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Program Description
This minor offers students not majoring in English the opportunity to explore different forms of creative writing--fiction, poetry, and nonfiction--or to focus primarily on one of them. Students receive instruction and practice the art and craft of writing in small, workshop courses.
What is Creative Writing?
Creative writing is a liberal arts discipline concerned with the practice of literary art, the life of the imagination, and the capacities of language. Creative writing students analyze masterworks of fiction, poetry, and literary nonfiction from different periods and cultures; compose their own original works; develop editing and communication skills; and explore the world of contemporary publishing.
You Might Like This Program If...
The qualities we encourage in our students prepare them to be dynamic employees who are creative thinkers and problem-solvers. Many of our students have gone on to careers as published writers, novelists, poets, essayists, short story writers, and writers of young adult literature. Other students find they are well prepared for careers in writing for the media, business, public and private foundations, and government. Higher and secondary education careers have been popular choices as well. Our students often pursue advanced degrees in fields such as creative writing, literature, law, psychology, linguistics, and ethnic and gender studies.
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18 |
Requirements for the Minor
Some courses may require prerequisites.
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 9 credits of introductory-level courses (200-level) from the following: | 9 | |
Introduction to Fiction Writing  | ||
| Introduction to Poetry Writing | ||
| Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Introduction to General Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Television Script Writing | ||
| Select 9 credits of advanced-level writing workshop courses (400-level) from the following: | 9 | |
| Studies in Genre | ||
| Honors Seminar in English: Creative Writing | ||
| Advanced Fiction Writing | ||
| Advanced Poetry Writing | ||
| Biographical Writing | ||
| Advanced Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Fiction Workshop | ||
| Creative Writing and the Natural World | ||
ENGL 425 | ||
| New Media and Literature | ||
| The American Short Story | ||
| American Fiction Since 1945 | ||
| The Poet in America | ||
| American Nonfiction Prose | ||
| The World Novel in English | ||
| Internship | ||
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program
Erie
Tom Noyes, Ph.D.
Professor of English and Creative Writing
170 Kochel
Erie, PA 16563
814-898-6209
twn2@psu.edu
Harrisburg
Maggie Gerrity, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator
Olmsted Building, W355
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6629
mlg34@psu.edu
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
434 Burrowes Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-0258
kkj1@psu.edu
https://english.la.psu.edu/undergraduate/
Erie
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
170 Kochel Center
Erie, PA 16563
814-898-6108
hssoffice@psu.edu
https://behrend.psu.edu/school-of-humanities-social-sciences
Harrisburg
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Olmsted Building, W356
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6189
mpf5451@psu.edu
https://harrisburg.psu.edu/humanities/creative-writing-minor