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2023-2024 General Catalog 
    
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English: Creative Writing Emphasis - BA, BS


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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of English

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For more information about English, Creative Writing Emphasis, please see the Department of English website.

Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that student-specific plans may differ.

Admitted students must meet with an academic advisor. Current students should also meet with an academic advisor and log on to Degree Works  to check student-specific program progress.

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits 120

 

Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)

2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better 100 Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above) 40
Total USU Credits 30 Upper-division USU Credits 20
USU Credits within the Major 10 Credits in Minor (if required) 12
Credits in Major see below Credits in American Institutions 3
General Education Requirements    see link University Studies Depth Requirements    see link
NOTES: The highest math requirement for this degree is Quantitative Literacy (QL)   of the student’s choice.

 

Admissions Requirements for this Program

New freshmen Admitted to USU in Good Standing

 

Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU 2.5 GPA

First Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

Any Quantitative Literacy (QL) Course (STAT 1040: Introduction to Statistics (QL)  or STAT 1045: Introduction to Statistics with Elements of Algebra (QL)  is recommended) 3  or 5     ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)   3    
ENGL Culture Exploration Course 3

 

ENGL 1410: Elements of Grammar   3    
Breadth Requirement    3   Breadth Requirement    3  
Breadth Requirement    3   Breadth Requirement    3  
Elective Course 3   Breadth Requirement    3  
TOTAL CREDITS 15-17   TOTAL CREDITS 15  
Comments
Comments

Second Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)   3     ENGL 3440: Creative Nonfiction Writing   3    
ENGL 2600: Literary Analysis   3     ENGL Literary Studies Course 3  
ENGL 3430: Poetry Writing   3     Breadth Requirement    3  
Breadth Requirement    3   Elective Course 3  
Elective Course 3   Elective Course 3  
TOTAL CREDITS 15   TOTAL CREDITS 15  
Comments
Comments

Third Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

ENGL 3420: Fiction Writing   3    

ENGL 4420: Advanced Fiction Writing (CI)  or ENGL 4430: Advanced Poetry Writing (CI)  or ENGL 4440: Advanced Nonfiction Writing (CI)  or other Advanced Creative Writing Course

3  or 3  or 3  

 
ENGL Literary Studies Course 3   ENGL Literary Studies Course 3  
Depth Social Sciences (DSS) Course    3   Quantitative Literacy (QI) Course    3  
ENGL Upper-Division Elective Course 3   Elective Course 3  
Elective Course 3   Elective Course 3  
TOTAL CREDITS 15   TOTAL CREDITS 15  
Comments
Comments

Fourth Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

ENGL 4420: Advanced Fiction Writing (CI)  or ENGL 4430: Advanced Poetry Writing (CI)  or ENGL 4440: Advanced Nonfiction Writing (CI)  or other Advanced Creative Writing Course

3  or 3  or 3    

ENGL 4420: Advanced Fiction Writing (CI)  or ENGL 4430: Advanced Poetry Writing (CI)  or ENGL 4440: Advanced Nonfiction Writing (CI)  or other Advanced Creative Writing Course

3  or 3  or 3 

 
 
ENGL 5450: Special Topics in Creative Writing   3     ENGL Literary Studies Course 3  
Depth Life and Physical Sciences (DSC) Course    3   ENGL Diversity Requirement or Elective Course 3  
Elective Course 3   Elective Course 3  
Elective Course 3   Elective Course 3  
TOTAL CREDITS 15   TOTAL CREDITS 15  
Comments
Comments

Creative Writing Emphasis


Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.5 within all English courses (other than ENGL 1010 ENGL 2010 , CLEP, AP, etc.); 2.5 USU cumulative (including courses taken for another USU major); 2.5 career total (including transfer credits) for new transfer students

Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.5 within major courses; 2.0 USU cumulative; 2.0 career total

Minimum Grade Accepted: C or better in ENGL 1410 ENGL 3420 ENGL 3430  and ENGL 3440 .

Number of required credits: 45

Credits in Residence: Students must complete 21 credits of major-applicable coursework at Utah State University. Students completing the Creative Writing emphasis must also complete two of the three Advanced Creative Writing classes at Utah State University.

This emphasis is devoted to the art of literary writing: fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama. Through practice in specific genres and a comprehensive study of literature, students learn the craft of literary writing as discovered and practiced over the last three thousand years of written human culture. The emphasis prepares undergraduates for graduate work in creative writing and develops critical, cognitive, and writing skills applicable in numerous professional fields.

Since creative writers must have a broad knowledge of literature, students complete ENGL 2600: Literary Analysis , as well as 12 credits of Literature courses numbered 3000 and above. A course that fulfills the Diversity requirement can also fulfill this requirement.

Also at the 3000-level, students begin their work as creative writers, taking three introductory writing courses in three genres: fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. 

At the 4000- and 5000-level, students concentrate their training as creative writers, taking three courses in advanced fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction writing, which can be repeated, as well as the Special Topics in Creative Writing course.

A. English Department Requirements


Students should take note of the superscripts to find emphasis-specific requirements. 

Literature Exploration (3 credits)


Writing Exploration (3 credits)


Diversity Requirement


All English majors are required to take one course that examines the experiences, perspectives, literatures, cultures, and/or creative expressions of underrepresented and/or marginalized communities. For this requirement, the USU English department includes communities who have been underrepresented or marginalized due to race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability and/or the intersections of these identities in conjunction with one another and with class. If a course listed under the Diversity Requirement appears under another requirement for the major, the course may be used to fulfill both requirements.

Emphasis Requirements


B. Grammar Requirement (3 credits)


Students must earn a “C” or better in ENGL 1410 .

C. Creative Writing Courses (21 credits)


Select all three of the following introductory creative writing courses (9 credits):


A grade of C or better is required in all three courses.

Select three of the following advanced creative writing courses (9 credits):


ENGL 4420 , ENGL 4430 , and ENGL 4440  are repeatable and can be taken more than once for this requirement. However, students must complete courses in at least two genres from the following list.

Select the following special topics in creative writing course (3 credits):


The Special Topics course varies according to the specialty of the faculty member teaching the course.

D. Literary Studies (12 credits)


Select four courses from the following:

E. English Electives (3 credits)


Select one English elective course numbered 3000 or higher (includes courses in creative writing, technical communication and rhetoric, literature, linguistics, folklore, and American studies).

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