English/Creative Writing, BA

Courses that fulfill requirements for the English major have the following code designation in the course description:

A	American
BE	British & European Literature, 1800-Present
CW	Creative Writing
EM	Early Modern, 1500-1800
NW	U.S. Ethnic/Non-Western
PM	Pre-Modern Literature to 1500

Requirements

The creative writing program’s goal is to develop the writing skills and encourage the creative talents of undergraduate students. The curriculum for the major and minor includes both traditional literature and beginning and advanced creative writing courses in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, expressive writing, popular genre writing, and script writing. All writing courses include a substantial reading requirement, but with emphasis on craft. The faculty includes regular members of the English Department as well as writers-in-residence from the Northwest. A student interested in the major or minor in English/Creative Writing should speak with the director.

In order to earn the bachelor of arts degree with a major in English/Creative Writing, students must complete a minimum of 180 quarter credits, with a cumulative and a major/program grade point average of 2.00, including the following:

II. College of Arts and Sciences Requirements

Modern Language 115, 125, 135, or equivalent (15)

NOTE:

All students with a major in the College of Arts and Sciences must demonstrate competency through the level of 135 in a language other than English. This competency is ordinarily achieved by successful completion of the three-course sequence: 115, 125, and 135. Because these courses are a college requirement, no course in the sequence may be taken on a pass/fail, correspondence, or audit basis. Placement into other than the beginning course of the sequence is achieved by acceptable performance on the Modern Language Competency Examination. See the Modern Languages Department for details on the examinations. Courses used to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences modern language requirement may not be used to fulfill creative writing major requirements.

Choose one of the following two courses:

I. Core Curriculum Requirements

Module I: Engaging Academic Inquiry

UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning (or MATH 118 or above)
UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation
UCOR 1400 - Inquiry Seminar in the Humanities
UCOR 1600 - Inquiry Seminar in the Social Sciences
UCOR 1800 - Inquiry Seminar in the Natural Sciences (or BIOL 161/171, 200, CHEM 121/131, PHYS 105, 121)

Module II: Exploring the Self and Others

Module III: Engaging the World

III. Major Requirements

63 credits in English, including:

Required areas: (15)

Then choose a 300-400 level course from three of the following five area requirements . At least one of these 300-level courses must include 300, 301, 302, 303, or 306. In addition, among the three required area courses and one elective course, at least one course must be at the 400 level.

Pre-modern Literature, to 1500
Early Modern Literature, 1500-1800
British & European Literature, 1800-Present
American Literature
U.S. Ethnic & Non-Western Literature

Choose courses in at least three genres (300-400 level): (20)

English Electives (300-400 level): (5)

Senior Synthesis/Capstone: (3 or 5)

ENGL 487 - Senior Synthesis

NOTE:

A required course may not be used to satisfy two requirements simultaneously.

Additional Information

Creative Writing

These courses focus on the craft of imaginative writing in four genres (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, scripts) and are available to all students, though priority may be given to English and Creative Writing majors.

Literature (200-level)

200-level Readings Courses are foundational to the advanced study of literature and creative writing. Students will learn to identify different literary genres and conventions, and to develop close reading skills while developing a coherent sense of the sweep of English and American literary history.

Literature (300-level)

300-level courses build on the skills of close reading developed in 200-level courses, extend students’ repertoire of interpretive strategies, and teach sound habits of scholarship needed for success in 400-level courses. 300-level courses offer a wide range of approaches to literature. Instructors’ teaching strategies and course assignments aim to help students read with sophistication, develop theoretical awareness, and understand disciplinary methods of inquiry and analysis. 300-level courses are designed for both majors and non-majors. English Majors are advised to complete 300, 301, 302, 303, or 306 before taking a 400-level literature course.

Literature (400-level)

Courses with a 400 number are advanced studies in literature and writing that build on the research writing skills developed in 300-level courses. 400-level courses have three goals: first, to help students gain a depth of understanding of a focused series of texts, e.g. on a major theme, by one or two authors, or in a particular genre; second, to help students gain an understanding of various theories and methods of literary criticism, as well as learn to apply them to the central texts of the course; and third, to assist students in the writing of a major scholarly paper or creative portfolio. The literary paper will demonstrate close reading, the raising of a literary question in relation to debates among the critics, and the pursuit of an extended and persuasive literary argument.

Departmental Honors

English/Creative Writing Major with Departmental Honors