English - Creative Writing Emphasis
Focus on the craft of writing with the support and instruction of an array of well-published, award-winning faculty.
Tell Your Story
This growing major is an excellent choice for those who love to read and write, and are passionate about expressing themselves through language. Classes include multi-genre writing workshops, as well as those that focus on specific types of writing such as playwriting, novel writing and creation of essays, short stories, and poetry. Through unique projects and class discussions, you'll foster creativity, insight and empathy — skills that are highly sought after by writers. A variety of electives and course topics throughout the emphasis allow you to study the areas that interest you and best align with your career goals.
While pursuing your degree, you'll experience the incredible benefits of small class sizes. Our courses allow for personalized learning, individualized mentoring, and the formation of meaningful, lasting connections. Your professors and classmates will know you by name and do all they can to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
Graduates of the program leave with the knowledge and skills to create original and effective poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction works.
Whether you dream of publishing a novel, sharing your poetry, crafting blogs or writing a play, a bachelor's degree in creative writing from UW-Eau Claire can help make anything possible.
Program Details
As a creative writing major or minor, you'll have the unique opportunity to work as an academic apprentice. Facilitate class discussions, assist teams with group work, answer questions, provide input for class activities, and assignments and teach part of a class session. Or tutor other students outside of the English department by becoming a Center for Writing Excellence writing assistant. These experiences provide a chance for you to build skills in leadership, interpersonal communication, and problem-solving, while also enhancing your writing abilities.
Endless undergraduate research opportunities are available to students at UWEC. Some of the exciting projects taken on by students and faculty in English involve conducting research and interviewing research subjects. Your work could lead to presentations at local and national research conferences, providing you with even more learning and networking opportunities.
Joining a student organization at UWEC builds your skill set — and your resume. You may mentor current and potential students, organize events, or give back to the community. You'll also meet students who, like you, are interested in English and all that it offers. A popular student org for creative writing majors is NOTA, or None of the Above, which is a campus literary magazine — entirely student-run — that publishes a biannual collection of the top student submissions in the categories of art, poetry, and prose.
Writing in a new and different environment can lead to some pretty incredible work. Find inspiration while studying abroad in places like England, France, Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, South Korea, South Africa, or Japan. Or join faculty on a cultural immersion program to renowned places right here in the U.S. These enriching academic experiences are exactly the kind of high-impact practices that set UW-Eau Claire apart from other institutions, making UWEC an excellent place to pursue your creative writing degree.
Blugold Stories
Some people might stay away from English classes because they think they're bad writers. I would say no one is a bad writer. Writing, like art, is very subjective, and I promise you there is someone out there who will share your story and see the light in your writing. If you're interested in expressing yourself or just have feelings you need to work through, creative writing is something that you should try.
I had no idea how much I would be welcomed and how much all of my professors genuinely care about me. They are so willing to just have a chat or I can come to their office hours. It's just something that is so nice and I didn't know I was going to have that.
Justthe
facts
Where can the creative writing program lead me after graduation?
Graduates of UW-Eau Claire's English - creative writing emphasis degree leave with the knowledge, tools, skills, and passion to become successful, published authors.
Example Careers
- Content manager
- Content writer
- Technical writer
- Social media director
- Researcher
- Playwright
- Freelance writer
- Novelist
- Journalist
The English - creative writing emphasis bachelor's degree includes countless opportunities to create and evaluate forms of verbal art, including poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Coursework throughout the program will help you to become a better reader and writer of imaginative literature. Pair your studies with a minor or another major in areas like history, marketing, journalism, public relations, communication studies, political science or graphic design for even more career opportunities.
Here are a few courses in English - Creative Writing Emphasis at UW-Eau Claire.
ENGL 220
Introduction to Creative Writing
Introduction to creative writing with opportunities for the student to create and evaluate several forms of verbal art (poetry, fiction and/or nonfiction).
ENGL 411
Creative Writing Workshop - Fiction
Special emphasis on class discussion and personal conferences for advanced writers of fiction.
ENGL 273
Creative and Narrative Nonfiction
Survey of nonfiction works (reportage, autobiography, travel, and nature writing) which combines factual reporting with literary techniques to reveal American society.
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