The Creative Writing major will require a total of 44 credit hours, including five creative writing workshops (20 credits), two cognate courses (8 credits), and four English electives (16 credits).  One of the creative writing workshops must be a 400-level course (either ENG 410, ENG 411, ENG 413, ENG 414); this class will provide a capstone experience and require a creative thesis (i.e. a collection of poetry or short fiction).  The thesis will include an aesthetic statement that locates the creative work in literary tradition and demonstrates sound acquaintance with the schools, practices, and theoretical persuasions that inform contemporary writing.  At least 12 of the 16 English elective credits must derive from courses in literature—additional cognate courses are highly recommended—one of the electives may be an additional creative writing workshop.  There will be four tracks in the new major, in Fiction/Poetry and Screenwriting/Television writing.  The five required workshops (20 credits) must include three workshops in a particular genre and two elective workshops: 

• Students who specialize in either fiction or poetry must take ENG 216: Introductory Workshop in Creative Writing, Fiction/Poetry, two workshops in their specialty beyond that course (either ENG 383: Workshop in Fiction and ENG 410: Advanced Workshop in Fiction or ENG 384: Workshop in Poetry and ENG 411: Advanced Workshop in Poetry) and two elective workshops.  
• Students who opt for a screen or television writing track must take ENG 217: Introductory Workshop in Dramatic Writing for the Screen and Television, two workshops in their specialty beyond that first course (either ENG 387: Screenwriting and ENG 413: Advanced Workshop in Dramatic Writing for the Screen or ENG 388: Workshop in Dramatic Writing for Television and ENG 414: Advanced Workshop in Dramatic Writing for Television) and two elective workshops.  It is highly recommended that students specializing in dramatic writing for the screen or television writing also take the workshops in playwriting, ENG 308: Playwriting and ENG 412: Advanced Playwriting (both playwriting courses are taught by Kitty Dubin, of the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, and cross-listed as THA 340 and THA 440).

                                 

In addition to the above, the Creative Writing major requires an introductory two-semester sequence in a foreign language, or one semester of a foreign language at the115 level or higher.

In agreement with recommendations made by the Associated Writings Programs (AWP, the national organization for programs in creative writing), it is recommended that all majors take one course in the appreciation of another art form: students are referred to course offerings in Art and Art History, the program in Cinema Studies and the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance. 

The AWP also recommends that the academic component of a creative writing program include exposure to literary texts drawn from a span of at least three centuries. The academic requirements of Oakland’s program will correspond to this recommendation; students are encouraged to attend to its importance.

 

The Creative Writing minor will require a total of 24 credits in English and Creative Writing.  All students must take ENG 216, at least 8 additional credits in creative writing workshops and 12 credits in English (only one 100-level course may count towards the minor).