In addition to meeting General Education requirements, creative writing majors must complete a minimum of nine courses and an 8-credit senior project (45–47 credits total) as follows. The foundation courses and the two genre courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher:

  • CWR 1000/Poetic Techniques: 4 credits*
  • CWR 1100/Narrative Techniques: 4 credits*
  • Two courses in the student’s chosen genre (poetry or fiction): 8 credits*
    CWR 2400/Poetry Writing I and CWR 3400/Poetry Writing II
    or
    CWR 2500/Fiction Writing I and CWR 3500/Fiction Writing II
    *Must be completed with a grade of B or higher.
  • Two upper-level creative writing electives from the list below: 8 credits
        CWR 3200/Art of the Novella
        CWR 3450/ Poets at Work: First Books
        CWR 3110/Writing Home
        CWR 3125/ Alternate Worlds
        CWR 3215 and CWR 3220/ Editing and Production Workshop (year-long sequential course in Editing and Production).
  • Two literature courses, chosen from an approved list: 7–8 credits
  • Arts-related course(s): 3–4 credits
  • CWR 4000/Special Topics in Creative Writing: 3 credits
  • SPJ 4990/Senior Project I: 4 credits
  • SPJ 4991/Senior Project II: 4 credits

Note: Creative writing majors are encouraged to apply to one of the college’s many study abroad programs. Please contact the Education Abroad Coordinator at study.abroad@purchase.edu for more information.

Examples:

Sequence of Study

All creative writing majors follow a sequence of courses, whether their chosen genre is poetry or fiction:

  1. To encourage an awareness of and sensitivity to the various aspects of the craft of creative writing, students are required to take the introductory courses, CWR 1000 and 1100, in their first year of study.
  2. In the second year, poetry students move on to CWR 2400/Poetry Writing I, then to CWR 3400/Poetry Writing II, while fiction writing students take CWR 2500/Fiction Writing I, followed by CWR 3500/Fiction Writing II.
  3. After completing this course sequence, students have the opportunity to study for one semester with a writer-in-residence. In addition, advanced tutorials are available on a regular basis, emphasizing continuous, close work on revision and editing skills. In the most advanced classes, students begin to explore the fiction and poetry market. A component of advanced study may also include experience in editorial and copyediting techniques as preparation for work in the publishing industries.
  4. Students take CWR 4000/Special Topics in Creative Writing in the fall of their senior year, in tandem with the first semester of their senior project.

Effective Fall 2020:

CWR 3200 no longer satisfies the fiction genre course requirement
Arts-Related Courses list expanded beyond upper-level courses