Creative Writing, B.F.A. Suggested 4-year Plan

How to use your 4-Year Plan

This is a suggested 4-year plan for your major and not meant to replace regular academic advising.
The plan is flexible and can be changed to accommodate studying abroad, a second major/minor(s) or AP/IB credits.
You should work with an academic advisor to develop a plan that meets your interests and goals.
You must earn a minimum of 120 credits to graduate and 46 major-specific credits to earn a B.F.A. in Creative Writing.
Transfer students and those looking to add B.F.A. in Creative Writing as a second major should contact the program advisor for degree planning.
If you have any questions, please contact lhall@chapman.edu.

Suggested 4-Year Plan

We encourage you to select your General Education (GE) and minor/second major/Themed Inquiry/Honors program around the plan below. Once you fill your GE classes around your major classes, you will have a better idea of space remaining each semester when choosing your Exploration Focus.
To be enrolled full time, you must take at least 12 credits a semester.
In order to graduate within 4 years, we recommend you take 30 credits a year.

Year 1

In your first year, focus on the core 200-level classes in the major, and balance with General Education needs. ENG 223 and ENG 256 are required courses.
Fall Semester (6 credits for major)
ENG 204 - Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credits
One of the following:
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
Spring Semester (6 credits for major)
ENG 256 - Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism 3 credits
One of the following:
ENG 223 - Literature III (1800 CE-present) 3 credits
ENG 250 - Introduction to Fiction 3 credits *
ENG 252 - Introduction to Poetry 3 credits *
* ENG 223 is a requirement for the major. Students then choose between ENG 250, 252, or 409.

Year 2

In your second year, begin to dive into the creative writing electives, take a Topics in Creative Writing class (304), and balance with literature and rhetoric courses for a recommended 5-7 major classes in the year. Make sure you are paying attention to the different categories in the program and balancing your choices between those categories, fulfilling the core requirements as well as the elective categories in Literature/Rhetoric and Elective Practice.
Fall Semester (9 credits for major)
One of the following (whichever is remaining):
Core Literature/Rhetoric Survey class, i.e. one of:
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
Core Fiction or Poetry Introductory course, i.e. one of:
ENG 250 - Introduction to Fiction 3 credits
ENG 252 - Introduction to Poetry 3 credits
ENG 304 - Creative Writing: Special Topics 3 credits [includes all 304 sections with subtopic designations, i.e. 304A, 304B, 304C, etc.]
Diversity, Literature/Rhetoric, or Elective Practice Course (3 credits)**
Spring Semester (9 credits for major)
Creative Writing Elective (3 credits)
Diversity, Literature/Rhetoric, or Elective Practice Course (3 credits)**
Diversity, Literature/Rhetoric, or Elective Practice Course (3 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.

Year 3

In your third year, continue to balance those creative writing, lit/rhetoric, and practice electives, but also begin to take the upper-division core courses: the Techniques course (403 or 404), and at least one Advanced Workshop in Creative Writing (405, 406, or 419). Since you need three Adv. Workshops (any combination of the course numbers listed above), it’s essential to start those workshops in your junior year. We recommend taking 5-7 classes from the major.
Fall Semester (9 credits for major)
Creative Writing Elective (3 credits)
Literature/Rhetoric Course (3 credits)
Elective Practice Course (3 credits)
Spring Semester (9 credits for major)
Creative Writing Elective, Literature/Rhetoric Course or Elective Practice Course (whatever is remaining) (3 credits)
ENG 403 - Techniques in Poetry Writing 3 credits
OR
ENG 404 - Techniques in Writing Fiction 3 credits
One of the following (9 credits are needed from any combination of the following three classes):
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

Year 4

Your fourth year will be the year in which you are dedicating your time to your capstone portfolio. You’ll finish up any remaining requirements in the various elective categories, take your Adv. Workshops, and take the Capstone in Creative Writing. We recommend that the work you do in this final year be intimately connected to the portfolio of writing you are producing for the capstone
Fall Semester (6 credits for major)
One of the following (depending on how many you took in your Year 3)***
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
Creative Writing Elective, Literature/Rhetoric Course or Elective Practice Course (whichever is remaining) (3 credits)
Spring Semester (9 credits for major)
ENG 497 - Capstone Course in Creative Writing 3 credits
Creative Writing Elective, Literature/Rhetoric Course or Elective Practice Course (whichever is remaining) (3 credits)
*** 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.