Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Creative Writing Program Introduces New Undergraduate Degree

Wednesday, February 3, 2021, By Dan Bernardi
Share
College of Arts and Sciences

The Department of English’s signature creative writing program–home of the renowned M.F.A. in creative writing–will now offer a new bachelor of arts degree. Building on the nationally ranked master’s program, the new creative writing major and minor are open to students with an interest in developing their skills as writers and readers of creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry.

The new B.A. marks a milestone for the creative writing program, which previously only housed an M.A. (1962-1994) and M.F.A. (1994-present) since its founding in 1962. For the first time, talented undergraduate writers can enroll in the program, which concentrates on the craft and quality of literary writing. They will address the challenges of the literary process with their fellow writers under the guidance of highly accomplished faculty authors, including Mona Awad, Dana Spiotta, Jonathan Dee, Brooks Haxton, Bruce Smith, Matt Grzecki, Sarah Harwell and Christopher Kennedy.

The creative writing major is 30 credits and combines a grounding in literary study with a workshop-style focus on writing. Students will learn to effectively use language to create complex and emotionally powerful experiences in the form of stories, poetry and creative nonfiction. Coursework will include literature, creative writing workshops and craft classes. Creative writing workshops focus on the students’ own creative work, while craft classes such as Reading and Writing Poetry and Fairytales in Fiction are classes where students “read like writers”–learning craft and literary techniques from the work of established writers. The creative writing minor requires students to take 18 credits of craft classes and creative writing workshops.

Coran Klaver, associate professor and department chair of English, says students will benefit from a course of study designed specifically for undergraduate creative writers. “The new creative writing major continues to draw on the strengths of our literary and screen studies curriculum of the Department of English, while also providing undergraduate students with customized workshops and crafts courses,” Klaver says. “I am thrilled that our students will now have the ability to focus on their passion for creative writing through this new major, as well as to work more closely with our talented creative writing faculty members.”

Christopher Kennedy, professor of English and director of the M.F.A. program, says, “I’d like to thank College of Arts and Sciences Dean Karin Ruhlandt for the opportunity to create the undergraduate degree and Sarah Harwell for all her hard work to bring it to fruition.”

Students in the B.A. program can utilize myriad creative writing resources, including the well-established Raymond Carver Reading Series, opportunities to meet with visiting writers and highly talented graduate students who will help guide undergraduates, and an undergraduate creative writing club called “Write Out.”

First-year students can also choose to live in the Creative Writing Learning Living Community (LLC), where they can meet fellow students and create friendships, network with faculty and established authors through public readings and LLC dinners, and explore their passion for reading and writing poetry, fiction, graphic novels, creative nonfiction or any other types of writing.

According to Sarah Harwell, associate director of the creative writing program, in addition to being authors, graduates with a creative writing degree can also go on to careers in the fields of publishing, public relations, marketing, advertising, web design, media design, branding, social media communications, teaching, publishing, editing, grant writing, journalism, technical writing, health care professions and computer science.

“Nearly every profession is in need of highly skilled writers to interpret technical fields to the general public, to create compelling stories, and to compress and synthesize information so that it is gripping and persuasive,” Harwell says.

The program is now accepting students. For more information about enrolling, email Sarah Harwell at scharwel@syr.edu.

  • Author

Dan Bernardi

  • Recent
  • Men’s Soccer Team Gives Back to Syracuse Community for Season of Support
    Friday, June 2, 2023, By Kathleen Haley
  • June 30 Deadline Set for Fiscal 2023 Year End Business
    Wednesday, May 31, 2023, By News Staff
  • DPS Accepting Sign-Ups for R.A.D. Summer Session
    Wednesday, May 31, 2023, By Alex Haessig
  • Syracuse Stage Adds 2 Musicals to 50th Anniversary Season
    Wednesday, May 31, 2023, By Joanna Penalva
  • Supporting, Advocating for Trans Youth Will Help Them Thrive As Adults
    Friday, May 26, 2023, By Daryl Lovell

More In Campus & Community

Men’s Soccer Team Gives Back to Syracuse Community for Season of Support

After their hard-earned National Championship season, energized by an outpouring of support, the Syracuse men’s soccer team wanted to respond in gratitude back to the community. Team members Noah Singelmann ’22 and Julius Rauch ’24 started a program, Sincere Impact,…

Project Mend Builds Community Through Writing for Those Impacted by the Justice System

For many years, Patrick W. Berry never told anyone that his father had been incarcerated for much of his life, as had several other members of Berry’s extended family. In fact, he tried not to think much about it. But eventually,…

June 30 Deadline Set for Fiscal 2023 Year End Business

Cash Operations has set a deadline of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, June 30, to receive deposits at the Bowne Cash Operations office for credit in fiscal year 2023. Deposits should be made as early in the day as possible on…

DPS Accepting Sign-Ups for R.A.D. Summer Session

The Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) is currently accepting sign-ups for its R.A.D. summer session. R.A.D., which stands for Rape Aggression Defense, is a nationally known self-defense program. This women-only self-defense course is being offered exclusively to Syracuse…

Syracuse Stage Adds 2 Musicals to 50th Anniversary Season

Syracuse Stage announced two musicals that will complete the lineup for the organization’s 50th anniversary season. Audiences are immersed in the soulful music of Billie Holiday with Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Oct. 18 through Nov. 5. Closing…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2023 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.