Creative Writing Minor

The e-evolution of publishing means that more stories, poems, and plays than ever are finding readers. Through the Creative Writing Minor at TRU, up-and-coming writers have the chance to get credit for the concentration of studies in writing courses.

The Creative Writing Minor challenges students to tap into their creativity, teaches them the elements of form through critique of contemporary works, and provides them with the opportunity to practice writing in the following genres: short fiction, novel, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. Faculty who are themselves award-winning writers give hands-on, personal attention, and the lecture/ discussion/ workshop format of classes provides students the best opportunities to increase their imaginative skills and creative writing techniques.

You may make an appointment with the Chair of English, Dr. George Johnson for more information.

Potential careers

A Minor in Creative Writing could nicely complement any Majors program across campus; the skill set would be particularly useful in the following professions: creative or freelance writing; teaching (elementary or secondary); publishing industry (printed book, magazine, newspaper, or on-line); public relations, and advertising.

Graduate options

Creative Writing Minors may wish to go on to complete master’s degrees and PhDs in creative writing at universities across Canada, the United States, and Great Britain.

Academic requirements

Pre-requisites:

• Six credits of English 1100, 1110, 1120, 1140, and 1210. Note: English 1150, Introduction to Creative Writing, strongly recommended but not required.
• Six credits of second year Creative Writing from the following list:
  • ENGL 2060: Creative Writing — Fiction
  • ENGL 2070: Creative Writing — Drama
  • ENGL 2080: Creative Writing — Poetry

The student will then complete 18 upper-level credits. Students must take at least 4 of the following Core Courses toward the 18 credits:

• ENGL 3330: Special Topics in Creative Writing
• ENGL 3360: Advanced Short Fiction Writing
• ENGL 3370: Novel Writing
• ENGL 3380: Advanced Poetry Writing
• ENGL 3390: Advanced Drama Writing.

Students must take at least one course from the following list toward the 18 credits:

ENGL 3130, 3140. 3150. 3160. 3170, 3180, 3190, 3260, 3300, 3310, 3320, 3350, 3550, 3660, 3710, 3730, 3740, 3810, 3820, 3840, 3850, 3860, 3890, 3940, 4000, 4040, 4130, 4140, 4150, 4160, 4240, 4250, 4260, 4340, 4350, 4360, 4370, 4440, 4450, 4460, 4470, 4510, 4600, 4610, 4780, 4790

Students may take one course from the following list toward the 18 credits:

• CMNS/ENGL 3080: Advanced Composition 1—Personal Expression
• JOUR 4210: Freelance Writing
• JOUR 4310: Literary Journalism: Studies in Creative Non-Fiction
• JOUR 4590: Outlaw Journalists