Minor in English & Creative Writing

The minor in English and Creative Writing is a program that incorporates both creative and critical elements of writing and reading. Students pursuing the minor not only participate in workshop courses through the Creative Writing Department, but also take literature courses from the English Department. Declared minors get some priority in application-based Creative Writing workshops.

• 1 Fundamentals in Creative Writing Seminar
• 2 Workshops
  • one Beginning Workshop
  • one Advanced Workshop in the same genre
• 3 CRWR or ENGL electives 

Note: This set of requirements applies to students who declare a major in Creative Writing during the 2023-24 school year or in subsequent years.

• Courses may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or other minors
• Courses counted towards the minor may not be counted toward general education requirements

Note: This set of requirements applies to students who declared a minor in Creative Writing prior to the AY24 update. This includes students who declared during the 2020-21, 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic years.

Newer minors, students who declare in AY24, and students who have formally redeclared under the new requirements due to extenuating circumstances should refer to the updated 2023-24 guidelines above.

• 2 workshop courses 
  • At least one workshop must be at the advanced level
• 3 CRWR or ENGL electives 
  • In some cases, we accept literature electives taken through other departments
• 1 Thesis/Major Projects Workshop to be taken during Winter Quarter of the student's fourth year
• 1 portfolio of the student's work (due in Spring Quarter)

Please Note:

• Courses may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or other minors
• Courses counted towards the minor may not be counted toward general education requirements
• In some cases, other literature courses can count towards English Literature electives

There are two steps to declaring a minor in Creative Writing:

1. Meet with the Student Affairs Administrator to start a minor worksheet
2. Log on to my.uchicago.edu to select the minor
    

Students who have completed both steps are considered officially declared at the department level and therefore eligible for priority in minor courses.