Admission Requirements
Prospective Creative Writing students can declare a Creative Writing major, combined major or minor at any time.
Major in Creative Writing
Creative Writing majors are encouraged to enrol in two of the following first-year literature courses:
- ENGL_O 150 (Introduction to Literary Genre);
- ENGL_O 151 (Critical Studies in Literature);
- ENGL_O 153 (Readings in Narrative);
- ENGL_O 154 (Indigenous Narrative)
- ENGL_O 155 (Writing and Making Technology in the Humanities)
- ENGL_O 156 (Environmental Literature)
Graduation Requirements
B.A. requirements (a minimum of 120 credits), including the following required courses:
First Year
- CRWR_O 150 (Introduction to Writing Poetry and Non-Fiction), CRWR_O 160 (Introduction to Writing Fiction and Drama);
- 3 credits from ARTH_O, CCS_O, FILM_O, MUSC_O, THTR_O, or VISA_O; and
- 3 credits of VISA_O 106.
Second Year
- ENGL_O 220 (Literature in English to the 18th Century) or ENGL_O 221 (Literature in Britain: the 18th Century to the Present);
- CRWR_O 260 (Theory and Practice of Creative Writing); and
- 6 credits from the following 3-credit courses:
- CRWR_O 216 (Intermediate Workshop in Creative Writing: Poetry);
- CRWR_O 217 (Intermediate Workshop in Creative Writing: Fiction)
- CRWR_O 218 (Intermediate Workshop in Creative Writing: Playwriting)
- CRWR_O 219 (Intermediate Workshop in Creative Writing: Non-Fiction)
- CRWR_O 250 (Workshop in Creative Writing: Screenwriting)
Third and Fourth Years
18 credits from the following courses, at least 3 credits of which must be from CRWR_O 472, 473, 474, 475:
- CRWR_O 360 (3) (Creative Writing and the Racialized Writer);
- CRWR_O 380 (Writing of the Short Story);
- CRWR_O 381 (Writing of Poetry);
- CRWR_O 382 (Topics in Creative Writing);
- CRWR_O 384 (Spoken Word);
- CRWR_O 385 (3) (Writing for Children);
- CRWR_O 386 (3) (Poetic Forms & Genres);
- CRWR_O 470 (3/6) (Portfolio) (may be taken twice for a total of 6 credits);
- CRWR_O 471 (6) (Writing of the Novel);
- CRWR_O 472 (3) (Editing and Publishing);
- CRWR_O 473 (3) (Writing and Community Learning);
- CRWR_O 474 (3) (Writing with Media);
- CRWR_O 475 (3) (Preparing for a Career as a Writer).
Other Requirements
- 3 upper-level credits of ENGL_O or WRLD_O;
- 3 upper-level credits of ENGL_O in Canadian literature.
- 6 upper-level credits from ARTH_O, CCS_O, CRWR_O, CULT_O, ENGL_O, FILM_O, THTR_O, VISA_O, or WRLD_O (elective). With permission, students may take an upper-level FREN_O, GERM_O, JPST_O, or SPAN_O literature course for this elective.
The required courses above constitute the 30 upper-level credits required in the field of specialization for this Major: 18 credits in Creative Writing, 6 credits in English literature, and 6 credits in other Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies courses.
Combined Major with Creative Writing
A combined major is created by satisfying the requirement for a combined major in Creative Writing and another B.A. program that offers a combined major (currently Art History and Visual Culture, Cultural Studies, and English). A single course can only fulfill the combined major requirement for one program.
The Creative Writing requirements for the combined major include the following:
First and Second Years
B.A. requirements, including the following:
- CRWR_O 150 (Introduction to Writing Fiction and Drama), CRWR_O 160 (Introduction to Writing Poetry and Non-Fiction);
- CRWR_O 260 (Theory and Practice of Creative Writing);
- 6 credits of second-year Creative Writing courses; and
- at least 70% (B-) overall average in second-year English and Creative Writing courses.
Third and Fourth Years
- 15 credits of 300-level and 400-level Creative Writing courses;
- 3 credits of third- or fourth-year English courses in Canadian literature; and
- 3 credits of third- or fourth-year English course in modern, contemporary literature.
Minor in Creative Writing
To complete a Minor in Creative Writing, students must complete at least 30 credits in Creative Writing, of which 18 credits must be at the 300- or 400-level. Students must complete ENGL_O 220 or ENGL_O 221.