English: Creative Writing Emphasis - BA, BS

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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of English

About This Degree

With its small class sizes and nationally published faculty members, the English Department helps students develop skills in analysis, production, and understanding of texts in the English language. Students learn to write, think, and communicate effectively in a technologically and culturally complex world. Students develop skills in the areas most valued by employers, including critical thinking, teamwork, and oral and written communication, which will prepare them to enter into a wide range of career options.

Because the English Department is home to faculty that are heavily involved in research, students are provided with numerous opportunities to pursue undergraduate research projects and creative projects with individual attention from professors.

Students receive a by completing all required courses in the major. To receive a BA, students must also gain proficiency in one or more foreign languages.

Creative Writing Emphasis: The creative writing program gives students exposure to poetry, nonfiction, and creative nonfiction writing and then allows them to specialize in their chosen area(s). Through literature and writing courses, students develop critical and cognitive writing skills applicable in numerous professional fields

For more information about English, Creative Writing Emphasis, please see the Department of English website.
Admitted and current students must meet with an academic advisor.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
The highest math requirement for this degree is Quantitative Literacy (QL) of the student’s choice.

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken through USU: 30
Total major required credits taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

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

Major Requirements (45 credits)

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

Minimum Grade Accepted: C in major courses (no pass/fail.)

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.

English Major Core (9 credits)

ENGL 2600 is required. Students may fulfill the rest of the core credits from the following courses.

ENGL 2600 - Literary Analysis 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2050 - Literature by Women (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2060 - Reading Across Borders (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2070 - Introduction to Digital Humanities (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2140 - Introduction to LGBTQ+ Literature (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2150 - Introduction to Science Fiction 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2160 - AI and Writing: Cultural and Historical Perspectives 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2210 - Introduction to Folklore (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2220 - Introduction to Fiction (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2230 - Introduction to Film (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2240 - Introduction to Poetry (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2250 - Introduction to Creative Writing (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2300 - Introduction to Shakespeare (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2330 - Introduction to Children’s Literature (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2350 - Indigenous Voices (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2630 - Introduction to American Studies (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2640 - Race and Ethnicity in the United States (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2720 - Survey of American Folklore 3 credit(s)
TCR 2100 - Introduction to Technical Communication 3 credit(s)
TCR 2110 - Digital Writing Technologies 3 credit(s)

Emphasis Requirements (39 credits)

B. Grammar Requirement (3 credits)

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

ENGL 1410 - Elements of Grammar 3 credit(s)

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.

ENGL 3420 - Fiction Writing 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3430 - Poetry Writing 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3440 - Creative Nonfiction Writing 3 credit(s)

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.

ENGL 4420 - Advanced Fiction Writing (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4430 - Advanced Poetry Writing (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4440 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing (CI) 3 credit(s)

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.

ENGL 5450 - Special Topics in Creative Writing 3 credit(s)

D. Literary Studies (12 credits)

Select four courses from the following:

ENGL 3305 - Medieval Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3315 - Early Modern British Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3325 - Eighteenth-Century British Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3335 - Nineteenth-Century British Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3345 - Literary History of the British Isles Since 1900 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3355 - Literary History of the Early Americas 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3365 - Nineteenth-Century American Literary History 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3375 - Literary History of the Americas Since 1900 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3385 - Postcolonial World Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3395 - World Literature in Translation 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3610 - Multicultural American Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 3620 - Native American Studies 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4300 - Shakespeare 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4310 - American Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4320 - British Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4330 - World Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4340 - Studies in Fiction 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4345 - Studies in Nonfiction 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4350 - Studies in Poetry 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4360 - Studies in Drama 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4365 - Studies in Film 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4370 - Native American Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4375 - U.S. Latinx Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4380 - African American Literature 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4630 - American Nature Writers 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5300 - Special Topics in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5310 - Contemporary Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5320 - Gender and Sexuality in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5330 - Race and Ethnicity in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5340 - Multimedia Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)

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).

Open Electives

Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 120

Suggested Degree Map - English: Creative Writing Emphasis BA, BS

English: Creative Writing Emphasis BA, BS - 4 Year Degree Map