Department of Communications, Composition, and Languages

Creative Writing

The Creative Writing minor requires a minimum of 22 credit hours. Students enrolled in the minor have the opportunity to take classes in a variety of disciplines including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, play writing, and screen writing.

Minor Requirements (22 credits) 

Core Classes: 

ENG 2300 – Intro to Creative Writing (4cr) 

Writing Workshops (choose 2): 

ENG 2310 – Creative Writing Fiction Workshop (3cr) 

ENG 2320 – Creative Writing Poetry Workshop (3cr) 

ENG 2330 – Creative Writing Nonfiction Workshop (3cr) 

Advanced Creative Writing (choose 2): 

ENG 3006 – Creative Writing Novel/Shorts (3cr) 

ENG 3540 – Creative Writing Nonfiction/Memoir (3cr) 

ENG 3550 – Advanced Poetry and Performance (3cr) 

ENG 3560 – Creative Writing Play/Screen (3cr) 

ENG 4020 – Creative Writing Special Topics (3cr) 

Literature Classes: 

ENG 2200 – Intro to Literary Studies (3cr) 

ENG 3000-4000 level course (3cr) 

  • ENG 2200. Introduction to Literary Studies (I II, III; 3) An appreciation of literature through a variety of critical perspectives. Includes the study of literary types, forms, and techniques using historical and modern literary examples.  Students meet the literature faculty, discuss career choices for English majors, and preview the required and elective courses in the major.  

    ENG 2300. Introduction to Creative Writing (On demand; 4) Introduction to the study and practice of various forms of creative writing. Students will read and write a variety of published stories, essays, poems, or drama in terms of craft and learn how to apply the techniques of other writers to their writing. Students who successfully complete this course will have a working knowledge of creative writing and should be better prepared to go on to intermediate and advanced levels in the genre of their choice. Prerequisite: ENG 1100 or 1101. 

    ENG 2310. Creative Nonfiction Workshop (On demand; 3) Intermediate and continuing practice and proficiency in creative writing with a focus on the art of nonfiction. This course offers students the further exposure to the most recent techniques, conventions, and narrative strategies of today’s creative nonfiction writing across various nonfiction markets. Students generate original works and receive feedback through the workshop process for revision. Students collect and compose revised work for submission at semester’s end. Prerequisite: ENG 1100 or 1101 and ENG 2300. 

    ENG 2320. Poetry Workshop (On demand; 3) Intermediate and continuing practice and proficiency in creative writing with a focus on the art of poetry. This course offers students the further exposure to the most recent techniques, conventions, and narrative strategies of today’s poetry writing across various markets. Students generate original works and receive feedback through the workshop process for revision. Students collect and compose revised work for submission at semester’s end. Prerequisite: ENG 1100 or 1101 and ENG 2300. 

    ENG 2330. Fiction Workshop (On demand; 3) Intermediate and continuing practice and proficiency in creative writing with a focus on the art of fiction. This course offers students the further exposure to the most recent techniques, conventions, and narrative strategies of today’s fiction writing across various fiction markets. Students generate original works and receive feedback through the workshop process for revision. Students collect and compose revised work for submission at semester’s end. Prerequisite: ENG 1100 or 1101 and ENG 2300. 

    ENG 3006. Creative Writing: Poetry and Short Story (II; 3) Directed experience in the writing of poetry and short stories. Includes practice in traditional and contemporary concepts of form, reading and discussion of a wide range of traditional and modern texts, and presentation and discussion of student’s creative works. Prerequisite: ENG 1102. 

    ENG 3540. Creative Writing: Prose (I; 3) An advanced level of directed experience in the writing of both fiction and creative nonfiction. Includes reading and discussion of works in both genres, the development of a student prose portfolio, workshop discussion of each student’s creative work, and the final presentation of a developed story or essay of the student’s own choosing. Prerequisite: ENG 3006. 

    ENG 3550. Creative Writing: Poetry and Performance (II; 3) An advanced level of directed experience in the writing of poetry to include presentation and performance. Includes reading and discussion of contemporary book-length poetry collections, the development of a student poetry portfolio, workshop discussion of each student’s creative work, study and practice of presentation/performance skills, and the final presentation/performance of the student’s collection. Prerequisite: ENG 3006.

    ENG 4020. Special Topics: Creative Writing (On demand; 3) Concentrates on a single issue, genre, cultural group, or author. Focus varies with each course offering. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite: Any 3000-level creative writing workshop or minimum Sophomore standing with the course instructor permission. 

    ENG 4196. Internship or Practicum (On Demand; 1-4) An internship is usually an off-campus activity while the practicum is an on-campus activity with a more limited objective (or task orientation). Generally, internships carry 2-4 semester hours. The practicum may carry from 1-4 semester hours and may be supervised by the student’s departmental advisor. Prerequisites: ENG 2200 and departmental permission.