English Major with Creative Writing Concentration

For students who entered UM in Fall 2022 or later. All other students may choose to follow these requirements for the Creative Writing major, or they may follow the old requirements listed below.

Requirements

Students who declare a major in English with a Creative Writing Concentration should meet with the Director of Creative Writing.

1. Complete the following FOUR courses:
  ENG 290: Beginning Fiction Workshop 3 credits
  ENG 292: Beginning Poetry Workshop 3 credits
  ENG 390: Intermediate Fiction Workshop 3 credits
ENG 392: Intermediate Poetry Workshop 3 credits
2. Select ONE of the following courses 3 credits
  ENG 404: Creative Writing (Prose Fiction)
ENG 406: Creative Writing (Poetry)
3. Select ONE of the following courses 3 credits
Any ENG literature course at the 400 level
ENG 404: Creative Writing (Prose Fiction)
ENG 406: Creative Writing (Poetry)
ENG 407: Creative Writing Special Topics
ENG 408: Writing Autobiography
4. Select ONE of the following literature courses (ENG 210 may NOT be used towards the fulfillment of this requirement) 3 credits
  ENG 201, ENG 202, ENG 205, ENG 211, ENG 212, ENG 213, ENG 214, ENG 215, ENG 260, ENG 261
4. Additional literature requirements (at least one of the 300 or 400 level ENG literature courses must cover literature before 1900) 9 credits
  Select TWO ENG literature courses at the 300 level or higher
Select ONE ENG literature at the 400 level
TOTAL CREDITS: 30 credits

 Workshops must be taken one at a time and in sequence.

Old Requirements 

For students who entered UM before Fall 2022. These students may also choose to follow the current requirements for the Creative Writing major listed above.

1. Students who declare a major in English with a Creative Writing Concentration should meet with the Director of Creative Writing.

2. Completion of one of the following workshop tracks:
Fiction Track
  ENG 290 3 credits
  ENG 390 3 credits
 

ENG 404 (to be taken twice) OR

ENG 404 (taken once) plus ENG 407 OR

ENG 404 (taken once) plus ENG 408

 6 credits
Poetry Track
  ENG 292 3 credits
  ENG 392 3 credits
 

ENG 406 (to be taken twice) OR

ENG 406 (taken once) plus ENG 407 OR

ENG 406 (taken once) plus ENG 408

 6 credits
3. One (1) of the following courses:
  ENG 201, ENG 202, ENG 205, ENG 211, ENG 212, ENG 213, ENG 214, ENG 215, ENG 260, ENG 261 (N.B., ENG 210 may not be used toward the fulfillment of this requirement.) 3 credits
4. Four (4) more literature courses numbered 300 or higher, at least two of which must cover literature earlier than 1900. Two of the four courses must be 400-level. 12 credits
5. One more literature course numbered 200 or higher. 3 credits
 
TOTAL CREDITS: 30 credits

 Workshops must be taken one at a time and in sequence.

Departmental Honors in Creative Writing

To enter the program a student must have achieved by the end of the junior year a 3.5 average in English courses (including courses in creative writing) and a 3.3 average overall. In addition to meeting the requirements for the Creative Writing Concentration, the candidate for Departmental Honors must:

  1. Take at least three literature courses at the 400-level or higher in fulfilling requirement 4 of the Creative Writing Concentration.
  2. Complete a six-credit Senior Creative Writing Project. The student undertaking this project normally registers for ENG 497, Special Topics/ Independent Study, for the first semester of the project, and ENG 499, Senior Creative Writing Project, for the second semester. The student must receive a grade of B or higher in both courses in order to qualify for honors.6 credits
  3. Receive for the project a recommendation for honors by the director of the Senior Creative Writing Project and by one other faculty reader designated by the Director of Creative Writing.
  4. Achieve an average in the major of at least 3.5, and an overall average of at least 3.3. Total: 36 credits