Course Descriptions

Current Creative Writing Course Offerings

ENG 1141: Introduction to Creative Writing

Introductory techniques and skills in writing poetry, drama, the short story and the essay. Emphasis on the student’s awareness of creative potential. Foundation course for the Academic Minor in Creative Writing.

ENG 2142: Writing Poetry

Practice the craft of writing effective lyric, narrative, and experimental poems, studying poems by accomplished poets and producing poems in a seminar and workshop setting. Key concepts and skills include observation and description, the use of persona, imagery, metaphor, connotation, sound, line breaks, structure in poetry, syntax and grammar. The course incorporates a variety of cultural perspectives in the theory and practice of writing poetry.

Future Creative Writing Courses

Beginning in Fall 2024, new courses in creative writing will be added. See the appropriate college catalog for information on specific class offerings. Forthcoming courses include:

ENG 2143: Writing for the Stage and Screen

An introduction to writing dramatic stories for the stage and screen with a focus on creative processes and techniques associated with creating modern, conventional stories for theater and film. Covers developing scripts, creating story ideas, writing and formatting dramatic scenes, and pitching film and stage projects to peers. The course includes analyzing dramatic literature and engaging in research of dramatic texts, as well as studying methods and theory regarding act-based plays and films.

ENG 2144: Writing Fiction

An introduction to concepts of fiction writing, including strategies for plot and character development, expression, dialogue, point of view, effective language use, and revision. Read from a variety of fiction genres and forms from diverse voices to analyze choices made by professional writers. In-class workshops introduce methods for receiving and delivering effective constructive criticism with the goal of improving creative development.

ENG 2145: Writing Nonfiction: Memoir and the Personal Essay

An introduction to memoir and personal essay writing. Course topics include strategies and techniques to develop an autobiographical point of view, a unique reflective voice, storyline, expression, dialogue, effective language use, and strategies for revision. Read from a variety of genres and forms of memoir, autobiography, personal essays, journals, letters, and diaries to analyze choices and techniques used by professional writers. The workshop portion of this course introduces methods for receiving and delivering effective constructive feedback with the goal of improving one’s own creative development.

For specific course offerings, see the College Catalog for the appropriate semester or contact one of the Minor in Creative Writing program coordinators.