Creative Writing | College of Humanities and Social Sciences

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Alumni from our Global Campuses

As a Webster University Creative Writing major, you'll take courses in fiction, poetry, drama and creative nonfiction, as well as selected literature courses. You'll learn to read as a writer, understanding and analyzing a range of literary strategies, such as language, voice and form. You'll also produce accomplished creative work that demonstrates a command of technique. You’ll be part of a lively literary community, with opportunities like The Green Fuse, our student literary magazine; The Mercury, our yearly publication of outstanding student work; Surfacing, our annual festival where students write, direct and produce their own one-act plays; and the new Student Reading Series. Along the way, you'll develop the critical reading, thinking and communication skills required for success in any professional role.

Sam and Marilyn Fox Endowed Scholarship Fund Recipient

“I wish to give the chance for more Black characters who are not stereotypical, but lead, in-depth characters who would change how people perceive African Americans.”

Anthony "Ant" Bobbitt

BA in Creative Writing, ‘22

Creative Writing Program Recognized

Webster University’s BA in Creative Writing has been named one of the top creative writing programs in Missouri by creativewritingedu.org (opens in new tab). Webster’s program was praised for its exploration of fiction, poetry, drama and creative nonfiction to prepare emerging writers.

Academics

Hands-On Experience and Internships

Learn Skills, Earn Credit

Webster University offers Practicum courses to provide our students with hands-on experience in real-world work. We also offer course credit for internships at places like St. Louis Magazine, River Styx Magazine, the Saint Louis Art Museum, Less Annoying CRM, and Spectrum Healthcare.

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Details of Webster's Creative Writing Programs

The 36 credit hours required for the Creative Writing major include the following:

Core Courses (12 hours)

ENGL 1900 Introductory Seminar in Literary Analysis (3 hours)
ENGL 2020 British Literature I (3 hours)
ENGL 2030 British Literature II (3 hours)
ENGL 2050 U.S. Literature (3 hours)
ENGL 4600 Portfolio Review (in the final semester of study) (0 hours)

12 hours from the following list:

ENGL 2150 Creative Writing*: Poetry (3 hours)
ENGL 2160 Creative Writing*: Fiction (3 hours)
ENGL 2170 Creative Writing*: Playwriting (3 hours)
ENGL 2180 Creative Writing*: Nonfiction (3 hours)
ENGL 2190 Creative Writing: Translation (3 hours)
ENGL 4400 Advanced Creative Writing* (1-3 hours)
*May be repeated for credit up to 6 hours with instructor permission.

3 hours from the following list:

ENGL 3030 Topics in Poetry (3 hours)
ENGL 3040 Topics in Fiction (3 hours)
ENGL 3050 Topics in Drama (3 hours)

6 hours from the following list:

ENGL 3100 Modern Drama (3 hours)
ENGL 3130 Contemporary Drama (3 hours)
ENGL 3140 Women and Literature (3 hours)
ENGL 3190 Comedy and Satire (3 hours)
ENGL 3210 Tragic Themes (3 hours)
ENGL 3300 20th Century American Poetry (3 hours)
ENGL 3500 Contexts (1-3 hours)
ENGL 3900 Myth and Classical Literature (3 hours)
ENGL 4000 Myth and Modern Literature (3 hours)
ENGL 4030 Literature of Latin America (3 hours)
ENGL 4130 Seminar in a Single Author (3 hours)
ENGL 4150 Shakespeare (3 hours)
ENGL 4500 Literary Criticism (3 hours)

3 hours of ENGL Electives

Any ENGL course at the 2000 level or above

A minimum of three hours in a non-native language is required, in addition to the requirements for the major. Courses used toward the international language requirement may also be used to fulfill general education requirements or a major/minor in a foreign language.
Transfer students who have completed their 3 credits at an institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled the requirement, as are students who have scored a "3" or higher on an Advanced Placement exam in a non-native language.
For students whose native language is not English, a passing grade on the TOEFL will count as their foreign language requirement. Students who are from bilingual families but have no evidence of academic study of the second language on a transcript will need to take one course.

This minor consists of 18 credit hours, selected from two sets of class options. Only the following classes may count toward a minor in creative writing.

Choose 12-15 hours from the following:

ENGL 1500 Introduction to Creative Writing (1-3 hours)
ENGL 2150 Creative Writing: Poetry (3 hours)
ENGL 2160 Creative Writing: Fiction (3 hours)
ENGL 2170 Creative Writing: Playwriting (3 hours)
ENGL 2180 Creative Writing: Nonfiction (3 hours)
ENGL 2190 Creative Writing: Translation (3 hours)
ENGL 4400 Advanced Creative Writing* (1-3 hours)
*May be repeated for credit up to 6 hours with instructor permission.

Choose 3-6 hours from the following:

ENGL 3030 Topics in Poetry (3 hours)
ENGL 3040 Topics in Fiction (3 hours)
ENGL 3050 Topics in Drama (3 hours)

Alumni Success and Job Outlook

English and Creative Writing majors are generalists whose skills qualify them for careers in almost any field. Our alums work in editing, publishing and education, but they also work in banking, tech, marketing, law, health care, management, sales, the arts and anywhere else where communication, collaboration, creativity, open-mindedness and the ability to learn new things are valued. In other words - everywhere! Our dedicated alumni network can show you the range of places our graduates work, and put you in touch with English and Creative Writing Gorloks who can help you get a start in your career. Our careers course, What Next? The English and Creative Writing Major After Graduation prepares our students by helping them build an individualized plan for their career search, and the Webster University Career Planning and Development Center offers students an abundance of resources for success in the job market.