The Creative Writing Major & Minor

The Program in Creative Writing takes a comprehensive approach to the study of contemporary literature from a writer’s perspective. Through a variety of workshop and small discussion-based classes, our students work alongside established authors to explore the practice of creative writing. The Program is committed to artistic experimentation, academic inquiry, and interdisciplinary exploration. 

Creative Writing students will become skilled writers in multiple literary genres and will develop a theoretically informed understanding of the aesthetic, historical, social, and political contexts of a range of contemporary writing. Graduates of the Program will be prepared to succeed in a range of fields within the public and private sectors through a multifaceted, forward-thinking pedagogy centered on peer critique, craft, and innovative literary expression. 

The Creative Writing major is offered in two tracks: Standard and Intensive. The Standard Track requires 11 courses (1100 units). The Intensive Track requires 14 courses (1400 units), literary community participation, and the submission of a thesis in the student’s fourth year. Only students pursuing the Intensive Track will qualify for consideration for honors. In addition to the major, the program also offers a six course (600 units) Minor in English and Creative Writing. 

Students who matriculated in academic year 2025-26 or earlier also have the option to complete the Legacy version of the major or minor. For more information on the Legacy requirement paths, who is eligible, how to switch from a Legacy to a New requirement path, and how courses will translate between the New and Legacy paths, please review the Legacy Major and Minor webpage. 

Undergraduate Studies by the end of Autumn Quarter of their third year. Students must be on the Intensive Track to be eligible for consideration for honors.  

• Fourteen (14) courses meeting the following distribution requirements
  • Three (3) Creative Writing Workshop I Classes (one in each genre)
  • Two (2) Creative Writing Workshop II Classes
  • Three (3) Creative Writing Studios
  • Four (4) Literature Requirements
    • One (1) Introductory Genre Course offered by the Dept. of English Language and Literature, selected from a pre-approved list
    • One (1) Pre-1900s Literature Course offered by the Dept. of English Language and Literature or other language and literature program
    • Two (2) Additional Literature Courses offered by the Dept. of English Language and Literature or other language and literature program
  • *One (1) Thesis Workshop
  • *Literary Community Participation Requirement
• Total units: 1400

*BA Thesis (Intensive Major Track Only) 
In Spring Quarter of their third year, majors in the Intensive Track will be assigned a Writing and Research Advisor who will mentor students throughout the completion of their creative writing thesis. In Winter Quarter of their fourth year, Intensive Majors will enroll in a Thesis Workshop. The instructor of this workshop will serve as the faculty adviser for their BA Thesis and help them submit their completed thesis in the Spring Quarter. In order to be eligible for honors, Intensive Majors must complete a BA Thesis and meet GPA requirements. 

*Literary Community Participation Requirement (Intensive Major Track Only)
Majors in the Intensive Track must commit to robust literary community participation such as literary outreach, magazine editing, participation in Art of the Intro, festival volunteering, relevant extra-curricular commitment, etc. The instructor of each student’s Winter Thesis Workshop, in conjunction with the Creative Writing Director of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs Administrator, will determine if the requirement was met. Students must complete the literary community participation requirement to be considered for honors.  

Program Honors
To qualify for honors consideration, majors must be in the Intensive Track; must complete all Intensive Track requirements; must complete all assignments set by their Writing and Research Advisor; and must have a major GPA of at least 3.6 and an overall GPA of at least 3.25. The Program in Creative Writing will award honors only to exceptional projects from a given cohort, based on the quality of the student's thesis and the assessment of their faculty advisor and their Writing and Research Advisor.

Double Majors
Students double majoring in Creative Writing and another major (with the exception of English Language and Literature) can count a maximum of three courses toward both majors (pending approval from both departments).  Students pursuing a double major with English Language and Literature may double count four courses maximum between the English and Creative Writing majors. Substitutions for a further course will be subject to approval, but students may not substitute non-literature courses to meet a literature requirement. 

To discuss or declare the Creative Writing major, please contact Creative Writing Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Vu Tran. 

Students who are not English Language and Literature or Creative Writing majors may complete a minor in English and Creative Writing. The minor requires six courses (600 units). Any combination of English (ENGL) and Creative Writing (CRWR) courses will satisfy the minor requirements. 

Courses in the minor may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors and may not be counted toward general education requirements. Creative Writing Arts Core courses can be used toward the minor if they are not already counted toward the general education requirement in the Arts.  

Students completing the minor will be given enrollment preference for Creative Writing courses. Minors interested in Creative Writing workshops should plan to take a CRWR Workshop I course before taking a CRWR Workshop II course in the same genre. 

To discuss or declare an English and Creative Writing minor, please contact Creative Writing Student Affairs Administrator, Matthew Hawkins.

If their circumstances change, students who started their course of study in either the major or the minor may request a transfer to the more feasible or desirable program. Creative Writing Workshop and Studio courses, as well as English Language and Literature courses, may count toward either the Creative Writing major or English and Creative Writing minor. Students should consult with their academic adviser if considering such a transfer and must update their planned program of study with either the Student Affairs Administrator or the Director of Undergraduate Studies, in either English or Creative Writing