Creative Writing

Overview

Creative Writing students combine analytical and creative skills across disciplines to cultivate unique perspectives and interdisciplinary literacies. Students benefit from the rigorous study of literature, the humanities, and writing workshops that focus on collaboration, critical thinking, and revision practices. 

In addition to learning the craft of writing and the history of literary art, coursework in Creative Writing develops indispensable skills like empathy, respect for multiple points of view, and critical thought--qualities necessary to sustain creative livelihoods after graduation. Graduates may extend this knowledge into fruitful careers in education, professional writing, law, or—like so many writers—writing and publishing books alongside another profession. 

Creative Writing students fuse research, analysis, revision, and drafting in multiple stages. Through course readings and their original work, they immerse themselves in current personal and global issues, cultivate a literary community on campus and beyond, and develop the skills to engage in a life of writing. 

Student Learning Outcomes

• Apply critical reading and writing techniques from literature (special topics seminars)
• Practice collaborative, discourse-centered learning (workshops)
• Develop editing and publishing experience (workshops, special topics seminars, literary magazine)
• Interpret and revise original work incorporating feedback (thesis seminar, workshops)
• Develop a recursive, independent writing practice
• Assemble a portfolio of original work

Faculty in Creative Writing

Tom Bailey, Professor of Creative Writing (Fiction and Creative Nonfiction)
Avni Vyas, Assistant Professor of Creative Writing (Poetry and Creative Nonfiction)

Requirements for the AOC in Creative Writing

Minimum of eleven academic full-term units, including five workshops (two introductory in multiple genres, three intermediate/advanced), one special topics seminar, and one senior mastery thesis workshop/project tutorial (taken during the fourth year)

One Literature Class elective based on the 19th century or earlier, such as:

One literature or writing-concentrated elective that requires close critical reading in the genre of concentration, such as:

One elective that fulfills a critical theory component, such as:

One elective that centers a creative practicum from the humanities, (visual art, music theory or performance, theater performance, dance, etc.) such as:

Final thesis projects may be collections of prose (short stories, novels, essays, plays, screenplays, children’s books), poetry, or approved hybrid projects that combine the two.  

All theses must include original, creative work of literary merit (undergoing extensive drafting and revision through multiple stages with the advisor) and critical engagement with their genre and influences. Students will also successfully defend their work in a baccalaureate exam. 

Requirements for the Joint AOC in Creative Writing

A minimum of six academic units, including three workshops (one intro, two intermediate/advanced), one special topics seminar, one elective, one thesis seminar senior mastery workshop/project tutorial (taken during the fourth year), and a creative writing component to the final thesis. 

Requirements for a Secondary AOC in Creative Writing

Five classes, including two introductory workshops, two intermediate/advanced workshops, and one special topics course.

Sample Pathways

4 Year Pathway (FTIC) 

Year 1
Fall: intro workshop, gen ed requirements 
Spring: intro workshop or intermediate/advanced workshop, gen ed requirements

Year 2
Fall: intro workshop or intermediate/advanced workshop, gen ed requirements
Spring: intro workshop or Intermediate/ advanced workshop, gen ed requirements

Year 3
Fall: elective (Literature, Languages, Humanities), intermediate/advanced workshop, special topics
Spring: elective (Literature, Languages, Humanities), intermediate/advanced workshop, special topics

Year 4
Fall: mastery workshop, thesis tutorial, elective
Spring: mastery workshop, thesis tutorial, baccalaureate exam

Transfer Student pathway (Florida AA coursework complete)

Year 1
Fall: two Introductory workshops, elective
Spring: Intermediate/advanced workshop, elective

Year 2
Fall: intermediate/advanced workshop, special topic seminar, elective
Spring: masters workshop, thesis tutorial, baccalaureate exam

Representative Senior Theses in Creative Writing

• The Art of Being Hidden: A Short Story Collection
• This Is Gospel: Seven Stories and a Nonfiction Braid
• Angled Toward Hell, Accompanied by Artist Statement Haunting the Space of Erasure
• Some of These People Are Criminals: An Audio-Only Musical
• The Face of a Skull Shifting: A Poetry Comic
• Divine Inspiration and the Author’s Voice
• Mother I Told Them the Story: The Craft of Bringing A Ghost To Life