Degree Requirements
All students are required to complete overall degree requirements in addition to their major. Please see Degree Completion Requirements for full details for students entering in the 2024-2025 catalog year.
Those students who started at Hiram prior to the 2024-2025 academic year will follow the Degree Requirements outlined in your catalog of record.
Major Requirements
The major in creative writing requires 13 courses which allow students to explore their talent as writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction or screenplays. The major places emphasis on reading, craft and technique, genre study, workshops, and revision. Although the major requires exposure to multiple genres, the 40000-level advanced workshops offer students an opportunity to concentrate on forms of their choosing and to begin to specialize. The creative writing sequence ensures the development of writers, helping students learn about writing professions and translate their experience to careers. The major emphasizes literary writing and encourages emerging writers to engage with literary tradition. This degree is one of very few creative writing majors in the state of Ohio.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Course in Creative Writing | ||
| WRIT 22100 | BASICS OF CREATIVE WRITING:CM (prerequisite to all other writing courses) | 3 |
| Genre Courses in Writing | ||
| Select three of the following: 1 | 12 | |
| CRAFT & TECH: POETRY:CM | ||
| CRAFT&TECH:CREATIVE NONFIC:CM | ||
| CRAFT & TECH: FICTION:CM | ||
| CRAFT & TECH: SCREENWRITING:CM | ||
| Electives in Writing 2 | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6-8 | |
| Students may choose electives by taking additional 30000-level genre courses and 40000-level advanced workshops listed below, or from the following courses: | ||
| STYLE/GRAMMAR FOR WRITERS:CM | ||
| WRITING ABOUT NATURE:CM | ||
| WRITING ABOUT:CM (topic varies; recent topics include food, cemeteries, and seeing) | ||
| SURVEY OF JOURNALISM | ||
| SPORTS JOURNALISM | ||
| WRITERS IN RESIDENCE (counted as a WRIT elective when completed with a passing grade for three semesters.) | ||
| SEM: (Special Topics) | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
| TECHNICAL WRITING | ||
| TEACHING/SUPERVISING WRIT:CM | ||
| MEMOIR | ||
| PROFESSIONAL EDITING | ||
| LITERARY JOURNALISM:CM | ||
| RHETORICAL CRITICISM:IM | ||
| SEM: (Special Topics) | ||
| INDEPENDENT RESEARCH | ||
| INTERNSHIP | ||
| Advanced Workshops in Writing | ||
| Select two of the following 40000-level workshops, designed to produce advanced work: | 8 | |
| ADVANCED WORKSHOP IN POETRY | ||
| ADVANCED CREATIVE NONFICTION | ||
| ADVANCED WORKSHOP IN FICTION | ||
| Senior Capstone | ||
| Students must take the following two capstone courses in the fall of their senior year: | ||
| WRIT 48010 | SENIOR SEMINAR PART I | 1 |
| WRIT 48000 | SENIOR SEMINAR 3 | 3 |
| Introductory Course in Literature | ||
| ENGL 10600 | TELLING STORIES:READING LIT:IM | 4 |
| Literature Component | ||
| Select a minimum of two other courses in literature in two of the following: | 8 | |
American literature course | ||
British literature course | ||
World literature course | ||
| Total Hours | 45-47 | |
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Students must have WRIT 22100 BASICS OF CREATIVE WRITING:CM to begin this sequence.
- 2
We recommend that students select electives that complement their professional or academic goals.
- 3
This 3-week course allows students to revise promising work from their portfolio. They must also write a short essay reflecting on their experience as a major in writing. At the end of the course, students will do a public reading.
Foreign Language
A foreign language is not required. Students must complete a foreign language through the 10200-level only if they plan to receive program honors upon graduation.
AP Credit
Students who have received a 4 or 5 on the English Language and Composition Advanced Placement (AP) test receive credit for one of the required elective writing courses in the major. However, the English program encourages students who are considering graduate work to take additional writing courses.
Requirements for Honors in Creative Writing
Program honors are a privilege conferred upon the creative writing program’s most outstanding students each year upon completion of the honors requirements. In order to apply for Honors in creative writing, students must complete a foreign language through 10200 and meet the Hiram College Honors GPA requirements (overall GPA of 2.80, program GPA of 3.60, and a sum of these two GPAs of 6.80). In addition, students must also receive an A or A- in the creative writing capstone course. At that time, students who are eligible for honors are invited to submit an honors application to the creative writing program for further consideration.
Advising
All students majoring in creative writing must have an academic advisor, as either their primary or secondary advisor, in the creative writing program.
Pathway
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall 12 Week | Hours | |
| ENGL 10600 | TELLING STORIES:READING LIT:IM 1 | 4 |
| Foreign Language Requirement (for honors only) | 4 | |
| UCS 10101 | FIRST-YEAR ENDURING QUESTIONS | 4 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| WRIT 22100 | BASICS OF CREATIVE WRITING:CM 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| WRIT 3XXXX | Craft and Technique | 4 |
| Foreign Language Requirement (for honors only) | 4 | |
| UCS 20201 | ADDRESSING URGENT QUESTIONS | 4 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement (Recommended Core) | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| WRIT 30XXX | Craft and Technique | 4 |
| ENGL XXXXX | English Literature Elective | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| WRIT XXXXX | WRIT Elective | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| WRIT 3XXXX | Craft and Technique | 4 |
| ENGL XXXXX | English Literature Elective | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| UCS 30301 | URGENT CHALLENGE SEMINAR:TT | 4 |
| WRIT 4XXXX | Advanced Workshop | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| ENGL XXXXX | English Literature Elective (if needed) | 4 |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| WRIT XXXXX | Writing Elective | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| WRIT 48010 | SENIOR SEMINAR PART I 1 | 1 |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| WRIT 48000 | SENIOR SEMINAR | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| WRIT 4XXXX | Advanced Workshop | 4 |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Total Hours | 120-124 | |
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"Critical'' to timely degree progression.