Creative Writing Specialization
The Creative Writing specialization is for students who want an intensive curriculum focused on developing their creative writing. In this specialization, students work closely in small class settings and in private conference with publishing practitioners of the craft. Our five core creative writing faculty — along with dozens of MFA GTAs and one affiliated faculty member specializing in screenwriting and story engineering — teach upper-level undergraduates in the primary genres of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Students graduate from this specialization with a robust portfolio and a refined creative voice in their genre(s) of choice. For information about placement into upper-level Creative Writing workshops, please visit our 4000-level Creative Writing Workshops page.
Basic Information
- Students pursuing the English major with a Creative Writing (CW) Specialization will complete a minimum of 12 unique courses (36 hours).
- Students must have a cumulative minimum grade point average of 2.0 (C) for all courses in the major program and a minimum grade of C- for each individual major course. A minimum grade of C is required for English 3398.
- 27 credit hours must be at 3000+ level.
- 3 credits (of 36) must be an identified Embedded Literacy-Technology course.
- Up to 6 credit hours may be counted towards your GE Theme requirements. Please consult with your advisor to get more information on how you can (and can't) overlap GE Theme requirements with major requirements.
- Not all courses are offered every term: please consult with your advisor.
Requirements for Creative Writing Specialization
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 2201(H): British Lit: Origins to 1800
- 2220(H): Intro to Shakespeare
- 2221: Introduction to Shakespeare, Race, and Gender
- 2290: Colonial & US Literature to 1865
- 4513: Intro to Medieval Lit
- 4514: Middle English Lit
- 4515: Chaucer
- 4520.01: Shakespeare
- 4520.02: Topics in Shakespeare
- 4521: Renaissance Drama
- 4522: Renaissance Poetry
- 4523: Topics in Renaissance Lit/Culture
- 4531: Restoration & 18th c. Lit
- 4533: Early British Novel: Origins to 1830
- 4535: Topics in Restoration & 18th c. British Lit/Culture
- 4550: Topics in Colonial & Early National Lit. of the US
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 2202(H): British Lit: 1800 to Present
- 2281: Intro to African American Lit
- 2381: Intro to the Black Atlantic
- 2581: Intro to US Ethnic Literatures
- 2291: US Lit: 1865–Present
- 4540: 19th c. British Poetry
- 4542: 19th c. British Novel
- 4543: 20th c. British Fiction
- 4547: 20th c. Poetry
- 4551: Topics in 19th c. US Lit
- 4552: Topics in American Poetry
- 4553: 20th c. US Fiction
- 4563: Contemporary Lit
- 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Literatures
- 4582: Topics in African American Lit/Culture
- 4586: Studies in American Indian Lit/Culture
- 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit/Culture
- 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit/Culture
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 4577.01: Folklore I: Groups & Communities
- 4580: Topics in LGBTQ Lit/Cultures
- 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Literatures
- 4582: Topics in African American Lit/Culture
- 4586: Studies in American Indian Lit/Culture
- 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit/Culture
- 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit/Culture
- 4589: Studying the Margins: Power, Language, & Culture
- 4592: Women in Lit & Culture
- 4597.01: Disability Experience
English 3398 (Methods for the Study of Literature) is a required course for this specialization. 3 credit hours. This course fulfills GEN Embedded Literacy: Advanced Writing and Data Analysis
6 credit hours. Select two of the following, each from a different genre (fiction, poetry, nonfiction):
- 2265: Introductory Fiction Writing
- 2266: Introductory Poetry Writing
- 2267: Introduction to Creative Writing
- 2268: Introductory Creative Nonfiction Writing
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 3465: Intermediate Topics in Fiction
- 3466: Intermediate Topics in Poetry
- 3468: Intermediate Topics in Nonfiction
3 credit hours. Select one of the following:
- 3465: Intermediate Topics in Fiction
- 3466: Intermediate Topics in Poetry
- 3468: Intermediate Topics in Nonfiction
- 3662: Intro to Literary Publishing
- 4565: Advanced Fiction Writing
- 4566: Advanced Poetry Writing
- 4568: Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing
- 4591.01H Topics in the Study of Creative Writing
6 credit hours. Choose two of the following:
- 4565: Advanced Fiction Writing
- 4566: Advanced Poetry Writing
- 4568: Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing
3 credit hours. Choose one of the following:
- 3011.01: Digital Activism
- 3020: Writing and Sustainability
- 3022: Sustainability & Media
- 3031: Rhetorics of Health, Illness & Wellness
- 3031.02: Social Media Rhetoric
- 3110: Citizenship, Justice & Diversity
- 3264: Monsters Without and Within
- 3271: Structure of the English Language
- 3304: Business & Professional Writing
- 3305: Technical Writing
- 3331: Thinking Theoretically
- 3340: Reimagining Climate Change
- 3360: Ecopoetics
- 3361: Narrative & Medicine
- 3364: Topics in Popular Culture
- 3372: Topics in SF and/or Fantasy
- 3378: Special Topics in Film & Literature
- 3395: Literature & Leadership
- 3405: Topics in Prof. Communication
- 3467S: Issues & Methods in Tutoring Writing
- 4150: Cultures of Professional Writing
- 4189: Capstone Internship in PW
- 4321: Environmental Lit, Culture & Media
- 4400: Literary Locations
- 4450: Lit and Cultures of London
- 4513: Intro to Medieval Lit
- 4514: Middle English Lit
- 4515: Chaucer
- 4520.01: Shakespeare
- 4520.02: Topics in Shakespeare
- 4521: Renaissance Drama
- 4522: Renaissance Poetry
- 4523: Topics in Renaissance Lit/Culture
- 4531: Restoration & 18th c. Lit
- 4533: Early British Novel: Origins to 1830
- 4535: Topics in Restoration & 18th c. British Lit/Culture
- 4540: 19th c. British Poetry
- 4542: 19th c. British Novel
- 4543: 20th c. British Fiction
- 4547: 20th c. British Poetry
- 4550: Topics in Colonial & Early National Lit. of the US
- 4551: Topics in 19th-Century U.S. Lit
- 4552: Topics in American Poetry to 1915
- 4553: 20th-Century U.S. Fiction
- 4554: English Studies & Global Human Rights
- 4555: Rhetoric and Legal Argumentation
- 4559: Intro to Narrative & Narrative Theory
- 4562: Studies in Lit & the Other Arts
- 4563: Contemporary Lit
- 4564.01: Major Author, Med & Renaissance
- 4564.02: Major Author, 18th- & 19th-c.
- 4564.03: Major Author, Am. Lit to 1900
- 4564.04: Major Author, 20th-Century Lit
- 4567S: Rhetoric & Community Service
- 4569: Digital Media & English Studies
- 4571: Special Topics in English Linguistics
- 4572: English Grammar and Usage
- 4573.01 Rhetorical Theory & Criticism
- 4573.02 Rhetoric & Social Action
- 4574: History & Theories of Writing
- 4575: Topics in Literary Forms & Themes
- 4576.01: History of Critical Theory I
- 4577.01 Folklore I: Groups & Communities
- 4577.02 Folklore II: Genres, Form, Meaning
- 4577.03 Folklore III: Issues & Methods
- 4578: Topics in Film
- 4580: Topics in LGBTQ Lit & Culture
- 4581: Topics in US Ethnic Lit
- 4582: Topics in African-American Lit
- 4583: Topics in World Lit
- 4584: Topics in Literacy Studies
- 4586: Studies in American Indian Lit & Culture
- 4587: Studies in Asian American Lit & Culture
- 4588: Studies in Latinx Lit & Culture
- 4589: Studying the Margins: Language, Power, and Culture
- 4590.01H: The Middle Ages
- 4590.02H: The Renaissance
- 4590.03H: The Long 18th century
- 4590.04H: Romanticism
- 4590.05:H The Later 19th century
- 4590.06H: The Modern Period
- 4590.07H: Literature in English after 1945
- 4590.08H: U.S. & Colonial Literature
- 4591.02H: Topics in the Study of Rhetoric
- 4592: Women in Literature & Culture
- 4595: Literature & Law
- 4597.01: Disability Experience in Contemporary World
- 5191.01: English Internship
- 5664: Studies in Graphic Narrative
- 5710: Intro to Old English Lang & Lit
- 5720: Grad Studies in Shakespeare
- 5722: Grad Studies in Ren Poetry
3 credit hours. Choose one of the following or one course at the 3000+-level from any of the lists above:
- 3362: Intro to Literary Publishing
- 3465: Intermediate Fiction Writing
- 3466: Intermediate Poetry Writing
- 3468: Intermediate Non-fiction Writing
- 4565: Advanced Fiction Writing
- 4566: Advanced Poetry Writing
- 4568: Advanced Non-Fiction Writing
- 4591.01H: Topics of CW
3 credits from the accordions above must be one of the following Embedded Literacy: Technology courses.
- 3378: Special Topics in Film and Literature
- 4569: Digital Media & English Studies
- 4574: History & Theories of Writing
- 4578: Topics in Film
Honors and Research Distinction Information
English majors in the Creative Writing specialization in addition to fulfilling above requirements must take at least 2 courses (6 credits) from the following list of honors seminars: these courses may count towards other distribution requirements (as noted below).
- 4590.01H: The Middle Ages [pre-1800]
- 4590.02H: The Renaissance [pre-1800]
- 4590.03H: The Long 18th c. [pre-1800]
- 4590.04H: Romanticism [post-1800]
- 4590.05H: Later 19th c. [post-1800]
- 4590.06H: The Modern Period [post-1800]
- 4590.07H: Lit in English after 1945 [post-1800]
- 4590.08H: US and Colonial Lit [varies]
- 4591.01H: Topics in Study of CW [elective]
- 4591.02H: Topics in Study of Rhetoric [elective]
Students planning to pursue research distinction in English will complete at least 4 credit hours of English 4999 (4999H for honors students), the course number assigned for work on undergraduate theses, in addition to the 36 hours required for the major. To graduate with research distinction in English, students must meet the following requirements at the time of their graduation: (a) have completed 60 graded hours at Ohio State, (b) have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (note: the GPA requirement for honors students is 3.4), and have successfully defended their thesis during an oral examination.
Information about the thesis process and requirements can be found on the Research Distinction page on the ASC advising website.
Honors students should consult the information and requirements available at the Honors Distinction page on the Honors Program website.
All English majors are encouraged to consider completing a thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor(s). Thesis projects may involve the drafting of a scholarly research paper; the production of a novel, set of short stories, or collection of poems; the analysis of narratives and/or other qualitative data collected from a particular cultural or regional community; and/or the creation of a digital media artifact. Students are encouraged to talk with members of the English faculty and their English Undergraduate Advisors, as early as possible in their undergraduate careers, if they are interested in developing a thesis project or would like more information about the thesis process and requirements.