Creative Writing, B.F.A.

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With its focus on the study of important works, this degree combines literature courses and writing workshops to explore students’ talents as creative writers. Students earning a B.F.A. in Creative Writing may not double major in the B.A. in English.

Program Learning Outcomes and Educational Effectiveness Evaluation for B.F.A. in Creative Writing.

Students pursuing the B.F.A. in Creative Writing are required to:

Maintain at least a 2.000 grade point average in the major.
Complete 21 credits from upper-division courses in the major.
Complete the capstone requirement ENG 497 .

core creative writing (21 credits)

requirements (6 credits)
ENG 204 - Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credits
ENG 497 - Capstone Course in Creative Writing 3 credits
one of the following (3 credits)
ENG 304 - Creative Writing: Special Topics 3 credits
ENG 304A - Creative Writing Special Topics: Experimental Writing 3 credits
ENG 304B - Creative Writing Special Topics: Science or Speculative Fiction Writing 3 credits
ENG 304C - Creative Writing Special Topics: Writing Health and Science 3 credits
ENG 304D - Creative Writing Special Topics: Young Adult Writing 3 credits
one of the following (3 credits)
ENG 403 - Techniques in Poetry Writing 3 credits
ENG 404 - Techniques in Writing Fiction 3 credits
nine credits from the following (9 credits)
ENG 405 - Advanced Workshop in Poetry Writing 3 credits *
ENG 406 - Advanced Workshop in Writing Fiction 3 credits *
ENG 419 - Advanced Workshop in Creative Nonfiction 3 credits *

elective creative writing courses (12 credits)

four of the following
ENG 227 - Writing the One-Act Play 3 credits
ENG 228 - Introduction to Screenwriting 3 credits
ENG 302 - Writing About Diverse Cultures 3 credits
ENG 304 - Creative Writing: Special Topics 3 credits
ENG 304A - Creative Writing Special Topics: Experimental Writing 3 credits
ENG 304B - Creative Writing Special Topics: Science or Speculative Fiction Writing 3 credits
ENG 304C - Creative Writing Special Topics: Writing Health and Science 3 credits
ENG 304D - Creative Writing Special Topics: Young Adult Writing 3 credits
ENG 310 - Writing Creative Nonfiction 3 credits
ENG 312 - Writing the Short Story 3 credits
ENG 313 - Writing Southern California 3 credits
ENG 314 - Writing the Novel 3 credits
ENG 316 - Writing Poetry 3 credits
ENG 318 - Intermediate Screenwriting 3 credits
ENG 328 - Writing for Video Games 3 credits
ENG 351 - Writing the Graphic Novel 3 credits
ENG 405 - Advanced Workshop in Poetry Writing 3 credits
ENG 406 - Advanced Workshop in Writing Fiction 3 credits
ENG 414 - Narrative Nonfiction 3 credits
ENG 419 - Advanced Workshop in Creative Nonfiction 3 credits

core literature and theory (12 credits)

requirements (6 credits)
ENG 223 - Literature III (1800 CE-present) 3 credits
ENG 256 - Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism 3 credits
one of the following (3 credits)
ENG 221 - Literature I (antiquity to 1400 CE) 3 credits
ENG 222 - Literature II (1400-1800 CE) 3 credits
ENG 270 - Foundations of Rhetorical Studies 3 credits
one of the following (3 credits)
ENG 250 - Introduction to Fiction 3 credits
ENG 252 - Introduction to Poetry 3 credits
ENG 407 - Literary Forum: Tabula Poetica Poetry Reading Series 3 credits
ENG 409 - Literary Forum: John Fowles Center Contemporary Writers Core 3 credits

elective literature/rhetoric upper-division courses (9 credits)

at least 3 credits of the following diversity courses** (3 credits)
ENG 302 - Writing About Diverse Cultures 3 credits
ENG 327 - Multicultural Literatures of the U.S. 3 credits
ENG 339 - World Literature from 1900 to the Present 3 credits
ENG 347 - Topics in Literary and Cultural Studies 3 credits
ENG 447 - Topics in Comparative Literature 3 credits
ENG 449 - Literature in Translation 3 credits
ENG 472 - Film, Gender, Sexuality 3 credits
two of the following (6 credits)
ENG 302 - Writing About Diverse Cultures
3 credits
ENG 320 - Topics in American Literature before 1870 3 credits
ENG 321 - Topics in American Literature after 1870 3 credits
ENG 326 - Topics in American Literature 3 credits
ENG 327 - Multicultural Literatures of the U.S.
3 credits
ENG 329 - Experimental Course 3 credits
ENG 337 - Topics in British Literature 3 credits
ENG 339 - World Literature from 1900 to the Present
3 credits
ENG 340 - The Bible as Literature: The Hebrew Scriptures 3 credits
ENG 341 - The Bible as Literature: The Christian Scriptures 3 credits
ENG 344 - Topics in British Literature before 1850 3 credits
ENG 345 - Topics in British Literature after 1850 3 credits
ENG 346 - Special Studies in Literature 1-6 credits
ENG 347 - Topics in Literary and Cultural Studies
3 credits
ENG 355 - Theater in England 3 credits
ENG 357 - Topics in Humanomics 3 credits (With the approval of the English Department Chair)
ENG 371 - Discourse Analysis 3 credits
ENG 372 - Language and Ideology 3 credits
ENG 407 - Literary Forum: Tabula Poetica Poetry Reading Series 3 credits
ENG 409 - Literary Forum: John Fowles Center Contemporary Writers Core 3 credits
ENG 430 - Shakespeare’s Comedies and Histories 3 credits
ENG 432 - Shakespeare’s Tragedies and Romances 3 credits
ENG 441 - Topics in Drama 3 credits
ENG 442 - Topics in Poetry 3 credits
ENG 443 - Topics in Fiction 3 credits
ENG 445 - Major Author(s) 3 credits
ENG 446 - Topics in Rhetoric 3 credits
ENG 447 - Topics in Comparative Literature
3 credits
ENG 449 - Literature in Translation
3 credits
ENG 456 - Topics in Literary Theory and Criticism 3 credits
ENG 471 - The Rhetoric of Fiction 3 credits

elective practice (6 credits)

two of the following
(at least 3 credits must be upper-division)
ENG 210 - News Reporting and Writing Workshop 3 credits
ENG 211 - Introduction to Digital Journalism Workshop 3 credits
ENG 215 - Theory and Practice of Journalism and Reporting Lab 4 credits
ENG 218 - Introduction to Digital Design for Journalists 3 credits
ENG 253 - Photojournalism 3 credits
ENG 305 - Business Writing 3 credits
ENG 319 - Digital Magazine Workshop for Journalists 3 credits
ENG 323 - Journalists as Historians 3 credits
ENG 370 - Technical Writing 3 credits
ENG 373 - Rhetorical Criticism 3 credits
ENG 374 - Environmental Rhetoric 3 credits
ENG 375 - Composing New Media 3 credits
ENG 421 - Humanities Computing 3 credits
ENG 481 - Theory and Practice of Writing, Tutoring, and Conferencing 3 credits
ENG 484 - Introduction to Digital Humanities 3 credits
ENG 491 - Student-Faculty Research/Creative Activity 1-3 credits

total credits 60

*ENG 405 , ENG 406 and ENG 419 are repeatable for credit. Students must take a combination of ENG 405 , ENG 406 and ENG 419 for a total of nine credits.

**Other courses, such as special topics courses, may also be used to satisfy the diversity requirement, depending on their focus. Topics courses can be repeated for credit when they have a different focus.