bucknell university creative writing program

Bucknell University BA in Creative Writing

How much does a bachelor’s in creative writing from bucknell cost, bucknell undergraduate tuition and fees.

Does Bucknell Offer an Online BA in Creative Writing?

Bucknell bachelor’s student diversity for creative writing, male-to-female ratio.

About 78.9% of the students who received their BA in creative writing in 2019-2020 were women. This is higher than the nationwide number of 72.8%.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

Racial-ethnic minority graduates* made up 31.6% of the creative writing bachelor’s degrees at Bucknell in 2019-2020. This is higher than the nationwide number of 26%.

Popular Reports

Compare your school options.

• Interesting for you
• My settings

English - Creative Writing

Express yourself in Bucknell University's English - Creative Writing program, where majors dive into workshops in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Practice craft and technique, develop your voice and style, enter your poetry and prose in competitions, and be inspired by diverse voices in contemporary literature.

Bucknell University Multiple locations Lewisburg , Pennsylvania , United States Not ranked Studyportals University Meta Ranking 4.7 Read 3 reviews

At the University's Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts, you'll find a community with a lively reading series, internship opportunities, a summer poetry seminar and a vibrant slate of writers-in-residence.

Graduate of the English - Creative Writing program, at Bucknell University, with strong communication skills for job success in an array of careers including publishing, journalism, grant writing and financial analysis. Arts Merit Scholarships are available to prospective students.

Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts

The Stadler Center focuses on promoting poets and poetry while also recognizing our expanded offerings in other literary genres. The center offers a wide variety of programs that promote the advancement of the literary arts on and off Bucknell's campus.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

• Creative Writing
• English Literature

Key information

• 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

• Apply before 2025-01-15 00:00:00

Disciplines

Academic requirements.

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Student insurance.

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

• Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
• Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
• Home contents and baggage

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Bucknell University and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal .

Other requirements

General requirements.

• Submit your personal essays electronically through the application website you choose.
• Pay the nonrefundable $40 application fee electronically when you apply or request a fee waiver through the application website.
• Official secondary school transcript in certified English translations, if applicable.
• Mid-year Report and/or copy of your updated transcript, if applicable.
• Common Application teacher evaluation form in English.
• Early Decision Agreement form, including all required signatures (for early decision applicants only).
• Copy of biographical photo page of passport.
• All applicants to all of Bucknell's degree programs are required to have completed a minimum of two years of a foreign language (in the same language) in secondary school.
• All applicants to all of Bucknell's degree programs are required to have completed a minimum of two-and-a-half years of college-preparatory mathematics.

Tuition Fee

International, living costs for lewisburg.

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for English - Creative Writing.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

Read more about eligibility

• missing or incomplete ?"> Missing or incomplete content
• wrong or outdated ?"> Wrong or outdated content

Other interesting programmes for you

Our partners.

Go to your profile page to get personalised recommendations!

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

List of All U.S. Colleges with a Creative Writing Major

Writing has been my passion practically since I learned to read in kindergarten. I would write stories about princesses and my family dog, Gansett. When it came time to look at colleges, I was set on attending one with a strong creative writing program. Ultimately, I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars.

Today, colleges across the country offer creative writing as a major. Because writing skills are essential for a wide range of careers, and because most curricula emphasize broad liberal arts competencies, a degree in creative writing can set you up for success in numerous fields, whether you want to be an editor or a lawyer.

Interested in majoring in creative writing? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

Overview of the Creative Writing Major

Creative writing is about more than spinning tales. For your major, you’ll generally need to pursue a curriculum grounded in literature, history, foreign language, and other humanities courses, along with distribution courses, if the college requires them.

Most creative writing majors must participate in workshops, in which students present their work and listen to peer critiques, usually with a certain number of advanced courses in the mix. In some cases, colleges will ask you to specialize in a particular genre, such as fiction, poetry, or playwriting. 

To succeed in creative writing, you’ll need to have a tough spine, in order to open yourself up to feedback from your classmates and instructors. You may need to give readings in public — if not as an undergraduate, certainly during your career. Of course, a passion for creating is essential, too, as is a willingness to revise your work and learn from the greats and your peers.

A creative writing major opens up doors to many careers, including journalism, content marketing, copywriting, teaching, and others. Even careers that don’t center around writing often have a strong writing component: you’ll need to write reports, deliver presentations, and so on.

Some writers go on to earn an MFA, which will help you hone your craft. It’s also often a prerequisite for teaching creative writing at the college level.

What to Look for in a College as a Creative Writing Major

Published authors on faculty.

Many world-renowned authors have another claim to fame: professorships. Writers who have taught their craft include (among many others):

• Maya Angelou (Wake Forest University)
• Colson Whitehead (many colleges, including Vassar College and Columbia University)
• Stephen Dixon (Johns Hopkins University)
• Viet Thanh Nguyen (University of Southern California)
• Eula Biss (Northwestern University)
• Toni Morrison (Princeton University)

Be aware that as an undergraduate, you may not be able to learn from the greats. That’s why it’s important to look into which courses these faculty teach before you have dreams of being mentored by Salman Rushdie — who is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU.

Genres Offered

While many schools that have creative writing majors offer fiction and poetry courses and tracks, there are some niche genres that could be more difficult to find. If you’re interested in playwriting, for example, you won’t find that at every school. Before you decide on a program, be sure it includes the genres you’d like to explore further, whether that’s flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or something else.

Workshopping Opportunities

The core of most quality creative writing curriculum is workshopping. This means sharing your work in your classes and listening to your peers discuss and critique it. While this may sound intimidating, it can do a lot to help you hone your work and become a better writer. Look for colleges that make this the bedrock of their curriculum.

Showcasing Opportunities

Are there opportunities to present your work, such as college-sponsored readings where undergraduates can participate? Or, perhaps the school has a great literary journal. At my school, students could submit their plays and have them performed by fellow students. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Creative Writing Major

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

No matter what major you’re considering, the first step is ensuring you’re academically comparable to students who were previously accepted to the college or university. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who aren’t up to their standards.

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with the school and specific major with the qualitative components of your application, like your extracurriculars and essays. For a prospective creative writing major, the essay is particularly important because this is a way to demonstrate your writing prowess. Activities might include editing your school’s newspaper or literary journal, publishing your work, and participating in pre-college writing workshops.

Want to know your chances of being accepted to top creative writing schools? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes your individual profile into account, including academic stats and qualitative components like your activities. Give it a try and get a jumpstart on your journey as a creative writing major!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

The Bucknellian

• Special Features
• Top Stories

What’s going on in the writing world on campus?

Nicole Yeager , Special Features Editor March 10, 2021

On a campus like ours — one full of niche communities and groups — it is likely that not everyone knows about the various clubs and organizations that cater to specific “worlds.” For underclassmen and upperclassmen alike, it can be hard to find these certain clubs and organizations — especially in times like now, when connecting is even harder than usual. One community in particular is the Writing World. This community goes beyond English professors and students majoring in English; it encompasses every individual who contributes, in some way, to the sense of literary citizenship here on campus. 

The Stadler Center

The Writing World mainly revolves around the Stadler Center. This institution is housed in Bucknell Hall, a quaint brick building located on Loomis Street across from the Grove. Ever since its establishment in 1988 – by alumnus Jack Stadler ’40, his wife Ralynn and Professor of English John Wheatcroft ’49 – the center has continued to grow and foster the literary community on campus. According to their website, “the Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts seeks to foster in a wide and varied audience an appreciation for the diversity and richness of contemporary poetry and other literary arts.” 

Their staff is made up of what is called a “steering committee;” at the moment, this includes Director Chet’la Sebree, Program Manager Andrew Ciotola, Creative Writing Program Director Chris Camuto, Acting Editor Joe Scapellato, Bucknell Seminar for Undergraduate Poets Director K.A. Hays and Professor of English Elena Machado. 

On campus, the Stadler Center hosts various events and programs. The oldest programs are the Writer-in-Residence and Poet-in-Residence programs, which run in the fall and spring semesters, respectively. They also invite various established and esteemed writers to visit the University, often holding readings and Q&A sessions in their honor. Additionally, the Stadler Center has launched a student open-mic program—hosted in partnership with the Creative Writing Club. 

“Stadler Center programs serve not only the Bucknell community, but also the national community of poets and writers that comprises the American literary scene. Like other university-based centers, we help to connect the campus to the wider world,” Ciotola said.

The Stadler Center is also home to West Branch literary magazine. The magazine publishes an issue each semester, featuring work from newly established writers from across the nation and beyond. The current masthead consists of Acting Editor Scapellato, Managing Editor and Book Review Editor Ciotola, Stadler Associate Editors Jennifer Loyd and Laura Villareal, Associate Fiction Editor Lindsey Drager, Associate Nonfiction Editor Hasanthika Sirisena and Editor-at-Large Shara Lessley.

Most notable, West Branch offers an engaging internship program for undergraduate students each semester; interns are considered a part of the magazine’s masthead and gain first-hand experience. This semester, the West Branch Interns are Andrei Bucaloiu ’22 and Nicole Yeager ’22. Applications for the Fall 2021 internship are now being accepted; all information can be found on the website and any questions can be directed to Ciotola. 

If you aren’t already familiar with the Stadler Center’s presence on campus, be sure to check out their website to view audio recordings of some past readings and learn more about their programs. On Thursday, March 11, the Stadler Center held their first event of the semester: a poetry reading from Diana Khoi Nguyen. Upcoming events include: a fiction reading and Q&A session with Angie Cruz on Mar. 23 at 7 p.m. and March 25 at noon as well as another student open-mic on Apr. 1 at 7 p.m. If you’re interested in signing up for any of these events, check out the Stadler Center website or reach out to Sebree.

The Writing Center

One great student resource and welcoming writing community on campus is the Writing Center. Typically located in Carnegie Library – but currently functioning entirely via Zoom – this resource provides support and guidance for all writers in the entire University community including students, professors, faculty and staff. Their mission is to “offer individualized support to help improve your writing” and they “encourage writing as a process of creating and communicating knowledge.” 

The Writing Center staff consists of Director Deirdre O’Connor, Coordinator Jo Reish, five faculty consultants–Peg Cronin, Loren Gustafson, Sabrina Kirby, Megan Mulligan, and O’Connor–and (currently) 29 peer writing consultants. Each consultant conducts one-hour sessions with writers, in which they facilitate discussion and conversation about the writer’s work in order to help clarify ideas and all content. 

“One of my favorite things about working at the Writing Center is the subject range we get to engage with. Students can bring in any type of paper or written assignment from science to math to english to history. During my time as a PWC, I’ve gotten to work with some really cool papers on unique concepts—allowing me a glimpse into some classes here on campus I don’t get to take,” peer writing consultant Bel Carden ’22 said.

Writers can schedule a consulting session by calling during weekdays or booking online through TutorTrac; the link to book online can be found on the Writing Center’s website. All sessions are being conducted remotely via Zoom (or other platforms if necessary) at the moment. Check out their website for any more information!

On Wednesday, Mar. 10, the Writing Center hosted a panel discussion via Zoom titled “Pandemic U: A conversation with peer writing consultants.” The idea for this endeavor stemmed from the Writing Center’s weekly Zoom meetings where peer writing consultants and faculty talk about their work as well as their personal lives, especially in pandemic times. This discussion was organized by O’Connor, as well as the 10 peer writing consultants involved. 

If you were unable to attend this first panel discussion, or otherwise missed it, there will be another one held on Tuesday, Mar. 16. The information and Zoom link will be available through the message center; please contact O’Connor with any questions. 

The Creative Writing Club & confetti head

One newly-established student-run organization on campus is the Creative Writing Club. This club grew out of a final project in Scapellato’s class: “The Writing World;” a group of students recognized the need for a “literary hub” on campus for all individuals who have a passion for writing, at least to some degree. Since its first few members and meetings, the club has seen promising growth since last year. The executive team is: President Yeager, Vice President Tabitha Chilton ’22, Treasurer Magui Torres ’22 and Events Manager Kalie Yuen ’22. 

“As vice president, what I love most about the club is that, while our executive team does a lot of behind the scenes planning, each and every member is able to contribute as much or as little as they want and get the most that they can out of the club for their own personal growth as a writer,” Chilton said.

The club now has over 15 members and meets once a week on Tuesday afternoons. They hold freewrites and workshops within their tight-knit group, and are hoping to have bigger events going forward. 

“With the warmer weather coming, we are hoping to have a literary festival later this semester. We will have food, book giveaways and an open-mic at the festival. We hope it’ll solidify our presence on campus and get more people involved,” Yuen said.

A more recent upcoming event that the club will be hosting is an open-mic in the next week; be sure to look out for more information about this event! If you are interested in learning more about the Creative Writing Club, reach out to Yeager.

Stemming from the Creative Writing Club is the student-run literary magazine for all undergraduate writing and artwork: confetti head . Since it was first created in 2018, to take the place of the formerly disbanded magazine Fire & Ice , this magazine has been resurrected and rebranded this semester.

The masthead of confetti head is now made up of Editor-in-Chief Yeager; Head Editors Chilton, Hailey Robinson ’22, Josh Holm ’22, Michael Smith ’22, Shelby May ’23 and Sabrina Barner ’23; and PR/Marketing Manager Olivia Scotti ’22. 

confetti head accepts poetry, fiction and non-fiction submissions as well as visual artwork submissions from all undergraduate students at the University. Submissions are now open; be sure to check out their website and submit your work!

Bucknell began a partnership with Chartwells Higher Education on July 1, 2024, transitioning away from our dining partner of ten years, Parkhurst Dining; 165 of the original...

For the Fall 2024 semester, the Samek Art Gallery on Market St. is seeing a change of pace compared to its usual shows. Upon entering the gallery, visitors are greeted with...

Lt. Colbey Russell of Bucknell University’s Department of Public Safety has been named to the prestigious International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) “40 Under...

Elon Musk: A modern day free speech hero

September 20, 2024

Men’s Soccer tops Navy in conference opener

A reflection on the Creative Writing Club’s open mic night

Comments (0)

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ohio State navigation bar

• BuckeyeLink
• Search Ohio State

MFA in Creative Writing

The Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing at The Ohio State University is designed to help graduate students develop to the fullest their talents and abilities as writers of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Creative writing classes are conducted as workshops or tutorials, and there are numerous opportunities for related study both within and beyond the Department of English.  All students are fully funded for three years in a program that is well known for its sense of community and a faculty that is as committed to teaching as to their own writing.

Approximately 36 graduate students are taught by tenure track, visiting and affiliated (Film Studies) faculty, who also teach in the undergraduate program. Graduate student TAs teach introductory and intermediate special topics undergraduate creative writing courses, undergraduate literary publishing, as well as first-year and second-year writing (required courses for all Ohio State undergraduates). TAs teach two classes a year, one in autumn and one in spring. In addition, they have the opportunity to work as editors of Ohio State's prize-winning, nationally distributed literary magazine, The Journal , and to serve on the editorial staff of our two annual book prizes, one in poetry and one in prose.

Course offerings are varied and numerous. Special topics graduate workshops (in the long poem, in characterization, in literary translation, in humor writing, and so on) ensure that, in addition to "regular" workshops, opportunities abound for experimentation. Our graduate program includes coursework designed for "crossing over," such as, poetry workshops for MFA fiction writers or essayists with little experience writing poems; and "forms" classes in prosody, the novel, the memoir, novellas, for example. 

Screenwriting for MFAs is offered regularly, and many students also elect to study playwriting or writing for performance as an elective. Some MFAs choose to pursue the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in the Fine Arts (GISFA), which allows them to take graduate courses in other arts disciplines. Indeed, Ohio State's size and breadth offer our students the chance to explore many disciplines that enrich their study and practice of creative writing.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Core faculty.

Marcus Jackson is the director of the Creative Writing Program. He earned a BA from the University of Toledo and continued his poetry studies at New York University (NYU) and as a Cave Canem fellow. His poems have appeared in such publications as  The American Poetry Review ,  The New Yorker  and  Tin House . His first collection of poetry,  Neighborhood Register , was released in 2011, and his second collection,  Pardon My Heart  (Northwestern University Press/TriQuarterly Books) came out in 2019. Please visit Marcus Jackson's  website . Email:   [email protected]

Kathy Fagan Grandinetti  is the author of five books of poems:  Sycamore  (Milkweed Editions, 2017);  The Raft , a National Poetry Series Award Winner;  MOVING & ST RAGE , winner of the 1998 Vassar Miller Prize for Poetry;  The Charm  (2002); and  LIP  (2009). Her poems have been widely anthologized and her work has appeared in such publications as  Poetry ,  The Paris Review ,  FIELD ,  The Kenyon Review ,  Slate ,  Ploughshares ,  The New Republic  and  Blackbird . She is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Ingram Merrill Foundation, The Frost Place and the Ohio Arts Council. Director of the Creative Writing Program, she continues to serve as advisor to  The Journal , for which she and Michelle Herman were awarded the 2004 Ohioana Award for Editorial Excellence. Fagan is also series editor for The Ohio State University Press/ The Journal  Wheeler Poetry Prize. Please visit Kathy Fagan's  website . Email:  [email protected]

Lee Martin  is the author of the novels  The Bright Forever ( a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction);  River of Heaven ;  Quakertown ;  Break the Skin ; and  Late One Night . He has also published three memoirs:  From Our House ,  Turning Bones  and  Such a Life . His first book was the short story collection,  The Least You Need To Know , and a new collection,  The Mutual UFO Network , was published in 2018. His craft book,  Telling Stories: The Craft of Narrative and the Writing Life , came out in 2017. He is the co-editor of  Passing the Word: Writers on Their Mentors.  His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in such places as  Harper's, Ms., Creative Nonfiction, The Georgia Review, The Kenyon Review, Fourth Genre, River Teeth, The Southern Review, Prairie Schooner, Glimmer Train, The Best American Mystery Stories  and  The Best American Essays . He is the winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council. He was the winner of the 2006 Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching from Ohio State, where he is a College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of English. Please visit Lee Martin's  website . Email:   [email protected]

Elissa Washuta  is a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and a writer of personal essays and memoir. She is the author of three books:  Starvation Mode,   My Body Is a Book of Rules , named a finalist for the Washington State Book Award, and  White Magic , named a finalist for the 2022 PEN Open Book Award. With Theresa Warburton, she is co-editor of the anthology  Exquisite Vessel: Shapes of Native Nonfiction,  forthcoming from University of Washington Press. Her work has appeared in  Salon ,  The Chronicle of Higher Education ,  BuzzFeed  and elsewhere. She has received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, Artist Trust, 4Culture, Potlatch Fund and Hugo House. Please visit Elissa Washuta's website . Email: [email protected]

Nick White is the author of the story collection  Sweet and Low  and the novel  How to Survive a Summer.  His fiction and essays have appeared in  The Kenyon Review, The Literary Review, Indiana Review, Guernica  and elsewhere. A native of Mississippi, he earned a PhD in English and creative writing from The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Please visit Nick White's  website . Email: [email protected]

Affiliated faculty

Angus Fletcher  is the Black List and Nicholl award-winning screenwriter of MIDDLE EARTH (produced by Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, directed by Michel Apted), WEE FREE MEN (produced by Allison Thomas and Gary Ross, based on the novel by Terry Pratchett), and VARIABLE MAN (produced by Isa Dick and Electric Shepherd, based on the novella by Philip K. Dick). He earned his PhD from Yale and has published articles on dramatic ethics and practice in Critical Inquiry, New Literary History, The Journal of the History of Philosophy, and a dozen other academic journals. His book Evolving Hamlet appeared on Palgrave in 2011, and his research and writing has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, and the Mellon Foundation. Prior to coming to Ohio State, he taught at USC, Stanford and Teach for America. Email: [email protected]

Alumni of the MFA Program in Creative Writing have had their fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction appear in  The Best American Essays, The Best New American Voices, The Best American Travel Writing, Tin House, Southern Review, Kenyon Review, Gettysburg Review, Glimmer Train, Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, River Teeth, The Yale Review, Poetry, American Poetry Review, New Criterion, Field, Iowa Review, The Paris Review, Prairie Schooner, North American Review, Ploughshares, The Washington Post Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Quarterly West, Epoch, Five Points , and other notable venues.

Below are just a few of these outstanding alumni poets and writers.

Maggie Smith  is the author of  Weep Up  (Tupelo Press, forthcoming 2018);  The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison  (Tupelo Press 2015), winner of the Dorset Prize and the 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards Gold Medal in Poetry  Lamp of the Body  (Red Hen Press 2005), winner of the Benjamin Saltman Award; and three prizewinning chapbooks. Her poems regularly appear in journals such as  The Paris Review, The Southern Review, The Gettysburg Review, Plume, Virginia Quarterly Review,  and  Guernica . The recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council, the Sustainable Arts Foundation, and elsewhere, Smith is a freelance writer and editor in Bexley, Ohio, and she serves as a consulting editor to the  Kenyon Review . (MFA, 2003) Maggie Smith's website . 

Photo credit: Lauren Powell

Claire Vaye Watkins  (MFA, 2011) is the author of the novel  Gold, Fame, Citrus  (2015) and  Battleborn  , a collection of stories (2012).  Battleborn  was awarded The Story Prize and the 2013 Dylan Thomas Prize and listed by the  San Francisco Chronicle  as one of the Best Books of 2012. Watkins was awarded an American Academy Arts & Letters Prize in 2012 and has received fellowships from the Writers’ Conferences at Sewanee and Bread Loaf. Her stories and essays have appeared in  Granta ,  One Story,   The Paris Review ,  Ploughshares ,  Glimmer Train ,  Best of the West 2011 , and  Best of the Southwest 2013.  Watkins is an assistant professor at Bucknell University and the co-director, with Derek Palacio, of the Mojave School, a non-profit creative writing workshop for teenagers in rural Nevada.

For more information about Watkins, her work, and the Mojave School, visit her website .

Photo credit: Heike Steinweg

Donald Ray Pollock  (MFA, 2009) is the author of the novel  The Devil All the TIme  (2011) and  Knockemstiff  (2008), a collection of stories. Pollock grew up in southern Ohio. At 17, He dropped out of high school to work in a meatpacking plant and then spent 32 years employed in a paper mill in Chillicothe, Ohio.  Knockemstiff  won the 2009 PEN/Robert Bingham Fellowship, and  The Devil All the Time  was listed by Esquire as one of the Three Books Every Man Should Read. Pollock's work has appeared in  Third Coast, The Journal ,  Sou’wester ,  Chiron Review ,  River Styx ,  Boulevard ,  Folio, Granta ,  The New York Times Book Review ,  Washington Square , and  The Berkeley Fiction Review . He is the 2012 recipient of the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, the most prestigious award for crime and detectives novels in France.

For more information about Pollock and his work, visit his website .

Yona Harvey  (MFA, 2001) is a literary artist living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is the author of the poetry collection  Hemming the Water  (Four Way Books: New York), which won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award from Claremont Graduate University.

She is also the recipient of an Individual Artist Grant in literary nonfiction from The Pittsburgh Foundation. Her poems can be found in  jubilat, Gulf Coast, Callaloo, West Branch,  and various journals and anthologies, including  A Poet’s Craft: A Comprehensive Guide to Making and Sharing Your Poetry  (Ed. Annie Finch). She lives not far from where jazz pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams grew up. Williams married the spiritual to the secular in her music, and is a regular muse in Yona’s writing. She is an assistant professor in the Writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

Visiting Writer John Murillo

Friday, September 22, 2023, at 5 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

John Murillo is the author of the poetry collections  Up Jump the Boogie  (Cypher 2010, Four Way Books 2020), finalist for both the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and the Pen Open Book Award and  Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry (Four Way 2020), winner of the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award and the Poetry Society of Virginia’s North American Book Award and finalist for the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, Believer Poetry Award, Maya Angelou Book Award, Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award and the NAACP Image Award.  His other honors include the Four Quartets Prize from the T.S. Eliot Foundation and the Poetry Society of America, two Larry Neal Writers Awards, a pair of Pushcart Prizes, the J Howard and Barbara MJ Wood Prize from the Poetry Foundation, an NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Cave Canem Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing.   

Visiting Writer Melissa Faliveno

Friday, November 3, 2023, at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Melissa Faliveno is the author of the debut essay collection  TOMBOYLAND , named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR, New York Public Library, Oprah Magazine and Electric Literature and recipient of a 2021 Award for Outstanding Literary Achievement from the Wisconsin Library Association. Her essays, interviews and reviews have appeared in  Esquire, Paris Review, Bitch, Literary Hub, Ms Magazine, Brooklyn Rail  and  Prairie Schooner , among others, and in the anthology  SEX AND THE SINGLE WOMAN: 24 WRITERS REIMAGINE HELEN GURLEY BROWN’S CULT CLASSIC (Harper Perennial, 2022). Melissa is the Fall 2022 Distinguished Visiting Writer in the MFA program at UNC–Wilmington, was the 2020-21 Kenan Visiting Writer at UNC–Chapel Hill, and has also taught creative writing at Kenyon College, Sarah Lawrence College, Catapult and to incarcerated men, high school students and adults in and around New York City.

Visiting Writer Thao Thai

Friday, February 23, 2024, at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Thao Thai is a writer based out of Ohio, whose work has been published or is forthcoming in the  Los Angeles Review of Books, WIRED, Real Simple, Catapult, The Sunday Long Read, Cup of Jo  and other publications. Thao’s debut novel,  Banyan Moon , is set to come out in June of 2023 (Mariner|HarperCollins). The novel has already been selected as an Indie Next pick, Indies Introduce Title, Book of the Month pick and the HarperCollins Lead Read of Summer 2023. Thao received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Ohio State University in 2012.

Visiting Writer Daisy Hernández

Friday, October 28, 2022 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Daisy Hernández is the author of  The Kissing Bug: A True Story of a Family, an Insect, and a Nation’s Neglect of a Deadly Disease  (Tin House, 2021), which won the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and was selected as an inaugural title for the National Book Foundation’s Science + Literature Program.  The Kissing Bug  was named a top 10 nonfiction book of 2021 by  Time  magazine and was a finalist for the New American Voices Award. Daisy is also the author of the award-winning memoir,  A Cup of Water Under My Bed  (Beacon Press, 2014), and co-editor of the classic feminist anthology,  Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today’s Feminism  (Seal Press, 2002). Her essays and fiction have appeared in numerous publications, and she has reported for  National Geographic, The Atlantic, The New York Times  and  Slate .

Visiting Writer Yona Harvey

Friday, November 18, 2022 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Yona Harvey is the author of the poetry collections  You Don’t Have to Go to Mars for Love  (Four Way Books, 2020), which won the Believer Book Award for Poetry, and  Hemming the Water  (Four Way Books, 2013), which won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. She co-wrote  Marvel’s World of Wakanda  with Roxane Gay, as well as  Black Panther & the Crew  with Ta-Nehisi Coates. Yona has worked with teenagers writing about mental health issues in collaboration with  Creative Nonfiction  magazine and is a 2022 Guggenheim Fellow. She is also a 2001 alumna of the Ohio State University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program.

Visiting Writer Jamel Brinkley

Friday, March 3, 2023 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Jamel Brinkley is the author of  A Lucky Man: Stories  (Graywolf Press, 2018), which was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Story Prize, the John Leonard Prize, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; and winner of a PEN Oakland Award and the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Jamel’s writing has appeared in  A Public Space, The Paris Review, Ploughshares, Gulf Coast, The Threepenny Review, Glimmer Train, American Short Fiction, The Believer  and  Tin House , and it has been anthologized twice in  The Best American Short Stories . Jamel was also the 2016-2017 Carol Houck Smith Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, a 2018-2020 Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, and he has been awarded a 2021 O. Henry Prize.

Visiting Writer Laura van den Berg

Friday, October 1, 2021 at 4 p.m. virtually. 

Laura van den Berg was born and raised in Florida. Her most recent collection of stories, I Hold a Wolf by the Ears , was published by FSG in July and named a “best summer read” by The New York Times, Time Magazine, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar and Entertainment Weekly , among others. She is the author of two previous collections, The Isle of Youth (FSG, 2013) and What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us (Dzanc Books, 2009) and the novels Find Me (FSG, 2015) and The Third Hotel (FSG, 2018). The Third Hotel was a finalist for the Young Lions Fiction Award, an IndieNext Pick, a Powell’s Books Indispensable Pick and named a “best book of 2018” by over a dozen publications. Laura’s honors include the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, the Bard Fiction Prize, a MacDowell Colony Fellowship, a Civitella Ranieri Foundation Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize, an O. Henry Award and the Jeannette Haien Ballard Writer’s Prize.

Visiting Writer LaTanya McQueen

Friday, November 5, 2021 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

McQueen’s novel  When the Reckoning Comes  was published with Harper Perennial , an imprint of HarperCollins . She’s also the author of  And It Begins Like This , an essay collection. She received her MFA from Emerson College, her PhD from the University of Missouri, was the 2017-2018 Robert P. Dana Emerging Writer Fellow at Cornell College and is currently an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Coe College. She writes both fiction and nonfiction and has been published in  Carve Magazine, Passages North, Bennington Review, Fugue, Ninth Letter, Grist, The Florida Review, Black Warrior Review, Fourteen Hills, New Orleans Review, Nimrod, New South and Booth . She’s won the Disquiet Literary Prize and the Walker Percy Prize in Fiction.

Visiting Writer Ilya Kaminsky

Friday, March 4, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Ilya Kaminsky was born in Odessa, former Soviet Union in 1977, and arrived to the United States in 1993, when his family was granted asylum by the American government. He is the author of  Deaf Republic  (Graywolf Press) and  Dancing In Odessa  (Tupelo Press) and co-editor and co-translated many other books, including  Ecco Anthology of International Poetry  (Harper Collins) and  Dark Elderberry Branch: Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva  (Alice James Books). His work won The Los Angeles Times Book Award, The Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, The National Jewish Book Award, the Guggenheim Fellowship, The Whiting Award, the American Academy of Arts and Letters' Metcalf Award, Lannan Fellowship, Academy of American Poets’ Fellowship, NEA Fellowship,  Poetry  magazine's Levinson Prize, and was also shortlisted for the National Book Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, Neustadt International Literature Prize and T.S. Eliot Prize (UK).

Visiting Writer Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Friday, March 26, 2021, at 4 p.m. on Zoom

Aimee Nezhukumatathil is the author of the New York Times best selling illustrated collection of nature essays and Kirkus Prize finalist, World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments  (2020, Milkweed Editions), which was chosen as Barnes and Noble’s Book of the Year. She has four previous poetry collections: Oceanic (Copper Canyon Press, 2018), Lucky Fish (2011), At the Drive-In Volcano  (2007) and Miracle Fruit  (2003), the last three from Tupelo Press. Her most recent chapbook is Lace & Pyrite , a collaboration of garden poems with the poet Ross Gay. Her writing appears twice in the Best American Poetry Series , The New York Times Magazine , ESPN , Ploughshares , American Poetry Review  and Tin House .

Visiting Writer Liza Wieland

Friday, September 13, 2019 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Liza Wieland is the author of eight works of fiction and a volume of poems. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Christopher Isherwood Foundation and the North Carolina Arts Council. She is the 2017 winner of the Robert Penn Warren Prize from the Fellowship of Southern Writers. Her novel,  A Watch of Nightingales , won the 2008 Michigan Literary Fiction Award and her previous novel,  Land of Enchantment , was a longlist finalist for the 2016 Chautauqua Prize. She lives in Oriental, North Carolina, and she teaches at East Carolina University.

Native Craft Reading Series presents Billy-Ray Belcourt

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Billy-Ray Belcourt (he/him) is a writer and academic from the Driftpile Cree nation. He is a PhD candidate and 2018 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta; his doctoral project is a creative-theoretical one called "The Conspiracy of NDN Joy." He is also a 2016 Rhodes Scholar and holds an MSt in women's studies from the University of Oxford and Wadham College. In the First Nations Youth category, Belcourt was awarded a 2019 Indspire Award, which is the highest honor the Indigenous community bestows on its own leaders. In January 2020, he will be an assistant professor of Indigenous creative writing at the University of British Columbia.

Visiting Writer Nicole Sealey

Friday, October 18, 2019 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311 MFA Workshop: Saturday, October 19 in Denney Hall 311

Born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and raised in Apopka, Florida, Nicole Sealey is the author of  Ordinary Beast , finalist for the PEN Open Book and Hurston/Wright Legacy Awards, and  The Animal After Whom Other Animals Are Named , winner of the Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize. Her other honors include a 2019 Rome Prize, the Stanley Kunitz Memorial Prize from The American Poetry Review, the Poetry International Prize and a Daniel Varoujan Award, grants from the Elizabeth George and Jerome Foundations, as well as fellowships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, CantoMundo, Cave Canem, MacDowell Colony and the Poetry Project. Her work has appeared in  The New Yorke r and elsewhere. Sealey holds an MLA in Africana studies from the University of South Florida and an MFA in creative writing from New York University. Formerly the executive director at Cave Canem Foundation, she is a 2019-2020 Hodder Fellow at Princeton University.

Visiting Writer Robert Fieseler

Friday, January 10, 2020 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311

Robert W. Fieseler is the 2019 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of  Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation , winner of the Edgar Award in Best Fact Crime and Lambda Literary's Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging Writers. He graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans.

Visiting Writer Dan Kois

Friday, January 24, 2020 at 4 p.m. in Denney Hall 311 MFA Workshop: Saturday, January 25 in Denney Hall 311

Dan Kois is the author of  How to Be a Family  and the co-author of  The World Only Spins Forward .

Visiting Writer Amy Fusselman

Wednesday, September 12 at 4:30 p.m. at the Wexner Center for the Arts Bookstore

Amy Fusselman  is a writer, artist and publisher based in New York City. She is the author of three books of nonfiction:  Savage Park: A Meditation on Play, Space and Risk for Americans Who Are Nervous, Distracted and Afraid to Die  (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015);  The Pharmacist’s Mate  (McSweeney’s, 2013); and  8  (McSweeney’s, 2013). Her new book,  Idiophone , was released from Coffee House Press on July 3rd, 2018. Her writing has appeared in  ARTnews, Ms., The New York Times, Artnet, The Believer, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency,  and  The Atlantic , among other places. Fusselman is the publisher at  Ohio Edit , a digital art and literary journal that offers 99-cent downloadable essays  on thought-provoking topics. 

Visiting Writer Danez Smith

Reading: Friday, September 14 at 4:30 p.m. in 311 Denney Hall. MFA Student Workshop: Saturday, September 15.

Danez Smith  is a Black, queer, poz writer and performer from St. Paul, MN. Danez is the author of  Don’t Call Us Dead  (Graywolf Press, 2017), a finalist for the National Book Award, and  [insert] boy  (YesYes Books, 2014), winner of the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry. Danez is also the author of two chapbooks,  hands on your knees  (2013, Penmanship Books) and  black movie  (2015, Button Poetry), winner of the Button Poetry Prize. They are the recipient of fellowships from the Poetry Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, and is a 2017 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow. Danez's work has been featured widely including in/on  Buzzfeed, The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, Best American Poetry, Poetry Magazine,  and on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Danez is a member of the Dark Noise Collective and is the co-host of VS with Franny Choi, a podcast sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and Postloudness. 

Visiting Writer Alice McDermott

Reading: Friday, September 28 at 4:30 p.m. in 311 Denney Hall. MFA Student Workshop: Saturday, September 29.

Alice McDermott ’s first novel,  A Bigamists' Daughter , was published to wide acclaim in 1982.  That Night  (1987), her second novel, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and for the  Los Angeles Times  Book Prize.  At Weddings and Wakes  (1992), her third novel, became a  New York Times  bestseller.  Charming Billy  (1998), won the National Book Award. Ms. McDermott's other books include  Child of My Heart  and  After This .  Ms. McDermott received her BA from the State University of New York at Oswego, and her MA from the University of New Hampshire. She has taught at the University of California at San Diego and American University, has been a writer-in-residence at Lynchburg and Hollins Colleges in Virginia, and was lecturer in English at the University of New Hampshire. Her short stories have appeared in  Ms., Redbook, Mademoiselle  and  Seventeen . The recipient of a Whiting Writers Award, Ms. McDermott is currently writer-in-residence at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. 

Visiting Writer Melissa Febos

Reading: Friday, March 1 in 311 Denney Hall. Time: 4 p.m. MFA Student Workshop: Saturday, March 2.

Melissa Febos  is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir,  Whip Smart  (St. Martin’s Press 2010) and the essay collection,  Abandon Me  (Bloomsbury 2017), which  The New Yorker  called “mesmerizing,” and was an Indie Next Pick and named a Best Book of 2017 by  Esquire, Book Riot, The Cut, Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Rail, Bustle, Refinery29, Salon , and  The Rumpus . The recipient of an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, she is currently Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Monmouth University. She serves on the Board of Directors of VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, the PEN America Membership Committee, and co-curated the Manhattan reading and music series, Mixer, for ten years. She curates literary events, teaches workshops, and speaks widely. The daughter of a sea captain and a psychotherapist, she was raised on Cape Cod and lives in Brooklyn. 

Native Craft Reading Series presents Tommy Pico

Friday, April 13, 2018 at 4 p.m. in Denney 311

Tommy “Teebs” Pico  is the founder and editor-in-chief of birdsong, an antiracist/queer-positive collective, small press and zine that publishes art and writing. The author of absentMINDR (VERBALVISUAL, 2014)—the first chapbook APP published for iOS mobile/tablet devices—Pico was a Queer/Art/Mentors inaugural fellow and a 2013 Lambda Literary fellow in poetry and has published poems in BOMB, Guernica, [PANK] and elsewhere. Originally from the Viejas Indian reservation of the Kumeyaay nation, he now lives in Brooklyn, where he co-curates the reading series Poets With Attitude (PWA) with Morgan Parker.

Visiting Writer Gabe Habash

Friday, April 6, 2018 at 4 p.m. in Denney 238

Columbus native Gabe Habash comes back to read from his debut novel,  Stephen Florida .  Hanya Yanagihara, author of  A Little Life , says, "In  Stephen Florida , Gabe Habash has created a coming-of-age story with its own, often explosive, rhythm and velocity. Habash has a canny sense of how young men speak and behave, and in Stephen, he's created a singular character: funny, ambitious, affecting, but also deeply troubled, vulnerable and compellingly strange. This is a shape-shifter of a book, both a dark ode to the mysteries and landscapes of the American West and a complex and convincing character study."  Gabe is currently the fiction reviews editor for  Publishers Weekly . He holds an MFA from New York University.

Visiting Writer Lina María Ferreira Cabeza-Vanegas (creative nonfiction)

Friday, February 23, 2018 at 4 p.m. in Denney 311 MFA Student Workshop: Saturday, February 24

Lina María Ferreira Cabeza-Vanegas received a 2016 Writer’s Award from the Rona Jaffe Foundation. Her nonfiction book,  Don’t Come Back , was released in 2017 from Mad River Books, an imprint of the Ohio State Press. She has MFA degrees in both creative nonfiction and literary translation, both from the University of Iowa. She is also the author of  Drown Sever Sing .

Native Craft Reading Series presents Toni Jensen

Reading:  Monday, November 13, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. in 311 Denney Hall

Toni Jensen ’s first story collection,  From the Hilltop , was published through the Native Storiers Series at the University of Nebraska Press. Her stories have been published in journals such as  Ecotone ,  Denver Quarterly , and  Fiction International  and have been anthologized in  New Stories from the South ,  Best of the Southwest , and  Best of the West: Stories from the Wide Side of the Missouri . She’s working on a collection-in-progress, called  Cowboyistan , about fracking and the sex trafficking of Indigenous women. She teaches in the Programs in Creative Writing and Translation at the University of Arkansas. She is Métis.

Visiting Writer Garth Greenwell (fiction)

Reading:  Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 5 p.m. in 311 Denney Hall MFA Student Workshop:  Saturday, November 4, 2017

Garth Greenwell  is the author of  What Belongs to You , which won the British Book Award for Debut of the Year, was longlisted for the National Book Award, and was a finalist for six other awards, including the PEN/Faulkner Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and the  Los Angeles Times  Book Prize. A  New York Times Book Review  Editors' Choice, it was named a Best Book of 2016 by over fifty publications in nine countries, and is being translated into eleven languages. His short fiction has appeared in  The New Yorker, The Paris Review ,  A Public Space , and  VICE , and he has written criticism for  The New Yorker , the  London Review of Books , and the  New York Times Book Review , among others. He lives in Iowa City.

MFA Alumna Molly Patterson

Reading:  Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 4 p.m. in 311 Denney Hall

Molly Patterson  was born in St. Louis and lived in China for several years. Her work has appeared in several magazines, including  The Atlantic Monthly  and  The Iowa Review . She was the 2012-2013 Writer-in-Residence at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., and is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize. Her debut novel,  Rebellion , was published by Harper (HarperCollins) in August 2017.

Visiting Poet Tarfia Faizullah

Reading:  Friday, October 20, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. in 311 Denney Hall MFA Student Workshop:  Saturday, October 21, 2017

Bangladeshi American poet  Tarfia Faizullah  grew up in Midland, Texas. She earned an MFA from the Virginia Commonwealth University program in creative writing. Her first book,  Seam  (2014), won the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry First Book Award. Faizullah’s honors and awards include an Associated Writers Program Intro Journals Award, a Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Prize, a Copper Nickel Poetry Prize, a Ploughshares’Cohen Award, and a Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Margaret Bridgman Scholarship in Poetry. A Kundiman fellow, she lives in Detroit where she teaches at the University of Michigan and is an editor for the Asian American Literary Review and Organic Weapon Arts Chapbook Series. Her second book is  Registers of Illuminated Villages  (Graywolf Press, 2018).

Visiting Writer Camille Dungy

Co-sponsored by project narrative.

Panel Discussion "A Conversation about Camille Dungy's Writing": Tuesday, September 19 at 4 p.m. in 311 Denney Hall Reading:  Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 11 a.m. in 311 Denney Hall 

Camille T. Dungy  is the author of four collections of poetry:  Trophic Cascade  (Wesleyan UP, 2017),  Smith Blue  (Southern Illinois UP, 2011),  Suck on the Marrow  (Red Hen Press, 2010), and  What to Eat, What to Drink, What to Leave for Poison  (Red Hen Press, 2006). Her debut collection of personal essays is  Guidebook to Relative Strangers  (W. W. Norton, 2017). Dungy’s honors include an American Book Award, two Northern California Book Awards, two NAACP Image Award nominations, and a California Book Award silver medal. Her poems and essays have been published in Best American Poetry, The 100 Best African American Poems, nearly thirty other anthologies, and over one hundred print and online journals.

Lia Purpura

April 7-9, 2017

Lia Purpura is the author of three collections of essays ( Rough Likeness, On Looking,  and  Increase ) in addition to a collection of translations and three books of poems. A Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award (for  On Looking ), she has also been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship, a Fulbright Foundation Fellowship (Translation, Warsaw, Poland), and three Pushcart Prizes. Lia Purpura is Writer in Residence at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in Baltimore, MD and teaches at the Rainier Writing Workshop  in Tacoma, WA. Recently, she has served as Bedell Visiting Writer at the University of Iowa’s MFA Program in Nonfiction.  www.liapurpura.com

Carl Phillips

October 22-23, 2016

Carl Phillips  is the author of numerous books of poetry, including  Reconnaissance ,  Silverchest ,  Double Shadow ,  Quiver of Arrows: Selected Poems 1986-2006 , and  Riding Westward . His honors include the 2006 Academy of American Poets Fellowship, an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Pushcart Prize, the Academy of American Poets Prize, induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the Library of Congress. Phillips served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets from 2006 to 2012. He is Professor of English and of African and African American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, where he also teaches in the Creative Writing Program.

Benjamin Percy

September 23-25, 2016 

Benjamin Percy is the author of three novels, the most recent among them  The Dead Lands   (Grand Central/Hachette, April 2015), a post apocalyptic reimagining of the Lewis and Clark saga. He is also the author of   Red Moon  (Grand Central/Hachette, May 2013) and  The Wilding  (Graywolf Press, 2010), as well as two books of short stories,  Refresh, Refresh  (Graywolf Press, 2007) and  The Language of Elk  (Grand Central/Hachette, 2012; Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2006).  His craft book —  Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction  — will be published by Graywolf Press in October of 2016. And his next novel,  The Dark Net , is due out in 2017 with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. He also writes the Green Arrow and Teen Titans series at DC Comics.  His honors include a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Whiting Writers’ Award, two Pushcart Prizes, the Plimpton Prize, and inclusion in Best American Short Stories and Best American Comics. He is a member of the WGA screenwriters’ guild and has sold scripts to FOX and Starz. He currently has several film and TV projects in development. 

Stuart Dybek

November 20-22, 2015

Stuart Dybek is the author of three books of fiction: I Sailed With Magellan , The Coast of Chicago , and Childhood and Other Neighborhoods . Both I Sailed With Magellan and The Coast of Chicago were New York Times Notable Books, and The Coast of Chicago was a One Book One Chicago selection.  Among Dybek’s numerous awards are a PEN/Malamud Prize “for distinguished achievement in the short story,” a Lannan Award, a Whiting Writers Award, an Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters, several O.Henry Prizes, and fellowships from the NEA and the Guggenheim Foundation. 

Meghan Daum

January 29-31, 2016

Meghan Daum is the author of four books, most recently the collection of original essays The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion . She is also the editor of Selfish, Shallow and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not To Have Kids . Her other books include the essay collection My Misspent Youth , the novel The Quality of Life Report , and Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived In That House , a memoir. Since 2005, Meghan has been an opinion columnist at The Los Angeles Times, covering cultural and political topics. She is the recipient of a 2015 Guggenheim Fellowship and is currently an adjunct associate professor in the M.F.A. Writing Program at Columbia University's School of the Arts.

Natalie Diaz

February 19-21, 2016

Natalie Diaz was born in the Fort Mojave Indian Village in Needles, California. She is Mojave and an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian community. She is the author of the poetry collection When My Brother Was an Aztec (2012). Her honors and awards include the Nimrod/Hardman Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry, the Louis Untermeyer Scholarship in Poetry from Bread Loaf, the Narrative Poetry Prize, and a Lannan Literary Fellowship. Diaz lives in Mohave Valley, Arizona, where she works with the last speakers of Mojave and directs a language revitalization program. 

BOOKS THAT COOK: The Making of a Literary Meal, A Food Writing Extravaganza

Thursday, March 26, 2015, Denney Hall 311 Food Writing Panel at 3 p.m. Reading at 4 p.m. Cooking Class (off-campus) at 6 p.m. (more details below and on  this flyer [pdf] )

Organized like a cookbook, Books that Cook:  The Making of a Literary Meal is a collection of American literature written on the theme of food.  The literary works within each section are an extension of these cookbooks, while the cookbook excerpts in turn become pieces of literature — forms of storytelling and memory-making all their own.  Each section offers a delectable assortment of poetry, prose and essays, and the selections all include at least one tempting recipe to entice readers to cook this book.    Edited by OSU alumni  Jennifer Cognard-Black  and  Melissa A. Goldthwaite , and including work by OSU creative writing professor  Kathy Fagan .

Food Writing Panel from 3-4 p.m. featuring:

Melissa Goldthwaite , Editor,  Books that Cook Jennifer Cognard-Black , Editor,  Books that Cook Colleen Leonardi , Managing Editor,  Edible Columbus Mike Bierschenk , Food Writer,  Optional Kitchen Nancy Yan , Lecturer, The Ohio State University Newark Jonathan Buehl , Associate Professor, Ohio State English

Literary Reading from 4-5 p.m. featuring:

Jennifer Cognard-Black , Editor,  Books that Cook Melissa Goldthwaite , Editor,  Books that Cook Kathy Fagan , Poet and Professor, MFA Faculty, OSU

Cooking Class (Hors d'Oeuvres) from 6-8 p.m.

with  Sarah Lagrotteria , Cooking Instructor and Recipe Editor for  Edible Columbus  at The Seasoned Farmhouse Cooking School in Clintonville

Gail Caldwell

Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 8 p.m. OSU Bookstore - Barnes & Noble Event Space, Second Floor 1598 N. High Street

Gail Caldwell was the chief book critic for The Boston Globe and the winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Her work was noted for “her insightful observations on contemporary life and literature.” She wrote  A Strong West Wind: A Memoir  (2006) about her native Texas, and Let's Take the Long Way Home (2010), a memoir of her friendship with author Caroline Knapp. Her latest book, New Life, No Instructions, was released in April 2014.  She has a Samoyed named Tula. 

Zadie Smith

Thursday, November 13, 2014 Mershon Auditorium/Wexner Center for the Arts 1871 N. High Street 5 p.m.

As of 2012, Zadie Smith has published four novels, all of which have received substantial critical praise. In 2003, she was included on Granta's list of 20 best young authors, and was also included in the 2013 list.[ She joined New York University's Creative Writing Program as a tenured professor on September 1, 2010. Smith has won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2006 and her novel  White Teeth  was included in Time magazine's TIME:  100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005 list.

Presented by the President and Provost's Diversity Lecture and Cultural Arts Series, with co-host The Humanities Institute.

Friday, January 16, 2015 at 7 p.m. OSU Bookstore - Barnes & Noble Event Space, Second Floor 1598 N. High Street

Jamaal May is a poet, editor and educator from Detroit, where he taught poetry in public schools and worked as a freelance audio engineer and touring performer. He is the author of  Hum  (2013), winner of the Beatrice Hawley Award, and two poetry chapbooks ( The God Engine  and  The Whetting of Teeth ). A graduate of Warren Wilson's MFA program for writers, Jamaal teaches in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program.  

Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum

Friday, February 6, 2015 at 8 p.m. OSU Bookstore - Barnes & Noble Event Space, Second Floor 1598 N. High Street

Sarah Shun-lien Bynum is the author of two novels,  Ms. Hempel Chronicles , a finalist for the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award, and  Madeleine Is Sleeping , a finalist for the 2004 National Book Award and winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. The recipient of a Whiting Writers’ Award and an NEA Fellowship, she was named one of “20 Under 40” fiction writers by the New Yorker. She lives in Los Angeles and teaches in the Graduate Writing Program at Otis College of Art and Design. 

January 25, 2014 OSU Bookstore - Barnes & Noble Event Space, Second Floor 1598 N. High Street 8 p.m.

Dan Chaon is the acclaimed author of  Among the Missing , which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and  You Remind Me of Me , which was named one of the best books of the year by  The Washington Post ,  Chicago Tribune ,  San Francisco Chronicle ,  The Christian Science Monitor , and  Entertainment Weekly , among other publications. Chaon’s fiction has appeared in many journals and anthologies, including  The Best American Short Stories ,  Pushcart Prize , and  The O. Henry Prize Stories . He has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award in Fiction, and he was the recipient of the 2006 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Chaon lives in Cleveland, Ohio, and teaches at Oberlin College, where he is the Pauline M. Delaney Professor of Creative Writing. 

November 25, 2013 311 Denney Hall 164 W. 17th Avenue 3 p.m.

Born in Miami,  Joy Castro  is the author of the novel Hell or High Water and the memoir The Truth Book . She teaches literature, creative writing, and Latino studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and her work has appeared in Fourth Genre , Seneca Review  and The New York Times Magazine . 

Terrance Hayes

November 16, 2013 OSU Bookstore - Barnes & Noble Event Space, Second Floor 1598 N. High Street 7:30 p.m.

Terrance Hayes  was born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1971. He received a BA from Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina, and an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh writing program. He is the author of  Lighthead  (Penguin, 2010), which won the National Book Award for Poetry;  Wind in a Box  (2006);  Hip Logic  (2002), which won the 2001 National Poetry Series and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award; and  Muscular Music  (1999), winner of the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. He has received many honors and awards, including a Whiting Writers Award, a Pushcart Prize, three Best American Poetry selections, as well as fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and the Guggenheim Foundation. He is professor of creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Hope Edelman

October 20, 2013 OSU Bookstore - Barnes & Noble Event Space, Second Floor 1598 N. High Street 4 p.m.

Hope Edelman  holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a master's degree in writing from the University of Iowa. She is the author of six nonfiction books: the international bestseller  Motherless Daughters  (1994), which was published in sixteen countries and translated into eleven languages;  Letters from Motherless Daughters  (1995), an edited collection of letters from readers;  Mother of My Mother  (1999), which looks at the depth and influence of the grandmother-granddaughter relationship;  Motherless Mothers  (2006), about the experience of being a mother when you don't have one; and  The Possibility of Everything  (2009), her first book-length memoir, set in Topanga Canyon, California, and Belize. In 2012 she collaborated with actors and filmmakers Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez to help them write their father-son memoir,  Along the Way .    

To find dates, times and locations for these events, check the event calendar.

• Alumni Writers Extravaganza The Alumni Writers Extravaganza is a celebration of Ohio State alumni creative writers and of creating writing at The Ohio State University. This major event takes place every three years. The next AWE will be in 2021. Please check back for more information as it becomes available. 
• Editors Panel This event, coordinated by the Writer's Guild, provides MFA students, as well as the greater university and Columbus community, with the opportunity to get firsthand advice from editors and, in some cases, literary agents. MCs ask questions provided to them by students. 

Epilog is an annual public performance which showcases creative work by third-year students in the MFA Program in Creative Writing. Epilog is an opportunity for the public to discover the prose and poetry that is being created by current MFA students. Following brief introductions by creative writing faculty, participating students give readings of their poetry, essays and stories in a formal, gala-like atmosphere. Chapbooks including selections from each of the presenting students are available at the event. This event is sponsored by the Writer's Guild.

• Student-Faculty Readings Twice each semester, a faculty member teams up with several MFA students to give a reading that is open to all. These events are a special showcase for the MFA students to read their work.
• Mother Tongue (MoTo) Mother Tongue evenings offer MFA students an opportunity to read work to their peers in a spirited setting off campus. Students often dedicate much time and creativity to their introductions of one another, fostering an entertaining evening rich with camaraderie. This event is coordinated by the Writer's Guild.
• Native Craft Reading Series

Writer's Guild

Each Ohio State University MFA candidate is a member of Writers Guild, an organization dedicated to enhancing student life and the university community through fundraisers, social activities, industry panels and recognition of graduating classmates. Its board serves as a liaison between graduate students and faculty to discuss developments and communicate news.

English Graduate Organization

The English Graduate Organization is a professional development, networking and advocacy group for all graduate students in the English department. EGO allows graduate students to have a tangible impact on departmental decisions and policies. Elected to specific committees, EGO officers coordinate academic and social events, serve on faculty committees and act as liaisons between graduate students and administration, providing a crucial voice in discussions that affect students’ day-to-day lives and future careers. In addition to promoting the interests of a dynamic graduate student body, EGO offers a valuable opportunity for its officers to prepare for service responsibilities in a profession that thrives on self-governance. EGO officers can vote at monthly English Department Council meetings, which all graduate students can attend.

The award-winning literary journal of The Ohio State University,  The Journal  contributes significantly toward the literary landscape of Ohio and the nation.  The Journal  seeks to identify and encourage emerging writers while also attracting the work of established writers to create a diverse and compelling magazine. 

The Young Writers Workshop is a week-long summer program for high school students in Columbus City Schools, charter schools in the City of Columbus, South-Western City Schools, and Reynoldsburg City Schools. Each year, the Ohio State creative writing faculty choose 30 students from the application pool to come live on campus and study writing with writers from around the country, including current students in and alumni of the Department of English's MFA Program in Creative Writing. Students are selected based on the promise of their writing — we don’t ask for grades or letters of recommendation, just a statement of intent and writing samples. The program is entirely funded by a generous donor, and all participating students receive full scholarships. 

Students attend daily workshops and courses taught by Ohio State faculty, graduate alumni and graduate students and have time to work on their own writing every day as well as attend readings, sessions with visiting writers in various fields, and other events, and participate in an open mic reading of their own work. The program concludes with a capstone event honoring the students and their families.

The deadline for all awards is  Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST . Please open the attachment below for award information, submission links and instructions.

To view a list of award winners, visit the Graduate Student Awards page.

Students in the MFA program must complete 39 semester hours of graduate-level course work, including:

• English 6763.01 Graduate Workshop in Poetry (3 credits)
• English 6763.02 Graduate Workshop in Poetry for MFA Students in Fiction or Creative Nonfiction (3 credits)
• English 6765.01 Graduate Workshop in Fiction (3 credits)
• English 6765.02 Graduate Workshop in Fiction for MFA Students in Poetry or Creative Nonfiction (3 credits)
• English 6768 Graduate Workshop in Creative Nonfiction (3 credits)
• English 6768.02 Graduate Workshop in Creative Nonfiction for MFA Students in Poetry or Fiction (3 Credits)
• English 6769 Graduate Workshop in Creative Writing - Special Topics (3 credits)
• English 6764 Graduate Workshop in Screenwriting (3 credits)
• Nine (9) hours of English other than creative writing courses. A maximum of 3 hours of Independent Study may be counted toward fulfilling this requirement.  English 6781 (Introduction to the Teaching of First-Year English) may be counted toward  this total. Students are encouraged, but not required, to choose additional courses from OSU's broad offerings in literary studies, including the study of narrative, as well as folklore, film, linguistics and other areas.
• Three (3) hours of a course in literary forms (English 7871). Forms of Poetry and Forms of Fiction or Nonfiction are offered every year.  Topics vary; this course may be repeated.
• Three (3) hours of electives in related areas (e.g., other art forms such as music, theater or the visual arts; philosophy; history; literature as offered by departments other than our own, such as foreign language departments; comparative studies–or another relevant course approved by the student's advisor).  Courses must be taken at the graduate level (5000 level or above).  (Other elective courses, not counted toward credits required for graduation, may be taken at any level.)
• Nine (9) hours of creative thesis tutorial (English 8998); and an approved creative thesis, followed by an oral defense.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

All admitted students are fully funded for our three-year MFA program in Creative Writing. In addition, all students receive either a graduate teaching associateship, a Graduate School fellowship or a combination of the two. Funding is renewed on a yearly basis as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress.

• Graduate teaching associateships: Departmental funding is most often in the form of a graduate teaching associateship, for which the student receives a stipend of at least $22,000 for the nine-month academic year. The university also subsidizes 100% of student health insurance premiums and provides a tuition waiver for all GTAs. Students are responsible for COTA bus, student activity, Student Union and Recreation Center fees. Students on GTA appointments teach one course per term during the regular academic year.  
• Graduate School fellowships:  In addition to the funding provided by the Department of English, the Graduate School awards Recruitment Fellowships  on a competitive basis to students who are new to graduate education at Ohio State. The Department of English's admissions committee submits nominations to the Graduate School’s competition, and a selection committee reviewing nominations from across all graduate programs in the university awards the fellowships. Students may not apply directly for fellowship support. Each graduate program has a limited number of students who may be nominated for fellowship consideration. All Graduate School fellowships provide a monthly stipend, academic tuition and fees and a subsidy of 100% of the student health insurance premiums. These fellowships are nonrenewable and may not be deferred. 

The Graduate Admissions Committee for the Department of English will accept applications to the MFA program from students with an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.

The Graduate School requires that those admitted have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4 (where 4.0=A) and at least a 3.0 on all previous graduate work. Our departmental criteria are higher: A GPA of at least 3.2 overall is preferred. Coursework in a foreign language is not required for admission.

If you have already earned an MFA in creative writing or are in the process of completing an MFA program in creative writing, you are not eligible for admission to our program. 

Submit all following items through the  Graduate Admissions Office :

• Application form and fee:  If you are interested in a fee waiver, please visit  this Graduate and Professional Admissions webpage .
• Three letters of recommendation: Please have your recommenders submit letters electronically using the link that will be provided when you select this option in the online application. Our preference is that your recommenders be faculty who have taught you or writers familiar with your work, as these are likely to be most useful to us.  But we understand that for those who have been out of school for some time and those who have not participated in writing workshops or conferences, this may be impossible. You will not be penalized for this, but we do ask that you choose your recommenders carefully from among the options you do have — those who have had the opportunity to work with you or supervise your work, for example. 
• Transcripts or record of marks for each university-level school attended:  Visit  this Graduate and Professional Admissions page   for detailed information about transcript submission. Send transcripts to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions; do not send transcripts to the Department of English. Include English translation of each of any foreign documents. Please do not send transcripts of course work taken at Ohio State as the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions will obtain them directly from the Office of the University Registrar (at no cost to you).
• Personal statement  (one to two single-spaced pages): that describes your background as a writer and your purpose in pursuing this degree; this statement should address your writing interests and can also briefly describe your interest and/or experience in teaching.
• Creative writing sample:  15 to 25 pages of poetry; or 20 to 40 double-spaced pages of fiction; or 20 to 40 double-spaced pages of nonfiction. On the application uploader, upload your creative writing sample to the “Writing Sample” option. The writing sample is the most important part of your application. Please note that admission is to a single genre, so applicants should choose carefully the genre in which they wish to be considered.
• Curriculum vitae/resume  of no more than two pages.

Please note: As of autumn 2018, the Department of English at Ohio State no longer requires GRE scores for applications to its PhD or MFA programs. 

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If your native language is not English:

• 19 on each section of the paper-based TOEFL
• 79 on the TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition
• 550 on the TOEFL ITP for students in the American Language Program
• 7.0 on the IELTS Academic test or IELTS Indicator 
• 120 or higher

You can read more about the university's proof of English proficiency requirements here .

All admissions to the MFA program are made for the autumn semester only; the application portal for autumn 2025 will open on September 1, 2024. The application deadline for domestic applicants is December 2, 2024, and the application deadline for international applicants is November 25, 2024

Students must apply online and submit all materials (Graduate Admissions and Department requirements) electronically through the  Office of Graduate Admissions . Please note that your recommenders will receive an email from the university 1-3 days after you submit your application and they should follow the instructions in that email for uploading their letters.

• Do you accept applications for genre fiction? While we don’t in any way dislike or discourage genre fiction, our program is known for its literary fiction, nonfiction and poetry instructors and graduates. Familiarizing yourself with them and their work might be your best and most productive research as you consider to which programs you will apply.  
• Can I talk to current students and/or faculty at Ohio State? We very much appreciate your interest in our program, and we wish that all prospective students had the opportunity to speak with current students and/or faculty. With the volume of applications we receive each year, however, we are unfortunately unable to accommodate these requests. Admitted students are invited to attend our open house in the spring and meet current students and faculty members at that time.  
• I don’t have the required amount of English coursework listed on this page. What should I do? We would encourage you to apply. If your writing sample and application materials match what the committee is looking for, the credit requirement will be waived. It will not negatively impact your application in any way.  
• Can I apply for a fee waiver? If you are interested in applying for a fee waiver, please visit  this  webpage. Please note that the “PGD Program” option is unavailable to students applying for admission to the Department of English.  
• What if my recommenders don’t know me in a creative writing capacity? Our preference is that your recommenders be faculty who have taught you or writers familiar with your work, as these are likely to be most useful to us. However, we understand that for those who have been out of school for some time, and those who have not participated in writing workshops or conferences, this may be impossible. You will not be penalized for this, but we do ask that you choose your recommenders carefully from among the options you do have — those who have had the opportunity to work with you or supervise your work, for example.

For questions that can't be answered by the information above, the Creative Writing Program can be reached by  email   or by phone ( 614-247-9670 ).

[pdf] - Some links on this page are to Adobe .pdf files requiring the use of Adobe Reader. If you need these files in a more accessible format, please contact  [email protected] .

• Best Online Creative Writing Degree Programs

Best Online Creative Writing Degree Programs Of 2024

Updated: May 16, 2024, 10:45am

Joan Didion once wrote, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” Her sentiment captures the power of storytelling and the fundamental role it plays in the human experience. Language, writing and literature shape our world and our experiences in remarkable ways. These forces converge within the field of creative writing, allowing us to push the boundaries of language and structure, explore new perspectives and stretch our imaginations to create worlds of our own.

Beyond storytelling, creative writing offers a breadth of tools and skills transferable to many fields and industries, including healthcare, technology, business and education. Pursuing a degree in creative writing online can help you sharpen your written and verbal communication skills, develop robust research practices and enhance your critical thinking abilities.

In this article, we explore all 10 schools with online degrees in creative writing that met our ranking criteria. We highlight each program’s standout features and key considerations to help you narrow down your search.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics , education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

• Over 3,868 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
• 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
• All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
• Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
• Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

Our Methodology

We ranked 10 accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online bachelor’s degree programs in creative writing in the U.S. using 17 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience and application process. We pulled data for these categories from reliable resources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites. Data is accurate as of February 2024.

We scored schools based on the following metrics:

Student Outcomes:

• Graduation rate within eight years of normal time
• Median earnings 10 years after graduation
• Pell Grant recipient graduation rate within eight years of normal time
• Retention rate
• Pell Grant graduation rate vs. overall graduation rate

Affordability:

• Average in-state undergraduate tuition and fees
• Median federal student loan debt
• Student loan default rate
• Percentage of students who take out loans

Student Experience:

• Student-to-faculty ratio
• Socioeconomic diversity
• Program’s coursework (excluding student orientations, field experiences and labs) is available 100% online
• Portion of undergraduate students enrolled in at least some distance learning courses

Credibility:

• Fully accredited
• Nonprofit status

Application Process:

• Acceptance rate
• Uses Common App

We listed all 10 schools in the U.S. that met our ranking criteria.

Find our full list of methodologies here .

• Where Can You Complete An Online Art Therapy Master's Program In 2024?
• Where Can You Earn An Online Art History Master's Degree?
• Best Online English Degrees
• Best Master's In English Online Programs

Best Online Creative Writing Degree Options

Should you enroll in an online degree program in creative writing, accreditation for degrees in creative writing online, how to find the right online degree in creative writing for you, frequently asked questions (faqs) about degrees in creative writing online, university of central florida, texas tech university, regent university, central washington university, university of iowa, colorado christian university, liberty university, southern new hampshire university, weber state university, savannah college of art and design.

Undergraduate Tuition

$179.19/credit (in-state)

Overall Student Retention Rate

Overall Graduation Rate

Based in Orlando, the University of Central Florida , offers a fully online Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in creative writing. Learners explore communication, rhetoric, literary structure and script writing through poetry, fiction and nonfiction texts.

The curriculum provides a theoretical and practical framework that encourages students to construct sound arguments, develop original creative content across genres and enhance their critical thinking abilities. This program covers topics such as communication, rhetoric and literary structure.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn on Your Schedule
• School Type: Public
• Application Fee: $30
• Degree Credit Requirements: 120 credits
• Program Enrollment Options: Part time (mandatory for first-time students in their first semester), full time
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Fiction writing workshop, history of prose style, advanced poetry writing workshop
• Concentrations Available: N/A
• In-Person Requirements: No

$284/credit (in-state)

At Texas Tech University , based in Lubbock, learners can pursue an online B.A. in English with a concentration in creative writing. The comprehensive curriculum provides a strong foundation in creative writing and rhetoric while delving into a rich array of global, American and British literature.

Through the diverse elective selection, learners can explore genres like drama, film, linguistics, science fiction and fantasy. Students seeking hands-on experience can opt to complete an internship in literature, creative writing and linguistics. This program is designed for aspiring writers, students planning to attend graduate school and those interested in teaching college-level writing or literature.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn Around Your 9-to-5
• Application Fee: $75
• Program Enrollment Options: Part time, full time
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Essentials of college rhetoric, language and community, studies in literary topics
• In-Person Requirements: Optional internship

$450/credit (part time), $395/credit (full time)

Regent University , a private Christian institution in Virginia Beach, Virginia, offers an online B.A. in English with a focus in writing. The curriculum emphasizes the development of creative, professional and technical writing abilities. During the program, students gain a foundational overview of U.S., British and world literature, while honing fundamental writing skills across disciplines, including business, media and web writing.

Students can tailor their studies to their interests with courses like writing for animation, creative nonfiction and feature writing, and writing for strategic communication.

• School Type: Private
• Application Fee: N/A
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Business and professional writing, narrative concept and development, personal and professional editing

$222/credit (in state)

You can pursue an online professional and creative writing major at Central Washington University (CWU), based in Ellensburg, Washington. This comprehensive program takes a practical and collaborative approach to writing, literary analysis and critical thinking. You’ll explore writing techniques and technologies in the workplace and develop skills for creative, technical, professional and business writing, editing and publishing.

You’ll participate in writing workshops with your peers, providing and receiving feedback to develop your craft. Customize your degree with career-focused electives like freelance writing, screenwriting fundamentals and accessible information design. This program requires students to complete at least two practicum credits.

• Application Fee: $60
• Degree Credit Requirements: 180 quarter credits
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Writing and editing for publication, visual rhetoric and document design, multi-genre writing workshop

$376/credit (in-state)

The University of Iowa , based in Iowa City, offers an online Bachelor of Applied Studies with a focus in creative writing. This program is designed for community college grads who want to complete a four-year program. Applicants can transfer 60 college credits from their associate degree. First-year students are not eligible to enroll in this program.

The creative writing track requires learners to complete 18 credits, including three core courses and three electives. Students explore the many facets of written communication, including writing strategies, novel writing and the art of revision. The curriculum covers creative writing across genres, including fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry and professional writing.

• Application Fee: $55
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Professional and creative business communications, the art of revision: writing for clarity, the sentence: strategies for writing

$494/credit

Colorado Christian University (CCU), located in Lakewood, offers a 100% online B.A. in creative writing. Through a Christian framework, learners hone their written and verbal communication skills, research practices and critical thinking abilities.

Students delve into the structure and function of publishing entities and their audiences. They also develop the tools to navigate opportunities and challenges in creating, publishing and marketing their work.

You can accelerate your timeline by transferring up to 90 credits toward your bachelor’s degree. CCU also offers credits for life experience.

• Application Fee: Free
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Introduction to self-publishing, author and book marketing, advanced creative writing

$390/credit (full time)

Liberty University , a private evangelical Christian college in Lynchburg, Virginia, offers a fully online Bachelor of Science in creative writing. Throughout the program, students learn creative writing practices and principles across multiple genres, including memoir, poetry, film and theater. In addition to developing fundamental writing skills, learners study research practices, editing for publishing, and print and digital publishing.

This program offers specializations in English, journalism and Christian literature, allowing students to pursue a degree that matches their career goals.

• Application Fee: $50
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Writing for theater and film, editing for publishing, writing for cultural engagement
• Concentrations Available: Journalism, English, Christian literature

$330/credit

Southern New Hampshire University , in Manchester, New Hampshire, offers an online B.A. in creative writing and English. This program helps learners develop their writing and storytelling talents through. It features an overview of genre-specific conventions and techniques, approaches to literary analysis and literary form, style and structure. Writers present their work and collaborate with their peers in advanced workshops.

When enrolling in this program, you have the option to choose the general track or select a concentration in fiction, nonfiction, poetry or screenwriting.

• Example Major-Specific Courses: Writing with digital media, critical approaches to literature, popular and contemporary fiction
• Concentrations Available: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting

$2735.38/term (full time, in state)

Weber State University , based in Ogden, Utah, offers an online B.A. in English with an emphasis in creative writing. This program is designed to help students hone their craft in writing original fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Learners collaborate with their peers in workshops and receive one-on-one mentorship from faculty.

The curriculum overviews American, British, global and contemporary literature, writing forms, and editing and publishing. Students can choose from a variety of courses to customize their coursework to their interests, and the program requires a minor.

• Example Major-Specific Courses: Contemporary literature for creative writers, professional and technical writing, notebooks and journals forms and crafts
• In-Person Requirements: Yes, meet with a faculty advisor twice annually for course and program advisement

$914/credit

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), based in Savannah, Georgia, offers an online Bachelor of Fine Arts in dramatic writing. This program focuses on storytelling for visual and performance-based media.

Students explore the conventions of storytelling for various mediums, including the screen, stage and digital platforms. The workload includes crafting screenplays, scripts and other forms of dramatic writing, honing essential skills for careers in television, theater, film and digital media.

• Application Fee: $100
• Degree Credit Requirements: 180 credits
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Visual culture in context: making modernities, improvisation for writers, digital film production: story to screen

Pursuing a creative writing degree online can be a convenient option for learners seeking more flexibility to meet the needs of their busy schedules or learning preferences. With the freedom to study from anywhere, online learning allows students to access programs they otherwise wouldn’t be able to, allowing them to personalize their education to align with their academic and professional interests.

Still, while online learning offers flexibility in some areas, it also presents unique challenges. Distance learning doesn’t provide the same structured learning environment as in-person instruction; therefore, learners must have strong time management abilities to stay on top of their studies.

Institutional accreditation should be at the forefront of your research as you consider prospective online creative writing degrees. Institutional accreditation is a rigorous evaluation process that colleges and universities undertake to ensure they meet established standards. Accrediting bodies assess a school’s program offerings, faculty, support services and student outcomes.

Enrolling in an accredited institution ensures that your degree is recognized by employers, other higher education institutions and credentialing bodies. Plus, you must be enrolled in an accredited school to qualify for federal student aid. To verify a school’s accreditation status, search the Database of Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, managed by the U.S. Department of Education.

Consider Your Future Goals

Before enrolling in an online creative writing degree program, consider your academic and professional goals carefully. Each program has its own scope and focus, which can set you up for different writing careers . Some programs offer a broad curriculum, while others specialize in specific genres like poetry, screenwriting, fiction or nonfiction. You might also consider faculty expertise if you’re interested in being taught by someone with experience in a specific area.

Whether you’re planning to enter the workforce immediately or earn a master’s in creative writing , building a solid portfolio of work is crucial. You might prioritize programs that offer publication or professional development opportunities through internships or practicums.

Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options

The cost of earning an online creative writing degree can vary significantly by school. The semester-based schools on our list range from $180 to $494 per credit. Over a 120-credit degree, this translates to $21,600 to $59,280.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics , the average undergraduate tuition in the 2022–23 academic year cost $9,750 for public schools and $38,421 for private nonprofit colleges. In comparison, our programs cost between $5,400 and $41,130 per year.

Many financing options are available for distance learners, including scholarships, grants and loans. Submitting the FAFSA® can help you determine your eligibility for federal financial aid.

Can you get a creative writing degree online?

Yes, it’s possible to earn a creative writing degree online. Every creative writing degree featured in this article can be earned online.

Are creative writing degrees worth it?

A creative writing degree can be worth it, depending on your interests and career goals. Creative writing degrees can be versatile and equip you with in-demand transferable skills across multiple industries, including business, technology, healthcare and education.

Is creative writing a hard degree?

Earning a creative writing degree can be challenging. Producing original work, completing assigned readings and participating in collaborative workshops can create a demanding workload.

Mariah is a Berlin-based writer with six years of experience in writing, localizing and SEO-optimizing short- and long-form content across multiple niches, including higher education, digital marketing and travel. Her writing expertise extends to brand strategies and driving small business growth through targeted content. In the last three years, she's primarily produced education-focused content, writing on topics like degree programs, trade schools and career pathways.

Bucknell University Scholarship for Creative Writing - Ray Bucknell!

Creative writing program connections in the department.

Harriet 1 / 1   Jan 7, 2017   #2 This, in my opinion, is a well-written essay. You answered the question without straying and you used the space provided wisely. I think the conclusion is just perfect considering how many characters you had available.

nandasharma 14 / 36   Jan 7, 2017   #3 @garibari What skills or interests would you offer Bucknell's writing community? Though you've mentioned a bunch of skillsets you possess as a creative writer, but you gotta have some interrelationship with your own capabilites and how are they going to impact the campus, as a whole? Will it be effective in teaching your peers something special, never before seen in any any student.? You gotta dig deeper than that. Research Bucknell's website and sort out different aspects of the Bucknell which will welcome your special skill. Then, relate it to yourself. That's all the prompt is asking for. Best.

Holt  Educational Consultant - / 15191   Jan 8, 2017   #4 Gari, in the second paragraph, you don't need to explain how you worked as an editor or the editing process that was implemented in your high school paper. Instead, say you have experience as an editor in chief and you look forward to joining (name of college paper) in some sort of capacity. Then transition into a new paragraph that will explain how you look forward to participant in Bucknell's creative writing activities like Poetry slam and others. I am not sure about how you can promote screen writing at Bucknell. You need to find a specific organization at the school that will help you promote that advocacy of yours. It sounds to abrupt and does not have any sense of development in representation that your other activities and participation roles portray. Rethink the presentation for that part and try to make it sound more active and interesting than it is at the moment.

OP garibari 2 / 8   Jan 10, 2017   #5 @Holt I found a magazine entitled "Fire and Ice," but it's past was spotty. (the website I found was last updated five years ago, and the Facebook page was last updated two years ago). Anyway, after your comment, I think I'll include it anyway. Blue is the stuff I kept the same. Bucknell's Creative Writing program is unique ... To begin, I am interested in the program because [....] scenes through imagery is one of my favorite pastimes as a writer. However, beyond the classroom, I wish to further submerge myself in Bucknell's writing community through participation in various clubs and events. Because of my positive experience in working as the editor-in-chief for my high school's literary magazine, I hope to join the staff of the "Fire and Ice" at Bucknell, in addition to submitting works to the magazine. Furthermore, due to my liking of both reading and writing poetry, I anticipate that I will participate in literary events like Poem in Your Pocket Day. At Poetry Slams, I am eager to share my current and future poetry. In regards to my interest in screen-writing, I plan to become a member of Cap and Dagger to be involved with and help promote the theatre community at Bucknell. While my work in the organization will be done backstage, the experience will still help me fine-tune my screen-writing capabilities in hopes that I may be able to direct one of my own plays on stage. Bucknell's writing community is multi-faceted, as is my interest in the subject. As such, I wish to offer as much to the Bucknell writing community as the Bucknell writing community can offer to me. Thanks

Holt  Educational Consultant - / 15191   Jan 10, 2017   #6 The poetry magazine hasn't published anything since 2011 so it may not be an active part of the student publication roster anymore. Try to look up The Bucknellian instead. That is the weekly student newspaper that is still in active publication. Don't use information that may not be up to date. Always go for the most current information that you can find. Try to see if the weekly newspaper could be something that can take the place of Fire and Ice in your essay response.The information that you have written in blue is acceptable as far as I am concerned. It has a direct relation to the prompt expectations and therefore, can help you increase the relevance of your response. The overall essay is vastly improved by that inclusion. My only worry is about the reference to "Fire and Ice". I suggest that you look up The Bucknellian online as a possible replacement for the previous one. I think that it can still work for your purpose.

OP garibari 2 / 8   Jan 12, 2017   #7 After searching through tons of Bucknellian archives and Linkedin pages, I found references to Fire & Ice dating from fall of 2016. Also, they updated their bylaws in March of last year, and from reading them, it sounded like they were planning for the future. So, while I'm still not sure, I'm going to include both magazines just to be safe. Anyway, thanks for the edits. They were greatly appreciated. @Holt

Search & Additional Links

Additional links, meet bucknell.

• Plan a Visit
• Bucknell Stories
• Bucknell Magazine
• Bucknell Leadership
• Class Pages
• History & Traditions

Admissions & Aid

• Request Information
• Apply to Bucknell
• Tuition, Fees & Financial Aid
• Admissions Dates & Deadlines
• Virtual Welcome Center
• I've Been Admitted
• Find Your Counselor
• Office of Admissions
• Office of Financial Aid
• Admissions Blog & Podcast
• Majors & Minors
• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Engineering
• Freeman College of Management
• Graduate Studies
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities
• Beyond the Classroom
• For Current Students

Life at Bucknell

• Housing & Dining
• First-year Experience
• Health, Wellness & Safety
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Free Expression
• Sustainability
• Arts & Performances
• Get Involved
• Commencement

Find Information For...

• Prospective Students
• Families of Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Current Parents & Families
• Prospective Employees
• Faculty & Staff

Find information for

@bucknellu social media accounts, meet our students social media accounts, the writing center.

Supporting the broad community of Bucknell writers: students, faculty and staff.

We offer individualized support to help improve your writing — not by telling you what to say but through feedback and conversation to help clarify ideas.

We encourage writing as a process of creating and communicating knowledge and seek to generate active learning, primarily by facilitating talk among thoughtful and supportive fellow writers.

For inquiries about the Writing Center or to schedule a consulting session, call 570-577-3141 during regular business hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–noon and 1–4:30 p.m.

You may also book online with a peer writing consultant. If you are more than 10 minutes late and have not contacted your writing consultant, we may cancel your appointment so that we may serve another writer.

Fall 2024 peer consulting hours

Carnegie Building, Room 110 (Peer Writing Consultant office)

• Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m.
• Monday–Thursday, 7–10 p.m.
• Sunday, 2–5 p.m. and 7–10 p.m.

Bertrand Library, Room 122C (in the back corner of the 24-hour study space)

• Sunday–Thursday, 7–10 p.m.

We also ask that you come prepared for your session with two paper copies of your draft (if you have one) or a laptop so you can work with your consultant via Google docs.

COVID-19 Precautions

COVID-19 continues to affect our lives, and people have differential risks for potential illness. Please feel free to request that the person(s) you are working with wear masks, and please respect such requests from others in the Writing Center. If you have any potential COVID-19 symptoms (sore throat, congestion, fever, headache, muscle or body aches, etc.), please do not come to the Writing Center in person. Instead, please inform your consultant that you would like to meet via Zoom by updating your appointment request in WCOnline. Alternatively, you may call 570-577-3141 during daytime, weekday hours to request a change in modality for your scheduled consultation.

Information for Students

The Writing Center offers individualized, personal help for students crafting papers and other written assignments.

Information for Faculty

The Writing Center supports Bucknell faculty in a variety of ways — both as instructors and as writers.

Information for Staff

The Writing Center is for everyone — including any Bucknell staff member who wishes to stop by for writing guidance and advice.

Contact Details

Carnegie Building

Want to learn more about Bucknell?

• Skip to Content
• Bulletin Home
• Institution Home
• Choose Your Starting Point
• I'm interested in attending Bucknell
• I'm a current Bucknell student
• I'm faculty or staff
• I'm a proud alum
• I'm family of a current or prospective student
• I'm interested in giving
• I'm planning to visit Bucknell
• The Everything Directory
• College of Arts and Sciences /
• Areas of Study /
• English (ENGL) /

Creative Writing (ENCW)

• Catalog A-​Z Index
• About Bucknell
• University Educational Goals
• Curricula Overview
• Africana Studies (AFST)
• American Studies Minor
• Animal Behavior (ANBE)
• Anthropology (ANTH)
• Art and Art History (ART)
• Arts Entrepreneurship Minor
• Astronomy (ASTR)
• Biology (BIOL)
• Cell Biology/​Biochemistry (BICH)
• Chemistry (CHEM)
• Children’s Studies Minor
• Chinese Language (CHIN)
• Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies (CLAS)
• College Major (COLL)
• Comparative Humanities (HUMN)
• Computer Science (CSCI)
• Dance Minor (DANC)
• Digital Humanities Minor
• East Asian Studies (EAST)
• Economics (ECON)
• Education (EDUC)
• Film and Media Studies (ENFS)
• Literary Studies (ENLS)
• Environmental Studies (ENST)
• Food Systems Minor
• Foundation Seminar (FOUN)
• Geography (GEOG)
• Geology and Environmental Geosciences (GEOL)
• Greek (GREK)
• History (HIST)
• Interdepartmental (IDPT)
• International Relations (IREL)
• Japanese Language (JAPN)
• Jewish Studies Minor
• Languages, Cultures and Linguistics
• Latin (LATN)
• Latin American Studies (LAMS)
• Legal Studies Minor
• Mathematics (MATH)
• Mathematical Economics (MECO)
• Military Science (MILS)
• Music (MUSC)
• Neuroscience (NEUR)
• Nontraditional Study (NTST)
• Peace Studies Minor
• Philosophy (PHIL)
• Physics and Astronomy (PHAS)
• Political Science (POLS)
• Psychology (PSYC)
• Public Policy Minor
• Race and Ethnicity Studies Minor
• Religious Studies (RELI)
• Residential College (RESC)
• Social Justice Minor
• Sociology (SOCI)
• Spanish (SPAN)
• Theatre and Dance (THDN)
• Translation Studies Minor
• University Courses (UNIV)
• Women’s and Gender Studies (WMST)
• College of Engineering
• College of Management
• Academic Support &​ Campus Life
• Academic Standards &​ Policies
• Finance and Financial Aid Information
• Endowed Funds
• About the Catalog

This is an archived copy of the 2017-2018 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://coursecatalog.bucknell.edu .

The Creative Writing Program offers students the opportunity to focus their study on the creation of literary texts through workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Immersed in the study of the literary tradition, students will practice craft and technique, develop voice and style, and gain exposure to a wide and diverse set of voices in contemporary literature as inspiration for their own work. The Program partners with the Stadler Center for Poetry to provide a diverse reading series and a vibrant slate of writers in residence, as well as internships on campus, thereby enhancing connections with living writers and enabling students to apply their skills beyond the classroom.

All Creative Writing courses involve the study of literary writing with a strong emphasis on contemporary texts. Literary Studies courses deepen the literary context for Creative Writing Majors. Individual conferences and group workshops support the writing process, and at the same time, teach techniques of writing in prose and in poetry. Workshops give students frequent practice in articulating their critical ideas in relation to the work of their peers. Seminar courses (in Literary Studies and in Creative Writing) build oral communication skills through discussion leadership and/or formal presentation to the class; many Creative Writing courses require performances in the form of students reading from their own work. Students gain information literacy in Creative Writing courses through required attendance at readings, exhibitions, and performances. They navigate the landscape of the current literary world through the library and online as a way of gathering information on published writers and of submitting their own work for publication. They blog and participate in online discussion boards. They learn to conduct informal writerly research on a wide variety of subjects. In addition, they fine-tune critical research skills in the required seminar course in Literary Studies.

Students electing the Creative Writing major will take a minimum of nine courses, as follows:

In all of the Creative Writing courses, students will synthesize conceptual, formal, aesthetic, and technical elements resulting in the creation of works of art.

ENCW 302 , ENCW 303 , and ENCW 304 are repeatable if taken with different instructors. A student may take the same 300 level seminar twice (with different instructors) as a way of fulfilling the 300 level Creative Writing requirement for the major.

The Creative Writing Minor will consist of five courses distributed as follows:

Creative Writing Minor

ENCW 101. Creative Writing. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3 Introduction to creative writing through the reading and writing of poetry and prose (fiction or creative nonfiction). Does not count toward the creative writing concentration or minor. Prerequisite: seniors by permission of the instructor.

ENCW 102. Writing Fiction. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 In this introductory fiction workshop, students will read and discuss contemporary and classic texts with a writer’s eye. Completing fiction exercises and revisions as well as responding to one another’s work, they will use the techniques and habits of successful writers to enhance their own writing and creativity.

ENCW 104. Creative Writing: Poetry. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 In this introductory course in writing poetry, students will read and discuss poems with a writer’s eye. Completing poetry exercises and revisions as well as responding to one another’s work, they will build their own skills and expand their ideas of what poems can do.

ENCW 1NT. Creative Writing Non-traditional Study. .5-1 Credits.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:Varies Non-traditional study in English. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 202. Fiction Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3 Principles of writing fiction, with constant practice. Designed for students planning to concentrate or minor in creative writing. Preference given to juniors, sophomores, and first-year students. Restrictions: seniors by permission of the instructor.

ENCW 203. Creative Nonfiction Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3 Theory and practice of creative nonfiction, including travel writing, memoir, and other forms. Designed for students planning to concentrate or minor in creative writing. Preference given to juniors, sophomores, and first-year students. Prerequisite: seniors by permission of the instructor.

ENCW 204. Poetry Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3 Principles of writing poetry, with constant practice. Designed for students planning to concentrate or minor in creative writing. Preference given to juniors, sophomores, and first-year students. Prerequisite: seniors by permission of the instructor.

ENCW 205. Screenwriting Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 Principles of screenwriting with constant practice. Designed for students interested in creative writing or Film/Media Studies.

ENCW 210. Special Topic in Creative Writing. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable Studies in such topics as prosody, stylistics, characterization, or narrative theory. Course emphasizes formal or structural elements within particular genres and an appreciation of craft from a writer's perspective. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 211. Topics: Writing Foreign Places. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 This course in the reading and writing of personal narrative and lyric essays about foreign places is designed for students interested in writing out of experiences of travel and/or other kinds of cultural displacement. Each student will define "foreign" in relation to him or herself.

ENCW 212. Literary Arts Administration and Editing. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3 Focused on literary arts administration and editing, this course is particularly useful for students interested in careers in the world of arts administration and/or publishing. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 220. Comedy and Satire Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 Students will explore satire and humor in fiction through the work of comic writers, including Kurt Vonnegut, George Saunders, and Donald Barthelme. The focus will be on analyzing craft (i.e. hyperbole, understatement, the surreal) and on employing these elements in exercises, stories, and class workshops.

ENCW 221. Topics: Short Short Fiction. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 Developing a sense of the foundational elements of short form fiction through reading and discussion of a variety of American and international writers, students will challenge conventions as they draft their own short form fiction and respond to one another’s work.

ENCW 222. Topics: Writing Culture in Fiction. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 Students will be able to produce fictional work dealing with various aspects of their own culture, and with various aspects of cultures outside of their own, both with an eye to social consequence. Questions that will be considered: What constitutes a culture? What are its different manifestations in life?.

ENCW 230. Topics: Writing Nature. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3 This creative writing “form and theory” course explores writing about nature in several traditions with attention to the ways in which nature is inscribed in language and expressed by literary forms. It examines critical moments in the evolution of cultural awareness of nature in the West. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

ENCW 231. Environmental Writing. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3 This is a course in creative nonfiction focused on writing about the environment. Prerequisites: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 237. Internship. 1 Credit.

Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:4; Repeatable Two competitive internships are offered: Stadler Center Internship provides practical experience in and insight into arts management; West Branch Internship provides practical experience in and insight into literary publishing. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 240. Ecopoetics. 1 Credit.

Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3 An exploration of poetry as site-specific ecological practice. Intended for students interested in both Creative Writing and Environmental Studies. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Crosslisted as ENST 227 .

ENCW 241. Topics: Poetry, Mind, Nature. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 In the reading and writing of poetry that observes the natural world explores the relationship between such poetry and the human imagination. The course involves workshops as well as fieldwork, which provides material for poems and increases students' ability to identify local flora and fauna. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 242. Long Poems & Sequences Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3 Students will read and discuss a variety of long poems and poetic sequences as a way of exploring various structures and subjects for the two long poems or sequences they will write and workshop over the course of the semester. Some degree of comfort with poetic process is expected.

ENCW 2NT. Creative Writing Non-traditional Study. 1 Credit.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:3; Repeatable Non-traditional study in Creative Writing. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 302. Advanced Fiction Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable Advanced workshop in the writing of fiction. Prerequisites: Any 200-level Creative Writing (ENCW) course in creative nonfiction or fiction and permission of the instructor. Crosslisted as ENCW 602.

ENCW 303. Advanced Creative Nonfiction Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable Advanced workshop in the writing of creative nonfiction. Prerequisites: Any 200-level Creative Writing (ENCW) course in creative nonfiction or fiction and permission of the instructor. Crosslisted as ENCW 603.

ENCW 304. Advanced Poetry Workshop. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable Advanced workshop in the writing of poetry. Prerequisites: Any 200-level Creative Writing (ENCW) course in poetry and permission of the instructor. Crosslisted as ENCW 608.

ENCW 319. Individual Projects in Creative Writing. .5-1 Credits.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:Varies; Repeatable Individual special projects supervised by instructor; honors thesis. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 379. Senior Thesis. 1 Credit.

Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:3; Repeatable The writing of a scholarly or creative departmental senior thesis. Students must confer with and submit a proposal to an adviser prior to registering for the thesis. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 380. Honors Thesis. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:3; Repeatable The writing of a scholarly or creative honors thesis. Students must confer with and submit a proposal to a departmental adviser and to the University Honors Council for approval. Prerequisites: senior status and permission of the instructor.

ENCW 391. Seminar in Poetry. 1 Credit.

Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable A study of poetry as a genre and an analysis of the work of selected poets. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ENCW 3NT. Creative Writing Non-traditional Study. 1-1.5 Credits.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:Varies Non-traditional study in Creative Writing. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

Lewisburg, PA 17837 ph: 570.577.2000 Mailing Addresses

• Giving to Bucknell
• News & Media
• Working at Bucknell
• Emergency Information

Copyright © 2014 Bucknell University. All rights reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

All pages in Academic Catalog.