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• B.A., Creative Writing Concentration

B.A. in English with Concentration in Creative Writing

The B.A. major in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing allows students to engage with a community of learning through courses focused on the practice of creative writing. The concentration represents a full spectrum of courses from beginning to advanced. Small classes and workshops ensure close collaboration between the faculty and the student. Workshops are taught by the graduate creative writing faculty—all published, award-winning writers.

Learn more about this concentration

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Indiana University Indianapolis

Department of english.

Concentration in Creative Writing

Hone your talent and learn the craft of creative writing.

Creative Writing offers a wide range of courses and activities to help you hone your craft and deepen your awareness of contemporary creative writing genres. Courses in Creative Writing include the following:

• Creative nonfiction
• Screenwriting
• Literary editing and publishing
• Creative writing for teachers

For more information contact:

Kyle Minor Director of the Creative Writing Program Associate Professor of English [email protected] (317)274-2258 Cavanaugh 501R

Requirements: Concentration in Creative Writing  

• A minimum grade of C or higher is required in each major course  
• 21 credit hours must be completed IU School of Liberal Arts at IU Indianapolis  
• 18 credit hours in English must be at the 300-400 level

English Common Core (12 credits)  

Literary Interpretation (3 credits) 

• ENG-L 202: Literary Interpretation

Language and Linguistics (3 credits)  

• ENG-Z 206: Introduction to Language Use  
• ENG-Z 301: History of the English Language  
• ENG-Z 310: Language in Context: Sociolinguistics  

  Careers in English (3 credits)  

• ENG-W 280: Literary Editing and Publishing   
• ENG-W 365: Theory and Practice of Editing   
• ENG-W 397: Writing Center Theory and Practice   
• ENG-W 398: Internship in Writing   
• ENG-Z 434: Introduction to TESOL Methods

English Capstone (3 credits)  

• ENG-E 398: Internship in English  
• ENG-E 450: Capstone in English  
• ENG-L 440: Senior Seminar in Literature  
• ENG-W 426: Writing for Popular and Professional Publication  

Creative Writing Concentration (21 credits)  

Gateway Course (6 credits)

• ENG-W 206: Introduction to Creative Writing
• ENG-W 207: Introduction to Fiction Writing
• ENG-W 208: Introduction to Poetry Writing

Creative Writing Core (12 credits) 

Four courses in at least two genres, including at least one at the 400 level. One course may be repeated for credit.  Students should take courses in sequence: first the 200-level gateway courses, then 300-level courses followed by 400-level courses.  Choose from the following:  

• ENG-W 301: Writing Fiction
• ENG-W 302: Screenwriting
• ENG-W 303: Writing Poetry
• ENG-W 305: Writing Creative Nonfiction
• ENG-W 401: Advanced Fiction Writing
• ENG-W 403: Advanced Poetry Writing
• ENG-W 407: Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing
• ENG-W 411: Directed Writing (only with permission)

Literature Elective (3 credits) 

Three credits at the 200-level or above; cannot be ENG-L 202  

To help you guide your four-year college journey, consult your degree map for a snapshot of classes you will be taking to finish your degree.  

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Creative Writing

Why choose creative writing.

What do creative writers need most? The knowledge and skill to improve the effectiveness of writing through revising, critiquing, and reimagining their creative projects.

If you are an IU Columbus student in the Indiana University Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English degree program, you can choose a concentration in Creative Writing.   If you are an IU Columbus student in another major, you can pursue a Creative Writing minor.

As a Creative Writing student, you will experience, practice, and improve your creative expression through a range of courses and workshops. In addition, you will:

• Work closely with published faculty, read and critique a variety of experimental, canonical, and original texts.
• Participate in intensive workshops to develop and practice your writing craft with a community of writers.
• Consider wider audiences for your creative work through internships, educational field trips and travel, capstone courses, and community projects.
• Be encouraged to submit your original creative work to the university’s student literary magazine   Talking Leaves .

Explore our course descriptions to get a better feel for whether a concentration or minor in creative writing is right for you.

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, you will need the following courses.

Common Core

Core Communication (2 courses; 6 cr.)

• ENG W131 Reading, Writing and Inquiry
• COMM R110 Public Speaking

Mathmatics/Analytical Reasoning (2 courses; 6 cr.)

• At least one must be college level math

Life and Physical Sciences (2 courses; 6 cr.)

• One must include a lab

Cultural Understanding (1 course; 3 cr.)

Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences (3 courses; 9 cr.)

• One Social Science course
• One Arts & Humanities course
• One Social Science or Arts & Humanities course

Liberal Arts General Education Requirements

ENG-W 131 with a grade of C or higher

ENG-W 231 Professional Writing Skills or ENG-W 270 Argumentative Writing Skills (grade of C or higher)

UCOL-U 110 or DLA-L 110 First Year Experience (waived for transfer students with 18 or more credits)

Computer Proficiency/Logic (If computer proficiency is already proven or waived, then a Logic course is required)

Arts & Humanities 100 or 200 level courese not in your first major field of study

Social Science 100 or 200 level course not in your first major field of study 

World Language and Culture (All English students are required to complete first-year competency in a world language)

Advanced courses: 40 credits must be completed at the 300-400 level, including courses within the major

English (Creative Writing) Major Course Requirements (33 cr.)

Gateway Course (6 cr.)

ENG W206 Introduction to Creative Writing  ENG W207 Introduction to Fiction Writing

Concentration Core (12 cr. in at least two genres, including at least 3 cr. at the 400 level)

• ENG W301 Writing Fiction 
• ENG W302 Screenwriting 
• ENG W303 Writing Poetry
• ENG W305 Writing Creative Nonfiction 
• ENG W401 Advanced Fiction Writing
• ENG W403 Advanced Poetry Writing
• ENG W411 Directed Writing (only with permission)

English Experience (9 cr.)

Three Literature courses 200-400 level or higher; at least one at 300-400 level

Language, Pedagogy and Editing (3 cr.) 

• ENG W365 Theory and Practice of Editing
• ENG W210 Literacy and Public Life
• ENG W310 Language and the Study of Writing
• ENG Z204 Rhetorical Issues in Grammar and Usage
• ENG Z205 Intro to the English Language

ENG E450 Capstone Seminar

Any additional credit hours needed to reach the minimum of 120 credits hours required to graduate.

Minoring in Creative Writing

To pursue a minor in Creative Writing at IU Columbus, contact Maggie Evans for an application form. The form should be completed and submitted when you are enrolled in your final creative writing class.

To earn a minor in creative writing, students must take 15 credit hours from the courses below. In order for a course to count toward the completion of the creative writing minor, you must receive a grade of “C” or better.

Course options for Creative Writing minor

Career options.

One career that creative writing students often pursue is teaching in the humanities at a university, college, or high school. In this case, you will continue pursue study to earn a master’s or doctoral degree after completing your bachelor's degree. If graduate study is not what you had in mind, careers in these fields are possibilities:

• Computer and information technology, including social media management, Web development, and graphic design
• Business administration in public and private sectors
• Publishing, editing, writing, and English translation
• The arts, including theatre, music, dance, and other types of performing arts companies, and museums and cultural organizations, including nonprofits
• Fundraising, politics, or broadcasting
• Teaching English as a second language overseas

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Creative Writing

Master of Fine Arts

Offered at IU Bloomington by College of Arts and Sciences .

Read the requirements in the academic bulletin

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