose to major in English and Creative Writing because they love to read and write and want to explore the processes by which language constructs the world in which they live. These programs build on these passions by developing the skills of attentive reading, thoughtful analysis, graceful writing, and original creative productions.

The analytical tools developed in the English major illuminate both literary texts and the societies in which they are produced. Our majors study the American, British, and Anglophone traditions, just as they learn to interpret women’s writing, the poetics of the blues, and literary technologies from Gutenberg to digital.

The creative writing major offers students the option to focus on their own creative process and development towards life-long artistic involvement while sharpening their overall writing skills for all walks of life.

By encouraging students to apply their interpretive and writing skills in multiple contexts, both the English and Creative Writing majors prepare students to enter a wide variety of careers, to succeed in graduate or professional study, and to become engaged global citizens.

Requirements for a Major in English

Students majoring in English must complete forty credits, comprising seven required ENGL courses, plus three elective courses.

Required English courses:

• One ENGL course numbered between 220 and 260;
• ENGL-290W and 301W;
• at least three 300-level colloquia, including one focusing on literature before 1800 and one focusing on literature after 1800 (ENGL-301 may count as a colloquium);
• ENGL-440W or 492W.
• Elective courses may include any of the following: all ENGL or ENCW courses; EAS-224; FS-101, 250, 251, 252, 253, 305; IDS-290; LAS-215; MCS-207, 208; THEA-300W, 301W.

One DN or GN course offered in ENGL/ENCW is required in addition to the college’s DN/GN core requirement. Majors are encouraged to fulfill both requirements within the major.

English majors can fulfill both the capstone requirement and the requirement for an oral presentation in the major by taking ENGL-440W or 492W.

Requirements for Minor in English

A minor concentration in English consists of ENGL-290W and at least four additional courses in English. ENGL-301W is strongly recommended. One ENCW course may be counted toward the minor.

Requirements for a Major in Creative Writing

Students majoring in Creative Writing must complete forty-two credits, comprising six required courses, plus four elective courses.

Required courses:

• Five other ENCW courses. Students must select courses from at least two genres, at least two of which must be at the 300-level or above. Two courses from MCS-206, 207 or 208 or THEA- 210 may substitute for one of these courses;
• at least three ENGL courses numbered 220 or above, including one focusing on literature before 1800 and one focusing on literature after 1800;
• ENCW 420W Senior Portfolio or ENCW 492W;
• At least two credits in MCS-009 (Grizzly) or ENCW-016 (Lantern) or ENCW-201

One non-ENGL elective from the following list may replace one ENGL course: EAS-224; FS-101, 250, 251, 252, 253, 305; IDS-290; LAS-215; THEA-300W, 301W.

One DN or GN course offered in ENGL/ENCW is required in addition to the college’s DN/GN core requirement.

ENCW majors can fulfill both the capstone requirement and the requirement for an oral presentation in the major by taking ENCW-420W or 492W.

For students completing a major in one field and a minor in the other, three courses may count toward both the major field and the minor field.

Requirements for Minor in Creative Writing

A minor concentration in Creative Writing consists of at least twenty-two credits.

ENCW-290W is required. ENCW-420 is strongly recommended. Participation in Ursinus’s writing community by serving as a staff member on either the Grizzly or the Lantern is also required, demonstrated by either ENCW-201 or by two credits in ENCW-016 or MCS-009–016.

Other courses for the minor may include any ENCW or ENGL courses; MCS-207, 208; THEA-210; or IDS-290. Fourteen credits toward the minor must be in ENCW.

Teacher Certification

Students seeking teaching certification in English for grades 7-12 must fulfill all departmental requirements for an English major. Their courses should include literary genres, themes, and histories. In addition, students working toward certification must take the following courses: ENGL-214; and either MCS-205, or any FS course. Students are strongly recommended to take either ENGL-220 or a 300-level colloquium on Shakespeare and ENGL-301. It is also strongly recommended that the candidate participate in student journalism or theater activities. Students and their advisers should consult the Ursinus College Education Department.

English (Creative Writing)

English majors with a creative writing concentration develop the skills to launch invigorating careers in the arts.

Why Choose This Program?

The English major with a creative writing concentration allows students to earn a 33-credit English Bachelor of Arts degree with a creative writing focus. It is perfect for students who want to formally study and develop the craft of writing in poetry, fiction, or non-fiction.

What Will You Learn?

The program builds on the English department’s literary offerings. It also provides a structure for creative work in a supportive community. As an English major with a creative writing concentration, students experience the powerful ways literary reading and writing inter-animate each other and set students up for success as writers, editors, agents, and vital members of publishing and writing communities.

Students that select an English major with a creative writing concentration must complete the following coursework to earn their degree:

• ENGL 240: Introduction to Creative Writing (3 credits) 
• ENGL 306: Introduction to Literary Studies (3 credits) 

3 Courses (9 credits) out of 4 in major level Creative Writing coursework :

• ENGL 340: Studies in Creative Writing Poetry Workshop (3 credits) 
• ENGL 350: Studies in Creative Writing Fiction Workshop (3 credits) 
• ENGL 355: Studies in Creative Writing Non-Fiction Workshop (3 credits)
• ENGL 360: The Little Magazine: Contemporary Literary Publishing (3 credits) 

3 Courses (9 credits) in Literature at the major level : 

• 1 course in Pre-18th Century Literature (3 credits) 
• 2 Additional Literature Courses (Student choice) (6 credits) 
• 1 Writing/Editorial Internship: ENGL 475 (3 credits) 
• 1 ENGL 300-level Elective–Writing or Literature (Student choice) (3 credits) 
• ENGL 395: Senior Seminar (3 credits)

What Will You Do?

Students in this program may pursue these and other careers:

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the high school english classes you should take.

Coursework/GPA

It's no secret that colleges want you to take English class each year of high school. But what exactly are you supposed to be learning? What options do you have to exceed expectations and show off your stuff? And what if you're such a book-loving reader that in the dictionary under "bibliophile" there's a picture of you—how can you really max out your high school English experience?

Read on to learn about the common core, honors and AP classes, and going beyond what the standard curriculum offers!

What Do Colleges Expect?

You'll be hard-pressed to find a college that doesn't expect you to have taken 4 years of English or Language Arts classes. Likewise, the vast majority of high schools require 4 years of English in order for you to graduate. These 4 years are cumulative, meaning each year builds on what you learned before, and now each year is most likely based on the common core standards.

So, colleges assume that when you start freshman year, you've been learning all of this:

9th Grade is the setup year

• you practice basic essay-writing skills
• you study different literary genres
• you analyze narrative voice, characters, and plot

10th Grade is the building year

• you practice the outlining, drafting, and revising process
• you focus on themes and literary devices like imagery and voice

11th Grade focuses on American literature

• your writing gets more complex, as you do your own research and use outside sources
• you now start reading not just for content but also for historical context, period, setting, and point of view
• this is a good year to take American history as well

12th Grade looks out at the world

• you read British literature and sometimes world literature, depending on your high school
• you put all your skills together, analyzing complex literature and nonfiction
• you produce research papers, presentations, and maybe even multimedia projects
• this may be a good year to also take European or world history

Common Core Reading Standards

Want to know the type of books colleges assume you will have read by the time you get in? Here are some examples of what the common core standards want you to be reading in high school, broken down by year:

If you want a very long breakdown of what the common core recommends you study, check out their year-by-year guide .

How Can I Exceed Expectations?

Honors classes.

These will most likely be similar to the standard classes your school offers, but the works you read will be more challenging and the assignments more complex and demanding. In other words, you'll do more work and put in more effort, but you'll be better prepared for college-level writing!

Pro tip: in your school, honors classes may be a prerequisite for AP classes.

AP English Classes

There are two AP English options:

• if your school offers both AP English classes, this is the one you'll take Junior year
• this class and exam are all about how writers do what they do: how they use rhetoric , genre, style, and how they play with audience expectations
• if your school offers both AP English classes, this is the one you'll take senior year
• this class and exam have to do with critical analysis, close reading, literary structure, themes, as well as imagery

IB Diploma Classes

There are three IB literature options:

• this course focuses on the analysis of literary texts
• this class takes the analysis further by looking at both literary and non literary genres, and by considering how the context of writing or reading something affects its meaning
• this class is all about the relationship between literature and theater, focusing on close reading, critical writing and the aesthetic and symbolic elements of performance

Both Language A classes are offered in a variety of languages, and Literature and Performance can be taken in French or Spanish by special request, so these may be great options for non-native speakers or bilingual students .

Some IB diploma classes can be taken online, but the closest you'll come to English online is the Film SL class, which is all about the history, formal elements, technical production, and of course critical analysis of film.

What If I'm an English Class Junkie? Is There More?

Please, sir, may I have some more... English class? In this bowl, for some reason?

Check Out Your School's Electives

This is the time to think just a little bit outside the box! For example, classes in creative writing offer a great window into later being able to see how someone else did it. Electives in the humanities can often offer what is basically a modified literature class. And there are many other subjects that focus on reading, analyzing, and writing about texts—subjects like philosophy, theater studies, world religions, psychology, or anthropology.

Design Your Own Course

Your school is your resource, so don't be afraid to get creative. Consider asking a teacher to help you set up an independent project or independent study to explore your interests!

For example, in my senior year, on top of my coursework, with the help of my favorite English teacher I designed an independent study of reading and writing poetry. It was incredibly rewarding!

Take High School Classes Online

For instance, Stanford University has an online high school which features 7 English courses and lets you enroll to take as many of them as you want.

Brown University also offers a set of online pre-college courses . They have 4 related classes on nonfiction, travel writing, formal college writing, and a humanities seminar on evolutionary thought.

Take Summer Classes on College Campuses

You can check out our guide to the Summer Institute for the Gifted or all the info we have collected about Stanford's two summer programs .

Take Some Online College-Level Classes

Are you super confident in your abilities or interested in something specific you can't find anywhere else? Maybe the best thing for you to do is prove yourself on a whole another level! Just think, doing well on a college-level course will look great on your transcript, and you might even get college credit for it!

What's Next?

Need to improve your acquaintance with key literary terms? Use our articles on personification , imagery , rhetorical devices , point of view , literary elements , assonance , and iambic pentameter to aid you in your quest.

Still wrestling over whether AP or IB is better? Check out our guide to deciding between them .

Curious how your writing skills will apply to the SAT? Read about how to improve your SAT writing score , or better yet, how to get a perfect 800 and how to get a 12 on the SAT essay .

And don't forget to read about the ACT Writing test .

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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School of Arts & Sciences

Department of English

Undergraduate program, creative writing.

The Department of English offers a track in creative writing for students who want to explore the art of writing and refine their skills in critical reading.

Students work intensively on their own imaginative writing (fiction, poetry, and playwriting) in conjunction with the study of literature. Students wishing to pursue a concentration in creative writing must apply to the  creative writing advisor  in the department and receive written approval.

Major Requirements

• A minimum of ten, 4-credit courses are required for the major (for a minimum total of 40 credit hours).

• The upper-level writing requirement is fulfilled by completion of the major.

Four courses as follows:

• ENGL 121: Creative Writing: Fiction
• ENGL 122: Creative Writing: Poetry
• ENGL 123: Playwriting
• ENGL 125: Speculative Fiction
• ENGL 275: Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction
• ENGL 276: Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry
• ENGL 277: Screenwriting
• ENGL 375: Seminar in Fiction Writing
• ENGL 376: Seminar in Poetry Writing

Two of the following courses:

• ENGL 112: Classical and Scriptural Backgrounds
• ENGL 113: British Literature I
• ENGL 114: British Literature II
• ENGL 115: American Literature

Four English courses at the 200 or 300 level:

• Two in British or American literature before 1800
• Two in British or American literature after 1800

See the pre- and post-1800 page for a list of courses.

Students accepted into the honors program in English can write original fiction (a collection of stories or a novella), poetry, or a play to fulfill the requirements for the honors essay. Students choosing this option must have the approval of the creative writing advisor .

Major code BA5232

College of Arts and Sciences   English Department   Ellis 201 Athens, OH 45701 Fax: 740.593.2832 [email protected] www.ohio.edu/cas/english/

Dr. Carey Snyder , contact person [email protected]

Program Overview

In the English – Creative Writing major, you will engage with genres of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from the inside out, by generating and revising your own work as well as exploring closely how published work uses the techniques of craft. All creative writing students participate in workshops led by nationally recognized writers which focus on understanding and constructing different literary forms; to achieve these goals, workshops emphasize the study of texts by established writers as well as students’ experimentation with their own creative process. The major is also flexible enough to match your own interests and goals: you can fulfill up to 12 of the required hours in the major with courses focusing on literature, rhetoric, or literary theory, or by combining these with apprenticeship or internship experiences. To ensure a solid foundation in the skills and knowledge that employers and graduate schools expect from any English graduate, the English – Creative Writing major includes the English Core in analysis, research, and literary history. 

Admissions Information

Freshman/first-year admission.

Enrollment in an English major entails no requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Change of Program Policy

For students currently enrolled at Ohio University, transferring into an English major requires a 2.0 GPA. Students choosing to transfer into the English  – Creative Writing major should contact the director of undergraduate studies in the English department for assistance. Students who wish to add an English major in addition to another major program should seek assistance from the director of undergraduate studies; students with a second major outside the College of Arts and Sciences will be responsible for meeting the degree requirements of both the English – Creative Writing major and the College of Arts and Sciences.

External Transfer Admission

For students currently enrolled at institutions other than Ohio University, transferring into an English major entails no requirements beyond University admission requirements. Students should contact the director of undergraduate studies in the English Department for assistance.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

After a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking and analytical reading as well as multiple genres of writing, English – Creative Writing students enjoy the same wide variety of opportunity upon graduation that other English majors have. Many of our graduates go on to graduate programs, not only M.A. or M.F.A. programs in Creative Writing but also programs in Information Science or Education. Others work in publishing, web content development, grant-writing and community organizing, advertising, or other creative industries. Having invested in developing their own creativity as well as in the well-rounded education that this degree requires, English – Creative Writing students can face the unexpected challenges of the 21 st -century job market with confidence.

Potential employers for those who hold a degree in Creative Writing include, but are certainly not limited to, newspaper and magazine organizations, the entertainment industry, government agencies, institutions of higher education, public and private K-12 schools, publishing companies, marketing agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, etc.

Browse through dozens of internship opportunities and full-time job postings for Ohio University students and alumni on Handshake , OHIO’s key resource for researching jobs, employers, workshops, and professional development events.

Requirements

University-wide graduation requirements.

Ohio University requires the completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours for the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. This program can be completed within that 120-hour requirement. For more information on the minimum hours requirement and other university-wide requirements, please review the  Graduation Requirements – University-wide    page.

Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirement

View the College and Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirements   .

English Hours Requirement

For a B.A. degree with a major in English - Creative Writing , a student must complete a total of 42 semester credit hours in ENG coursework.

Intercultural Foundations

Complete the following course:

• ENG 1100 - Crossing Cultures with Texts Credit Hours: 3

Literary Reading

Complete one of the following courses:

• ENG 2010 - Introduction to Prose Fiction and Nonfiction Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 2020 - Introduction to Poetry and Drama Credit Hours: 3

British or American Literature I

• ENG 2510 - British Literature I Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 2530 - American Literature I Credit Hours: 3

British or American Literature II

• ENG 2520 - British Literature II Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 2540 - American Literature II Credit Hours: 3

Intercultural Breadth

Complete one course from the following:

• ENG 3240 - Jewish American Literature Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3250 - Women’s Literature Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3260 - Queer Literature Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3270 - Queer Rhetorics and Writing Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3370 - Black Literature to 1930 Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3380 - Ethnic American Literature Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3390 - Black Literature from 1930 to the Present Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3450 - Intercultural Adaptations: Answering the Anglo-American Literary Canon Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3550 - Global Literature Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3850 - Writing About Culture and Society Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4660 - International Authors Credit Hours: 3

Writing and Research

• ENG 3070J - Writing and Research in English Studies Credit Hours: 3

Senior Seminar

• ENG 4600 - Topics in English Studies Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4640 - British Authors Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4650 - American Authors Credit Hours: 3

Creative Writing Workshops

Complete three of the following workshops with at least one intermediate or advanced workshop:

• ENG 3610 - Creative Writing: Fiction Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3620 - Creative Writing: Poetry Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3630 - Creative Writing: Nonfiction Credit Hours: 3

Intermediate:

• ENG 3950 - Creative Writing Workshop: Nonfiction II Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3960 - Creative Writing Workshop: Fiction II Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 3970 - Intermediate Creative Writing Workshop: Poetry Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4860 - Advanced Workshop in Fiction Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4870 - Advanced Workshop in Poetry Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4880 - Advanced Workshop in Nonfiction Credit Hours: 3

Creative Writing Form and Theory

• ENG 4810 - Form and Theory of Literary Genres: Fiction Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4820 - Form and Theory of Literary Genres: Poetry Credit Hours: 3
• ENG 4830 - Form and Theory of Literary Genres: Nonfiction Credit Hours: 3

Major Electives

Complete three additional ENG courses for at least nine hours excluding ENG 2800   , ENG 3***J, ENG 4510   , ENG 4520   , ENG 4911   , and ENG 4912   . Six hours may be at the 2000-level or higher; three hours must be at the 3000-level or higher.

Creative Writing

Welcome to the Creative Writing Major at WSU. Below, please find the curricular requirements for the major. In addition, there are ample ways to engage with students and faculty; see this overview of the creative writing community at WSU .

Core (2 courses, 6 credit hours):

• Engl 251: Introduction to Creative Writing: Exploring the Genres
• Engl 302: Introduction to English Studies

UPPER-DIVISION REQUIREMENTS (11 courses, 33 credit hours; Prerequisite of Engl 251 for any upper-division creative writing course):

• Engl 352: Creative Writing: Poetry
• Engl 351: Creative Writing: Fiction
• Engl 353: Creative Writing: Nonfiction
• Engl 446: Form and Theory in Creative Writing ( Note: Prerequisite of two college-level creative writing courses for 446)
• Engl 451: Advanced Creative Writing: Prose
• Engl 452: Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry
• Engl 357: Editing and Publishing
• Engl 402: Technical and Professional Writing
• Engl 498: Internship in publishing or editing internship (3 credits)
• Engl 499: Independent Study in Creative Writing (3 credits)
• Three upper-division literature courses, including at least one at 400-level course. At least one course must be a writers-of-color class so designated by the Undergraduate Studies Committee. Advisor must approve all courses.
• One literature or creative writing elective.

Note: Majors in all options must have two [M] (writing intensive) courses in English. Of the 120 total credit hours required for the bachelor’s degree at WSU, forty credit hours must be in upper-division courses. For course descriptions and suggested four-year degree sequences, see the current WSU catalog.

Exit Questionnaire

In all options, students are required to complete an exit questionnaire before graduation.

Potential Careers

• Blogger/Vlogger/Influencer
• Comics Script/Graphic Book Writer
• Content Creator/Copywriter
• Creative Advertising Writer
• Creative Writing Instructor
• Essayist/Memoirist
• Freelance Writer
• Ghostwriter
• Greeting Card Author
• Literary Agent
• Literary Editor
• Lyricist/Songwriter
• Screenwriter/TV Script Writer
• Travel Writer
• Video Game Storyteller
• Writing Coach/Consultant

Online English – Creative Writing, BA

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Program at a Glance

• In State Tuition
• Out of State Tuition

Learn more about the cost to attend UCF.

Inspire and engage others through your creative writing skills.

You’re full of bold ideas, innovative concepts and compelling thoughts. In studying the craft of creative writing you are taking your place beside those who use language, literature and writing to shape our world.

Through UCF Online’s creative writing courses, you’ll become an expert communicator with a deep appreciation of fiction, poetry and non-fiction prose. This program will guide you through an understanding of rhetoric, communication and literary structure within a diverse array of texts. You’ll also stretch your imagination as you hone your own craft, learning how to construct poignant arguments, think critically and develop original creative content for fiction and nonfiction genres.

Written communication is one of the most enduring, flexible and sought-after skills in today’s employment landscape. With your online creative writing degree you’ll be poised for a career in a variety of fields, including law, editing and publishing, teaching, consulting and more. Get started today and earn your BA in Creative Writing.

Undergraduate Application Deadlines

Ready to get started, course overview, fiction writing workshop.

An intermediate level fiction writing workshop for English majors; group analysis and criticism; close reading of contemporary fiction and fiction theory.

Advanced Poetry Writing Workshop

Intensive writing practice in poetry. Peer critique and group discussion of original manuscripts.

History of Prose Style

Close study of style and craft in exemplary works of fiction and creative nonfiction from various time periods.

Skills You'll Learn

• Learn how to self-edit and provide constructive feedback to others, helping you refine your writing and improve your overall craftsmanship.
• Generate unique ideas, explore unconventional perspectives, and approach problems from various angles.
• Cultivate your ability to gather relevant data, evaluate sources and critically assess different perspectives, which can be applied to various professional settings.

Career Projections

Annual Job Openings

Job Growth Between 2019 - 2029

Source: Lightcast™ . 2024

Career Opportunities

• technical writer

Related Online Programs

• Writing and Rhetoric, BA
• Career and Technical Education, BS
• English - Technical Communication, BA

Department of English

Major and Minor

Explore and Discover. The English Department at Vanderbilt offers an extensive and diverse curriculum over three majors, two minors and an Honors program that reflects the interest of students and the ever-widening field of English literary study. Join our department to cultivate highly valued analytical, reading and writing skills that form the foundation for post-graduate work or professional disciplines such as law, medicine, journalism, and business.

The Major in English

The Department of English offers three distinct concentrations that allow students to individualize their studies while acquiring the breadth of knowledge and skills of the traditional English major. 

Program I: Literary Studies

Students pursue a broad range of interests through a flexible approach to the study of literature.

• 6 credit hours in History (literature before 1800)
• 6 credit hours in Diverse Perspectives (Ethnic American or Anglophone Literature)
• 18 additional credit hours of English electives that count toward the major. This may include one 1000-level course. 

Program II: Creative Writing

Students develop their creative writing while acquiring an overview of English literature.

• 12 credit hours of 3000-level creative writing workshops in at least two different genres (nonfiction, fiction, poetry)
• 3 credit hours in History (literature before 1800)
• 3 credit hours in Diverse Perspectives (Ethnic American or Anglophone Literature)
• 12 credit hours from courses that count toward the English major. This may include one additional creative writing workshop and one 1000-level course. 

Program III: Specialized Critical Studies

Students develop their own specialized course of study with a descriptive name and develop a contract of courses for it.

• 12 credit hours of course work concentrated in a particular period (e.g. nineteenth-century American literature), genre, or movement (e.g. the novel), an aspect of intellectual history (e.g. law and literature), or other area of special interest. Up to 9 credit hours may be taken in courses from other departments relevant to the concentration. In consultation with a major adviser, each student selects specific courses, which are listed in a Contract for Interdisciplinary Major  that is filed after the student has formally declared the major.
• 6 credit hours from any of the courses that count towards the English major

The Minor in English

Program i: minor in literary studies.

At least 18 credit hours of course work in English is required. These courses must include 3 credit hours in History (literature before 1800) and 3 credit hours in Diverse Perspectives (Ethnic American or Anglophone Literature). Please note that only one 1000-level English course may count towards the minor. 

Program II: Minor in Creative Writing

At least 18 credit hours of course work in English are required. These courses must include 9 credit hours of 3000-level creative writing workshops (nonfiction, fiction, or poetry) and 9 hours of courses that count toward the English Major (all English courses number 2050 and above, this may include one additional 3000-level workshop and one approved 1000-level English course).

Declaring an English Major or Minor

Complete the Declaration of Major/Minor Form. You can access the student user guide here. When you turn in your form, you will be assigned an advisor who will help you plan out your major or minor. If you would like to provide relevant additional information such as particular interests or if you would like to request a certain advisor, please use the comment section on the form. If you have any questions, please email Sally Buck.  

Creative Writing Programs Online

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Online Undergraduate and Graduate Creative Writing Programs

Do you want to learn how to tell stories or create art through your words? If you want to write poetry, script plays, or write novels, Liberty has creative writing programs that can help you learn the skills you need. You can start with the basics and develop your skills under the teaching and mentorship of teachers who know their craft. But what program is right for you?

Associate Degrees

Liberty’s 100% online Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Creative Writing offers you the opportunity to enhance your writing skills as you prepare for a future career or a bachelor’s degree.

Apply Now   Request Info  

Bachelor’s Degrees

Bachelor of science in creative writing – christian literature, bachelor of science in creative writing – english.

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Creative Writing – English offers you the chance to develop a deep understanding of the English language.

Bachelor of Science in Creative Writing – Journalism

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Creative Writing – Journalism allows you to develop investigative and reporting abilities and build your portfolio. 

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in English and Writing offers you advanced training in composition and literature, creative writing, and modern grammar.

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in English and Writing – Christian Literature can help you hone your writing and critical thinking skills as you explore the works of some of the greatest Christian writers in history.

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in English and Writing – Creative Writing degree offers advanced training in grammar, technical writing, and storytelling.

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in English and Writing – Journalism offers you a journalism education that can teach you to write compelling stories and help you pursue exciting writing opportunities.

Liberty’s 100% online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Composition will guide you through the fundamentals of writing and grammar and help prepare you to teach composition at the collegiate level.

Liberty’s 100% online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Professional Writing can help you craft effective communication using digital media, traditional publishing, and cutting-edge technology as you master advanced grammar and composition.

Liberty’s 100% online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Professional Writing – Research Administration and Sponsored Programs blends studies in writing with practical business applications, which can help you become a more marketable job candidate.

Liberty’s 100% online Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Creative Writing is designed to help you build on your writing skills with specific workshops dedicated to the craft of fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, or screenwriting.

Creative Writing

Master’s Degrees

Composition

Professional Writing

Professional Writing – Research Administration and Sponsored Programs

Liberty’s 100% online Master of Arts (M.A.) in Professional Writing – Research Administration and Sponsored Programs blends studies in writing with practical business applications, which can help you become a more marketable job candidate.

Creative Writing – Christian Literature

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Creative Writing – Christian Literature allows you to study prominent authors and works of Christian literature of the past and present. 

Creative Writing – English

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Creative Writing – English offers you the chance to develop a deep understanding of the English language.

Creative Writing – Journalism

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Creative Writing – Journalism allows you to develop investigative and reporting abilities and build your portfolio. 

English and Writing

English and Writing – Christian Literature

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in English and Writing – Christian Literature can help you hone your writing and critical thinking skills as you explore the works of some of the greatest Christian writers in history.

English and Writing – Creative Writing

English and Writing – Journalism

Associate of Arts in Creative Writing

Apply Now Request Information  

Apply Now Request Information    

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Creative Writing – English offers you the chance to develop a deep understanding of the English language while sharpening your writing skills.

Bachelor of Science in English and Writing – Creative Writing

Liberty’s 100% online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in English and Writing – Creative Writing  offers you advanced training in composition and literature, creative writing, and modern grammar.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Liberty’s 100% online Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Creative Writing can help you learn new concepts, grow your understanding, and hone your writing skills to their highest form.

Which kind of creative writing program fits my needs?

• If you don’t have a degree and aren’t ready to commit to a bachelor’s – Liberty’s online Associate of Arts in Creative Writing gives you an entry point into creative writing. Designed as a halfway step to a bachelor’s degree, our A.A. in Creative Writing will cover foundational courses and training that can help you get started while opening the door to a more in-depth Bachelor of Science in English and Writing – Creative Writing after you graduate. 
• If you want a full bachelor’s degree focused on creative writing and English language – Liberty’s Bachelor of Science in English and Writing – Creative Writing is designed to equip you with a thorough background in English language studies to support your creative writing skills. The skills you learn in this program can also help you pursue teaching or roles in communication and writing for business. 
• If you already have a bachelor’s degree and want a career in writing – Liberty’s online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing could be the best choice for you. The M.F.A. in Creative Writing is designed to help you refine your craft and gain a mastery in your writing discipline. And because an M.F.A. is considered a terminal degree, earning a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing can open the door to university teaching. 

Karen Kingsbury Center for Creative Writing An exciting part of our creative writing programs is that you will have the opportunity to take courses that were created in partnership with #1 New York Times bestselling author and Christian novelist Karen Kingsbury. Kingsbury has contributed course content to the degrees above, providing firsthand training in all areas of interest. We are proud to partner with her through our Karen Kingsbury Center for Creative Writing .

Potential Career Options with a Creative Writing Degree

• Book and magazine writer
• Business communications specialist
• Creative writing instructor
• Professional blogger
• Public relations
• Publications editor
• Screenwriter
• Social media coordinator
• Website copy editor and writer
• Writing manager

What Are the Benefits of Studying Creative Writing at Liberty University?

• We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility . Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America . Earning your online creative writing degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
• Liberty University’s state-of-the-art online learning environment offers you a wide variety of learning methods, including simulations, recorded lectures, and digital collaboration tools that will help you engage with your studies and learn practical teaching skills.
• The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years. While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university.
• You can complete your online creative writing program in less time than you think, due to our 8-week format and 8 start times per year.

Military Benefits

Service is important to us, so whether you’re currently serving in the Armed Forces, have served, or are married to someone who serves, we’re here to serve you. Liberty’s military benefits are available to:

• Active duty service members of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/retirees
• Spouses of service members and veterans/retirees
• Current Department of Defense employees

We are proud to support you in your pursuit of a flexible and affordable online education by offering you the following benefits: 

For undergraduate programs:

• Tuition discounts –  $250 per credit hour for undergraduate courses
• Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a  First Responder (less than $565 per course)
• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
• Potential college credit for military training

For graduate programs:

• Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
• Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)

Areas of Interest

Choose your area of Interest:

Training Champions for Christ

Liberty’s promise to you is an education that expertly brings knowledge and faith together. Here, education is designed around you. It connects you to people and opportunities that help you develop the skills and confidence you’re looking for. At Liberty, you’ll find the knowledge, experience, and mentorship you want to make your career — and life — a fulfilling one.

Why Liberty

Liberty University is not just another school. It is the realization of a dream, the product of thousands of prayers. It was built to invite students into a bigger, better story. Discover the Liberty difference for yourself.

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Academic Excellence

Liberty University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and certain programs have earned additional field-specific accreditation as well.

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Creative Writing Specialization

The Creative Writing specialization is for students who want an intensive curriculum focused on developing their creative writing. In this specialization, students work closely in small class settings and in private conference with publishing practitioners of the craft. Our five core creative writing faculty — along with dozens of MFA GTAs and one affiliated faculty member specializing in screenwriting and story engineering — teach upper-level undergraduates in the primary genres of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Students graduate from this specialization with a robust portfolio and a refined creative voice in their genre(s) of choice. For information about placement into upper-level Creative Writing workshops, please visit our  4000-level Creative Writing Workshops page .

Basic Information

• Students pursuing the English major with a Creative Writing (CW) Specialization will complete a minimum of 12 unique courses (36 hours).  
• Students must have a cumulative minimum grade point average of 2.0 (C) for all courses in the major program and a minimum grade of C- for each individual major course. A minimum grade of C is required for English 3398.
• 27 credit hours must be at 3000+ level.
• 3 credits (of 36) must be an identified Embedded Literacy-Technology course (indicated with ∞).  
• Up to 6 credit hours may be counted towards your GE Theme requirements. These courses are indicated with §. Please consult with   your advisor to get more information on how you can (and can't) overlap GE Theme requirements with major requirements.
• Not all courses are offered every term: please consult with your advisor. 

Requirements for Creative Writing Specialization

3 credit hours. Select  one  of the following:

• 2201(H): British Lit: Origins to 1800
• 2220(H): Intro to Shakespeare
• 2221: Introduction to Shakespeare, Race, and Gender
• 2290: Colonial & US Literature to 1865
• 4513: Intro to Medieval Lit
• 4514: Middle English Lit
• 4515: Chaucer
• 4520.01: Shakespeare
• 4520.02: Topics in Shakespeare
• 4521: Renaissance Drama
• 4522: Renaissance Poetry
• 4523: Topics in Renaissance Lit/Culture
• 4531: Restoration & 18th c. Lit
• 4533: Early British Novel: Origins to 1830  
• 4535: Topics in Restoration & 18th c. British Lit/Culture
• 4550: Topics in Colonial & Early National Lit. of the US 
• 2202(H): British Lit: 1800 to Present
• 2281: Intro to African American Lit
• 2381: Intro to the Black Atlantic
• 2581: Intro to US Ethnic Literatures
• 2291: US Lit: 1865–Present  
• 4540: 19th c. British Poetry
• 4542: 19th c. British Novel
• 4543: 20th c. British Fiction  
• 4547: 20th c. Poetry
• 4551: Topics in 19th c. US Lit
• 4552: Topics in American Poetry  
• 4553: 20th c. US Fiction  
• 4563: Contemporary Lit
• 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Literatures
• 4582: Topics in African American Lit/Culture
• 4586: Studies in American Indian Lit/Culture
• 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit/Culture
• 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit/Culture
• 4577.01: Folklore I: Groups & Communities
• 4580: Topics in LGBTQ Lit/Cultures
• 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit/Culture 
• 4589: Studying the Margins: Power, Language, & Culture
• 4592: Women in Lit & Culture
• 4597.01: Disability Experience  

English 3398  (Methods for the Study of Literature) is a required course for this specialization. 3 credit hours.  This course fulfills GEN Embedded Literacy: Advanced Writing and Data Analysis

6 credit hours. Select two of the following, each from a different genre (fiction, poetry, nonfiction):  

• 2265: Introductory Fiction Writing
• 2266: Introductory Poetry Writing
• 2267: Introduction to Creative Writing
• 2268: Introductory Creative Nonfiction Writing
• 3465: Intermediate Topics in Fiction
• 3466: Intermediate Topics in Poetry
• 3468: Intermediate Topics in Nonfiction
• 4565: Advanced Fiction Writing
• 4566: Advanced Poetry Writing
• 4568: Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing

3 credit hours. Select  one  of the following:

3 credit hours. Select one  of the following:

• 3662: Intro to Literary Publishing
• 4591.01H Topics in the Study of Creative Writing 

6 credit hours. Choose  two  of the following:

 3 credit hours. Choose one of the following:  

• §3011.01: Digital Activism
• §3020: Writing and Sustainability
• §3022: Sustainability & Media
• § 3031: Rhetorics of Health, Illness & Wellness  
• §3031.02: Social Media Rhetoric
• § 3110: Citizenship, Justice & Diversity
• § 3264: Monsters Without and Within
• 3271: Structure of the English Language  
• 3304: Business & Professional Writing  
• 3305: Technical Writing  
• 3331: Thinking Theoretically  
• §3340: Reimagining Climate Change
• § 3360: Ecopoetics
• 3361: Narrative & Medicine  
• 3364: Topics in Popular Culture  
• 3372: Topics in SF and/or Fantasy  
• 3378: Special Topics in Film & Literature
• § 3395: Literature & Leadership
• 3405: Topics in Prof. Communication
• 3467S: Issues & Methods in Tutoring Writing  
• 4150: Cultures of Professional Writing
• 4189: Capstone Internship in PW
• 4321: Environmental Lit, Culture & Media
• 4400: Literary Locations
• 4450: Lit and Cultures of London
• 4542: 19th c. British Novel  
• 4543: 20th c. British Fiction
• 4547: 20th c. British Poetry
• 4550: Topics in Colonial & Early National Lit. of the US
• 4551: Topics in 19th-Century U.S. Lit
• 4552: Topics in American Poetry to 1915  
• 4553: 20th-Century U.S. Fiction  
• 4554: English Studies & Global Human Rights  
• 4555: Rhetoric and Legal Argumentation
• 4559: Intro to Narrative & Narrative Theory 
• 4562: Studies in Lit & the Other Arts  
• 4563: Contemporary Lit  
• 4564.01: Major Author, Med & Renaissance  
• 4564.02: Major Author, 18th- & 19th-c.
• 4564.03: Major Author, Am. Lit to 1900  
• 4564.04: Major Author, 20th-Century Lit
• 4567S: Rhetoric & Community Service
• ∞4569: Digital Media & English Studies
• 4571: Special Topics in English Linguistics  
• 4572: English Grammar and Usage  
• 4573.01 Rhetorical Theory & Criticism  
• 4573.02 Rhetoric & Social Action  
• ∞4574: History & Theories of Writing  
• 4575: Topics in Literary Forms & Themes  
• 4576.01: History of Critical Theory I
• 4577.01 Folklore I: Groups & Communities
• 4577.02 Folklore II: Genres, Form, Meaning
• 4577.03 Folklore III: Issues & Methods  
• ∞4578: Topics in Film
• 4580: Topics in LGBTQ Lit & Culture
• 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Lit
• 4582: Topics in African-American Lit
• 4583: Topics in World Lit
• 4584: Topics in Literacy Studies
• 4586: Studies in American Indian Lit & Culture
• 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit & Culture
• 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit & Culture
• 4589: Studying the Margins: Language, Power, and Culture
• 4590.01H: The Middle Ages
• 4590.02H: The Renaissance
• 4590.03H: The Long 18th century
• 4590.04H: Romanticism  
• 4590.05:H The Later 19th century
• 4590.06H: The Modern Period
• 4590.07H: Literature in English after 1945
• 4590.08H: U.S. & Colonial Literature
• 4591.02H: Topics in the Study of Rhetoric
• 4592: Women in Literature & Culture 
• 4595: Literature & Law
• 4597.01: Disability Experience in Contemporary World
• 5191.01: English Internship 
• 5664: Studies in Graphic Narrative  
• 5710: Intro to Old English Lang & Lit
• 5720: Grad Studies in Shakespeare
• 5722: Grad Studies in Ren Poetry 

3 credit hours. Choose one of the following or one course at the 3000+-level from any of the lists above:

• 3362: Intro to Literary Publishing
• 3465: Intermediate Fiction Writing
• 3466: Intermediate Poetry Writing
• 3468: Intermediate Non-fiction Writing
• 4565: Advanced Fiction Writing  
• 4568: Advanced Non-Fiction Writing
• 4591.01H: Topics of CW

Honors and Research Distinction Information

English majors in the Creative Writing specialization in addition to fulfilling above requirements must take at least 2 courses (6 credits) from the following list of honors seminars: these courses may count towards other distribution requirements (as noted below).  

• 4590.01H: The Middle Ages [pre-1800]
• 4590.02H: The Renaissance [pre-1800]
• 4590.03H: The Long 18th c. [pre-1800]
• 4590.04H: Romanticism [post-1800]
• 4590.05H: Later 19th c. [post-1800]
• 4590.06H: The Modern Period [post-1800]
• 4590.07H: Lit in English after 1945 [post-1800]
• 4590.08H: US and Colonial Lit [varies] 
• 4591.01H: Topics in Study of CW [elective]
• 4591.02H: Topics in Study of Rhetoric  [elective] 

Students planning to pursue research distinction in English will complete at least 4 credit hours of English 4999 (4999H for honors students), the course number assigned for work on undergraduate theses, in addition to the 36 hours required for the major. To graduate with research distinction in English, students must meet the following requirements at the time of their graduation: (a) have completed 60 graded hours at Ohio State, (b) have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (note: the GPA requirement for honors students is 3.4) , and have successfully defended their thesis during an oral examination.  

Information about the thesis process and requirements can be found on the Research Distinction page on the ASC advising website .

Honors students should consult the information and requirements available at the Honors Distinction page on the Honors Program website .

All English majors are encouraged to consider completing a thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor(s). Thesis projects may involve the drafting of a scholarly research paper; the production of a novel, set of short stories, or collection of poems; the analysis of narratives and/or other qualitative data collected from a particular cultural or regional community; and/or the creation of a digital media artifact. Students are encouraged to talk with members of the English faculty and their English Undergraduate Advisors, as early as possible in their undergraduate careers, if they are interested in developing a thesis project or would like more information about the thesis process and requirements.  

Undergraduate Programs Creative Writing Minor

Ug programs creative writing minor.

The creative writing minor allows students to develop the craft of poetry writing or short fiction writing, as well as to explore other and emerging areas of writing practice such as creative nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, hybrid genres, and electronic forms. The minor is excellent preparation for those who seek to pursue advanced degrees in writing, as well as for those who seek to pursue careers in writing and the creative industries.

Course Requirements

2 Lower Division Courses, 10 units:

• English 4W (Critical Reading and Writing) or 4HW (Critical Reading and Writing (Honors)) or 4WX (Critical Reading and Writing (Community-Engaged Learning).
• English 10C (Literatures in English: 1850-Present), OR English 11, OR English 20 or 20W (Introduction to Creative Writing).

Five or Six Upper Division Courses, 24-25 units:

• One core genre (poetry or short fiction) course (English 136A: Intermediate Creative Writing: Poetry, or 136B Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry, or 137A, Intermediate Creative Writing: Short Story, or 137B, Advanced Creative Writing: Short Story).
• One advanced core genre course (or additional advanced core genre course) in the same genre as the first core genre course (old course English 136 or English 136B; old course English 137 or English 137B).
• One additional creative writing course (136, 136 A or B, 137, 137 A or B), or English/English Composition M138 (Topics in Creative Writing).
• One or Two elective courses (depending on unit count) from English 136 A or B, 137 A or B, M138, or from an approved list of courses in English and other departments across campus. Approved courses are other creative writing courses and courses that focus on 20th and/or 21st century literature.
• One capstone course or internship course culminating in a project with a creative writing focus (English 184 (any course 184 that allows a creative project), English 195CE, English 198B or English 199).

NOTE: Students who have received credit for old course 136 or new course 136B are ineligible to receive credit for course 136A; students who have received credit for old course 137 or new course 137B are ineligible to receive credit for course 137A.

Alternative courses for any of the above categories may be considered for credit by petition.

Transfer students may petition for credit for courses completed at other prior college-level institutions.

Grade requirements:

Students enrolled in the Minor must remain in good academic standing (overall grade-point average of C or better). All courses in the Minor must be taken for a letter grade, except those electives offered exclusively with P/NP grading.

Students seeking to declare the Minor in Creative Writing must: (1) be in good academic standing (overall grade-point average of C or better); (2) have completed the lower division requirements; (3) have completed at least one course 136 or 137; and (4) provide a PDF copy of their UCLA Degree Audit Report, a brief letter of application, and a writing sample (at least 10 pages of prose or 7-10 poems).

Download your degree checksheet !

SPRING 2024 APPLICATION PROCEDURES

*PLEASE READ CAREFULLY*

Students who will graduate by Spring or Summer 2024 and who have completed or are completing  at least TWO upper division core genre courses in the same genre  (one of which must be either old course 136 or 137 OR new course 136B or 137B) are invited to apply for the Minor this quarter.

To apply, e-mail the following as PDF attachments to  [email protected] :

• a brief letter of application, stating what you have taken so far to satisfy Minor requirements, and how/when you intend to complete the requirements.
• a writing sample (at least 10 pages of prose or 7-10 poems).
• a copy of your Degree Audit Report with the Creative Writing Minor modeled .

DEADLINE: MAY 10, 2024

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Creative Writing Concentration

Hone your personal creative voice and study the art of creatively stringing words together to create meaning, inspire action, and tell a story – from social media to children’s books.

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Develop who you are as a writer.

If you don’t go a day without writing—journal entries, blog posts, poetry, impassioned emails, or witty social media updates to friends—the Creative Writing concentration offers a rewarding way for you to develop the practice.

This concentration is designed for students inspired to pursue their own artistic vision. You’ll study the craft and discipline of writing, learn how writers create their unique voices, and explore world literature. You’ll have opportunities to study—and participate in—personal and group performance at Champlain and beyond. With our Creative Writing concentration, you will develop your individual style and add versatile skills to a toolbox that can be used in a variety of career settings. Through courses in this concentration, you can:

• Pursue your artistic vision through developing your unique voice.
• Study contemporary and historical writing from various world regions.
• Build your portfolio so you can show the world what you can do.

Courses in the Creative Writing Concentration

All Creative Media students are required to select a Primary Area of Focus and a Complementary Area of Focus. Shown here is the curriculum for the 24-credit Primary Area of Focus. If you choose Creative Writing as a 12-credit Complementary Area of Focus, requirements will differ from those shown.

8 courses through at least the 300 level are required for Creative Writing Primary Focus Area

Choose at least one of the following:

• WRT 220: Intermediate Creative Writing
• WRT 221: Intermediate Poetry Workshop
• WRT 226: Intermediate Fiction Workshop
• WRT 237: Intermediate Creative Nonfiction

Primary area electives:

• WRT 180: Introduction to Songwriting
• WRT 200: Fundamentals of Journalism
• WRT 235: Writing Children’s Literature
• WRT 236: Writing About Food
• WRT 280: Reading & Writing in the Wilderness
• WRT 324: Advanced Poetry Workshop
• WRT 325: Advanced Fiction Workshop
• WRT 327: Seminar in Playwriting
• WRT 337: Advanced Creative Nonfiction
• WRT 346: Publishing in the 21st Century
• FLM 128: Screenwriting I
• FLM 328: Screenwriting II

WRT 120 Creative Writing, Introduction to

Introduction to Creative Writing explores techniques used by poets and fiction writers in their crafts. Students will analyze examples of published works and will produce portfolios of original works. Workshop activity is required; students must share their work with the entire class.

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Based on your interest in the Creative Writing concentration, we thought you also might like to check out these other academic programs and opportunities.

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Introducing Copilot+ PCs

May 20, 2024 | Yusuf Mehdi - Executive Vice President, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer

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An on-demand recording of our May 20 event is available .

Today, at a special event on our new Microsoft campus, we introduced the world to a new category of Windows PCs designed for AI, Copilot+ PCs.    

Copilot+ PCs are the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built. With powerful new silicon capable of an incredible 40+ TOPS (trillion operations per second), all – day battery life and access to the most advanced AI models, Copilot+ PCs will enable you to do things you can’t on any other PC. Easily find and remember what you have seen in your PC with Recall, generate and refine AI images in near real-time directly on the device using Cocreator, and bridge language barriers with Live Captions, translating audio from 40+ languages into English .  

These experiences come to life on a set of thin, light and beautiful devices from Microsoft Surface and our OEM partners Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung, with pre-orders beginning today and availability starting on June 18. Starting at $999, Copilot+ PCs offer incredible value.  

This first wave of Copilot+ PCs is just the beginning. Over the past year, we have seen an incredible pace of innovation of AI in the cloud with Copilot allowing us to do things that we never dreamed possible. Now, we begin a new chapter with AI innovation on the device. We have completely reimagined the entirety of the PC – from silicon to the operating system, the application layer to the cloud – with AI at the center, marking the most significant change to the Windows platform in decades.  

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The fastest, most secure Windows PCs ever built  

We introduced an all-new system architecture to bring the power of the CPU, GPU, and now a new high performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU) together. Connected to and enhanced by the large language models (LLMs) running in our Azure Cloud in concert with small language models (SLMs), Copilot+ PCs can now achieve a level of performance never seen before. They are up to 20x more powerful [1] and up to 100x as efficient [2] for running AI workloads and deliver industry-leading AI acceleration. They outperform Apple’s MacBook Air 15” by up to 58% in sustained multithreaded performance [3] , all while delivering all-day battery life.  With incredible efficiency, Copilot+ PCs can deliver up to 22 hours of local video playback or 15 hours of web browsing on a single charge. [4] That is up to 20% more battery in local video playback than the MacBook Air 15”. [5]

Windows now has the best implementation of apps on the fastest chip, starting with Qualcomm. We now offer more native Arm64 experiences than ever before, including our fastest implementation of Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, OneDrive and OneNote. Chrome, Spotify, Zoom, WhatsApp, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Blender, Affinity Suite, DaVinci Resolve and many more now run​ natively on Arm to give you great performance with additional apps, like Slack, releasing later this year. In fact, 87% of the total app minutes people spend in apps today have native Arm versions. [6] With a powerful new emulator, Prism, your apps run great, whether native or emulated.

Every Copilot+ PC comes secured out of the box. The Microsoft Pluton Security processor will be enabled by default on all Copilot+ PCs and we have introduced a number of new features, updates and defaults to Windows 11 that make it easy for users to stay secure. And, we’ve built in personalized privacy controls to help you protect what’s important to you. You can read more about how we are making Windows more secure here .

Entirely new, powerful AI experiences   

Copilot+ PCs leverage powerful processors and multiple state-of-the-art AI models, including several of Microsoft’s world-class SLMs, to unlock a new set of experiences you can run locally, directly on the device. This removes previous limitations on things like latency, cost and even privacy to help you be more productive, creative and communicate more effectively.  

Recall instantly  

We set out to solve one of the most frustrating problems we encounter daily – finding something we know we have seen before on our PC. Today, we must remember what file folder it was stored in, what website it was on, or scroll through hundreds of emails trying to find it.   

Now with Recall, you can access virtually what you have seen or done on your PC in a way that feels like having photographic memory. Copilot+ PCs organize information like we do – based on relationships and associations unique to each of our individual experiences. This helps you remember things you may have forgotten so you can find what you’re looking for quickly and intuitively by simply using the cues you remember. [7]

You can scroll across time to find the content you need in your timeline across any application, website, document, or more. Interact intuitively using snapshots with screenray to help you take the next step using suggested actions based on object recognition. And get back to where you were, whether to a specific email in Outlook or the right chat in Teams.

Recall leverages your personal semantic index, built and stored entirely on your device. Your snapshots are yours; they stay locally on your PC. You can delete individual snapshots, adjust and delete ranges of time in Settings, or pause at any point right from the icon in the System Tray on your Taskbar. You can also filter apps and websites from ever being saved. You are always in control with privacy you can trust.

Cocreate with AI-powered image creation and editing, built into Windows

Since the launch of Image Creator, almost 10 billion images have been generated, helping more people bring their ideas to life easily by using natural language to describe what they want to create. Yet, today’s cloud offerings may limit the number of images you can create, keep you waiting while the artwork processes or even present privacy concerns. By using the Neural Processing Units (NPUs) and powerful local small language models, we are bringing innovative new experiences to your favorite creative applications like Paint and Photos.

Combine your ink strokes with text prompts to generate new images in nearly real time with Cocreator. As you iterate, so does the artwork, helping you more easily refine, edit and evolve your ideas. Powerful diffusion-based algorithms optimize for the highest quality output over minimum steps to make it feel like you are creating alongside AI. Use the creativity slider to choose from a range of artwork from more literal to more expressive. Once you select your artwork, you can continue iterating on top of it, helping you express your ideas, regardless of your creative skills.

Take photo editing and image creation to the next level. With Restyle Image, you can reimagine your personal photos with a new style combining image generation and photo editing in Photos. Use a pre-set style like Cyberpunk or Claymation to change the background, foreground or full picture to create an entirely new image. Or jumpstart your next creative project and get visual inspiration with Image Creator in Photos. On Copilot+ PCs you can generate endless images for free, fast, with the ability to fine tune images to your liking and to save your favorites to collections.

Innovative AI experiences from the creative apps you love

We are also partnering with some of the biggest and most-loved applications on the planet to leverage the power of the NPU to deliver new innovative AI experiences.

Together with Adobe, we are thrilled to announce Adobe’s flagship apps are coming to Copilot+ PCs, including Photoshop, Lightroom and Express – available today. Illustrator, Premiere Pro and more are coming this summer. And we’re continuing to partner to optimize AI in these apps for the NPU. For Adobe Creative Cloud customers, they will benefit from the full performance advantages of Copilot+ PCs to express their creativity faster than ever before.

DaVinci Resolve Studio    

Effortlessly apply visual effects to objects and people using NPU-accelerated Magic Mask in DaVinci Resolve Studio.  

Remove the background from any video clip in a snap using Auto Cutout running on the NPU in CapCut.  

Stay in your flow with faster, more responsive adaptive input controls, like head movement or facial expressions via the new NPU-powered camera pipeline in Cephable.  

LiquidText  

Make quicker and smarter annotations to documents, using AI features that run entirely on-device via NPU, so data stays private in LiquidText. 

Have fun breaking down and remixing any music track, with a new, higher-quality version of NeuralMix™ that’s exclusive to NPU in Algoriddim’s djay Pro.  

Connect and communicate effortlessly with live captions  

In an increasingly connected and global world, Windows wants to bring people closer together. Whether catching up on your favorite podcast from a different country, or watching your favorite international sports team, or even collaborating with friends and colleagues across the world, we want to make more content accessible to more people.   

Live Captions now has live translations and will turn any audio that passes through your PC into a single, English-language caption experience, in real time on your screen across all your apps consistently. You can translate any live or pre-recorded audio in any app or video platform from over 40 languages into English subtitles instantly, automatically and even while you’re offline. Powered by the NPU and available across all Copilot+ PCs, now you can have confidence your words are understood as intended.   

New and enhanced Windows Studio Effects  

Look and sound your best automatically with easily accessible controls at your fingertips in Quick Settings. Portrait light automatically adjusts the image to improve your perceived illumination in a dark environment or brighten the foreground pixels when in a low-light environment. Three new creative filters (illustrated, animated or watercolor) add an artistic flare. Eye contact teleprompter helps you maintain eye contact while reading your screen. New improvements to voice focus and portrait blur help ensure you’re always in focus.   

Copilot, your everyday AI companion

Every Copilot+ PC comes with your personal powerful AI agent that is just a single tap away on keyboards with the new Copilot key. [8] Copilot will now have the full application experience customers have been asking for in a streamlined, simple yet powerful and personal design. Copilot puts the most advanced AI models at your fingertips. In the coming weeks, get access to the latest models including GPT-4o from our partners at OpenAI, so you can have voice conversations that feel more natural.

Advancing AI responsibly

At Microsoft, we have a company-wide commitment to develop ethical, safe and secure AI. Our responsible AI principles guided the development of these new experiences, and all AI features are aligned with our standards. Learn more here .

New Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft Surface and our partners

We have worked with each of the top OEMs — Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung — and of course Surface, to bring exciting new Copilot+ PCs that will begin to launch on June 18. Starting at $999, these devices are up to $200 less than similar spec’d devices [9] .

Surface plays a key role in the Windows ecosystem, as we design software and hardware together to deliver innovative designs and meaningful experiences to our customers and fans. We are introducing the first-ever Copilot+ PCs from Surface: The all-new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop.

The new Surface Laptop is a powerhouse in an updated, modern laptop design with razor-thin bezels, a brilliant touchscreen display, AI-enhanced camera, premium audio, and now with a haptic touchpad.

Choose between a 13.8” and 15” display and four stunning colors. Enjoy up to 22 hours of local video playback on Surface Laptop 15” or up to 20 hours on Surface Laptop13.8” on top of incredible performance and all-new AI experiences.

The new Surface Pro is the most flexible 2-in-1 laptop, now reimagined with more speed and battery life to power all-new AI experiences. It introduces a new, optional OLED with HDR display, and ultrawide field of view camera perfect for Windows Studio Effects. The new Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is the first 2-in-1 keyboard designed to be used both attached or detached. It delivers enhanced stability, with Surface Slim Pen storage and charging integrated seamlessly, as well as a quiet, haptic touchpad. Learn more here.

New Copilot+ PCs from the biggest brands available starting June 18:

• Acer : Acer’s Swift 14 AI 2.5K touchscreen enables you to draw and edit your vision with greater accuracy and with color-accurate imagery. Launch and discover AI-enhanced features, like Acer PurifiedVoice 2.0 and Purified View, with a touch of the dedicated AcerSense button.
• ASUS : The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is a powerful device that brings AI experiences to life with its Snapdragon X Elite Platform and built-in Qualcomm® AI. It boasts 40+ NPU TOPS, a dual-fan cooling system, and up to 1 TB of storage. Next-gen AI enhancements include Windows Studio effects v2 and ASUS AiSense camera, with presence-detection capabilities for Adaptive Dimming and Lock. Built for portability, it has an ultra-slim and light all-metal design, a high-capacity battery, and premium styling with a single-zone RGB backlit keyboard.
• Dell : Dell is launching five new Copilot+ PCs, including the XPS 13, Inspiron 14 Plus, Inspiron 14, Latitude 7455, and Latitude 5455, offering a range of consumer and commercial options that deliver groundbreaking battery life and unique AI experiences. The XPS 13 is powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors and features a premium, futuristic design, while the Latitude 7455 boasts a stunning QHD+ display and quad speakers with AI noise reduction. The Inspiron14 and Inspiron 14 Plus feature a Snapdragon X Plus 1and are crafted with lightweight, low carbon aluminum and are energy efficient with EPEAT Gold rating.
• HP : HP’s OmniBook X AI PC and HP EliteBook Ultra G1q AI PC with Snapdragon X Elite are slim and sleek designs, delivering advanced performance and mobility for a more personalized computing experience. Features include long-lasting battery life and AI-powered productivity tools, such as real-time transcription and meeting summaries. A 5MP camera with automatic framing and eye focus is supported by Poly Studio’s crystal-clear audio for enhanced virtual interactions.
• Lenovo : Lenovo is launching two AI PCs: one built for consumers, Yoga Slim 7x, and one for commercial, ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. The Yoga Slim 7x brings efficiency for creatives, featuring a 14.5” touchscreen with 3K Dolby Vision and optimized power for 3D rendering and video editing. The T14s Gen 6 brings enterprise-level experiences and AI performance to your work tasks, with features including a webcam privacy shutter, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and up to 64GB RAM.
• Samsung : Samsung’s new Galaxy Book4 Edge is ultra-thin and light, with a 3K resolution 2x AMOLED display and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. It has a long-lasting battery that provides up to 22 hours of video playback, making it perfect for work or entertainment on the go.

Learn more about new Copilot+ PCs and pre-order today at Microsoft.com and from major PC manufacturers, as well as other leading global retailers.

Start testing for commercial deployment today

Copilot+ PCs offer businesses the most performant Windows 11 devices with unique AI capabilities to unlock productivity, improve collaboration and drive efficiency. As a Windows PC, businesses can deploy and manage a Copilot+ PC with the same tools and processes used today including IT controls for new features and AppAssure support. We recommend IT admins begin testing and readying for deployment to start empowering your workforce with access to powerful AI features on these high-performance devices. You can read more about our commercial experiences here .

AI innovation across the Windows ecosystem  

Like we’ve always done with Windows, we have built a platform for our ecosystem partners to build on.  

The first Copilot+ PCs will launch with both the Snapdragon® X Elite and Snapdragon® X Plus processors and feature leading performance per watt thanks to the custom Qualcomm Oryon™ CPU, which delivers unrivaled performance and battery efficiency. Snapdragon X Series delivers 45 NPU TOPS all-in-one system on a chip (SoC). The premium integrated Qualcomm® Adreno ™ GPU delivers stunning graphics for immersive entertainment. We look forward to expanding through deep partnerships with Intel and AMD, starting with Lunar Lake and Strix Point. We will bring new Copilot+ PC experiences at a later date. In the future we expect to see devices with this silicon paired with powerful graphics cards like NVIDIA GeForce RTX and AMD Radeon™, bringing Copilot+ PC experiences to reach even broader audiences like advanced gamers and creators.  

We are at an inflection point where the PC will accelerate AI innovation. We believe the richest AI experiences will only be possible when the cloud and device work together in concert. Together with our partners, we’re setting the frame for the next decade of Windows innovation.  

[1] Based on snapshot of aggregated, non-gaming app usage data as of April 2024 for iGPU-based laptops and 2-in-1 devices running Windows 10 and Windows 11 in US, UK, CA, FR, AU, DE, JP.

[2] Tested April 2024 using Phi SLM workload running 512-token prompt processing in a loop with default settings comparing pre-release Copilot+ PC builds with Snapdragon Elite X 12 Core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations (QNN build) to Windows 11 PC with NVIDIA 4080 GPU configuration (CUDA build).

[3] Tested May 2024 using Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Elite 12 core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations to MacBook Air 15” with M3 8 core CPU / 10 Core GPU configuration. Performance will vary significantly between device configuration and usage.

[4] *Battery life varies significantly by device and with settings, usage and other factors. See aka.ms/cpclaims*

[5] *Battery life varies significantly based on device configuration, usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. Testing conducted May 2024 using the prelease Windows ADK full screen local video playback assessment under standard testing conditions, with the device connected to Wi-Fi and screen brightness set to 150 nits, comparing Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Elite 12 core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations running Windows Version 26097.5003 (24H2) to MacBook Air 15” M3 8-Core CPU/ 10 Core GPU running macOS 14.4 with similar device configurations and testing scenario.

[6] Based on snapshot of aggregated, non-gaming app usage data as of April 2024 for iGPU-based laptops and 2-in-1 devices running Windows 10 and Windows 11 in US, UK, CA, FR, AU, DE, JP.

[7] Recall is optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.) Content-based and storage limitations apply. Learn more here .

[8] Copilot key functionality may vary. See aka.ms/keysupport

[9] Based on MSRPs; actual savings may vary

Tags: AI , Copilot+ PC

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