Dec 21, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Creative Writing, B.A.


Requirements for the liberal arts major in creative writing, B.A. program


The creative writing major requires a total of 44 credit hours, including five creative writing workshops (20 credits), two cognate courses (8 credits), and either four English electives or three English electives and an additional creative writing workshop (16 credits). Students choose one track from the four offered: fiction, poetry, screenwriting or literary nonfiction. One of the creative writing workshops must be a 4000 level course (either CW 4200 , CW 4300 , CW 4400  or CW 4500 ); this class will provide a capstone experience and require a creative thesis (i.e., a collection of poetry or short fiction, a screenplay, or a work of literary nonfiction).

Students must earn at least a 2.8 in all creative writing workshop courses and at least a 2.0 in literature courses to have them count toward the major. Only one 1000-level course will be accepted for credit in the major. The 44 credits (exclusive of composition courses used to satisfy the university writing proficiency requirement) are distributed as follows: 

1. Introductory course (select one)


2. Fiction, poetry, screenwriting or literary nonfiction track (select one - A, B, C, or D)


A. Fiction Track


B. Poetry Track


C. Screenwriting Track


D. Literary Nonfiction Track


3. Sixteen elective credits, eight credits of which must be taken at the 3000 level


Twelve of these credits must come from courses in literature (i.e., with the ENG prefix); students may use the remaining four credits to take either an additional course in literature or an additional (or sixth) workshop. Two of the elective classes must be 3000 level or higher, but ENG 2100  can substitute for one of these 3000-level courses for students in the fiction, poetry, and literary nonfiction tracks; CIN 1150  can substitute for one 3000-level class for students in the screenwriting track.

4. At least twenty credits in English courses must be taken at Oakland.


5. An introductory two-semester sequence in a foreign language, or one semester of a foreign language at the 1150 level or higher with a minimum grade of 2.0.


Note


Students majoring in creative writing may not use the ENG rubric to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences exploratory requirement.

Students using this catalog to meet creative writing major requirements may also use any course subsequently approved as satisfying requirements under the various workshop and cognate elective course options that is published in a later catalog.

Additional Information


In addition to these major requirements, students must complete the Oakland University General Education Requirements , the College of Arts and Sciences College Exploratory Requirement , and an appropriate number of free elective classes to meet the overall credit requirement for the degree (in most cases 124; some degrees may require a greater number).

As a general rule, no more than eight credits of course work used to satisfy one major, minor or concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may be allowed with the written approval of the program coordinators.