Creative Writing Major

Department of English and Creative Writing

(440) 826-2293

OVERVIEW

Creative writing is a major that melds intellectual inquiry and critical analysis with writing that is compelling and strategic.

It offers outstanding career preparation for journalism, marketing, publishing and other fields where strong writing and analytical thinking are invaluable.

As a creative writing major, you'll learn about poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and drama. You'll build skills in oral and written communication, close reading, formal analysis, problem solving, research strategies and debate.

BW faculty are accomplished writers and poets. They'll work closely with you to deepen your reading and writing abilities and to enhance competencies in self editing and analysis.

Experiential learning is a key part of the major. You'll supplement classroom studies with enriching activities that include co-curricular involvement, independent study, internships, service-learning and study abroad.

ENGLISH IS A CAREER-FOCUSED MAJOR

Majoring in English aligns well with career preparation by developing the characteristics employers value:

Effective oral and written communication
English majors are highly articulate in all areas of communication.
Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
Close reading enhances an ability to use logic, balance various points of view, recognize how meaning is determined by context and develop a sustained argument.
The ability to analyze and solve complex problems
Literary interpretation is an exercise in complex problem solving. English student learn to synthesize diverse points of view and apply multiple perspectives-social, political, economic, philosophical, historical and others-to the understanding of literary texts.
Ability to make ethical decisions
Through literature, readers reflect on the meaning and consequences of human action. Literature enables a deeper understanding of ethical questions by contextualizing them.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A TEACHER?

If you would like to become an English teacher, BW has an outstanding teacher education program.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Copywriter
Playwright/screenwriter
Marketing director
Public relations practitioner
Web content writer
Media representative
Journalist
Teacher
Librarian

CURRICULUM

Small class sizes, individual attention and faculty mentoring are at the core of BW's English program. Areas of study include:

Major or minor in creative writing
Major in English
Minor in writing
Minor in literature
Teacher licensure

BW is one of only two schools in Northeast Ohio offering a creative writing major. Within the creative writing program, engaging courses span traditional offerings like American, British and World Literature, Composition, Exposition and Argumentation, as well as contemporary and creative offerings that include:

Romantic Rebellion
Gender and the Gothic
On Madness and Murder
Nature Writing
Detective Fiction: Private Eyes
Creative Writing-Poetry
Grant Writing
Creative Writing-Playwriting

At the upper level, a departmental thesis and the honors thesis are options that invite students to engage in singular, long-term projects with a faculty director. Creative theses have focused on the writing of short stories, prose poems, vignettes, poetry and the lyric essay.

Creative writing offers outstanding preparation for graduate school and career opportunities.

The creative writing major prepares students to:

Develop into sensitive and perceptive readers of literature
Develop into effective writers
Increase understanding of the history and nature of literature
Increase understanding of the history and nature of the English language

Course Descriptions

Course descriptions requirements for the major and additional information can be found in the University Catalog.

STUDENT EXPERIENCES

BW creative writing students have had their work published in national literary journals. They also have won or placed as finalists in national and regional literary competitions. Students also have given readings at national conventions and participated in panels at writing conferences

The student literary and arts journal, "The Mill," is a high-quality publication that enables you to hone your craft as a writer or editor. The Mill Reading Series sponsors emerging and established writers to read their works on campus each semester.

You also can gain writing experience serving as an editor or staff member of the student-run campus newspaper "The Exponent."

Other hands-on activities include a project that places BW students at local high schools to tutor writing and a Grant Writing course that matches students with nonprofit organizations to research and write real-world grant proposals.

Interdisciplinary collaboration with BW dance, theatre and other arts-focused departments offer exciting fusion opportunities involving writing, set design and performance. Also beneficial are scholarly interdepartmental projects that include book editing and other publication-related work.

Within the department, English students are regularly recognized for their achievements. Alpha Mu Zeta (BW's chapter of Sigma Tau Delta) is the international English honor society. It fosters a sense of community among English majors and minors by organizing social and cultural events. Other recognitions include:

A.W. "Bud" Collins Prize in Creative Writing (in honor of A.W. Collins '51).
Twila Haines Coxon and A. Williams Coxon Scholarship (in honor of Twila Haines '19 and A. Williams Coxon).
Department of English Essay Prize (made possible by a gift from J. Richard Hankins, who taught at BW and helped establish the BW Writing Lab).
Amelia and Clara Harding Scholarship (in honor of Amelia '36, Charles '37 and Clara Harding).
Robert Howells Memorial English Scholarship (in honor of Robert Howells, who taught at BW 1967-88).
Ruby V. Redinger Prize (in honor of Ruby Redinger, an author and member of the Department of English 1956-1981).
Dr. Neille and Jeanne Shoemaker Scholarship (in honor of Dr. Neille Shoemaker, who taught in the Department of English 1946-86).
Bertha Stiefel Scholarship (in honor of English professor Bertha Stiefel '20, who taught at BW 1938-68).