Creative Writing is a delayed-entry Honours BA program and may be pursued as a single major, double major or minor.
Students who wish to apply for admission to the program are strongly advised to take one of the following courses among their first 30 University credits:
AP/EN 1001 3.0 - An Introduction to Literary Study
AP/EN 1002 3.0 - Intertextualities
AP/EN 1006 3.0 - Writer's Introduction to Literary Forms
AP/CLRT 1953 6.0 - Canadian Writers in Person
AP/EN 1700 9.0 - Writing: Process and Practice
Students may enrol in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies in Honours or in the Fine Arts Studies Program.
Students who are in the Faculty of Fine Arts should plan a course of studies with the approval of both the Creative Writing and Fine Arts program. If you are registered in the Faculty of Fine Arts you will be expected to meet the requirements of the Fine Arts Studies Program.
Students who wish to pursue a major or minor degree in Creative Writing are required to complete AP/CWR 2600 6.00: Introduction to Creative Writing. After successfully completing AP/CWR 2600 6.00, they must submit a 15-20 page portfolio of poetry and prose fiction as well as the Application form (please see below).
Alternatively, students may apply for full admission after completing their first 48 credits but before completion of their first 78 credits, by presenting a portfolio containing work in both poetry and prose fiction as evidence of writing experience equivalent to that provided by AP/CWR 2600 6.00 Introduction to Creative Writing. This portfolio will be evaluated by the Creative Writing Coordinator and admissions decisions will be made at the Coordinator’s sole discretion.
For admission to CWR 2600, please know that seats become available first to English majors entering their second year of study. After several days, the seats will be opened to all interested students entering their second or higher year. If you've been unable to enrol, please try again (but don't wait too long. The course typically fills and students have to be turned away).
Majors and minors in the program must review their degree checklists with the program secretary between mid-March and early April each year. Students must submit their completed checklists before their appointment.
Third- and fourth-year core courses in Creative Writing are open only to majors/minors in the Creative Writing Program. Occasionally students other than majors/minors in Creative Writing may enrol in the program's core courses. Students who are not majors/minors wishing to enrol in Creative Writing courses should submit a transcript, application form (below), and 15-20 page portfolio to the Coordinator for permission.