Skip to main content Skip to local navigation
Department of English Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Home » Creative Writing » Degree Options & Requirements

Degree Options & Requirements

Beyond choosing to study Creative Writing, you’ve got the option to customize how you study. If you’re weighing two subjects of interest but can’t make a decision, you’re able to declare a major, which would be your primary area of study, as well as a minor, or secondary subject. Or give them equal billing and go for a double major. Whatever path you envision, you’ll have choices to accommodate you along the way.

Quick Links

Students Enrolled starting in Fall 2026 or later (Direct Entry)
Students Enrolled in Fall 2025 or earlier

Notes for all degrees

Direct entry students begin the program with our Fundamentals of Creative Writing course, which is the core, first year course required for all upper-year level courses.

AP/CWR 2600 6.00, Introduction to Creative Writing, is also available for students already at York who either want to try their hand at workshopping their prose and poetry or who are interested in adding or switching their Major or Minor.

While certain courses in FA/FILM are approved for workshop credit in the Creative Writing Program, enrolment in these courses is not guaranteed for Creative Writing majors and minors. The prerequisite for FA/FILM 2121.6.00 is FA/FILM 1120.6.00, which is not approved for credit in Creative Writing. For further information on all FILM courses, especially regarding eligibility and prerequisites, please contact the Department of Cinema & Media Arts.

While certain courses in FA/THEA are approved for workshop credit in the Creative Writing Program, enrolment in these courses is not guaranteed for Creative Writing majors and minors. For further information on all THEA courses, especially regarding eligibility and prerequisites, please contact the Department of Theatre.

Important notes for all Creative Writing programs

No more than 6.00 credits at the 1000 level.

A maximum of 6.00 additional AP/CWR workshop credits may count towards major or minor requirement.

For workshop credits, please see the list of eligible courses on the Academic Calendar.

For literary context credits, students may fulfill this requirement through courses outside the English major if:

  • those courses contain a significant literary component, and
  • the student obtains the written permission of the Program Coordinator.

All Glendon workshop courses automatically count towards workshop requirements.

All Glendon English courses automatically count towards literary context requirements.

Students Enrolled starting in Fall 2026 or later (Direct Entry)

Admissions Requirements:

  • a minimum 70% average in the student's Current Program Average (CPA) or final GPA, with at least 75% in English or Writer's Craft
  • a personal statement of interest
  • a 10-15 page portfolio of poems, stories or personal essays
young male student using his phone and listening to music in ear buds

Direct entry students must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing, including:
    • Fundamentals in Creative Writing
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.0
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 18 literary context credits in AP/EN courses at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
  • 21 credits outside the major
  • 30 credits in Free Choice courses (can include AP/EN courses)

Direct entry students must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing, including:
    • Fundamentals in Creative Writing
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.0
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 18 literary context credits in AP/EN courses at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
  • 21 credits outside the major
  • 51 credits satisfied by second major and Free Choice courses.

Note: In a double major program, a course may count only once toward major credit.

Direct entry students must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing, including:
    • Fundamentals in Creative Writing
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.0
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 18 literary context credits in AP/EN courses at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
  • 21 credits outside the major
  • 51 credits satisfied by minor and Free Choice courses.

Note: In a major/minor program, a course may count only once toward major credit or minor credit.

Direct entry students must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing, including:
    • Fundamentals in Creative Writing
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.0
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 18 literary context credits in AP/EN courses at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
  • 36 credits in the interdisciplinary program
  • 15 credits in Free Choice courses (can include AP/EN courses)

Note: Courses taken to meet Creative Writing requirements cannot also be used to meet the requirements of the interdisciplinary program. For further information on the interdisciplinary program, please contact Academic Advising in the Department of Social Science.

Students Enrolled in Fall 2025 or earlier

Female student using laptop and looking to the side with a smile

Students enrolled at York before September 2026 must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing, including:
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.00
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 24 literary context credits in AP/EN courses, including at least 18 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
  • 21 credits outside the major
  • 30 credits in Free Choice courses (can include AP/EN courses)

Checklists:

Students enrolled at York before September 2026 must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits (LA&PS)
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing, including:
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.00
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 24 literary context credits in AP/EN courses, including at least 18 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
  • 51 credits satisfied by second major and Free Choice courses.

Note: In a double major program, a course may count only once toward major credit.

Checklists:

Students enrolled at York before September 2026 must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits (LA&PS)
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing, including:
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.0
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 24 literary context credits in AP/EN courses, including at least 18 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
    • 51 credits satisfied by minor and Free Choice courses.

Note: In a major/minor program, a course may count only once toward major credit or minor credit.

Students enrolled at York before September 2026 must pass at least 120 credits, including:

  • 21 General Education credits
  • 48 credits in Creative Writing including:
    • AP/CWR 2600 6.00
    • 18 workshop credits, including at least 6.00 credits at the AP/CWR 4000 level.
    • 24 literary context credits in AP/EN courses, including at least 18 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level (6.00 credits of which must be at the 4000 level).
  • 36 credits in the interdisciplinary program
  • 15 credits in Free Choice courses (can include AP/EN courses)

Note: Courses taken to meet Creative Writing requirements cannot also be used to meet the requirements of the interdisciplinary program. For further information on the interdisciplinary program, please contact Academic Advising in the Department of Social Science.

AAt least 30 credits in Creative Writing, including:

  • AP/CWR 2600 6.00
  • 12 workshop credits
  • 12 literary context credits in AP/EN courses, including at least 6.00 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level.

Note: At least 6.00 credits must be at the 4000 level.

Note: In a major/minor program, a course may count only once toward major credit or minor credit.