Creative Writing
Anyone ever tell you that studying poetry will lead to a lifetime of living in your parents’ basement? Don’t listen to ’em! Employers are always looking for creative thinkers who can write and communicate with precision, persuasion, and panache. This is why you’ll find creative writing majors in a wide variety of fields including marketing and communications, journalism, technical writing, and even fundraising. It’s an easy leap to take what you learn about story telling and community engagement and apply those skills towards writing a grant to fund projects for schools, arts organizations, or a healthcare non-profit.
Program Highlights
- Student editorships for the campus literary journal Castings
- Annual Literary Contest with monetary awards in each genre
- Mentorship and networking opportunities with award-winning writers
- Annual trips to the Southern Literary Festival
- Extracurricular events with Spillit Memphis, Crosstown Arts, and Memphis Reads
What You’ll Study
The Creative Writing major requires 121 credit hours. You’ll take CBU general education and liberal arts courses, plus courses in:
- Fiction and creative nonfiction writing
- Poetry
- Playwriting and screenwriting
- American and British literature
The major culminates in a Senior Capstone Project – a book or chapbook of publishable work accompanied by a live reading.
View Creative Writing Course RequirementsMinors
- English – 18 credits in upper level English courses
- Creative Writing – 18 credits in English and creating writing courses; these courses also contribute to interdisciplinary minors in American Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, Sustainability Studies, and Peace Studies
- Foreign Language – 12 credits in Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, Russian, or Spanish
Professional Writing Certificate
CBU’s professional writing certificate allows students from majors across the university to combine four courses to add to their credentials as proficient and career-ready communicators. Courses include business communications, advanced composition, creative writing, art, and creative nonfiction.
Meet the Faculty
